I held her gaze, my voice steady. "I have an idea," I said. "But I'll need your help."
She didn't hesitate. "What is it?" Her voice was fierce, determined. "I'll do anything... for my sister."
I took a deep breath, the words hanging between us like a promise. "Be my girlfriend."
Silence.
Yuko's entire body froze as my words hung in the air between us. Her breath hitched, her eyes widening as if I'd just suggested something unimaginable.
The fire in her gaze flickered between shock, disbelief, and something darker—something that made her grip her own arms tightly, as if to keep herself from lashing out.
"What..." she repeated, her voice barely a whisper, her mind clearly struggling to process what I'd just said. She took a step back, her expression twisting into something between horror and fury.
"You want me to... to pretend to be your girlfriend?" Her voice cracked slightly, the idea clearly repulsive to her. "Are you serious?"
