"What do you mean it's not easy? The meaning is clear, isn't it? I belong to you—body, soul, and blood..."
Speaking as if this were perfectly natural, Yuu gripped Masuzu's hand and firmly pressed the butter knife against his own wrist without the slightest hesitation.
Even as the blade touched his skin, his eyes remained locked on Masuzu's, unwavering.
Yuu smiled. His smile was softer than before, but his pitch-black pupils, like stagnant pools of water, revealed an indifferent, chilling conviction.
"Drink, Masuzu." Yuu murmured, narrowing his eyes. His voice was honey-sweet, yet calm and terrifying, slowly filling with a quiet sense of pleasure. "The more that flows out, the more you drink, the more we'll become one—never to part again."
"Don't be afraid. After all, this is proof of our bond..."
Using one hand to press down on Masuzu's, he slowly dragged the butter knife downward. A thin cut appeared on his wrist.
He seemed to feel no pain at all, still gazing into Masuzu's eyes with intoxicated devotion, as if savoring the joy of self-sacrifice and quenching her thirst.
Only when she saw the faint pink stain appear did Masuzu snap out of her paralysis. Her face instantly turned pale, and she suddenly headbutted Yuu hard in the forehead.
*CRACK!*
"Ow!"
Yuu instinctively staggered backward. As the strength in his grip faded, the butter knife clattered loudly onto the floor.
"W-what did you suddenly do...?"
He stared at the girl before him in mild disbelief, slowly lowering his gaze.
As the act ended, the cold aura vanished completely, like an illusion dispelled. The temperature, once cloaked in a strange, twisted presence, gradually returned to normal. It was as if the sun had just remembered to shine through the window, illuminating his wide, angry eyes—bright and sharp like winter stars.
Masuzu also clutched her head. She seemed to need a moment to recover from the dizziness. After taking several deep breaths, she tightly grasped Yuu's unharmed wrist and pulled it toward her chest.
When she turned over his wrist, she saw no red mark—the kind that earlier had made her breath catch and her heart stop.
"...What just happened?"
"I told you—I wanted to show you my acting." Yuu said irritably. Though his head didn't hurt much, anyone would be annoyed after being headbutted out of nowhere.
Masuzu shook her head. Her cold fingertips kept stroking Yuu's uninjured wrist, as if trying to confirm whether the warmth and smoothness of his skin were real.
"How could your acting deceive the body like that? Unless you used Crazy Diamond to heal yourself the moment the wound appeared, or King Crimson to skip the injury time... Otherwise... just now, I truly felt like I was cutting into something..."
As she continued, her already pale face drained of all color. Her voice trembled at the end, and even her breathing sounded nauseated.
"But thank goodness you're not hurt... Thank goodness you're not hurt..."
She muttered softly. Her anxiety and fragility were even more evident than when she had the flu and begged him to stay by her side.
"..."
Seeing her honest expression for the first time, Yuu fell silent for a moment.
Like a child wielding a wooden sword to impress others and accidentally hurting someone, Yuu, in his eagerness to demonstrate flawless acting, hadn't considered Masuzu's feelings. He'd immediately pulled her into playing the role of a deranged boyfriend. Clearly, it was a lapse in judgment—his fault.
Snapped back to reality by the headbutt, Yuu began reflecting.
He might still have many such immature tendencies, but he could only fix them as quickly as possible and strive never to repeat them once he realized them.
And he realized one more thing—
Masuzu cared about him more than he had thought.
"Sorry, Masuzu." Gently pulling her small hand, Yuu patted the back of it. His tone unconsciously softened, becoming soothing. "That was all just acting. Don't worry. With my Hamon, an ordinary butter knife can't hurt me."
"Don't think you can win me over with some JOJO joke! Sure, I love JOJO, but I'm not some brainless fangirl who just rambles without thinking!"
Masuzu glared at him. Then she puffed her cheeks and turned her face away. Muttering sadly, she said, "Do you even know how much psychological trauma you've given me? It doesn't matter how good your acting is—you let me feel like I was actually hurting you. What if I'm too scared to hold a knife ever again?"
"You don't need to hold knives anyway—you can't cook..."
"Hm?" Masuzu's eyes sharpened.
Yuu quickly corrected himself. "I know, it was my fault. You can punish me however you want when we get home. I promise I won't make you worry like that again."
"Fine then, I suppose I'll have to accept your apology." Masuzu sniffed. The faint blush returned to her cheeks. Her heart seemed to have settled, and her demeanor was no longer so agitated.
"When we get home, you have to make me lots of porridge! At least for three whole days!"
"Okay~ I'll come every day and cook you a whole pot, deal?"
Yuu rolled his eyes helplessly, but somehow, seeing the satisfied smile on her face, the corners of his lips couldn't help but lift. An odd warmth began stirring in his chest.
Shaking off her lingering shock, Masuzu turned to Chizuru. Her expression grew serious. She cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment.
"I'm sorry—I lost control a bit there. As you said, Yuu's acting really is that incredible. I couldn't tell what was real and what was fake. No wonder you consider him your senior."
"Eh, I'm glad you believe me..."
Rubbing her goosebumped arm, Chizuru laughed awkwardly, as if just waking from a dream.
Though the room had returned to normal temperature, her mind kept replaying that horrifying performance, sending shivers down her spine. Her gaze was slightly dazed.
"This wasn't a joke. This wasn't an illusion. It was genuinely stronger and more impactful than before."
"To think such masterful acting could still be improved... What kind of monster is he?"
"He's not just 'good at acting.' Someone like this should enter the entertainment industry and win countless awards to prove his talent!"
"...But still, thank goodness."
Chizuru murmured in relief. Slowly, she clenched her fist on her knee, and her vacant stare gradually hardened into determination.
If she sought guidance from this person—this Yuu—perhaps she could truly grow until nothing stood in her way of becoming a renowned actress.
Yes, the future to fulfill that dream was right before her eyes!
"In that case, may I discuss my matter now?"
Her eyes locked onto Yuu. Her expression suddenly turned serious. Chizuru firmly steered the conversation back on track. Unconsciously, her back straightened. Her aura became resolute.
Seeing this, Masuzu obediently shrank into her seat. Before the food arrived, she pulled out her phone and began browsing the latest news, giving the two of them space to talk.
Meanwhile, Yuu gazed into her light brown pupils. He rested his arms on his chin and listened to her request with a calm expression.