Yamada let the girls in.
Yuna, Nina, Shinomiya Natsu, and Mira stepped into the mansion. Their eyes scanned the luxurious interior with a mix of familiarity and curiosity.
They talked for a bit in the living room. Light conversation. Catching up on small things. The weather. Old memories. Nothing heavy yet.
Then Saki walked down the stairs.
She blinked, seeing the unfamiliar faces.
Miyuri followed right behind her, recognized them immediately, and ran down with a happy shout.
"Yuna-nee! Nina-nee! Natsu-nee! Mira-san!"
Miyuri launched herself into a group hug. The girls laughed and hugged her back.
Saki stayed on the stairs for a moment, watching quietly. She gave a small, polite bow when Yamada introduced her.
Yamada stood up and gestured toward Saki.
"This is Saki. She's staying with us for now."
Yuna smiled warmly at Saki.
"Nice to meet you."
Nina gave her a quick, appraising look, then smiled too.
Shinomiya Natsu waved shyly.
Mira's eyes lingered on Saki for a moment, maternal but sharp.
Saki gave a small, awkward smile.
"Nice to meet you all…"
The atmosphere was warm on the surface.
But Yamada could feel the subtle shift.
The Tsubakihara group had arrived.
His childhood fiancées and their mother.
And Saki, still fragile from everything that happened.
He stood there, watching them interact.
On the outside, he was calm. Welcoming.
Inside, the Emotion Break hummed quietly.
These were his people.
He would protect them.
No matter what it took.
Even if the world had to burn a little to make it happen.
The rich knew.
The supernatural — angels, devils, yokai — knew.
They could sense it. Like a mark. A shift.
Normal people didn't notice.
They just saw a calm young man.
But the ones who mattered… they knew exactly what he had become.
Yamada's crimson eyes (contacts removed) gleamed faintly as he watched the girls talk.
He didn't hate it.
Most days, he embraced it.
It made everything simpler.
Once that was done.
Yamada was walking in the garden with Saki.
They walked slowly through the carefully trimmed paths. The sky above was clear blue. Birds sang quietly in the trees.
Yamada looked at her.
"Saki, are you okay?"
Saki smiled softly.
"Yes, I am fine."
Yamada smiled back, looking at her.
"That's great. I wanted to make sure you were feeling okay."
Saki looked away. Her fingers played with the edge of her sleeve.
"But there is something."
Yamada stopped walking.
"What is it?"
Saki put a hand over her heart. Her voice was quiet.
"I don't know… but there is this emptiness sometimes. Like my emotions get lost."
She stared at the ground.
"Even when my mom called about my father disappearing… I felt nothing. I said the right things on the phone, but inside… nothing. No sadness. No relief. Just… empty."
She looked up at him.
"Is that normal? After everything that happened?"
Yamada stayed quiet for a moment. He looked at the blue sky above them.
Then he spoke.
"It's not normal for most people."
He turned to face her fully.
"But for some of us… after enough pain… something breaks. The part that feels for everyone else just… stops."
Saki's eyes widened slightly.
"You too?"
Yamada nodded once.
"Yeah. After the hospital. I call it the Break. Normal morality doesn't apply the same way anymore. Not to outsiders. Not to people who hurt what's mine."
He reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"But it doesn't touch the people I care about. You. The others. That part is still here."
Saki stared at him.
"So… I'm broken too?"
Yamada shook his head.
"Not broken. Changed. The world is harsher now. But you're not alone in it."
He gave her shoulder a light squeeze.
"If the emptiness gets too heavy, tell me. We'll face it together."
Saki looked down. Then she stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you… Yamada-kun."
Yamada looked at her gently.
"But you haven't unlocked it."
Saki looked at him, confused.
"What?"
Yamada nodded slowly, choosing his words carefully.
"One thing about the Break… if someone is saved at the right time, it starts to heal. The break repairs itself. It doesn't fully shatter."
He placed a hand on her shoulder again, warm and steady.
"You were slipping, Saki. But I got to you before it finished. That emptiness you feel right now… it's the wound closing. It hurts, but it means you're not completely gone yet."
Saki stared at him. Her eyes glistened.
"So… I can still feel normal again?"
Yamada gave her a small, reassuring smile.
"Yes. It will take time. But you're already healing. The fact that you're worried about the emptiness means part of you is still fighting to stay whole."
Saki let out a shaky breath. She stepped closer and rested her forehead against his chest.
"I was so scared… I thought I was becoming like him. Cold. Empty. Gone."
Yamada wrapped his arms around her.
"You're not. You're still you. Just a little bruised right now."
They stood there in the garden for a long time.
The blue sky above them felt a little brighter.
Saki whispered against his chest.
"Thank you… for saving me before it was too late."
Yamada gently stroked her hair.
"Always."
After the quiet moment in the garden, Yamada and Saki walked back toward the mansion.
As they entered the living room, the Tsubakihara group was already settled in and chatting with Miyuri.
Yuna looked up first, smiling gently at Saki.
"You're looking a little better today."
Nina grinned.
"Still getting used to the big house?"
Shinomiya Natsu gave Saki a warm, understanding look.
Mira watched with a calm, maternal expression.
Saki gave a small nod, still a bit shy but more comfortable than before.
"Yes… thank you."
Yamada stood quietly beside her, letting the girls talk.
The conversation flowed naturally — catching up on their trip, asking Saki gentle questions about how she was settling in, sharing light stories.
Miyuri bounced between everyone, keeping the mood cheerful.
Yamada watched it all with a faint smile.
His childhood fiancées and friends had arrived.
The mansion felt fuller.
Warmer.
He didn't say much.
He simply stayed present, protective, while the Emotion Break kept everything else clear and cold in the background.
For now, he was content to let them talk.