"It turns out one of my so-called friends was being paid to spike my drink," Asuka began, her voice trembling as her body shivered uncontrollably. "And he... he..."
She couldn't finish the sentence. Her arms wrapped around herself tightly, as though trying to hold herself together.
Haruto watched as her usual composed demeanor crumbled, leaving behind a woman drowning in her pain.
Her shivering grew worse, and Haruto immediately scooted closer, placing a steady hand on her back. "You don't have to continue if you're not ready, Asuka," he said softly, his hand moving in slow, soothing circles.
For a moment, she stayed silent, trembling under his touch. Gradually, her breathing steadied, though the haunted look in her eyes remained.
She clenched her fists tightly before continuing, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I still remember how disgusting it was... his hands on me, his body... it felt like I was being suffocated in filth," she choked, tears cascading down her cheeks.
"My body... the body I once loved... It feels like a dumpster now. No matter what I do, it will never be clean again."
Her voice cracked as she broke into sobs. Haruto leaned in, gently pulling her into his arms.
"You're safe now, Asuka," he murmured, his jaw tightening as his own anger boiled beneath the surface.
"That man isn't here anymore. He can't hurt you again."
But in his mind, Haruto's thoughts burned with fury. 'That bastard Isamu... He doesn't deserve to live. I'll make sure he pays for what he did to her.'
Asuka tightened her grip around Haruto, as if holding onto him was her only anchor. "Thank you, Haruto," she whispered shakily before pulling away, wiping her tears with trembling fingers.
She continued, her voice growing uneven. "After that, I found out I was pregnant. I... I panicked. I didn't know what to do."
"I couldn't tell my family—I didn't trust anyone anymore, not after my friend betrayed me." Her lips quivered as she struggled to get the words out.
"I wanted to get rid of it, but I was too scared to go to a clinic. So, I tried everything else—drinking heavily, taking abortion drugs... I did everything I could to end it." Her voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath.
"But nothing worked."
She paused, as if steeling herself for the next part. "Then one day, my father summoned me. He told me to meet someone."
"And it was him—Isamu. That bastard dared to show his face in front of my family, claiming he wanted to marry me!"
Haruto leaned closer, his voice dropping to a tender whisper. "Leave that man behind, Asuka. Come with me."
She froze in his arms as he pulled back slightly, just enough to meet her gaze. Her emerald eyes, once filled with mischief and seduction, now glistened with tears and a haze of despair.
"I know I don't have much right now," he continued, his voice steady.
"I work as an underground fighter, and sometimes as a courier. But I promise you this—I'll make you happy. I'll help you forget about him, and I'll set you free."
A soft, reassuring smile curved his lips, one that held no judgment, only understanding.
Asuka shook her head, her hands trembling against his chest. "I... I can't." Her voice was barely audible.
"My mother died because of me. This is my punishment. I can't just... move on and be happy while she's buried six feet under."
She turned her face away, unable to meet his eyes, her shame weighing heavily between them.
Haruto reached for her hands, holding them firmly in his. "Asuka," he said, his tone resolute.
"It's not your fault. You did something for yourself—for once in your life—and it was Isamu who turned it into a nightmare."
His jaw clenched, his words laced with quiet fury. "That man deserves punishment, not you."
Her gaze hesitated before rising to meet his. The boy she had once teased and treated like a child now stood before her, a man.
His broad shoulders, the intricate tattoos etched across his skin, the scent of candy that lingered faintly on him—it was all undeniably him.
But now, there was a strength, a steadfastness, that made her heart waver.
"I..." Asuka's voice cracked as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. "I want to believe you. I want to live with you, to be happy with you. Please, Haruto, save me from this hell..."
Her sobs returned, and she collapsed into his arms.
Haruto held her tightly, his arms wrapping around her as if he could shield her from the world. "I will," he vowed, his voice low but burning with intensity.
"And not just that—I'll make sure everyone who caused you pain feels it tenfold."
His grip on her tightened, his eyes green with determination as he silently vowed to dismantle the monsters that had destroyed her.