Tachibana bit her lip so hard that a tiny drop of blood appeared. Her shoulders trembled as the weight of everything she had been holding back finally crashed down on her.

"I’ve met so many rich men before," she whispered bitterly, tears streaming down her face. "All of them were pigs wearing expensive suits. They only wanted one thing — power, pleasure, and control. They smiled sweetly, whispered empty promises of protection and love, and then used girls like disposable tools."

"Throw them away when they’re bored or broken. I thought you were exactly the same. I was so sure of it. That’s why I fought so hard... even when I was coughing up blood and dying. I didn’t want to be humiliated again. I didn’t want to lose the last piece of pride I had left." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Suddenly, the door slid open. Akane stepped inside quietly, carrying a fresh set of dark clothes folded neatly in her arms.

Tachibana instantly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and composed herself, though her reddened eyes still gave her away. Akane noticed but chose not to comment. She simply held out the clothes.

"Tachibana... here. Get changed. You can’t stay covered in blood like that."

Tachibana took the clothes with a small bow. "Thank you, Master." She quickly moved behind Akane, using her master’s body as a shield while she changed. Even though she believed I was unconscious, she still moved with cautious, hurried motions, clearly embarrassed at the thought of being seen.

While Tachibana dressed, Akane sat down beside me on the bed. She gently caressed my face with tender fingers, wiping away the beads of sweat from my forehead and carefully cleaning the dried blood from the corner of my lips.

"You really pushed yourself too far this time, Jack..." Akane murmured softly, almost like a mother worrying over a child. "Your face is still so pale. Please wake up soon. I don’t know how I’ll explain this to Yuko if something happens to you."

Once dressed in the clean outfit, Tachibana also put on her signature mask, covering the lower half of her face. She stepped back to my bedside and watched Akane’s gentle care for a moment before speaking.

"Master... you were not hurt, were you? During the mission... I lost consciousness early. I kept thinking I failed to protect you properly. If anything happened to you because of me..."

Akane looked up at her disciple with a warm, reassuring smile. "No, I was fine. Dexter healed most of my injuries."

Akane’s expression then darkened with regret. She let out a heavy sigh. "Still... I shouldn’t have taken you with me on this mission, Tachibana. It was far more dangerous than my intel suggested. I was too careless. I put you in unnecessary danger."

Tachibana shook her head firmly, her eyes sharp even above the mask. "It’s not the Master’s fault at all. Who could have known it was such a well-prepared trap? Those cowards set it up specifically for us. I’m really glad I was there. If I hadn’t been, you might have been badly injured... or worse. I’d rather bleed a hundred times than see you suffer."

Akane’s eyes softened with deep affection. She reached out and gently placed a hand on Tachibana’s arm. "Thank you, Tachibana... Truly. You always throw yourself in front of me without thinking twice. I don’t deserve such loyal disciples."

Tachibana replied with sincere conviction, "Master, it is your disciple’s duty to protect you. This life, this strength — everything I am today was given by you. If I have to bleed, suffer, or even die for you, I will do it without a single regret. That’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me."

Akane chuckled softly and shook her head. "Okay... Okay... I can’t argue with you when you become this stubborn. You always win these conversations."

Tachibana sighed quietly and turned her gaze toward me, lying motionless on the bed. Her voice dropped, laced with reluctant concern. "Master... when will he wake up? It’s already been quite some time. He still looks so weak and pale... Is he really going to be okay?"

Akane couldn’t resist teasing her a little. A playful smile appeared on her lips. "Hmm? What’s this? Are you actually worried about him now, Tachibana?"

Tachibana’s eyes widened. A visible blush spread across the exposed part of her cheeks above the mask. "Wh-Who is worried about him?!" she snapped stubbornly, turning her face away.

"Don’t say such ridiculous things, Master! I’m just... I’m just asking because I owe him! He saved my life, so of course, I have to make sure he doesn’t die right after. It would be too ungrateful otherwise! Don’t misunderstand my words!"

Akane smiled knowingly, clearly not buying the denial. "Of course. No misunderstanding at all."

She then continued in a more serious and sincere tone while gently stroking my hair. "He really is a good man, you know. If he wanted, he could have kept his healing ability completely hidden from me. He didn’t have to reveal it."

"But the moment he saw I was injured, he used it without hesitation. He didn’t ask for rewards, favors, or anything in return. That kind of selfless person is extremely rare in our world, especially among the rich."

Tachibana stayed quiet for a long moment, staring at my face. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve. "Master... do you really trust him that much? Even though he’s wealthy? Even though he’s a man? After everything I’ve seen... It’s hard for me to believe someone like him would do all this without some hidden motive."

Akane nodded slowly. "I do trust him. He’s Yuko’s brother-in-law, and his actions have proven his character again and again. When healing you, he could have easily taken advantage of the situation."

"Many men would have. But he let me blindfold him and guided every movement of his hands. He respected your dignity even when you were insulting him. That says more about him than any words ever could."

Tachibana crossed her arms tightly, still trying to maintain her tough front, though her voice wavered. "Hmph... Even if he’s not as bad as the others, that doesn’t mean I trust him completely yet. He still touched me... everywhere. My breasts, my thighs, my... my private parts. I can still feel the warmth of his hands. It’s so embarrassing, I want to die just thinking about it."