Yumi's father sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, staring out at the courtyard with a heavy sigh. The te afternoon sun spread long shadows across the dojo floor. "This can't go on any longer," Yumi's father murmured with a tense expression on his face.

  Yumi's mother sat across him and remained composed, her expression neutral, though her eyes gleamed with a dark expression. She adjusted her kimono sleeves, the sound of fabric movement filling the quiet room. "Didn't I tell you. We are giving her too much freedom, too much expsure to think so she can choose her own way."

  Haruto had been hearing them through the bug hidden in the room which transmitted the conversation clearly. The sound quality is good as expected from Akira's company's product. He listened intently, his fists clenched as he felt the toxic atmosphere. He wondered how Yumi survived them and obeyed their every command like mindless puppet

  "She's at an age where she can be easily lead astray by others," Yumi's father continued. "Her friends, her studies... they've filled her head with foolish ideas. I always knew letting her attend university was a mistake."

  Her mother nodded, setting her tea down gently. "Education is important, yes, but only to a point. She's forgotten what her real responsibilities are. She's more interested in boys and this... Haruto, than in her duty to this family."

  Haruto's eyes narrowed as he heard his name. He knew Yumi's parents didn't like him, but hearing them so openly discuss controlling her future struck a nerve to him. Haruto suddenly realized it can recorded he took out his phone to record.

  "She's grown far too attached to her independence," her father said, his tone hardening. "But that ends now. We've done what we can to guide her, and we should now. It's time to take more decisive action."

  "Decisive?" her mother raised an eyebrow, though she already knew what he meant. "The Ichikawa family is still interested in a marriage arrangement. They've been patient, but we can't dey any longer. We should finalize it before the end of the year."

  Haruto's heart sank as he listened, his pace quickening. An arranged marriage? He'd heard rumors, but Yumi had never mentioned anything. He pressed the earpiece closer, trying to catch every word.

  Yumi's father's voice dropped lower. "Once she's married, she'll have no choice but to settle down. She'll be under her husband's care. He can put an end to these distractions. This... Haruto will be out of the picture."

  Her mother leaned forward, her tone sharp. "And her education? Her schooling has only made her more defiant."

  "We'll stop it," her father said ftly. "There's no need for further education. She'll be a wife soon, not a schor. The Ichikawa family agrees—her pce is at home, not in some university lecture hall."

  Her mother's expression softened, though her words did not. "Yumi's always had dreams, but dreams don't put food on the table or maintain the family's reputation. She needs to understand that her life isn't stary-eyed. This marriage will bring stability. She'll learn her role, just like I did."

  There was a long silence, broken only by the distant sound of footsteps outside. Haruto's grip tightened on his phone. Yumi's future, her dreams, were being stripped away, as if she were nothing more than a piece of doll. He felt like it is happening to him

  He'd always known Yumi's parents were strict, but this was something else entirely. They were ready to lock her future away, and they didn't even care how it would affect her.

  Yumi's mother stood, with sound of smoothing the folds of her kimono. "She'll protest, of course. She'll argue, fight, maybe even try to run. But it won't matter. We'll remind her of her duty, and in time, she'll fall in line. It's the way things have always been."

  Her father nodded. "We'll speak with her tonight. No more deys."

  Haruto stopped in his tracks, the weight of the conversation heavy in his chest. His mind raced. How can they treat her like this? They were pnning to take everything away from her—her education, her freedom, her future—all for the sake of a marriage she didn't want.

  Haruto didn't wait for another second and rushed outside his room and picked up his bicycle and quickly went towards Yumi's house. He rushed through the roads while using energy. He felt bad for Yumi and felt a bit personal.

  It all felt very familiar to him as if it has happened to him before. Of course it was, it happened in his past but he doesn't realize it. His previous family head, their responsibilities he pced on him, it all felt familiar and felt real to haruto and he reacted strongly.

  Haruto climbed through Yumi's bedroom window, careful not to make too much noise. His heart raced, but he had no time to wait—he needed to get her out of here before it was too te.

  Yumi was sitting by her desk, the light from her mp casting glow over her troubled face as she opened the window. She looked up, startled to see him, her eyes wide in disbelief.

  "Haruto? What are you—" She stopped, her voice faltering as she noticed the look in his eyes, the urgency.

  "I heard everything." His voice was low but firm, pulling out his phone recording from his pocket and pyed it. "Your parents... I recorded it all. They're going to trap you here, Yumi. They're going to force you to marry that guy and stop your studies. You'll lose everything."

  "Are you seriously snooping over me? Haruto it is a crime to stal- " Yumi scolded Haruto while hearing the recording and heard the exact same conversation Haruto heard and she dropped the phone and paused midsentence and she was quickly panicked over it.

  Yumi's breath hitched, and she stared at it. "What...? They—" Her voice trembled as true intentions of her parents hit her. She stood abruptly, knocking her chair over in her panic. "No, no, this can't be happening. They wouldn't... they wouldn't really do this, right?"

  Haruto stepped closer, his expression serious. "They will. I heard them myself. They're pnning everything right now. They want to keep you here, away from school, from me, from your friends. They want to end your life as you know it."

  Yumi took a step back, her hand flying to her mouth as she was scared. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her breathing became erratic. "But maybe... maybe this is my fault. Maybe I didn't listen to them. I've always acted too free, too rebellious. Maybe I should've been a better daughter. I did what they asked...but in the end" She began to sob, her voice breaking with each word.

  "My life is over. " She replied while hiding her face while tears are flowing from her face.

  Haruto grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. "No. This isn't your fault. You shouldn't do what they wanted. Yumi if you keep doing what they wanted you sooner or ter you will never meet me or our friends. Kei, Rei, Akira, Ayumi."

  "But—" She tried to speak, but the sobs overwhelmed her, her body trembling uncontrolbly. "You are right... I'm going to miss everything. My friends, my freedom... I don't want to lose my life like this. I don't want to just become some... some obedient wife. I'm not ready! I can't... I can't just give everything up."

  Tears streamed down her face as she crumbled, colpsing onto the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. "Why is this happening to me? Why can't I just... be happy? Why do I have to sacrifice everything? Why is it me everytime? Why can't I choose what I wanted to do?"

  "Haruto...I wanted to do what I wanted to do...I want to become self-sufficent... and want to live school life, I really liked sharing my thoughts and opinions with you all. Even....though you can be insufferable...at times " Yumi responded as she sobbed and clinged to Haruto's chest in panic

  Haruto knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her shaking form breaking her panicked state. "We don't have time, Yumi. You need to escape, now. If you stay, they'll trap you forever. We can file a compint—Child Marriage Act, parental abuse, anything ter. I think I can get Akira to help, she knows some good wyers. But first, you need to get out of here. If you don't, they'll take away everything from you, including your freedom."

  Yumi lifted her tear-streaked face to meet his eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. The fear, the helplessness she was feeling—it was suffocating. "But where will I go? What if... what if they find me?"

  "They won't if we act fast." Haruto squeezed her hands. "I'll take care of you. We'll figure this out together, but we have to move now."

  Haruto had pulled her and pced his hand of her. "Trust me" He replied as he grabbed the ledge and jumped with taking yumi with his arms to the nearby stool he had pced. Yumi yelped a bit at the sudden jump

  "That was...really daring " Yumi replied as her eyes seemed amused to do it.

  "I knew you had a thing for assertive men " Haruto teased her by pinching her cheek a little

  "Assertive man? You! Hmph! As if " She replied while pushing her face away with a pout

  Suddenly, the door to the backroom swung open, and her parents stormed in. Her father's eyes bzed with fury, and her mother's expression was stone-cold. "Yumi!" her father shouted, stepping toward her. "What do you think you're doing?"

  "Oops! I suck at stealth games " Haruto replied

  "Oh! Dear " Yumi muttered with a painful expression on her face.

  Yumi's body stiffened, her hands gripping Haruto's sleves tightly. She was beside him with a troubled expression on her face. Haruto liked the part where she is dependent on him and put her faith in him. It motivated him to face her bulky dad despite his intimidation and strong body.

  Her father's voice was sharp and biting, like a knife cutting through the air. "You will not leave this house. We're your parents Yumi. Come to house!" He replied with a stern expression as he walked towards her with Yumi becoming nervous and tightening her grip over haruto.

  Her mother crossed her arms, her voice was cold and rigid. "You've been disobedient long enough. It's time you grew up and accepted your responsibilities."

  Yumi stood, her knees weak but she steadied her voice. She tried to step back, but her father reached out, grabbing her arm with a rough grip. "You're coming with us. Now."

  "No!" Yumi shouted, pulling away from his grasp, her voice breaking. "I won't! I won't just sit and do what you guys want! I'm sick of this! I'm sick of you controlling my life! I want to be with friends" Yumi denied as Haruto tried to remove her father's strong grip.

  Her father's eyes widened in shock, and in a split second, he raised his hand, striking her across the face. It was too fast for Haruto to react.

  The sound of the sp echoed through the room, it was harsh and cruel. Yumi stumbled back losing her grip on haruto's sleve, her cheek red and stinging, but she stood back up. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't move away. She stood firm, her voice trembling and still she replied. "I won't marry that man. I don't want to live sheltered life like some pure maiden."

  "You MOTHERFUCKER " Haruto replied as he tried to push but Yumi's father away but he didn't even pay attention to him, as he was fixed at his daughter's face.

  Her mother's face hardened as she looked at her coldy. "You will, Yumi. Or we will disown you. You'll have nothing."

  Yumi's eyes filled with fear, but beneath that fear, there was some—determination. That she must take a bold step, years of reading novels about noble css woman breaking away from traditional, sheltered roles expected of noble or upper-css women she found her voice and finally told what she wanted to say. "Then disown me. I'd rather have nothing than live a life like that."

  Yumi had read a lot of josei romance novels, she made her own opinion of wanting to live her life as she wanted after inspired by them. She realized how they have achieved everything they wanted by their own hand without depending on others and really liked the aspect.

  What is the point of reading those if you don't learn from it. She realized but there is a fear that she might not be as successful as them since it was a fictional book. It was fictional bookm but she took the bold step as she didn't want to lose her friends and her access to the freedom she yearned from years

  Her parents froze shocked, with her daughter giving unexpected bold tone.

  "Nee-san?" Before they could respond, Nanami, Yumi's younger sister, appeared in the doorway. Her eyes wide as she looked between their parents and her sister. The room fell silent.

  "Nee-san don't leave me. "Nanami tried to reach out Yumi as she thought she might lose her elder sister whom she looked upto but she was stopped by her father who has stern expression on her face. Her mother shaked her head in disapproval.

  "I am sorry Nanami, but I have made my decision " Yumi Yumi turned to her, her expression softening for a moment.

  But before Yumi could say anything, their parents moved forward, pulling her back. "You're not my daughter anymore, you are not welcome here anymore" her father growled heading back inside

  "You are a disappointment Yumi. You will regret it. " Yumi's mother replied as she gred at Yumi and headed back inside.

  "YEAH SUCKS TO BE YOU BITCH! A BITTER HUSK OF A WOMAN WHO CAN'T STAND THE IDEA OF LOSING CONTROL. I'D RATHER BE ANYTHING ELSE THAN YOUR 'DAUGHTER.' KEEP YOUR FAKE LOVE, YOUR FAKE FAMILY, AND YOUR FAKE LIFE. " Yumi screamed at her mother.

  "So much undignified. It was a right choice to disown you " Yumi's mother replied as she shut the door.

  "Wow! You actually said 'bitch' " Haruto pointed it out

  Yumi's expression immediately softened as she turned to Haruto, tilting her head with a sweet smile. "Oh my, Haruto-kun, I would never say something so undignified. You must've misheard me," she said in a sing-song voice, her tone filled with innocent tone. "A refined dy like me? Using that kind of nguage? Impossible."

  Haruto raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. Totally didn't hear you yell 'bitch' at the top of your lungs just now."

  Yumi chuckled softly. "You must be imagining things." Her voice was smooth, sweet, and utterly convincing.

  Yumi looked over her shoulder at Haruto, her heart pounding. "Let's go," Haruto replied as he took her by his hand away from her.

  [System Update: Affection Log - Yum

  Name: Yumi

  Current Affection Level: 57%

  "Haruto-kun we need to talk " Yumi replied taking him to some closed area.

  Announcement After two or more chapters after this I will procced with the next battle arc. Slice of life is nearly done