Tsukasa's Secret

Hearing Furukawa Sairyoku's question, Tsukasa replied, "Of course I am. We're in a blizzard"

Tsukasa stood up from her seat and was about to leave, "It's freezing. I'd better call someone. Without treatment, you might really die."

Furukawa Sairyoku retorted and wanted to show a brave front, "No, I'm totally fi—"

Before he could continue his sentence, the moment he stood up from the seat to stop Tsukasa from leaving, he fell on the ground as his legs gave up.

Tsukasa spoke in a matter-of-fact tone as if she was used to witnessing such scenes, "You've been in shock, so you haven't felt it. But both of your legs are broken."

Tsukasa added, "Soon the pain will start to register. You won't be able to stand…"

"…and you'll probably faint."

Heading out of the bus stop's waiting room, Tsukasa advised, "If you want to live, don't move. I'll call an ambulance."

"Treasure your life. Goodbye."

Sparing him one more glance, Tsukasa left the bus stop waiting room.

Witnessing Tsukasa leave while his body could barely hold on, Furukawa Sairyoku gritted his teeth in frustration.

'Is this what Nasa Yuzaki felt? The pain of the flesh, and the pain of your crush leaving yet you can't do anything to stop it.'

Instead of continuing to loathe himself for his weakness, Furukawa Sairyoku made one last attempt to induce himself into self-hypnosis.

'My body is fine. I'm not in pain. Pain is temporary, but love is eternal. As long as I can obtain Tsukasa's hand in marriage, then I can pass out with a peace of mind.'

After inducing himself into self-hypnosis, Furukawa Sairyoku tolerated the pain in his body and forced himself to stand up!

Leaving the bus stop waiting room, Furukawa Sairyoku yelled in desperation after seeing Tsukasa's back.

"Wait!"

Tsukasa halted her step and she was speechless after looking at Furukawa Sairyoku's battered state. "Y…"

"You idiot!! Standing up could kill you!!"

In response, Furukawa Sairyoku said, "When I saw you earlier, I noticed that your eyes showed that you seemed to be used to witnessing such scenes. As if you have lived through a thousand years and became history's witness."

"They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. And… I noticed that you looked like you wanted to die but couldn't. So you built up a facade to mask it all up in order to continue on living."

When Tsukasa heard Furukawa Sairyoku's words, her eyes widened in surprise. His words caught her off-guard!

Noticing that he caught Tsukasa's attention, Furukawa Sairyoku continued, "I have noticed that your injuries have healed. However, that doesn't matter to me what you are."

"Sure, it might be the first time we met. And I don't even know your name. BUT!!!"

"I really, really like you!"

Hearing Sairyoku's confession out of nowhere, Tsukasa was caught off-guard, "Huh?"

As his finishing blow, Furukawa Sairyoku extended his hand to Tsukasa and asked, "Will you go out with me?"

Tsukasa only responded to Furukawa Sairyoku by staring at him, as if she wanted to see through his intentions.

Furukawa Sairyoku didn't shy away from Tsukasa's gaze and reciprocated by showing her his firm will.

In the end, Tsukasa looked back and left.

Before Furukawa Sairyoku could assume that Tsukasa rejected him, Tsukasa spoke, "Okay, fine."

"But I can only be with you…"

"…if you marry me."

Hearing Tsukasa's agreement, Furukawa Sairyoku nodded his head and immediately agreed, "Yes! Absolutely!"

However, as if he could no longer deceive his own body, his body failed to live up to his expectations as it betrayed him. Furukawa Sairyoku lost strength in his body as he fell on the road covered in snow.

The cold blizzard continued as it at least numbed the pain in his body.

"Am I going to die?"

Tsukasa responded, "Maybe. The snow could hold up the ambulance."

"You shouldn't have come after me. What a waste of life."

"Even if you got a glimpse of my secret, there are others before you who did so. But none of them managed to accompany me in the end."

Furukawa Sairyoku listened to Tsukasa as he replied, "I don't regret my decisions. I'm glad I accepted your marriage proposal."

"Now, I can marry you."

Tsukasa was about to leave but when she heard Furukawa Sairyoku's words, she walked towards him and looked at him who was lying on the snowy road.

"I was just testing you earlier. I don't intend to marry you."

In response to Tsukasa, Furukawa Sairyoku chuckled, "Heh, I knew it wouldn't be easy. I'm not gullible."

Looking straight into Tsukasa's eyes, Furukawa Sairyoku continued, "You are worried that after I know the real you, I wouldn't want to have anything to do with you, right?"

"As you said, I have caught a glimpse of your secret. I know that you have lived long and are immortal. The previous truck accident proves it."

Tsukasa looked at Furukawa Sairyoku in disbelief.

It wasn't unusual for her secret to be exposed since she was very kind. She would save others in near-death situations which risked the exposure of her secret.

However, it was the first time that Tsukasa met someone as attentive and intelligent as Furukawa Sairyoku.

For the first time in her life, she met someone who might be able to fulfill her dream.

Noticing Tsukasa's disbelief, Furukawa Sairyoku wanted to continue but he coughed out blood due to his internal injuries.

Tsukasa sighed as she bit her index finger and forwarded it to Furukawa Sairyoku's mouth.

"My secret has been exposed again. You already know that I'm immortal, right? So if you want to live, drink my blood."

"It won't grant you immortality, but it will be enough to relieve some of your injuries."