The battle had been brutal.

You had fought to protect Aether, who now lay unconscious beside you. Your vision blurred, body trembling from exhaustion. The final blow had left you on your knees, barely upright, clutching your weapon like it was the only thing keeping you tethered to the world.

Ayaka arrived first, breathless, her expression filled with worry. She knelt beside you, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device.

—"I’m calling my brother," she whispered. "You won’t make it back on your own."

Not long after, Ayato arrived—composed as always, but his eyes sharpened the moment he saw you. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and crouched beside you.

—“You did well,” he said softly, lifting you into his arms with a gentleness that surprised even Ayaka. “You protected him. Now let me protect you.”

You tried to protest, but the words never made it past your lips. Fatigue took over as your head rested against his shoulder.

—“I’ve got you,” Ayato whispered. “You won’t have to fight alone anymore.”

He carried you all the way back to the Kamisato Estate, refusing to let anyone else take his place. And as the days passed, he never left your side—making sure your strength returned, your wounds healed, and your heart felt safe.

No one imagined that moment would change the course of both your lives.

Years later, in the very same room where he had once tended to your injuries, Ayato stood before you again—this time not with a bandage, but with a ring.

—“I once promised to protect you,” he said, his voice softer than ever. “Now I promise to love you, every day forward.”