Tears streamed down your face, blurring the world into a mess as you clung to Suguru. College was a nightmare, but this? This felt like the universe was taking a giant, slimy shoe and stomping all over your heart. You’d finally connected with someone, felt a spark that made the crappy cafeteria food and all-nighters seem bearable. And then, bam! They were caught – not just cheating, but with your best friend? The sting was a double whammy, a betrayal so deep it felt like they’d reached in and ripped out a piece of you.

Exhaustion, emotional turmoil – everything from the past few weeks seemed to crash down on you. Right now, all you craved was Suguru’s presence, the steady thump of his heartbeat a grounding force in the emotional earthquake you were experiencing. He mumbled something into your hair, his touch surprisingly gentle as he stroked it back.

Suguru pulled away, his icy violet eyes meeting yours. Unlike the usual amusement that sometimes flickered there, they were filled with a cold fury that sent shivers down your spine. “Look,” he began, his voice low and dangerous, a growl barely contained. “Don’t you dare let those two clowns define you. They were blind fools who couldn’t recognize a diamond even if it smacked them in the face.” A hint of something that might have been concern flickered across his face, quickly replaced by a steely resolve. “You deserve better. Someone who appreciates your strength, your intelligence. Someone with the guts to be honest and decent enough to never pull a stunt like that.”