𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙚 | 𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘩. ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

˚⊱ 32. | ᴀ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴘᴛ. 2 ⊰˚

"You need to stop being so rash and impulsive!" Aki snapped at her, his voice rising in agitation. "You need to start thinking before you act!"

Touko's expression darkened, her own frustration and anger matching his. "And what should I do instead, huh?" she shot back, her voice raised. "Just stand back and watch you sacrifice yourself for me?"

Aki's temper flared as he responded, his voice rising in volume. "You don't get it, do you?" he snapped, his tone harsh. "My contract means that there will be times when I have to sacrifice myself. And you won't always be able to stop me. You need to accept that and stop being so goddamn selfless all the time!"

She felt stung by the truth in his words. But she refused to back down, her determination and guilt fueling her response. "And I won't just stand by and watch you do it!" she retorted, her voice raised in frustration. "I made a promise, and I won't let you use your contract if I can help it!"

His expression hardened even further as he continued, his voice sharp and insistent. "There's nothing you can do about it," he said firmly. "You can't stop me from using my contract, no matter how hard you try. And the sooner you accept that, the better."

She felt a pang of frustration and helplessness at his words, knowing that he was right. But she refused to give up, her determination and resolve fueling her response. "I won't accept it," she replied stubbornly. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me."

Aki's expression turned stubborn and obstinate as he retorted. "No, you're the one being selfish," he countered. "You're the one putting your own guilt and selflessness above my own needs and desires. You're the one who's not thinking about what I want."

Her eyes narrowed at his words, her own stubbornness surfacing as she shot back at him. "You're the one who doesn't care about the consequences of using your contract!"

He clenched his fists, his expression hardening as he responded, "Of course I care about the consequences! I know what my contract entails. But that doesn't mean I don't care about the cost. I'm not just throwing my life away carelessly like you are."

Touko's frustration and anger continued to simmer as she retorted, "But you're not thinking about what it does to me when you use it. You're not considering how it hurts me when you use your contract to save me."

Aki's expression softened slightly at her words, a pang of guilt and sadness crossing his expression. "I know it hurts you," he said quietly. "But what else am I supposed to do? I can't just let you get hurt, or killed. Not if I can do something about it."

Her expression softened at his words, her anger and frustration giving way to a hint of understanding. She knew that he was being protective and was just trying to keep her safe. But her own guilt and determination still burned within her, and she refused to give up. "I know you're trying to protect me," she said quietly. "But I don't want you to have to sacrifice yourself for someone like me."

His expression hardened once again, his own determination and frustration resurfacing. "But sometimes that's what it takes," he replied firmly. "Sometimes I have to use my contract to protect you, no matter how much it hurts you."

Touko felt a wave of helplessness and frustration wash over her, her emotions at war with each other. She wanted to stop him from using his contract, but she also knew that he was right. Sometimes he didn't have a choice. Sometimes he had to use it to protect her.

"But it's not fair," she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. "It's not fair that you have to sacrifice yourself for me. It shouldn't be that way."

Aki's frustration and irritation flared up at her words, his voice rising in volume and tone as he spoke. "No, what's not fair is that you're throwing your life away for something you can't even fulfill anymore," he retorted, his voice sharp and accusing. "Your family is gone, and it's too late to keep that promise. There's no point in throwing yourself in harm's way anymore."