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**| The Love Of Three Hearts | Arc — " Solving Problems The Hard Way " |
Chapter 12: "The Night Everyone Forgot to Be Normal"**
The house was unusually peaceful.
And by "peaceful," I mean the type of peace that happens right after a natural disaster destroys everything and everyone is too tired to question life anymore.
--The Aftermath of Dinner: A Tragedy in Multiple Acts
Hana was still gently feeding cookies to Souta.
Not offering.
Not asking.
Feeding.
Like he was a weak baby bird that forgot how chewing works.
Souta's soul had already left his body sometime around the 17th cookie.
His spirit hovered above him, staring down like:
> "Bro, why are we still here… just to suffer?"
Meanwhile—
Takumi was on the floor, desperately trying not to throw up Hina's soup.
Takumi (gagging, shaking, whispering dramatic prayers): "PLEASE… PLEASE… DON'T COME OUT… BE STRONG STOMACH… BE A WARRIOR…"
His eyes were full of tears. Real tears.
He looked like a soldier recalling war trauma.
Himari, however, had other priorities.
Himari (hugging Hina like a plush toy): "HINA YOU'RE CUTER THAN TAKUMI!!! AAAHHH!!"
Takumi didn't even look up.
Takumi: "…Everyone is cuter than me to you, Himari. Even… even that chair probably."
Himari: "Correct."
Takumi's soul split into two halves—
One to keep him alive,
The other to emotionally scream into the void.
He was mid-breakdown when—
BAAM!!!
Kaede entered the scene like a meteor.
No warning.
No greeting.
No hesitation.
She punched Takumi so hard he flew across the room and stuck onto the wall like a poorly printed anime poster.
He slid down slowly…
shhrrr… shlrrrp… pop
And landed on the floor in a broken heap.
Takumi (faint whisper): "…why…"
Nobody helped him.
They'd all seen this too many times.
---
Later That Night: The House of Fallen Soldiers
By midnight, the house looked like the ending of a drama where everyone dies but cutely.
Hana was asleep on the couch, head resting on Souta's chest.
Souta himself was alive… barely. Just a hint. Maybe.
Takumi was on the floor like a corpse from a historical war movie.
Hina slept peacefully, glowing like an angelic creature.
Himari & Kaede slept in another room, limbs tangled, looking like innocent children despite almost committing murder earlier.
The entire house was so silent you could hear Takumi's soul leaking out.
---
Souta Wakes Up (Unfortunately)
Souta's eyes fluttered open.
He looked around slowly, assessing the battlefield.
Hina: alive.
Takumi: not sure. 70% dead.
Himari & Kaede: quiet. Suspicious.
Hana: sleeping peacefully on his chest.
Souta blinked, staring at Hana's soft expression.
Then—
He gently wrapped his arms around her and whispered:
Souta (soft, quiet, sincere): "…Love you… Hana…"
Hana didn't hear it.
Good.
Souta might've actually died if she did.
He slowly slid himself out from beneath her and placed her on the couch properly.
Then he stood up, eyes blank like a man resigned to fate.
And walked out of the house.
Into the night.
Because of course—
Assassins do not get PTO.
---
The Mission
The streets were dark and cold.
Souta walked like it was his natural habitat.
In a shady corner, a man approached casually, shoved a folded newspaper into Souta's hands, and walked away without looking back.
Spy behavior level: professional
Souta behavior level: just tired
He opened the paper.
Most people would see random symbols, old characters, strange markings.
Souta read it like it was a children's book.
> "AGENT CROW.
ASSASSIN.
NEW MISSION: TERMINATE TARGET."
Souta stared at it.
Souta: "…I asked for a break. Why am I still alive? Busy life…"
Without caring, he threw the paper into a fire burning in a metal barrel.
The flames consumed it instantly.
A normal person would think something dramatic.
Souta simply scratched his head.
"…so much work…"
Then he slipped into a nearby building.
Silently.
Effortlessly.
Like a shadow with depression.
Inside, a man sat drunk, mumbling nonsense.
Souta looked at him with the same energy someone has while deciding which snack to buy.
Then—
stab.
Clean. Quiet. No hesitation.
The man slumped.
Souta didn't even blink.
He walked out silently like he had taken out the trash.
At a public park tap, he washed his hands and face, muttering:
"…I need a vacation… badly…"
Across the horizon, the sky started to lighten.
Souta froze.
Souta: "Oh no… they'll wake up soon!"
He bolted home like a criminal forgetting he left milk outside.
---
Returning Home Like a Guilty Cat
After some time, he slipped back inside.
Everyone was still in the exact same positions.
Takumi was still dead.
Hana still sleeping.
The room still smelling like trauma and cookies.
Souta stared.
Souta: "…I regret running…"
Before he could sit down—
something moved.
The purple wiggling creature in the corner rose up like a cursed jelly.
It wiggled aggressively.
Souta stared at it.
The creature stared back.
Or… maybe it did. It had no eyes.
Souta: "…I'm lazy… not now…"
He grabbed the creature like a soft toy…
And THREW it across the room.
It flew beautifully—
SPLASH!!!
Right into Hina's soup bowl.
Perfect aim.
10/10.
Gold medal.
Souta didn't react.
He was way too tired.
Finally, he returned to the couch.
Hana's head was resting on a pillow now.
Souta gently lifted her again, slid under her, and placed her head back onto his chest exactly as she was before.
Like resetting a sleeping princess.
Souta closed his eyes.
Souta: "Good night…
…Maybe morning."
Fade out.
End of chapter.