All the Heroines are my Ex-girlfriends

Chapter 123: Understanding and Compliance Are Two Different Things

A few days passed in a blur.

During this time, Yukima Azuma and Kurokawa Akane never left the vacation house, not even once.

All necessities—cooking ingredients, books, and other daily items—were addressed by placing delivery orders.

Gradually, Kurokawa Akane no longer needed threats or coercion; she began willingly taking care of Yukima Azuma.

For instance, when she noticed the boy gently rotating his wrist after working, she would instinctively reach out to massage it, helping him relax.

After a few cooking attempts, Kurokawa Akane started preparing meals for the two of them, steadily learning Yukima Azuma's dietary preferences.

Although her cooking skills couldn't compare to Yukima Azuma's, who had reached cooking level 7, the convenience of being cared for and the delicious meals left nothing to complain about.

After sharing a bed and blanket for several nights, Kurokawa Akane no longer waited for Yukima Azuma's requests; she naturally wrapped her arms around his neck at night.

Their communication also gradually increased.

Initially, only Yukima Azuma would ask questions, and Kurokawa Akane would selectively answer some of them.

Later, Kurokawa Akane began answering every one of his questions seriously.

Nowadays, there were even times when Kurokawa Akane initiated conversations.

Occasionally, the two would sit at the desk or beside the bed, chatting casually like familiar acquaintances.

Yukima Azuma would sometimes compliment Kurokawa Akane's cooking, while Kurokawa Akane occasionally shared details from light novels.

Just observing how they coexisted, one wouldn't think there was anything unusual about their relationship.

The skies outside were becoming clearer, with sunny periods gradually increasing.

The storm's impact was fading.

"LoveforReal" had temporarily suspended filming due to the storm, and no specific date for resumption had been announced.

Part of the reason was Kurokawa Akane.

Even though she had signed a contract with the production team, if she declared her withdrawal now, it was unlikely anyone on the team would object.

After all, Kurokawa Akane had once considered suicide due to the program's pressures.

She was still just a high school girl 17 yo, not even an adult.

Fortunately, the storm had postponed the program. Otherwise, it was hard to imagine what kind of chaos might have ensued.

In this room that felt isolated from the outside world, Yukima Azuma stared at the computer screen, where a document had just been completed.

He still felt something was missing.

A faint sense of emptiness seemed to linger between the lines.

Even though he had filled the draft with information about Kurokawa Akane from his memories of his previous life, it still felt incomplete.

After pondering for a moment, Yukima Azuma tilted his head to the side.

Noticing his gaze, Kurokawa Akane, who was sitting nearby reading a light novel, turned her head and met his eyes.

"What's wrong? Are you thirsty?"

She asked, her voice clear like the chime of silver bells.

"No, I just wanted to ask—do you have a habit of keeping a diary?"

The question came without warning, but Kurokawa Akane responded almost immediately:

"Yes, I think I've been doing it since I was seven."

Hearing this, Yukima Azuma clicked his tongue lightly.

Since she was seven years old?

That made it a full ten years now.

What an admirable and persistent habit.

"Can I take a look at those diaries?"

Yukima Azuma asked.

Only after the words left his mouth did he realize how abrupt his request was.

Sure enough, Kurokawa Akane lowered her head slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

Even as a "guardian," there was no justification for handing over one's personal diary to a "child."

Moreover, given Kurokawa Akane's current psychological state, revisiting old memories might only cause her pain.

Realizing his request might have been inappropriate, Yukima Azuma was about to change the subject.

But at that moment—

"Sure. It's just that retrieving them might be a bit of a hassle. We'd have to go back to my house. Is that okay with you?"

Hearing this, Yukima Azuma could only smile wryly.

Go back to her house?

He had a strange feeling that once the lease for this vacation house ended, Kurokawa Akane would take him to her home and continue caring for him like a single mother raising her child.

The thought was both amusing and slightly bitter.

"No problem."

And so, after many days living like hikikomori, the two finally stepped outside the room.

....

After the prolonged heavy rain, the streets carried the faint scent of damp earth.

A fragrance that was neither pleasant nor unpleasant—just the distinct aroma that followed a storm.

Tokyo's drainage system was efficient; only a few small puddles remained scattered on the streets, with no severe flooding in sight.

Yukima Azuma let Kurokawa Akane hold his hand as they walked closely along the inner side of the pedestrian lane.

He looked down at her feet.

Kurokawa Akane was wearing short white socks paired with sandals that had ankle straps.

The day she ran away, she hadn't worn shoes.

Fortunately, there were no sharp stones along the way to injure her feet.

The shoes she wore now were ones Yukima Azuma had chosen and ordered online.

Since receiving them, there hadn't been a chance to try them on.

Now that she was wearing them, they fit perfectly.

With each step she took, the straps around her ankles tightened and loosened slightly.

The heels weren't very high, making the sandals comfortable for walking.

Kurokawa Akane noticed Yukima Azuma's gaze fixed on her feet.

Normally, such attention would make anyone feel self-conscious.

But she only wondered what he was noticing.

Did he like her feet? Or was there something else?

Could he be thinking about something negative again?

Gripping Yukima Azuma's hand, Kurokawa Akane unconsciously tightened her hold.

The outside world was dangerous.

Speeding cars, rushing rivers, and imposing walls—everything required extra caution.

The two continued walking until they reached the Kurokawa residence.

When they knocked on the door, Mrs. Kurokawa opened it quickly.

Seeing her daughter and the boy standing outside, Mrs. Kurokawa looked momentarily surprised, followed by overwhelming joy.

She embraced her daughter and then turned a grateful gaze toward the boy.

Kurokawa Akane stepped in front of her mother, shielding Yukima Azuma from her view.

Mrs. Kurokawa seemed puzzled but didn't press further.

She simply asked if her daughter wanted to have dinner at home.

Kurokawa Akane looked at Yukima Azuma.

Yukima Azuma nodded.

Only then did she nod back.

It was at this point that Mrs. Kurokawa sensed something was amiss.

But she merely led them inside, preparing house slippers for them.

Afterward, she glanced at her daughter, who was now pulling the boy toward her room.

Kurokawa Akane's room was devoid of femininity.

One side of the room housed an enormous bookshelf filled with books—mostly specialized texts, primarily focused on the entertainment industry.

There were no posters on the walls, only sticky notes.

These notes contained training goals, script analyses, and character development ideas.

The desk was cluttered with papers and stationery, though a large portion of it was cleared—likely where her computer would usually sit.

A full-length mirror was mounted on the wardrobe, next to which lay a rolled-up yoga mat.

Calling it a bedroom felt inaccurate—it was more like a multifunctional workspace.

The only place to rest was a small single bed, entirely devoid of decoration.

Kurokawa Akane guided Yukima Azuma to sit on the bed.

Then, she went to a cabinet beneath the desk and began searching.

Yukima Azuma looked around the room, almost able to picture Kurokawa Akane's daily life.

Was she too hard on herself?

Perhaps not.

It wasn't harshness—it was simply determination.

Kurokawa Akane, often labeled a prodigy in the entertainment industry, actually knew nothing beyond acting.

The truth behind her so-called talent lay not only in her innate understanding but also in her relentless effort over an extended period.

In the days they had spent sleeping together, with her in his arms, Yukima Azuma had noticed something.

Kurokawa Akane's body was incredibly flexible—beyond his imagination.

Though not trained in ballet, she could execute movements that professional dancers found challenging.

Her slender, toned legs could easily stretch to a full 180 degrees.

To achieve such flexibility, one could only imagine how much pain and hardship she had endured.

A minute of performance on stage equates to ten years of practice behind the scenes—a principle that never changes.

Observing the objects in the room, Yukima Azuma suddenly realized why the novel he was writing still felt lacking.

At that moment, Kurokawa Akane brought a large box and placed it in front of him.

Inside the box were neatly arranged notebooks, ranging from childish doodles to professionally bound black notebooks.

Yukima Azuma picked the top-left notebook.

Then, he looked up at Kurokawa Akane.

She showed no particular reaction, seemingly implying that he could look through them.

So, Yukima Azuma opened the notebook in his hands.

Immature notes filled the pages, written in shaky handwriting that barely conveyed anything concrete, just simple descriptions.

Yet, the emotions contained within were unmistakable.

As a child, Kurokawa Akane had been an ordinary little girl.

She admired the idols on television, and her favorite idol had been a talented child star her own age.

It was pure, unadulterated admiration.

This love for her idol was what led Kurokawa Akane to step into the entertainment industry.

In her early days as a child star, Kurokawa Akane didn't stand out.

She simply persisted because of her love for acting.

Fortunately, she met a good manager.

They tirelessly sought opportunities for her.

Gradually, through her relentless passion, Kurokawa Akane began to gain some recognition.

Over time, she built up her reputation.

The title of "genius actress" gradually took shape and was bestowed upon Kurokawa Akane.

That period was the happiest time of her life.

But then—

Simply being a "genius actress" wasn't enough; money came in too slowly.

Although she was famous, she couldn't generate massive revenue for her management company.

This led to dissatisfaction within the company.

As a result, they began pushing Kurokawa Akane to explore other ventures.

Singing, reality shows, and more.

Unfortunately, Kurokawa Akane wasn't skilled at anything other than acting.

The pressure began to build.

And eventually—

From that point onward, everything in the notebook came to a halt.

Yukima Azuma closed the notebook.

The bright, cheerful girl from the pages was sitting right in front of him.

But for a fleeting moment, the smile on her face vanished, replaced by a blank, expressionless look.

What was heartbreaking was that this emotionless expression was the best possible outcome.

Her beautiful, vacant face—at one point, it had almost shattered, almost been drenched in blood.

Yukima Azuma had come here intending to gather material for his light novel.

But now, he felt his actions were anything but wise.

Psychologists and their patients were required to maintain a strictly professional relationship.

If a romantic relationship were to develop, at the very least, it should occur three years after the end of treatment.

Yukima Azuma suddenly understood why such strict regulations existed.

But understanding and following them were often two entirely different matters.

He placed the notebook back.

Then, Yukima Azuma looked up at Kurokawa Akane again.

His gaze met her deep, ink-black eyes.

"Guardian, shall we go eat?"