After Mahiru brought Ryunosuke home, she cared for him like her own younger brother. However, as time went by, seeds of love began to grow.
The main reason was because this young man was too skilled at capturing women's hearts. Every word and action seemed to pluck the strings of romance in a girl's heart. Mahiru, who spent the most time with him, felt this most deeply.
One day, Mahiru fell ill from being caught in the rain. Ryunosuke cared for her while she had a fever; he cooked, fed her, and even tidied her room. Mahiru hid under the blanket with a flushed face. This was the first time she had been cared for so sincerely and attentively by someone.
Ryunosuke was holding a vacuum cleaner at that time, cleaning the room. Mahiru had said it wasn't necessary and she could clean it herself after recovering, but the man insisted.
After being "adopted" by a beautiful older sister, how could he want to eat for free? Ryunosuke wiped the sweat from his forehead, taking over all household chores, including kitchen matters for Mahiru.
Mahiru lay in bed, covering her body tightly with a blanket. There was a wet towel on her forehead to reduce the fever. Before her, a young man was feeding her food.
Ryunosuke said gently, "Come on, open your mouth."
Mahiru puffed out her cheeks, "I'm not a little kid anymore."
Despite protesting, she still opened her mouth and began eating.
Gradually, she truly fell in love with this young man named Akasaka Ryunosuke, and "naughty" thoughts began appearing in her head...
One day, Mahiru asked how old he actually was. Without much thought, Ryunosuke answered honestly. "This year I just reached legal age."
Mahiru didn't expect this young man was actually that grown up. Because of his skinny body—probably due to long-term malnutrition—his body didn't look robust and didn't appear like an adult in general. That's why since their first meeting, she called him "kid," because the other party indeed looked very frail.
Since that day, Mahiru was always afraid Ryunosuke didn't eat enough. She often cooked special nutritious meals for him. Ryunosuke's body gradually began returning to normal condition, at least on the surface.
Although his body still looked slender like a woman's, Mahiru only thought that was due to the recovery period from malnutrition and didn't think in other directions. The reason why Ryunosuke's physique was weaker than normal people was because in his daily life, he only used 20% of his energy capacity.
Because he was used to being hungry for a long time, Ryunosuke's body unconsciously activated "energy-saving mode" to maintain survival with minimum energy consumption. This is why when his Chuunibyou mode was active, he could get a strength increase of up to 545% more. That strength was indeed his, but was suppressed by his body's instinct so he wouldn't starve to death. His father was a heavy gambler who rarely gave him food, so it was impossible for him to maintain high energy mode continuously.
That habit became ingrained. 20% was normal condition, while 100% could only be opened under certain conditions—namely Chuunibyou mode.
Ryunosuke had been cared for by Mahiru for almost half a month. During that time, his parents never came looking for him. Mahiru wanted to ask, but her tongue felt stiff. Deep in her heart, she didn't want Ryunosuke to leave.
She liked life like this. Together with Ryunosuke, they felt like a real family. Because she had never received affection from either father or mother, Mahiru very much treasured every second together with that young man.
One day, Mahiru removed her apron, stepped before Ryunosuke, cupped his face, and asked: "Will you marry me? Become a real family."
That day, Ryunosuke agreed. They lay on the bed while holding hands. On each of their ring fingers circled a cheap ring worth a few hundred yen. For them, that was enough. The ring was just formality; their love was everything.
Not long after, they registered their marriage because both had reached legal age. Mahiru didn't want to wait any longer. She looked at the marriage certificate in her hand with full happiness. In Japan, there was no marriage book like in other countries, but rather a certificate proving they were registered as husband and wife.
Initially the officer asked for parental signatures, but Mahiru stated her parents had died—to her, parents who didn't care were the same as already dead. To make things easier for Mahiru, Ryunosuke also lied and said the same thing. Their life story moved the officer who gladly registered their marriage.
Both went home with hands holding each other. They thought this happiness would last forever, until one day, Mahiru's mother came back...
Her mother stood at the door with a serious expression and folded arms, looking very dissatisfied. Mahiru hid fearfully behind Ryunosuke. Ryunosuke gripped her hand, signaling not to be afraid as long as he was there.
"Ehm." Mahiru responded softly. She was no longer alone now. She unconsciously touched the plastic ring on her ring finger.
Her mother noticed that. Her face instantly turned sour. She took large steps before Mahiru, gripped her wrist, and prepared to slap her cheek. Mahiru closed her eyes.
But the pain she imagined never came. Ryunosuke held that mother-in-law's hand. He gripped it very tightly, clearly not holding back. The mother groaned in pain until she fell sitting on the floor, biting her lip while cursing.
"Two lowly vermin! Who gave you permission to be together?! Did you ask me?!"
Mahiru bit her lip and stepped forward. "Besides, Mother already doesn't care about me, so why control my personal life?! I want to be with the person I love, I beg Mother don't interfere!!!"
This was the first time Mahiru dared shout at her mother. Ryunosuke released his grip. The Mother just remained silent; she stood and dusted her clothes without saying a word when passing Mahiru.
"You'll end up like me, abandoned by a man."
"No. I won't become like Mother." Mahiru answered firmly.
Her mother didn't reply, as if having let go of something. She took out a bankbook from her pocket. "Since you're married, there's nothing I can give you. Consider this your money I've held for years; I'm returning it to you."
Her mother threw the bankbook containing Mahiru's allowance she had been withholding all this time at her daughter's face.
Ryunosuke was just about to get angry, but Mahiru held him back. She needed that money for living expenses with Ryunosuke.
Mahiru picked up that bankbook. The contents weren't much, only about 6.8 million yen. Her mother's voice was heard again from the distance. "From now on, I won't interfere in your affairs anymore. Don't contact me again..."
Her mother left. Mahiru bit her lip. Did this mean her relationship with her mother had been "bought off"? The severing of ties between them.
"Heh." Mahiru laughed bitterly, feeling lonely and sad. She kept that bankbook carefully. After all, life ahead would need it. Although she didn't want to accept that money, she was forced to bow to life's reality.