Shouto POV:

The tick of the wall clock was the only thing to fill the space between Momo and I as we sat in the HPSC meeting room, waiting for Lani and her boss to arrive.

I was more thankful than usual for the silence. Especially after how my conversation with Momo ended at the park...

-one hour earlier-

"Sit down, Shouto. There's something you need to know..." Momo sighed.

Reluctantly, I sat back down in the park chair, running a tired hand through my hair. I'm not sure what else is left to say between Momo and I. We've been having the same conversation for a long time now. But, somehow we just...keep having it, simply rephrased in different ways.

I'm...well, to be honest....I'm really tired of it.

"The hero commission publishing division got in touch with me today." She said, fiddling with her manicured nails on the table. "The media adored seeing us together at the banquet. So much so, Miss Yuna wants the two of us to sign a contract, you see. One that guarantees we have a legal romantic relationship for at least one year."

I blinked a few times in surprise, starting to wonder if I'd just imagined the entire conversation I had with Momo. Um, you know...the one where I just said I didn't want to be in a relationship with her anymore.

In the chance I did, I decided to just repeat myself. Again.

"Huh? But, I just told you...I don't have those feelings for you." I said slowly and almost concerned, trying to decide which one of us was suffering from amnesia.

She swallowed heavily and flinched like I'd physically hurt her, even though I didn't. "There doesn't need to be...love...in a legal romantic relationship." Her voice came out hoarse. "I-It's...it's always appreciated, and that's why...I was trying to mend things with you before I told you about it. But...you didn't want to. You wanted to make things difficult, and you never used to be like that."

Now, I was thoroughly confused.

"Wait. So...you want to have a relationship...knowing...I don't feel that way for you?" I asked in disbelief, unable to wrap my head around such an illogical idea. "But, why...would you want to do that to yourself? It sounds miserable."

She laughed, but it didn't sound happy. Then she wiped her eyes and sniffled, and I wondered if I was supposed to feel bad right now.

"We can grow to love each other. It happens in legal relationships all the time-" She said, causing me to cut her off with a heavy exhale of annoyance.

It just further proves that, once again, Momo didn't listen to a word I said today, or yesterday, or the day before that. She never does. She never takes my thoughts into account when it comes to talking about 'us.'

How can there be an 'us' when it's all one sided?

"Momo-" I uttered dryly, feeling my eyes roll closed when she spoke over me.

"B-But, also, it's good publicity for both of us." She continued, almost sounding as if she was trying to justify whatever she believed I was about to say. "That's why I want to do it. It would be good for both of our careers."

I shook my head and stood up again, giving her a small parting nod. "I'm really not interested in that. Goodbye, Momo."

"M-My father also met with Miss Yuna today, concerning Miss Hidaka's job as your publicist." She called out quickly, causing my heart to almost stop.

I ceased my walking now, turning around to face her with suspicion. "What?"

My reaction seemed to ignite something in her because her tears went dry as she slammed her hands on the picnic table and stood up, walking over to me with a harsher look on her face now.

"Apparently, the release form he sent Miss Hidaka this morning was never followed up on or returned. So he went to Miss Yuna directly, and demanded Miss Hidaka be removed from the position as your publicist. Effective immediately." She nodded, giving her arms a satisfied cross.

And now my eyes widened in a way they rarely ever do, and I walked over to Momo faster and more frustrated, feeling my teeth gritting together and my brows furrowing. It's rare I ever get...angry about things. I usually never care enough to.

But, now that Momo had brought Lani into it and jeopardized her job, it pushed me far enough.

"Why would you do that? It wasn't your decision to make!" I raised my voice.

And, Momo studied my face closely, and almost a bit...I don't know...surprised? She just looked confused by my reaction, and her eyes were unable to focus, trying to find a point of my face that didn't hold so much emotion.

"I'm concerned about your well being, Shouto." She tried to justify herself. "That woman is making you act out. She's a bad influence on you!-"

"No, she's not!-"

"Well, it doesn't matter anyways!" Momo threw her hands up in frustration. "Because Miss Yuna wouldn't agree to the termination!"

She let out an exasperated breath as my anger calmed down from her words, sitting back down on the picnic bench in appeared defeat.

"Huh?" I asked, causing Momo to sigh.

"Yes. So long as you and I sign the contract, Miss Hidaka's job will be safe."

*

And, well, that brings us to now. After a very quiet car ride to the HPSC Headquarter building, of course.

Momo drummed her fingernails on the table, checking the time on her expensive watch with a huff. I kept my gaze ahead, and I could see her looking at me every few seconds in her peripheral vision, hoping she wouldn't ruin the silence by speaking. But-

"I don't understand why you're so upset, Shouto." She said, and my eyes fell closed tiredly at the simple sound of her voice. "I'm doing this for your own good."

I kept my eyes straight ahead at the wall like they've been the entire time we've been here. "I never asked you to do anything for me." I explained genuinely. "And I don't want you to. I don't know why that's so difficult for you to understand."

She gasped tearfully and placed a hand over her mouth like I'd said something outrageous, "And I don't know why it's so difficult for you to understand that we belong together, Shouto. Haven't you been reading the articles about us? We just work. It makes sense to everyone else."

And, maybe a month ago, that logic would have worked on me. It's part of the reason why we dated for as long as we did. If it made sense to everyone else, it must be correct. But, now?

"It doesn't make sense to me." I said, no longer getting my hopes up that Momo would hear me.

And she didn't.

"Hopefully, the more time we spend together, it will." She uttered under breath.

I blinked a few times with heavy eyes, sliding my gaze down from that single point on the wall and into my lap. Being around Momo, I realize....I don't know, tires me out? No offense to her, but it also makes me feel kind of...hopeless.

Luckily, we didn't have to be alone much longer as the door abruptly swung open, causing the two of us to flinch at such a change of pace in the room now.

"Where are my two lovebirds?" Lani's boss called out loudly, gasping really loudly when she saw us sitting in the middle of the room. "Oh, there they are! Looking posh and perfect as ever. God, you two really do just make sense together. Don't they, Lani?"

My heart skipped a few beats upon hearing the name, and I immediately sat up straight now, trying to look behind this loud woman for THE Woman.

It was almost like my body had trained itself to react so strongly to her name every time it was said. I was fidgeting now, and my palms had started to sweat. I didn't absorb anything the loud boss woman was saying, feeling it come out as white noise when Lani slowly scooted out from her shadow.

She stood stiffly next to the boss woman, holding a file folder under her arm before glancing my way. It almost felt like my heart was flying when I saw her soft smile. It was so soft, I don't think anyone would notice. But, I noticed, and my eyes no longer felt heavy, but...light. Filled with light, and just light in general.

"Lani?" Her boss nagged once more, and she quickly tore her eyes away from me now, looking at her boss. "I said, don't Momo and Shouto just make sense??"

Lani rolled her eyes slightly and tutted, slowly brushing past Yuna and over to Momo and I. Her heels clacked softly and it got my blood pumping hotter when the sound came closer...closer...closer, before she stood directly in front of us and glanced between our sitting frames.

"What? These two?" Lani's voice came out cold and unbothered, giving her nose a scrunch of disagreement. "Nah. I really don't see it."

I could tell the difference between how she was acting right now, versus how she acted when it was just the two of us in her apartment an hour ago. When we were in her apartment, she spoke softly, and her eyes weren't so cold. But, now her voice held that tone it does when she talks in public to others, a little bit smug and cocky. Her smile was no longer a smile, but a smirk.

She turned her attention on Momo, and so I did, too. It was only now that I noticed Momo was avoiding Lani's eyes, looking down at her nails like she'd suddenly spawned a hangnail.

So, Lani walked over to her side of the table, grabbing the file folder under her arm before dropping it in front of Momo harshly. Harsh enough to cause a gust of wind to shoot into Momo's face.

Momo gasped and scoffed slightly, fixing her hair when the air knocked it out of place before glaring up at Lani.

Lani met her eyes immediately, crossing her arms and titling her head at her mockingly, "Long time no see, sweetheart. Huh?"

Momo suddenly looked uncomfortable, clearing her throat and sitting up straighter. "Miss Hidaka. I'm so glad I get to speak with you in person." She said dryly, sounding anything but glad. "My father said you never returned the documents he sent over this morning."

"Oh yeah. Those. I think I might've used them as a napkin." Lani pursed her lips mockingly. "Eh, or maybe even toilet paper. Who knows. I know they were important to you, so do you wanna check?"

Momo's jaw dropped and she scoffed in exasperation, muttering under her breath, "How crass."

"That sounds like it would cause a serious urinary tract infection." I stated in concern for Lani's vagina, furrowing my brows in intense thought.

"And, also just like a serious urinary tract infection, I'm here to stay a lot longer than you'd like." Lani said, quickly sliding into the chair directly in front of Momo. "Painfully so."

"That's...a unique analogy..." I furrowed my brows in question before Momo sat up straighter.

"Just so we're clear, I don't have a problem with you being here, Miss Hidaka." She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I wouldn't want us to have a misunderstanding."

Lani leaned back in her chair and narrowed her eyes at Momo, "Yes, well since you just tried to have me fired behind my back this morning, I hope it's no misunderstanding that I now have a problem with you."

Momo's smile dropped off her face now, unable to say anything else as Lani's boss spoke louder than everyone else.

"Oh, my intern can be quite the jokester." She chuckled, slapping Lani upside the head with some papers and making her sit up straighter. "But, not to worry, Miss Yaoyorozu. Lani was given strict instructions to cater to your every whim from now on. Think of her like a low level assistant for you and Shouto."

The words didn't sit well with me, but apparently they did with Momo.

"Good to know." She said from next to me before I felt a need to voice my own thoughts.

I always felt okay doing that when Lani's here.

"Um. I don't think of her that way." I said, glancing at Lani now.

I've never been an empathetic person, so I wasn't sure what else to say or do. But, I guess...I just wanted her to know.

Her hardened face barely softened before she gave me a small nod, quickly looking away with all the watching eyes.

"S-So, the contract." Momo quickly interjected, glancing at Lani and then at me.

I didn't understand her expressions well enough to know what she was thinking in that moment.

Lani's boss smiled in a way that also didn't reach her eyes, opening the file folder that sat in front of Momo, "Ah, yes, it's all there. I'll quickly go over the terms so you know what you're signing."

I also wanted to know what I was signing as well, so I tried to crane my neck to get a better look at the document. But, Momo simply lifted it from the table to read it for herself.

"The hero commission states that Shouto and Momo must engage in a public romantic relationship of at least one year, and the two parties must follow the progress and rules the hero commission gives them." Lani's boss said, immediately making me feel...uneasy.

"Um. What happens if the relationship lasts less than one year?" I unintentionally blurted out, quickly glancing at Lani before looking at her boss. "For...some reason?"

I didn't think it was an offensive question, but I guess, Momo did. Because she uttered my name under her breath in a reprimanding way, giving me a small nudge with her elbow.

Her boss simply laughed, looking at me in a way I couldn't really socially decipher. "Uhh, then you two, and Lani—since it's her name going behind this whole thing, will be sued by us for breaking a legal contract. Duh." She shrugged like it was common sense. "And all three of you will promptly be dropped from the hero commission."

I formed a small 'oh' from my lips, glancing at Lani and seeing her clear her throat uncomfortably. "I see." I simply said, not wanting to say anything else that might jeopardize her work.

"I know it's meant to be a public relationship..." Momo's voice came out a little lower, only looking at Lani's boss and not Lani. "But....are there rules for what happens in private?"

I saw Lani blink a few extra times and furrow her brows. I also noticed, she'd started picking at her thumbnail again. She does that when she gets anxious.

"What? No!" Lani's boss once again laughed at the outrageous question, causing everyone in the room to jump. "Public is public, sweetheart. What you or Shouto choose to do in your spare, private time is of no concern to us. So long as it doesn't get out and jeopardize the relationship, we don't care."

"I see." Momo's eyes lowered to the ground, and I couldn't help but notice that she looked...disappointed about that.

Lani's boss sighed and smiled, but once again, the smile made me uneasy. Then she grabbed three pens, handing one to Momo and I, and also Lani.

"So then, shall we?" She gestured to the document, particularly the three signature lines.

Momo signed the document immediately, sliding it over my way. It was now for the first time during this conversation I had a chance to read the document, trying to glance over it quickly amidst Momo's protests that I 'hurry up.'

THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN LEGALIZED BY THE SECTOR OF MUSUTAFU, JAPAN. BREACHES IN THIS CONTRACT FROM ANY PARTY WILL RESULT IN COURT OFFENSE FINES AND/OR PRISON TIME.

Wow. So...it really is that serious, I guess...

I chewed on the inside of my cheek unintentionally, unable to resist looking up at Lani for guidance. Out of everyone here, I trust her the most. I only trust Lani and her judgement.

She gave me a small nod of reassurance and smile, and I knew that wasn't one of her happy smiles. But, I knew that she wanted me to sign the contract. So, for her...

I dragged the permanent black pen across the signature line under Momo's, getting an odd, uncomfortable feeling in my stomach once I'd done so.

It...it didn't feel right.

This time, I didn't look at Lani as I slid her the document now, watching in my peripheral vision as she signed it quickly. Her boss quickly swiped the document back before Lani's pen barely had a chance to finish signing, holding it in front of her with a very big smile.

"Beautiful." She breathed out, chuckling lowly as she looked between the three of us. "This is only just the beginning for Shomo. Trust me on that."