As Harriet reached the door, she paused and turned back toward the group, her expression serious once more.

"And one more thing," she began, her voice softer but no less intense. "If any of you are thinking about marrying Aoto, or being with him for the long term, you need to be prepared for the fact that... he will grow old. He will die of old age long before any of you."

The words hit like a second bombshell, and the room fell into a heavy silence. The girls were already emotionally raw from the previous conversation, and this new reality was almost too much to handle.

Matie, who had been clenching her fists the entire time, looked down at the floor, her brows furrowed in deep thought. She knew Aoto was a human from Earth, but the stark reminder that humans aged quickly compared to Comos was not something she had fully grasped before.

"Humans like Aoto live relatively short lives," Harriet continued. "Comos, no matter the class—Warrior, Islandar, Softy, Giant, Average, or Nighter—have internal youth. You'll keep your youthful appearance for a long time, possibly even centuries. But Aoto? He'll age like any human. His hair will turn gray, his body will weaken, and eventually... he'll be gone."

Akia, already teary-eyed from the earlier conversation, sniffled and looked at Harriet with wide, emotional eyes. "But... I don't want that. I don't want him to grow old and leave us. Isn't there anything we can do?"

Harriet shook her head slowly, her expression somber. "I've lived for over 300 years, Akia. I've had many human husbands in my life. I loved each of them dearly, but no matter what I did, they grew old, and I had to watch them die."

The girls sat in stunned silence, taking in the weight of Harriet's words. The headmistress had been through something none of them could truly understand yet: the pain of losing a loved one simply because of the passage of time.

Kay was the first to speak, her usual fiery demeanor subdued. "So... what are we supposed to do? Just... accept that he's going to get old and die while we stay young?"

Harriet nodded, her expression filled with empathy. "Yes. If you choose to stay with him, that's something you'll need to come to terms with. Loving a human means loving them despite their short lifespan. It's beautiful and painful at the same time."

Rika, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up, her voice shaky. "But we... we could still have time with him, right? Even if he grows old... we'd still have years together. Decades, maybe."

Harriet smiled softly, nodding. "Yes, you will. And those years can be filled with joy, love, and happiness. But that doesn't change the fact that eventually, you'll have to say goodbye. And you need to be ready for that."

Matie, who had been staring at the floor the entire time, finally spoke up, her voice filled with determination. "I don't care if he gets old. I don't care if he leaves us one day. I... I love him now. And I want to spend as much time with him as I can." Her voice cracked slightly, but she held firm.

Kay nodded in agreement, her usual strong-willed attitude returning. "Same. I don't give a shit about the future. What matters is now. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Akia, tears streaming down her face, whispered, "I don't want to lose him... but I love him too much to let that stop me. I'll take every moment I can with him."

Even Rika, usually the most nonchalant of the group, wiped away a stray tear and said, "I'm with them. I don't care how long we have. I'm not giving him up."

Harriet sighed deeply, her face softening as she looked at the group of girls. "Then you're braver than most. Just make sure you don't take the time you have with him for granted. Humans are fragile, and you never know how long you'll have with them."

As Harriet turned to leave, she paused again at the door. "Just remember that love is a two-way street. Don't let fear of the future ruin what you have now. Cherish every moment, and make the most of it. But be ready for the day when... you'll have to let go."

With that, she left the room, leaving the girls to sit in silence once again.

The room felt heavy with the weight of the conversation, and though they were determined to be with Aoto, the reality of what the future held was something none of them could ignore.

As the girls sat there, they each silently made a promise to themselves: no matter what, they would love Aoto with everything they had, for as long as they had him. Even if it meant one day saying goodbye.

The room was still, heavy with the weight of Harriet's words. Each of the girls sat in their own thoughts, processing the reality that had just been laid out before them. The future with Aoto now seemed both beautiful and heartbreaking, something they all had to come to terms with. The silence lingered, until Akia, sitting on the edge of the couch, broke it.

Her voice was quiet, almost as if she was afraid to speak. "I... I have something to say," she began, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "I've had a crush on Aoto since... since the first day we met."

All eyes turned toward her. Matie, Kay, and Rika listened intently as Akia continued, her cheeks flushing with the memories. "It was when he bumped into me in the hallway. He thought he was late to school, but... well, it was summer vacation."

She chuckled softly at the memory, but there was a tenderness in her voice, a sincerity that made the others realize just how deep her feelings for him went.

"He was so... flustered," Akia said, a small smile spreading across her face. "But even then, he was kind. He apologized so many times for bumping into me, and... I don't know. I just... felt something."

Matie gave her a soft nod, her expression understanding. "Yeah, I get it. He's like that. Kind, even when he's in a panic."

Kay, who usually kept her emotions a bit more guarded, sighed. "He's got a way about him, doesn't he? Gets under your skin without even trying. Makes you want to... I don't know... take care of him, protect him. And then... he ends up being the one looking out for us."

Rika, ever the confident one, leaned back with a grin. "Yeah, he's something else. I can't lie; I've felt it too since day one. The way he just throws himself into things—whether it's a situation with us or some chaos we drag him into—it's hard not to fall for him."

The conversation felt more raw, more vulnerable than before. It wasn't just about the future and what might happen to Aoto; it was about how much he had already meant to them, how deeply he had touched their lives in such a short time.

Mako, who had been quiet for once, finally spoke, her voice soft and surprisingly serious. "I don't always get everything, but I do know that... I like being around him. I feel safe with him. And... I think that's important. You don't always find that."

The girls all nodded in agreement, realizing that despite their differences, they shared something powerful: a connection with Aoto that went beyond just physical attraction or fleeting feelings.

Akia, still fiddling with her shirt, added softly, "I've never been good at... you know, telling someone how I feel. But with Aoto, it feels different. Like... maybe it's okay to let myself like him. Maybe it's okay to hope for something more, even if... even if the future is uncertain."

Matie put a hand on Akia's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone, Akia. We all feel the same way. We all care about him."

Kay smirked slightly, her eyes softening. "It's hard not to, honestly. The idiot wormed his way into all our hearts, even if he doesn't realize it yet."

Rika, with her usual playful tone, grinned. "Oh, he'll realize it soon enough. Trust me."

The girls shared a quiet laugh, the tension in the room easing just a little. But the underlying truth remained: they all loved Aoto, in their own ways, and they all knew that being with him wouldn't be easy. The road ahead was filled with uncertainties, but they were willing to face them together.

For Akia, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest, finally admitting what she had been feeling for so long. The others understood her, and it brought them all closer.

As they sat together in silence once more, a sense of solidarity formed between them. They would love Aoto as long as they could, and they would cherish every moment they had with him, no matter what the future held.

As the room's atmosphere hung heavy with the weight of the conversation, Mako—ever the master of defusing tense situations in her own unique way—grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV. "We need something to lighten the mood," she said, aiming to shift the focus away from the emotionally charged moment.

The screen lit up, and without warning, the loud, obnoxious voice of the infamous Big Bill Hell's Cars commercial blared from the speakers. "WELCOME TO BIG BILL HELL'S CARS!!!" the announcer screamed, complete with blaring horns and ridiculous graphics.

Aoto, who had just returned from depositing his check, raised an eyebrow, recognizing the chaotic energy of the commercial immediately. "No way... This?!"

The girls blinked in confusion at first, trying to process what they were watching.

"BAD DEALS! BAD CARS! IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA FIND A BETTER DEAL, YOU CAN KISS MY ASS!"

Akia, having never seen such a crass commercial before, looked utterly baffled, her eyes wide. "Is... is this real?"

Mako burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "This is the best thing I've ever seen!"

Kay groaned, her palm slowly meeting her face. "Oh god, it's one of those weird Earth things again, isn't it?"

Rika was already in hysterics, doubling over in laughter at the absurdity of the ad. "The worst cars in the world for the worst people?! This is comedy gold!"

"EVERY CAR'S A LEMON! GUARANTEED! COME ON DOWN TO BIG BILL HELL'S! IF YOU DON'T BUY A CAR FROM ME, YOU'RE A FUCKING IDIOT!"

Matie, who had been relatively calm since the heavy conversation earlier, couldn't help but snort in amusement, her tough demeanor cracking as the commercial reached its peak.

By the time the commercial ended with the tagline, "FUCK YOU, BALTIMORE!", the entire room was in stitches. Even Akia, who had been the most confused, was now giggling uncontrollably, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

Aoto, shaking his head with a grin, sat down on the couch. "You know, I forgot how insane Earth commercials can get. That one... it's legendary."

Mako, still catching her breath, nodded enthusiastically. "It's genius! I need more of this in my life!"

Kay, despite her initial annoyance, couldn't help but chuckle. "I guess it is pretty funny... in a completely idiotic way."

Rika, still laughing, pointed at the screen. "We need more stuff like this to break up all the heavy conversations. Seriously, I was ready to cry five minutes ago, and now I'm just imagining Big Bill yelling at us to buy a shitty car!"

The tension that had weighed heavily on them before was now completely gone, replaced with the kind of infectious laughter that only something as absurd as Big Bill Hell's Cars could bring. The girls were grinning, and the heaviness that had hung in the air was now lifted by the ridiculousness of what they'd just watched.

Mako, with her usual carefree attitude, looked around the room, clearly pleased with herself for turning on the TV at just the right moment. "See? Told you we'd lighten the mood."

Aoto, shaking his head, leaned back on the couch and smiled. "Well, mission accomplished, Mako."

The girls all nodded, still chuckling. "Yep. That was exactly what we needed," Matie said, her mood noticeably lifted.

The group settled back into a lighter conversation, the emotional weight of earlier temporarily forgotten. Big Bill Hell had done what nothing else could: brought everyone together for a moment of pure, unfiltered ridiculousness.