"Now, now you say that, but you're good with children. Please? Ki's attacks seem a lot worse than before."
"If it's worse, it's definitely because of the effects of the accident." Toh trailed off.
Sumire's panic attacks, of course, he knows about it. He was her psychologist, and he helped her with her condition. It's the main reason why she stayed over at his place so often. He saw a pained gaze on Mamoru's face and sighed.
"I arranged a meeting with Narasaki. I will ask him since he seems to be her guardian at the moment. But don't get your hopes up."
"Thank you, Toh. I knew you still cared."
"I came back to take her away," Toh muttered. "As long as she is in Japan, Lucifer will never leave her alone. But if it's abroad, I can hide her."
Mamoru frowned. "You want her to throw away her career?"
"Don't phrase it like that." Toh sighed. "I don't want to ask her to do that, but you know how crazy Lucifer is."
"I understand."
"Did you join D entertainment to spy? You're crazy; drop it right now. You're still recovering."
Mamoru laughed. "I'm fine. I'm taking my medication. Moreover, you know what my job is now."
Right, when he learned that Mamoru joined D entertainment. Toh immediately understood.
"This is why I hate government organizations. Are you sure you didn't join some sketchy group?"
Mamoru only laughed at that, and Toh sighed. This guy is so troublesome. How did Sumire take care of him?
'The one who found Mamoru was me.' When he first heard of the accident, he rushed over immediately. It took a long time. However, he never expected to find Mamoru hauled up in the mountains. But he immediately had to go back abroad, so he didn't get a chance to tell Sumire.
"I understand what your job is and that this is only a mission. But, the media got your picture with that woman. If they spread it, the one who will get hurt is Sumire."
"I know."
Toh looked at him displeased. "Then why don't you explain it to her?"
"Truthfully, I lied to you. My illness is getting a lot worse; it did stop temporarily when I didn't have my powers. But now that I am at full strength again, it's coming back quickly."
This news didn't surprise him. He figured there was something off about Mamoru when he called.
"Even if the accident did not happen. I would have eventually left Ki."
"I see. I returned for her. I will not allow Lucifer to harm her. When this is all over, I will propose."
"Are you confident that you can take Sumire away from Yuhi?"
"At the very least, I will try. It is more than what you are doing." Toh shakes his head. "You are surrendering without even putting up a fight. Has the accident damaged your intelligence, or have you always been a coward?"
He didn't want to be cold. But, seeing Mamoru's current state frustrated him. What happened to all that energy he had before? After he finished his sentence, Mamoru broke down.
"I want to be with her; of course I do. I want to hold hands and hug her naturally like before. I want to confidently say that smile is for me and me alone. But can't you see? I will only be a burden if I return to her now."
Toh looks at Mamoru with pity in his eyes. It's unfortunate how things turned out between the two. 'When I learned the two started dating, I wasn't surprised. I was jealous, but I knew that Sumire would be taken care of. If it is Mamoru, she will be in good hands.'
Sumire aside, he actually returned to Japan to check on Mamoru too. They have an unusual friendship now.
He does pity Mamoru but is in no position to help his love rival. Toh advises Mamoru to complete his mission quickly.
"I know Lucifer very well. He will take advantage; no, he has done so already with the photographs. But the articles are ridiculous."
"Articles?" Mamoru repeated, confused.
Toh sighed deeply. "Your so clueless."
After explaining it, Mamoru looked troubled.
"Then I will wrap up my job. But Toh, how do you plan on protecting her when you're supposed to be her enemy? I mean, it was already difficult in the past, and in the end, Lucifer forced you to leave her."
Toh clenched his fist, and a dark aura wrapped around him, and Mamoru quickly apologized. But, the damage had been done. All those nights he had to spend without her, their last date, and the mess the media caused resurfaced in his mind. The pain from that time weighed heavily in his heart.
After a while, he speaks up. "That is for me to know and you to find out."
"You haven't changed."
"The same goes for you."
"Whatever you do. Don't make Sumire and Yuhi suffer too much. Those two have already gone through a lot."
"Are you forgetting what my profession is? I am a psychologist. I will keep their mental states in check. I do not want to harm anybody. But, just as much as you have missed her. I have missed her too." Toh mumbled.
He has spent too many lonely nights without her; he doesn't want that anymore.
'Back then, I thought I only wanted to know her heart. But at some point, something changed for me. Before I understood what was happening, Sumire had become the most important person to me.'
She became somebody he couldn't toss away; she was no longer just a human used for observation.
His thoughts break off when he sees Mamoru's pale face and hears his coughing.
"Sleep in the guest room tonight; you look terrible."
Mamoru weakly nodded, and Toh led Mamoru to the guest room.
"If you're getting that bad, you should get hospitalized." Toh trailed off. "Before you quit the organization, why don't you take advantage of it? The Nagawa family is a family of doctors and business people. I am sure they can host you in one of their hospitals."
"Are you saying that knowing that those people hate my guts?"
"Aren't you friends with Nagawa Sano? I was talking about him."
A troubled look flashes through Mamoru's pale face. "I already owe him a lot for helping me out previously. I don't want to keep troubling him."
"You're not troubling him; contact him immediately and lie down." Toh made sure Mamoru was lying down before dumping a load of blankets on him.
Mamoru laughed. "You're good at taking care of people."
"Honestly, have you even been eating? You're all stick and bones. You can't appear before her looking like that." Toh shakes his head. "I will get you something to eat, and then you can take your medicine. Did you bring it with you?"
"Yes, I did."
"Sleep a bit, and I will wake you." Toh quickly exited the room.
He takes a brief glance at Mamoru through the creak in the door. The color of his face had turned pale, and his breathing was becoming unsteady.
'I should meet with Sumire as soon as possible and tell her about Mamoru.'
Initially, he kept Mamoru's condition a secret from Sumire, but he can't do that anymore. She has to know the truth.