Manaka laughed at Kyoko, it was not mocking but because he thought she was funny. After they were done with the casual meal, well it wasn't that casual but Manaka was 'Forced' to eat something by kyoko simply because if he did not eat she would feel a little bad and would feel guilty.
Currently they were walking quietly on the streets, Kyoko asked a question. "Do you really think you can save Sayaka?"
Manaka chuckled before he started to ponder, it would be hard to save her and much more harder to make her let go of Kyosuke but he won't give up, he could have also saved Mami but that completely crossed his mind. "The thing about Sayaka is, she is too naïve, she wants to be a hero but she does not realize heroes sacrifice themselves for others, she wants to be loved but that can't happen unless you make a move towards the person you love, as you realize love is not something one sided"
Kyoko asked a question, she was curious. "Have you ever loved someone that deeply?"
"Excluding the fact that I would probably do a lot of unspeakable things to make sure my sister and family are safe, I do feel love towards you girls but I wouldn't say it's the same kind of love Sayaka has for Kyosuke," Manaka continued, his voice smooth but thoughtful. "Sayaka's love is built on a fantasy. She gave up her humanity for him, but deep down, she wanted something in return—even if she refuses to admit it. That kind of love isn't selfless, it's a gamble. And when she realizes she's lost, she won't know what to do."
Kyoko scoffed, kicking a stray rock down the empty sidewalk. "Yeah, well, that's what pisses me off about her. It's not like I hate her or anything, but she's just... so stupid about this whole thing." Her hands tightened into fists. "If you're gonna fight, you fight for yourself. Not for some dumb fantasy of love."
Manaka smirked. "And what about you, Kyoko? Do you fight for yourself?"
She shot him a sharp glare. "Of course I do! I don't expect anything from anyone. I take what I want and keep moving forward. That's how I've survived this long."
He chuckled, tilting his head slightly. "If that's true, then why did you share your food with me earlier?"
Kyoko clicked her tongue, looking away. "Tch. That's different."
"Is it?" Manaka pressed, his expression amused but not mocking. "You say you fight only for yourself, but you still care about others. You cared about Mami, and even now, you care about Sayaka—even if you haven't met her yet."
Kyoko crossed her arms, annoyed. "Yeah, well, what about you then? You're always acting like you know how things will turn out, but what do you actually want? You said you love us, but do you even know what that means?"
Manaka was quiet for a moment. Then he exhaled slowly, his smirk softening just a little. "Love, huh... I think it's about staying by someone's side, even if they don't realize it. Making sure they don't fall, or if they do, catching them before they break completely." His gaze darkened slightly, thoughtful. "But it's also about choices. Giving someone the chance to decide their own path, rather than forcing them into one."
Kyoko eyed him carefully. "And Sayaka? You're giving her a choice?"
Manaka nodded. "I am. I won't force her to let go of Kyosuke. But I will show her the truth. After that, whatever she does is up to her."
Kyoko sighed. "Whatever, i think it's time our date ended"
Manaka smiled but he didn't refute. "Ok but before you go, should i change the properties of your name so you won't become a witch, though my memories of witch runes are messy now, i can at least give you this gift, i just need your soul gem"
Kyoko froze, her crimson eyes narrowing. "The properties of my name? What kinda cryptic nonsense is that?"
Manaka smirked. "Names hold power, Kyoko. They're more than just words people call us. They define us, shape our existence. And for magical girls, they can determine our fate." He extended his hand toward her. "If I change the properties of your name, you won't turn into a witch—no matter how much despair you fall into."
Kyoko stared at him, skepticism all over her face. "That sounds way too easy."
Manaka chuckled. "It isn't. It's not just rewriting fate—it's overwriting it. And something like that always comes with a cost."
She clicked her tongue, shifting her weight to one leg. "Your cost, or mine?"
He simply smiled. "Does it matter?"
Kyoko hesitated, her fingers curling around her soul gem. Even though she acted tough, she wasn't stupid. She knew what awaited her at the end of this road. No matter how much she fought, no matter how strong she got, the cycle of despair was inevitable.
And yet...
She hated the idea of owing anyone. Hated the idea of letting someone else decide her fate. But... if what Manaka was offering was real—if she really had a chance to break free from this cruel system—could she really afford to say no?
Her grip tightened before she let out a long sigh. "Tch. Fine. But if this backfires and I end up worse than a witch, I'm coming back to haunt your ass."
Manaka let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Duly noted."
She tossed her soul gem toward him, and he caught it effortlessly. The moment his fingers wrapped around it, something in the air shifted. A deep hum, like the distant ringing of a bell, vibrated through the space between them. Strange symbols—witch runes—began manifesting in the air around him, glowing with an eerie, unnatural light.
Kyoko felt a chill crawl down her spine. This wasn't normal magic.
"What the hell are you really doing?" she muttered, suddenly uneasy.
Manaka didn't answer immediately. His gaze was locked onto the soul gem, watching as the runes wove themselves around it, inscribing something unseen into its very existence. His expression was calm—focused—but there was something deeper there. Something ancient.
And then, with a flick of his wrist, the runes shattered into nothingness, and the soul gem pulsed once before dimming back to its normal glow.
Manaka exhaled slowly, as if shaking off an unseen weight, and tossed the soul gem back to her. "It's done."
Kyoko caught it, inspecting it warily. "That's it? Doesn't look any different."
"It is different," Manaka said simply. "You just can't see it."
She frowned. "...So what did you actually do?"
Manaka's smirk returned, though it was softer this time. "I changed your story. Before, your path was set—if you fell into despair, you would have become a witch. Now? That path no longer exists. No matter what happens, your soul gem won't corrupt. You might still die if it's shattered, but you'll never turn into a monster."
Kyoko stared at him, silent.
For the first time since becoming a magical girl, that fear—the fear that had always lurked in the back of her mind, whispering that one day she'd fall too far—was gone.
She clenched her fist around the soul gem, her heart pounding.
This was real.
This was freedom.
"...Huh," she muttered, looking away. "Guess I owe you one."
Manaka had a mischievous smile on his face "Yep and just like how you foolishly sold yourself to Kyubey, you just signed a marriage contract between the two of us which means you can never forget any memory you had with me"
Kyoko's head snapped up, eyes wide. "The hell did you just say?!"
Manaka chuckled, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I said, you won't be able to forget me. No matter what happens, my existence will always remain in your memories. Sounds fair, doesn't it? You gave something up, and in return, you got something priceless."
Kyoko's face twisted in a mix of anger and disbelief. "That's not how this works! You didn't say anything about—!" She stopped herself, realizing there was no point in yelling. Her grip on the soul gem tightened, but the weight in her chest was… different. Lighter.
For the first time in forever, she wasn't terrified of her future.
"That's dirty," she muttered, looking away.
Manaka shrugged. "Probably. But if it makes you feel better, it wasn't a trick. Just a… bonus."
Kyoko clicked her tongue. "Tch. Whatever. Just don't get any weird ideas."
Manaka smirked but said nothing.
The two stood there for a moment, the evening air cool against their skin. Kyoko finally shoved her soul gem back into her pocket and sighed.
"This was a weird-ass date," she grumbled. "Next time, I'm picking where we go."
"I don't even get a kiss, how rude" Manaka mocked disappointment.
Kyoko nearly choked on air, her face immediately heating up. "Wha—!? The hell makes you think you deserve one!?"
Manaka just laughed, clearly amused by her reaction. "Well, if we're married now, shouldn't there be at least a little affection? Even just a peck on the cheek?"
Kyoko groaned, rubbing her temples. "You are the worst. The worst." She jabbed a finger at his face. "And don't go throwing around words like 'marriage contract' like it's nothing! You can't just decide that without telling me first!"
Manaka tilted his head, feigning innocence. "But I did tell you. Right after I finished the ritual. It's not my fault you weren't listening."
Kyoko clenched her fists, her body trembling—not with fear, but frustration. "You tricked me!"
"Not really," Manaka replied smoothly. "I just didn't clarify all the details."
Kyoko groaned louder, looking like she wanted to throw something at him. "I swear—if you weren't the guy who just saved my life, I'd—"
"—Kiss me?" Manaka interjected with a smirk.
A second later, Kyoko's foot shot out, aiming straight for his shin. Manaka barely dodged in time, laughing as he took a step back. "Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing," he said, hands up in surrender.
Kyoko huffed, crossing her arms. "Damn right, you will." She turned on her heel, already walking away. "I'm going home. Don't follow me."
Manaka smiled, watching her go. "I won't. But I will be seeing you soon, my lovely wife."
Kyoko stiffened but didn't turn around. Instead, she just flipped him off over her shoulder.