The morning began with a message that came last night neither of them wanted.

 “We’ll be expecting both of you tomorrow. —Mother.” 

Yuki scrolled, yawning. “Well, our benevolent overlords have summoned us again. We have to go to the main house this evening.”

Yui grabbed her toast mid-bite. “I swear, if they mention laundry and honeymoons again—”

“You mean your dad believing I was lovingly folding your laundry? Iconic.”

“Shut up.”

But her voice lacked venom. They had been better lately. Not “in love” better. Just... less warzone, more ceasefire. Probably because of the pillow fort and a close moment they had shared together last night.

The mansion was pristine as always—floral arrangements on polished floors, maids bowing, silver cutlery gleaming.

But the atmosphere?

Off.

As they stepped in, the butler bowed. “Your room has been prepared—the master suite, as usual.”

Yui flinched.

“Again with the single bed?” she hissed to Yuki.

He shrugged. “I don’t mind the Berlin Wall 2.0.”

Later, over tea and ridiculously expensive cheese platters, their mothers chatted while their fathers watched like politicians at a peace treaty.

Yuki’s father finally said, “We’ve been speaking to the Yukimura family.”

Yui’s cup paused midair.

“...About what?” Yuki asked, calm, but his eyes sharp.

Lord Sanada folded his hands. “About the official wedding ceremony.”

Yui nearly dropped her cup.

“Soon after your graduation. A formal public ceremony. Press-controlled, tasteful, very high society.” His mother added.

Yuki’s face was unreadable.

Yui looked like someone had unplugged her brain. And if that was not enough her own mother casually dropped a bomb.

“Oh, and before you leave, we have something for you both.”

She smiled sweetly — that kind of smile mothers wear when they're about to destroy your emotional stability under the guise of “tradition.”

Yuki froze. Yui blinked.

Her father stood. “We believe it’s time to take the next step forward… as husband and wife.”

They were still processing that sentence when Lady Yukimura walked in, followed by a maid carrying a velvet tray. And on it — two silver rings.

Yuki straightened. “Wait. What is this?”

Lord Yukimura's smile was thin. “Your wedding rings." 

“But—” Yui started, voice cracking slightly.

Her mother gently took her hand. Her hands trembled. It took everything in her not to back away. But she didn’t want to cause a scene. Not in front of everyone.

She let them slip the cold silver onto her finger.

Yuki didn’t speak when the ring was handed to him. But his jaw clenched as he pushed it onto his ring finger — the metal gleamed too bright, like a warning.

-------

Later at night, after the forceful ring exchanging and gossips with their families they werent even concentrating at, they were back in their room, Yui pacing front and back.

Yui paced. “They can’t be serious.”

“They’re always serious,” Yuki said from the bed, arms behind his head.

“An actual marriage ceremony!? Press coverage?”

He raised a brow. “I mean… you do clean up nicely.”

She chucked a pillow at his face.

He caught it, unfazed. “Do you want to say no?”

“Of course I want to say no!” she shouted.

Then softer, “Don’t you?”

He hesitated.

A beat too long.

“…I didn’t say yes either,” he said, but it wasn’t quite an answer.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Note: I deleted the last chapter I had uploaded because I had to upload this one first and I made a mistake. I did some changes with the story. Thank you for reading the series so far I really appreciate it!!!

Volume One paperback version is now available on amazon, worldwide. I have mentioned the link in my latest post~