✔️ Body and Mind 3

Engagement Announcement

"Please don't forget to breathe, Anya. At least here and there."

Yuzuru squatted down to be at her eye level while she sat on a chair, waiting for their cue to step from behind a little curtain and right into a room full of reporters.

"Can't you just announce it yourself?"

She asked with a trembling voice and squeezed her knees with her sweaty palms just a little bit tighter.

"For somebody who hates answering the same question twice, you have asked me this already way too many times. The answer is the same. We have to announce it together. We are both getting married."

"But you are the one they are interested in."

"They have no idea what I am about to announce. The moment I say I am engaged, they will be interested only in you."

Anya quietly whimpered and raised her head, checking with her eyes where would be the nearest exit in case she would need to make a run for it.

"I promise I will do most of the talking," Yuzuru said reassuringly, "just try not to throw up on the microphone, okay?"

He chuckled but received only a cold look in return, "if I will be sick, I will make sure to direct it at you, don't you worry."

His smile faded and he stood up, extending his hand to her, "c'mon, Anya, it will be quick."

She reluctantly put her hand in his and let him pull her up, her legs weakening with every step she took towards the curtain.
Just before he opened it, she glanced at Yuzuru's assistant, waving at her to come over, "please make sure that my cup of coffee there is never empty, okay?"

The assistant quickly nodded and Anya looked back up at Yuzuru, not understanding how he can be so calm and radiating with so much confidence, "alright, Yuzu. I am not 20% Griffindor for nothing."

He gave her a wide grin while still tightly holding her hand and made a step forward, reaching for the curtain.
He was just about to open it, when Anya pulled him back, clenching now onto his arm with her other hand as well, "I lied, I am no Griffindor. The 20% is for Slytherin."

He laughed and with no struggle released his arm from her tight grip, keeping her hand in his, "I am 80% Griffindor. Don't worry, Anya, I am brave for both of us, okay?"

"Hm," she whimpered and before she could change her mind again, he swiftly opened the curtain, practically dragging her behind him into the room.

Countless camera flashes blinded them and while Yuzuru kept grinning from ear to ear, Anya only reluctantly waved once and immediately aimed for her chair, sliding as low as she could in it.
Yuzuru caught up with her right after and watched her with a worried face when she downed her coffee in one go, waving at the assistant for a refill.

"Careful with the coffee."

"You know it has no effect on me," she rolled her eyes but then realized they are already sitting in front of the microphone and her eyes widened in horror.

"Don't worry," Yuzuru chuckled, "it's off. Just press this button on the stand whenever you would like to tell me something privately."

Anya merely nodded and looked around, searching for the assistant before sighing with relief when she saw her coming over with a new cup.

"How about this," Yuzuru said, squeezing her hand tight under the table and only now making Anya notice that there is a long table cloth over it and nobody can see underneath, "I won't let go until they would want to take a picture of the ring, okay?"