A Royal Discrepancy | Ayamiya

Chapter 7: Body Double

"... I am. Mother keeps pressuring me to go out with Tohma soon and get a wedding ring together, and I really hate it. I-uh, not your brother, obviously," mutters Ayaka, before realising what she said. "Pfft, don't worry, I didn't take it that way. And to be honest, I'd get you if you did, Thoma can be so incredibly irritating sometimes!" she exclaims.

"Speaking of which, have you gotten the dress prepared yet?" asks Ayaka, alert. "Yup, I went to Ogura Textiles a couple days ago and asked Mio to do it for me. She's an old friend of the Nagonohara clan, and me too, so she was willing to do it! Of course, I paid her and the dress looks incredible," says Yoimiya, giggling. "Is she holding it for you currently?" replies Ayaka, relieved. "Mhm! Mother would freak out if she saw the dress, she wants me to get married to someone else to further extend our relations, though she's not sure who to choose currently," says Yoimiya, pouting.

"That's lovely to hear. Well, I'll have to be on my way, I've delayed planning for far too long. If I stay longer, she's going to get really angry," says Ayaka, standing up. The two pay Taroumaru and leave Komore Teahouse, and they climb into the carriage to get escorted back home.

Back At The Kamisato Residence

"AYAKA! WHERE ARE YOU- Oh, there you are. Is that Thoma with you, sweetheart?" asks her mother, before looking appalled seeing Yoimiya helping Ayaka to get out of the carriage.

"Uh, no, it's his sister, Yoimiya," replies Ayaka. "I am well aware of that. My question is, why are you with her and not Thoma? I thought you left the house to meet up with him. I appreciate you girls being friends, but time is running out! Your wedding is only a couple away, and here you are, messing around with that dumb girl!" she exclaimed.

"Don't you dare call her that." says Ayaka, her voice getting dangerously soft. "I'll call her whatever I see fit. Now, enough with this dawdling and get back to preparations, you can't slack off!" she says, ushering Ayaka inside, sniffing contemptuously at Yoimiya. Ayaka gives her a soft smile before returning inside. Yoimiya sighs and returns home herself. 

Time races by at a dangerous pace; Thoma is rarely at the Nagonohara home anymore, and is more often found at the Kamisato home, helping with preperations. 

Yoimiya enters inside a week before the wedding, and finds Thoma standing there, hurriedly helping with decorations. 

"Thoma!" she exclaims.

"Hey Miya, what is it? Kinda busy right now," he mutters. "Come with me for a second," she says, dragging him away. "Are you actually gonna marry Ayaka?" she asked. "Well, you know I'd like to marry Ayato, though I haven't even confessed to him..." mutters Thoma. "Well, we can deal with that later. Here's the deal: when your wedding happens, I'm going to oppose it and marry Ayaka instead, got it?" exclaims Yoimiya. "I-uh-what? For real?" asks Thoma in shock. "Yeah yeah, I'll manage it somehow," says Yoimiya, before running off, her golden hair bouncing as she grows smaller and smaller into the distance.

Thoma stands, puzzled, but shrugs it off, since it was Yoimiya. She was able to do whatever she put her mind to. 

The days rush by, and Yoimiya arrives home to Ayaka sitting there. "Ayaka?" she calls out, surprised. "Ah, Miya, nice to see you," she says, getting to her feet. "What are you doing here? Your wedding is in two days!" exclaims Yoimiya. She thrusts herself at Yoimiya, almost knocking her down with a hug. She clutches Yoimiya tightly, almost making it impossible for the latter to breathe. Yoimiya wrenches the maiden apart from her, and tips her jaw towards herself. "Ayaka, what's wrong?!" she exclaims, grasping her shoulders. 

The princess starts quivering, and before long, warm, salty tears are tumbling down her stricken face. "Mother said I needed to ask you to be my bridesmaid. She's already prepared a dress for you in your size and everything. You're going to be my bride, not my fucking bridesmaid," she spits out, enraged. "Whoa whoa, calm down first, sweetheart. And I presumed she'd do that anyways. So I have a good substitute," says Yoimiya, caressing Ayaka's hair.  

"I- You do? Who is it?" Ayaka asks. "Let me call her here. Fumiko? Fumiko!" she calls out. Almost instantaneously, footsteps of geta can be heard. The two wait, until a blonde - haired girl bobs into their view and scurries over quickly. "Ayaka, Fumiko. Fumiko, Ayaka. She's my body double, pretty much. She's a girl who works at the Yae Publishing House part-time. I saw her and was surprised; she looks really similar to me, don't you think?" asks Yoimiya, ecstatic. 

"She kind of does, now that you mention it. Similar demeanour, the same looking hair, though the eyes are different," mutters Ayaka, looking thoughtful. "Aha!" exclaims Yoimiya, pulling out golden - colored eye contacts. "Oooh!" exclaims Ayaka, as Fumiko turns to put them on and looks at her. "Wow, now you guys are really similar," she replies. "Thank you, princess," replies Fumiko. "Pfft, she is certainly polite, compared to your manner of speech," giggles Ayaka. 

"Hey! I literally just hired her a couple days ago, you can't expect her to be fully versed in my mannerisms so quickly!" pouted Yoimiya. "If I may, I can give you my current version of Miss Yoimiya," says Fumiko. "Go ahead!" replies Yoimiya. 

"Hey there, Aya! Wow, you look amazing in that dress, if I do say so myself. I'm so excited to oppose your mother's whole wedding with you. Let's be together forever, okay?" she exclaims. "Oh... wow. She really has your manner of speech down to a T," says Ayaka, turning slightly red. "Huhu~ Is my fianceé turning red from my body double? I wonder how red you'd be if I said that to you," whispers Yoimiya, holding Ayaka and staring deeply into the princess's eyes. 

Ayaka's face quickly blooms into crimson and the blonde giggled at her girlfriend's quick reaction. "Ehem. I'm still here," says Fumiko, rolling her eyes at the couple, grinning. "Of course. Now, how much would you like for your service?" asks Yoimiya. "Hmm, how much can you realistically give me?" asks Fumiko. "I mean, I am the Nagonohara Clan's princess. A couple million Mora wouldn't be noticed by, well, anyone!" giggles Yoimiya. "How about half a million Mora?" ponders Fumiko. "A done deal!" says Yoimiya, shaking her hand.