𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 • k. ayato

02

☄. *. ⋆

A week had passed and now she was standing before the gates of the estate she would spend the rest of her life in, as marriage between powerful people wasn't something that was easily annulled. A look of scorn was quite clear on her delicate features, and the guards around her felt gauche to welcome such an angry lady.

"What is it you're standing here looking all shriveled for?" Inquired Kamiyama Rai—the head of the Kamiyama clan, and the lady's father, as he walked up to her.

Upon his words [Y/N] turned her head to look at her father standing beside her, "Shriveled? Are you calling me an old hag, dear father?"

"I am calling you quite unsightly, dear daughter."

Before she could retort he extended his hand, "Come. Let's not keep the commissioner waiting for too long," he then placed his other arm behind his back. [Y/N] had so much to say to him, but she knew not to be disrespectful to the commissioner. He wasn't the one forcing her to marry.

"Very well. But do know that keeping your old mouth tightly shut would please the commissioner quite a lot, and it would please me as well," she gracefully took hold of his extended arm and allowed herself to be escorted by the man she detested the most at the moment.

As the two made their entrance into the estate, both the Kamisato and the Kamiyama family guards were left awkwardly walking behind the father-daughter duo.

The Kamisato estate was magnificent, traditional, something the Kamiyama's lacked. Politically, the Kamisato family was the perfect family to be married into, but traditionally... There were many things [Y/N] was going to have to learn in order to fit in and earn the trust of the estate's residents, and her husband.

"What do you think of your new home? Quite exquisite, isn't it?"

"Father, why don't you wed him instead if you're so amazed?"

Upon hearing her retort the guards behind them coughed and cleared their throats to avoid an awkward situation, and her father only eyed her arrogant smirk with a click of his tongue, "If you wish to be a good wife you will hold back your tongue before your husband."

"And here I thought we were the untraditional ones. What's got you so outdated?" She asked in mock surprise, her gaze still looking forward.

"Do not give him a reason to divorce you," The Kamiyama head began as they reached the huge door of the commissioner's office, "I warn you, daughter."

But [Y/N] let his words in through one ear and out the other. She did not care for his teachings anymore. Ever since he sold her off to the commissioner for the sake of the family she decided to become her own person. She decided to be someone who even the commissioner could not look down upon. She was going to be his equal and with such an aspiration she had to hold her head high no matter what.

And so, with a smile of pretext and ambitions, she entered the commissioner's headquarters. 

She was no longer going to be ruled by men.

As the doors opened, her eyes met with a tall man in a white suit. He was as beautiful and elegant as the rumors had said, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't a sucker for handsome men with captivating smiles. 

He had the appearance of one who saw right to the heart and would take your entire soul as his friend, keeping it safe come what may.

He is so good at hiding his true nature, is he not?

"Lord Kamiyama, lady Kamiyama, It is a pleasure. I apologize for not being able to meet you in person. As you may already know, I am quite busy at all times, so I'd like to keep this meeting brief," he said with the smile of a saint.

"Of course, we wouldn't want to hold you up, but in case you have forgotten—we are the Kamiyama's. If you wish to proceed with this marriage you'll have to keep my daughter entertained until tomorrow, until your wedding day."

To [Y/N]'s surprise, her father seemed reluctant to have this marriage proceed, though she understood he didn't wish to seem desperate. And of course, this was something she had expected as well since she did not want to marry someone she hasn't talked to before.

"Ah, I understand. I'll see if I can spare some time as I assure you. I do wish for this marriage to happen, as I've heard your daughter is quite the beauty. It appears the rumors did not do her justice," Ayato smiled brilliantly, extending his hand toward [Y/N].

"You flatter me, commissioner. I wasn't aware you were such a smooth talker," she extended her hand which was held by her father to the commissioner, and he was quick to kiss her knuckles, "I do wish to keep my bride-to-be happy. I'm not so heartless."

While being complemented by such an angel-looking man was enough to make her cheeks flush, it did not conquer the anger his words brought within her. She most certainly wasn't renowned for her beauty, she was renowned for her fierce nature and wits.

It seemed to her like he did not see her as an equal, but rather, as a woman pushed into marriage whom he was supposed to amuse for a while, in other words—a burden.

"I do hope you pardon me, commissioner, but I'd like to go over some things with you before you get acquainted with my daughter," interrupted Rai.

Ayato chuckled, "Yes. Let us do that," he then turned to look at [Y/N], "the guards will escort you to your temporary chambers. And I shall come by for a chat in an hour or two."

"Alright. Commissioner, father, if you'll excuse me," she smiled courteously and walked out the door where the guards were greeted by a not-so-happy woman, whose face was contorted into a most irate of expressions.

☄. *. ⋆