Feather Bound

Chapter 21

"Are you sure about this?" You say nervously, examining yourself in the mirror. The kimono that Haruki had ordered for you was undeniably beautiful. The tan fabric was silky, wrapping around you like a warm hug, with a black obi tied around you tightly. A yellow obiijime wrapped around the black, adding a striking contrast and a decent pop of color. Red feathers were patterned over the bottom half of the fabric, but that wasn't even the most striking feature of your attire.

No, by far the most eye-catching part were the sleeves. Cut and patterned specifically so that when you raised your arms, they looked just like crimson feathers. It had only taken you a minute in the mirror to realize this kimono had been modeled off his hero costume. Haruki hadn't been kidding when she said people would know you were there together.

"Of course I'm sure!" She said cheerfully, quickly grabbing your socks and shoes to complete the look. "Most people will be in traditional wear, but since it's a hero festival, he will be in his hero outfit. It's a great way to start telling the world that you're together."

You blink at her words, frowning in the mirror as you consider what she's said. Were you together? That was the purpose of the program, of course, but you weren't even sure you could call yourselves friends yet. You hardly knew anything about each other beyond your small bits of conversation. Things were just starting to be friendly between you; you were definitely not a couple yet.

"I don't know," you said again, sucking in a deep breath. "I wouldn't say we are together-"

"You both may think that, but Y/N, according to the Commission, you are now," Haruki said gently, helping you into your shoes. "Look, I personally don't care how fast or slow you want to take this entire thing behind the scenes, but with how well things seem to be progressing, now they're going to want to see you guys out together more publicly. It all has to do with images and PR."

You sucked in a breath before exhaling loudly; you guessed that was a valid point. In the end, the goal was for you to end up together, an official couple, married. It made sense for them to try to ease the public into the idea of him being with someone slowly. After all, he was marketed to the public as the hot, single young hero. It was going to cause quite the stir to have that image changed. You frowned; the mention of the Commission suddenly made you realize you hadn't heard from them since the Vice President had come to your apartment. They hadn't called or checked in on anything, and for some reason, that thought unsettled you a little bit.

"Alright, sit down so I can fix your hair. The car will be here soon. They went to pick him up first," Haruki said, pulling out one of her kitchen chairs to allow you to sit down. You blinked at her gratefully, taking a seat as she quickly started brushing your hair. It was weird to think that just a few short weeks ago, you didn't even know who Haruki was, and now you were sitting in her kitchen allowing her to style your hair. She checked in on you, frequently asking how your days were; she had even offered to give your number to Hawks after the bento box.

She had called you that evening, recounting his reaction to everything you'd given him. It was honestly heartwarming, making your chest warm and your stomach twist in ways you hadn't felt in such a long time. In the end, though, you declined the offer. You wanted him to ask for your number himself, like any other guy. This might be a matchmaking program, but that didn't mean you couldn't try to date each other for real. So when he decided he wanted your number, he could ask for it himself.

It only took a few more minutes before Haruki stepped away, wiping her brow with the back of her hand as she looked you over. "You look perfect," she said with excitement, but before you could thank her properly, the sound of tiny footsteps echoed down her hallway.

"Mommy! I need help with—woah." The little girl stopped in front of you, her eyes wide as she started bouncing in excitement. "You look so pretty! But you also kinda look like Hawks," she turned to look at her mom, tilting her head in a way that made your heart suddenly ache. "Why's she dressed like Hawks?" Haruki laughed, quickly reaching over and scooping up her daughter.