An Arranged Marriage//(GIYUSANE)

Chapter 12|| 𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓

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My head throbbed, a dull ache that seemed to spread through my entire body. What the hell happened last night? I tried to remember, but all I could recall was passing out.

I opened my eyes, blurry and unfocused, and reached for my phone. I couldn't see it. I fumbled around, my fingers brushing against the sheets. Where the hell was I?

I looked around the room, a strange mix of unfamiliar and vaguely comforting. My heart pounded in my chest. I was in a bed, but it wasn't mine. I was wearing pants, but nothing else. My eyes widened in panic.

"Fuck," I whispered, my voice hoarse. I couldn't remember anything. What the hell happened?

Fear and a cold wave of nervousness washed over me. I was shaking, my mind racing. I didn't remember what happened.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a familiar figure stepped inside. Giyuu.

"Giyuu?!" I blurted out, my voice strained. "Why the hell am I here?"

"Oh, you're awake," he said, his expression unreadable. He placed a tray with food on the table beside the bed. "I brought you here last night. You were too drunk."

"You didn't... do anything, right?" I asked, my voice trembling. He froze, his brow furrowing.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... I'm freaking naked!"

"Oh, right... It's because..." He trailed off, his gaze shifting away.

Flashback.

I stepped out into the cool night air, needing nothing more than a simple walk to clear my head. But as I rounded a corner, I saw a group of guys surrounding another figure, one I recognized all too well. Sanemi.

He was trying to fight them, a desperate swing aimed at the leader, but the guy dodged with a sneer and laughed mockingly. My blood boiled. How dare they?

Just as Sanemi lunged again, I intervened. I moved with a speed born of years of honed instincts, taking down the entire group before they even knew what hit them. I retrieved Sanemi's wallet, tossing it back to him.

He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Ugh. I had to support his entire weight as I walked, trying to flag down a taxi.

"You're so heavy," I grumbled, shoving him into the backseat.

As the taxi pulled away, Sanemi started to stir. But then, something was... off. His face twisted in discomfort before he leaned over and vomited... right there in the taxi.

The driver sighed with resignation.

The taxi driver shook his head as I paid him, clearly unimpressed with the scene unfolding in the backseat. Getting Sanemi inside was a struggle, but I managed to heave him through the door and into my room.

"Just take a shower tomorrow," I muttered, trying to keep my distance as I helped him settle into my bed.

"Night," I mumbled, my voice a little too close to the man who'd just thrown up all over my shoes.

End of flashback

The heat rising in my cheeks was a physical manifestation of my embarrassment. I should have just disappeared last night, vanished into the shadows before Giyuu saw me in such a state.

"Why did you even drink so much? Did something happen?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice and the gentle crease between his brows.

"None of your business," I mumbled, grabbing a spoon and starting on the food he'd placed on the table beside the bed. Hunger gnawed at my stomach, a welcome distraction from the mortification I felt.

"Hey, like I told you, I wanted to get to know you better," he said, his voice softer now. "Let's hang out, please? Uhmm... maybe think about it as a payment for last night."

I stopped chewing, my spoon hovering over the bowl. A chance? Maybe. It wasn't like I had anything better to do.

"Fine," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

A smile bloomed on his face, a radiant, genuine smile that lit up his whole being. leaving the room with a light step.

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"Wear it," he said, holding out a set of clothes. They smelled faintly of sandalwood and something else, a scent that was uniquely Giyuu. I took them, feeling a little awkward. It was strange, being in his house, his clothes in my hands.

I was still here because I decided to stay. My own place was a mess, a constant reminder of everything I was trying to escape.

I'll just forget I married him. In paper..

Masachika and Obanai were both busy with their own lives, I needed distraction before I ended it all.

I slipped into the clothes he'd given me. They felt oddly comforting, like a warm embrace. Maybe, just maybe, I could forget about Kanae and the shitty life I'd built for myself, at least for a little while.

"Let's go?" he said, his voice a low rumble. He was already walking towards the door, his steps a little faster than usual, like he was racing me. He quickly slid into the car, not even waiting for me.

Well, I didn't care anyway.

GIYUU POV

My hand hovered over the door handle, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm in my chest. I was supposed to open the door for him, but a wave of nerves swept over me, and my fingers fumbled.

Thankfully, he didn't react. He just sat there, looking out the window, his expression unreadable.

I started the engine, a sense of relief washing over me. I'd planned to take him to the movies, a chance to get to know him better, to spend some time with him outside of all the chaos and stress of the past few days. Perhaps we could even enjoy a little popcorn...