Bound by Fate (Soshito Hoshina)

CHAPTER 16

Soshiro Hoshina stood by the door, watching Y/N as she struggled with her outfit. "Y/N, are you ready?" he called out, his voice light with excitement. "We don't want to be late."

Y/N peeked her head out of the bedroom, her brows furrowed. "You're not even going to tell me where we're going, are you?"

He chuckled, leaning against the wall, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Nope. But trust me, you're going to love it."

With a sigh, Y/N stepped out, wearing a simple but elegant sundress that hugged her in all the right places. She twirled in front of him, pretending to be indifferent, but she couldn't ignore the way Soshiro's eyes lit up when he saw her.

"You look amazing," he said, his voice soft, his eyes lingering on her with admiration.

Y/N crossed her arms, trying not to blush. "Don't get all sappy on me," she teased, but her heart fluttered from the compliment. "You're always saying stuff like that."

Soshiro smiled and shrugged as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Well, it's true. You're beautiful."

Y/N groaned, playfully swatting at him. "Enough with the compliments. You're making me nervous!"

"Nervous?" he laughed, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. "You've got nothing to be nervous about."

She eyed him suspiciously. "You still won't tell me where we're going?"

"Nope," he grinned, taking her hand. "Now come on, before we're late."

They made their way to the car, and Soshiro opened the door for her, always the gentleman. As they drove through the city, Y/N glanced out the window, trying to figure out where they were headed, but the scenery gradually changed from the familiar streets of the city to a more serene countryside.

"This is pretty far," she commented, turning to look at him. "Are we visiting someone?"

Soshiro just smiled and kept his eyes on the road. "You'll see."

Her curiosity grew as they finally pulled up in front of a large traditional mansion, its wooden gates towering above them. Y/N's eyes widened in surprise, and she turned to Soshiro with a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Where... where are we?"

Soshiro parked the car and smiled at her, his expression calm but with a hint of nervous excitement. "This is my family's home. I wanted to introduce you to them."

Y/N's heart skipped a beat. His family's home? She blinked rapidly, processing the information. "Wait... what? You're introducing me to your family? Why didn't you tell me?!"

Soshiro scratched the back of his neck, his smile sheepish. "I thought it would be a nice surprise..."

"A surprise?!" Y/N's eyes widened in horror. "Soshiro, you don't just surprise someone with meeting your family! I would've prepared or... or worn something better! Oh my gosh, I'm not ready for this!"

He laughed softly, taking her hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You look perfect, Y/N. And trust me, they're going to love you."

But Y/N wasn't convinced. She slumped back in her seat, crossing her arms with a pout. "I'm not getting out of this car. You should've told me! I feel so unprepared."

Soshiro tilted his head, clearly amused by her reaction. "You're really going to stay in the car?" He leaned in closer, his voice low and teasing. "What if I carry you out?"

She shot him a glare, her pout deepening. "Don't even think about it."

He chuckled, clearly enjoying this. "You know, you're adorable when you sulk."

"I'm not sulking," she grumbled, her arms still crossed. "I just wasn't expecting this."

Soshiro reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I get it, but this is important to me. I want my family to meet the girl who makes me so happy. And don't worry, they're going to love you as much as I do."

Y/N's heart did a little flip at his words, but she wasn't about to give in that easily. "You're not getting out of this, you know. I'm still mad at you for not giving me a heads-up."

Soshiro smiled and nodded. "Fair enough. But at least come in. If you're mad, you can give me the silent treatment later."

She couldn't help but laugh at that, her frustration starting to melt away. "You're impossible."

He grinned, sensing he was winning her over. "But you love me anyway."

Y/N let out a small sigh of defeat. "Fine, fine. But if I embarrass myself, I'm blaming you."

"Deal." Soshiro kissed her on the cheek before opening the door and getting out of the car. He walked around to her side and opened the door for her, holding out his hand.

She hesitated for a moment but then placed her hand in his, stepping out of the car. "You owe me big time for this."

Soshiro chuckled, pulling her close as they walked toward the entrance. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

The mansion was even more impressive up close, with traditional wooden beams and intricate architecture that made it feel like they had stepped into another era. Y/N felt a little overwhelmed as they approached the large wooden door.

Soshiro knocked, and after a moment, the door opened to reveal an older man with strikingly similar features to Soshiro. He had the same strong jawline and sharp eyes, but there was a more mature air about him.

"Soshiro," the man greeted warmly, his voice deep and authoritative. "Welcome home, son."

"Father," Soshiro replied, bowing respectfully before turning to Y/N. "This is Y/N."

Y/N felt her heart race as Soshiro's father turned his gaze toward her, his expression unreadable. She quickly bowed, feeling nervous under his scrutinizing stare. "It's an honor to meet you, sir."

Soshiro's father studied her for a moment before his stern expression softened, and he gave a small nod of approval. "The honor is mine. Welcome to our home, Y/N."

Y/N breathed a sigh of relief, though her nerves still tingled. Okay, that wasn't so bad...

Before she could fully relax, another voice called out from the hallway, "Ah, so this is the girl who's been stealing my brother's heart?"

A tall man with a charming smile appeared, his eyes gleaming with amusement. Y/N immediately recognized him as Soichiro Hoshina, Soshiro's older brother. There was a playful energy about him, and it was clear he loved teasing his younger sibling.

"Soichiro," Soshiro greeted him with a slight eye roll. "Don't start."

Soichiro laughed, stepping forward to shake Y/N's hand. "It's nice to finally meet the girl Soshiro talks about nonstop."

Y/N blushed, feeling a little embarrassed but grateful for the warm welcome. "It's nice to meet you too."

As they stepped inside, Y/N still felt a bit nervous, but Soshiro kept a comforting hand on her back, silently reassuring her. His father and brother led them into a large, elegant sitting room, where they exchanged pleasantries, the conversation light but warm.

At one point, Soichiro nudged Soshiro with a grin. "You really didn't warn her about meeting the family? Bold move."

Soshiro just shrugged, glancing at Y/N with a soft smile. "I knew she could handle it."

Y/N rolled her eyes, nudging him in return. "You owe me for springing this on me."

Soshiro chuckled, his voice low and affectionate. "I know. I'll make it up to you."

As the evening went on, Y/N slowly started to relax, especially as Soshiro's family welcomed her with open arms. They teased Soshiro relentlessly, but it was clear they adored him—and soon enough, Y/N too.

And as she sat beside Soshiro, her hand resting in his, she couldn't help but smile. It wasn't the day she had expected, but it was turning out to be better than she could have imagined.

After all, being with Soshiro always felt like home.