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Feeling something wet on his chest, Yuzuru pulls Reika from him to check her out.
Oh.
She is crying. Silently, tears keep flowing from her eyes. Yet her mouth stays shutted, not letting a single sob escape.
"Hey," Yuzuru lets her lean on his chest again. "Why are you crying?"
"Gomennasai," she finally sobs. "Gomennasai, gomennasai. Gomen, Yuzuru-san."
He gently caress her head. "What are you apologizing for?"
"I actually don't want to get married. I just graduated high school. I want to go to a university, I want to stay in a dorm with my friends, study for a test, whine over assignments, staying up late and get drunk together!" Reika cries, her tears flowing more. "I want to... I want to do a lot. Even my brothers aren't married yet, why should I, the youngest one, be the first?"
Yuzuru was stupefied. Ever since they meet each other at the family meeting, Reika always seems calm and composed. She always looks graceful and compassionate, obedient to her parent's order to marry him. While Yuzuru, was the exact opposite. He was tired and grumpy when he was told to marry her, and the whole time during the wedding, he sulked and whined to his family, complaining that he's not ready for a marriage, but he didn't have the courage to object his father. Both of them know better than to defy their family, hence this forced marriage happens.
But in fact, Reika wasn't calm and composed the this whole time.
She's as desperate as he is.
"I... We... You—" Yuzuru stutters, finding the right words. "I'm sorry."
Reika cries louder. His chest is all wet by now, but he couldn't care less. "Truth be told, I also don't want to get married."
"Eh?" Reika looks at him, confused. "Hontou?"
A small giggles escape through Yuzuru, "I still want to continue my career, and I know you still want to continue your studies."
"Hai." Reika wipes her tears, but too shy to look at him, so she bury herself in his arms once more, which he welcomes warmly.
"So let's do exactly that."
And so, they talk. About their marriage, family, and plans.
***
The curtains add an orange glow to the morning light, morning has arrived with a perfect sunrise. Having her face near the window, the sunlight warms her up and makes Reika wakes up. As she yawns and stretch her body, she reaches her hand out to the curtain fabric, noticing how up close the light pours through every open space between fibres, illuminating like brilliant fire-flies. The material is warm beneath her fingers, and when she sets it aside, the sun floods the room, painting the colours anew.
For a moment Reika's mind conjures last night. The warm cuddle, how gentle he patted her head and caress her hair, calm her while she's having an episode. She feels her heart beat to the same slow pace. She breaths in deeply. A new day has begun.
After a while, Yuzuru feels a little of those golden sunrays soak into his skin, making him opens his eyes to see his wife has already woke up, sitting next to him.
"Ohayou," Yuzuru yawns. Reika smiles at him, returning back his greeting. "Ohayou gozaimasu."
As Yuzuru stretch his body, she can't help but stare. Yuzuru isn't extremely tall like what she used to dream about, but he's still taller than her by a head. He's not incredibly buff, but rather slim and slightly muscular, with milky skin and define jawline. And oh, what a beautiful face.
Feeling like he's being watched, he turns to her and caught her staring. Reika immediately looks another way, her cheeks redder than a tomato. "Heh," Yuzuru chuckles. "What, just realized what a ikemen¹ I am?"
Reika doesn't respond. But in her mind, she agrees. Yuzuru is... or rather, was Japan's number one wanted bachelor. He's also voted as the most handsome athlete, with thousand of fangirls that would kill to meet him, let alone marry him.
And yet he's forced to marry boring ol' me. She feels guilty now. "Un, gomen ne, Yuzuru-san."
"Hm?" Yuzuru raises his eyebrow. "Why?"
"Don't get flattered, but you are an ikemen." Reika shyly says. Confused, Yuzuru wait for her to say more. "Oh?"
"You have hundreds of thousands of fans around the world... that would probably do anything to be with you... You could've chose one of them instead... Or maybe—"
Ah. He can see where she's going at.
"You're an incredible figure skater and a lot of your fellow skaters adore you... and look up to you... I've even heard rumors here and there that you're dating this skater or that skater, it's all over the news."
Yuzuru sighs deeply, "They're just rumours, nothing more."
"Still," Reika murmurs. "I'm sorry that you're stuck with me. I know I'm ugly. You probably want to marry a pretty skater or—"
Her words were stopped when Yuzuru pulls her into his arms, hugging her tight.
"....Yuzuru-san?"
"Aish, why are you so self conscious?" Yuzuru kisses her forehead, caressing her hair through his fingers. "You are enough."
"A thousand times enough."
¹ ikemen : Ikemen (Japanese: イケメン) is a term commonly used in Japan since the mid-2000s to refer to metrosexuals. The term ikemen is derived from the Japanese words ikeru or iketeru and menzu. Ikeru and iketeru mean "cool", "good" and "exciting", while menzu stands for "men". Basically, a handsome ideal man.
I wanted this chapter to be a short one, but it turns out way longer than I thought :v I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please comment your thoughts ;)
