Love Begins with you

First Chapter

It was winter, my favorite time in the changing seasons. Snow piled up on the roadsides as my father drove to a place I had no inkling of. Mother straighten my kimono and gave me a wide smile. “Don’t worry, darling. Everything is going to be grand.” She turned back to the windshield as I looked out my window. I just want to go home…

The house we entered was enormous. Long wooden floors and sliding shoji doors, it all reminded me of our own dojo. “Morinozuka-san, it is an honour to be here this evening.” My father bowed to an incredibly tall man. My mother and I followed suit. “Thank you. If you would all follow me, I would like to get the formalities out of the way.” His voice was low and subtle, though the only thing I could focus on, was the reason we were here.

After a long hallway, I found myself in a large room with seat cushions on the floor. No. I thought, glancing to my mother as she took a seat on the cushion to the left of my father. Morinozuka-san took a seat across from my father just as a tall young man entered the room. He took a seat beside his father, yet not across from my mother. The only other seat available was the one across from the newest member. This can not be happening.

Hesitantly, I took my seat. I tried my best to keep a neutral expression even though my hands were shaking. “For the arraignment we discussed previously, Shiro Tsukino will marry my son. Merging our dojo’s to ensure both will have powerful successors.” I kept my eyes on the wooden floor as I silently gathered my thoughts around all of this. Robotically, I passed the gifts as one does for an arranged engagement. But my heart and mind were well past the point of breaking.

I took a chance at peeking up to the man I was now engaged to. He had messy black hair, dark eyes and a stony expression. If I had to take a guess, he had more warning than I did, but still did not fully agree to this. With a sigh, I dropped my gaze back down. The adults stood and shook hands, my mother helped me stand with a smile plastered to her lips. “This is wonderful darling, everything's going as planned.” I clenched my jaw and closed my violet eyes. This was far from wonderful.

My parents and Morinozuka-san talked at the dinner table. Things about arrangements on housing and such. I sat silently at my seat, not taking a single bite of the beautiful spread. Thankfully, I was out of my kimono and in a nice pair of slacks with a light blue blouse. My silver hair was loosely tied back in a braid as I toyed with my bracelet. I refused to make eye contact or interact with anyone at the table, including the younger version of my...fiancé. “Shiro, darling, eat your food. You are being extremely rude to our hosts.” Mother scolded. With a careless roll of my eyes, I took a small roll of sushi from my plate.

I don’t even know the guy’s name, how am I supposed to marry a man I only met ten minutes ago? How long have they been planning this? How long did he know about all this? I visit my parents on my winter break and this is what I come home to? An arranged marriage? What are they thinking?

My hands returned to fiddling with the small silver chain around my wrist. Eyes dropping to my lap as my thoughts spiraled, my attention was brought back with a single sentence . “I believe it would be better to have them live together, seeing as they have just met.” And there it goes, the last strand of freedom I had. “Yes, Morinozuka- san, that would be ideal. We could also have her transfer to your son’s college as well.” My jaw clenched tighter with every word my mother said. My life was being torn apart within seconds and I needed the cold night air.

“If you would excuse me, Morinozuka-sans. I need a moment.” I bowed, quickly making my way to the front door and dashing into the freezing snow while barefoot. Deep breaths, Shiro. Breathe. It’s not the end of the world...Just your life! My thoughts screamed at me. I wrapped my arms around my waist and took one deep breath, held it, and let it slowly stream into the cold air around me. With a quick look around, being sure that no one followed me outside, I took a step back. I kicked at the snow with all my strength, sending piles of white into the night sky. “ I hope your happy, mother.” I spun around and marched back into the Morinozuka household.