The drive back from the hospital was shrouded in a heavy, contemplative silence. Haruki kept his eyes fixed on the road, his grip steady on the wheel, but his mind was racing. In the back seat, Emi was lost in her own world, her gaze anchored to the passing scenery outside the window.
Haruki glanced at the rearview mirror for a split second before clearing his throat. "Miss Emi... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made a joke like that. It was out of line."
Emi didn't turn away from the window. Her voice was hollow, laced with a trace of trauma. "Am I just a joke to everyone? First Honsume, and now you. If you didn't want to marry me, you should have just said so from the start instead of giving me hope only to snatch it away."
Haruki felt a pang of guilt. Did she actually want this marriage? he wondered. "But... you were the one who was against it, weren't you?"
Emi finally looked at him, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and vulnerability. "You'll never understand the heart of a broken girl, Haruki. A girl like me... sometimes she just needs to hear a 'Yes,' even if she isn't ready to say it herself."
The raw honesty in her voice hit Haruki hard. He took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. "If that's how it is... then fine. I'm ready. I'll marry you. And this time, I'm not joking."
Emi's face erupted in a brilliant crimson. She quickly looked back out the window, her breath hitching as her heart hammered against her ribs.
"I never planned on marrying a pampered girl like you," Haruki continued, his voice steady. "But Sir Kenzo and Madam Amaya believe this is the only way to protect you from your father. Still, the choice is yours. You have two days. Think it over."
When they reached the Kaminari Estate, Emi bolted from the car and vanished into the mansion without a single backward glance. Haruki sighed, preparing to drive away, when Kenzo suddenly appeared in front of the car.
"Sir Kenzo, do you have more work for me?" Haruki asked as he stepped out.
Kenzo chuckled. "Well? Have you reached a decision?"
Haruki scratched the back of his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "I've decided. I'll marry Miss Emi. But... I still refuse to become the Head of the Kaminari family."
"We'll see about that when the time comes," Kenzo said, patting Haruki's shoulder. "But first, we need to know what Emi thinks. I don't think she's thrilled about your 'Yes' just yet."
"Then ask her, sir. I doubt she'll agree," Haruki replied.
Kenzo winked. "I have an idea to find out exactly what's in her heart. Wait here for five minutes."
Kenzo marched into Emi's room. He found her buried under her pillows, her face hidden. "Emi, my little princess, sit up. We need to talk."
Emi emerged, her face still flushed. "Yes, Grandpa? What is it?"
Kenzo looked grave. "I can't stand to see you so unhappy, Emi. Since the idea of marrying Haruki distresses you so much, I've made a final decision. Your sister, Hana, will marry Haruki instead."
The world seemed to stop for Emi. Her eyes widened in pure shock. "No! Not Hana! I... I will do it! I'll marry him!"
Realizing what she had just blurted out, she immediately dived back into her pillows, mortified. Kenzo suppressed a triumphant grin. "Very well. The wedding is in two weeks."
Back in the car, Kenzo slid into the front seat next to Haruki, a wide smile on his face.
"You did it, didn't you?" Haruki guessed, surprised by the old man's expression.
"She wants to marry you, Haruki. She's just too stubborn to admit it," Kenzo laughed.
Haruki turned away, his own cheeks heating up. "I'm only doing this to protect her from her father, and because it makes you and Madam Amaya happy."
"Two weeks," Kenzo stated firmly. "That's all the time we have. Emi's father is unpredictable; we can't give him an opening to strike."
Later that night, Haruki collapsed onto his sofa, exhausted. Suddenly, his phone vibrated violently. He sat bolt upright as if he'd seen a ghost. It was a text from Emi.
Emi: Haruki... do you really want this?
Haruki's hands trembled as he typed back.
Haruki: Yes. If you are okay with it.
The reply was almost instantaneous, dripping with her signature attitude.
Emi: Fine. I'll marry you. But there are conditions.
Haruki: What conditions?
Emi: 1. Separate beds. 2. No talk of children for at least three years. 3. You must leave that 'shack' of yours and move into the luxury house Grandpa gifted me. I designed it myself.
Haruki's expression went dark. He stared at the screen for a long time before typing his response. Emi waited breathlessly, her heart racing with anticipation. But when the message arrived, her face turned pale with fury. She hurled her phone against the wall.
"You idiot! You absolute moron!" she screamed.
The text read:
Haruki: I will never leave my home. It's the last thing my parents left me. If you want to marry me, you stay in my 'shack.' If you can't do that, then there is no marriage. I'm sorry. The first two conditions are accepted.
Emi collapsed onto her bed, tears of frustration stinging her eyes. What do I do? If I refuse, Hana will take him... but I can't live in that tiny house! She clutched her head, her mind a chaotic mess of love, pride, and desperation