Chapter 22: The Pen That Wouldn’t Write

The building looked colder than it had from outside.

Haruto stood near the entrance of the marriage office, hands in his pockets, quietly watching as Sakura and Satoshi walked ahead with quick, nervous steps. The hallway smelled faintly of old paper and polished floors. It was silent, almost too silent, like the air itself was holding its breath.

Kenji leaned close to Haruto and whispered, “Last chance. We can still run.”

Haruto gave a small smile. “You’re the one who dragged me here.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think it would feel this heavy.”

They followed Sakura and Satoshi into a small office. A middle-aged lawyer sat behind a desk stacked with files and a single cup of cold tea. He adjusted his glasses and gave them a polite nod.

“So, you are here for the registration,” he said calmly.

Satoshi cleared his throat. “Yes.”

Sakura stood beside him, her fingers tightly gripping the strap of her bag. She looked strong, bold like always, but Haruto could see the tension in her shoulders.

The lawyer pulled out a document and placed it neatly on the table.

“This is the marriage agreement. Please read it carefully and sign at the bottom.”

The room went quiet again.

Haruto stood a few steps back, pretending to study the wall. But his eyes kept drifting toward Sakura. The earrings he gave her caught the light, shining softly every time she moved.

She was wearing them.

Satoshi leaned forward first, scanning the paper quickly. Sakura followed, reading more slowly. Her brows tightened as she reached the end.

The lawyer placed a pen on the table. “You can sign here.”

Satoshi picked it up confidently.

He pressed the tip to the paper.

Nothing happened.

He frowned and scribbled harder. Still nothing.

He shook the pen a few times, then tried again. The pen made a faint scratching sound but left no ink.

Satoshi looked up. “It’s not writing.”

The lawyer reached for it, tested it on a small piece of paper beside him, then frowned.

“Hm. That’s strange.”

Sakura let out a small breath and looked around. “Does anyone have another pen?”

Her eyes landed on Haruto.

“Haruto, do you have one?”

For a second, he froze.

He patted his pockets slowly. Left pocket. Right pocket. Jacket.

Nothing.

He gave a small, awkward smile. “Sorry… I don’t.”

Kenji leaned toward him and whispered, “You carry snacks but not a pen?”

Haruto muttered back, “I didn’t think I’d need to sign a marriage today.”

The lawyer stood up and checked his drawer. Then another.

Empty.

He sighed softly and looked at the clock on the wall. The minute hand had already moved past closing time.

“I’m very sorry,” he said, adjusting his glasses again. “We are closing for today. Without a working pen, we cannot process the documents.”

Satoshi blinked. “You’re serious?”

“Yes. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

The words hung in the air.

Tomorrow.

Sakura’s shoulders dropped slightly. Satoshi looked like he wanted to argue, but the lawyer had already started stacking the papers again.

“I apologize for the inconvenience,” the man added politely.

No one spoke as they walked out of the office.

The hallway felt colder than before.

Outside, the evening air hit them like a wave. Haruto unlocked the car and everyone got in quietly. Satoshi took the front seat. Sakura sat in the back, directly behind Haruto.

For a few seconds, there was only the sound of the engine starting.

Then suddenly—

“Ahhh! Are you kidding me?!” Satoshi shouted, slamming his hand on the dashboard.

Sakura leaned back and groaned loudly. “Seriously?! A pen? A stupid pen?!”

Satoshi ran his hand through his hair. “We waited weeks for this! And it gets delayed because a pen doesn’t work?!”

Sakura let out a frustrated laugh. “What kind of office runs out of pens?!”

Haruto held the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road, quietly driving.

From the rearview mirror, he could see Sakura’s face. Her expression was a mix of anger and something deeper. Something sad.

Satoshi turned slightly in his seat. “This is getting ridiculous. Your parents already hate me. If they find out we didn’t finish it today—”

“They already hate you,” Sakura cut in, her voice sharp. “And they hate the idea of me choosing for myself.”

There was a short silence.

Then her voice softened, just a little.

“That’s why we ran, remember?”

Satoshi didn’t answer right away.

“I know,” he said finally.

Sakura rested her head back against the seat. “They wanted me to marry someone they picked. Someone ‘proper.’ Someone ‘safe.’”

She laughed quietly, but it didn’t sound happy.

“So I chose to run away and do it my way.”

Haruto’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

From the mirror, he could see her eyes staring out the window.

“And now even the universe is stopping us,” Satoshi muttered.

Kenji, who had been silent the whole time, crossed his arms. “Or maybe it’s just bad luck.”

“No one asked you,” Satoshi replied.

Kenji shrugged. “Just saying. Sometimes when things keep getting delayed, it means something.”

Sakura leaned forward slightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kenji didn’t answer. He just looked out his window.

The car fell quiet again.

Streetlights passed one by one, their glow flashing across everyone’s faces.

Haruto kept driving, his eyes steady, his expression calm. But inside, his chest felt tight.

He watched Sakura through the mirror again.

She looked tired now.

Less bold. Less loud.

Just… tired.

She caught him looking.

For a second, their eyes met through the mirror.

Then she looked away.

Satoshi sighed heavily. “We’ll just come again tomorrow.”

Sakura nodded slowly. “Yeah. Tomorrow.”

Haruto swallowed.

Tomorrow.

He didn’t know why that word felt so heavy.

He didn’t say anything. He just kept driving, watching the road ahead… and the reflection behind him.