The Marriage

Chapter 3

Ito Rei lightly hopped on one foot to the other, stretching his arms, punching the air and jumping. Today is their third date. He came well prepared for war. The first thing he did was make sure it was just a simple cafe date. He smirked at how smart he was. He won't have to deal with her outrageous eating habits anymore.

The people in line stared at him fighting the invisible battle. He came up front when it was his turn to order.

"Two Mocha please, large size… one with an extra shot of espresso because I'm going to need it," he muttered darkly. The employee nodded, sweatdropped. Rei took the two cups once they were made and went to sit back by their window table, sliding into his seat.

He caught the way her elbows were on the table, looking like an edgelord with the way her fingers interlocked with each other, the dark shadow in her eyes. "Today… we need to talk about our marriage."

He crossed a leg over, his hands on his top knee. Whatever she had to say, it was never going to be positive. "Go on, I'm listening."

"I have a bunch of deal breakers. If you don't fit those standards, you have to call off the marriage." She swiped her hands on the table as if there was a map there and they were about to discuss military strategies. Why was she talking so animatedly?

Rei leaned back, arms resting, amusedly looking at her. Why doesn't she break off the wedding instead? Although he is smart enough to tell from that one statement, she didn't want to be the one to break off the marriage, she wanted it to be him or for it to be his fault.

"Right... let hear about these 'dealbreakers?'" He air quoted it with his fingers, waiting. Like what kind of expectation did she have of him to be doing this? He was curious.

She took a big breath as she pulled out a small folded paper. The moment she unfolded it, it kept unrolling more… and more. Rei's head lowered down slowly as it reached the ground. "Is this the grocery list?"

"No, I just wrote down all my deal breakers."

That was a long list of unfulfilled desires if you ask him. He blinked at her. Like what could she possibly write there?

"Starting off with- " She cleared her throat. "I like men who can play instruments so if you can't play, we can't be together."

She looked behind her seat. The scenery of the background changed as if they never were in the cafe. It was now a park, near a street, filled with the noisy sound of honking. A busker entertaining the crowd with music. The musician was Rei playing the guitar on the sidewalk. His fingers dropped on the strings, letting the melody float in the air.

"A man who CAN sing."

She increased the difficulty and he started singing, voice soft and smooth, serenading her.

"Especially the piano."

She added, the background now an orchestra concert. Rei playing a piece by Mozart, his arms going left and right across the keys. Her eyes twitched as she crossed out the checklist. She can try something else!

"I like men with fashionable senses."

She turned back from her seat. Now she was in a runaway with models walking down the aisle one by one and Rei came up next, he walked coolly then posed near the edge, winking at her before he walked back. She doesn't think that was allowed on stage but okay.

The checklist scratched as she lowered the paper, trying to bust him with other options.

"I like a man who can swim."

Kana turned behind her, now in a pool chair. The background switched into an indoor swimming pool with Rei doing a front stroke.

"Sur-"

He swam to a large wave coming towards him, got on top of a board, rode the waves, surfing thanks to the machine.

She crossed out another one. She needed an impossible that he couldn’t have.

"I like men with dark hair."

Kana swivelled the chair. She is now in a salon with Rei getting his hair professional done. His white hair turned black as he grinned in the mirror as the stylist behind him blew dry his hair. He waved at her.

She thought she got him with this one. She thought she had the blueprint… she scratched another option. Is there anything he can't do?

"I like men who frequently do charity."

She turned again, her chair red, as she was in a hall now, clapping, as Rei came up to the podium to give a speech about donating for sick children in a hospital. She blinked, rolling her eyes. She crumpled the paper into a giant ball, throwing it in the trash.

"I like men who go to the gym."

She turned, now on an adjustable bench, her eyes twitching as the place turned into a room full of equipment. As men passed by, Rei did a bench press with heavy weights that were around fifty kilograms.

Kana's whole body shook, about to go into a seizure from how he was doing everything.

"I… I like men who-" She held the back of her neck about to pass out. "-Who ride bikes."

This time, she was on the backseat of the bike, wearing a helmet as they raced through the roads.

Ito Rei grinned, speeding up, amused that everything she was listing, he had to fulfil to be perfect. As a rich kid from his family, to the peer pressure in school, to his own idealistic views of himself.

"I like men who like other men."

She turned, opening her eyes. Oh wait, she is still in the cafe. She turned back to Rei. She curled a brow. She thought he would suddenly be bisexual since everything she says seems to come true.

He looked at her with deadpan, shaking his head. "No."

Kana blinked. Barely said anything but that said everything.

She let out an insufferable sigh. "I find it hard to believe you somehow have all the qualities I like."

The black haired man smiled, leaning on the desk, cockily smiling. "Maybe I'm your ideal man?"

"Not with that temporary dye on your head," she sarcastically responded as she leaned back on her chair.

"You are not being fair to me so I don't think that counts." Rei sipped his drink, unaffected by her attitude.

She spread her leg, hand on the back as stared at his fake smile. "You know I don't like you, right?"

"I know but it's part of your charm." He shrugged, the devious look was on his face again.

"The average person doesn't respond like this." Kana sighed again. She will never win against him because he wants her. She went silent, zoning out, "Look... I see you are desperate to marry me-"

A vein popped on Rei's head at the choice of words but he let it slide. "-but will you give me freedom?"

He tilted his head at her choice of words. Freedom? Freedom of what? "What do you mean?"

"I mean if I married you, you wouldn't expect me to suddenly do wife duties? Stay home? Never leave the house?"

"No, I won't. I don't expect you to do anything you don't want. I have a maid for that." Rei smiled, getting the gist of her situation. She didn't want to be a housewife. "If you don't want to meet me after marriage, that can also be arranged. I'm not desperate to marry you, I just need you to be there on the surface since my father wants me to get married to prove I'm eligible."

There was a moment of silence as she gauged if he was telling the truth before she placed a stack of paper, pushing it across the table and he swiped it to the edge, pulling it up to look through it. It was a contract with a set of simple rules put in a law terminology mixed in between. He wondered how she even got a lawyer to do this but he didn't care to ask.

It took a few minutes for him to read and she patiently waited for him to go through it. "Hmmm, it's fine with me."

"You are not unhappy with it?" She asked curiously.

"You basically want a marriage of convenience." He looked through it, his eyes reading fast through each line. "Are you sure you want this? It seems it benefits me the most. You get… nothing from this contract."

She seemed shocked. He didn't know he gave her the worst impression ever. "Yes… this is what I want. If you are fine with it, let's get married then. Make it in December."

December starts in two weeks but it can be done with how impatient his father was. "As you wish, my lady."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Bell rang across the hall, doors parted open as a white, glass shoes stepped in. Donned in all white, the veil sweeped with her movement and he stood there, waiting for his bride. Rei watched as she looked stunning as she climbed the stairs to stand before him. The mc they hired gave a small speech about love and commitment before ending his message.

"You may kiss the bride."

Rei leaned down to kiss her and she slightly moved her head to the side, forcing him to kiss her cheeks instead. He cocked a brow as Kana slightly tilted her body, waving at the crowd as she gritted through her teeth. "We are not an actual couple, don't forget that."

Rei also smiled as he stretched his hand out to her. "It's just a simple kiss, don't take it too seriously... unless you've never been kissed before?" He mocked, joking. She glared at him.

"Ah..." His mouth hung a little open, surprised. "Now I feel more tempted."

"If you don't want to kiss my fist, we will behave today." She never lost her smile.

"Yes ma'am."

The rest of the party was spent with them dancing on the dance floor. Maybe because there were no strings attached but he had so much fun. He twirled her around, had a ballroom moment and then just enjoyed munching on food as they waited on their own table.

"Should I greet your father?" He turned to look at her side of the family that were sitting together, eating.

"No... you are better off not. With your personality… he would never like you," Kana merely said, brushing it off.

"What's wrong with my personality?" He looked at her, offended.

"Everything. Everything is wrong with your personality." She rolled her eyes as she instead, redirected the conversation. "How about I greet your father instead?"

He nodded, gesturing to her to follow him to his family's side of the table. As they got closer, she noticed, from afar, who it was.

"Wait a minute, that's your father?" She asked, stopping.

"Hmm yes?" He stopped with her, waiting for her to move. Instead, she looked a little blue. At her silence, he started to feel suspicious and felt the need to ask. "Why are you silent? Have you met him before?"

"Aaaaaa..." At her extended reply, he knew this woman did something. He rubbed his face, feeling the pressure. "What did you do?"

"N-nothing." She squeaked out. He knew her long enough to know she did.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

"Well…"

There was a dramatic silence.

"I just insulted him," she muttered, sweat started to pour out of her forehead as she wiped it.

"Just?" Yea, no, he knew her for too long. He rotated his hands to ask her to continue. "And?"

"I threatened to call the police on him-"

"You did what?"

"And I blackmailed him afterwards."

"..."

"I don't think it was that bad. It just sounds worse to the ears." Kana waved her hand, trying to convince him that it was less bad when it happened… kind off.

"You should have ended your sentence with the first three words."

"First three." She paused as she tried to recall what she said. "I don't thin-HEY!"

"Exactly. You never think." He crossed his arms, fed up with her. He rubbed his forehead as he now knew he shouldn't let them meet. "When did that happen?"

"Ummm like four months ago?" Rei seemed amused. Wait a minute, if that happened then why did his father like her? He just suggested her as a marriage candidate to him like a month ago. He looked at the black haired woman up and down as she put her arms on her hips. Did his father actually like her or was he lying to him?

He didn't get to think more about what happened when someone interrupted them.

"Well, well, if it isn't the illegitimate brother getting married." A purple haired man with dark eyes, wearing a tacky purple suit came forward. His eyes were narrow and slanted as he stared down at them, his hands in his pockets. Kana immediately dropped her attitude and instead, smiled charmingly, hand in front, like a fake wife.

"Ah… Ren. This is my wife Kana, Kana, this is my older brother, Ren." He gestured towards them as a formality, ignoring the insults. "Kana, can you give us a moment?"

At his gentle request, she nodded, leaving although not before she turned her head back to see him for a moment before looking straight forward, heading toward her family's table.

Ren put his hand around his shoulder, slinging it as if they were close. "Never thought my brother would get married before me? You sure got married the fastest out of all of us… almost as if you are eager to win."

"You will marry next month so I don't think it makes a difference." Rei diffused any potential outburst quickly. Ren intended to get really angry whenever it seemed he had an upper hand so Rei learned quickly how to deal with him.

"Although out of all the women you could have picked, you chose the daughter of a professor?" He chuckled as if amused, although his eyes were narrowing in suspicion. He came to sniff him out. "The loser child picking someone average like him. Why would you enter the succession race… like that… you won't get far with her lack of support."

He poked his chest aggressively with his other hand, laughing although deep down, his grip on his shoulder pad tightened to intimidate Rei. "You should have come to me for help, I could have introduced you to a better woman."

Rei forced himself to put on an act like he usually does. Ren bullied him all the time because he knew father didn't love him. So he took out his anger on him instead.

"Haha… you see, I…" Rei dramatically got himself out his hold, eyes going a little doe eyed by raising both his brows and opening his eyes wide to look less threatening.

"I only met her because of the pressure to get married but then… I fell in love with her. I wanted to marry for love." Rei lied as if he was not gunning to get the biggest position too. By making it seem it was for love, he would feel like he wasn't doing it to gain an upper hand.

"Already?" Ren looked at him sceptically then laughed even harder. "Of course.. There is no way a player like you cares about what's going on. Is this like the tenth woman you fell in love with?" He shook his head, forgetting about bullying him thanks to the years of reputations he built. His brother was so easy to manipulate.

"Yes. She is so pretty." Rei continued to act lovestruck.

"That ugly thing?" Ren looked behind him, where Kana was, looking a little disturbed before he looked back at Rei. Usually, he wouldn't care about the snarky comments Ren always makes but him calling Kana an 'ugly thing' irked him so much. "They do say everyone has their own taste."

He patted his back as he nodded then left, almost as if he couldn't bear being around him any longer. "Well then, congratulations on your marriage."

"Thank you brother." Rei bowed politely as if he was his superior. Ren waved at him dismissively as he left and Rei's smiley face dropped immediately. He needed a drink.

He walked out of the food court section, heading toward the hall. He grabbed a glass from one of the server's trays and took a large gulp. He stared at the half empty glass as the traces of red wine smoothly sloped down to the bottom. He then took little sips.

"Someone's a little angry." He didn't move from his spot but a part of him was surprised that she saw through his well masked act.

"How did you know I'm angry?" He touched his face, tearing his eyes away from the glass to make contact with hers.

"Just guessed it." Kana smiled at him. "He seems like an awful company to be with."

He hummed in amusement, rotating the glass. She managed to guess his anger from the way his brother behaved, not because of him? He couldn't help the little smile that crept on his face.

"So you are an illegitimate son?" Kana asked curiously and Rei froze, the wine splashes stalled after a while. As if she sensed his mood, she continued.

"My youngest brother is an illegitimate son too." She smiled at him wide and for a moment, he wondered where she was going with this. "Even though we only share the same father… I love Haru a lot."

The way her main feature softened, something about it made his heart squeeze as if someone's hand held it. He felt an indescribable pain. Why… did none of his brothers love him like that?

He locked his emotions away again, like he usually does. He doesn't need anyone's love. He is fine the way he is. He snapped himself out of it.

"You are a good sister." His hand rose to her head, stroking her hair a little as he lowered it to the back of her neck. She looked at him with a strange softness and there was some sort of spark in that moment. He almost felt disgusted by it so he ruffled her hair aggressively, messing up her professionally done hair.

"Hey!" She held her head, her veiling falling from the movement. "You piece of-"

Rei quickly ran out of the way as Kana literally chased him down. The cup spilled wine all over the carpet with each movement, staining even his suit. He got on the mostly empty stage laughing as most of the people were busy in the food court area. The few people around the hall stared as the bride took off her shoes and started throwing it at the groom.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK TO MAKE THIS HAIR! IT TOOK THREE HOURS WITH MAKE UP!" She yelled as she took off her other shoes.

"THREE HOURS? WHERE YOU GUYS COOKING A MEAL THERE FOR THE GUESTS TOO?" He teased as he dodged the second shoes flying.

He realised then, not only was his date chaotic but even his wedding was chaotic. There was never a dull moment in their relationship.