The Matchmaking Ceremony

For something meant to be a blessing in this world, smooth, issue-free transportation felt more like a curse to Nami right now. What she would give for anything to block her way, stalling her even briefly from reaching her designated point.

But realistically, what would it gain her? Five more minutes of suffering through her building nerves? She never saw herself as a sadist, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed emotional torment. It was tempting to imagine how different things would be if only she hadn’t fallen in love with Tsukasa, but she did her best to steer her mind away from such thoughts.

Not only would that be cruel, but it would also feel like a betrayal of her not-yet-official boyfriend. She truly loved him, and she wanted to hold onto those feelings, showing everyone—especially herself and Tsukasa—that she was genuinely confident in their bond.

But still… feeling nervous was natural in a situation like this, right?

It was ironic, now that Nami thought about it. Soullet was always praised, not just by the media; stories of how it improved people’s lives were easy to come by. Even her parents loved reminiscing about how Soullet helped them find each other and start their relationship. The ceremony was supposed to bring happiness, so why couldn’t she shake the unease she felt right now?

Was Soullet’s approval even necessary when she was already so certain of who her heart beat for?

Before she could delve further into the question, she noticed a young man with black hair waving at her from a distance, capturing her focus completely.

Standing just a few meters away was the man who had stolen her heart with his passion and dedication to music. His tall, slender silhouette was, as always, radiating confidence. Though he was somewhat scrawny, his attractive features and height more than made up for it.

The sight of Yamada Tsukasa brought Nami the much-needed peace of mind. It was honestly concerning how lost she’d been in her thoughts, walking almost mechanically all the way to the ceremonial hall’s entrance without even realizing it.

“Hey, I don’t like the look on your face.” Tsukasa gently put his hands on her cheeks, lifting her face to inspect it closely. “I know you’re worried, but it’s all going to work out, okay?”

One of Nami’s hands subconsciously moved to touch one of his, which was softly cupping her face. She squeezed it reassuringly, a slight smile replaced the previous frown, though a hint of uncertainty remained.

“I know; it’s just… a lot of pressure,” she said, breaking eye contact momentarily and chuckling. “By the way, hello to you, too.”

It was typical of Tsukasa to be so caring, always prioritizing the happiness of those around him when he sensed something was wrong. This was yet another reason it had been so easy for Nami to fall for the man in front of her.

“Hi.” Tsukasa smiled warmly, letting go of her face to hold one of her hands instead. “Ready to go inside?”

“I… yeah, just…” Nami turned towards the building, looking up to take in its size. “Maybe we could stay out here in the fresh air for a few more minutes?”

The couple stood together in silence, ignoring the world around them, wrapped in each other’s presence. Then, Tsukasa spoke up.

“You know, we don’t have to do this.” He looked down at her. “You can just take the Soullet, and we can check our compatibility privately—or we don’t have to check at all! I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

All he wanted was to bring her comfort, but Nami knew better. She knew how excited he was for this moment, how he’d envisioned the whole scenario… how certain he was that nothing would go wrong.

This time, Nami held his hands, squeezing them gently. “No. No backing down now.” She took a deep breath, and for the first time that day, she smiled at him with full confidence. “Even if I have doubts, I want to trust our feelings. I want to trust you.”

“Then let’s go and get it over with.”

Nami nodded, not feeling the need to say more, and together, they entered the building.

To say the establishment’s interior was unique would be an understatement. Merging modernized style with a museum-like antique setup, the place was truly one of a kind. Some people theorized the fusion symbolized the drastic change Soullet had brought to the world.

Nami simply thought it was a pretentious way to flaunt the importance of Ide Akira, Soullet’s creator, and his family in world history.

As they passed displayed prototypes of the matchmaking gadget and paintings of the scientists who had worked on it, they finally reached the front desk where registration took place.

The “ceremony” was more ceremonial in name than anything else. You filled out paperwork, decided whether to activate your bracelet in the hall or in private, but that second option was available only when you paid a fee, and that was it. No fanfare, no extra gifts. Simple as that.

In some cases, people had been able to take the bracelet with the promise of activating it publicly later without any extra fee. It was common to delay activation, since not everyone was ready to meet their soulmate at 22. But for Nami, making her soulmate wait longer felt wrong.

After completing the documents, the administrator leading the ceremony guided them toward the hall. And that’s when Nami realized why some people opted to pay the fee for privacy. Near the center, where a single display held a Soullet, were various stands with people—some holding cameras, others tablets.

They were journalists, writers seeking inspiration, and spectators who found the whole ceremony intriguing, as if it were a performance.

“Today is a special day,” the administrator’s voice grabbed Nami’s attention, helping her forget the audience around them. “Our society welcomes a new Soullet user, Hayashi Nami, and with her is Yamada Tsukasa, whose bracelet still has not changed the color to pink and the reason for it, as he believes, is that the woman next to him is the one to make it happen.”

There was some shuffling and murmuring, but Nami ignored it. Tsukasa was all that mattered.

“Now!” the administrator continued. “Once you’re ready, Hayashi Nami, please step forward to receive the Soullet and activate it. Then, both of you may check with your devices if you truly are your true soulmates!”

The young pianist walked forward slowly. There was nothing to fear; Tsukasa was there, their feelings were genuine, and this was just a formality. In a few minutes, they’d leave and begin planning their future together.

And there it was, Soullet lying before her, ready to be placed on her wrist. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, she slipped it on like another bracelet from her morning routine.

Turning back to Tsukasa, she simply asked:

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

And with that, she pressed the button on her Soullet.