Arranged Marriage

C7: Coincidence? Fated? No, A Ring!

Jaws opened wide as they stared at each other. Both Hoshimachi's and Sakura's family were surprised as well and were looking at their own daughter.

"Miko-chan...?" Muttered Anemachi. They do know each because Miko sometimes went to have fun in Suisei's house and Anemachi told her to stay to have dinner together. The silence in the air was uncomfortable. It feels like the place around them got bombed and only Suisei and Miko remain. They stared at each other, clearly dumbfounded, how the heck did they meet each other here? There were so many mixed emotions inside them. Eventually, Miko's grandfather claps his hand once. With all eyes now on him, Miko's grandfather cleared his throat.

"You both know each other? Now that makes this arrangement easier."

He then sat beside his friend, who's Suisei's father and now they started to talk about the marriage. Miko and Suisei were shocked for sure but since the adult had begun the serious talk, Miko sat down beside Suisei. They were adults themselves but hey, who's more adult? You or your parents? Of course it is the latter. They sat side by side because the family insisted on it. The talk was about those boring stuff that they probably won't understand anyway. A small nudge of elbow on her left, Miko looked at the blue haired girl.

"...what?" she asked.

Instead of an answer, the comet haired girl asked her back,"Why.... are you here?"

They were talking quietly, trying not to bother the adults near them. Miko gave her a confused stare as she replied, "That's what I'd like to know. I didn't expect my partner to be you.."

"Me too..."

Miko was shocked. Yes. But deep down there's this feeling of happiness. Even she herself didn't understand it. Silence. And then Suisei mutters under her breath.

"What kind of coincidence is this?"

"I don't know. It must be fate.."

Hearing the words come out of Miko's mouth, Suisei scoffs at it.

"Fate? I don't believe in fate."

"... I see."

Miko jolted down this new information inside her mind. Why? She doesn't know.

"I'm relieved though." A calm voice pierced into her left ears, she glanced at Suisei slightly while asking her, "Why?"

Suisei gave her a small smile.
"At least I didn't have to marry a stranger. It's probably gonna be awkward and all because we didn't know a single thing about each other. Now that I know my partner is you, I feel relieved. It was the person I know. The person I'm close with. The person I trust." Suisei said in a single breath.

'My partner is you.'
'The person I trust.'

These words keep repeating in the back of her mind. It makes her flustered but she covers it with a fake cough, trying to calm herself down. But still, if Suisei watches her closely, she can see that the tip of Miko's ears is red. It is as if she transfers the blush on her cheeks to her ears. It is cute indeed.

They were talking back and forth without realizing that both of the family were already done discussing and now they're watching the young shrine maiden and the comet girl bickering.

"I guess I don't have to worry about this huh." Miko's mom jokes. Now realizing the situation they're in, both the shrine maiden and the comet girl blush.

______________________

All the important things had been discussed within the two families and now the date was already set. They didn't exactly plan to celebrate the marriage openly, it was just between the two families and close relatives. Since their family wants them to get married quickly, the two of them were forced to take more days off than they planned, which the company fully understood and allowed them to do so. They didn't really tell their company the truth about their situations, they briefly said it was a family issue.

A day has passed since the shocking family meetings. It was a lovely morning, where the young maiden girl and the comet girl were forced to dress up nicely and went out to have a date with each other. Now what's up with this sudden turn of event? Now facing each other in front of the train station, both girls don't know what to say other than a simple greeting of 'Good Morning.'

'Ping'

A notification can be heard from inside Suisei's bag. She takes out her phone. It was a short message from her mother. Miko who's standing beside Suisei, waiting patiently for the blue haired girl to say something. A groan coming from her side made her jolted up and she quickly fixed her gaze to Suisei who's groaning out loud with curiosity.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Instead of answering, Suisei shoved her phone in front of Miko's face, letting the girl read the said message.

Mother
「Your father already transfer sum of money into your account, go and buy a simple ring for you and Miko-chan~」

Miko blush. She cupped her own face, trying to hide it from Suisei but what could she do? The girl already saw it.

"O-oh.. Ring huh.."

"..Yeah.."

Miko was deliberating in her head as to what to say to Suisei but in the end, she decided to follow the flow Suisei's mother made. She hesitates at first before grabbing Suisei's hand and dragging her down the street.

"R-ring right? Let's go, the quicker we get there, the quicker we can buy the rings."

"Ah. Yes."

The walk was completely silent while holding hands. The inside of Miko's mind was screaming like crazy about how bold of her actions is to hold Suisei's hand like that. She tried to take her hand back to her side but the comet girl who was walking beside her squeezed her hands, clearly not wanting to let go of her hand. Miko can only hope that her hand won't start to sweat because of how nervous she is. With a slight red on her cheeks, she and Suisei entered a jewelry store. The moment they step inside, the shining gold jewelry on display almost blind them.

"Ouch my eyes..."

"Yeah.. I can't handle it either." Miko said followed by a light giggle. Suisei also giggled softly beside her.

The employee who saw them walk in, put on a smile and walk to them.

"Welcome to Zuckee's Jewelry store ma'am. What can I help you with?"

"Ah yes. We're searching for a ring."

With a look of understanding, the girl nodded her head.

"Ahhh. You guys are a partner then? Sure, this way." said the weirdly excited employees. Being told that they're partners directly in front of their face, they blush but still walking, following the worker to the glass table full of display rings. Their eyes turned wide as they saw a bunch of pretty rings, there's one with a huge diamond on it, there's one that's full made of gold. But then, looking at the price makes their eyes wide even more. Miko lets out a nervous chuckle as she glances at Suisei, who seemingly understands her.

'Too expensive!'

'I know! I saw it too! There's so many zeroes!'

Suisei clears her throat and smiles.

"We just want a simple ring. Simply to show others about our bonds as partners."

Ok. That last sentence makes Miko choke on her saliva. She literally didn't expect Suisei to say that.

"Why of course."

The worker showed them a box that's full of rings with a simple design. It's not too flashy and not too plain either. They carefully watch each one of it, inspect it and give their personal thoughts to each other. A few minutes of choosing, they finally find the right one. It was a silver ring with a small crystal on top of it. It was simple yet pretty but the things that made them choose it because there are words inside it.

'I'm yours.' On Miko's ring.

'You're mine' on Suisei's ring.

Somehow looking at it, makes their heart bloom. It just felt right. Transactions had been made, and now they're on the way home with a smile on their face, with a red box of rings in Suisei's pocket.