Chapter Text
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Giyuu hesitantly leaned forward, pressing a brief, empty kiss onto Shinobu’s lips. Around them, the grand reception hall erupted into loud cheering and hooting, the noise echoing off the walls.
But beneath the flashing cameras and superficial celebration, no one noticed the profound emptiness reflecting in both Shinobu and Giyuu’s eyes.
Neither of them wanted any part of this.
Two Months Before the Wedding
“This is my second eldest daughter, Kocho Shinobu,” the head of the Kocho clan introduced, gesturing politely as his daughter slipped into the wooden chair beside him.
“She is a perfect match for my son, Tomioka Giyuu. Say hello, Giyuu,” the head of the Tomioka clan instructed firmly. Giyuu offered a quiet, polite nod, first to the Kocho patriarch and then to Shinobu herself.
Even without exchanging a single word, Giyuu and Shinobu could instantly tell that the other felt just as trapped. Yet, here they were, playing their parts for the sake of their families' reputations.
If their two clans merged, they would be an unstoppable force; the Tomioka clan possessed limitless wealth, while the Kocho clan commanded vast networks of resources.
“If that is all for today, we will take our leave. The wedding will be held in two months' time. We will see you then. Urokodaki, Giyuu, it was a pleasure meeting you,” the Kocho leader concluded.
Giyuu and his father rose from their seats to exchange final handshakes, while Shinobu quietly turned and walked away. Outside, their personal guards stood waiting, promptly escorting them back to their respective vehicles.
Just like that, Giyuu’s fate was sealed. In two months, he would become the leader of the clan, shackled to a marriage he never asked for.
At the Kocho Mansion
Shinobu’s POV:
We had to leave the Tomioka estate early because Father had foolishly scheduled a meeting with the Shinazugawa clan later today as well. Honestly, it was incredibly short-sighted of him to squeeze both massive political arrangements into a single afternoon.
At the very least, Giyuu looked just as unwilling as I felt. That meant we only had to put on an act for the public eye, which was a massive relief. Thank goodness for that, because I knew I wouldn't survive a marriage where I actually had to force myself to love him.
“Thank you,” I murmured to our guards as they helped me out of the car.
Father rushed straight past me back into the estate, likely hurrying to change and prepare. The Shinazugawas would be arriving at any moment.
Needing a moment to clear my head, I headed upstairs to my older sister’s room, finding her already fully dolled up in a breathtaking formal kimono.
“How was the Tomioka clan?” Kanae asked, turning around with a gentle, curious smile.
“The son seems alright. Honestly, he probably wants out of this arrangement just as much as I do,” I replied, letting out a soft, dry chuckle.
“That’s wonderful to hear,” Kanae said, though her smile faltered slightly. “I heard Sanemi is the scariest of his whole clan. He honestly gives me chills just thinking about him.”
A cold realization washed over me. I forgot she was getting married to him. It was another completely arranged marriage.
If I married into the Tomioka Clan, she married into the Shinazugawa Clan, and our younger sister Kanao married into the Kamado Clan, our family's alliance network would be utterly invincible. But looking at Kanae’s bright, hopeful expression, my chest tightened.
She was treating this like a grand duty, putting on a brave face so I wouldn't worry about her.
A sharp knock at the door cut my thoughts short. A family servant bowed deeply from the hallway.
“Master Kocho requests both young ladies to descend to the grand hall immediately. The Shinazugawa clan has arrived.”
Kanae took a deep, steadying breath, smoothing down the edges of her butterfly-patterned sleeves.
“Wish me luck,” she whispered, offering me one last reassuring look before stepping out.
I followed her down the long wooden corridors, the atmosphere growing noticeably heavier with every step we took toward the grand hall.
When we finally crossed the threshold, the contrast between our afternoon meeting and this one was jarring. While the Tomiokas had carried themselves with a quiet, reserved wealth, the Shinazugawa clan exuded a raw, sharp aura of volatile power.
Sitting rigidly next to their stern clan leader was Sanemi Shinazugawa.
He didn't look like a groom; he looked like a warrior forced into formal clothing. Pale, white hair spiked in every direction, and prominent scars mapped across his face and chest, visible even beneath the collar of his fine robes. He sat with his arms tightly crossed over his chest, fiercely glaring down at the tatami mat as if he wanted to burn a hole right through it.
“Ah, here they are,” Father smiled, gesturing proudly toward my sister. “My eldest daughter, Kanae.”
Kanae glided gracefully to her cushion, bowing with the flawless elegance expected of the Kocho bloodline. “It is an absolute honor to meet you.”
The Shinazugawa leader nodded in approval, but Sanemi barely shifted. He let out a rough, annoyed grunt, clicking his tongue sharply as he finally snapped his dark purple eyes up to look at his future bride.
There was no admiration or warmth in his gaze—only defensive calculation and a deep-seated anger at the lack of control over his own life.
I sat quietly in the back corner of the room, watching the sheer tension radiate off his shoulders.
It was a dark, suffocating look that I was starting to recognize all too well.
Great, I thought to myself, suppressing a heavy sigh as Giyuu Tomioka's empty, exhausted eyes flashed through my mind.
Both of our future husbands look like they're marching straight to their execution.