Chapter 3: The Clear Lake, Silver Grass, Sukiyaki, and the Space between the Witch and Him
“I want to readdress the matter of us getting married,” Harij said while they were seated at the table enjoying a pleasant chat after dinner, his voice cooler than a spring breeze.
Air rose from the back of Rose’s throat in an unladylike “GAK!” as she gagged on her tea. She quickly closed her mouth to prevent utter humiliation—this was not a sound she wanted someone else to hear, especially when that someone was her crush. When she finally managed to swallow back the tea, she pinched her stinging nose.
“Umm, certainly, yes, indeed. That was on the table, wasn’t it? It sure was.”
What is this?! A business deal?! Rose berated herself for coming up with such a stupid response. She had pretended not to care in the slightest, but she was actually very concerned about the matter of their marriage.
Rose may have been naïve about the ways of the world, but she wasn’t staying at the home of the man who had proposed to her without realizing what that entailed. Although she wasn’t currently residing there as his fiancée, she wouldn’t have moved in without being prepared to marry him in the future.
And while it was Harij who had proposed to Rose, he didn’t pressure her into marriage after inviting her to be his houseguest. But she was growing impatient, since nothing had changed between them even after Tien brought her dowry. But, at last, their time had come.
I see, I see. I just have to go along with it now that it’s time. Rose pressed her fingers into her cheeks to prevent them from spreading into a dorky grin, only to realize she was making an even weirder face. She promptly put her elbows back on the table, rested her chin in her hands, and hid her lips by pulling her hood closer.
If she wasn’t extra careful, every muscle in her face would give into her delight and move in a most unsightly expression. She would’ve jumped with joy and done a little dance to celebrate if she were alone.
Meanwhile, Harij, on the sofa across from her, appeared reluctant despite having been the one to bring up this marriage she had dreamed of. Rose tilted her head.
“Is there a problem?”
“No… I’ll move things along as long as there’s not a problem on your side.”
Well, that was vague of him. I wonder if everyone in the world has to deal with fiancés like that.
Fiancé. Rose was flustered by her own thoughts. She scrunched up her face to prevent her overflowing excitement from showing and ended up nodding with deep lines creasing her brow and nose.
“Yes, I believe it should be all right.”
“That’s vague of you.”
“Oh my goodness. I was just thinking the same exact thing of you.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Hahaha.”
Rose stood from the sofa, bowed, and escaped to her room. There was a little hop to her light footsteps.