Chapter 1

24/03/20XX

Haruto walked home after school with his bag slung over one shoulder, pulling his phone from his pocket to check the time.

4:47 p.m.

By the time he reached the front gate, a car was already pulling up outside the house.

He frowned.

That was unusual.

Stepping into the yard, he headed for the front door, slipped off his shoes, and had barely made it inside before the doorbell rang.

He turned back and peered through the glass beside the door.

His eyes widened.

Standing outside was someone he recognised immediately from school.

Aoi Hoshino.

Behind her stood a man in a suit, posture straight, expression unreadable.

Haruto opened the door.

“Aoi?” he said, blinking. “What are you doing here? And who’s that?”

Aoi looked just as caught off guard as he was.

“Haruto?” she said. “You live here?”

She gestured beside her.

“Oh. He’s my parents’ butler.”

The man gave a polite nod.

“And her legal guardian.”

Haruto stared at him for a second.

“Right...” he said slowly. “That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

Aoi went quiet, her expression tightening.

After a moment, she folded her arms.

“Can we come in,” she said, “or are you planning to keep us standing out here? It’s starting to get cold.”

Haruto immediately stepped aside.

“Of course. Sorry. Come in.”

He held the door open as the two of them entered. They took off their shoes neatly at the entrance before stepping further into the house.

Aoi sat down on the couch while her butler remained standing behind her.

Haruto rubbed the back of his neck.

“Make yourselves comfortable...”

Aoi crossed one leg over the other and glanced toward the kitchen.

“Can I get some water?”

“Yes, Aoi,” her butler replied.

He stepped away toward the kitchen, his footsteps almost silent.

“Where might the cups be, Mr. Fujimoto?” he called.

“In the cupboard above you,” Haruto answered.

Haruto lowered himself into the chair across from the couch, still trying to figure out why Aoi Hoshino was sitting in his living room like she belonged there.

Aoi glanced around the house before looking back at him.

“When are your parents getting home?” she asked. “They said they wanted to speak to me.”

Haruto blinked.

“They’re not coming home.”

Aoi frowned. “What?”

“I live here by myself,” Haruto said. “My parents wanted me to start living on my own, so they got help from some old family friends with money and set me up here until I can afford a place myself.”

Aoi stared at him.

“So your parents aren’t coming here?”

He shook his head. “No.”

Aoi’s expression changed instantly.

“Then why did they say to come here...?”

Her voice trailed off.

A second later, she turned sharply toward the kitchen.

No footsteps.

No sound of running water.

Nothing.

Haruto looked over too.

The kitchen was empty.

Then came the click of the front door shutting.

Aoi shot to her feet just as the sound of a car engine started outside. Through the window, headlights moved away from the house.

Her face paled.

“Oh no,” she said. “No. This is not happening. I am not doing this.”

Before Haruto could say anything, both of their phones buzzed.

He pulled his from his pocket.

A message from his parents.

His stomach dropped as he read it.

Sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, but we couldn’t risk you running away from this.

You are going to be entering an arranged marriage with Aoi Hoshino.

From now on, the two of you will be married and living together.

The rest of Aoi’s belongings will arrive tomorrow while you’re both at school, so make sure to help her settle in.

Across from him, Aoi was staring at her own phone in horror.

Her message looked no different.

You will be entering an arranged marriage.

Your belongings will be moved to your new home tomorrow.

The room fell completely silent.

Haruto slowly lowered his phone.

Aoi looked up at him, disbelief written all over her face.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither of them even knew where to begin.

Aoi let out a frustrated breath and folded her arms.

“Ugh. Fine. I’ll stay here for tonight, and then I’m going back home tomorrow.”

She pointed toward the couch.

“You can sleep there.”

Haruto stared at her for a second, still holding his phone.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “This is my house. I was living here a month before you showed up and got dumped into this arrangement with me.”

Aoi turned so fast it almost made him step back.

“Did you just tell me to sleep on the couch?”

“Basically,” Haruto said. “Yes.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I don’t want this any more than you do,” he added. “But the bedroom is already set up with all my stuff in it.”

Aoi’s face flushed red, whether from anger, embarrassment, or both, he couldn’t tell.

Without another word, she stormed past him and headed for the bathroom.

“I’m taking a shower,” she snapped. “Don’t you dare peek, perv.”

A second later, the bathroom door slammed shut.

Haruto stared after her in silence.

Then he ran a hand through his hair and muttered to himself.

“What the hell is wrong with today...?”

Aoi disappeared into the bathroom, and the sound of the shower soon followed.

Haruto stood there for another second, still trying to process everything, before finally dragging himself upstairs.

The moment he reached his room, he dropped onto the bed and pulled out his phone again.

He stared at the message from his parents.

They were serious.

He read it once more, hoping he had somehow misunderstood it the first time.

He had not.

“Why would they think I’d be okay with this?” he muttered.

A little while later, Haruto sat on the couch with the television on, a container of takeout balanced in one hand as he ate in distracted silence.

The bathroom door opened.

He glanced up.

Then nearly choked on his food.

Aoi stood there in a set of clothes that were very obviously not hers.

Haruto coughed, setting the takeout down on the table as he stared at her.

“Hey,” he said, “aren’t those my clothes?”

Aoi looked down at herself, then back at him without a trace of embarrassment.

“Yeah,” she said. “My stuff hasn’t arrived yet, and these were in the dryer.”

She folded her arms.

“Why am I even explaining myself to you, perv?”

Haruto frowned. “I literally just asked a question.”

Aoi walked over to the cupboards and opened them one by one.

Almost empty.

She checked the fridge next.

Milk. Cheese. Sauces.

That was basically it.

She turned to look at Haruto, who was still sitting on the couch with the TV on and his takeout in front of him.

“Is there anything to eat?” she asked. “Like actual food?”

Haruto shrugged. “No. I usually just get takeout.”

He gestured lazily toward the bag on the table.

“By the way, you’re paying half.”

Aoi stared at him. “No, I’m not. I didn’t get anyth—”

“Got you a burger and some chips,” Haruto cut in. “That’s about it. You want it or not?”

Right on cue, Aoi’s stomach growled.

Her face tightened instantly.

“No,” she said. “I’ll feed myself.”

Haruto gave a small nod toward the kitchen.

“Be my guest.”

A couple of hours passed.

By the time Haruto finished his movie and the rest of his food, the house had gone quiet.

With a tired sigh, he headed upstairs and opened the bedroom door.

Then stopped.

Aoi was already asleep in his bed.

For a moment, he just stood there, staring.

She looked far less aggressive asleep. Peaceful, even.

That somehow made the whole situation feel even stranger.

Haruto slowly backed out of the room and pulled the door shut again.

A few seconds later, he dropped onto the couch downstairs and glared up at the ceiling.

“I hate this so much,” he muttered.

25/03/20XX

Haruto woke on the couch to the smell of food and the sound of movement in the kitchen.

For a second, still half-asleep, he forgot what had happened.

Then he sat up and saw Aoi rushing around the kitchen, making breakfast and packing lunch at the same time.

He rubbed his eyes and pushed himself to his feet.

“Morning,” he said.

Aoi glanced at him once, expression blank, then turned back to what she was doing without replying.

Haruto let out a quiet breath and headed upstairs to get changed.

By the time he came back down in his school uniform, Aoi was already standing near the front door with her bag, looking like she was about to run for it.

Haruto frowned.

“You know class doesn’t start until nine-thirty, right?” he said. “It’s only eight-fifteen.”

“If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late.”

Haruto looked at her for a moment.

“We live, like, five minutes from school. How would you be late?”

Aoi let out an irritated sigh.

“I’m trying to leave now so I don’t have to see you.”

Haruto blinked.

“Oh.”

“And if we run into each other at school,” she added, turning back toward him, “we are strangers. No mention of this to anyone.”

She dragged her thumb lightly across her throat in warning.

“Or you’re dead.”

Haruto raised his hands slightly.

“Got it.”

Aoi stormed out of the house, slamming the front door behind her.

A few minutes later, Haruto left too, heading in the opposite direction. On the way to school, he stopped by a corner store to grab something to eat.

Meanwhile, Aoi walked the short distance to school, still irritated from the morning.

As soon as she reached the grounds, she noticed the entire student council gathered near the entrance.

Her steps slowed.

Why is student council here? she thought. Wait... did I even check the group chat?

She pulled out her phone as she walked over, opening the chat.

The most recent message was from the council president.

Council President:

Don’t forget — student council meeting about the school grounds tomorrow morning at 8:00. Try not to be late.

Aoi looked up from her phone and quickened her pace, catching up to the group. The president noticed her almost immediately.

“Aoi?” the president said. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Aoi replied. “A lot happened yesterday, and I forgot to check the group chat.”

The president gave a small shrug.

“Fair enough. We haven’t really started yet.”

Aoi frowned. “The message said 8:00. Why is it only just starting now?”

The president gave an awkward smile.

“We all kind of slept in a little.”

9:28 a.m.

Aoi slipped into her seat just before class began.

A minute later, Haruto walked in and dropped into his own desk without looking her way.

Classes carried on like they always did.

At lunch, Haruto followed his usual routine and headed up to the roof. He sat near the edge, eating in silence as students moved across the grounds below.

A few minutes later, he spotted Aoi walking with her friends.

He watched them pass beneath him, laughing about something he couldn’t hear.

As long as I stick to my normal routine, he thought, and she doesn’t blab to her friends—who somehow seem connected to everyone—maybe this is actually doable.

4:15 p.m.

When Haruto got home, he stopped in the front yard.

Aoi was there, carrying boxes inside.

He stared at them for a moment before looking at her.

“Thought you were going back to your house.”

Aoi paused and turned toward him.

Her expression was flat, but there was something tired underneath it.

“They said I’m not welcome back home anymore,” she said.

She glanced at the boxes beside her.

“So it’s either here, or I’m out on the street.”

Haruto looked at the stack of boxes, then back at Aoi.

“Let me help you take these inside.”

Aoi did not even glance at him.

“No. Just go inside and stay out of my way.”

Haruto gave her a look but said nothing, heading into the house instead.

A few seconds later, he walked into his room—

and stopped.

Boxes were everywhere.

Stacked near the walls, piled beside the dresser, half-blocking the floor.

He stared in disbelief.

“Hey,” he called, “what’s with all the boxes in my room?”

Aoi appeared in the doorway a moment later, arms folded.

“You mean my room?”

Haruto turned to face her properly.

“Oh, no. This is not happening again. That’s my room, not yours.”

Aoi lifted an eyebrow.

“Then where exactly do you expect me to sleep?”

Haruto gestured vaguely down the hall.

“I don’t know. The spare room?”

Aoi looked almost offended.

“Do you really think someone like me would sleep in a spare room?”

Haruto frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

28/03/20XX

It had been about four days since Haruto and Aoi were forced into their arranged marriage.

And Aoi was a handful.

Haruto stood in the kitchen, watching as Aoi walked in with messy bed hair and clothes she had clearly thrown on without much thought.

He glanced at her and smirked faintly.

“Looks like someone didn’t sleep well.”

Aoi said nothing. She only glared at him before turning away to make breakfast.

A few minutes later, she sat at the table in silence while Haruto grabbed his jacket and slipped on his shoes.

Without another word, he headed for the front door, put on his headphones, and went for a run.

There is no way in hell this is going to work, he thought as he jogged down the street. I was happier on my own.

Back in the house, Aoi placed her empty plate in the dishwasher and dropped onto the couch with a long, tired breath.

“Finally... alone time,” she muttered.

She leaned her head back against the cushion and shut her eyes.

“I can’t keep that act up twenty-four seven.”

Her voice softened.

“He’s never going to know the real me. Never... ever...”

The thought lingered longer than she wanted it to.

Then, before she could stop herself, her cheeks began to warm.

Aoi’s eyes opened immediately.

“No,” she said to herself, sitting up straighter. “I don’t like him.”

She folded her arms tightly.

“I like Kayo. I only have eyes for Kayo.”

Aoi picked up her phone and opened Kayo’s Instagram.

His newest post appeared almost immediately.

It was a photo of a coffee sitting on a café table. Across from it sat a handbag, and a hand was reaching across the table, fingers laced with his.

The caption read:

Coffee always tastes better when you’re with your other half.

Aoi stared at the post for a moment, her chest tightening.

Why couldn’t it be me?

She quickly closed the app and opened the group chat with her friends instead.

Aoi:

Have you guys seen Kayo’s new post?

Mina:

The one with the coffee? Yeah.

Ryota:

Girl, what happened? Didn’t you ask him out yesterday?

Aoi hesitated.

Her fingers hovered over the screen.

Aoi:

I... didn’t. I froze up.

A reply came almost instantly.

Ryota:

Okay. We’re coming over right now, and we’re talking about this.

Aoi nearly dropped her phone.

Aoi:

Oh, don’t worry about it. I-it’s not that big of a deal.

A few seconds passed.

Then another message appeared.

Mina:

Girl... are you hiding something?

Aoi stared at the screen.

Aoi:

No.

Another message popped up right after.

Ryota:

Now that I think about it, we haven’t hung out with you outside of school in days, Aoi.

Aoi:

Yeah... I’ve just had a lot going on the last few days.

Mina:

You said nothing was going on when we asked you yesterday at school. Are you arguing with your parents again?

Ryota:

If you are, then we are definitely coming over.

Aoi:

It’s nothing, really. You guys don’t need to worry about me.

The doorbell rang.

Aoi froze.

A new message popped up immediately.

Mina:

Open the door, girl.

Aoi stared at her phone for half a second before slowly getting to her feet. She walked to the front door as cautiously as if opening it too fast might somehow change who was standing outside.

It did not.

Mina and Ryota stood there.

Aoi blinked at them.

“How—? Did—? What?”

Mina folded her arms.

“Someone said they’ve been seeing you walk from school to this house for the last few days,” she said. “Are you finally living alone?”

Aoi shook herself out of her shock.

“Yeah,” she said quickly. “Yeah, I’m living alone now. By myself.”

She hated how suspicious that sounded the second it left her mouth.

Still, she stepped aside and let them in.

The three of them sat down on the couch, and for a while the conversation drifted between Kayo, school, and the kind of meaningless gossip Aoi would normally have no trouble keeping up with.

Today, though, every word out of her mouth felt forced.

Then Mina tilted her head, glancing around the house.

“Going off-topic for a second,” she said, “why this house? Isn’t it a little... small for someone with your family’s money?”

Aoi opened her mouth.

“Oh, well—”

The front door opened.

All three of them turned.

Mina frowned. “Who’s that?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“You do live alone, don’t you?”

Haruto stepped inside, taking off his jacket as if nothing in the world was wrong. He did not even look toward the living room at first. He just kicked off his shoes and headed upstairs.

Ryota stared after him.

“Wait,” he said slowly. “Isn’t that... Haruto from our class?”

Aoi said nothing for a moment.

Then she stood.

“If either of you tells anyone about this,” she said, voice sharp, “our friendship is over.”

For a split second, Mina and Ryota actually looked startled.

Then Mina folded her arms.

“Girl, do you really think we’d blabber about this?”

Aoi looked at her flatly.

“Yes.”

Ryota gave a small shrug.

“Fair enough. We are probably the worst people to trust with a secret.”

He pointed at her.

“But, to be fair, we did a pretty good job keeping it quiet that you like Kayo.”

Aoi’s face hardened immediately.

“I think it’s time for you both to leave.”

Before either of them could argue, she ushered them toward the front door.

Just then, Haruto came down the stairs.

Mina glanced over and lifted a hand.

“Bye, Haruto.”

Haruto looked between them, confused, just in time to see Aoi pushing Mina and Ryota out the door.

The second they were outside, she shut it firmly behind them.

Haruto kept staring.

Aoi turned to him, already irritated again.

“Why are you still looking?” she snapped. “Move.”

She brushed past him and headed upstairs to her room, leaving Haruto standing in the hallway.

30/03/20XX

Aoi walked through the school halls with Mina and Ryota beside her when Kayo stepped out of a classroom ahead.

“Okay, see you later,” Kayo said to someone behind him.

Then he turned and spotted her.

“Hey, Aoi. You okay?”

Aoi blinked and quickly shook herself back to reality.

“Y-yeah,” she said. “I’m fine. We were just heading to class.”

Kayo tilted his head slightly.

“We?”

Aoi glanced over her shoulder.

Mina and Ryota had already disappeared.

“Oh,” she said awkwardly. “No one. I forgot my friends said they’d meet me there.”

She forced herself to focus.

“Anyway... are you free tomorrow?”

Kayo looked surprised for a second, then smiled.

“Yeah. Why?”

Aoi tried to keep her voice steady.

“Oh, uh... I was just wondering if you wanted to go shopping tomorrow.”

“Sure,” Kayo said. “Can I bring someone else along?”

Aoi hesitated.

“Oh. Uh... s-sure.”

“Thanks, Aoi.”

With that, Kayo gave her a small wave and continued down the hall.

Aoi stood there watching him go.

A moment later, Haruto walked past Kayo and headed in her direction. He did not say a word as he passed her, just continued into their classroom like usual.

But for some reason, Aoi found herself watching Haruto instead.

Her eyes followed him all the way to the door.

Then she blinked hard and shook her head again.

Did I really just switch focus?

31/03/20XX

8:30 a.m.

Aoi woke up and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

Haruto was already there, getting ready to head out for his morning run.

Without a word, Aoi started making herself breakfast.

The kitchen was barely big enough for two people to move around properly, and within moments they were already bumping into each other.

Aoi let out an irritated breath.

“It’s too early for this. Can you leave the kitchen?”

Haruto did not even look at her.

“No. I was here before you even got up.”

Aoi’s expression tightened in frustration.

Haruto glanced over at her.

“If you keep making that face, the wrinkles will stay,” he said. “Then you won’t look good in front of Kayo.”

Aoi froze.

“How do you—”

“Your friends seemed really determined to talk to me while you were busy with Kayo at school yesterday,” Haruto said. “Mina’s been messaging me about it.”

Aoi’s expression darkened instantly.

“Mina?” she snapped. “Oh, that bi—”

“She’s not one,” Haruto cut in. “She’s just looking out for you. And telling me things.”

Aoi turned to face him fully.

“I don’t want you knowing anything about me.”

She jabbed a finger in his direction.

“And could you stop interrupting me for once—”

“Not like I have a choice,” Haruto said.

Aoi stormed back upstairs to her room.

“Fuck you, Haruto!”

A second later, the door slammed shut behind her.

Upstairs, she ripped off the clothes she had been wearing and changed into something nicer. Then she stood in front of the mirror, doing her makeup with more force than care, still irritated from the argument.

By the time she was done, she looked calm again.

Or at least calm enough.

She headed back downstairs.

Haruto was standing by the front door, watching her as she walked into the kitchen, grabbed something small to eat, then returned to the entrance. She pulled on a jumper, slipped on her shoes, and pushed past him without a word.

Haruto watched the door close behind her.

I should probably message Mina about this, he thought.

A moment passed.

...Nah. I don’t care.

He grabbed his keys, stepped outside, and locked the door behind him before starting his run down the road.

Meanwhile, Aoi made her way to the train station and waited for Kayo.

Kayo walked down the street with a guy Aoi had never seen before.

As soon as they reached her, Kayo smiled.

“Were you not bringing your friends?”

Aoi forced herself to stay calm.

“No. They were busy today.”

Kayo nodded. “Well, that makes sense.”

Aoi looked at the other boy beside him.

“Who’s your guest?”

Kayo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Oh. This is, uh...” He let out a small laugh. “Can’t believe I’m saying this out loud, but... he’s my boyfriend.”

Aoi froze.

B-Boyfriend?

Kayo’s gay?

What is going on?

This isn’t how I thought today was going to go.

Her stomach twisted.

I need to get out of here.

Trying not to let the panic show on her face, Aoi quickly pulled out her phone and tapped the first contact she saw, pretending she had just received a call.

“Sorry,” she said, forcing a tight smile. “This is important. I’ll be back in a moment.”

She stepped away just far enough to make it look believable.

Not far from the house, Haruto had stopped in a nearby park to catch his breath during his run.

His phone started ringing.

He pulled it from his pocket and frowned at the screen.

Spoiled Idiot

Why is Aoi calling me?

He answered.

“Hello?”

“Haruto, hi,” Aoi said quickly. “You’re still coming shopping with us, right?”

Haruto blinked. “No, I—”

“Great,” Aoi cut in. “We’re waiting for you at the train station.”