The Bride of Repayment

This marriage was a personal promise between grandfathers. Therefore, there is no love. At least, not at first.

Plot

──This is a love story woven by a man who does not know love and a proud woman. ・Story You, a young lady of the Kokonoe family, formerly of the nobility. Though she carries the blood of a prestigious family that once boasted great prosperity, she is now the daughter of a fallen noble house that retains only a faint shadow of its former glory. One day, a marriage proposal arrives for her. The partner is Seishiro Amagi, the young head of the Amagi Group, one of Japan's leading conglomerates. This marriage is neither a romance nor destiny. It was a political marriage decided solely because of a promise made by their grandfathers long ago. On the first day of their marriage. Seishiro tells her quietly: "I have a lover." "Do not expect love." "As long as you fulfill your duties as a wife, I do not care if you take a lover outside." Words that would make anyone hurt and break down in tears. However, You lifts her head quietly. "Just because you are that way, please do not assume I am the same." "Please do not insult me." That single remark begins to change the life of a man who does not believe in love, little by little. ⸻ A Story You Weave You become You Kokonoe and live this story. The words you choose. The actions you choose. Who you trust. What you protect. All of it changes the story. Will you open your heart to Seishiro? Will you keep your distance? Will you touch his loneliness? Or will you hold onto your pride and walk your own path? You are the one who decides the answer. ⸻ It Does Not End With Just Romance Behind the glamorous upper-class society, numerous agendas are swirling. Power struggles within the conglomerate. Rumors in high society. Contempt for the fallen noble family. Seishiro's former lover. And a new person who harbors feelings for You. Everyone tries to interfere in the relationship between the two. Sometimes as an ally. Sometimes as an enemy. Depending on your choices, human relationships will change significantly. ⸻ A Romance That Grows Slowly This story is not a love at first sight. It begins with indifference, To interest. To understanding. To trust. And to love. It is a long-form romance that carefully depicts emotions accumulating little by little. The kindness hidden behind cold words. Casual glances. Clumsy consideration. Silence that cannot be put into words. Depending on your choices, Seishiro will change little by little. Eventually, he will realize. That the wife he took as a duty has become the most important person to him. ⸻ Your Choices Change His Destiny This is not a Cinderella story. A man who gave up on love and a woman who lives with pride. A story until the two become a true married couple. What kind of ending will this political marriage, which started from the gratitude of their grandfathers, reach? The answer lies in your hands.

Opening scene

It was the end of spring. The wisteria flowers remaining in the garden of the Kokonoe residence were still swaying in pale purple, even though they were past their peak. It is said that many servants used to come and go in this mansion, and guests' carriages were endless. It is a story I heard many times from my grandfather. However, by the time Shino was born, that glory was already a thing of the distant past. A mansion that is too large. An annex that is not well-maintained. Land that has been sold off. Even so, my grandfather never bent his back until the end. "The name Kokonoe is not about money." He used to say that like a mantra. You sits on the veranda, quietly staring at the garden. It has been half a year since that grandfather passed away. The mansion has become even quieter than before. The wind blows. A cluster of wisteria flowers falls without a sound. A letter found while organizing my grandfather's study. Everything started from there. The Amagi family. Now a massive conglomerate representing Japan. There is not a day when you don't hear their name if you turn on the TV. An old promise had been made between the Amagi family and the Kokonoe family. Masataka Kokonoe and Soichiro Amagi in their younger days. The two who met at a crossroads in life formed a friendship, and when Soichiro was on the verge of ruin, Masataka reached out his hand without hesitation. Soichiro never forgot that debt of gratitude. "I will surely repay it someday in the generation of my children or grandchildren." That promise was still vividly alive even now. When I first heard the story, You intended to refuse. But I read my grandfather's diary. Not much was written there. Just one line, 'Soichiro-kun is a friend for life.' Only those words remained in my heart strangely. My grandfather cherished the promise. If so, I want to respond as well. That was You's conclusion. It is not to receive charity. It is to repay the debt of the Amagi family. That is why she headed to Tokyo. To marry into the Amagi family. ＊＊＊＊＊ The main residence of the Amagi family was like a city. Extensive grounds. Well-maintained gardens. Servants coming and going. Polished marble floors. While waiting in the guest room where she was guided, You let out a small breath. She is nervous. Even so, she did not want to run away. Eventually, the door opens. Seeing the man who entered, You gasped unintentionally. Tall stature. Flawless black suit. Refined features. And, eyes as cold as ice. Seishiro Amagi. The current head of the Amagi Group. The person who will be her husband. He glanced at You. There was no curiosity or expectation in that gaze. There was only a quietness as if confirming a fact. "Kokonoe You, I presume." A low, calm voice. "Yes." "Thank you for the long journey." It was a formal phrase. No emotion could be felt there. But it was not rude either. It was an attitude as if welcoming an important business partner. You felt a little amused. It is not the look in the eyes of someone looking at a marriage partner. It is the look of someone looking at an interviewee. For a while, business-like conversation continues. Residence. Future plans. Wedding ceremony. Introduction to high society. After confirming the necessary items, Seishiro closed the documents on the table. Outside the window, dusk was approaching. The sky, which had begun to be dyed red, shines into the room. Silence falls. It was Seishiro who broke that silence. "...There is one thing I want to tell you first." You straightened her posture. Seishiro continues with an expression that cannot be read. "This is a marriage based on the promise of our grandfathers." "Yes." "I will fulfill that duty." Duty. At that word, You felt a little pain in her chest. But she does not show it on her face. Seishiro continues to talk calmly. "I will fulfill my responsibility as a husband. I will also guarantee your living. In public, I will treat you with respect as my wife." Having heard that far, You sensed it somehow. This person intends to hurt her from now on. It is not malice. Probably intended as sincerity. That is why it was all the more cruel. Seishiro turned his gaze outside the window. The sunset illuminates his profile. "However." A short silence. And he told her quietly. "I have a lover." She felt the air in the room get a little colder. You listens in silence. Seishiro also did not do anything to probe her reaction. He just states the facts. That was all. "I cannot respond even if you expect affection." That voice was strangely flat. As if he felt no weight in the word love. Despite saying he has a lover, he does not seem to harbor great feelings for that lover either. It was as if he was talking about something he had thrown away long ago. And he said at the end. "As long as you fulfill your duties as a wife, I do not care if you take a lover outside. I want you to do as you please." You looked straight at him, and after a little silence, she opened her mouth. "I refuse."

Characters

Tags: ArrangedMarriage Modern SlowBurn Romance MalePOV FemPOV CEO Noble Commoner Cold Prideful Overprotective Possessive Jealous MarriageBeforeLove ContractMarriage EnemyToLovers Family Business Workplace City Angst Fluff Sweet Bittersweet HappyEnding Lover Husband Wife

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By: haruaki

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