Kyoto — Hayama Ancestral Villa
A place older than memory, carved into the hillside like a secret carved in stone. The Hayama ancestral estate was a sprawling villa of dark wood, stone lanterns, and endless cherry trees—still bare, waiting for spring.
Inside, it was all tradition.
Silk screens. Gold-threaded tapestries. An open tatami room where history sat quietly in the corners, listening.
But today, the past was watching the future unfold.
And it was watching Renjiro Hayama and Aika Tachibana take their place beneath it.
The engagement ceremony had been planned with precision.
Dozens of guests.Leading shareholders.Extended family from both bloodlines.Reporters from the most prestigious business and society magazines—carefully screened, sworn to silence until the official press release dropped tomorrow.
No cameras allowed inside the main ritual chamber.
Only memory would capture the stillness of that moment.
Aika sat across from Renjiro, both dressed in traditional formal attire.
She wore a white and silver kimono, embroidered with cranes and moonlight—a bride-to-be in the eyes of legacy, not love. Her hair was pinned in a classical style, her expression serene, eyes lowered.
Renjiro wore a black montsuki kimono and hakama, the Hayama crest shining at his shoulder. He looked the part—regal, composed, untouchable.
But inside, he was seething.
His mind burned with the headlines that followed him here. "Power Couple of the Century", they called them. "A Perfect Union of Bloodlines."
Perfect?
He could barely stand to sit beside her.
Every movement she made—so elegant, so precise—felt like a calculated performance.
And yet… when their hands brushed slightly as they reached for the ceremonial sake…
She didn't flinch.
Not even a twitch.
She just bowed her head, accepted the sake from the priest, and sipped as if her soul wasn't slowly being carved out from within.
Later — Reception Hall
The room had changed from sacred to social.
Now came the second act: polite congratulations, introductions, whispered deals behind silk fans. The press still wasn't allowed in—but that didn't stop the flash of cell phones, the silent exchange of glances, the smiles that didn't reach eyes.
Renjiro stood beside Aika at the center of it all. People kept approaching them.
"You two look radiant together.""Such a strong match—elegance and ambition, balanced perfectly.""Aika-san, how do you feel being with someone as visionary as Renjiro-sama?""Renjiro-san, what's it like to have such a composed partner?"
He forced smiles.Said the right things.
So did she.
Their hands never touched. Their eyes rarely met. But the performance… flawless.
Until the room finally gave them a moment of quiet.
Renjiro turned to her, voice low, sharp.
"You've gotten good at pretending."
Aika didn't look at him. "We both have."
"You really don't feel anything, do you?" he whispered. "You don't even crack."
"Because this is what I was raised for," she replied gently. "You were, too."
He scoffed. "I wasn't raised to be silent."
Aika's gaze lifted to his, calm and unyielding. "Then speak, Renjiro. Say something that will change this."
He hesitated—just a second.
But he said nothing.
Because there was nothing he could say… that wouldn't destroy them both.
That Night — Aika's Room
She sat at the mirror, removing her hairpins slowly, one by one.
The ceremony was over. The vows weren't spoken, but they were sealed.
She was his. At least in the eyes of the world.
But tonight, as she looked at her own reflection, she didn't feel like a bride.
She felt like a pawn who refused to be bitter.
And somewhere beneath the pain…beneath the weight of pretending…was a single thought:
"Even if he never loves me… I will not regret standing beside him."
Not yet.
Not until he gives her a reason to.
The Day After — Morning Headlines
The news broke at 6:00 a.m.
BREAKING: Renjiro Hayama and Aika Tachibana Officially Engaged — Two Dynasties to Merge in Historic Alliance— Nikkei Asia | Financial Times Japan | Vogue Japan | Forbes Tokyo
Social media ignited.Business forums flooded with speculation.Fashion blogs praised Aika's grace and composure.Shareholders for both corporations saw a surge in confidence.And suddenly, Renjiro and Aika were Japan's new power couple.
By 9:00 a.m., the invitations to appearances had already started rolling in:
A televised charity gala two nights later.
A joint interview with Global Asia Finance.
An exclusive couple's feature for an elite lifestyle magazine.
The families accepted everything.
And so, for the world…Aika and Renjiro became exactly what legacy demanded.
Gala Night — Public Smiles
The grand ballroom was lit in crystal and gold.
Renjiro and Aika arrived together, stepping out of a black car into a sea of flashing lights and velvet ropes. He wore a midnight-blue tuxedo, every line sharp and tailored. She wore a floor-length silk gown in ash-pink, her hair in a soft twist, diamonds whispering against her skin.
They posed together.He held her waist like a man in love.She smiled like nothing in the world hurt her.
"You're glowing, Aika-san," a reporter said."Renjiro-sama, you must be proud."
"Yes," he said smoothly. "Proud. Honored. Lucky."
He leaned toward Aika, pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek for the cameras.
Click.Click.Click.
Applause.
Flashbulbs.
Perfection.
In the Car — On the Way Back
The door shut behind them, silencing the world.
Aika sat in silence, her posture perfect, her expression still soft from hours of smiling.
Renjiro pulled off his bowtie and loosened his collar, sinking back into the seat.
The car moved forward.
Silence stretched. Too long.
Then, without turning his head, he spoke.
"You're good at pretending."
She turned slightly, voice calm. "You are, too."
He laughed once — dry, bitter.
"They all believe it. That we're in love. That you're the reason I'm finally settling down."
Aika said nothing.
Renjiro turned his head toward her, eyes hard.
"Do you enjoy it? All the praise? All the articles calling you the perfect partner? The one who tamed the Hayama son?"
Her hands folded neatly in her lap. "I never asked to tame anyone."
"But you like how it looks, don't you?" he said. "You like being on my arm. You like being seen."
Aika's voice was barely above a whisper.
"I like honoring my family."
He stared at her — cold, unreadable — then leaned closer, just enough that his words landed like ash.
"You're suffocating me."
Aika turned her head to look out the window.
"Then open the door, Renjiro. Walk away."
But he didn't.
He said nothing more.And neither did she.
The silence between them was louder than anything the press had written.
That Night — Aika's Room
She sat at her vanity, slowly removing her earrings.
Each one took longer than it should.
She looked at herself in the mirror — the same face, the same poise. But beneath her eyes… the weight was growing.
"You're suffocating me."
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Then opened them, and whispered:
"Then why do you keep standing so close?"
Over the Months — A Timeline in Silence
The Engagement Appears in Every Magazine CoverTheir faces, side by side — "Modern Royalty."Articles praising the perfect unity of power and elegance.
Public Events ContinueCharity dinners. Ribbon cuttings. Interviews.Aika stands beside him, always elegant.Renjiro says the right things, always in control.
They never speak when the cameras are gone.
Renjiro's Work AcceleratesHe launches a new technology proposal — an urban infrastructure AI system for export logistics.He's featured in Forbes, Financial Tech Weekly, Business Tokyo.He spends nights in the office. Days in meetings.He doesn't come home.
Aika Prepares the Wedding AloneKimono fittings. Menu tastings. Guest lists. Shrine selection.With her mother. With Mrs. Hayama. With Suzu.But never Renjiro.
One Month Until the Wedding — Kyoto
The families announce the official wedding date:A traditional ceremony at the Hayama ancestral shrine.Guest count: 500.Coverage: Global.
The media explodes again.
Aika reads the headlines like one would read an obituary.
She smiles. Nods. Continues working.
One Week Before the Wedding — Hayama Estate, Afternoon
The estate was full of staff — floral designers, ceremony planners, calligraphers finalizing the invitations.
Aika had come to drop off the final guest list for approval, walking through the lower west corridor of the estate — an older section where family offices were kept.
She paused near the slightly open sliding door of a side room. Voices drifted through — one of them unmistakably Renjiro's.
"I still can't believe it's actually happening," he said, voice low but sharp."In seven days, I become a husband to someone I barely talk to."
The voice that responded — Naoya, his old friend. "You've been playing the perfect fiancé for months now. No one would know."
Renjiro gave a short laugh.
"Yeah. That's the problem, isn't it? Everyone sees her as this flawless woman. They think I'm lucky.""Aika this, Aika that. They don't see how cold she is behind the smile."
Naoya's voice was quieter. "She doesn't look cold. She looks like she's… waiting."
A pause.
Renjiro's next words came slower, heavier.
"Maybe. But I'll never forgive her for this. For trapping me in something I didn't choose."
Another pause.
"I've worked too hard to build my own path. And now no matter what I do, I'll always be tied to her. To the image. To the lie."
Silence.
Aika didn't move.Her hands clutched the guest list against her chest.
Her eyes were wide — not in shock, but in quiet confirmation.
He still resents her.Still hates her.Still blames her.
Even after all the months of silence. All the times she stood beside him. All the times she chose to stay.
She turned quietly.
And walked away.
That Night — Aika's Quiet Move
She sat alone in her room, a thin folder in front of her.
Inside: a single letter. A personal request.
Not a resignation.Not a breakup.Not an escape.
Just a transfer of part of her assets and ownership rights into a private legal trust — protecting her business shares from future joint access.
Her name remained tied to the family legacy.
But she quietly began to separate her heart from his shadow.
Her mother would notice, eventually. Her lawyer would raise an eyebrow. But Aika would only say:
"It's just a formality."
No one needed to know.
Not yet.
Five Days Before the Wedding — Hayama Headquarters, Upper Lounge
The private lounge was reserved for post-meeting debriefs.Renjiro stood near the tall glass windows, speaking with executives about a new regional logistics hub. The meeting had gone well. As always, his team was efficient. His reputation, still untouchable.
Then the door opened quietly.
Aika entered — dressed in a sleek charcoal dress with pearl cuffs, her hair in a low, elegant twist. Calm, professional.
She offered a faint smile and bowed slightly. "I've brought the signed approvals for the Kyoto security and vendor contracts."
Renjiro turned.
For a moment, the air changed.
Not because she looked different — Aika had always looked composed.
It was because she didn't meet his eyes.
She didn't speak beyond necessity.Didn't glance at him like she used to.Didn't wait for him to acknowledge her.
She simply handed the folder to his assistant, bowed to the group, and left — efficient. Silent. Polite.
Renjiro frowned.
She hadn't said a word to him directly.
Three Days Before the Wedding — Photoshoot Suite, Hotel Kyoto Hana
Renjiro arrived late to the final wedding publication photoshoot.The stylist rushed him in.The room was already humming — makeup teams, photographers, assistants fluttering around.
Aika was seated on the white settee, already dressed in her engagement kimono. Silver-gray silk, delicate embroidery across the sleeves. She was radiant.
She looked up briefly when Renjiro walked in.
But her expression didn't shift.
Not like it used to — no subtle flicker of nervousness, no guarded hope.
Just calm professionalism.
When they were placed together for the shoot, she smiled gently for the camera.
Renjiro placed a hand at her back.
She didn't flinch. But she didn't soften, either.
Click.Click.Click.
"She's stunning," someone whispered near the lens. "They look flawless."
Renjiro said the right words. Smiled on cue.
But something in her silence… began to feel loud.
That Evening — Hayama Estate, Inner Courtyard
He found her there by chance.
The family was entertaining a few close guests indoors. Renjiro had stepped out for air — only to see Aika seated alone on a bench beneath the winter-bare sakura tree.
She didn't notice him at first.
She was looking up at the branches — not lost in thought, but… resting.
And then, softly, she exhaled. Not tired. Not sad.
Free.
And that's when it hit him.
She wasn't waiting anymore.
She wasn't trying.
She wasn't holding on.
And for the first time since their engagement began… Renjiro felt something unfamiliar sink into his chest:
Emptiness.
Because the Aika he remembered — the one who looked at him with hope, the one who tried even as he pushed her away — was quietly gone.
Not physically.
But emotionally, she had begun to step out of his reach.
Later that night, he sat alone in his study, drink untouched.
The window reflected his own face — sharp, distant.
And somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard her voice again:
"Then open the door, Renjiro. Walk away."
He hadn't.
But maybe… she had.
And he didn't know why that made it harder to breathe.