Soft strings began to hum in the candlelight as the musicians shifted melodies.
The ballroom sparkled with golden radiance, and beneath the grand chandelier, Hina and Red stood together at the edge of the dance floor. Whispers spread like ripples across water, nobles murmuring in awe and curiosity.
Lord Kenzairu Arakashi, left without a stage or a bride, sulked like a child denied a toy. His eyebrows twitched every few seconds, his arms crossed, his ceremonial armor polished to an absurd shine, but all eyes had long moved past him. He was background noise now.
What mattered tonight was the couple stepping onto the polished marble floor: the noble daughter and the Violet Dragon.
Hina extended her hand to Red. Her cheeks were warm, her heart pounding in a rhythm faster than any dance.
Red hesitated. Then he took her hand.
The touch was gentle, surprisingly so for a man who could level armies with his swords.
He placed a hand lightly on her waist, and the music swelled. Together, they moved.
It began slowly.
Red's steps were deliberate, clean, almost cautious. Hina moved with practiced elegance, though she struggled not to look too nervous. Her eyes flicked up at him.
Hina: You're… good at this," she murmured.
"I was taught once," Red replied softly.
Red: By someone I don't talk about much.
Hina: Hmm. I'm glad...
He gave a faint smile.
Red: You're doing well too.
They twirled among the nobles, drawing admiration and hushed envy. Hina's White kimono, threaded with lavender blossoms, spun with every turn. Red, still in his midnight-blue noblewear, with the Violet Dragon on his back, looked every bit the mysterious noble legend whispered about in court.
He didn't talk much. But when he did speak, it was like the world paused to listen.
Across the room, Lord Yukishiro smiled faintly as he observed the two. His earlier tension had faded. Even Sebas, standing nearby with wine in hand, allowed a nod of approval.
Lord Yukishiro: I never thought she'd find her courage like this,
Lord Yukishiro murmured to no one in particular.
Lord Yukishiro: And with… that man, no less.
Meanwhile, Kenzairu scowled in a corner, chewing on the stem of his goblet.
"This is preposterous," he mumbled.
A nobleman standing beside him sighed, "You were never officially announced, Lord Arakashi. Let it go."
Kenzairu turned purple.
But back on the dance floor, Red and Hina danced through one piece after another. They didn't say much, but it didn't matter.
In the silence between them, something else stirred.
Something softer.
Something warm.
Hina stole a glance at Red as the music slowed. The soft lights reflected in his crimson eyes, and for a moment, she wondered....
Does he even realize how breathtaking he looks tonight?
She looked away quickly, cheeks burning red.
They danced until the music faded and others joined in to reclaim the floor. Red guided her gently to the balcony for air.
The garden below glowed with hanging lights and glowing flowers enchanted to bloom at night.
Red: You alright?
Hina nodded, hugging her arms.
Hina: I just… didn't expect to enjoy this much.
Red tilted his head.
Hina: This evening...You...The dance...Everything...
He looked out across the garden.
Red: You were brave, standing up to your father like that.
Hina: I had help." She smiled softly.
Hina: I had you."
Red glanced at her, his expression unreadable. But then, just faintly… he smiled too.
They stood there for a while.
She leaned gently on his arm, and he didn't move away.
The banquet carried on until deep into the night, guests drinking, laughing, the memory of the earlier drama softened by music and wine.
Eventually, Sebas came to collect Hina.
But Red stopped him.
Red: She's with me tonight. I'll make sure she gets home safely.
Sebas bowed. "As you say, Lord Red."
Hina didn't even register what was happening until she found herself walking beside Red through the quiet Silverhaven streets under the moonlight. They reached the manor offered to him by the guild for his noble status, a modest but elegant house on a quiet hill, its windows glowing faintly from magical sconces.
Hina: Red… I should go to my own house"
Red: You've had wine. Too much to risk wandering tonight.
Hina: But...
Red: I'll take the couch, he said simply, opening the door.
She hesitated...then followed him in.
The inside was neat. Sparsely decorated, but warm. A single vase of blue flowers sat on the table, likely delivered by the guild or… someone who knew he liked quiet beauty.
Red offered her tea, which she accepted.
They sat for a while. She on the couch. He in the chair.
They talked softly...about nothing and everything.
Her dreams. His travels. Her favorite snacks. His least favorite nobles.
Eventually, silence returned.
"Red," she said at last, voice soft.
He looked at her.
Hina: I know this whole… engagement thing. It's fake. I know. But…
He waited.
Hina: …Even if it's just for show, can I pretend it's real? Just for tonight?
Red didn't answer.
Instead, he stood, walked over to her side of the couch, and sat down beside her.
He didn't speak.
But his presence alone said enough.
She smiled faintly.
And as sleep gently stole the night, she drifted against his shoulder.
When morning came, sunlight spilled through the white curtains.
Hina blinked awake slowly, warm and sleepy, tucked beneath a soft blanket.
She shifted, realizing the bed beneath her was larger than her own.
Wait.
Bed?
She looked around.
Her face flushed instantly.
She was in her bedroom.
And, next to her, was Red.
Still asleep. Hair tousled. Shirt partially undone. A rare, soft expression on his usually stoic face.
They hadn't done anything scandalous. She remembered clearly. He'd carried her here when she dozed off and stayed near to make sure she was safe.
But still.
The thought sent her heart into chaos.
She sat up quickly, clutching the blanket. "W-What do I do now…"
Red stirred faintly, eyes fluttering half-open.
"...Coffee," he murmured groggily. "Need Coffee…"
She blinked. "You're awake."
Red: Mm.
He looked at her sleepily.
Then slowly sat up.
Neither of them moved for a moment.
Then Hina laughed nervously.
Hina: Well… Good morning, fiancé.
Red groaned softly and fell back into the pillows.
Red: Don't remind me…
And in that quiet morning, full of laughter and awkward warmth, the line between fake and real began to blur, just a little more.