This morning Mirai woke up in a lighter mood. Her little happiness from last night still lingered in her mind. After a month of living under pressure, she had finally found a bit joy. Keito were surprisingly friendly though a bit stiff. Daiki and Yuto were the stress relief as they threw dry jokes. And Ryosuke, he was still impassive and least in talking, but somehow the air around him felt different, in positive meaning.

Miru had smiled knowingly as Mirai seemed eager to have her breakfast this morning, way different from her usual which Miru used to drag her to the dining room. When they arrived, Ryosuke had just seated on his chair.

“Good morning, my lord,” Mirai gave him a small smile.

Ryosuke nodded in acknowledgement. They were eating in silence as usual, but Mirai was not bothered as she used to be. And it did not go unnoticed by Ryosuke.

“You seem happy,” Ryosuke remarked after they finished eating.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, her smile had not faded.

Ryosuke raised a brow and Mirai saw it.

“Well,” she resumed, “I am remembering something nice.”

Sensing that Mirai would not tell the truth fully, Ryosuke brought up another subject.

“About last night, how could you be there with them?”

Mirai cheerfully answered, “Oh, they asked me to come.”

“They were bothering you,” Ryosuke remarked. “Forgive their thoughtlessness.”

“No. I mean, it was not a bother. They are nice after all. And it’s been a long time for me to do a birthday surprise like that. It was fun.”

Fun? Ryosuke eyed her. So, he concluded, she is not only naïve and careless, but also childlike.

“Ah,” she exclaimed suddenly, “May I ask you something?”

“You’re doing that.” Ryosuke folded his arms and leaned back to his chair.

She let out a small giggle, “Oh, right. Then, may I know who Chii is?”

Again, Ryosuke raised a brow.

“Nakajima-kun and the others were talking about him last night.”

Ryosuke noticed the change in honorific Mirai used to address Yuto.

“It’s alright if you don’t want to…”

“Chinen Yuri.” Ryosuke cut her off.

Mirai stared at him for a short while. “Oh!”

“Seem you know him,” Ryosuke said.

“Hmm, not really. It’s just that my brother…,” Mirai stopped midway. She suddenly felt a pain squeezed her heart.

“What?”

Mirai shook her head. “Nothing. It’s just that my brother is courting his sister.”

“Ami-san?”

“Yes.”

The light atmosphere between them became heavier and Ryosuke noticed it.

“I will go for a short campaign next week.” He said to shift the topic.

Mirai looked up to him.

“It may last for a month for the longest. What do you want?”

Mirai was confused, “What do I want?”

 “Do you want to go with me or stay here?”

Her eyes widened, “I can go?”

“There is no rule said that you can’t.”

“Oh!” Mirai beamed. “Yes. Yes. Please, let me go with you.”

Ryosuke straightened his back, “Then it’s better if the visit to your family be done sooner before the campaign.”

Mirai gasped and Ryosuke slapped himself mentally as he realized he just brought up a sensitive topic. The visit to the bride’s family usually did in the first month after the marriage. And it had been more than a month and they never talked about it. Mirai had been thinking that they would not do it at all eventually, but she was apparently wrong.

“Should we do it?” She asked hesitantly.

“Yes,” he answered as a matter of fact. He sensed the sudden change of her mood, but since he had brought it up, he would be better finished it once for all.

“It’s an honor duty to your family.”

She knew it, but… “But you knew I don’t want to face them this soon.”

“It’s not about whether you want it or not.”

Mirai went into silence.

“Listen,” Ryosuke persuaded. “I understand the resentment you hold against them. But if we don’t do it, people may assume something irrational toward the royal family and may also toward your family. If you know better, you should not stir something you can’t control.”

She knew all of it, the importance of doing an honor visit to her family. But she could not bring herself to be ready to face them soon. The wound they inflicted on her was still raw and bleeding.

“We should do that sooner or later,” Ryosuke said while rose to his feet. “I may be able to push the campaign for a week later or two. Think it over. I need to know your decision soon to arrange the campaign.”

And he left Mirai to herself.

**********

Shida manor was busy preparing for the visit of Mirai and Ryosuke. They had received word from them that they would come in three days and stay for two or three days long. Lady of the manor, Kawashima Akemi, had been monitoring her people worked. Her husband, General Shida Makoto, and their son, Shida Hikaru, would return soon from their tasks in palace and joined in the preparation. Actually, it was not a big or grand occasion. She just needed to clean the entire manor, prepared the dishes, and provided a new room for the newlywed. But she knew, more than anyone would guess, that the visit was very important, mainly for her daughter.

Lady Akemi remembered how Mirai looked when she left for her wedding: lifeless. She looked like a different girl, not her daughter.  Seeing her daughter heartbroken, she had hoped if only she could take Mirai’s pain. She knew that she and the entire Shida Family had made a very high risk bet by participating in the marriage. The arranged marriage had extreme consequences. If it did not made Mirai happy, it would absolutely destroy Mirai’s life. No. Not only Mirai’s, but also Ryosuke’s life.

“Why it should be Mirai?” she once asked her husband before they broke the news to Mirai. “Chinen and Nakajima family have a daughter, too, don’t they?”

He looked at her serenely, “You understand how Ryosuke’s condition, don’t you? Ryosuke is broken and Mirai has the ability to patch him up. That’s the only reason I can tell you for now.”

“But how can you be sure that she can do something about that?”

“We are not sure, Akemi.”

“Then why?”

“It’s a bet we have to take.”

“But the price is too high.”

“Don’t you believe in our daughter?”

She was speechless.

“Akemi,” he pulled her to his arms, “I love Mirai as much as you do. So, just believe in her as much as I do, too.”

“But… How if we lose her because of this?”

“It’s expected, dear. But if it will bring our country a better future, then I don’t mind making the sacrifice.”

A sacrifice. She noted grimly. No, she would not let her daughter became a sacrifice. She did not know what exactly her husband and his alliances planned, but she had to do something so that the marriage would work. Mirai should be happy. And Ryosuke, too… he deserves to be happy.

**********

Ryosuke took a glance to his companion. Mirai was riding with him, side by side. She had refused to use a carriage and insisted to have her own mare. He did not mind, though initially a bit hesitated to let her. He just concerned about how Shida Family would think if they saw her like that. Would they think it was improper? But then, he shrugged it off. Shida Family must have used to her behavior even more than him. The more important to think now was that she had agreed to go on the honor visit earlier, so that he would be able to go for the campaign as the initial schedule.

The trip only needed a couple hours of riding. They arrived at Shida manor before noon. The entire family came to welcome them. Ryosuke did appreciate their way of behaving.

“Welcome to Shida manor,” they greeted together.

He noticed Mirai stiffened. Knowing that Mirai would not do the first greeting, he stepped forward.

“Thank you. And we apologize for coming with the short notice,” he bowed to honor them.

General Shida took a step closer, “Not at all, please make yourself at home, Your Highness.”

 “Please, don’t be too formal with me, honor father.”

Hearing Ryosuke addressed him with such familiarity, General Shida smiled, “Oh, if that is alright with you, then I won’t refuse the offer, my son-in-law.”

A small giggled erupted from behind General Shida. Lady Akemi strode forward, “How if we continue this family conversation inside, gentlemen? I think they are already tired from the trip here.”

“Oh, right. Forgive my thoughtlessness. Please, come inside.” General Shida led Ryosuke to enter the manor.

Lady Akemi held Mirai’s shoulder, “Let’s come inside, dear.”

Mirai let herself be guided by her mother. Hikaru followed behind them after giving instruction to Yuto and the rest of Ryosuke’s guards.

“Gentlemen, please continue your conversation. I and the ladies will prepare the lunch,” Lady Akemi suggested, then turned to Mirai. “Mirai, come with me, dear.”

Mirai nodded and followed her mother, leaving Ryosuke with General Shida and Hikaru.

After the ladies left, General Shida gestured politely to Ryosuke to sit.

“We are happy that you and Mirai finally visit us,” General Shida told Ryosuke.

“Forgive us for making the visit this late. There had been too many things to attend last month.”

“We understand, the ceremony of your coming-of-age must have taken most of your time.”

“Ah, speaking of it, I want to thank you, honor father and brother, for the gifts.” Ryosuke addressed Hikaru for the first time.

“It was not much,” this time Hikaru s