Chapter 265: Arranged Marriage

"I currently only see Karina as my friend," Reiji said, glancing slightly at the girl sitting a few steps away from him.

"Maybe in a few years, when we are of age, I might start to be interested in Karina, and perhaps I will fall in love with her."

"But not now... we are only eleven years old; there is still a long time before we become adults."

Reiji's words sounded sincere and calm, yet they felt like the clear and honest chime of metal.

Behind Reiji's innocence lay a surprising maturity.

Keito nodded slowly again, his gaze dimming as he weighed the possibilities for the future.

"I see..." Keito murmured.

He shifted his gaze to the floor for a moment, then looked back at Reiji with a more relaxed expression.

Beside Keito, Kasumi—a middle-aged woman with a gentle face and neatly flowing hair—looked at Reiji with a faint smile.

Kasumi's gaze contained something difficult to articulate: a mix of admiration and emotion.

Though Kasumi did not speak, it was clear that she observed this interaction with the attention of a mother who understood the depth of the questions being played out behind this simple conversation.

But the quietest of all was Karina.

The little girl sat in a seiza position on a pink cushion.

Karina's delicate kimono fell neatly to the floor, but there was a sharp crease near her waist, a sign that her body was slightly tense.

Karina's head was bowed deeply, and her long hair hid part of her face.

Her small hands were tightly clenched on her knees.

Karina's fingers gripped the folds of her kimono so hard that her knuckles turned white.

Karina said nothing.

She did not lift her head.

But Karina's body—even in its silence—spoke louder than words.

Then, suddenly, Keito spoke up again, this time with a wide smile that hinted at a different intention.

"How about I arrange for you to marry Karina first?" Keito said lightly, yet clearly.

"That way, when you grow up and fall in love with Karina, you can get married right away. What do you think?"

Reiji fell silent.

His breath caught in his throat.

Reiji's mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out.

His previously calm expression changed in an instant, like an arrow shooting and hitting his chest without warning.

Reiji's gaze quickly shifted to Karina.

The girl remained still.

But now Karina's shoulders seemed to tremble slightly, whether from nervousness, embarrassment, or... something deeper.

"... That..." Reiji finally spoke, his voice low and barely audible.

He swallowed hard, then looked back at Keito before turning once more to Karina, who now felt so far away even though they were only a few steps apart.

"If it's just an arranged marriage," Reiji said with a steadier voice, though his breath was still a bit shaky, "I suppose it wouldn't be a problem."

For a few seconds, silence enveloped the room.

Keito then laughed, this time wider and more relieved.

"Really! That's great!" Keito exclaimed in a loud yet warm voice, as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

Keito clapped his knees once and leaned back.

But Reiji did not join in the laughter.

He looked back at Keito, this time with a deeper gaze—a gaze that demanded honesty.

"Then," Reiji said slowly.

"Can you tell me what is really going on? I know this arranged marriage is not the real reason you called me, right?"

Keito then fell silent.

His expression changed.

The smile slowly faded, replaced by a more serious, heavier look.

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