Venzel was still basking in the euphoria of the pork belly when Aunt Soho's voice cut in with playful indignation.
"Hey now, you can't give all the credit to your mom," she said, pointing a pair of chopsticks at him with a mock scowl. "I was in that kitchen too, you know! I did just as much, if not more than your mom!"
Venzel chuckled through a mouthful of rice, raising his hands in surrender.
"Yes, ma'am. My apologies, you both should open a restaurant already."
From the other side of the table, Aoki leaned back with a sly grin and said, "Oh, son, just make sure you don't touch anything Aunt Soho cooked. Safety first."
A collective gasp echoed around the table.
Tsuki's eyebrows shot up.
"Excuse me?" she said dramatically.
Then she narrowed her eyes and reached out toward Aoki's plate like a vulture spotting weakness. "Alright then, hand me that piece of pork you're eating. That one's cooked by my sister, and the mushrooms too. You're not allowed any of them."
Aoki scooted his plate away like a schoolboy caught with contraband. "Oi! I take it back! I take it back!"
Laughter exploded around the table as Uncle Ryu let out a loud guffaw and Aunt Soho snorted mid-bite.
Even Venzel clutched his side while his mom, Tsuki broke into giggles, waving her chopsticks.
Just then Renji stood up slowly, his chair scraping softly against the floor.
"I'm done with my meal," he said, his voice flat and eyes downcast. "Thanks."
The laughter died down slightly, just enough to hear the door creak as he stepped out.
A brief silence lingered in his wake, faint and brittle.
Aunt Soho glanced toward the door but said nothing, her smile fading just a touch before she quietly returned to her meal.
Followed by a sharp ringtone cut through the chatter at the dinner table.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Venzel checked his phone and the moment he saw the name on the screen, his eyes lit up.
Without a word, he rose from his seat.
Tsuki raised a teasing brow.
"Is it Kana?" she asked with a smirk, already knowing the answer.
Venzel scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, nodding with a shy smile.
"Aww," Soho cooed as he walked off, and just like that, the table came alive again with chatter, this time, about Kana.
Outside, the air was cooler. The breeze brushed softly against Venzel's cheeks as he brought the phone to his ear.
He barely had time to say hello before a cheerful voice greeted him.
"Ahh! I missed you!" Kana exclaimed.
Venzel laughed softly, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "I missed you too. Want me to come pick you up?"
"Dummy," she said with a playful pout in her voice. "Did you forget I'm at my parents' place?"
Venzel blinked. "Oh right… you did mention that." He chuckled, feeling a little silly.
There was a brief pause. Then, he lowered his voice into something gentler, more tender.
"I love you," he whispered.
Kana didn't respond immediately. He could hear her breathing softly on the other end, then—
"Dummy… baka…" she murmured, but her voice wavered just slightly.
Then came a whisper, trembling and soft: "I love you too, Venzel."
His heart did a little flip. He let out a quiet laugh, unable to hide his joy. "You sound like you're gonna cry."
She giggled. "Maybe I am."
Then her voice dropped a bit, hesitant. "Did something happen, by the way?" he asked, picking up the change in tone.
"A lot, actually," Kana replied, her voice quieter now. "I… told them about us."
Venzel's smile slowly faded. He straightened, his grip on the phone tightening. "Yeah? And…?"
Kana took a shaky breath. "As expected… they still hate you. They told me if I don't stop seeing you, I won't be allowed to step out of the house again."
For a moment, Venzel said nothing. His throat tightened. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and almost hoarse.
"…And what did you say?"
A pause.
Then Kana said, softly,almost too softly, "I told them… I won't be seeing you again."
Venzel's heart dropped.
"What!?" he blurted, the word cracking from his throat in disbelief. "Why would you—?"
"Because I had to, dummy!" she snapped, the tremble in her voice betraying the fight she was putting up. "I had to say that just to get out of the house."
She paused, then added in a rush, voice trembling but firm, "I didn't mean it. I just needed a way out, Venzel. I'm not staying here. I'm coming to you."
Venzel went quiet for a beat, then chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "So… you're willing to lie to your parents now?"
"That's your fault," Kana said without missing a beat, a mix of exasperation and affection in her voice.
"You turned me into a liar and now I don't want to wait anymore," she added after a breath.
"After what just happened, I just... I need something real. Something I willingly chose. Tomorrow, we're getting our marriage contract signed at the civil office.."
Venzel blinked, surprised. "Wait—what? You don't want a wedding anymore? I thought you always dreamed of wearing that white gown."
There was a long breath on the other end. Then Kana spoke, soft but resolute.
"I do," she said. "But not if the groom isn't you."
Her voice cracked slightly at the end, but the conviction in her words remained unshaken.
For a moment, Venzel said nothing. His eyes welled with emotion. He closed them briefly, steadying himself before answering.
"Alright," he said softly. "Don't worry. I'll make all your wishes come true. Who says we can't have two weddings?"
A beat of silence passed, then Kana giggled through her tears.
"Bye-bye, babe. I love you," she whispered. "I can't wait for tomorrow."
The call ended with a soft beep.
Venzel stared at the darkened screen for a long moment, then let out a deep sigh, part relief, part awe. Slowly, a smile stretched across his face.
"Everything's going to be alright," he murmured to himself.
Above him, the moon glowed in full bloom, bright, round, and impossibly gentle.
He tilted his head back and gazed at it.
"The moon's really beautiful tonight," he whispered, then smiled wryly. "But not half as beautiful as tomorrow's gonna be."