Tashinora looked toward the direction where Aria had disappeared and smiled faintly.
“Whoever marries her one day…” he said softly, “…will be very lucky.”
Muichiro looked toward him and nodded.
“Yeah, I think so too.”
Then he laughed lightly.
“Finding someone with a personality this chaotic and a face this beautiful would probably be impossible even in dreams.”
A little later, Aria secretly called her friends.
“Listen carefully,” she whispered.
“If anything strange happens during tonight’s event, take Muichiro and Tashinora and go toward the park behind the venue.”
Shin looked confused.
“…And then?”
A mysterious smile appeared on Aria’s face.
“You’ll find me there.”
“Okay…” Shin replied slowly, though he clearly felt suspicious.
That evening, the engagement event finally began.
The hall was shining with golden lights and crystal chandeliers.
Expensive decorations covered every corner while guests filled the room with chatter and laughter.
On the stage, Ren and his mother were already sitting proudly, greeting guests.
Meanwhile, Aria stood near one side of the hall wearing her formal outfit.
Just then, Tashinora walked over and stood beside her.
He smiled softly.
“Just like always… you look beautiful today too.”
Aria looked at him before smirking slightly.
“Yeah, but this beauty isn’t going to stay for long.”
Tashinora raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
Then curiosity appeared in his eyes.
“Wait… are you going to return to your original form?”
He looked at her thoughtfully.
“You know, sometimes I wonder what your real form actually looked like.”
For a moment, Aria’s playful expression faded.
“…Honestly,” she said quietly, “even I don’t remember properly anymore.”
She looked down at her hands for a second.
“It’s been a long time since I used my curse powers.”
A small smile appeared on her face afterward.
“So I was never able to return completely.”
Before Tashinora could say anything else—
“ARIAAA!”
A loud familiar voice echoed through the hall.
Aria immediately turned around.
Shin, Shuyong, Roy, Jennifer, Usagi, and Suzumi had finally arrived.
But just as they were walking toward her—
Muichiro suddenly appeared from behind them.
The moment he walked forward and Tashinora turned around too—
Suzumi, Jennifer, and Usagi instantly froze.
Their eyes widened.
Jennifer blinked twice.
“…Wait.”
Then she slowly pointed toward the two boys beside Aria.
“Aria…”
“…who are these two?”
Aria pointed toward the two boys standing beside her.
“Okay, introductions time.”
She pointed toward Tashinora first.
“This silver-haired guy with crimson eyes is Tashinora.”
Then she pointed toward Muichiro.
“And this one with dark black hair with a purple tint and violet-purple eyes is Muichiro.”
She smiled casually.
“Muichiro is my cousin and also one of my closest friends.”
Then she looked toward Tashinora again.
“And Tashinora is the grandson of Grandma Bali and Grandma Elli’s close friend.
He disappeared for a long time, otherwise we would’ve been studying together.”
Jennifer stared at both of them with wide eyes for a few seconds.
Then she placed her hand on her forehead dramatically.
“I swear… I have never seen two people this handsome before.”
Aria immediately looked horrified.
“EWW.”
She pointed at Jennifer dramatically.
“You’re calling them handsome?
Wrong.
Very wrong.”
Muichiro looked offended.
“…Excuse me?”
Tashinora sighed dramatically.
“My heart has been hurt.”
Before Aria could continue arguing, a guard suddenly entered the room respectfully.
“Young Miss, Lady Elli is calling for you.”
Aria nodded.
“Okay, I’m coming.”
Just as she was about to leave, Muichiro suddenly stepped forward.
“Wait.”
He looked toward the others and smiled.
“You’re leaving already?
Aren’t you going to introduce us properly?”
Before Aria could answer, Suzumi suddenly walked closer and held Muichiro’s hand with a bright smile.
“Hi.
My name is Suzumi.”
Muichiro blinked once.
“Oh— hello.”
Meanwhile, on the other side—
Roy’s smile instantly disappeared.
He looked at Muichiro.
Then at Suzumi.
Then back at Muichiro.
A dangerous expression slowly appeared on his face.
Aria, completely unaware of the chaos forming behind her, turned around and sighed.
“Okay, enough talking.”
She pointed toward the door.
“Everyone out.”
Then she looked at her outfit dramatically.
“I still need to wear my gown.
Otherwise I’ll have to go like this.”
Immediately everyone started leaving the room except Jennifer, Usagi, and Suzumi.
A few moments later, outside the room—
Roy slowly walked toward Muichiro and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Then he smiled.
A very suspicious smile.
“…Listen carefully.”
He leaned closer slightly.
“Stay away from Suzumi.
Understood?”
Muichiro was just about to say something when Tashinora suddenly stepped forward with a calm expression.
“Maybe you didn’t notice,” he said casually, “but your Suzumi was the one who came to Muichiro first.”
For a second—
Silence.
Roy froze.
Muichiro slowly turned toward Tashinora with a confused expression.
“…Your Suzumi?”
Tashinora blinked innocently.
“Oh?”
Then a small teasing smile appeared on his face.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Roy immediately looked away.
“I-I didn’t mean it like that.”
Shuyong, who had been quietly watching the whole thing from the side, suddenly smirked.
“Ohhh…”
Shin instantly joined in.
“Ohhhhhh…”
Jennifer covered her mouth dramatically.
“Wait a second—”
Suzumi looked confused.
“What happened?”
Roy immediately pointed at everyone.
“Nothing happened!”
Muichiro crossed his arms and smiled mischievously.
“So you’re jealous?”
Roy’s eyes widened instantly.
“JEALOUS?!”
He pointed at himself dramatically.
“Me?
Why would I be jealous?!”
Tashinora nodded thoughtfully.
“People usually shout when they’re guilty.”
“WHO’S GUILTY?!” Roy shouted again.
Shin immediately burst into laughter.
“Bro is proving the point himself.”
Meanwhile, behind the door inside the room, Aria paused for a second after hearing the noise outside.
Then she sighed tiredly.
“…I leave these idiots alone for five minutes and they start creating their own drama.”
A few moments later, the room door slowly opened.
Everyone instinctively turned toward it—
And then completely froze.
Aria walked out quietly.
For once, her usual careless and chaotic appearance was gone.
Her hair flowed freely over her shoulders, and the gown she was wearing made her look completely different from her everyday self.
Even Aria herself looked a little uncomfortable, as if she still wasn’t used to dressing like that.
For a few seconds—
No one said anything.
Shin’s mouth slowly opened.
Jennifer blinked twice.
Suzumi stared without moving.
Even Roy and Shuyong stood silently.
Meanwhile, Aria looked at everyone suspiciously.
“…Why are all of you staring at me like that?”
Silence.
Then Tashinora looked at her and smiled faintly.
“Whoever marries this troublemaker…”
He shook his head with a small laugh.
“…will actually be very lucky.”
Muichiro nodded seriously.
“For once, I agree with him.”
Jennifer dramatically placed her hand on her chest.
“I think I stopped breathing for two seconds.”
Aria stared at all of them blankly.
“…Did you all hit your heads somewhere?”
Shin suddenly grinned.
“Nope.”
Then he pointed at her dramatically.
“We’re just shocked because our wild monkey friend suddenly turned into a princess.”
Aria narrowed her eyes instantly.
“…Shin.”
Shin took one step back.
“…I regret my words.”…