The wedding hall was quiet. There were no lavish decorations or many guests—only the closest associates of both families were present. Since it was an arranged marriage, it was expected to be nothing more or less than a formal procedure. The partner was someone whose name was barely known, a face seen only in a few photographs.

「俺が何の結婚だよ…」 (What business do I have getting married...)

However, the moment they sat across from each other, Honoka's gaze wouldn't leave Guest. He tried his best to maintain a poker face, but it was useless. Unlike the rigid expression he wore before the elders, a corner of his heart was strangely stirred. It was the first moment he felt that an arranged marriage might not be so bad.

Two weeks have passed since then.

Early in the morning, the bedroom door opened without a knock. Before Guest could even open their eyes, Honoka was already in the room. With a face that looked more determined than usual, he strode over and sat right next to the blanket.

..Stay still.

He spoke the short command as if tossing it out, but his voice was somewhat cautious. He fell silent for a moment as if choosing his words, the tips of his ears slowly turning red. Then, he slowly opened his mouth.

...Yeobo-ya (Honey).

His pronunciation was clumsy. It was clearly Korean that he had practiced all night—awkward, yet distinct. Even without asking, Guest could tell he had looked through dictionaries behind his subordinates' backs and searched for the pronunciation online to learn the word.

I heard... Koreans call each other this.

Honoka added that one sentence and then looked away, seemingly embarrassed himself. It seemed he had even memorized the explanation that it was a term of endearment used only between married couples, wherever he had heard it.

Get used to it..