Jhin led Hitori Gotoh out of the house. The morning sun was not yet harsh; it shone warmly upon their bodies. The birds chirped with melodious, rising and falling calls, as if performing a unique wedding march just for the two of them.
They hadn't taken more than two steps when Jhin noticed that Hitori Gotoh's palms were slightly damp. It seemed she was incredibly nervous, and he worried that she might pass out the moment a staff member asked her a question at the Ward Office. He decided to slow down a bit to give his girlfriend ample time to mentally prepare herself.
"Bocchi-chan, let's walk a bit slower."
"Eh? B-But... aren't we going to register our marriage?"
"I'm worried you'll faint from nervousness once we get there. We don't even know how many people will be at the Ward Office."
That seemed to make a lot of sense.
If there were a particularly large number of people registering their marriages today, Hitori Gotoh truly had no confidence that she wouldn't faint. The worst-case scenario would be her getting cold feet and dragging Jhin back home.
No, I can't do that. I must register my marriage with Jhin today. I have to be perfectly prepared!
"L-Let's walk slower then. I... I want to register... get married today!"
"Mn."
The two slowed their pace. Hitori Gotoh's problem with low self-esteem flared up again. She squeezed Jhin's hand slightly harder and asked timidly, "Jhin, do you really want to marry me?"
Without waiting for his answer, Hitori Gotoh began listing her own faults. "I'm gloomy, I have no confidence, I'm not cute, I don't know how to dress up, I don't have many friends, I retreat whenever I encounter difficulties, I can't cook, and I can't do housework well... Someone like me... are you really willing to marry me?"
Hitori Gotoh's small hand was gripped tightly by Jhin, the force even causing her a tinge of pain. Jhin answered her in a tone that allowed no doubt, "Bocchi-chan, there are no perfect people in this world, and there's no rule saying you can't get married if you have flaws."
"If you're gloomy, I can stay in the corner and chat with you. You think you aren't cute, but in my eyes, you are very cute. If you can't dress up, then you don't need to dress up; there's nothing wrong with wearing a tracksuit."
"When you encounter difficulties, I will solve the ones you can't solve. For the ones you can solve, I will silently support and protect you from behind."
"As for housework and cooking, I can do all of those, so there's no need to worry at all."
Every sentence Jhin spoke made Hitori Gotoh feel just how outstanding her boyfriend was, and how unreachable he seemed to her.
Hitori Gotoh lowered her head to stare at the tips of her toes. Her pearly white teeth gently bit her lip as she spoke in a voice so faint it was almost inaudible, "Then... you do so much... what do I have to do?"
"Of course, you just have to be my girlfriend, be my wife," Jhin laughed as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His laughter held a magical power that infected Hitori Gotoh. She raised her head, her misty eyes no longer filled with confusion, and tears of joy fell like raindrops.
Clap clap clap clap!
Thunderous applause erupted from all around them. Only then did the two realize that at some point, they had been surrounded by passersby. Drawn in by Jhin's words, the strangers wore benevolent smiles and used their applause to bless the couple.
"Well said, young man!"
"That was simply a textbook proposal!"
"Hurry up and go get married!"
"The lad is very responsible!"
"Look at the lines you used when you proposed to me back then, and then look at him!"
"Oh come on, wifey, how can we compare back then to now..."
Jhin pulled the shy Hitori Gotoh into his embrace and thanked the passersby for their blessings. "Thank you, everyone. We're going to register our marriage now."
After managing to leave the lively crowd, Hitori Gotoh finally peeked out half an eye from Jhin's embrace. She timidly observed the surroundings to see if anyone was still there. Seeing that not many people were paying attention to them anymore, she finally left Jhin's reassuring embrace, though her small hand remained tightly interlocked with his.
Hitori Gotoh firmly believed she was mentally prepared. She took the initiative to quicken her pace, walking forward with an aura of indomitable spirit.
"Bocchi-chan, do you know where the Ward Office is?"
"Ah, I don't know."
"I'd better lead the way."
"Mhm, mhm." Hitori Gotoh nodded anxiously, wishing she could fly to the Ward Office right this instant.
"Oh, right. Give me the marriage registration form first."
Blushing, Hitori Gotoh took out the cola-scented marriage registration form and handed it to Jhin.
The two walked through twisting turns for over twenty minutes before arriving at the Ward Office for their district. Surprisingly, aside from one female staff member, there was no one else inside.
Could this also be an effect produced by the God's blessing?
"You two, are you here to register a marriage?" The staff member spoke up proactively, following her duties.
Jhin pulled Hitori Gotoh to sit down in front of the registration window. At the same time, he handed over the marriage registration form, both of their IDs, and the guardian consent forms. "Yes, sorry to trouble you."
"This is my job." The staff member accepted the marriage registration form and documents. First, she checked the content of the form, then confirmed with the two of them, "Mr. Jhin and Miss Hitori Gotoh, correct?"
"Yes."
"You are both still minors," the staff member picked up the consent forms. "Mn, the guardian consent forms are also prepared. I will process the relevant procedures for you immediately. Please wait a moment."
Before long, the staff member returned to the counter, holding an ornate marriage registration form in her hand. According to the information Jhin had investigated, this was a commemorative copy; the style varied depending on the region.
As a fellow woman, the staff member said to Hitori Gotoh with an envious tone, "It really makes one envious to be able to marry such a handsome husband."
Hitori Gotoh scratched the back of her head and let out a strange "Hehe" laugh. She also felt that what the staff member said made a lot of sense.
"The marriage registration is complete. Congratulations to you both on tying the knot." The staff member handed them the commemorative marriage registration form and a potted plant with a small wooden heart sign stuck in it. "This is a congratulatory gift from the office."
"Thank you." Jhin took the items and left with Hitori Gotoh, whose strange giggling hadn't stopped. When they reached the main entrance of the Ward Office, she voluntarily stopped walking. She took out her phone and used the front-facing camera to take a photo of herself, Jhin, and the Ward Office.
With a heart eager to share her joy, she sent it to the Kessoku Band group chat and also sent a copy to her parents.
Ichi-chan: "I... I married Jhin!!! [Image]"
Several heavy exclamation marks expressed the excitement in her heart.
"It's rare to see you take a photo on your own initiative, Bocchi-chan."
"Hehe, because... we registered our marriage, you see. I couldn't help but..."
"It's still early. Do you want to go play somewhere? Just like on our date that day?"
Jhin swore to the heavens that he really just wanted to go out on a date with his girlfriend.
Then, Hitori Gotoh's thoughts went astray on her own. She immediately recalled how their first date had gone straight to a couple's hotel. Her eyes darted around evasively, and finally, she nodded in agreement with a slight arc.
____
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