╰┈➤ ❝ [arranged marriage.]

Third Person POV

Your narrowed eyes were fixed on the moving target, and you held a Glock in your hands, gripping it tightly and firmly, waiting for the perfect moment to hit the red in the center of the target.

Bang.

You blew the muzzle part as smoke came out, and the bullet penetrated through the target and landed perfectly in the central red.

"Ms. Y/n! It's early in the morning, there's a lot of time for that!" Your nurse shouted named Nalia, she scolded you as she went outside the training field that your father owned.

"I'm okay mother, I'm practicing for father." You grabbed another gun, now this time a rifle as you fixed and your posture, your nurse could only sigh beside you.

You were used to calling her your mother after your real one died.

"Practicing for what exactly?" Nalia asked as she puts her hands on either side of her hips.

"Anyway, where is father?" You changed the topic.

"Another meeting, as usual." Nalia sighed as she got used to your father's constant departure from the house, almost never spending time with all of you due to business meetings; your father was indeed a busy man.

"Will you ever get married... Y/n?" Your nurse asked suddenly, looking at the guns you're holding.

"H-Huh?! Why'd you ask out of the blue?" 

"You're an adult now, a high-respected delicate woman, Y/n."

You paused for a moment as you face her. "I-I honestly don't know." You hesitantly answered as you went back focusing on the target.

"It's what your mother always wanted since she died..." Nalia said in a pained voice.

"It feels so guilty telling you about my decision in marrying." You admitted through your gritted teeth.

"Of course, at the end of the day, it's still your decision, but remember I'm always here waiting if you marry someone, okay?" Your mother patted your back as you face her and reassured her.

"I mean if it's him, I'll marry him." You joked.

"Your childhood best friend?" Nalia asked as she smirked.

"Yeah," You laughed, looking up at the sky. "Even though he left me and we haven't seen each other  for years now." 

"You'll meet him someday."

"It's a pleasure to meet you after a long time, Mr. Enji L/n." 

"Long time no see, Mr. Goro Kokonoi."

The two grown men exchanged handshakes as they sat down in their seats. Inside a chamber, there was a long wooden table with chairs, and the two men sat in opposite seats, surrounded by bodyguards and a group of an entourage.

"Perhaps the location of this important meeting will satisfy you enough that you will understand why I called you, Mr. L/n." Goro slyly said as your father named Enji L/n scanned the room, looking for familiar faces as well as the man in front of him.

"I suppose it has something to do with your gang, is in desperate need of recruits?"

"The answer is yes and no, I just want a small request from your daughter, Y-Y/n...?" Goro looked at his assistant, his name slipping from his mind.

"Y/n L/n, Sir Kokonoi." The assistant reminded.

"And what are you going to do with my one and only daughter?" Your father, Enji L/n expressed his suspicions by raising his brow.

"My son, Hajime Kokonoi, is in desperate need of a woman—"

"The answer is no if you're going to sell my daughter to any man as a prostitute with filthy hands on her." Your father was taken aback by Goro's words, but he quickly calmed down because he didn't want to give the wrong impression.

"Oh please, you're mistaken; that's not what I mean... please allow me to finish my sentence." Goro straightened his posture as he cleared his throat.

"A-Akane... Do you remember Akane Inui, my son's former lover who died many years ago?" Goro mumbled something painfully as he hesitantly mentioned her name.

Enji's eyes widened as he remembered an event that any of the gangs who are allies with them loathes.

"Of course, I pay my respects to the Inui family to this day." Goro and Enji continued their remarks with a nod.

"My son has gone insane—he has lost his mind as a result of it—I need someone in his life who can make him forget about it and erase all those memories, something neither I nor Sheishu Inui, Akane's brother can't do."

"In conclusion— I want your daughter to marry my son." 

"Not only I would like your daughter to marry my son, but our group would also benefit from increased solidity and prestige; our so-called image would not be tarnished, and more groups who oppose us would fear us." Goro added.

"But aren't we allies already?" Enji raised his head

"That's a different conversation; other gangs that are allied to us only rely on their own benefits and goods, it's either they oppose us or they ally with us; it's a do or die situation, Mr. L/n." Goro explained in hushed tones.

"Imagine two of the country's most powerful gangs colliding and becoming allies in the next ten—or twenty years, what would people think?" The two men smirked, thinking about the incoming funds and goods in the future, and realized that the idea wasn't so bad after all.

"Our groups, standing for the same position and rank for the last thirty years, former fallen members who stood by those have been included in those rivals, that's how we pay our respects."

"Say now, the million from other organizations divided in each sector, which is still fresh in my mind, isn't totally paid yet? I put in fifty percent interest—not ten, twenty, or thirty. And I, or rather we, expected a refund from other sources, but what now? Where have all those vile, hatred people gone?" Goro told in an orotund tone, making people including Enji hear his words.

"I see the pattern, connecting dots perhaps." Enji nodded slowly, placing his chin on his intertwined fingers. "Your proposal isn't such a bad thing, Mr. Koko."

"Only those two are our gang's future and hope, and they have the most power; they could lead a group of gangs by themselves. My wife also wants my daughter to marry someone, but she's stubborn about it because she thinks marriage is a burden and she wants to be a part of my group." Your father added that he recalls you whining and forcing him to teach you and let you join a gang.

"Kids these days." Goro only chuckled and shake his head.

"Nevertheless, gangs are dangerous, and if my daughter would be officially part of it, it would only represent a vulnerability in us." Enji stated as he stares deeply into the thin air.

Yeah, even your own father was hurt from what he said, but... isn't it true though?

And if Y/n heard what her father said... oh well.

There was a brief moment of silence, with only the air outside the glass walls and the sound of the air conditioner in the room.

"Mr. Goro Kokonoi, my very best high school friend and ally, whom I have trusted for many years." The two men exchanged glances, with the latter raising his brows and smirking as if they already knew what the other would say.

"I am willing to agree to an arranged marriage between your son and my daughter."