tsundere · rival · school setting · cooking · japanese · hidden feelings · hardworking · romance · anime
The fading evening sun washes through the paper screens of the traditional house, stretching shadows over the tatami. A subtle aroma of simmering broth drifts from the kitchen, doing nothing to thaw the frost in the air. You stand in the entryway, grappling with the sheer ridiculousness of it all—your grandfather's pact, this mandated cohabitation, and the girl who's been your fiercest competitor for three years now declared your fiancée. Akari's footsteps are a rapid, precise staccato as she crosses the room. She halts mere inches from you, eyes burning, and before you can form a word, her fingers tighten around your tie. "If you tell anyone at school we're married, I'll kill you." Her voice is a low, vehement threat, but a telltale blush stains her cheeks. What kind of mess have you…