The blow was so staggering that I had lost consciousness for a moment. When the fog finally cleared, I found my wife looking down at me, her expression a mask of concern.
My mother was nowhere to be seen; she had likely retreated into the other room.
As I slowly pushed myself up, a delayed surge of agony radiated from both my cheeks, forcing an involuntary groan from my throat.
"Ow, ow, ow..."
"Are you alright?"
My wife gingerly reached out, her fingers brushing against my swollen, crimson face.
I winced at the initial contact, but the searing heat in my skin soon began to subside, dampened by the soothing coolness of her touch.
"I'm fine. Actually, it feels like the pain is fading just because you're here, Dear."
"...Is this really necessary?"
I offered nothing but a faint smile in response to her worried inquiry.
That smile seemed to be answer enough. My wife let out a soft sigh, acknowledging the futility of the conversation. She, more than anyone, understood that once I set my mind to something, my stubbornness was absolute.
"Thank you for putting up with me."
"...You did warn The Bronya beforehand," she whispered.
She gazed at me with smoldering eyes, her lower lip caught between her teeth in a gesture of suppressed emotion. I reached out, my fingers tracing the line of her mouth.
As I gently rubbed her lip, she flinched, releasing the tension in her jaw. Seeing her react with such familiar bashfulness ignited a spark of mischief within me.
Keeping my thumb pressed against the soft curve of her lips, I slowly leaned my face closer to hers.
Startled, she clamped both hands over my mouth, her eyes darting nervously toward the hallway. She was undoubtedly thinking of my mother, Seele, and our daughter in the next room.
"...How cruel. Checking the room at a time like this?" I teased through her fingers.
"It is only logical. We are not alone," she countered.
She fixed me with a sharp, pointed glare that demanded I respect the gravity of the situation. I chuckled and pulled back, letting her relax.
She let out a breath of relief and moved to lower her hands, but I was faster. I snatched her wrist and pulled her toward me in one fluid motion.
"Ah—?!"
Caught off guard by my sudden maneuver, she tumbled forward, collapsing into my arms.
For a fleeting second, she stayed there, pressed against me. Then, the reality of the situation crashed down on her. Her eyes widened, and she scrambled back, pushing against my chest to regain her composure.
"Kevin...!"
She glowered at me, her face flushed a deep shade of red. To be perfectly honest, her indignation was nothing short of adorable. I finally understood why young boys teased the girls they liked; the reaction was simply too rewarding to resist.
"Sorry, sorry. I just felt like being a bit playful."
"...Please learn to distinguish between the time and the place."
Despite her stern words, her gaze lingered on me as if she had a mountain of complaints she was barely holding back. Her brow was furrowed in disapproval, though I doubt she was even aware of it.
In truth, most people struggled to read my wife's subtle shifts in expression. No one had ever really taken the time to point them out to her. Only a select few—myself, Senior Mei, Seele, and Rita—could ever claim to know what she was truly thinking. Looking back, it seems I'm surrounded by people who are exceptionally perceptive.
"Sigh. So, what happens now? Your mother seemed... considerably enraged."
"Did she? Good. That's perfect."
"Perfect? Was making her angry your actual objective?"
I met my wife's confused gaze with another smile.
"Yes. My goal from the very beginning was to provoke her anger."
"...Does that not make it significantly harder to gain her approval?"
"No, it's the opposite. Precisely because I made her angry, we have a chance."
In truth, the reality of the situation was much more precarious. If we were to go through with this marriage, we couldn't just hide forever. The truth regarding Seele was messy; it started as a mistake, but I had eventually used her vulnerability to force a situation where I 'strayed' from my marriage. That was my failing—my own indecisiveness caused this.
Even if I had mistaken her for my wife due to the alcohol, the fact remained that I had initiated it. Though... come to think of it, given Seele's combat prowess, she could have easily restrained someone of my level. Hmm?
"So, are you satisfied now that you've succeeded in making me angry?"
"...I wouldn't say I'm 'satisfied,' exactly."
I shook my head as I answered the voice from behind me. My wife gasped and instantly recoiled, leaping out of my embrace.
It was my mother, standing right there.
"I assume you've reached your conclusion?" I asked.
"...I have, you absolute brat."
She was definitely fuming. My mother rarely used profanity, so hearing it now was a testament to the scale of her wrath. As much as this was the reaction I had planned for, being the target of it was deeply unpleasant. Then again, anyone who enjoyed being cursed at by their parent would have to be insane.
"Before that, I have a question for the girl."
"For me?" Bronya asked.
"Yes. Are you truly going to be okay with this?"
My mother's sharp gaze indicated she wasn't asking about Bronya's current well-being. She was asking about the weight of what was to come—about the reality of living in a polygamous marriage once Seele joined the family.
My wife fell silent, seemingly blindsided by the gravity of the question.
"...?!"
She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her throat. Flustered, she quickly closed her mouth again.
Seeing her like that, I was reminded of the question I had asked her just last night.
'Are you really okay with this? Even if it means a second marriage?'
Back then, she had simply smiled at me and said, 'The Bronya is fine.'
Why hadn't I noticed it then? Was that smile truly one of acceptance?
Unaware of my internal turmoil, my wife wore that same smile again as she finally found her voice.
"I am fine with it, Mother."
"But just now, you—"
"Furthermore, The Bronya had already anticipated this outcome."
"...Huh? You anticipated this?"
My mother looked dazed by the revelation. My wife's expression shifted into something bitter as she continued.
"Because I have always known that Kevin is more popular than anyone else."
"Him? Popular?"
Mother shot me a look of pure skepticism, her eyes practically screaming, 'This blockhead?'
...Well, honestly, I can't even deny it. It's still a mystery to me why all these women are throwing themselves at a married man. It's even more baffling that they went as far as convincing my wife to agree to it.
"If I were to count the people on my fingers, one hand would not be enough," Bronya noted.
"One hand isn't enough...?"
Mother gave me another disbelieving look-over, scanning me from head to toe. I felt a surge of irritation, but I bit my tongue. If I reacted to her disdain now, I wouldn't have a single bone left unbroken.
Besides, I was in no position of power here. I was at the absolute mercy of their judgment.
If I slipped up, I would lose any chance of getting this second marriage approved. Some might think that would be a good thing, but what about Selene? What about Bianca?
I was the direct cause of the situation those two were in. Or, more accurately, my future self was.
And then there was Seele.
Unlike the other women, Seele was one of the only two people I had ever truly proposed to myself. I didn't understand why she had rejected me back then only to agree to a polygamous marriage now, but I had made a promise. I had to take responsibility for the words I had uttered.
"Sigh. I want you to be honest with me. Is this truly what you want?"
"Yes. This decision was reached after much soul-searching," my wife replied firmly.
My mother locked eyes with her, staring deeply into Bronya's clear, unwavering gaze as if trying to pierce through any facade and find the raw truth within.
The two of them held that silence for a long moment before my mother finally broke it with a weary sigh.
"If you say so, then I shall say no more about it."
"...Does that mean you've changed your mind?" I asked cautiously.
My mother looked at me and smiled.
"I refuse to permit it."
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