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How romantique!
Charlee-Mae was not the only one smitten with the young couple. All the other guests looked ready to swoon as they watched Ryu offer his arm to his young wife. Watching the couple smile so gently at each other was reminiscent of a knight and his dainty and delicate princess, with Ryu looking his usual tall, dark, and dashing self, and his twenty-year-old wife just so wonderfully demure...that no one would guess how Summerine was internally struggling with the worst case of impostor's syndrome.
How could she and Ryu win this year's Most Romantic Couple when they were on the brink of divorce?
It was a rather long walk to the stage, made worse by Inner Troll doing what it did best—-
(Are you sure about divorcing him?)
And that was to either taunt or confuse her, whichever was likely to make her feel worse.
(What will you do if he does let you go?)
(Do you even know how to earn a living?)
(Why don't you just pretend you don't know anything?)
Summerine was relieved when they finally made it on stage, and she had a valid reason to shove Inner Troll back into the closet.
"Congratulations, you two!"
Charlee-Mae welcomed each of them with a warm hug, and Summerine privately bemoaned having to meet the other woman under such awful circumstances.
She had always looked up to Charlee-Mae, and while she had always wished their paths would one day cross...whydid it have to happen at what was the lowest point of her life?
Charlee-Mae stepped back from the couple and turned to her audience with a mischievous smile. "I've seen how Ryu accepts awards, and let's just say it's a good thing he's not hard to look at."
The ballroom rang with laughter at Charlee-Mae's apt description, and even Summerine was hard pressed not to smile.
Since Ryu was a much-loved subject among the city's top gossips, everyone knew how the billionaire limited his thank-you speech to exactly that.
Thank you.
"But don't you worry, dear friends." Charlee-Mae gave her audience a conspirational smile. "Instead of having Ryu deliver his usual speech, and in honor of the nature of their award—-"
Charlee-Mae snapped her fingers, and the crowd oohed and aahed as mistletoe balloons began raining down the entire ballroom.
"This year's winning couple shall seal tonight's festivities with a romantic kiss!"
Faked
SUMMERINE DIDN'T EVENblink when Ryu cupped her face.
Been there, done that.
She closed her eyes as his head started to lower. Winning this award only made her realize how good Ryu was at fooling everyone, herself included. If not for Billie inadvertently making her realize he was cheating on her, she would still be doing her low-key best to win his heart—-
"I'm sorry I have to do this."
Ryu's whispered words interrupted her thoughts, but before she could figure out what he was apologizing for—-
AH!
His lips had already covered hers, and Summerine realized this wasnotlike their first kiss as husband and wife during their wedding.
Because this was real, not fake.
Real.