Asin
We arrived at the hotel we were utilizing for the event.
I was undeniably nervous, but she was conspicuously quiet, likely nervous as well.
Yet, she truly had nothing to fear. I knew newlyweds customarily consummated their union after the wedding, but I would never coerce anyone into such an intimate situation.
We didn't exchange a word as we rode the elevator and entered our suite.
I quickly shed my suffocating jacket and checked the time: 9:45 PM. A little late, but I could still make the rendezvous with ease.
The finalized route had arrived earlier, and the starting segment was quite... tricky. I had to swim. The location was chosen with that in mind; the infernal ocean was right outside. I had to survive a mile or so of open water, land on the beach opposite the hotel, and that was where my crew waited to transport me to the actual starting line of the race.
It's summer. I was thinking of simply looking out into the ocean. I could probably survive the swim.
"So, what do you say we sit down for a moment and take a load off?" I asked, hoping my voice sounded adequately composed.
No answer. I went to find her; she was sitting rigidly on the edge of the bed.
She was truly apprehensive about this whole night, wasn't she?
A small, foolish part of me wanted to playfully tease her, but I had no time for such frivolity.
I had already decided not to discuss the contract and to keep all my other secrets for now. I would attempt a genuine marriage, letting her into my life gradually.
She still hadn't moved, and her stillness began to genuinely worry me.
"Marie? Are you well?"
I walked closer.
She held up a hand, stopping me a few feet away from her.
"I cannot go through with this."
She spoke in a low, slightly shaky tone. I offered a gentle smile, attempting to ease her anxieties.
"What... oh, the first night predicament? Listen, we absolutely do not have to do anything."
"No... n-not that."
She choked on her words, and a heavy, ominous feeling quickly settled over the room.
"What precisely are you trying to communicate?" I asked, kneeling in front of her.
She finally looked at me; her eyes were filled with a hostility that hadn't been there before. Her hands were clenched into tight knuckles; she was on the verge of tears.
"This... the marriage! I cannot be... I do not want to be married to you."
Huh.
I got up and slowly let the gravity of her words sink in.
Of course.
"May I ask your reasoning?"
She wouldn't meet my gaze, staring instead at my chest.
"You basically purchased me... like cattle. I am sorry... I know this is..."
I walked away and stepped out onto the balcony before I could show any further weakness. The warm breeze hit my face. I started breathing as if it were the first time, trying desperately to make sense of what I had just heard.
Like cattle, huh?
What an utter fool I have been! How could I allow myself to get caught up in a romantic fantasy like this? Me!?
Damn you, Oliver. Damn you, Dede. To hell with all of you!
I heard footsteps behind me as I undid a few buttons on my shirt.
"Asin? Listen..."
"You stay right there."
I walked past her and went straight to my suitcase, intending to simply walk out immediately. But instead, I took a moment and sat down.
It's entirely my fault. No one forced you to conjure up some silly fantasy in your head and then forget that what you fundamentally did... was acquire a wife. I was briefed about her, I made the decision, and my family paid.
Like cattle indeed.
Stop feeling like this... just stop.
---
Marie
The ocean was calm, and even the clouds seemed to have withdrawn.
'Father got a house for you in the capital... we are all moving there after the wedding... I'm sorry, Marie. His family bought and paid for you.'
I wiped a tear from my eye and tried to compose myself.
But he looked so utterly heartbroken... as if I had shattered something profoundly important. And now, I was starting to feel a surge of shame.
"Marie..."
I was startled slightly, hearing his voice, but after wiping my eyes again, I turned around.
He was wearing different attire: a light black shirt and shorts.
"Could we discuss something for a few minutes? Please?"
He offered a sad smile, but the inner light I had seen in his eyes since I walked down those stairs last night was extinguished.
Gather yourself, Marie.
I nodded silently and followed him inside.
He sat down on the couch and gestured to the opposite seat.
"Please. This will not take long."
He was holding a stack of papers.
"I would like to offer you... a deal. Nothing shameful or indecent. A simple contract."
He opened the stack of papers and pushed a few sheets toward me.
I was baffled by the sudden turn of events. But given the circumstances, I reluctantly took the papers.
I skimmed through, but the central tenet was clear.
"A fake marriage contract?" I looked up at him.
He nodded, entirely devoid of a smile.
"Please understand this," he put up his hand before I could launch into a refusal. Because I was absolutely going to refuse.
"...This is not some silly gag or some... indecent proposal. I would like us to remain married for six months. After that period, we would pursue an amicable divorce and go our separate ways."
"...H-how dare you? To assume that..."
He looked at me with such a sharp, intense expression that I was compelled to silence myself.
"I understand if you refuse," he continued, his tone measured. "You are entirely free to do so. But you must understand that the properties, the money, and everything else you or your family may have received are yours to keep."
He tapped the table for emphasis.
"It cannot be undone or given back. However, please consider your family as well. Divorcing immediately would significantly tarnish their reputation... and put you in a very unfavorable light," he finished carefully.
I tried my utmost to comprehend the madness he was proposing, and instead of answering immediately, I took a minute to consider this bizarre proposition.
"Continue," I said.
If he was surprised by my response, I couldn't tell.
"Unfortunately, I cannot explain every detail, but the contract was drafted with all those eventualities in mind. Please, I simply ask you to read it. That is all. If you refuse after reading it, we will wake up tomorrow and jointly inform our parents."
He waited for my answer.
I glanced at the papers. It was quite a substantial read.
"All right. I... I will read it and give you a definitive answer."
"Very well." He got up and grabbed a backpack. "I will return no later than 6 AM. Please, if anyone attempts to enter in my absence, tell them I am sleeping and do not admit them."
He opened the backpack, rummaged through it, placed a water bottle inside, and checked the time.
"Marie? Did you hear my instructions?" He asked without looking at me.
"Umm, y-yes. Okay... but where are you going?"
He put the backpack on and turned to me, his eyes now filled with a cool indifference.
"Goodnight, Marie."
I watched him walk out and straight into the sea. He swam away into the darkness. I went out onto the balcony myself, still in my wedding dress, holding a contract I didn't fully grasp.
What on earth is happening?
---
Oliver
Sobering up is never terribly difficult. A cold shower and some hot coffee always remedy the situation.
We were dealing with a minor crisis this morning when we couldn't conceive of a space large enough to hold the man and the equipment during the race.
That's when Asin suggested something brilliant. We would rent the biggest room available in a hotel close to the designated route. In this case, it was the Presidential Suite.
It cost us a pretty penny, but it was spacious and fully stocked with goods and amenities. The staff never asked questions from people paying such an exorbitant fee, and it was by far the most comfortable way to run an operation of this scale.
"Are we ready, people?"
"""Yes, Sir."""
I sat down, watching the organizers place their private bets in real-time.
"Leyla, what is the time remaining?" I asked my assistant.
"Twenty-five minutes countdown, Mr. Aster."
"Any news on Asin's position?"
"Not yet, Mr. Aster," she shook her head.
Hurry, brother. Stop cuddling your wife for a few hours, and let's blow this little town off the map.
Leyla touched the earpiece she wore and gave me a big smile.
"Sir, I just received confirmation. He has been spotted on Lavima beach."
He was absolutely right. We lived lives far more interesting than some action heroes.
I called him.
"Talk to me, brother."
"I'm good to go."
His voice came through slightly strained. I was about to remind him to connect his vitals so we could monitor him, but to my surprise, he remembered without prompting.
His heart rate was elevated, but that was standard before a race.
Our resident doctor gave me a thumbs up.
"Vitals are accepted. He is good to go."
I nodded to the teams to prepare and took him off the loudspeaker.
"Listen, Asin. How did it go with Marie?" I asked, smiling genuinely.
"...I'll tell you tomorrow, Oli. Give me a two-minute warning."
He disconnected immediately after.
Something had definitely happened. I took one more look at his vitals. Perhaps it's not the race, or the wedding, that's causing the spike.
---
Marie
I read every clause in that contract.
He was right. There was nothing remotely indecent involved.
It was all carefully worded and legally phrased. Clearly, an actual lawyer had drafted it. Which was, in all likelihood, the truth.
The wind picked up slightly.
I looked out into the dark waters, but there was no sign of him. He had simply swum away! Walked outside and was gone.
Asin, where did you go?
I got up and walked back inside the room.
The contract... I don't know.
But what he said made perfect, logical sense. Just imagine the expressions on my parents' faces tomorrow if I were to tell them I wanted a divorce, especially after they had received everything they asked for. That prospect was terrifying.
I sat down inside the room and remembered what Ayshe had said... how much it hurt to hear the sheer sadness in her voice. I took all that sadness and mixed it with all the bitterness I felt.
I felt tears streaming down my face.
It's fine. It's not like it's his fault... or mine.
I couldn't help but compare the Asin who left to the one I had met before.
The one who had smiled so happily at our ceremony... he seemed so genuinely content.
But this contract is definitive proof that it was all an act.
This was written in advance, a well-thought-out ploy that allowed him to gracefully exit an unwanted marriage. Then, an evil voice in my head started with the self-recrimination.
Did he look like someone who was forced? No. But if his demeanor proves anything, he is an exceptionally skilled actor.
Did he flip on a dime? No. I broke him. Now, all that's left is the bitterness and the profound unfairness of it all.
And this contract will bind me to him for half a year.
Does he intend to take my freedom? No. I read that contract, and even if some parts were legally dense, I got the gist of it.
I can do whatever I want, truly. He would even assist me in whatever goal I was aiming for.
That was literally written, word by word.
He wanted me out of his life from the very beginning.
Maybe he changed his mind.
Maybe he did, and you ruined everything.
Maybe...
Maybe...
---
Ayshe
At home, the celebration continued unabated.
My parents and Asin's family were still thoroughly engrossed. Especially his grandfather; he was overjoyed at the prospect of possibly playing with his great-grandchildren. My own grandparents bonded with him on that very fact.
I checked my phone; it was 11:01 PM.
I wondered what had transpired. Marie looked heartbroken when I left her. She had been so genuinely happy before I dragged her away and unloaded all my frustration and pain onto her.
I felt a terrible, heavy, invisible weight in my chest. I desperately hoped she was able to sort things out in her head and didn't do something... something drastic.
My own thoughts made me nervous.
I contemplated calling her, but then all the teasing from her friends resurfaced. What if they were together?
I had an idea. I called the hotel and asked them to disturb the newlywed couple.
I made sure no one followed me and dialed the number.
"Yes, hello. I would like to get information on your honeymoon suite... Marie... Martell. I'm her sister."
After some time, they informed me that they were both securely in their room.
I see. I ended the call.
"Ayshe, come and celebrate with us, my beautiful daughter!"
I waved at my father and walked back. Lilly and Henny were transfixed by their phones on the stairs.
"Hey... what are you..."
"Hush," Lilly whispered urgently.
I frowned but grew intensely curious and walked behind them so I could see the screen.
I opened my mouth in awe.
It was a live feed of another GOD event.
But what was even more astounding?
"This... that is West Bay Canyon," I leaned closer, recognizing the terrain.
A place only five miles away from my house.
"Can you believe an event of this calibre is taking place in our very town, and we knew nothing about it?" Lilly asked, not looking back.
The race was strange... and incredibly dangerous.
"What is that called? What are they doing now?"
I knew they named every race, but I had never seen this particular maneuver before.
"It's the first one ever... called Drifting."
It looked like an incredibly dangerous stunt. It must be exhilarating to perform.
"Where is the masked driver?" I asked.
"The black car in the front... as usual," Henny sighed wistfully.
As always, he was entirely in his element. He took every one of those snake-like turns with effortless grace, creating a considerable distance between himself and the pack.
I admit, even for someone who knew little to nothing about cars, watching these live races, with real stakes and danger, it was hard not to be thoroughly entertained by these shows.
As we watched, the masked driver was overwhelmingly in the lead. The new event was a palpable hit—11 million streams and counting. The chat was absolutely exploding with messages.
I read some of the comments as they scrolled by.
...It's a small town on the North... Konore, I think...
What are they doing in a town like Konore?
Probably for the route... it's awesome. #maskon
I bet you anything it's one of the rich guests... from the Martell wedding. It was today!
Is it someone from the wedding?
I watched as the black car crossed the finish line and disappeared into the night.
There were no local law enforcement vehicles in Konore, and normal police were essentially people on bicycles to them, so there was no danger of pursuit.
But the Drifting event was a hit in itself.
"Unbelievable... he consistently wins against new drivers every event... and just vanishes into the night. Ahh." Lilly was having an out-of-body experience.
Henny and I kept watching the end messages that sometimes appeared at the conclusion of the streams.
(May GOD bless all unions made under his watchful eyes.)
...And with that, the screen turned black, and the stream ended.
Clever. So, even if the driver himself wasn't at the wedding, someone from GOD was here.
But who?