Serena pointed at me with a trembling finger. Her entire face was bright red, almost like steam was about to come out of her ears.
"W-W-W-Wait… you're t-t-the boy who'll be my h-h-husband?!"
Her voice cracked halfway through the sentence.
I stared back at her just as shocked. My brain had stopped functioning somewhere between the words husband and her.
"And… y-you're the girl w-w-who'll be my wife," I stuttered back.
My face felt like it was on fire.
Standing proudly between us like a man who had just completed a brilliant masterpiece was Mr. Reige.
"Well then! Since you two now know each other, it's settled," he said cheerfully.
He clapped his hands once like he had just finished arranging a dinner reservation.
"Yuma, I'm leaving Serena in your care."
He smiled.
"Please take good care of her."
My brain finally rebooted.
"WAIT!!! I NEVER EVEN AGREED TO THIS!!"
Serena and I shouted at the exact same time.
We both turned to glare at each other, our faces still embarrassingly red.
Serena pointed at me like she had just spotted a criminal.
"I don't want a pervy deviant as my husband!!"
I immediately pointed back.
"And I don't want a dagger psychopath as my wife!!"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A DAGGER PSYCHOPATH?!" she yelled.
"AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PERVY DEVIANT?!" I yelled back.
"Pervy deviant!"
"Psychopath!"
"Pervy deviant!"
"Psychopath!"
"ENOUGH YOU TWO!!"
Two terrifying female voices exploded through the room.
Both Serena and I froze instantly.
Standing behind us were Mrs. Erika… and Aunt Melda.
Both of them were smiling.
But it was the kind of smile that made your soul leave your body.
We both shut our mouths immediately.
Even Mr. Reige and Uncle Alumna sighed.
Serena turned back toward her father, clearly refusing to surrender.
"I'm sorry, Dad! But this marriage won't work! I'm not marrying a pervert like him!"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PERVERT YOU PSYCHOPATH?!" I shouted again.
"ENOUGH!"
The two elder females yelled again.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Mr. Reige cleared his throat.
"Serena… you should already know by now," he said calmly.
"It's our family tradition. We cannot break it."
I blinked.
"Family tradition?"
I raised my hand slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Mr. Reige nodded.
"I suppose you should know as well… since you are her future husband."
That sentence almost killed me.
"You see," he continued, "in the Yuuki family, when a Geist reaches the rightful age of eighteen… they must marry."
He folded his arms.
"This tradition exists to preserve our bloodline."
I blinked again.
"…What's a Geist?"
Everyone in the room burst into quiet giggles.
Except Serena.
She rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might fall out.
Mr. Reige explained patiently.
"Japan is plagued by spiritual monsters known as Poltergeists. They terrorize civilians from the shadows."
He continued.
"The people who hunt and destroy them are called Geists."
Oh.
That actually sounded… kind of cool.
Uncle Alumna suddenly leaned toward me with a grin.
"Your future wife here is one of them."
He pointed at Serena.
"I'm sure you noticed when she tried to stab you with a dagger earlier."
Serena crossed her arms furiously.
"I'M NOT HIS WIFE!"
She pointed directly at me.
"And I'll never be his wife!"
Then she turned to her father again.
"But Dad… aren't I supposed to marry a child of a Geist?"
Mr. Reige smiled slightly.
"Oh, you are."
He looked directly at me.
"I'm sure you've heard of the codename… Recode Alpha."
My brain froze again.
Serena's eyes widened.
"Of course I know him!"
Her voice suddenly filled with excitement.
"He's one of the greatest Geists that ever existed!"
Mr. Reige nodded.
"He was the greatest."
The room grew quieter.
"But unfortunately… he disappeared several years ago."
Serena frowned.
"…He had a son?"
She leaned forward curiously.
"Then that son must be a famous Geist too, right?"
Uncle Alumna scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Well… not exactly."
Serena blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Mr. Reige placed his hand on my shoulder.
"The son of Recode Alpha… is standing right here."
The room fell silent.
Serena slowly turned toward me.
Her eyes widened.
Her jaw dropped.
"WAIT WHAT?!"
She pointed at me again.
"THIS pervy deviant is the son of Recode Alpha?!"
"For the last time, I'M NOT A PERVY DEVIANT!!"
Mr. Reige clapped his hands again happily.
"Now then! Since everything is settled, the two of you will marry in two years—"
"But Dad!"
Serena stomped her foot.
"This whole marriage thing won't work!"
Mr. Reige nodded thoughtfully.
"I see."
Then he smiled again.
"In that case… you two should start living together."
Serena and I froze.
"W-W-W-WHAT?!"
We screamed together.
"Why do we have to live together?!" I asked.
"Well," Mr. Reige said casually, "you will be husband and wife eventually."
He shrugged.
"It's only natural."
Serena's face turned bright red again.
"B-B-But what if you leave and then this pervy deviant starts touching me every night and then I get pregnant and—"
Mrs. Erika giggled.
"Aren't you exaggerating a little, sweetie?"
Uncle Alumna approached them with a mischievous grin,
"Besides, if you do get pregnant… the marriage will be guaranteed."
Both Serena and I turned red instantly.
"A-ALUMNA!!" Aunt Melda smacked him on the shoulder.
"How many times do I have to tell you?! They're too young!"
Serena suddenly pointed at me again.
"If you even THINK about touching me while I'm sleeping… I will cut off your head!"
I pointed back.
"Like hell I would touch you! You're not even my type!"
Serena groaned.
"This is seriously not going to work."
Mr. Reige stood up cheerfully.
"Well then! Since Serena has technically accepted the arrangement, we'll be leaving!"
"WAIT I NEVER—"
But it was already too late.
Our parents left.
The door closed.
And suddenly…
The house became extremely quiet.
Serena and I stood in the middle of the living room.
Alone.
Awkward.
My life had completely changed in less than one hour.
Now I was living with a dagger-throwing psychopath.
We avoided looking at each other and quietly went to unpack our things.
Hours later I went downstairs and turned on the TV.
Peace.
Finally.
Then she walked in.
"Hey… since we're living together… maybe we should make some house rules."
I sighed.
"Sure. You go first."
She immediately pointed at me.
"Rule number one. My clothing drawer is off limits."
She glared.
"I don't want to see you touching or sniffing my underwear."
I almost choked.
"What kind of person do you think I am?!"
"A pervy deviant."
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"
Honestly… this girl was unbelievable.