The room is quiet. Too quiet for the first night of a newlywed couple. The scent of fresh linen hangs in the air, mixing with something colder—distance.

I lie on my side, eyes fixed on the ceiling, tracing invisible patterns in the darkness. A soft rustle beside me reminds me I’m not alone. And yet… I feel lonelier than ever.

His back is turned to me. Even in the soft shadows cast by the dim wall light, I can see how rigid his posture is. Nanami Kento—my husband now. The man who used to ruffle my hair when I was little. The man who used to laugh when I clung to his arm and declared boldly, “If I grow up pretty, will you marry me?”

Back then, he’d just chuckle softly, sometimes brushing my words off with a gentle tap to my forehead. Sometimes saying things like, “You’ll forget about me when you meet someone your age.”

But now, I’m eighteen. And he’s twenty-eight. And here we are—married. Forced, not by love, but by expectations. Family names, legacy, and control.

Even on our wedding day, he’d been so careful. So distant. He kissed my cheek, not my lips. His hands trembled slightly when he held mine during the vows. And now, on this first night that’s supposed to mean something, he lies silently with his back to me.

No words. No warmth. Just space.

He hasn’t touched me—not even by accident. He changed into his pajamas while I was still in the bathroom. He didn’t even look at me when I stepped out in mine. And I… I don’t know what hurts more—his silence, or the fact that I think he’s doing it to protect me.

I pull the blanket up to my chin. It's the only thing connecting us now, this thin layer of fabric.

What I don’t know is that he’s wide awake too. Eyes open. Jaw tight. Heart heavy. He’s protecting me from something I don’t yet understand—because if he hadn’t agreed to this marriage, my father would’ve given me to someone else. Someone worse. Someone who wouldn't have asked for permission before taking what they wanted.

Nanami didn’t tell me that. Instead, he stays silent.

All I know is that the man I used to adore now sleeps with his back to me.

And I’m left wondering if I really did grow up pretty enough for him to love me.