Marriage and Other Disasters

Chapter I

Disclaimer: I am not capable of owning this awesome series.

Warning: This chapter doesn't really have anything but swearing and cursing.

Important Note: I do not, in any way, support child marriage. I understand this is a sensitive issue because it's one of the leading social evil in the world. But this fic takes on the lighter side. It's arranged marriage through papers and not some grand ceremony. The marriage is not focused and the humour and drama is centred around the characters' feelings and the development of their relationship. Again, I don't support child marriage. It is an evil deed that must be demolished from the face of the earth.

...

The sun was gradually lowering itself, nearing the horizon when Tyson and Max had decided to finally abandon their games and head to their respective homes. Grabbing their bags, they talked as they left the park in their bicycles.

"I'll swing by in the weekend, bro!" Max skillfully waved his hand while the other controlled the cycle.

"Okay! See you later, Max!" Tyson waved back and watched his best friend take a turn around the corner. He finally arrived at his own home few minutes later, tired from the continuous running around after his school was over. The next day was a weekend and he had all the time to be fooling around.

He chained his bike near the door and carefully opened the main door. He was surprised. He didn't find his furious Gramps waiting for him with a kendo sword, ready to whack him for being late.

"Gramps... You're not dead, are you?" he mumbled with insecurity raiding his mind.

He looked for his grandfather in the kitchen but he wasn't there either. Slowly walking up to the living room, he peeped in. He found his grandpa seated on the couch, hunched forward in a gloomy manner. His older brother, Hiro was standing before the old man, his face turned towards the floor. Tyson was more than worried.

"Uh...guys," he walked up to his family, "What's with the gloomy aura?"

Hiro slowly turned his head towards his younger brother and sighed in deep distress. His hand clamped his forehead and he had nothing but depression.

"Tyson," Hiro took a huge gulp, "My life's ruined."

Tyson was taken aback. His brother's life is ruined? Just this morning he was smiling like the sun and wishing him luck for the day when he headed for his school.

"W-what...ha-happened, big bro?" he stammered as he approached the taller Granger.

Hiro slumped down onto the floor, "You...remember my boss?"

The older male was working as the Head of the Sales department of the famous multi-billionaire Hiwatari Company. His boss, the President of the company, Voltaire was an old man who didn't really have a good reputation among the famous crowd. He was depicted as a cruel, stubborn and dangerous old man who had connections to the mafia. But Tyson didn't really get why he was thought to be that bad. He remembered the first time he had met the old man.

Three Years Ago...

"Ty! Stop running around! It's my work place not your playground!" Hiro scolded his little brother who was zooming past the crowd of the sales department.

"You can't catch me, bro!" Tyson stuck out his tongue at his brother and turned to run again. A tall figure suddenly came before him and before anyone could foretell what would happen, Tyson tripped and fell upon the other person. The rest of the people present there gasped in horror while Hiro squeezed through the crowd to get the smaller Granger.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" the smaller version of Hiro whined as he rubbed his head.

"What is all this?" the other fallen person pressed his forehead to stop the pain, "Who dared to hinder my way?" Tyson widened his eyes and gulped as he watched the President of the company stand tall before him, eyes fuming with rage.

"I'm sorry, mister! I didn't see while I was walking! I'm so sorry!" The blue haired boy winced as he felt the other raise his hand. But instead of a slap, he recieved a gentle pat in his head. He looked up to see the old man smiling at him. Hiro on the other hand was dumbfounded.

"Well, try to watch where you're going, lad or others won't be as kind as I am..."

...

"Yeah...when you showed me around in your office...the old guy I crashed into few years back...what did he do?" the youngster gulped.

Hiro hesitated but spoke low, "He...accused me. He accused me of sleeping with one of his mistresses. And..."

Tyson widened his eyes at the revelation. His expression suddenly turned that into of fuming rage. The old bastard had accused his innocent brother of such brusque accusation! It was an utterly horrible thing to do!

"And?!"

"Homie's getting fired," his usually cheerful Grandpa had nothing but grief in his voive.

"What?!" Tyson barked, "First he accuses you of stupid things and then he fires you! That's...that's no fucking fair!"

"Ty, calm down," Hiro half heartedly whispered.

"Calm down? Are you kidding me? That old fuck is playing with your life and you tell me to calm the fuck down?"

"That's enough cursing from ya, lil' dude!" his Grandpa scolded.

Ignoring the other, the teen frowned, "Don't tell me you really did bang his mistress..."

"I did no such thing!" Hiro defended himself, "He's...blackmailing me."

"Wait? Blackmail? Call the fucking cops right now!"

"Mind the language, kiddo!" Gramps glared at the boy.

"You think I haven't thought of that? I'm not stupid, Ty. But we're dealing with the damned old psycho who has connections to the freaking mafia! I have no intention of getting you two in danger!"

"But...but there must be a-a..way..." Hiro sighed, "There's only one way."

Tyson looked at his brother with hope glinting in his eyes.

"He," the man looked back, "He said that he'll drop the accusations if I bring him a bride for his grandson tomorrow."

The teen could do nothing but gape at his older brother's words. A bride? A bride for the old fuck's stupid little grandson? What was happening? It felt as if the blackmailing scheme was taken out from some movie. But if those were the conditions then finding a woman was a piece of cake.

"Bride? Well, that's easy! We can go downtown to find some couple of candidates. We're going to have a long line, believe me! The to-be-bridegroom is a billionaire!"

The other two Grangers shut their eyes at his suggestions and lowered their heads. Tyson was shocked at the unsupportive reaction but Hiro spoke out his problem.

"Ty, the thing is..." Grandpa Granger shook his head, "You're the bride. The ol' freak wants you to be his grandson's bride."

The world came crashing down on Tyson or more correctly, the heavy bitter truth crushed him with all its might. The teen had never felt such despair in all his life. It obviously had to be end of the world or it was just him having his worst of his worst nightmares. He pinched himself to be make sure too.

"You...you two can stop joking," he laughed nervously, "This isn't funny."

Their silence only confirmed his doom.

"Hiro! Bro! H-how ca-can y-your boss possibly know...a-about me?" his teeth clattered a bit as he trembled, "Also, l-last time I checked, h-his grandon w-was a MALE. Not to mention, t-the same gender as myself!"

"I know it's hard to believe but Ty, that's what he said," Hiro lowered his gaze, "If I don't bring you to him tomorrow, god knows what he's going to do to our family. But don't worry, I'll take the punishment. I just want you and gramps safe."

"What are you talking about?" Tyson fell on his knees, "You just said if I don't go, god knows what he'll do!"

"Ty, listen, I'll go to him tomorrow and figure a way out of this mess."

"And if he doesn't agree...No!" the teen gasped, "No! I can't let that happen!"

"Ty, what are yo-"

"I'll go! I'll be his grandson's bride or whatever! I can't let anything happen to you!"

"You know we won't let you do that, kiddo!" his grandfather shot up.

"But grandpa! If anything happens to Hiro, what will we do? He's our everything! He'll lose his job and...and...No!"

"Tyson, try to understand. You cannot jus-" Tyson cut him off, "Look, Hiro. If I go, the accusations will be dropped. You'll get your job back. You guys will be safe. The worst thing that could happen to me is if the grandson is seriously ugly!"

"But...Ty..."

"Enough you two! I'm going! That's the final decision!" Tyson gave a smile to lift their spirits and his own, "I'm sure I can handle a stupid arranged marriage with some rich bastard."

"But promise me you'll take care yourself when I'm not there," Hiro turned to him and caught his shoulders, "If that fucking psycho does anything to you...lays even a single finger on you...I'll kill him with my own fucking bare hands!"

Tyson smiled weakly. He wasn't sure if what he was doing the right thing but he knew after all Hiro and Gramps had done for him in the absence of his father, it was the best thing to do. He's had had his kendo lessons and no fucking one could lay a finger on him if they tried. He could only hope the weather would be nice tomorrow because he surely ain't going to have a good time with the old psycho the next day.

...

Author's Note: You'll be surprised by Voltaire's sense of humour in the next chapter.

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