Chapter 1: News 1

8 month earlier…

Maka Albarn is a bookworm

Everybody knew that. Even though she's busy with her mission, every citizen of Death City had already seen her going to the library, book store, or even reading books in some cafe or in the park at least in a week.

The moment she first laid eyes on books, Maka Albarn was never separated from books. Who knew how many books and genre she read. Action, sci-fi, mystery, humor, Maka Albarn love every genre, if it was a book.

Especially romance. Even though she had trust issue with men, it didn't made Maka avoid this spesific genre. On the contrary, this genre was one of her favorite. She already read every scenarios. Romance between 2 different species, 2 different status, and arrange marriage. She adore every stories, she even tried to imagine as if she was one of the main character.

But that didn't mean she want to really felt it in real life.

"I'm sorry, but can you repeat that again?"

"So we decided for you to get married with my son."

Maka just stared at the man in a black robe in front of her. 'I think i heard something about marriage. No, no. I must have misheard it..'

"I'm sorry, but can you repeat that again?"

"Maka, you had asked the same question 6 times already." Lord Death just sweatdroped. "So we deci-"

"I and Lord Death had already decided for you to get married with Kid." The red haired man interrupted, in serious tone for once. Everyone in the room just stared at him. Suddenly, tear droped from his blue eyes. "My little angel will get married! Who thought my baby will grew up so soon! Ugh. How i wish to stop it. But it has already been decided. Maka!" Spirit mumbling in the corner without someone to mind him.

Maka just stood there, trying to digest her boss's word in front of her. But really, each word, even though had been repeated for so many times, still didn't make any damn sense in her genius brain. It's just, there's so many question she liked to asked. 'Eh? What? Me and Kid-kun? Why? How long did they decided this? Isn't Kid-kun a reaper? Is it even possible? What about my feeling? Did they even considered my answer about this?'

But there's just one question escaped from her lips. "I'm sorry, but can you repeat that again?"

Lord Death clearing his throat, making everyone looking at him, except Spirit who still crying and mumbling in the corner. "Anyway, Maka, I bet you had so many question right now, so i will try to answer it one by one." Seeing the girl in front of him calm and concentrated enough to heard his word, Lord Death continue, "as you know, my son, Kid, is a reaper. He was made with a fragment of my soul. And so, to prevent the same mistake with Asura, I made him to became like human, capable of feeling some emotion like anger, sadness, and well…love."

The ash blond in front of him raising her eyebrow, sign that he can continue. "As a father, of course I want my son to end up with a good partner. That's why i decide about this marriage."

Maka just trying to digest her boss's word. She couldn't help but felt there's something missing from his word. She just couldn't explained it. But that aside, there's something bothering her right now.

"Why me then?"

The man in front of her just chuckling. "Why are you still asking that kind of questions? There's no reason why I can't picked you, Maka. You're a good girl, beautiful, smart, full of courage and spirit. Beside, from the standpoint of social status, you are a daughter of my main weapon. You're also the best graduate from this school with perfect score, plus you have many achievement especially in defeating Asura." Spirit in the corner just smiled proudly while hearing his boss's praise. "Beside, you had already been a good friend with my son for a long time, and I also already knew and watching over you for a long time. Maka, clearly there's no one perfect for my son other then you."

Maka just gape at the man in front of her. 'so, just for that reason…'

"Maka, are you okay? You look pale."

"It's natural, Lord Death, considering this situation which didn't looked like it make any sense at all. But someday, she will understand."

"What do you know about this situation!" Honestly, Maka couldn't take it anymore. Her father, her boss, everyone's the same. In the end it all came for their sake. Nobody really care for her happiness. With her bang covering her eye, she continued, "You all just care about yourself! Did you guys even think for a second about me? About my feeling for this?"

"Even though you said that, Maka, but…" Lord Death scratching his temple with his big cartoon hand. "We already decided, and it can't be changed. We're sorry if you didn't like it, but no matter what you have to marry my son. That's an order!"

Maka gulped. In the deep of her heart she knew this decision couldn't be opposed. If it could, her father would help her at least. But she knew she can't admited this lost, you could blame for her pride. She just didn't think Lord Death will be very adamant about this marriage.

But right now there's just one word she could say. "I understand." Clenching her knuckle in her side, she could only accepted this situation where she currently didn't have a vote to express her objection. With a quick excuse me, Maka exited the room, for the first time had to admited this lost.

"Maka baby! Wait!" after looking at his boss who noded at him, Spirit exited the room chasing after his beloved daughter.

'Every man is the same! Selfish! And didn't even think about other's feeling!' because how could she explained this situation to her friends? To Soul? She didn't know why but she think she could imagine what her partner for half of her life will react with this news.

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"I'm sorry, but can you repeat that again?"

Yup, she just knew it.

Maka just look at the white haired in front of her with nervous, anxious, and a hint of guilty. The last deathscythe maker was just not the woman she used to knew. But how could she calm handling this delicate situation if the man in front of her, even with his deadpanned face, but still Maka could feel some negatif emotion in him, thanks for a low resonance after years living together, plus her advance soul perception.

Maka just stood there, reminded of the event in the Lord Death's room, and her converstation with her dad this evening.

Honestly, Maka didn't knew where her leg taking her, as long as she could get out from that place. Never was that place felt as dense as that evening. 'Imposible. Me and Kid-kun? Please someone tell me this is just a big joke."

"Maka! Wait!" the red haired man shouted only making Maka fastened her speed. But maybe, in the deep in her heart, she just want some explanation from her dad, making Maka slower her speed so that her dad could catch up with her.

"Release my hand!" Maka jerk her hand making Spirit release his grip. "Papa didn't know anything. You always said you love me, but in reality you didn't even care about my happiness." Maka said, bang covering her eye. "If you even care for me just for a bit, you won't make me involved with this stupid arrangement. If you even care for this family, you won't played with other women, and you would try harder to make mama come back home." Spirit just stood there, silence for once. "See? You didn't care for us for a bit. You only care for your happiness. I bet you got huge advantage with this marriage. So don't you dare trying to pretend that you care for me, because that's sickening!"

Spirit suddenly held Maka's chin, slowly lift it so that he could see her eyes. "You think i want you to be involved with this?" Quietly he asked, his eyes just stare at his opponent's eyes. "You know, Maka baby? During these months Lord Death actually has considered about your sugestion about Crona's rescue mission from the moon. Looking at your achievement, it should be possible to get everyone to agree with it." Looking at her widening eye, he continue, "but on the contrary, everyone didn't agree with it, looking at the huge risk, plus they got nothing with it. Lord Death feel that your influence was not strong enough to move people in that scale."

"Then why don't he take charge of this operation? Or maybe we can use Kid-kun's name? Nobody dare to oppose Lord Death and his son."

"You think I didn't suggested that?" the red haired man said. "But nearly everyone already knew that this was your plan, looking at your past history with Crona and your connection with him. Lord Death also have to think about his position, nearly everyone felt that he play favoritism with you. Beside, Kid has already got many mission and his training as reaper, its nearly impossible for him to still think about this rescue mission."

"But-"

"And your mother has agreed with this marriage." Maka widening her eyes. 'Imposible. Mama?' "Kami said that she will come to your wedding. She also said that she will stay in Death City and took positions to be a full teacher at DWMA. Don't you always said yourself that you want your mother to come back?"

Maka just stood there in silence, making Spirit sigh. "Maka, this is your chance, not mine. I'm doing all this for your sake. I know your utmost goal right now is to fulfill your promise with Crona to free him. You think I didn't looked at you while you in the library thinking and searching about this rescue mission? With this marriage you can have the status you need to do whatever you could think about, not only about this rescue mission. You can do more for this world."

Maka just stood there in silence. "Think about it Maka. You are a smart girl. You know the best in this situation. This is an order from Lord Death, and you know you can't ignore order." Maka heard her father's footsteps walking further from her, her mind for the first time in a while confused with this uncontrollable situation.

While clenching her knuckle in her side, shivering for the word she would say, Maka could only said, "Lord Death and my father had decided for me and Kid's marriage, and I know you heard me for the first time."

Soul massaging his temple. "Yes, I heard you for the first time. What I don't believe is for you to agree about it easily."

Maka could only widening her eye, didn't dare to believe what her partner just said. "I agreed? You dare to think that I want this marriage? What do you know about this, Soul? I had already begging on my knee but you know you can't oppose order from Lord Death."

Soul unconsciously also raising his voices. "You're Maka Albarn! You can get whatever you want, dealing with whatever situation you got. But why in this particular situation, you decide to back off and just accepted it like that. This could only mean that deep in your heart, you want this. You're just a coward who ran away before fighting!"

Okay, that last word making Maka snap. "Are you even listening with yourself? Just try to stand in my shoes, Soul! You don't know anything so just shut up and don't even dare to said something like that easily!"

Soul just stood there quietly while taking deep breath. "You know what, I think our conversation really have to end here. Clearly we're not in a condition to talk." After saying that, Soul walked to his room, slamming the door while closing it.

"Coward." Said Maka slowly. But she didn't know if she could be sure enough if the word she said was for Soul and not for herself. She knew Soul was right, that she could still do something, no matter how small. Maybe she was angry because she didn't want to admitted that Soul was right, that she was a coward. But the one that making her angry was that her partner for 10 years her life could even doubt her feeling.

It's not a secret that Maka Albarn love her partner, Soul 'Eater' Evan. And she could felt that her partner shared the same feeling for her. They don't need word to express their feeling. With small action or feeling that were caught during low resonance was enough to express their feeling for each other. That, and also fear that everything would change, good or bad, if they confess to each other. Beside, insecurity for a long time making them unsure of their partner's feeling. Maybe that's what Soul thinking about, but still it makes Maka mad to think her partner didn't trust her enough.

But maybe he's right, that Maka was running away from this problem. 'Huh. Since when I become a coward like this.' She run before fighting, isn't that the same as coward? and Maka Albarn was no coward, everyone knew that. Maka walked to her room, in her mind determined to do something about this problem.