chapter 3

"Moving out?" asked Kiara, Kaya's older sister. She was not the least bit pleased to hear the request Noctis had made.

"Yes. I didn't plan to moving in here, I am perfectly fine back at my apartment. Besides, I still have something's left to take care of..."

Noctis replied, a faint smile on his lips that he had been wearing for quite a while now. His jaws have begun to hurt.

Regis leaned back in his chair, a distant frown on his lips. Noctis was right, the deal was just to marry, not moving in. Besides, him and Kaya didn't know each other that well yet, so some privacy right after marriage might offer them time to get along.

"Well that is the least you could ask."

Regis finally spoke, before looking over at Arthur, Kaya's father. the elderly man didn't have any objections, besides it only made sense. Noctis had a life there, he wasn't prepared to take over the business yet and he was inexperienced. He needed more time and so did this marriage.

"I don't mind... I would very much appreciate if you could let Kaya know of this beforehand." Arthur replied, a hesitant smile accompanying his words. He would miss Kaya, for sure but she would be happy and he couldn't ask for anything

"I'll let her know." Kiara replied, a well managed smile on her face though she could tell something was up. Noctis's expression was as made up as possible.

Noctis tried to keep his gaze anywhere but at Kiara, the look she was giving him just happened to affect the facade he had put on. He was sure she could see throw him.

Prompto came closer to Noctis and tugged lightly at his sleeve, while looking around.

"Idiot... talk about the real deal." He reminded Noctis and the raven head held back a gasp. Getting the family to agree to moving out was the easier step, what they had to be sure to get them convinced about was something else.

Noctis cleared his throat, his gaze shifting from Kiara to her father to his father and paused.

"Uh...we would have to leave soon so... if the ceremony happens in a day or two... it would be great."

Regis rose a brow, wondering what was so important that Noct had to tend to back at the city. He looked at Arthur and Kiara who could only wait for him to speak, having been the closest to the Caelum family for decades, they couldn't reject any services for the family if given the opportunity to. Kaya's marriage to Noctis was included as one.

"Impossible. It cant happen so soon... you'd have to wait."

Regis replied to Noctis and the boy's smile deflated slightly.

"Till weekend." Regis added and Noctis felt satisfaction through himself, his gaze fixated on his father who had a confident smile on his face. It seemed Regis didn't have any problem. If he didn't have any objections, no one else would have. Having Kaya's family along made the task easier.

"Preparations for the wedding will start from tomorrow." Kiara replied faking a smile to Noctis before taking her leave. She had to let Kaya know of the awkward situation that had arised. She wasn't convinced with the way things were going, this marriage was a compromise for her sister and it would give her nothing. She had a feeling that Noctis was interested in this marriage being done more than getting married for whatever reasons...

"Arthur, can I have a word with you?" Regis asked, gesturing the elderly man to come over. Being the bride's father, Arthur had plenty of insecurities regarding her future. He was sure Kaya was very content with this marriage but he couldn't say the same for Noctis despite his best efforts to make it look so.

"If you don't mind, I would like to talk to Kaya about this once more. There are some things that I have to let her know beforehand." Regis said to which Arthur replied with a nod, though he couldn't force a smile that he usually could very skillfully and the hesitance did not go unnoticed by the man himself.

"Arthur. What is it?" Regis asked, the facade that the other had been trying to keep on shattered in a split gaze. Arthur shook his head and managed a smile before looking over at Noctis. Something didn't feel right... He remembered the day the marriage proposal broke to Noctis and the young man didn't seem the least bit interested in it. But the eagerness He was showing right now for the ceremony to take place had Arthur shook. He worried about his daughter, but he worried about Noctis even more. He didn't want his girl to be a burden on him, or anyone...

"Sir?"

Arthur called, his gaze fixated onto Noctis. He didn't want this compromise of a relationship ruining anyone's life... neither Kaya's nor Noctis'

"Do you think young master is content with this?" He added looking at Regis now. It wasn't even something that Noctis himself asked for yet within two days, he was head over heels for the ceremony and the smile he had put on was too content to be true... this change was very drastic and Arthur could see through it. so could Regis.

"He is fine. He is trying to lessen the burden on his old man, so even if this didn't work out, I wouldn't be the only one dying of a heartache..." Regis replied, looking at Noctis. There were things about Noctis that he knew, things that the young man wouldn't want his father to know not before it's time for so... but being a father, he kept eyes and ears out for the safety of his child.

a while later...

"Woah that escalated quickly!" Prompto added with a blissful sigh dropping onto the bed. He hadn't even imagined this idea would work out so well and without anyone suspecting things.

"I'm so glad we are finally getting out of here..." the blonde added closing his eyes and breathed in content.

"Right, Noct?" He called but the response was to no avail.

"Noct?" He called again, finally sitting up and looked around for the man.

Noctis stood by the window, staring out into the space. His mind lost in thoughts of the days to come...

this wedding wasn't to affect his life alone, it would affect the life of the girl that was going to step into relationship with no future, no hopes but only a determined end...

Noctis couldn't see how it's going to happen, but he knew it would happen and this marriage would have to break. One way or another... this had to happen.

"Noct? what are you thinking?" Prompto couldn't help but ask, suddenly feeling anxious of the response. Noctis' words reflected the feelings in the blonde that he wanted to avoid.

"What would she think of me... when I tell her of what I've planned of her future on her behalf... without her consent..."

Noctis replied, turning to look at Prompto with the most blank gaze. His heart was weighing him down with the thought, that he would be ruining a life for the sake of bettering his own.. It was the truth of this lie of his and he couldn't bear the weight of the regret that it would give him about this girl...

"What is her fault to deserve this?" Noctis added, his expression softening and he turned to look out of the window again. He wasn't looking at the sky, being as wide as it was, it suffocated him to look at it. It reminded him of how bound he was... to his own will...

meanwhile...

"What's your fault to deserve this?"

Kaya sighed, shaking her head out of annoyance.

"See, you're being odd again." She replied, closing her book and strolled off to the shelf to put it away. She hadn't finished it yet, but decided she would start a new book after starting a new life.

"Kaaayaaaaaaaa!" Kiara called, clenching her fists as she strolled over and grabbed the brunette by her arms. Kaya could only let out an exasperated sigh looking at her unnecessarily paranoid sister.

"Yes, sis. What is it?" She replied rolling her eyes to let her weariness show. She had been listening this discussion every day and night now. Her sister was being paranoid about something that wasn't even affecting her.

"Can't you see? Noctis is acting weird. Okay? He wasn't about to say yes to this proposal until yesterday and today he is asking it to happen as soon as possible? Cant you see anything here?" Kiara insisted shaking Kaya lightly to which she responded with a faint smile and grabbed her sister's hands.

"Sis, I can see that he wants this to happen as soon as possible so he can go back home and tend to his work as soon as he can." She replied before giving an assuring squeeze to Kiara's hands and slipped out of her sight strolling off to her bed. Kiara palmed her face, disappointment drowning her senses.

"Ugh. Girl, you can see it. I know you can you just dont want to admit it."

Kaya paused in her tracks, her gaze shifting to the floor. Indeed... She knew what was going on. But admitting it won't do any good to anyone of them, mostly to her father.

"What is there to admit, sis?" Kaya replied, turning to look at her sister with a properly managed smile. though her gaze was hollow of any expectation. She didn't expect to gain anything from this, she was doing this only because it was her responsibility. Regis has given her a responsibility, to tend to which, she needed to be around Noctis all the time. For a young girl and a young man, to be living under the same roof without any relationship named... it wasn't appropriate for someone as low as her and for someone as high as Noctis. this marriage was merely to insure this responsibility of hers isn't to be questioned by the worldly labels.

"That I'm not sure if this would work out?" Kaya added, biting her lip. She wasn't sure about this.

"That if it didn't work out, what would happen to me? would Noctis leave me? and if he did leave me, what would Dad feel? what would Sir Regis feel? what would I feel?" She added, her tone slightly bitter as she clenched her fists.

Kiara's expression softened, she could tell Kaya was scared. Scared of everything that she stated happening... and if they did happen, she would break...

"If... if I admit this... I won't be able to try..." She added, her words breaking as tears began to brim her eyes. She didn't want to cry, crying weakened her courage... She didn't want to lose the courage she'd been building up for this since day one.

"Let me try... at least that's the only thing I could fail at and not regret?" She added, her tone low as a whisper. She had a feeling something very changing is going to happen to her... but she couldn't tell what...

Kiara stared at her quietly, taking in account of every possibility. She was a practical woman, she calculated everything and came to a conclusion that was at least 90% accurate. She didn't believe in "What ifs". She couldn't see a single "what if it worked out?" in her sister's marriage... and it scares her. She didn't want to see Kaya paining of her own choice...

"Kaya..." She spoke approaching the younger one, and pulled her into an embrace very firm. She didn't want to be the force her sister needs to break herself... if she wanted to hold onto the "what if" she would let her.

"Just know..." Kiara whispered. She knew. She wasn't afraid to say it. Kaya was strong and she knew she would handle this.

"Only YOU will suffer the choices you make..." She whispered. Kaya felt the weight of that truth deep into her bones and she closed her eyes holding onto her sister firmly.

"I'll endure it as long as I can..." She replied. She believed she could, after all... it was the choice SHE made.