A busy crowd at the festival as Cedric found himself walking aimlessly with a frown on his face. Everyone were on their high-spirits alongside with the colorful themes on the festival, especially the different colors of dresses that everyone wore

Even the men themselves were in on it…

Except for a certain Sorcerer of course.

Not even bothering to make an effort, Cedric wore a casual black shirt with some normal pants to add so. With this, he surely stood out as the only bland one among them.

He didn't care however, if only not for the phoenix feather that was displayed to be won at one of the stalls, there was no way in Merlyn's beard that he was even gonna consider coming here.

His gaze was all over the festival. The lights sure added into the nice festivity of everything especially this evening. With this busy crowd and the noise generating from everyone, getting lost in such crowd would definitely suck

As he continued his strolling, he notices something on his hand that he had lost awareness of with the overthinking. It was the "umi hairclip" or what that woman told him that he won from that stall that he played on. He wanted the phoenix feather yet this is what he won…

Crazy how luck always seem to be against him.

But then again, Cedric decided to keep it. It might actually be worth quite a fortune or even be a treasure for someone else.

Not for him though, his hair isn't long enough for something like this.

He oughta give it so someone… but who?

Just as he thought of this, a certain girl caught his gaze

"Hey Sofia!"

A certain auburn haired princess turned to him as he called out for her name. A smile immediately forms on her lips as she sees him

"Mr. Ceedric!" she greeted him with enthusiasm "You came!"

"Of course I did..." he looked away, trying to avert his gaze from her

"Well. I'm glad you're here" she hummed in a soft tone "By the way, who are you with?"

"I came alone."

"Alone?" her expression turned to surprise as he said this

"Yeah" he grew curious over her sudden reaction "What's up?"

"Cedric.." he giggled on the spot, knowing how introverted the Sorcerer is, this is to be expected..

"You're supposed to be with friends when you come to places like this"

"Oof, what's the difference.." he murmured under his breath.

A sudden silence filled the air as they stood against each other, not a word to be said. The ambient background noise of everyone's chattering and holler filled the awkward vibe… but for Cedric, it wasn't awkward in the first place

Sofia slowly fixed an auburn curl of her hair to her ear "Cedric… d-do you like what you see?"

"Yeah, the festival is quite something, eh?" Sofia notices he was looking at the festival… not her

A pout forms on her face "I meant my dress!" she was quick to grunt at Cedric which forced him to look at her

"Yeah, it looks normal."

"Normal?" her pout deepens with her eyebrows furrowed, clearly offended

"Wah, what do you expect me to say. It's covering your body, and that's good enough.."

Sofia only closed her eyes in disappointment as she shook her head "This is Mr. Ceedric, what did I even expect?" was echoing in her thoughts with the feeling of bitterness inside

But all of a sudden

"Hey Sofia, I have something I want you to have.."

Quickly, she turned to him as he tossed her a certain blue hairpin that she caught with her right palm. It looked very shiny and polished, and it resembled something mermaids would wear

But what surprised Sofia is Cedric gave it to him, and knowing what it stands for… she knows what it means.

She couldn't believe it… she thought she was dreaming. The best dream she's had so far

Her heartbeat pounds faster and faster at every second as she slowly looks at him "A-Are you sure about me?"

His face grimaces in confusion "Of course I am, do you see me giving that out to any other girl?"

"W-well… You just took me by surprise and all.." she closed her eyes to try to calm her emotions brewing inside of her. Her knees were starting to feel weak and she felt like bursting.

"S-since when d-did you see me that way, Mr… I mean.. Cedric?"

"Since when? Just now I guess.."

"Just now.." Sofia took a deep breath as she heard this

"now, what is going on with you?" he was quick to utter as upon noticing her sudden demeanor "And why are you all red. Did you ea–"

"Why me!?" she was quick to cut her off with now a serious stern expression on her face

Completely clueless, Cedric couldn't come up even a single clue of what's going on. What is in that hairpin exactly?

"Why me, Cedric?" she repeated now in a more slow and tender voice

"Well.. if you mean why I gave you the hairclip.." Cedric uttered, he needed to be careful with his words now "Because you're a nice girl. That's why…"

"Wait, are you… crying?" He added as he noticed something

Sofia giggled softly as a smile forms on her lips – as she wiped something from her eye.

"Then I accept~" she murmured in a low voice that he didn't hear

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"Look Sofia, I don't know what's going on…" he tried explaining herself "All I know is that the lady told me it was a nice hairpin that holds value.."

Hearing this immediately made Sofia turn to him

"S-So you don't know what the hairpin represents?"

"Ummm not really" Cedric answered sharply "Why?"

"Ohh… Ha-ha… that's… nice.." her voice was sad. For some reason, the smile on Sofia's lips disappeared, followed by the glow on her eyes.

What she expected was too good to be true anyways.

But as she looked at the hairpin, and to Cedric's dumb face, there is no denying that HE was the one who gave it to her..

So at the end of the day, he still wanted her to have it… on his own accord

Somehow, the sun has managed to shine against Sofia's stormy mood as a bright idea came to her. And with this, a sinister smile landed on her lips yet again

Seeing Sofia shift emotions over and over again – earlier she was happy then she was sad and now she was suddenly happy again – Cedric decided to take initiative.

"Okay, that's it. Give me the hairpin back, Sofia"

"No."

Sofia immediately created some distance between them and wore the hairpin on her hair. She then gave him a serious look, a look of someone not wanting to let go of something.

"Now it's official." She told him in a serious tone. "T-There's no turning back from this, Cedric."

"What are you talking about?"

Sofia didn't respond. She only gave him a very determined glare with her hand strictly on her hips in an emphasis of defiance.

"That hairpin is probably cursed and makes whoever wears it crazy" he told her to fill up a conclusion

"Sofia, give me the hairpin back!"

"There is no way I am ever letting go of this. It belongs to me now. Now go away. I'll see you in eight years." With this, the princess dashed to the opposite direction – leaving the astounded Sorcerer alone

"Hey, come back he–"

Seeing how fast the athletic princess has gone to, Cedric was too lazy to even bother to think about considering catching up to her. And perhaps he was just blowing things out of proportion and that was just a normal hairpin whom she was too excited to have.

"You should've just told me you liked hairpins that much…" he murmurs to himself as he looked up and stared at the stars above

"I swear, that little squirt.." he snickered to himself

And with this, Cedric went back to the festival to see the rest of it. Carefree as ever without anything to worry about… not knowing his destiny was sealed just then with the gift he gave her~

~ d~

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"Alright. That's it. Im leaving"

Cedric bickered to himself hearing the loud and rambunctious cry of a baby from nearby, and with a group of kids playing around and being annoying. He didn't have to worry about things like this back in his workshop… well at least one of them

As he made his way back to the exit, he passes by a wooden blackboard that had an illustration similar to the hairpin he gave her. This caught his attention and stopped for a second to look at it.

"Cool" Cedric's apathetic behind didn't even bother to look twice with what it contained and decided to walk away. A mistake indeed for the lad for there was a text at the bottom that he missed greatly

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"For those who wish holy matrimony… reach out, make and effort and give your beloved such gift that will surely make her very happy"