A/N Doctor Jinguji could never predict that his own niece would come to him with such a crazy request. In order to work at an elite all-boys school she has to change her status from 'single' to 'married' just in two weeks!
They thought it was impossible to find someone who would help her to make her dream come true and pretend being her husband, if only Doppo wouldn't have showed up at sensei's cabinet for another portion of psycological help.
If only he knew that he had chosen the wrong day...
Humor, fluff, lots of romantic situations. May the sun shine upon Doppo-kun this time!
This work is dedicated to our dear friend Kristinochka, who always supports us and believes in us!
It's not beta-read yet, so we are sorry for the errors. We will correct them later. Please, enjoy reading! 3
Fate can be neither passed by, nor driven round.
Chapter 2
Name: Kannonzaka Doppo.
Age: 29 (turning 30 next month).
Work: An average salaryman, a sales representative at the E.L. Medical Co., Ltd.
Strong sides: Workaholic and pessimist with a lacking sense of confidence.
Weak sides: Never been in a relationship with a woman.
Status: Married.
Doppo emitted a long sigh of perplexity. He had never thought that his grey and dull life would make such a sharp turn and stand upside down just in three days. This new role of a married man was beyond his comprehension. How did all happen, again?
Doppo tried to calm down and recall all the details of the previous three days, which brought him to this very moment in a taxi cabin. His brain was working and analyzing the recent events, starting from that stressful day at work. Hour after hour he was getting insulting complains from his boss about his work, his appearance, his habits and even his hobbies. That balding shrimp had called him being irresponsible and a weak link in Matenrou team.
He got used to the boss's insults regarding his person, but it was too painful to hear him talking bad about the team. Was it really him, who was dragging Matenrou's success down?
With those heavy thoughts he decided to see Sensei and ask him about the issue that evening. They talked for long twenty minutes, where Doppo shared his concerns regarding being a member of Matenrou. He voiced his fears about being a nuisance not even realizing it. And he apologized for that millions of times.
It felt like it was just yesterday…
[Three evenings ago]
Sensei sighed with a smile and put that reassuring hand of his on Doppo's shoulder. He told him that he was glad. And that statement shocked the younger man a lot. But the leader of Matenrou added with a confident smile that Doppo had been working so hard and developed great talents that many other envied openly.
"Your boss is the perfect proof of it, Doppo-kun," were Sensei's concluding words.
"B-but, Sensei… I don't want to make anyone grudging! Especially him! I am just an average person with no outstanding characteristics," with that phrase Kannonzaka grabbed his head in his hands in despair. "I want to live a normal restful life. I don't want to have enemies with my boss's face!" he let out a choked cry and shut his eyes.
"Please, calm down, Doppo-kun. I must say, that you have to build up some confidence and man up. It's only the beginning, there will be any kind of people and situations in life. If anyone envies you, let them be, but don't lose your posture. Those not outstanding characteristics, as you call them, make you the man you are. And as a doctor and your friend I have to confess that I like what you are made of."
"S-sensei…" Doppo was at loss for words.
"You got better in many aspects. Your tolerance, your endurance, psychological state and, of course, rapping, leveled up a lot. It means that you worked hard on yourself and achieved good results. It makes me happy as your doctor."
Jakurai said the truth. He watched over his two teammates as the leader and their friend, and he noticed how much they had changed for the better. Especially Doppo. Doctor could only sympathize with the guy for having such a dork as a boss, but his skill to maintain sane after so many pressings and insults was something to admire.
After several seconds of silence Jinguji-sensei continued.
"You are a reliable young man, Doppo-kun. You always finish your tasks and work no matter how hard and long it takes. You are a loyal friend and a high-quality specialist in your field of work. You just have to believe in yourself a little more. You do have great talents you are not even aware of yourself."
The pale cheeks on the younger man's face lit up with pink shade. His dull blue eyes gained a healthy spark, that made them look like a clear crystal. And a small but sincere smile crawled up his lips. It was obvious that those complimenting words made him happy.
"I-I just don't know what to say, Sensei," Doppo chuckled shyly. "It's all thanks to your support and recommendations. I still can't believe in myself, but I do believe in your judgment. You always help me out, Sensei. I will never be able to repay you. I owe you so much!" The red haired member of Shinjuku Division stood from his seat and bowed deeply to his leader. In that folded in a half pose he continued in a fiery voice. "If only I can do something, anything, for you, just tell me! It will be an honour for me!"
Jakurai chuckled to himself after hearing such passionate declaration. If only the poor guy knew what he was saying.
"Please, raise your head, Doppo-kun. If you agree to do anything for me in a sign of gratitude, that makes me really happy," Doctor showed a professional smile and continued, "but what will you say if I ask you to marry my niece in three days?"
The inspired look slowly started to melt away from the younger man's face as he stared at Doctor for catching any trace of proof that he was joking.
But as far as he could see, Sensei was dead serious.
"S-sorry, Sensei… I think I don't understand what you are saying," the guy felt his mind getting blank and his legs starting to lose their balance.
Jakurai held back a sigh. Of course he knew how absurd his words must have been sounded, but there was no other choice. He laid his calm confident gaze on his teammate's face and said in a steady firm voice.
"You and Hifumi are the most trustful men I know. My niece needs to get married in order to work at one of the most prestigious all-boys high school in Tokyo. This is a make-believe marriage, but a marriage none the less. The school rules are very strict, there is a high possibility that they will try to check up and dig under their new young female teachers. If they find out that she is single, she will be fired with scandal. She came to me today and asked for help, for any kind of solution from this situation. And if to be honest, I didn't have any. Not until you unexpectedly showed up on the threshold of my cabinet."
"B-but I just came to tell you about quitting Matenrou if I was being a burden and apologize…" Doppo was beyond perplexed.
"Well, this was your side of a coin. And besides, I think I didn't have a chance to tell you that you will never be a burden to Matenrou, because you are its sterling member."
"Your encouraging words make me dizzy, Sensei," Doppo covered his forehead with his palm and dragged his leaden legs to take a seat by Doctor's desk.
"I was telling the truth," the older man paused and then continued, "as I did earlier. It's a difficult situation for my niece and I can't involve you in my family's affairs, but, as I said earlier, you and Hifumi are the only chance we have. But taking Hifumi's phobia into consideration, I can't ask him to marry my niece. So our only hope is you, Doppo-kun."
"A pretending marriage..." Kannonzaka mumbled under his breath, his mind was somewhere far away at the moment.
"It's only for one year. But you have to live together during this period of time. It might be a pretending, but to others it must look like a real deal, so no one would have any suspicions about you two."
"And what about our families?" Doppo suddenly raised his head and looked at his respected Sensei with troubled gaze.
Jakurai knew what difficult situation he was putting his teammate in. If to be honest, it was heartless even to him. But… many years ago, when Jakurai and his older brother were still studying at St. Rudolf, there had been a very nasty scandal regarding a young unmarried female teacher and a third-year student. That woman had lost her job and become a victim of gossips and condemnation. That scandal had been broadcasted on TV. As a loving uncle, Jakurai couldn't let something similar happen to his niece. Never.
"I am sorry, but not even our families should know about this secret. For them you two will be happy newlyweds."
"My mom will strangle me to death for sure if I get married without her notice," the sound of Doppo's whining brought an involuntary smile on Doctor's lips.
"Our relatives will do the same to us, I believe. And besides, we don't want to keep them unaware, of course. After the registration, you have to introduce yourself to Sumi's parents. The same goes for her."
Doppo's eyes widened in great terror.
"I-I…" he stuttered uncontrollably, ghostly paling with each passing second. "Sensei, I really think that I am not the right person for your niece. This entire situation is strange. I am sure I will screw up everything and she will regret crossing paths with me for the rest of her life! I can't risk breaking her life, Sensei!"
The red haired guy gulped for air uncontrollably. His mind was showing him the worst outcomes of his unexpected and fast-lasting marriage. He hadn't even tied his life with wedlock yet, but he was one hundred per cent sure that it would end as a disaster.
Jinguji-sensei understood his teammate's terrifying concerns but also he noticed how Doppo was putting Sumi's wellbeing before his own. That little detail was big enough to entrust his niece in Kannonzaka's care.
"You will be a perfect husband for her, I can see it," Doctor smiled kindly and closed his eyes for a moment. Not that he was happy with an idea about Sumi's marriage. If to be honest, he hated even thinking of her wedding with some guy she would chose someday as her beloved. But… but… He opened his eyes and looked at the tired, scared and freaked out guy, who needed something good and positive happening in his life to become a confident and smiling person.
Maybe…
Just maybe this strange and uncertain situation with tying two different people together for a year would bring unexpectedly brilliant results.
It was indeed very interesting and fascinating.
"I know that it's too much of a request, Doppo-kun, but as I said earlier, you are a dependable and earnest young man. So I will ask one more time," Jinguji-sensei stood up and bowed his head to a bewildered salaryman, "will you marry my niece and protect her happiness from any harm and suspicions for a year? She is the precious treasure of our family and my pride. And you are the only one I can entrust her welfare to with a light heart."
It did take several second for Doppo's hectic mind to comprehend the entire situation. Jinguji-sensei was bowing to him in a sign of respect. The very view of the admirable Doctor bowing to someone like him sobered Doppo instantly. The girl sensei was so worried about must have really meant a lot to him.
Doppo sucked in a deep breath and slowly stood up. He felt unusually calm and content for a moment like this. With a deep bow of respect to his leader and good friend he uttered in a steady and confident voice.
"I told you that I will do anything to repay for everything you did for me, Sensei. I might be pessimistic and fall a victim to depressions and hysteria, but I am a man of my word. And if you believe that I can play my role in this situation I will try my hardest to live up to your expectation," Doppo exhaled slowly and balled his hands into knuckles for mental support before declaring his decision. "I will gladly marry your niece if it really helps you and your family, Sensei. It's the least I can do in return for your -"
But he never had a chance to finish his thought, as Doctor gripped his shoulders and straightened him up. A genial and grateful smile was playing on the older man's lips.
"Thank you, Doppo-kun. You really are a great young man."
"I am not so sure about it," he uttered uncertainly in surprise to sensei's words and actions.
"Her name is Sumi and she is waiting in the corridor."
"Huh? That was your niece earlier?!"
Jakurai didn't answer. He walked to the wardrobe, took off his white medical robe and put on a coat.
"Is MC GIGOLO working today?" was his sudden question, that sounded a little bit out of place.
"Eh, yes. It's his shift today," Doppo gave a frank answer, not actually comprehending what sensei was up to.
"Very well. We will pay him a visit right now. The three of us," with those words Jakurai smirked a little, giving his red haired teammate a new reason to wonder.
[Present time]
Yes, they had visited the host club Hifumi worked at that evening and they tried to use all of their skills to calm the blond down and ask him for cooperation. After everything was settled down (mind you, they needed two hours to gain Hifumi's favor and five bottles of champagne to calm down his nerves), the four intrigants decided that the faster – the better and the marriage registration should be done in three days.
And exactly three days after that fateful visit to Doctor Jinguji, Doppo found himself with a ring on his wedding finger, a stamp in his passport and a filled marriage form with both signatures and a governmental approval in his suitcase. He was officially married to sensei's niece – the girl he hardly knew, but whose head was resting peacefully on his shoulder during this long taxi ride back home.
Home… It was her rented apartment, where he would be living soon too for a whole year.
Doppo still wasn't sure what was going on in his life. Its pace was just too fast to his liking.
They got married today and Hifumi insisted to celebrate the happy event at his work place. He paid for all of them, saying that it was his wedding present for the newlyweds. Jinguji-sensei was among the small group of the guests. Actually, there were no guests at all – only four of them again. But frankly spoken, Doppo did feel happy for some unknown reason.
They didn't drink much (sensei didn't drink at all), but they did try the most expensive and finest champagne the host club provided. And since his young wife came from Jinguji bloodline, she, too, had low tolerance to alcohol. No, she didn't act as her Uncle when he got drunk. She was more passive to that; so passive that she fell asleep almost instantly after taking a sip of an expensive drink.
And so it was decided by three men that Doppo, as her loyal and caring husband, must take her home and make sure nothing bad happens. With a sigh he agreed.
She was fragile and very light in his arms. The fact amused him a lot. He didn't think that girls could be so feather-like to carry. He sat her next to him in a taxi cabin and waited till they get to her apartment building. The road was long and silent as she lived pretty far away from the host club.
They didn't have much time to talk and know each other before marriage. Everything happened too fast and it was hard to keep track of time and events. But… as far as he noticed, Sumi was an earnest and cheerful young woman with a fine sense of beauty.
A young woman…heh.
Doppo chuckled to himself to correct his thoughts.
Yes, she was a female of twenty-three years old. She was a girl six years younger than him. She was fifteen centimeters shorter his own height, very light to carry, she smelled like flower garden in the rain and she was charmingly beautiful. She resembled her Uncle a lot in her appearance, having the same eye colour and long grey-purplish hair she liked to tie in a low-side ponytail.
Those were the very least and small details he could figure out from their short encounters before today's main event.
If it wasn't a fake marriage, Doppo could say for sure that he didn't deserve someone as fragile and nice as this girl. She would have never even wanted to speak with someone like him if they ever happened to cross paths in a daily life. Such feminine creatures liked Sumi would never see anything interesting in a dull and average guy like him.
But from this day on she was going to have his last name.
Was it a trick of fate? It was a fictitious marriage, but they had to pretend being a couple in love for a whole year. Doppo didn't know why exactly it was needed, but Jinguji-sensei was very persistent in this paragraph of their unwritten agreement.
During the ride home, Sumi's head fell on his shoulder in her sleep and he heard her melodic exhale. It was an uneasy feeling. A wave of embarrassment crashed on him, when he felt her warmth. He had never been so close to a girl before and it was a little scary.
No, not a little. It was terrifying scary! The young husband took a quick glance at her sleeping face and held his breath. She was indeed beautiful and elegant.
Something in the back of Doppo's mind was telling him that it was only the beginning of his complications.
The future promised uncertainty.