So… last chapter Hayami discovered that she was to become Ritsu's betrothed and she isn't happy about it!

Thank you to everyone who is following and who has favourited this fic!

Chapter 3

Marry Ritsu Kasanoda or bring shame to my father.

Those were the only thoughts swimming through my mind as Ryunosuke escorted me back inside. I felt… numb, like I wasn't really in control of my body anymore. I took my place at the table, head low as my father shared a look with Ryunosuke.

"So, I believe it has all been agreed then Kasanoda" My father seemed happy.

I lifted my head only to catch a dangerous look out of the corner of my eye from Ryunosuke and quickly looked back down.

"It is indeed Tanaka" the other man spoke and I could see Ritsu was still staring at the table cloth.

"Wonderful. I agree that the engagement shouldn't be announced quite yet, after all they are only first years. It wouldn't do well for her peers to think she might be pregnant" my father chuckled.

Whoa what?! Would people really think that about me!?

"Agreed. While in the upper echelons of society an engagement this early is looked upon as a move for a secure future… for our kind, people tend to think the worst of it. I wouldn't want people thinking my Ritsu had been careless enough to get a girl pregnant and neither would I want people thinking your Hayami is that kind of girl" Kasanoda was being serious and it was actually scaring me a little.

"Wonderful… well!" my father looked at his watch "we must get going, it's getting late and Hayami has school in the morning"

"Ah yes, as does Ritsu" Kasanoda chuckled.

After the usual formalities in saying goodbye, I climbed in the car and waited for my father and brother to join me. The car was silent and I was afraid to open my mouth should I get another slap from Ryunosuke for being insolent. The ride home was spent in silence, nobody saying anything, even once we'd arrived home and gone inside.

Once I was through the front door, I kept moving, other members of the Syndicate eying me warily as I stomped along only to be frozen by a call behind me.

"Goodnight my sweet peach blossom" it was my father and he was acting as if nothing was wrong.

I turned to look over my shoulder, shooting him the most hurt, devastated and betrayed look I could muster with a sad huff before vanishing into my room and slamming the door behind me.

Normal POV

"Father are you really going to let her get away with that?" Ryunosuke stared in disbelief at his sisters' attitude before moving to follow her.

"It has been a lot for her to take in Ryunosuke… let her be" Shiro shook his head.

"No father, she needs to learn her place and not be an insolent brat! The Kasanoda kid is a great match for her and she should be grateful for it" his head whipped round to look at his father as he spoke.

"Be that as it may son, she is only fifteen. Your marriage arrangement wasn't completed until you were twenty one and you knew what to expect" he paused "she will come around to the idea or god help me I will make her accept it"

Hayami's POV

Sleep refused to come for me as I lay in bed, rolling over occasionally to try and get comfortable. I'd spent a good hour after slamming my door sobbing into my pillow because honestly I didn't think my father would do that to me. It was bad enough that people were a little wary of me but now… now any chance of a normal life was slipping away.

I'd been trying to will sleep on for the last few hours and I sighed, rolling over again to look at the clock on my nightstand. A bright red 3:30am glowed in the darkness of the room and I grumbled. I must have fallen asleep at some point but only for maybe an hour and I had to be up in less than three to get ready for school.

At around 4:30am I gave up. Clearly I was not going to be sleeping tonight so instead I slipped from my bed and decided to go sit outside. Clad in my pyjamas, I padded down the halls, a pair of sneakers in my hands as I made my way to the backyard. Sitting on the back step, I slipped my sneakers on and stepped out onto the stone tiled floor.

I could see other syndicate members patrolling the grounds as they should be as I crept along towards the gazebo that overlooked the koi pond. Sinking down onto the outdoor couch, I stared out over the dimly lit koi pond, barely making out the shapes of the koi as they mingled and swirled together. I knew my father had wanted to be on better terms with the Kasanoda Syndicate… but why did I have to be the bargaining chip? Aside from Ryunosuke, my other brothers hadn't been thrown into arranged marriages and I was bitter about it. They would be free to choose their own wives and find love but I was to be doomed to live in a loveless marriage with the next head of the Kasanoda Syndicate.

"Couldn't sleep?"

I almost yelped when I heard that voice but thankfully I turned to see who it was first, my eyes landing on Ryoma, one of my father's men who surprisingly always seemed to be on my side. He'd been there when my parents split but he'd been only 18 at the time, fresh out of school and straight into working for the syndicate. He was only 30 now but he could easily pass as a man in his early 20's.

"What gave that away?" I managed a dry chuckle, drawing my knees up to my chest, watching him curiously.

"I heard about what happened… and what's going to be happening in the future… I'm sorry" he offered a sympathetic look.

Ryoma had always been on my side about living my own life, not that he'd let my father find out about it. He'd end up getting the shit beat out of him if he was lucky, if not he'd probably get offed and dumped in the river. Anything that went against the good of the syndicate could end up in termination… quite literally.

"Yeah well… there isn't really anything I can do about it…" I shrugged, wrapping my arms tighter around my knees.

"Well I wouldn't say that… you could always fight it. There is always a way out of any situation, I taught you that remember?" he chuckled.

To fight or not to fight… it was a choice and one I wasn't sure I could go through with.

Normal POV

Hayami spent the day napping on and off during classes and spent her lunch break snoozing under a tree tucked away from the rest of the school. That didn't stop a certain red head from finding her thought.

"Hayami… we need to talk"

Groaning lightly, she opened her eyes to see Ritsu standing over her. With a grumble, she pushed up to sit, leaning back against the tree.

"Yes we do… take a seat Ritsu" she eyed him as he plopped down next to her.

"Look, I had no idea my old man was planning to have us… you know" he motioned with his hands.

"I kind of guessed from the look on your face at the dinner" she rolled her eyes "I had no idea my father was planning anything either"

"I noticed… by the way, what happened to your face? I thought it looked a bit red when you came back after getting some air but today it looks like it's bruising… did your brother… did he hit you?" Ritsu narrowed his eyes.

Hayami sighed heavily and dug in her bag, pulling out her compact mirror and eyeing her face. Sure enough, under the foundation she'd applied to cover it, there was the barest hint of a bruise peeking through. Snapping the compact shut, she tossed it back into her bag.

"Well?" Ritsu asked and she could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't happy about it.

"Yes" she shrugged a little "its fine, I deserved it for almost making a scene"

Ritsu huffed "I never pegged you for being the type to take a hit sitting down"

She narrowed her eyes "unless you are forgetting… Ryunosuke is going to be the Lord when father steps down and as such, he is to be treated as if he IS the new Lord. Doesn't matter if I am his sister or not, he could have me sent away Ritsu"

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Ritsu spoke up again.

"So… I guess that means we are dating or something now?"

She stared at him like he was crazy "uh… Ritsu, no offence but I don't want to marry you. I want to choose my own husband thanks"

Ritsu stiffened a little "why don't you want to marry me? Is it because I have a mean face?"

Hayami blinked. From the way Ritsu had behaved at the dinner, she'd figured he didn't want to marry her either but maybe she'd been wrong.

"It has nothing to do with your face Ritsu… like I said before, I want to pick my own husband and fall in love, not be paired off with someone like a prized animal" she shrugged softly.

"But… marrying me would secure you a future Hayami, a future with a life you know and people you know" he turned to look at her.

"I…" she stopped "I just…"

"Please Hayami… at least give me a chance? See if you could love me? Either way, we will be married when we graduate so what's the harm in trying to fall in love first?" he raised a brow at her.

His reasoning was… wrong and Hayami stood abruptly.

"No Ritsu. I don't want to marry you; I don't want to have anything other than friendship with you. I don't care what my father said or yours for that matter"

Hayami's POV

I turned to walk away but quite suddenly found myself being tugged back. I gasped as Ritsu's hand clasped around my wrist as he tugged me against him, his eyes boring down into mine.

"Do you want relations between our syndicates to break down? Do you want that Hayami? Do you want your father and my father at war? Do you want people storming your home, the bloodshed that would be inevitable?" his gaze burned into mine and I felt the same as I had the night before just before Ryunosuke slapped me.

In that moment I was terrified.

"N-no…" I stammered

"Good. Then we do what is expected of us. We will marry after graduating our third year. You will learn to love me Hayami… and you will learn your place…"

He released his grip on me and started walking away.

"Oh, by the way, you are to ride home with me after school from now on. Your father wants us to be seen together, a show of power towards the other syndicates. Host club is off limits unless I have to stay for tutoring. Meet me by the fountain after school" and with that he was gone.

I stood there in shock, watching him disappear into a group of students. What the hell just happened? Ritsu had always been so kind, even gentle… why was he now behaving like I was his property?! Either he was terrified his father would cause problems, or he saw how advantageous our marriage would be … either way I knew I couldn't count on him to end this.

I was royally screwed.

Poor Hayami! You'll have to stay tuned for the next chapter to find out what happens next!