Manami's laughter rang out across the café, her teasing tone cutting through my irritation. "Listen, Iori. Don't you think it's time you started thinking about your future? Look at me—I'm already a mother, happily married, and you're still… well, you. Don't you have anyone in mind? Your mom calls me all the time, asking if there's someone special."
I rolled my eyes, stirring the remnants of my tea. "It's not like I haven't thought about it, Manami. But… I don't know. I've always had this strange feeling, like someone is waiting for me. And because of that, I feel like I have to wait for him, too."
Manami snorted, waving a dismissive hand. "That's just your overactive imagination. Why waste your life chasing after dreams when reality is right in front of you? Speaking of which, do you remember that senior from university?"
I raised an eyebrow, genuinely puzzled. "What senior?"
Manami leaned forward, her expression exasperated. "Kazuki-senpai! You know, the one who had a huge crush on you and went to the U.S. to do some big research project? Well, he's back this Monday, and there's a reunion party this Friday. Everyone from the university is going. You should come."
I shook my head quickly. "No, I—"
My phone vibrated on the table, cutting me off.
"Brrrr… brrrr…"
"Hello?" I answered, only to be met with my mother's voice, her tone cheerful yet commanding.
"Iori, darling! I've arranged something wonderful for you—a blind date tomorrow!" she announced, as though this were perfectly reasonable.
"Wait, what?!" I shot up in my seat, drawing curious glances from the other patrons. "Mom, you didn't even ask me!"
"Nonsense," she replied breezily. "You'll go. If you don't, I'll never speak to you again."
"Mom, hold on a second—"
The line went dead.
I lowered the phone, staring at it in disbelief. "She can't be serious."
Manami grinned, clearly enjoying the drama. "What happened now?"
I groaned, slumping back into my chair. "My mom just set me up on a blind date and said she'd disown me if I didn't go."
Manami clapped her hands, her laughter drawing even more attention. "Oh, your mom is my hero. Honestly, I think she's doing the right thing."
I glared at her. "Traitor."
---
Meanwhile, back at my parents' home, an entirely different conversation unfolded.
"Do you think we're making the right decision?" my mother asked softly, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
My father placed a comforting hand over hers. "We've kept her safe all these years, protecting her from harm. But now the time has come. She must meet his highness and fulfill her destiny."
"I know," she whispered. "But when she finds out the truth—that I'm not her real mother—will she forgive us?"
"She will," my father said confidently. "We raised her with love and care. She'll understand. And if she and his highness aren't together by her 30th birthday, the curse will descend upon the fairy kingdom. We can't let that happen."
My mother nodded slowly, though her worry remained. "I hope their love will be strong enough to break the curse. I hope they'll become the most glorious emperor and empress in our history."
---
I paced my apartment later that evening, fuming. "Can you believe them? They didn't even think about how I'd feel about this blind date!"
Manami lounged on my couch, scrolling through her phone. "Oh, come on. They're just looking out for you. And who knows? Maybe this is fate."
I shot her a glare. "If it is, I'll send you a photo of my so-called prince charming. But only if he's hot."
Manami smirked. "Please do. Ren would love to hear that his wife is chasing after hot guys now."
I rolled my eyes. "Ren's your husband. Shouldn't you be on my side?"
She laughed, tossing her phone onto the coffee table. "Let's go to a bar. You need a drink to calm down."
I hesitated but eventually relented. "Fine. But don't let me drink too much. You know how bad my tolerance is."
As we headed out, I couldn't shake the unease growing in my chest. The dreams, the strange feelings, my parents' cryptic behavior—it all felt connected somehow. But to what? And why did I feel like my life was about to change forever?
---
At the bar, I stared into my glass of wine, letting Manami's chatter wash over me. My thoughts drifted to the man from my dreams. Who was he? Why did I feel like I knew him, like we were meant to meet?
"Iori, are you even listening?" Manami waved a hand in front of my face.
I blinked, snapping back to reality. "Sorry. What were you saying?"
She sighed, leaning closer. "If something's going on with you, you can tell me. I'm your best friend, remember?"
I hesitated. Could I even put my feelings into words? "Manami… have you ever felt like there's someone out there waiting for you? Someone you've never met but somehow know?"
She gave me a long look before bursting into laughter. "Oh, Iori. You're such a hopeless romantic. If that's the case, then this blind date might just be your chance to meet him."
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. If only it were that simple.