Soon, Juan and Ceth joined the table with the help of the madam.
As always, Ceth didn't forget to put more food on Juan's plate, which made Juan both thankful and cold.
After all, this action of his wife seems to trigger another deadly glare from the father's eyes.
'Man! You weren't this irritable back then! You were even smiling, as though you had already accepted me as your son-in-law! '
Could it be that Ceth's father has a change of heart? Juan thought inwardly. Juan consistently praying for his own safety.
'No! I should believe in Ceth, my wife! If she said nothing bad will happen, then nothing will.'
With this thought in mind, Juan calmed down somewhat inwardly as he acted like he usually does during a meal.
He acted like Garu was just looking at him with his same gentle and carefree smile.
Just like that, they finished their breakfast smoothly without Garu's usual laugher.
Ceth remains her usual self, while her mother seems very happy that her smile just couldn't leave her face for a moment.
"Juan, welcome to the family. You can call me 'mother' from now on, and of course 'father' to my husband too."
Madam said to Juan as she was cleaning the table of the bowls and plates. Unaware of her husband twitching and bulging veins about to pop.
Then she turned to Ceth, who was looking at her with some embarrassment in her eyes. Only the mother could understand.
'Ceth can't help me clean as usual right now.' the madam thought.
"Oh right, Juan, aren't you having to have some talk with your father-in-law? Why don't you do it now?"
Hearing this made Ceth's somewhat worried eyes relax.
She turned to Juan and nudged at him, which made the latter tremble subconsciously.
Juan looked at Ceth with pleading eyes.
The meaning is clear: he didn't want to be in a single room with Garu alone. Who knew if he could even make it back alive?
Who will take care of his wife anymore? Will she become a widow on her first day of marriage?
However, all he received from Ceth was a nod, and then her answer was indirectly telling him.
"Father, Juan should have rested already. It looks like he can't wait to have a talk with father immediately."
Juan's eyes turn dead immediately after hearing this. Seemingly saying that there's no trust even between husband and wife anymore.
Garu looked at his daughter with fatherly love and nodded at her gently. However, when he turns his gaze to Juan, It immediately turned deadly.
"Very well. Juan, let's go to my room."
Eyes that looked like a dead fish. Movement that feels like he was being controlled by a marionette.
'Ah, I'm dead this time for sure. I only hope I am fast enough to dodge any incoming strike.'
When the door to Garu's room opened, Garu stepped in immediately as thought he can't wait to have to talk about an interesting topic while Juan move more stiffly.
When Juan entered the room, he turned around and let Ceth see his 'have already accepted death' look.
Garu closed the door with a 'bam' which shook Juan's nerve even more.
What he didn't see after the door closed was Ceth, who couldn't help but giggle at his reaction.
"Fufufu~ Husband, do your best."
She muttered softly.
...
Inside the room, Juan remains standing beside the door stiffly.
While Garu sat on the big bed with his arms on his knees and his hands joined together below his jaw while staring at Juan with his cold eyes.
The two remain silent for several minutes with non of them having the intention to initiate the conversation at all.
'Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.'
Juan has literally been screaming in his heart all this time.
His eyes may seem to be dazed but he was actually observing everything in his peripheral vision to find and form an escape route in case he really had to struggle.
How could he let others actually torture him just because his daughter become his wife willingly?
Juan wasn't that naive as to let himself get hurt meaninglessly, even if that person was his wife's father. He would fight back since he did nothing wrong!
'I understand the feeling of losing the beloved and lovely daughter you had loved and taken care of for so many years only to be taken by a young man who had just arrived in the village for several days.'
'After all, I'm also a man; how could I not feel anything? But man! Learn to accept this! This is an inevitable ending! Although the one who took your daughter was a young man of unknown origin.'
'It's not that bad, right? Well, it's me after all. I'm not an irresponsible husband; I will take care of her.'
'I'm serious about my relationship, with her already giving me everything. I will gladly accept her and create a family with your daughter! '
10 minutes later.
"So, what do you think of my daughter?"
Juan was taken aback that his mind had returned to the present when Garu suddenly initiated the talk.
"I like her a lot."
Naturally, he had to answer, but it seems his vocabulary is actually lacking in this area. So he could only opt for the word 'like' which seems insincere even for him.
'Did I mess up? '
However, Garu didn't seem to react because of his somewhat bland response.
"What do you like about my daughter?"
Juan tensed up subconsciously that he started brainstorming immediately. Still, he seems to be thinking so much that he can't think really clearly at this moment.
To find words that praised what he liked about Ceth. Although there were many, they seem to be unworthy.
"I like the way she acts."
Time is tight if he is found to have been answering a question for a long time. Garu might think he wasn't sincere enough.
So when Juan thought of Ceth, the first thing that came to his mind was her expressionless and reserved personality.
Hearing his answer, Garu's eyes narrowed for a bit. It seems the intimidating aura he exuded seems to calm down a bit.
'Could he be happy with my answer? '
Juan thought, but he didn't show that to his face.
Instead, he made sure he was always looking serious when he gave his answer. I pour my emotions on them, but be careful not to overdo it because it might backlash.
"The way she acts? Tell me more."
Juan wanted to raise an eyebrow, seemingly having guessed something in his heart.
'Could Garu actually enjoy having his daughter praised? Could it be that there won't be any bloodbath but just a technique of his mouth? '
No matter what it was, this made Juan calm down a lot. It made his restless mind cool down a lot too.
"Ceth, she's the silent type of girl I really love. Not just now, even before I came to this village. She's my dream wife I always had in my heart and mind."
Juan smiled at this time, remembering how hard it was to find someone like her in modern times.
"Although she looked expressionless most of the time, there are times when funny things happened and I can see her mesmerizing smile."
"I would then turn dazed and ask myself, How could she let out such a dazzling smile? Why? Why is she such a cutie? So pretty!"
"Ah~! This is taking my reason away; I can't think clearly. All I know is that when she's beside me, my eyes will always be on her."
"My mind just can't let me forget about her. Oh Father, how did you make her grow into such a fine lady? Ceth herself has dazzled me."
"She might have just turned into an adult, but in my eyes, she's always a sensible child. She won't say it, but I know she's very observant."
"I don't know what kind of words I should even say. It's hard; my little mind isn't that equipped with praise that she deserve."
"Please forgive me. However, there is one thing that I really wanted to say in front of you."
Juan took a deep breath before bending down on his knees and having his forehead hit the ground gently.
"I hope to take your daughter as my wife from today onwards. To have her with me through out this whole life. Never to leave her in danger and unfortunate times."
"I, Juan, promise this vow with the witness of Father. From the bottom of my heart. Etched within my soul. Please let me have her forever."
"...."
The room became silent, with no one making any movement, even by an inch or a centimeter.
Even the sounds of their breathing aren't that loud, but they became apparent.
Juan was sweating; he felt his head heating up from embarrassment. What he just did was unthinkable. Why did he have to say it like that?
'Ahhh! This is truly! .....I wish I could turn back time for a few minutes and delete this recklessness from happening.'
The passion of his youth and his first wife of his life. Not to mention how he was still enchanted and mesmerized by his wife.
When Garu asked him about Ceth, his mouth just couldn't stop saying what he couldn't even think.
It was as if there's another him inside his body who was honest and didn't know what shyness is.