A Gift for My Fiancé (旦那さまへ贈り物, Danna-sama e Okurimono?) is the third chapter of Volume 1 of the My Happy Marriage novel.
Summary[]
Miyo, wanting to give Kiyoka a present to thank him for the comb as well as his kindness, asks Yurie for advice on what to give him. Yurie suggests that she should give him something he can use everyday and encourages Miyo to give him a handmade gift. Yurie lends her a craft project book, and Miyo decides to make Kiyoka a braided cord for his hair. Later that day, she asks him for permission to go out with Yurie sometime soon to buy the materials. Kiyoka is worried about her safety, but eventually agrees. On the morning of the outing, Kiyoka gives her an amulet to keep her safe.
Meanwhile at the Tatsuishi house, Kouji is miserable because of his father's foul mood and because he is forced to marry Kaya instead of Miyo, the one he actually loves. Kaya pesters him to accompany her out shopping.
Miyo and Yurie go to a craft supplies store, where Miyo picked out threads for the cord. Just when they are about to return home, Yurie remembers that she has to get salt and asks Miyo to stay where she is while she goes to grocery store. As Miyo waits for her, she has an unpleasant run-in with Kaya and Kouji. Kaya expresses surprise that Miyo is still alive and asks her if she is now wandering the streets because Kiyoka had abandoned her. Kouji tries to stop Kaya, but she ignores him and continues to mock Miyo. Miyo wants to talk back to her, but can't find the will, so she can only apologize, much to her own disappointment.
Just then, Yurie returns. Kaya introduces herself as Miyo's sister and asks if Miyo is her companion. Yurie corrects her by saying that Miyo is marrying her master, Kiyoka Kudou. Shocked, Kaya leaves with Kouji. Miyo and Yurie return home. Miyo, scared of what Yurie must think of her cowardliness and filled with self-hatred, holes herself up in her room.
Around the same time, Kiyoka visits the Saimori estate and meets with Shinichi and Kanoko. He is disgusted by their polite and hospitable demeanor, knowing how they treated Miyo. Kiyoka states his intention to formally betroth Miyo so that they may marry in the future but won't pay the bride-price unless they offer her a sincere apology in person. Shinichi remains silent with rage for a long time before asking Kiyoka to give him some time to think it over. He leaves the estate just as Kaya and Kouji return. Kaya, who is in a bad mood because of the revelation that Miyo is still living in Kiyoka's house, is mesmerized by Kiyoka's beauty.
Kiyoka returns home to find Yurie and Miyo there waiting for him. Miyo is clearly despondent, and Kiyoka learns from Yurie what happened earlier that day. Kiyoka regrets not telling Yurie about Miyo's abusive family earlier and doesn't know what to do to comfort her. Yurie suggests that he should make her feel loved and valued. Kiyoka goes to Miyo's room and is told that she wants to be left alone. Kiyoka doesn't push her and says before leaving that all the worries plaguing her now will one day fade into the past, and that he will be there whenever she wants to share her thoughts with him.
For the rest of the week, Kiyoka hardly sees Miyo, who remains in her room and doesn't even come out to see him off to work or welcome him home. He also hasn't received an answer from the Saimoris and has to deal with the frequent appearance of familiars sent to spy on him. Godou teases him for feeling so downhearted over a woman. Kiyoka reminds him that he has to pick up a certain person at the train station tomorrow and privately hopes that Miyo will be happy.
Miyo had holed herself in her room all this time to work on the braided cord for Kiyoka, as well as using the leftover materials to make another one. She is surprised when Yurie informs her that she has a guest, only to find out that it's Hana, the maid from her childhood who took care of her after her mother died. The two have an emotional reunion. Hana tells her that she is now married and has children. She has heard about what happened to Miyo after she was fired and apologizes for not being able to be there for her. At first, Hana didn't believe that she had the right to see Miyo again, but she eventually decided to come because she wanted to see her former mistress happy. Miyo confesses that she wouldn't be able to stay in Kiyoka's house any longer because she doesn't have a Gift or any other talents. Hana reveals that it was Kiyoka who tracked her down and asked her to come and see Miyo. Upon hearing that, Miyo realizes that Kiyoka must have looked into her background and knows all along that she doesn't have a Gift. She had been convinced that he would throw her out once he discovered the truth about her, but now she knows that he is not the kind of person who would do something like that. Hana encourages Miyo to go to Kiyoka and tells her that she will always be there for her. The two embrace.
Miyo goes to Kiyoka and tells him the truth about her lack of a Gift, as well as her lack of education and the other reasons she believes disqualify her from being his wife. She tells him that she will do anything he tells her to do, then gives him the braided cord as a token of her gratitude and apology. Kiyoka tells her that he can't have her leave because he is going to make their engagement official. He then embraces her and asks her if she wants to stay here with him, and she joyfully agrees. He asks her to tie his hair for him with the braided cord. Later, the two and Yurie go and see Hana off. Godou comes to pick her up and confirms that he wasn't followed, meaning that whoever is sending the familiars is only interested in Kiyoka.
At the Tatsuishi house, Minoru is frustrated that his familiars aren't finding Miyo. He learned from Kaya that Kiyoka had recently paid a visit to the Saimori house and assumed that he was there to complain about the bride they sent him. He believes that Miyo will soon be kicked out of Kiyoka's house and available for the Tatsuishis.
A week later, Miyo dresses in her new kimono in preparation for receiving Godou for dinner. Now that she is no longer uncertain about her future, she has decided to invite Godou to thank him for driving Hana. Kiyoka drives Godou to his house, shaking off another familiar on the way. Kiyoka, stunned by her improved looks, awkwardly compliments her in her new kimono. Godou praises Miyo on her cooking and jokingly asks her to marry him. Miyo, flustered, declines as she prefers Kiyoka more. Kiyoka is secretly pleased at hearing this, as he had a nagging suspicion that she would have married anyone who gave her a warm home. Miyo soon drops her reserve towards Godou as the two talk animatedly about Kiyoka.
After Godou goes home, Kiyoka finds Miyo asleep in the living room, suffering from a nightmare. He also senses the presence of a Gift, though he knows that neither he nor Godou had used their powers during dinner. Kiyoka wakes her up from her nightmare and asks her to be more open with him. He lets her cry into his chest, and Miyo eventually describes her nightmare in which Kanoko and Kaya ripped up her mother's mementos. Miyo asks him once again if she can stay with him forever even though she was talentless, and he tells her once again that he never thought of her that way. She declares her intention to do better so that she can support him in the future. Kiyoka is happy that she is thinking about her own future more, even as he wonders if the Gift he sensed before came from a member of the Usuba family. The next morning, Miyo gives Kiyoka a packed lunch as an apology for worrying him last night and resolves once more to support him as his fiancée.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Miyo Saimori
- Yurie
- Kiyoka Kudou
- Kouji Tatsuishi
- Kaya Saimori
- Shinichi Saimori
- Kanoko Saimori
- Yoshito Godou
- Hana
- Minoru Tatsuishi
Mentioned characters[]
Chapter Notes[]
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