Takes place after chapter 123
"Is this… a dream?"
I, iroha, muttered to myself as I finished the marriage registration at the town hall and received the necessary certificates. As I said it aloud, I couldn't help but reach out and gently pinch the cheek of the journalist-turned-partner standing beside me—Kanako Doi.
"Pinch your own cheek, not mine."
Even as she said that, she retaliated by pinching mine. I guess we were both on the same wavelength—our feelings mirroring each other without words.
Squish.
Squish.
And then a third joined in—Yozora Kurai.
"Sorry, I just couldn't bring myself to do it alone."
"Got it."
"Let's all go for it."
"Just… no digging in with nails, okay?"
Apparently, we were all feeling the same disbelief. The three of us stood in a circle, pinching each other's cheeks in unison.
With serious, determined expressions, we gave each other silent nods.
"Okay then."
"Ready, set—go!"
Snap!
With a shout, we tugged at each other's cheeks and then let go. Just before the skin could tear, our fingers slipped free, slicing the air with a small snapping sound.
"Owwwww…"
"They're gonna rip off…"
"Ughhh…"
All three of us collapsed, clutching our burning cheeks in agony. Seriously, we could've gone a little easier on each other.
"What are you girls even doing…?"
We looked up to see Yata Umino, the little girl with the aura of a veteran housewife, staring down at us with a mix of disbelief and exasperation. Despite her old-soul way of speaking, I still had no idea what she really was.
Can you blame us? Everything had gone so smoothly, it was hard to tell if it was a dream or delusion.
"This isn't a dream or a scam, alright?"
"No, it totally looks like one."
"Well, considering how everything from sneaking into his bed to making it official was just one thing after another… I get why it feels unreal."
"We do get a honeymoon phase, right?"
I asked, a bit resentfully.
"One at a time. Three days each. In order."
I glanced down at the order listed on the documents.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5…
It was every girl's romantic dream—a honeymoon period—but naturally, it wouldn't start for at least a month.
"Everything goes by order, that's how it is."
At least it seemed fair. No one was demanding extra payment to jump the line, so I suppose it was a pretty ethical setup.
"For now, just enjoy a hug."
And so, we—us three "guest" girls—got a farewell hug from Hisui-san.
There was even a kiss. My first kiss with a man. I'd had a few drunken kisses with girls in the past, but this… this was different.
I thought my heart might explode.
"Haaa…"
Having wrapped up everything and checked out, we waited for our train at the station, all three of us sighing in sync.
"Can we even post about this online?"
As part of the "online sleuth team," that had been our top priority. But in truth, the whole info-hunting thing was really just a means to justify goofing off and damage-control if we failed.
It was always:
'We failed! Accomplished nothing!'
'LOOOL!'
But now that we'd actually hit the jackpot, we realized it was a bit of a problem.
"No way we can post this," Kanako muttered.
"If we do, another sleuth group will just trace our IP and dig up our personal info," Yozora added.
"Yeah, true…"
Going behind everyone's back to register the marriage? We'd be absolutely roasted online.
Even when the online crowd's on your side, they're never reliable—and they're downright dangerous if they turn on you.
"What about telling our workplaces?"
Depending on the company, reporting a marriage—especially to a man—could mean tax breaks or even company subsidies. For big firms or public servants, it might be financially unwise not to report it.
But on the flip side, if coworkers or bosses found out, they might try to sneak in for a piece of the pie.
"Let's wait and see. If it looks like our privacy's protected, I'll file the report."
"My company's borderline black, so I'll just keep quiet."
Yozora seemed to have it tough.
"Honestly, the benefit's tiny, so it doesn't matter much either way. I'll wait, too," Kanako chimed in.
"I seriously didn't expect it to be practically free."
The support allowance was only 20,000 yen per month—pretty low considering we're all working. Online rumors talked about tens of thousands a month, so by comparison, it felt like a steal.
"Plus, as a wife, you get permanent discounts on lodging, can stay even when it's fully booked on your exclusive days, and it's even cheaper?"
"That's just price-breaking insanity."
"Shouldn't it be the other way around?"
"If you hit the jackpot and manage to confess and get chosen, that's fine—but if it leaks out, we're in deep trouble."
No wonder everything had been kept vague before the marriage.
"Compared to chasing some unreachable male idol, this feels more real and close."
"Well… geographically speaking, maybe not."
Even though there's a bullet train, it's still kind of an out-of-the-way place. Traveling back and forth costs several tens of thousands of yen each time—but honestly, that's cheaper than paying a 'breeding fee' to some sketchy guy.
In the first place, I've never even encountered a decent man outside of Hisui-san.
And so, the three of us shared thoughts and perspectives as we made our way home.
Later—actually, the next day—my coworkers cornered me: "You took time off, right? So? How'd it go?"
And within seconds, the truth was out. After endless prying and interrogation, it somehow led to the company choosing that infamous "Bird Hut" as the next group retreat spot.
It's a story we laugh about now.