The Groom's choice

Chapter 6: The Marriage Certificates

As they arrived at city hall, a sleek black Ford was parked right at the entrance. The moment Johnson stepped out, a staff member's face lit up with a smile as bright as a sunflower. "Mr.—" Before he could finish his greeting, Johnson gave him a playful wink. The staff member, catching on, quickly regained his composure and exclaimed, "You're here to get married, right? Come in, let's get this going!" His enthusiasm was so over-the-top that she found herself questioning whether they were in the right place.

The building was bright and tidy, with freshly polished floors, though only one window was open. After she filled out the paperwork, she glanced around and said softly to Johnson, "Looks like not many folks are getting married these days, huh? I mean, we're the only couple here on a weekday."

Johnson smirked subtly and handed the director her completed form. The staff member, about to take the form, nearly tripped over himself upon hearing her comment. Normally, city hall would be packed with long lines. But today, they'd cleared the whole place out just for Johnson.

Collecting himself, the staff beamed, "Everything looks good. Now, care to take a photo?" His kind eyes made it easy to feel at ease, even if the situation was a bit odd. Johnson and she sat down, each at a distance. The staff eyed them, noticing the gap between them, then raised a hand. "Come, lean in closer. Don't be shy."

She hesitated for a moment, but then she heard the soft sound of Johnson dragging his chair nearer. Suddenly, she felt the warmth of his shoulder against hers. "Alright, look at the camera and smile," the staff said.

She managed a smile while Johnson flashed a charming grin. Click. The staff admired the photo of the attractive couple, his smile wide. They looked like a perfect pair.

Yet, something felt slightly off. The staff rubbed his chin thoughtfully before proposing, "How about you two share a deep gaze?"

As soon as she heard that, she instinctively turned her head, and at that moment, Johnson did the same. The next thing they knew, their faces were just inches apart, and then, they kissed.

'Wait, did I just kiss Johnson?' she thought.

The soft, chill scent of Johnson lingered in the air as it brushed against her nose. Her eyelashes fluttered for a moment, caught off guard, before she quickly pulled away like she'd just been zapped. Her cheeks were already burning.

Johnson looked a bit taken aback, too, and instinctively reached up to touch his warm lips as if her sweet fragrance still clung to him. Seeing him do that made her neck heat up even more.

The staff smiled brightly and quickly photographed the scene just now.

When they stepped out of city hall, the staff guided the others to gather on the steps for a little send-off, waving and saying, "See you next—"

"Whoa!" one of the staff members quickly covered his mouth. "Dude, maybe not the best choice of words."

The staff caught on and quickly made a couple of dismissive gestures. This perfect couple was growing old together.

As she stepped out of city hall, her cheeks were still flushed. She kept her gaze fixed on the ground the entire walk, practically trying to disappear into herself like an ostrich when she slid into the car.

It was so humiliating. She turned her head so quickly that it felt like her teeth clipped Johnson's lips.

As she buckled her seatbelt, her mind raced. Why had she closed her eyes? Embarrassment washed over her, and she gripped their marriage certificate so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Johnson, already settled back in his seat, noticed her flustered state. With a playful smirk, he reached over and tousled her hair.

"Careful," he teased. "We just got this marriage certificate; let's not ruin it already."