Bargain Wedding

A Correct Posture

Axel felt her hands clammy as she entered a grand multi-corporation tower. She could read the words in green, bold font on the digital signage — Green Dot. "Excuse me?" Axel called the receptionist after stepping close to the reception. The man looked up at her, a wired phone fixed between his ear and shoulder as he nodded and signed, asking for a minute.

Axel pressed her lips together and looked around, seeing many good-looking girls and boys strolling around in groups. "Yes, how may I be of help?" The young man now smiled, putting the phone's receiver down, all attentive.

"It's my first day, and I am one of the trainees chosen for this year's acting program. Could you point me in the direction of Mr. Stone's office?"

"Do you have your acceptance letter with you?" The receptionist asked.

"Yes," Axel was quick to dig her hand into her purse and pull out the document that was asked.

Scanning the letter, the receptionist handed a white and green lanyard to the young woman. "Wear this inside the premises at all times. Walk straight for the elevator. Mr. Stone sits on the eighth floor."

"Thanks," Axel bowed her head and the man didn't reciprocate. The woman understood the cultural difference, so she didn't mind about not getting a bow back in return. But the way the receptionist talked to her, it seemed like this was his everyday job to usher the future actors in the corridors of the office, and that Green Dot must call many people every day.

She suddenly realized the competition was just starting.

Just as she reached the eighth floor, her heart began to sink, and her confidence started to falter. Sighing and shaking her head, she breathed deeply, looking at so many people in their youth — a few chattering, a few fanning the documents on their faces, and a few staring at her as she tried to peer through.

She was sure if she asked Jona, she wouldn't have to wait in the long line and would be treated like the VIP that she was. At that thought, she grinned, feeling that this was probably the first time in her life that she was getting the recognition of what she deserved on her own, not because she was a daughter of Haru Aoki or a wife of Jona Suzuki. It was enough to pep her up and bring back the confidence she was losing.

Mr. Stone's assistant attended to them shortly, asking the people to form groups of ten people. Axel joined a group of a few girls and boys who didn't talk to each other, but they waited for their turn anxiously. Each group would go inside the office, but not come out. The assistant would come back and announce the next group to go in.

Finally, Axel's group was called and she entered the office along with her peers.

To her surprise, the place didn't look like an office at all from the inside. There was a long-elevated stage for the ramp walk. There were weight machines and height measurement tools on one side, and on the next side was a collection of albums. All the walls were covered in posters of rock bands, or famous actors of all time.

"Welcome to Green Dot."

Axel whipped her neck in front when a man, seemingly in his forties, addressed them. "I am Bill Stone and a few of you will be the face of the next decades if you work with passion. You are all standing in this room because you all have some or the other talent. Some of you might dance, sing, act, or model, but we are looking for someone who would perform with limited resources, all things," the man paused as he held eye contact with Axel for a jiffy before he continued. "In your time here, you will be trained under trainers. All of you must abide by the company rules. If you have any doubts, you should reach out to your mentors, who will be assigned to you within a day. For now, get your measurements done, go home, eat, drink, or do whatever you want. But once the training starts, you will be on a strict diet regimen. You will do as you are told. Thank you, and good luck to each one of you."

The crowd began to disperse as the man stopped talking and Axel looked at everyone when Mr. Stone also started to get off the stage. "Mr. Stone," she raised her hand a little and the man looked back at her with his brows slightly raised. "I need to correct my name. Where should I go for that?"

The man stared at her for a second too long before nodding.

☘

Coco was driving into an unknown neighborhood, but he still felt that it was familiar. It dawned upon him suddenly that he was near the familiar farmhouse where he had picked Axel from. He couldn't pry his thoughts anymore when he was so near, so he decided to pay a long-pending visit to Botan.

After pulling his car in front of the big house, he walked over to the curb and rang the bell. As he waited, thinking of what needed to be said, a boy opened the door, to his comfort. "Hey, I am from Sophia University. I need to ask a few questions from you if you don't mind."

Botan looked at Coco — a tall and handsome man with brown eyes, raven hair, a symmetrical face, pink lips, broad shoulders, and most importantly, he was in an expensive suit. Botan couldn't comprehend what someone like Coco would be doing at university, but nonetheless, Sophia was his university, so he had no reason to think that the handsome man wasn't who he was saying he was. "Sure, what is it about?"

"We are collecting some data so that we can send gifts to all the senior students who have just graduated. Something like a yearbook, and a gift card."

Botan's eyes widened at the mention of a gift card. "Would you like to come inside?" He asked. No matter how rich a person was, they would always get excited about free food or a gift. Botan was no different.

Coco smirked with his head hung low and followed the younger boy into the living room. Pulling out his phone, he sat on the couch once the boy gestured and began to type away at it.

"Would you like anything to drink?" The host asked.

"No, I am actually in a hurry. I'd be on my way if you could just tell me how many family members are in your house?"

"Three. But why are you asking me this?" Botan asked, his face scowled in confusion.

"So that we can send the appropriate gift card to you," Coco mentioned and felt proud of his impromptu new role. As Botan nodded in understanding, Coco began to form his next question, typing just anything on his screen, while making it seem like he was noting down the essential information. "Did you have a girlfriend at college, you know, so that we can collate your pictures together with the photo album?"

Botan's cheek burned and he turned red. "I bat for the other team," he mumbled, looking up at Coco with a shy smile and the man cleared his throat.

"Tell me about your boyfriend then, or your friends you would want in the picture."

"Well, I was friends with Krystal, Axel, Jackson, and Minhaj. In my group, Axel and Minhaj were something you must know. If you could surprise them with something, I don't know..." Botan shrugged.

"Minhaj?" Coco's curiosity piqued, but he kept it at bay. He was hearing of this name for the first time. All he needed to know was with him now, and he had no interest in continuing the conversation.

Moreover, this felt like stabbing a friend in the back. He didn't know why he thought investigating this would be a good idea. Axel was with his friend now, and Jona was happier than ever with her, he could tell. He didn't want to go around looking for Minhaj anymore. Whatever was, was in the past.

"Mhm, the main dancers of our 'Let's get it' group."

"Shoot!" Coco immediately jolted to his feet, making it seem like he had forgotten something really important. "I just remembered. This survey was supposed to be done with the student's parents to maintain the element of surprise. Please forget that I was here and wait for your gift."

Botan only looked dumbly with his wide eyes as Coco ran out of the house.

☘

"How was it?" Jona asked over the phone, his voice coming with a bit of static noise in the background.

"Good, but I was expecting more."

"More how?" Jona asked, laughing now and willing to take constructive feedback so that he could incorporate those changes in the company.

"Well, for starters, they should have provided us with some refreshments and chocolate milk."

Jona chuckled out loud. "I am serious!" Axel intoned. "Each one of us was so nervous. Mr. Stone could use smiling, too. He was a handsome man, but it was as if he didn't want people to feel that he was approachable. I asked him to make changes to my name though."

"What changes?" Jona asked, squinting his eyes in confusion while recollecting what he had read in Axel's acceptance letter.

"It says Ms. and I am clearly not a Ms. anymore. I also want to use the name Suzuki."

"You do?" Jona's voice had a clear lilt of surprise. Axel never seemed to him like a girl who would want to take her husband's name.

"Why is it so hard to believe that I am also a romantic?"

"I thought you would want me to take your last name. Jona Aoki," The man chuckled again.

"I miss you, Jona. Why aren't you with me right now?" Axel complained earnestly. "I don't know anyone here and I have Friday and Saturday free. You will also land on Sunday. I don't know what I should do for the next two days."

"Take your Harley and go for a stroll. I would have said you should bar hop, but I won't unless I am with you."

"Come soon, please," Axel answered wearily.

"I will, I promise."

Axel sighed and closed her eyes, thinking how clingy she was becoming. Never did she think in her life that she would be begging Jona to be with her. How the tables had turned.

The day was almost nigh. She'd spent her hours in the park, eating there, and watching children playing with dogs. It felt nice to bask in daylight after a long time. After consuming vitamin D from the sun, she slept for hours.

The hiking trip, the accident, and then the graduation, everything was back to back, and she was still overborne by the exertion. She thought about a nap for some more time, but couldn't.

Getting up, she was making her way into the living room. Just as she held the door, her hand jolted and she cursed. "f**k! Stupid static." Wringing her hands in the next moment, she was out under the high ceiling.

She put on some music and began to stretch. Her forte was Ballet, but she was well-versed in modern dance and Hip Hop, too. Lately, she has been trying to work on her contemporary skills, and she was finding the style zestful, suiting her body and mind.

Closing her eyes, she listened to music for a moment, letting it sink into her mind and soul and her arms immediately stretched, one at the side, one in front, as she began to sashay to her fifth position. Her movements were stiff and not as flowy as she wanted them to be, perhaps because her back was still sore. Plying her feet into the fourth and fifth position, repeatedly, she began to catch the rhythm and when her eyes opened, she found Jona standing in front of her, looking extremely suave in his beige suit with a combination of white shirt and blue tie.

Axel's feet stopped, and her hands froze, sticking to their position.

When the man looked at Axel's big ovals doting at him like she was awestruck, his lips snickered. "Miss me?"

"Uh, uh," Jona raised his finger instantly when Axel's body started to shift, wanting to rush to her. He stepped closer. "Stop right there."

Axel's heart was so fast she felt that it would cleave through her chest and fall in front of her own eyes. Her lips quivered as the elation and the surprise overthrew her. All she wanted to do was kiss her husband for the first time in sobriety. But why did Jona have to be so cruel to stop her from moving?

She obliged, panting and steadying her dizzy mind.

Jona's palms grabbed Axel's waist, letting her breath ghost against his chin. Her breathing intensified further at the touch. Jona's gaze slowly padded up to her lips before his own lips formed a soft smile. With a very low and fond tone, he spoke. "In Chassé, your hands need to be stiff until here," his hands grabbed Axel's arm under her shoulder, and leisurely, he trailed them towards her elbows, grabbing them, causing Axel to gasp. "And then from here," he dented the position at the joint. "You need to bring your natural grace."

"H-" Axel could only create a sound before her voice betrayed her and it dipped. "How do you know this?" She asked with visible efforts.

"I am trained in contemporary, baby," Jona's lips had a haughty smirk, seeing how amazed his wife was as she panted, breathed through her mouth, and looked like the prettiest person to ever exist.

"You keep surprising m-," Axel was mumbling with her eyes suddenly bowing down when her words ceased to reverberate as she felt the warmth and wetness of Jona's lips over hers.

Jona had leaned down and captured the lips he wanted to savor for so long. After the admittance of love, he had all the right to.

Axel was taken by surprise, Jona could tell. She didn't move her lips at first, but as he put some pressure, nudging her, she reciprocated. She moved fast while Jona moved slowly. After just one lap, the two knew how uncoordinated their kiss was. Jona's hands were still on her waist when he pulled away.

Axel embarrassedly looked into his eyes. "Doll," Jona leaned down to level with her face. "Relax and breathe."

Gnawing her lips, Axel nodded and did as she was told. She took a long inhale and exhaled thoroughly, all the while Jona kept holding her waist.

"Better?" The man asked in a very gentle whisper.

Axel nodded, wanting to apologize for the bad first experience, but before she could, Jona's hands traveled up, grazing her clothed skin until he was cupping her face softly.

Axel felt the tenderness and warmth of his skin. Even though Jona's hands were veiny like a beast, the skin was unexpectedly soft on his palms. "Now follow my lead."

The man saw a beautiful gleam in the girl's eyes before their lips came together again unhurriedly.

Axel felt her eyelids hugging each other. She soon realized she was teary-eyed. Her clammy hands were now raised as she slung them around her man's neck while tip-toeing. Jona released her face and pulled her close in a vice-like grip around her waist with one hand, while his other hand went behind her head.

Their lips followed each other like a synchronized choreography. Soon, Jona's tongue swiped across her lips, asking for permission that was granted when Axel opened her mouth a little.

The raw, sweet taste of Jona's mouth made her feel that she could get addicted to it. All the while they kissed each other, Axel felt her body begging for more. She could feel her heart tingling and her abdomen clenching. She didn't know if she should be embarrassed by the hotness and certain wetness between her legs.

When Jona parted first slowly, her eyes turned open gradually. The unshed tears which were secure inside her lids, now ran astray, down her cheeks.

Jona's thumbs gently swiped them with a delicate motion as he leaned down to look into his beautiful wife's eyes. "Your lips, your eyes, your cheeks, and your hips, they are mine."

Listening to the authority, Axel wanted to wither into Jona's arms. "They are yours." She responded in a little tone. She looked exactly how she looked to Jona during their wedding dance, beautiful, a little bit tired, and a flustered mess.

"I was afraid to kiss your lips. I thought I'd ruin them if I did." Jona admitted.

Axel's lips quivered with emotions, and they tried to curl up. "But I want you to ruin them. I would not want anybody else to do it."

Jona could imagine how difficult it must be for Axel to say her feelings out loud, so he smiled. "Do you remember I talked about the mole on your left cheek, that I am saving it for a special occasion?"

Axel nodded innocently while her eyes remained on Jona's chest.

"Axel? Doll?" The girl now looked up. The silence that hung in the air between them had s****l tension melting. "Please allow me to show you tonight."

Axel nodded again.

"No," Jona hooked his finger under Axel's chin and tipped her face up, making her breathing stop. "Look at me, baby. Don't look away from me tonight, or I'll lose my goddamn mind."

Axel as if she was slipping into a subspace, paying attention and listening to Jona's words with her all. Her eyes lifted, looking at Jona with desire. "I need words tonight. Can you tell me what you want?"

"You," Axel spoke in a mere whisper. "I need you, Jona."

Axel saw the ceiling when Jona lifted her off her feet. He began to walk towards the bedroom with his wife in his arms. "Then you will have me."