"Mm..."
Byakuya responded softly.
At this moment, he didn't feel nervous at all.
After all, they weren't some awkward young couple just starting out. Eto didn't show a hint of shyness either, so naturally, it didn't make him flustered.
But after a while, Eto was still standing in front of the bathroom door, as if waiting for something.
"What are you still standing there for? Come in."
Her voice came gently through the steam.
Only then did Byakuya understand what she meant.
He loosened his clothes and followed Eto into the bathroom.
In truth, they were simply bathing together—nothing more.
There's nothing wrong with newlyweds helping each other wash, right?
Once they had cleaned themselves thoroughly, they felt refreshed, the faint smell of alcohol and food from the hotel completely gone.
Even though neither of them had drunk, staying in that kind of place inevitably left a trace of scent on their bodies.
Afterward, both of them put on light yukatas and returned to the bedroom.
"Should we turn off the lights? Or leave them on?"
Eto sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her small feet as she suddenly asked.
"Well... I'm not really sure, but I think it's better to keep them on."
Byakuya replied a bit awkwardly.
After all, what was about to happen next was a first for both of them — no experience, no guidance, only confusion and anticipation.
"Then we'll keep them on."
Eto patted the quilt beside her, as if signaling for him to sit closer.
"Now, we need to do something very important."
She lifted a small part of her pajama and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You should know this—our ghoul wedding ritual. Of course, if you don't want to, just pretend I never said anything."
She knew Byakuya well. He was half-human. Though ghoul blood ran in his veins, he showed almost none of their traits—he was far closer to human than even a half-ghoul.
And since Byakuya wasn't originally from this world, she wasn't sure if he'd even want to follow ghoul customs.
"I have no reason not to."
Byakuya replied without hesitation, sitting face to face with her.
"Then... let's begin."
Eto leaned forward and embraced him tightly.
The next moment, both of them sank their teeth into each other's right shoulder—specifically, the trapezius muscle.
They bit down hard. The ritual demanded that each leave a mark that would never fade—a scar symbolizing an eternal bond.
Blood welled up from the wound.
Though Eto's regeneration as a half-ghoul was powerful, she could control it, ensuring that the mark would never fully heal.
Byakuya also had to consciously restrain his body's natural regeneration, or his mark would vanish too soon.
"That should do it. It doesn't hurt too much, right?" Eto asked softly, her tone laced with concern.
She herself had been bitten, but pain was nothing new to her—she had endured far worse while growing up in the 24th Ward.
"It's fine" Byakuya answered.
He almost asked if she was okay, but quickly realized that such a question was unnecessary — Eto was far stronger than she looked.
Then, Eto leaned down and gently licked the wound on his shoulder, cleaning the blood from it tenderly, as if to soothe the pain.
"This mark has to stay forever" she whispered against his skin. "It means we'll always remember each other. If it ever disappears... it means you've stopped caring about me."
"That'll never happen," Byakuya said earnestly.
"I love you..."
Eto lifted her head slightly, still holding him close. Her eyes locked onto his, her voice trembling with quiet emotion.
"I love you too" Byakuya replied at once.
They had long known each other's feelings, but saying the words aloud—face to face—felt entirely different.
Their hearts beat faster, heat slowly rising between them.
Then, Eto's right eye turned bright crimson, her kagune eye shimmering like blood.
"Does this look ugly? Should I change it back?"
"It's not ugly at all," Byakuya said sincerely. "In fact, I think it's beautiful."
To humans, a ghoul's red eye was something terrifying. But to him, the woman before him was his lover—his everything—and nothing about her was ugly.
Eto smiled softly, a rare, sweet smile lighting up her face.
The next instant, Byakuya tightened his embrace.
And as if moved by the same thought, Eto leaned in and kissed him.
Their lips met—soft, warm, lingering.
When they finally parted, both were breathing lightly.
"What now?" Eto whispered playfully. "Should we just... go on?"
She smiled faintly, her tone teasing yet genuine.
"Honestly, I'm curious—what kind of 'fruit' a half-human and half-ghoul could create. I guess it depends on luck. But no matter if our child is half-human or half-ghoul, as long as they can eat the food we make with our own hands, that's enough for me."
Then, the two of them untied each other's sashes.
A faint blush spread across Eto's delicate face—rare for her—and with her single red eye gleaming under the soft light, she looked breathtakingly beautiful.
Seeing her like that, Byakuya couldn't help but feel his breath quicken.
The night passed slowly...
(End)