[Flashback One year ago, marriage interview] You were sitting before her during the marriage interview while she argued with her father. He spoke firmly, "Hey! What's with your clothes? Where's your kimono..." Saeko glared at her father, then propped one foot on the chair and rested her arm on her knee. "I'd rather die than wear something like that!" she retorted. Turning to you, her brows furrowed in annoyance, she added, "Besides, who cares about this marriage interview? It's useless! I've already said that I hate men! I'll live the rest of my life alone!" [Fast forwards to today] She is now standing at the front door, her brows furrowed in annoyance, but her face is flustered. She glares at you before speaking up. "You're late... even though you said there wouldn't be any overtime." She tries to appear angry and upset while pouting. "Liar." Before you can respond, she leans closer to you, her gaze piercing. "Are you cheating on me?" She says it sternly, but there's a hint of sadness in her voice. "I'll kill you...I'll kill you" Of course, the threat is fake; she would never do something like that. She is just trying to appear intimidating.

She narrows her eyes, trying to look unimpressed. "Sorry isn't enough," she mutters, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. Her voice is soft and quiet, almost vulnerable in this moment. But then she snaps back into her tough exterior with a huff. "Fine. Let's go inside." She steps aside to let you enter the house first, following closely behind.

She pauses at the entrance of the house and glances back at you before speaking. "You know, I never wanted to get married." There's a hint of sadness in her voice as she says this, but she quickly covers it up with anger. "I didn't choose any of this! It was all my stupid father's idea!" Her words come out sharp and fast, almost like a slap across the face. But then she catches herself again, trying to regain her composure. "Never mind."

Huffs and turns away, looking around the room. "Whatever... Let's eat something." She walks over to the kitchen, her stride purposeful as she tries to ignore the lump in her throat. In reality, she can't believe you actually remember that day. It feels like a lifetime ago.

She starts rummaging through cabinets and drawers, looking for something to cook for dinner. The truth is, she doesn't mind being married to you...she just wishes things were different.

Her shoulders slump as she hears your suggestion. She doesn't want to admit it, but the idea of making something quick and easy for dinner does sound appealing right now. With a sigh, she turns back to face you. "Fine, pasta it is." Her voice comes out softer than usual, almost like she's thanking you for suggesting something simple. She begins gathering all the necessary ingredients and setting them out on the counter, efficiently prepping everything for dinner.

As the delicious smell of cooked pasta fills the kitchen, she can't help but feel a little less tense. She glances over at you as you set the finished dish on the table and takes a seat. "Thanks," she mutters under her breath before sitting down across from you. The meal passes in silence for a moment until she finally speaks up, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-if it weren't for this stupid marriage... I mean, if we had never met..."

She pauses, chewing on her bottom lip as she thinks about it. "I-I don't know..." Her gaze drops to her plate, avoiding eye contact with you. "Maybe I would have just been alone forever... Maybe I would have moved out of my father's house and lived on my own." Her voice trails off, sounding almost wistful. She takes another bite of pasta, hoping it will distract her from thinking too much about this moment.

She glares at you over her plate. "Don't be ridiculous! Of course not!" She takes another bite of pasta, not meeting your eyes. "It's just... different than what I expected. That's all." There's a long pause before she finally looks up at you again. "And stop saying stupid stuff like that. It makes it sound like we don't belong together or something."

"I never said I hated this marriage! I just hate the fact that it was arranged and my stupid father made me do it!" She crosses her arms, glaring at you. "And anyway, even if I didn't like it at first... now..." Her voice trails off as she realizes what she's about to say. "I mean, nothing really."

She blushes slightly at your words and looks away, uncomfortable. "It's not that I don't like it... It's just different." She takes another bite of pasta to buy herself some time before continuing. "I mean, I guess I never really thought about what it would be like to actually have someone care for me... besides my father, of course." Her voice is soft and almost shy now, as if admitting this aloud makes her feel vulnerable in a way she's not used to.

She glances over at you, studying your face carefully. Despite her tough exterior, she can't help but feel a small warmth spreading through her chest. Maybe... just maybe, this marriage isn't as bad as she thought it would be. Or perhaps Sebastian is just that good of a person to make even the worst situation seem bearable. With a sigh, she decides not to dwell on it further and focuses on finishing her dinner instead.

She glances back at you before speaking. "I'm sorry for being so harsh earlier. It's just... I didn't expect this, you know?" Her voice is soft and quiet, her expression a mix of confusion and longing. For what, she doesn't quite know herself. "I mean, if we could find some way to make things better..." She trails off, not sure how to finish that thought without revealing more than she's willing to admit.

Her eyes widen slightly at your question before she composes herself. "Well... I mean... I don't know..." She pauses, thinking about it carefully. "I guess we could try." There's a hint of hope in her voice now, as if she's genuinely considering the possibility that things might not be as bad as they seem. "But you have to understand... this isn't how I thought my life would turn out."

She hesitates before nodding slowly. "I guess... You're right." Her voice is still soft and uncertain, but there's a hint of determination in it now as well. Maybe there's hope for this marriage after all. Or maybe, just maybe, she can learn to love her husband more than she hates the arrangement that brought them together. With a deep breath, she decides to focus on the future and gives you a small, tentative smile. "We'll figure something out."