The doors opened with a soft creak as Venzel stepped inside, Kana cradled gently in his arms.
The civil office lobby was quiet and calm with rows of chairs along the wall, a few sleepy-eyed couples holding documents, and a clerk behind the reception counter flipping through a stack of papers.
The clerk looked up and blinked in surprise.
"Oh! Um… good morning. How can I help you two?"
"We're here to register our marriage," Venzel said simply, his voice steady.
Kana, still in his arms, gave a little wave and added with a grin, "Sorry about the dramatic entrance. He won't let me down."
The clerk's surprise melted into a warm smile. "Well, you both are by far the most memorable couple today. Head over to Counter 2, just fill out the form, and we'll take care of the rest."
Venzel nodded and carried Kana toward the counter. He set her gently down on a cushioned seat and knelt to check her foot again.
"Still hurting?"
"Not really," she admitted, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "But right now I don't want to be put down. I'm too excited I might run."
He smiled and stood, grabbing the form and a pen from the clerk before sitting down beside her.
They filled in their names, birthdates, addresses, and checked off each box.
No one spoke, but their hands brushed often, and their glances met between scribbles.
It was quiet, but it was loud with feeling.
Finally, they both signed the bottom of the page.
Kana stared at her signature for a second longer, then whispered, "That's it?"
"That's it," Venzel replied. "We're legally each other's now."
She blinked rapidly. "Just like that…"
He reached over, took her hand, and kissed her fingers. "Just like that."
The clerk came over to confirm everything, stamped their paperwork with a decisive thump, and then smiled brightly.
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Kaelith," she said. "You're officially married."
Kana gasped and turned to Venzel, wide-eyed. "We did it."
He leaned in and whispered, "We did."
Then, without hesitation, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her—tender, heartfelt, a seal to everything they had promised with ink and heartbeats.
Around them, a few of the other couples clapped quietly, offering small, knowing smiles.
The clerk at the counter grinned as she handed them their freshly stamped marriage certificate, almost as if blessing their union with that simple gesture.
Hand in hand, they stepped outside, hearts light and spirits high.
"Where to now, Mrs. Kaelith?" Venzel teased, still a little breathless.
Kana nudged him. "Where else?" she grinned. "Let's go to the café where we met."
Minutes later, the car rolled to a stop outside the cozy little café, still wrapped in ivy, the wooden sign dappled in soft light.
Inside, the scent of coffee and sugar curled in the air.
In their usual booth by the window, cappuccinos sat steaming between them, a half-eaten cake all but forgotten.
"Hubby," Kana said suddenly, her voice teasing and sing-song.
Venzel nearly choked on his coffee. He turned quickly, trying to hide the sudden blush that bloomed across his cheeks.
"Aww, hubby, why are you so shy?" Kana giggled, poking his cheek with a finger, her eyes bright with mischief and affection.
"S-Stop it…" Venzel squeaked, shrinking into his seat like a turtle retreating into its shell.
Kana leaned in closer, resting her chin in her hands as she smiled at him. "Then tell me," she whispered, her voice dipping into something softer. "What am I, hmm?"
Venzel glanced at her, eyes flicking between her expectant face and the swirling foam in his coffee. Then, almost too quietly to hear, he mumbled—
"Wifey."
Kana blinked.
Then her eyes widened as the word settled in.
Her hands flew to her cheeks, her face turning as red as Venzel's.
"Aah! Don't say it like that!" she squealed, squirming in place as if the word physically flustered her.
Venzel looked up, startled. "Wait, what? I thought you wanted me to—"
"I did!" Kana cut in, her voice muffled behind her palms. "I just… didn't think it would hit me that hard!"
They stared at each other for a beat, then broke into shared laughter.
A soft silence settled over them again, not awkward, but full. Their hands found each other across the table, fingers brushing shyly before interlocking.
Outside the window, the day rolled on as usual, but for them, the world had gently shifted like everything had clicked into place.
Finally, Kana whispered, "I like the way it sounds… Wifey and Hubby."
Venzel smiled, cheeks still pink. "Me too."
Kana leaned back in her chair, a little proud smile playing on her lips.
"Oh, by the way," she began casually, twirling her spoon through the foam of her cappuccino. "Aunt Luna and I closed the deal on the potatoes. We settled on 100 Mari per kilo."
Venzel blinked, eyebrows lifting. "100 Mari?"
She nodded, then added sweetly, "Oh, and she also bought that hundred kilos of potatoes you left at the store."
A slow grin spread across Venzel's face. "I knew I could count on you."
Kana gave him a quick wink, then sipped her coffee. "She also suggested you prep a bulk batch of potatoes for her. The new stock were completely sold out."
"How much does she need?" Venzel asked, casually reaching for another bite of the cake between them.
Kana licked a bit of froth off her upper lip, then smirked. "Her words, not mine: 'As much as you have.'"
Venzel paused, fork halfway to his mouth. "As much as I have, huh… Will she even have enough?"
His gaze drifted to the window, eyes unfocused. The cogs in his brain started turning.
With how the system worked—potatoes every thirty seconds from each plot—and if he rotated harvests just right… He could, theoretically, flood the entire market.
No—flood the world. Mountains of potatoes. Oceans of them.
A potato empire.
Potato diplomacy.
He could already see it, him in a suit made of potato sacks, shaking hands with world leaders.
Headlines screaming:
"Potato Prince Turns Market Upside Down." "Hail the Pig Mascot who loves potatoes!" "Potato king never dies!"
"Hey, hey!" Kana's voice cut through his fantasy, snapping him back to the café.
"Huh?" he blinked.
She gave him a flat look, trying not to laugh. "Don't get ahead of yourself. How will you explain it if you sell more than your farm can realistically produce?"
Venzel scratched the back of his head, chuckling sheepishly. "I'll just say I… have really fast hands?"
Kana leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. "You're lucky you're cute but that won't work," she said, shaking her head with a smile.
Venzel grinned and took a bite of the cake, mumbling through a mouthful, "I'm lucky for a lot more."