Chapter 1

(A/N It's quarantine time babyyyyyyyyyyy so you know what that means! It means every fanfiction writer in the world is writing lmao me included! So instead of working on literally any past projects, which is what i should do, I'm doing something new because there are no rules. Also, side note, I know that like eye contact can be considered rude in Japan and people don't make prolonged eye contact, but for the sake of this story um there's eye contact because you'll see lmao ALSO do I know ANYTHING about Japan in the middle ages? NO. So here comes generic middle ages fantasy setting I'm so sorry LMAO the time isn't that important anyways I just wanted it to be middle ages, so basically if you're here for accuracy, then u should go lol)

"How much for a loaf of bread?" Onodera Ritsu asked despite knowing what the answer would be. Once the baker had looked into those green eyes he was done for, after all. Different town, different bakery, different baker, always the same answer. It had been that way for almost 8 years now.

"For you, no charge." The baker smiled, looking almost dazed as he admired the brunette. Ritsu smiled and thanked him before leaving with the bread. He admittedly felt guilty for manipulating people who were just trying to make an honest living, but he had attempted to work in the past to earn his own keep and it never ended well, what with patrons and coworkers and superiors falling in love with him. It was easier to just tag along on carriages and in caravans from village to village and town to town than to plant roots.

Perhaps if he were a different person he would revel in the attention and gifts, and please don't think him conceited for expecting such treatment from others around him, but no this was much more a curse than a blessing. A literal curse.

"Ritsu, don't even think such ridiculous things!" His mother, Nanako Onodera, scolded him.

Ritsu, only seventeen at the time, frowned. "But, mother-"

"I see no reason for you not to marry An. It's not as if there are any other girls you have a particular interest in, either. An is a beautiful, kind, respectable girl and you two get along. Not to mention she is so obviously fond of you!" Nanako said. "Always giving you such thoughtful gifts and spending so much time with you." Nanako went on.

"Yes, but-"

"And it would be a very foolish mistake to anger her mother." Nanako added with a grimace. "So I don't want to hear you going around talking about not wanting to marry An. It might get back to her mother and who knows what she might do."

"But I don't love her!"

Nanako scoffed and shook her head. "It isn't about love, Ritsu. It's about doing what's best for your family. And if Aia wants you to marry her daughter then you will marry her daughter, for all of our sakes."

"Mother, don't tell me you're actually afraid of Aia Kohinata." Ritsu said, disbelief and desperation flooding him. Was his mother so willing to throw away her own son's life and happiness out of fear of a few strange rumors? Ritsu couldn't even possibly conceive them of being true, because that meant An, the sweetest girl he had ever met, would be related to a witch and that was entirely implausible.

"I am not afraid, I am cautious. One day you will learn and you will thank me." Nanako said with a tight frown. "You are marrying An and that is final."

Ritsu ate some of the bread before stuffing the rest in the only bag he carried over his shoulder. He had to travel light. Besides, it wasn't as if he had trouble getting new things. He walked along the street, it being afternoon so it was quite busy with vendors and merchants. He paid them no mind, for now, opting for stopping a passerby in the street.

"Excuse me, miss. I've only just arrived here and I don't know where anything is, is there an inn or somewhere similar where I could stay for a few nights?" He asked.

She blushed under his gaze when their eyes met and she nodded, giving Ritsu directions, more than happy and eager to help however she could.

Ritsu thanked her before quickly leaving, not wanting to get stuck in a conversation. That might've been a rude way to think, but what was the point? No one was ever interested in being his friend after all. People were friendly, sure, but there was a difference in being friendly and being a friend. He found the inn easily enough, entering and speaking with a man he could only assume was the owner.

"Hello." Ritsu said with a polite smile and the man returned it with a bright smile of his own.

"Hello, how can I help you?" He asked.

"I'm going to be staying in town for about a week or so, I'm not exactly sure yet, but in theory how much would it cost to rent a room for a week?" Ritsu was simply going through the motions, knowing that the answer would be-

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I'm more than happy to let you have the room." He said.

"Thank you for your generosity." Ritsu replied, knowing there wasn't a point in arguing.

"You fancy yourself too good for my daughter then? Is that it?!" Aia Kohinata demanded, scowling at the boy in front of her.

Ritsu furiously shook his head. "No, not at all! An is a wonderful girl!" He said quickly, trying to salvage what he could of this conversation. He had requested to have a private conversation with Aia Kohinata about the arranged marriage. He hadn't wanted his mother present out of fear of her interfering and he was too cowardly to see the look on An's face when he said that he did not want to marry her.

"Then what reason could you possibly have for not wanting to marry her?" Aia questioned. "You're just a selfish boy. That's all you are, a selfish, conceited, shallow brat! Have you had your fun then, toying with my daughter's emotions? You've decided you're done with her now? That you're bored of her?"

"I-I've done no such thing!" Ritsu said. Although his voice was wavering, he would not stand here and be accused of such terrible things. "I do care about An! But it is not the same way she cares for me." Ritsu tried to explain. "I don't love her." He was looking down at his feet, wanting to apologize for the offense, but he had to try to stand his ground. He knew if he showed any type of remorse Aia would cling on to it and bury him deeper in his guilt until he caved.

Then she laughed.

Ritsu was so startled by the sound he looked up at her, watching Aia as she laughed in cruel amusement.

"Love? You want love?" She asked through gritted teeth.

After setting up the arrangements for his room and receiving the key, Ritsu decided it was still far too early in the day to retreat to his bed and relax. He wanted to get to know this new town. He would need to learn where everything was anyway.

So he wandered around curiously, avoiding people as best he could and hoping he wouldn't get lost. It was a nice sized town, larger than the village he had originally grown up in, but still not a bustling city by any means. When he stumbled upon what seemed to be a small bookstore he grew excited. He loved to read! But he almost never took books along with him. They were too heavy to lug around. Still, he entered the shop, noticing a black haired man at the front desk who was currently reading a book himself. The man didn't look up from his book upon Ritsu's entrance and Ritsu decided not to disturb him for the time being, instead going to the many shelves of books.

Ritsu looked through a few of them before settling on one, too excited to sit down and read to thoroughly inspect the different options. Though, he was sure he would be back, if not for more books then to at the very least return this one. He didn't feel as bad about taking books because he could easily come back and place it back on a bookshelf.

"Excuse me." Ritsu said, waiting for the man to look up from his book. Ritsu smiled kindly once their eyes met before presenting the book. "How much for this book?" He asked, eager to leave with his new treasure.

The man's dark brown eyes looked down at the book Ritsu held before going back to his own reading, seemingly uninterested.

"2,000 yen."

"My daughter cares for you very deeply, Onodera Ritsu. So I'll give you love, I'll give you all the love you could ever dream of and more." Aia said, grabbing Ritsu by the arm and yanking him close, staring into his eyes. "Every person to ever meet your gaze from now on will fall desperately in love with you, eager to please and shower you with adoration, gifts, money, whatever you ask for you shall receive from them. But," Her grip tightened painfully on Ritsu's arm, surely leaving a bruise. "The one that you will want love from the most won't fall for those pretty eyes and won't give you a goddamn thing."

(A/N Can you already see where this is going? Do you see the twist? I feel like twist is an overstatement lol and maybe it's only obvious to me bc i know but um yeah tell me what u think lol happy quarantine everyone stay safe and healthy)