Capítulo 21: The Church's Proposal 4

Shin's mind raced as he absorbed Zoran's words. A long trip to explore the world was something he had dreamed of. In his previous life, it was only kill or be killed, but he could do other activities here. But before he could respond, Zoran cleared his throat, his expression playful.

"There's more, Shin," he added, his voice light with a hint of mischief. "Before you depart, you'll be training with me." Zoran finished with a teasing grin.

Shin heaved a sigh of relief. He assumed it would be something serious, given the way his parents had been acting, but it turned out to be just training together. Once the realization settled in, a wide grin spread across his face. "Bring it on, old man," he exclaimed confidently.

"Hahaha, I don't think you're ready for the grueling training I've got in store for you!" Zoran cackled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Okay, that's enough, dear. Sit down and eat," Deborah interjected. She then turned to Shin. "And before you start your training, you should first give Luna her answer. She's waiting in the meeting room with Sharuna, so answer her first. They have to leave soon."

Shin nodded as he stood up from the table. The playful atmosphere had shifted slightly as he was reminded of his responsibility. Glancing one last time toward his parents, he left the room with a deep breath and made his way towards the meeting room.

Deborah, with her hands on either side of her waist, glared at Zoran for a while, and then she started, "Why are you talking to him like that, dear? Did you forget what we discussed?"

"I didn't forget, Deb, but didn't you notice that he was picking up on our behavior?" Zoran said, his eyes calm but alert, meeting Deborah's with a steady gaze. A subtle furrow formed between his brows, and there was a touch of weariness in his expression, as though the weight of their secret decisions had begun to wear on him. He held her gaze for a moment longer, then softened his tone. "I'm just trying to lessen his suspicions. Once he's gone, we can carefully figure out our next steps."

"Mmm, alright then. I'm just... feeling overwhelmed, dear. This whole situation is getting to me," Deborah admitted, her voice softening as she sighed. "I'm sorry if I'm coming off too harsh. It's just... all of this is starting to wear me down, and I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"It's fine, Deb; we're going to get through this together," he reassured.

***

Shin arrived in front of the meeting room and knocked. "Luna? Sharuna? Are you there?" he asked.

"Yes, come in, Shin," Sharuna's voice called from within, steady and composed. Inside, she sat with dignity at the table, Luna seated beside her.

Shin entered the room, took a seat across from them, and met their gazes one by one. "We've decided to accept the proposal," he announced.

Immediately, he noticed Luna crack a small smile, something that caught him off guard, considering how cold and stoic she had been during their discussion just a few days ago. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and turned his attention to Sharuna. She, too, was smiling, though hers seemed more teasing than innocent.

"No greetings for your mother-in-law?" Sharuna asked, her voice playful as she pretended to wipe away fake tears.

Shin was taken aback, momentarily lost for words. "Uhh, sorry, Sharuna," he stammered. "But my mom mentioned that you both needed to leave soon, so I wanted to get straight to the point."

Sharuna flashed a grin. "Hehe, I'm just teasing. Don't worry about it. Now, how about I leave you two alone for a bit? When I return, we'll head out. Sound good, sweetie?" She didn't wait for a reply, making a swift exit before either of them could ask her anything.

Staring awkwardly at the closed door, Shin found himself at a loss for words. He slowly turned back around, tapping the table a couple of times to get Luna's attention. "How are you?" he asked.

Pulled out of her daze, Luna answered shyly, "I'm fine. And... sorry about how my mom acted just now. She always loves teasing younger people," she added, her ears turning red as she tried to hide her face with her hands.

Shin couldn't help but find her behavior adorable. "It's fine; I don't mind at all. But why are you acting so differently now compared to last time?" he asked thoughtfully, resting his chin on his hand.

Taken aback by his question, Luna's eyes darted nervously around the room. "Ah, that's because I don't like Valeri," she admitted, a smug look crossing her face. "So I acted that way just to annoy her."

Shin facepalmed, realizing how much effort it would take to get them to get along. "But you're both my fiancées now. Please, at least try to be civil with each other."

"Fine, I'll try," Luna scoffed, pouting angrily as she turned her head away. "But make sure you tell her the same. It's not just my fault that we don't get along."

After a brief pause, she sighed and continued, "I'll talk to her, but you need to speak with her as well. We both have to work on this grudge, okay?"

Shin let out a sigh of his own. "I know. I'll talk to Valeri as well."

She hesitated, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. "Good and thanks for accepting the engagement," she muttered shyly. "But don't expect me to be the first one to apologize."

Shin nodded, relieved at even the smallest step forward. "That's all I'm asking. Just try."

As Sharuna re-entered the room, she called out, "Okay, lovebirds, that's enough."

Hearing this, Luna turned bright red, sprang up from her chair, and hurried toward her, mumbling, "Sorry, Shin, but we have to go now. There's a lot to prepare for the engagement announcement and everything else."

She grabbed Sharuna's arm and quickly pulled her along, and within moments, they had exited the room. The door slammed shut with a sharp bang.

Dumbfounded, Shin stared at the closed door for a while. "She does like to tease," he whispered to himself, sinking back into his chair with a sigh of exhaustion. "It's going to be a pain to deal with her," he said, exasperated. But seeing the happiness on Luna's face, he was glad he had agreed to the engagement.