I'm not gonna start with 'Once upon a time' because this tale is definitely not that old. I don't know if it's a tragedy or a happily ever after-- All I know is.

Everyone has the freedom to fall in love with anyone they want, but things are not the same for everyone. 'Your life partner will be decided even before you're born'...How would you like that?

The tale goes like this, Lucus Garnette and Aruto Hiomi were best friends in high school. Aruto Hiomi belonged to a rich Japanese family while Lucus was a farmer's son. At that time, Aruto's family was staying in Berlin, while Lucus went to a Berlin school as there were no schools in Miltenberg at that time. However, Aruto was quite open-minded and did not mind befriending Lucus. He helped Lucus financially and their bond deepened as they grew up. Soon, they became best friends.

After their graduation, Aruto decided to go back to Japan to take over his father's business while Lucus went back to his village to help his father with the dairy but they were still in contact because of this great invention called a 'telephone'. They decided that to strengthen their friendship, they'll get their children married to each other.

I wasn't born till then, neither was Kirito.

After a year, the Garnette family was blessed with a beautiful daughter. She had bright blue eyes surrounded by long and beautiful eyelashes. Her pinkish white hair glorified her face with a tint of pink undertone on her cheeks and rose like lips.

Mr Lucus was overjoyed and sent for Aruto right away.

Under a dove grey sky, the colours of the world don its winter coats, each hue darker and richer than before. The path was sparkling and crunchy as they left their footprints. The air formed a frozen lace on their skin, delicate and cold, like winter waves on sallow sand. They reached a small house and knocked at the door. Mr Lucus Garnette, a blonde, meek man, opened the door.

Aruto hugged Lucus and congratulated him.

They reached the baby's room, where the baby was lying wrapped up in a swaddling and soft white blanket near her mother. Mr and Mrs Hiomi looked at the baby girl. She was fast asleep with her small curls covering her face. "Aw," Both of them said together.

"She'll make the perfect bride for my son," Mr Hiomi said with a smile "What's her name?"

"We decided to name her Vivian, it means someone who is 'Alive and Energetic'" Lucus said "That's a beautiful name," Aruto said "Then I'll name my son Kirito- the God of the valley of the alive," Mr Hiomi said.

So, my husband was meant to be a God I was supposed to worship for the rest of my life. I wish they had taken good care of him, for me at least... But they didn't. Five years passed, I was five years old then and Kirito was four.

Mr and Mrs Hiomi traced back the same path as he was walking down, on that winter dawn. It was autumn and the sky was barely visible due to the orange leaves of the trees. He kept his suitcase aside and knocked the same door again. The door opened and a woman with pink curls came out. As soon as she saw them, she smiled "It's been a while, Mr and Mrs Hiomi. And how are you, Kirito?" She said as she leaned towards Kirito. Kirito hid behind his mother. He was the shy type, well and I, I wasn't.

"Lucus is out for some petty business if you could wait here for a moment" Mrs Garnette said. "Where is Vivian?" Mr Hiomi asked.

"She's playing in the fields, why don't you go meet her," Mrs Garnette suggested with a smile. "Yes, I will," Mr Hiomi said as he got up and paced towards the field.

He wandered in the fields for some time until he found me, a girl sitting on a huge Jersey cow. I looked at Mr Hiomi and smiled "Do you want this berry uncle, you can take it, Vivian has many" Like all other five-year-old kids, I was stupid. But unlike all other five-year-old kids, I was going to be engaged.

He asked me if I knew him and of course, I didn't. I had never seen him before, that's what my memories said but was I right? Definitely, I wasn't. But, I did know about Kirito. In all my memory, even then, I could forget everything- thanks to my short term memory problems, but not Kirito's name. I was a slow learner, I could forget even my birthday, but not Kirito's.

Mr Hiomi leaned towards me and with a gentle smile, he said: "Vivian, I'm here from Japan and I-" "Oh! You're Kirito's father?" I was so excited for my own downfall. He was there to meet me-- Not because he liked me or he missed me-- He couldn't care less about that-- It was just that our parents had decided to get us engaged beforehand. 

I left everyone for him... But he left me for everyone else. You know, Kirito Hiomi, he has always been this way. Shorter than most men with huge pride. I have to fight every time to catch his attention and every time we touched, never once did it feel right. How many times did I fall for you over and over again? Oh yeah, I didn't count-- I didn't know how to count heartbreaks yet. 

So, we got engaged in the end and naturally, as a typical five-year-old, I was happy. I mean we ate cake! That was a big deal for me. But, I wasn't free now- Not anymore. As the days went by, my expectations grew. I thought goodbyes were closed chapters, but for you, they weren't. It felt like I was a page ripped out from one story and forcefully pasted in your book of life.

Mom brought storybooks of princesses and prince, angels, demons, mermaids, fairies, magic and whatnot to make me believe that magic exists. And like Cinderella, one-day Kirito will come to my place and take me away to a huge castle and angels would guide our way forever. 

"Do angels exist?" I asked my mother while we were walking in the fields, calling out for the cows to come back home. I was seven then-- naive and foolish. "What do you think?" Mom said as she gigged. "I think they do, that's why they brought me Kirito"

"Then I think they do exist," She said and went ahead whistling for the cows ."Will I ever meet one, mama?" I asked but I guess she didn't hear me. Maybe Kirito was an angel... That's what I thought as I danced through the valleys.  A small flower fell on my hair from above. Strange it was because there were no flowers around. I never found out where it came from until I realised what it might be! So I looked up and smiled

"I know that was you"

Oh how good it would have been if we met by chance and not choice

If we would fall in love like all other humans do- Under God's plan and not that of mortals

But we didn't and you know what- 

I'm glad we didn't, Ethan

-To be continued

Vivian Garnette

My Heart Hates Me

So many years had passed and now that Vivian was finally 25 years old, the preparations for her marriage commenced. Vivian was taught everything so that she would become the perfect wife that Kirito needed.

Three days after Vivian turned 25, the Garnettes received a phone call. Kirito was coming to meet her. It was a Friday morning and the preparations to welcome the Hiomi family were in full bloom. Delia, Vivian's younger sibling, was getting dressed up while Mrs Garnette was cleaning up the living room

"Where's Vivian?" She asked Delia.

"Probably still sleeping," Delia replied as she looked into the mirror while combing her hair.

"What?!" Mrs Garnette kept the mop aside and rushed upstairs to Vivian's room.

It was sweltering like every other German mornings. Mrs Garnette was covered with dust and perspire as she walked through the small staircase and opened the door to a cramped room. All the clothes were thrown on the floor and the window was blocked with books. Mrs Garnette shook her head as she kept the books on the table aside and opened the curtains. The sun rays penetrated into the room, filling it with cups of light.

"Vivian!" Mrs Garnette turned towards a small bed "Are you still having a kater?" She picked up the clothes from the floor assuming that they were to be washed.

"The sun is on the head already! Even Delia is up! Get up now!"

The blanket twirled and and a pink head popped out from above "Moin mama," 

(Tn//Moin- Good morning)

"Kirito is to visit today. Do you want to look like an assi? Go take a bath and dress up!" Mrs Garnette ordered.

(Assi- Comes from a low income area, uneducated)

Vivian threw the blanket aside and lay on the bed. She had blue eyes and pink hair with a tint of golden in them. Her skin was a semitone of pink, orange and golden, with golden being the more dominant of them all. She was dressed up in a black brasserie and a pink underwear.

"How many times have I told you not to sleep *****? How krass!" Mrs Garnette threw a shirt towards her.

"It's very uncomfortable to sleep with clothes on," Vivian got up and scratched her head. 

"Get up now. You know the Hiomi family is coming for the customs today, right? You have your wedding next month!" Mrs Garnette shouted and left the untidy room.

Vivian stared at the ring in her fingers and smiled "Kirito is coming," 

"Vivian! Go get Betty from the hills and take a bath!" Delia shouted from downstairs. Vivian got up from the bed and stretched her body. She looked into her wardrobe and took out a standard German frock and a hat. She kept the frock inside a basket with a towel, a comb and some makeup. She donned a traditional German frock--Her everyday wear.

"Mom, I'm going to get Betty!" She shouted as she wore her dirndl shoes and walked out of the house.

"Wait-- Why did you let her go? She needs to get ready!" Mrs Garnette shouted a Delia.

"Mom, she needs to get Betty?"

"Couldn't you do it?"

"I loathe cows!"

As the morning sun shone ahead just over the hills, Vivian walked through the crowd with her basket in her hand. 

"Moin Vivian!" Mr Zajnog greeted her as he stood outside the town pub with a drink in his hand. His wife stood beside him with a loaf of bread in her basket.

"Moin!" Vivian smiled.

"Goin' ta get Betty, eh?" He asked.

"Yes,"

"I heard your fiancé is coming today," Mrs Zajnoc said.

"Yes, I'm getting married next month,"

"Let's grab a drink in that case! Get 'em some beer!" He shouted.

Vivian laughed "This evening, then. Not right now," Vivian ran towards the hill. She walked into the vegetation and found Betty, her cow, grazing in the fields of grasses spread across the hills.

"Betty! Let's go wash up. Then, we'll go home," Vivian hugged her cow and Betty simply mooed. They walked to the pond and Betty made her way into the cold water. Vivian kept the basket into the bushes and kept her hat over it. She removed her shoes and jumped into the water. She sang a song as she played with her cow into the water. 

She rubbed the lotus petals on her skin as it was a special day. After she was done bathing, she changed into the red frock as Betty covered her up. She combed her hair that reached till her knees. She applied some lipstick and some powder.

"There! We are ready for Kirito," Vivian tied a bow around Betty's neck and hugged her "See Betty, I'm so big now. Kirito is finally here-- It's all like a magical dream,"

Betty mooed and Vivian chuckled. She looked into Betty's blue eyes "Let's go home now. We might be late,"

They both walked back downtown from the hill. When she reached her house, she saw her mother standing at the door.  

"Mama, I got Betty," Vivian smiled.

"Vivian!" Mrs Garnette shouted carefully, making sure her voice wasn't loud "Good thing you're already dressed,"

"How do I look?" Vivian asked as she held her frock "Beautiful right?"

"Yes, indeed," Mrs Garnette smiled and quickly went inside the kitchen.

Vivian walked into the verandah where Delia stood. She was peeping through the door.

"Oh my God, he's handsome!" Delia squealed. Vivian looked at Delia. She slowly walked towards her and peeped inside the drawing-room. She could see through the open door--A young man of about her age, dressed up in a black suit and leather boots sat on the shabby and worn out sofa with two other people, maybe his parents. Delia went away to help her mother.

Vivian could look at Kirito. He was so big now. All these years seemed worth the wait. She could feel her chest tightening and the air passing in and out of her lungs. She looked at him as if he was the only person she had ever known. And she wanted to know him more.

She didn't know what caused him to turn but he did and their eyes met. They looked at each other for awhile as if they had learned about each other already just through their eyes. He smiled and waved at her. She quickly looked away

Delia suddenly tapped her shoulder and Vivian flinched "Go inside. Father is calling you," 

"But I'm not emotionally prepared," Vivian was red already. Delia crossed her arms and glared at her. Vivian took a deep breath and opened the door. She looked everywhere but at Kirito and he didn't look anywhere but her.

"This is my daughter," Mr Garnette introduced her to Kirito.

"Vivian!" Mr Hiomi got up from the sofa "How are you, my dear?"

"I'm good, uncle," Vivian looked at the floor.

"You can call me dad," Mr Hiomi said.

"Yes, dad," 

"Aw, you're shy?" Mr Hiomi laughed "Why don't you kids talk to each other for a while? I need to chat with Lucus too," He proposed.

"Alright," Kirito got up from the sofa.

"Vivian, why don't you take him to your room? There you can talk without any disturbances," Mr Hiomi suggested.

"Yes, dad," Vivian turbed away "Please follow me," She said to Kirito and both of them walked to her room on the first floor. She opened the door only to remind herself how messy her room was, with books and clothes thrown everywhere.

"My cow did this. It is not always like this," She started picking up her stuff quickly.

"It's okay. My dog has eaten hundreds of homework assignments too," Kirito leaned and started picking up the books throw on the floor. His fingers touched hers and she leapt back giving a tiny shriek.

"Please sit on that sofa for now," She said as she clenched her eyes "I'll do this myself,"

"Sure," He sat on the sofa and a farting sound covered the room. He quickly got up and saw a pillow.

"Sorry that's my toy pillow. But I swear it wasn't there to embarrass you," She snatched the pillow from him.

"This is quite an interesting room," He looked around. She stood before him and he stared at her. "Why don't you take a seat?" He patted his hand on the sofa.

"You mean sit beside you?" She asked.

"Yes," He smiled.

She quietly sat beside him and looked at the wooden floor while twisting her feet. There was a moment of silence until Kirito asked what her hobbies were.

"I can sleep for 24 hours," Vivian said.

'What am I saying?! You beschevert sau!'

Kirito laughed "That's nice. I don't have any hobbies," Kirito said.

"Did you especially learn German?" Vivian asked.

"Yes, to talk to you," Kirito said.

"I learnt Japanese too!" Vivian said.

"That's amazing, now we can converse in both the languages," Kirito smiled. Vivian nodded and looked at the floor again.

"Vivian, honestly tell me-- Do you like me? Because I can promise I'm not what you're used to."  

Vivian looked at him. He took a deep breath. "We don't really know each other that well, so I was thinking if you would like to cancel this engagement,"

Vivian's looked at him with surprise. Did he not like her?

-To be continued

Vivian Garnette 

My Heart Hates Me

Kirito couldn't hate her. She looked good and she dressed up for him. She learned his language-- He couldn't hate her. Vivian refused to believe it.

"Verarschen!" Vivian faked a laugh.

(Tn// Stop joking around)

"I'm serious," Kirito said, coldly.

"I know that we don't know each other that well, but I want to know you and I'm ready to spend my entire life learning about you," Vivian said. She looked at his hand. There wasn't any ring in his fingers.

"I see," Kirito smiled and got up "Then, see you at the wedding ceremony,"

Vivian smiled.

Something wasn't right. She didn't want to do this but her heart didn't listen to her mind. Things went fluently the proceeding month. Everyone seemed busy with the preparations. There was just so much to do in the wedding! Finally, it was the wedding day.

The ceremony was held in Japan.

Vivian was dressed up in a beautiful white, wedding dress. She stood beside Kirito, who was dressed in a black suit.

The parson stood between them and asked them to take their vows.

"Vivian, do you take Kirito to be your lawfully wedded husband?" He asked. She smiled as she looked into his blue-green eyes. He was smiling while looking into her deep blue eyes.

"I do," 

"Kirito, do you take Vivian to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

He looked deeper into his eyes "I do,"

"From this day, I announce to be husband and wife. You may kiss,"

They kissed and everyone got up as they clapped. As they moved away, Vivian whispered into Kirito's ear "Nothing may separate us but the wrath of the Lord. Together we will be, in rosen meadows or prickly roads."

Kirito smiled.

The reception was arranged in the halls of the huge hotel. The musicians sat on the stage and played the standard classical wedding piece of canon in D. Everyone was eating and chatting to each other.

When Vivian was done chatting with the guests, she began looking around. She looked at her father, standing in the balcony. She walked towards him and hugged him from behind.

"Papa! What are you thinking about?" She whispered into his ear.

"I'm sad that you grew up," He looked at her.

"Well, you could just make me a potion to not grow up."

"I wish I could do that." He laughed.

Vivian stood beside him and they both looked ahead.

"Remember Vivian, the first day when you went to school?" 

"Ah-- I remember! On my first day, I was so scared to leave you that I grabbed your shirt when I saw the teacher and when she pulled me away from you-- I tore away your shirt!"

"I'm surprised you still remember." 

"How can I forget that, dad? That was the time when I exposed your boobs to the world!"

Lucus began laughing.

"You were a brat. But look how beautifully you've grown. I'm glad you have Kirito. I never thought that day would come so quickly. It feels like yesterday when you hated to walk by yourself and you always somehow landed on my shoulders."

Vivian didn't know what to say so she just kept quiet.

"You've finally found your prince, so it seems that daddy's not needed anymore."

"Dad," Vivian held her father's hand and rested his warm palm on her face "Quatsch! I may find my prince but you will always be my king."

(Tn// Quatsch--Don't be silly)

"Oh mensch! You're going to make me cry,"

(Tn// Mensch-- Man)

"Wanna drink?"

"Is that even a question?"

Kirito stood with his mother and Mrs Garnette. While both the ladies were talking amongst themselves, he was staring at Vivian and her father. He suddenly met his friends and his uncle, Elios Kurosawa and began chatting with them.

There was suddenly a commotion. People were moving towards the table to see that Vivian and her father were having a drinking competition.

"These two," Mrs Garnette pressed her temples.

"It's alright," Mrs Hiomi laughed. Kirito ran towards his father out of confusion.

"Dad! What's going on? What is she doing?" Kirito whispered to his father.

"Why? Isn't it fun? A German drinking competition! We are betting for money! I bet on Vivian, you?" Mr Hiomi asked. Kirito looked angry as he clenched his fist in a wave of anger. Vivian got on the stage with the musicians, ready to give a performance as all the guests cheered for her. She drank as she sang and everybody else drank with her.

Finally, Vivian passed out. She had lost the match as Mr Garnette was still standing.

"I lost!" That was all Mr Hiomi was concerned about while Kirito was ready to dig a hole and die in it.

"Vivian? Are you alright, dear?" Mrs Hiomi patted Vivian's head "Guess it can't be helped," She turned towards Kirito.

"Take Vivian to your room. She is completely drunk."

"Okay." He simply followed what was said by his mother. It was about midnight when Vivian regained consciousness. She slowly got up from the bed and rubbed her head.

"Are you up?" Kirito asked as he walked out of the bathroom.

"Kirito! Where are we?" Vivian blushed as she looked around.

"It's our room." Kirito said, coldly.

"We have to share a room?" She asked.

"Are you an idiot? We are married now. We're gonna do much more than sharing a room."

'Somehow, he sounds a bit colder' Vivian noticed but decided to just observe for sometime. He clicked his tongue and sat on the bed. He seemed very different than how he was before. He seemed so warm and approachable then but now, he was capricious.

"Hey, you hardly even know me. Why do you like me?" He asked as Vivian sat beside him.

"Because with you, it's a different feeling to admire," Vivian blushed as she smiled.

He looked at her up and down for a while while she bit her lips and looked at the carpet beneath.

"Strip." He said.

Vivian looked up at him.

"What? You love me, right? Then, strip, I'm your husband I have every right over you."

"That doesn't feel right," She pressed her hand over her heart.

"Does it look like I care?" She clenched her dress.

"Do you love me?" She asked.

He chuckled "Are you an idiot? You're just a tool for my success, nothing more. Love you? Bullshit-- I fucking hate you!"

"Then you shouldn't ask me to strip,"

"How should I put it? I want to kill some time," 

She looked at him as if refusing to believe what he said.

"Will you strip now? I am waiting." She didn't say a thing. Kirito got her answer from the silence. He threw a blanket at Vivian.

"I'm sleeping on the bed. Sleep wherever you wish to."

"But, there isn't any other bed."

"Sleep on the damn sofa! Don't disturb me-- I have an important meeting tomorrow." He switched off the lights while Vivian stood on the floor with the blanket still in her hand.

She slowly walked towards the sofa and closed her eyes as she covered herself with the blanket.

'This isn't what I left my home for...'

-To be continued

Vivian Garnette

My Heart Hates Me