Fish Don't Know About Water - Chapter 36

— By the holy blessing of God, I now pronounce Viett Hartmann and Pepe Hartmann as husband and wife.

With the priest’s declaration, the wedding ceremony ended.

Suddenly, I wondered. Was today really the 77XXth day since I was born? Just as a wind-up toy stops moving when the spring unwinds, it felt like the time allowed to me often stopped.

— I suddenly had a thought.

As we walked arm in arm past the guests, Viett flinched at my mumbling.

— What thought?

— That someone is winding my spring at their will…

He looked puzzled, not understanding my words. Then he suddenly looked somewhere with a fearful expression.

At the end of his gaze were the doctor and a beautiful woman in elegant clothes walking out of the cathedral.
I recognized the beauty immediately. It was XX, who had burst the inside of my cheek. (Attending her ex-fiancé’s wedding? XX sure has a bold personality.)

— Wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back.

Viett quickly unlinked his arm from mine.

— Where are you going?

Without answering, he chased after the doctor who had left the cathedral. I tilted my head, unable to understand why he left with an angry face.
Why is he angry again? Did he find out I was planning a surprise birthday party for him? Did he already know that the doctor was helping me with the preparations?
While I was fretting, I made eye contact with a familiar face. It was XX, my former roommate and Viett’s ex-fiancée, standing near the cathedral door, looking at me. Unable to contain my excitement, I ran to XX.

— XX! Hi!

— I’m not fine.

Her sharp tone was the same as always. XX clicked her tongue while covering her eyes with large sunglasses.

— And you, can’t you go a day without doing something stupid? You’re probably the only wife in the world preparing a wedding reception with another man.

— Huh? But I had no choice. Viett can’t prepare his own birthday party!

— What? Whose birthday party?

— Tomorrow is Viett’s birthday…

I trailed off, slightly embarrassed. (Why is she asking something so obvious?)

— We’re going to pretend it’s a reception and then throw a surprise birthday party for him right after midnight.

— Tomorrow is… His Highness’s birthday?

XX’s expression turned strange for a moment. She opened her mouth slightly, then shook her head while touching her forehead.

— I forgot too. The royal family only officially celebrates the birthdays of the king and the crown prince…

— Still, you were once engaged. That’s too much.

— Ugh! I was trying not to mention the engagement, but you’re so clueless!

XX shouted and clenched the hand that had been touching her forehead. I unconsciously stepped back, remembering how she had slapped me before. Seeing this, XX twisted her lips awkwardly.

— I’m not going to hit you, idiot.

She hid her clenched hand behind her back.

— I was just excited that time, and my hand moved on its own.

— Uh-huh…

I felt embarrassed for being scared and tried to change the subject.

— So why are you here? Did you come to see me?

— What do you mean, did I come to see you? Do you think I’d come all this way just to see my ex-fiancé?

XX gave a wry laugh.

— Of course, I came to see you!

— Really?

— But I couldn’t bring myself to sit on the bride’s side because of my pride.

— So you sat on the groom’s side?

— As if I would!

XX replied curtly, her expression stiffening slightly. Her black sunglasses hid her eyes, so I couldn’t see her expression.

— Pepe, our relationship might have gotten awkward because of a man… But anyway, congratulations on your wedding.

— Yeah, thanks.

— Now you’re not Pepe Cochrun, but Pepe Hartmann?

— Uh, yeah… I guess?

It wasn’t something I had really thought about, but hearing XX mention it made me feel a bit strange. I’m no longer a Cochrun? This is really unbelievable. (I liked the subtle sense of freedom!)

— By the way, I read the serialized part about the day I was dumped.

XX adjusted her sunglasses and smiled slyly.

— It said I should apologize for hitting you?

— Yeah. Are you going to apologize?

— No? Am I crazy?

— Really, you’re not going to apologize? My cheek was swollen, and the inside of my mouth was all torn up and hurt like hell for a while.

— I hit you to make it hurt, you idiot!

That’s so like XX. It’s hard for a person to remain unchanged for ten years, but XX was someone far from change.
Honestly, I was a bit scared that XX might treat me differently now that I’m a ‘princess consort’ and distance herself from me. (If even XX distanced herself, I would have no friends left!)
I felt relieved that XX treated me the same as before, but to hide that relief, I deliberately drooped my shoulders and pretended to be sullen.

— Then I won’t apologize for marrying your ex-fiancé…

— Oh, come on, no need to apologize. It wasn’t your decision anyway.

XX replied nonchalantly and pushed her sunglasses up onto her head. Her large eyes, now visible, were full of playful mischief.

— Instead, I’ll give you a chance to get even. Go ahead, slap me hard enough to burst my cheek. Princess Pepe.

XX took a step closer and offered her cheek to me. I looked at her smooth, porcelain-like cheek and thought hard.

— Can I wait and slap you twice later?

— Why? Do you think something will happen that will make you angry because of me again, Princess?

— It’s not that… Ugh, can you just treat me like you usually do?

I rubbed my goosebump-covered arms as I pleaded. (I hated being treated so differently!)

— Suddenly being treated like a princess is a bit overwhelming.

— Silly. You need to get used to it now.

— I guess, but…

— What are you going to do once you return to the country? Don’t you know the palace is a battlefield without gunfire? It’s full of people watching you with hawk eyes, ready to tear you apart.

So what? I’ve lived my whole life like that already. I looked at XX with a confident gaze.

— Well, I’m used to living like that even now.

— Oh… I see…

XX trailed off, looking flustered. As her large eyes rolled around, sweat began to bead on her forehead. Unable to find a place to rest her gaze, XX suddenly spoke up.

— So, how did it go with His Highness and the doctor? Was the atmosphere tense?

— It was just okay. The doctor said, “Congratulations,” and Viett just nodded without saying anything.

— You fool. The whole country knows that Senior XX was your first love. There’s no way His Highness would speak kindly to someone like that. He probably kept his mouth shut to avoid cursing at him on their first meeting.

— Cursing?

My eyes automatically turned towards the cathedral door. Viett, who had said he’d be back soon, was nowhere to be seen.

— Could he have chased after the doctor to say something…?

— That would be interesting. Go follow them and watch with your own eyes. Let the childish war of nerves between the prince and your senior be recorded in the novel.

— No!

I shuddered and shouted loudly. That would be really unfair to Viett.
My head already hurts from people treating my ears like speakers for accusations and my eyes like cameras for recording. If even my husband treated me like that, it would be too sad.

— Just kidding… You scared me. Do you hate it that much?

XX clutched her chest, seemingly startled by my sharp reaction. Then, carefully watching my expression, she called my name.

— Pepe.

— ……

I kept my lips tightly shut, still feeling upset, and XX’s expression softened. She patted my shoulder gently, like soothing a child.

— I don’t know if His Highness is the prince on a white horse you waited for as a child… But now that things are like this, try to live well together.

— Together…?

Was it ever right to put ‘together’ and ‘live’ in the same sentence? I always thought living was a more desolate and lonely word.

— Since it’s wartime, you can’t even dream of a honeymoon, and the reception… Wait! Come to think of it, why didn’t you invite me to the reception?

As I stood there, pondering the meaning of the words, XX suddenly pinched my cheek hard. I snapped out of my daze in surprise.

— You distributed invitations to girls you barely know, but ignored your own roommate?

— I didn’t even know you were back in Costonia!

— Stop talking and give me an invitation!

I twisted my head to escape XX’s hand.

— XX, you don’t need an invitation. Everyone knows you’re my only friend.

As I grumbled, rubbing my sore cheek, the irritation in XX’s eyes momentarily cleared. She looked at me with a startled expression, then covered her eyes with her sunglasses.

— …Hmph. You sure know how to talk smoothly.