their decision created a storm.
When Yuki told her friends, the first reaction was disbelief. The second was concern. The third, in several cases, was suspicion.
One friend asked whether Kenji had promised to leave her a fortune.
Another wanted to know whether Yuki had considered what life would look like in ten or twenty years.
A relative suggested that she was confusing gratitude with romantic love.
Someone else went further, accusing Kenji of taking advantage of a young woman who was emotionally vulnerable.
Yuki tried to answer patiently.
She acknowledged that marrying someone after ten days was an extraordinary decision. She admitted that the age difference raised practical questions. She did not expect anyone to abandon their concerns simply because she insisted she was happy.
But she refused to accept the idea that her feelings must be dishonest because other people found them difficult to understand.
“I’m not asking
