chapter 5

Monty sat nervously on the edge of the bed as Romi entered the room. He had hoped that Romi would stay with his family a little longer, giving him more time to figure out how to survive this night. But no such luck. Romi had returned, his gaze steady as he looked at Monty.

"You should change," Romi said casually, removing his jacket and stretching his arms.

Monty hesitated for a moment before nodding, gathering a fresh set of nightclothes, and heading to the bathroom. Once inside, he let out a deep sigh. He carefully adjusted the fake breasts, making sure they were secure, then smoothed his long wig, ensuring not a single strand was out of place. He slipped into a silky nightdress, staring at himself in the mirror. The illusion was still perfect, but he knew the risk was growing by the second.

Taking a deep breath, Monty stepped out of the bathroom. Romi was already lying on the bed, seemingly asleep. Relieved, Monty tiptoed over to the other side and lay down as gently as possible. Maybe, just maybe, he could get through this without any issues.

Morning arrived sooner than expected. Monty felt warmth against him—something firm and strong. As his sleepy mind processed the sensation, he realized Romi's arm was draped over him. Worse, their faces were dangerously close, their breaths mingling in the small space between them.

Romi's sleepy eyes blinked open, and for a moment, he just stared. His gaze softened as he took in Monty's delicate features, the way the morning light illuminated his face. A strange, unfamiliar feeling stirred within him, something he couldn't quite place. His heart beat a little faster.

Then, suddenly, he felt something else.

His face twisted in confusion as a certain... discomfort made itself known in his lower half. Panic surged through him. He quickly shifted backward, only to have his eyes land on Monty's feet, which were peeking out from under the blanket.

And they were hairy.

And bare—no mehndi, no smooth skin, just unshaven legs that did not belong to the delicate bride he had imagined.

"Ew! What the hell?" Romi blurted out, jolting up in bed.

Monty's eyes flew open. In his panic, he quickly yanked the blanket over his legs and stammered, "B-Because I like to stay natural!"

Romi made a face. "Natural? You didn't even shave your legs for your wedding night? That's… horrifying."

Monty gulped. "Well, some people find it attractive," he muttered defensively, pulling the blanket tighter.

Romi, still slightly traumatized, shook his head. "Yeah, maybe in a jungle. But this?" He shuddered dramatically, rubbing his temples as if trying to erase the image from his brain.

Monty, desperate to divert the conversation, crossed his arms and huffed. "Well, it's not like I was expecting to be inspected like this first thing in the morning."

Romi gave him a suspicious look, then sighed. "You know what? Whatever. I don't care. Just... maybe wear socks next time. Or, I don't know, a full-body suit."

Monty bit his lip, forcing himself to nod and play along. "Sure. I'll wear a burqa to bed. Happy?"

Romi smirked. "Thrilled."

There was a moment of silence before Romi spoke again, his voice teasing, "You do look kinda cute when you're mad, though."

Monty blinked, thrown off guard. His heart skipped a beat before he quickly shook off the feeling. "Oh, shut up."

Romi chuckled, finally relaxing. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as he thought.

Monty, however, wasn't sure how long he could keep this up. But for now, he had survived another day. And that was enough.