Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 100: Wedding Invitations & Unspoken Realities

Chapter 100: Wedding Invitations & Unspoken Realities

The scent of freshly brewed tea swirled in the air, mingling with the comforting warmth of baked pastries as Ava leaned against the counter of her tea shop. The afternoon rush had finally died down, leaving a peaceful lull in the space that she had come to consider her second home.

Across the shop, Ryan was perched on a stool near the register, sleeves rolled up, flipping through a business law journal he had brought along but barely read. Instead, he seemed more interested in watching Ava move around the shop, stealing glances at her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

She was looking, of course.

Ava had always been keenly aware of Ryan’s presence, but ever since Paris—ever since them—that awareness had deepened. It wasn’t just the fact that he was here in the tea shop with her almost every day now, or that he had practically moved into her apartment without either of them officially acknowledging it. It was the little things.

Like how he absentmindedly reached for her hand when they passed by each other. Or how he brewed her tea just the way she liked it without asking. Or how she had started keeping extra sweaters of his around her place, because, as she so eloquently claimed, "Mine are too thin for the cold."

Mei had noticed, of course.

"Just move in together already," Mei had teased just yesterday, smirking over her cup of jasmine tea.

Ava had scoffed. "That’s ridiculous. We’re just... comfortable."

Mei had merely hummed knowingly. "Right, of course. That’s what all engaged couples who already live together say."

Ava had ignored her. But now, standing in her shop, watching Ryan lean back against the counter with that insufferably charming smirk of his, she couldn’t help but wonder if Mei had a point.

Ryan caught her staring and arched a brow. "What?"

Ava quickly turned away, focusing on wiping down the already spotless counter. "Nothing."

Ryan chuckled, setting his book down. "You sure? You were looking at me like you had something to say."

Ava scoffed. "I was looking at you like you were distracting my customers by just existing."

Ryan grinned, standing up and making his way to her. "So, you were looking at me."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately."

Ryan leaned in, placing his hands on either side of the counter, effectively caging her in. "You know, if you wanted to stare at me, you could just say so."

Ava narrowed her eyes but felt her stomach flip when his gaze flickered to her lips. "I wasn’t staring."

Ryan tilted his head, inching closer. "Ava."

Ava swallowed. "Ryan."

Ryan smirked. "Liar."

Before she could protest, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a slow, teasing kiss that sent warmth pooling through her chest. It was gentle at first, playful, but when Ava’s hands instinctively found their way to the front of his shirt, gripping the fabric lightly, Ryan deepened the kiss, tilting her chin up to press his lips more firmly against hers.

A soft sigh escaped her before she could stop it.

She hated how easily he got to her.

When they finally pulled apart, Ryan grinned, brushing his thumb along her lower lip. "Guess I’ll take that as a confession."

Ava huffed, pushing him back. "You’re annoying."

Ryan winked. "And yet, you keep me around."

Ava opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, the shop door chimed.

Harold walked in, holding a box of tea shipments, only to pause when he saw them. His gaze flickered between Ava’s flustered expression and Ryan’s entirely too smug one.

Harold sighed dramatically. "I see we’re still in the grossly-in-love phase."

Ava groaned. "Oh my God."

Ryan, unfazed, pulled Ava close by the waist and pressed another quick kiss to her temple just to be obnoxious. "It’s a permanent phase, Harold."

Harold set the box down and muttered, "I need a raise."

---

A Reminder of the Future

It was a quiet afternoon in the tea shop when the envelope arrived.

Ava had been going over some inventory lists, sipping her tea, when Harold casually dropped a stack of mail onto the counter. Among the usual business letters and advertisements was an elegant cream-colored envelope embossed with gold calligraphy.

Her name was written in delicate script.

Curious, she picked it up and carefully opened it.

A wedding invitation.

Her breath hitched slightly as she scanned the details.

Claire & Daniel request the honor of your presence...

Ava blinked. Claire and Daniel.

She had set them up nearly two years ago. A whirlwind romance, filled with long-distance letters, a surprise engagement in Santorini, and now... a wedding.

She felt a small flicker of pride, a quiet satisfaction that her instincts had been right about them.

But then, a second feeling crept in.

Something heavier.

Something unsettling.

Not because of the wedding itself, but because of what it represented.

She was engaged.

To Ryan.

It had been weeks since his proposal in Paris—weeks of playful banter, stolen kisses, shared nights, and whispered confessions.

But this? This was different.

This was tangible.

This was real.

She was staring at a moment that would inevitably come for them.

A future that, for the first time, wasn’t just an abstract idea, but something with weight.

Something she had to face.

Ryan Notices

She didn’t realize how long she had been staring at the invitation until a warm hand covered hers.

Ryan.

His fingers curled gently around hers, his thumb tracing soft circles against her skin. "What’s wrong?"

Ava exhaled slowly, shaking her head. "Nothing. Just... one of my clients is getting married."

Ryan glanced down at the card. "Claire and Daniel?" He grinned. "Nice. You’re really out here making forever happen for people."

Ava forced a small smile. "Yeah. Guess I am."

Ryan studied her for a beat, his expression unreadable. Then, ever so casually, he said, "You know, we should probably start thinking about our own wedding at some point."

Ava nearly choked on her tea.

Ryan smirked, clearly enjoying her reaction.

"W-what?" Ava sputtered.

Ryan leaned on the counter, amused. "You know, wedding. The thing that happens after the whole getting engaged part."

Ava rolled her eyes, feigning nonchalance. "You’re getting ahead of yourself, Kim."

Ryan chuckled. "Am I?"

Ava busied herself by straightening the pile of mail, pretending to be unaffected. "We just got engaged. There’s no rush."

Ryan nodded, tilting his head slightly. "Sure. No rush."

But the look in his eyes told her he saw right through her.

Mei Stirs the Pot

Before she could steer the conversation somewhere safer, Mei waltzed into the shop, humming an off-key wedding march.

Ava sighed. Of course.

"Ah, I see you’ve received the invitation!" Mei beamed, setting her tea down. "How exciting! Weddings are just so magical, don’t you think?"

Ava shot her grandmother a wary glance. "No."

Mei ignored her.

She turned to Ryan with a knowing smile. "Have you two set a date yet?"

Ryan, to Ava’s absolute horror, played along. "Not yet. But I hear Tokyo is lovely this time of year."

Ava did choke on her tea this time.

Mei gasped in delight. "An elopement in Tokyo? Oh, darling, that’s so romantic!"

Ava, still coughing, glared at Ryan, who looked far too pleased with himself. "Excuse me?"

Ryan shrugged, completely unfazed. "Just saying, we are already going."

Mei clapped her hands. "A tea ceremony wedding! Traditional kimonos! Lantern-lit vows under cherry blossoms—"

"Absolutely not," Ava cut in, rubbing her temples. "We are not eloping in Tokyo."

Ryan leaned in, voice low and teasing. "So... not Tokyo. But somewhere else?"

Ava groaned, shoving him lightly. "You enjoy messing with me, don’t you?"

Ryan grinned. "Very much."

Mei sighed wistfully. "You two are too cute. I knew my matchmaking skills were impeccable."

Ava muttered, "I hate everything."

Romantic Highlights

Later that evening, when the shop had quieted down and the teasing had faded into comfortable silence, Ava sat curled up on the couch in her apartment, flipping absently through the wedding invitation.

Ryan sat beside her, his fingers lazily trailing over the back of her hand.

"You really don’t like talking about it, do you?" he asked, voice softer now.

Ava hesitated before answering. "It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just... it’s big."

Ryan nodded, thoughtful. "Yeah. It is."

Ava exhaled. "I’m used to being the one setting people up, sending them off into their happy endings. But us... this... it’s different."

Ryan tightened his grip on her hand. "Because it’s real."

Ava looked at him then, meeting the quiet certainty in his gaze.

Because it’s real.

The words settled something deep in her chest.

Ryan smiled, pressing a kiss to her temple. "No pressure, Ava. Whenever you’re ready."

Ava let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. "Thanks."

Ryan leaned back, smirking again. "Although, you should probably start practicing your new signature. ’Mrs. Kim’ has a nice ring to it."

Ava swatted at him. "Oh my God, stop."

Ryan laughed, catching her hand and pulling her closer.

"Never."

Ava sighed, rolling her eyes—but secretly, she was smiling.

Because despite all the teasing, all the banter, there was one undeniable truth.

The idea of forever with Ryan?

It didn’t scare her anymore.