Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 112: Sakura Love Festival – Matchmaking Under the Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 112: Sakura Love Festival – Matchmaking Under the Cherry Blossoms

Tokyo had a way of making even the simplest moments feel cinematic. And tonight? It was no exception.

The Sakura Love Festival was held in Ueno Park, one of the most breathtaking hanami (flower-viewing) spots in the city. By the time Ava and Ryan arrived, the sun was just beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the thousands of cherry blossom trees lining the pathways. The petals fluttered in the evening breeze, some drifting onto the shoulders of strolling couples, while others floated lazily onto the surface of the lake.

Fairy lights were strung between the trees, their soft glow mingling with the delicate pink hues of the blossoms. Traditional red and white paper lanterns swayed gently overhead, illuminating the winding cobblestone paths. The scent of freshly grilled yakitori and warm taiyaki filled the air, blending with the sweet fragrance of the cherry blossoms.

The entire event was the epitome of romance.

Which meant, of course, that Ava had to be on high alert for Julian’s inevitable nonsense.

The festival wasn’t just about matchmaking—it was a full experience designed to bring strangers together.

Several stations had been set up throughout the park:

The Wishing Tree: Where guests wrote their romantic wishes on small wooden plaques and tied them to the branches of an ancient sakura tree.

The Fortune Booth: Offering traditional omikuji fortunes, some promising eternal love, while others warned of "romantic misfortunes" (which, Ava was certain, were exaggerated for effect).

The Compatibility Test: A series of playful challenges to determine how well new couples worked together.

The Blindfolded Taste Test: A slightly more chaotic station where potential matches had to feed each other mystery sweets while blindfolded—mostly ending in laughter.

And, of course, the main event of the evening:

The Sakura Speed Match – A High-Stakes Game of Love

Matchmakers were given ten minutes to pair up as many successful couples as possible under the cherry blossoms. Each pair would then spend time together at different festival stations, seeing if their chemistry held up. By the end of the night, the pairs would return to the main pavilion and reveal if they wanted to exchange contact information.

Simple. Romantic.

Which meant Julian was already plotting ways to ruin it.

Ava spotted him almost immediately.

Julian stood near the entrance, dressed in a crisp navy-blue suit, looking as if he belonged at a corporate board meeting rather than a matchmaking festival. His ever-present smirk was firmly in place, and beside him stood his latest assistant—an overly enthusiastic intern named Yuki, who seemed a little too eager to hand out Julian’s "exclusive matchmaking profiles."

Ryan, standing beside Ava, followed her gaze and sighed. "Do we get a Julian-free event at any point in this competition?"

Ava scoffed. "Not unless he falls into the koi pond and drowns in his own ego."

Ryan smirked. "A tempting thought."

As if sensing their irritation, Julian turned, flashing them an infuriatingly smug grin. He lifted a glass of champagne in mock salute before sauntering over.

"Ava," Julian drawled. "Still relying on intuition instead of strategy, I see."

Ava crossed her arms. "Julian. Still mistaking manipulation for matchmaking, I see."

Julian’s smirk didn’t falter. "Now, now, let’s not get personal. I’m simply here to observe—"

Ryan snorted. "Oh, sure. That’s believable."

Julian ignored him. "This challenge is about efficiency, Ava. Let’s see how well your instincts hold up when faced with real competition."

Ava narrowed her eyes.

She already knew Julian had something planned. And she was ready.

The moment the challenge started, the festival grounds became a whirlwind of introductions, laughter, and fluttering pink petals.

Ava moved through the crowd, scanning potential matches with the practiced ease of someone who had spent years reading people. She weaved through conversations, listening for unspoken chemistry, taking note of lingering glances and subtle body language cues.

She paired a shy bookstore owner with a witty journalist, an adventurous travel blogger with a reserved artist, and a finance analyst with a cheerful dance instructor.

One after another, she set them off toward the various activity stations, ensuring each pair had a reason to stay engaged.

Ryan, meanwhile, had found himself a comfortable spot near a food stall, watching the chaos unfold with mild amusement.

At least, until Julian made his move.

Julian wasn’t above dirty tricks.

He subtly swapped name cards, pairing complete opposites together just to create awkward encounters. He whispered "insider tips" to participants, encouraging them to say the most absurd things on their dates.

Within minutes, couples Ava had carefully matched were looking at each other with forced smiles—or, worse, outright confusion.

Ryan, watching the disaster unfold, muttered, "Unbelievable."

Ava gritted her teeth. She should’ve expected this.

But Ryan?

Ryan had an idea.

Casually, he strolled into the mix, slipping between stations like a well-dressed matchmaking ninja.

With a few well-placed comments—

"You know, I heard she loves adventure. Maybe you should ask about her last trip."

"Fun fact, he actually runs a charity for stray cats. Pretty impressive, right?"

"She mentioned she’s looking for someone with a great sense of humor—now’s your chance."

—he subtly course-corrected Julian’s damage.

Ava, watching from across the pavilion, narrowed her eyes.

She knew exactly what he was doing.

And damn it, she loved him for it.

By the time the challenge ended, Ava’s original matches had not only recovered but were now laughing, chatting, and showing genuine interest in one another.

Julian, standing off to the side, frowned slightly. His sabotage hadn’t worked.

Ava smirked, stepping beside him. "Looks like your ’strategy’ didn’t hold up, Ashcroft."

Julian exhaled, schooling his expression back into neutrality. "You got lucky."

Ryan strolled up, casually draping an arm around Ava’s waist. "Or maybe she’s just better than you."

Julian’s jaw ticked. "Enjoy your small victories, Ava. The next challenge won’t be so easy."

And with that, he turned and disappeared into the festival crowd.

Ava let out a slow breath before turning to Ryan. "You didn’t have to help."

Ryan shrugged, smirking. "Oh, but I did. Couldn’t let Julian get the satisfaction."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Right. It had nothing to do with you being a hopeless romantic deep down."

Ryan chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Shhh. Don’t ruin my reputation."

As the night deepened, the soft glow of lanterns bathed the cherry blossoms in golden light, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere. The gentle rustling of petals in the breeze mixed with the quiet laughter of couples strolling beneath the trees, lost in their own budding romances.

Ava let out a slow breath, letting the warmth of the moment settle in. Ryan stood beside her, his presence steady and reassuring, his fingers brushing against the back of her hand as if it were second nature.

She turned her head slightly, catching the way the soft lantern glow highlighted the sharp angles of his jaw, the way his dark eyes traced over her face with quiet amusement.

"You’re staring," he murmured, voice teasing but warm.

Ava scoffed. "I’m admiring the view."

Ryan smirked, shifting closer. "Flattering, but we both know you were lost in thought. What’s on that matchmaking brain of yours now?"

Ava rolled her eyes, nudging him lightly. "I was just... thinking. About tonight. About how, despite Julian’s ridiculous schemes, it actually turned out kind of perfect."

Ryan hummed, his fingers finally lacing through hers. "It’s because you’re good at this. No amount of sabotage can change that."

Ava tilted her head, lips quirking. "Oh? And here I thought it was because my incredibly handsome fiancé secretly ran around playing cupid behind the scenes."

Ryan grinned. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Ava arched a brow. "Right. Because it was pure coincidence that all of my matches somehow ended up back on track?"

Ryan lifted their joined hands, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss against her knuckles. "Let’s just say I believe in strategic interference."

Ava sighed, feigning exasperation. "Hopeless romantic."

Ryan leaned down, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear, his voice low and smug. "And yet, you love me."

Ava’s stomach did that annoying flip again, but she refused to let him win so easily. Instead, she turned, letting her free hand rest against his chest, fingers lightly tracing the lapel of his suit jacket.

"I do," she admitted, voice soft but teasing. "But if you keep feeding my competitors hints, I might have to rethink my stance."

Ryan chuckled, his hand tightening on hers. "You wouldn’t dare."

Ava arched a brow. "Wouldn’t I?"

Ryan grinned, then pulled her in without warning, wrapping an arm around her waist and spinning her slightly until she was flush against him. The sudden movement made her gasp, but before she could protest, his lips captured hers in a slow, languid kiss that stole every bit of breath she had left.

Ava melted against him, hands sliding up to curl into the fabric of his suit, her mind blissfully empty of everything but the way he tasted—warm, intoxicating, utterly Ryan.

When he finally pulled back, Ava was breathless, her head still spinning.

Ryan smirked, brushing a thumb over her cheek. "Still thinking about Julian?"

Ava huffed, unable to stop the small smile tugging at her lips. "You’re impossible."

Ryan chuckled, threading his fingers back through hers. "And yet, you’re still here."

She squeezed his hand, shaking her head. "Yeah. I guess I am."

With that, they continued strolling beneath the cherry blossoms, the night wrapping around them like a secret meant only for two.