“What’s your name?” He asked, and she looked thoughtful for a second before her eyes widened. He guessed, she’s thinking the same thing. She confirmed it when she spoke. “Oh! We don’t know each other’s name,” she stated and giggled. 

“How silly! You forgot to ask my name last time, and I forgot to ask yours,” she said giggling again while he nodded in agreement. She extended her hand, offering a handshake. He took it gladly as she introduced herself. “My name is Hera Hunter, and I’m five years old. What’s your name?” 

His eyes widened after learning her name. He looked surprised. “Your last name is Hunter? Mine too!” He exclaimed. 

With that discovery made, he gave her his happiest smile, but she looked clueless.. “Why do we have the same last name?” She asked, and her nose creased as she frowned in confusion.

‘How cute she looks!’ 

He thought inwardly. 

For him, his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, and next was his grandmother. The day he met Hera, she made it to the list as well.

A wicked thought crossed his mind as he looked into her innocent eyes. “You and I have the same last name. Do you know what it means?” He questioned with a serious tone. Hera shook her head in a no. She had no idea where he’s going with that question. 

“People share the same last name when they marry. You and I already have the same name, that means we’ll marry when we grow up. We are husband and wife, that’s why the same last name. God made us for each other,” he declared and bit his lip to hide his growing smile all the while trying to put on a more serious face. He was too smart for his age, wasn’t he? 

Hera looked terrified and moved away from him, scooting over a little. 

“No. You’re a liar. You’re not my husband. I don’t even know your name, and I know that brother and sister share the same last name. And parents do too,” she stated, her tone resolute. Her chubby cheeks turned pink as she glared at him in anger. 

‘Ooh! She’s smart.’ 

He thought, clearly impressed. 

“Okay then, tell me, Ms Hunter. Am I your parent? Or are we brother and sister?” He asked, returning her glare. 

“No. But you’re not my husband. We’re not married,” she said. Little Hera refused to agree with his logic. He observed she was too stubborn for him to convince. He raised his eyebrows in challenge. “Then why you have my last name already? And how do you know we’re not married?” He questioned her again, and he wasn’t going to lose this fight. 

Hera crossed her arms over her chest. He observed that she changed her expression to show something like how brave or smart she’s. “I know we’re not married because we didn’t share a kiss. I know when people marry, they kiss. Wife wears a white dress, and they say “I do” in a Church. We didn’t do any of it. So you’re not my husband,” she said with finality. 

He stared into her big green eyes, and he liked the challenge she held. He would never give up until she believes his every word. He was determined to become her husband. He looked at their intertwined fingers, which they never let go. Without warning, he stood up and dragged her inside the Church.

He smiled at her, then leaned down to her face, and kissed her on the lips. 

“Ewww! Gross!” Hera said and ran out of the Church dragging him along because he didn’t let go of her hand. She spat multiple times repeatedly and rubbed her lips, wiping it in disgust. He started laughing. 

“That’s so gross, Mr Hunter. You touched my lips with your tongue. Your spit entered my mouth. Don’t you have manners? You don’t spit on people,” she scolded him, and he laughed some more. 

“Hera Hunter, how stupid are you?” He asked, still laughing at her. “I didn’t spit on you. I kissed you. That’s what husband and wife do,” he said and winked at her. Hera gasped, covered her mouth with her hands, and her eyes widened in shock. Meanwhile, he felt sorry for fooling her. 

‘But she doesn’t need to know the truth.’ 

He decided as a mischievous smile played on his lips. 

“You’re wearing a white frock, and earlier we did say ‘I do’ when we talked about us remembering each other. I kissed you in the Church. You have my last name. So now we’re married, and you’re my wife. I am your husband, Mrs Hunter,” he finished talking, and Hera went silent. He smirked in triumph. She’s thinking hard, and he knew that she bought his lies. 

“But I’m only five years old!” She whispered frowning. That’s all she said after all that hard thinking.

“I know we’re too young. You’re only five, and I’m eight years old. People meet their husbands and wives when they grow up, but we met so soon because God blessed us. You don’t have to worry. It’s our secret, and we don’t tell anyone until we grow up, okay?” He asked with so much confidence that she just nodded to everything he said. 

“You’re bigger than me,” she said, giggling, and he laughed in return. 

“I am older than you,” he corrected her. “Of course, I’m bigger and taller than you in size,” he stated and flicked her little nose before kissing her cheek. She blushed and peeked at him shyly. “You look so good in this,” she said, touching his bow tie, and he grinned from ear to ear. 

“Now don’t ever eww at me, Mrs Hunter. I’m your husband and can kiss you whenever I want. And happy birthday,” he said, pecking her lips. 

He took out a pen from the inside pocket of his tux. 

“You have a pen?” Hera asked in surprise, and he showed her his pen. “It shines. Do you like it?” He asked as he remembered that she liked shiny things. She nodded with a grin. “It’s my dad’s gift. So I can’t give it to you. Sorry. But I have something for you. Close your eyes,” he requested, and she obliged. 

He pulled out a chocolate bar from his pant pocket and opened the wrapper. He wrote a birthday wish for her inside the wrapper and pocketed his pen. Folding the wrapper neatly around the chocolate, he told her to open her eyes. “This is your birthday gift, and it has a message inside the wrapper. Read it when you go home,” he said, giving Hera the chocolate bar.

Hera blushed in embarrassment. “Don’t you remember what I said last time? I don’t go to school, so I still don’t know to read,” she said, lowering her eyes, feeling ashamed. Her pink bottom lip jutted out in a sad pout. He held her chin, lifted her face, and smiled, looking into her eyes. “It’s okay, Mrs Hunter, keep it safe and read it when you learn how to read,” he said, bringing the smile back on her face. She remembered he’d said the same thing when they met for the first time. 

She was impressed by his kind and thoughtful words back then too. 

He glanced at his grandmother and saw her conversing with the Priest. When he looked at his bodyguard Mathew, he silently arched his eyebrows with a knowing smile. The boy grinned back and took Hera’s hand in his. He pecked her lips once more whispering happy birthday, and they walked back into the Church holding hands and smiling, with a promise to wait for each other until they meet again. 

She went to her Aunt, and he joined his grandmother.

Hera folded her hands and closed her eyes. 

‘Thank you, dear Lord, for granting my wish. He was my Prince till yesterday, and today he became my husband. Thank you for blessing us. Please let him come back to me soon.’ 

Hera sent out her prayer.

She smiled, waving bye to him when she saw him walking out of the Church with his grandmother. He winked at her before walking out of the door, and they parted ways.