Date a Bride (Date A Live Fanfiction)

There was nothing more relaxing than working in the field—or so she thought as she swung the homemade hoe into the earth.

She worked slowly and carefully, mindful not to damage the fragile tool or the land—a lesson learned from past mistakes that had only left both worse off.

"Fyu~~"

She wiped the sweat from her forehead and glanced up at the high sun; the heat was building.

Around her lay several half-filled holes and broken wooden sticks, remnants of her earlier efforts.

"Well... at least I managed not to break anything this time."

She bent down, patting the soil gently, smoothing it where needed. The earth's warmth radiated through her fingertips, grounding her as she worked.

"Not perfect, but it'll do."

She stood up, stretching her back, feeling the strain from bending over so long.

The small field—a modest 5-by-5-meter patch of cleared earth—was starting to take shape. After leveling the soil, she dug shallow furrows, lining them carefully to guide water from the nearby river when needed. These simple channels would keep the plants hydrated without flooding them, providing just enough to reach the roots.

"Well, time for the next step..."

She walked over to the small pile of seeds she'd gathered earlier in the week, carefully selected from the fruits and plants she'd found in the jungle. Some were familiar—corn and beans—but others were more exotic, even mysterious, unlike anything she'd seen before.

"Let's hope I got this right."

She picked up a few seeds and dropped them into the holes she had dug earlier. One by one, she covered them with softened dirt, pressing gently—just enough to protect the seeds while allowing them to breathe.

With the last seed planted, she stood, took a deep breath, and leaned on her hoe, admiring the small patch of land.

"I wonder where that dog wandered off to..." she muttered. "I'm already starting to miss it, and we only met yesterday. Guess that's what happens when you're all alone out here. Oh well."

She shook her head, sighed, and slung the makeshift hoe over her shoulder.

"Let's see... I'll wait until tomorrow to water the seeds. By then, the mud bricks should be ready, and I can start working on the house."

She walked over to a small bag she had crafted from leather strips and leaves. The rough stitching barely held it together, but it was sturdy enough for basic use. Inside were a few simple tools.

Shoving the hoe into the bag, she picked it up and slung it over her shoulder, ready to head back to the cave and finish her preparations for tomorrow.

"I guess there's so much to do tomorrow..."

But just as she took her first step toward the path, an inexplicable feeling made her pause. A fleeting thought—no more than a whisper in her mind—urged her to turn around and take one last look at the field she had so carefully tended.

There was no logical reason for it, just a vague tug of curiosity that she couldn't quite ignore.

She hesitated, then turned.

"What the...!?"

Her bag slipped from her fingers, landing with a dull thud on the ground as she stared, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

The reason for her shock was simple—what should have taken months to grow had happened in mere moments.

Every seed she'd carefully planted, barely minutes ago, was no longer buried in the soil. Instead, towering, vibrant plants stood proudly, their stalks reaching skyward as if they had been thriving for weeks, not minutes.

She blinked, rubbed her eyes, and looked again, half-expecting the vision to disappear. But it didn't.

"No way..."

She took a hesitant step closer, the crunch of dry grass underfoot grounding her in the surreal moment. Reaching out, she ran her fingers over the nearest stalk. The texture was firm and warm against her skin, utterly real.

"B-But how—"

"Huff~ Huff~!"

The answer seemed to present itself as she turned toward the familiar sound, her suspicions already forming into certainty.

"So, it was you, huh..."

Standing at the edge of the field on the other side was the plant-like dog, its leafy tail wagging furiously with excitement. Its bark-like skin creaked softly as it padded closer, vines twisting beneath its paws and leaving faint imprints on the ground. It looked up at her, eyes glowing faintly, as though waiting for praise.

She sighed, a wry smile pulling at her lips despite the bewildering situation. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

The creature's tail lowered, and its head dipped slightly, letting out a soft whine, as if sensing it might have done something wrong.

"...But that's not really what I wanted..."

The thought lingered as her gaze drifted back to the field. The vibrant leaves swayed gently in the breeze.

She no longer had to wait for crops to grow, which should have been a relief. But for her, it wasn't.

In this new body, she already knew she didn't need food or water to survive—at least not for a long while. Those were never really problems.

Even if they were, she had plenty of stored food hidden within the dense island, with the vast ocean and nearby river providing a limitless supply. She could spend entire days doing nothing, and survival would still be guaranteed.

And that was the problem.

All these survival tasks weren't out of necessity; they were more like a game—a way to pass the time, to fool herself into feeling productive, to keep her mind occupied so she wouldn't be trapped in her own thoughts.

That's why, no matter how many tasks she took on, she always tried to stretch them out, to make them last as long as possible. The slower the work, the less time she'd have to face the silence within.

She sighed.

"I can't be mad at you, can I? You were only trying to help."

Her voice softened as she crouched down, gently scooping the plant-like creature into her arms, before standing up.

"You're so light, aren't you? Is it because I've become so strong, or... are you simply just a plant?"

The creature tilted its head in that familiar, endearing way, and she let out a soft giggle at its adorable expression.

"Next time," she said, lightly tapping its bark-like nose, "don't wander off without saying anything, okay?"

Tilting her head to match its playful demeanor, she watched as its leafy tail wagged with boundless enthusiasm, almost as if it understood her completely.

Part 2:

By the time they returned to the cave, the sky was dark, stars scattered across it like tiny pinpricks of light. The fire was already crackling inside the cave, its warm glow filling the space with a comforting orange hue.

She sat beside it, tossing her bag aside and gently setting the plant-like dog down next to her. The creature immediately padded over to the warmth, circling the spot a few times before flopping down with a contented huff.

"I thought you'd be afraid of fire. You know... being made of leaves and bark and all. Shouldn't that, like, terrify you?"

The dog gave her a sidelong glance, then yawned, its leafy tail wagging lazily as it settled even closer to the warmth, clearly unfazed.

"Guess not," she muttered with a smirk, poking the fire with a stick to stir the flames.

"Sooooo... what's your favorite food? I bet it's dirt. You strike me as a dirt-eating kind of dog."

The question slipped out before she even thought about it—maybe because she didn't have anything better to do, or maybe, just maybe, because she was excited to finally have someone to talk to. Not that she'd admit it if asked.

The dog responded with a soft, bark-like noise, almost like a tiny cough.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," she giggled. "You're way too classy for dirt. Maybe you go for... leaves? Or flowers, even! You seem like the type who'd snack on petals, huh?"

The dog's tail thumped against the ground, and it gave her a sideways glance, as if seriously considering her question.

"Ha! Knew it," she teased, gently nudging its leafy side. "You've totally got that flower-eater vibe. All cute and delicate."

She leaned back, arms stretched behind her, palms pressed into the cool ground as she tilted her head to gaze up at the rough, shadowed cave ceiling.

"Alright, real talk," she said, glancing back at the dog. "What's with the whole grow-the-plants-in-five-seconds thing? Not that I'm complaining—it's awesome. But, like... is it some secret dog magic? Miracle-Gro? Special kibble?"

The dog let out a strange little snort, almost like a laugh, and wriggled closer until its head rested comfortably on her knee.

"Uh-huh, sure, keep your secrets," she teased, rolling her eyes. "I'll figure it out eventually. Maybe I'll start growing flowers out of my head too. You never know!"

The dog gave a soft bark in response, then flopped onto its back, wiggling around on the cave floor with absolute contentment, like it had found the coziest spot in the world.

"You're such a weirdo, you know that? But I guess that makes two of us. We're officially the weirdest duo on this island."

The dog responded with a satisfied huff, eyes half-closed as it continued to wriggle happily.

"Right," she went on, glancing around the cave walls with a thoughtful smile, "next topic—what do you think we should name this place? 'Leafy Dog Cave' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

The dog gave a low groan, clearly unimpressed.

"Okay, okay, fine," she said, pretending to think deeply. "How about... 'Plant Palace'? Or maybe 'The Bark Hut'? Hmm... 'The Cozy Cave of Canine Cuddles'?"

This time, the dog barked twice, wagging its tail enthusiastically.

"See, I knew you'd like that one!" she laughed. "The Cozy Cave of Canine Cuddles it is!"

The dog yawned loudly, stretching out its legs before curling fully into her lap.

"You're not even paying attention, are you?" she asked, giving it a gentle poke. "You just like hearing me talk."

The dog didn't respond, just flicked its ears slightly as if to say, Yeah, pretty much.

"Come to think of it, you don't have a name, do you?"

The dog blinked lazily up at her, as if to say, Is that really important right now?

She sighed, leaning forward and folding her hands as she gazed into the flames.

"Well, you need a name. I can't keep calling you 'plant dog' forever. Not very original, you know."

She studied the dog thoughtfully, a new idea creeping into her mind, her brow furrowing.

"But wait... before I give you a name, there's one very important question."

She glanced around the cave, her eyes darting suspiciously as if expecting an audience to pop out of nowhere.

Of course, there was no one—just her and the dog. But still, she leaned in closer, lowering her voice dramatically. "Are you... a boy or a girl?"

The dog's eyes snapped open, making a strange noise as if to say, What?!

"I mean, it's kind of important, right? I can't just call you something like Steve if you're... you know, a girl."

The creature stayed frozen, staring at her with what could only be described as complete disbelief, as if shocked by the sheer absurdity of her question.

She glanced around the cave one last time—just to be sure—then cautiously reached down, grabbing the dog under its leafy armpits. Hoisting it up until they were face to face, the dog dangled limply in her hands, its legs swinging like a sack of potatoes.

The dog stared blankly at her.

She squinted, inspecting its bark-like body as if the answer might be hidden in its vines. "Uh... how am I supposed to tell?"

She tilted the dog left and right, hoping something might reveal itself. Nothing.

"This is impossible," she muttered, shaking her head. "You don't even have—well, you're a plant. Plants don't exactly have... you know, that stuff." She leaned in closer, daring to discover something new.

The dog responded by yawning right in her face.

Wrinkling her nose, she held it at arm's length. "Alright, forget it." She set the dog down, dusting her hands off with a sense of finality, as if the whole ordeal had been a serious experiment.

"I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?" She glanced at the dog, who now looked more comfortable than ever, curled back up to her lap as if nothing unusual had just happened. "You're either the laziest girl or the laziest boy I've ever met."

Leaning back, she muttered to herself, "What name would work for either... 'Sprout'? Nah, too small."

The dog remained unbothered.

"Leafy?" She looked for a sign of approval, but the dog responded with a slow blink. "Too obvious."

She tapped her fingers against her knee and then smirked. "Ember. Because you're weirdly unafraid of fire for a walking bush."

The dog's ears perked up slightly at the word "Ember," and it gave a soft bark.

"Ember it is!" she said, smiling wide. "I knew you had good taste."

She patted its leafy back, feeling strangely proud. "Now, Ember, next time you grow a whole field of crops in five seconds, at least give me a heads-up. You're really throwing off my schedule here."

This time, Ember gave no response nor any reaction, so she just assumed they had a deal.

"Well, I'll let this slide... you're lucky you're cute," she said, rolling her eyes with a laugh.

With that, she lay back on the floor, gently stroking Ember's leafy fur as the fire crackled. The night outside was still, and with no moon in the sky, everything beyond the cave seemed to vanish into a thick, velvety darkness.

The only light came from the scattered stars twinkling above and the warm glow of the fire dancing on the cave walls.

"Goodnight, Ember... We'll do our best tomorrow," she whispered, pulling the dog close, holding on as if afraid to let go.

She smiled, her eyes slowly closing. As she did, delicate flowers and leaves quietly bloomed from the ground around her, gently embracing her.

Good night...Master

Part 3:

The cave was silent after midnight, save for the occasional crackle of the dying fire. Only the faint glow of embers remained, their warmth fading as thin tendrils of smoke curled upward, vanishing into the dark.

She lay on her side, wrapped snugly under a blanket of green and flowers, all with a peaceful smile on her face.

Between her arms, the plant-like dog rested, its small body curled against her chest. Its leafy tail was tucked beneath it.

The soft rise and fall of her breathing stood in stark contrast to the still, unmoving body of the creature beside her.

Everything seemed frozen in time, the silence broken only by the distant sound of waves gently lapping against the shore.

"..."

But then—

A strong breeze swept through the cave, slicing through the stillness like a fleeting whisper. It brushed against her, tugging at the blanket of leaves and flowers, and rustled the creature's delicate foliage.

The wind seemed to linger, its touch almost deliberate, as if attempting to stir the small creature specifically awake.

"..."

A faint green light began to pulse from within the creature, glowing softly through the gaps in its leaf-like body. The glow spread gradually, coursing through its form as if infusing it with life, until it reached its eyes.

Slowly, the creature's eyes flickered open. Its pupils contracted sharply, shrinking to pinpoints as they darted around, scanning the cave with an almost mechanical precision before its gaze fixed on the cave entrance.

"?"

It shifted, attempting to move, but a strange difficulty stopped it.

Bringing its glowing eyes downward, it found the source of the problem—it was locked in the girl's gentle embrace. Her hands held it securely as if cradling a fragile treasure.

For a moment, its gaze lingered on her sleeping figure. Its pupils softened slightly, but the moment passed quickly; its eyes snapped back into sharp focus, shrinking to pinpoints as they returned to the cave entrance.

The breeze grew stronger, swirling through the cave with a strange energy.

The creature's body seemed to react instinctively, its leafy frame swaying with the wind. The soft rustle of its vines turned into a faint tearing sound as the links binding them began to unravel.

One by one, the leaves and vines were sliced away, carried off by the wind in a graceful, almost magical dance.

As the last remnants of its form scattered, the creature appeared to dissolve into nothingness. But the wind did not carry it far. Just outside the cave, the fragments began to shimmer, glowing with the same green light that had once filled its body.

The pieces floated and twisted in the air, drawn together as though obeying an unseen command. Slowly, the familiar shape of the creature reassembled itself, vines weaving tightly and leaves aligning perfectly until its small, dog-like form stood whole once again.

Its glowing eyes turned back to the cave, lingering on the girl one last time before shifting upward.

Above, the dark sky began to shift, streaks of red bleeding across its expanse. The stars seemed to break free from their celestial anchors, streaking toward the earth like falling embers.

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(A/N): Hey, It's MEEE!

Remember, guys, there's always an early extra chapter release on my website mznovels .com!

While the new chapter here will be available the day after tomorrow (two days later), Chapter 8 will be released tomorrow around this time on my website. So, be sure to check it out!

Also, you'll find plenty of other stories with similar themes available on my website—stories you won't find on my profile here.

And rest assured, it's completely safe, free, and ad-free!

That was for today, see you soon!