Wedding Day
By D. Ant
"Well, aren't we looking nice." Fujiko walked up to Jigen and Goemon as they stood in the entry area of the church.Both of them were in tuxedos, Goemon with his hair tied back in a ponytail while Jigen kept his hair down, his bangs parted in the middle, covering a small portion of the upper part of his face.
"And you're looking exceptional," Jigen retorted in an uncaring voice.
"I actually meant what I said," she said in a hushed anger.
"Is that what you picked to wear?" Goemon couldn't take his eyes off the poofy lavender dress Fujiko had on.
Jigen began to laugh at the question.
"Shut up," she growled at him, looking back to Goemon. "It's the typical bride's maid dress. It makes the bride more attractive when she's surrounded by hideous blobs of ugly colored fabric."
"Then she should have hired more bride's maids," Jigen said in a low voice as he watched the guests arriving and mingling.
"You sound angry." Fujiko smirked. She could see he wasn't having a fun time, which put her in a better mood.
"I hate weddings."
"Oh? And how many have you been to?" Fujiko waited for an answer, but didn't get one. "I figured as much."
"How are you feeling?" Goemon asked.
Fujiko shrugged. "I'm hot, bored-"
"Angry?"
She looked over at Jigen, not understanding what he was getting at.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about."
She scoffed. "You of all people should be the happiest one here, Jigen. Your best friend is getting married. And it's not to me."
"It hurts to say this, but I'd much rather have Lupin marry you than that...thing."
Confusion came over her face as she looked over at Goemon, hoping he'd fill her in.
"She hates Jigen," he said, short and to the point as usual.
"What'd you do?" she asked with a laugh.
"I did nothing to that whore."
"Wow...she seemed nice to me."
"Oh yeah, she's nice to you. And she adores Goemon. And that night Lupin invited Zenigata over, she had nothing but nice things to say about him. I walk into the room and she starts lobbing insults at me."
"It's true," Goemon said.
"What'd Lupin do?"
Jigen shook his head slightly and shrugged. "What was he supposed to do?"
"Shoot her?" she asked with a sigh.
Just then a man approached, telling Goemon that Lupin wanted to see him. Jigen and Fujiko watched as the two walked away.
Jigen glanced over at Fujiko as she stared at the door the two had entered. "You're upset."
"I just thought I'd be the one," she said, as if to herself.
"Maybe if you hadn't strung him along all the time then you'd be the one wearing the pretty white dress. Although, in your case, it wouldn't be white."
"Ha ha," she said, not amused.
"I'm sorry."
She turned her head and looked at him. She was shocked, as she could tell that he actually meant those words.
"You really did love him," he said, as if realizing this for the first time.
She stared down at the tiled floor. She felt miserable and it showed. "Jigen..." Her voice was shaky and queasy sounding. "I don't feel so good."
He reached over and put his arm around her waist, his other hand gripped firmly by both of hers. "Let's get you outside in the fresh air."
He helped her outside, where they headed towards an empty bench sitting in the shade of a nearby tree.
"Thank you," she said, both sitting next to one another, their bodies not touching like they were a few seconds earlier.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked.
"I promised I would."
"You've promised a lot of things in the past."
She remained silent as she stared off at the ground in front of her, ignoring the chatter of the ones around them.
The two remained unmoved until everyone was called into the church.
Jigen and Goemon stood behind Lupin at the alter. Lupin was nervous, unable to stand still, his eyes darting around the church as he tried to think of something to relax his mind. The bride's maids, four in all, stood across from them on the other side of the alter.
As the organ began to play everyone shifted their attention towards the back of the church, the flower girl making people 'ooh' and 'ahh' at her cuteness as she walked, slowly tossing rose petals on the floor around her.
Everyone except Jigen and Fujiko, who were both staring at anything but the bride as she made her way down the aisle with her father at her side.
She had made it to the end, standing across from Lupin as they stared lovingly into each others eyes.
The vows were read, the ring placed on the bride's finger, and the whole thing was then sealed with a kiss.
The people stood and clapped as the two walked hand in hand down the aisle.
"So, when can we drink?" Jigen asked, Fujiko joining he and Goemon as they stood on the alter, staring as the newly married couple made their way out of the church.
"When can I take this damn thing off?" Fujiko wanted desperately now more than ever to shed the ugly dress.
Goemon, as usual, stayed silent.
The after party was held at Lupin's estate. Everyone from the wedding was there, all of them having a good time as they drank and mingled. Jigen wandered around, moving in between the crowds of people. He noticed Zenigata talking and laughing with his date, who Jigen figured was some woman he worked with. He probably payed her to come, he thought.
He then saw Lupin, who stood around some men, all of them talking and laughing. Jigen pushed his way through to reach him.
"Jigen," Lupin said as if he hadn't seen him in ages. "Come over and join us."
"I'd love to, but I was just passing through." He then leaned over to talk to Lupin. "Have you seen Fujiko?"
"Who?" Lupin joked. "Last I saw her she was on the back patio."
Jigen nodded and then excused himself, heading out towards the back doors to the large patio.
He scanned the area, catching a glimpse of her in between the people, once again pushing himself through.
She sat on the edge of the large fountain, her head turned downwards as she ran her left hand through the water.
Jigen noticed she had changed and was now wearing a slim black evening dress. He approached her, standing silent for a few seconds before speaking. "Can I join you?"
She turned her head slightly and shrugged.
He could tell she was crying. A crying woman was something he wasn't quite comfortable around, so he decided to just be blunt. "Stop beating yourself up over this," he said as he sat down next to her. "It's just a stupid waste of time."
"No." She shook her head slightly. "You were right. If I had just been straight with him for once instead of teasing him all the time, then maybe..."
He breathed out a long sigh, brushing some of his hair out of his face. "It wouldn't have mattered."
She wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to face him.
"Look, I shouldn't have said what I did. Lupin...he told me that it was all just a game to him. He said that he loved you when you two first met, but then after a while those feelings faded. He was the one stringing you along..."
"Why are you telling me this?" She was confused and a bit angered by what he said. "How long did you know?"
Because I care about you.
"How long have you known, Jigen?" she asked again, her voice becoming more angry.
Jigen knew it wouldn't be long before she got violent, so he quickly answered. "He told me about three months ago, when he started seeing Marie."
A pained look came over her face, the tears once again falling. "Three months? Three months and they get married?"
"He's known her since he was ten. And they dated off and on as teenagers. So, it isn't like he just met her."
"I'm better than her, though, right?" She desperately needed to know the answer, even if it was Jigen she was asking.
"A lot better." Did I just say that out loud? "I mean, considering...you know..."
She was surprised by his answer, but then smiled at him as he stared down at the ground. "Thank you." She wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. Why am I doing this? Am I that desperate for company?
"Hey," Jigen said, wanting to get out the the predicament he was in. "Do you want to go inside and make fun of people?"
"You can be so childish, you know that?"
All these years I've hated her. Called her a bitch ten thousand times. Went on rants about all the times she screwed us. And then the day Lupin starts dating Marie I get feelings for her?
Childish, yet kind when he wants to be. Maybe I just caught him on one of his good days. Who am I kidding? He never has good days. "Sure."
"Huh?" Jigen was broken from his thoughts.
"Let's go." She separated herself from him and stood, waiting for him to join her.
"Oh, yeah, that," he said, standing and walking with her inside the house.
Jigen had gone to the bar that was set up and got he and Fujiko a drink, walking back with them to the wall she was leaning against.
"Thanks," she said as she took her drink.
"No problem," he replied, scanning the crowd of people.
Jigen began poking fun at random people who walked by, Fujiko not hearing any of it as she stared over at Lupin, who stood with Marie as she showed off her ring to a small crowd of people.
That should be me, she thought. I should be there, not her. I loved him more than she ever will. "Damn it."
Jigen looked over, his eyes following Fujiko as she disappeared into the crowd.
Follow me. She glanced back through the crowd of people. Please.
Jigen sighed, pushing away from the wall and walking off in the general direction she went. Lupin should be the one dealing with this crap. He's the cause of it.
Fujiko walked briskly into one of the ground level rooms. The library. Great. You think I'd know this place, all the times I've been here.
Jigen continued on, stopping as he got to the hallway, just catching one of the doors closing.
Fujiko sat in one of the leather chairs, her arms wrapped around her legs as she cried into her knees. "What do you-!" She looked up, seeing Jigen enter. "Oh, it's you." I knew you'd come. Thank you.
"Something wrong?" God, I can say the dumbest things sometimes.
"Everything's fine." Is he being a moron on purpose?
He plopped himself down on the leather couch, which sat at an angle near the chair. "Great party, huh?" He picked up a book sitting on the small side table and flipped through it. Thomas Edison. How boring. He put the book back.
"I want you to be honest with me."
"Honest with what?"
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"You want me to be an asshole?"
She laughed. "Just answer, please."
"We're both in the same boat. We've both been betrayed."
She glanced up at him as she fidgeted with her nails. "By Lupin?"
"Marie doesn't want me around. I overheard her telling Lupin. You know what his answer was? 'Anything to make you happy.' I'd rather be a million miles away from him right now."
"And yet you still play the part of best friend..."
"I'm just waiting for him to make his move."
"His life is going to be miserable with her." Knowing this made her laugh hysterically on the inside.
"Then why are we the miserable ones?"
"He knows what he's done. We should make this the best night of our lives right in front of him."
Jigen smirked. Not with what I want to do I'm not.
"How well can you dance?"
"Kind of okay, I guess."
"Good enough. Come on." She jumped to her feet and grabbed Jigen's hand, pulling him towards her.
He got up and was led out of the room, through the crowds and out towards the back patio, where a few other couples danced as the sun began to set.
Marie was leading Lupin around to show him off to friends and friends of the family. Dear God, let me wake from this nightmare now, he thought, grinning and bearing it.
"Lupin," Goemon said as he approached.
Thank you, God.
"Can I see you for a second?"
Lupin looked at Marie and shrugged, a grin on his face as he walked off. "What is it?"
"Nothing. You just looked like you needed an escape."
"Thank you, Goemon," he said with a big sigh of relief. "I owe you one."
"You owe me many."
"Yeah. So, you enjoying yourself?"
"I am. Are you?"
He began to answer when he happened to look out the window, spotting Jigen and Fujiko as they held one another close and danced. He stared, unable to remove his gaze from them.
"They seem to be getting along." Goemon glanced over at Lupin, then back outside, the light of the full moon casting a faint glow on everybody and everything.
That should be me out there, not him. Was this all just a big mistake?
"Lupin."
"Hmm?" He broke his gaze from the two dancers and looked at Goemon.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah," he said, grabbing a wine glass from a passing server and downing it in one chug. "Couldn't be better." He then set the empty glass on a passing tray and left.
"What are your plans?" Fujiko asked, she and Jigen still holding one another close as they danced slowly.
"I'll probably just travel. How about you?" Why don't you come along with?
"I'm going back to New York, see what opens up there."
"I'm sure something will."
The two stopped dancing, Fujiko pulling herself away slightly.
"Here." Jigen began to take off his jacket. "You need it more than I do."
"Thanks." She turned as Jigen wrapped it around her shoulders, turning back to face him as she pulled the jacket around her tightly.
"You getting hungry?"
"A little, yeah." Don't tell me he's-
"Did you want to go get something? Maybe we can get in some place."
Did he just ask me out? "Um, sure. That sounds nice." Why am I getting nervous all of a sudden?
"Great. We can just find Lupin and tell him we're heading out."
She stood and watched for a moment as Jigen walked away towards the house. Forcing herself to move, she took a step forward, walking slowly after him.
Few of the guests remained, mostly family members and close friends. The almost empty house made it easy to spot Lupin, Jigen walking over to him.
"Hey," Lupin said, his eyes quickly averted to Fujiko as she walked up next to Jigen and wrapped her arms around his left arm. "You two missed dinner. I was going to get you, but Goemon said..." His mind wandered mid-sentence as he noticed how happy Fujiko seemed as she clung onto Jigen. "So, you guys have fun out there?"
"We had a great time," Fujiko answered, looking up at Jigen with a loving look. How long were we out there?
Jigen looked down at her and smiled, looking back at Lupin. "Wonderful time." Thanks, Goemon. I owe you one.
"That's...that's great..."
"Lupin, darling," Marie called as she approached. "The rest of the guests are leaving. We need to start getting ready."
"Oh, yeah, right. We have a plane to catch early tomorrow, so..."
"Uh, yeah, we we're just heading out ourselves," Jigen said. "You ready, Goemon?"
Goemon nodded as he joined Jigen and Fujiko, standing behind them.
I forgot about Goemon, Fujiko thought to herself, somewhat relieved. I'm sure he didn't eat much of this high class food.
"Well, congratulations, both of you," Jigen said.
Fujiko and Goemon echoed the sentiment.
"Thank you," both Lupin and Marie said.
"It's been fun, guys, really." Lupin looked at the three with a 'farewell' look on his face. "Good luck, all of you."
Jigen was silent, giving a nod. I knew it. That damn whore...
"Good luck to you as well," Goemon said.
He's dumping all of us...over her... "Yeah, it has been fun, but it doesn't mean it has to end."
Lupin stared at Fujiko for a few seconds before casting his eyes downwards. "Maybe..." he mumbled.
The three said their final goodbyes and then headed towards the door. Fujiko wanted to rush over to Lupin and kiss him, hold him and never let go. Why give him the satisfaction? she thought, stopping at the door and pulling Jigen close to her, giving him a deep and passionate kiss.
Jigen was shocked at first, but then relaxed and began to kiss her back, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her even closer to him.
The two parted, staring into each others eyes for a few seconds before heading out the door, neither giving Lupin a last look.
Jigen drove off the property, fulfilling Goemon's request of finding a Japanese restaurant.
Fujiko sat in the passenger seat, Jigen's jacket still around her. "I wish I could have seen the look on his face," she laughed.
"He looked hurt," Goemon said. "Don't you think that was overdoing it a little?"
"It wasn't enough," Jigen said, getting odd looks from the two. "What?" He glanced over at them. "I meant he should have suffered more."
"I thought you were going to blow it there for a second." Fujiko grinned at Jigen. "You need to brush up on your acting a little more."
"Yeah, well, maybe we can go over the scene a couple more times tonight until I get it down." The red light they sat at gave him time to stare over at her, a slight grin on his face as he found himself lost in her eyes.
"Maybe," Fujiko whispered, blushing as she stared into his eyes.
Goemon groaned and rolled his eyes, somewhat disgusted at the scene unfolding in front of him, but neither Jigen or Fujiko noticed, the only thing breaking their gaze being a lone horn honking from behind as the light turned green.