"You're getting married?-!" (1)
Oichi nodded. "I'm, a little nervous. It was decided quite suddenly." She stood at the end of the half-circle booth table in the town's most popular diner. A group of her friends were all seated with their drinks and meals in front of them; though they had stopped eating when they had heard the news.
"To who? You weren't dating anyone," Kasuga demanded. She was one of her closest friends.
"To Nagamasa-sama."
"Who?" Magoichi asked.
Oichi fidgeted slightly. "He's from a well to do family onii-sama knows. Nagamasa-sama is kind so it's okay."
"Oichi it isn't right," Kasuga told her. "Do you even know him?"
"Y-yes."
"It's okay, Oichi. I think it's nice your getting married," Aki spoke up in her defense. "Don't you agree?" she asked looking up at Yukimura who was sitting next to her.
"Yeah, it's great!" He was quick to agree.
Oichi smiled. "Thank you."
"Marriage is over-rated." Oichi looked startled.
Aki looked past Yukimura at him. "No it's not! I'd be more than happy to get married," she looked at Yukimura after she said this. Yukimura rubbed the back of his head as he tried to think of a way out of this conversation.
Ignoring her, he looked up at Oichi. "But congrats anyway."
Oichi gave a soft sigh that turned into a smile. "Thank you, Masamune." If he was congratulating her then it had to be okay.
"Ichi! Let's go." Masamune's fingers twitched from under the table. He turned his gaze towards the door where the voice came from. So that's Nagamasa. He doesn't have the right to call her 'Ichi'. That's something reserved for him alone.
"Ah," Oichi quickly looked to the door. "Yes! I'm coming!" She turned and started off.
Magoichi stood up. "Oichi!" Oichi stopped and turned around. "When's the wedding? We should at least be there."
Oichi stepped backward a couple steps. She hesitated before she answered. "Next week Friday." She quickly turned around and hurried to meet Nagamasa at the door.
"Next week!" Kasuga exclaimed. "That's ridiculous! It's only a week from now."
"Don't worry Kasuga. We'll talk to her tomorrow," Magoichi told her.
"Yeah, she won't get away without telling us everything."
"Like who's the flower girl and what dresses we..." Aki started but was cut off.
"No! Like why she's getting married in the first place!" Magoichi sighed as she leaned her head against her hand. Don't they know they're drawing the attention of everyone in dinner?
"Um, everyone's staring. Can you guys calm down?" Yukimura asked.
"What do you mean 'guys'?" Kasuga asked with an annoyed tone.
Yukimura quickly sat back and raised his hands up defensively. "Sorry."
It was late and Masamune was out walking. He was having a hard time sleeping and had decided to take a walk. It was only a few more days before Oichi's wedding. Only Aki had managed to talk to her for a few minutes since they found out in the diner. Apparently, none of them were going to be involved in the wedding itself, but she assured them that they could come to the reception after wards. He didn't like it. Not the fact that they're not in the wedding. Hell, he didn't care about that. Actually, he agreed with Kasuga, though he didn't admit it. He didn't want Oichi to get married. Not only was she getting married, but she's now living with him. He couldn't stand it. He wanted to talk to her at least once before then.
He suddenly noticed someone leaning against the railing overlooking the stream leading outside of the college campus. He could faintly see a bike set up next to them. They looked up in his direction when he got closer. A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips when he realized who it was. Now he was glad he went for a walk. "Ichi."
Oichi smiled. "I'm surprised you're awake."
Masamune shrugged as he leaned his elbow against the railing. "Guess I couldn't sleep. What about you? Thought you weren't on campus anymore."
She looked out to the road. "I'm not, but Nagamasa-sama lives close by." She was quiet for a moment before she turned to him. "How is everything? I've been kept so busy that I haven't had a chance to keep in touch..."
"Oh, you know, same as always." He turned and leaned against the railing.
She turned and leaned against the railing with him. The two were quiet. She looked over at him and realized that he looked deep in thought. "Masamune?"
"Hm?" He looked at her. "What is it?"
She didn't have anything planned to say, so she asked the first thing that came to mind. "You will come to my wedding; won't you? I mean, I want you to be there."
"I'll be there. But only because you want me too, you see?" he told her with a grin.
She giggled, then smiled. "Thank you." They stood there for a moment before he reached out and brushed her hair back behind her ear. She could feel herself blush. "U-um. Do you know what time it is?"
Masamune pulled his hand back to check his watch. "Ten-fifty."
"Already?" Oichi cried out startled. She quickly turned around pushed the kick-stand up. "I have to get back."
"You have a curfew?" He didn't sound happy.
She looked back at him. "No, I just have to be up early tomorrow." She hopped on her bike.
"Ichi." She looked over her shoulder. "Be careful." She offered a smile before she rode off. He watched her ride off before he turned around and started on his way back to the dormitories.
It was the day of the wedding. Masamune had been lost in his own thoughts on the ride there. Which his companions found unusual. "Masamune-dono?"
"Huh?" Masamune looked in the mirror on the sun-visor at Yukimura.
"If you're not feeling well, maybe it would have been better if you stayed at the dorms."
Masamune shook his head. "I'm fine. Besides I told her I'd be here; and I won't go back on my word."
Yukimura looked concerned for his friend. That is, until Aki grabbed his attention. She grabbed his arm and pointed forward. "Look there's the church. Wow, it's so pretty..." The outside of the church even had some decorations.
"Hm. I will say, I'm impressed they got everything done within a week," Motonari stated from the drivers seat as he pulled into a parking spot.
As the group filed out of the car, Yukimura spoke up. "I wonder if Sasuke found a parking spot."
Motonari glanced at him. "If we don't see them at the front of the church than he didn't."
Since Oichi had told Aki there wasn't really a dress code none of the guys rented tuxes. Even so they still dressed in reasonable attire. Aki was wearing a pink summer dress with black tights. Yukimura was matching her by wearing black slacks, white shirt with a red vest. Motonari was wearing a pair of white jeans, white button up shirt with a long forest green jacket that reached to his knees. Lastly, Masamune wore deep blue dress pants, black shirt with a long sleeved navy blue button up shirt. Aki had lectured him when she saw this; she told him he looked like he was going to a funeral. Despite that, he refused to change.
The group walked up to the church but didn't see Sasuke. They waited outside for a few minutes before they heard a couple familiar voices arguing. "Why didn't you listen to me when I'm talking to you?"
"I told you there was a spot further up I was going to."
"That spot was taken before we got there! And the one I pointed out was taken when you finally drove back to it."
"Yeah well... Hey, Yukimura!" he ran ahead.
"Sasuke! Get back here!" Kasuga yelled after him. Keiji couldn't help but laugh at the two while Magoichi just shook her head.
Sasuke was wearing baggy green pants, a gray shirt with a green and black shirt that had sleeves that only reached his elbows. Kasuga wore a dress that faded from black to white down the length of the dress. Keiji had on maroon pants, a short sleeved black shirt with a yellow and reddish vest. Magoichi was wearing a long red skirt with a slit up to her knee on the right side with a black blouse; then to finish it off she wore a choker. Both her skirt and blouse had similar designs.
"Now that we're all here, we should head inside," Motonari told the group. "We have a half hour before they begin the ceremony." The group nodded and agreed.
"I can't wait to see Oichi. I bet she'll look gorgeous in a wedding dress," Aki announced to the group as they walked inside the nicely air-conditioned building.
"Oh yeah, I second that," Keiji agreed.
Magoichi looked annoyed. "She's getting married, Keiji. That means she's not available anymore. Stupid."
"No one ever said I couldn't compliment a pretty girl."
"Hmph. Then why haven't you complimented me yet, I wonder," Magoichi countered. Keiji gave weak laugh.
Kasuga shook her head. "I still don't like this. It's too sudden, and we haven't even met this Nagamasa."
"That might be true, Kasu-chan, but whoa," Sasuke quickly jumped back as she swung at him. "If she's happy that's what's important."
"That's true, but even so."
"Wow, there's so many people..." Yukimura stated a little amazed. "Do we just sit anywhere?"
Aki shook her head. "No, since we're here for the bride, we would sit on the left, because that's where the bride would stand," she informed him.
Motonari glanced over the area. "The last three rows are empty. Sit where you like I suppose."
While the others were discussing where to sit, Masamune sat down in the back row by the aisle without a word to the others. By the time everyone was seated they had thirteen minutes before the ceremony would begin. Only two more people entered after them. While sitting in silence, Masamune could hear people talking. "Such a rowdy bunch." "How dishonorable; they should be dressed more formally for a wedding." "Obviously, their here for the bride." "This isn't a funeral; how disgraceful." "And that eye patch, people like that shouldn't be here." Masamune couldn't stand listening to them any more. He started droning them out.
Just then the music started signaling the start of the ceremony. Masamune clasped his hands together and watched as the groom made his entrance. He looked down at his hands and wondered why he was doing this to himself. That is, until the bride walked down the aisle. Turning his head slightly so he could get a good look at her. The grip his hands had on each other slacked, as did his jaw. She was absolutely gorgeous. He couldn't take his eyes off her. "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today..." Masamune snapped out of his revere. That's right, she was with someone that wasn't him. His hands tightened their grip on each other again. By the time it came to exchanging the vows, his knuckles were turning white. He swallowed, hard. He couldn't handle this. She was about to marry someone who wasn't him. He heard Nagamasa say 'I do'. His heart ached. He couldn't do this; despite the fact that he promised Oichi, this was just too much.
Masamune stood up. "Masamune-dono?" Yukimura whispered. "Where are you going?" Masamune didn't respond as he opened the door and walked out.
The sound of the door being opened grabbed the attention of nearly everyone in the room. "How rude to leave in the midst of our wedding," Nagamasa spoke up. He turned to the minister. "Continue. We shouldn't let people like that distract us from what's at hand." The minister resumed reading the vows to Oichi, who was looking towards the doorway. "Ichi."
"Ah," startled, Oichi turned back towards Nagamasa. "Yes. I do."
(1) - since, for some reason, the website won't let me post both a ? and an ! at the end of the sentence I had to do it like this.
I came up with this (well, more so inspired by) after watching this video on YouTube .com/watch?v=AJ0_oIOeBRg . So I could very well dedicate this to the creator of the video. I'll probably leave this one as a one-shot as well.