These are three songs that I wish I had been able to use at my own wedding in some capacity, but wasn't able to. I think the decisions my husband and I made were for the best though, so I'm glad I can do something special with them even if it's a couple years later. (^_^)
I hope you will enjoy them! I just bawled my eyes out listening to them over and over again as I was writing. I hope you will be touched by these beautiful songs with their clean, meaningful lyrics set to simple music that tugs at your heart.
Leading us off this Father's Day will be Kahoko Hino and her father to Heartland's "I Loved Her First." This was a song that my friend used as her father-daughter dance, and it was the first song that ever made me think about what song I would want to have as my father-daughter dance song in the future.
Youtube: youtube…com/watch?v=MXhJ3oCg3K8
Youtube Alternative: yallwire…com/player/heartlandilovedherfirst…html (If it adds a bitrate blah blah blah thing after the provided URL, delete it. For some reason it made the video not load for me.)
Thoughts will be in italics within quotes and song lyrics will be in bold.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kiniro no Corda, the songs used in this story, or any of their affiliates.
Takeo Hino's eyes were solemn as they watched his daughter and her boyfriend standing together under the tangerine tree in the backyard.
"Come away from the door," his wife scolded.
He simply shook his head, his eyes not leaving the pair for a second. They narrowed slightly. "He's going to do it."
Ryouko frowned. "Even more reason for you to not watch them."
Ignoring her, he suddenly chuckled. "He's botching it." He could tell even without hearing them.
His other two children and their spouses joined him on the porch.
"Would he be Hihara-kun if he weren't?" Shou smirked.
Noriko laughed and motioned her mother to join them. "Mom, you have to see this. The look on Kaho's face is priceless."
"I don't think I've ever seen her look so confused," Noriko's husband agreed with a chuckle.
"Give them some privacy," Ryouko scolded, though she was also sneaking glances over her shoulder at the pair.
"Oh! Looks like he's really panicking now," Shou laughed as the green-haired youth outside began windmilling his arms around in all directions as if by doing so, he could somehow erase the last ten seconds of his life. They all agreed the tall boy's face had reached an all-new level of red.
Takeo's gaze sharpened when understanding dawned in his daughter's eyes. Then, with a creeping blush on her cheeks, she placed a quieting finger on his lips and murmured something to him.
Everyone held their breaths as he abruptly dropped onto both knees and held out a small, open box to the girl in question with hands that trembled uncontrollably.
And released them when a smile more beautiful than the first day of spring bloomed across her face.
Takeo's eyes stung as the boy ecstatically hoisted his Kahoko into the air and began to spin her around like a crazy person as she laughed.
Look at the two of you dancing that way
His smile turned bittersweet as the spins came to a slow, lazy halt, the young man gently lowering the young woman back to the ground and leaning his forehead sweetly against hers.
Lost in the moment and each other's face
Everyone's hearts stopped when his shaky butterfingers lost the ring, and resumed again when the diamond solitaire triumphantly caught the soft moonlight.
So much in love you're alone in this place
With a shy smile, she joined him on the ground, and he took her hand and slipped the delicate, sparkling band on her finger.
Like there's nobody else in the world
After everyone had left, Takeo sat with an old photo album open on his lap. While Kahoko's life was not as well documented as the other two's—understandable seeing as she was the youngest—there was still a large number of pictures of her due to his and his wife's complimentary interests in photography and scrapbooking. He smiled softly as he flipped through the pages. Playing dress-up with her sister. Learning to swim. Her first sleepover party at age ten. A silly picture where they took pictures of each other taking the picture. When he was looking over Kahoko's unsuccessful attempts to conquer bicycle riding, he heard a soft bump and low moan of pain.
He got up with a concerned furrow in his brow and walked over to the stairs where his daughter was rubbing her ankle. "You okay?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah," she responded, "just missed the last couple of steps."
"Ice?"
"Please?" She gave him an embarrassed smile.
I was enough for her not long ago
He chuckled and headed for the kitchen. He expertly pulled down the ice and wrapped it up. Kahoko had always been kind of clumsy, so he'd had to take care of a lot of bumps, scrapes, and cuts over the years. Between her and Shou, their home had had a constant need for first aid. It was amusing, exasperating, and occasionally, like the time she had broken her leg, frightening. His lips thinned. He was grateful there had only been a couple of times that he'd had to rush her to the hospital like that.
When he came back into the room, he saw that she had navigated her way to the couch and was looking through a more recent photo album. His eyes softened as he watched her. Even the physical pain couldn't dim the happy glow. As he sat down beside her, he handed her the pack. "Ice."
"Thanks, Dad."
His eyes twinkled as she iced her ankle. "It's a good thing Hihara-kun plays sports. Klutzy as you are, he's going to have his work cut out for him." His lips twitched in response when she made a face at him, and his eyes went solemn. "So what brings you down here? Can't sleep?"
"Nope," she shook her head, "too excited."
He looked down at the album. "Even though I knew he might ask you tonight, it's still a bit of a shock."
"I'm not sure if I should be insulted," she mock-pouted. "Did you think I'd never get married?"
He shrugged and flipped to photos of her twentieth birthday party. "I admit your mother and I wondered about it a bit. All those boys came to your party and you claimed you weren't interested in any of them like that."
I was her number one
"What did I need them for?" she joked as she leaned her head companionably on his shoulder. "I had you."
She told me so
His lips quirked. "You've certainly changed your tune since then." His eyes went pensive again. "Has it really only been six years?"
Kahoko smiled softly as she traced the contours of her beloved's face in the photograph. "A lot has changed, hasn't it?"
And she still means the world to me just so you know
He grinned and teased, "I'll say. What happened to my innocent little girl who always got flustered around boys?" He chuckled at her embarrassed look. "And now here you are getting married to one."
She bowed her head with a blush and admitted, "It's a little hard for me to wrap my head around too."
"Oh?"
"I was always kind of slow when it came to the romance department."
"Unlike Noriko."
"Yeah. She had boyfriends in high school and college." Kahoko smiled a little wistfully. "Honestly, I kind of wanted to be like her and find someone then too, but there was never anyone I was interested in. Then I met all of them as a second-year, and there were too many choices." She blushed a little more deeply. "Not that I thought of it like that; I mean I was also introduced to music, and that was where I started channeling all of my energy." Her fingers continued to draw invisible patterns on the album. "So, romance and boys took a backseat."
"What changed?"
"I don't really know. I don't think I became less passionate about music or anything," she shrugged. "I just started noticing that I had feelings that couldn't be safely classified as friendship."
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "Is that why you chose him?"
So be careful when you hold my girl
Now she looked a strange mixture of confused and guilty. "Not exactly. For some reason, I was having feelings like that pop up at random times with everyone. It was actually really confusing."
He raised an eyebrow. This was the first he was hearing of this. He suddenly felt a little sorry for Hihara-kun. It sounded like it had been a pretty long and rough road for the poor guy, not to mention the others.
Her face glowed softly from within as she looked down at the photographs. "But whenever I was down and needed someone to help pick me up, I'd go to him. He always knew how to make me happy again, whether it be by talking, eating something yummy, winning a plushy for me from a claw machine, or what, I would never leave his company without a smile." Her eyes gentled. "And as time went by, I found myself seeking happiness more and more."
Time changes everything
She smiled beautifully as a misty rose suffused her cheeks. "Then, one day, I realized I was in love."
He smiled and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I'm glad."
The two talked and laughed for a little longer as they flipped through the pages of time.
Life must go on
He paused and contemplated a picture from a couple weeks prior. Though no one else knew it, that had been the day Hihara-kun had asked him for her hand. He shook his head. While he had known it would be Hihara-kun if it was going to be anyone, considering that it had taken the guy nine years to confess and for them to start dating, he was not expecting the boy to come to him not even a year-and-a-half later asking if he could marry his daughter. That Takeo was floored would be the understatement of the century.
And I'm not gonna stand in your way
A soft snore pulled him back from his thoughts, and he chuckled quietly when he saw that she had dropped off next to him. He smiled gently and picked her up. With a contented little sigh, she curled up and snuggled her head on his shoulder.
But I loved her first, and I held her first
As he slowly mounted the steps up to her room, he looked down at his little girl. How many times had he made this same trek over the years? If she was tired enough, she'd drop off to sleep anywhere regardless of what she was doing.
And a place in my heart will always be hers
He laid her down on her bed and tucked the covers under her chin like he had when she was little. Her breathing ebbed and flowed in a steady, even rhythm.
From the first breath she breathed
He brushed a hand tenderly on her head and bent down to drop a kiss on it. His eyes softened as she snuggled into her pillow and succumbed to the land of dreams with a shadow of a smile on her lips.
When she first smiled at me
He paused as he turned to leave and slipped over to a collection of picture frames filled with her sunny smile at various stages of life. He still remembered each and every one perfectly, the moments etched into his memory like the cut of a diamond on clear glass.
I knew the love of a father runs deep
He picked up Kahoko's favorite picture of her and Hihara-kun, and in the blink of an eye, Takeo was escorting her down the aisle of the church toward her soon-to-be husband and her new life with him.
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
Well, he was, but he wasn't. It was only the rehearsal, so instead of the formal attire they'd be wearing tomorrow, everyone was dress casual. And he wasn't actually giving her away quite yet, he thought with somewhat relieved sigh. That would come tomorrow. His eyes went slightly unfocused. Tomorrow…it was so soon.
But it's still hard to give her away
Kahoko squeezed his hand to bring him back to the present and beamed up at him. "Isn't this wonderful? I can't believe it!" her eyes sparkled.
He smiled gently and proudly and squeezed her hand in return.
I loved her first
The officiant showed the two of them how they'd stand and explained very seriously the order of ceremony and when they were to speak and where they were to stand, etc., etc.. They were both understandably nervous, but their happy excitement shone like a beacon.
How could that beautiful woman with you
A wistful look filled his eyes as Takeo looked at the two adults hold hands in preparation for the morrow. Who would have thought that itty-bitty girl who was always clumsily following after her older siblings would have bloomed into the beautiful, confident young woman before him?
Be the same freckle-faced kid that I knew
His eyes glazed over a bit as memories and moments rushed past him in a steady stream. Like how six-year-old Kahoko had always insisted that he read the same fairy tale bedtime story over and over again. First it had been "The Magic Tea Kettle." Then a few months later it moved to "The Princess and the Cowherd." And so on and so forth until he had practically all of Japanese folklore committed to memory.
The one that I read all those fairy tales to
And how he and his wife would have to come in and fix the covers in the middle of the night because she had kicked them off, or how she'd come to him in the night begging him to come and chase away the goblins lurking at the windows.
And tucked into bed all those nights
His gaze moved over to his soon-to-be son-in-law as his amber eyes brimmed with love and adoration. He smiled. He really loved her.
And I knew the first time I saw you with her
When she had first brought him home, she claimed that he was only a friend. And perhaps she believed that he was, but you'd have to be both deaf and blind (or just Kahoko) to not see that he wanted to be far more than just her friend.
It was only a matter of time
Of course, only the two of them couldn't tell that Kahoko felt the same. He swallowed a chuckle and felt a quietly mournful sense of loss overtake him. Tomorrow he would be happy, but for now, he'd take a moment to acknowledge that even if his daughter would always be a little girl in his eyes, in reality, she was a little girl no longer.
But I loved her first, and I held her first
He watched his youngest and remembered the first time he had held her in that hospital room. She had been the first to inherit the golden irises from his side of the family. He had been tickled pink when she opened those large eyes and blearily blinked back at him.
And a place in my heart will always be hers
And as he stood there holding her, he was humbled and amazed again that he could instantly love another human being as completely as he loved his other two children. She was perfect, just like the other two, from the top of her head to the tips of those ten itty-bitty toes.
From the first breath she breathed
She yawned and snuggled up to him as he watched in wonder like he'd never seen a baby sleep before. Pride, joy, awe, tenderness, and love washed over him. She was beautiful.
When she first smiled at me
~ . ~ . ~ . ~
The next morning flew by like a blur until everything slowly slid into focus as father and daughter stood outside the closed chapel doors.
"Ready?" Kahoko asked as she slipped her arm into her father's with a radiant smile.
He gave a deep nod and squeezed her hand. "Let's do this."
The two stepped as one toward the doors, and they gave way before them. Heads swiveled to the back like the ripple of the wind across the water. And as the first strains of the processional began, people rose up around them.
Takeo slid his eyes over to the vision in white beside him and felt a smile tug at his lips.
I knew the love of a father runs deep
His eyes moved up front to see Kazuki-san as he watched his daughter approach, then back to her as she gazed straight into his eyes. It was all there for the world to see. All the joy, confidence, and eagerness to start a life with the person they loved; their faces lit up with their youthful promises and dreams.
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
As Kazuki-san's eyes met his, he went military straight and snapped into a deep bow as if his body had become some kind of table. Takeo hadn't realized anyone could actually get his back that flat. With a chuckle and an amused glance at his daughter, he bowed as well. She giggled and tapped the young man on the shoulder, her face glowing with a gentle happiness. And when their eyes met, his face flushed with unadulterated joy.
But it's still hard to give her away
Takeo took in all these things with a slightly sad nod of approval. Then, with a squeeze of her hand, he passed it to his and stepped away.
I loved her first
As he watched his daughter give her vows, he could see a shadow of the little Kahoko of years past overlay itself on the radiant beauty in white. They smiled and laughed before his eyes.
From the first breath she breathed
Takeo felt a lump in his throat as Kazuki-san slipped on the ring that would make her his. The shadows of the girl melted away to give way for the woman as she slid his ring on in turn.
When she first smiled at me
He clapped loudly and proudly as the ceremony ended. She had moved forward into a new life and family. They belonged to each other now.
I knew the love of a father runs deep
~ . ~ . ~ . ~
Takeo's lips quirked as he watched Kazuki-san wear a rut in the linoleum floor of the hospital waiting room two years later. He would pace for a bit, look at the clock, sigh, stare at the door, repeat. The guy was so nervous he accidentally grabbed another man's pipe and blew into it like it was a trumpet. Takeo might've felt bad for the guy if it hadn't been so hilarious. But he could sympathize with him; after all, he himself remembered the mixed feelings of anxiety and excitement well.
Someday you might know what I'm going through
After a sixteen-hour battle, Takeo smiled with his arm around his wife as he watched the new parents: Kahoko tired but her face glowing with joy and pride, and the familiar awe crossing Kazuki-san's face as he gingerly held his newborn daughter.
When a miracle smiles up at you
Centering the little family of three in the frame, Takeo adjusted the lens. His eyes met Kahoko's as she cooed over her newborn, and she beamed at him. He grinned back. "Ready?"
"Yup." She nodded and held up the newborn. "Smile for the camera, Kanae."
Snap.
I loved her first
I realized after I had written most of this that Kahoko's dad is kind of an original character. (x_x) But I feel like even if he was off-screen, he very likely existed since Kahoko's mother is a housewife, so maybe he's not completely an original character. "I Loved Her First" is very definitely a song from the father's point of view, so I tried to fit in Kahoko where I could, but I felt like this story couldn't be told from her point of view in this case. *shrugs*
I also took some inspiration from Chuck Wick's "Stealing Cinderella" (youtube: youtube…com/watch?v=9KHAaRxyuQk; youtube alternative: cmt…com/videos/chuck-wicks/183163/stealing-cinderella…jhtml), which is a father-daughter song told from the point-of-view of the future son-in-law. The future son-in-law goes to talk with the girl's father to ask for permission to marry his daughter and he sees a bunch of pictures of his girlfriend as she's growing up. The two talk, and he realizes that in the father's eyes, the daughter is still his little girl, not the young woman that the man sees, and that while she may love him, to his future father-in-law, he's stealing away his little girl. Give it a listen if you want. =)
The next song will go up on June 25th, my wedding anniversary, with the final installation to appear on July 5th, the last day of my honeymoon. I'm going for all sentimental dates here. =P