"Miyu! We're going to be late!" Kanata yelled as he fumbled with the tie on his tuxedo. Damn, how do you tie these things anyway? "Miyu! Miss Mizuno hates it when we're late for class, let alone for her wedding!"
Miss Mizuno, their teacher, was finally getting married! And she invited her whole class to the wedding. She told them to wear "your best formal clothes", so Kanata donned a tux, even though he hated it--it was hot and stuffy.
"Miyu!" he yelled again as a car honked outside of the temple. "Chris is here to pick us up--" he stopped midsentence and his jaw dropped as Miyu appeared in the hallway.
She was wearing a slinky, knee-length baby pink dress and white heels. Pearls adorned her neck and earlobes, and she carried a bejeweled white purse. Her blond hair was shining and styled in a bun, with some tendrils left hanging.
Kanata remembered to close his mouth as he thought, She looks gorgeous. Then he shook his head. Am I insane? Why am I thinking that? This was Miyu: the klutzy, stubborn girl who lives with him and argues a lot. He couldn't possibly be thinking that she was pretty.
Miyu said, "I thought you said we were late? Quit dilly-dallying and let's go!" She grabbed his hand and they hastened to enter Christine's luxury car.
"Miyu!" greeted Aya as they settled down. "You look so beautiful."
"Thanks, Aya. You look pretty, too." Miyu smiled. Kanata noticed that her lips were coated with shiny pink gloss and suddenly wondered how they would taste against his lips.
He groaned. What the hell is the matter with me?!
Kanata was inwardly thankful when the car rolled to a stop at a scenic little garden on the outskirts of town. Being enclosed in a tight space with Miyu made his mind wander, no matter how much he tried to avoid it.
He had stared at her the entire car ride, admiring every aspect of Miyu. Her blond hair is dazzling, like sunlight. Her green eyes look so beautiful…
But he couldn't avoid Miyu (although if he'd admit it to himself, he didn't really want to); he was seated beside her as Christine, Nozomu, Aya, Nanami and Santa chatted excitedly. They were waiting for the wedding to start.
"Kanata, do you need help with your tie?" Miyu asked cheerfully, seeing him struggle with it.
"Sure. I can't seem to tie this damn thing!"
"Stop being so aggravated." She leaned over and started to tie. "It's not that hard."
He was suddenly aware of Miyu's nearness; her hair was less than a foot away from his face. He wanted to bury his face in her golden tresses, to breathe in her sweet-smelling lavender shampoo--
"Done," she said, regaining her seat. "See, I told you it's a snap."
He jumped as if electrocuted. "Right. Uh, thanks Miyu-chan."
Suddenly, the organ churned out the bridal march. The wedding was starting!
The guests sighed as Miss Mizuno, dressed in a glittery white gown, glided to the altar.
"She looks exquisite!" whispered Nozomu. "I never thought our dear teacher could look as pretty as that."
The ceremony was flawless. The bride looked perfect, the groom looked perfect, and the ring was perfect: the diamond was so large that when the sun shone upon it, the dazzle blinded the priest momentarily.
As the couple was pronounced man and wife, Christine and Nanami were sobbing into their hankies. Aya was scribbling into a notebook ("This is great stuff for a play!") and Santa was telling Nozomu, "I'm getting really hungry."
Kanata looked at Miyu. She had tears in her eyes, too, although she was beaming. "I'm so happy for them. True love is hard to find; they're so lucky to have each other."
He squeezed her hand. "You'll find true love too, someday. I promise."
His mind seemed to go in reverse. Wait, what? Did I just practically propose to Miyu? He wanted to punch himself. Kanata! You baka! What the hell are you doing?
He was surprised at Miyu's reaction, though. She didn't pull away at his touch; instead, she squeezed his hand in turn and said, "Someday…"
At the reception, he was still seating beside Miyu. Damn this seating plan! Is Miss Mizuno playing games with me?
As his companions launched into a discussion of the ceremony, his thoughts spun around the blonde. Miyu is acting so weird. She's nice and thoughtful and sweet. But then again, she's always been like that.
The group decided to get in line at the buffet. Hungrily, Santa exclaimed, "Wow! Steamed fish, lemon chicken, Yang Chow and gooey dumplings!" He piled his plate with some of everything.
Unlike the other girls' plates, which only had a little food, Miyu's plate matched that of Santa's. Nozomu said, "Miyu, my love, I shall help you carry that!" as he courteously brought Miyu's full plate back to their table.
Kanata scowled. I should be the one doing that. He went back to the table and started bolting down his food so ferociously that the entire table began watching him.
He had finished half his food before Christine asked, "Um, Kanata? Why are you attacking your food like a hungry hyena?"
After most of the guests had eaten, the DJ began playing music and people trooped to the dance floor.
As Christine and Nozomu danced, Aya, Nanami and Santa went to congratulate the bride. Kanata, however, took a deep breath and leaned forward in his seat. "Miyu-chan, would you like to dance with me?"
Miyu looked surprised but flattered, and pleased. "Of course, Kanata-kun! I'd be happy to."
Kanata was not a good dancer, but he tried his best. After stepping on Miyu's foot for the fourth time, he said, "I'm sorry, Miyu-chan. I'm not very good at dancing."
"It's all right, Kanata-kun. You have two left feet; it's no biggie. Good thing I have two right feet!" she joked.
Then a love song came on, and couples started embracing.
Kanata hesitated. "Do you want to sit this one out?"
She was blushing. "Only if you do. I don't mind slow dancing." She saw Christine and Nozomu slow dancing, their steps coordinated impeccably.
"They look perfect together," Miyu murmured as she placed her arms around Kanata's neck.
"Who?" Kanata could only think of her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Chris and Nozomu. I wish they'd get together."
I wish we'd get together. "We can only wait and see, Miyu-chan."
After a few more songs, the bride signaled for the music to stop. "Okay, everyone," she announced, "it's time for the garter-throwing!"
"Come on, man, you need some excitement in your life!" Nozomu said as he and Santa dragged Kanata to the floor.
"But I don't want to put the stupid garter on anyone!" Kanata flailed, but his friends held him tight. "Let go!"
"Shut up, Kanata. Here it comes!" Santa and Nozomu dodged as the garter flew through the air and landed neatly into Kanata's outstretched palm.
"What the--"
Miss Mizuno applauded him. "Great job, Kanata! You caught it! Now to decide the lucky girl on whom you will put the garter!"
Miyu didn't have any idea what was going on, as she just came from the bathroom. She smoothed her dress, and then suddenly Aya and Nanami yanked her towards the dance floor. "Hey! What are you doing?"
"It's time for the bouquet-throwing!" Nanami said, hauling her blond friend.
"Kanata got the garter," said Aya, grinning wickedly. "So if you get the bouquet--"
Miyu cottoned on. She tried to tug her arms out of her friends' grips. "Oh, no, I'm not catching a stupid bouquet just to satisfy your wishes--"
She was cut off by loud shrieks. The bouquet was thrown! It fell gracefully as women jumped up and down, several tumbling as they failed to get it--
Then Nanami, who learned a thing or two from volleyball, leapt up and smacked the bouquet so that it fell into Miyu's hands.
Miss Mizuno smiled. "I guess my class couple is really meant to be!"
Miyu and Kanata's faces burned as the guests laughed.
"Miyu, do you know what the guy does to the garter?" he whispered urgently as the bride chit-chattered.
"No, what's that?"
"He slips it up the thigh of the girl who caught the bouquet!"
Miyu's face turned scarlet. "What? I'm going to kill Nanami and Aya!"
"I, um, just wanted to ask if that's okay with you. I mean, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable. This is just an obstacle we need to get through…"
"I won't be uncomfortable as long as it's you…" She seemed to be startled by what she said, because she reddened even more.
The two teens stood silently until the bride said, "Okay, Kanata, put it on!"
Miyu sat down as Kanata knelt in front of her. He could see his friends laughing at his tomato-red face, and in the corner of his eye he saw Aya videotaping. Damn!
He slipped the garter on Miyu's flawless leg, sliding it up until it reached her thigh.
They stood up, blushing to the roots of their hair as the guests burst into applause, some hooting and jeering.
The attention was diverted by a drunken bridesmaid dancing indecently on a table. As everyone stared in the opposite direction, Kanata pulled Miyu in a corner.
"Miyu-chan," he began. He didn't exactly know what to say. "Miyu-chan, I'm sorry you had to be subjected to that." He felt a little responsible. "I should havetossed the garter to some other guy--"
"That's okay, Kanata. I know it was embarrassing for you, too… and I wouldn't want any other guy to put it on me."
They were silent for a moment. Then Kanata said, "You know, Miyu-chan, I really like you."
"I like you too, Kanata-kun."
Silence again.
Kanata took Miyu's hand. "I…" he could not say love, no matter how much he wanted to. "…really, really, like you."
Miyu looked at him. "Kanata-kun," she said seriously, "you promised me that I would find true love, someday."
"I did." Kanata's heart raced.
"I already did." And she kissed him.