NOTE: I do not own Usagi Drops or Rin and Daikichi
Cherry blossom petals floated through the air; spring was in full bloom. Kaga Rin filled her nostrils with the sweet scent as the edges of her white dress fluttered about her thin legs. She let out a sigh and watched as a woman carrying a small boy passed by.
The boy blinked at her, and Rin smiled and waved. The boy giggled, causing Rin's heart to as well. She had always loved children. One day she knew she would have a baby of her own.
She looked up at the government office behind her and then pulled out her cell phone. She checked the time. Daikichi had promised he would meet her there at noon, and it was already a half hour past that. She put up her phone and crossed her arms.
It had only been a week since she had graduated and she and Daikichi had decided to get married. Although it may seem strange, Daikichi had raised her ever since she was a little girl as if she was his own daughter, so when Rin realized that she was in love with him it caused some problems. The whole reason Daikichi had taken her in was because they believed his grandfather was her father. However, her birth mother eventually revealed that he was in fact only her adopted father.
After that information came out it had still taken two years for Rin to convince Daikichi that they should try a life together. Two days after that they informed their family members of their intention to wed. Daikichi's mother cried, and his sister fainted. Reina told Rin that she was gross, but even after all of that they agreed to push on with their plans.
So why, on the day they were supposed to file the paperwork, was Daikichi late?
Rin glanced around the street, but there was no sign of the tall man. She tapped her foot, anxiously. Then she saw a tall dark haired man in the distance walking towards her. Her heart leapt in her chest. She raised her hand to wave at him. Then his face became clear. Rin bit her lip and folded her arms and tried to avoid looking at the stranger.
Moon River chimed through the air as Rin's purse began to vibrate. She pulled out her phone and answered.
"Daikichi?"
There was silence on the other side; then a murmur.
"Daikichi?" Rin asked again. "You were supposed to meet me a half hour ago."
Then his voice crackled over the speaker.
"I can't do it." he whispered.
There was a click, and Rin slowly removed the phone from her ear. Daikichi's name blinked along with the call time. She closed it and ran to the nearest train station.
Her heart felt like it was going to explode. She panted as she quickly squeezed onto the train before the doors closed. She looked down at her phone. She was to think of who she could call next, but her mind was blank.
The train rumbled along the tracks, and Rin could feel tears begin to sting her eyes. She resisted the urge to scream, and stared vacantly into the space in front of her. All She could do was go home and wait.
The house was empty when she arrived. She carefully removed her shoes and collapsed on the front step. The sniffles shook her whole body, and her tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Daikichi You Idiot!"
The scream hurt her throat, but it was surprisingly soothing. A sense of clarity washed over her, and she picked up her purse and dragged herself to their shared room. She looked through the open wall at Daikichi's bed roll. She sighed, grabbed her sewing kit, and set to work stitching a plush rabbit.
The hours flew by as her hands worked deftly. The house quickly became chilly as darkness fell. Within the first two hours Rin completed the first plush. It wasn't until she was working on plush number five that the front door slid open.
There was the loud thumping of Daikichi's feet on their wood floor. Rin slowed her breathing. She could smell the alcohol on his clothes. She took the thread in her teeth and ripped it deftly, holding back the water which was filling her eyes.
There was a loud thump, and Rin glanced over her shoulder to see the man collapsed on his bed roll. He began to turn towards her, but she looked away before they could make eye contact. She rethreaded her needle and shoved it into the surprised blue rabbit's arm.
"You're upset," Daikichi's deep voiced rumbled.
Rin jerked the thread and stabbed the rabbit again.
"What would make you think that?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from wavering.
The man let out a groan. Rin didn't have to turn around to know what expression he wore on his face. His face was completely blank, but his eyes were full of regret. A tear dripped onto the fabric in her hands. She wiped her face and sniffed.
"I'm just not sure," he mumbled.
Rin stood, grabbing one of the completed rabbits. She turned to face the man, who was staring at the ceiling, and pelted him with the animal.
"What the hell is that?" she screamed, tears streaming down her flushed face.
Daikichi stared at her in stunned silence.
She threw another plush at him.
"You go and get drunk!"
She threw another one.
"You're so childish!"
Daikichi's face returned to the blank expression from before. Rin could feel her heart ripping in half; he always used that expression when she was a child. It was an expression used to say bad news, that she could meet her mother, that she was still a child.
"What do I have to do?" she gasped.
Daikichi didn't answer. He only walked to the wall and slid it shut.
Rin stared at the divider in silence. Then she turned back to her needlework and cried.
Rin woke the next morning sitting at her desk. She shivered. Daikichi hadn't brought her a blanket last night or put her to bed. She stretched her stiff joints and headed to the kitchen. Still half asleep, she began to prepare breakfast.
As she worked she could feel her swollen eyes aching. Her head felt clogged from the night before. She groaned and splashed water on her face.
"I'm going," Daikichi said softly from behind her. He was fully dressed for work, and was pulling on his jacket.
"I haven't finished breakfast yet," she said, not turning around.
"Don't worry about it."
She could hear him pulling on his shoes. Then the door slid open.
"What time will you be getting home?" she hollered.
But he was already out the door.
Rin ate her riceballs in silence. She finished another plush. She bought pudding from the supermarket. She finished the pudding. She watered the plants. She sewed another plush. She cried. The hours seemed to dribble by slower than molasses.
Around three o'clock Rin freshened up and headed out. She took a train back into town. She walked along the rows of shops, taking in the scent of cherry blossoms. She stooped at one window which had a display of a set of female and male manikins arm in arm.
Rin entered the store and peered around.
A petite woman in a pastel suit with a name tag approached her, smiling.
"Welcome. Is there anything you are looking for, Miss?" she asked.
Rin gave a slight smile and looked around.
"Miss?"
Rin snapped to attention.
"I'm just looking," she answered, staring at the men's section vacantly.
The petit woman, studied her carefully, and inched up to her.
"Man problems?" she whispered.
Rin looked down at her in amazement.
"How did you know?"
The woman gave a reassuring smile and nodded towards a rack full of dresses.
"Why don't you follow me," she said cheerily.
Rin slowly followed her into the women's section. The shop was full of so many floral patterns. The petite saleswoman suddenly stopped and looked Rin over from head to toe. Then she began sorting through the rack. Rin watched in awe as the little woman flitted from rack to rack, pulling an assortment of different dresses as she went. Once she had gathered an armful of clothes, she pulled the tall girl to the dressing rooms. She placed the items in Rin's arms and shoved her behind the curtain.
Rin placed the hangers on the hook on the back wall and looked blearily into the mirror. A worn out looking young woman stared back at her. It was no wonder the saleswoman was able to guess her predicament. She straightened up and took a deep breath. She grabbed the first dress off the hook and tried it on.
Rin had gone through several dresses, before she found one she approved of. It was a light blue Marilyn Monroe style dress with silver detailing on the halter strap. She stared at herself in the dress. Her light hair tumbled elegantly past her shoulders. She checked the price tag. Her eyes grew wide.
She changed back into her own clothes and rushed out of the store. The bustle of the streets was relaxing as she walked. The scent of cherry blossoms mingled with the aroma of fried dough wafting from a nearby food cart.
She went up to it and ordered a fish cake. When she reached into her purse to grab her change, her hand bumped into the folder of papers she had taken with her to the government office the day before. Her eyes glazed over as she handed the man her change.
She took her fish cake to a bench and pulled the folder out of her purse. She flipped it open to reveal the family registries. Her mother and her husband had agreed to sign as the witnesses, and Rin had already filled out all of the paperwork for Daikichi. The only thing left was for him to sign it.
She thought about what would happen if she ripped it up, but she knew that would not accomplish anything. She sighed and put it away and shoved the rest of her fish cake into her mouth.
When she arrived home, Daikichi's shoes were already by the door. She quietly slid her own shoes off and padded down the hallway.
"I'm home," she called.
There was no response. Figures.
Then she noticed it. The scent of stew filled the air. She followed the smell into the kitchen. There stood Daikichi wearing an apron and holding a ladle. She froze. She could see the potato skins lying on the counter. He was making her favorite dish.
He stared back at her. His expression was friendly, but somber. Then the man turned back to his cooking.
"It's potato stew," he said, stirring the large pot. "Just have a seat; I'll be done soon."
Rin did as he told her, and waited patiently as he set the table. Then Daikichi sat down across from her.
They took a moment of reverence and then began eating.
After a few moments of silence, Daikichi stopped. He looked at Rin, who was demurely chewing on a carrot.
"Rin," he started. "Yesterday is a day I'm not proud of."
Rin swallowed and looked away from him. She could feel the scabs on her heart beginning to rip open again.
"I'm sorry for making everything so hard," she said before he could continue.
"Don't say that."
She looked up at him holding back tears. He was completely serious.
"You shouldn't be sorry about anything," he said firmly. "I'm the one who screwed up. And this old man is sorry about that. Can you forgive me?"
The tears came out.
"Of course I can you idiot," she said wiping her tears.
Daikichi smiled and then reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small package. He tossed it on the table in front over her. Rin stared at the package in confusion. She picked it up and began to unwrap it.
"It's not much," he said looking away. "But I wouldn't want a scumbag like me to just apologize and expect you to still marrying him without you at least having a ring."
Rin laughed, but then stopped when she reached the center of the package. The ring was a band of silver, and in the center stood a small diamond. She carefully slid it onto her finger and looked up in amazement. It was so simple, but it was beautiful.
"I thought it would fit your taste," Daikichi said. "You've always been like an old lady."
She shot him a glare, but it didn't take more than a few seconds for it to melt into a smile.
"Are you going to run away again," she asked raising her eyebrows smugly.
Daikichi stiffened up, and Rin could see him beginning to sweat.
"If I did that again there's no way I'd be able to let myself live."
Rin laughed.
"Good."
The next morning Rin woke up and made breakfast, and Daikichi went to work. Then at noon they were both standing in front of the government office with pens and paperwork in hand. They both looked at each other and smiled. Then they entered the building.
Thirty minutes later they exited the building. Rin held their marriage certificate, beaming. As they reached the row of cherry blossom trees, Daikichi suddenly stopped. The young woman looked at him in confusion.
"What's wrong Daikichi?" she asked.
He looked into the distance as if he was distracted.
"There's something I want to try."
Then the man snatched the marriage certificate from her and took her hand in his. Rin blushed and looked away, unsure of what exactly he meant. His fingers intertwined with hers, and he began to walk again, dragging her along.
''This is the way married couples are supposed to walk, right?" he yelled back at her.
The wind blew through her hair, carrying the sweet scent of cherry blossoms, and Rin smiled and gripped his hand tightly. She wasn't letting him get away ever, because Daikichi was her special prize, and now, finally, he was also her husband.