Wedding Bell Blues prt1

+ Teinousha +

~*_*~

This story begins somewhere in Kanagawa, inside a small restaurant called Danny's, at one of the restaurant's table for fours. A girl with curly dark hair, sat beside a man with spectacles, talking to another man with hair parted in the middle, sitting beside an obnoxiously loud redhead.

The four were talking amongst themselves, and their conversation was suddenly cut when the curly haired girl suddenly presented her right hand, flaunting the jewel worn around one of the fingers…

~*_*~

The three looked at the rather large diamond shining in Ayako's nimble little finger. The diamond's soft luster told them that it was real.

"Sugoi!" Koshino remarked, eyeing the diamond with a tinge of envy. "Where'd you get that diamond, Ayako-san?"

Ayako smiled at the three gawking figures in front of her. Looking at the ring worn around her finger, she heaved a dreamy sigh. "Ryota-kun gave it to me."

"Eh?"

"That means you two are...?"

"Hai!" The brunette exclaimed excitedly. "Ryota-kun proposed to me on our anniversary yesterday."

"Sugoi! Congratulations!" Kogure exclaimed.

"Yeah. Congratz!" Koshino piped up.

"Ch." The snort coming from Sakuragi was unexpected. The three looked at the redhead incredulously. They heaved a sigh of relief to see that the latter was smiling. "I just hope you're right in choosing you're husband-to-be." The redhead joked. "I mean... Ryo-chin??? He's grown an inch or two, but you're still taller than him! You better not wear those high heels you love to wear, on your wedding day. Give them to Ryo-chin instead...Makes him look taller! NYAHAHAHAHAHAHA *tensai pose*" Then sincerely, he added. "Seriously, though... Congratulations."

Ayako was on the verge of tears. She looked from one to another, as she smiled her thanks. "Arigato, guys... Frankly, I didn't know if I was making the right choice. I mean, I have been dating Ryota-kun for the pat two years, but seeing as you three have been in a longer relationship than I have, and you are still intent on being singles up to this time, I was wondering if I am kinda rushing things."

"Oh, not at all." Kogure replied, sincerely happy for her. "We're happy you finally decided to give Ryota a break. He's been after you since high school, isn't he?"

Ayako blushed. "Well, yeah... sort of. Well, he was kinda persistent. Actually, he proposed to me last year after our graduation in college, but then, I felt like I'm still too young. That's why I decided to take on his offer yesterday. He's been nothing but wonderfully patient around me!"

Sakuragi snickered. "Of course he is. He's been following you around like a puppy with a leash, last time I saw him."

Kogure and Koshino smiled at that. Yes, it was true that Miyagi had been following the spirited girl around, like as though he was her very own shadow. It makes him look kinda pathetic, too. That was why the three were glad she finally paid off all of Ryota's efforts. At least, they think the two look cute together.

Ayako giggled excitedly. "Anyway, what have you guys been up to lately?"

The three looked at her, curiously.

"Is there something interesting happening to your life lately?" A gleam in her eyes, "Do you suppose you can manage to make my humble wedding to a foursome wedding, perhaps?" She asked eagerly.

Both Koshino and Kogure looked away, blushing. Sakuragi, on the other hand was simply clueless. "Foursome wedding? Is that some sort of orgy?!!" He asked, shocked.

Kogure and Koshino's blush deepened considerably. "Baka!" Koshino spat, whacking the redhead at the back of the head. "I don't wanna know where you got that idea from! I had a feeling Rukawa's just as kinky as Sendoh is- though he tries to hide it every time. I even think he's into S&M."

"Teme, Shorty!" Sakuragi fumed. "Whaddaya mean by that, why'd ya whack me for and who arya calling Baka, you moron!" He grabbed the shorter boy by the collar, and raised his fists threateningly. Koshino was not at all afraid.

"Sakuragi-kun, Koshino-san, pls..." Kogure, being the peacemaker that he is, tried to appease the quarreling pair. His efforts though were acknowledged as sand was acknowledged much in the desert. Sighing, the bespectacled boy sweat dropped.

"I'll handle them, sempai!" Ayako volunteered, producing her ever-trusty fan from nowhere...

WHACK! WHACK!

"Ite! --- Ayako-san!" Sakuragi sobbed, tears falling down his cheek, as he nursed the second lump in his head.

"Damn- you still have that scary fan of yours?!" Koshino asked, glaring at the white overgrown fan in Ayako's hand, before the spirited girl hid it suspiciously somewhere behind her back. 

Ayako merely smiled at them. Then regarding Sakuragi, she complained. "Mou, Sakuragi. You still haven't changed. You're as loudmouthed and brash as before!"

"Nani?!"

"Seriously though," The curly haired girl leaned in secretively... "I heard you're already going steady with Rukawa-san. Good for you! I was wondering when the two of you would come together. I mean, sparks practically fly whenever the two of you are in the same room!"  

Sakuragi blushed beet red, while Koshino coughed in the background. "Yeah... but, it's not only sparks that fly around. Even chairs, and basketballs, and practically anything else the two can hurl at each other~"

Kogure chuckled as Ayako sweat dropped. "Uh... you know what I mean." When Koshino grinned, Ayako returned her attention back to the redhead. "So, Hanamichi. How's life with Rukawa-kun?"

Sakuragi shrugged nonchalantly. "Uh... as can be expected. Kaede barely talks... and sleeps a lot! Come to think of it, it seems he's always asleep, most of the time."

"You mean you don't... *you know*?" Koshino asked, surprised.

Kogure blushed, sensitively. "Koshino-san?!!"

"Hey! Try living with the resident hentai for several years, and see if you don't pick up something from him!" The brunette explained, defensively. 

"Demo-" Whatever the bespectacled man was about to say, was suddenly cut off by Sakuragi's holler.

"Baka! Of course, we do *that*! It is practically the only time's the kitsune's awake!"

Kogure's blush deepened a shade darker. He buried his face in his hands. "Guys, can't we get back to the point, here?"

Ayako chuckled at Kogure's obvious discomfort, and taking pity on him, changed the topic abruptly. "Well, then, are you guys planning on getting married anytime soon?"

"Ha!" Sakuragi snorted derisively. "You think the kitsune would have the guts to even propose to me, if all he limits himself per day is saying as much as two-syllable words in that very limited vocabulary of his."

Kogure blinked. "Two syllable words only? You mean, he never even said 'I love you' to you?"

Sakuragi blushed at that, but nodded just the same. The three gasped at the same time in shock.

"I can't believe it! At least Rukawa should have the decency to tell you how he feels!" Ayako was fuming. Her inclination to all things fluffy, romantic and mushy getting to her head, and obstructing her ration sense of logic and prejudice.

"Hey, that's not too bad, if you think about it." Koshino uttered theoretically. "Well, if you ask me, it's certainly better then having the words almost spoon-fed to you everyday. Sometimes, I feel those words don't mean anything at all."

"Why, Koshino-san?" Ayako inquired. "Doesn't Sendoh like... show you exactly how he feels for you, both privately and publicly? I would have thought you two have a most wonderful relationship, because Sendoh has such a way with both words... and, er.. .action."

Koshino grunted. "Like hell he does! That is just the point!" The three looked at him, confused. "Look! Just because we've been going steady for the past few years, doesn't mean Akira's been the most... faithful boyfriend. The thing is, he's a hentai, and there's nothing I can do to change it. Once, I thought I can do something about it... but, it's just... impossible!"

"But- Your relationship with Sendoh is going just fine. If Sendoh-san's being... unfaithful to you, why are you two still together?" Kogure asked, blinking behind his glasses.

"I struck a deal with Akira." Koshino took a deep sigh, before he hung his head, sadly. "I realized I can't tame the 'infamous playboy' into complete loyalty, so instead of us quarreling over the many instances where I am suddenly visited by the resident green, I made a deal with him. I gave him every permission to do whatever he feels like doing--- flirt around, fling around, let his charm work him wonders--- anything he can think of... just as long as he doesn't go beyond the line, as to kissing, dating and sleeping with someone else. If ever I catch him doing so, I'm breaking up with him. But, as of now, I've never really caught him in any compromising situation, though he *is* being annoyingly flirty with almost everyone that catches his eyes. That's mainly why I am having doubts whether he really feels something for me... There's always the uncertainty, you know."

Ayako sniffled her sob, as she regarded Koshino with teary eyes. Kogure also shared the girl's expression, minus the tears, as Sakuragi looked at the man with middle-parted hair weirdly, as though seeing him in a new light. "Shorty---"

Koshino ignored the worried looks casted upon him and laughed sadly, blinking away the tears that were forming in his eyes. "Look. I hate conversations like this. Let's change subject, okay? How about your love life, Kogure-san? Mitsui's head over heels in love with you... I'd be damned if there's something bothering the two of you." 

Kogure blushed a bit. "Well... there is nothing much going on with our relationship..." glasses-boy scratched his cheeks. "Everything's normal... er, Hisashi-kun's kinda developed a deep fascination with motorbikes. Er..."

"---How about your love life, Kogure-sempai?" Sakuragi cut in, impatiently. He's been experiencing and hearing about sad love lives too much for that day. He wouldn't mind hearing something mushy, and sickeningly sweet for a change.

Kogure blinked. "Huh? Er... Hisashi's still the sweet guy he is- he brings me flowers every day; he does everything I asked him to; uh... he- he's learned to be a bit neat--- he's... incredibly thoughtful and caring and...considerate... and *sigh*" Kogure's eyes acquired a dreamy look, that his three companions couldn't help but get infected by his mood.

"Sugoi, Kogure-sempai!" Ayako exclaimed. "You and Mitsui-sempai are so sweet together... Ne, do you think you can manage to make my wedding a double wedding at the least?" She asked, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively. Kogure blushed at that, and shook his head firmly.

"I-Ie... I cannot possibly do that..."

"How come?"

"Well, you see... Hisashi-kun's kinda... adamant with his reputation. I don't want to ruin his repute, by having him look all... soft... if I have him suddenly propose to me~" Kogure seemed to hesitate. "I... well, I only wanted his happiness, and if he... uh, doesn't want to, I don't want to push him into anything."

**Awww** Ayako could cry at Kogure's display of selfless love... "Sempai... That is so sweet..."

"Gee... Micchy is so lucky to have you, megane-kun!"

Koshino only nodded, looking at Kogure, impressed.

The bespectacled man blushed at the sudden attention he got. "Er...  it was nothing... I guess."

The two other ex-basketball players ignored what Kogure had just said, and fussed on and on about Kogure having all the luck with having Mitsui for a lover who is head over heels in love with the him, etc...

Meanwhile, Ayako looked at the scene intently, finding satisfaction in just listening to Koshino and Sakuragi's constant blabbing about Mitsui and Kogure's love life. Looking at the bespectacled man, then to the redhead, then to Koshino, she wished the very best for her friends, and hope for things to turn out fine for them...

Not that she can't do anything about it, herself…

On second thought… Maybe she will…

*_~

TBC~