Disclaimer
Chapter 4: The Flood
As Shin drove Yankumi home, they noticed that the streets were devoid of the usual hustle and bustle of everyday life.
"You were right, Shin." Yankumi commented noting that the streets were slick with moisture and a little water built up in the gutters of the street. It was a far cry from what she expected from the tempest that ensued them earlier that morning. "There wasn't anything to worry about. It barely looks like a super typhoon struck this morning." She smiled.
Shin nodded. "That's true around here, but we don't know if that is true near the hotel where we are getting married. It could be flooded, and we have to find a new location."
Yankumi gasped and grabbed Shin's arm. "Shin, you don't think that's true. Oh my God, what'll we do? I have to call Imani." Yankumi took out her phone and began dialing.
Shin gave her a side-long glance. "Kumiko, I was just kidding. Besides, it does you no good to call Imani. I doubt that you can get a signal yet, and even if you could, Imani is probably experiencing the effects of the typhoon right now."
Yankumi scowled and hit Shin on the arm. "Shin, don't say things like that. It's not funny. I hope Imani is okay. She's no where near as calm and collected as I am during storms." Shin resisted the urge to scoff at Yankumi's comments. "Anyway, do you really think the hotel is okay, and we won't have to have the wedding outside?" Yankumi panicked.
Shin nodded again. "Of course, I do. Look at the streets. I doubt there is any flooding anywhere or that it will affect us at all."
As usual Shin had a way of invoking events by uttering statements carelessly. For on the other side of town, there was a shop opening it's doors exactly at that time that would prove Shin was right or wrong, depending upon the reader's viewpoint.
Flood Waters Rising
"Oh no, Kekkon Sama, it is our duty, privilege, and honor to work with you and for you in helping our clients realize their dreams of eternal love and happiness just like our shop's mantra." Besides, there are probably going to be a lot of eligible young elites at the wedding of a senator's son looking for cute, industrious, obliging women like ourselves. All three young ladies shared similar thoughts as they smiled and bowed.
"Okay, we have a lot to do today. We need to check on the dresses, the hotel, the flowers, the cake, the suits, and the guest list among other things."
"Hai, Kekkon sama." The girls responded in unison.
"Okay, Ai chan, you'll check on the florist. Kokoro chan, please call the bakery. Kofuku chan, please contact the hotel, and I'll call the seamstress and the driver."
"Hai, Kekkon sama." The girls replied again, picked up the phone and pressed a line. They all looked at each other and pressed the plunger time and again.
Kekkon sama began drinking the tea that one of the girls had poured for her. She looked at the girls blank stares. "What's the matter? Can you not get through?"
They all shook their heads. She picked up the receiver and pressed a line. "No dial tone. Well, I guess the storm knocked out the phone lines. Let's all use our cell phones."
They nodded. They looked at each other again. "Kekkon sama, my phone says that the call is unable to go through at this time."
"So does mine." The other two girls commented.
Kekkon sama picked up her phone and dialed to no avail. "Well then, turn on the TV and see if they are reporting when the phone services may come back on line."
"Hai, Kekkon sama." Ai chan responded and picked up the remote. She pressed the button and had no response. Then she went over to the TV and pressed the power button. Again there was no response. She unplugged and plugged it back in and tried again. She turned to Kekkon sama and shook her head.
Kekkon sama took out a flask and poured an amber liquid into her tea. She sighed. Lord this wedding is so much trouble. "Okay, then let's go over all of the plans and turn on the short-wave radio."
As she found a station, the announcer reported that services would be restored within 30 minutes in their prefecture. Sure enough within 15 minutes services were restored. They jumped as the TV came on suddenly, and the phone rang. All lines were lit up.
"Ah, Kekkon sama all of the lines are lit, do you think we have that many calls?" Ai chan asked.
She waved it away. "It's probably just all of the lines being restored, but check anyway."
Ai chan answered the phone, listened and turned to the store owner. "Kekkon sama that is the seamstress for the dresses. She says that water is rising in their area, and the driver has not come to retrieve the dresses yet. She is afraid that the house will flood soon, and the dresses will be ruined."
"Oh dear, tell her to put the dresses as high as possible, and we will get in touch with the driver and find out how soon he can be there. He probably got held up due to the storm." Kekkon sama responded calmly. "When you get off the phone with her, contact the driver."
"Ah, Kekkon sama, the driver is on the phone. He says that the road to the seamstress' house is flooded and has been closed down due to high water." Kofuku chan spoke up.
"Ask him if he has GPS in his vehicle, and tell him to use it to find an alternative route." Kekkon sama responded.
The girl turned, spoke on the phone, and then turned back. "He says he does, but he can't get a signal."
"Then tell him to stop and ask someone." Kekkon sama directed. "Ai chan, is the seamstress still on the phone?" The girl nodded. "Ask her is there another route to get to her place."
"Yes ma'am." Ai chan responded.
"Kekkon sama, the driver says that traffic management has arrived and is directing them to an alternate path. He also asked the traffic director, and he says that he is about an hour away from her house." Ko chan informed them.
"Good, Ai chan give the seamstress an update and ask her if she can keep the dresses dry for another hour." Kekkon sama spoke again. The girl complied, turned back, and confirmed the seamstress would keep the dresses dry.
"Kekkon sama, it's Sawada san on the phone." Kokoro chan spoke.
"What does she need, now?" Kekkon sama sighed.
"She wants to know if we can accommodate a few more guests." Kokoro replied. "She says that she has a few extra RSVP's because their plans were cancelled due to the storm. She wanted to make sure that they were given seats of honor at the reception." Kokoro finished.
"How many?" Kekkon sama asked.
"Eh?" Kokoro responded after asking Mrs. Sawada about the number. "She says about fifty."
"Oh dear. I'll have to ask the hotel if they can accommodate that many in the current room. In the mean time, ask her to have them call us directly to give us their dietary requirements. Ko chan, please contact the hotel."
"Yes, ma'am." They both responded.
Ai chan spoke up. "Uh, Kekkon sama the hotel is already on the phone. They said that the floor above the rooms where the reception is had damage and flooded. They are hoping to clean up the mess and that there will not be any additional damage in the rooms or to the roof. They can accommodate 35 extra people by opening the adjacent ballroom. They wanted to know if they needed to change the seating."
"Ah, yes ask Sawada san to come by when she has a moment to review the seating chart. Meanwhile, Kofuku chan please call Imani and ask her to help with the seating chart. If you can't get through to her, contact Natsume san." Kekkon sama handled everyone expertly.
"Kekkon sama, the florist is on the phone. It seems that their stock of flowers for the wedding were destroyed during the storm." Kofuku chan told her.
Kekkon sama was beginning to get a headache. "Okay, tell them to ask around and find as many flowers as possible. Also ask them to get a hold of the cultivator of the flower and see if they have any in stock."
"Yes, ma'am." Kofuku responded.
"Ah Kekkon sama, it's the bakery for the wedding cake. It seems that their store has 3 cm of water in it, and the big oven that they need for the cake may not work." Kokoro spoke.
"Okay, ask them if they cannot make the cake in smaller pieces in one of the other ovens." Kekkon sama told them. "If not, ask them to get a repairman there right away to see about fixing the oven or ask if they can borrow the hotel's. Also tell them that we need to have enough cake for seventy additional people."
"Yes, ma'am." The young lady affirmed.
"Kekkon sama, it's a Mr. Fists of Fire. He wants to know if it is too late to RSVP for four people for the Oeda clan's ojou's wedding. He says that two of them don't need a seat. They will stand. He also wants to know if there are any weapons bans." Ai chan asked.
Kekkon sama shook her head. "Tell him it's still time, and ask if there are any dietary restrictions, and tell him that there are no weapons restrictions. After that, call Fujiyama sensei and tell her what's happening with the flowers. Then call Kawishima sensei and tell her what is happening with the cake. Finally, call Imani and tell her about all of the issues."
"Yes, ma'am." They all responded and began calling, but before they had a chance, they were flooded with even more calls.
Two hours later when the flood of calls finished engulfing them, they had a deluge of issues for the wedding. The driver managed to pick up the dresses but had to find another alternate route back to town and got stuck in flood waters. He was rescued from the flood waters only to have his vehicle break down due to water damage. They couldn't get another driver from the delivery service.
Seventy additional people RSVP'd due to changes of plans because of the storm, fifty from the Sawadas, and 20 for the Oeda clan's ojou.
The roof of the additional reception room at the hotel was damaged by the flood on the above floor and caved in, and the only space they had to accommodate the number of additional guests was the floor below it, which was unsecure.
They had enough flowers for the wedding, but not the reception, and the only cultivator of the flower in the area had had his greenhouse destroyed by a heavy object turned into a projectile by the typhoon's wind.
Finally, the bakery had a repairman come, thanks to Sawada san's insistence. However, they needed a part to repair the oven that wouldn't be in stock until Thursday, and it would take a day to repair the oven and a day to bake the cake, which would not be done in time for the wedding.
After the efforts of Fujiyama sensei, Kawishima sensei, Natsume chan, Sawada san, and even Shin failed to resolve the problems, and after they were unable to contact Imani despite more than 20 attempts, they had no other choice than to make the one last dreaded call.
Flood Stage Maximum
And so as Kumiko was settling to have a cup of tea with her grandfather and relax and read the paper, the phone rang at the Oedo clan house that evening setting off a new flood. "Ah, Ojou, it's Kekkon sama." The sound of the crash indicated yet another tea cup falling victim to Kekkon sama's presence although remote.
"Eh, what does she want?" Tetsu shrugged and handed Kumiko the phone. She listened and then responded. "Eh? The driver has the dresses, but is stuck and can't get back and you want to know if I know of a driver." Kumiko scratched her head. Maybe Four Fingers Fujiwara is available. She thought. "Huh, I need to approve moving the reception to a less secure floor because the roof caved in the other one, and we have 70 additional people that are coming? I also need to approve the new seating chart and tell them who can and can't sit next to each other. Uh, I guess it's okay to go to a less secure floor. What, my mother's favorite flower is not available to decorate the reception area? We may need to change the cake because the baker's oven is broken and the part won't come in in time to make the cake. Do we have a hostess club or restaurant with a big enough oven? Uhm, that, I don't know if I can help. What about Imani? I see. You've left messages, and she hasn't returned them. Oh, okay. Uh, I'll call you back." Tetsu, Minoru, and Kyou were waiting for Yankumi to finish to ask what happened.
"Ah Ojou what's wrong? Is there anything we can help with?" Minoru asked.
"What's wrong?" Kumiko's face went devil mode. "What's wrong? Everything is wrong. My dresses are stuck in the mud. I don't have any flowers for the reception. The roof of the hotel caved in where we are supposed to have the wedding and the reception. Seventy freaking people decided to RSVP today, and I have to figure out where to put all of them. My cake may not be done in time, and you want to know what's wrong!!" Yankumi was yelling at this point.
"Ah, Ojou is there anything we can do?" Tetsu asked.
"I don't suppose you can sew me a dress or have a spare tow truck lying around do ya? Or can ya bake a freakin huge cake for 70 extra people? How about do you know where I can get about 300 flowers for my reception? Or maybe you can FIND ME A ROOM BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE 70 EXTRA PEOPLE, OR BETTER YET WHY DON'T YOU CALL THEM AND UNINVITE THEM?" Yankumi was yelling and had Tetsu pulled up by the collar and against the wall.
At this point, Shin walked in and grabbed Yankumi's arms. "How about we let Tetsu san down and calm down?" Shin had raced over to the house once he had received the phone call about all of the issues, and he made just it in time. "Look at me Kumiko. Everything will be just fine. We'll figure something out together. Let's calm down first and think." Shin shuttled her to the floor to sit down.
"Everything will be fine?! Who are you kidding? Right now, I have no dress and no place to have the wedding. We'll be naked and outside just like you …" Kumiko stopped mid sentence, went back into devil mode, and slapped Shin.
"God, Kumiko, what was that for? You already got me back for slapping you earlier to calm you down during the storm." Shin rubbed his cheek.
They heard a crash as Tetsu and Minoru were trying to hold Kyou back and disarm the sword he had instantly picked up to kill Shin when he heard that Shin had slapped Yankumi.
"This is all your fault." Yankumi said eerily calm. "You just had to ask what's the worst that could happen and say that even if we had to get married naked and outside, we would."
"Kumiko, don't tell me that you really believe this is my fault or that my words could effect this outcome?" Shin asked. "You aren't superstitious?" He asked and then looked at all of the kumi and saw them nodding incredulously at Shin. Never mind, I know the answer to that. I shouldn't have asked. "Look, we'll call Imani and see if she has any suggestions."
"But they have already tried calling Imani and couldn't get through." Yankumi protested.
"I'm sure the lines have been restored by now. They were probably also affected by the storm and couldn't get through." Shin reasoned.
"You're right. Okay, I'm calm. I'll call her." Yankumi took out her phone, dialed, and waited. When no one answered, she left a message. "Imani HELP! Everything is going wrong. I don't know what to do. Please fix it for me." Then she called back repeatedly to tell her everything that was wrong. She hung up and looked at Shin menacingly. "You! Don't utter words carelessly or else." She headed for him when his cell phone rang.
"Hello, just a second." Shin kissed a frazzled Kumiko on her forehead. "I'll be right back I have to take this." He walked outside for a distance.
Tetsu and Minoru looked at each other and were gesturing and making signals. Minoru crossed his arms in front of his face. "But Aniki, that was for your engagement to Ojou." Minoru said in a low voice.
"Eh?" Kumiko said, not hearing Minoru's comments.
Tetsu hit Minoru over the head, and he finally went and got a box and bowed before Kumiko. "Ah, Ojou, if you can't find a dress, we would be honored if you could wear this." They pushed it towards Kumiko. She opened the box and took out a beautiful white silk kimono with gold embroidery. It was exquisite. Shin came back in just in time to see it as she held it up. She hurriedly put it away as Shin smirked.
"Shin, don't look. This may end up being the wedding dress if we can't resolve things. You know it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride's dress before the wedding. It's not like we need any other bad luck." Kumiko looked flustered.
"True." Shin agreed. "But I don't think you really want to wear that for the wedding." Shin arched one eyebrow and then picked the dress back up and turned it around to the back where the devil logo was.
Kumiko's face contorted into a similar expression. "You guys." She growled in a low tone. "Are you trying to make fun of me? Eh?" She yelled and had both Minoru and Tetsu in a headlock before anyone knew what was happening. Both Shin and Kyou moved to either side of Yankumi to dislodge her arms from the kumi members' necks, when her phone rang.
Shin stood up. "Ah, Kumiko, don't you think you should pause to answer your phone?"
Yankumi didn't budge one bit squeezing Minoru and Tetsu tighter. "Can't you see I'm busy? You answer it or better yet take a message. I don't want to hear any more bad news from Kekkon sama."
He shrugged and picked it up, talking for a while. "Ah, I think you may want to take this call." Shin reached to give her the phone.
Flood Waters Receding
In Hong Kong, Imani consistently attempted to get a signal and call Japan. She knew that her surrogate sister was afraid of storms and wanted to check and make sure that she and everything else was okay. Finally when she got a signal, she saw that she had 71 messages. At first she thought it was a mistake, but when she checked, there were 71 messages, 35 from Kekkon sama and her assistants, ten from Tsuchi checking if she was okay, five each from Fujiyama sensei, Kawishima sensei, Sawada Natsumi, and Shin's mother, Sawada san, and five from Yankumi. Actually it was one really long message from Yankumi, but she kept running out of time and had to call back four more times to complete her message, a panicked summary of all the other calls about all of the problems. Finally, there was one call she hadn't expected. So Imani returned the calls in order of importance. She dialed Kumiko's number.
"Eh, Shin niisan? Where is Miko? Oh, choking the life out of Minoru and Tetsu. Okay, well so how was it? Was there any damage?" Imani asked.
"The storm? It was fine. There wasn't really any real damage unless you count all of the minor hiccups we are having with the wedding plans." Shin responded.
"No, I mean Miko's fear of storms. Were you able to handle it okay? Did you have to hit her or knock her out or did she damage you in any way holding on to you for dear life?" Imani tried not to snicker.
"Oh, that. That was no big deal. I just used my charm and grace to calm her down." Shin replied nonchalantly. "After all, I am her fiancé. How did you know, and if you knew, why didn't you warn me? How did you handle her?"
"Yeah, you fought. I bet you used a charming right hook." Imani chuckled. "Any way, I found out when she spent the night with me during one typhoon. Why should I warn you? After all, you are her fiancé. Shouldn't you find out about your wife on your own? And I used the sleeper, her favorite elementary school move." (A/N: Thanks to BlackJack7's Growing up Yakuza for use of this section) "But that's not why I called. Let me speak to Miko, and then I'll return the other 69 calls I received and get back with you on that other matter later."
Shin turned to Yankumi. "Ah, I think you may want to take this call."
Yankumi released Minoru and Tetsu and answered the phone. "Miko, stop worrying and stop trying to kill the kumi members. You won't have anyone left to help out with the wedding if you keep trying to kill them at this rate." Imani joked.
"Maaaaniiii!" Kumiko whined. "I won't be getting married if things keep going so badly thanks to Shin's stupid comments." She turned to glare at a shrugging Shin. "What are we going to do? Everything is going wrong."
"Like I said, calm down. I received everyone's messages, and I have a plan. I wanted to calm you down first, and then I will call Kekkon sama and give her the details. I will also call everyone else to let them know their role. But in the mean time, I want you to stay calm and think of either a new design or flower to use for the reception. Okay?" Yankumi nodded. "I promise it will all go alright. I've got a lot to do, so I'll call you later."
Imani hung up and dialed the wedding coordinator. "Good evening Kekkon sama, how are you? Did you and your staff weather the storm okay?"
"Imani, thank god. Yes, we did, but the wedding plans didn't fare so well. Do you have any idea how awry the plans are going? I take it you received all of the phone calls. Honestly, you haven't even been away for a day." Kekkon sama exhaled, relieved.
"I'm glad to hear that you are okay. Now, JUST WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING CALLING KUMIKO!? You know she can't handle these things. I have resolutions for you on all of the problems. But don't YOU EVER CALL KUMIKO AGAIN IF A PROBLEM ARISES, ONLY TALK TO ME." Imani shouted.
Kekkon sama shrank back from the phone. "Okay." She whispered.
"Now, listen and listen well. For the dresses, call a rental car company and get an ATV to go pick up the dresses from the driver. In the meantime, fax the patterns, any pictures, and the materials for the dresses to my clothing store. I'll call them and tell them to expect it. Next, call all of the flower stores and ask if they know of another cultivator. If not, call the cultivator and ask if he knows anyone else who grows the flower. In the meantime, you need to have your assistants design alternative decorations for the reception, either using the reduced amount of flowers, another flower, or some design that does not use flowers at all. Have Fujiyama sensei call around to find out if there are enough fake flowers to use instead. I'll call my boyfriend and ask if he can use his source to get the flower and also check to see if they cultivate the flower anywhere in China and have enough to use for the reception and can get them in time for the wedding. If we have to go with an alternative design, call Miko and let her know and make the decision. Next, call the hotel and find out if they have any other rooms that will seat the number of people plus, take the one on a less secure floor if you have to, but make sure they have more than one alternate room available. Tell Sawada san that she will need to provide additional security if it goes to a less secure floor. When the seating chart is complete, have Kawishima sensei take it Kumiko for approval. As far as the oven at the bakery, call my restaurant and find out if they have a big enough oven or tell them the part and see if they have it in stock at the restaurant. They would gladly provide it to you at no charge once I make a phone call to them. Was that it, or did I miss something?"
"Ah, no, thank you so much Imani Sensei. You may have saved the wedding." And my liver from another drink. Kekkon sama replied once again composed.
"Fine, just report back to me as soon as you get everything resolved, and remember not to call Kumiko again and upset her. If you do, I'll be much scarier than any of the kumi members you've faced so far. Good bye, I'll let all the wedding party know to expect your call."
"H-H-H ai, Sensei ." Kekkon sama replied in a small voice and dialed.
Within three hours Kekkon sama called to report that they had resolved all of the issues. They rented a Hummer and were able to get the dresses back to the shop safely, Tsuchi's source came through for the flowers, they found a few more rooms on the same secure floor for them to use, and Imani's restaurant provided the bakery with the part they needed to fix the oven.
Imani hung up relieved and called Kumiko to put her at ease. There was only one more matter to resolve. "So, what does Kuma need, Shin?" Imani returned Shin's call.
"How did you know it was about Kuma and that he needed something?" Shin asked. "Never mind, I don't have to ask."
"So, what's up?" Imani asked.
Well earlier. (Flashback to earlier)
"Ah, Sh, Sh, Sh, Shin, Shin, is Yankumi anywhere near you?" Kuma asked nervously.
"Eh, Ku …?" Shin began.
"NO!, Don't let anyone know it's me. I have a problem because of the storm with the rehearsal dinner. I don't want her to know." Kuma shouted at first and then whispered.
"Just a minute." Shin stepped outside of Yankumi's hearing. "Okay, it's safe. Go ahead."
"Y-y-y-you see the problem is that the meat supplier has flood damage, and his freezer is on the fritz. So, if I don't come pick up the meat today and find some place to store it, it'll go bad, and I won't be able to get meat from another place since I already paid for it with these guys." Kuma stated hurriedly.
"Geez, Kuma, why didn't you wait to pay him until after you picked up the meat, and do you have a way to pick it up or even store it?" Shin asked.
"Ah, it was cheaper if you pay Uncle Morty up front to reserve the meat. I don't have a way to pick it up or store it. What am I going to do? Yankumi will kill me." Kuma asked.
"Don't worry, I'll ask Imani. She'll figure something out." (End of Flashback) "And that's where you come in." Shin finished.
"Okay, no problem. I'll call my restaurant and ask them to get a truck and some storage space ready. " Imani answered.
So with that problem resolved, there were no more issues with the wedding plans. Except for the hotel, the missing maiden of honor, the dresses, and … well you'll find out if you continue to read the story.
At the Hotel
"Hey, did you hear? The owner is allowing a convention to be held here next week until Saturday since the branch where they were staying at was damaged by the storm. " The event planner told the receptionist.
"When does there convention finish?" The wedding liaison asked.
"On Saturday. It would have finished on Friday, but they had to cancel today's events. So they will move over here and perform today's events tomorrow." The event coordinator responded.
"We have a very important wedding on Saturday. I hope they don't disturb that event in any way." She thought out loud.
(A/N): Sorry for the long wait, but I went on travel, then school started, and I was unhappy with the chapter since there was not enough Shinkumi moments and had to rewrite it several times. The next chapter is partially completed. I'll have it out providing that I have internet access. The irony is that I may be facing typhoon conditions soon. Oh yeah, this chapter was actually meant to be with the previous chapter, but I felt that the split was better that way. Plus this chapter would be too long.