PLEASE READ ME FIRST! SPOILER ALERT! This fic pretty much gives all the sweet little twists and turns in the story away so if you want to find out for yourself what happens in the end, DO NOT READ THIS FIC YET! You have been warned! Second on my agenda, there is a lot of Japanese words in this fic that are in the story, for your viewing convenience I have comprised a list of these words so you don't read it and go, 'Duuuuuuhhhhhh….what?' Please take a look at the list before you read the fic. Allrighty then with that out of the way, please read and review!

I had to pay homage to one of TCP's best moments, Ryuji's speech is from chapter 90 in case you find yourselves wondering. Read on!

CHAPTER 6

Tsukasa was once again stunned by Bun-san's ability to keep a secret. She had to take a moment to assure herself that she hadn't been sent back in time. The entire left wing of Kuryugumi had been totally transformed to look like a Shinto shrine, long rows of seating pillows stretched from the back all the way to the front. The building itself hadn't been altered too much as Kuryugumi was famous for it's ancient, japanese style of décor however all the doors had been replaced with sliding paper screen ones. At the altar in front was a priest and two miko, sitting and waiting.

"Ready?" her brother's whispered to her. Tsukasa began to remember her fear over the impending wedding night and the fact that the room was full of people now staring at her made matters worse. Her heart beat rapidly against her ribcage, sweat beaded at her temples, she couldn't do this! She couldn't get married, she couldn't be the bride Ryuji wanted her to be, she-

Was already at the altar. She looked around wildly, 'how did she-?'

"Tsukasa," a deep, familiar voice called. Tsukasa looked up and gasped.

Ryuji stood before her. His tall, lanky form was wearing the traditional groom's striped hakama and black haori, but a katana on his hip and his gold locks slicked back gave his appearance more of a shogun air. His hand extended for hers, waiting.

Tsukasa's heart fluttered as their fingers connected, if there was a moment she wished she could take a picture of and keep forever, this would be it.

Mainly because she planned on running as soon as she had the chance.

"The groom has made a speech that he would like to share with his bride," the priest announced. Ryuji kept his eyes on Tsukasa, his fingers intertwining with hers. He began to yell, but not angrily, more like he was reciting something Tsukasa heard before:

If I'm behind you, then I can't protect you!

I want to stand where you do.

If you tell me not to, then I won't stand in front of you...

But at least, let me stand next to you

I'll stay by your side forever...

I'll protect you...

I...won't let you die before me...!

I won't die before you...

I won't die after you either...

When we go, I'd rather we go together...

So that even if I die...

I can...

Remain here beside you...

Tsukasa lost all of the strength in her legs and fell to the floor, people rushed to help her up, but Ryuji held his hand up, indicating that he wanted her to rise by herself.

Those words were her words; her mind flew back to the day on the mega-float airport. When Ryuji asked her to stand down, asked her to do something she was just incapable of doing. It was technically the day she proclaimed her feelings for him, Tsukasa knew that meant something to Ryuji but she never imagined he would remember word for word what her heart had wanted to convey.

"After all this time, you remember?" she asked.

"I do," Ryuji said, "and I mean it as much as you did then."

"Tsukasa," the girl turned to the priest who called her name, "Do you accept this proclamation? Do you accept the feelings in Ryuji's heart? Do you promise to say by his side as well, as his friend, protector, do you promise with all of your heart to be his pillar of strength?"

Tsukasa shakily rose to her feet and took Ryuji's hand into her own, "I do," she answered.

"Then under the guiding light of our great Buddah, I proclaim you man and wife,"

Tsukasa's smile faded, man and wife? She never agreed-

"I said 'I do', you said 'I do'. Its official, Shirogami Tsukasa." Ryuji said with a sinister smile.

Tsukasa's jaw dropped, he tricked her! Ryuji pulled her to him, "YOU BASTARD! I WAS TRICKED!" her scream was lost to the waves of cheers and Ryuji's lips as he dove in for their first kiss and husband and wife.