The wedding was at night, in consideration of the groom and bride and the fact that the majority of the guests were largely nocturnal. The cicadas hummed outside, and the night blooming flowers that had been planted the year before for just this occasion let their scent waft enticingly through the open door of the cathedral.

Yuki and myself had arrived hours earlier, she to help keep the groom calm and myself, providing comfort and stability to the bride. It was rather amusing really, at least at first, watching Seiren run around, her usually blank face animated to an unheard of degree going through indescribable happiness and abject terror equally.

Seiren had already decided to make the journey up the isle by herself and I applauded her courage, the shocker was the fact that Akatsuki Kain stood as Zero's best man. The pairs friendship had been, unexpected to say the least, but not unwelcome.

Now as the music starts and as I watch Seiren walk up the aisle, I don't think I've ever seen her so serene. Her shoulders are relaxed for once, and her face bears the trace of a smile, her version of an ear to ear grin. I sigh a little in melancholy at the realization that her first and last thoughts will no longer be devoted to me, she now has another who will be the center of her universe and I think, maybe this is what a parent feels when their child grows up.

I hear a sniffle beside me and have to smile at my sweet Yuki's own tear stained face, she's been going between joy and utter despair since Zero announced that he and Seiren were engaged. Her 'older sister' side seems to be unready to let her baby brother go into another woman's care.

Still sniffling she turns to look at me second later, sees my own fatherly despair and we give a quiet laugh at our silliness. We really are like two parents who are not ready to see their darling children grow up and leave them.

Then the priest is announcing the newlyweds as Mr. and Mrs. Kiryuu and the happy couple is walking down the aisle, and for once Zero was not even bothering to pretend that he wasn't happy and threw Yuki the largest happiest grin I have ever seen while Seiren sent me a smaller smile.

I give her a smile in return unable to be sad at this moment in the face of their happiness, because while Seiren may have been serene going up the aisle towards Zero, she is absolutely radiant coming down it with him.