Megumi's eyes slowly fluttered open, to see Yahiro changing at the foot of the bed. She slowly got up, rubbing her left eye.
"Y- Yahiro…?"
He grinned at her. "It's about time you woke up."
"Wh- What time is it?"
He checked his watch. "It's 9."
She frowned. "Oh… I'm up pretty early today."
"Well, I'm going now."
"…going?"
"Where else? I'm going to go meet Akira."
Megumi's eyes widened. "Wh-?"
Yahiro caught sight of her expression and smirked. "What? You didn't think last night actually meant something, did you?"
"Y- Yahiro…" Megumi felt something in her die. Why was he doing this?
"Eh, I'll give you points, you weren't bad, but for someone who's already done this, you're horrible in bed," he said loftily. "I bet Akira's better than you. Hell, Kawashima Sayoko's probably better than you. Maybe I should go and… keep her company."
"No!" she begged, reaching out for him. "Please don't! Don't go, Yahiro!"
Her slender arms came out to reach for him, but he pulled out of her grasp, and that expression, that same heartbreaking, disgusted expression stopped her.
"Don't touch me," he snapped. "I don't want you. You're not Akira. And cover up… your body's not one to be proud of, stupid girl."
"Yahiro," she sobbed. "Please don't leave me. I'm sorry I wasn't good enough, but I'll try."
Megumi...
"Megumi…"
He moved closer to her, and his hands came to her shoulders… and suddenly smiled evilly. "You can keep trying… but what's the point of fooling? You and I both know that you could never be the most important person in my heart."
"But…"
Megumi…
"May…you… Ryuu… Kane… fun…"
"Yahiro…?"
Megumi? Megumi!
Megumi's eyes snapped open, and the first thing she saw was Yahiro's concerned expression gazing down at her.
"What's wrong?" Yahiro asked urgently. She shakily sat up.
"Wr- Wrong?"
"…Megumi… you're crying," Yahiro whispered softly, his large hand coming up to gently wipe away her tears. She released a breath as she flopped back down on the pillow, and was suddenly aware of her nakedness… and exactly how close Yahiro was.
She turned scarlet when she realized that the thin sheet was the only thing separating their bare bodies, but Yahiro simply grinned at her.
"Megumi… you little pervert."
"E- Eh?!"
"You're a little too pink to be innocent, Saiga Megumi," he chuckled mischievously, the bridge of his nose brushing against her neck. She let out a squeak of surprise as she felt him lightly rubbing against the skin right under her ear.
He chuckled as his lips came down to gently brush against the nape of her neck.
"Megumi…" he whispered. "Your back is so smooth."
She turned, if it was possible, even redder.
"Last night…"
Megumi froze and she could feel herself trembling. Oh no… the nightmare was starting. She braced herself.
Yahiro put an arm around her slender waist, his kisses moving down.
"Last night was wonderful," he murmured and she suddenly realized how seized up her body was. She relaxed, as Yahiro's warmth covered her small frame.
"I love you so much…" he whispered. "But why are you so tense?"
"…"
"What were you crying about?" he asked worriedly. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"…n-no," she lied swiftly. "I guess tears just started coming out of my eyes for nothing."
He frowned, and wrapped his arm around her tighter.
"Don't lie to me, Megumi," he warned. "What happened?"
"…are you going to leave me?" she whispered. His eyes widened in surprise as he released a small sound of confusion.
"Why…?"
And then it dawned on Yahiro. She was gazing up at him, and he could almost feel the self-consciousness rolling off of her.
"I'm not leaving you, idiot girl," he whispered, his hand gently cupping the small of her back. She let out a shy gasp as he lowly chuckled.
"I'm not doing anything," he assured her quietly. "I just want to feel you against me."
He lazily circled his long fingers down her back, and the two of them slowly drifted off to sleep again.
Megumi sipped at her miso soup, her eye twitching at the dark circles.
Even though she and Yahiro had gone to sleep together in such a relaxed, light situation, and he had assured her of his feelings, she still had a similar nightmare. In this one, she was actually forced to watch Yahiro consummating his carnal feelings with President Kawashima as the two of them laughed at her.
"Megumi?"
She jumped and looked up at a very suspicious Yahiro.
"What is wrong?" he asked forcefully. "You've been acting weird since morning."
She looked down, unable to answer. Yahiro took a deep breath… before he began to eat rapidly.
"Yahiro?"
"Don't speak," he responded. "Hurry up and finish your breakfast."
"Wh-?"
"I'm taking you somewhere after this, so hurry up and finish your food," Yahiro grinned at her.
As the two of them left the inn, they saw the Kawashimas in the distance. Yahiro felt his thoughts darken, and clenched his fist. Ryuutarou whimpered and ran off, his nose heavily bandaged. Megumi noticed Sayoko eying Yahiro's clenched fist and the muscles that emerged, a rather hungry look in her eyes that had nothing to do with food. Megumi swiftly grabbed her eraser board and brought it into Sayoko's line of view. The woman flinched, before following her husband quickly.
"Why are we here?"
"Don't talk."
Megumi rolled her eyes. \Why are we here?/
"Come on… I asked the innkeeper, and she said people were welcome to come into this place ever since it was abandoned."
Yahiro took a box out of the trunk of his car. Megumi's brow furrowed. Lately, Yahiro had way too many secrets for her to keep up.
"Come on," he held out his hand. Megumi hesitated, and Yahiro released a breath in disappointment. He began to lower his hand… but then hopefully held out a single finger. She hesitantly accepted holding onto his index finger, and he led her into the empty building.
Megumi gazed in confusion at the empty boxing ring, the only thing in the otherwise empty room. It was lit up by a single spotlight, pointed into the boxing ring, but everywhere else was dark.
Yahiro opened the box, and took out a pair of small, pink boxing gloves. Megumi's eyes could not grow any bigger.
What is going on?!
"Hold out your hand."
Megumi obediently held out her hand in confusion, and Yahiro laced up the gloves onto her small hands. She suddenly noticed his fingers were shaking, but he laced them up nonetheless.
He walked into the ring, and then looked at her expectantly. She hesitantly followed him in… then let out a small shriek as he suddenly unbuttoned his shirt and stood before her, his abdominal muscles glinting in the dim light.
"Yahiro!" Megumi promptly ran to the opposite side of the ring, quaking behind her eraser board.
"Calm down!" Yahiro scolded. "Geez! I'm not going any farther than this!"
Yahiro looked away hesitantly, before spreading his arms open.
"I'm… I'm unarmed. So you can hit me now."
Megumi stared at him in confusion. He gritted his teeth.
"Look! I'm defenseless! Hit me!"
"But you still have some injuries from that last fight you were in!"
"Good," he said grimly. "Even better. Hit me, Megumi."
"No," she protested firmly. "I will not, Yahiro."
"Megumi…" he licked his lip. "Listen… this isn't just for you. This is for me. I… I need to punish myself. Just a little bit. Hit me. Please?"
She shook her head stubbornly.
"I'm not letting us leave until you hit me," he warned her. She sighed and approached him, before gently touching him with the boxing glove.
"Will that do?"
"Oh, come on!" he snorted. "You can knock out people with your eraser board! Hit me! Swing, Megumi!"
"No, Yahiro," she tried to say patiently.
"Hit me!"
"No!" she finally yelled at him.
"Hit me! Swing!"
Megumi finally punched him once. Yahiro coughed, but didn't back down.
"Good!" he shouted. "Again!"
Megumi glared at him angrily before punching him again.
"More! Hit me!"
"Stop it!" she begged.
"Is that really all you have?!"
Megumi felt the stirrings of anger in her, and she soon punched him again. For someone so small, she was able to pack a surprisingly hefty punch. Eventually, without prodding, she was punching his torso repeatedly. It was almost laughable, to see this tiny woman, repeatedly punching the tall man who stood before her as she sobbed, punching him angrily.
"Yahiro, you jerk! Yahiro, you idiot!" she screamed. "Yahiro is the worst! I… I…!"
Her punches soon faltered, as she finally collapsed, trying to cover her tears. Yahiro slowly bent down (wincing slightly), before he gathered her into his arms.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I needed that."
The two of them drove away from the abandoned gym silently, both of them struggling with their own thoughts.
The two dined in a traditional Japanese restaurant famous for their tea rice. As the two indulged, they glanced once at each other, and Megumi couldn't help but to feel light-hearted.
He's trying… he's actually trying…
She couldn't help a smile. I guess forgiveness isn't out of the question.
The two drove back to the inn, where the innkeeper welcomed them. Yahiro glanced at Megumi, then gently patted her shoulder.
"You go back to the room without me."
"Eh?"
He simply smiled at her reassuringly before turning to the innkeeper and murmuring something softly. The woman's eyes widened before she giggled loudly and nodded. Megumi shook her head in confusion, and went to her room to wash up.
Yahiro was gone for most of the afternoon, and when he returned, Megumi noticed him quickly hiding something behind his back, before smiling brightly at her.
"It's time for dinner!"
Megumi nodded, and headed downstairs with him.
That night's dinner was a thick stew with mountain vegetables, and sashimi. The two ate in silence; the Kawashimas were mysteriously 'not feeling well enough' to come down and eat with them.
As their meal came to an end, Yahiro smiled at her.
"Let's go on a drive."
"…drive?"
"After your bath, wear clothes to go out."
"Where are we-?"
"Oh, it can just be any sort of clothes," Yahiro shrugged. "Just something comfortable, I guess."
Megumi gave him a strange look as she left for her bath, but, later as she got dressed, she couldn't help but to check her reflection a few times and spritz on some perfume before she went to meet up with her husband.
As before, Yahiro took a box out of the trunk of his car, and the two entered the empty chapel. Megumi looked around in confusion. It was dark inside the holy building, until Yahiro brought out matches, and began to light the candles in the room. Soon, the room was aglow with a soft yellow light. Yahiro then turned to her, taking a deep breath.
"Here…" he handed her the box. "Change into this."
\Change?/
Megumi felt a little put-off. She knew he said to dress in anything, but she had chosen something rather casual… she didn't think Yahiro would be taking her to a church.
Yahiro already turned away and began to undress. Megumi swiftly turned around, trying not to remember what had happened yesterday night, before she opened the box. She blinked as she saw the thin, white, floating material. But then she took it out of the box, and her eyes widened.
When Yahiro turned around again, he held his breath. There stood Saiga Megumi, in a pure white wedding dress, a gauzy veil draped over her shimmering, light brown hair, surrounded by the glow of the candles.
"Where did you get this?" Megumi asked curiously, looking down at the lovely material. Yahiro's tongue felt strangely heavy in his mouth, and he had to swallow a few times before he was able to answer.
"The… The innkeeper lady told me about a bridal dress rental store in town," he muttered, trying to not look at her directly. "I… I went and got it this afternoon."
"Y- Yahiro… what are you doing?" she swallowed when she saw that he was dressed in a tuxedo. He walked up to her, and gently taking her arm, guided her up to the altar.
"I… I want us to…"
Megumi stared at him as he struggled to admit his true intentions. He finally released a breath.
"I want us to restate our vows."
Her eyes could not have popped out wider.
"Eh? Why?!"
"…I didn't really write my vows."
Megumi swallowed. She should have known that, deep down, but for some reason, she couldn't help but to feel somewhat disappointed. She had lost countless nights of sleep over her vows, but hearing that from Yahiro just confirmed that during her vow recitation, it had probably gone in through one ear and out the other.
"I… I just hired some writer to write something flowery and nice," he admitted. "I didn't really write them, but… but now I want to say how I really feel."
Megumi shyly looked down, and Yahiro had to warn himself to calm down when he saw that adorably innocent gesture.
"But we don't have a witness," she pointed out. Yahiro smiled at her.
"Silly girl… we're already married. What do we need a witness for? This doesn't need to be official or anything. We just need to be each other's witness."
"But… I don't have anything," she protested. "I don't have any vows written out."
"Then…" Yahiro frowned, then brightened. "You can just say whatever I say."
"Huh?!"
"Just repeat everything I say," he grinned. "I'll be sure not to say anything dirty in the vow."
Megumi flushed. "Yahiro!"
"Here…"
He held out his right hand… and he felt a small gush of elation when Megumi finally took his hand. He smiled at her.
"I promise that I'll cherish you."
"I promise… that I'll cherish you," she repeated softly, cheeks alit in a happy blush.
"I promise to never take you for granted."
"I promise to never take you for granted."
"I promise to appreciate your feelings for me."
"I promise to…" Megumi hesitated, but bravely continued. "I promise to appreciate your feelings for me."
"I promise to be the number one person in your heart."
"…" Megumi's eyes widened as it suddenly dawned on her that maybe Yahiro wasn't saying this only for himself. He gazed at her, his eyes pleading.
Please… won't you believe me? Believe me… there's only you. No one else.
"I promise… to be the number one person in your heart."
"I promise to be with you always."
"I promise to be with you… always."
"As long as I live."
"As long as I live."
"In sickness and in health."
"In sickness and in health."
"For richer or for poorer."
"For richer or for poorer."
"For better or for worse."
"For better or for worse."
*Blows nose* And now you know where the title came from...
Excuse me as I go cry (sorry, I get teary during weddings... even fake weddings... *sob*)
Lol, see you guys next chapter!
