Chapter 10

" What did she say?"

"She said, 'Marry me.'"

The groom couldn't hide his happiness as he hug Michiru. He was seated on one of the many garden beches that they have around the mansion. Everything suddenly became brighter for Seiya as they walk around the garden together.

"Thank God you were here."

"Yeah."

"I go scared."

"It happens. Got a minute?" Michiru asked the groom as she led him into one of the nearest gazeboes around.

"What's up?"

"I have to say this quick, and you have to hear it. This is, by far, the dumbest thing I ever done in my entire life.…"

"What's wrong?" Seeing the look on Michiru's face, Seiya started panicking.

"Seiya, I love you. I've loved you, I've just been too arrogant and scared to realize it. So, I realize this comes at a very inopportune time, but I really have this gigantic favor to ask of you. Choose me. Marry me."After her disarrayed speech, she kissed him.

Seiya was too stunned to realize what was happening until he saw Haruka standing a couple of meters away from their gazebo.

"Oh shit!" Just as Seiya pulled away from Michiru, Haruka started running away from them. "Haruka!"

"Wait!" Just as Seiya went after Haruka, Michiru started to run after Seiya as well. "Seiya!"

"Haruka!" What the heck was Michiru thinking!

Seiya Asked himself as he calls out to Haruka once more. He really can't think of any possible explanation for Michiru's behavior earlier.

"Oh! Isn't that the bride and groom? So lovely together"

"Yes they are." Setsuna absent-mindedly answered the wife of Mamoru's board member seated beside her.

"Seiya!"

"Oh! And who is that girl?"

"That's our maid of honor."

"Haruka!"

"Oh…"

"Seiya!"

"She's from New York." Setsuna explained as three ran across the wide backyard towards the parked cars led by Haruka.

"Seiya! Wait! Seiya! Wait please! You'll never catch her!" Michiru called out to Seiya, catching her breath as Seiya rode his car after seeing Haruka went off riding a ferrari.

We can't even catch her on foot now she has to be behind a wheel? Thinking fast and talking to herself she checked the nearest cars for an unlocked door.

"Doesn't anybody leave their car unlocked? Nobody trusts anybody anymore!" Just as she check the cars she saw the minivan of a catering service, key still there. "Oh, a good Samaritan!"

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Taiki is just wrapping up the final plan for the upcoming issue of their magazine when his phone rang. Knowing too well who could be calling him, he let it ring for a couple more times before answering the call.

"Yes?"

"It is not going well! This is what comes of telling the truth! Or even part of it! You know, getting what you deserve is not fair!"

flashback

After Haruka serenaded her she decided to tell her the truth. Taiki is right. Haruka has to know.

"I have to say this quick. Or I'm just gonna have this massive coronary and then you'll never hear it, and you have to. This is, by far, the dumbest thing I ever done in my entire life. Uh.. So dumb, in fact. That I can't. Oh, but I'm gonna… "

Haruka stares at her. Amazed. Confused.

"Haruka, I love you. I've loved you for nine years, I've just been too arrogant and scared to realize it. And , well… Now I'm just scared. So, I realize this comes at a very inopportune time, but I really have this gigantic favor to ask of you. Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy. Oh, That sounds like three favors, doesn't it?" Just as Michiru Kisses Haruka, an unexpected call interrupted her. Is it a sign? As if the caller himself was already the sign.

"Yes Seiya?" Michiru answered her phone as Haruka look on the opposite side of the boat. Missing her bestfriend's eyes. "Yeah sure, I can pick up Mamoru for you. No problem."

End of flashback

"Where are you?"

"I have stolen a bread van and I'm chasing Seiya down Michigan Avenue. Taiki, this is all your fault! I told her the truth. I've said that I loved her and I was about to kiss her and this is what's happened."

"A question. If you professed your love to Haruka, why are you chasing Seiya down Michigan Ave?"

"Because Haruka saw us kissing… "

"Why on earth did you kiss my brother! I thought you were about to kiss Haruka?" Now Taiki's really confused. This story will surely be a hit 5 years from now. But that thought is not at all amusing at the moment.

"I was trying to break them apart… I told him I like him and I kissed him… and now we are here…"

"Okay, so nothing happened when you poured your heart out to Haruka."

"What do you mean? We were interrupted!"

"By who!"

"By Seiya!"

"Michi, when you professed your love to Haruka, did you think there was a positive response from her? Is there a happy ever after beyond your confession? Do you think there is still something between the two of you which leads you to believe that this chase will end happily? I mean the mere fact that you plotted another plan to ruin the wedding means you are not confident enough that Haruka will choose you."

"This chase is not yet over. We are far from the finish line."

"Michi. Seiya is chasing Haruka?"

"Yes."

"You're chasing Seiya."

"Yes."

"Who's chasing you? Nobody. Get it. That's your answer."

"No."

"Yes. Michi. You are not the one! For God sake, the wedding is at 6 p.m.. Now, you have a small, but distinct, window of opportunity to do the right thing!" With that, Taiki hang up,ending his conversation with Michiru.

"Taiki!" Just as her editor hung the phone on her, she saw Seiya enter the main train station building. Parking the hijacked mini-van she hopped out of it following where Seiya disappeared earlier.

She PLUNGES in after him, BOUNCING off bystanders, apologizing, lunging on, gasping for breath, past exhaustion, threatening clumsily through the crowd like a staggering drunk, catching a lucky glimpse as he heads DOWN a staircase to the TRACKS. My God, what's he doing? A second wind, fueled by panic, and she BOLTS after him, DANCING down the steep staircase somehow without killing herself, reaching the concourse to see him, running for Track 29, a train already RUMBLING, ready to pull out, she SPRINTS after him.

"Seiya!" But Seiya just vanished. As the crowd parted she saw Seiya seated on one of the long benches of the station.

"Michiru! Why he heck did you kiss me! It's meaningless! Are you that desperate to really separate us!"

Michiru was caught off guard. She didn't realize that Seiya knew all this time.

"How did you…?"

"It doesn't take a genius to figure it out." Seiya explained as Michiru sat in front of him. "From the moment I first set my eyes on you, I knew you wouldn't give up that easily. Haruka never told me that you and her were a couple before. She really doesn't need to actually. From her stories of your adventures together, I knew that you re my competition."

"So why did you agreed with Haruka to make me the made of hono?"

"Haruka trusted you. So I trusted you."

"I have a confession to make – a real one. Besides that I love Haruka. This is even worse. The E-mail that Mamoru sent to Haruka's boss. I wrote that. I'm the bad guy."

"Are you crazy? Mich, are you completely insane? I mean. I mean. . Mich, how could you do that?"

"It wasn't supposed to get sent it. I just wanted for you and Haruka to break up. God. I've done nothing but underhanded, despicable, not even terribly imaginative things since I got here. Seiya… I was just trying to… to win her, to win her back. But that doesn't excuse any of it. I'm pond scum. Well, lower, actually. I'm like the fungus that feeds on pond scum."

"On the other hand. Thank you. For loving her that much. That way, it's pretty flattering that I was about to marry the most wonderful woman that I have ever known." Seiya said to Michiru as he stood up.

"God. I'm glad you didn't get on that train."

"Well. I came here looking for her."

"Why would she be here? "

"This is where I proposed. I had to attend a game in Milwaukee and she saw me off. The train was starting to leave, and I jumped up on the step and I held the handle, and without a thought in my head I just shouted, 'Marry me'. And the train was pulling out, and she just suddenly screamed 'YES!' Just once, and blew me a kiss. Well, it would've been a nice wedding."

"Seiya, you can't believe that you've lost her. I mean, sooner or later, you will find her. And you'll look into her eyes, and you'll see all that love. I just hope that it's sooner rather than later, or else I'd hate to be you at 6:00. Okay, just wait. Wait. We'll…we'll.. um.. we'll split up. And you will go to every romantic place the two of you have, I'll go… I don't know, someplace brilliant, and we'll find her. We will find her."

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" Chiba residence, Minako speaking."

"Hi. It's Michiru, you guys haven't gotten a call from Haruka, have you?"

"Oh, no. She slipped out, the little monkey. During the commotion."

"Commotion?"

"Well, my sister was licking an ice sculpture. And her tongue froze right to it."

"And that's a commotion?"

" It's a sculpture of the David."

"UH-huh, and so Kimmy would be … "

" She's probably with Seiya doing the nasty. Either that or crying in her nachos, down at Comskey Park. "

"Excuse me? "

"I had this crank call from some guy who says he saw her in the luxury box . "

"Right. OK. "

"I said. What would the bride be doing… "

"Right. Right. Listen. Listen, can you bring my dress to church, and huh…? I have to pick something up for the ceremony."

"OK. Don't forget to shave now. "

As soon as Michiru hung up, she hailed a cab to Comskey Park.

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The guard was nice enough to inform Michiru that he saw the daughter of the Comskey owner entering the comform room a couple of minutes ago.

"Haruka! Haruka! I knew you're in here. The guard saw you come in!"

"Just leave me alone, you bitch!"

"Haruka!" Michiru approached and knocked on the door of the cubicle where Haruka's voice came from.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Haruka questioned her bestfriend as soon as she opened the door of her cubicle.

"Catfight!"

"You came here pretending to by my friend! And I made you my maid of honor! "

"Who asked you to do that?"

"I trusted you! You kissed him! at my pre-wedding reception!" At this moment. All women surround them at the middle of the comfort room.

"That's cold." One of the women commented.

"On my wedding day!"

"Bitch."

"Tramp." A couple of women also commented as Michiru tried to talk.

"I…"

"Shut up! Now I love this man, and there is no way that I'm gonna give him up to some two-faced, big-haired food critic. "

At this moment the crowd gatheredaround them clapped. Cheering for Haruka. This time, Michiru got the courage to talk in her defense.

"All right. All right. Okay. All right. I kissed him. I tried to steal you. Make you jealous. I lost. He loves you too much." At this point, Haruka was just looking at her with a neutral face.

"Haruka, I haven't done much that I'm proud of the last three days. I'd like to take you to the church, so you can walk down that aisle and marry the man of your dreams, 'Cause he sure wants to marry you. . " At this point, Haruka's silence was broken by her own action as she hug Michiru and the crowd clapped for them.

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If there is one thing that Yaten hates it's public speaking and filling in for one of his older brothers. Who would have thought that he'll experience both in one day? By some miracle, he was expecting for Taiki to salvage the moment for him and appear in tux and all as the bestman. To his delight, he has to be the one beside Seiya and hand over the rings, not to mention talk infront of a gazillion people right now at the reception.

"So raise our glasses and wish Seiya and Haruka every happiness. For a long and happy life together. Filled with… happiness. Well, I guess that's it."

"To the bride and groom! "

"Now let's hear from the maid of honor. The lovely Michiru." On cue, Michiru stood up and flatten her gown. Smiling at everyone and facing the long table where the bride and groom are seated she began her speech.

"I had the strangest dream. I dreamt that some psychopath was trying to break the two of you up." The people at the reception started laughing. An indication that everyone was attentively listen to the maid-of-honor. "Luckily, I woke up and I see… that the world is… just as it should be, for my best friend has won the best man. Um, I didn't get you a gift. However. This is on loan until you two find your song. "

The band on stage started to play as Minako and Usagi started singing a familiar song for Haruka. A song that Michiru is willing to let go of.

Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight.

You're lovely, with your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight.

Haruka just looked at Michiru's smiling face as Seiya took her hand and led her on the floor for a dance.

With each word your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fears apart
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
Touches my foolish heart.

Yes you're lovely, never, ever change
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you
Just the way you look tonight.

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The people gathered the the front lawn of the Chiba estate to say goodbye to the couple. The bouquet was tossed by Haruka to the crowd of single women, intended for Michiru but Minako and Usagi was fast and literary split it between the two of them.

Michiru was following the flow of crowd as they all follow the couple, saying goodbye to them .

"Hey." Michiru felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Haruka. The bride hugged her maid-of-honor and bestfriend before saying goodbye and disappear once more amongst the crowd to join her husband.

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People are still partying in the reception while the band plays as Michiru's phone ring.

"Hello, Taiki."

"Hey, gorgeous. Having a good time?"

"Not particularly, but I did what I came to do."

"What? You split them up?"

"No, I said good-bye."

"Good girl. I'm proud of you. I'd be prouder still if you were dancing."

"Hmm, I have a big plan for dancing . Just give me 30, 35 years."

"Mmm. The misery, the exquisite tragedy. The Susan Hayward of it all. I can just picture you there sitting alone at your table in your lavender gown."

"Did I tell you my gown was lavender?"

"Hair swept up. Haven't touched your cake. Probably drumming your fingernails on the white linen tablecloth. The way you do when you're really feeling down. Perhaps even looking at those nails, thinking. 'God. I should've stopped in all my evil plotting to have that manicure.' But it's too late now."

"George, I didn't tell you my dress was lavender." Michiru said as she tarted looking around her.

"Suddenly a familiar song." At the same moment, the band changed the song that they are playing.

The moment I wake up

Before you put on your makeup…

"…then you're off you chair in one exquisite movement. Wondering. Searching. Sniffing the wind like a dapple deer. Has god heard your little prayer? Will Cinderella dance again?" A if following an instruction, Michiru was doing everything that Taiki was saying.

"And then suddenly the crowds part." Miciru stood still as the crowd did part and revealed a Taiki on tux walking towards her, " And there he is, sleek, stylish. R-r-radiant with charisma. Bizarrely, he's on the telephone. But then, so are you. And he comes towards you. The moves of the jungle cat. And although you quite correctly sense that he is… possibly gay. Like most devastatingly handsome single men of his age are. You think. "What the hell…life goes on." Michiru started to smile brighter as Taiki took her phone and closed it. "Maybe there won't be marriage. Maybe there won't be sex. But, by God. There'll be dancing."

Michiru started laughing as Taiki started twirling her on the floor.

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Thank you so much for reading… hope you'll all stick around for my next fic…Just for a preview below are some of the first lines for the next one..

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"Makoto why are you here inside the kitchen?"

"Can't you see am cooking?"

"Shouldn't you be doing inventory?"

"Well 'Ruka, as you can see, we haven't got any customers in a week. I can't do inventory if the business is stagnant." Makoto said before turning the tv on for the live broadcast of Tokyo Music Awards. "Cool! It's the Lights performing!"