The Fifteenth Test

I looked at her doubtfully and then towards the host president. I wasn't certain of how I was expected to react to this news. It was quite… sudden. I looked back at her, her eyes averted and her cheeks faintly flushed. Clearly she wasn't lying. That was an honest reaction from her. And it made my decision all that harder. It frustrated me to have this information given to me so lately. Several things had happened in the last hour between Haruhi-san's revelation, question and my own phone call from home. Oh yes, those were absolutely my favorite ones. It didn't console me in the least to know that Kyoya had received the exact same phone call from his family, or similar tidings from Tamaki-san. I sighed silently, running my hand through my hair. I felt like I was stretched too far.

Haruhi-san had revealed to me, that she admired Tamaki-san. It wasn't that much of a surprise, but I did ask about her reasoning behind it. It seemed logical to me, to see if she had some ulterior motive behind her sudden confession. She didn't. She then asked me, about my relationship with Kyoya. It had been a bit sudden, but it suited everything. She wanted to see if I was ready to marry her friend, the same as Tamaki-san wanted to be certain of Kyoya's feelings towards me. It was why the two of them were together. They had intended to talk to us at the carnival, but I had prevented it. It took them some time to track us back down to the park, but they did find us.

Her neon pink shirt stood out brightly enough that I avoided making direct eye contact with its illustriousness. I figured that it was no business of mine. When I finally asked her about it, she told me that Tamaki-san had come up with the idea and she didn't have the heart to tell him no. I understood her a little; when she mentioned that it would be similar to denying Honey-senpai his favorite sweets for no good reason.

Having her confront me about my feelings, I shared both my misgivings and my faith. It was strange, having someone to talk to. I didn't tell her about the dream. I did tell her about why I liked Kyoya and how my feelings towards him had progressed and declined steadily. She hid a smile when I mentioned some of how today had gone. I had been interrupted from further explaining when my cell phone rang. The hardest piece of information had just been thrown at me, and I wasn't happy about it. The worst about the call's contents was that it was both inconvenient and convenient at the same time. Coincidence? I doubted it. Someone from our families was watching us. Not that it was a big surprise, but it was unwelcome.

I sighed, twirling my phone in my hand. I abruptly shoved it into my pocket as I faced Haruhi-san. This was going to be sudden, but then again everything seemed to be headed in that direction. I plastered a fake smile on my face, summoning a happy memory to add a tinge of integrity to it. "Want to go dress shopping with me? My mother will meet with us at the store, but I need at least one person to come and try the dress."

She frowned, and then nodded with understanding. "Wedding dress right? And you need to ascertain how the bridesmaids fit their gowns." She paused, "I'm a bridesmaid?"

I nodded, averting my eyes from hers. "We'll buy you a wig, to help prevent anyone from recognizing you." Kyoya would be inviting people from school, the families that his father deemed necessary to impress. Precautions were necessary for Haruhi-san to be present at my wedding. "I know its sudden and everything, but I would be honored if you would accept."

She grinned, innocence and genuine happiness clear on her face. "I'd love to, Ashia-senpai."

I smiled at her as well, "Then let's be on our way. My driver is over there," I said, indicating the black limousine.

As we walked across the parking lot, the boyish appearing girl remarked, "At first I thought that you were just a family friend of Kyoya-senpai's," she smiled a little guiltily. "I expected someone more snobbish and nasty, really, when I first met you."

I smiled, "I was aware that you were a girl when I first met you. I looked it up online," I added hastily to her stunned look. "I needed to know as much as I could find out to be on even ground with my fiancé."

She smiled, a little timidly, "I thought you seemed oddly distant but comfortable at the same time."

I shrugged and reached the limousine, she entered it first and I followed. Dress shopping. Yippee. My enthusiasm should just be palpable, ready to burst from the very minute confines of the limo. Sarcasm littered my thoughts as I dreaded the approach of the wedding store. One wedding store meant that plans were in motion. Plans in motion, meant that my marriage was approaching even faster than I had thought. I was nervous about its approach and scared of it. I didn't want my marriage to be coming so soon. I was hopeful that it might be delayed for some time. My hope was in vain.

I wasn't certain about when the wedding would happen, but I expected it to be soon. Within a few days at the very least. I was a little saddened that I would have little say in the wedding decorations and everything, but I knew that it was an arranged wedding and understood that it was to be a combination of our families working together. I wondered at how everything would fit together in the end. How would it end? I wondered.

I looked out the window, noticing my fiancé and his friend heading towards the parking lot. I raised my hand in a brief wave, letting it fall when I realized that he hadn't seen. We kept silent, even as we entered the dress store. It felt like a far more solemn occasion than one of splendor, romance and happiness. The clerk certainly eyed me oddly, then my mother. She was under the impression that I too would be a bridesmaid. I subtly flashed my ring before her eyes as my mother introduced me as the bride. We headed for the dresses, my mother pointing out the one that she liked.

It was a plain silken one with a brocaded train of silver. When I tried it on, I instantly fell in love with it. It clung to me as only silk could. My modest curves were more apparent and it suited me well. Silver was worked through the entire dress, making it appear to be sparkling and glittering whenever the light caught it. The veil hung down, obscuring my face. It was as thin as gossamer and had more silver than white. It was a pleasure to wear the dress, and I knew that it was the one for me. I couldn't help but be excited to wear the dress, at the very least of everything that was going on. When I spotted the tiaras, I knew that I would be wearing a small elegant one. I couldn't let it pass that easily.

I chose a simple one, silver to match my dress with two small diamonds flashing beautifully in the light. We then turned our attention to the bridesmaids' gowns. Haruhi-san was trying on a few of them, but the one that I liked the best was a pale azure blue. It had a silver hem around it, and quarter sleeves. However it didn't match with the theme of the wedding, and thus my opinion towards it was deemed irrelevant. In the end, my mother chose the dress that my bridesmaids would wear. Lilac purple was the theme of my wedding, and thus my bridesmaids' had to have dresses according to that color. I didn't mind it too much, but I was sad to see the blue dress return to the rack.

The dresses that my bridesmaids' would wear similar dresses. Haruhi-san would be wearing a short sleeved version of the dress, which reached her knees. Amamiya-san would wear a long sleeved design while Shirabuki-san would wear a sleeveless one. The dress itself was knee length with a silver hem.

Our families had already conferred and decided that the wedding would be a small one, with only our closest family invited. Haruhi-kohai was going to be my maid of honor. I had been spending more time with her recently than with my own friends, and it felt right. I didn't want Shirabuki-san ogling my fiancé while we were exchanging our vows, and I was a little afraid that Amamiya-san might break under pressure. She got very nervous quickly, and when she was nervous she tended to get clumsy. I didn't fault her for it, but Haruhi-san seemed much more composed at all times.

With the bridesmaids' dresses chosen, we left for the shoe store. It was one stop of many that we had to make. I found a pair that I instantly fell in love with. They were high heeled elegant shoes with diamonds glittering on the thong of the sandal design and white cloth to tie it around my ankle. The cloth was more for design, as I could easily walk without the ribbon to help keep me balanced. I loved the shoes. They were gorgeous. For my bridesmaids' shoes, we had left it up to them to select a pair. Shirabuki-san and Amamiya-san would be coming by later to select theirs. Haruhi-san chose a simple lavender pair of inch heeled slippers. There was nothing special about their plainness, but they matched her perfectly.

We then headed off to the florists, where my mother pointed out the flowers that had been ordered. She had ordered them based on their color, which made me laugh when I spotted one that was going to be part of the bouquet that I would throw. Hydrangeas were going to be in the bouquet. That was the flower that Kyoya had given me during my first visit to the Host Club. Lilacs, lilies and hydrangeas would make up the bouquet. There were hundreds of flowers though that were ordered and would be present at the wedding and I didn't bother to look at any more of them.

We went to the caterer's next where I looked at the menu. I had no qualms with the ordered food. I was curious about what the wedding cake looked like, but my mother forbade me from looking at it. She said that I was going to get at least one surprise. She showed Haruhi-san it though, while I waited grumpily outside. All that Haruhi-san told me was that I would like it. I had to be content with that much.

"What about jewelry?" I asked, in the limousine.

My mother glanced at me, smiling, "I'll show you what I have in mind when we get home," she admitted with a grin.

I spotted the time and gasped. It was four o'clock already. The time had certainly flown by. We drove Haruhi-san home before heading off to our estates. On our way there, my mother turned to me with a light smile.

"I don't believe I ever shared what you need for good luck in a wedding, have I?" I shook my head mutely. "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and silver sixpence in your shoe."

I laughed a little at that, "Where would I find that, Okaasan?"

She beamed, "I have something in mind for you. I think it will be perfect."

I was intrigued by her words and looking forward to it. I wondered where the little rhyme had come from. It was cute sure, but was it even practical? I didn't know anymore. I shook my head, fighting the thoughts away. It wasn't necessary to ponder their origins nor was it needful to inquire their usefulness. I would just accept it.


Grr I made several errs here. The dress should be a kimono, but I know nothing of it so it'll be a Western wedding. I'm not particularly happy about that. But I lack sufficient knowledge to work with a true Japanese wedding. _

I would have updated on Friday and been done, but I had to go to the optometrist. Then I learned that I have astigmatism. I now get to wear glasses all the time. It took a little adjusting to. Sorry for the delay.

Thank you for reading and reviewing –always appreciated.