Disclaimer: I do not own the RK characters. They all belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.
A/N: Long author's note at the very end. Didn't want to put it here.
Drive Me Crazy
Chapter 35: Wedding Day
By: LadyYuina
"Oh, wow, Magdaria's autobiography has been published, after all," Misao said, as she picked up a copy. "I'm going to buy one - what about you, Kaoru?"
"I'll get one, too."
At the checkout Misao couldn't help asking the cashier out of curiosity.
"Hey, Mister, did a lot of these books sell so far since it's release date?"
"Not that I'm aware of. I don't think it's doing very well here."
"Oh."
"Hurry and purchase them, Misao, my cousin's wedding is tomorrow. I still need to go shopping for a dress."
"Okay, okay. You're so anxious to leave, aren't you?"
"What do you expect me to be like when the wedding is tomorrow. And I have no dress to wear! You're coming, too, by the way!"
"You're deciding for me?"
"Damn right. Now come on!" Kaoru yanked her friend by the hand and dashed out of the store. Misao was disappointed that Kaoru thought so very little for their deceased friend. However, constantly thinking about her wasn't going to allow Misao to move on, if that were the case . . .
--
Gihei and Fusa laughed as Kenji joked with them during lunch break. Kenji swung his arms out wide, as he described a huge building that looked like a giant watermelon. Gihei and Fusa laughed some more, fueling him on. He swung his arms out again and his right arm came into contact with something.
"Haruna!" Gihei and Fusa called out in unison.
"Haruna?" Kenji echoed, turning around and indeed seeing her lying on the grass, clutching at her nose. "Haruna, what were you doing coming up behind me?"
"I didn't think you'd swing your arms out like that when I was coming up to you," she said, defensively. "Owwww, my nose really hurts all thanks to you."
"Let me see," Kenji said, as he kneeled down beside her. "You're bleeding; here."
He handed her a handkerchief from his pocket, and instructed her to hold her head up as he held the cloth in place.
"Kenji, you really did her in. That blow to her face looked really hard," Fusa told him. "Maybe she should go to the school nurse."
"I'm fine," Haruna spoke up. "It's not a big deal."
"You sure?" Kenji asked. "I think Fusa's right."
"Well, sorry to have bothered you all. I think I'll excuse myself now . . ."
Several students who were walking by look at the four students curiously. Haruna stalked off towards the school building, an annoyed look coming to her features. The three boys exchanged glances and then looked around uncomfortably.
"You guys are such idiots!" Gihei and Fusa blinked at each other several times. "You could have told me she was coming up behind me! It's not like I have eyes on the back of my head!"
"We were laughing too hard to notice," Fusa replied.
"Well . . . Whatever."
"Geez, you've been rather edgy lately, Kenji. You've been ignoring Haruna and now you're yelling at us?" Kenji simply rolled his eyes and that earned him a frown from Fusa. "And the other day you were talking about dying."
"I didn't really mean anything by that . . . It was just a thought."
"Well, no one simply says: have you two ever thought of dying?, to their friends just for the heck of it. You're hiding something from us, aren't you?"
"Fusa, you're thinking too much. Chill, man," Kenji said. "I already told you that it was merely a thought, and there's no motive behind these words. If you see me dead one day due to suicide, then you'll know, won't you now?"
"We wouldn't want that to happen," Gihei spoke, having remained quiet for the majority of the conversation. "Unlike Fusa, I'd rather avoid this subject. I'm sure you'll do the right thing, Kenji. If you ever have anything that you need to let out, then come to me. I'll be more than happy to help."
--
"I didn't know there was a wedding tomorrow." Ietsuna peered over his father's shoulder, looking at the red sheet of fashionably decorated paper. "Who's getting married?"
"It says we have been cordially invited to the wedding of 'Okita Soushi' and Hagokichi Haruna'."
"Cordilly?" Ietsuna asked.
"Cordially, and it's a word you use on occasion such as this, Ietsuna," Kenshin explained. "A much fancier way of saying that you have been invited to attend an event, with much gratitude that you show up."
"What's gratitude?"
"Means you're thankful."
"Ooohhhhh."
The front door opened and closed. "I'm home!" A few moments later Kenji appeared in the living room, looking a bit drained of energy. "What are you two looking at?"
"A wedding party!" Ietsuna chirped, before Kenshin could say anything.
"It's tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Kenji was surprised that they were given such short notice. "Didn't you just receive the invitation today?"
"Yeah. Quite unusual for an invitation to get passed out the day before it happens," Kenshin pondered.
"Well . . . Where's Naoto?"
"He's in his room."
Kenji walked past his father and brother, as he headed towards Naoto's room. When he tried to turn the knob he noticed that it was locked. Just as he was about to knock the door opened - the blue-eyed boy looked up at him. Kenji peered behind him and then down at Naoto.
"Mind if I come in?" he asked.
"Sure."
"Whoa, what's up with all the cage drawings?" Kenji scanned around the room to see several drawn pictures of bird cages, jail cells, and any type of cage you can think of. They were all pinned up on the walls here and there. "Are you feeling . . . You know?"
"No. Drawing these has made me feel more free. When I look at them I can see that I'm not the one standing in them." Kenji titled his head slightly to the right in puzzlement. "I guess it sounds strange, but this helps me."
"As long as you don't go nuts again, then I'm cool with it."
Naoto laughed.
--
Haruna breathed in and out nervously - today was the wedding day. She was only fifteen. But her parents had already decided that she was to wed now. She was pretty sure, too, that there might have been some issues about financial gains, although her parents weren't going to admit to it. Besides, it was the Okitas' that offered their son to the Hagokichis'.
"Stand up straight, Haruna," her stylist instructed. "The obi is rather difficult to put on, so don't move so much."
"Okay."
The poor girl was having second thoughts about the wedding. She had never seen her soon-to-be-husband before, and it scared her at how he might look and act like. The descriptions alone weren't enough; words couldn't really do anyone justice until you actually see the person.
Haruna bit her lower lip and as she tried not to squeak out in slight pain. The stylist noticed this though.
"Was that too tight?" she asked.
"A-a little, but I'm all right," Haruna lied.
"Are you nervous?"
"I'm so nervous that I think I'm going to wet myself!" The stylist laughed while Haruna rolled her eyes. "I'm just really happy . . . I suppose."
'Yeah, right. Haruna, you need to stop lying to yourself! This isn't going to help anyone!'
With one final tug to the obi, the stylist shouted out, "done!"
Haruna dared herself to look into the mirror presented to her, when her stylist pushed one in front of her. She looked really elegant in the white layers of the wedding kimono. A small smile graced her lips - this was her destiny and she knew she wouldn't be able to escape alone. Bringing shame to her family was the last thing she wanted to do. Thinking that perhaps in time she could fall in love with the man she was to wed, made her feel a little better. It was always a possibility.
On the Okita's side, Okita was furious that he had to marry a child . . . It was even worse than marrying a woman that he wouldn't love. Soujirou stood beside his former lover as Okita angrily lashed out at his parents with bitter, shameful words.
"Soushi, listen--"
"Don't you start that trifling bullshit with me, dad," Okita cut him cleanly off. "You arranged for me to wed someone behind my back! The least you could have done was to tell me ahead of time!"
"Look here, Soushi, it wasn't my idea to get you a wife this soon," his father retorted. "It's been in the back of my mind but as situations stand, it was your precious Soujirou who asked me to find you someone!"
"Soujirou?" Okita turns towards the man beside him, looking at him in disbelief. "You . . . You were the one who asked for this?"
"Yes," Soujirou bowed his head in shame. "I did ask your father for this favor. I did it because I knew this was the best . . ."
"Are you saying you know what's best for me?" Okita asked, in a furious accusatory tone. Soujirou could do nothing else but nod. What happened next was so quick that the brunette-haired man didn't know that Okita has pinned him to the floor. It wasn't until Okita was shouting in his face, did he finally realize his predicament. "If you know what's best for me, then you should know what I want is right in front of me! Right here! Right now!"
'The promise . . .'
"I . . . I promised your father."
"Forget the stupid promise!"
"Soushi!" Mrs. Okita cried. "Don't do this!"
Soujirou remembered well. Mrs. Okita was really supportive and nice to him a few months back, when Okita first declared his will to wed back then. It was thanks to her that he wasn't driven out of the Okita residence. Now, however, she seemed to only want all this family feuding to stop, although it seemed like she was leaning towards the side of her husband. Soujirou didn't blame her - it was really better if Okita married a woman anyway.
Just then someone peeked in from the doorway and asked, "are you all about ready? The guests are already arriving and taking their seats."
"Almost," Mr. Okita replied, rather uncomfortably. He was glad that the person who glanced in did not see his son pinning Soujirou to the floor. "We'll be out there shortly; thank you for the notice."
"You're welcome."
Outside where the wedding was to be held people who were invited took their seats among the many chairs that were provided. Some were surprised this whole event could be arranged in one single day. Saitou was seen standing by the altar, dressed in formal Japanese robes as he patiently waited, arms clasped behind his back. It was his turn to do this for his brother, because when he got married, it was Okita who had been in his shoes right at the moment. He scanned around the crowd, spotting Kenshin, his kids, Kaoru, Sanosuke, Misao, and Aoshi sitting together. His partner, Enishi, whom is in the police force, was sitting by himself. His wife and kids were sitting a few rows just behind Enishi. Yumi and Shishio were sitting right across from Enishi on the opposite side.
'Wow, such a big crowd. Other than those people there's no one else I recognize.'
All the chattering ceased when the traditional wedding gongs could be heard. Stepping down the middle of the isle was the groom, who was followed closely behind by the bride, her face veiled by a long cloth.
'At least he's keeping a straight face.'
Saitou sighed in relief. Underneath the mask his brother created, he could see in Okita's eyes that he was really angry. Luckily, little to few people noticed the oppressive aura the man was omitting.
Haruna shyly looked at the man in front of her through the white colored veil. She was seeing him for the first time, even though it was only his backside at the moment. From the looks of it she could say he was a good foot and a half taller than her. Much to Haruna's relief, Okita was neither ugly to look at or fat in appearance when she was finally standing side by side with him - she was peeking at him from the corner of her eye, because it was considered rude to look at him directly during this part of the ceremony until asked to do so. However, there was no other guy that was more attractive than Kenji. She was completely devoted to him, and him alone.
'Okay . . . I can do this! I can definitely learn to love him . . .!'
'She's merely a child. I refuse to marry her . . . She looks no older than Kenji's age. Does the age difference not disgust anyone else besides me?'
"Hold it," Okita interrupted. "I refuse to marry her." Gasps errutped from the crowd, even Kenshin and the others were confused by Okita's sudden demand. "I don't love her; I don't know her; I want nothing to do with her. Does her age and mine not bother anyone?"
Haruna actually laughed at those words. She removed her veil and looked at Okita in the eyes. She felt the same way he did although she would have never had the courage to say it out loud, much like he did. She bowed politely and stepped off the altar, as she walked away. Everyone watched as she did so - her eyes briefly locked with Kenji's when she came by his row.
"See, Soujirou, I'll remain faithful to you. Always."
The End…
A/N: First off, I'd like to thank everyone who's read this fic to the end, even though I'm not sure how many people actually read to the last chapter. I appreciate it nonetheless! If it weren't for the people still reading this, then I would have not bothered to type up the entire story, even though I have all of it on paper. I've written this fic two years ago, and I'll say that I am not proud of my writing. In fact, I don't like this story, believe it or not. I don't loathe it to the extreme, but neither can I say 'I like it . . .'
And another thing, I don't know the rules or events that take place during a traditional Japanese wedding, and forgive me for not looking up the info because I was too damn lazy. My heart and soul was not completely devoted to this piece of work, and for those who've added this to their favorites . . . I am flattered you like it! XD I feel honored, really. Sakura complained about my portrayal of Kaoru, and I don't really care. I don't hate her or Tomoe (as you readers can see I've placed them in a somewhat negative light). For me, it's not the matter of hating or liking; like, for example, if I didn't like Shishio from RK, it doesn't mean I would always write him as a 'bad' character whenever I would use him. Well, I think I'll stop now. It's been a long trip for me, and I am glad to see one not-so-good fic finished. Again, thank you very much to those who've read this till the end! Peace . . .