Haruhi looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing Souji's kanzashi on her bun and it was going perfectly with her sky blue kimono with the yellow flowers on bottom and sleeves. Since she was still young and unmarried, her kimono was a furisode with long sleeves, as suitable. The yellow obi was giving a bit of light and candor to the outfit and she was satisfied with how she looked. Souji probably would like it too... even if it wasn't their wedding but only his.
« You look gorgeous, Fujita. » commented Kurozawa-sensei with a nod of approval « Okita-san's an idiot. »
« Do you think I should put makeup on ? » she asked.
She bought some just in case but she didn't really like wearing some, cause of her hesitation.
« I don't know. » he shrugged « Maybe you should see the outfit of the Kondou girl first. Your kanzashi is already ostentatious, you mustn't cast shadow on the bride. I doubt she'd have something as luxurious in her hair, it's not really fitted for a village girl. In that case, you'll need to keep your face free of makeup so that she could look prettier than you. Where does this come from, anyway ? »
« Souji... » she blushed « he gave it to me yesterday. »
« Offering expensive juwels to another woman the day before his wedding isn't really the mark of an honorable man... » he muttered « let's hope he had the same courtesy towards his bride otherwise you won't make friends in the Kondou family. »
« My only friend is Tama and she knows of Souji and I's feelings for one another. Souji asked me to wear it and I'll do his will. The day is already hard enough for him to bear. »
« Don't think about Okita-san » muttered the old man « he made his choice, haven't he ? Not gonna pity him and you shouldn't either. You should stay away from him and move on, meet someone else, go back to your family, whatever. But at the end of the day, Kondou Tama will be Okita Tama, as much as you want to hide it to yourself. »
« Tsunashi Tama. » she corrected « And I know this, you don't need to repeat it. »
« Maybe that ceremony will grant you closure. » he sighed « You're a fool. »
« I know... » she sighed « I've always been one. »
« Normally, you're supposed to learn from mistakes. »
« I'm off. » she said, eager to end that conversation « I'm going to help Tama. »
« You're a damn masochist... Take care, see you tonight. »
« Not sure when it finishes, don't get worried if I'm late. »
« Yeah, sure... »
She could hear him still mumbling behind her, probably commenting about how a fool she was but she wasn't really listening anymore. She put her sandals on and headed to the Kondou house to help and prepare Tama with her outfit, hair and makeup.
« Kondou-san ? » she announced herself in the entrance.
« Come in, Haruhi-san. » answered Tsune politely.
Haruhi slid the shoji open and removed the zôri off her feet to get in. Tsune was tying Tama's kimono and that sight was making everything tangible. Now it wasn't « Souji's gonna marry. », it was « this is it, it's now. ».
Tama's kimono was a furisode like Haruhi's, red and white just like Souji said. It was covered with lucky omen patterns like zuin (the auspicious cloud), cranes on the top and turtles in the bottom where the white was more dominant, like water foam. The top of the kimono was red, with only the delicate patterns in white. It really was a pretty one.
« You look beautiful, Tama-chan. » said Haruhi politely.
« Of course she does... » smiled Tsune with proudness « It is her special day... It's a shame Souji-kun refused the shintô ceremony though... »
Tama didn't answer and was just standing still, her throat probably too tied to speak. She was looking pretty scared and Haruhi wondered for a second if she wasn't gonna storm out and run away.
« How can I be of help, Kondou-san ? »
« Can you give me the obi ? » asked Tsune, pointing towards it.
It was a very long and detailed one which probably cost even more than the kimono. It was white and all embroidered subtly, making it look plain white from afar. From a close up look though, the multitude of paterns were gorgeous. It was also shiny, due to subtle touches of silver in the patterns, highlighting them.
Tsune and Haruhi wrapped it around Tama's waist and they really needed to be two for the task to be neet. When they were finished, Tsune looked at her daughter with proudness.
« It's so pretty... » she said « Now we need to take care of your hair. »
Tama looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She might be afraid but she never saw herself with a kimono that beautiful before. It had something impressive.
« That kimono suits you, Tama-chan. » said Haruhi.
« It's the one I wore when I married Isami. » explained Tsune « We couldn't really afford to buy a new one and it fitted. »
« You didn't cut the sleeves ? » asked Haruhi, surprised.
« I would if it had been a boy but I figured a girl would need that kimono more than baby clothes. Such a beautiful fabric destroyed would have been a waste. »
Already greedy at that time then... and already thinking about marrying her when she was suckling on your breast. Has your daughter ever been anything but a tool to you ?
« It's an honor... » muttered Tama « To wear Okaasan's wedding kimono. »
« Is there an uchikake on it ? » asked Haruhi, curious.
« Do you really think we can afford that ? » snarled Tsune « Who do you think she is, a princess ? »
« Sorry, Tsune-san » bowed Haruhi « I misspoke. »
Haruhi didn't have much experience in weddings. She only attended the one of Sen and Kaoru but they were indeed prince and princesse. She also saw Chizuru-chan's wedding attire before it burned in Fushimi and there was a beautiful purple uchikake with embroidered white and golden cranes. But again, Chizuru-neechan was also a princess and at that time, her father had a lot of bounty money from the bakufu so they could have afforded it. Not surprising that commoners couldn't buy something as beautiful.
« You seem to have expensive tastes, Haruhi-san. » said Tsune with a frown « It's not a quality fitting to find a husband. »
« I'm not planning on finding a husband. » hissed Haruhi « and I don't have expensive tastes. »
« Okaasan... » said Tama « Stop, please... »
Tsune took some hairpins to start and arrange Tama's hair and made her sit, silencing her with a tongue click.
« It doesn't surprise me that you're not planning to marry. » nodded Tsune politely « lots of girls in your situation probably share your opinion. »
« My situation ? » repeated Haruhi, clenching her fist.
« When you've found out that you can get money, shelter and presents only by spreading your legs, it must be hard to take a harder honorable path. »
« Okaasan ! » gasped Tama, shocked.
Haruhi tried to contain her anger and clenched her fists harder, biting the inside of her cheek to focus on something else than Tsune's words. She shouldn't let her get to her heart.
« I'm only speaking the truth, Tama. » said Tsune with the same calm « Haruhi-san had no problem to get sheltered at the Shieikan, taking advantage of the fact that Souji-kun was living alone, and when she departed, she had no problem finding another house, with another man also living alone. Life is so easy for a pretty girl who wants to get her way. »
« Shut up ! » yelled Haruhi, unable to contain herself « You don't know anything about me ! »
« I only judge on your actions. » she stated « and for you to react like this, I might have struck a nerve. »
« You judge on my actions, who are you to do so ?! » spitted Haruhi « You're nothing more than an opportunist and a liar ! You use your daughter in a marriage she would not be happy in, neither her husband, just so that they could care for you ! You're the whore here ! »
Tsune's hand landed on Haruhi's cheek with force and a violent « shlack ! ». Silence invade the room, the two women gauging each other under the third's panicked gaze. Eventually, it was Tama who broke the silence with uncontrollable sobs.
« Are you happy ? » spitted Tsune « She's crying now ! It's fortunate we haven't done her makeup yet. Your only goal is to break that marriage to get back to Souji-kun's favors. Well, I won't let you do it. Souji-kun is an honorable man and Tama will eventually open his eyes about your true nature. He's gonna be offered a pure pearl, untouched by any other man. He would be a fool to cling to you after that. »
« Souji has no desire to be with Tama. » hissed Haruhi « Neither Tama to be with Souji. »
« Shhh, it's alright, Tama » said Tsune softly, ignoring Haruhi « It's a happy day, it's your wedding. I know it is impressive but keep your tears from flowing. Soon, you'll realize that you are lucky. »
« I know... » sobbed Tama « Okaasan, I know I'm lucky but I'm so scared... What if Souji and I never love each other ? »
« You'll love your children... » she smiled « A healthy marriage shouldn't be built on love, it is far too fleeting. Those who come together in passion stay together in tears. Now you'd better stop crying otherwise we are never going to be able to do your makeup. »
« Okay... » she sobbed « sorry, Okaasan. »
« My father married out of love and passion. » stated Haruhi « he's happy. He has two sons and has been married for seven years now. »
« And I married out of duty. » hissed Tsune, visibly annoyed « I lived happily with my husband who then always sent me letters and money, and thought of me even when he went to Kyoto. He never missed an occasion to visit and spend time with his family and he blessed me with Tama who I have raised as an honorable daughter, while your father, who married out of love, visibly hasn't been able to raise his daughter with values and instead, made her a whore. »
« Don't you dare speak about my father ! » yelled Haruhi.
« Look at you ! » gestured Tsune towards her « that thing in your hair is far too pretty for you to have bought it. It must be a present from a man you laid with, maybe even Souji-kun, who wants so badly to keep you with him. In the end, the role of concubine suits you well, you're not fit to get anything better than that anyway. »
« You fucking snake ! » yelled Haruhi and she jumped on Tsune, making her land back flat on the tatami « You enjoy that, don't you ? You don't care that everyone's sad as long as you are happy ! Admit it ! Admit you lied to Souji ! Kondou-san never wanted that ! He never wanted that ! You're a liar ! »
« Get. Off. Me. You whore. » said Tsune calmly, and she spitted on Haruhi's face. « Isami wanted that marriage. You're the one trying to get your way straying Souji-kun from proper path. »
« You're lying ! » cried Haruhi, tears of pain and anguish flowing on her face « You're fucking lying ! »
« Haru-chan » said Tama, trying to separate the two women « please let go of my mother ! »
Haruhi stood up and cleaned her face from her tears and Tsune's saliva, her eyes burning.
« One day, sooner or later, Souji will find out about your deceit. » she stated « and your head will roll. I hope I will be there to see it. »
« Good luck with that. » smiled Tsune with a victorious smile « he'll grow tired of you long before this day arrives. »
Haruhi didn't answer and she stormed out, leaving Tsune and Tama to their preparations. She couldn't keep supporting Tama while getting insulted that way. If only she could have deciphered Tsune's real nature before... She could maybe have warned Souji, change things... Maybe... Maybe...
Fucking kami... What good is there in giving me back Souji if I can't have him ?