38.

You're Cordially Invited…

"A wedding invitation?" Natsuki frowned, "From who?"

"That's the thing that has me very confused," Shizuru said, "Or perhaps I should say 'concerned'. The invitation is from Yukino Kikukawa."

"Yukino? But…We haven't heard from her in years. Even Shiho makes it a point to rub her pop star success in our faces from time to time, though I thought it was kinda hilarious that she ended up having to be the opening act at Miku Hatsune's Magical Mirai. How lame is it that you have to be the opening act to a computer program animated character projected on a screen?"

"Focus, Natsuki. We're worrying about Kikukawa, not making snide remarks about the desperate state of Munekata-san's 'career'."

"Okay, well, does it say who she's marrying?" Natsuki asked, "Because maybe it's like ours and she's just inviting her old high school friends?"

"I rather doubt it," Shizuru said, "'You are cordially invited to the wedding of Ryuunosuke Fujinami and Yukino Kikukawa'."

Natsuki frowned, "Ryuunosuke? Shizuru, correct me if I'm wrong, but, Kikukawa was the one who was in love with Haruka, right?"

"To the best of my knowledge," Shizuru confirmed, "Perhaps it's an arranged marriage? Or Maybe Yukino has decided to make use of a beard?"

Natsuki sighed, "I have no particular desire to attend a wedding when I know the parties involved aren't in love."

"Natsuki, regardless of our own relationship, we are supposed to be Kikukawa's friends. We need to be supportive."

"Supportive is not being an enabler, Shizuru. When someone is doing something ridiculously stupid, supportive means knocking some damn sense into their heads."

Shizuru shook her head, smiling, "You do favor a direct approach. This, however, is something that will require a degree of subtlety. I will make some discreet inquiries and see what I can discern about this pending wedding. If Ryuunosuke Fujinami is a villain who is pressuring Yukino to marry him, I will apply discreet pressure of my own to have him call it off. If it's Yukino's choice, though, there's little we can do. It's not like there's a chance of her uniting with Haruka, after all. Haruka made her feelings on that clear many years ago, and she recently married, herself."

"Okay, but how do we determine if it's Yukino making a bad choice, or just doing something that's best for her?"

"Again, subtlety, Natsuki."

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"Yukino, getting married?" Haruka frowned, "No, I haven't heard anything. Look, I lost touch with her when she moved to the Tokyo area. We stayed friends after I explained to her that I couldn't return her feelings, but..once she left, she never said anything to me again. I haven't even received an initiation from her."

"Invitation, Haruka," Shizuru sighed, "Then you're as in the dark as we are? I see. Thank you."

"Fujino-dono," Katsumoto bowed, "There's a gentleman in the foyer waiting for you."

"Thank you, Katsumoto. Show him to my study, if you please. Oh, and Katsumoto, while I have you here…how did the tests come out?"

He smiled, "I will be fine, Fujino-dono."

"Katsumoto, you are a valued and reliable servant. But more than that, I consider you a friend and confidante. And much like my father, I am not a proponent of Karoshi. It is not, despite what some will say, an embodiment of the Bushido. Bushido teaches us that there must be balance. A man who does not take his health into account will not live a long life. And it is the first principle of Bushido to keep death in mind at all times."

"Karoshi is about working oneself to death, Fujino-dono. I promise, when the illness becomes too much for me to attend my duties, I will step aside. But I am fine to work my regular duties for now."

Shizuru nodded, "Very well. But don't overtax yourself, Katsumoto-san. You're as much as member of this family as my wife and daughter. And when the time comes that you cannot work, it will be my honor and privilege to have someone tend to your needs, for a change."

Katsumoto smiled broadly, "As you wish, Fujino-dono."

"Now, about that visitor…"

The visitor was a private detective that Shizuru hired from time to time to investigate business partners, rivals, and occasionally keep tabs on old classmates. Shiho Munekata would never know, for instance, that it was a subsidiary of the Fujino group that had sent a talent agent her way when she was about to abandon her efforts at being a pop star. And though it was no trouble at all, it was Shizuru who had kept a local yakuza group from attempting to shake down Takumi Tokiha's restaurant for protection money.

"Fujihana," Shizuru nodded at him.

"So stiff and formal, Shizuru," He grinned at her, "You, married to that gorgeous woman I saw a moment ago, and you're this uptight? Tsk tsk tsk. You are too young to be this serious. But I'm guessing, given the nature of your latest request, that it's not marital problems. Well, not yours, anyway."

"Fujihana, you are far too relaxed for your profession," Shizuru clucked her tongue.

"See, you watch too much television. If I were all dowdy and serious, people would know I was a detective. I'm open and approachable, so people tell me things. Which, by the way, is why I'm here. I have all the information you need on this Ryuunosuke Fujinami. Cliff's Notes version, Fujinami is not pressuring Kikukawa into marriage. Nor is it an arranged marriage by their families. In fact, Fujinami only has a father, and it's a very strained relationship. They haven't spoken since Ryuu graduated from high school.

"Fujinami was subject to a prior engagement, but it was NOT a happy one, with Fujinami calling it off."

"The reason?" Shizuru looked at him.

Fujihana grinned, "Oh, you should read the file. It's…(snicker) it's not something I'd want to spoil."

Shizuru picked up the file, and looked at the first page, which was Ryuunosuke Fujinami's basic stats. She blinked.

"Wait, is this right?"

"I spoke with Fujinami personally. A bit risky in my profession, but Fujinami didn't deny any of it. Quite open about it, in fact."

"I see. Thank you, Fujihana. You've been most helpful," she produced a thick envelope, "Your fee. If you had any expenses, send me the bill later."

"I think this will suffice for this one," Fujihana smiled, "It was a very…interesting investigation."

After Fujihana left, Shizuru went to the sitting room, "Natsuki, we will be attending Kikukawa's wedding. I think it will be to her benefit that we do so. But first, I need to correct one other error. I'm going out."

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"I'll get the door, Yukino," Ryuunosuke opened the front door to see a tall young woman with crimson eyes.

"Oh, Um…"

"Please pardon the intrusion. My name is Shizuru Fujino. Is Yukino Kikukawa here?"

"Please, come in," Ryuunosuke said, "I've…I've heard of you, from Yukino. If this is about the invite, you could have R.S.V.P.ed by phone, y'know."

"It is about the invite, but not about mine."

"Ryuu, who is…Oh. Fujino-san. Um…Ryuu, can you give us a moment."

"Alright," Ryuunosuke gave Shizuru a sharp look, "I know about your role in the Festival. I don't hit girls. But if you upset Yukino…"

"Just a friendly chat," Shizuru smiled that serene smile of hers.

Ryuunosuke nodded, then left the room.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Yukino's tone made it clear she considered it anything but a pleasure.

Shizuru sighed, "I thought the bad blood between us was cleared years ago, Kikukawa. But right now, you're looking at me with the same eyes that you had on that night. Am I so scary a person, Kikukawa?"

Yukino sighed, "Maybe it's not you that I'm scared of, right now."

"You didn't invite Haruka, Yukino. Why?"

"You have to ask!?" Yukino shot angrily, "Haruka…she's…"

"Haruka Suzushiro…Well, now Haruka Yamamoto, is your oldest, dearest friend. She told me once that she loved you. Perhaps not in the way that you wanted, but she loves you, nonetheless," Shizuru looked deeply into Yukino's eyes, "So why are you excluding her from what should be a happy occasion?"

"Again, you have to ask?"

"Yukino, Haruka wouldn't do anything to make you unhappy. She doesn't approve of my relationship with Natsuki, but she has never said an unkind word to us. She even attended our wedding, without incident I might add."

"It's not the same thing!" Yukino said, "I can't…I can't look at her…And know that I loved her….And know that I'm not who she wanted," Yukino felt the hot tears in her eyes, "And then, to see her there with that man…"

Shizuru sighed, but nodded, "I see. You chose Ryuunosuke, but seeing Haruka with her husband would be the final nail in your childhood fantasies."

"You got to have the person you loved, Fujino," Yukino sobbed, "Why didn't I?"

"Not everyone does. You may recall, at the time I was firmly convinced that Natsuki had rejected me, as well. In no small part to a little conversation that you and I had."

"It still worked out for you, in the end."

"You're right. For me, it did. But you knew that Haruka would never be with you the way you wanted. As I recall, you even had a drunken tryst with Nao, which left both of you regretting it, because you decided to move on. You told me about it. Nao told Natsuki. Neither of you were very happy at the time.

"You left, after that. I haven't heard anything about you since. So, what have you been doing?"

Yukino sighed, "Over the last few years, I've been in relationship after relationship. Some with girls. Some with guys. None of them happy. Some..."Yukino rubbed her cheek, remembering, "Some were very bad."

"And then you found Ryuunosuke. In the interests of full disclosure, I already had a P.I. investigate your fiancé. I know all about Ryuunosuke. The only thing I don't know is…Is it love?"

Yukino blinked, "What?"

"I want you to invite Haruka. She won't object, on one condition. If it's love, she'll keep her peace. For you, she would. So I ask again, is it love, between you two?"

"How can I prove that it is?" Yukino met her eyes.

"Close your eyes. Now, describe Ryuunosuke."

"Strong. But gentle. Polite. Kind. A bit naïve. Stong-willed," Yukino pictured Ryuunosuke in her minds eye, smiling.

"Ara, so it is love, then."

Yukino opened her eyes, "What convinced you?"

"Your smile. I know that smile. It's sincere. You smiled while thinking of your fiance," Shizuru rose, "I urge you to invite Haruka. You'll regret it later, if you don't. And I promise you, she'll hold her peace. Though…for the sake of ensuring her peace of mind, I think you should tell Haruka-chan about Ryuu-kun. Everything. If you take my meaning."

Yukino smiled, "Yeah, I can see how learning it after the fact would shock her. Still, it'll be hard."

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy, Kikukawa-san. Besides, I don't think you'll ever truly move past Haruka until you see her with her husband. And that wouldn't be fair to Ryuunosuke, either."

"Fujino, wait," Yukino took her hand, "Tell me…you've met Haruka's husband. What's he like?"

Shizuru smiled, "Earnest. Polite, but stiff. He's very good to Haruka. And he has the fortitude to handle her."

"Not many people can make that claim," Yukino sighed but smiled.

"I look forward to seeing you at your wedding, Kikukawa."

"I look forward to having you there, Fujino."

A/N: I'm showing both my age and my geekiness with the reference in this chapter. If you don't know who Ryuunosuke Fujinami is, look up the name.