On the day of their wedding, Miku and Fuutarou weren't at the church getting dressed just yet. On this specific day, they, along with Maruo decided to take a trip to a certain graveyard. On their way there, Miku was wondering about what to say.

Fuutarou:"Nervous?"

Miku:"How could I not be? Today is…"

Fuutarou:"Heh, I suppose you're right. I personally am very confident."

Miku:"I can see the bags under your eyes."

Fuutarou:"...B-Bags of confidence…"

Miku:"Fufu~"

Fuutarou:"T-That was from trying the suit one last time in the middle of the night." [And from checking the rings again.]

Miku:"You brought it with you?"

Fuutarou:"No, I left it at home. Raiha and Pops should bring it with them."

Miku:"That reminds me, I have to put on those earrings. They're still a little uncomfortable."

Fuutarou:"It's just for a few hours."

Miku:"Hours, he says."

As they kept talking, Miku looked at the driver's seat and noticed Maruo's eyes occasionally shifting to see them in the back. She gave him a quick smile, which prompted him to look away.

Miku:"I'm surprised dad was willing to take you even back then."

Maruo:"...I knew his mother from our time at high school, but once we graduated, I never saw her again. I was too caught up in my own personal matters to see what anyone else was doing. The next thing I know, Uesugi had 2 kids and Shiraishi had…"

Fuutarou:"He said he looked all over multiple graveyards trying to find her grave, but couldn't. And he thought it would be awkward to bring it up to Pops."

Maruo:"I simply want to pay a visit."

Fuutarou:"I thought he was lying. Him? Actually being careful around sensitive topics?"

Miku:"He's already better than you, then."

Fuutarou:"Huh?"

Miku:"You should be glad I'm the one you called heavy. Who knows what the others would have done to you."

Fuutarou:"T-That was the old me. As for me..."

Fuutarou reached into his pocket.

Fuutarou:"I want to tell her I'm getting married."

Miku:"Fuutarou."

Fuutarou:"I wonder how she'll react when she finds out..."

Fuutarou thought back to when his mother would lose her temper and hit him in the head with a well placed knuckle sandwich.

Fuutarou:"I guess that's how she'd react…Nah, she was always happy to see us grow up. Marriage is...when you're not only ready, but confident to take that step into your own life."

Miku:"Haha."

Miku began to blush as she held his hand.

Miku:"After today, we'll have crossed that line."

Fuutarou:"Yeah."

Maruo:[Her smile...I'm glad I'm here to see this.]

After some more driving, Maruo spotted the graveyard.

Maruo:'We've made it."

Fuutarou:"Uh, take a left here."

Maruo turned to see an abandoned flower shop.

Maruo:"Here?"

Fuutarou:"Yep."

Maruo:"...I see. I do recall your father going on about hanging out with your mother here, back when it was still open."

…

As they were doing that, the guests for the wedding began to show up early. First up were the two bakery owners. Perhaps a little too early.

Kari:"I said it was too early."

Hibari:"It's never too early for a wedding! Why can't you wed me already so we can have one?"

Kari:"W-Wed you?"

Hibari:"Oh, how I wish I could have baked the cake. But there's always next time."

Kari:"The wedding planners are starting to come in. Maybe we can get a good seat."

Hibari:"We should look around the place!"

Kari:"Uh huh."

Hibari:"Miku-chan in a wedding dress! I can't wait to see it!"

Kari:"Fuutarou-kun in a suit, huh? He did look pretty good as a butler."

While it was still early, their arrival was a sign that time was of essence. They weren't the only ones slowly approaching the church, with many more guests getting ready.

As the two owners entered, Miku and Fuutarou were nowhere near the location. Rather, they had just entered another place entirely. Going under the broken fence leading to the flower shop, the three visitors passed by the long forgotten and dead flowers. The mood was dreary and bleak. However, that changed once they reached their destination. In the back of the store, surrounded by walls of bushes, was a shrine.

As opposed to the store right next to it, this held a hopeful vibrance. Flowers that were still new, the shrine was cleaned recently, with lights illuminating everything well once turned on. In front of the shrine was a picture and a vase.

Fuutarou:"That's mom's…"

Miku stared at the picture.

Miku:"That's Fuutarou's mom…."

Maruo:"..."

Fuutarou:"Ah, let's pray first."

Maruo:"Of course."

Miku:"R-Right. Please excuse me."

The three put their hands together and prayed for a bit to show their respect. Once they finished, they approached the shrine again.

Maruo:"It looks like someone is keeping this place in order."

Fuutarou:"Yeah, that'd be Pops."

Fuutarou looked at the shrine for a bit.

Fuutarou:"We don't have much time, so we'll be here for just a little bit."

Maruo:"..." [When I was looking at the records, I came across her cause of death...I wonder what would have happened if I had been there...Could I have saved her? I-]

Fuutarou:"You're thinking that you could have saved her, right?"

Maruo:"Huh?"

Fuutarou smiled.

Fuutarou:"It's fine. I'm sure she's happy that you care. But, what's done is done."

Maruo:"...I apologize."

Miku bowed.

Miku:[So that's what his mom looks like. I wish I could have met her.]

Fuutarou:[It's been a while since I've been here. Raiha hasn't been here yet but she will once she's in high school.] "...":

{Isanari:"Huh? You don't want me to tell Kotoha about your engagement?"}

{Fuutarou:"When the time comes, I want to tell her myself."}

{Isanari:"...You got it."}

Maruo:"Don't tell me you're nervous now."

Fuutarou scratched his head.

Fuutarou:"There's a lot of things I want to say, but…I'm getting married. Her name is Miku. Her and her sisters are girls I tutored back in high school, although P...dad probably told you that part."

Fuutarou then took out a box.

Miku:"Huh?"

Fuutarou:"This is the ring you wore to your wedding. Dad still has his, but he let me borrow them. They're what I used to measure our own wedding rings. I'm giving it back to let you know that…"

Fuutarou gave a hearty smile.

Fuutarou:"I'm in good hands."

With one more prayer, Fuutarou got back up.

Fuutarou:"Sorry about that. I felt like it had to be today."

Miku:"That's fine. I'm glad I was able to see her."

Maruo:"Let us go back, we don't have much time. You two seeing each other like this isn't normal to begin with."

Fuutarou/Miku:"Right."

As Maruo led the two out first, he turned to the picture.

Maruo:"I promise I won't let anything happen to them."

The three left the shrine. It was said that despite the soil not being fit for life, new flowers and plants would begin to sprout in the following years.

End of Chapter 182