The Bride
Author: Silhouette
Email: silhouette_panther@msn.com
Genre: Romance, Alternate Universe
Pairing: Rukawa X OC (Shinya Hiiragashi)
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk does not….blah (I mean, everybody knows it, right?)
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"I will not marry him!" a furious female voice flew out of the room.
"Shin-chan, be a good girl, this marriage is for the benefits of our family. Think of it, if you marry into the Rukawa clan, we will be able to forfeit all the debts that your father owed them." Mrs Hiiragashi coaxed her daughter gently.
"Father and his debts! No! I resent that! How could he gamble away his daughter's happiness?" Shinya screamed, her eyes turning red, tears welling up in the clear violet eyes.
"Shinya, I'm really sorry, but…" The man who had been sitting quietly in the couch near the fireplace spoke up, but to be cut off by his enraged daughter, "Never!" She shrieked and ran out of the hall, knocking down the housekeeper in the process.
Mrs Hiiragashi sighed resignedly and turned back to her husband, "Dear, I'm really guilty for making Shinya suffer like that, maybe we should just tell Old Master Rukawa that Shin-chan's unwilling."
"My wife, even if I use other methods to clear the debts, the Rukawa family would still want Shinya. In fact, it was Old Master Rukawa who had pointedly asked for Shinya's hand in behalf of his son. The forfeiting of the debts was only part of the proposal. We can't afford to offend them." Mr Hiiragashi grasped his wife's hand gently, shaking his head.
The couple sat by the fireplace, wiping away tears that flowed endlessly.
* * *
"No…why?" Shinya sobbed into her pillow. She did not want to marry some strange aristocrat without even knowing what he looked like. He could be a big fat balding glutton for all she knew, since Rukawa Kaede had never shown his face in public before. In fact, he always did his socializing through his trusted men. But she could not get her father into further trouble as he already was. She will marry, yes, but she'll never let the Rukawa guy touch her.
* * *
"No." The young man stated simply, glaring at his father. How could he ask him to marry some girl whom he didn't even know? "Now Kaede, Shinya is an excellent girl with strong personality and I'm sure she'll be able to aid you in your work."
"I will not marry her." Rukawa Kaede repeated, gritting his teeth. His handsome face a taut mask of ice. Old Master Rukawa dismissed his son with a slight gesture, "It is settled, you will have to marry her next week."
"What about the preparations?" Surely it cannot be a rushed affair, his father will not permit sloppiness in big events like this.
"I've been going about the arrangements for about a month, you didn't notice because you were constantly engrossed in your sword play and hunting, son." Old Master Rukawa smiled grimly.
"What." Rukawa Kaede could have pounced on his father then, he was always doing things without prior notice! The girl and her family must have consented to this because of their money.
"Now if you don't mind, I would like to retreat to my Chambers, it's been a long night." The old man left his great armchair and left the room, leaving Kaede standing in front of his table, fists gripped tightly by his side.
* * *
To the reluctant couple, the dreaded day seem to arrive much too fast. Before daybreak, an entourage arrived at the Hiiragashi residence to dress up the bride. Shinya sat before her mirror, her face a blank mask, devoid of any emotions. Her mother burst through the door, beaming, "My dear, it's the makeup crew, you are going to be a beautiful bride." Following her was a team of at least ten makeup artistes who all grinned at the sight of the bride-to-be. She is truly an exquisite beauty, worthy of the boy Kaede indeed! The hairdresser made her way to Shinya and fingered her long silky tresses, "Oh, my dear, you have the most beautiful long hair I've ever seen! Rest assure I'll do it perfectly! You'll be the most stunning bride that the media had ever seen!"
Shinya remained silent, allowing the women to fuss over her and doll her up.
* * *
Rukawa Kaede stood before the priest, his face an icy mask devoid of expressions, but he was clearly bored. In the church, flashlights were going off constantly and there were excited whispers among the bystanders who were relatives and close friends of the two families. The bride was not here yet and he was so darned bored that he want to just walk out of the church right then.
Suddenly, the music grew louder and people close to the entrance started applauding, sending up delicate flower petals and peals of laughter and well wishes. Lead by her father, Shinya stepped onto the aisle, holding her head high and proud. As much as she disliked the wedding, she had to look good for both the cameras and the guests. Initially Rukawa did not want to look at her at all, but he could hear delighted gasps from the guests, "Good lord, she's positively breath-taking." "I've never seen such an angel before!" He could not resist his curiosity and turned.
She was walking towards him, her features gently masked by a soft white veil. But he could see that she had an elegant nose, perfectly shaped lips that were glossed over by a subtle pink instead of the horrifying reds that he usually saw on the women, fair creamy skin that radiated health. She owned a pair of the most amazing eyes imaginable to adorn a woman, alluring eyes that sap men of any energy they owned. Her long dark hair shrouded her shoulders, falling over the creamy white gown. She did not giggle like the irritating sisters he had, nor did she grin like a bovine bimbo, but remained cool and poised. Rukawa could feel his heart race like mad. What was that? He had not experienced that in his life before. So she was beautiful, but she's also a money grabber. The grim thoughts drowned out the numerous passions that raced through him then.
Shinya looked at her fiancé carefully. He was not fat, old, balding or sluggish. Instead, she saw a god that had descended from the heavens to take her heart away. He was so tall, so cool, and so handsome. Unruly black hair falling over his straight eyebrows, which were a mark of integrity. Straight aristocratic nose that gave a new meaning to 'chiseled'. Pale skin, but it somehow looked natural on him, like it was meant to be. Shinya felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She wondered where that came from. He is definitely good looking, but he had his family force her into marrying him.
Her father smiled at her gently, giving her hand to Rukawa Kaede. She held on lightly, looking intently at the priest instead of him. The priest started his long monologue of the things that he was supposed to say, and came to the final line, "Sir Rukawa Kaede, would you take Ms Shinya Hiiragashi as your wife…"
Rukawa nodded curtly, "I do."
"Ms Shinya Hiiragashi, do you acknowledge Rukawa Kaede as your husband…"
Shinya looked at the old man blankly, "I…do."
When he declared the both of them married, they could feel each other stiffen. The joyful guests in the church did not seem to notice the awkwardness between the newly-weds, but cheered and applauded. They exchanged the ring and Rukawa had to kiss his bride.
He looked at her, and noticed that her eyes were blank and empty, totally emotionless. A peculiar feeling came through him and before he knew what he was doing, he kissed her on the lips.
Shinya felt her world spinning into oblivion as she felt that kiss.
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Ladies and Gentlemen: Currently you are facing the problems of a cliffhanger. Kindly, proceed to the reviews' section in neat and orderly rows. Leave your reviews there and make your way out of the window.
On the way, commercial blasting: "Oh will he fall for her or will she melt the ice? To find out more you…"
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