Disclaimer: You know how it goes ... I no own trademarks but I own story. I no make money so you no sue. Everybody happy-happy.
by K. Wyse
Part Two: Wedding
Usagi was her best friend. Usagi was getting married. Rei on all accounts should have been happy for her best friend, and in one way she was. In another way, she wanted to don a leather, biker-chick outfit and pump Usagi full of lead.
Rei sighed silently and adjusted her bodice since her strapless bra was sliding down. She hated strapless bras, they always made her breasts feel uncomfortably loose -- damn the misogynist who invented bras. Peering out of the corner of her eyes, Rei wondered if anyone had noticed her slight movement. She doubted they did; everyone's attention was fixed firmly on the beautiful bride who had just joined her husband-to-be before the priest.
"We are gathered here today, ..."
The small chapel had great acoustics and every sound was amplified at least five times; which was a good thing since the priest tended to mumble his words. As he began to drone on about the sanctity of marriage and how it was through the power of God ... Rei felt herself tuning out and thought back to the last few days.
The first shock had come on Monday when Mamoru had not come to work. At first Rei had assumed that he was preparing for the wedding with Usagi, or just plain spending time with his wife-to-be. That was until she had gone into his office to place some documents in his in-tray only to find that there was no in-tray. Heck, there was no desk to put the in-tray on. In fact, the room had been completely cleared of all the furniture with only the curtains and carpet left.
Rei had then stomped to Motoki's office and was shocked to see the handsome blonde man running about the place like a headless chicken. While Mamoru's office had been impeccably empty, Motoki's office was in shambles with papers, folders, and rubbish everywhere. She had slapped him up the head and made him explain the mystery.
Motoki had just looked at Rei strangely and told her straight out that they were closing the accounting firm. Mamoru had been the one whose responsibility it was to let her know about the decision a week ago ...
When he was romancing Usagi instead.
Rei had promptly stormed over to the neat and orderly apartment of a recently-made unorganised scatter-brained nut, ready to give him a large piece of her furious mind. She was also preparing to shove her four inch high heels up his rear.
To her horror, Rei had interrupted him and Usagi at a very intimate moment. Rei took one look at Usagi's erratically buttoned shirt and the way Mamoru was hiding behind the blonde woman in a half hunched position, and made an about-turn while yelling over one shoulder that she would talk to them later. She had raced out of the apartment complex as fast as she could manage. However, upon reaching the city sidewalks and before she could grab a taxi home, Usagi had caught up with her.
Usagi asked Rei why the raven-haired woman had come all the way across town to only leave again. Rei grew indignant. She called Mamoru a slob in some very nasty terms and explained how he had forgotten to tell her about the dismantling of the firm. It soon turned into a bitching session about Mamoru, with Rei making a few things up along the way. Perhaps, in some deep part of her, she hoped that Usagi would find him undesirable and stop the wedding.
Once Rei was done complaining about the man, Usagi just sighed dreamily and said plainly, "I love him. I love him for whoever he is and will become."
The way that Usagi had declared her love simply, with such certainty and sincerity made something in Rei's throat catch with emotion. The fact that Usagi loved Mamoru despite his less than stellar qualities made Rei think twice. She saw more love in those crystal blue eyes than she had ever heard from the words her father would obligingly recite to her mother. Pain lanced through Rei's heart and she ignored the memories that she had involuntarily dredged up. Rei focused on Usagi's sparkling eyes and caught the last few words.
"Sorry, what did you just say?"
"Have you been listening to me at all, Rei?" huffed the four-foot-eleven pixie. Then Usagi had grinned with good-nature and continued, "This is so ironic! I was always the one that tuned you out. Anyway, I said that since you are my best friend and also a close friend of Mamoru's, you should be my maid of honour!"
Rei had just stared at the beaming, child-like smile on Usagi's face and wondered if the world had gone crazy. How on earth could she be the maid of honour at the wedding of the man she loved?! That was the very question she posed to Chad, her pet tarantula; despite the fact that she had already accepted Usagi's proposal. Then it hit her. She, Rei Hino, loved Mamoru Chiba with all her cynical heart. How this little feeling had escaped her attention for two years was confusing, but now that Rei knew how she felt ... it made the whole situation worse.
While Chad watched from his burrow behind glass panes, Rei drowned her sorrows in a tub of cherry swirl vanilla ice cream. She had fantasised about and tried to subtly seduce the frustratingly unresponsive man for two years. She had known that she liked him and that she definitely lusted after that body of his ... but in love? That epiphany had really hit her on the nose. Now that she had come to realise the extent of her feelings; she had no idea what to do about it all. Spoon dangling from her mouth, she slouched into the grooves she had created in her prized purple beanbag couch and gazed into the depths of cherry swirl vanilla. Was death by ice cream possible?
As she worked her way to the bottom of the tub, she contemplated the idea of being Usagi's maid of honour and realised what an important role it was. Usagi had always been the most popular girl at school, and out of all her friends, she had chosen Rei. Recalling the ease that Usagi had befriended her -- the weirdo outcast' with no ulterior motives, Rei pushed aside her feelings for Mamoru. Her two years working for him were nothing compared to the almost two decades of friendship she shared with Usagi.
Through a mouthful of ice cream, Rei vowed before Chad the tarantula, that she, Rei, would wear whichever horrid-looking dress that Usagi would pick, grit her teeth and smile brilliantly at the wedding as Usagi's maid of honour. Even if it killed her. There were tears in her eyes when Rei fell asleep that night, dreaming of the great times that she had with Usagi when boys and love were the last things on their minds.
By the end of the week, Rei had come to grips with the whole my-best-friend-is-marrying-the-guy-of-my-dreams-and-love-of-my-life' thing. She was deeply affected by the way Usagi loved Mamoru and through some deep meditative thinking, Rei came to the conclusion that she and Mamoru were just not meant to be. From the tender looks that Mamoru constantly threw Usagi's way, Rei realised that he would never look at herself in that way. Neither would he ever feel the same love that she, Rei, felt for him.
As Rei spent more time with Usagi, the two women rekindled their friendship and Rei remembered the sisterly love they shared. No matter how much it hurt to know that her best friend had captured the heart of the man that she, herself was in love with, Rei felt even more sure of the personal sacrifice she was making. She was determined to see Usagi happily married to Mamoru ... even if it meant heartbreak's torture.
On Thursday, Rei met Usagi's three bridesmaids. Firstly there was Minako Aino, the beautiful ex-star of the popular Japanese TV action series: Sailor V. She had flown all the way from Tokyo to be able to attend Usagi's wedding. Then there was Ami Mizuno, a half Japanese, half French pediatrician who was currently teaching at Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore. Last but certainly not least, especially since she was the tallest of them all, was Makoto Kino, head chef at the most popular Japanese restaurant in New York. Rei was overjoyed to see Minako since they had practically grown up together in the public eye of Tokyo. With the other two women, Rei felt absolutely no apprehension. Everyone got along like a house on fire. It was as if they had all been friends for all of their lives.
They spent an interesting Friday on shopping. Since the wedding was a rushed affair, there had been no time for Usagi to organise anything. From another point of view, it was probably a good thing that the wedding was rushed -- Usagi was not known to be the world's most organised person. Anyway, Mamoru had pulled a few strings and managed to book a priest and a small chapel for the wedding; and a moderately priced convention hall and caterers for the reception ... all in time for Sunday. So, all that was left was for Usagi to find something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
Saturday morning was a hectic rush of doing stuff as everyone checked and double checked EVERYTHING to make sure that the big day would go off without a hitch. However, the responsibilities faded into the distance as night came. The male entourage of Motoki, Shingo (Usagi's younger brother), Kunzaito (Mamoru's flat mate who had holed up in a seedy hotel to escape the lovebirds for the past week), and a few more friends of Mamoru stole the bridegroom away to enjoy his last night of freedom.
Meanwhile, Usagi, Minako, Ami, Makoto, and Rei, were all celebrating Usagi's hen night at Rei's place. It was a comfortable apartment but the fish-tank looking thing which housed Chad the tarantula kind of freaked everyone (but Rei). The group of five managed to watch two of the six wedding related videos they had rented (like My Best Friend's Wedding' -- Rei could REALLY identify with Julia Roberts' character) before they admitted that they were bored (and scared of Chad).
Determined to not let the night become a disaster, Rei called up Reika and Unazuki (Motoki's wife and sister respectively) and a few more girls she knew. In less than an hour, the venue of Usagi's hen night had changed from Rei's cosy apartment to the flashing lights of the town's hippest nightclub. The night was proclaimed a success as the entire group split at four in the morning and a very drunk Rei and co. piled into a taxi-bus to go to her place for some beauty sleep before the wedding.
The five women had all woken up with massive hangovers just two hours before the ceremony. Frantic with worry, they all took more pain killers than necessary, Ami's little bottle of eye drops was empty within minutes, and in a moment of desperation, they decided to take a communal shower in Rei's bathroom. Usagi had the privacy of Rei's bedroom while the other four were left in the lounge room to get dressed. When they were done, they hurried into where Usagi was and were dismayed to see that Usagi had in her haste, inadvertently torn one of the sleeves of her brand new wedding dress.
Ever the fashion guru, Minako had ripped off both sleeves cleanly and declared that despite the crime of mangling a brand new dress, at least Usagi still looked stunning. Then everyone had rushed for a place in front of the bathroom mirror and began meticulously applying their makeup. Amazingly, they were dressed and ready with forty-five minutes to spare to get to the chapel.
Before they all jumped into Rei's spacious Toyota Camry, Makoto had solemnly placed a laurel crown intertwined with long-stemmed white lilies on Usagi's head, over the simple ivory veil. She explained that she had wanted to give Usagi something more than the professional wedding cake that Makoto had made herself, and that this would be Usagi's something borrowed'. Anticipating a teary moment, Rei had ushered everyone into her car before the waterworks could begin. Part of the job description of maid of honour was to make sure that the bride looked damn good, and Rei would rather walk in front of a bullet train than let Usagi's mascara run.
In a screeching of tyres that would have made any motorcar racer proud, Rei had swung into an empty space in the chapel's parking lot with five minutes left until the ceremony began. While the three bridesmaids ran inside to pair up with their respective ushers, and to assure the bridegroom that he would not be left at the altar, Rei stopped Usagi for a private moment.
"The girls and I picked this out for your something blue." As Rei finished her sentence, she opened up a small jewellery case and took out a sapphire studded silver bracelet. A strange look had passed through Usagi's eyes as Rei fastened the present on to one slim wrist. They embraced briefly before rushing for the chapel.
Rei mentally stepped out of her reverie to take a look at Usagi, while squishing the feelings of envy. Something old: Usagi's lucky underwear from junior high. Check. Rei was just glad that unlike other superstitious people with lucky underwear, Usagi washed hers regularly. Something new: the slightly damaged wedding dress. Check. Rei hoped no one would notice the little rip at the hem from when Usagi had not stepped carefully as they had hurried towards the chapel. Something borrowed: Makoto's laurel crown. Check. Rei wondered at the significance of the crown. Something blue: the sapphire studded bracelet that shone against alabaster white skin. Rei felt like a proud mother hen -- Usagi looked positively radiant.
With all her might, Rei wished that it was her in that dress and that it was her who glowed like summer sunshine. Rei considered all her earthly possessions and decided she would gladly give all that up for the chance to stand beside Mamoru at that altar. She would even give up her beloved Chad. Rei mentally slapped herself silly. She was happy for Usagi's fortune. And that was that. Rei ignored her feelings and the wedding proceedings, instead, she concentrated on the irritating sensation of her bra falling down.
"If there is anyone here who does not believe that these two should join in marriage, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."
Tension filled the room as the priest paused for a moment. Usagi looked about but her gaze rested on Rei. Rei could sense the love that emanated from Usagi but she could also sense the apprehensive face that the bride was making beneath the veil. Rei just smiled encouragingly and winked mischievously. The Japanese secretary figured that the bride was just nervous and needed a hug, as well as some liquid courage (to be obtained at the reception).
Thinking that the vows had been exchanged and the marriage sealed with a kiss, Rei began to step forward until she noticed that everyone had turned to face her with horrified expressions. She took one look at Shingo the appointed ring-bearer, and reddened a ripe red when she saw both rings still sitting on the cushion he carried. Taking a step back, she whispered to Makoto who stood to her right. "Let me guess, it's still not time for the wedding cake, right?" Makoto relaxed, shook her head in amusement and just smiled.
Suddenly, Usagi broke down in tears and the congregation stood up to see what the matter was. Had the beaming bride become mysteriously injured? Rei was beside the distraught woman in an instant as were Minako, Ami, and Makoto. The petite blonde shrugged off the comforting hands, hitched up her dress and bolted for the door.
"Maybe we shouldn't have watched Runaway Bride' last night." Remarked Minako with a frown.
Japanese - English:
Aino Minako = Mina Aino
Mizuno Ami = Amy Anderson
Kino Makoto = Lita Kino
Tsukino Shingo = Sammy
Kunzaito = Kunzite = Malachite
Reika = Rita
Furuhata Unazuki = Lizzie
Last Words:
Praises? Comments? Criticisms? Flames?
Send anything and everything to wyse_k@sammail.com, or simply review.
Ack, I have a sinking feeling that I made a huge boo-boo in grammar with my tenses. I would greatly appreciate it if people could e-mail the mistakes to me (I don't think FF.N will be too happy about me taking up so much review space with people writing in to tell me where I went wrong). ~_^
While it wasn't a big scene and it wasn't important in any way, I had Rei drown her sorrows in ice cream instead of frozen yoghurt because of my good buddy Char. Charlie Chaplin 2 (current author of another SM ficcie called "History") is a fan of the Martian senshi and has (in my opinion) an unhealthy obsession with ice cream. ~_^ I hope to write a more substantial scene involving Rei and ice cream -- dedicated to the ice cream obsessive, Char.
Now: "Is this a Rei and Mamoru story?" I hear you ask. MWAHAHAHA ... maybe, maybe not. Those of you who do know me will know the answer. Until the end of the story, anything is possible. In answer to Cherrystarr's question: those of you from the Shitennou.com message boards might know of a "major" fic that I'm working on. This isn't it, but that fic won't be long in coming.
I hope you liked this next part and will give me your opinion on it. Part Three: Funk is coming soon.
C-ya!
Wyse
Storyline (c) K. Wyse, February 2003