AN: Change of plans! The chapter I promised in the last update has been moved back (to who-knows-when)! So instead of The Life of a Newlywed, you get…

The second guard shifted anxiously, which was rather odd.

He should've been ecstatic, giddy even; he was currently on guard duty with a particularly beautiful female officer with the body and curves of a model in one of his secret Victorian catalogues. Yet, for some strange and unfathomable reason, he was uneasy. Yes, he didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of this gorgeous beauty, but that wasn't quite it…

Maybe it was the overlong shotgun resting on her right shoulder…

"Wah!" he yelped when she turned to face the other way, pointing the end of the weapon at his face.

Sango blinked and turned around. She examined his face and grinned, amused. "What? It's only for show, you know. It's just a pellet gun."

"W-well," he stuttered, embarrassed and annoyed, "just don't shoot me with that pellet gun."

Sango suddenly put on a serious face and straightened the weapon up to the ceiling. "I'm not gonna shoot anyone with the pellet gun… Not unless I have to!"

BAM

The gun fired prematurely, breaking a fluorescent light.

"Whoops!" Sango paused. "We should leave, that's mercury vapour."

-

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Plain Normality

Surprise Wedding

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"My name is Kaede, and I will be directing this ceremony."

I stared. For someone who had the hump rivaling the Hunchback of Notre Dame, she was pretty lively. Plus she had that pirate-eye going for her…

"We will have the wedding in one hour and a 30-minute wedding reception after that. You will then proceed into the awaiting limousine, which will take you directly to the airport. Find the time to change into your civilian clothes before boarding the plane. Now, as for the wedding—"

"Do I call my mom?" I asked, genuinely curious.

I think Inuyasha and Kaede took it as a joke. Inuyasha snorted at my ineptness and Kaede…well, she sort of played along. As in I was still Kazumi Hayashi.

"Your…mother, as well as your father, has already been informed, Kazumi. Isamu, your father and mother will be arriving early along with your grandfather. Most of the guests will be civilians—coworkers' families and friends. Most of them will be thinking they're attending an arranged marriage concerning a bank merge. To put it bluntly: the majority of the people attending this wedding and the reception afterwards will be completely clueless."

And during her speech I, Kagome, was thinking: Kazumi needs a cookie.

"So who's the evil genius who came up with the idea of an actual wedding?" Inuyasha grumbled. He obviously knew Kaede well enough to cut her off.

"Sango," Kaede said. "But I wouldn't say Sango's an evil genius…I'm not sure she's evil—"

"And I'm not sure she's a genius," Inuyasha ended.

Kaede promptly dropped her clipboard on his head, though it looked realistically accidental. Whatever the case, it didn't matter. I always enjoy seeing Inuyasha in pain!

"As far as the guests know," Kaede continued as if nothing had interrupted her, "the security is there because you two are the rich heir and heiress to a vast empire of wealth from two very elite families that coincidentally run two separate but equally influential banks. The marriage was accepted because you two met in high school and quickly became…high school sweethearts. Or whatever you call it these days. Now, I'm going to let you two memorize what's on these sheets while I go and get the makeup artists."

Kaede handed us each a yellow paper with bunch of bullet points on it. The moment Kaede left Inuyasha snatched the sheet out of my hands and skimmed through the lines.

"Huh," Inuyasha looked up to my very annoyed face. "I just had one of those "what the hell are we doing" moments!"

"You agreed to this!" I fumed. "Really, dear; it's think then act, not vice versa. If I smash your head open is candy gonna pour out?"

"Wonderful!" his sarcasm knew no end. "How lovely! We haven't even started the wedding and you're ALREADY nagging me!"

I seethed. Why not fight fire with fire? "Our love is oh so VERY powerful we're already past the honeymoon phase, sweet cheeks. Kind of makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it?"

"If you mean like how I feel about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, then yes, because it's a FANTASY!"

"You mean like your BRAIN?"

"When will the fun ever stop?" A third voice interjected just as I was ready to pounce on my beloved fiancé. Inuyasha and I turned to the doorway, coming face-to-face with a striking figure. She had deep violet, almost metallic silver eyes with matching eyeliners and ruby lips. Her sharp face immediately reminded me of a fox. She was attired in a strange outfit, something made out of tight black cloth with blood-red shoulder pads and sharp little spikes all over her neckline and handcuffs. She even had a dog collar around her slender neck.

"What the devil are you?" Notice that Inuyasha said "What" and not "Who".

"I am Kaguya, your lead makeup artist."

"Wait," I frowned. "Kaguya as in Kaguya-hime from the Japanese fairytale?"

"Who names their kid that?"

Kaguya glared. "If you don't want to look like clowns in your wedding pictures then I suggest you stop asking questions and get in front of the mirrors."

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"OK Shippou," Kaede said. "You are the ring bearer. When I wave my hand you are to slowly walk down the aisle holding this nice pillow. Once you get to that altar at the end of the aisle you wait until the man in the tuxedo take the rings off the pillow. Then you go to your right, face the people sitting on the benches, and stand quietly until two people walk each other out the room."

The exceptionally small boy with a bushy fox tail, currently holding a silk pillow that was larger than his head, looked up. "Why can't I sit down on a bench?"

"Because you're stupid," a girl his age, standing high above his head, replied. "So what do I do, Kaede-sama?"

"Souten, you're the flower girl. You'll need to throw the flowers from that basket you're holding as you walk down the aisle. You will enter the room before Shippou, so he will be following you up to the altar. Once you reach the couple you do the same thing Shippou will do," Kaede said, speaking much faster. Kaede knew Souten was a shrewd girl.

"So I can't miss a spot?"

Kaede stopped. "Oh, well, no, you don't need to cover the entire floor with roses."

"Roses?" Souten looked down at the white basket she was holding and picked one of the flower petals up. Her nose immediately turned bright red and her eyes began to water faster than the blink of an eye. Ironically.

"ARGH!" Shippou stepped back. "HIDEOUS BEAST!"

"KAEDE-SAMA!" Souten wailed. "I'M ALLERGIC TO ROSES!"

Demons can have allergies? Kaede slammed the clipboard on her forehead.

Oy vey.

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I held my breath. "So…tight."

Inuyasha turned his head to eye me from the corner of his eyes. "Aw you baby."

"Hey!" Kaguya screeched. "Someone close the curtains! The groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding! HURRY UP!"

"Only 40 minutes left!"

"Get me the hairpiece!"

"Where are the bride's shoes?"

My head nearly made a full 360 degree turn trying to look at everyone around the room. Or half a room, now that the other half was curtained. There was a huge rack of different wedding dresses in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Hands from everywhere were trying to dress me in this tight white dress while makeup artists were trying to make me look to the right…nope, now the left. Oops, back to the right again. Yup, need more lipstick. Wow, such horrible pours, yaddi, yaddi, yadda…

"HEY!" I heard Inuyasha yell from behind the curtains. "Those are my EARS!"

There was an ominous moment of silence from his side of the room.

PFHUMP

"Holy crap… RUN!"

The curtains were suddenly pulled back only to reveal a steady stream of pitch black smoke. Two people dashed out with buckets in their hands, obviously heading for the nearest bathroom to fetch water, while several makeup artists were busy trying to save their tools of the trade and some of the extravagant outfits on the racks. Amidst the chaos I caught sight of something red being waved around…

Inuyasha, in question, was somewhat enjoying this whole fiasco.

"The blow dryer's on fire!" he joyfully cried before turning to me and catching my eyes. "…What?"

I said nothing.

He grinned. "Baby give us a kiss, you don't find me hot, like this?"

"You look like hell!" No, he really did. One corner of his left ear looked burnt and one side of his head was frizzled. And then, out of the blue, I began to laugh.

"Whaaaaaat?" Inuyasha growled.

And in between my tears I managed to gasp out, even though I knew the answer, "Why do I always laugh when you hurt yourself?"

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It was when Sango was patrolling around the entrance did she first notice the car.

An Aston Martin Vanquish, known for going zero to 100 in 10 seconds flat, parked amongst the throng of Porsches, Jaguars, and Rolls-Royces. It wasn't the tasteful color or the sleek roof that had caught her off. No, it was something else. Perhaps it was her intuition, or just that gut feeling…

She ignored her Spidey Sense and took a long walk, intent on forgetting about the vehicle.

You can understand her frustration when she came back to the entrance only to, again, find herself being pulled back to that particular car. Yes, she was indeed feeling a great disturbance in the force.

Even worse; there was now a man leaning against the driver's door.

Time to step in.

"Sir," Sango started as she walked up to the stranger, "I'm afraid due to security concerns you're not allowed to idle in the parking lot. Please take out your invitation and show it to the officer by the door before entering."

The handsome specimen turned to face her. It was then that she realized he was injured.

"Sir!" she said when she saw the dried blood smeared all over his forehead. "Do you need to see a doctor?"

"No, no," he held his left hand up, "that's not necessary Miss."

She looked down to see that he was trying to look as comfortable as possible, especially by hiding his limp right arm, even though his discomfort was painfully obvious.

Sango glared. She wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Sir, in 2 minutes you'll be accompanying me to the security room."

"Or?"

"Either that or you'll be dealing with my backup," she continued. "Your pick."

The man sighed, albeit with a smile. "So demanding for a lady. I suppose working with Inuyasha will do that to you."

Sango froze. "Sir," she swiftly swung her weapon off her shoulder and held it upright. "Who are you?"

He blinked. "Oh, right, his name's Isamu. Sorry about that," he slowly brought his hand down to avoid alarming the officer. "I have a note in my pocket. May I pull it out?"

"No," was her first response.

"It's my pocket. I don't think I could hide a pistol in there. Now, unless you want to reach in there yourself…"

That changed her mind. Sango pointed the weapon in his face and watched with sharp eagle eyes. "If you try anything I'll be forced to shoot. You got that?"

He smiled, though he did not respond. He cautiously moved his hand into his front pocket and just as slowly pulled out a neatly folded slip of paper. "I think you'll find this very interesting…"

"Keep your hands in the air." Sango realized it was impossible for him to raise his right arm, so settled with just his left hand. She snatched the paper out of his said uninjured hand and unfolded the note. Her eyes flickered back to the man before reading the content.

Her jaw dropped.

"Well, I think we should get going," he smiled as he brought his good hand down for the second time.

"W-wait a second," Sango said, even though she brought her weapon down at the same time. "This handwriting. It's—"

"His. Yes," he stepped forward and stood to his full height. "Now can you take me to Kaede? I'm afraid this is all very new to me."

Sango grudgingly stepped back, still very confused. "This way… Sir."

"By the way, before we begin… what's your name? Your real name, I mean."

Sango blinked. He didn't really have to know, did he? "…it's Sango. Sango Mizuno."

"And my name is Miroku," he graciously bowed. "Miroku Nagano."

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I looked at the mirror.

I. Looked. GOOD. Like a real bride… holy cow, it just dawned on me. I was actually getting MARRIED!

"OK, get the bridesmaids' dresses!" Kaguya yelled.

I turned. "Who's the maid of honor?"

"Satsuki Morita," Kazuya said. "Or Sango, whatever you're supposed to call her. Remember, you two are close buds since high school or college. It's convenient since she's also the guard, but that's another story. Hurry up!" she turned to one of her assistants. "Where's my dress?"

"Are you going to be one of the bridesmaids?"

"Well of course. I have a role to play around here. Hey!" she shrieked. "We need the best man's tuxedo. NO! That's a black single breasted dinner jacket with satin lapels! And what's with the trousers? A black brocade Edwardian jacket with satin collar? Not in this lifetime you don't! The grey striped trousers! That's what we need! That's it! No tuxedoes! No more! We're changing the whole selection!"

"Who's the best man?"

"Don't know, don't care—WHAT ARE YOU DOING? No, no, no! I am NOT going to wear a one shoulder satin bodice with a chiffon skirt! The bride is wearing a Mon Cheri Destinations! How would I look if the bride's mother is wearing a Cameron Blake? The Mon Cheri Flower Girl dress looks more feminine than this! What are you thinking?"

I looked at the mirror. Mon Cheri Destinations. So that's what I was wearing…

"Kagome!" Kaguya yelled as she was changing. "I mean—Kazumi! You have to go meet your parents!"

Oh…right. The Hayashi couple. Great.

I stumbled in my heels as one of Kaguya's slaves…umm, assistants directed me out the door and into another room. There I stood and waited for a couple minutes, which I took the opportunity to pick something out of my front two teeth, until two middle-aged people came in…

To begin showering me with love.

"Oh Kazumi!" they cried. "You're going to lose the Hayashi name! Oh, our baby's getting married!"

Hideo Hayashi, my very round father, burst into tears. "My little baby…all grown up…and getting married. At least I'll be able to walk you down the aisle… and dance at the reception…still…" He sniffled.

Hinako Hayashi, my very petite mother, clasped her hands together. "This is wonderful! Getting married to the love of your life with the same social status! You'll be rich AND happy, honey! What can be better than that? Oh, it's a dream come true!"

These actors…were good. Like they say: if it's worth doing, then it's worth overdoing.

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Inuyasha scratched his neck. He was bored out of his mind.

The vest was too tight, the pants were itchy, and his hair clung to the back of his neck and shoulders with vengeance. What Kaguya had done, he would never know. But she had hell to pay.

He looked to the guests and quickly singled out his "mother", currently bawling with a silk handkerchief in her hand. His "father" sat beside his wife, comforting his beloved as the two talked of their "son" and his great fortune in finding such a gorgeous woman to wed. Inuyasha was annoyed. The least his REAL parents could've done was come here disguised as Isamu's parents—not send some talented actors to play the parts.

But no, there were too many security concerns.

"There were always too many security concerns…" Inuyasha mumbled.

Unbeknownst to him, two sets of eyes were watching.

"What's with that guy?" Shippou said, holding onto his very important pillow. "He's sulking."

"The grooms are always sulking," Souten wisely said, also peeking around the corner with her new basket of…irises. "See, when a guy marries, his rat-a-tat life goes from short taps in a marching band to a loud, sluggish beat on the drum of death."

Shippou looked up to the taller girl. "Wait…so you mean getting married is like a…"

"A loud, sluggish beat on the drum of death, yeah."

"Wow. So if I ever married you I should kill myself?"

Kaede came in while flipping through what was left to check off on her clipboard. "OK, Kazumi has chosen to walk down the aisle by herself. This request will be honored, of course… which means we can speed up the procession," Kaede looked up only to find Shippou with a large, fresh welt on his forehead. "What happened to—"

"He fell down while we were playing tag," Souten intervened. "Didn't you, my love?"

Shippou whimpered. "Yes, honey buns."

-

Many painless minutes later…

-

Inuyasha held his breath. All the guests were here, the officiant was behind him, and the best man…

"Nice to meet you," an indigo-eyed man greeted. "I'd shake your hand but then the guests will get suspicious."

"Likewise," Inuyasha shrugged. "So, what, are you a scientist or a doctor?"

"Oh no, I don't work in the bank. I'm an acquaintance of Kaede's. Agreeing to be your best man was a way to pay back…a debt I owed."

"Ah, I see."

The groom and the best man turned to the door as did all the guests when the procession started. Each groomsman that entered was accompanied by a bridesmaid. Interestingly enough, the first of the bridesmaids was Kaguya, meaning she'd be standing farthest from the altar.

Thank lord, Inuyasha thought.

The groomsmen stood beside him as the bridesmaids stood by the bride's side of the altar. He watched as, next, the ring bearer and the flower girl entered. Strangely enough, the flower girl was throwing down the irises like rocks as she walked down the aisle, and the ring bearer was making sure he stomped on them like he was crushing empty eggshells.

"Wait, isn't the ring bearer supposed to come before the flower girl?" Inuyasha frowned, seeing the poor ring bearer choke on some of the rogue irises.

"Well," his best man whispered back. "Kaede's wedding was a traditional Japanese wedding. I think she knows what she's doing, though."

"Hey," Shippou coughed. "Aren't you supposed to be walking behind me?"

"Oh shush," Souten hissed. "I know what I'm doing. This is what Kaede-sama wanted!" She threw a handful of irises over her shoulder, suffocating Shippou with a particularly nasty shower of flowers. "Now follow my lead! I've seen it on movies!"

Inuyasha watched the flower girl bully the ring bearer off to the side, a large sweat drop sliding down his forehead.

Next up was the maid of honor, Sango Mizuno, alias Satsuki Morita, wearing an exquisite champagne-colored dress with a dramatic deep back plunge and a multi-tiered skirt. She slowly traveled down the aisle with a small satisfied smile on her glossed lips. Strangely enough, Inuyasha heard his best man slyly whistle, all but suggestively.

Sango must've heard it too. She casually ignored the best man's eyes and walked to her place.

"You know her?" Inuyasha nudged his best man. "Or do you just have low standards?"

"Oh, I met her outside," he wiggled his eyebrows. "I like her better with the pellet gun, though."

"…eh?"

"Here comes the bride," the best man mumbled, "all dressed in white."

The guests all stood up in unison.

The bride's grand entrance.

Inuyasha turned to see his soon-to-be wife delicately coming down the aisle, all the while lovingly clutching a white bouquet. He didn't want to admit…and he definitely didn't want to say… that… she looked… kissable. Wearing an elegant but informal snow white gown, the sensuous tip of the shoulder necklines accenting the graceful brush trains, made her all the more aesthetic. Her hair was twisted in many folds and held up by a rose-like hairpiece. Her face shined with a neutral color, giving her the aura of a natural born beauty.

Which, he knew, she most definitely was not.

Inuyasha looked away, repeatedly thinking the same thing over and over in his mind. U. G. L. Y. She's ugly. Uh-uh, she's ugly. Mm-hmm. So ugly. That's right.

Kagome was doing her best to avoid all eye contacts. Her heels, which made her two inches taller, were killing her ankles. She strained to retain her smile, knowing anything less would question her true emotion. However, when she saw her soon-to-be husband, she began to get cold feet. Couldn't she just…run away? She didn't want to marry this guy, and she certainly didn't agree to it. In fact, she had absolutely no voice in this at all! This wasn't fair… what happened to democracy? Yes, her groom looked quite lovely in his satin vest and his hair seemed to cascade down his back like a waterfall…

Wait, is that his best man?

…oh my LORD!

Completely forgetting about her cold feet she hurried down the aisle with more urgency than ever, somewhat throwing off the music she had been walking to. The guests laughed. She really was in a hurry to get married!

Inuyasha was appalled… to say the least. He elbowed her the moment she got to his side. Thankfully the officiant was also an undercover officer in disguise, so he did not take the situation seriously. The guests laughed and patiently waited for the music to stop.

"My dear Kazumi," the groom mocked. "I know I'm sexy, but I reeeeaaaalllly wanted to make this as long as possible. You know… the thing about trying to avoid the inevitable?"

The bride wasn't laughing. "Inu—I mean—Isamu! You know when you showed me the film?"

"Uh…what?"

"And you were going to blackmail me about my real job with that spare film?"

"Uh…yeah?"

"Well your best man's my real boss."

"Uh…" Isamu's eyes widened. "Wait," he turned to his best man, "a minute… He's…"

"My boss."

Kazumi and Isamu stared at Miroku Nagano, just as the bride's music ended. Miroku, on the other hand, was enjoying the festivity and innocently ogling at the pretty bridesmaids.

"Dearly Beloved," and so the words continued on and on and on and on, the never ending cycle of words and promises and such and such and things Kazumi and Isamu didn't quite understand and because it kept on going they got bored and began to think of much nicer things and la-la land and… they complete missed the whole "speak now or forever hold your peace" part…

"I do."

Kazumi and Isamu woke up, startled out of their daydreams. They both looked to each other, wondering if the other had spoken. It had instead been Kazumi's father, giving away the bride to the groom.

And then the words continued…

Souten and Shippou swayed on the spot, both tired but very much intent on outlasting each other.

"Shall we see who can stand this the longest?" Shippou beamed at the flower girl.

"Yeah, whatever," said Souten.

"Because whoever wins this is BETTER."

Then it was the groom's turn. Isamu squinted—something about holy matrimony?

"Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, so long as you both shall live?"

Isamu and Kazumi exchanged a quick, uneasy glance.

"I will," said the groom.

To the bride. Same thing. Except there was something about submitting to him and serving him. Kazumi's left eye twitched.

"I will." She didn't think it would physically affect her, but it hurt. It really, really hurt.

"What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?"

The groom answered. "A ring."

It was Shippou's cue. Souten egged him on until he skittered to the groom's side. However, he looked a little confused. As Isamu reached for the rings on the pillow Shippou edged away, quickly pulling the pillow back.

"You're not wearing a tuxedo," Shippou frowned.

Souten was not having any of it. "Just give it to him!"

"But Kaede said the guy wearing the tuxedo would take the rings…"

"No one here's wearing a tuxedo!" By now many of the adults were laughing. Isamu was growling, Kazumi was staring, Satsuki was smiling, Miroku was chuckling, Kaguya was tapping her foot, and everyone else was just… enjoying the weather.

"That guy sitting down's wearing a tuxedo!" he said, pointing to Kazumi's father. "I'll go give it to him!"

"You idiot!" Souten promptly stormed up and plucked the rings off the pillow, ignoring Shippou's protests. She pushed him aside and forced the rings into Inuyasha's flimsy hand. "Here! Take it!" Souten thought everything was said and done, but, as she turned around to steer Shippou away from the groom, she walked into Kazumi's white bouquet, which turned out to be…

"White roses! I'm allergic to ROSES!" Souten sniveled and wailed as she held her stuffy nose and rubbed her teary eyes, dropping her empty basket.

"Give it back!" Shippou jumped up, kicking the groom in the shin. "You're not wearing a tuxedo! You can't have the rings!"

"Hey!" Isamu howled in pain. "Oh, jeez, Kaguya told me to wear something else! Stupid kid! Curse you Kaguya!"

It was many a minutes before order was restored. By the time everyone had stopped laughing or asking whose kids they were, Souten and Shippou had been escorted out of the room, after both were promised a trip to the nearest pet store, and the pillow with the groom's ring had been set on top of the pastor's podium.

The groom was holding onto the bride's hand, fumbling with the bride's wedding band in his other hand.

Then it was back to the ring vows.

Kazumi gulped. It was her time to say it. She looked to the pastor. Then back to her dear, dear sweetheart. "I…" her lips trembled, "do…" She made the pause look sentimental by smiling weakly.

The groom's voice rang high in the large building, his vow scaring a couple of snoozing teenagers, who had been dragged to the wedding by their elders, awake. More words from the pastor followed. Kazumi's smile could not be more strained, which Isamu found oh so amusing.

"What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?"

Bride's turn. "A ring." She plucked the groom's ring off the pillow. The pillow fell when she did so. Kazumi quickly kicked it away.

The groom smiled as the pastor asked him the same question, though using both their names this time. The groom's smile was deceptive and malicious. Yet his answer was sweet and confident.

"I do."

Kazumi sighed. "THIS RING I GIVE YOU…IN TOKEN AND PLEDGE…OF MY CONSTANT FAITHFULNESS AND ABIDING LOVE."

The guests whispered amongst themselves. Wasn't she…supposed to add words during her pauses? Or was she bending the rules?

"And may this ring given, be the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites your two hearts in love that has no end."

So the words flowed and continued on like spring water, going on and on and on and…on… prayers…

And then…

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Kazumi's eye bulged. The hell he will!

Isamu stared at his bride and, making sure only the bride and the pastor saw, winked. He leaned down, clasped her chin, and bent down just as he gently turned her face to the pastor. He turned his own face ever so slightly to the opposite side and passionately…pressed his cheek against hers, though making sure his long hair hid what they were really doing.

A stage kiss.

Kazumi muttered incoherently as the guests began to applaud and cheer. It was uncomfortable, yes, but at least they weren't kissing. And it was also good to have a pastor that was acting too. He was a doing a great job overlooking their little charade, happily pretending to flip through whatever was on his podium.

Isamu suddenly grabbed her forearms and pulled her closer, deepening their already passionate "kiss" and pressing his cheek ever harder on his bride's. The guests were pleased.

"You ANIMAL!" someone roared from the back.

"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Isamu Yamaguchi."

The guests stood up as they watched the recession start. The new husband and wife walked down the aisle, shielding their heads from flying irises and tasty rice…rice? Yes, delicious, precious rice. The new Yamaguchi pair ran like they were on fire. They were then followed by the flower girl and the ring bearer, both having made a triumphant return after they were…straightened out by Kaede.

"She sure straightened us out," Shippou grumbled.

Souten cleared her throat. "Yes, Exhibit A. Please note Kaede-sama's careful straightening work," she pointed to Shippou as her prime example. "Kaede-sama's people have been disciplinary-straighteners since the Middle Ages."

The maid of honor and the best man followed them down the aisle. Satsuki, or Sango, eyed the best man as the two followed the children out through the door. "I take it the debt's been repaid?"

Miroku looked down with a kind smile. "Oh, perhaps. Perhaps not. We'll just have to see, won't we Satsuki?"

The bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down in pairs. The parents then followed the wedding party, both mothers crying and holding their respective husbands.

As Inuyasha and Kagome were assaulted with flowers and praises outside the door, the two of them looked at each other. The wedding bell was ringing… but the funeral song was playing in their heads.

"Bloody hell," Inuyasha whispered. "I think we did it…"

Kagome nodded, just as grief-stricken as her husband was. "We're married."

-

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AN: No Miroku's Perspective! this time. Too tired. Plus the two are married. I think that's enough for one day. –.– What? I really am tired. Anyhow, next chapter—don't know the title, but it'll be the wedding reception. A short 30-minute wedding reception, yes, but a lot of things can happen in 30 minutes… a LOT of things.