She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 75)
by BrDPirateMan

Calm down, Neku. Calm down.

How many times in my entire life have I repeated these words to myself? It might as well be my mantra. After being nervous so many times over the years, you'd think I'd man up and stop being such a scaredy-cat already.

Today I had a good reason for the butterflies in my stomach though.

I was getting married. After nearly three years I was finally tying the knot with Eri.

Last year I popped the question and her answer was yes. However, since neither of us was gainfully employed yet at that point, we agreed to hold off the actual wedding until we had accumulated a bit more money. Since then, we have found jobs – I'm now a graphics designer working for CAT, and Eri's working for D+B. And now we were finally ready to make things official. So here we are.

The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Everyone was getting excited, I could tell, and maybe a tad impatient awaiting the arrival of the bride. Eri was taking quite a while to show up. The wait was easily the hardest part. And I was right out front too, standing before the priest and all.

My old gang had turned up, of course – Shiki, Beat and Rhyme. Beat was never a fan of formal dress codes so it's actually bizarre to see him turn up in a full coat. Uzuki and Kariya were here too, their straight man/funny man routine still going strong. He even snuck into the dressing room where I was getting ready, having dragged the hapless Uzuki along, simply so he could wish me luck.

"You got this, Phones. You've come so far, I say you'll be fine!"

Uzuki was desperately apologetic for her partner's actions. "We didn't mean to bother you, really. Kariya's being an idiot as usual."

"Th-That's fine," I said, laughing. "Really, I'm cool. In fact, it helps. Tad nervous, you see."

"Well, since I'm at it, Neku, I just want to say… You take care of yourself out there, y'hear?"

Kariya cut in, "If you're too nervous, try to imagine everyone in their underwear! No, wait… that's kinda weird…"

I showed my appreciation for them being the way they were. "Thanks for showing up, you two. I'll manage."

"Good. Now come on, you big oaf," Uzuki said, grabbing Kariya by the arm and pulling him away. "Let's go."

He flashed me a grin and a wave just before he was yanked out the door.

Needless to say, both my and Eri's families were here to help oversee the event. Eri's parents came along with Grandma. I had little idea what they were up to but I bet it involved a lot of advice and pep talk. My aunt and uncle were much the same way, fussing over me and cramming as much as they knew into my head before things kicked off for real.

"Alright, Neku," said Uncle, "take deep breaths. Go empty your bladder just before you go out there. You don't want to get the urge at such an important moment."

"Breaths and bladder. Got it."

"Here," said Auntie, shoving a mug of… something in my face. "Drink this. It'll keep you energized."

I took a sip and immediately felt my tonsils curl up in disgust. "It's bitter!"

"Of course it's bitter. It's the deluxe version of my mother's secret herbal drink recipe. Guaranteed to keep your awake for hours! This wedding will take a lot out of you, so you need the energy. Go on, drink it all."

"All… of it?"

"Yes, it'll help."

"…All?"

"Now, Neku!"

Mr H was also an attendee, looking slick as usual with his trademark waistcoat. He gave himself a shave too – no six o'clock shadow to be found here! Among the other guests were my former gaming buddies Shooter and Mina, as well as our friends from college, and Eri's childhood friend Makoto. It was quite the impressive bunch.

And they're all here to watch two friends get married at long last.

I truly felt like a blessed man… no, I was a blessed man.

Still gonna be a while till the bride shows up though. Might as well go through the stuff my friends have been up to as of late.

Shiki's working at Natural Puppy as a designer. With just over a year's worth of experience, she's still considered a newbie. But her thirst for career growth should take her places. Rumor has it she's working on some secret fashion project, something out of her comfort zone. Lingerie, perhaps?

Beat is now an apprentice at Ramen Don. He's learning the ropes on the basics of Ramen and such. He keeps asking if curry ramen is going to be a thing, but there's no indication it will be anytime soon. Guy really has a liking for curry that's just one step away from addiction…

Out of the five of us, Rhyme has the most mundane development so far. She just entered college and her choice of course is business administration. I can't say I know a whole lot about it but she's a hard worker, at least. Couldn't hurt for her to get a boyfriend though. She has guys chasing after her left and right. She's spoilt for choice.

Uzuki and Kariya haven't changed much over the past year. They're still partners-in-crime and doing Reaper stuff like they always do. Looks like their relationship was a one-off thing because ever since their mutual breakup they haven't gotten back together in the romantic sense, which has disappointed Eri to no end. They still have ramen together, and sometimes on a busy day, you can see them chatting up a storm at Ramen Don. And usually it's Beat who serves up their meals.

I'm glad everyone's doing well. This is a good time to be alive.

Suddenly my train of thought was derailed by the sound of the doors opening behind me. I felt my abdominal muscles clench. And then, as though to really drive home the fact that it was finally happening, the church was awash with the pipe organ melody of "Here Comes The Bride".

I couldn't see what was happening behind me but I knew that Eri was being escorted down the aisle by her father. We'd practiced this a few times before, so I knew what to expect. Closer and closer they approached…

…and then there she was, standing beside me in a gorgeous wedding dress. My heart must have stopped working for about two seconds. That was the first I'd seen of Eri's wedding dress – she wanted it to be a surprise – and it was beautiful. Just beautiful. I could go on and on about it – personally, the lace made me excited – but I had vows to exchange.

Her father gave me his heartiest smile and took his seat, leaving us side by side out in front to go through the ol' procedure. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the smiles of my friends.

"Neku Sakuraba," said the priest, "do you take Eri Tanikawa as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish till death do you part?"

I answered, "I do."

He turned to Eri. "Eri Tanikawa, do you take Neku Sakuraba as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish till death do you part?"

"I do," was her answer. For a moment I half-expected her to say "Hell yeah". Glad she didn't do anything funny.

We exchanged rings, and then came the moment we'd been eagerly awaiting.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Eri and I turned towards each other. Her cheeks were flushed with joy, her smile full of love. In unison we leaned in and our lips touched briefly, signifying the start of our married life.

The entire ceremony was a high-tension affair, but I was glad that we followed it through with no hiccups whatsoever. I remembered all of the steps perfectly. Good for us! After it was done, the whole lot of us raced outside to celebrate and take photos. The photographer we hired was a very busy man.

When it was the girls' turn to have their pictures taken, Mr H approached me.

"You know," he said, "I've already said it just now but it can't hurt to reiterate: congrats, Phones!"

I was all smiles. "Thanks, Mr H. Really appreciate you coming all the way here."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, boss. So what's next for you? Kids?"

Trying in vain to fight back a blush, I replied, "I-It's still early to say, but one thing's for sure: that's what my folks have been nagging me to do for so long."

"You don't have to hurry, you know. No one ever said you have to pop one out as soon as you tie the knot."

"Well, Eri and I have been talking, and looking at our savings… we feel that we might be ready to take the plunge, all things considered."

He laughed good-naturedly. "Then I'll be looking forward to what you guys come up with in nine months!"

The photographer's voice cut our conversation short.

"Alright, folks," he called. "This is the big one. Everyone together!"

Excitedly the whole lot of us converged at the steps of the church. The photographer barked out instructions, telling some of us to huddle closer or switch places with other guests. Shiki, who took her place at my left, gave me a light friendly punch to the arm.

"You finally did it, Neku," she laughed. "We were all wondering when you two would tie the knot already!"

"Hey," I chuckled. "Can't rush these things, right?"

"The first ones among our circle to get hitched… We'll all be turning to you for advice when it's our turn."

"I'll be glad to provide!"

"Neku," said Eri urgently. "Get your pearly-whites ready. It's starting!"

"Well, Eri, hope your jaws aren't too tired. We need a couple more megawatt smiles from you!"

"Believe me," she laughed. "I can't stop smiling even if I wanted to. This is like a dream."

"Yeah, same here."

I reached for her hand but great minds think alike; she took the initiative earlier and clutched my hand in hers.

"Okay, looks good!" whooped the photographer. "Everybody ready?"

He was greeted with a chorus of "Yeah!" That was his cue to point the camera at us and begin the countdown. I made sure to prepare my best smile. I sure hoped I wouldn't end up looking like a fool!

"Alright! One… two… three!"

*SNAP*

XOXOXOXOXO

"And that's how the two of you met?"

"Well, believe it or not, that's how it goes. So now that you've heard the whole story, what do you think?"

"That's actually surprisingly sweet, given the knowledge that my parents turned out to be an even bigger pair of oddballs than I thought."

"I'll take that as a compliment, bud."

"Part of me wishes I could have a love life that colorful. I'll refrain from the skinny-dipping though."

I just laughed in response to that and patted my son on the back.

It's been fifteen years since I tied the knot with Eri. Since then, we've had a son about as old. Uncle and Auntie have always openly wondered if we could have more children, but as it is we already had our hands full, so this was the best we could manage.

The going was incredibly tough for us early on, being new parents and all. But now our son had grown into a capable young man. He's shaping up well, though he has his moments of awkwardness. Much like me when I was a teenager myself. At least he has his dad to warn him about any pitfalls ahead.

Speaking of which, he's about to run headlong into one himself.

"So, Dad, seeing as you've dated before… could you maybe give me some tips?"

The time has come for me to pass my hard-earned knowledge on to the young'uns… But first, I gotta do what every good parent does at some point: probe. But there's no need to be annoying about it. I could be a cool dad too.

"Got a girl you fancy, huh?"

"Um, w-well, yeah, I guess." The heat was starting to color his cheeks. "She's real nice and friendly towards me, so I was thinking that I could get to know her better. Thing is…"

"Hmm?"

"She's also kinda odd. She likes to tease me and seldom stops. It's like her batteries never run out."

I smiled. "Sounds a lot like your mother."

"Yeah, that's why I'm asking you for advice. I'm not quite sure how to deal with someone like her. And, uh… I'm going to the arcade with her afterwards, and – "

"A date, huh?"

The pinkish hue on his cheeks flared into a brilliant red. "I wouldn't call it that… Not yet anyway. We're just hanging out."

Suddenly a third voice joined our conversation. "That's a date in my book."

"M-Mum?"

Eri emerged carrying a bag of cookies. She opened it up and poured its contents into the bowl on the coffee table. The whole time, she was grinning, knowing our son was taking his first steps toward a relationship.

"It's not that hard," she said. "The telltale signs are all there. A girl who genuinely enjoys your company is willing to spend time with you outside school. If that's not a date, then what is?"

My son wasn't entirely convinced. "I don't know if it works that way…"

"So you say. But maybe she sees you as something more! And even if things are still platonic now, that can change with time…"

Just then, his cell phone rang. He answered the call, wandering off to the kitchen in the process. I could just about hear his side of the conversation.

"Oh, it's you! Hey, what's up.

"Huh? Where are you? …Beg your pardon?

"Outside my – what?!"

Eri and I stared at him quizzically as he raced to the front door in a panic. He whisked it open and in the doorway stood a fresh-faced teenage girl with striking red hair.

"Hi!" she chirped. "I'm not late, am I?"

Our son, visibly struggling to rearrange his thoughts, spoke in between gasps, "You're half an hour too early!"

"I didn't want to be late," was her reason, spoken with a shrug.

"And didn't I say to meet me downstairs?"

"Yeah, but I was bored, so I thought I'd give you a surprise." Cheekily she giggled, "Why? Were you in the middle of, I dunno, fantasizing about me? Well, sorry for interrupting! I'm flattered, though."

He shushed her urgently and hissed at her in hushed tones but we could still pick up what he said. "Cut the jokes! My parents are here!"

"Oh, they're in?"

She craned her neck and looked around him, and that's when we made eye contact. Much to his mortification, she waved at us while wearing a ten-mile-wide smile. She even called out to us.

"Good afternoon! Don't worry, I'm a friend of his! Totally non-threatening, I assure you."

Eri greeted her back. "Ooh, you're cute! Wanna come insi– "

"Oh, goodness!" yelped our panicking son. "Look at the time! We gotta go! A'ight, Mum, Dad, catch you later!"

And as he hurriedly ushered her away, I could hear her. "Didn't you say I was too early – "

The door slammed shut and there was nothing more. In the silence that followed, Eri and I turned to each other with amused looks.

"That his girlfriend?" I asked.

"Not yet by the look of it. But he's getting there."

"They remind me of us when we were younger. You'd tease me endlessly too."

"Yeah, he needs to brush up on his counter-teasing skills if he's going to survive a relationship with her."

"Would be nice if he could tell us more about her. He's still so shy when it comes to girls."

She sidled up to me on the couch. "He'll get over it. After all, didn't you?"

I chuckled. "Yeah. Like father, like son."

Alone without anyone to disturb us, we took the opportunity to embrace and let our lips do the tango.

When we were done, I asked, "Remind me again what you're cooking for dinner today?"

"Tempura."

"Sweet. Man, that takes me back. The very first recipe I taught you."

"Oh, I had heaps of fun. Remember? We'd hold cooking lessons every Saturday."

"Swimming lessons on Sundays, too. Good stuff."

"Typical," she pretended to grumble. "All you care about is the swimsuits."

"Says the one who wanted to see me in a speedo. You were so desperate too."

"That's a different story! It doesn't count."

"Heh, sure it doesn't. Come on, let's prepare that tempura."

"Right on!"

We laughed and spent the rest of the afternoon having a grand time cooking.

And meanwhile, somewhere out in the great city, our son was spending time with his lady friend. If she's as energetic as we saw her, then she'd probably be the one stringing him along and he'd be trying to keep up. The parallels between them and us were hard to ignore. It's actually cute, in a way. The cycle of love had begun anew.

What adventures would they find themselves in? I guess that's a story for another time. The story of an uptight, easily-embarrassed boy…

…and a girl who comes and goes as she pleases.

THE END

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AFTERWORD

Guys and girls, it's official.

What you've just read is the final chapter of "She Comes And Goes As She Pleases".

It was one hell of a journey. It all started one fine day in April 2012 when I uploaded the first chapter and now, near the end of 2020, we have the very last one. That's about eight and a half years I spent on this story.

All I can say is…

Whew!

Okay, where to start? Ahem. Wow, it's hard to believe we've come this far. Honestly, I'm shocked. Funny story: it originally was supposed to be only 12 chapters long. As I edited it, however, I began to like it more than I already did, so I added more and more chapters until it became the 75-parter that it is now.

It's grown into quite the behemoth. Initially there was a fair bit of inertia from the fanfic community, seeing as it's about an unconventional pairing. People were cool with Neku X Shiki, and Neku X Joshua… but Neku X Eri? "A crack pairing… Are you serious?" It took a while for people to warm to the idea, but I'm glad that it paid off.

On one hand, I'm sad that it had to reach the finish line at all. You know what they say: all good things must come to an end. I've been writing it for so long and grown so attached to it that it's become a part of me. Having to let go is the hardest thing. But at the same time, I'm relieved – it's the same feeling you get when you've been working so hard on something and it's finally complete. There's no better feeling of accomplishment.

There are a lot of things I could have changed about the story, like some of the more cringe-worthy moments and the universally disliked inclusion of the nosebleed gag. I also didn't fare very well when it came to some of the more dramatic parts.

I'm not proud to say it, but there were definitely a few stinkers in the story. For me, the whole saga of Rhyme being a temporary antagonist was poorly handled. I should've given it more thought. And chapter 40, the one with gamers, was a complete failure for me. I remember writing it and finding it hard to make it funny, and the end result just feels so lackluster on hindsight. Eri also tended to ramble quite a bit early on in the story. And there was quite a bit of unnecessary filler here and there. If there's anything I can learn from this, it's that the next time I write a story, I'll definitely not make those mistakes.

On the plus side, there were – to me anyway – plenty more sweet moments where Neku and Eri simply did their thing as a couple. It didn't hurt that they underwent a lot of character development. I like that Neku became more confident and Eri in turn showed depths well hidden beneath her crazy demeanor. Their relationship was cute, honest, sexy and heartwarming.

Chapter 63 is one my favourites; this is the one where we view the story through Eri's eyes. Writing from her point of view allowed me to goof around a bit and get all comical. And then there's Chapter 45. This is when Neku and Eri consummate their relationship and I love it because it was an opportunity for them to really grow as a couple and become something more. Let's face it, it's been so long; after the hurdles they've crossed together, they deserve their little slice of happiness. To give them cold feet would be a huge disservice to everyone. Their interactions were so awkward and adorable as they prepared to make love for the first time, but at the same time the scene was satisfyingly sexy. This is without a doubt a chapter I feel proudest about.

Currently, I have no plans to write a sequel or prequel or spin-off or anything like that. At this point I feel that I have written everything there is to write about Neku and Eri. You might argue that there's a lot more to explore, and you're probably right. But I've been writing this for 8+ years, and as much as I enjoy writing this story, I feel the time has come to move on to other things.

Perhaps in the future I will write a completely new tale. It would not necessarily be about Neku and Eri, though I may consider it because these two share a cute dynamic.

But most importantly!

I want to thank all of you. Regardless of whether you're a long-time reader or a new one, or if you're just passing by… if you took the time to read my story and got some enjoyment out of it, even if it's just a tiny iota, then I am grateful that my story with all of its warts and faults made your day a little brighter. Your reviews, critiques and ideas are all music to my ears. I'm especially thankful to those of you who took the time to post longer reviews than normal. You have no idea how happy I am to read every word you write. Even the more negative reviews are still useful as they taught me how to improve my writing style. If ever I offended anyone, I'm truly sorry and I hope that there are no hard feelings.

Once again, from the bottom of my heart, with every fiber of my being…

…Thank you, so much. Thank you for going on this crazy adventure with me. It's been lots of fun, and I wouldn't have come this far without you beautiful individuals.

For now, we say goodbye. Perhaps in the near or distant future, we will meet again. Or catch me on deviantART; I'm more active there nowadays, I do drawings and original comics!

Catch you in another story, folks! I love you all.

Ciao,
BrDPirateMan