This is what I get when I don't pull any of the wedding-themed Mankai boys and accidentally watch Say Yes to the Dress. Plot bunny wouldn't leave me so I have to get this out fast else my other fanfic suffers. This was written with Ellie Goulding's new song Slow Grenade; go check it out.
I'd like to think of this as UR Tachibana Izumi's backstory that no one will ever get.
(First story in this fandom lol hope they aren't too OOC)
Enjoy!
o0o
Still got time for me to stop it
It's like a part of me must love it
That's why I'm not running from it
~Ellie Goulding, Slow Grenade
The day started pretty well in the Mankai Company dorm. The early risers, Omi and Tasuku, had cooked breakfast and went on a run, respectively. The middle and high schoolers got up on time enough for them to eat breakfast and make their way to their schools. Soon enough, most of the adults were also down in the dining room and later headed to work, at least those who had early shifts. And for one Tachibana Izumi, she couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.
Their previous play had just ended its run last week and it was a success. The next play wasn't slated in a few months. As Tsuzuru was still finishing up the script, she found herself in a lull. She had already organized their practice schedules while taking into account any possible holidays and school- or work-related activities any of her actors may have. She had also done their monthly maintenance check around the dorm with Matsukawa. She got dragged along with the hype from their last play, she had ran out of things to do.
Like nothing Mankai-related at all.
She had gotten a lot more free time on her hands and it was actually making her insane. She had never pegged herself as a workaholic or anything but after working with her theatre boys for this long, she couldn't imagine herself doing something else. She had given some of the boys' hobbies like gardening, reading manga, eating sweets, gaming, triangle-hunting, heck, even listening to Homare's 'masterpieces' but it just doesn't stick.
'Maybe I should consider pampering myself for a job well done,' she thought as she chewed on her homemade curry, 'Sakyo wouldn't chew me out for slacking off for a while, right?'
Her thoughts about going on a vacation came to a stop as her phone rang loud. The two college students, who only had classes in the afternoon, were caught off guard with Kazunari accidentally spitting the coke float he was drinking at the other adult on table – Sakyo. Tsuzuru didn't have much of an exaggerated reaction but him biting his lip, as he immediately got a towel, was enough to know he found it funny.
Izumi cringed so bad at what escalated on the dining table. As much as she wanted to stay and hopefully placate her childhood friend, she had to answer the call. She escapes the dining area to the safety of her own room then picks up, "Hello, Tachibana Izumi speaking. May I know who this is?"
"So formal, Izumi-chan," a familiar voice said, "It's Hanami. Remember me? We were in the same theatre club in high school."
"Ah, Hana-senpai!" Izumi happily greets, "Of course, I remember. How have you been?"
Izumi didn't expect to get a call from a senior in her high school, much less from her old theatre club. She had very few good memories from that place and most of it was because this senior encouraged her to keep on going. Whenever she's mess up a line or miss an entrance, Hanami was always there to support her. Her senior was livid when she found out that the other member bullied her, telling her to quit. Hanami never lost faith in her and that was why Izumi strived to do the same for her current actors.
There was very little she wouldn't do for her high school senior.
In the next several minutes, the two old schoolmates swapped stories and caught up with each other. After Hanami had graduated high school, she went abroad and studied there. This first conversation they had, after so many years, was something really precious to Izumi. When the initial shock and excitement died down, Izumi got to business and asked the older woman about the sudden call.
"Now, I really feel bad asking you for a favor," the black-haired woman sighed, "And this is like the first conversation I had with you in years."
"It's alright, senpai. Whatever it is, I'll do it," Izumi said with so much conviction, "Just take a deep breath and go for it, like what you used to tell me."
The lady on the other side of the line giggled then said, "Alright…so here's the thing…"
"Tch," Sakyo grits his teeth as he continues to rub the wet dishcloth on the stained spot of his shirt, "It won't come off."
He had just arrived back in the dorms after going for an 'errand' for his boss. The trip almost took a week to finish because the client was very stubborn. As soon as he finished the job, all he thought about was the sweet reward of sleeping. Perhaps, he thought, this is what Hisoka feels all the time.
Or maybe it was his age talking.
Now, he regrets arriving too early. He supposes he should've postponed his arrival for the night, at least. Kazunari should thank his stars, he was tired enough to not lecture him at all.
'Should I ban cola drinks in the dorm?' he thought as a familiar form entered his line of sight, 'it's not healthy for anyone…for me…'
"So," he starts making the only woman in the dorm freeze, "Who had the pleasure of surprising Kazunari to spit on me?"
"A-ah, it was m-my high school senior," she stuttered making him squint at her in suspicion, "W-we were ONLY catching up with each other…yeah."
Glancing at his wristwatch, the platinum blonde man said, "That was quite… a long talk."
Izumi's eyes refused to meet his as she replied, "Y-yeah…she went abroad for college and work u-until now…"
The silence stretched long as the only noise heard was the running water of the faucet. Seeing how their director fidget on the couch, Sakyo almost wanted to facepalm. Deciding to give up on washing the stain and save some extra yen on the water bill, he turns it off and faced his childhood friend.
The man sighed then said, "We both know your acting hardly fools anyone. Go on. Spit it out."
The Mankai company director gulps and nervously laughs as she faced Sakyo. Seeing his eyebrow raise, Izumi bites her lip and turns to face the floor. The lengthy silence didn't make Sakyo's patience any longer. He wasn't getting an answer now but he should get out of the sticky clothing first then interrogate her after. As he was about to leave, it was only then Izumi finally spoke.
"Can we…talk?"
Rolling his eyes, he stopped, "We are now."
"No, I mean. Not here but in my room," the brunette said as she stood up from the couch, "Please."
As he internally repeats that her words don't mean anything else, as it suggests so many things, he fixed his glasses and asked, "Why does it have to be in your room? Here is fine."
"I," she pauses, "It's better if you…see it for yourself?"
The yakuza solicitor frowned at how increasingly suggestive this was leading but consented to her request, "Let me change, first…This better be worth my time."
After a quick change of wardrobe, Sakyo meets up with Izumi in her room. He had only been in her part of the dorm once. It was just a consultation to the funds of Mankai. It wasn't that he felt uncomfortable being there – in his first love's own room – but he knows he isn't worthy to do so. He sat himself down as he watched the brunette pace around the room in worry. He meant what he said earlier about her hammy acting but he was glad he could still read her like an open book even after all these years.
Sighing loudly to get her attention, he begins, "Look. I think it's painfully obvious that whatever it is your trying to hide will make me angry. Out with it so I can start lecturing you."
His words made her stop. He observes her as she grabs the small stack of papers from the fax machine before stopping in front of the chair he sat on. She takes a deep breath as his breath hitched when she said, "I have to get married."
Both hearts pounded loud in their chests but the low thrum of the AC was the only thing that they heard until Sakyo indifferently asked, "Who is it?"
"What?"
"I said," Sakyo calmly asked as he tried to keep his real emotions in check, "Who are you marrying?"
Pink hazel eyes refusing to meet up with his lavender ones, she replied, "I…don't know yet."
'An arranged marriage, huh…' the platinum blond struggled to organize the turmoil that erupted in his person, "Did your mother pressure you to go to an omiai*? I know it's hard for the women in our society to consider marriage-"
"No that's not it," Izumi gasped mirth shining her eyes, "My mother doesn't even want to interfere in my choices in life."
Replacing his anxiety with annoyance, he asked, "Then what is it supposed to mean-"
"Here, read this," she hands him the bunch of papers she held, "This will explain it better."
Grabbing the unstapled mess of pages without seeming too eager, he steadily reads aloud the passage and got louder as he finally understood what the situation was about, "…hereby consent to the use of any information submitted to be a participant in the 'Say Yes to the Dress' program- What were you thinking agreeing to this?! You don't even have a fiancé! Providing false information would warrant us to pay-"
"We actually won't," she weakly rebuts.
"EVEN SO," he was livid as he skipped ahead to the other pages, "You'll end up having to pay for the dress which can range from a couple of hundred yen to a million! You can't even afford to lie about 'marriage' in this kind of reality TV show!"
"My senpai asked me to, okay! I can't say no to her," she shouted over Sakyo's rants, "She's a producer of the show and they needed a replacement for one of the brides. She knows the clause includes no monetary compensation but she's willing to override that. She also promised to advertise Mankai in the show, if we wanted to."
Exasperated, Sakyo started to massage his temple and sighed through his teeth, "FINE! So…what's the plan to 'get married'.
"Well," Izumi sits on her bed as she calmed down, "Hanami-senpai and I thought it would be alright to get one of the older actors in Mankai to act along with it."
Hearing the proposition made Sakyo frustrated for two different reasons. Aside from the obvious stupid plan, he was mad that hope bloomed in his chest. It didn't show in his face but his heart was erratically out of tune, he might as well get a stroke. But as the girl, he had the chance to meet again as a lady, listed out the members of the Winter Troupe and the pros and cons each would bring in acting in the reality TV show, the flicker of fire slowly died down. He reasons in his head, in a mantra, that he wasn't a good choice for Izumi as an acting partner, even more so as a 'fake' fiancé.
'Tsumugi looks like the best choice of the bunch,' Sakyo internally finalized albeit reluctant.
"…but personally, I think it should be you," Izumi loudly thought.
Lavender eyes widening at her, he mentally checked if this was actually a fever dream, "…Wha-"
"I mean, we've known each other longer than the rest, sort of," completely clueless at the mental state of the man in her room, she continues as she looks for a pen in her desk, "I think it would be less awkward acting with someone I know…I-it's just a suggestion, though. I'm not forcing you to if you're uncomfortable about it."
"I wouldn't mind," he murmured.
"Hm?" she said as she finally looked at the older man.
Fixing his glasses, Sakyo casually replied, "Nothing...If you're choosing me, you better polish up your acting skills."
"Oh no"
"What's wrong?" Tsuzuru asked his blond college senior who was fiddling with his phone.
"Cp's dead," Kazunari said as he turned to the direction they came from, "Go ahead, Tsuzuroon. My first class is in 2 hours, anyway."
Waving goodbye, the 2nd year Arts student ran back all the way to the dorm. It was a good thing their University was within walking distance. Nevertheless, it was quite a workout for the Instablam famous blond to reach the Mankai dorms. As he entered the dorm, he noticed no one greeting him back so he assumed that even their director went out. He whistled as he climbed the stairs to reach his and Muku's shared room when he stopped because of some noise. Recognizing the door as the director's, he quietly leaned on it to hear the voices of the director and Sakyo.
"How are we going to tell the rest of them?"
"Worry about that later. Let's focus on deciding when the wedding will be, the ceremony location, and the budget."
'OMG, they're getting married?!' Kazunari excitedly thought as he immediately ran to his room and impatiently waited for his phone to get charged.
As soon as his phone had enough charge, he quickly went on their LIME chat group.
MANKAI COMPANY
KAZUNARI MIYOSHI : FROOCH AND THE DIRECTOR ARE GETTING MARRIED!
Itaru Chigasaki:
fvck u broke my combo
WHAT
brb
Sakuya: Banri-san pls help me stop Masumi
Muku:
Uwaaaah really?
Its like a real life childhood friends love story
Yuki:
Ehh I don't believe it
In the case that it is
I call dibs on dress design
BANRI.:
Sht I'm coming
Also
WHAT
Citron: The exploding of the question has happened
Tsuzuru: its POP the question Citron
Tsumugi Tsukioka: Wow congratulations
Tasuku Takato: Congrats
Tsuzuru:
Also
Wait wait wait
We just saw them earlier
They weren't saying anything
We didn't know they were dating
KAZUNARI MIYOSHI :
I was on my way to my room to get extra charge
I heard deets in director's own room
She said and I quote "How are we going to tell the other actors about the wedding?"
Then Frooch replied and I quote "Don't think about that yet. We have to plan for the wedding date first."
taichi nanao:
What's happenin
OMG REALLY?!
I KNEW IT!
#sakyoteachmeurways
Juza Hyodo: grats
△△△:
Two triangles make a bigger triangle
can i be a triangle in their wedding too
Omi Fushimi:
Congrats you two Sakyo Izumi
If you need a caterer and a photographer, I'll help
KAZUNARI MIYOSHI :
Me too Me too
I'll docu it and make an awesome album in Instablam
Alice:
What joyous occasion this is
In celebration of this wondrous union, I shall write you a special poem from yours truly
Tasuku Takato: Pls dont
Azuma:
The chat is quite noisy today
Heh, this is quite a development
Congrats Sakyo Izumi
If Homare's gifting his precious poetry, I'll give you the free tickets to Maldives my previous client gave me before
Tsumugi Tsukioka: Sakyo feel free to use the flowers in my garden if you need them
Muku:
Wow everyone's giving beautiful wedding gifts
I don't really have anything to give
I'm sorry forbeingarottenbeansproutwho
deservestobethrownouttothecrows
onlytobepicked
Juza Hyodo: thats not tru
Yuki: Muku do I need to remind you not to do that again
Itaru Chigasaki:
had to finish my raid
also grats
just asked my co-workers where a good reception area for after the wedding
I'll let you know ASA I come back
taichi nanao:
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING A WEDDING
Yuki ANY IDEAS WHAT TO WEAR
Yuki:
depends on what their theme is
And the place, color and flower combos
Tsumugi can I see the available flowers in ur garden
Tenma Sumeragi:
slr I left my phone with Igawa
Wait REALLY?
Tsumugi Tsukioka: I really don't know how to send pictures yet Yuki, I'll talk to you as soon as you're home
Tenma Sumeragi: when's the wedding Sakyo? I need to plan it in my schedule
M.U:
Sakyo😡😡😡😡
Sakyo🔪🔪🔪🔪
Azuma: I was wondering where ^ was
Itaru Chigasaki:
this gonna be gud
kinda like PvP
in a chatroom
Sakuya:
Banri's holding him down
I hope the two won't get in a fight
M.U:
Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo
Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo
Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo
Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo
Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo Sakyo
Sakyo Furuichi:
STOP SENDING MESSAGES
WHO STARTED THIS?!
Azuma: Ah the man of the hour is here
BANRI.:
Old man finally decided to tie the knot
So when's the wedding Sakyo?
Sakyo Furuichi: !
Izumi: Ok so Sakyo just bursted a vein
M.U: tell me its a lie
taichi nanao: Director-sensei can i be ur flower boy?
Yuki:
bringing this back in case u didnt reread
Im designing ur wedding gown
Izumi:
Calm down guys
It's kind of complicated right now but we'll explain as soon as you all get home
Kazunari Sakyo-san will be confiscating ur phone
KAZUNARI MIYOSHI :
Aww man not cool
at least tell us how Sakyo proposed
Tsuzuru: I knew there was something fishy about this
Izumi: Students go back to ur classes
"…and that's about it, I think," Izumi finished as there was a collective pause before the rest of the Mankai boys started talking over each other.
"If you had asked me, instead-"
"How unfortunate. I've written several stanzas already, you see. Nevertheless, I shall recite the-"
"Can we not?"
"So there wasn't really any hanging of the nuts?" Citron asked making Tsuzuru pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh.
Feeling their scriptwriter's pain, Itaru took it upon himself to correct the foreign student, "It's tying of the knot. Also Kazunari, you owe me a game raid."
"Aww no bigger triangle?"
"Is everything alright, Muku?" Sakuya asked noticing the younger actor's watery eyes.
Juza awkwardly pats his cousin's head, "Don't be sad, Muku."
The cotton-haired boy sniffs as he said, "But Juuchan…they're so blind...their story has so much angst."
"Weakass."
"You talking 'bout yourself, asshole?"
"But I was going to be a flower boy!"
"Well, I guess I can still make use of this list of food suggestions for another time."
"I can't believe I designed these for nothing," Yuki rolled his eyes as he flipped through his sketchbook.
"I thought you didn't believe them in the first place," Tenma questioned his troupe mate.
Mankai's costumer bit back, "Shut up hack. Designing wedding gowns takes time and more effort than you think."
Sakyo pointedly glared at Kazunari and said, "I swear you youngsters today have no manners at all. The same goes for the rest of the adults."
"YOLO Frooch," Kazunari grinned despite the older's intense glare.
"I think we responded accordingly," Tsumugi nervously laughs as Azuma pats Hisoka's sleeping head but continued, "We knew you had a tight grip on our budget so we made sure to give gifts that would lessen your load."
Before Sakyo could burst another vein, Tasuku stirred the conversation to what was supposed to be discussed, "So what now? I get the 'fake marriage' but what about the show? You also said something about advertising Mankai."
Perking up at his suggestion, Masumi and the two middle schoolers consecutively said,
"Bring me. In fact, bring only me-"
"If we're talking about choosing your dress then I'm your best shot."
"…I just wanted to see you choose a wedding dress, um…Idon'thaveanybetterreasonsorryforbeingagoodfornothing-"
With those three starting to advertise why they had to be brought to the reality TV show, everyone else soon started to join in putting their own two cents as to why they would or would not do well with acting in a reality TV show. Seeing Sakyo getting irritated by the steadily increasing noise, Izumi whistled loudly to get them all back on the same page and have them pay attention to her.
"To answer Tasuku's question, yes, we need a few people to join the 'bride's entourage' BUT," she quickly adds when the noise began to pick-up again, "We'll limit it to one representative per troupe."
"We've already decided who the other three people would be," Sakyo started which prompted Banri to cut him off, "Dunno if it's your age or not but we have four troupes?"
"AS I was saying before I was interrupted," the blond yakuza decided to ignore the younger's jab, "Sakuya, Yuki, and Tsumugi would be going."
"Sakyo would be representing the Autumn troupe," Izumi added as some of the other boys raised their voices on the unfairness.
"SHUT UP!" Sakyo shouts as he walks away from the living room, "The director's decision is final. Meeting's adjourned, go to your rooms."
Suffice to say, their decision didn't proceed as planned.
Information:
*omiai (お見合い) is a Japanese traditional custom in which a woman and a man are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage.
A/N
I'll save the actual Say Yes to the Dress episode for chapter 2 which is not yet made. I'm open for suggestions so you guys can comment down any reactions you would like to see from the boys.
THE MORE CHAOTIC THE BETTER.
I also need recommendations on possible wedding dresses. Comment down any ideas or links to what you think Izumi would wear.
Thanks for reading.