Disclaimer : I do not own GALS nor any characters from its Manga/Anime.

Chapter 7

AYA

I sat there in front of the vanity as one tends to my hair and the other on my make up. It's eight in the morning. The ceremony won't start until three. Why do they have to wake me up this early?

"Can I get at least a cup of coffee?" I asked. I am not much of an eater in the morning but I was forced to take a few bites to let me last until later.

Mari bowed and exited the room to get my request. My mom has been spoiling me today, giving in to my every heed. I am thankful for that.

"You better watch your caffeine in take, Aya." Mom reminded me. "It's not good for your health." But it is!

"Why do we have to prepare this early?" I asked her.

She looked at me in disbelief. Was there something wrong with my question? The girl fixing my hair giggled and said, "My Lady, you have a long beautiful hair. It would need at least two hours to fix it in a bun without destroying it." That long? I could tie it up in matter of minutes. "It would also take thirty minutes to get into your wedding dress. You'll also have to prepare for a shoot before and after getting into your dress."

"So, more or less, we'll be done here by one in the afternoon," Mom concluded. "Stop being impatient and just sit still so we could finish early if you'd want to take lunch." I sighed. Let's just get this over with. "Where is the ornament?" she said as she looks into my top drawer. The ornament she loves so much and handed it over to me two weeks ago.

"I have it here," I said. She took it from me and handed it over to the girl.

"This would be your something blue," she said.

"What?"

"Something blue. You're supposed to wear four things during your wedding. Something blue, the ornament. Something new, your wedding dress, something borrowed, you'll be using my lipstick the one you loved the most," my eyes shined on that. She never let me use any of her make ups. "And of courses, something old."

Something old? I wondered. "The ornament is something old."

"No, no. We need another one. Hmmm…," What in the world would that something old would be? "Oh, I know!" she went to her bag and got a small box. "He was supposed to give it to you the day we visited the house but he forgot when your dads suddenly brought up the topic of sleeping arrangement." That was embarrassing indeed. "His mom also insisted on giving you this."

She handed it over to me. I opened it and found a ring. The sapphire stone on its oval shape with diamonds on the side. It was such a beauty.

" What is this?"

My mom took it from me and got the ring out the box slipping it to my left ring finger. "Your engagement ring." My what? "This is an heirloom of the Otohatas. Lady Aki got this when Lord Ryu proposed to him. Rei's grandmother, Lord Ryu's mother, owned this. It was her engagement ring. And now they're giving it to you."

Oh no. I couldn't possibly accept this such important thing especially when he's not the one giving it to me.

"Lady Aki wanted you to wear this today. This would be your something old."

I couldn't say no to her.

REI

"You're slouching again. Sit up."

I just sighed. Can't she give me a break just for one time? This is my wedding day anyway.

She went to my direction and started fixing my collar. "You better be a good husband to her," she started the lecture while continuing to fix everything about my coat and tie and whatever she could find to tend to.

Then she started to tear up. "Mom?"

"I'm not gonna lose you too, right?" she asked.

"Hey, you and dad were the ones who set me up on this. I didn't beg you to let me marry at this young age," I said. What was she talking about anyways.

"Your brother took off when we asked him the same thing." That, I didn't know. "He said he has plans for himself. That he couldn't take the role of being the family head."

So yeah, I was the sacrifice. That Ren.

"I'm scared that you might do the same." she admitted.

This is what I hated the most, seeing my mom cry. She's been through a lot already. I'm not gonna add to that. Besides we've already gone this far. Backing out was never on my mind.

I held her. It's just now that I've noticed that I'm a lot taller now than her. "I'm not going anywhere, mom. I'm not Ren."

Just then the door opened up. "What's with the drama?" my dad asked.

"It's nothing. I just realized how I'll be missing this stubborn child of yours." mom said as she wiped her tears.

"You'll ruin your make up, my dear. We wouldn't want that, do we? Besides, I have a surprise for the both of you."

Surprise? My dad is a big fan of surprises but none of those turned out great. He has his own history of failed surprises

"Get in," he said to the person on the other side of the door and…

"Ren!" my mom dashed to him and wrapped him into her arms. It is Ren, my older and one and only brother. The reason of my mother's tears. "I didn't thought you'd come."

"I couldn't miss my brother's wedding, can I?" he said then smiled at me as he tries to calm down our mom. "So, can I have a peak of my soon to be sister-in-law?"

"You'll have to wait till later," I smirked at him.

Otohata Ren, the eldest son, the original heir. If people calls me perfect, they might have not yet met him. He was good at everything, arts, sports, academics, name it. I've been living in the shadows of my brother. I was always compared to him, even after he left. My mom tried to train me to be just liked him. It was a good thing that my dad was there to at least lessen the pressure.

"Enough of the reunion. We have a wedding to attend," my dad said breaking up the drama. It was too much anyway.

Mom did a final check on me. We're standing just outside the chapel. The procession would start anytime soon. I saw her white car enters the vicinity. The window was dark tinted so I wasn't able to see her.

Yuuya was smirking at me. I sure do love to wipe that smug from his face. This was all a show for him.

"Ready!" I heard the coordinator. Then it begun.

The officiant, followed by our godparents who were handily picked by our parents of course ensuring that everyone came from a noble clan. My parents followed after, then me. Yuuya was walking behind me.

"I saw Ren," he said when he settled on his place beside me.

"How did you even know about him?"

"I have my ways," I better talk to him after all of these.

"So are you excited to see the bride?"

"I'm so excited right now to strangle you." he just laughed at me.

"Better keep your eyes in front Otohata. She's coming." In that instant I had my eyes on the closed door. The music had changed and every guests had stood up to welcome her. She's here.

The door slowly opened creating a dramatic effect on her entrance. She took a step entering the chapel revealing more of her face as she came into the light. One step after another until she reached her parents who were waiting for her at the almost half of the aisle. I can hear the guests whispering to each other, talking about how beautiful she is.

Yes, she is. There's no question about that. She's way beyond beautiful that any of these people here could imagine. She's my bride, my wife-to-be.

There she stood in front of me as his dad handed me her hand and whispered to me. I just nodded in agreement. It is a secret between us.

"Your hand is all sweaty," I told her.

"Sorry. I thought I'm going to faint."

"You did well."

The ceremony was just typical. We were not getting married because of romance anyway. It was arranged, so we were not forced into writing those cheesy vows. This was enough.

I took the ring from the cushion and held her left hand. "I totally forgot about this," I said as I saw the ring on her finger, the heirloom.

"Mom gave it to me this morning. This is too much actually. I should return this to your mom after the wedding."

"It suits you," I said as I slipped the wedding finger and repeated what the officiant had told me to say. Then she did the same, placing the ring on my left ring finger.

It all went as it is. Smoother than I expected. Just then I heard the officiant say," Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the newly weds, Mr. and Mrs. Otohata." the crowd clapped as we were announced. Then something else, he looked at me and said, "You may now kiss the bride."

Oh, right. The first kiss. I looked at her and saw how red her face is. I can't help myself but to chuckle a bit because of her reaction. "I won't bite you," I said.

"I-I know," she turned her head on the other side avoiding my gaze.

I held the edge of her veil and raised it up revealing more of her lovely face. "Look at me," she didn't. I guess I don't have any choice but to do this.

I tipped her chin over forcing her to face me and high enough for me to reach her. Her copper orbs were locked on mine. I leaned over closing the gaps and placing a kiss on her soft lips. I felt her stiffened but finally relaxed after a second or so. I released her but not letting go of my eyes from hers.

"Way to go Rei!" I heard Yuuya from the crowd. The rest of the audience laughed and finally clapped.

Yes, from now on she is Otohata Aya.

End of Chapter 7

Author's Note : We're just getting started. Hooray to the newly weds!