A/N: Another update and three times longer than usual! We have reached Pin's wedding and I wanted it to be in one long chapter rather than splitting it up into multiple. Hope you enjoy and as always, thank you for your reviews, faves and follows. Your feedback is what keeps me going!
Please note that I am no expert in weddings, but have tried my best in researching before writing. If I have made any mistake, you are welcome to point it out and I will fix it. Pin and Mai opted for a western inspired wedding, hence the location and progression of ceremonies as described.
Chapter 19
"So, Kazehaya-san, what subjects do you teach?" Ibusaki, the bespectacled man asked casually as he and Sawako looked over the delivery of table bouquets for the wedding. Mai had wanted a customized table centerpiece consisting of flowers and candles and had enlisted Sawako's help weeks ago.
The soon-to-be bride had spoken to many vendors and had been advised not to have too big centerpieces, and although many florists offered to accommodate her wish for the table bouquets, she had opted for having her friends assemble them once she was satisfied with the design of them.
"Well, I am the homeroom teacher for my class at the academy, but I also teach them high school math and science." Sawako explained as she pulled open another box of lavenders. She loved the scent that wafted out of the box and inhaled deeply.
"And they are really only nine years old?" Ibusaki placed the final box on the table beside his companion. They were making small talk as they worked on combining the candles with the lavenders.
"Yes, and exceptionally talented." Sawako had actually tasked her class with creating sketches for the centerpiece. They had all been excited when Sawako asked them to help her with a special project for her friend. Two of her students had suggested they tie lavenders around a candleholder with a ribbon, so that the candles could be lit and the warmth help spread the aroma of the flowers. Mai-chan had loved the idea and ordered candles and flowers right away so that they would arrive in good time.
Being 9 years old, most of Sawakos hadn't really attended many weddings and loved hearing Sawako tell about her own wedding and stories of her and Shouta. Needless to say they had been ecstatic when Sawako revealed her pregnancy. Her class consisted of five girls and three boys, all incredibly smart and equally sweet children. They had been so happy for her and also a little sad that their favorite teacher would have to take a maternity leave come spring. The girls had gushed about babies for longer than the boys, but all of them had been interested in what Sawako told them about becoming a parent and what she and Shouta had struggled with.
Sawako, being the responsible and professional adult she was, had turned it into a discussion about life and responsibilities and briefly mentioned some of the biology and ethics about fetuses. Her class had been amazed when she told them that her baby could hear what they were saying, and often moved about in her womb.
"Does it hurt when the baby kicks?" The newest girl of Sawako's class had asked timidly. Sawako, who couldn't help but smile at the innocence of the question, had shaken her head and described the fluttering to her curious students.
The class had been very attentive of Sawako whenever she moved around, trying to see her baby bump through her usually loose fitting sweater. When Sawako noticed this, she had removed her sweater to give them a better view, but only that once. Her students were curious, but too polite to ask to see and Sawako wanted them to focus on their classes. She did, however, promise to visit them when her baby was born so they could see the future Kazehaya child.
Sawako was brought out of her reverie by Chizu and Ayane approaching her table to help with the candles. The two of them had been putting up the flowers in the chapel, and had just finished placing the pots in two straight rows on both sides of the aisle. The flowers in each vase Mai and Pin had chosen were red and white spray roses to signify their unity - although they had cheated by arranging them in vases of a single red rose encircled by ten white ones to symbolize their deep love for each other. Mai-chan had spent a lot of time with the florists to hear their opinion and whether it was acceptable or not.
"Need a hand?" Ayane asked with a smile. She had been feeling almost giddy about the wedding and was in high spirits at most times, which delighted her best friends.
"Sure." Ibusaki answered and handed her a bundle of lavenders and some ribbon. Chizu and Sawako started placing the finished ornaments on the tables around them, leaving Ayane to work with Ibusaki.
"It's so refreshing to see Ayane talking with Ibusaki-san." Sawako giggled as she and Chizu shot the two discreet looks, which Ayane noticed and promptly ignored.
"I think he likes her." Chizu admitted and pointed out how he fiddled with everything as he hung off her every word. He also kept pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, revealing his light brown eyes.
"Who doesn't?" Sawako laughed and recalled how many guys had asked Ayane out on dates since they were teenagers and still did.
She had even gone on a few after breaking up with Kento, but she hadn't seen any of the guys a second time. At first she had found it strange to see other people after ending a long relationship, but gradually realized that none of the guys she had gone out with had the wit or humor she looked for.
"Have they gone out yet?" Chizu lowered her voice and gestured toward Ibusaki and Ayane. She liked the guy and thought it would be good for them to get to know each other more.
"No, but he's been asking about her a lot." Sawako admitted. She, too, found the two suitable for each other and wanted to hear what Ayane thought about Mai's coworker.
"Well, let's just hope they get around to it after tomorrow." Chizu placed one of the candles in the middle of the table and straightened a few of the slender flowers.
"I hope everything goes well." Sawako was feeling the tiniest bit anxious about the big day tomorrow. It felt surreal that Mai and Pin would tie the knot around this time the following day.
It was close to noon when they finished the decorations and left the rest to the hotel staff, who had received clear instructions on how to set the tables and what color schemes to follow. Sawako was exhausted and hungry, so she waited for Shouta to pick her up and go home.
He arrived soon and they went home to prepare for the wedding. They had a few things that needed to be done and they were scheduled to eat dinner with Sawako's parents, so they were a little short on time. The noirette was looking forward to being a bridesmaid and had already decided on the accessories to go with her dress. The dress itself was a peach color and fit her surprisingly well. It was a little snug around the chest and wrapped around her figure in a very flattering manner.
Dinner with the Kuronumas went very well and the Kazehayas thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Sawako's mother had made a lot of dishes that were good for Sawako and had even regulated the spices in them to make sure the pregnant woman could stomach it.
"Do you have a due date yet?" Sawako's father asked when they were having tea.
"Yes, they estimated her to be due on the 20th July." Sawako answered and once again caught herself in rubbing a hand over her abdomen. Shouta looked at her and chuckled.
"I can't wait to hold her in my arms." Fumiko sighed dreamily. She had already helped Sawako and Shouta make a list of things they needed to get a hold of as soon as the wedding was over, and longed for her granddaughter to be born.
"We can't either." Shouta reached for Sawako's free hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Shouta have I ever shown you any of Sawako's baby pictures?" Takeru asked his son-in-law as he tried to remember where he had last put the photo album.
"Very few from when she was a toddler." Shouta answered cheerfully. His wife had been so cute when she was younger and from Fumiko's face, Shouta could tell that Sawako would be beautiful for many more years to come. He hoped his daughter would take after Sawako, but also wanted to see himself in her. Lucky for him, she inherited half his genome, so there was bound to be similarities.
"This first one is from when she was only a few minutes old and I got to hold her for the very first time." Takeru started his explanation as he pulled out some of Sawako's earliest pictures, pointing to each of them as he went along with his stories for the remainder of the evening.
The next day found Sawako fretting over each and every detail. She had gotten ready that morning and arrived at the chapel way earlier than the guests. She did a quick check on the seating arrangement and made sure all the flowers at the end of the benches were hanging properly, before hurrying to the room Mai was getting ready in. Ayane had wanted to do something to her hair and had told her to come to Mai's bridal room.
"Oh god, you look stunning!" The noirette gushed as her eyes fell on the bride in her beautiful dress. Mai smiled brightly and thanked her, complementing her as well. She couldn't hug her friend as Ayane had forbidden her to move while she worked on securing her veil and making sure it didn't get stuck in her hair.
The bridesmaids were all dressed in peach colored gowns, each outshining the other. Chizu had curls in her loose hair that bounced softly each time she moved. Her makeup was light and natural, softening her features and bringing attention to her eyes that were lined with black and her lips with a gorgeous pink lipstick.
Ayane who was fastening Mai's veil also had a few pieces of hair curled to frame her face, but had opted for pulling the rest back and held in place with a studded clip. A pair of earrings was dangling from her ears, matching the necklace that was resting against her collarbone and she too wore a minimum of makeup, only to emphasize her features.
"There you are, Sawako. Here, hold this." Ayane instructed as she handed her a rectangular box covered in dark velvet. She returned to her task of placing the veil correctly, and checking that it folded in the right places.
Sawako opened the box and saw a beautiful necklace resting on the dark cushion inside. It was a medium-sized piece consisting of a slim chain that held together a string of pearls, four on each side and one in the middle that functioned as the final link for a tear shaped diamond. It was simple, but eye catching at the same time and it was the perfect piece of jewelry for the bride.
The noirette looked the bride over once again, letting out a sigh of delight. Mai-chan was looking so radiant in her bridal dress and stood confidently in front of the full size mirror. Her dress was a long sleeved off-the-shoulder lacy gown that pooled around her feet and had a medium train spread out on the floor. Mai-chan had chosen the perfect dress with a full body and lace covering the torso, sleeves and collarbone where it dipped the tiniest amount. It went beautifully with her white strappy heels and her flawless makeup. Mai's eyes were lined with eyeliner, her eyeshadow was a combination of a gold lid and a dark brown - almost black - outer corner and she wore dramatic false lashes. Her skin looked flawless and was softened by her coral blush, while the perimeter of her face was bronzed and the highest points of her face were highlighted. It looked perfect with her red lipstick. Her hair was pulled back in an elaborate up do that allowed a few strands of hair to frame her face. She was stunning.
"Sawako? You're staring at the bride." Chizu poked the noirette in the side, effectively bringing her back to reality. The brunette grabbed hold Sawako's wrist and fastened a corsage that matched their dresses to it.
"She's so beautiful, I couldn't help but stare." Sawako admitted with her cheeks flushing briefly. She noticed that she and Ayane had chosen the same hairstyle and looked forward to the pictures that would be taken of them.
"You're making me blush." Mai commented with a bright smile as she twirled once for her bridesmaids.
"We're almost done, put this on." Ayane instructed as she gestured for Sawako to hand Mai the box.
"Are you ready?" Chizu asked with a slight smile. She had been sensing Mai-chan's anxiety all morning and hoped she wasn't getting cold feet.
"Yes, but nervous." The bride revealed. She had a habit of wringing her hands when she was nervous and was glad she had to hold her bouquet so her nervousness wouldn't show.
"You just go out there and walk straight up to him and soon you'll be bound to the idiot forever." Ayane teased Mai and applied the finishing touches to all their makeup. They still had a few minutes before the music was supposed to start and signal their entrance, so the four women made sure their outfits and hair were all in place and waited as the minutes slowly ticked by.
Finally Mai's mother, a gray-haired and kind looking woman of medium build appeared in Mai's waiting room. She politely greeted all of the bridesmaids and walked over to her daughter, embracing her tightly. Mai and her mother had always been close, but the thought of giving away her only daughter made the older woman's eyes well with tears. A lot of Mai-chan's family from Hokkaido was present and even Pin had a few relatives invited along with his parents.
"Don't cry Mom." Mai gently wiped the tears from her mother's eyes, fighting hard to stop her own voice from shaking.
"I'm sorry Maiko. You just look so beautiful." Mai's mother apologized and produced a tissue to dab the corner of her eyes.
"Maiko?" Chizu's sharp hearing hadn't missed how the bride had been addressed and the brunette smiled deviously. She was going to have fun with this new information. The bride's mother looked perplexed for a second before addressing her daughter, whose cheeks were heating up.
"Maiko never mentioned her full name? What a terrible friend you are!" She scolded half-heartedly, before reaching out to straighten Mai's necklace. They still had some time, before the bride was supposed to enter the chapel, and the older woman wanted to cherish their last few moments before her daughter became a married woman.
"We just always called her Mai-chan." Sawako explained, as she saw Ayane snicker quietly. She too was amused that Mai hadn't revealed her full name to them in the course of the two years they had known each other.
"Ah, that nickname has been around ever since she was a child." Her mother reminisced fondly.
"I can see why it still sticking. It's too cute to let go." Ayane teased lightly, putting away all of the makeup she had been using on herself and her friends.
She had been up at the crack of dawn to accompany Mai-chan to the salon and had been instructed by the makeup artists on how to touch up the bridal makeup before the ceremony, and she was now starting to feel a little weary. She still had a long day ahead of her, so she straightened her back and got ready to leave the bride's room.
At long last they were informed that the guests had arrived and been seated, meaning it was time for them to enter the chapel. Mai-chan took steadying breaths as she remembered how confidently she had walked in during the rehearsal earlier that morning. She needed some of that confidence now and summoned all of her courage to stifle the butterflies in her stomach. Her mother stood right in front of her and reached out to lower the veil over her face as a final act of the mother for her child. Mai-chan was handed her bouquet that was full of light pink hydrangeas - the very first flower Pin had gifted her. Being a summer flower, they had to order it from a florist that had magic fingers and knew how to grow them out of season.
Leading her out of the room and towards the chapel, the bridesmaids lined up in front of the doors where the grooms maids were standing, ready to accompany them inside. Shouta looked dashing in his black suit and slightly tousled hair and he waited patiently for his beautiful wife to take her place next to him. Ryu and Chizu were supposed to go in first, followed by Sawako and Shouta and then Ayane and Saburo. The brunette had secretly hoped that Ibusaki would be the one to accompany her, but she didn't mind it being Saburo either.
They all waited in front of the doors with the bride a little further back and watched as Mai's father took her arm. He was a tall man with broad shoulders and a kind, face with wrinkles around the eyes. The wrinkles aside, it was easy to spot the similarities in the features of the father and daughter. Mai had inherited his forehead and nose and had her mother's eyes, cheeks and narrow chin. The way they held themselves was another striking similarity. The bridesmaids and best men returned their attention to the big wooden doors to allow the small family their last moments of privacy before the ceremony, where Mai's father would escort her down the aisle as his last act for his child.
The music playing inside the chapel reached their ears and the group took it as their cue and got ready to enter as the big wooden doors opened. Rows and rows of guests were craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the bride before she entered, but she was completely hidden from sight behind her friends. Following the tact of the music they walked in and slowly made their way toward the altar. As they progressed, Shouta couldn't help but whisper to his wife.
"You look absolutely gorgeous today Sawako." He smiled brightly as he looked straight ahead and passed the first guests, whose eyes glided from each couple back towards the doors where the bride would appear shortly.
"Thank you. You look handsome as well." She replied as she leaned a little into him.
They walked the rest of the way in silence as they followed Ryu and Chizu, who were holding the rings for the exchange after the vows. Shouta had told Sawako the night before that Ryu had mentioned proposing very briefly and they suspected that he would pop the question soon. Sawako hoped he would, so Chizu could experience the joy of a wedding, but first they had to attend the one taking place right now.
Pin was standing at the altar with his back to the door and he was fidgeting just a little. He was bound to be nervous and anxious to see his bride, but he didn't turn around or look over his shoulder even as he saw the pleased look on Ibusaki's face from the sideline. He could feel them approaching and had to keep breathing deeply to prevent himself from running down the aisle, grabbing his beautiful bride and running away with her. The music came to a halt and the grooms maids and bridesmaids found their respective places, waiting for the bride to reach the altar. Pin tried to drown out the sighs and gasps he could hear from the guests and repeatedly told himself to wait for a few more moments.
She had reached the steps to the altar and Pin got ready to turn around. When he first laid eyes on her, he had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. His bride - the most beautiful bride in the world - was standing in front of him with her father beside her. Pin was so struck by Mai's beauty that he nearly forgot to bow for her father, but he recovered quickly and bowed deeply. Her father returned the bow and signaled the end of the procession by handing over his daughter to the groom.
The wedding pastor started the service with an opening hymn and followed with describing what love was by reading from the Bible. Shortly after, he started the prayer and moved on to explaining the sanctity of marriage and the importance of the vows. The guests were all excited for the real stars of the show - the vows - and were anxious to hear the exchange. The flowers along the aisle attested to the love between the bride and the groom, and the way they looked into each other's eyes spokes volumes about the depth of it.
Pin was scheduled to go first and racked his brain for the vows he had spent hours writing, but they had disappeared completely from his mind. Feeling the increasing pressure from all the attendants, he was rapidly starting to panic, but one look on Mai-chan's face washed away all of his panic. He tried once again to recall the vows, but nothing turned up in his mind. So, in true Pin fashion, he decided to wing it and just explain to people why they were there in the first place. Clearing his throat and reaching for his bride's hands, he started pouring his heart out.
"I, Kazuichi take you, Maiko to be my wife. I promise to always be your biggest fan and your partner in crime. I promise to create and support a family with you, in a house filled with laughter, patience, understanding and love. I vow not just to grow old together, but to grow together. I will love you faithfully through the difficult and the easy. Whatever comes our way, I will always be there, each one believing that love never dies. I'm giving you my hand to hold and my life to keep." Pin finished his beautiful promises and enjoyed the amount of impact the vows had on both his bride and the guests. He took advantage of his knowledge of literature and poems from his teaching days and added some romantic twists to it.
He could see tears build up in the corners of her eyes and from more than one place in the crowd, he could hear sniffling. It was the bride's turn to recite her vows, but she seemed to have a hard time getting the words to come out of her mouth. Pin decided to lend her some of his courage and started rubbing his thumb in circles on the back of her hands, and noticed the little grateful smile she sent him.
"I, Maiko, choose you Kazuichi to be none other than yourself. Loving what I know of you, trusting what things I will discover. I will respect you as a person, a partner and an equal. There is little to say that you haven't said already and little to give that is not already freely given. Before you asked me, I was yours and I am devoted to you in every way. I marry you with no hesitation or doubt, and my commitment to you is absolute." Mai ended her vows with a brilliant smile and squeezed Pin's hands lightly.
The crowd was moved to tears and Sawako had a very hard time trying to control the tears that flowed down her cheeks. Ayane and Chizu were standing beside her, both watching the beautiful ceremony and being happy for the couple from the bottom of their hearts. On the other side of the altar, all the grooms maids were smiling and had their eyes glued to the center.
The pastor signaled for the ring bearer to present the rings to the couple, and they each picked up a ring and presented it to the other, before placing it on the designated finger and in turns uttering the words:
"With this ring, I wed thee." The pastor nodded and made it official.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife."
The moment everyone had been waiting for, the couple more than anyone else, was finally here. It was time for Pin to lift up his wife's veil and claim her lips with everyone in the chapel as witnesses to his love. He picked up the veil and carefully lifted it over Mai's head, once again struck by the beauty of his wife, before moving in and pressing his lips to hers. Being unable to help himself, he reached his hands around the small of her back and pressed her closer to himself as the crowd cheered and applauded.
The officiant of the hotel waited for the couple to break apart, but seeing as they refused to let go of each other, he had to clear his throat loudly to get the closing remarks in, much to everyone's amusement. The recession started with Pin and Mai-chan taking the lead and heading to the venue of the reception with all the guests following.
"I'm so glad everything went well." Ayane let out a sigh of relief as she swirled the contents of her drink around in the glass.
"Same." Chizu replied equally relieved. She, Ayane and Sawako were occupying the table closest to the bride and groom along with their respective partners and Ibusaki and Saburo.
"It was a beautiful ceremony." Ibusaki commented as he for the umpteenth time pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose.
"I told you to wear contacts today. How many times have your glasses slipped down today?" Saburo scolded his friend, who now took them off to clean them.
"I didn't want my eyes to water constantly and be afraid of the lenses popping out." Ibusaki argued. He knew his glasses were old and crooked, but he liked wearing them and felt naked without them.
"I think they look good on you." Ayane blurted out before she could stop herself and felt her cheeks flame up when everyone's eyes were directed to her. She very badly wanted a hole to open up beneath her and swallow her. Shouta sensing his friend's embarrassment swiftly came to her rescue and changed the topic.
"Seems like they're about to toss the bouquet." He pointed out and watched the crowd gather in the center of the hall.
"I'm going to catch it!" Chizu declared and almost sprinted away from the table pulling Ayane along. Before she was dragged away, the brunette mouthed a thank you to Shouta, who in turn nodded. Sawako laughed lightly at their antics, thinking back to her own bouquet tossing, which made her realize something she hadn't thought about before.
"Shouta, remember how I misjudged the direction for tossing my bouquet at our wedding?" She asked him urgently, eager to share her discovery with him.
"I was slightly tipsy, but I think so." He answered, recalling their wedding reception.
"Remember who caught it?" His pregnant wife asked as a grin started spreading over her face. At this point Ibusaki, Saburo and Ryu were listening to the conversation, but before Shouta could answer, Ryu spoke up.
"Pin did." A small smile formed on his face as he remembered how Pin had scolded Sawako for having a terrible aim and demanding she throw it again properly.
"No way!" Saburo snickered. He and Chizu were very alike at one point. They loved to tease their friends and grabbed every opportunity to do it. He was going to have a blast with embarrassing Pin. The five companions watched the crowd preparing to catch Mai's flowers, and noticed that a lot of the girls present were Mai's cousins and a few of her other friends. Shouta asked Sawako to accompany him as he saw he was being waved at by his father and some of his friends.
Shouta's parents had been invited as well and had been surprised to see some of their old friends among the guests. They had, after all, been the ones who recommended Mai-chan's practice after Pin's accident, but at the time they had only known that an old friend of Mamoru's owned it. They made their way to the group of people and were properly introduced to each and every one, but it wasn't long before Sawako had to excuse herself to go back to her table and sit down. Her feet ached and she was starting to feel pain in her lower back too.
"Kazehaya-san, do you have a moment?" Ibusaki and Saburo appeared, with matching grim expressions on their otherwise handsome faces.
"Yes, is everything alright?" The noirette felt a small surge of panic as she contemplated what could be wrong at this point in the wedding. They still needed to serve the cake and Sawako hoped nothing had happened to it and that it wasn't the reason the two men were looking so grave.
"Well, yes. Do you remember Hiroyuki, our mentor?" Saburo asked and scratched the side of his neck. He had tried to talk to the pregnant Kazehaya more than twice that day and had been interrupted both times, so he asked Ibusaki to help him.
"Yes?" Sawako answered, not really seeing where this was going. As far as she knew, Hiroyuki wasn't in charge of the cake, so what could be wrong?
"We've known him for many years, and there is something you need to know about him. He used to be involved with Mai-senpai back when we started working at the clinic. Or rather, he had a thing for Mai, but she didn't return his feelings and only maintained a platonic relationship with him, which made him chase after her even more." Ibusaki revealed slowly, remembering the longer-than-appropriate glances he sent Mai.
"You don't think he's going to disrupt the wedding, do you?" Sawako's eyes widened at the information. Mai hadn't mentioned anything about her history with him, so she might not even have been aware. If he were to do anything to ruin the evening, Sawako would personally be responsible for punishing him.
"No, that's not-" Ibusaki protested, but had to stop himself when the subject of their conversation was headed their way. He looked helplessly over at Saburo who muttered something under his breath.
"Hello boys, Sawako-san." Hiroyuki greeted smoothly and placed himself next to Sawako - a little too close for comfort.
"Are you already on a first-name basis?" Saburo joked lightly, watching as Sawako discreetly stepped to the side to create more space between her and the newcomer to the conversation.
"Why wouldn't we be? Sawako-san has such a beautiful name, it is very fitting." Hiroyuki smiled pleasantly as the name rolled off her tongue, which made Sawako feel incredibly uncomfortable.
"You never stop chasing them, do you?" Saburo asked lightly, as he locked eyes with Sawako and tried to relay his message to her.
"No, I don't." Hiroyuki straightened his jacked and engaged his two colleagues in conversation.
Meanwhile Sawako was trying to decipher the look Saburo had sent her. What did he mean by that? She hadn't understood his remark, and her frustration must have shown, because Ibusaki cleared his throat to get her attention and gestured discreetly between her and his older colleague. Sawako's eyebrows knitted together as she caught on to what the two men were trying to tell her, but why would Hiroyuki be chasing after her? She didn't get to figure out the answer, before he suddenly addressed her.
"Sawako-san, would you have dinner with me sometime?" He spurred the question at her without warning, but Sawako quickly regained her composure and answered calmly.
"I will have to decline your offer." Now she understood what Saburo and Ibusaki had been saying and what Ayane and Chizu had implied long ago. He was actually interested in her.
"Why is that? I promise to be a perfect gentleman." He insisted, not noticing Sawako's appalled expression or the approaching of footsteps.
"Sawako, is he bothering you?" Shouta appeared and took his place at Sawako's side, letting his hand rest at the small of her back to make sure she was okay. He had heard the man asking his wife out to dinner as he approached, and it had quickly sent his blood boiling, but he was determined to keep his cool and deal with him as an adult.
"And who might you be?" Hiroyuki asked Shouta as he observed the physical contact between him and Sawako.
"He's her husband." Saburo rolled his eyes, tired of Hiroyuki's antics. This was exactly what he had been trying to warn Sawako about. It wasn't the first time his coworker had been so keen on courting a woman, but Sawako was married and three months pregnant for crying out loud!
"I think my wife rejected your offer, and I would prefer it if you stopped harassing her." Shouta scowled. He knew that Sawako would be able to handle him herself, but he had a feeling the guy was persistent and he didn't want his wife to become stressed.
"What do you mean husband?" Hiroyuki asked incredulously. He was staring at the two, waiting for an explanation. Finally, it became too much for Sawako and she snapped.
"As in we are married. My name is Kazehaya Sawako." She couldn't believe the nerve of this guy! She was tired and in no mood to deal with this creep. She faintly registered cheering from the crowd behind them, meaning someone must have caught the bouquet, but she was busy trying to keep her temper in check.
"That's what we've been trying to tell you. Her name is Kazehaya, not Kurohaya. It's just something Kazu-san calls her." Ibusaki added calmly. He was glad the misunderstanding could finally be cleared up and that Hiroyuki could stop pursuing the Kazehaya. He wasn't even sure if Hiroyuki had figured out that she was pregnant.
"I…had no idea." Hiroyuki finally admitted, feeling like an idiot for being interested in a woman who was happily married. The last piece of the puzzle fell into place when he caught a glimpse of the wedding band on her left hand and her rounded abdomen. Muttering an apology, he hurried away before he could make an even bigger fool of himself.
"You alright?" Shouta muttered as he pulled his wife closer. She was back to being her usual calm and collected self, so he guessed there was nothing to worry about. Still, he would like to know if she needed something.
"I'm fine. I would like to sit down, though." Sawako answered meekly as the exhaustion from the whole day caught up with her.
"Sawako! Ayane caught the bouq- what happened here?" Chizu came to an abrupt halt when she saw the four of them gathered and her friend looking extremely tired. Ayane followed close behind and peered curiously at them, bouquet still in hand.
"It's a long story. Tell you on the way to the table?" Ibusaki offered Ayane his arm and started repeating the encounter Sawako had with his colleague. Ayane took his arm and let him lead her back towards their table, not noticing the many knowing looks they were receiving from their friends.
If you made it this far, let me know your thoughts on the wedding (=w=)/