Happy third day of Akiba week. Today is one of the prompts that I have honestly had the most amount of ideas for… the future. There are so many ideas that I thought up for this prompt and, well, I hope that you'll enjoy it. Continuity for this is that all of it will be after Scramble. Sophia will be making an appearance in this chapter as a cat in a similar manner to Morgana. While plot elements and boss battle data have leaked for Scramble via the demo, we don't know what Sophia's ultimate fate is going to be. For the sake of this, she'll still be around, but be in a cat form.
Also, there will be some appearances by characters from other Persona games, and a few other head-canon elements. Just letting you know that.
Now then… I'll admit that there's just so much to talk about that we gotta get going now.
Disclaimers: Persona belongs to Atlus, Sega, and its other owners. I don't own the characters in this story.
Sunday. December 24th, 2017
Akira simply held his present for Futaba in his hands, waiting for her to enter, as Morgana simply slept not far away from where he was. Akira let out a nervous exhale, his eyes at the present, before the door to his room opened up. Futaba, currently in some pajamas with various Tetris pieces across them, walked over to his side with a present in tow.
"Merry Christmas Eve, Futaba," Akira smiled.
"Merry Christmas Eve, Akira-kun…" Futaba told him. She cuddled up closely to him, "Promise you'll still be here when I wake up tomorrow?"
"I promise."
"Well… he kind of can't go anywhere, since this is his home…" a white and red cat with teal eyes informed.
"You're not wrong, Sophia," Futaba responded.
The cat, Sophia, simply nodded her head. She then trotted over to sleep next to Morgana with a relaxed little smile on her face.
"Well… you ready for the gift exchange?" Akira asked.
"Ready when you are," Futaba told him.
The duo exchanged their respective gifts. Akira opened his up to reveal a plushie of Miaubby, and Futaba's gift was a plushie of Popimari.
"You got me the best starter from Pokejin Dawn and Dusk!" Futaba beamed, "I love Popimari so much!"
"Guess great minds think alike with you getting me Miaubby…" Akira remarked.
"Be honest, did Morgana pressure you into picking it because it's a cat?"
"Nah. I just liked the design."
Both simply smiled at each-other for a bit, setting their gifts aside, and then they hugged each-other. Their embrace remained for a while as exhaustion got a good hold on the duo. Akira and Futaba kept looking at each-other's eyes before they both fell asleep, embracing each-other.
The door to Akira's room soon opened up, with Akira's parents and Sojiro entering. They all saw the two sleeping side by side and they all had different reactions to this sight.
"They're so cute together…" Akira's mother whispered, carefully taking off Futaba's glasses, "There. She won't break these…"
"I'm happy that these two found each-other…" Akira's father muttered, "What about you, Sojiro?"
Sojiro simply stared at the sleeping couple, yet didn't say anything at the two. He eventually just pulled a blanket over them and left without saying a single word. Akira's parents, after a bit, followed Sojiro out of the room.
Monday. December 25th, 2017
Futaba slowly woke up with a relaxed smile on her face. Her vision was blurred, yet she could tell that Akira was right next to her. She then leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, causing him to wake up.
"Good morning, Akira. Merry Christmas," Futaba whispered.
"Merry Christmas, Futaba…" Akira whispered back.
Sunday. December 31st, 2017
Akira stood in front of the Tatsuhime Shrine, awaiting Futaba, as the last few minutes of 2017 were ticking away. He took out his phone to text her, but then he heard somebody approach.
"Sorry I took so long," Futaba apologized, "Your mom was so insistent on helping me out…"
Akira looked to see Futaba was in a green kimono with various flowers and bow designs along it, a green hairpin on the right side of her head, and her hair itself was done up in a fancy, fluffy, bun style. A blush formed on both of their faces as Futaba got closer to Akira.
"You look… amazing…" Akira gawked.
"Thank you…" Futaba responded.
Neither of them knew what to talk about, so they simply turned their attention up to the sky. The last few minutes soon ticked away and they could hear other people starting to count down.
"Happy New Year, Futaba."
"Happy New Year, Akira."
With that, the couple kissed right as the time finished ticking. They kept their lips locked as the fireworks went off to ring in the New Year, eventually splitting so that they could watch the fireworks light up the evening sky.
Monday. June 10th, 2019
The happy couple left the restaurant they had dinner at and were now aimlessly roaming around.
"College will be around the corner soon enough for you…" Akira remarked, "How does it feel?"
"Honestly? I don't know what to say. It's just… something that'll happen," Futaba shrugged.
"Do you have any idea where you'll be going?" Akira curiously asked.
"I don't know. Only thing I really want is…" Futaba began, then hugging Akira's arm, "To be close to you."
Akira simply smiled in response to what she said, "I'm glad to hear you say that, Futaba."
"You're welcome…" Futaba told him. She then noticed he was messing around with a phone, "Something come up?"
"Something I want to show you," Akira told her as he handed her his phone, "Read that."
Futaba nodded and looked it over, seeing it was about an apartment, "...Akira?"
"I wanted to ask… do you want to move into it together?" Akira offered, "I'd get if you don't want to, but-"
"I'd love to!"
Monday. June 17th, 2019
With all of the legal work finished and the apartment now furnished, it was time for the couple to move in. The other members of the Phantom Thieves all pitched in to help move their belongings into the apartment, so the two moving in was going along rather quickly.
"So… many… boxes…" Ryuji muttered as he set down another one, "Are there still more?"
"Not too many more," Akira informed after putting down a box, "We should be done before the end of the hour."
"I must ask, how much of this is Futaba's?" Yusuke curiously inquired.
"Little over half, I think?" Akira guessed.
"She has you wrapped around her little finger, dude," Ryuji stated bluntly.
"Ann has YOU wrapped around her finger," Akira retorted.
"Shaddup!"
"And that should be the last of the boxes," Ann stated when, suddenly, she sneezed.
"Are you okay?" Haru asked.
"Yeah. I guess the boys must be talking about me…" Ann guessed.
"Hey, thanks for all your help," Futaba told her former teammates, "If it was just me and Akira, it would've taken a lot longer…"
"It should be 'Akira and I'," Makoto stated.
Futaba just rolled her eyes before she walked back into Sojiro's house. Her eyes settled onto what used to be her bedroom, causing tears to start to form in her eyes.
"Are you alright?" Sojrio asked her.
She rubbed away the tears before she turned to face him, "I will be. I just…"
"Don't worry about it. This will always be your room in case anything ever happens," Sojiro assured her.
"Thanks…" Futaba smiled. She then took a step into her former room with a bit of a nostalgic look, "It's still so hard to believe that I've managed to leave it after so long…"
"In hindsight, maybe I should've allowed Akira to live here. He could've helped coax you out a lot sooner…" Sojiro remarked.
"Maybe, but who knows," Futaba shrugged. She then quickly pulled him into a hug, "Thank you for everything, Sojiro. I can never truly repay you for everything…"
Sojiro simply returned the hug and comforted her. Eventually, they split, and Futaba walked over towards the car with the others. Once it pulled away, Sojiro finally began to cry. His eyes soon looked up to a photo of himself, Wakaba, and Futaba that had been taken when Futaba was very young, "...she's growing up, isn't she?"
There was some silence before Sojiro spoke again.
"I hope that she's making you proud…"
"Well… this is our home now…" Futaba muttered.
"Try and keep it cleaner than your room back at Sojiro's," Yusuke stated.
"Quiet, Inari! Or else you won't be allowed to crash in our guest room!" Futaba threatened.
Akira couldn't help but chuckle a little in response to this exchange before he walked over with cups of water and soda for everyone there, "Thank you for the help, guys. A toast to the new home."
"He** yeah!" Ryuji cheered.
"Phantom Thieves forever?" Haru suggested, raising her glass to the air.
"Phantom Thieves forever!" the group responded, clinking their glasses together.
Friday. January 10th, 2020
It was a calm, relaxed, winter evening as Akira arrived back at the apartment with a bit of an exhausted look. He opened up the door and called out "I'm home" as he entered.
However, there was no response. He looked around for a moment, then seeing Futaba was fast asleep on the couch. Akira walked over to her side, seeing her laptop was opened and that she had finished some report for her job, before he then got a sly smirk on his face. He carefully walked off, came back with a feather, and then began to tickle her feet. Futaba then snapped awake with a laugh.
"Good evening," Akira greeted.
"Why didn't you just tap my shoulder or something?!" Futaba demanded to know.
"I just know this always gets you up," Akira told her with a sly smile.
Futaba blushed in annoyance, swiping away the feather, but then she cooled off a little. She then gave him a kiss to the cheek, "Welcome home."
"I'll get dinner started, ok?"
"Alright."
Wednesday. February 19th, 2020
"Good morning, Futaba," Akira greeted.
"Morning…" Futaba responded in a somewhat exhausted tone.
"Happy birthday," Akira added.
Futaba simply smiled in response to that, Akira soon bringing over breakfast, and her smile increased as she dug into breakfast.
"And I got great news. I managed to get today off of work, so we get to do whatever you want to do today," Akira told her.
"Will the others be able to visit?" Futaba inquired.
"I'll let you know later, ok?"
Futaba simply nodded her head in response. She eventually finished her breakfast and got something out of her jacket, "Well… there is something I wanna go do today."
"Alright…" Akira nodded, motioning for her to keep talking.
"There's going to be this Dragon Adventure convention with a signing by some of the VAs from the movie that came out last year…" Futaba continued to explain.
"That sounds like fun."
"And we're gonna cosplay!" Futaba concluded.
"Oh. Didn't see that part coming, but it is your birthday…" Akira remarked.
Eventually, the two were outside in their cosplays. The two arrived at a crosswalk that would lead to where the convention was occurring, when somebody noticed them.
"Hey, Akira, Futaba!"
"Ryuji?" Akira blinked as Ryuji, alongside Ann, walked over.
"Good to see you two," Ann greeted.
"Same to you," Futaba smiled.
"Happy birthday," Ryuji stated. He then looked over the duo with a bit of a confused look on his face, "So… are you two cosplaying or…?"
"Yup. We're going to be at a convention for a while," Futaba informed, "I'm Jess from Dragon Adventure 8, and Akira here is Hachi from the same game."
"...is the character's name just 'eight'?" Ryuji inquired.
"Basically," Akira shrugged.
"Well, have fun," Ann told the two.
Akira and Futaba simply nodded in response before Ryuji and Ann headed off. Akira took a moment to adjust the bandanna atop his head, then began to admire Futaba's cosplay.
"You look amazing…" Akira stated.
"So do you," Futaba smiled.
"Though, if you don't mind my asking, why aren't we the characters from Dragon Adventure 5…?"
Futaba simply exhaled and looked at the sky before she spoke, "...my mom and I used to play that one together. I just… have difficulty thinking about that game without thinking about her."
Akira then put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Futaba quickly shook her head and her excitement about the convention returned.
"Let's go and have a good time, Hachi!" Futaba smiled.
Akira only smiled in response to her.
"Good Hachi impression," Futaba stated before the two headed on inside.
Evening rolled around as the couple returned to their apartment. Ryuji and Ann eventually dropped by to give presents from themselves and some of the others, but they ended up needing to head off not too long later. Thus, Akira and Futaba were left to enjoy the evening by themselves.
"So… what'd you get me, Akira?" Futaba asked with a beaming smile, "I'll enjoy whatever you give me, like always, so…"
Akira simply smiled as he handed her the present, which she quickly tore open to reveal a CD of various songs. Futaba had an awestruck smile as she saw the CD and realized who it was made by.
"You got me a limited edition first release Tsubasa Oribe CD?! This has been out of print for years!" Futaba gawked.
"That Fortuna company that sponsors her is good pals with the Kirijo Group, and the leader of that company owes me a few favors," Akira informed.
"You're amazing!" Futaba gawked, hugging Akira happily, "I love you so much!"
"Love you too," Akira told her.
"Just you wait! I'm going to do something amazing for your birthday as well!"
"Can't wait to see."
Monday. August 31st, 2020
Akira gave off an exhausted sigh as he entered the apartment and sat down on the couch. He then saw a text from Futaba that read 'Will be home soon. Getting something for your birthday', so he simply stayed there and waited for her return.
Futaba eventually came home about an hour later and quickly got into her room to get something ready.
"Okay, I'm ready," Futaba informed, "Come on in."
Akira complied and he gawked upon seeing her in a full-on Sailor Moon cosplay.
"Tada~!" Futaba smiled.
"Wow… I'm impressed," Akira admitted.
"If you're impressed by this, then you'll be even more impressed with the next thing," Futaba stated with a small smirk. She then headed behind a curtain that was hanging up by her closet frame, "Because don't forget something all magical girls are good at."
Akira gave a bit of a confused look before he noticed the shadow of Futaba behind the curtain switching into something else.
"They all are good at transforming," Futaba beamed as she exited, now in a belly dancer outfit, "Tada. What do you think?"
Akira's entire face turned a very bright red in response to seeing Futaba like that. The orange-haired girl simply smiled, closed the door, walked over to her phone, and put on some music that matched up with her outfit.
"Happy birthday, Akira," Futaba told him before she began to dance.
Akira's face continued to be a very bright red as Futaba danced around for him. He could only watch as her dance showed the years of skill and practice she had with this style. Futaba simply smiled as she kept up the dance for another few minutes. She came to a stop as the song on her phone did.
"So… what did you think?" she asked. Futaba then noticed that Akira's entire face was a red shade and he was simply quiet, "Wow. Just like me back when we confessed."
Akira eventually seemed to pass out from the sight before him. Futaba just giggled a bit, then she gave him a simple hug.
"Happy birthday, my beloved…"
Thursday. July 14th, 2022
Akira, Futaba, Sojiro, Akira's parents, and all the other Phantom Thieves walked out of the airport to greet Hawaii's atmosphere with a big smile.
"I haven't been back in so long…" Akira's father admitted.
"It's so nice to be here again," Akira's mother added.
"Hey, Akira?" Haru spoke, "Thank you for allowing us to come to your family reunion."
"Well… you guys are all kind of honorary parts of my family," Akira responded.
"And we were happy to bring you all with us," Akira's father stated. He then noticed some people waving and holding a sign that read 'Kurusu' on it, "Aloha~!"
Akira's parents went over to greet the family in a happy hurry. Akira himself, meanwhile, turned towards Futaba.
"Well… what do you think?" Akira asked.
"It's certainly pretty," Futaba admitted.
"Sure is," Akira smiled.
The sun began to set and the Kurusu family, plus the others, were having a barbecue. Akira took Futaba around to meet other parts of his family and they all seemed to like her. After a while, Futaba was just sitting in a beach chair and staring at the sky.
"...wow… this… this is different…" Futaba muttered.
"You alright?" Akira asked.
"Yeah…" Futaba told him, "Just… a little overwhelmed…"
"You want to go somewhere private?"
Futaba gave a nod. The two soon walked off to somewhere a bit more isolated where they could see the sunset.
"Your family seems great…" Futaba stated, "It's just a little strange to have family that's so… caring."
"I get it," Akira told her comfortingly. He then took a deep breath before speaking again, "Futaba… how long have we been together?"
"Six years," Futaba stated.
"Six years… well, those six years have been some of the greatest times of my life…" Akira spoke, making Futaba turn to him, "Because I've had you in them. I love you more than anything else, Futaba."
"Aww… I love you too," Futaba smiled.
"And nothing would make me happier than… to make that love eternal," Akira continued, getting down on one knee and taking out a small box.
Futaba gasped as she realized what was going on.
"Futaba Sakura… would you marry me?" Akira asked.
Tears began to form in Futaba's eyes as she looked over the ring in the box, "Akira…"
She then wiped away her tears before moving her hand forward, "Yes. Yes I will."
Akira happily placed the ring onto her and gave her a quick kiss to the lips. He then took her hand and gently guided her back into the party.
"Hey, Akira, Futaba, where were you? You missed out on some good food!" Ryuji informed.
"Did something happen?" Ann asked.
Akira, smiling a very wide smile, then walked over to his parents and spoke, "She said yes."
"Congratulations," Akira's father stated.
"I'm so happy for you two," Akira's mother added.
"Wait… what's going on?" Sojiro asked.
Futaba then showed off her new engagement ring and everybody but Akira and his parents gasped at the sight.
"I guess I'll be a part of this family a lot more often," Futaba remarked.
"Congrats!" Ann stated.
"It'll be a splendid day," Yusuke added.
"How long have you been planning this, man?!" Ryuji demanded to know.
"Wait… you guys didn't know?" Futaba asked.
"Only ones I told were my parents," Akira informed, "Didn't want to run any risks of the plan reaching you before I was ready to ask."
"Well, given somebody's reputation…" Futaba remarked.
Ryuji just sighed in response to that.
Sunday. July 24th, 2022
Futaba, Haru, Ann, Makoto, Hifumi, Naoto, Rise, and Yukari were all at a wedding dress shop to pick out Futaba's wedding dress. It had been going on for about three hours at that point with no success.
"Are we done yet?" Futaba inquired.
"It's for your wedding, so it needs to be perfect," Ann stated.
"Go back in and try on the next one," Rise advised.
"...and of course you bring in a famous singer and FeatherPink's actress so that I'll stay in line…" Futaba muttered before going back to try on the next dress.
"Mitsuru-senpai insisted that we show up," Yukari informed, "She wants to make sure you have a great wedding since you are the first of the Phantom Thieves to get married."
"Well, technically, there's Wolf, but would his wedding count with his wife not being a Phantom Thief?" Futaba pondered.
"Let's just say this is for fact the first wedding in our group for sake of simplicity," Makoto stated.
Futaba simply nodded her head. She eventually walked out in her dress and most of the group awed at it.
"Perfect," Ann stated.
"Well… um… there is one addition I'll need to make to it if it really is perfect," Futaba informed.
"What?"
The orange-haired girl then walked over to a bag with some of her belongings and took out what looked to be a pink-red scarf of sorts.
"What's that?" Haru inquired.
"It's a ribbon… it was my mom's…" Futaba told the girls, the room now growing a bit quiet with that. Futaba nervously ran her hands along the ribbon, "It was the only thing of my mom's will that the rest of my birth family allowed me to have. She wore it when her sister was married and she wanted to wear it when she got married. So… I'm gonna wear it with my wedding dress."
Ann and Rise then walked over to give the ribbon a look before they found a good spot to tie it up, near the neck of the dress, and smiled at their handiwork. Futaba gave it a look in the mirror and smiled at the sight.
"This dress… it's truly the one," Futaba smiled.
"Hey, Futaba, where are you?" Akira inquired into his phone, "I'm at the cake shop that Kirijo-san recommended. I've been waiting about… an hour now…"
"I'm sorry. The wedding dress stuff took a lot longer than I thought it would. ...then again, I knew for fact Ann would be there, so it really shouldn't be a surprise…" Futaba explained.
Akira could almost hear Ann yell "hey!" in response to what Futaba just said. He then cleared his throat a bit, "Well… I'm going to go ahead and start talking to the baker about the order if that's okay."
"We'll be there in about three more minutes, so go ahead and get the hedgehog rolling," Futaba responded.
"Alright, see you soon," Akira told her. He then hung up and entered the cake shop. He approached the counter and saw somebody that wasn't working nearby, "Hey. Is this where I place an order?"
"Yes it is, how can I help you?" an older looking man asked.
"I'm here to place an order for a wedding cake," Akira stated.
"Oh. Is it for you?"
"Yeah. My fiancé is on her way from getting her dress," Akira explained, "We've been together about six years now and I asked her the question ten days ago."
"Alright. Well, I can get started on details for the figures that'll go on the cake. I already got a good look at you, but go ahead and tell me about your girl," the cake baker informed Akira.
"She's a bit short… reaches about up to my shoulder… has long orange hair… wears these great glasses, has brown eyes…" Akira spoke.
The details began to ring a bell in the cake baker's mind and a scowl formed on his face. Akira didn't seem to notice the baker's expression change as he continued to talk about Futaba. Eventually, the door opened up and Futaba walked over to Akira.
"Akira, I'm here," Futaba informed.
"Well, I've already started to talk to the baker here," Akira told her.
"Great," Futaba smiled as she walked up to the baker, but then paled a bit upon seeing who it was, "...um… Akira? Why'd you pick this bakery?"
Akira was about to inform her, but stopped before he could even start when he saw her expression.
"I'm going to have to ask you two to leave," the baker stated, "I don't sell cakes to murderers…"
"Wait, what?" Akira blinked.
"Take my advice here, kid. Break it off," the baker stated.
"...you're an Isshiki, aren't you?" Akira realized.
"Yeah. What's your fiancé here? Nothing but a murderer," the man stated.
"...I didn't kill mom…" Futaba spoke.
"We all heard the suicide note, you brat. Now get out before I call the police," the man angrily stated.
Futaba's breathing became a bit shaky and she gripped her head as if to block out sounds. Akira quickly realized what was going on and put himself in front of Futaba's line of sight in order to try to calm her down.
"It's okay… it's okay…" Akira whispered to her.
"DIdn't you two hear me? I said-"
"We ARE leaving!" Akira nearly shouted, "And take my advice. Stay away from our wedding."
"Take MY advice, leave that k-"
Akira took one of Futaba's hands and quickly got them both out of the bakery. Futaba slowly managed to calm down as they walked further and further away from the area.
"I'm so sorry, Futaba. I didn't know who ran the place…" Akira apologized.
"...it's okay…" Futaba told him, "...I'm going to be fine."
"I'm going to go tell Kirijo-san about this. See if she could make sure those people don't bother us when the wedding happens," Akira told her, "It may be a while. Do you have anyone to talk to while I'm not around?"
"Yeah… my cousin," Futaba informed.
"Alright. I'll see you back at the apartment," Akira smiled, giving her a quick kiss to the forehead.
Akira eventually arrived at a branch building of the Kirijo Group that he knew its boss would be at that day. He quickly headed up to one of the higher floors and was greeted by the husband of the current CEO.
"Hey, Kurusu, it's good to see you," the man greeted.
"Where's your wife? I need to speak with her," Akira informed.
"Mitsuru's in the room back there, but-"
Akira then hurried over to knock at the door, "Kirijo-san, it's Akira."
"Akihiko, Kurusu, Come in," Mitsuru responded.
Mitsuru's husband, Akihiko, then opened up the door so the two could enter.
"It's good to see you, Kurusu," Mitsuru greeted, "What do I owe this unexpected visit to?"
"New cake shop for the wedding," Akira stated bluntly as he handed her back a card.
"What? But what's wrong with this one? It made the cake for mine and Akihiko's wedding a-"
"One of Futaba's biological family members ran it and kept calling her a killer," Akira told her.
The statement cut the calm atmosphere of the room in half like a hot knife through butter. Mitsuru let out a heavy sigh in response to what Akira informed her.
"Kurusu… I have to apologize. I had no idea that somebody in your fiancé's family worked there…" Mitsuru apologized.
"I'm not blaming you for any of this. You're doing so much for the wedding, I can't really be angry at you," Akira told her.
"As I said after I got informed about this originally, think of it as my helping of an old employee's daughter," Mitsuru stated.
"I also have to ask you… how long will it be for you to file a restraining order?" Akira questioned.
"About a week, tops. Why?"
"I want to make sure that Futaba's biological family doesn't ruin our wedding. That whole family needs to stay away from it…" Akira stated, anger clearly seething below his calm expression.
"Need I remind you that one of my employees is her cousin?" Mitsuru reminded.
"Right. Futaba's never said anything bad about her, so I guess skip her," Akira figured, "Also, we met up with her biological father. He has another kid, but they're good people. So I guess they won't be given a restraining order."
"Duly noted," Mitsuru nodded.
Futaba tapped the side of her laptop as she awaited her cousin to pick up the video call. She took another breath to calm herself before the screen finally showed another room.
"Futaba-chan? It's good to see you!"
"Good to see you too, Fuuka," Futaba greeted, "Hope you weren't too busy…"
"It's alright. So, how are you?"
"Could be better… I ended up seeing my great-uncle today…" Futaba informed, "He… he kept calling me a killer."
"The one who runs the bakery? Oh… Futaba, I'm so sorry that happened. I've tried to tell the others about what actually happened to your mom, but they refuse to listen to me…" Fuuka apologized.
"It's alright. I've got you, I've got the others in the Shadow Operatives, I've got the Investigation Team, I've got Sojiro, I've got the Phantom Thieves, and I got Akira. It's more than enough to make up for the family that I lost," Futaba told her, "I just… needed to cool my head off a bit more."
"Speaking of your boyfriend, where is he?"
"He went to go speak with your boss since she was the one who told us about the bakery."
A bit of a confused expression came onto Fuuka's face in response to what Futaba just told her, "Okay, um… why did Mitsuru-senpai tell you two about the bakery?"
Futaba quickly realized she had yet to inform her cousin about the joyful news, a smile quickly coming onto her face, "Oh yeah. Sorry I forgot to tell you. Um… well… I'll show you…"
Thus, Futaba showed off her engagement ring, "He proposed and I said yes."
"Oh my. Congratulations, Futaba! I'm so happy for you two!"
"Thanks. Uh… I'll give you a more proper invite when we solidify everything else, but we set the wedding for December 18th."
"Alright. Um… is there any significance to that date for you two or…?"
"It's the day that the man who gave Akira his criminal record had a change of heart," Futaba informed, "It's just such an important day in our lives that we wanted to make it another important day. Oh, and also, while we were in Hawaii when Akira proposed… our team agreed that whoever has a child first will get to name them Kaito."
"Well, the name would work for you two. Uh, the 18th of December…" Fuuka stated as she checked her schedule, "I'll be free that day, so I'll be there for sure!"
"Thanks, Fuuka. It means the world to me that you can show…" Futaba told her.
"Not a problem. Well, I need to get going. Talk to you soon," Fuuka responded.
Futaba waved as the message ended. Akira then walked on into the apartment, to which Futaba walked over to hug him.
"How'd the chat with your cousin go?"
"Good. I'm happy… plus, she can make it to the wedding," Futaba smiled.
"Good to hear," Akira smiled before he returned the hug.
Sunday. December 18th, 2022
Futaba gave a nervous exhale as Akira's mother worked on making sure that she was ready for the walk down the aisle.
"Alright. You're good to go, Futaba," Akira's mother told her, "Aww. You look amazing. Wakaba-chan would be so proud of you right now."
"Thanks," Futaba told her, "Well… I guess after today, you'll be my mother in a sense."
"Futaba… I've been your mother since you and Akira started to date. I've always considered you a part of the family," she informed, "The wedding will just help cement that."
"Yeah…" Futaba nodded.
Akira stood in the church, adjusting the neck of his tuxedo a little, when Yu walked up to a station nearby him.
"Hey, Sen-"
"You can just call me by my name, you know," Yu told him.
"Right. Yu, uh… thank you for agreeing to help with the wedding," Akira graciously thanked, "You have no idea how relieved I am that somebody was able to show up after the previous one had to call in sick."
"It's no problem. I'm always happy to see bonds between people grow," Yu smiled as he took his position.
"...if you don't mind my asking… what's it like to be married?"
Yu's eyes then fell over to where Naoto was sitting, the two quickly waving at each-other, before he turned his attention back over to Akira, "It's a commitment, but it's well worth it. Never regret the choices that you've made with all your heart."
Akira simply nodded a bit before he heard the person at the piano begin to play. He kept a calm face as the doors to the church opened up and Futaba walked forward. The couple simply had a happy, calm, look at each-other. Flowers were dropped forward by Morgana and Sophia as Futaba continued towards the altar. The two cats were soon scooped up by Ryuji and Ann once their job spreading the flowers was finished. Futaba then arrived at the altar and gave a smile towards Akira.
"Please be seated," Yu began, with everyone taking their spots in their seats, he then looked over what he needed to say and recited it with a happy tone, "First, I'd like to begin by welcoming everyone and thanking each and every one of you for being here on this most happy of days. It's no accident that each of you are here today, and each of you were invited to be here because you represent someone important in the individual and collective lives of Akira Kurusu and Futaba Sakura. This occasion is one that I know is not only monumental for the wedded-couple-to-be, but for all of us who are lucky to know and love them as individuals; but even more so as a perfect pairing. The most remarkable moment in life is when you meet the person who makes you feel complete…"
Futaba simply gave a happy wink towards Akira at that statement, and Akira simply smiled back at her.
"The person who makes the world a beautiful and magical place. The person with whom you share a bond so special that it transcends normal relationships and becomes something so pure and so wonderful, that you can't imagine spending another day of your life without them…" Yu continued, unaware of the short exchange between the couple, "I feel privileged to be here today among all of you as a witness of their commitment to a lifetime of love for one another. I think I've had the good fortune to meet most of you here today at some point or another, but for those of you whom I haven't met, my name is Yu Shirogane. I met Akira a long time ago back when he was very young and when my last name was simply Narukami. I have been a mentor to him for about five or so years now and, I'd say, he's a really nice man."
"I think it's been longer than that…" Akira muttered.
"As for his beloved, I may not have known her as long, but I have met her numerous times. And, I must say, these two are a perfect match for each-other," Yu spoke, now gaining a larger smile as he reached the part that he enjoyed reading the most, "I wish I could tell you a single story about Akira and Futaba that summarizes their relationship and how they enrich each other's lives, and the lives of each of us, but the truth is there isn't one single event that is a good encapsulation of what they mean to me, to each other, and to all of us. But what I do know is that both of them care deeply and passionately for each other; they protect each other; they make each other laugh and think outside themselves; that time magically seems to both fly and slow down when they're together. They help each other in ways that are obvious and unnoticed, but always appreciated."
Sojiro simply nodded his head at that last remark.
"What I wish for them on their wedding day is that their lifetime together as a team is one of complete contentment; full of those moments that they wish would never end, and that they continue to make one another smile and laugh as they make each of us do. And now… without further ado..." Yu continued, then paused for a bit of a dramatic effect, "The vows. Dearly honored and beloved guests, we are gathered here today to join Akira Kurusu and Futaba Sakura in the union of marriage. This contract is not to be entered into lightly, but thoughtfully and seriously, and with a deep realization of its obligations and responsibilities. If anyone has any objections or things to say, speak now, or forever hold your piece."
The church fell silent for a few moments before Sojiro simply stood up.
"Sojiro…" somebody muttered.
"I only have one thing to say to them both. ...take care of each-other," Sojiro simply stated. He then sat right back down without another word.
Nobody else spoke or rose, so Yu continued to the next line, "The bride and groom have each prepared vows that they will read now."
Futaba cleared her throat and looked to Akira, "Akira… you are the single greatest person that I have ever met. I never thought that I would find a person that I would love with all my heart… but then you came along. You took me off my feet like how a certain portly plumber always rescues his princess in the video games. You cheer me up when I'm down like gaining a one-up in a level that would give you a game over. And you make me feel all kinds of emotions like we were in a dating simulator. Only… this is all real life. And you're real too. You stole my heart so long ago… and you'll always have it."
Akira smiled at her before he spoke, "Futaba. I didn't know what to expect when I originally had to go out to Tokyo, but finding a girlfriend was not something I was thinking would happen. ...or ever given what happened. Then… I found you. It may not have been immediate, but I realized you were the one for me. And these past six years… I don't regret a single day we've spent together… and I want to love you for the rest of my days."
Futaba giggled a bit in response before they were handed the wedding rings.
"And now… Akira Kurusu, do you take Futaba as your wife, promising to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, holding only unto her forevermore, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
"I do."
"And Futaba Sakura, do you take Akira as your husband, promising to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, holding only unto him forevermore, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
"I do."
"Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss," Yu stated.
With that, Akira and Futaba kissed each-other and the entire room erupted into cheers. A few cheers of 'Phantom Thieves' came from around the room, but all Akira and Futaba could think about at that moment was each-other and whatever would come their way going forward…
The wedding eventually moved into a dining room with Akira and Futaba standing nearby the large cake that was simply waiting to be eaten. Various congratulations came from friends and families all around the room. After a while, the two were ready for the cake, and Futaba took a moment to speak.
"Um… hi everyone," she spoke, everyone hearing her via a microphone, "Thank you all so much for being here. It means a lot to me. And now… for our lovely cake. I would like to quickly thank Haru for helping us find a new baker to make it. Let's just say our first attempt at a bakery didn't go so well and leave it at that."
Mitsuru simply gave a nervous chuckle in response to that remark.
"And, uh… I have to say… I'm going to dedicate this first slice of the cake to someone. Um… my mother, Wakaba Isshiki, is no longer with us. But… I know she wanted me to get married someday. This ribbon here was from her for me to wear on my wedding day. So…" Futaba spoke before she was handed a knife for the cake, "This one's for you, mom. I know you would have approved of Akira…"
With that, Futaba cut into the cake and the room began to cheer for the newlywed couple.
Evening eventually arrived and the newlywed couple headed out to their car. Akira couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the hood of the car had the Phantom Thieves logo on it.
"Alright… it's time for the bouquet…" Futaba said to herself. She turned around and let the bouquet sail into the air. She couldn't help but chuckle when she heard the women clamoring over it.
"Um… Futaba…?" Akira muttered, making her turn around.
Futaba then noticed that the bouquet had landed in the hands of her half-sister. She paled upon seeing that since she knew that her sister was dating Yusuke…
"No, you can't get married next," Futaba quickly said.
"But it's tradition," her sister retorted.
"No, you can't go next."
"I'm the older sister here, Futaba. I can do what I want," she reminded.
"Let's… go," Akira advised.
Futaba simply decided to leave it at that before she got into the car and they drove off for the hotel they were going to be staying at.
The hotel room was rather quiet and had a very wonderful view. Futaba walked over to look at the registry information for the room and simply smiled upon seeing it read "Akira Kurusu and Futaba Kurusu".
"I think I can get used to this," Futaba admitted.
"Welcome to the first day of the rest of our lives, Futaba," Akira stated.
The duo simply smiled before they kissed once more. No longer just a couple, but now as husband and wife for many years to come no matter what came their way.
I must apologize that this ended up being a little late. However, with that, it's on Futaba's birthday in some parts of the world. Happy birthday Futaba. Also, in other parts, it's still technically the 18th, so… score me? Ah well.
I'll admit that the ending scene with the wedding did have some elements I ended up deciding to axe out for various reasons. Amongst them were Lavenza being the flower girl, showing a bachelor and bachelorette party for Akira and Futaba, and a scene where Futaba has her first child with Akira and his name was "Kaito Kurusu". Those ended up needing to get scrapped due to time. The scene with the cake slicing and the bouquet being thrown almost got removed, but I liked the ideas far too much to axe them out even if this meant the chapter was far later than I wanted it to be.
Now then… references. Pokejin is supposed to be Pokémon and the two plushies are supposed to be Litten and Popplio. Dragon Adventure is supposed to be Dragon Quest, with Akira and Futaba cosplaying as the Dragon Quest 8 hero and Jessica. Felt it was fitting given how the latter has orange hair like Futaba. And then Sailor Moon was left unchanged. Just cause.
Fuuka being related to Futaba and the mention of Futaba having a half-sister are both head-canons. I would be saying who her half-sister actually IS, but that's a topic for another fanfic, so that's gotta remain hush-hush. Sorry.
Well… I have to say my favorite part was the proposal and the wedding. It was just so cute.
I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for the next one. Like this one… I had a lot of ideas for it. We'll see how posting it actually goes.
Just Live More.