Episode Three

Wedding

The coffee slowly oozed out of the vending machine into a paper cup. As he stood in front of the machine, he reached up and tucked a lock of purple hair behind his ear. He glanced over his shoulder as he heard someone enter the room. "Hello, Mizuno-san. How are you?"

Walking by with an arm load of papers, the blue-haired girl greeted her collogue with a smile and headed over to the table in the break room. She plopped the stack of papers down and headed to the refrigerator. When the machine was finished, Shun took the cup of coffee and sat down. Instead of drinking it, he swished the gooey paste that was supposed to be coffee. Ami sat down with her lunch. She looked over at Shun playing with his coffee cup. He tipped the cup upside down. The gel slowly crept downwards but didn't move fast enough to hit the table.

She smiled and started to put out her lunch. He looked over at the broken coffee pot on the counter. "I really hope they replace the coffee pot soon."

"Even with the viscosity of that goop coffee you've got there, I'm sure it'll hit the table before another coffee pot is purchased." Ami said, cracking a very nerdy joke, but they both chuckled warmly.

Shun looked over at Ami's lunch. She had leftover spaghetti in a plastic Tupperware dish. "No sandwich today?"

"No, sandwich, but I like spaghetti though."

Shun cleared his throat. "So I noticed you have this weekend off."

"Yes, I'm going to be in my friend's wedding this Saturday."

"Oh," Shun uttered. "All weekend?"

Ami took a sip of her water. "Yes, probably. Knowing my friend, Serena…" Ami stopped her sentence and began to laugh a little.

Shun fell quiet and looked down at his coffee cup. Ami looked over at him, noticing the change in his mood, but having no clue as to why. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I mean, you had this weekend off, and I had this weekend off…" He stopped for a moment.

Ami still looked confused. "What do you mean?"

He pondered for a moment. He had known Ami awhile. She was extremely intelligent, but socially clueless. "I wanted to take you out."

"Out where?" She questioned.

"On a date." He smirked—she was so innocent sometimes.

Ami's mood complete shifted. From lighthearted and carefree, she shifted into serious and anxious. "You wanted to take me out on a date?" She looked over at the purple haired young man. Shun was always someone he highly respected for his intelligence, kindness, and strength of character. She enjoyed her friendship with him during her internship greatly. As she sat there staring at the man, a small smile crept upon her face. She could see herself with someone like him.

"I understand if you're busy."

She pondered for a moment. "Serena did say I could bring a date if I wanted." She looked back over at Shun. "If you wouldn't mind going to a wedding, that is."

Shun shook his head. "I don't mind." He smiled.

She sat in the small souvenir shop at Hikawa Shrine with her elbow on the wooden counter and her fist pressed against her face. Her attention was fixated on a certain man. In his new blue and white priest uniform, he quietly swept the sidewalks. He wasn't wearing his glasses today. When he was at school, he dressed very formal and western, but when he was at the Shrine, his heart and core of being was revealed. Even though he embellished in western culture, he was Japanese by heart and soul. That's what Raye liked about him. She sighed. For the past couple of weeks, he had been working at the Shrine. She had talked to him a little bit over the past three weeks, but it just didn't seem to be working out. Helplessness constantly washed over her heart. She started to notice that girls at school were after him too. There were always young and beautiful girls lined up at his office, and even older women following him around the cafeteria. She had no chance with him.

While looking down at the standard blue love charms, she pondered upon the pink charm she found a few weeks ago. She figured it must have not been a real love charm since fate has only teased her instead of bringing her love, but the charm did have the kanji of love on it. The wooden door of the shop scraped across the wall as it was being opened. Raye looked over. "Is there something wrong?"

Akira stepped into the shop. "Your Grandfather asked me to help you."

Raye glanced outside. There were no customers and there hardly had been anyone who wanted to purchase a charm. Looking away, an annoyed look washed over her face. That old man was up to something.

"What would you like me to do?"

Raye shrugged. "There really isn't anything to do. We'll just have to wait for a customer to come by."

Akira sat down on the other stool while Raye was already on the other one. They would both glance around the tiny shop looking at the minute details of the corners and floor. While he wasn't paying attention, Raye looked over at him. Even though he was only three years older than her, he seemed so grown up and mature for his age. He looked over on the back counter. Curiously he reached over and grabbed a book. It was the Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. He started to flip through the pages. "Are you in World Literature class?"

Raye shook her head. "No, I just like to read."

Akira looked up with a small smile. "Apparently so: Twelfth Night, Tale of Genji. What's next?"

Raye shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever is interesting, I suppose."

Akira pondered for a moment. "Are you really that indifferent, or are you just shy?"

Raye's eyes bulged. That was an extremely blunt statement. For a moment, it almost made her want to hate him, but in that same moment, it made her love him all the more. "What is that supposed to mean?" She snapped.

"You always shrug your shoulders at everything as if you don't care." He glanced away for a moment. "I don't think that's who you are at all."

"And how do you know who I am?" Raye spat. "You've worked here three weeks, and you think you know everything about me?"

"Yes," He uttered.

She was irate. "I don't think you do!"

He smirked and stood up off his stool. "You have fire inside of you." He glanced away for a moment. "You're dying everyday."

"What?" Raye's anger relented. He spoke the perfect words that seemed to describe her heart everyday. Her fire was dying. As he cut through her defenses, she was able to see past them into her herself and even into him. Without words, he stood there brutally honest. As she stared him down, she really saw him. "You're crushed into dust, and you don't know how to put dust back together."

He solemnly nodded. "Yes, you do see."

While they were fighting, a young school girl came up to the shop and stood at the counter. "Can I get a love charm, please?"

Raye turned her attention to the customer and made the exchange. Akira stood in the shop silently. After the girl was gone, Raye turned back towards Akira. Nobody had ever seen so deeply into her soul or even cared to. The thought of letting someone into that place scared her, but she thirsted for intimacy with another soul desperately. She looked down to the floor. "Perhaps I should leave."

Akira shook his head. "No, don't do that. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Raye surprised herself—she said she was sorry.

He glanced away for a moment. "I shouldn't have been so harsh with you." He looked back to her. "You're different. I just don't want you to lose your fire and become like everyone else."

Raye shook her head. "You don't even know me."

"I know enough about you." He stepped towards the door and opened it. "Goodbye, Raye-san."

He bowed for his exit. "Goodbye, Akira-san."

Serena worked hard on preparing a meal for Darien. Rummaging through the kitchen, she looked around for a spatula. She was attempting to make grilled chicken salad. The lettuce and vegetables were really—all that was left was the chicken. She looked down over the paperwork laid across the kitchen table. "Darien did you decide who you want to fill in as your 4th groomsman?"

"Yes,"

"Really?" Serena walked into the living, surprised that Darien had taken care of this detail. "Who is it?"

"A friend from high school."

"Do I know him?"

"No, I don't think so." Darien pressed a button on the remote for the television. Bored, he was flipping through the channels.

"Does he know we have dress rehearsal on Friday?"

"Yes, I told him the time, place, and date." Darien smirked, very proud of himself. "I even sent him to rent his tuxedo size."

"Baby!" Serena exclaimed. "You're really doing a good job." Serena leaned over the couch and kissed his cheek. She walked back into the kitchen and looked over the paperwork. "Okay, for our bridesmaids and groomsmen, we have Andrew and Lita, Ami and Sammy, Mina and Yuji, and Raye and…" She looked up. First she grabbed then pan of chicken. "Darien, what's your friend's name?"

Darien flipped through the channels. "Akira Kawamori."

Serena dropped the pan of chicken. Quickly, Darien spun around off the couch and looked into the kitchen. "Are you okay?"

Serena looked over the kitchen floor. Pieces of chicken flew everywhere. She couldn't even make a salad with chicken pieces as a topping. "Yes, I'm fine." She shook out of her daze. Sometimes thing worked out too perfect. She grinned. She was going to get Raye a boyfriend.

The old man walked around the Shrine greeting the visitors, flirting with the pretty girls, and inspecting the work of his two employees. He walked down the stone sidewalk and came up behind Akira.

The young Priest swept the broom back and forth across the sidewalk. Akira stopped for a moment and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He looked across the yard. The young miko was bent over, planting few flowers in a patch by the trees. The man watched her diligently for a few moments.

"She is a looker, isn't she?" Grandpa smirked.

Startled, Akira jumped. He quickly spun around. "Excuse me, sir?"

An evil grin spread across the face of the old man. "You were looking at my granddaughter, weren't you?"

"No!" Akira exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Oh, I don't mind at all, Kawamori-san."

"Sir, I…"

"Walk with me, boy." Grandpa started to walk away. Akira followed closely behind still holding onto the broom.

"Is everything alright, sir?"

"Yes, yes, everything is fine." As the two men walked around the courtyard, a young blonde-haired woman with two meatballs on her head came up. Grandpa greeted the girl. "Serena, have you considered my job offer?"

Serena smiled. She raised her left hand. "Sorry, Grandpa, I'm getting married this Saturday." She looked around. "Where's Raye?"

"In the back." Grandpa motioned.

Akira stared at Serena for a moment. "Do I know you?"

Serena thought back to the coffee incident. "No, I don't think so."

"Yes, I do. You're Darien's fiancée. He showed me a picture."

Serena laughed nervously. "Well, I guess you do know me then. I'm Serena Tsukino." She bowed. Akira didn't seem to realize that she was the one who was with Raye with the coffee incident. She relaxed a little. "I'm glad you're able to fill in for us at the wedding."

Akira nodded. "It's not a problem, Tsukino-san, or should I say, Chiba-san?"

Serena giggled. She could see why Raye liked him so much. He was a very handsome and charming man. "You know, I have you walking down the aisle with Raye," Serena said, mischievously.

"Oh really?" Akira said.

Grandpa perked his ears up. He listened in closely to Serena's conversation with Akira.

"Yes, really. I think you two would lovely walking down the aisle together."

"Are you sure she's comfortable with that?" Akira asked.

"Comfortable?" Serena questioned. "She was thrilled!" Serena embellished. Serena shrugged her shoulders trying not to smile through her deception. "In fact, she said she'd rather be with you than anyone else."

"She said that?"

"She did." Serena nodded. "She even wanted me to seat you next to her at the wedding banquet."

Akira pondered for a moment. "I probably should get going. I need to finish polishing the bells before I go." He bowed to Serena and Grandpa then walked away.

Grandpa folded his arms over his chest. "What are you trying to pull?"

Serena jumped, shocked that Grandpa was onto her. "Nothing!"

"Nothing, eh?" He looked around. "Then why are you trying to put Akira and Raye together at the wedding?

Serena tried to hold it in, but she couldn't. "I think Raye really needs a boyfriend, okay!"

"Boyfriend! She needs a husband!" Grandpa exclaimed. "If something doesn't happen soon, she's going to be living here until she's forty!"

"You're telling me!" Serena exclaimed. "I think Akira is the perfect match for her, don't you think?"

"I wholeheartedly agree," Grandpa nodded. "But does she like him?"

Serena nodded with a smile. "I really think she does. But what about him? Does he like her?"

Grandpa shook his head. "I don't know, but I've caught him staring at her multiple times for the past few weeks."

"Perfect! We can get them together at the wedding! If you agree to help me, I think I can make this work."

"How?"

Serena grinned. "Do you have any money?"

It was a lovely Saturday for a wedding. The temperature was cool for a summer day, the wind blew gently, and the sun shined brightly without a cloud in the sky. It was a western style wedding with dresses and tuxedoes. Everything was flawless. Andrew and Lita came down the aisle first. Next was Serena's teenage brother Sammy with Ami. Third was Mina with a friend of Darien's from the orphanage, Yuji, and finally, Akira escorted Raye down the aisle.

Grandpa watched his granddaughter being escorted carefully down the aisle on Akira's arm. Earnestly in that moment, he prayed that someday he would see the two coming down the aisle for their own wedding. His attention then went to Serena who was being brought down the aisle by her father, Kenji Tsukino. Grandpa sighed. Raye's father had been so cruel to his daughter and his granddaughter. Raye deserved some happiness in her life.

Flawlessly and with sincerity, Darien and Serena exchanged their vows and performed the marriage ceremony before the entire crowd. Darien kissed his new bride and introduced to the world, Serena Chiba.

The reception was outside also. It was a beautifully orchestrated event with flowers, statues, white banners and cloth. Mina Aino, who was a rising musician in Japan, sang for the reception. Everyone thought it was amazing that Darien and Serena knew this famous person, but they had been friends since Jr. High and the birth of the Sailor Scouts. Lita had arranged all the flowers for the wedding. She would constantly walk over to each display and check it over. While walking over to the next display, she stopped for a moment, recognizing someone.

It was the photographer. He was the same man who came in and bought flowers every week at Kaori's Flower Shop. After he was finished taking a picture, he looked at Lita. "Hi, you're that girl from Kaori's Flower Shop."

Lita nodded. "Yes."

He bowed. "Wantanabe Hiroyuki. You can just call me Hiro, if you like."

Lita bowed back. "Lita Kino."

He raised his camera. "Can I take your picture."

She faintly smiled for the picture. The camera flashed, he thanked her, then walked away. She sighed as she continued towards the next display of flowers.

Serena floated among the crowd on cloud 9 in her white wedding dress. Excitedly, she sat down at a table with Ami and her date, Shun Kaito. She greeted the two and thanked them for coming.

"I'm excited to see you here!" Serena looked toward Shun.

Shun nodded. "Thank you for inviting me."

Serena looked down between Shun and Ami's seats. They were holding hands. A large grin appeared on Serena's face.

"We just made it official yesterday," Ami said before Serena could ask.

Serena squealed and hugged her friend. "Congratulations! Soon I'll be the bridesmaid at your wedding!"

Ami blushed. "Serena, it's a little early to be talking about that. We just started dating yesterday."

Serena laughed and got up from the table. She walked around for other friends to talk to. When looking around, she saw Akira sitting alone at a table, and Raye sitting at the bar area alone. She immediately walked up to Raye. "What are you doing?"

Raye lazily glanced over after slipping on a smoothie. "What?"

"Why aren't you dancing?"

"Who would I dance with?"

Serena rolled her eyes and looked around. "Oh, I don't know, perhaps Akira?"

Raye shrugged. "Serena, I've put that behind me."

"Raye, come on! You're going to end up an old spinster if you don't try."

Raye shrugged. "That's life."

Serena groaned and walked away. Something drastic had to be done. She casually walked over to Grandpa. "You ready?"

He nodded. "Everything is set."

Serena nodded back and walked away. She walked over to the table that Akira was sitting at by himself. "Akira, how are you?"

He looked up at her. "I'm fine, but today's about you. You look very beautiful today, Serena."

"Thank you." She sat down for a moment. "You know, Raye said she wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

Serena pondered for a moment, thinking of a lie. "Well, honestly, she's too shy to ask you, but she really wants to dance with you."

He looked over at her. "Really?"

Grandpa watched closely. The plan was set. Serena was supposed to get Akira to ask Raye to dance. If that worked, then plan B wasn't needed. But if it didn't work and Serena itched her nose to signal Grandpa, plan B was to go in motion. Grandpa looked over to his left. Plan B was a large, muscle bound man named Spike. Akira was unknowingly supposed to protect Raye from Spike and make himself the hero.

"Yes, Raye's talked about nothing more."

"Why wouldn't see tell me herself?"

"I told you. She's shy."

He looked over at Raye sitting alone at the bar. "She doesn't look like she's in the mood to dance."

"Come on!" Serena pulled him out of his chair. She started to walk him over towards Raye. While walking and dragging Akira, a small fly flew up by Serena's nose. She reached up with her other arm and batted the fly away from her face. Grandpa's eyes bulged. He looked over towards plan B and nodded. The large man named Spike took off.

The large muscular man approached Raye from the left. He reached out and gave Raye a small pinch on the bottom. "Hey, cutie," He grinned.

Raye turned around, completely stunned. "Excuse me!"

Spike puckered his lips and raised his eyebrows. "Wanna go bust a move with me?" He leaned in closer. "You know, maybe a little bumping and grinding…"

"Get away from me you, cue ball!" Raye snapped, referencing Spike's bald head.

Spike was very sensitive about his hair. "Why you little…"

"I said get away from me, pig!"

Furious, Spike flung his hand forward to slap Raye. She was quick with her reflexes and ducked under his arm. As Serena brought Akira up, she saw the flying arm and ducked. However, Akira was slapped right across the face by Spike.

Raye looked over. Akira still had his head turned and a bright red spot on his cheek. The man turned towards Spike.

"What are you looking at, pretty boy?"

"Pretty boy?" Akira questioned, defensively.

"Leave him alone!" Raye hollered.

"Shut up!" Spike looked at Raye.

"Excuse you!" Akira stepped forward, gently pushing Raye away with his arm. "You shouldn't talk to a woman like that."

Yeah, well, you heard me! Your girlfriend is a little slut who doesn't know when to shut her mouth!"

Serena gasped. This was getting way too out of hand. She tried to step in-between Spike and Akira, but they were firmly at each other's throats. "Guys! Guys! Is this necessary?"

"It's necessary!" Spike threw a punch at Akira. Surprisingly, Akira blocked the punch and threw one of his own. He hit Spike in the face and blood started to gush from Spike's nose. Angrily, the large man leapt forward and tackled Akira. As they flew back, they landed in the wedding cake that was being rolled through that moment.

Serena put her hands on her forehead. "Oh, goodness! He wasn't supposed to get into a physical fight!"

Raye looked over. "What?"

Serena glanced over at Raye. "Promise you won't be mad?"

Raye crossed her arms. "What's going on?"

"I hired Spike to hit on you so Akira would get jealous and protect you."

"SER-E-NA!" Raye growled, stretching the syllables greatly.

Serena nervously laughed and looked back towards the ground. Within the mass of smashed cake and crowds of people, Spike and Akira wrestled on the ground punching each other furiously.

She felt horribly guilty. The bump on his forehead from the lamppost accident was just starting to go away, but now, half of his face was covered in bruises. He was sitting on the deck watching the sunset for that day. Darien and Serena and already left for their honeymoon in Hawaii. Perhaps now she would get some peace, but it didn't really seem to matter. Any sort of chances she had with Akira were surely gone. Gingerly, she approached him with a bag of ice and handed it to him. He pulled the old bag off, revealing his swollen eye.

Raye cringed at the sight.

"I look that bad?"

Raye nodded. "I'm so sorry. Serena does stuff like this all the time,"

Akira gently laughed. "How are you still alive?"

Raye chuckled faintly. "I don't know." Her mood became more serious. "I really am sorry. I've caused you so many accidents."

"Today wasn't your fault."

Raye rolled her eyes. "Yes, but it was my Grandfather's and my friend's fault. You know, once they get an idea in their heads, they won't stop."

"So it's going to be like this forever?" Akira pondered for a moment.

Raye nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"So the only way it will stop if I ask you out on a date."

"Yes," Raye uttered then jerked her head over at Akira. "What?" She shook her head. "You don't have to ask me out just to please my Grandfather."

"I've wanted to ask you out for a long time—getting them to stop plotting is just a perk." He felt silent for a moment and smirked. "You know, I had given up on love, but I came to this Shrine for the first time and I prayed." He was silent for another moment. "That's when I first saw you."

"When you rang the bell," She uttered.

He nodded. "Yes, how did you know?"

"That's when I first saw you." She laughed. "I couldn't keep my eyes off you."

He faintly smirked. "I thought I'd never see you again, but there you were standing in front of the Shrine to distract me."

She glanced away, happy but slightly embarrassed. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the pink love charm. She rubbed her thumb over the stitching of the kanji of love. "I've sold these for years, but I never believed they worked." She kept her face hidden from him, fighting the tears. "I don't know why, but it has always been so difficult for me."

He looked down at his shoes. "I understand too well." He was silent for a moment. "I dated a girl all through high school. Her name was Yuki." He looked up. "I fell in love with her and planned on proposing after graduation. I guess I was naïve and stupid back then to think she actually loved me back."

"What happened?" Raye looked over.

He faintly smiled, only to hide pain. "My best friend helped me pick out her engagement ring, but it was my best friend who she was cheating on me with." He sighed. "It was the most miserable feeling of my life to take that ring back to the store."

"I'm sorry." Raye nodded. She had been through some difficult things over the past few years, but not like that.

"The last three years have felt so impossible. Friends have tried to set me up on dates, but nothing seems to be right. They all feel the same—pointless."

She nodded. "Yes, and they dig up the worst possible people!"

"Exactly!" Akira exclaimed, thinking of all the terrible blind dates he's been on. He shook his head. "I had given up until I saw you."

Raye looked up at him. The statement shook her to the very core of her being.