Three days pass by in a blur. Everyone is running around double checking again and again to make sure everything is ready for the big day. Kaede and Tsubaki took over supervision of the whole process to ease the tension on Tsukasa and Tsukushi. Finally, the day of the wedding arrives.
"Tsukushi, don't worry, you look beautiful." Yuki reassures her friend as they wait in the back of the church for the procession to start.
"She's right," Shigeru adds. "Today is all about you… and Tsukasa."
"Canon" by Pachelbel starts and the girls take their places. Sakurako leads, followed by Shigeru, Karin, Yuki, and most importantly, Tsukushi. As Yuki gets to the altar, the entire church stands up and turns to the back to look at Tsukushi. She starts to walk down the aisle and quickly scans the rows of people. She had wanted a very small wedding but due to the Doumyoji name, was not able to. Her eyes finally land on Tsukasa. She can't help but blush at his awed expression. Her dress was a sight to see. The style resembles an old fashioned dress and suites her perfectly. The dress is made of silk and reaches the floor. At the waist, a lace over layer goes all the way up the chest. A wide square cut on the neck shows some skin and draws attention to the Saturn necklace. Silk with the lace over layer make the short sleeves. Her hair is left down with the veil being just a little longer to cover it. Noticing the color rise in her checks, Tsukasa smiles. Tsukasa himself looked more handsome in his suite today then he ever had.
The music ends as Tsukushi steps up to the altar. Tsukasa steps forward and offers her his hand, which she eagerly takes, not wanting to be the focus of attention anymore. The priest begins the service.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two people in holy matrimony…" The priest continues on about love and marriage before finally getting to the most important part. "Tsukasa Doumyoji, do you take Tsukushi Makino to be your wife?"
"I do."
"And do you, Tsukushi Makino, take Tsukasa Doumyoji to be your husband?"
"I do"
"Now, I understand you have written your own vows to be said with the exchanging of the rings, please begin."
Tsukushi turns to Yuki to get the ring. She turns back to Tsukasa and slides it on his finger. It's a simple wedding band with a diamond in the center. "Tsukasa Doumyoji, I'm not the perfect wife and I never will be. There will be many days where we will fight or you will be gone. I know that. I can prepare myself for times like these. When we fight, I will forgive and forget and when you're gone, I will miss you deeply and wait for you to return. What I am certain of is that no matter what happens, I will always love you. Nothing in this world can change that, not even time. I love you, Tsukasa."
Rui hands Tsukasa the ring and Tsukasa slides it on Tsukushi's finger next to her engagement ring. She stares at the simple band and notices engravings on it. It reads, "Where ever you go, I will find you." Tsukasa starts his vows. "I'm not good with words. I say what's on my mind but the words never come out right. Only you have been able to leave me at a loss for words. You pick me up when I fall and keep me together. All I can do now is repeat myself. If you turn away from me, each and every time, I will do everything in my power to bring you back to me. I am totally and madly in love with you, Tsukushi Makino. There's no one else in this world I want to spend the rest of my life with other then you."
The priest continues on with the service. "If there is any reason why these two should not be together, speak now or forever hold your peace." Tsukushi and Tsukasa both cast their eyes towards Kaede. The priest whispers to them, "That's the first time I've had both bride and groom waiting to be interrupted by the same person." He clears his throat and speaks loudly again. "By the power bestowed upon me, I now pronounce you man and wife…"
"Stop!" Everyone in the church looks to the back where a young woman stands in the aisle. "Doumyoji, you can't marry her."
"You're a few years too late if you think I was ever going to marry anyone else." He pulls Tsukushi next to him possessively.
The woman shakes her head. "I don't care about marrying you. I don't care who you marry, you just can't marry her!"
Tsukasa's temper in slowly rising. "You're too late for that. We were just finishing." He faces the priest. "Go ahead." The priest clears his throat again.
"She lied to you!"
Tsukasa is struggling with his anger. "What?! Who are you to come in here and make false accusations?"
She walks closer. "I'm not lying. I can prove it too. She'll never admit to what happened that day." She stops a few rows away from the front.
Tsukushi pulls away slightly from Tsukasa to ask her own question. "Just what day are you talking about?"
The woman smiles menacingly. "March 30th of last year." Tsukushi's eyes widen and she steps back next to Tsukasa, her fight or flight instinct in waiting. "So now you remember."
"I'm going to have to ask that you leave," Karin steps forward. "I don't think you were invited."
The woman turns to Karin. "You knew everything as well. You are just as much to blame." She looks at Tsukasa. "I'm here to tell you the truth about that day, Doumyoji. On that day, Makino was checked into the hospital."
"No," Tsukushi whispers over and over every few seconds. Her hand is shaking slightly in Tsukasa's hand.
"At Hisakawa's request, Makino's entire stay in the hospital was never recorded in her medical file so you would never find out about it."
"Stop it..." Tsukushi's whole body is staring to shake and her voice gets louder and louder.
"On that day, Tsukushi Makino had an abortion."
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Tsukushi yells and lifts her head to look at her accuser. Tears cover Tsukushi's face.
Tsukasa pulls Tsukushi into his side and holds her as tightly as possible. "Everything will be alright," he tries to calm her down.
Karin steps forward more. "Leave now before I do something you will regret later." Karin looks at Tsukushi's state.
The woman scoffs, "I'm sorry Doumyoji. I know you'll just forgive her for the crime she has committed against you but I can't. You'll thank me one day.
Tsukasa looks up at the woman just as a gunshot echoes through the church and Tsukushi falls limp at his side.
