Disclaimer: I do not own Chihayafuru.

Chapter 3 - Interlude: Spring

They got married in spring.

The forecast had been warning of an upcoming cold spell and heavy rains for days, but on the wedding day itself, not one cloud could be spotted in the whole sky. The sun shone brightly over the venue, bringing with it warmth and cheer.

Here he could say, the gods smiled down on the couple, and the perfect weather was their wedding gift to the young karuta god.

Or it could have been the combined power of a hundred Teru teru bozu dolls Chihaya had hung up around her house, Arata's apartment, the bookstore Arata worked at, and even Taichi's place.

Maybe it was just luck.

Taichi idly mused that if it had been his wedding, it would have rained no matter what, because luck was never on his side.

They stood in the waiting room, Komano quietly talking on his phone with a business partner, and Arata pacing nervously in front of the door. Nishida ran off earlier to check up on the catering – it was his business that was taking care of the food today. Tsukuba was nowhere in sight, already busy taking pictures. Arata's dad, growing nervous from looking at his son, decided to wait outside, Murao-san following soon after.

Taichi, finally fed up with Arata's constant pacing, grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Arata, breath."

His friend looked at him blankly, but after some coaxing, took a large calming breath.

"Come on, again." And they both took another deep breath.

"Better?" Taichi asked, letting go of Arata's shoulders.

Arata shook his head.

Taichi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What are you so worried about?"

Arata stared at him for a long time before blurting out, "You…You're not secretly planning on stealing her away, are you?"

"Huh?!" was Taichi's eloquent answer. He stared incredulously at his friend, observing how Arata's ears slowly turned red.

Behind them Komano's phone suddenly snapped shut.

"I think it's time."

Contrary to Arata's unfound, but quite amusing fears, Taichi did not run off with the bride, Chihaya did not declare her undying love to Harada-sensei, nor, did she run away with Shinobu-san, while shouting she can't marry Arata until she defeats the former Queen in an official match.

In fact, everything couldn't have been more perfect. Both bride and groom made a speech. Arata talked about their meeting under the rain, and Chihaya talked about the first match they had in that old apartment, but mostly about the following years. And they both talked about the Hyakunin Isshu and karuta and friendship and misty bridges and red threads of fate. Their words were full of sincerity and love and by the end of their speech there was not one person in the whole room with dry eyes.

Arata laughed more and laughed louder today. Chihaya positively glowed, looking so, so beautiful. And there was no doubt that they belonged with each other. Taichi's speech couldn't even begin to compare to theirs, but he wished them all the best from the bottom of his heart.

Towards the end of the reception, however, he still gave himself five minutes of pity party. He sat outside the hall nursing a glass of champagne.

Arata asked Chihaya out in the first year of university and they had been together ever since. Taichi knew right away he didn't stand a chance. And instead of feeling jealous and angry at his friend, he chose to give up on his own feelings. He was called out as a coward by those who knew the whole truth – some people, such as Oe-san, a bit nicer about it than others - but he truly believed it was for the best. He didn't regret his decision.

But weddings were the perfect time to wonder about what-ifs and what-could-have-beens while dredging up old regrets and memories. He felt a pang of sadness, but it was gone quickly once he recalled Chihaya's laugh today. She was so happy. And to him that was enough.

Ima wa tada/ Omoi taenan/ To bakari wo

Poem sixty three suddenly popped into his mind. Taichi gulped down the rest of his drink. So maybe he needed three more minutes of time out.

"Mashima-sempai?" He looked up to see Hanano-san standing in front of him, drying her hands with a handkerchief.

"What are you doing here? Sitting all alone?"

He set his glass down on the floor, "It was getting a bit too loud in there. Harada-sensei and Kitano-sensei were gearing up for an impromptu team match between Shiranami and Suihoku Karuta Society."

Hanano-san bunched up her handkerchief, eyes lighting up with fire, "Then what are you waiting for?! We need to be there too!" He couldn't help laughing out loud at her reaction.

Hanano-san's attitude towards karuta had changed over the years. Along the way, she slowly fell in love with the sport, and in contrast to Chihaya and Oe-san who played in order to achieve their dreams, Hanano-san played because she simply loved competitive karuta.

He shook his head, "I don't want to be there when Chihaya is told she can't play in her dress."

Hanano-san grinned in answer, plopping down next to him. "She will figure something out."

They sat in a comfortable silence, Taichi fiddling with his phone. He had a missed call from his Mother, which was normal, and a missed call from his Father, which was less normal. He was thinking about calling them back when Hanano-san spoke up,

"Now that Chihaya-sempai is married, will you finally consider me, sempai?"

His eyes shot up looking at the girl next to him. She was staring straight ahead with a serious face, and he could only marvel at the nonchalant delivery of her question.

Hanano-san confessed to him on the day of his high school graduation. He turned her down, because at that time, the only girl he ever considered being with was Chihaya. To his surprise, she took his rejection very well, and somehow with that out of the way they became friends.

At first glance Hanano-san was a typical girl, the type of girl he tended to avoid like a plague back in middle school. But the more time he spent with her outside the club house the more he realized she was different. She reminded him of his sister, Rika. She looked at the world differently than the rest of them. Chihaya, Nishida and Tsukuba were often too focused on karuta, Komano too focused on his studies and data analysis. Oe-san could be considered the most balanced person, but she too could easily get lost in the past and the things that have gone by. He in turn often drifted around, not sure where he was heading, never committed enough to anything. But Hanano-san read the Hyakunin Isshu, and played karuta, yet never forgot to live in the present.

He was trying to come up with something to say without hurting her feelings, when Hanano-san hesitantly reached out to squeeze his hand. He glanced at her and she smiled at him.

He thought she looked very pretty today. Her hair fell in soft waves framing her face, and he recalled one of the conversations they had a few years ago. Hanano-san asked him to help her look for university entrance exam study materials and he agreed readily enough. She still made him wait in front of the station for half an hour before finally showing up, walking at a leisurely pace. He had been a little bit peeved.

"Mashima-sempai, you just don't get it do you? A girl has to take care of her looks and you have no idea how long it takes to have my hair curl just so!"

"Then leave it straight," he shot back. "It looks pretty that way too," and she looked startled at his outburst. Presumptuously, he thought she would change her hair style after hearing him say that.

The next time he saw her, however, her hair was still in curls.

"It's a perm, though. I don't have to do it on my own anymore," to which he could only roll his eyes.

He now grabbed a lock of her hair, tugging at it lightly, "How long did it take you to make it look like this?"

And maybe as a testament of their friendship, she only scrunched up her nose in concentration, before grinning at him widely, eyes squinting shut, "Too long to recall."

Chihaya suddenly burst through the door shouting, "Taichi, Sumire-chan! Get back in here. We're holding a Shiranami vs. Suihoku team match!"

Hanano-san smothered her laugh behind her hand. His lips twitched in amusement.

"Are you going to play?" he shouted from his seat, observing as Chihaya's lips wobbled precariously.

"Sis forbade me from playing in this dress."

Taichi stood up, extending a hand towards Hanano-san. She grabbed it without hesitation.

"Thank you, Sumire-chan."

She smiled at him sadly, letting go of his hand, before grabbing him by the arm, and dragging him forcefully towards the reception hall.

"We are so beating up some Suihoku butts today!"

A/N: I never really liked Sumire-chan as much as the other characters. Her behavior hit too close to home that watching her invoked a lot of cringe worthy memories. But, after Taichi, she is a character I most relate to. and it amazed me how she understands a lot of things. And after reading "The Hundred and First" I realized there was a lot to be explored in her character and interaction with Taichi.

Btw, this won't be a TaichixSumire fic.

ed. 10/12 major/minor(needless) edit depending on how I continue with this thread.

Poem 63

Ima wa tada
Omoi taenan
To bakari wo
Hito-zute nara de
Iu yoshi mo gana

Fujiwara no Michimasa

Mostow's translation

Now, the only thing
I wish for is a way to say
to you directly
—not through another—
"I will think of you no longer!"

But I actually prefer this translation more: "After I determined to abandon my love, my only regret is that I have no way to tell you in person." This poem has Taichi all over it.