Note: Okay, okay. I'm late, and I broke the streak of update. I'm tired of making excuses at this point, but my laptop had been acting up (touchpad problems, sudden restarts, hanging/error on my writing app) these couple of days. It's all good now that I reset and reinstalled some stuff. Read on...

Epilogue (not proofread; my eyes are literally dropping)

(Three years later)

"You seem a little nervous, Kai," Kou noted as she fixed my hair while I was staring at my reflection from the vanity desk.

"Do I?" I smiled stiffly at her.

"All you have to do is to walk down the aisle," Kou said, trying to rub the tension off my shoulders. "It's no big deal."

"It's not the walking down the aisle," I waved her off. "It's the basically starting your life all over again."

"Would that be so bad?" Kou asked, confused. "I thought you'd be ecstatic about it."

"I am. Trust me, I am," I assured her, "but you know what happened with my parents before, right? I just don't want it to be worse this time."

"How can it get worse?" Kou laughed at my absurdness. "They're giving it another chance." She spun my chair around to face me. "Didn't you once gave it another chance? Didn't it turn out spectacularly?"

Ah, right.

Kou was referring to that one time during my sophomore year in college when I played as a substitute for the actual substitute for the volleyball team. Even though I knew that it was only a one-time thing, I was still a bit shaky, but it barely even lasted because my team members were kind and supporting. We didn't win, but the cherry on top was the surprise visit of Mom and Coach Sasagawa during the game.

Turns out that the college volleyball coach was in the same volleyball club that Mom and Coach Sasagawa joined back at Iwatobi High. The world just got smaller. Moreover, Mom had never been more proud of me to see me back at the court, even just for once.

"You ready?" I asked Mom behind the closed doors of the chapel. I couldn't held up continue smoothing down her white dress. It was no gown and neither was this a huge ceremony, but Dad, being the romantic, wanted a proper wedding ceremony, instead of just signing a piece of paper and be done with it.

"Oh, stop making such a fuss," Mom swatted my hands away. "It's just a quick walk down the aisle."

"You have to admit," I began in a teasing tone, "you'll be as fussy during my own wedding."

Mom laughed. "That I cannot deny," she said. Then she suddenly pulled me for a hug, a very tight one. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be here," she whispered in my ear. "I wouldn't be with him again." She placed a soft kiss on the side of my head.

I pulled away and tutted at her when Mom's eyes started watering up. "Stop being so sentimental!" I scolded lightly. "You'll ruin your makeup." Then I smiled warmly at her. "I'm glad you and Dad gave it another shot."

A few years back, turns out that Mom could barely keep up with the bills when my little mental issue had piled up along with it. I had offered to take a few part-time jobs, but she straight down refused. We had quite the argument about it, and it ended with Mom finally contacting Dad for help.

Dad then offered to reverse their custody set up with me living at his place while I stay at Mom's during the summer. Dad also made the mistake of accusing Mom of being the reason why I had gotten that way, hence the reversal of custody and refusal of handing her money as she asked. Then what was supposed to be a peaceful request turned into a bloodbath. I was just thankful that all this was a phone conversation, not a face-to-face.

Until I discovered why they fell apart. Dad wanted a wife that he can come home to, but Mom, being Mom, wanted to earn things for herself. I learned that Dad tried to reason with her, that what he earned was theirs, but Mom and her massive pride wouldn't have it. The fights got too much, too exaggerated that they both fell apart to their own ways.

That was until – after several phone calls – they reached a truce. Dad came home. It was the strangest conclusion they had reached, but Dad began to live with us. Mom and Dad thought that I may feel more support if both of them were "together" in a sense.

Of course, Dad had offered to buy us a bigger place, but Mom refused him. Soon enough, after getting past all the constant arguing, the battles turned into reminiscences. Before I knew it, Dad popped the question... again.

"Care to dance?" I slid beside Haru who was sitting by himself in the corner. After Mom and Dad dragged me to the dance floor to be part of their first dance, I easily spotted the toque on Haru's head. "And don't you dare not say you only dance free."

Haru stared at me for a long while before grabbing my hand and pulling me back to the dance floor. It was almost silly, dancing with my date who was in a chef's outfit. After Haru graduated from culinary school, he began working at a cafe and restaurant here in Iwatobi. It was only after a while that I realised it was one of Dad's establishments that were an extension of his hotels. Neither of us knew, not even Dad, until I brought my parents there for dinner. And the world got even smaller.

I almost laughed at the stiffness of Haru's body as we attempted to sway by the beat of the music. I recalled Makoto mentioning once that Haru isn't as graceful on land as he is on water before describing a little track-and-field relay incident during sports day of their sophomore year in high school. I rested my head on his shoulder so he wouldn't see me smile in amusement as my face remained hidden in his neck.

"Kai," Haru began, making me pulled away from his shoulder. He looked a bit nervous which was very surprising from his usual poker face. "Y-you look beautiful," he muttered.

I didn't hold back my laugh this time. "You look handsome yourself," I replied, fixing his collar. "Although I do wish you changed back to your suit for the dance." Mom may have taken the whole "only close people are invited" way too seriously since she only wanted Haru to be in charge with the food. Haru, too, had no problem with it, and his boss was more than happy to let him be for the sake of my dad despite my wishes to have a full-on plus one during the wedding.

"Marry me."

I felt the world stop. I felt myself stop. I didn't even realise that I had stopped breathing until I felt like I was choking. After a long pause, I began laughing. Laughing to the point that I had tears leaking from the corner of my eyes.

"Now I really wished you wore your suit," I grinned, but Haru remained silent, waiting for my answer. I jumped into his arms and kissed him deeply. "It's a yes, silly!" I kissed the tip of his nose. "Now, my fiance, you can start looking more ecstatic."

There was barely any changes in Haru's expression, but he did grace me the faintest of his warmest smiles. That and the burning tips of his ears were enough to send my heart racing. Then he slowly reached in his apron and pulled out a ring. As he slowly slid it on my finger, Haru whispered in my ear three words that had me melting internally.

"Me too," I replied as I wrapped my arms around him. "I love you, too. You have no idea how much, you weirdo."

It was only then that it came to my attention that we had an audience. My eyes spotted my parents sitting in their table with smug looks on their faces. They both rose together and began tapping their champagne flutes to gain the guests' attentions.

They knew. They knew all along. Those little sneaky...

"Thank you all for coming. We appreciate all of you for being witnesses of a second chance in my life," Mom said, looking lovingly at Dad. "I find that with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of support from the people you love you'll find that second chances are much more special, especially when you're with loved ones." Then she nodded at Dad to have him say a few words.

"Now, early this morning, a young man just came up to me and asked for my daughter's hand," Dad chuckled. "Honestly, I wanted to say no, but I know the two dearest women in my life wouldn't be too happy about it." He continued, "Also, I would like to be married for a little longer this time. Preferably, forever. So I said, 'Go for it.'" Then he raised his glass. "I would like to dedicate this toast to the newly engaged, Kai and Haru!"

THE END

Aaaand that's the end. It's quite a long epilogue though. I meant for it to be half less words than my usual chapters, but I got carried away with the whole wedding and proposing. Hope you liked FutureFish!Haru (not the merman obviously). Also, who thought it was actually Kai and Haru's wedding at the beginning? Lol.

Anyways... TIME FOR SOME SHARKIE FANFIC! Yaaay! I'm so excited to be posting the prologue tomorrow. It'll be completely separate from this story and be set during Season 1 though and some scenes before that.

Reviews and fave/follow are greatly appreciated. Seriously, no writer likes a silent reader. Love 'ya!