Six: Ever After

The wedding date set, despite Shizuru's protest she couldn't go against her grandmother's wish in regard to her settling down. The wedding was simple, sort of a family thing, but the other side was not there due to a business meeting oversea. It was done over the phone and the voice surprised her somewhat as it reminded her of her lost love: Mikoto. But it didn't end there; Shizuka forced her beloved granddaughter to take leave from work and headed to the family's summer house in Okinawa rather than Kyoto. Leaving with no choice, Shizuru packed up and left for Okinawa. She'd attempted to drag Haruka along, but the latter says something about spending times with fiancé or it's over between them.

The moment she got there, Shizuru noticed something odd. A car parked outside, but she's pretty sure today isn't a day for anyone to do cleaning to keep the place in good condition. The door was unlock, and rose petals lay about on the floor the moment she stepped inside. Cautious yet curious, Shizuru followed the trail of the rose petals to her bedroom and into the bathroom where the hot tub was prepped and look to be very enticing. So enticing that Shizuru disrobed herself and stepped into the hot tub, her reasoning would be that her grandmother planned this out somehow.

By the time she felt relaxed enough to leave the hot tub and get dressed, it was early in the evening and the smells of foods got her stomach rumbled a little. In the kitchen, foods piping hot laden on the nice size table as if it was made for her. Shizuru sat down and says her thanks for the foods before tasting it, and it tasted quite good in her opinion. So she finished dinner, clean up the dishes and decided to go out for a walk. On her walk, she passed a coffee shop and got a glimpse of someone looking vaguely like Mikoto.

"It can't be," Shizuru murmured to herself as she shook her head to chase away the thought.

When she looked back, no one was at that table. Shizuru was sure that she's seeing things because the marriage reminded her of Mikoto so much. So she returned home to get some rest, and hoping to dream of the raven hair and golden eyes woman again. But what she wasn't expecting was a call from her grandmother to inform her that her wife will be there to meet her in an hour or so. What her grandmother didn't tell her was that she got that message over an hour ago. The moment Shizuru reached her bedroom, she noticed that the door leading to the balcony was open and someone was standing out there. Shizuru looked around for something to defend herself against this intruder but found nothing. So all she could do was approaching the figure quietly and cautiously.

"Welcome home love," the figure spoke without turning to look at Shizuru and she couldn't help but froze upon hearing the familiar voice, the voice she heard nearly every night in her sleep for the last few months.

"M-Mikoto, is that you?" Shizuru managed to get that much out without breaking down altogether.

The figure turned around and walked inside to give Shizuru a better look and said, "It's Minagi Miki, your spouse love."

Shizuru was happy yet confused, she wanted to hug Mikoto but at the same time slapping her as well. Mikoto stepped up to her and hugged her tightly, all the while telling her that the explosion of the yacht didn't kill her but she decided to use it to find out the one that planned the bomb on the yacht to begin with. Once Shizuru calmed down, they danced with Mikoto taking the lead with them dancing so close to each other. Before long, their clothes lay scattered about on the floor as they spooned in bed worn and tired.

"Morning love," Mikoto said as Shizuru's eyes fluttered open to the sight of Mikoto fully clothed with a glass of juice in hand.

"Ara, ara, so I'm not dreaming then…" Shizuru trailed off as she sat up only to realized that she's stark naked and Mikoto let out a wolf whistle.

"No more coming to you while you sleep love, it's all good now." Mikoto said as she leaned in to kiss Shizuru's forehead.

"Ara, ara… I'm glad," Shizuru said smiling a genuine smile, one that she only used with close friends and family.

"Now go wash up, brunch should be ready soon." Mikoto said as she stood up and pulled Shizuru up with her.

After brunch, the pair just cuddled in bed with Mikoto telling Shizuru about all that went on after her 'suppose' death. Shizuru just listen in silent, and she only asked a question or two every now and then. By the end of the day, Shizuru learned more about her new wife, mostly about her past and their future. Shizuru couldn't be happier; it had taken her over six yearas to move on after the death of her first love and fiancé. A few months later, they two attended Haruka and Yukino's wedding, only to attend Nao and Shiho's wedding soon after that. It was odd; Yukino got a small private clinic of her own, while Nao run a club/bar. Haruka took over the family's business in construction and Shiho stay as the Fujino's secret security personnel.