“Thank you! As always, you’re the goat, hehe.” She giggled, swapping into slightly more casual slang, as some of the shaking that had been visible before seemed to subside, and a small exhale punctuated her thoughts. Whatever was going on her mind was unreadable beyond the relaxed smile. “So, how’ve you been? It feels like everything’s been so busy lately, and–”
Your conversation is cut short by the sound of muffled music playing outside. From where? You can’t say, there weren’t any speakers outside. Chiyu lifts her head, glancing in the direction of the door, a spark of excitement in the glow of her expression. She smiled warmly and took a deep breath in and out. Still, she was every-so-slightly shaking.
“I think that’s your cue! You remember what you need to do, right? Just walk out and stand next to where I’m supposed to stand. I’ll join you when the music changes!” She glanced again to the door, and then back to the group of you. “Thank you again for all of this… It means SO much to me.”
Chiyu reached out and lightly touched the side of Vincent’s cheek, leaned in, and kissed his opposite cheek, lingering before backing away. “I’ll see you soon, ok?”
“So go on, go! I’ll catch you in a moment.” Chiyu got behind the lot of you and gently herded you towards the door to get onto the beach, leaving you little room to respond.
As the group of you walked out onto the beach, heels occasionally sinking into the sand beneath you, making for a less-than graceful walk towards the ceremony set-up. The seats appeared to be mostly empty, outside of two seats at the front. Setting side-by-side were two ghostly blue figures, their faces too blurry to see the details. One was a man as tall as Kaoru in a suit with unkempt hair pulled into a ponytail, and the other was a young toddler wearing a frilly dress. The man turns to you as you make your walk and waves, expression unseen and voice unheard. No babbling can be heard from the baby, either.
At the end of the walk stood a 5’11 man with black hair, slightly graying. Despite the clear gray hairs, his face looked to be in his mid twenties at oldest. He flashed a fox-like smile, green eyes piercing through his gaze. Adorned in a gray suit, his collar was textured with fur and he held his hands in his pants pockets with a casual demeanor.
Eventually, through your efficiency or lollygagging, you made it to stand with enough of a gap between yourselves and the unknown man to leave a space for Chiyu to stand. The disembodied music changed, shifting into your classic ‘Here Comes the Bride.’ A piano rendition, almost jazzy in tone. In a near-run, she slows to a regular walk once she surpasses the stone pathway, Chiyu bursts through the door with a smile as bright as the sun. She’s holding a bouquet of white roses, clutched closely to her chest. Chiyu parks herself beside her groom, looking to him with a sweet grin.
With little out of place, the two exchange vows, rings, and a kiss. His name is Tetsuya, as you hear during the vows. Nothing is out of place, but the ceremony takes long enough to leave the less patient of you antsy. As the bride and groom walk out and enter the reception building, the bell atop of the event space begins to ring like the pulsing of a heart. Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong.
You and the two ghostly figures follow along and make it inside to see the first dance between the newlyweds and take a seat as they do so. The motions of the whole affair seem to be moving at an accelerated pace, as shortly after, the group is called up for the bouquet toss and the commencement of the reception activities proper (including speeches, huh?).
