The time from February to March passed in the blink of an eye, just like a couple waiting for their wedding day.
Kaoru had the stitches removed and went to a specialist dermatologist to care for the faint scars on his right hand and wrist. The doctor said they would fade on their own if left alone, but Ai would never just stand by and watch that happen.
Kaoru won Best Actor at every major awards show, including the most prestigious award in Japanese broadcasting, the [Universe Award], for the drama [The Scarecrow in Robes], which aired on [getsuku]. He also took home Best Actor at the [Tokyo Television Drama Award] and the [Japan Drama TV Academy], firmly establishing himself as one of the finest actors of his generation at a young age.
Ai, too, was recognized for her outstanding performance in the drama that gave her her first leading role, and she received the Newcomer Award at the [Elan d’Or Award]. It was an award of enormous influence and significance, one that many famous actors had won in their rookie years.
President Ichigo was already overjoyed after [B Komachi] won the grand prize in succession at the end of last December at Japan’s top music awards, the [Japan Music Disc Awards] and the [Japan Golden Record Awards].
When Ai won the Elan d’Or Newcomer Award, President Ichigo shouted in triumph and brought out the expensive liquor he had secretly stashed away, sharing a deeply emotional drink with Kaoru, Ai, and Miyako.
Riding that momentum, drama casting offers for Ai came flooding in one after another. Kaoru went through the scripts with Ai and carefully taught her how to tell whether a script suited her and how to spot the kind of quality writing that could make a drama succeed.
Of course... any script that added a romance with another male actor was naturally and very conveniently cut by Kaoru, who was full of selfish motives. The scripts were rough and poorly made anyway, but Kaoru came to understand Ai’s feelings when she got jealous watching him act in romances with other actresses.
Not yet. Not yet. Not yet... Even Kaoru honestly wasn’t mentally prepared. He was her husband, but as an actor... he had to keep work and private life strictly separate... yet his head and his heart refused to cooperate.
Once the wedding was over, maybe then he would be able to let go a little... Kaoru, unable to contain the surging love in his chest, thought this as he easily lifted Ai into his arms and carried her toward the bed.
Ai’s second drama lead role was secured, and soon after, filming for the halted movie [Wolf Tail] resumed. Kaoru also immediately threw himself back into the film shoot.
By the end of February, the Family Court finally issued its ruling on the [lawsuit to confirm the existence of a biological parent-child relationship]. The twins’ family register was finally transferred into Kaoru and Ai’s family register, and they were officially recognized as their biological children.
When Ai saw the judgment document that arrived by registered mail from the court, she teared up and smiled brightly, finally feeling that they had been recognized as one family even in the eyes of the law.
Kaoru pulled Ai into a tight embrace, unable to hide his own happiness.
"From now on, if anyone asks your names, just say, ‘I’m Hoshino Aquamarine!’ and ‘I’m Hoshino Ruby!’ Got it?"
"Yes."
"Yeah!"
Kaoru smiled as he stroked the twins’ heads while they answered brightly.
Meanwhile, the twins’ kindergarten attendance was repeatedly postponed because of the reporters and paparazzi crowding in from all sides, along with civilians who had gathered just to see the twins and Kaoru and Ai’s fans.
Kaoru had considered hiring a security company to protect the twins, but decided it would only give the media and press more material to run with.
Ai had no choice but to notify the kindergarten she had been attending that she would be withdrawing. Since it was a regular public kindergarten, there was only so much they could do to respond.
The couple decided to discuss and think carefully about what would truly be the right direction for the twins’ education and safety.
Whether they cared or not, Aqua and Ruby, who had now said goodbye to kindergarten entirely, spent happy days in the spacious house, fangirling over their favorite and second favorite people.
Thanks to that, Miyako had to go back to working from home again....
The cold winter passed, and a mild, gentle spring arrived.
Kaoru and Ai had their photos taken together at the hotel’s professional wedding photo studio. Nothing else was needed; just having Kaoru and Ai standing there was enough to create a single magazine-worthy shot.
The photographer’s hands trembled as she tried to capture the aura and charisma of the bride and groom, who looked as though they could devour the camera itself.
Even without asking for expressions or poses, the couple naturally struck the best pose and looked straight into the lens.
The photographer had taken countless wedding photos before, but opportunities like this were rare, so she captured every single shot of the couple, who had become the perfect wedding photo models.
The wedding photos of Kaoru in a suit and Ai in a beautiful pure white dress were so stunning they were already a photo book in themselves. The shoot ended in the blink of an eye, without any complicated Photoshop work for retouching skin, removing blemishes, or anything else.
On March 20, [Stani-On] and [Ichigo Pro] faxed a press release to the media announcing that a private [small wedding] would be held on March 25 at the [Tokyo New Era Hotel].
The media only learned of it five days before the wedding, thanks to the hotel’s ironclad security. The [Tokyo New Era Hotel] was a place where powerful figures from political families, corporations, and the bureaucracy regularly held weddings, so reporters hurriedly sent crews over.
But the hotel would not budge an inch.
Everyone’s attention focused on who would be attending the wedding of the 『Kaoi』 couple, who had been called the “couple of the century.” Even the invited guests kept silent, so no one knew the details.
And finally—on the morning of March 25, when warm sunlight lit up clouds of pink cherry blossoms that drifted like mist in the cool breeze.
"I-I-I’m nervous!!! My stomach hurts?!?"
"Did you tie your bow tie right?"
"H-How am I supposed to know! Go ask Miyaemon to check it!"
"I already checked it. I checked it, but I have to check again in case it got crooked! Miyako can’t check because she’s in the bridal waiting room!"
"Nobody cares whether the thing hanging around your neck is a bow tie or a fly tie! The important thing is Mama and Papa’s wedding!"
"But this is Father and Mother’s one and only wedding! Isn’t it only natural that I want to be there looking perfect, without a single flaw?!"
"Grrraaaah! I don’t know! I don’t know! Anyone who gets in the way is dead! Dead! I’ll curse them! I’ll curse them so they have to breathe through only one nostril until they die, or something! Anyway, I’m cursing them!!!"
Simple Western-style ceremony chairs and tables had been set up in the garden lounge of the [Tokyo New Era Hotel]. Aqua and Ruby, seated in the front row, were even more nervous than their parents and sweating buckets.
"They really do take after Kaoru. Even the way they talk is so grown-up and sharp."
"That girl really looks exactly li----ke Kaoru’s wife."
"Hah, that brat. I checked earlier in the groom’s waiting room, and he had a grin from ear to ear. There was a reason they kept meeting us in secret."
The troupe members looked on with the amazed expressions of people meeting celebrities. Setting aside the fact that the twins’ adorable faces looked like a copy-paste job of Kaoru and Ai, it was strange enough that kids who were only four, and turning five this year, were so flustered and fired up.
At the same time, in the bridal waiting room near the garden lounge, Miyako and the [B Komachi] members watched Ai after she had finished her makeup, changed into her wedding dress, and taken her bouquet.
The bride of March sat demurely in a beautiful pure white dress, her makeup done beautifully and her long purple hair neatly arranged.
Any woman would dream of being the star of a romantic wedding, so even Miyako and the members, all of whom were already married, could only let their eyes sparkle with envy and joy.
"You’re so beautiful, Ai."
"Oh my, the dress is really gorgeous—"
"I’m so used to seeing you in stage costumes, but seeing you in a dress is definitely different."
"You look like an angel."
"Ah... I... want to get married too..."
"Huh? You already have the president, don’t you?!"
"Hehe—☆ Thanks, everyone!"
As Ai spoke with her usual smile, Miyako and the members nodded and each recalled different memories, their eyes growing moist.
The past nine years had been full of obstacles and trials, but it still felt like a dream that Ai was marrying a good man like Kaoru.
In particular, Nino and MeiMei looked as if they were on the verge of a total tearful breakdown before the ceremony had even started, barely able to hold back the floodgates before their makeup was ruined.
Kyunpan said nothing at all, as if determined not to cry, and only nodded with her lips pressed tight.
Miyako looked at the members and then let out a snort of laughter.
"Now that I look at you, I can tell. Well, I guess it’s about time for you girls too.... Time to taste the ‘hell’ called marriage."
"...Huh?"
"That’s a dangerous thing to say in front of the bride on her wedding day, isn’t it?!"
"President... do you have it that hard?"
"If I were living as the president’s wife, I think I’d want to run away from a life of despair too."
The members comforted Miyako, who had somehow developed a sinister gleam in her eyes and a wicked smile. Their illusions about marriage might have been shattered a little, but their wish to someday have a happy marriage like Ai’s never disappeared.
Then there was a knock at the door, and a female photographer with a camera and an ID badge around her neck came in. She was the wedding photographer hired by the hotel.
"I’ll take the photos first!"
"Yeees—☆"
As Ai laughed and threw up her hands, Miyako and the members all rushed over at once, taking positions beside and behind her as they looked toward the camera.
"I’m shooting now! One, two, three!"
Click
At the same time, in the groom’s waiting room.
Unlike the bride’s waiting room, which was fragrant and bright like flowers, the groom’s waiting room had an atmosphere that somehow felt like a military barracks.
That was understandable enough, even if Kaoru was already famous for being blunt and indifferent around everyone except his family.
President Toshiro and Director Gotanda stood with their hands behind their backs, looking around the waiting room like family elders visiting a newlywed home.
Having already exchanged greetings, the two men awkwardly admired Kaoru in his sharp suit before turning their eyes toward the noisy door.
"Looks like your friends are here."
"When is Aragaki Satomi coming?"
President Toshiro and Director Gotanda each tossed out a line. Kaoru smiled and welcomed his noisy high school friends as they burst in.
"Yo, Kaoru!"
"You look great!"
"You’re really shining today."
"Man, I even wore insoles, and I should’ve put in more."
Kaoru’s friends, Shohei, Shoto, Tomoya, and Kaito, greeted him with laughter.
Seeing them all dressed up neatly for their friend’s wedding, Kaoru gave his usual detached smile and said, "Shoto, you own a suit?"
Among their friend group, Shoto was famous for owning only one set of clothes and had a notorious reputation as a so-called fashion terrorist. Shohei snickered and threw an arm around Shoto’s shoulders.
"Don’t even start. This idiot called me yesterday and whined about going shoe shopping together. I was honestly shocked."
"Come on. What kind of guy asks to go buy shoes today when his friend’s wedding is tomorrow? That’s like asking to do summer vacation homework."
After Shohei and Kaito’s merciless roasting, Shoto laughed awkwardly.
"Heh heh heh. Congratulations on the wedding, Kaoru."
"Yeah. Thanks. Oh, let me introduce you. This is President Toshiro Kinidaichi. He’s the head of the [Rararai Theater Troupe] and also its director. And this is Director Taishi Gotanda."
At Kaoru’s introduction, Toshiro, Gotanda, and the friends shook hands and exchanged greetings.
The groom’s waiting room quickly grew noisy. It was all trivial chatter—how the trip over was, how reporters were lined up outside, telling each other not to cry—but their bright expressions proved that this was a day of celebration.
Then—outside the door, a voice as beautiful and fragrant as spring flowers rolling like beads across a tray of jade sounded out.
"Ah—Kaoru? Were you here—ah, hello?"
"Senpai! You came?"
"I told you not to call me so stiffly! Hehe—congratulations on the wedding~!"
Kaoru went out to greet her himself, took the woman’s hand, and thanked her. Director Taishi Gotanda and the others stared dumbly at the actress talking with Kaoru.
"Guh—ah, th-that’s Aragaki Satomi."
Four people, excluding Tomoya and Toshiro, were instantly reduced to speechlessness. Tomoya had a model girlfriend, and Toshiro was married and not the type to go crazy over actresses, so he was calm enough. But Gotanda was different. If Kaoru was his [persona], then Aragaki Satomi was his [heroine].
Watching Aragaki Satomi—an actress with no real challenger for the greatest popularity and name value in the industry right now—chat casually and familiarly with Kaoru, the friends...
“……”
“……”
They ended up declaring, with absolute conviction, that in their next life they would be born as Kaoru’s descendants.
About thirty minutes later, once everyone who had received an invitation had arrived and taken their assigned seats, the wedding ceremony began.
The hotel staff assisting with the proceedings and the photographers and camera crew moved busily about. Musicians with violins and cellos sat quietly in a corner of the venue, waiting in silence.
In Japan, where weddings are usually held in churches, it was common to have a Western pastor officiate. But unusually, the officiant for this wedding was Toshiro.
That was Kaoru’s request. On such a happy day, he wanted an elder he had known for a long time to officiate, so he asked Ai for permission and had Toshiro stand as the celebrant.
Ai happily accepted Kaoru’s suggestion, and Toshiro was successfully placed in the officiant’s seat. Standing there, he looked a little nervous, drinking water over and over and clearing his throat.
Miyako and Rentaro, seated in the front row, also waited tensely for the ceremony to begin. Ichigo was not there, as he was escorting Ai.
"Hoo."
"Hoo."
The twins, who were preparing to act as flower children and scatter petals when the bride entered, tried hard to calm their excited, trembling hearts as they waited for their parents to appear.
And then—when Kaoru emerged from the nearby waiting room, the beautiful melody of violins and cellos began to play.
♬♪♩~
"The groom will now enter."
As the staff member’s voice rang out over the microphone, Kaoru walked forward from the end of the long wedding carpet in the center, smiling.
His blond hair and blue eyes sparkled in the warm spring sunlight. The twins clapped quickly, their eyes shining.
Clap clap clap
Kaoru stood before the officiant’s seat, let out a breath with a soft "Hah," and waited for the bride with a face that showed just how nervous he really was, unlike his usual self.
♬♪♩-
"The bride will now enter."
Immediately after, the pure white bride appeared from the bridal waiting room. Takamine and Nino followed behind her as bridesmaids, holding up the wedding dress.
Ai held the bouquet in both hands, while Ichigo walked beside her with his arm linked through hers, having removed his sunglasses and escorting her with a solemn expression.
"Sob—sniff—! Hic—"
Miyako finally burst into tears she had been holding back. The other members seemed the same, pulling out tissues, dabbing at their eyes, and applauding.
"Let’s go!"
"Yeah!"
As soon as Ai stepped onto the wedding carpet, Aqua and Ruby, who had been waiting nearby, lifted their flower baskets and walked out in front of her just as rehearsed, scattering petals.
"Aqua! Ruby!"
Ai’s starry eyes sparkled with surprise, as if she had not expected the twins to be assigned flower-child duty, and she smiled in a sudden burst of love.
The guests smiled and clapped at the sight of the adorable twins. Under the blessing of the spring-like, cute, and lovable pair, Ai walked forward with a blissful smile that seemed ready to take flight.
Clap clap clap
"......Heh☆"
Escorted by Ichigo, Ai walked toward Kaoru. When her eyes met her husband’s blue gaze, she smiled softly.
The excitement and trembling in her heart grew even stronger the moment she saw Kaoru. Those blue eyes that always looked at her, that warm smile—it all urged the pure white bride’s steps onward.
Ai and Ichigo reached Kaoru at the end of the wedding carpet. Ichigo placed Ai’s hand into Kaoru’s, and Kaoru, receiving it just as carefully, met Ichigo’s eyes and smiled.
"Thank you, Father-in-law."
"...Be well. Ahem. Just... be healthy and happy."
"Yes."
As countless memories and emotions flashed through him during that short walk down the wedding carpet, Ichigo choked up, cleared his throat once, and nodded.
Ai understood those feelings well enough, so she held Kaoru’s hand and looked at Ichigo with an even brighter smile. From now on, there would only be happiness ahead, not worry.
She tried to turn her father’s concern into trust and happiness. Ichigo’s eyes reddened slightly, and he nodded before quietly stepping back and walking to the seat beside Miyako.
The twins also finished their flower-child role and hurried back to their seats to watch the ceremony.
"Pretty."
"Hehe."
Kaoru and Ai looked at each other for a moment and smiled. Then they turned to Toshiro at the officiant’s seat and clasped their hands tightly together.
True to the bold spirit of a small wedding, there was no recitation of vows, no declaration of marriage, no formal greetings, and none of the other usual trappings. Toshiro’s officiating began right away.
“Officiating” was really just a brief speech from Toshiro, speaking on behalf of an elder who had married before them.
"It is an honor to officiate for the couple standing here today. Marriage is..."
Toshiro spoke while meeting Kaoru and Ai’s eyes. He remembered the first time he had met Kaoru. The cold boy who was blunt and knew nothing but acting had somehow grown into a man with a family and was now standing here at his own wedding.
There had been many trials along with many years.
But Kaoru and Ai had overcome them and stood before him now.
Toshiro nearly choked up a few times in the middle, but he didn’t want to drag out the short officiant speech any longer than necessary, so he wrapped it up quickly.
"...Be happy. Live long and well, until your black hair turns white. I sincerely wish you a long and happy life. Thank you."
Clap clap clap
The guests applauded, and then the [B Komachi] members came forward together to sing the wedding song. They performed a gentle rearrangement of one of the album tracks, [Always with your heart☆], as the ceremony’s congratulatory song.
Ai clapped with wide eyes, surprised that they had found time to prepare something like this amid their busy schedules, and cheered for the members’ performance.
Kaoru also applauded as the members sang in rich harmony beneath Kyunpan’s outstanding lead vocal.
Once the song ended and the applause died down—
At last—the long-awaited moment arrived.
"As a vow of love and a symbol of your bond, please share a kiss of love."
"Waaaah~!"
"Kiss!"
"Woo!"
As if they had been waiting for it, Kaoru’s friends clapped and shouted, and the members also kept the energy high with their applause.
Rentaro and the Saito couple also smiled and clapped. The other guests, too, bloomed into smiles and applauded.
The twins...
"Ghh!!"
"......"
For some reason, they were embarrassed, covering their eyes while peeking through their fingers at their parents’ kiss.
Ruby was still a young girl who had never even had a kiss, but Aqua, a fully grown adult, also covered his eyes in embarrassment and excitement.
Watching them, Kaoru quietly turned and looked at Ai’s shy, sparkling starlight eyes.
Ai’s face was flushed red, so much so that even makeup couldn’t hide it.
As her trembling breath released Ai’s sweet scent, Kaoru swallowed unconsciously.
Normally, the custom would be a formal peck, just a touch of the lips—but...
“……”
“……”
Even though she was wearing high heels, there was still a difference in height, so Kaoru bent down, held Ai’s hand tightly, and kissed her.
It was the first time either of them had shown a kiss in front of other people, but it didn’t feel awkward at all. If anything, it made their love feel even deeper, and their hearts burned hot all on their own.
"Kyaaaaah!"
"Waaaah!"
Clap clap clap
It was a somewhat embarrassing, lingering kiss rather than a peck, but that only made the atmosphere even more heated.
"Pha...☆"
"......"
After the short yet long kiss ended, Ai smiled softly, her face bright red. It was a shy smile filled with love and affection for Kaoru.
Kaoru smiled back, still holding her hand.
"I love you. Kaoru."
The pure white bride confessed in a quiet, shy voice. Thinking of how many happy days awaited them, Ai was already on the verge of tears from anticipation and excitement.
Every minute and second together felt too precious to waste. She might not be able to endure how much she would miss even a single moment. There would be countless stories to write with her beloved husband and the twins.
Kaoru, who would write those stories with her, quietly but as always with a warm hand full of love, wrapped his wife’s hand in both of his and said, "Me too. I love you, Ai."
On that warm March 25, with pink cherry blossoms in full bloom, Kaoru and Ai finally completed their wedding ceremony in full.
The bouquet Ai threw... was suddenly caught by a gust of wind and landed right in front of Yuno Hasegawa, who had been standing beside Rentaro and chatting warmly with him. Yuno Hasegawa’s flustered reaction, not knowing what to do, was a treat in itself.
And that evening, after the reception was over as well.
The twins had reached a unanimous agreement to sleep at Miyako’s place downstairs so their parents could enjoy their time together in peace.
Of course, Miyako did not want that.
Late at night, after drinking wine and taking a bath together, Kaoru, now in a robe, opened the door to check on Ai, who had left the bathroom first, saying she was tired.
And then—
"...Kaoru♥"
"...Ai?"
Candles softly lit the room. And there was the faint scent of an oddly sensual aromatic candle.
And then—Ai’s starlight eyes, glowing in the orange candlelight with excitement, lust, and a desire for affection.
Most of all—seeing his wife dressed not in pajamas, but in her wedding dress, which emphasized her slender, snow-white legs and her unusually ample chest.
Kaoru stared at her, wordless and dazed.
Slowly, Ai walked toward Kaoru, her starlight eyes shining seductively. Like a succubus resolved not to allow even a single drop of his essence to escape.
Ai wrapped her arms around his firm upper body, pinning him in place, pressing her chest, hips, and even her pelvis against him as she whispered,
"Love Ai as much as you want. Do whatever Kaoru wants♥"
Kaoru swallowed hard and, instead of answering, quietly closed the open door.
The long shadow cast by the faint light seeping out—
was finally swallowed forever by the door shutting, and disappeared into the darkness.
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