The Best Day Ever
Note: In Japan, unlike the US, you are allowed to marry
at 16. (Whereas Americans have to be 18 [unless there is parent consent]) There
are no warnings for this fan fic; anyone can read it without concern.
Rika’s alarm clock woke her up. She yawned and looked to see it was eight-o’clock. She smiled. “Happy birthday, Rika!” she said, rolling out of bed. Today was June 24th, her sixteenth birthday. She stretched her arms and walked to her desk.
She opened a small jewelry box that contained a gold ring with a single diamond in it. She slipped it onto her finger and admired it. “Today is the big day…” she said, quietly, smiling into the mirror above her desk; she studied herself.
Rika didn’t look much different from when she’d received the ring. She had a growth spurt and was now a towering five-feet and four inches. She had let her hair grow out to her shoulders. It was still thick and had a large curl-in at the ends. Her skin and eyes were still the same as ever.
Rika’s
parents had been reluctant to allow their daughter to marry a man twice her age
but they gave in. Rika and Yoshiyuki did not want to wait. They decided to get
married on the day that she turned 16. (Luckily, it was in the summer) They had
written their own vows for each other. The wedding was a rather small one
composed of almost sixth people. Rika and Yoshiyuki’s families, many teachers and friends of
Yoshiyuki’s, and Rika’s high school friends.
Rika’s maid of honor was Chiharu. She
had three bride’s maids: Sakura, Naoko, and Tomoyo. Chiharu’s dress had short
sleeves with a poof to the skirt and she had pink gloves and shoes. While
Chiharu’s dress was a sugar pink color, the other three were a slightly darker
pink and had a large bow in the back.
Rika’s dress was radiant; she sewed it
herself. It was made of silk and the purest shade of white you can find. It had
very short sleeves with a bit of a puff and a V collar. It was slim fitting and
like a princess dress, the flair of the skirt began before her hips. She wore
tall shoes so she was 5’6” in them and only a few inches shorter the Yoshiyuki.
Rika took a long shower and put on
shorts and a shirt and her morning began. The wedding was at two o’clock so she
had four and a half hours to get here hair down, get her nails painted, get her
make up matched, and be at the church by twelve-thirty to be ready for the
ceremony at one-thirty.
The lady at the salon did Rika’s hair
up in a new-Today look. She pinned in some hair from the back and curled it
into tiny ringlets. She then took the front two stands of hair and spiraled
them. She had her nails painted light rouge. The make up artist gave her milk
colored foundation, brown eyeliner, rouge eye shadow, soft pink lipstick, and a
glossy mascara.
Rika headed for the church with her
mother. At the church she met Yoshiyuki and stopped to have a chat with him.
“Everything ready?” he asked, watching
the few people scattered around the church hang decorations. Rika looked around
the room. “It’s getting there.” Yoshiyuki smiled and Rika how beautiful she
looked. Rika blushed. Rika’s mother summoned Rika to the changing room so she
could change into her dress. She gave Yoshiyuki a hug and looked into his eyes.
They had decided that there first kiss would be after they were married. “No
peeking. It is bad luck if you see me in my dress before the wedding, ok?” Rika
asked. Yoshiyuki released her from his embrace and nodded. Rika turned and
jogged to the room. She found that Chiharu and Tomoyo were already there.
Chiharu was zipping up her dress and
Tomoyo was fixing her camera. Chiharu ran to give Rika a hug. “How our birthday
girl?” she asked. “Just fine,” Rika replied. Her mother got out her dress and
helped Rika slip into it. “Smile!” Tomoyo said, snapping a shot of the surprised
Rika. “She did that to me too,” Chiharu exclaimed. Rika’s mother informed her that’s he was going to help out with
all the other things going on and for Rika to stay there. Just as she was
walking out, Naoko came in, already dressed. “Smile!” Tomoyo said, once more,
as she snapped a shot of Naoko, who stuck her tongue out. “Tomoyo, why don’t
you get shots of the church and the decorations?” asked Rika. Tomoyo gasped.
“What a great idea Rika-chan!” she said, jogging to the door. Naoko followed
after her and Chiharu tagged along just for fun. Rika’s mother left the room to
go check on decorations.
Rika sat down and smiled a sigh.
Sakura ran in, her bow untied, her shoes in hand, and her hair a mess. “Sorry
Rika, forgot to wake up!” she huffed, panting. Rika smiled and looked back to
herself in the mirror. Sakura sat down in a chair and started to put on her
shoes but stopped and started up at Rika with concerned eyes.
Rika saw Sakura staring in the
reflection. “Yes, Sakura?” she asked. “Well…” Sakura began. “I was just
thinking… you’re so young- to-to be getting married that is. How do you know
you’re really in love? I know that sounds horrible of me but how can you be so
sure? I’m 16 too but the only thing I’m sure of in what I want for dinner. How
can you be certain you and Mr. Terada will love each other until you both are
old and wrinkled? Don’t you think you’ll change your mind. And- you’ll still go
to school, right? I mean- you won’t forget about me and Tomoyo and everyone
will you? You always seem so sure of yourself and this probably isn’t helping
in the least but how do you know for sure you aren’t making a mistake?” Sakura said all in one breath.
Rika laughed. She laughed so hard a
tear rolled down her cheek. “Sakura… it’s love. It cannot be explained and that
is why it is love. I don’t have any proof as to why, but I have faith. That is
why I don’t double guess myself. I have faith in love,” Rika explained, putting
a hand on Rika’s shoulder. Sakura’s eyes welled up in tears and she threw her arms around Rika. “That was so beautiful
Rika! I hope I find my faith for love one day too!” she said, wiping her eyes.
Rika smiled and nodded. “You will… but for now why don’t you go check on
Tomoyo, Naoko and Chiharu. Sakura sighed, feeling relieved and smiled. “Sure
Rika!” She trotted out of the room, leaving Rika by herself.
Most ladies, especially at Rika’s age
would be questioning their decision but not Rika. She sat, staring at her image
with a content ness in her mind. She waited patiently for the announcement that
the ceremony would begin soon.
At promptly two, Rika’s mother knocked
on the door. “Rika… it is time to get line up.” Rika opened her dressing room
door and stepped out. “I have to walk in but we did that last night at
rehearsal so you know what to do. Dad is waiting right over there,” her mom
pointed out Rika’s father who was waiting by the open door, leading into the
church. Rika heard the music start and her mother rushed off.
Rika met with her father and waited
for the pianist to play the song, allowing her and her father to advance. As
she walked down the isle she heard everybody’s head whip in her direction but
she focused of Yoshiyuki. His eyes widened and she could tell me was pleased
with her.
Rika reached the front of the room
where Chiharu, Naoko, Tomoyo, Sakura, Naoko, and the others waited for her.
Yokshiyuki took Rika’s hand and they stepped forward to the alter where the
preacher stood.
The ceremony passed right along and
before she knew it Rika heard Yoshiyuki say, “I do.” He glanced at her and she
gave him a reassuring smile. The priest turned to her and she patiently awaited
her time to speak.
In a soft and clear voice Rika
announced her love to Yoshiyuki to the crowd.
“I do.”
The priest carried on for a short
while then said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may kiss the
bride.” Yoshiyuki and Rika turned to each other. He put his hand on her
shoulders and we cupped her hands around his face. She tilted her head to the
side slightly and for the first time, they kissed. It wasn’t a long kiss but
was meaningful and sacred to them both.
The music began and people smiled and
laughed and talked as Rika stood there with her new husband, holding his hand.
“This is truly the best day of my
life,” Rika said, smiling up to her bright-eyed husband.