a spider trapped on a cherry tree

Chapter 3 - Before It's Too Late! - Part 1 (Aoi)

Insert song: Radwimps - Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru Kai (Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?)

- The wedding day -

I tried on the kimono given to me. It was white with tints of lilac. The motives were very elaborate as well. The hakama was dark purple colored. The haori jacket was pure white with decorations. I think Mikaboshi wanted it to resemble as closely as possible to blue. And I bet the original color was blue if we were not in yomi. It was very unusual for a groom to wear such colorful wedding attire. Usually, it was black and grey combinations of color. But I understood his intention. It would be hellish gloomy if both of our kimonos were black. At least one of us should be brighter in color. After the try-on, Mikaboshi's attendants helped me took them off and escorted me to the spa. He said it would make me look the best I could tonight. He wasn't wrong. My face was puffy after sobbing and throwing up my guts the night before. It was an unimaginably horrible scene to look at. I was at my lowest condition. I recalled everything as I dip myself in the onsen.

I probably took thirty of the candies before I couldn't hold myself from vomiting my dinner. Each candy felt like a ticket to a roller coaster. And every time the me in the vision gets older, the level of extremeness escalated. As Jacob said, Mikaboshi and I were friends for a long time. It all started when he saved me from a child rapist. I was almost taken away if he didn't jump from his hiding. He must have blamed himself for causing it to happen by attracting bad things at me. But I'm sure it was me, as a son of the god Inari. Weird things had happened to me every day, even when I moved to the States. It wasn't until high school when I could take them all with my powers. Long story short I was counting on him as my guardian angel. He saved me day by day without breaks. From a falling tree to falling roofs, he shielded bad lucks from attacking me. After school, I would always be excited to meet him and gave him my disliked flavor of candy, grape. He was my only friend. I was quite a loner, being different from my peers and being weaker than the rest of the boys too. Mikaboshi would spend the afternoon with me, chatting and joking around until it was time for me to get home.

There was only one candy with a different flavor from the bunch in the jar. A strawberry flavored candy, my favorite. It was the last moment of our meetings. On that particular day, Mikaboshi saved me from bullies. He disguised himself as an older boy and chased them off. I was thankful and amazed at the same time. We sat around together in a secluded pond. I accidentally spilled my thoughts of wanting to marry him when I grow up. He was touched. Maybe I reminded him of his late wife somehow. It was a sweet moment until it was ruined by hordes of demons. He managed to protect me from them but not from me tripping myself. It caused my head to hit the edge of a statue's pedestal. He was beyond guilty of it and put every blame on him, though I'm convinced it was my own clumsiness that caused it. He brought me back home. Before leaving he removed my memory of him, swearing he would come back to me when I would be much older and stronger and when the time is right. As he was about to leave, my dad saw me already bleeding and passing out in front of him. It was the end of our friendship. The last memory was so overwhelming my head was in excruciating pain I screamed. It was also incredibly emotional I wailed. Mikaboshi rushed to where I was and comforted me. He was enraged by how I didn't listen to him, but still controlled himself. He didn't even have time to take on the human form.

When I was feeling better, he sat by my bed and asked how much I remembered. I hugged him in an instant, firming up my decision of marrying him. I told him I wouldn't change my mind around it. He gave up and brushed my hair. He told me to rest for the night since our wedding would come soon, signaling his approval. The next morning, the soon as I woke up, his attendants came into my room and began preparing for everything. The spa treatment was the fifth step. They allowed me to take my time according to my liking. When I stepped out and put on my yukata, they continued everything again orderly. The preparation was finished at dawn. By then I was dressed up properly. I asked them if I could roam around for a bit, which of course they wouldn't restrict.

"You're breathtaking Aoi!" Jacob praised.

"Yeah? I couldn't believe my eyes either. It's all thanks to the incredible outfit though," I showed him the fabrics.

"You're really going to marry Mikaboshi-sama, huh?"

"Yup. I can't believe I'm actually going to marry someone at eighteen."

"Absolutely no regret?"

"To be honest I'm a bit regretful my parents and friends aren't here. But it's fine."

"I'll support anything you choose, Aoi."

"Thanks. By the way, have you seen Mikaboshi?"

"No idea. Try his room, the safe room, or the garden. Most probably between those places."

"Okay, see you at the ceremony Jacob!" I waved at him.

I stopped by the places Jacob mentioned. I strolled while thinking about how ironic the situation now. At first, I hated this place but I came to like it more than my home. I hated Mikaboshi and everything he does but I slowly tolerated him then became fond of him. I didn't know if he put a spell on me secretly but I was sure I wouldn't leave yomi ever. I questioned my decision too at first, mainly for my lack of trust in Mikaboshi. After I got my memory back, however, I could trust him with my life. I thought about things I'd left behind. When I realized I could visit them whenever I need to I wasn't worried anymore.

Peter.

What about Peter?

Merely visiting him won't cure me from missing him. Marrying Mikaboshi meant leaving Peter forever. My chest hurt as if the thought of him alone was a silver bullet. I've brought him enough problems. Whenever he was with me, a terrible mist of bad luck descended on him. I have to let him go. If I truly love him, I have to set him free. He has a great future in front of him and I would just be a blockage.
After some hours of leisurely searching, Mikaboshi wasn't in his room nor the safe room. The garden was the last place to look at.

"Mika-kun? Are you here?" I said, opening the gate to the garden, "I wanted to-"

My speech was stopped as I saw a dreadful view. Peter was there under one of the cherry blossom trees, lying on the ground in pain. His tears of blood were dripping slowly. Our eyes met. I couldn't move. I was confused. Why was he there? What was he doing in yomi? I couldn't believe my eyes. Mikaboshi was there too. He was watching Peter got tortured. I became even more bewildered. I thought the deal was to not hurt Peter ever again. Mikaboshi turned his head at me. Both of us didn't know what to tell each other about this absurd moment.