Of Cats and Crows (Sugawara Koushi)

Bells are Ringing

Mitsumi Chie stood in the dressing room of the garden's clubhouse in her white wedding dress. She opened her eyes and gasped. "Oh my gosh. Asahi! You made this?" It was one of those rare shocked reactions that came from the woman that brought him a sense of ease. Asahi had made special occasion gowns for her while he was in school so that his designs didn't just sit on a rack. Thankfully, he had a good grasp on her form, and she had placed immense trust in him to get the job done right.

"I'm glad you love it! I'd probably cry if you hated it." Asahi was visibly relieved. Anytime any client came in for a final fitting, he was always anxious that they would hate it. And because of her hectic schedule, the big reveal happened the morning of the wedding. No stress at all. Right?

The bride stared into the full-length mirror. Her long chocolate hair was styled half-up, half-down, and curled. Part of her hair was braided on the sides into decorative braids with fresh anemone flowers placed into them. Her makeup is elegant yet natural. It complemented the dress perfectly. The dress stopped right at the ground, leaving enough room for her to walk without tripping. The skirt was full and flowy, but it wasn't poufy. Plus, it had pockets. The bodice had a beautiful floral lace with some simple beading. The neckline was a modest sweetheart that complimented the short flutter sleeves. The dress laced up the back like a corset. Mitsumi was surprised by how comfortable it was. She stepped into her nude-colored heels. They weren't super tall and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Matsuki had been kind enough to recommend the brand she wore to work.

Asahi stared at her. Something was missing. "I almost forgot your veil." He attached the matching veil to the back center of her head without ruining the flowers. "There we go!" He clapped her hands, satisfied with his work, and helped her off the podium. "Shall we go show the girls?"

The bridesmaids were in a different room getting ready. According to Noriko, they were all good to go. Her mother had been anxious to see the dress in person finally. The Mitsumi family matriarch was still surprised at how involved her daughter wanted her in the whole wedding process. Especially with everything that had happened in the past. But, this was just another reminder that time had passed and things had changed.

"Oh my gosh, my best friend is a BABE!" Saki shrieked as Mitsumi came into the room. Everyone's necks snapped in the direction of the door. All of the bridesmaids were busy finalizing their looks. Some were touching up their lipstick while others were chatting while scrolling on their phones. But now, they were all fighting for a clear view of the bride.

Megumi turned in her chair and dropped the closed container of lipstick in her hand on the floor. "How do you expect me to hand you off when you look like a FULL COURSE MEAL, Chie?!"

Everyone laughed at the initial loud reactions. Mei grinned and clapped her hands together. "Do a spin!" Everyone began to clap and chant along with Mei's request. Embarrassed by all of the attention, Mitsumi shuffled deeper into the room.

Mitsumi did a quick twirl. The skirt of the dress spun out around her. Everyone made some oohs and ahs in response. The photographer, who was there to document everything, was going ham on the shutter as she tried to capture everyone's reactions. Asahi stood in the background with a soft smile as he leaned on the door frame.

Noriko gave her daughter a hug. "Chie, I hope nobody mistakens you for a middle schooler today." She joked around as she tried not to cry so soon. It was hard to believe that she would get to see her eldest walk down the aisle. She remembered when she first announced that she was seeing someone and the shock that went through the family. They had all been convinced she would die a lonely cat lady. But it seemed to be that she was proving them wrong again.

They both laughed. "I don't think we will have to worry about that today, Mom." Mitsumi was trying to not cry before the ceremony. But, she was already starting to get emotional. "Can someone get me a tissue?"