The Curse Of The Cat Ears

Chapter Five

Year Five

When Kyo proposed to Tohru, he had told her that the wedding was entirely up to her. It was her big day, and whatever she wanted, he would support without question. In typical Tohru fashion, though, her sweet and considerate nature made planning a wedding nearly impossible. But not for the reason most would think.

Tohru Honda was the polar opposite of a Bridezilla. Every decision she made came with the constant question of, But will everyone else be happy? Kyo had to sit her down multiple times, gently but firmly explaining that it was her wedding, and that she should pick what she wanted, not what she thought everyone else might prefer.

The only solid want she had expressed was a fall church wedding. The rest of the planning felt like pulling teeth, with Tohru's perpetual focus on making sure everyone else was comfortable and content. Kyo loved her for it, but it drove him crazy sometimes.

But now, here they were—seven days away from their wedding, and Kyo couldn't believe it. The excitement buzzed in his veins. He was marrying the literal woman of his dreams, the one who had stood by him through everything.

One thing Kyo hadn't accounted for, though, was being back in Tokyo for Halloween. They had taken the train early on October 30th, planning to spend the first few days of November at Shigure's house before their wedding on the 5th, followed by two weeks in Kyoto for their honeymoon.

And that's how Kyo found himself wandering around a costume shop, just the day before Halloween and exactly seven days before his wedding. Honestly, he hadn't wanted to do much for Halloween this year, not when the wedding was looming just ahead. He was focused, determined to keep things low-key.

But everyone—Shigure, Momiji, Yuki, even Haru—had been pushing for a couples costume, and Kyo, always sensitive to Tohru's emotions, knew how stressed she was with the wedding so close. If wearing some ridiculous matching costume would bring a smile to her face, then he would do it without complaint. Kyo had learned to pick his battles, and this wasn't one worth fighting.

They wandered through the shop, Tohru glancing at various costumes while Kyo mostly watched her. His heart still fluttered whenever he thought about the fact that in just a week, she would officially be his wife. The thought made everything else fade into the background.

Suddenly, Tohru's face lit up with a smile as she pulled something from the rack. "What about this one?" she asked, holding up a couple's costume set—a dentist and a tooth fairy.

Kyo snorted, crossing his arms. "That one's not horrible," he admitted with a small grin. "But you look way better in scrubs."

Tohru giggled at the compliment, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "I think this one could be fun, though," she said with that innocent excitement that always melted Kyo's heart.

He smiled back at her, unable to resist. "Then that one it is."

As they made their way to the register to pay, Kyo couldn't help but think how, in one week, she would be the most beautiful bride he had ever seen. But right now, he knew for sure she was going to be the cutest tooth fairy to ever exist.

And as long as it made her smile, it was all worth it.

The day of Halloween had been far more stressful than Kyo had anticipated. It was only 5:30 p.m., but the hours had been filled with calls, planning, and general chaos. The biggest headache of the day had been a mix-up with the dress shop—Tohru's wedding dress had somehow gone missing, and Kyo was this close to storming over to the shop himself. How do you lose a wedding dress, of all things?

Tohru had already had three meltdowns, and Kyo was desperately trying to manage the situation, now on the phone with the dress company himself, pacing back and forth in the living room while Shigure, Yuki, and Machi added last-minute decorations for the Halloween party. He had been on hold for what felt like an eternity—fifteen minutes, at least.