"Nijika, Nijika…"
Her shoulder was pushed gently a few times, and Nijika woke up to the sound of a soft voice calling her name, opening her magnificent, ruby-like eyes, which were filled with confusion.
"Seriously, how can you sleep so soundly at such an important time?"
"Who?"
Nijika followed the voice and saw a much more mature-looking Kita Ikuyo, wearing light makeup, standing beside her, staring with concern at her seemingly dazed self.
"I'm telling you, Nijika, you should snap out of it now, shouldn't you?"
"Nijika? When did Kita start calling me that? Shouldn't it be Ijichi-senpai?"
Nijika became even more confused about the current situation. She looked around and found herself sitting in a dressing room.
In the gold-framed wooden mirror, Nijika, dressed in a pure white wedding gown, stared blankly at herself. She could hardly recognize the person in the mirror as herself.
She looked... a few years older, maybe?
Her usual side ponytail had been let down. Her dazzling golden hair was braided from both sides, wrapping around to the back of her head where it was tied into a small plait. Nijika had seen this hairstyle before; many princesses in Western royalty movies wore their hair like this.
"Why am I wearing a wedding dress?"
Faced with this idiotic question, Kita Ikuyo covered her forehead, a headache-stricken expression on her face that screamed, "This person is completely hopeless."
"Nijika! Snap out of it! You're wearing a wedding dress because you're getting married, of course!"
"Oh, right. It's my wedding today."
Nijika had a moment of realization, and everything seemed to make sense.
So, she was getting married.
But... who was the groom?
Nijika felt like her mind wasn't working very well right now. She couldn't think through many things in detail; most of her memories were shrouded in a layer of fog, yet everything somehow felt logical and reasonable.
"You haven't really gotten amnesia after a nap like in some romance drama, have you?" Kita Ikuyo teased the dazed Nijika while touching up her makeup. "Honestly, how can you be so careless when you sleep? You've messed up the makeup I did for you before I left."
Nijika obediently apologized to her, "Sorry."
"It's fine, it'll be fixed in no time," Kita Ikuyo said, using a powder puff to reapply foundation to Nijika's face. Her complexion was already good, so she didn't need heavy makeup. "You're the bride today. You can't be this dazed later."
"Okay, I will."
Although she still couldn't remember who the groom was, what his name was, or what he looked like, whenever she thought of him, a honey-like sweetness would well up from a fountain in her heart, constantly bubbling up to fill her entire being.
A warm, sweet feeling enveloped Nijika, and she happily began to hum an original song by Kessoku Band.
"You're still in the mood to hum our old songs, huh? Just don't get weak in the knees when the wedding ceremony officially starts."
Kita Ikuyo finished the light makeup with an eyebrow pencil, put down her tools, and gently patted Nijika's shoulder.
"Alright, once Ryo comes to get us, you can go out and see your groom."
"Thank you, Kita."
"Who can I blame? I've always been good at this sort of thing," Kita Ikuyo said with a helpless shrug, then burst out laughing with a 'pfft'.
"Still, doing Hitori's makeup for the first time was interesting."
Before Nijika had a chance to ask about the amusing story with Hitori Gotoh, she noticed that the red ribbon she always treated as her most precious treasure, the one she wore at all times, was gone. She couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
"Kita, have you seen my red ribbon?"
"Didn't you give it to the groom?"
"Oh, is that so? As long as it's not lost."
Nijika leaned back in the soft chair, relieved, and her clenched fist relaxed.
So it wasn't lost. Thank goodness.
"Hey, are you guys ready?"
Ryo, dressed in a black suit, knocked and entered the dressing room. She also looked a few years older but still had her old hairstyle, which made her look quite like a well-mannered gentleman.
"Ryo, why are you wearing a men's suit?"
Ryo frowned in confusion and looked to Kita Ikuyo for an answer.
"Did she sleep herself silly?"
Kita Ikuyo nodded.
"Yeah, a little."
Ryo sighed.
"Good thing she's not being silly during the wedding itself. Nijika, I'm here to be your best man today."
"Then who's the bridesmaid?"
When Nijika said this, she noticed both of them were staring at her as if she were an idiot.
"Can this foolish bride really get married?"
"Can't be helped. The groom will just have to put up with it."
Nijika retorted, indignant, "Can you two stop talking in riddles!"
"The bridesmaid is Kita, of course!" Ryo said, looking as if she were disappointed in her for not meeting expectations. How could her best friend be this dense?
"Enough talk. Hurry up and wake up, the wedding is about to start!"
Ryo signaled for Kita Ikuyo to check Nijika's dress and makeup one more time.
Kita Ikuyo quickly checked herself and Nijika, then gave Ryo an "OK" sign.
Receiving the signal, Ryo pushed open the dressing room door, bowed, and extended a hand towards the outside.
"The bride should make her entrance."
Nijika's heart began to pound. She mustered her courage and stepped through the door, which was radiating a brilliant light.
The wedding venue was like a splendid sea of flowers. Dazzling blossoms freely displayed their delicate and beautiful petals under the warm sunlight. A faint floral scent filled the air, while ribbons and balloons swayed gently in the wind, adding to the romantic and joyous atmosphere.
Beneath a magnificent arch woven from countless fresh flowers, the groom, dressed in a white suit that matched the wedding dress, was waiting quietly.
As the bells announcing the start of the wedding rang out, startling a flock of white doves into flight, Nijika's high heels clicked on the red carpet as she approached the groom. She finally saw his face clearly.
"Jhin!?"
Nijika cried out in astonishment, then immediately realized how strange her reaction was. The guests present simply thought the bride missed the groom dearly and let out good-natured laughter.
Jhin and I are getting married, there's nothing strange about that. Why was I so surprised just now?
Nijika couldn't figure it out. The thick fog clouded her mind again, and she soon stopped thinking about these things because Jhin had already taken her hand and led her through the arch to the priest.
The elderly priest's full head of silver hair was neatly combed back. His expression was solemn and dignified.
"Mr. Jhin, in the presence of God and these witnesses, do you take Miss Nijika Ijichi to be your wife; to live with her in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"
Jhin stood up straight and answered seriously, "I do."
"Miss Nijika Ijichi, in the presence of God and these witnesses, do you take Mr. Jhin to be your husband; to live with him in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"
Holding Jhin's hand, a constant stream of love welled up from her heart. She answered in a firm voice, "I do."
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now exchange rings."
Jhin first took out the ribbon that was so meaningful to Nijika and gently tied it around her left ring finger before placing the wedding ring on it.
Unable to contain the affection overflowing from her heart, Nijika proactively offered her red lips.
"Ahhhh!!!"
Nijika shot up from her bed with a scream, her fair little face flushed red as she looked around the familiar room.
So... it was just a dream.
___
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