Epilogue

I stood in front of the mirror, turning ever so slightly as my dress fanned out behind me. I grinned. Diamonds glittered in my ears, and cosmetics had been applied to enhance my natural colors. I looked beautiful. My hair had been curled and then pinned up, with my tiara crowning over them. I turned to look at my father, who was waiting for me. I would be walking down the aisle soon, to meet my fiancé. We were getting married, after what felt like forever.

I had expected the marriage to occur in days from when I picked out the dress. It happened a month later. I found it amusing to realize that yesterday had been Kyoya's birthday. Mine was next week. School had certainly been interesting, as I was bombarded with questions about my engagement with Kyoya. I had forgotten that the Maika Magazine would still be fresh in their minds. I didn't hear anything from Kain-sama, or anything about Seiren-san at Ouran. I figured that Kyoya had handled it all, but I didn't know how and I didn't want to.

I walked towards my father; steady in the high heels I was wearing. We walked into the church, my train dragging behind me. I noticed the pale purple flowers spread out before me. At the end, stood my fiancé and the priest. My bridesmaids were all standing there in a line, watching me. Those invited also had their eyes glued to me. This was my day. I grinned again. The bouquet I held, I passed to my maid of honor as my father turned to take his seat while I walked up to my fiancé.

He was wearing a tuxedo and looking very handsome. His gray eyes twinkled with approval, and I stopped to stand before him. In my shoes, I wasn't nearly as short as usual. I had gained some height, which was also disturbing. I was accustomed to being at a specific height in comparison to him, but I was now taller. I caught sight of his groomsmen and wondered at them. Kaoru-kohai, Mori-senpai and Tamaki-san stood there. Tamaki-san was Kyoya's best man.

As the priest went through his whole speech about the joining of matrimony, I kept my eyes on my fiancé. When it came time to put the rings on our fingers, in accordance with the peculiar speech that the priest was giving, it gave us a moment to step closer to one another. I placed the ring on Kyoya's finger first, sliding it easily towards the engagement ring he wore. When it came for him to do it as well, repeating the priest's words back, he slid the ring onto my finger and murmured in my ear. It was no challenge for him, with his height. It is harder to stand up on tip-toe knowing you can't exactly achieve subtleness. He told me I was beautiful.

And then, we exchanged our own vows. We had chosen to say ones with true meaning to us individually and together. Not only that, but we had also written a poem for the other. As I read my poem to him, the butterflies spread their wings and fluttered in my stomach. I wasn't all that nervous, to be honest. I was with Kyoya, here. All eyes were on me like they were supposed to be, but mine were on my fiancé. Had we been married last month, I would have been infinitely more nervous. But now, not so much. I was comfortable with my fiancé and I enjoyed spending time in his company.

My poem, done, I waited for his. His was sweet and touching and a little shorter than mine. His also had a rhythmic flow, which I couldn't help but envy. I wasn't the best of poetry writers, but he was quite excellent at it.

"And to Ashia I place my trust and faith,

She is the guiding light of my days,

She is my best friend.

My fiancée and will shortly be my wife.

I love you."

I blushed at that, not embarrassed by it at the least but touched. It was so sweet. And finally the priest said those words. The long-awaited ones. "You may now kiss the bride."

He was then allowed to push my veil back, and it was as though clarity was suddenly presented to my eyes. We leaned towards each other, our lips meeting in a blissful moment to signify our union. We drew back, grinning at the other. We were now husband and wife. I was no longer Ashia Shinishiki, I was Ashia Ootori. We walked back down the aisle and Haruhi-san handed me my bouquet, and out the doors. The wedding was over, but we still had a reception to attend to. I looked at my fiancé and noticed that his vest was lavender and that his tuxedo pocket held a silver handkerchief.

We embraced and kissed again before continuing to head towards the front of the church. I waited there, my husband standing a few feet away. The bridesmaids and groomsmen came out to stand there. I turned around to grin at my fiancé before tossing the flowers behind me. I heard a shriek and turned to look at who was supposed to get married next. I laughed, unable to prevent it. Tamaki-san looked at us, eyes wide with a soft expression of guilt. "Looks like you'll be getting married soon too," I teased with a glance at Haruhi-san. She blushed.

I waved at them and entered the limousine. I had to get back to the hotel and change into my dress for the reception. Kyoya was apparently going to accompany me. I had no qualms with that. My bridesmaids also had to make minor adjustments. They were following in the limousine behind us while the groomsmen and guests would meet us at the reception. I grinned at my husband. I wanted to think of him as my fiancé. He had been that to me for two months or so, which felt like an age. Yet here he was my husband which he would be for the rest of my life.

I still hadn't seen what my wedding cake looked like.

We arrived back at the hotel and I bustled out of the limousine with my bridesmaids following me. We made it up to our suite where the arduous process of removing my dress came into effect. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, with three people helping to manage it. When it was removed, I was then presented with my reception dress. It was a calf length orchid color, with long sleeves. It was made of the finest silk, and clung to my modest curves. It flowed with my body, moving effortlessly. The shoes that I had worn with my wedding dress, I kept on. I didn't feel the need to purchase a new pair, besides; I liked these ones perfectly well. And they served as the silver to accent my dress.

My bridesmaids then set about to making their fine adjustments with their hair and make-up. They apparently felt the need for it, and I was dragged into it. Once we were done we all filed back out into the limousine. Kyoya had gone ahead to the reception. I would be joining him shortly. We all grinned at each other and my bridesmaids congratulated me. I accepted them graciously. Of course, it wouldn't have been fun had they not teased me. I was now Ashia Ootori and they weren't about to let me forget it. I wasn't about to forget it.

We arrived at the reception and my mother sent me off to be with my fiancé –husband –as they organized the guests. It had taken us a half hour to get here, and the guests still weren't ready? I looked over at him, and we held each other's hand as we silently waited for our cue. We were waiting behind two glass doors with sheer curtains draped in front of it. Someone looking at us from the other side would only be able to see our silhouettes.

"You're beautiful," he murmured again, bending slightly to say them in my ear.

"And you're handsome," I replied, brushing my lips against his cheek.

Our appearances agreed upon, we heard the chatter quiet down and straightened. I grinned, genuinely happy to be here with this man. "…please welcome, the newlyweds, Kyoya Ootori and his bride, Ashia Ootori." There was applause and we opened the doors and walked through the sheer curtain death trap. The curtain seemed to be everywhere, but it certainly made a nice entrance for us as the guests applauded loudly.

It was fantastic, to be introduced as Ashia Ootori. It had a lovely ring to it. I loved it. I loved my fi –husband. I loved Kyoya. We took our seats and the guests made toasts to us. Of course, as weddings go, we were pressured into kissing again. Not that was unpleasant, or hard to do, for either of us. Quite enjoyable really. And then, came the cutting of the cake. We had arranged to dance afterwards. We rose to our feet and walked over to the large cake.

It was gorgeous. It was a French vanilla cake decorated with white sheet icing. Hydrangeas and lilies of icing topped the cake. It was rather simple, but it was perfect. We cut it together and served ourselves a piece. He gently fed me a piece, and I couldn't help but not return the favor. I smeared it across his chin, while letting his eat most of it. He frowned at me, but couldn't exactly do anything as he was eating the small piece. I giggled, and then our guests came forward to retrieve their own pieces of cake. Lunch was then served. There was a large variety offered, but I chose simple things and few of them. We all ate welcomingly. The food was delicious.

I spotted Honey-senpai eyeing the wedding cake. Mori-senpai said something to him and he sighed. Kaoru-kohai and Hikaru-kohai were there as well, but they were in a deep conversation with Amamiya-san and Shirabuki-san. The maid of honor and the best man were conversing softly. It was a wonderful sight. I grinned. And then, someone started the music. A slow, elegant song began to play.

I went onto the cleared floor, and set my hand on his shoulder. His went around my waist and on my shoulder. We began the simple dance that we had both practiced several times before we got it right. Then it was time to dance with our families, and then our in-laws and finally the other guests were able to join in. I danced twice more, before retreating behind the towering cake of icing.

My husband found me there, his gray twinkling with mirth. "Scared?"

"Never," I said, grinning at him. "I just wanted some time alone with you."

He chuckled, "There'll be time for that later. Years of it, actually. We'll be together so much in our own solitude that we'll go crazy."

"No better time to start than the present," I teased.

He took my hand in his and I took the few steps that separated us. We embraced fondly. "Tomorrow's certainly going to be a new day," he said.

"Every day is a new day," I interjected.

"But you don't get married every day."

"I wouldn't want to. I think every five to ten years is a good time to do it though, don't you?"

He eyed me coldly and I grinned. "Maybe every fifteen or twenty?"

"Nah," I said, casually brushing off his comment. "I might get bored of you in that time and then be stuck with you. Would be a shameful waste of time."

"You think I'll bore you?" he asked, shock in his tone.

"Well, I'm afraid you're not exactly adventuresome."

He rolled his eyes. "We'll just discuss it in ten to fifteen years then. Medium ground met and covered. Now come and dance."

He grabbed my hand and dragged me, laughing, back onto the dance floor. I didn't argue. I had been teasing him. It was always fun to do that.

And I'm done!

Sorry if the last update worried you. I just couldn't end it with the wedding, after the whole build-up to it. Suited more to be in the epilogue.

Thank you, all of you, for reading and reviewing! Hope you liked!