At long last, Mrs. Irie declared that the bride looked 'Absolutely perfect!' and swept out of the dressing room, Keiko Mecheri's 'Hanae' wafting in her wake.

Kotoko raised her eyebrows at the one other person in the room. "Yuuki-kun?" she asked. "Do you have any last words for me?"

"Don't make it sound like I'm heading to my execution," he complained. "Even though I feel like this whole thing is my fault."

"Onii-chan, is there any way to rein in Mother?" Yuuki asked after hearing of her latest escapade. "Her hobby could have ended her up in much worse hot water."

"Luckily, that's not our job," Naoki sighed. "Poor Dad!"

"I thought something tragic had happened when I heard her crying so loudly earlier."

Mr. Irie, after getting the full story of the previous evening's outing, had taken her into his home office. Great wails had emanated from that direction scant minutes later. Naoki was forced to physically restrain Kotoko from running to his mother's side.

"No, he simply confiscated her camera equipment and instructed her to inform him whenever she leaves the house."

"So, he grounded her?" Yuuki snorted.

"In a manner of speaking," his brother admitted.

"But her internals were good!" Kotoko protested.

The two brothers looked at each other. "'Intentions'?" Naoki hazarded.

"Isn't that what I said?"

"Sure it was." He sighed, "So, being a busybody is now a positive trait?"

"She thought she was protecting me," she insisted. "Remember, you tried to do the same thing with Funatsu."

He placed a finger on her nose. "And you told me to mind my own business. Your argument has no merit."

"Merit, schmerit!" She stuck her tongue out at him. "You should cut your own mother some slack."

"Slackness is what got her into this mess," he reminded her. "Dad always pretty much let her do what she wanted."

"Wait a second, Onii-chan." Yuuki appeared lost in thought. "Mom is only acting like this because she wants to make sure that no one breaks up you and Onee-chan, right?"

"That's her story," Naoki conceded. "I believe that she'd still meddle, no matter what."

"Is there anything that we could do to ease her mind?" asked Kotoko in concern.

"Yeah," Yuuki cracked, "you could get engaged or married."

As it turned out, Naoki thought Yuuki's joking suggestion was worth consideration. "We're still young," he said to Kotoko, "but the announcement of an engagement could settle her down."

"Do I get a ring?" she teased.

"Not a bad idea," he returned. "It might keep your fanboys away."

"Pooh!" She waved a hand airily. "They don't bother me! It's you who needs the big 'keep away' signs to warn off girls like Matsumoto."

"That's what I have you for," he said, hugging her to his side.

Yuuki clapped both hands over his mouth when they announced their engagement; or, rather, when Naoki bowed and asked Mr. Aihara for permission to marry his daughter, since they were both underage.

"Of course, this will be after graduation," he added, "as our college classes will not permit us to be distracted by extensive plans and such."

If he believed that statement would deter Mrs. Irie, he was deluding himself. Less than two weeks later she convened a family meeting and unfolded the grand wedding scheme.

"See, Onii-chan," she beamed at him, "there was no need for you to worry. I have it all in hand!"

"Mom, we said we wanted a long engagement," he protested.

"Why?" She stared at him intensely. "So you can wiggle out of it?"

"No, it's just not usual for college students to marry so young."

"Well, you've always been a most unusual young man," she sniffed. "Now, don't try to argue with me. I've already paid thousands of yen in deposits and selected three dresses for Kotoko to choose from."

Naoki lifted Kotoko's chin, which had dropped at the beginning of the presentation and had not yet risen on its own. "How about the groom and attendants?" he asked acidly. "Do we have a choice of tuxedos?"

"What a ridiculous question! I have more fashion sense in my little finger than you men have in your entire bodies."

"Dad," he turned to Mr. Irie, "did you know what she was doing?"

His father hung his head. "It's an improvement over stalking, Son."

"And you, Aihara-san?"

"By now I know better than to get in the way of the Missus, Naoki-kun," admitted that wise man.

He sighed and returned to his mother. "Aren't you going to overextend yourself, planning both this and the Pandai Christmas party?"

"Already taken care of!" She snapped her fingers. "I have combined the two."

"What?!"

"The same people that we would invite to the wedding would be invited to the party. Why make them dress up for two different occasions?"

"Kotoko and I might have a few people we'd want to include," he tried to reason with her.

"Who? That pushy witch who won't let go of you? As if I'd let her stand up and object in the middle of the ceremony!"

"I don't think even Matsumoto would try that," Kotoko ventured. "But maybe Satomi and Jinko…?"

"Satomi-chan is going to be your attendant, dear," she consoled her. "Jinko-chan said that no amount of money would persuade her into a bridesmaid's dress, even though I picked a design that is oh-so-cute, not like those frou-frou things which can never be worn elsewhere!"

"Have you selected my groomsman, then?" her son asked. "Or am I allowed any input into the matter?"

"I thought perhaps your friend from high school who is attending Waseda. I believe Kotoko-chan mentioned that you have been socializing with him again lately."

Naoki's shoulders rose and fell before he addressed Kotoko. "How about it, then?"

"It's no one's 'fault', Yuuki-kun," Kotoko consoled him. "I'm happy to be marrying Naoki, although I never expected to do so this quickly or this fancily!"

The strapless satin bodice fit her tightly, while the skirt flared gently, sparkling jewels decorating the hem area and climbing upwards in an ombre pattern. Her hair was styled in a deceptively simple updo, and a delicate tiara anchored a small fascinator-sized veil.

"You know, I'm not much into appreciating girls yet, but you look pretty good," the boy proclaimed. He squinted. "I'm probably not supposed to notice, but you fill out that dress better than you did the swimsuit last summer."

"You!" She tossed an unused silk flower at him. "You're almost right—you're supposed to notice but not say anything."

"Since I've already broken an unspoken rule, can I ask what kind of substructure produced those results?"

"I don't know about a sub-whatever, but there is this medieval torture device known as a corset. Perhaps you've heard of it."

Yuuki nodded in thought. "That explains it." He grinned widely. "I bet Onii-chan will enjoy it."

Kotoko looked in vain for something else to throw at him before declaring, "If all you're going to do is aggravate me before I have to display myself in front of Tokyo high society, then you can leave!"

He had to tease her one more time. "Not just Tokyo, but Japan." Before the top of her head exploded, he thrust a small box at her. "Here," he said, "this is for you. Take it as either an apology or a wedding gift."

Glaring at him, she opened the package. Her eyes widened. "Yuuki-kun! It's gorgeous!"

"I had to ask for a few advances on my allowance," he conceded as she drew out a fragile silver chain with pearls interspersed.

"But, why?" She fumbled with the clasp but managed to put it on.

"It's a welcome to the family and a thank you for taking on Onii-chan."

"Taking on Naoki?"

"He's one of a kind, and I don't know if there are many women who could match him so well, plus get along with Mother." He chuckled. "She has fretted about his love life since he was in middle school."

"Well," Kotoko twinkled at him, "with him taken care of, it will be your turn soon."

"What?!" he squawked.

"Never mind." She admired her new jewelry. "Your Onee-chan will watch out for you. Now," she swallowed, "is it time?"

"Yeah, Aihara-san is in the hall, ready when you are."

She rose and shook out her skirt. "Well, let's get this show on the road!"

The audience rose when Pachelbel's Canon in D Major segued into Mendelssohn. Satomi's eyes shyly met Watanabe's as she walked several meters in front of Kotoko.

The bride noticeably skipped down the aisle at her father's side. The groom, on the other hand, retained a stolid expression during the ceremony, although observant witnesses were able to see a softening in his eyes when Kotoko appeared.

The only disruption of the ceremony emanated from one of the few guests which Mrs. Irie allowed her children. Kinnosuke, seated at Mr. Aihara's side after that gentleman had passed over his daughter, wailed so loudly that even Mrs. Irie's furious glares did not silence him. His boss ended up having to clap a hand over his mouth, luckily having the forethought to include a muffling handkerchief. The younger man soon pulled it off and rattled the chapel's windows with the echoes of his nose blows.

Under cover of applause after being presented as a married couple, Kotoko whispered, "Why so grim, Naoki?"

"It's just that Mother never listens," he griped softly. "We're going to be the talk of the campus, you know."

"When aren't we?" she riposted. "At least our wedding bands should prove more of a deterrent than a mere engagement ring."

"And having to fly immediately to Hawaii," he continued to complain. "I could have got some good studying in before school starts back up."

"That's what you say about every trip that you don't want to go on." She laughed at him as they proceeded up the aisle together. " At least it will keep us out of the mess of the house renovation."

"You're right," his face lightened, "we'll have our own separate suite."

"And in the safety of your parents' home," she pointed out to him, "stalkers should be easily deferred."

"'Deterred'," he corrected, "but we should probably inspect the new rooms for surveillance devices. You know Mother and her interfering personality."

"Else, it will be back to hide-and-seek again!" she joked.

Mrs. Irie, on her part, took it as an exceeding positive omen that the new couple laughed together in the first few minutes of their marriage.

"Aihara!" The word echoed throughout the tennis complex and startled Kotoko so much that she dropped the items in her hands.

"What has Sudo's princess so out-of-sorts this time?" Kosaka asked sarcastically.

"Shh!" Kotoko giggled. "Don't let her hear you call her that."

"You are sick! Sick!" Matsumoto stormed into the area.

"No, I'm quite well," she replied as she calmly began to recount bandages.

"Is this your idea a joke?!" The other girl waved a poster so energetically in front of Kotoko's face that she had to grasp her forearm.

"Oh, wow, Okaasan has been busy." She admired a large glossy reproduction of their formal wedding picture with an announcement of their marriage superimposed.

"No one else would have the nerve...or the motive!" she raged. Her eyes widened as her brain caught up to her hearing. "Did you say 'Okaasan'? But I thought your mother was...you know…?"

"I got myself a brand new one!" Kotoko gave her a wide grin and took her turn at waving something in front of another's nose; in this case, her shiny wedding band with a modest engagement ring. She leaned forward and stated with a bit too much pleasure, "Of course, I have to share her with Naoki and Yuuki-kun."

"No, no!" The other girl paled and backed away. She appeared so unsteady that Kosaka stepped up to support her. "It cannot be that Irie-kun was so lost to...to common sense as to take that step!"

Kotoko placed both hands on hips. "I'll thank you to not definate my husband's intelligence. Now, if you will have your tantrum elsewhere, I'll begin—for the third time!—to count my supplies!"

Kosaka grinned and gave a thumbs-up to Naoki when he approached his wife from behind and placed his arms around her.

"...Seven, eight—ack!" She made an exaggerated upset face. "Don't surprise me like that!"

"But it's so much fun," he argued. "About your vocabulary, though…"

"What did I misspeak this time?"

"'Definate'. I'm not sure if you mean 'defame' or 'denigrate'."

"Are they both insults?" she asked. When he nodded, she said, "Then it doesn't matter, does it?"

"Irie-kun," Matsumoto spoke in a wavering voice, "please tell me that this is just a nightmare."

"Are you prone to sleepwalking in broad daylight?" he inquired.

"This...this picture," she waved the now crumpled photo, "is a fake, right?"

He scowled. "Mom sure didn't spend all her time on the remodeling project while we were in Hawaii, did she?"

The realization that the two sported matching tans pushed her over the edge. "Aargh! The world has gone insane! The only man who could match me has been taken by a—a clumsy idiot!"

"Don't worry, Matsumoto-san," Kotoko said sweetly, "there's always Sudo-sempai."

"Did I hear my name?" That very person approached them. "Say, Irie, congratulations!" He shook his hand. "I saw the write-up in the paper. I guess my invitation got lost in the mail, huh?" He winked to show that no feelings were hurt.

"Newspaper?" Matsumoto closed her eyes. "My family had no access to the newspaper or any other media during our holiday trip." Covering her face in despair, she cried, "If only I had been there to object!"

The newlyweds looked at each other. "Your mother is scarily psycho," Kotoko whispered.

"Indeed, she is," Naoki replied, "although I think you meant 'psychic'."

She winked at him. "I know what I said! And that's the word I intended to use!" When his eyes widened, she added, "Life with your mother will never be boring!"

Laughing down at her, he corrected, "No, life with you will never be boring."

A/N: Several people commented that they wanted a wedding; ALBrassard, among others. Looking back, I realized that Kotoko and Naoki had pretty much eloped in both my other series, and the only wedding which I described was not with Irie Naoki (my 'Kisses' series). I hope you enjoyed the story, and thank you for staying with me this long. Real life has limited my writing time lately, so my schedule is much slower.