Chapter Text
The day was beautiful.
The sky was clear blue, the sun was shining warmly, flowers were decorated everywhere in white and soft pink. It was a perfect day for a wedding.
And it was the worst day of Poe’s life.
He was standing there, in the front row, wearing a black suit, holding a glass of champagne that he never drank.
Up on the stage, under the arch of flowers, stood Ranpo and Yosano.
Ranpo looked like an angel. He was wearing a white suit, his hair was perfectly done, and his face was glowing with happiness. He was smiling. That bright, blinding smile that used to belong only to Poe.
And now... he was giving it to someone else.
Poe was the Best Man.
How ironic. The man who was supposed to be the groom was instead standing there, holding the rings for someone else. Watching the love of his life marry the person he lost him to.
It was poetic. It was tragic. It was exactly the kind of story Poe would write.
The Ceremony
"Do you, Edogawa Ranpo, take Yosano Akiko to be your lawfully wedded partner? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"
Ranpo didn’t hesitate.
He looked straight into Yosano’s eyes, full of love and certainty.
"I do."
Those two words.
Two simple words.
They felt like bullets piercing through Poe’s chest.
I do.
He said it with so much confidence. So much happiness.
He never looked at Poe with that kind of certainty in the end.
Poe gripped the sides of his pants until his knuckles turned white. He bit his lip hard, trying to stop the tears from falling. He had to be strong. He had to watch. He had to accept it.
This is your punishment, Poe.
You let him go. So watch him be happy with someone else.
The Vows
Yosano took Ranpo’s hands and spoke softly, her voice full of emotion.
"Ranpo, I promise to always make time for you. I promise to listen to you. I promise to never make you feel like you are second place. You are my priority, my love, my everything. I will spend the rest of my life proving that to you."
Poe’s breath hitched.
Those words...
Those were the exact words Poe used to whisper to Ranpo years ago.
"I will never let you feel lonely."
"You are my everything."
But Yosano was keeping the promise.
And Poe had broken it.
Yosano was giving Ranpo the future Poe had promised but couldn't deliver.
The Kiss
"You may now kiss the groom."
The world seemed to stop.
Yosano pulled Ranpo close, cupping his face gently, and leaned in.
Ranpo closed his eyes, a soft smile on his lips, and lifted his face to meet her.
They kissed.
It was gentle. It was loving. It was forever.
The crowd cheered. Flowers were thrown. Music played loudly. Everyone was happy. Everyone was smiling.
Everyone except Poe.
Poe stood there, frozen, watching the scene unfold in front of his eyes.
He was watching his favorite person promise forever to someone else.
He was watching the hands that used to hold his, now holding someone else’s.
He was watching the lips that used to whisper I love you to him, now kissing another.
It was over.
Completely.
Irreversibly.
The tears finally fell. Silent streams running down his pale cheeks. He didn't wipe them away. He let them fall.
Cry, Poe.
Cry for what you lost.
Cry for the love you threw away.
After the Ceremony
Ranpo was surrounded by people congratulating him. He was laughing, he was hugging people, he was glowing.
Poe walked slowly towards him. His heart was beating so hard it was painful.
Ranpo saw him approaching. The smile on his face softened, turning into something gentle and sad.
They stood in front of each other. Two people who used to know everything about each other, now strangers.
"Congratulations," Poe whispered, his voice rough and broken. "You look... beautiful, Ranpo-sama."
"Thank you, Poe," Ranpo said softly. He looked up at him, his green eyes shining. "Thank you for coming. Thank you for being my friend."
Friend.
That word hurt more than anything else.
"I am happy for you," Poe lied, forcing a small, painful smile. "She is good for you. She loves you correctly. The way I should have."
Ranpo reached out and placed a hand on Poe’s arm, just for a second. A light touch. A goodbye touch.
"We had our time, Poe," Ranpo said quietly. "It was beautiful. It was real. But it was just... a chapter. Not the whole book."
Ranpo looked back at Yosano, who was waiting for him, smiling lovingly.
"She is my ending."
Poe closed his eyes. A single tear escaped and rolled down his face.
"And I am just... a memory?" he asked.
Ranpo nodded slowly.
"Yes. A beautiful memory. But just a memory."
Ranpo pulled his hand back.
"Goodbye, Poe."
"Goodbye, Ranpo-sama."
Ranpo turned around and walked away. He walked towards his future. Towards his happiness. Towards his forever.
Poe stood there alone, watching him go.
The wedding music played. The sun shined. The world kept turning.
And Poe?
Poe was left alone with his broken heart, his cigarettes, and his stories.
He had written the greatest tragedy of all time.
And the title of it was...
"EPHEMERAL ETERNITY"
🕯️ THE END 🕯️