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A lot had changed for Kyosuke since that fateful day eight years ago. With the help with his many friends, old and new, he now started the long process of healing after his father’s untimely death. His only regret is that his father was not here to see him now. He had grown a lot since his days as a young, scrappy kid in the orphanage, now he was getting married to his love.
And Mari is such a wonderful love. Despite her lack of eloquence, or perhaps because of it, she always speaks her mind directly and kindly. Her words and compassion convinced Tsukiko to move forward with her life and atone for her crimes when nothing else did. Mari had always been beside him, keeping him on the right path, and now he wanted to be by her side forever.
Kyosuke had finally saved up enough money from the Detective Agency to buy Mari the ring and dress she deserved. Yet ever since he had proposed, the most the two of them had done was hold hands. Within that every touch was fleeting, the smallest of excuses had them separating.
‘If only this was one of my romance novels,’ Kyosuke thought, ‘Everything always works out in those.’ He sighed and walked across the cabin of the ship into the doorway.
‘I would just feel so bad if our first kiss was in front of everybody, Mari deserves a loving, tender kiss as her first kiss. I don’t know if I can deliver that or any kiss at all in front of an audience.’ Kyosuke started pacing again, his heart racing with anxiety.
“I need some air!” He announced aloud and quickly left the cabin.
Yukiya, his best friend from childhood, called out, “Be careful out there, it’s bad luck to see the bri-“ as the door shut on Kyosuke’s escape.
Kyosuke moved quickly down the hallway, just looking for balcony or anything so that he could step outside, smell the ocean air, and hopefully clear his head. As he turned the corner that he was sure led to his goal, he instead ran into something about half his height that caused him to tumble to the ground.
“Oof! What in the world was tha-?”
“Ryosuke?!” Squeaked the pile of white in shock.
Ryosuke flung himself backwards and covered his eyes as he realized that not only did he barrel down his bride-to-be, but he had failed one of the only tasks entrusted to him. He had seen the bride before the wedding. He scrambled to his feet all while trying to keep his eyes covered.
As he walked backwards, he said, “I’m sorry Mari, I’ve ruined this. I’m so sor-“
“Don’t leave! I’m so nervous Ryosuke. I need to talk to my best friend!” Mari interjected. “Please just stay and talk to me.”
Ryosuke stopped moving. He was capable of doing so many things, of solving murders, of stopping ruinous futures from coming to be, but he couldn’t turn away from Mari. Especially not when she needed him.
In the moment that Ryosuke paused, Mari took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist. “What if I trip and fall down the aisle? What if I forget my vows? What if I sound stupid giving my vows?”
“It’ll all be okay Mari, we’ll get through this together. I love you, you love me, and that’s the most important part.”
“But Ryosuke, what if we go to kiss and hit our heads together?”
Ryosuke’s face flared bright red at the thought of kissing Mari, especially because they were closer together than they had ever been because of her impromptu hug. Ryosuke started to stutter to answer Mari, but cut it off with a gulp. Mari looked up into his eyes expectantly and Ryosuke made a sudden decision. He swept his short bride-to-be into his arms in one fluid motion and brought his lips to hers.
And it felt like the world stopped around them. To the outside observer, it may have seemed like a short kiss. A kiss that could be described as a peck. To both Ryosuke and Mari though, it felt like an eternity.
Ryosuke gently set down Mari as they gazed into each other’s eyes, both finding overflowing love in each other’s eyes. “I suppose if I just do that again, we’ll be just fine for the ceremony.”
Mari tilted her head, “I don’t know, maybe we should practice some more,” and pulled Ryosuke by his tie down to her height and went in for another kiss.