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Today was the wedding of Makoto Yuki and Yukari Takeba. The couple were bouncing on the ideas of a Western-style wedding or a Shinto-style one, but decided on the latter in the end, wanting to go with a traditional approach despite the decline in such a tradition. Although the number of guests that could attend was limited, especially due to Makoto’s unique circumstance, they decided to invite their close friends. Yukari’s mother Ayaka and some of their relatives were attending as well.
The location for the wedding ceremony would occur at the Naganaki Shrine in Tatsumi Port Island, and then the general reception was to take place at a hotel ballroom so that their many guests could attend and celebrate with them. Luckily, they were able to schedule their wedding in the summer, which was said that celebrating on such a date would bring good fortune for the prospective husband and wife. Despite their insistence that it wasn’t necessary, Mitsuru opted to pay for all of the expenses. A lot of meticulous planning was done in preparation for the ceremony.
In the meantime, the couple and their guests were situated in a building close to the shrine. There, the bride and groom were in separate rooms as their respective attendants were assisting them in putting on their outfits. Junpei was overseeing Makoto’s while Ayaka and Mitsuru were doing the same for Yukari.
“Gotta say, Makoto. You look pretty spiffy in that,” Junpei commented to his friend, a toothy grin on his face, “nervous, aren’t ya?”
“You flatter me,” Makoto replied bluntly, smirking as a result, “but thank you.”
Makoto was being adorned in a montsuki, a black kimono primarily worn during important events such as a wedding. Instead of a family crest, he decided on the SEES emblem, a symbol of the bonds that he shared with his close friends. The procedure didn’t take too long compared to what Yukari had to deal with for the time being.
The groom still couldn’t believe that he’d be bind to a marriage with the very person who he held close to his heart. After all, the road to get that far was a long and arduous one, but it’d be all worth the effort. Even though his parents were long gone and fell out of distant with his own relatives, he wasn’t alone, and neither was Yukari.
“Excuse us for the wait, Yuki-san.” one of the attendants spoke, finishing the last touch on the groom’s outfit.
Soon, the attendants made themselves distant from Makoto so that he could get a look of himself in the mirror. The groom marveled at the design, eyeing on the details of his outfit. He saw Junpei smiling childishly from behind, chuckling in response.
“Stole your heart, huh?” Makoto joked as he eyed his haori himo, causing his best friend to laugh.
“Damn, didn’t think you’d be the one to crack up a joke on your wedding day of all days,” the baseball coach chortled along with the attendants, “but I guess there’s no harm in some humor.”
“Thank you for your hard work, you two.” the groom directed his praise to the attendants as they bowed to him in appreciation.
Makoto took a bit of his time to inspect his montsuki, checking to see if any adjustments needed to be made or so. His thoughts also wandered to Yukari’s progress, as she had a head start before him due to the complexity of her dress. However, she assured him that it’d be fine.
Butterflies ran through Makoto’s stomach, though he concluded that it was a natural feeling. He and Yukari have rehearsed for the ceremony countless times, and he hoped that he didn’t commit the slightest screw-up that would jeopardize the wedding. Facing Nyx herself, as well as becoming the Great Seal for six straight years seemed minuscule in comparison.
“Someone’s getting nervous, aren’t they?” the baseball coach presumed, catching the groom’s attention.
“Since when did you become the analytical type to begin with,” Makoto joked, causing his best friend to playfully be hurt by the comment.
“That means that I’m right,” Junpei concluded with a grin before coming up to the groom, “but really. Don’t doubt yourself, especially on your big day. You seriously think that Yukari is gonna jump off the boat at the last minute? Dude, she’s in love with you. Emphasis on love. Really, you have nothin’ to worry out.”
Considering his best friend’s words, Makoto knew that the bond that he had with Yukari was an unbreakable one. Not even Death itself could sever the ties between the two, his second chance at life being proof of it. He truly thought that Yukari had completely moved on from him when he reunited with her. Junpei’s words held its merit, truth be told; a true dependable friend. Chidori was lucky to meet a guy like him.
“I appreciate the little motivation speech of yours, Junpei,” the groom praised, extending his hand to him, “guess I kinda needed it, huh.”
Nodding his head, Junpei instead stretched his arms out, inviting his best friend for a hug. “C’mon. What are friends for?”
Makoto accepted the gesture, enveloped into Junpei’s hug. They were both grinning as the attendants felt touched by the scene, understanding the depth of their friendship. The former SEES leader truly considered Junpei to be his best friend, despite how many times they have disputed with each other.
The two separated away from the hug afterwards, knowing that their time was almost up.
“Makes me wonder how Yuka-tan is holding up. At least you got the easy route,” Junpei stated, giving his best friend a pat on the back before making his way out, “welp, gonna head back with the others. See ya soon, Makoto.”
“Thanks, Junpei. I’m sure she’s doing fine... I hope.”
Meanwhile in the other room…
In contrast to Makoto, Yukari was being tended to by multiple attendants as her mother and Mitsuru observed their handiwork. The bride was being outfitted in a shiromuku, a white kimono, and true to its description, was one of the most complex outfits that she had ever worn, outmatching the kind of outfits that she had to fit herself into while acting. A plethora of layers were involved from the padding all the way to the uchikake. Make-up was done on the bride during the procedure. She opted not wear a wig or a tsunokakushi, which was an unusual request but it didn’t go against the integrity of the ceremony.
“How are you feeling at the moment, Takeba-san?” one of the attendants directed her question to the bride.
“It feels quite heavy, but it’s no big deal, really.” Yukari answered, keeping herself still in order to facilitate the attendants’ work in tying her outfit into place.
The day had finally come for Yukari, smiling joyously at the prospect of marrying Makoto. She couldn’t forget the day that he had proposed to her, knowing that a new chapter in their lives was beginning to take shape. Such a day would be one that the actress could never forget.
“You look so gorgeous in that, Yukari-chan.” Ayaka complimented her daughter, much to the latter’s embarrassment.
“Mom, we’re not finished yet,” the bride protested, though she knew that her mother meant well, “but I do need any kind of support to help me on this day.”
“Sometimes I wonder how I’d look like in that dress,” Mitsuru commented, awing at her best friend, “true to your mother’s word, you’re simply marvelous in that.”
Yukari smiled at her best friend’s commentary, her pride swelling up. One of the attendants was busy tying a few knots around her as the other assisted along the way. According to the description, the shiromuku was supposed to signify good luck and purity to the wearer, and hopefully Yukari would be blessed for a successful wedding ceremony. The bride tried her best to not doubt herself on her own wedding day, refusing to let such thoughts cloud her from going through with the ceremony.
Then, the final piece of the outfit was the wataboshi, a cotton headdress that was the equivalent of a wedding veil. The only con to the apparel was that she could not remove it until after the ceremony was over. However, she didn’t mind at all. After the wataboshi was situated to her head, the attendants proceeded to step back for Yukari, admiring the dress.
“We’ve finally finished, Takeba-san,” the attendant confirmed, gesturing for the bride to the mirror, “please, take your time.”
Wasting not even a second, Yukari stared in awe at how intricate her dress was. Sure, she was able to get a decent view during the dress-up, but to see it fully was another story. It felt all so surreal for the actress, questioning herself if it was simply for work-related matters. Her heart was racing a bit, taking a breath to quell herself.
“Ok, now how do I look?” Yukari asked to her mother and best friend.
“C’est magnifique.” the Kirijo president stated, crossing her arms as she smirked at her best friend.
“Yukari-chan,” Yukari’s mother said, her eyes peered to her daughter, “oh, if only your father was here to witness your day.”
Yukari did wonder how her father would react as well, but he was long gone for that to be answer. Despite it all, she would make herself be the proudest daughter for him. She silently prayed that he was passing on his strength to her for support.
“O-oh, yeah,” Yukari responded, blinking away a few small tears, earning heartfelt smiles from those in the dressing room, “dad would be spouting cheesy words relentlessly. Like, ‘you make daddy the happiest man on the planet’ or ‘my, an angel who descended from the heavens’.”
She continued to marvel at her dress as the attendants took the time to clean up. Mitsuru and Ayaka chipped in to assist as well until the bride stated that she was done.
“Ok then, doesn’t seem anything is off with the dress, aside from it weighing me down, of course.” the actress decreed as the attendants became enthusiastic of her approval. “Thank you so much. Excellent work, truly.”
“Well then, are you ready to meet your husband, Yukari-chan?” Ayaka asked, taking a few photos of her daughter, causing the latter to fluster.
“Damn right I am!” Yukari shouted with confidence until she realized how she reacted, blushing madly, “Hey, I’m just that happy, ok?”
Everyone in the room was humored by the bride’s behavior, and they couldn’t blame her for it.
“Yukari,” Mitsuru began, dropping the formality as she smiled to her best friend, “I hope I say it right but… you got this. You were there for me when I needed it the most, you know.”
Touched and amused by the way her best friend had phrased it, Yukari went over to give her a warm hug. Yukari and Mitsuru had come a long way to become the best of friends since their high school days. It started off rocky at first but they grew from common allies to close friends after undergoing the many hardships that were thrown at them.
“Wow, nice to see your cheesy side, Mitsuru,” the bride jested, omitting the honorific, “Thank you so much, really.”
“My pleasure. It’s what friends are for, non?” the Shadow Op founder said, squeezing Yukari gently as they faced each other. “Sometimes you give me too much credit.”
When they broke apart, Ayaka went towards her daughter, hugging each other as well. “Just have fun out there, dear. Everything will work out in your favor, surely.”
“Thanks, mom. I’m not alone on this. Never was.” Yukari agreed, being careful with her shiromuku.
Suddenly, a knock was coming from the door, signaling for one of the attendants to greet their visitor.
“Preparations are all set. Is Takeba-san ready?” their visitor inquired.
“Yes. Takeba-san has given her final approval of the dress.” one of the attendants informed, eyeing the bride.
“Wonderful. I shall heed to the others that we can commence real soon.” the visitor replied before leaving.
Yukari took a moment to collect herself, knowing that she would greet Makoto in their respective wedding outfits. Her heart was fluttering uncontrollably, wondering just how he’d react to her dress. Of course, she’d find his to be handsome and charming.
‘Ok, Yukari. This is it.’ Yukari spoke internally, pumping herself up.
…………
Unlike Western weddings, the bride and groom were able to meet before the commencement of the ceremony. Makoto was led into the hallway with the attendants as his escorts. He was told that he’d be meeting up with Yukari at the mezzanine. As fate had guessed it, he saw his fiancé standing in the middle of the mezzanine, completely in awe of her dress. He took a few more steps until he was within an arm’s reach of her.
“Yukari.” Makoto whispered as his mouth was left agape, stunned by her figure.
Even underneath the wataboshi, Yukari was smiling madly, observing Makoto’s montsuki. It definitely suited him, that was for certain, she thought. From the looks of it, it seemed as though he was about to shed tears, which was a rare occurrence for him. It truly did make her the happiest person on earth.
“Hey, Makoto,” Yukari spoke, breaking him out of his trance, “stare too long and you’ll probably upset the gods.”
Makoto couldn’t help but chuckle loudly at Yukari’s statement, as it wasn’t the first time that he agitated a deity. The groom got closer to his bride, holding the both of her hands as their fingers interlocked. “Then so be it.”
“Can’t believe it’s gonna be happening.” the actress rejoiced, successfully holding back her tears.
“Ain’t no dream, Yukari,” he assured, smiling affectionately at her, “everything that is happening is all a reality.”
Afterwards, the attendants led the couple down to the main lobby. Makoto and Yukari continued to hold each other’s hand while the latter maintained her other hand to her shiromuku, ensuring that it didn’t get ruined along the way. Then, they saw the rest of their close friends and relatives, hearing them clap their hands as they congratulated the soon-to-be husband and wife.
“Looking good, Yuka-tan, Makoto!” Junpei cheered, earning a reaction from the two.
“A match made in heaven, indeed,” Mitsuru commented, grinning at the pair, “you two have come a long way.”
“Congratulations to the both of you,” Akihiko said to the couple, holding his and Mitsuru’s one-year old daughter Fuyumi in his arms, “now, now, Fuyu-chan. Getting a little too excited, aren’t ya?”
Being showered with praise and adoration, the bride and groom headed over to greet their guests.
“You’re simply beautiful in that, Yukari-chan. Same goes for you as well, Makoto-kun.” Fuuka commented, marveling at their attire.
Chidori, while carrying hers and Junpei’s two-year old son Kosuke, came up to the couple, beaming at them. “My blessings go to the both of you. Do you have anything to say to them, Ko-chan?” she asked her son, but he hid his face into her shoulder. “I think he’s still a bit shy. It’s okay, dear.”
Ken then made his way to give his appreciation to Makoto and Yukari. For all that they’ve done, he couldn’t be prouder of them. The college student also believed that Shinjiro and Koromaru felt the same as they watched over them from up there.
“About time, huh. We were wondering how long it’d take for you two to get married.” Ken said, chuckling at their reaction.
“Yeah, sorry for keeping you all waiting.” Yukari remarked, earning a nod from the crowd.
“No need to apologize, Yukari-san,” Aigis spoke, her eyes shining with joy for the couple, “as they say, better late than never.”
Soon, the saishu, or the high priest who was in charge of officiating the ceremony made his presence to greet the two and their guests. He instructed them to go outside and line up, with Makoto and Yukari at the very front. Sanshin no Gi, the procedure was called. It involved escorting the bride and groom, along with their guests to the shrine in order to cleanse their heart and mind of impure thoughts.
Ayaka stood by Yukari’s side while Junpei remained by Makoto’s. The shrine maidens soon accompanied the group, and one of them happened to be Maiko Ohashi. One of the priests held an umbrella for the bride and groom.
Maiko knew Makoto since she was a child, and she told him that she wanted to marry him when she was older. However, when Makoto came back after a six-year hiatus, she had moved on from the promise and apologized to him for acting that way. Makoto understood and told her not to worry about it. She was currently attending a university while assisting at the Naganaki Shrine during her spare time.
“I’m so happy to be participating in the ceremony!” Maiko chirped at the groom, controlling her excitement. “After all, I am leading some of the processions, so I’ll be doing my best.”
The groom nodded his head in approval, same with the bride. Thankfully, the weather turned out to be clear, as it originally was cloudy in the morning. A few moments later, the wedding band made their way to be in front of Makoto and Yukari, readying their instruments.
“Ok, everyone. We are ready to head off now.” the head priest announced, gathering everyone’s attention, signaling for the band to start their instruments.
“Here goes.” Yukari told herself, swallowing her anxiety away.
Moments later, the band started playing their flutes, the sounds filling the air. Traditional Japanese court music, the gagaku. The head priest and Maiko led the group to the shrine grounds where onlookers were able to catch a glimpse of the sanshin no gi. They took photos of the group, as well as showing appreciation to the soon-to-be husband and wife. Makoto and Yukari couldn’t help but blush due to all of the compliments being showered at them.
“We feel like VIPs, I swear, dude.” Junpei remarked until Yukari shot him a glare almost immediately.
“Junpei, please.” Yukari warned, burrowing her eyebrows before turning her head back.
“Duly noted.” The baseball coach sighed, smiling afterwards.
Aikihiko and Mitsuru’s daughter was mesmerized by the cacophony of noise, and thankfully she wasn’t making a fuss about it. Fuyumi wigged her arms around as she cooed and babbled.
“Don’t get too reckless, Fuyu-chan,” Akihiko cautioned, adjusted his hold on his daughter, “today is an important day for our two dear friends.”
Onlookers continued to wave at the group, with Makoto and Yukari returning the gesture back. The head priest led the group to a temizu, where they must properly wash their hands and rinse their mouths in order to purifying themselves before going to the inside of the shrine.
After everyone had followed the procession, the saishu lead them to the inside of the shrine. The head priest went to the main altar, standing on the right side while other priests headed over to their proper seating area. Yukari’s mother and the rest of the Takeba family went to the left side to take their seats while the rest of the guests went to the right side. Finally, the bride and groom were led to a small table at the center of the room by Maiko before she made her way to the altar but on the left side instead. A few photographers hired by the couple positioned themselves away into a corner with cameras ready.
The ceremonial altar contained food items such as sake, rice, fruits and vegetables. But most importantly, the letter of their vows to the gods along with their wedding rings were situated as well.
Once everything was set into motion, Maiko alerted the wedding band to start off with a taiko drum role, the noise thundering inside the shrine.
“Impressive.” Fuuka whispered, impressed by their performance.
Makoto took a moment to look around his surroundings, noting the content expressions on everyone’s faces. He glanced at Yukari, unable to note her expression due to the wataboshi, but she turned her head to his direction, enabling him to see the evident blush on her face as she smiled. It was enough for him to garner some confidence for good luck.
As the sounds of drums and flutes playing had ceased, the head priest decided that it was time to officially begin the ceremony, the Shubatsu no Gi.
“I would like to give my utmost welcome to everyone here.” The saishu started, giving everyone a bow as he headed back to the main altar before coming back with an onusa, a wooden wand. “The ceremony shall commence. I would like for everyone to stand up.”
Firstly, the head priest waved the onusa at the everyone as they bowed down and kept their position still until they were given the okay to return their posture up. The purpose of the onusa was to purify those inside the shrine. Afterwards, the saishu bowed again, continuing on with the ceremony.
“Please continue to stand for a moment,” the head priest advised as he turned to face the altar, “I would like for everyone to give a deep bow.”
Everyone paid their respects to the gods by following the saishu’s instructions for a few seconds. Then, the head priest informed that they, with the exception of Makoto and Yukari could remain seated.
‘Man, talk about meticulous steps for a short ceremony’ Ken thought, intrigued by the process.
Another process of the ceremony was the Norito Sojo, which involved the saishu to kneel before the altar as he spoke in poetic Japanese that only he, along with the priests and the gods could articulate. During that moment, the photographers ceased taking shots due to the importance of the procedure. Makoto and Yukari mainly stood still as they patiently waited for the head priest to finish.
Sounds of wind and string instruments filled the room, creating a soothing atmosphere for everyone. Chidori was shushing her son who was sitting on her lap, whereas Akihiko did the same for his daughter.
The head priest continued to talk to the gods about the importance of today, asking them to wish the couple a wonderful and prosperous life, and to grant them good luck in maintaining their marriage. He also prayed that everyone in attendance were granted the same luck as Makoto and Yukari in hopes of giving them the strength to support the two in their lives.
As the saishu commenced his speech to the gods, he raised himself back up, gesturing for everyone to stand up once more. They followed his request and bowed towards the direction of the altar, thanking the gods.
‘Talk about bowing after bowing. Should be used to it by now.’ Makoto wondered, questioning its repetition.
Grabbing a ceremonial bell, the saishu handed it to one of his fellow priests, the latter heading towards Makoto and Yukari, instructing them to bow their heads reverently as he shook the object to their path, giving them the blessings of the gods.
‘Yep… lotta bowing, alright,’ the bride pointed out humorously, ‘will be so worth it in the end.’
Then, the saishu requested for Maiko and another shrine maiden to follow him to the altar. The two maidens bowed to the gods before grabbing their own teapot as the head priest filled the containers with sake. Furthermore, both women headed over to the bride and groom’s direction.
‘Ok, Yukari. Don’t mess up on this part. Took us four tries as it was.’ Yukari advised herself, recalling the rehearsal that she and Makoto did a few days ago.
From what Yukari was anticipating, the next step was the San-San-Kudo, a ceremony that pertained to a ritualized drinking of sake from a small, medium, and large nuptial cup respectively. The cups were to be exchanged three times and the couple would take three sips each time. The order of the cups was: groom then bride, bride then groom, and groom then bride. According to tradition, the ritual was to reflect on three oaths based on heaven, earth, and man; fittingly represented by three cups.
Maiko offered a smile at the couple as a way to assist them in the ritual before telling them to stand up before the head priest, the latter making his way to the small table as he carried a tray containing the three cups. Once the larger tray was settled onto the table, the saishu proceeded to bow before the couple as he retreated a few steps away so that the shrine maidens could do their part.
“Remember the steps, Makoto.” Yukari reminded in a hushed tone, flashing her love a smile for support.
Makoto merely nodded as he tentatively lifted the small cup with his fingertips. The shrine maidens slowly shook their teapots three times before pouring it to the cup.
‘Here goes.” the groom told himself as he followed the same steps as the shrine maidens, and proceeded to sip the sake until it was empty.
‘Wow, he handled it pretty well. Better than at rehearsal.’ Yukari commended Makoto for executing it properly, but it was her turn to do the same.
Recalling the steps again, the bride pumped herself before taking the cup to her fingers, and for a moment she thought that she lost her grip but thankfully no one noticed. To her amazement, she passed the first cup with flying colors.
‘Huh, not bad.’ the actress gave herself a bit of credit for not screwing up, noticing the smirk from her soon-to-be husband.
The other steps of the san-san-kudo were successfully handled by the bride and groom. Afterwards, Maiko and the other shrine maiden gave the couple a bow before returning the teapots back to the altar where they performed another bow to the gods before going back to their seats. Maiko’s pride swelled at how perfect the sake ceremony was handled, mentally congratulating the bride and groom along with her fellow maiden. A moment later, the saishu went to the table in order to retrieve the trays with the cups, setting them back as he proceeded to grab another tray that held the couple’s wedding rings.
Makoto and Yukari’s faces lit up in sheer joy as one of the best moments of the ceremony was imminent. The guests took notice of their reaction, smiling at them in response. Junpei couldn’t contain the toothy grin on his face, much to Chidori’s chagrin but she couldn’t blame him in the slightest. Ayaka wasn’t able to hold back her tears, absolutely proud for the both of them. The photographers had their cameras eyed on the bride and groom, waiting for the next move.
Yubiwa Kokan no Gi, or ring exchange, dealt with the most obvious part of the wedding ceremony. The saishu set the tray to the table as Makoto and Yukari proceeded to give another bow. Makoto was told to grab one of the rings as he gazed affectionately at Yukari, the both of them with hearty expressions. Photos were being taken left and right, not daring to miss a window of opportunity.
‘Their love for each other is quite evident.’ Aigis wondered, smiling softly at Makoto and Yukari’s direction.
“Please take hold of her left hand.” the saishu requested to the groom.
The groom followed the advice, tentatively taking the bride's left hand with his own as his right hand guided the ring to her ring finger. Makoto and Yukari were stifling their excitement during the process until the ring suited well into her finger.
‘Truly a joyous moment of their lives,’ Mitsuru believed, grinning happily as she crossed her arms, ‘it’s well deserved for the both of them.’
Yukari took a moment to examine her hand, staring in awe at the ring. However, it was short lived as the head priest motioned for her to do her part, placing the tray in front of her. “Now please take hold of his left hand.”
Regaining her senses, Yukari carefully grabbed the ring, using another hand to hold Makoto’s. Then, she inserted the wedding ring to his finger, the both of them finally matching. Everyone could see the bride and groom elated beyond their limits, touched by their love for one another. When they finished, the saishu instructed them for another bow, the couple obliging in the end. Proceeding with the next course of the ceremony, the head priest led the two to the altar. Once Makoto and Yukari were standing in front of the ceremonial altar, they paid their respects with another bow.
Unlike Western traditions where the bride and groom read their wedding vows to each other, they instead read it together to the gods. The Seishi Sojo, or Reading of the Vows. Yukari stood close to Makoto’s side as he was handed the letter of their vows by the head priest. During rehearsal, it had taken them a few tries because they had to go in sync. They didn’t dare to screw it up in front of everyone, especially to the gods themselves. It was now or never.
“On this great day, before the Ookami, we are sincerely thankful for this celebration,” Makoto and Yukari began in tandem, their words flowing perfectly, “going forward, we will love each other, trust one another, share the good times and the bad, and swear that this will stay unchanged throughout our lifetime. Reiwa 2, August 22nd.”
“Husband, Makoto Yuki.” Makoto spoke on his own.
“Wife, Yukari Yuki.” Yukari did the same, the inclusion of Makoto’s last name a foreign feeling to her tongue.
Makoto proceeded to properly fold the letter back to its original state, carefully placing it back on the altar. It was time for Maiko and the other shrine maiden to come forward to the couple, handing them a special Japanese evergreen branch called a tamagushi, translated as ‘spirit stick’, respectively. It was to show appreciation to the gods, with the branches carrying the bride and groom’s thoughts and prayers.
The couple rotated their branches clockwise before gently placing them to the altar in perfect unison. Thankfully no errors were committed unlike back in rehearsal, so they gave themselves a bit of credit for that. Makoto and Yukari both bowed reverently in front of the altar, clapping their hands twice before offering another deep bow. Then, they turned to everyone, giving them the gesture as well. A priest motioned for the band to perform another taiko drum role in order to signify the end of the proceedings. Makoto and Yukari were now officially husband and wife.
For the final segment of the ceremony, Maiko and her fellow shrine maiden brought over sake and cups to the bride and groom, and to each attendee. The Shinzoku Katame no Sakazuki no Gi would involve the bride and groom’s families to partake in drinking sake to celebrate the union of the two, though it’d be different due to Makoto’s case.
The saishu started off with a small speech by wishing Makoto and Yukari a happy marriage. Then, he mentioned the first gods of Japan, Izanagi and Izanami, which caused certain individuals in the room to be easily amused.
‘Yu-kun would get a laugh out of this.’ Makoto humored himself, thinking back to his successor.
“Congratulations to the both of you!” the saishu shouted, giving the two a warm smile.
Congratulations!” everyone joined in before taking a drink of the sake.
Akhiko took a few sips to finish his, as a way to honor his late close friend.
“That was for Shinji.” the cop reasoned to his wife, the latter offering him a soft expression.
Ken did the same by taking his time to finish his drink to honor Shinjiro and Koromaru so that they were not left out of the celebration.
Soon, the shrine maidens picked up their cups as the head priest made his way towards the couple, standing in front of them. Everyone in the room bowed to the gods, clapped their hands, and bowed once again as a way to finally conclude the ceremony.
“Thank you so much for witnessing a wonderful moment for these two. May the gods be watching over you.” the saishu finished off as he led the husband and wife, along with everyone else out of the shrine.
Once they were outside of the shrine entrance, Makoto and Yukari faced each other, grinning to no end as the former decided to pull down the latter’s wataboshi. The actress couldn’t help but weep, but in a good way.
“We did it, Yukari.” Makoto murmured in mirth, cupping his wife’s cheek.
“Sure did,” Yukari agreed, stepping closer to her husband, “I love you so much, Makoto.”
Their lips made contact with each other, which didn’t go unnoticed by everyone, including several onlookers, though the pair didn’t pay them any mind. Makoto wrapped his arms around Yukari as their kiss deepened, with cameras beginning to take many pictures of the scene unfolding. Afterwards, the couple separated away with blushes on their faces until someone in attendance cheered on for them.
“Hey, save that till after the reception!” Junpei remarked in a jokingly manner.
“Oh quiet, Junpei.” the actress retorted, though she kept her grin, “but never change, please.”
Moments later, Ayaka came to meet the newly formed husband and wife, congratulating the both of them once more. “I’m certain that the love that you two hold for each other is an unbreakable one. Please take good care of her, Makoto-kun.”
“I don’t plan on going against it.” he promised, smiling at Yukari.
“Thank you for coming, mom,” Yukari told her mother, offering her a hug in which she accepted, “I swear to do the same for him.”
“Of course, dear.” Ayaka agreed until her thoughts lingered back to her late husband, Much so than what I did with Eiichiro.’
Makoto and Yukari spent some of their time around the shrine in order to have their pictures taken before they had to get ready for the reception. Of course, their friends and family joined in as well, surely making their wedding album filled with many memories.
At The Reception
Compared to typical receptions after a Shinto wedding, it was held at a fancy hotel in Port Island where the number of attendants was quite large. Former students and teachers from Gekkoukan high school, people that Makoto had involved himself with in the city, Yukari’s current and former co-stars, the former Investigation Team from Inaba, and among others attended the reception. Ren Ayamiya and Makoto Niijima were able to make it, though their friends couldn’t due to other matters going on. Gift wise, it mainly entailed to cash presents, which was customary among such traditions.
Makoto still kept his montsuki for the occasion while Yukari opted to change from her shiromuku into a different outfit. Her dress for the reception was a pink iro-uchikake that was decorated with images of bamboo and apricot blossoms, cranes, turtles, and pine trees. The couple spent most of their time talking with those who couldn’t attend the ceremony such as the other Wild Cards and their significant others. Later on, everyone had time to eat high-class food before celebratory speeches would commence.
At the head table, Yukari stood up from her chair, with a mic in hand in order to begin the speeches.
“First off, I want to thank you all for joining us. Here’s hoping the food was appetizing,” Yukari began as everyone’s attention was focused on her, “but honestly, I’ve never thought that I’d finally be married with the man who I love the most.”
The crowd stayed silent as Yukari continued on with her speech, the latter pausing herself to take a breather.
“Even before then, we’ve shared the good and bad moments with our friends, but your strength and resolve inspired us, and me, to keep going forward, and to not lose our way. I still can never forget the day that I realized how much you meant to me during our time at Yakushima, and I’m glad that you felt the same. You were the one who showed me, even if faced with lies and uncertainty, to never give up in believing in something. Who knows what could’ve happened had I given up on my dad back then, but there’s no point in thinking about it.”
Holding her head high, Yukari turned to face her husband who was gesturing for her to press on. “Still surprises me to no end that you’re okay with the idea of being with someone like me, but hey you did. Despite how much the world has thrown at us, we’ve never stopped loving each other, and that’s never going to change. Remember, you not alone, Makoto. I swear to you on it.”
Sounds of clapping and cheering was heard around the reception hall as Yukari finished her speech, proceeding to go back to her seat, earning a nod and smile from Makoto. He knew that her words were sincere and that she truly did love him.
“Thank you, Yukari.” Makoto appreciated before his wife handed him the microphone, winking at him for good measure.
It was finally time for Makoto to do his part, adjusting himself beforehand. “Well, gotta give my biggest thanks to every one of you. Not really the best at making speeches but here goes.”
Junpei gave his best friend a thumbs up to assure him that he wasn’t alone. Makoto took a glance over to a far table, noticing Yu and Rise, along with their friends, smiling directly at him.
“Can’t believe that I would be together with someone who I could trust with all of my heart. Back then I was pretty silent and rather unapproachable, but after meeting Yukari and getting to understand her, I was able to accept that forming bonds with others would become one’s strength. The amount of hardships that we had to endure really did pay off, and we will continue to face them together as a team.”
Yukari grinned softly at her love, wiping away a tear from her face. She thought back to all of the events that they shared, and how much she treasured each of them.
“Your smiles have always been infectious to me, able to lift my spirits up whenever something has me down. That’s why I don’t think I can ever repay you for how much you’ve done for me, even if you don’t realize it.” Makoto went on as he cleared his throat, “So thank you, Yukari, for accepting me as your husband. Trust me, I’d rend the heavens and take down gods if it means protecting you. You have my word on it.”
With that, the audience congratulated Makoto as he settled back to his seat, eyeing a jovial Yukari whose face was deep in crimson. “Not bad, huh?”
“My god, that was so cheesy in the end,” Yukari chided, lightly slapping him on his chest, “but it made me really happy. Thank you, Makoto.”
Once everyone was settled down, it was time for a few close friends to give their appreciation to the couple. Junpei, Mitsuru, and Aigis opted to partake in the celebratory speeches, with the former being the first to start off. Makoto chucked the mic to Junpei’s direction, the latter catching it.
The baseball coach got up from his seat in haste as Chidori and Kosuke offered him a bit of support. Junpei was entirely eager to begin with, and he did promise to the couple that he’d tone down on his usual remarks and innuendos, much to their relief.
“Gotta give them my huge thanks for letting me give this speech, cuz I have a lotta words for my dear buddy Makoto.” Junpei began, eyeing at his best friend from a distance. “It’s like our times at Gekkoukan was just yesterday, especially when we first met. Y’know, I thought you were hard to get along with, but hey you proved me wrong. I admit, I envied you for the traits that you possessed. Made me feel like I was a complete idiot who couldn’t provide any support to anyone. Guess that explains why I acted rashly in the situations that we’ve got ourselves into back then.”
“But I let go of that side of me eventually, and look how far I’ve made it in life,” the baseball coach spoke, his eyes averted to his wife and child, “dude, you’ve been a big help in making me the person that I am now. There’s no such thing as a ‘Mr. Perfect’ and all of that idiotic stuff. I’m just Junpei. Anyway, I’m glad to be your pal, and I know that you’ll treat Yuka-tan right, that’s for sure. Unless you want an arrow to the knee from her, that is.”
"Arrow to the knee? Seriously, Junpei?" Yukari muttered under her breath incredulously, much to her husband's entertainment.
Like with the rest of the speeches that preceded, Junpei was met with cheers and an applause, causing his ego to boost up. “Welp, I’m now passing the baton to Mitsuru-senpai.”
Mitsuru was able to catch the mic with grace, amusing her husband and daughter. Yukari wondered what her best friend had in store for her speech.
“Thank you, Iori. It is with great pleasure to be able to attend this event. I have known Yukari since our days in high school. While we didn’t see eye to eye in the beginning per se, we’ve eventually became close friends who could provide each other support, no matter how far away. After all, she is the one who taught me that I’m not alone.” Mitsuru spoke as Akihiko and Fuyumi eyed her, motioning for her to go on.
“Whether it was going shopping or speaking about trivial matter, I’ve truly cherished those moments. I admire your tenacity and the drive to see things through. You should be proud of how much you’ve strived for, no matter how much you doubt yourself. So please, never lose yourself as you continue to walk down your path in life. Thank you, Yukari, for being my friend,” the Kirijo president gazed at her best friend, grinning at her before setting her sights on Makoto, “as for you, Makoto. Do you best to make Yukari the happiest woman on earth, and you’d likely avoid an execution from me. But I’m sure that will never come to fruition, knowing you.”
“Really? That was your attempt at humor, Mitsuru?” Yukari spoke in a flabbergasted manner before she and everyone else applauded her best friend.
Mitsuru proceeded to hand over the mic to Aigis without having to toss it from across. “Good luck, Aigis.”
“Most appreciated, Mitsuru-san,” Aigis thanked as she eyed the attendees, her expression softening, “Meeting Makoto-san and Yukari-san has shown me that it isn’t complex to find a purpose in life. At the time, I would struggle to search for a meaning. Sometimes, all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of for example. Activities such as going to see a movie, eating ramen, or having fun with our other friends will forever be memorable to me. Truly, I’ve spent each day with everyone without knowing that those times were irreplaceable.”
Makoto and Yukari both eyed at Aigis, touched to hear the validity of her words. The couple did regard her as one of their closest friends, well enough that they let the android reside with them back in Tokyo. Despite how apprehensive Yukari was of Aigis, she had grown to appreciate the android’s company and let go of any hostilities that she had on her.
“The love that they hold for each other radiates brightly, and I hope that it never exhausts out. I will do my utmost best to continue being the friend that they can count on, because they have done the same for me,” the android went on, smiling at all of her friends, “again, thank you regarding me as your friend, Makoto-san, Yukari-san. I wish you a happy marriage.”
The audience cheered and applauded Aigis, much to her shock because she feared that her speech was poorly done, but thankfully it wasn’t the case at all. She turned back to Makoto and Yukari, with joyful expressions of their faces as they commended her. The android went back to her seat, beaming at the couple.
“We also thank you for being our friend, Aigis,” Yukari told her as Makoto nodded in response, “never think otherwise.”
“Of course, Yukari-san.” Aigis replied as she handed her friend the microphone back.
Yukari motioned herself back up to speak with everyone once more as the party wasn’t over yet.
“Please give a round of applause for the three of them! Seriously, thank you so much!” Yukari addressed to everyone, heeding her words as they applauded again before ceasing their action, allowing for the former to go on. “Well then. Enjoy the delicious food as much as you can, and hopefully anyone is willing enough to partake in a dance afterwards!”
In Yukari’s mind, a wedding reception, no matter the tradition, wasn’t complete without a dance. Slow and soothing music was playing in the reception hall. Thankfully enough, a plethora of couples filled the dance floor. Makoto and Yukari followed suit afterwards, the content smiles on them evident as they eyed the other dancers before fixating their sights back to each other.
“Was it the kind of happy ending that you wanted, Yukari?” Makoto questioned, smirking at his wife.
“Happy ending? Please, we still have a whole chapter ahead of us,” Yukari pointed out, grinning at him coyly, “so be prepared, Makoto.”
“Of course,” he agreed, chuckling at himself, “I love you, Yukari.”
“You sap,” she replied, rolling her eyes as she gazed at him in content, “but I love you too, Makoto.”
Life, with all of its ups and downs, was worth fighting for, no matter what anyone said.