Even Though I Loved You First

Inside a small waiting room, a group of three gathered around a single person, their friend and today’s star Kei Ichinose. “You look ready to go it seems.” One of them, Ichirou Segawa, stated as he fixed his friend’s suit.

Early February, the month that many consider to be the month of love, it’s been over a full year since that fateful night where the two took their vows to be each other’s partner for the rest of their life. Now, it was Kei and Arisa’s wedding day.

Kei, of course, was extremely nervous.

“I have to say, it’s been a while since the last time we saw you this nervous.” Giggling to herself, Sachi Sadataka smiled at Kei’s nervousness.

“How could I not be? It’s been almost thirteen months since we started planning out the wedding and all… and look at us, we’ve finally made it to this point.” Kei said as put his hands together.

“Man, time sure flies. It feels as if it was yesterday when Sachi and I went over to your house to check up on you, and now look at us… We came here to celebrate our best friend’s wedding!” Riku Ryouzaki said in excitement.

“Don’t remind me of that time… I still get embarrassed just by thinking about it…” (Kei)

“Sad that I wasn’t around to witness it.” (Ichirou)

“He seemed like a completely different person, though I wasn’t prepared for that overflow of emotions…” (Riku)

“Neither was I.” Sachi said with a chuckle. Then, as if remembering something, Kei turned to the three and simply asked them about the whereabouts of two of their friends.

“Right, where’s Shizuka and Hayato?” (Kei)

“Shizuka said that the two of them are caught up in traffic, they will be here for the ceremony, but right now I doubt they’ll be coming.” There was about forty minutes left until the ceremony started, the time being properly used on Kei’s bride, Arisa.

“Right, Kotone said that they’ll be coming to talk with you before the ceremony, so I think we’ll be leaving now. Sachi also said that she was going over to Arisa’s side before the wedding started.” Ichirou said.

“Unn. I want to see how she’s doing. It seems that apart from me, your sister was also allowed to see her before the ceremony started.” (Sachi)

As the two planned out their big day, Arisa told Kei that she wouldn’t allow anyone to see her before the ceremony, not even her parents, as she wanted to keep the dress a surprise until later. However, Kotone and Sachi were exceptions to her orders.

“Alright, then we will be leaving. I’ll see you later, Mr. Groom~” Riku waved as he closed the door and he, along with Sachi and Ichirou, disappeared through the door.

However, it didn’t take long before the door opened again. “Yo.” With a small wave, his sister Karane peeked her head through the door, “Yo.” (Kei)

Behind her was also his other sister, Karane’s twin Kotone. “Well, look at you~ You really look handsome in that suit.” Her sister said as she approached.

“Is it? It doesn’t look weird, does it?” (Kei)

“It looks good, Kei! You really look like a gentleman!” Kotone excitedly said. From Kei’s mannerism to his unnatural way of talking, Karane could clearly deduce just how nervous he was.

“Relax, Kei. You are able to stand here because of your hard work, being nervous won’t help you enjoy the moment.” Karane said in the gentlest of voices.

“I know, but… This is my wedding, you know? After today, Arisa will be my wife… I can’t help but be nervous every time I think about it…” (Kei)

The waiting room they were in wasn’t really luxurious, since per Arisa’s request, the venue was a garden full of beautiful flowers and with an incredible view from all parameters.

Kei sat down on the sofa and looked out the window, seemingly lost in thought. “Say, do you think I’ll do a good job? You know…as a husband?” He asked his sisters without parting his gaze from the windows.

“If anything, I’ll say you’re wasted on her.” Karane teased.

“Oi.” However, Kei didn’t brushed off that ‘slander’ to his future wife. “I’m joking, I’m joking…You’ll do more than a good enough job. You’ve always known how to treat women, a little too much I’d say…” (Karane)

“But that’s precisely why we think you’ll do a good job. Kei, whether it’d be us, Arisa, or Tenshi… we know how careful you are when interacting with us and how you keep your distance whenever we need to. You are great at communicating, and that’s the pillar of a relationship. In the present and in the future, you’ll be a great husband.” Kotone said as she went behind Kei and wrapped her arms around him.

In the meantime, Karane glanced at her watch and turned to her sister, “Kotone, the ceremony’s about to start, let’s go.” (Karane)

“Bye, bye, Kei~” Kotone said as she loosened her embrace and left along with her sister. Kei only stayed there, hoping for the best.

↤⨳↦

The air is filled with anticipation as family and friends, some new acquaintances and other people they’ve known since their school days, take their seats in chairs arranged in perfect symmetry.

The never ending landscape of flowers adorn each and every corner giving the venue its signature vibrant colors. As the gentle hum of conversations envelope the venue, a single man stood at the left of the pedestal in which the vows were to be made.

Then, a wave of silence falls over the place. As the wooden door at the other end of the venue opens, Arisa, adorned in a gown that captures the very essence of beauty and radiance, slowly emerges from inside. Even from an outsider’s point of view, it was clearly noticeable the hint of joy and excitement that she had as she walked down the aisle, guided by the arm of her father.

The aisle, adorned with all the beautiful flowers and petals, bears witness to the beginning of the journey that will intertwine the futures of Kei and Arisa.

“Kei and Arisa, as the two of you stand here before the other in the presence of all your loved ones, please share your vows and express your full commitment to your partner in this wonderful journey called marriage.”

With a deep breath, Kei locks eyes with Arisa, and starts his part. “Arisa. Ever since we both crossed paths, ever since we both decided to associate with each other, my life has been nothing but pure happiness. That’s why today, in front of your family and our friends, in front of all of those who supported us through our ups and downs, I vow to be your partner in life and that from today, and every day thereafter, choose you.” (Kei)

Finishing his lines, a tender smile graces Arisa’s face and she understands that from here on, it’s her turn. She cutely clears her throat and starts: “Kei. Since we first held hands, since we first acknowledged we were official, you’ve been my motivation to strive higher each day, the anchor of my soul. That’s why today, surrounded by all of our family and friends, those who made this day possible, I vow to support you in any dream you want to fulfill, and whenever you’re feeling down and not worthy, I’ll pull you away from the darkness and remind you once again why, from the ocean of people in this world, you were the one I chose and why I don’t regret my decision.” (Arisa)

Her words carried all the emotions she couldn’t show at the moment. The surroundings drown in a sense of deep love and commitment, which marked the beginning of their journey.

There were many types of love on earth, it took many and every shape. Whether Kei felt obsessive love or romantic love for Arisa, no one would know exactly. Only they knew, Eros and Mania, two different yet very similar types of love, types that Kei really confused himself with in the past. Yet he no longer cared…

“With these vows, which were witnessed by those who loved you and those you love, and surely blessed by the universe… I’m happy to pronounce you husband and wife. Kei Ichinose… Arisa Ichinose… You two may now seal your everlasting promise with a kiss.”

Their distance grew smaller and smaller by the second, and as the two shared their first kiss as a married couple, cheers erupt, and the joyous celebration of their union commences.

May your love be written in the stars, a vow for eternity made by two souls…and only for two souls, entwined in the poetry of forever.

↤⨳↦

Within the walls of a two-story house, a single man kept going back and forth inside his residence. “Wallet… keys… Hey, Arisa! Are you two ready?” The man called out, to which a woman replied as she carried a small child.

“Now, now, relax… Geez, I just finished dressing Aya…” Arisa Ichinose spoke to her husband as she carried her daughter in her arms. “Papa’s not patient!” The little girl, Aya Ichinose, giggled.

“Hahaha…forgive Aya, I’m just a little excited that’s all…” Kei Ichinose said as he took the girl in his arms. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen them, right?” Arisa asked.

“It has, we’ve been quite busy so yeah.” (Kei)

On a weekend afternoon, Kei and his family went out to meet up with their acquaintances for the first time in a while. Arisa went to the living room for a brief moment and then emerged again through the door frame. “So, are we ready to go?” Arisa nodded at Kei’s question and they all left the house.

↤⨳↦

As the family of three arrived at a restaurant, they entered as they heard the small chime at the top of the door ring, which caused their daughter to giggle in amusement.

“Is there a private room under the name ‘Kotone Segawa?” Kei asked the receptionist. They proceeded to look at their monitor and turned their head once again in confirmation. “Yes, are you… Kei Ichinose?”

“Yes, I am.” As Kei nodded, a waiter came up to them and asked them to follow them. They walked down a broad hallway up to a relatively rustic door. The waiter left them on their own and Kei opened the door as Arisa put down Aya.

As soon as the door opened, Aya ran up to a woman with a big smile on her little face. The woman had long violet hair, her eyes resembled that of Aya’s father and she had a major motherly charm to her. Kotone Segawa, Kei’s older sister.

“Auntie Kotone!” Aya said as she hugged her.

“Aya~! It’s been a while, are you behaving?” Kotone said as she returned the hug with a soft smile on her face. “I am!” (Aya)

“It’s been a while, you two.” Turning to the couple, Arisa said with a smile. Besides Kotone, a man with obsidian eyes and black hair sat as he watched his wife interact with her niece.

Ichirou Segawa returned Arisa’s greeting with a wave. “It has, how have you two been?” (Ichirou)

“As busy as always, Aya was very excited when she heard we will have dinner with you guys.” Kei chuckled as he sat down while gazing at his sister and daughter. “Where’s Karane?” He asked.

“Karane said she will be coming a little late. Fifthteen minutes from now, I think?” (Kotone)

“I see. Well, she did say she was kind of busy these days. So no wonder she got caught up in her work.” (Arisa)

“She recently came from abroad, so no wonder there are many things that need her attention.” Ki’s sister Karane worked for a nutrition company, she has been slowly building her position to the point where she was appointed as a section manager and has been taking countless business trips either abroad or just within the country.

“Is Auntie Karane not coming?” Aya said with a sad voice. “She’s coming later, Honey, don’t worry.” Kotone said as she patted Aya’s head while sitting on her lap.

As her head was patted, her smile bloomed like a flower and Kotone, in response, seemed to fawn over her even more. “Gosh, you’re so cute!” (Kotone)

“She really likes to spoil…” (Arisa)

““She does indeed… Huh?”” (Kei & Ichirou)

The two looked at each other, and in a short amount of time, Ichirou grew noticeably nervous as his face turned red. “It’s nothing.” (Ichirou)

“…Ichirou…?” Kei frowned.

“I said, it’s nothing!” (Ichirou)

↤⨳↦

As they all enjoyed their meal, Kei turned to Karane, who was happily feeding Aya occasionally. “So, sis… When are you getting married?” In an instant, Karane’s expression turned sour and as she turned to her younger brother, she said:

“This again? I’m happy as I am now, I can’t even focus more on my work. I’m also taking proper care of myself, you know? This is nothing like the cliches of “Single lady lives in a mess”, okay?” (Karane)

“No, I trust you. Given by some of my surprise visits, it is no wonder that you’re living a healthy lifestyle. It’s just… Isn’t it lonely?” (Kei)

“Huh? Not at all. I don’t drown in work and also spend time with friends, you know?” (Karane)

“Still…” Kei felt worried, all her life, Karane has valued friendship over love, and even though it hasn’t harmed Karane’s perception of life and her daily life in general, Kei wanted his sister to be happy with company.

“I’m happy as I am now. If anything, shouldn’t we be worried about her?” With a cheeky grin, Karane turned to Kotone, who’s face immediately turned red. “H-huh…?” (Kotone)

“Right… you did say you had something to tell us. What is it about?” Arisa asked as she cocked her head. Kotone’s face started turning red and then, as she gathered the courage, she took a deep breath and said with a happy smile.

“So… we just found out last week… U-uhm… It seems that I am expecting…” The surroundings grew quiet, and the more time passed, the more Kotone got embarrassed. Finally, the one who broke the silence was no other than— Arisa.

“Eh?! Congratulations!” She ran up to her and gently hugged her, she had a completely happy smile as Kotone’s was an embarrassed one. “Congrats, sis!” Then, Karane said with a happy smile as she clapped her hands. Aya, obviously clueless, turned to Kei with a curious expression.

“Papa, what does that mean?” (Aya)

“It means you’ll soon have a cousin, sweetheart.” Kei gently told her. “Congratulations, sister. I’m very happy for you. With this, you’re a step away from achieving that dream, right?” (Kei)

“Ugh— K-Kei?” (Kotone)

“It’s nothing. But seriously, congratulations, sis.” Kei gently smiled at her sister. From then on, the dinner turned into a celebration for Kotone. The night was young, they were only getting started.

↤⨳↦

The next day, in the afternoon. Kei and his daughter were eating lunch on a bench by the park. Kei got off work and picked up Aya, when she told him she was hungry, they stopped by a place to order take-out and eat outside.

“Are you done eating, Aya?” (Kei)

“Unn! Aya’s done!” She happily said. “Alright then, stay still, I’ll clean you up.” At his words, Aya stood still as Kei cleaned her mouth with his handkerchief. As he saw her happy smile, Kei remembered something and turned to her. “You know, Aya.” (Kei)

“What is it, Papa?” (Aya)

“In a park like this one and on a bench like this one, I met mama, you know?” (Kei)

“Eh? You met mama?” (Aya)

“Hmm. Back then papa was really sad. He went through some very sad stuff and felt down.” (Kei)

Thinking back on it, twenty years since that day… It’s been so long and yet such a moment was still vividly replaying inside Kei’s head. It was autumn and Kei just got heartbroken by his first love, he didn’t know what to do or where to go from there… he was lost. And yet, Arisa found him and reached out to him, she taught him the wonders of the world… no, they teached each other the wonders of the world.

“But you know, mama healed your father’s wounds and made him very happy. And now, you’re here, Aya.” Kei said as he patted his daughter’s head.

“Is papa happy?” (Aya)

“Papa’s very happy because he has the two of you!” Kei said as he lifted Aya on his arms. “Yay! Aya also loves papa very much!” At her cute smile, Kei chuckled as he sat Aya again by his side.

“Sorry I’m late, you two look awfully cheerful, something good happened?” As they laughed, Arisa arrived at the scene, something which gave Kei a sense of deja vu.

The pair of father and daughter looked at each other, and with a smile, they said in unison, “It’s a secret.” (Kei & Aya)

“Ara? Now that’s a surprise…. Alright then, I’ll do my best to make you spoil those secrets!” Arisa said with a chuckle as she joined in. The other two stood up and went over to Arisa.

“Shall we head home?” Kei said as he turned to his wife.

“Let’s!” Said Aya as she grabbed the hand of both of them. Arisa smiled softly at the scene, and somewhere in her mind, she still didn’t believe that any of this was real.

If I were to tell my past self that I will marry my best friends’ younger brother, I’ll probably label myself as a physco… And yet, here I am… happily married and with a cute child.

Back in the past, Kei’s theory of love was extremely wrong. He was just a kid after all, he didn’t know how any of it worked… Now, he could look back at his mistakes and learn from them. When he falls asleep and when he wakes up, he always thinks of his family and enjoys each and every day.

With the proof of his undying love for his wife, holding hands with them, Kei is sure that he’s no longer afraid of what’s to come. Loving someone else first, learning the harsh truth of the world… and yet, it all led him to realize just how loved he was.

The seasons changed and changed and a genuine and fulfilling romance unfolded, bringing a sense of closure and contentment to the once-requited heart.