Hidden Secrets

Chapter 17

In the remaining three days until her big day, the wedding, a noticeable restlessness weighed on Usagi. The search for her siblings remained unsuccessful, and in this crucial phase of her wedding preparations, the absence of Seiya cast a painful shadow on her anticipation. Despite daily messages, digital communication couldn't fill the void left by his absence. But Haruka was right; they needed to learn to keep some distance.

Mimete, accustomed to structuring even the smallest details, tried to bring some order to the chaos of decisions. Makoto had been like a shadow to Usagi in the past days, and Tellu was buried in work. She had already made a selection for the civil ceremony dress and now proudly presented her preselection for the church wedding dress.

Twenty racks filled with potential wedding dresses surrounded Usagi as she once again stepped into the role of the bride.

Taiki entered the room, and the mood seemed to change instantly. Tellu, outraged, exclaimed, "The groom shouldn't see the dress before the wedding! Who let you in here?" In her outrage, she glanced at the current dress. "This can't be true! This one won't do."

Taiki apologized politely, but his smile betrayed a certain anticipation. "Forgive the interruption. I am confident that you will find the perfect dress yet." His gaze wandered to the remaining pile of dresses. "But not today. I must now abduct Serena. The furniture for our apartment is being delivered, and someone needs to decide where everything should go."

Usagi felt a sudden relief at being able to escape this wedding madness for a moment. She nodded gratefully and said, "Please wait downstairs; I just need to change quickly." Tellu was beside herself that the fitting was interrupted. "There are only 3 days left until the wedding! We still need to make adjustments, and that can't happen until we've made a decision!" she exclaimed, while Usagi hurried to put on normal clothes to follow Taiki downstairs. Makoto joined her, as always keeping some distance.

Taiki smiled kindly at Usagi as she rushed down the stairs, then his gaze met Makoto's. "Makoto, I don't think we'll need you today. I'll bring Serena back later," he explained decisively and led Usagi to the car.

The drive to the Kou Tower through the bustling city proved to be a welcome break from the wedding stress. However, as Taiki reached the underground parking lot, a strange feeling came over Usagi again. In the elevator, her gaze involuntarily fixed on the 30th floor, and thoughts of Seiya, who could be just a few floors below her, crossed her mind. The anticipation of a possible reunion after almost eleven days of separation made her heart beat faster.

The elevator doors opened, and she entered the apartment with Taiki. Compared to the last visit, much had already changed. Freshly painted walls and an impressive sofa marked the beginning of the furnishing. Movers were busy assembling cabinets, tables, chairs, and other furniture. Usagi looked around curiously, waiting for Taiki to guide her through the apartment.

Taiki noticed her interest and smiled. "Not all the furniture is here yet, but we're making progress. It won't be much longer until we can move in here." Impressed, Usagi nodded. "It already looks wonderful."

Taiki led her through the rooms as she marveled at the progress in her future home. "I just need to go to the office downstairs for a moment to take care of a few things. Can you manage on your own? You just need to tell the movers where you want things."

Usagi nodded and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. You'll be back soon if anything comes up."

She immediately began to furnish the apartment, with the movers assisting her in placing the furniture in the desired locations. Time flew by, and eventually, Taiki returned, looking somewhat upset. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long. There's an urgent external appointment that I can't postpone. Can you manage on your own for a while longer?"