Friends with Benefits (FwB) (GirlxGirl)(COMPLETED)

Chapter 20: Happiness

She wondered briefly if she could call in sick for her own wedding planning. It sounded utterly ridiculous, but the notion of doing so didn't sound so bad to her anymore. It's not as if anyone needed her...It's not like she had a say at her own wedding in the first place. She should just call one of her parents, tell them to buy her whatever dress they think looked good and move onwards to more important things...like picking the photographers and ushers for the ceremony itself.

She sighed, thumbing the knob of her condominium door and standing at the foot of it for an entire minute before twisting the knob and going out, taking the elevator to go downstairs where Satoshi would be, no doubt, waiting for her presence. She chuckled wryly at the idea of calling in sick right then and looked forward evenly, a tired look etched upon her beautiful features.

Just two more weeks and it'll be over...

The beginning of the end...

She found that she had been dreading the wedding date since its mention, but in the light of the new things surrounding her, she wanted to let it come already so she could get it over with. Maybe...if they weren't seeing each other due to obligation day after day, Haruka would be less cold. Maybe if their pretenses for hanging out weren't about her...the tomboy wouldn't be so distant. Because there wasn't any other reason for her recent attitude other than that she was tired of being a part of a wedding that she could care less about.

Maybe...she's tired of me in general and just wants to get away already...

"Ojou-sama, we're here."

She looked up at Satoshi's kind and elderly face, but couldn't smile in thanks to him amidst thef troubles brewing at the forefront of her thoughts. She merely nodded, opened the door for herself, and stood outside of the bridal shop they were in yesterday, glancing at the wedding dress on display at the front of the establishment with little to no thought or care before going inside, laughter pealing from there as she made her way in.

She stopped for a moment to just listen, tuned out her fiancé's own laughter and focused her entire being on that low, amused chuckle. Her heart began to throb again and she wondered briefly why she couldn't just go in there and demand that they talk. They were friends! At least to her they were...so...why couldn't they just patch it up and talk about...whatever it was that was bothering the taller woman?

But her feet seemed glued to the ground...and the more she waited, concealed behind that wall, the faster her nerves died...until she hadn't realized she'd been standing there and a small hand placed upon her shoulder woke her up from her reverie. Turning back, she gazed into worried pools of same sapphires and smiled automatically, the frown in her face still pretty much imminent along with her obviously troubled eyes.

"Are you alright, dear?" her father asked and before she knew it she had nodded as well.

Everything nowadays seemed automatic and she was hoping this would hold out so she wouldn't look weak...not in front of her parents, not in front of her fiancé, and especially not in front of her best friend.

"They're already in there you know," Keiko said with an eyebrow raised and walked passed her and towards the already sitting party consisting of Hanako, Haruka, and Jiro.

She stood in front of her parents for a brief moment, seeing the worry flash before her eyes as she composed herself in front of them.

"What else is left after this?" she asked noncommittally as she turned into the room, casting everyone's attention to her as she turned back to her parents with her question.

"Only last minute preparations and we'll be finished," Shina said as they made their way to the group, Michiru sitting in the very middle as was the format from yesterday and her parents sitting to her left side with their wedding planner, Jiro, his sister, and Haruka to her right, everyone in a semicircular fashion. "Beauty specialists in regards to everyone's hair and make up, ushers for the guests, planning the seating arrangements..."