Counterpart (On Hold)

Prologue

Unedited

Two Years Later

Japan

The ladies in bright red dresses quickly walk around the decorated venue, tidying up the final touches and making sure everyone makes their way into the chairs.

"Hey, can you please put these flowers in the white vase?" The maid of honor, Kee, says as she hands one of the groomsmen a bouquet of colorful flowers.

As Kee walks away to run another errand, Mew stands there staring at the flowers.

Then he looks around the venue for a white vase to put the bouquet in.

Seeing an empty white-pearled vase, Mew walks over to the simply designed object and places the bouquet of flowers inside.

Realizing that it's almost time for the ceremony to begin, he walks to the back and watches as the bridesmaids rush to get everything in line for the last minute.

Mew walks up to one of the other groomsmen and stuffs his hands in pocket.

"You seem tired." Mew comments after looking at the man's face.

The man turns to Mew and shakes his head.

"Never thought a wedding could be this crazy and chaotic." He replies.

"When you attend one, it's not. But planning one, it sure is a lot of work." Mew says.

"Yeah well, my girlfriend hopes to be able to make our wedding the biggest and greatest one ever. She's had a few boyfriends before me so she's excited to wear the beautiful white dress which, according to her, symbolizes her chance to start life over with the one person she loves the most." The man says.

"Seems like her dream to get married." Mew comments.

"Getting married is exciting. Even though the planning process seems chaotic, I'm still excited to marry the girl of my dreams." The man replies, smiling as he looks at his girlfriend.

Mew nods and looks down, kicking the small grey pebbles on the ground.

The man turns to Mew and asks, "How about you? Excited to get married?"

"Not really. I've been through enough. Now, I'm just keeping low and accepting myself for who I am." Mew replies.

"Good for you. Always love yourself before loving another." The man says, patting Mew lightly on the back.

Suddenly, the priest walks to the back and announces that the wedding will be starting.

As he walks away, the bridesmaids and the groomsmen take to their ordered spots and stay silent so the guests don't hear them in the back.

When the priest arrives at the front of the room, all the guests begin to quiet down for the man to start his speech.

Throughout the entire speech, Mew was busy staring at one of the fresh red roses in a white vase.

It looks so alive and beautiful.

The way it continues to fight for life even when it's cut from the source.

How one expresses the beginning of a journey for two, but as time goes by, the single rose grows into a bouquet of flowers.

That is what makes love so beautiful.

It just continues to grow.

Even when you've spent so much time with one another.

You never grow bored.