A warm summer wind caresses the manicured grass below the seated guests awaiting the ceremony. Here comes the bride plays as Yuuko walks down the carpeted aisle in her beautiful wedding gown. The successful young businessman that waits for her smiles as his eyes meet hers before she darts them away shyly for a second. Hisao feels a small amount of sadness. He always hoped in some small way, that it would be Kenji waiting at the altar for her. Not every story can end in a fairytale fashion. Yuuko looks so radiant and sure of herself. So happy. Gone are the days of her awkward mannerisms and ever present anxiety. She really pulled her life together, and now she's found the perfect man to spend the rest of her life with. Unknown to the guests is another young man moving about the grounds. One who sneaks in towards the dj table. The ceremony starts. He could not possibly feel any more uncomfortable than this moment in time right now. He follows the ceremony procedure in his head. He's gone over it a thousand times in his room, planning for this very point in time. The same room he nearly stayed in today if not for his heart's protest. "Move, bitch, get out the way!" he grunts as he pushes the dj out of his seat and searched through songs.
 
"And if anyone objects to this marriage, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."
 
This was it. He wasn't ready for this so soon. A few seconds pass by. Hisao looks around, half expecting Kenji to show up before dismissing the possibility as ridiculous. Kenji nervously grabs the microphone from the dj's table and steps forward into the aisle. It's now or never...
 
"G-giiiiiirrrrrllll...."
 
Everyone turns around.
 
"I heard you're getting married..."
 
The pastor shrugs as he and the groom exchange looks.
 
"Heard you're getting maaarried...." Kenji's voice is more sure of itself now. He has a surprisingly good singing voice.
 
To the surprise of everyone, Yuuko turns and walks down the aisle as Kenji walks forward in mid-song.
 
"This time you're really suuurrrre..." He sings, leaving the rest of the song hanging.
 
"Kenji." Yuuko says when she reaches him.
 
He hangs the microphone in his hand, the wire dangling around his fingers and looks down, gathering his thoughts for a second. Yuuko silences him before he can manage to get a word out, putting a finger to his lips. Memories flood back to Kenji. How long had it been since any part of her body touched his lips? It stirred up his emotions all the more.
 
"I wanted to object- I had to come here. I.. I love you. There are so many-" he blurbed all out at once.
 
Yuuko put her hand to his face. There was no need for him to say any more. She understood.
 
"You weren't on the guest list." she says.
 
The cold response shocks Kenji speechless. He never expected those to be the words to come out of her mouth. Maybe something about them or even asking why he was there, but not a direct attack like that.
 
So many thoughts raced through his head. He wanted to tell her he made a mistake. So many mistakes, and that he was sorry. He desperately wanted to believe it wasn't too late to get a second chance, even in the midst of all this.
 
"I'm sorry." he simply says with his head down. "I know I made a lot of mistakes, and I shouldn't have avoided you. I should have talked to you at least. What kind of man can't even face his fears? I should have... -Can we have another chance? Please?" It's a meek whisper on the last word.
 
"Where do you think we are?" she tells him.
 
He's pulled out of reality into another world as he looks around them at the staring guests. Kenji recognizes Hisao briefly in the crowd. He gets the feeling that he had a bro pulling for him and some hope returned to his heart.
 
"I'm sorry, but just... look at yourself. You're a mess. I've gotten my life together. I'm finally happy. I have everything I want." she tells him in a voice that can only be heard between only them.
 
Kenji wanted just the chance to prove that he could make her happier. He didn't care if it sounded selfish. He knew that he could do better than he had done in the past. He didn't want their last memory to be what they left off with. He can feel the tears forming behind his eyes.
 
"This is as close as we'll ever be again." Yuuko says, planting a soft kiss on his cheek.
 
Kenji holds onto her hand, wanting to savor it, but he can feel her pulling her fingers away. It was short. Far too short. She turns and walks back to the altar and the ceremony continues on like the past five minutes never happened. Kenji watches the rest of the ceremony standing in the middle of the aisle, unable to affect anything. He can't look when the kiss happens. He knows it would be an image that would be burned into his mind that would hurt him over and over again if he allowed his poorly-functioning eyes to take it in. He melts into an empty seat in the crowd and Yuuko and the groom walk past, with smiles on their faces as the crowd cheers. Kenji feels invisible.
 
She may as well have said he was no longer welcome in her life, and that he needed to leave. Now.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvgi7P97lu0