"You're late!" The moment I stepped out of my car, I immediately got an elbow from Umika. I growled for a moment before she pulled me up and fixed my tie. "Geez, everybody is waiting for you. Come on!" She tapped me in the shoulder twice before pushing me to walk inside the hall. In the entrance, I was welcome by Kamiki as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and we continue walking inside.

"Are you nervous?" He asked.

I just smiled. 

"You will be perfectly fine." He smiled with assurance. 

I chuckled a little.

Suddenly I got a playful punch in the gut. Thanks to Shuhei who's doing kick boxing for excercise now. "What the hell Ryosuke Yamada! 30 minutes late in this very important event, you smug!" And I don't know if I should be happy when I got a hug after that.

"Looking extra good there huh?" Suzuka teased with a smie.

"Hey, how come you didn't compliment me like that?!" With a grumpy face Yuto barged in and Chinen who is following him has to hit him in the back.

"You got every girl told you how good-looking you are already Yuto." Suzuka hissed.

"Are you jealous?" He teasingly leaned closer to the girl in her coral-colored dress.

For moment, I forgot they used to date in high school which all started with Yuto teasing Suzuka a lot. That's his tecnique in getting the girl he likes which is kinda cliche but I don't know how on Earth that tecnique still works for him. Yeah, you can tell the guy seems to fall in love with Suzuka again.

"Hey, why are you not preparing yet?" Saaya eyed me, then Yuto. "Go back to your station."

"Yes maam!" As he run to the camera set up in the middle of the aisle.

Umika clapped her hand excitedly. "It's about to start. Oh, oh she's here!" 

In the other end of the hall, Mirai appeared in her beautiful long white dress. I can't help but unconsciously smile. I've always seen her in wedding dress, but this is different. It's a lot different than movies or dramas. Her eyes meet mine and her smile widen. All this time, I unintentionally gets that euphoria.

Until, a figure followed her from behind and stood in her side in front of that banquet table. Shuhei raised a glass of champagne.

Kamiki handed me mine, as we raise our glasses for a toast. "For the newly weds!"

"Welcome to the reception of Mirai's wedding." 

As petals fell from above, i realized after all I didn't make it to the wedding. 

Suddenly Mirai cracked a laugh and we were left puzzled at the sudden burst of laughter.

Umika ran next to Yuto with his camera. "Mirai-chan, we are filming this!" 

"I'm sorry, okay? I really am sorry." She said in between giggles. "It's just that, my husband is shaking." Pointing at the figure next to her--a pale mannequin held by Jingi from behind.

Jingi stood up behind the mannequin. "Come on! I'm doing my best here!"

Mirai laughed harder. 

I laughed in my head.  

Looking at the camera set up around the hall and the mannequins all around dressed like guests, I realize how weird my friends are.

So yes, this are all fake. Except for that one fact that Mirai just really got married last week. Yeah, she did. While I was on tour with Yuto and Chinen, when everyone was all busy. She literally just said "I do" to that guy she met in grade school without anyone of us.

Umika whose the most devastated by her absence on the wedding demanded for all of these. Yep, that small girl just did gather us all up through the help of Kamiki and planned for a fake wedding reception. At first, it should be the wedding ceremony itself but making the mannequin walk in the aisle is difficult. I suggested a vaccuum robot to be the groom but Umika wants him to have feet to be realistic. I said Yuto's got a good cinematography so it'll be more convincing when we had it on film but the plan got messed up until Chinen suggested a wedding reception instead.

I don't know what kind of magic does he has and everyone agreed. He helped Umika plan and now co-planned it with her.

"How many takes did you have before I arrive?" I whispered at Shuhei.

"Six...oh make that seven." He answered.

"Seven? Who messed up?" I looked around.

"Mirai...all seven." The guy sighed.

"Wow, unusual for someone who perfected her lines."

Shuhei nodded. 

"Hey! Are we not starting this yet?!" We heard a voice from the ceiling. Hayato was on harness holding a bucket of petals. "We can't waste petals! And you can't waste labor. My muscles are about to give up!" 

I look at Shougo vac the petals back to another bucket.

Suzuka giggled. "Hang on there a little bit more Hayato."

"You all owe me for this! Ya'll have to go to my play on Saturday!" 

"That's a deal!" Suzuka gave a thumbs up.

"Hey, we are resuming our tour on Saturday--aw!" Yuto growled after Suzuka stepped on his feet.

"Ganbatte Hayato!" Suzuka cheered.

"Okay let's do that again." Chinen yelled.

Mirai's husband was having a business travel somewhere in Europe. Poor guy has to work hard even after the wedding so he has to be replaced by a mannequin that caused all the NGs. But I doubt he'll participate in this childish act if ever he is free though. I wouldn't too if only this is not Umika's idea. She's got her blades on my throat. Uuuuhhgg, I bet that sadistic side of her is activated from hanging out with Chinen.

After that last take, Mirai perfected the scene...finally.

Yuto called Umika and Chinen to look at the filmed scenes. Nozomi-chan and Rima-chab were encharged to retouched on Mirai's make up and her other bridesmaids, Nako-chan and Ciellu-chan. Shuhei is talking to Shougo and Hayato who'se still hanging in the ceiling. Kamiki plays with Umika's new dog she got after Vanilla died. And here I am in one spot next to the flowers in the aisle when Suzuka stood next to me.

"Are you ready?" She asked.

"In the first place, why am I doing this?" I pointed at the script.

She shrugged. "Don't worry, just take this as an opportunity, Yamada-kun." 

An opportunity for what? I don't really understand why I have to do a fake speech for the bride when Kamiki or Umika can do this?

"Okay, Ryosuke is your speech ready?" Chinen called.

"I guess." I shrugged as I climbed up the stage and grabbed the mic.

As I look at everyone, finally I felt the tension being on that stage. I took a deep breath and opened the folded paper where I wrote my speech. I looked at them again, "Hey." 

I didn't expect a cheer after that which made me grin as I scratch my temple awkwardly.

"Hey, I know you're just trying to get your together but stop it you adorable smug!" Shuhei yelled.

"Honey! Please don't show to them you're adorable side! That's supposedly exclusive for me!" Kamiki playfully pouted and everyone just laughed harder.

I managed to laugh. I took a deep breath as I my lips trying to relax. "Good afternoon to all. We were all gather to day to toast for the beginning of an another chapter for our newly weds. Congratulations." I paused for a moment to look at Mirai. She was smiling. "To those who doesn't know me, I am Ryosuke Yamada. I am no special just of the bride's...friend. I am just that one boy she befriended in the first day of my first drama when he was all intimidated by the professional child actors he was with."

Kamiki and Mirai chuckled.

"Ever since that day, she had been taking care of me." 

Mirai laughed making me look at her. 

"She wouldn't admit it though." I took a deep breath and keep the paper I was reading inside my pocket. "When we were in high school, she would always accost me everytime I look all grumpy." I smiled at the thought. "I don't realize that I am frowning coz it's my usual neutral face, I guess. And she would just suddenly stop by near me and be like 'Uuugh! What's with that grumpy look at you?'. There was this one time when I was texting my manager and didn't really realize I was frowning, she stopped and greeted, 'Ohayo!' and I was like 'Ohayo.' with that frown on my face then suddenly she stood next to me, 'Ohayo!!' she repeated with a really big grin in her face, and I realize, 'Oh she wants me to smile!' so I did. It was kinda forceful coz I've got low tension in the morning but she was really positive about it as she skipped to her seat she was like 'Ii nee~'. 

I heard another round of laughter.

"My point is, she always care about the people around her. She always do." I paused to sniff the cold air. "I have always mentioned on live television about that experience of mine in high school being scolded and called 'chibi' by two of the girls in class."

Good thing they weren't here.

"I said about snuggling on Yuto, Kamiki and Chii after the encounter and none them even defended me. They even made fun of me after that!" I acted disappointed.

Everyone laugh at it including the three guys mentioned who just shrugged and laughed with everyone.

I sighed. "But what I didn't mention was after turning on my three guy best friends for comfort, Mirai barged in. Frowning. With her hands on her waist. Stepping in front of the tall girls that she had to look up at them. But she wasn't intimidated as she blurted out "What's wrong with being chibi, huh?!!" ." I laughed. "They got really startled at that small girl in front of them and dispensed.

Everyone laughed.

"She said she did it because she was insulted as well. But i know she did it for me." I looked at Mirai and she smiled raising a brow.

"She wouldn't admit that of course. Just like how she admitted to coincidentally write two notes and so handed me one when I skipped class for work."

This time she rolled her eyes. I grinned from ear to ear before I sighed deep and long to look at everyone and felt my chest tightened.

"She's one of the best person I had. And I always thought I wouldn't want to let her go."

I felt the discomfort that last line I dropped in front of everyone. 

"I never want to." I stared at Mirai beyond the banquet table. She looked worried and confused. "And if I could just..."

I managed to stop. For a moment I looked at everyone looking at me. I did not realized how Chinen kept calling my named in a whisper.

I blinked many times and pulled out a forceful smile. Clearing my throat as I bit on my lower lip, I the camera held by Yuto. "Sorry I messed up with the script. Can we do that again?"

Yuto awkwardly nodded, "Yeah, we're cool."

"L-let's j-just do it again." Umika's smile was awkward.

Kamiki gave a thumbs up. "We're going to start all over again if you're ready."

"Better." Everyone acted it all out with me. See the best thing about having actor friends?  Yeah.

Suzuka gave me the script again and I thanked her.

Mirai smiled awkwardly when Chinen called out everyone, "Let's have another 10 minute break!"

And yes, I'm sure that wasn't the opportunity Suzuka was talking about.

TO BE CONTINUED