A/N: Hiii hope you enjoy the first chapter of Third Time's the Charm. I worked really hard on it. This bit of the first chapter is more in Mao's view...don't worry it'll go into Jun's view soon!
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“I now pronounce you Husband and Wife,” The couple looked to each other identical smiles on both their faces as they eagerly awaited the next sentence. A week of not kissing would do this to most couples. The lack of kissing had occurred due to the fact that the bride had insisted that they not kiss for a whole week before the wedding to add to the whole al quality of their wedding much to the displeasure of the bridegroom.

However he had learnt well from previous experience, it was not good to argue with her.

She now showing off her often called ‘delectable’ pout at him and he made fish faces at her and they could practically hear their friends right beside them in their bridesmaid dresses and best man tuxes yelling at them to stop being cute now that they were to be married shortly and they were to start getting into the fighting phase. Laughing the jovial priest grinned as he spoke the words the bridegroom so ached to hear. “You may now kiss,” The groom had no patience and launched himself onto her lips but before much could happen he felt a small slap from the bride. He lifted his head off as he was trained to do.

“Wait,” She said grinning and he nodded giving a small sheepish smile to everyone.

“The bride,” The priest finished and the bride kissed the groom first shocking everyone including the groom.

The scene shifted just as quick to something more odd. The bride saw her best friend there. “Oh my lord! Mao I cannot believe you actually married someone! After all that haughty bull about how you were too good for relationships! Remember that in high school!”

High School, Mao looked at her bridegroom and saw he was looking confusedly back at her. It was odd for a moment, she could see his features quite clearly bright smile cute cheeks, dazzling eyes…but it was as if she couldn’t recognize him.

“I know you… but not yet ri-”

“NEED TO WAKE UPPPP!” Megumi yelled loudly into her ear. Mao shot up immediately banging something above her head. “Gahhh why is there no space in THIS HOUSE!”

“Hey I was the one who suggested going over to my more lavish decked out ‘crib’ so to say but you really wanted to show me how you lived before Eitoku. So I tagged along remember? AND NOW YOU NEVER WAKE UP! You have no idea how happy I am I moved in with Haruka for this school year instead of you SHE wakes ME up now and I can sleep in while she struggles.” Megumi said fussily kicking at the floor and Mao grudgingly pulled her feet over to the ladder that would bring her to ground level from her up bunk.

“Hai Hai, I’m up now aren’t I?”

“After much force. Which by the way took effort and you know how my hair reacts to effort.” She said standing up lazily and examining her curls one by one. Mao looked at her for a second and couldn’t imagine herself doing the same even though this was exactly how she behaved at Eitoku. It seemed that she had changed back to her old stingy self the moment she stepped through the doorway of her barely two bedroom apartment. Being at home would do that to you.

For a second she was back in those hallways, three girls trailing behind her, those were her best friends. They were sitting the cafeteria lounge exclusive to those who she liked, Toma-kun sitting beside her and Shun-kun making out with Maki at random moments. They were all like a big old group of…well it was inexplicable group really. They were all so unpopular once upon a time. It seemed hard to believe that four girls who had never even donated to the school had come to be in power of it.

She remembered her decision to fight back against the girls who called her dirt poor (when really she was just middleclass) and scoffed at her status by revealing their secrets. Getting their secrets had been hard enough but after that it was cake. She made them famous, much to her displeasure, but she got basically what she was looking for anyways. She got power. She got to decide who was who, and when she could discard the ‘who’ for someone new.

“Megumi,” She said suddenly and turned to look at a previous victim who had been badly dealt with. However it seemed the girl had long forgotten Mao’s mean actions towards her. Megumi was smiling brightly a new headband in her hair that was white lace with smallest fake lily on the side giving the innocent girly look.

“Neh Mao-chan? What do you think of these white pearls with the white bubble jersey dress?”

“You look like a who wants to be deflowered.” Mao said pointedly and Megumi grinned.

“Alas that ship has sailed no? I gave it to Pierre back in France. He was ever the dear though. Trust me even you could not resist the charms of French men Mao-chan.” She said taking off the headband and the pearls and opting for a blacker hat along with a set rustic cross.

“I’ll need to borrow your black DKNY satin tights for this outfit.” She said pointedly sifting through Mao’s bag quickly.

“We’re going to meet the others today after five long days of being apart in the break. Maki was with Shun-kun wasn’t she? I doubt Shun-kun’s mother let him out of her sight at all! Even while sleeping she probably left the baby monitor from back in the day on so she could spy on him and see if Maki sneaked into his room.”

“That was a big step for them wasn’t it? Doubt Maki would do that though she’s far too perfect.” Megumi said and fixed on a pair of cross studs onto her ear as she started on her make up. Mao was still grabbing her towel and nodded ready to leave when Megumi spoke up again.

“Say didn’t Erika say she was leaving for a short trip to Italy? Her father wanted to examine some sort of artistic ruins over there right? I hope she found someone among those ruins,” It was known that Erika was far too shy to voice that she was in dire need of attention from the male species but her best friends could make out. Erika was far too tensed in their presence unless it was about well her best friends. It was really far too embarrassing. “Italy is known for their hot and forward men after all, I just hope Toma-kun didn’t scare them all away since I know he went with her since his father was going too.”

Mao scoffed unbelievingly. “Knowing Erika the farthest she’d have gone with the men in Roma is holding hands.” She looked at her own hand and was surprised to find drool that she had probably left on during her sleep. As she turned to leave again for the shower she heard Megumi speak up again.

“I’m using your eyeliner. The really black one gives me the edgy look.” Mao waved wordlessly as if to say shut up but Megumi grinned evilly as she spoke the next words. “Ahh Mao-chan? Don’t forget to brush your teeth!” She said leaving a wordless insult sounding loudly in Mao’s head. Megumi ducked the immediate throw of the nearest stuffed animal at her.

“You Megumi!”

“Nahhhh you do! With your stinky breath and all.” The answer to that was a loud slam to which Mao’s mother immediately reprimanded her saying that she couldn’t go around breaking everything.

About an hour later Megumi and Mao found themselves wandering the streets of Tokyo looking for their friends. Eventually Megumi tired flopped onto the bench and growled.

“You know we’re never going to find this…Fireworks no Karaoke! This . You . You know who else ? Maki…you know why? Cause she at giving directions.”

Mao was obviously not in the mood to deal with Megumi’s ranting again. Mao shook her head. “Ahhh bakabaka thank god I’m getting rid of you today…or at most getting rid of being alone with you.”

“Ahh Mao-chan doesn’t love meeee! What a horrible lesbian relationship we’re in!” She yelled out loudly as to embarrass Mao. Mao knew this too and immediately started giggling. Megumi started laughing too unwillingly ruining her charade.

“What idiot would say that! It’s not like any guy wanted to like you anyways and now they’ll be even more afraid of you!” Mao screamt at her.

“Nande?” Megumi asked confused.

“Well you do have lesbian tendencies you know Megumi-chan,” Mao said grinning evilly as she turned around to look around if anyone was there. It was a stupid move really for what she was about to say wasn’t important at all but this was out of habit. There she spotted the guy from the bench right beside them getting up and throwing them a dirty look.

“Oh dear lord I hope these aren’t the freaks I have to spend time with in that ing boarding school I’m going to. Stupid of a mother.” He’d added the last part really quietly but being so close to this man she could hear everything even with her back to him.

For a moment, time froze as Mao turned around to give him a second look. Her eyes widened in recognition. At least she thought she saw him. His hair was curly enough to be exactly that of her bridegroom’s! Well the one in the dream at least.

“NEH! MAO-CHAN! YOU LISTENING?” Mao turned annoyed as her ear drum hurt and looked at Megumi threateningly.

“You come with me now! I’m not following a guy alone.” Mao picked up her friend by the wrist and dragged her along.

“Nandeeee I’m so lazy can’t-walk-in-hooker-boots.”

“I didn’t tell you to wear hooker boots did I?”

“You’re a bad friend...you should warn me of walking distances.”

“Neh Maki should.” Mao said and Megumi giggled nodding. The thing with these two best friends was they were so far apart they were close and vice versa.

“Who are we following?” Megumi asked and wordlessly Mao pointed at the curly haired individual. He was pretty easy to pick out. Megumi grinned happily. “I know him!” Mao turned, her eyes wide and clearly showing the thoughts that were running through her head.

“How on earth do you know him? How can you even recognize him from his back.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s Jacques! I don’t know if I ever told you this but Jacques was the guy I spent ages staring at and then one day he talked to me and then after Pierre of course he was my first j-“

“Yeah yeah don’t need to hear any more from you Megumi.” Mao said shaking her head…why had she even bothered to ask her?

“Jerk…he was my first jerk Mao. WHY MUST YOU ALWAYS JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS! I WOULD NEVER CHEAT ON YOU!” Mao cringed. Megumi had the bad habit of getting loud at bad times. She turned to face her and patted the black hat that Megumi had worn which was a limited edition Marc Jacobs she noted in her head, slightly as if to make sure it wasn’t slipping off during her yelling session.

“Megu-AHH AHAHH IT’S HERE ITS HERE!” Mao yelled happily conveniently forgetting about the guy as she saw the sign, which clearly said to them in Fireworks Karaoke. Megumi grinned widely and Mao did as well. It was just the same as usual. Mao and Megumi started becoming close after they discovered a mutual love for making people embarrassed to walk in the halls. Which was the reason why Megumi burst into random out bursts of their so-called ‘relationship’. When really all it was a stupid plot to get Mao all embarrassed and flustered.

It often worked to her displeasure. As they made their way in it was obvious to see that Maki was already inside. The store boy looked frazzled as if Maki had flirted with him and then had Shun beat him up.

Megumi and Mao had passed by with more ease allowing the poor boy to rest his himself.

“Neh Toma-kun will be there too right?” Megumi asked quickly and Mao turned to look at her suspiciously.

“I think so, Toma is always there where Shun is! I think he said on the phone last night he was bringing someone. I would have been able to hear more IF someone hadn’t been babbling on about how much she loved the physical compatibility in our relationship.” Mao said grinning jokingly.

“I was asking for you baka, I remember you said Toma-kun would be the only guy you would consider dating ever.” Megumi said covering up what might have seemed suspicious tracks to Mao. Then again everything was suspicious to Mao.

They entered the colored room and immediately Mao felt Erika’s skinny arms wrap around her shoulders and Mao grinned looking sideways at Maki and Megumi. The boys lay on the couch lazily, and Mao could recognize that one of them was indeed unfamiliar to her.

“Mao-chan the guys were making us sing these horrible songs and you know how bad I am at singing and so when I Yama-chan,” To which Mao could hear a loud displeased EH! Coming from the new ‘Yama-chan’. “started shouting and saying that I and he booed and Toma-kun tried to make him stop because Toma-kun’s always been nice like that but he wouldn’t-“

Megumi grinned sideways at her and Mao grinned back. Ah yes Erika hadn’t changed at all in the short while they’d been separated. Then they switched spots and the first girl to ever truly accepted Mao for who she was stepped in front of her. They stared at each other for a while Maki and her and then Megumi broke the silence herself staring at the two yelling.

“DON’T GO CHEATING ON ME! GOD! MAKING GOOGLY EYES AT EACH OTHER!!!” Erika turned a confused look as she’d never really understood Megumi’s odd outbursts but Maki and Mao burst out laughing immediately as they hugged each other finally.
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YAY! All done! Please comment and thanks to the people who did Zing, AhStar, and julie ^.^ <<3s to all of you all.

And if anyone wants to help me out with the lack of banner issue please do cause I don't have photoshop so I basically can't do a banner. T.T

I'll be back with part II in another day or so.