My feet hit the pavement along with the clacking sound of my high heeled stilettos. Sweat was running profusely at my brow while my legs were slowly killing me.

“Damn it! Where are you? WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?!” I started shouting in the middle of the busy street of Tokyo square.

I, Inoue Mao was clad in an elaborate wedding gown, THE Vera Wang bridal gown of the century. Cosmetics started melting from my face with every step I took that it wasn't surprising when people stared at me like I was a person lost in my own country, nonetheless crazy for running around in a bridal dress.

Who on earth in there right mind would venture the streets of Tokyo Square to yell around for someone while wearing such an outfit?

Tears sprung to my eyes, hot tears that I always reminded myself never to shed. I desperately tried to shut my eyes to stop those darned stubborn tears from falling.

Five years… it has been five staggering years since I last saw him. This left me no choice but to run blindly after him. After all it was him who left me in Japan to wonder around aimlessly. Why he left and disappeared so suddenly, I would never know until I get out my answers today.

This morning I woke up with a resolution not to cry when I am on the altar and so I was set to go on my way to church, looking beautiful as any blushing bride should look like.

That’s when I saw him. The sight of him made the memories buried deep in my heart come rushing back at me. He was stunned as I was. Our eyes held each other with so much longing but the idiot decided to tear away from my gaze and run for it. It’s what he is good at. 

Running.

Stupid, stupid man. Making a woman like me wait then chase after him like this? What the hell is wrong with this picture?

In the middle of that busy street, the green light flickered and turned to yellow. I had no time. Amid all the buzz of people, the honking of the street cars, I inhaled Tokyo’s polluted air and yelled out for him.

“JUN MATSUMOTO!!! GET YOUR OUT HERE OR ELSE I’LL CAUSE A HUGE COMMOTION AND I’LL BLAME YOU FOR IT. SHOW YOURSELF YOU IDIOT!!!”

I bellowed in the middle of the pedestrian lane which made the walking people stop on their tracks to give me bewildered looks. To top it off I am well aware that I have this awful disheveled appearance.

The veil I wore already hung lopsidedly at the back of my head while several strands of hair have fallen off from my previously neat bun and started to tangle at the ends. Jun Matsumoto better show up and make up for that five year loss in my life or else I might just kill myself in the middle of Tokyo Square.

When my eyes darted at the other side of the street he was suddenly there, with that look I thought I’ll never see again. In the ten years I have known him, the facial expressions he had always shown were a mixture of amusement, happiness, anger, jealousy and mostly desire. It’s that look of desire that captured me, entangled my whole being into his that I can’t get away from him even with those five years he had been gone.

Even up to this day, that look of desire captured me yet again.

The tears fell on their own accord. Those damned tears that were not supposed to be shed but I was happy. Right there and then I was happy. Others would think I am stupid and yet… this was Jun Matsumoto I was dealing with. 

The Jun I have always believed in.

With hot tears running down on my face, I crouched to remove the stiletto from my right foot, took a good aim and threw it right at him. I did not care that I might hit other people in the process. I took off the other and threw it at him too as I started to walk nearer by where he stood. Then I snagged the veil out of my hair and threw that at him as well, then I was only two feet away from him. The stubble on his chin was very clear to me now, the dark hollows beneath those piercing eyes were visible and those lips…

We were both caught up in the moment.

Then he threw something at me. I caught it just in time before the stop light turned red. The cars started to zoom behind my back and this made him grab my arm towards him letting me smack right into his chest. Through this commotion, the gleaming thing in my hand almost slipped through my fingers and yet it didn’t bother me at all because I could hear his heavy breathing, a welcome to my ears.

I gripped the object in my hand as he clutched me closer to his body. The tears were gone.

“Sorry I am too late.” His voice was shaky.

“Too late for what?” I asked feeling confused.

“For everything, for giving that to you when I should have given it five years ago.”

“It’s not that easy to get rid of me Matsumoto.” I said smugly.

“Aren’t you getting married? Why did you run after me?” Jun asked with a mixture of pain, joy and confusion on his face.

I released myself from his hold and pushed him down at the pavement forcefully. We both toppled over that Jun ended up sitting on the sidewalk while I sat straddled on top of him, my gown getting all messed up. We were at this awkward position that the passerby kept staring at us.

“I was going to church for a shoot. This Vera Wang bridal gown is part of my bridal collection for the magazine’s next issue and you just ruined it.”

“You are?” He looked very much relieved.

“Five years.” I reminded him, not letting him get side tracked by the gown.

“Yeah… Five years.”

I gave him a look that demanded an explanation.

“It almost made me insane Mao. The five years I have been away, I was in New Zealand… for rehabilitation. Five years ago, that day I was going to give the ring to you... I was hit by a car; I thought I could never walk again. I lay in the hospital for days, weeks then months. I was hopeless I didn’t want to burden you with my disability that I had to get away. I heard of this program they had in New Zealand and I quickly went there so I could go back to you whole again.”

“Are you… whole again?”

“I could carry you just fine, that’s for sure.” He answered with a smile.

“Did you ever cheat on me while you were in New Zealand?”

“Would talking to cows count as cheating?”

“Could be.” I said with a smirk.

“I guess I cheated.” He replied looking apologetic.

“Sorry?” He repeated.

“You still have to make up to me.” I demanded.

My hand grabbed his and I dropped the ring in the middle of his palm, then I shoved my fingers in front of his face. A genuine smile slowly formed on his mouth.

Jun took my hand, making it look like a very delicate piece of art then slipped the ring in my finger. As soon as the ring was fit snugly, I beamed at him.

“I’m engaged!” I shouted happily with my right arm outstretched while I waved my hand to boast off the engagement ring. The people around who witnessed all of this clapped happily even though they have no idea how a woman in a bridal gown would not be engaged.

“You're a mess.” Jun chuckled as he wiped my face clean.

“Let’s go.” I stood up and grabbed his hand to help him up.

“I think I would have to carry you.” Jun scratched the back of his head.

“Why? I can walk perfectly well.” 

He started to point at my feet.

“I think we just lost your shoes and your veil.”

“Vera Wang is going to kill me.” I muttered out loud.

“I won’t let her.” Jun said defiantly.

“I know you won’t.”

I let him carry me up in a piggy back ride like it has always been.

~~~the end~~~