Characters: Minami Hamabe as young Minami (14-16 yr old) ; Ai Hashimoto as Minami (18-25 yr old)

                       Mizuki Itagaki as young Mizuki (14-16 yr old) ; Kento Yamazaki as Mizuki (18-25 yr old)

                       Airi Tazume as young Airi ; Yua Shinkawa as Airi

                       Ryosuke Yamada as Dad

                       Shida Mirai as Mom

PS. I MESSED UP WITH THEIR AGES (ESPECIALLY YAMASHI).

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Fixing my hair as I look at myself, I never felt so conscious of such before. My hair had gotten longer but I cut it short again for today. Though today is special, I decided not to look pompous. To look the same as the last time I know me. I looked down at myself and my peach-colored laced dress was perfectly fitted. I put the corsage on my wrist and I smell the fragrance of my favourite flower.

My wrist watch tells me that I’m going to be late and so I immediately picked up my purse and ran outside my apartment. A car was waiting outside, patched with flowers and ribbons. Guess, I’m VIP huh?

“Thanks for the fetch.” My voice sounds surprised and overwhelmed at the same time.

The driver bowed lightly. He is in a suit and tie and white gloves and a hat that matched the color of his suit. Seeing him at the rearview mirror, he could be of his 40’s or so. Fully built man with tanned skin and two warts under the right ear.

“We’re heading on the reception hall.” He said. “Guess you missed the exchanging of vows, ma’am.”

I sighed. “Yeah I did. I just came back this morning from Europe so I missed that part.”

“You travel that far?” There was a smile in his face. “You must really love him, ma’am.”

Love, huh?

The perfect smile was plastered on my face and he can see me through the rearview mirror. “Yeah. I do.”

Love. The world believe that love is the most righteous ever existed. That whatever made through love is always true and is always right and always fine. But I grew to believe that love is not always a right thing. Sometimes, love can be at its false. Sometimes wrong. And sometimes sin.

Love could be a mistake. A dream. Nightmare. That anyone on spot would want to be slap hard in the face and be yelled ‘Wake Up!’. Love could not be a paradise. Sometimes a dungeon where sinners are thrown to repent on their sins. Sometimes a false heaven filled with false angels. It could be an open hell where you are thrown to suffer unending...forever....tormented without death.

Love could not be red. Maybe it’s black or grey in a sense. Or a mixture of both.

But.

Love. In whatever sense...is still love.

Love never choose what. How. When. Where...WHO.

*****

“Thank you so much, mister.” I bowed at the driver before I closed the door of the car and head inside the reception hall. It was grand. Beautiful buds of roses would greet you in every sight. And the chandelier is massively gorgeous like a diamond gown. This is indeed the day he spent all his savings at. I never thought he could be a romantic-jerk like this.

“Minami!” I heard the most familiar voice I lived every single day of my utmost-quiet years. It’s more adult now but the intonation on how he calls me was that same tone I grew up with. That I can even remember his morning face and his hair standing dishevelled in the morning.

I turned to see him. There was a clench in my chest as I look at him, all so manly and gorgeous. My smile never left my face though my heart would have told me to cry. “Oh dear!” I giggled, opened arms as I looked at him from head to toe. The black suit and the bow tie. Bow tie, huh? And the hair. Neat. “Look at you! You look more human now!” I added which made him pout. He still does that.

“That’s kind of a good insult you got there, Minami!”

Trying to find my throat to give off a laugh, I failed and the next thing I did was jump and hugged him. Tiptoed as I try to reach on his height and wrapped my arms around his neck, and whispered the words, “I’m happy for you, Mizuki.”

I felt his strong arms around my small frame, hugging me back and gently my hair. He planted a kiss in my forehead which lasted 8.2 seconds. Which was according to psychologist was the maximum time a guy would stare at the girl he is attracted to. Why am I telling you that, anyway?

“I miss you little Minami.” He said and we pulled away from each other.

“Little?” I gave him mocked look. “I’m already 25, you old hag!”

He laughed. “Old hag?! Wait a minute! You might have just forgotten that upon calling me that, you have also insulted yourself.” He raised a brow and it’s something I don’t know if I miss or hate about him.

“You have not seen for three years and you still bicker like this?” A sweet voice appeared from behind Mizuki.

My eyes and mouth hanged open as I saw a beautiful woman in a long white gown. Her hair fixed in a high dough and a tiara gleamed bead on her head. She’s plain beautiful. The way she’s always has been.

“Minami-chan!” The usual big smile on her face was still the same.

“Airi-chan!” I immediately hugged her.

I looked at both of them, standing at each other. Perfect. Mizuki and Airi.

It will never be...

Mizuki and Minami.

*****

11 years ago...I had the short hair, round eyes I got from mom, nose I got from dad; guess I’m still the same. I look the way I looked before. But I have to say: then, I was indecisive. I’m in a cell and I don’t know if I should go out or stay when all the time I have the key.

I woke up in the soft, virile sound of his voice an inch above my temple, calling out my name, fe