"Well? How do I look?"
Kotori twirls around. Showing Umi her wedding dress. This is Kotori's masterpiece. Her very own wedding dress. Umi's suit is also hand made by Kotori. Kotori had Anju to help- to speed up the process.
Kotori's birthday gift was a proposal from Umi. The best gift she'll ever receive. Is it? Nope. Umi plans to spoil Kotori a lot more.
Kotori and Umi are the second last couple to get married. Last would be Yukiho and Alisa.
However today is not the wedding day. It's in two weeks time. Umi and Kotori still need to plan on how will the wedding go. Umi plans to rent a cruise ship for the night. The wedding starts at 4:00 pm and will roughly end around 2:00 am.
"You look amazing Kotori." Umi walks up to her bride. Umi runs her finger on Kotori's cheek. Holding her place behind the ear and having a good look at the bird.
"Your hands are cold."
"I'm hungry. Why is it cold today? It's spring! What ever. Happy?"
"Mmm."
"Let's go find something to eat."
"Anything you want, darling~"
"D-darling?!"
"Oh Umi-chan~ you never change after that proposal. Reminds me- You'll have to kiss me in front of everyone!"
"Oh dear..."
"It better not be some quick cheap kiss Umi-chan."
"Uhhhhhhhhhh- Yea. It'll be... long..."
"It better be." Kotori starts to undress her wedding dress. Giving it one more look. Adoring her master piece.
Umi and Kotori are lunch. What did they eat? I have no clue. Kotori goes and visits Rin and Hanayo. They have a day off and Kotori would love to chat with them.
Rin and Kotori are chit chatting. Playing games and such. Umi wants to speak with Hanayo personally.
"Where did you take Rin for your honey moon?"
"Honey moon? Ahhh~ It was the best. I rented us a cottage. Something similar to Maki- but we had to take a plane there. The resort is sooo calm and beautiful!"
"Sounds interesting. I think me and Kotori will enjoy it."
"Mm. Although it's kinda quiet."
"Quiet?"
"It's more fun with you all around."
"Hanayo... Mmm. You're right. It is more fun with everyone around. Should I plan a trip for all of us?"
"Eh? Sounds pricey Umi-chan."
"Is it?"
"Mmm. You gotta make sure the others aren't busy as well. I'll help you."
"No. I'll pay for all of it-"
"Umi-chan. Let us help. This is our vacation right? It's also your honey moon. Strange to have us over. If you plan on slamming Kotori's pussy in front of us then-"
"What?! No no no no- It's not like that! I just think Kotori will enjoy more company than just me alone. It'll be fun! All of us together again."
"Alright. Or you can a different idea for your honey moon."
"I think a vacation with all 14 of us is wonderful."
"I look forward to it. Want some rice balls?"
"Rice balls? Oh- fine. Just give me one."
Hanayo gives Umi a rice ball.
"Wow- just as good as always Hanayo. This rice ball will never change."
"Mm." Hanayo has already finished two rice balls.
So quick!
"Nyaaaaa Kayo-chin!"
"Rin-chan?"
"Let's go out for some cheese cake! Me and Kotori are hungry."
"Rin-chan, shouldn't you two eat a proper meal first?"
"We did! Me and Kotori just ate your rice balls."
"Well Umi-chan? What do you think?"
"Fine. We'll go out for some early desserts."
Hanayo dearly follows Aqours. Ruby being her favourite member. Hanayo sees herself in Ruby. Shy- yet has an ambition to do something with their own hands.
Umi notices a Ruby poster in Hanayo's house. Not her room-a Ruby poster in the living room.
The poster says "GanbaRuby!" Meaning rubesty.
Rin doesn't follow Aqours. Rin sometimes still dwells in the past. Rin has learned to let go- but sometimes feels like crying some nights. That vacation trip will really make Rin happy and so will the others.
Umi notices a pic of the nine of them together. It's on top of the fireplace. The nine of them in that small photo booth. They all looked so silly. Crammed and can't even smile- but the expressions are cute.
Hanayo also has the 14 of them together. Umi can tell the difference in age. Things were a lot simple back then.
"Umi-chan, we're leaving." Hanayo calls out.
"I'm coming Hanayo. One sec."
Umi smiles. Yea. Those were the days.
"Nyaaaa! Nozo-nyan is also coming! Let's grope her Koto-Nya!"
Yea... those were the days.
Umi sighs.
Bad move Rin. Well- I would like to see the outcome. Haven't seen Nozomi doing her... thing in a long time.
Why am I saying this?!
What's wrong with me? Do I miss Nozomi groping other girls?! W h a t.
Maki and Nozomi were the ones to be there first. Rin... yea she gropes Nozomi but Rin gets obliterated. No one can match Nozomi's fearsome power.
Hanayo smiles. Yep. Good ole days. Nothing's changed.
Maki is still the tsundere. Rin loves to tease Maki but she also gets rubbed by Maki. Seems like Maki has picked up on Nozomi's fearsome technique.
Looks like some of us change a bit after all.
Umi facepalms and sighs. Can't believe I actually miss seeing this. Uggghh- what's wrong with me.
"NYAAAAA" Nozomi handles Rin. No biggie. Rin is a lot taller. Rin is as tall as Eli. Nico is the shortest.
Nozomi feels awkward grabbing Rin. This cat has gotten taller.
Rin also doesn't have flat cat tats. Late blossom. Poor Nico.
Kotori orders the usual. Kotori is sharing with Rin because why not. Rin is all go for some cheese cake.
Umi orders something light. Green tea... idk. Sweets? Like... green tea cake or other sweets. God knows.
Maki doesn't order anything. She has brought her tomatoes.
"Tomatoes?" Umi asks
"Mm. Tomatoes~" Maki eats her slices of tomatoes.
To no surprise- Hanayo also doesn't order anything. She has brought her rice balls.
Nozomi orders the classic. Vanilla sponge cake. Easy to enjoy.
"Hey... everyone."
"Hm? Something wrong Umi-cchi?"
"Well- I was thinking... instead of spending for my honeymoon... I was wondering if we can all go on vacation together-"
"Yes!" Kotori is happy to hear better plans. "I would very much love that!"
"Why spend money on vacation when you can just use my cottage?"
"Ahhh the memories~" Kotori has long for a time where they all get together. Kotori can feel nostalgia rushing through. A very good feeling. She remembers the badminton game, Honoka and Eli doing god knows what- but everyone knows, firing up the grill, swimming, sleeping- all that fun stuff.
"How long are we planning to stay there?"
"Four days. We will plan this on Easter holiday."
"Easter Huh." Nozomi thinks about it. Well- four days isn't so bad. More than enough time- but I'm glad that we are all together. "Does the others know about this."
"Not yet. I've came up with this idea just now. Me and Hanayo talked about it."
"We have a group chat you know... Although sometimes I wish it didn't exist."
"I know how you feel Maki." Umi despises the conversations in the group chat. Why? It's all fucking ships and pairings. "Guess I have no choice. I'll let the others know right about... now."
Umi: Hey everyone. Instead of a honeymoon- me and Kotori would like to plan a vacation with you all. We taking a trip back to memories everyone. Maki's cottage.
Honoka: When?
Umi: Easter long weekend.
Eli: How long?
Umi: Four days.
Anju: Oh hell yea. Me and Erena could come.
Nico: Yea. Me and Tsubasa can make it.
Umi: Great!
Honoka: Everyone is coming? What about Nozomi-chan and the others. I don't see them answering here.
Umi: They're with me. They said they can go.
Honoka: Well- we're going to make this vacation special for you two! Delaying your honey moon for us- Umi-chan wanna reproduce with me?
Eli: Excuse me.
Umi: Impossible but no thanks.
Eli: My break is longer today btw.
Honoka: Oh shit.
Umi: You two can go have your fun.
"The others will make it."
"Nya! That's good!"
"Yay!" Kotori is really happy about this. Time to re-live memories and make new ones.
"Also- Eli is going to do something to Honoka. I don't know why I'm telling you all this. Why?"
"No clue Umi-cchi. Strange- but thanks for letting us know."
"Do you think the author will give us a time skip?" Kotori softly asks Umi.
"I don't know."
No. I have plans for you two.
Nozomi and Maki goes back to the hospital. They came along because it was break time for them. Hanayo and Rin return back home to do stuff. Cleaning, organizing, maybe packing- who knows.
I can't time skip to the vacation. The wedding still has to happen. You know what. Let's go fishing Kotori.
Umi and Kotori goes to a nearby pond. Fishing is allowed- if you have a license of course. Umi's father loves to go fishing. It's calm, peaceful and relaxing. It's fun and requires less effort- unless you go to a lake or some resort- then yea that requires effort. I think I don't know.
Umi is teaching Kotori how to cast.
"Back. Flick. You don't have to flick so hard. Just pull your rod back and flick. Nice and easy."
"O-okay." Kotori casts her very first line.
"There ya go! Now we sit and wait." Umi sits down on a log and puts her rod down. Umi unwraps some food. "Want some?"
"Mm-" Kotori's line starts to move. Then the bobble sinks. Kotori's natural instinct is to reel it up. The fish is 16cm long. A decent size.
"Nice catch Kotori! Hold it up and I'll take a picture." Umi takes a picture- but the next one Umi zooms into Kotori's face. That smile tho. Very precious.
Umi unhooks the fish and sets a new bait. Umi is okay with touching worms- but Kotori doesn't like them. Umi's father feels in a smaller fish- although the colour on the fish seems plain- but it's simple and nice.
"This bitch small YEEEET" Umi's father launches the little guy.
Jkjk. Never do that. Treat all animals with respect.
Umi's father gently releases the fish back into the pond.
Packing up and going home. Kotori has caught six decent size fishes. Umi's father has caught nine fishes and Umi caught one. A small fry- like really small.
"Well... today wasn't my day."
"Awww but Umi-chan because of you I was able to learn how to fish. I couldn't hooked all of those fishes without your help."
Kotori. Kind and humble as ever.