OMI 18

The Feeling I Have Right Here

I couldn’t believe I was getting married. Even preparing for it in a positive way… what would my past self have said?

People around me were surprisingly supportive and congratulatory. I was really happy about it.

 Lumière’s parents, as well as his brothers and their wives, were very supportive. The women, in particular, seemed to have strong feelings about the wedding and could easily tell if I was trying to choose something half-heartedly. They would explain the meanings behind different choices and the differences between them.

Since Renard and Aubert had already experienced a same-sex wedding, we didn’t have much trouble with the preparations. The main difference was the attire, and the rest was up to the couple’s preferences.

I wasn’t interested in dressing up, but Lumière, his mother Shawn, and Elfi made various suggestions.

I thought, “A dress?” but decided to try it on just for fun. Surprisingly, it was simple and not bad at all.

My idea of a wedding dress was something all white, fluffy, with layers of fabric and a big, flowing skirt, like a princess dress. Dresses like that are popular with the women here in Padilla, but that wasn’t the only option.

First of all, the color doesn’t have to be white.

I was recommended a deep red, close to wine, which they said went very well with my hair color.

The line of the dress wasn’t fluffy and wide, but rather straight and tight. Elfi highly recommended it, saying it suited my slender figure.

The fabric wasn’t overly ornate, but simple, making the most of its texture. It felt more like the fabric wrapped around my body than a traditional skirt, though saying that might upset the craftsmen.

When I mentioned my reluctance to expose my shoulders and hands, they covered my wrists with a thin lace-like material.

I thought it would be stiff and hard to move in, but it wasn’t like that at all. Even when I tried it on, my impression was just, “Oh, so this is how it feels.”

Of course, Lumière came to the fitting, and he was full of praise when he saw me in the dress. I could tell he was really impressed, and he complimented me so much that I couldn’t even lift my head out of embarrassment.

I have to admit, I’m weak when it comes to Lumière. He gently suggested that if I didn’t want to wear it that day, we could just take pictures. But I could tell he really wanted me to wear it, so in the end I agreed.

If I had thought it didn’t suit me or that I couldn’t pull it off, I would have said no. But so many people had tried to make something that fit me, and it wasn’t bad at all. With all the compliments, I couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.

It seemed that my opinion was preferred for the venue. Lumière was interested in the cathedral, perhaps out of gratitude to the goddess.

However, after hearing more about it, we realized that having a wedding there would be quite a challenge. Even with the influence of Lumière’s father, Steak, it would still mean a wait of at least a year.

I didn’t like the idea of waiting that long. I wanted to get it over with sooner, so we decided against it.

We visited several venues and chose a church with a beautiful garden.

The garden was the main attraction and it was breathtaking. The venue also allowed us to hold the reception in the garden plaza.

The church’s decorations focused on fresh flowers, and they were very accommodating to our preferences.

I wasn’t really interested in the food, so I left it all up to Lumière.

I just mentioned that I would probably be too nervous to eat much that day, and he said that the main characters are usually too busy to eat much anyway. He plans to have some light snacks prepared for me in the waiting room.

Then we went to order the necklaces that we would exchange during the ceremony. Many couples put a lot of effort into this.

Instead of going to the store, we had a specialist come to our house to make them from scratch. I was surprised that they were custom made, but apparently it’s not uncommon. Lumière’s family all did the same.

There were so many choices to make, but I had one request, to include the azalea flower motif.

The memories of that flower field were special. On that day, I realized for the first time that I was lucky to have come to this world.

The store staff seemed to know the meaning of the flower and were very enthusiastic about it, and Lumière agreed.

It seems that there are some rules for ceremonial necklaces, but customization is allowed from there. First, you must use a large stone. This can be a gem or a crystal.

The color is usually that of your partner, but if you have a memorable stone or color, you can prioritize that. I really like the color of Lumière’s eyes, so I chose a stone that closely resembles them. I also incorporated the azalea flower motif into the design.

There are also rules for the inscription on the back of the pendant, so I left that to the experts. It’s a traditional vow of love between the two of us.

 Lumière seemed to have a hard time sending out the invitations. He was quite concerned about the selection, so I suggested that he just send them out if he was unsure.

I knew he was a little self-conscious about not having guests to invite. But it wasn’t anything to worry about.

While he was writing the invitations, he told me about the people he was inviting. Of course, it was impossible to remember everyone, but it wasn’t a bad thing to try to learn about them.

Friends, colleagues, seniors, mentors… He shared many memories with me.

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On the day of the ceremony, the weather was surprisingly good. The sky in Padilla seemed unusually wide and even more beautiful with its deep blue color. 

The garden must look stunning as well. 

“Are you nervous?” 

“I thought I would be, but not really.”

I replied to Lumière, who asked with a worried expression.

It is customary for the bride to enter with a relative or guardian, but since I don’t have one, I was allowed to enter with Lumière from the beginning.

As long as he’s by my side, I have nothing to fear.

Amidst the applause, we walked to the altar.

In the wedding ceremonies of this country, the vows are made to the goddess. A sacred statue stands at the front.

“Today we stand before the Goddess and all present as witnesses to our marriage vows. From this day forward, in times of health and sickness, joy and sorrow, wealth and poverty, we promise to love, respect, and support each other with all our hearts as long as we live… I am truly grateful that you brought him to this land.”

 Lumière added words at the end that were not part of the standard vows.

“I vow to love and support him as long as I live. I believe we can be happy together.”

Normally, Lumière’s words alone would have sufficed, but I was allowed to add my own.

Then, just as we were about to exchange the necklaces.

Colorful particles of light began to fall from the direction of the goddess statue. It was the blessing.

I thought it was even more spectacular than the last time, while the place was buzzing with excitement.

Before, the light had only fallen on me, but today it showered on both of us. Is the Goddess celebrating Lumière as well? If so, that makes me happy.

I placed the necklace on him while he stood frozen. Lumière was supposed to give me the necklace first, but we couldn’t stop the ceremony.

“I believe I came to this world to meet you. I love you. Always have, always will.”

I don’t say it often, but sometimes you have to put it into words. 

From the moment I first saw him, even though I didn’t realize it, I was drawn to him. 

I never liked to say it, but I admit it. My destined partner was Lumière.

“I love you too. I’m going to make you happy for the rest of my life.”

He put the necklace on me with a happy expression, tears in his eyes. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little, thinking, “The wedding has just started and you’re already crying?”

I never dreamed that anyone would love me.

I never thought there would be a day when I would love someone.

You taught me about love.

As your happiness enveloped me, I wanted to give something back to you in the same way.

I’ve come to believe that even though it is invisible and formless, it surely exists here, in this space.

“You know the meaning of azalea flowers, don’t you? I’m already so happy to be loved by you.”

This feeling is not an illusion.

Next time, the Epilogue.