Turning The Page

___

Ojiisan woke me early this morning

I was so tired I felt like I could barely stand

He splashed my face with cold water

And told me today was the day

… today was to be my wedding day

… I'm getting married today!

After getting ready to do the chores necessary to prepare for both their journey and the ceremony itself the boy's ojiisan told him there would be a lot more preparation needed but the pale youth could hardly hear him it's like there was buzzing in his ears and his heart beat so fast that he could feel it in his hands and feet.

"boy did you do what I asked of you last night?"

Suurin doesn't respond after being too wrapped up in his own rapid pacing mind to hear his ojiisan's question which earns him a backhand in the face.

"I was talking to you boy! Did I not teach you well to have reverence for your elders!"

"Yes! I'm sorry honorable ojiisan I meant no disrespect I was ju--"

"enough infantile blabbering from you boy! You have a place and I adhere you to not forget it on your wedding day! Now did you get your kimono clean?"

"Yes! I'm sorry yes!"

"One answer will be enough! You must be submissive to your husband not irritate him!"

It's just then that a knock at the door signaling the messenger and their guards have arrived to procure the party interrupts them.

Suurin is left alone on his bedroom floor for the last time after his ojiisan leaves to answer the door and give him some time to change and finish washing.

Suurin tries desperately to calm his breathing to no avail.

No please!

Please don't happen on my wedding day!

Everything depends on this day I can't panic

not now!

He feels pain in his chest every time he takes a breath but each time he breathes deeper in an effort to slow and steady himself all while scurrying as fast as he can to get his kimono on correctly and smoothly checking every inch for a single wrinkle or a speck of dust with a sort of nervous indigestion.

His ojiisan pulls door open with an irritated huff.

"come on boy we're going to be following behind if you don't hurry up we have to get going!"

"yes right away ojiisan!"

"Allright boy grab your things!"

Suurin bends down near his old bed and grabs his small bag of his only treasured belongings and then he remembers one last thing he must do before he has to go.

But he can't help but stare at the floor as he asks for he's nervous almost more nervous than he already was.

"great and honorable ojiisan shouldn't I also wish Otōsan goodbye?"

The old man stops and for a moment there is nothing but silence and stillness until he turns around with great speed grab the boys throat making the terrified boy drop everything and freezes body in knowing of what he had done.

"I told you boy! You will behave and you will not ruin this opportunity to cleanse our family name!"

"...y...yes!"

"now enough of this foolishness you are making everyone wait come on let's go foolish boy!"

Suurin wasn't entirely shocked it hadn't been the first time he had crossed the line with his ojiisan but he did certainly feel foolish for even attempting to ask such a thing let alone on such an important day he couldn't even stop his face from turning red the moment he walked through the door only to realize that he was to greet his guests and at this point it felt like his insides were twisting inside of him and all he could do was gulp it down and squeeze his small bag of belongings in some sort of effort to stop his sweating hands from shaking.

Then suddenly without any sort of explanation and to of course his great surprise all of the guards knelt as he exited the house as if they were kneeling to him making a grand entrance and he was so stunned having no idea how to even react to this that all of his great efforts to try and stop his hands from visibly shaking were at a loss because soon his whole body was shaking and he was trying to focus on his breathing in some sort of last-ditch effort to stop his thoughts from racing.

'what if this is some sort of initiation into the head household? What if I don't respond correctly and I am disrespectful to my future husband and my future house? What if I try and move and then I fall flat on my face like a comical fool?'

At this point if Gen wasn't already slightly concerned he definitely was now to the point where he was desperately trying to snap his future in-law out of it only to have his cousin's future bride faint and land in his arms with all the grace of a sickly baby deer.

This of course while it undoubtedly made Suurin's ojiisan Hen Kuji completely furious at his grandsons show of weakness was met with both great humor and a sense of romantic bewilderment by all those attending causing more than just the attendees and maids to whisper even the guards.

"He is like a great beauty from one of the ancient paintings"

"Yuu I'm so jealous! Look at his beautiful perfect white skin!"

"The master sure has made a good pick indeed! Probably still a virgin!"

But slowly the chatter begins to die down and the rest of the preparations are made for the ceremony at the Kie templehouse.