Mayuzumi see his wife trying out her old wedding dress
Contrary to popular belief, Mayuzumi wasn’t that insensitive to things around him. He was more receptive to things around him that people gave him credit for - small changes in behaviour, little quirks that gave away their intentions, even word choices that showed their thoughts. He’d gotten used it after all that misdirecting back in high school.
The two of you had been married for quite some time now, and had reached the age where invitations to other couples’ children’s weddings were common. Neither of you had a problem with that, on the surface - you didn’t have children, and it wasn’t as though you were bitter about other people’s children getting married.
The problem, Mayuzumi noticed, was the wedding itself.
You missed it, he could tell. The extravagance, the music, the flowers, the food, the dress. The attention, the love and the laughter, the sadness and the crying, everything that the marriage stood for.
Sure enough, not long after attending yet another wedding, Mayuzumi once came home to find you absent from working at the table. At first puzzled, but getting an inkling of what you were doing, he made his way up to the bedroom without calling for you.
The door of the bedroom was half-open and Mayuzumi could hear the faint rustling of plastic, and the flash of something white-grey through the gap in the door.
“_____?” Mayuzumi pushed the door open. “What are you up to?”
You spun around and Mayuzumi felt his breath catch in his throat. Part of him had expected this, but he still hadn’t been prepared. To see you in your wedding dress again, to still fit into it and look exactly the same as that fateful day so many years ago.
The silver beads were greyish now and the white lace was beginning to yellow, and the silk skirts no longer shone the same way under the weak lighting, and yet Mayuzumi thought you still looked just as beautiful.
“Chihiro?” You looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, this is…I just couldn’t help myself, I’ll change out of it immediately—”
“No, don’t.” Mayuzumi interrupted. “Why would you want to? Just wear it.”
You stared at him. “Pardon?”
Mayuzumi shrugged. “You felt like wearing it, and now you’re wearing it. Who cares?”
“That’s…”
“And while you’re at it, if you want to, we’ll have another wedding ceremony. We’ll invite everyone, we’ll eat cake, we’ll throw the bouquet to some other to-be couple.” Mayuzumi’s voice softened. “Whatever makes you happy. If you want something, I’ll do my best to give it to you. That’s what it means to marry you, isn’t it?”
You blinked, eyes suspiciously wet. “You’re a horrible person, you know. Now I really want to do those things and it’s all going to come out of your pocket.”
“Yeah, well, all the money’s gotta go somewhere.” Mayuzumi kissed you on the forehead and hugged you tight. “Now, seeing as neither of us have made dinner, do you want to go out to eat? You can wear that dress out and make all the young girls jealous and their boyfriends uncomfortable.”
You smacked him on the shoulder, but you were grinning. “I really can?”
“Sure, why not?” Mayuzumi held out his arm for you. “Now, shall we?”
Mayuzumi cleared his throat. “This isn’t fair, you know.”
“Huh? What is?”
“You.” Now Mayuzumi looked away, hiding his blush. “It’s not fair that after so many years you can still look amazing in your wedding clothes.”
You spluttered. “What? Chihiro, people don’t change that much in ten years.”
“Well, I’ve always been a rebel,” Mayuzumi commented dryly, patting his stomach, and you threw your head back, laughing.