Bride June Hikari Kagura/Bond Story

*The bride, after having just pledged her love in front of God, turns her back to the wedding guests. In line with tradition she tosses a bouquet of blue roses up in the air hoping that another couple can be lucky in love.*

* Chapter 1
* Chapter 2
* Bond Level 15 Talk
* Bond Level 30 Talk

Bride-in-Training

 **Mahiru:**......

 **Hikari:**......

 **Mahiru:**Um... Huh. Hikari-chan, can you...repeat that?

 **Hikari:**I said... I said I want to train to be a bride. I want you to teach me, Mahiru.

 **Mahiru:**......

 **Hikari:**......

 **Mahiru:**...To be a bride. Can I ask why?

 **Hikari:**To help me better understand the role in our upcoming play.

 **Hikari:**In England, women could go to finishing school to learn etiquette, but the focus is more on entering society than marriage.

 **Hikari:**This performance hinges on Yuno. I need to understand how a Japanese bride feels.

 **Mahiru:**And you're coming to ME because...?

 **Hikari:**You feel...mom-ish.

 **Mahiru:**You could at least say "big sister-ish"...

 **Hikari:**...Sorry.

 **Mahiru:**Eh, it's fine. All I can really help with is the domestic stuff. Is that okay?

 **Hikari:**Yes, thank you.

 **Mahiru:**(Hikari-chan doesn't seem like she's got much experience doing chores. This could be rough...)

 **Mahiru:**(But if she's motivated to learn, this'll be good practice for her.)

 **Mahiru:**(A person needs to be able to take care of themselves. This will be good for her.)

 **Hikari:**Mahiru...?

 **Mahiru:**Heh, you wanted a coach, you got it. I'm going to drill all the housework basics into you!

 **Hikari:**Coach, yes Coach! ...Where do we begin?

 **Mahiru:**Hmmm... I guess for starters--

 **Hikari:**One, two... One, two... Like this, Coach Mahiru?

 **Mahiru:**Yup, looks good. If you start at the edge and take it slow, you won't leave any streaks.

 **Mahiru:**Once you're done wiping down the table, do the same thing to the counter.

 **Hikari:**Understood, Coach.

 **Hikari:**...One, two... One, two...

 **Mahiru:**(Hikari-chan's really putting all she's got into it. Here's hoping she starts cleaning more often after this.)

 **Mahiru:**Oh, hey. Hikari-chan, I need to go on a shopping run to restock some spices.

 **Mahiru:**Are you going to be okay on your own for a bit?

 **Hikari:**I'm fine. I'll have this done before you get back, Coach Mahiru.

 **Mahiru:**I'll try to hurry back.

 **Hikari:**It's just me now, but... I can do this.

 **Hikari:**One, two... One, two...

 **Hikari:**(...Something isn't right. It isn't shining like it did after Mahiru polished it.)

 **Hikari:**(Ah. When she did it, she used more than just plain water. If I just do what she did...)

 **Hikari:**...Here. This must be it.

 **Hikari:**(Everyone will be pleased at how clean I get the table.)

 **Mahiru:**I'm baaack. Hikari-chan, did you finish clean--

 **Mahiru:**Ack! Why are there suds everywhere?

 **Hikari:**I tried using this to wipe the table down.

 **Mahiru:**That's... You used dish detergent!?

 **Hikari:**I saw you used something mroe than water before, and you made it so sparkly, so...

 **Mahiru:**More than water...? Oh, you mean furniture wax?

 **Hikari:**Wax?

 **Mahiru:**Yeah. It's not a soap, it's a polish to make the wood shine.

 **Hikari:**...Wax?

 **Hikari:**So the soap was...wrong?

 **Hikari:**\*sniffle\*

 **Mahiru:**H-Hey, don't worry about it, Hikari-chan. If we rinse off the soap and wipe it down again, it'll be fine!

 **Hikari:**Really?

 **Mahiru:**Er, sure, yeah!

 **Hikari:**...Okay. Then I'll get over it.

 **Hikari:**Coach Mahiru, what do I do after I'm done here?

 **Mahiru:**Er, next!? Um... I guess we can do laundry next, then do you want to try your hand at... cooking?

 **Hikari:**... I do. I want to try.

 **Mahiru:**(Guess I'll keep my fingers crossed...)

Bride-in-Training, Part 2

 **Hikari:**This one...and this one...

 **Hikari:**And this blouse can go into the washing machine, too...

 **Mahiru:**Ooh, hold up, Hikari-chan. That one's a delicate, so let's wash it by hand.

 **Hikari:**Hand wash... I understand.

 **Hikari:**\*scrub\* \*scrub\*

***\*rrRIP\****

 **Hikari:**Oh...

 **Hikari:**It tore a bit around the collar. I really liked this shirt...

 **Mahiru:**H-Hey, a couple of stiches and won't even be able to tell. Don't worry.

 **Hikari:**Oh, good. Then I'll keep going--

 **Mahiru:**Hold! ...on just a sec. Why don't I demonstrate first? You have to treat some fabrics differently than others.

 **Hikari:**Really? ...Please show me.

 **Mahiru:**Sure. And once we're done here, we can get started on dinner.

 **Mahiru:**(...Phew. Managed to save Hikari-chan's blouse from getting completely ruined.)

 **Futaba:**Wow, Kagura made tonight's dinner?

 **Kaoruko:**I have an elevated palate, so don't expect to win me over easily.

 **Mahiru:**Good, everyone's here. Let's dig in.

 **Junna:**Well...here goes.

 **Hikari:**Bon appetit.

 **Futaba:**So this is veggie stir-fry?

 **Hikari:**Bacon and eggs with extra greens.

 **Kaoruko:**And no bacon OR eggs! All I see is vegetables!

 **Mahiru:**A-Alright, go easy. Hikari-chan worked really hard on this, so let's at least try it, okay?

 **Claudine:**You say that, but...

 **Karen:**Mmm, yummy! This gets a big good-good from me, Hikari-chan! It's got me craving white rice!

 **Claudine:**Really...? \*nibble\* ...Goodness, you're right. Despite its appearance, the flavor's surprisingly on-point.

 **Maya:**Today's practice was hard, so the heavier salt is a welcome way to replenish the electrolytes I lost.

 **Hikari:**Oh...

 **Junna:**What's wrong, Kagura-san? I think it's good, too.

 **Hikari:**When I made it, the bacon and eggs didn't taste like anything at all. It wasn't good...

 **Hikari:**So Mahiru adjusted the seasoning at the very end.

 **Hikari:**I spent today trying to cook and clean and do laundry, and without her help, I'd have failed at all three.

 **Junna:**Kagura-san...

 **Mahiru:**Come on, Hikari-chan. Everyone starts out as a beginner.

 **Mahiru:**We all have different talents, but I promise anyone can get good at housework if they practice.

 **Mahiru:**It'd be one thing if you were aiming to go pro, but for most people it's more about the mindset than technique.

 **Hikari:**But you're so much better than me...

 **Mahiru:**Okay, let's take an example. We used noodle-dipping sauce to season this at the end, right?

 **Mahiru:**That stuff will make ANYTHING taste good. Just use tricks like that while you're learning.

 **Hikari:**Mahiru...

 **Nana:**You should come cook with me next time, Hikari-chan.

 **Futaba:**And I can show you the trick to hand-washing clothes. Once you've got that down, it's super easy!

 **Kaoruko:**Besides, it's not like any of us are perfect at doing chores aside from Mahiru-han and Banana-han.

 **Kaoruko:**It's normal to have things you can't do. When you need help, just ask an expert.

 **Futaba:**Except you KNOW how to do these things, Kaoruko. You just choose not to.

 **Futaba:**That part aside, though, she's right. There's no reason to try to do everything by yourself.

 **Karen:**Yeah! You can come ask me for help with anything, anytime, Hikari-chan!

 **Hikari:**Karen... All of you. Thank you.

 **Hikari:**And Mahiru, thank you for always doing all this, even though it's such an ordeal.

 **Hikari:**I thought this training was all going to be about learning technique, but I was wrong.

 **Hikari:**The real lesson might be in learning the challenge and satisfaction of working to help the people you care about.

 **Hikari:**I still don't know anything about married life, but...

 **Hikari:**I think it would be wonderful to have someone you wanted to be with, despite all the hard work involved.

 **Mahiru:**For sure. Doing chores around here is easy because I love you guys so much.

 **Hikari:**Yeah..,

 **Hikari:**Well? How does this wedding dress look? Is it...strange on me?

 **Hikari:**Thank you...for asking my opinion on the bouquet.

 **Hikari:**It's amazing. My mental image was so vague, but this is perfect. And the meaning behind them...

 **Hikari:**Mahiru taught me what blue roses mean. "Achieving the impossible".