Thursday

Natsuki stared out the back window of the taxi and swallowed hard as the streets of Osaka passed by.  They were only a couple of minutes away from the restaurant Daiki Yamato’s family had chosen for the pre-wedding dinner.  The dinner where she would finally see Daiki Yamato again...and meet Athena.

    “Are you okay?” Sayori asked from the front passenger seat.  In the back seat beside Natsuki, Yuri and Yukari watched her with expectation.

    Natsuki managed a half-hearted smile.  “It’s just nerves.”

    “It’s going to be okay,” Sayori said.

    “That’s easy for you to say,” Natsuki declared.  “You’re not the one who told Daiki Yamato that you liked him.  What am I supposed to tell Athena?  ‘Hello miss powerful half-wolf warrior woman, I’m sorry I tried to steal your fiancé’?”

    “But you didn’t try to steal Daiki from her,” Sayori pointed out.  “You gave him money and sent him on his way.  And if Athena was holding a grudge, you wouldn’t have been invited to the wedding.”

    “That’s assuming Athena even knows who I am and what I did,” Natsuki said.

    Sayori gave Natsuki a smile.  “She knew enough to put us on the guest list.  So, somebody told her all about us.”

    The car stopped.  While Sayori paid the fare, Natsuki opened the door, stepped out, took a deep breath, and wished that Aquila, Kasumi, and Captain Infinite hadn’t gone to the Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine to help Daiki and his parents with arranging the ceremony.  To start, it would be just the four of them...and Athena.

    Natsuki entered the restaurant, the others behind her, but she was barely aware of them.  Instead, her eyes were fixed on the tall, elegant lady with wolf ears and a bushy tail standing by a large table in the corner.  The lady smiled and waved at them.

    Beside Natsuki, Yukari chuckled.  “Sayori was right.  We never stood a chance against her.”

    Natsuki’s heart raced.  “I’m not sure I can do this,” she muttered.  “Maybe I should just wait outside for Aquila and–”

    “You must be the Blue Lotus Academy girls!” Athena said, walking over to them.  “I’m so glad to be able to meet you at last – Daiki and Kasumi have told me so much about you.  So, let me see if I have this right...it’s Yuri, Yukari, Sayori, and Natsuki?”

    Sayori bowed.  “That’s exactly right.  I’m Sayori Sakamoto.”

    “I’m Yukari Fujii,” Yukari said.

    “And I’m Yuri Nakano,” Yuri said.

    Athena smiled at them and then looked to Natsuki.  “And that means you must be Natsuki.”

    Natsuki took a deep breath.  “Yes, I am.  Look, I wanted to say that I’m sorry for what happened when Daiki – I mean, your fiancé – came into our world.  He got the genre wrong, you see, and we weren’t in a romantic comedy, we were the harem in a harem comedy, and we were basically programmed to chase anybody who was even remotely protagonist or hero-like, and as soon as I found out he was engaged I let him go, and–”

    “Natsuki,” Athena said.

    “–and I know it was wrong to even try to chase him, and I’m sorry that I did, and you don’t need to worry about me because I’m not even trying to date anybody now, in fact the idea of dating just makes me nauseous, and–”

    “Detective Natsuki!” Athena barked.

    Natsuki swallowed.  “Yes?”

    Athena smiled at her.  “Please let me talk.”

    Natsuki swallowed again and nodded.

    Athena bowed to her.  “Thank you for helping my beloved come home to me.”

    Natsuki blinked.  “You’re not...you’re not mad at me?”

    Athena smiled, sighed, and shook her head.  “Not in the slightest.  Look, I remember what it was like to be your age and nervous about these sorts of things – I’m only twenty now, in fact – but my story forced me to grow up very fast under circumstances that nobody should ever have to face.  So, I’m not worried about or angry at any of you.  I’m just grateful that you helped Daiki on his way, that Aquila, Kasumi, and Cap were able to rescue you from your story, and that you can be here for our special day.”  She glanced at them.  “I hope that all of you will be my bridesmaids.”

    Sayori, Yuri, and Yukari grinned and nodded.  Natsuki just stared.

    Athena gave Natsuki another smile.  “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.  Now, how about you all come and sit down.  Daiki texted about ten minutes ago and said they should be here within the next half hour.”

    As Athena led them to the table, Yukari nudged Natsuki and whispered, “We really didn’t stand a chance against her.”

Natsuki stared at Daiki Yamato as he served himself some noodles.  The others chatted away with Daiki’s parents and extended family as though they’d been friends for years.  Daiki looked at Natsuki and smiled.

    “Are you okay, ‘Detective’ Natsuki?” Daiki asked.

    Natsuki nodded.  “I was just marvelling at how different you are now.  I don’t think I’ve seen you go into a thousand yard stare once.”

    “Being home and safe has helped a lot,” Daiki said.  “So has Athena.  And...I’ve had a lot of therapy...we both have.”  Sitting beside him, Athena took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze.

    “Good,” Natsuki said.

    “And what about you?” Daiki asked.  “How are you faring now that you’re out of your story?”

    “It still feels a bit unreal,” Natsuki replied.  “I keep expecting to wake up and find myself back in the dorm at Blue Lotus Academy, waiting for the protagonist to...to fall on me.”

    Daiki smiled, pulled out his smartphone, and typed ‘Blue Lotus Academy Tokyo’ into the search page.  Then he showed her the screen.  No results found.  “No Blue Lotus Academy here.”

    Natsuki gave him a fragile smile.  “That’s a relief.”

    “And how are you, Yukari?” Daiki asked, turning to look at her.

    Yukari gave Daiki her own fragile smile.  “I’m getting better.  My inner...possessive streak...is still there, but I’ve got it under control.  I’ve also stopped collecting or carrying knives.”

    “I’m glad,” Daiki said.  “I felt terrible when I found out how wrong I’d gotten the genre of your story.”

    “We’re recovering,” Sayori declared.

    Athena leaned forward.  “I’m glad to hear that too.  So, tomorrow morning Aquila, Kasumi and I have to go out and take care of maid of honour and bridesmaid stuff.  So, we’re going to need all of your measurements, and I think Natsuki should come with us.”

    Natsuki swallowed.  “Me?”

    Athena looked at her with a smile, her gaze intense and almost predatory.  “Oh yes.  I insist on it.”