CHAPTER 87- THE RUNAWAY BRIDE
Noriko stared at the two notifications on her phone.
Her hands were trembling slightly.
She was still sitting in front of the mirror, dressed in her wedding gown, while the makeup artist carefully fixed the last parts of her makeup.
The first message was from Aiko.
Noriko opened it.
«"Sorry, sis for not being able to attend into your wedding but I hope you the best I really want you to follow your heart but just follow it don't be like me follow it don't beat it don't silence it follow it just damnit never been the good advisor but just follow it my girl"»
Noriko stared at the message for a few seconds.
Then she smiled.
A small, almost nostalgic smile.
"Aiko…"
She knew her sister wasn't good with words.
But somehow, those messy words reached somewhere deep inside her.
Follow your heart.
Noriko lowered her eyes.
"Maybe… I should have listened to it sooner."
Then she noticed the second notification.
Unknown number.
She opened it.
«"Hey it's max i got your number from kota I don't know how does he remembers it but yeah I'm going back i- we have fun having you we have a great time i hope you have a great wedding i -"»
Noriko froze.
Her eyes widened.
"Max…"
She read it again.
And again.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
Meanwhile, somewhere else…
Max was standing in the kitchen.
The phone was resting on the table while he was preparing food.
He looked at the message he had written.
"I hope you have a great wedding. I—"
His thumb hovered over the screen.
He couldn't finish it.
He sighed.
"What am I even supposed to say?"
He stared at the phone.
"I can't exactly tell her I still love her when she's getting married…"
His stomach suddenly growled.
Max looked toward the stove.
"Oh crap!"
He immediately dropped the phone onto the table.
"The food!"
He rushed toward the stove.
Kota, who had been sitting nearby eating snacks, slowly looked at the phone.
Then he looked at his father.
Then back at the phone.
A mischievous smile appeared on his face.
"Dad really is hopeless."
He climbed onto the chair.
He grabbed the phone.
He looked at the unfinished message.
Then he looked toward Max.
Max was busy trying to save the food from burning.
Kota shrugged.
"Someone has to help."
He typed.
«"I really still love you."»
Kota stared at it.
Then nodded.
"Perfect."
He pressed send.
Across the city…
Noriko's phone buzzed.
She opened the message.
Her eyes immediately filled with tears.
"I really still love you."
Her lips trembled.
She pressed the phone against her chest.
"Max…"
The words from Aiko echoed in her mind.
Follow your heart.
Then Max's words.
I really still love you.
Noriko looked at herself in the mirror.
She looked like a bride.
But for the first time that morning, she didn't see a bride.
She saw a woman who had been running away from the person she loved.
Her breathing became heavier.
"I can't…"
The makeup artist looked at her.
"Miss Noriko?"
Noriko stood.
"I can't do this."
"What?"
Noriko lifted her dress.
"I can't marry him."
The makeup artist's eyes widened.
"Wait—what are you doing?!"
Noriko ran.
"Miss Noriko!"
She ran out of the room.
Her wedding dress dragged behind her as she rushed through the hallway.
People stared.
Someone shouted.
"THE BRIDE IS RUNNING AWAY!"
Noriko didn't care.
She kept running.
Her heart was pounding.
Max.
She couldn't lose him again.
Not this time.
She rushed outside, got into a car, and drove toward the airport.
She didn't even know what she was going to say.
She only knew one thing.
She needed to see him.
She needed to tell him everything she was too afraid to say before.
Meanwhile, the wedding ceremony had already begun.
The priest stood at the altar.
The guests were seated.
James stood at the front in his wedding suit.
The church doors opened.
Everyone turned.
The priest smiled.
"Welcome, everyone. Today we gather here to celebrate—"
He paused.
His smile slowly disappeared.
There was nobody there.
The bride wasn't coming.
The guests began whispering.
James looked toward the door.
"Where is she?"
Noriko's mother stood up.
"What is happening?"
James immediately ran toward the dressing room.
He opened the door.
Empty.
"Where is Noriko?!"
The dresser stood there nervously.
"She… she left."
James froze.
"What?"
"She ran out in her wedding dress."
"Where did she go?!"
"She said she was going to the airport."
James's face changed.
"The airport…"
He immediately ran.
Meanwhile…
Noriko finally arrived.
She ran through the airport.
"Japan…"
She rushed toward the departure board.
Her eyes searched desperately.
Japan.
Japan.
Japan.
Then she saw it.
FLIGHT DEPARTED.
Noriko froze.
"No…"
She looked at the time.
"No, no, no…"
She ran toward the gate.
"Wait!"
The airport employee stopped her.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry. The flight already departed."
Noriko stood there breathlessly.
Her wedding dress was wrinkled.
Her makeup was ruined from crying.
Her hands slowly fell to her sides.
"I…"
She couldn't speak.
She was too late.
Again.
Noriko walked to a nearby bench and sat down.
She stared at the floor.
A tear fell.
"I was too late…"
She covered her face.
"I finally decided to follow my heart…"
Her voice broke.
"And I still lost him."
She stayed there quietly.
Until—
"Noriko?"
Her body froze.
She slowly lifted her head.
That voice.
She knew it.
She turned.
Max stood a few meters away.
His hair was messy.
His clothes looked rushed.
He was breathing heavily.
And when their eyes met…
Everything else disappeared.
"Max…"
Noriko stood.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then Noriko ran.
She threw herself into his arms.
Max caught her.
Noriko buried her face against his chest.
"Thank God…"
She began crying.
"I thought I missed you…"
Max wrapped his arms tightly around her.
"I thought I missed you too."
"I don't want to leave you."
Her voice shook.
"I don't want to go through with it."
Max's hand gently moved through her hair.
"Noriko…"
"I was scared."
She held onto his shirt.
"I thought if I stayed with you, my mother would destroy your life. I thought she'd hurt you. She could take everything away from you, and I couldn't let that happen."
She pulled away slightly.
Tears covered her face.
"So I left."
Max looked at her.
"I hated myself for it."
Noriko's lips trembled.
"I thought if I disappeared, you'd eventually have a normal life."
Max slowly wiped one of her tears away.
"Noriko…"
"I wanted to protect you."
"I know."
"I wanted to protect Kota too."
"I know."
"But I was wrong."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"I wasn't protecting you."
Her voice became softer.
"I was just hurting both of us."
Max didn't answer immediately.
He looked at her like he was trying to memorize her face.
Then he smiled faintly.
"You know what I hated the most?"
Noriko shook her head.
"Those nights when I wanted to call you."
He looked down.
"I'd pick up my phone."
His fingers curled.
"And then I'd remember that you were gone."
Noriko started crying again.
"I wanted to call you too."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of what?"
"That if I heard your voice…"
She laughed weakly through her tears.
"I'd run back to you."
Max smiled.
"You should've."
"I know."
She lowered her head.
"I should've."
Max stepped closer.
"Noriko."
She looked up.
"I don't care about the wedding."
Her eyes widened.
"I don't care about your mother's expectations. I don't care about what your family thinks."
He gently took her hand.
"I just care that you're here."
Noriko stared at their hands.
"You're still holding my hand…"
"I don't plan on letting go."
Her eyes filled with tears again.
"You really haven't changed."
Max chuckled.
"Neither have you."
"I have."
"No."
He shook his head.
"You're still the same girl who used to pretend she wasn't worried about me."
Noriko smiled through her tears.
"And you're still the same idiot who pretends everything is fine when it's obviously not."
"Fair."
She laughed softly.
Then silence.
They stood there, holding hands.
Noriko looked at him.
"Max…"
"Hmm?"
"I still love you."
Max's heart skipped.
She took a breath.
"I tried not to."
She squeezed his hand.
"I really tried."
Her voice trembled.
"But every time I imagined my future without you…"
She smiled sadly.
"It felt empty."
Max's eyes softened.
Noriko stepped closer.
"I don't want some perfect life."
She looked into his eyes.
"I just want the life where I get to come home to you."
Max's breath caught.
Noriko whispered,
"And Kota."
A small smile appeared.
"Our little family."
Max couldn't hold back anymore.
He pulled her into his arms.
Noriko hugged him tightly.
"I missed this," she whispered.
"What?"
"Being held by you."
Max rested his chin gently against her head.
"I missed holding you."
Noriko closed her eyes.
"Don't make me leave again."
"I won't."
"Promise?"
Max smiled.
"No."
Noriko looked up, confused.
"No?"
He gently touched her cheek.
"Because I don't want to make you another promise you'll have to wonder whether I'll keep."
He leaned closer.
"I'll just stay."
Noriko's eyes softened.
"Max…"
"I'll stay beside you."
Their foreheads touched.
"Even when things get difficult."
Noriko smiled.
"Even when my mother hates you?"
"Especially then."
She laughed.
"You're impossible."
"You love me."
"I do."
Max smiled.
"Then I guess I'm stuck with you."
Noriko laughed softly.
"No."
She leaned closer.
"We're stuck with each other."
Their eyes met.
Neither of them said anything.
They didn't need to.
Max slowly leaned forward.
Noriko closed her eyes.
Their lips met.
Softly at first.
Like they were both afraid the moment might disappear.
Then Noriko wrapped her arms around him.
Max held her closer.
All the fear.
All the years.
All the misunderstandings.
All the nights they spent apart—
They seemed to disappear in that one kiss.
When they finally separated, their foreheads remained together.
Noriko whispered,
"I love you."
Max smiled.
"I love you too."
From behind them—
"YES!"
They both froze.
Kota stood there with his hands on his hips.
"Mommy acquired."
Noriko's face turned bright red.
"Kota!"
Max covered his face.
"Where did you even come from?!"
Kota shrugged.
"I have my ways."
Noriko laughed.
And for the first time in a long time…
She felt happy.
Not the kind of happiness her mother wanted.
Not the kind written in wedding invitations.
Not the kind measured by money or status.
Just happiness.
The kind that came from standing beside the person she loved.
Unfortunately…
Someone else had arrived.
James stood at the other side of the airport.
He stared at them.
His expression hardened.
"YOU!"
Noriko turned.
"James…"
James walked toward them.
"You…"
His eyes landed on Max.
"You stole my girl."
Max stepped in front of Noriko.
"She isn't yours."
James's eyes widened.
"What?"
Max's expression became cold.
"She never was."
James clenched his fists.
"You of all people…"
He pointed at Max.
"You tried to steal my girl?"
Kota quietly whispered,
"Uh-oh."
James lunged.
Max moved.
James's fist passed right beside Max's face.
Max stepped back.
"Are you seriously doing this here?"
James swung again.
Max ducked.
James stumbled forward.
"Stop!"
Noriko shouted.
James turned.
"You chose him!"
"Yes."
Noriko didn't hesitate.
James froze.
Noriko held Max's hand.
"I chose him."
Max looked at her.
Her expression was calm.
"I should have chosen him a long time ago."
James's face twisted with anger.
He charged again.
Max moved aside.
James slipped.
"Whoa!"
His wedding pants ripped.
Silence.
Kota stared.
Then slowly covered his mouth.
"Dad…"
Max looked at him.
"Don't."
Kota was already laughing.
"He wore the wrong costume for a fight!"
Noriko covered her mouth.
She tried not to laugh.
She failed.
James stood there in horror.
"My pants…"
Kota pointed.
"Your dignity left the building too."
"KOTA!"
"What?! I'm just stating facts!"
Max grabbed Kota's hand.
"Come on."
Noriko followed.
James shouted behind them.
"You can't just walk away!"
Max turned.
He looked at Noriko.
Then at Kota.
Then back at James.
"We already did."
The three walked away together.
And for the first time…
Noriko wasn't walking away from them.
She was walking home.
Even if they didn't know what tomorrow would bring.
Even if the wedding had collapsed.
Even if her family would come after them.
She didn't care.
Because Max was holding her hand.
Kota was holding her other hand.
And for now…
That was enough.
They would figure out the rest together.
CHAPTER ENDS