The two weeks before the wedding disappeared in a rush of last-minute fittings, cake tastings, and panic attacks.
And now here was Makoto, standing in the waiting room, adjusting his tie for the fiftieth time. "Are you sure you want to be stuck in here with me and not out there with Yuna, Dad?" he asked, looking at his father's reflection in the mirror.
His father adjusted his own tie, visibly torn between nervousness and pride. He looked at Makoto, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Are you kidding, soon?" he snorted. "Your mother is in there with Yuna, Ayane, Mika, and Mafuyu. It's a war zone now! I'd rather face a firing squad."
He clapped a hand on Makoto's shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. "Besides, someone needs to make sure the groom doesn't make a run for it. Four brides, son. Four! Most men can barely handle one."
He shook his head, still looking like he couldn't quite believe it. "You're either the bravest man I know, or the stupidest. Probably both." He straightened Makoto's collar, brushing a speck of lint from his shoulder. "But you look good," he admitted gruffly. "For a kid who used to wear anime shirts to family dinners."
He paused, looking his son in the eye. "Are you ready for this?"
Makoto let it sit for a moment: Four women and four children on the way. A life that would be loud and expensive and completely insane for as long as he lived.
He knew all of that. But he also knew Yuna's fierce loyalty, the way Ayane could make any room feel warmer just by walking into it, how Mika's mind worked three steps ahead of everyone else's, and the quiet steadiness of Mafuyu's heart.
He thought about the babies, about the future they were all building together, piece by messy piece. "Yeah, Dad!" he said and meant it. "I'm ready."
The door opened, and a wedding planner with a headset peeked in. She looked flustered as she had just wrangled a herd of cats. "It's time. They're… they're ready."
Makoto walked out into the sunlight.
The venue was what happened when four very different women all compromised at once, which is to say it looked borderline insane but somehow worked: A beautiful private garden with a view of the ocean for Ayane. Traditional Japanese architecture and torii gates for Mika and her parents. Enough flowers to decorate a shop for Mafuyu.
And yes, Yuna got her castle, in the form of a small chapel in the background that looked straight out of a fantasy novel, complete with a papier-mâché dragon statue near the entrance.
He stood at the altar, his heart hammering so loud he was sure the front row could hear it. Then the music started, and they appeared.
Mika walked first, regal and serene in her simple but elegant silk gown. Her baby bump was proudly on display, showing a curve of life beneath the white fabric. She caught his eye and offered a confident wink as she took her place.
Then came Ayane, strutting down the aisle in her slinky dress with the daring slit, waving to the crowd like a celebrity on the red carpet. She blew a kiss to a confused elderly relative and struck a pose before joining Mika.
Then Mafuyu, looking like an angel in her soft, cream-colored gown, tears of joy already streaming down her face. She clutched her bouquet, her smile so wide it seemed to take up her whole face.
And finally, Yuna. She walked down the aisle on his father's arm. (He must have snuck back to escort her during the procession.) She was wearing the sleek, modern sheath dress, her hair done up in an elegant style that still showed off her signature twin tails.
She was scowling, trying to look tough, but her eyes were shining, and her grip on his father's arm was white-knuckled.
When she reached Makoto, she let go of his father and grabbed Makoto's hand, squeezing it hard. "Don't trip," she whispered fiercely, blinking back tears. "Or I'll kill you."
===
The music faded into a soft, acoustic melody as the officiant, a composed man who had been briefed on the unique nature of this ceremony, stepped up to the podium. He cleared his throat, looking at the unconventional arrangement of one groom and four stunning, pregnant brides, then called Makoto.
Makoto took a deep breath, looking at each of the women standing before him. "I, Makoto," he began, his voice surprisingly steady in the quiet garden. "Take all of you to be my partners in life. I didn't plan for our lives to become this chaotic, but now, I couldn't imagine my life without a single one of you."
He squeezed Yuna's hand, then reached out to briefly touch the hands of the others. "I promise to stand by your side, to carry your heavy bags, to endure your scoldings, and to love you through every moment. I vow to provide for you, to listen to you, and to protect the incredible family we are building together, today and forever."
The officiant smiled warmly, turning his attention to the four brides. "And do you promise to love, honor, and cherish him? To share your lives together, in sickness and in health, through all the joys and challenges to come, for as long as you all shall live?"
"I do," said Mika, her voice clear and calm.
"Hell yeah, I do!" shouted Ayane, earning a laugh from the crowd.
"I… I do," whispered Mafuyu, blushing.
"Of course I do, you idiot!" snapped Yuna, hiding her face.
And then Makoto was kissing them, one by one. Sealing the deal and making it official.
The crowd cheered. His mother was sobbing loudly into a handkerchief. His father was beaming. Even Chikako Saionji, sitting in the front row with her meek husband, gave an approving nod.
"Well," Yuna said, pulling back from the kiss, her face flushed and happy. She looked at the other three women, then at Makoto. "What now, husband?"
"Well, we finish the ceremony, thank our parents for coming, and then… wait until tonight, I guess?" Makoto leaned in close, gathering them into a small huddle at the altar.
He lowered his voice to a sinful whisper. "So… who wants some rough baby-making in those bride costumes?" The four of them were still standing in a circle around him in their wedding gowns, the scent of flowers all around them.
Then all hell broke loose.
"ARE YOU INSANE, PIGBRO?!" Yuna shrieked, her face turning a brilliant shade of crimson that clashed beautifully with her dress. She smacked his arm, but it was a weak, playful slap. "WE JUST GOT MARRIED IN FRONT OF GOD AND OUR PARENTS AND YOU'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT YOUR FAT, DISGUSTING COCK?! YOU PERVERT!"
But before he could even flinch, she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him down so she could hiss in his ear, "I'd better be first. The Main Wife always gets the first ride. That's the rule. Don't you dare let any of these other sluts touch you before I'm done with you."
"Ooooh, rough baby-making! I call dibs on seconds!" Ayane cheered, completely ignoring Yuna's hissy fit. She bounced on the balls of her feet, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Can we do it in the castle chapel? Getting caught by a janitor would be a massive turn-on! Or maybe against one of those stained-glass windows! I wanna be a saint!"
Mika sighed, adjusting her veil with an air of long-suffering patience. "Honestly, must you be so crude?" she chided, though there was a hungry glint in her eyes. "But I don't hate the idea, darling."
She pulled out her phone, of course, she had her calendar ready, and started tapping. "Fine. We'll start at 10 PM, to allow for proper digestion and social niceties with the guests."
Then she looked up. "Yuna, you have him from 10 to 11. Ayane, 11 to midnight. I will take the midnight slot." She glanced at Mafuyu, her tone softening. "And Mafuyu-nee, you can have him from 1 AM onwards, for a more gentle, romantic session."
Mafuyu blushed a rosy pink, her hands flying to her cheeks. "Oh my…" she stammered, but her eyes were fixed on Makoto, dark with anticipation. She didn't say yes, but she gave an imperceptible nod, her lips parted in a silent smile.
"See?" Yuna huffed, puffing out her chest. "Even Mika agrees I get you first! As expected from my best friend. Now let's go cut the cake. I want to smash it in your face before you have your way with me."
They linked arms, a heavily pregnant group of brides heading toward the reception: Yuna was still scowling, Ayane was cackling, Mika was checking her phone, and Mafuyu had a quiet, eager look in her eyes that she was trying very hard to hide.
"Come on, husband," Yuna said, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the reception area. "You've got a long night ahead of you. Try not to run out of steam before it's my turn."
As Makoto let himself be dragged toward the reception, he looked at the four women who held his heart and his sanity in their hands, with his children growing inside them.
The ceremony was over. The marriage had begun. And as he caught Mika's calculating smile and Ayane's wicked grin, he got the feeling the real challenge was just getting started.
"10 PM, five hours to rest," he thought, checking his watch.
He was going to need a lot of energy drinks. Or maybe just another prayer to the shrine god.