Today is a very special, very happy day. One I thought I would never see.

  Akane nervously asks, “H-how does my hair look?”

  Akane, Chiyo, and I are on the balcony of a big, luxurious hotel room with a breathtaking view of the beach. We just finished getting some pictures taken, and now we're rexing briefly before the main event.

  Akane is in a beautiful and elegant white dress. It's a ball gown style dress with a tightly fitted bodice on the top that bares her shoulders, and a very puffy full skirt on the bottom. She looks like she stepped out of a fairy tale.

  Chiyo gives her a cursory look and then sighs, “The same as it did five minutes ago.”

  Akane scoffs, “I wasn't really asking you . Nagisa, how is my hair?”

  She has her beautiful dark hair up in a complicated-looking bun with lots of texture. We all had our hair done by a stylist.

  I smile at her, “It looks perfect.”

  Chiyo nods, “Seriously Akane, Madoka's going to love it. But you know what? She'd love it no matter how it looked.”

  Akane smiles and feigns that she's sniffling, “Aw. It took my wedding day for you to finally say something sweet to me.”

  Chiyo crosses her arms, “And with a reaction like that , it'll be another 10 years before I do it again.”

  I pat Akane on the shoulder, “How are you feeling?”

  She uncrosses her arms and smiles ear to ear, “75 percent excited. 25 percent nervous. Is that how you two felt?”

  Chiyo answers first, “I wasn't very nervous. But I didn't have a big fancy western wedding at a resort, as you know.”

  I nod, “Me neither. Daiki and I just got married in my town's ceremony hall, after all. I am more nervous about this wedding than my own. It's so many people.”

  “That's what you're nervous about, right?”

  Akane nods, “We did the rehearsal and everything, but I'm still worried I'll mess it up. It's kind of complicated.”

  “Well…all you really have to do is walk and be pretty and I think you'll get a lot of grace. And I think you have those things down pat.”

  Akane smiles at Chiyo and this time I think the sniffling might be real, “You said it would be 10 years before you were sweet to me again.”

  Chiyo ughs, “I don't know what came over me.” Chiyo looks away from Akane and starts to fidget with the corsage on her wrist and asks, “Y-you're really going to move over here, huh?”

  Akane smiles at her friend, “Yes. I am. Are you saying you're going to miss me?”

  Chiyo sniffles and nods.

  Akane says, “I'm very happy you'll miss me but…S-stop that! Or we'll all cry and ruin our make up. Besides…it's not like we see one another that much when we are both in Japan.”

  “I know but we see each other some! And we're like…in the same time zone, and you're only a few hours away by bullet train.”

  Akane is starting to look like she's feeling guilty, so I have to butt in. I'm sad she's moving away too, but also very happy for her. And Chiyo shouldn't be making her feel this way. Certainly not today.

  “Chiyo…you know why she's going to live here, right?”

  She nods, “Because Madoka's half-American. And her family lives here. And Akane got a job at the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind.”

  Akane and I both give her a look that says, You know that's not all.

  She gets the message and sighs, “ And because they can get married here. And society will be less…hostile towards them.” Chiyo bows her head, “Sorry. I'm being selfish.”

  Akane takes her hand, “It's okay. It means a lot to me you'll miss me so much. Why did you wait until now to say something?”

  Chiyo shrugs, “It just really hit me. Being in the city you're moving to…seeing you all beautiful for your wedding. I guess I was in denial.”

  Akane smiles at her, “Well…at least it’s Hawaii, right? Just a 7 hour flight. Would be way longer if it was like…New York.”

  Chiyo smiles, “Yeah…that's true. And as we've learned these past few days, it's a very nice pce to visit. So…we'll still see each other."

  Akane nods, “I'll still be in Japan sometimes too. My whole family is there, after all.” She smiles, “Including you two.”

  Chiyo smiles and nods, “Sorry for bringing the mood down. Let's talk about happy stuff now!”

  I ugh, “Yes please.”

  Akane smiles, “How about this - it's pretty funny we all found our spouse at Yamaku.”

  Chiyo ughs, “Well, you and Madoka didn't get together until like three years into university. I don't know if it counts.”

  I reply, “I-it does!”

  Akane nods, “That’s right. I mean, she’s had the hots for me since high school. And we had our first kiss there! That has to count for something. And…I definitely would have gone out with her then…but…”

  Chiyo finishes for her, “You were hopelessly in love with Nagisa?”

  Akane looks at me with flushed cheeks and then sighs, “Yeah. I…I…don't really have a comeback for that one. Because…it's exactly right.”

  Chiyo ughs, “It's okay. I would have been in love with her too if I liked girls. She's a cutie.” She pokes me in the cheek pyfully and makes a kissy face.

  I scoff, “You're the one who is a beautiful famous actress.”

  Chiyo rolls her eyes, “Hardly. I have been in like 9 total episodes of TV dramas in 10 years. Don't think that qualifies.”

  Akane rolls her eyes, “You just said you've been in TV shows. I think that proves Nagisa's point.”

  “Well…fine. But I stopped auditioning like two years ago. So I don't really think of myself as an actress anymore.”

  I say, “But you and Ken run a children’s theater now. I think…all those kids and parents see you as a gmorous actress. Even if you don’t.”

  She ughs, “Maybe. I feel more like a teacher, though. Truth be told, I do get more out of teaching kids about theater than I ever did actually acting. Ken does too.” She ughs wryly, “Although we might think differently if we had been more successful.”

  Akane ughs, “Well, either way. It’s good you two are happy doing that. It was super cute seeing them perform when I visited.” She smiles at me, “Actually it's nice that all three of you are focusing on kids’ theater.”

  I smile, “I hope my pys can get the next generation more interested in drama. Since our generation really wasn't. Maybe there will be more drama clubs in high school if I do a good job.”

  Chiyo smiles, “Well, the kids we work with definitely love The Great Dango Family . So I think you're on the right track.”

  Akane bursts into ughter, prompting confused looks from both of us.

  She notices and calms down, “Woo…sorry. I was just remembering the first time Nagisa sang that song for me.” She sighs happily, “So cute.”

  Chiyo says, “Hey now, don't go back to thinking about Nagisa in high school, or I'll tell Madoka.”

  Just as I'm about to scold Chiyo, my phone buzzes. I see I have a text from Miki.

  I smile at Akane, “I-it's almost time.”

  The three of us stand up and Akane takes a deep breath, and then smiles radiantly and gestures for us both to come hug her, which we do. “I'm really gd you two are here today. You're still my dearest friends. And you pyed a bigger role in convincing me to be openly gay than you probably know.” She breaks the hug and excitedly decres, “Now then, let's go to my lesbian wedding!”