Song: シンデレラ・パラドックス//Cinderella Paradox

The sound of my breathing resounds within this empty room as I could only give a bitter smile to my reflection in the mirror. She's dressed gorgeously, not a single thing out of place, as though she's stepped straight out of a wedding ad as Prince Charming's bride. It makes me wonder if there was ever a part of Cinderella that doubted her own love for her prince.

'You agreed to this,' I told myself as my eyes gaze at the frown adorning my reflection, 'you love her, so don't look so sad...' 

I pat my cheeks gently, trying to will happiness back onto my features just as a soft knocking is heard. Immediately I feel my stomach drop, knowing that my father has come to get me for the ceremony. I suppose it's time. 

As the door opens I straighten my back and rest an easy smile onto my face. I guess it's fortunate that I've had enough practice keeping up a mask thanks to all those pointless parties I've had to attend.

"Mari, are you ready dear?"

Shifting my eyes away from my own reflection in the mirror, I look towards my father's reflection. His soft smile and slightly damp eyes only strengthen my resolve and I nod, letting my smile widen a bit as I turn away from the mirror, "Yeah. I'm ready, Papa."

He holds out his arm and I walk over, gently taking it as he leads us out to where everyone is waiting. My legs feel weak but I continue to try and steel my resolve, my thoughts speeding through faster and faster until we reach the large doors and the music starts to play.

It's time.

xXx

"Hey, Dia~" A young blonde gently pokes the young onyx-haired girl's cheek, slightly pouting, "Geez, don't ignore me after asking such a sudden question!"

The other girl softly sighs, feigning annoyance but blushing enough to rival that of her sister's hair, "I-it's just a question Mari-san..! If you don't want to answer you don't have to, but quit pestering me with asking why I wish to know!"

"But you never seemed to be the interested in that type of thing~ I mean, anyone would be surprised to hear the great Dia-sama asking what my type of romantic partner is~" Mari then playfully gasps and Dia immediately groans in response, clearly disliking where this might be going and raises the book she's reading to cover her own face.

"Mari-san, please, just forget I asked..."

"Does Dia-chan like me~? Is that why you asked~?" Giggling happily, Mari scoots closer to Dia, playfully leaning against her, "Weeelll! Since you're so curious, I quite like handsome people you know~ Maybe even someone rich~?"

The silence stretches after her reply, Mari looking slightly confused at Dia's lack of response as the girl hides behind her book. Shifting uncomfortably at the growing length of the silence, Mari opens her mouth only to but cut short by Dia's soft words.

"Am I no good then?"

xXx

Like a ghost returning from a dream, I seem to, for a moment, watch myself go through the ceremony. Dia's soft smile is directed at me as we recite our vows to one another, her loving gaze piercing through my heart...

'Hey, Dia. Did you know? You weren't the prince I initially envisioned in my dreams. In fact, their hair was rather blueish. Though I suppose their hair was about the same length as yours...' 

I feel tears cloud my eyes and I widen my smile to hide and force down my thoughts. At seeing my tears Dia softly raises her hands to my cheeks, thumbs wiping them away ever so softly.

'...I'm being unfair to Dia. She's only ever been loving and understanding.'

I lean into her touch as we seal our vows with a kiss, the crowd erupting in applause. Yet, for a moment I feel myself wishing to rewind time back before everything had changed...back to Kanan's side, laughing like we used to.

'If only I could continue to laugh by your side...I would need nothing else but that."

Storing that thought away, I smile at Dia as we pull back and gaze at each other. Her eyes are so full of love that I can't help but lean in for another kiss before she leads us down the aisle. Giggling and walking hand-in-hand, I turn my head only to find Kanan watching us within our crowd of friends. Her eyes are shining as they did back when we were young and she had found us after I would get lost dragging a shy Dia around.

'Ah...maybe this wouldn't hurt so much if I could forget about you...'

The moment that thought passes through my brain, I watch as she smiles and mouth out a word I never thought could break me.

"Congratulations."

As though time had stopped, I feel a rush of memories and emotions fill my being. However, knowing I can never return to those days and knowing what a coward I truly am, I let my grin take over, tossing the flowers I'm holding into the air. And with every bit of myself knowing the dream I want can never come true, I point at Kanan and cry out with a gentle smile, "Next time it might be your turn, Kanan~!"

Turning away, I squeeze Dia's hand as we hurry along down the aisle. Once through the doors, we head for the limo awaiting us and I watch as Dia looks to me, that unwavering loving smile never moving an inch as she pulls my hand closer to kiss it. And as though it was planned by the gods themselves, the church's bells suddenly resound for my new wife and I on this cloudless sunny day. Yet, I can only think that it must be cloudless because they have all decided to cloud my heart instead.

'I guess this is our happy ending, right Dia?'

Lacking the courage myself, a prince came down and rescued me...yet even as the bells toll, granting us their blessings, my heart still feels as lost as ever.