Chapter 43

The cemetery was quiet, the air thick with the scent of fresh flowers and the gentle rustling of leaves. Nani stood before the headstone, his heart heavy yet lighter than it had ever been. he knelt, placing a small bouquet by the grave.

"Dad" he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper "I'm getting married tomorrow."

The words felt surreal even to him. He had spent so much of his life carrying the weight of the past, the pain, the anger, the questions that never got answered. And yet, here he was. Choosing to move forward.

"I used to think... if I ever found happiness, I'd have to do it in spite of you." he admitted, his throat tightening. "But now, I think I just want to be happy, and I don't want to carry this resentment anymore."

His fingers trembled as he reached out, tracing the cold stone as if it could somehow hold warmth. "Sky... he changed everything for me. I used to think love was a game. Something I could control. But he......." Nani let out a shaky breath, a small, broken laugh escaping. " he ruined all my rules. He loved me even when I didn't know how to love myself."

A tear slipped down his cheek, but he didn't wipe it away.

"I never thought someone could love me like that. I never thought I could be worthy of it."

He wiped his face, his fingers trembling as he finally allowed himself to cry. But this time, it was different. It wasn't the kind of cry that came from hurt or anger. It was a cry that came from realizing that he had been loved, despite everything.

"I don't know how to repay him for all that." Nani whispered "But I'll spend the rest of my life trying."

"I hope you can be at peace knowing that I'm trying to be the man I always wanted to be. For Mom, for Prim... for myself, and for you too, Dad."

he didn't feel like a wounded child standing in front of this grave. He felt like a man who had survived, who had chosen love despite everything.

Nani closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before standing up. He wiped his tears, squared his shoulders, and turned away, not from his father, but from the past that no longer held him prisoner.

Tomorrow, he would be a husband.

And he would love Sky with everything he had.

--

The night before the wedding, a quiet tension filled the air. Sky and Nani, adhering to the tradition, had to spend the night apart. No seeing each other, no talking until the ceremony. It was meant to build anticipation, but it only made the separation feel more intense.

The wedding would take place in Nani's grand, spacious house. Even though they were in the same house, they were forced to stay in separate rooms. Sky couldn't sleep, the excitement buzzed inside him, keeping his mind racing.

He quietly opened his door, careful not to wake Win, who was assigned to stay in his room, as tradition demanded that the grooms be kept separate.

The house was beautifully decorated in a mix of traditional and western styles. While the ceremony was set to follow the traditional customs, Sky made sure to add personal touches to make it feel right for both of them.

He knew how much Nani had always liked western-style weddings, so he incorporated those elements into the decor. The result was an aesthetic blend that felt uniquely theirs.

Sky wandered through the house, admiring everything that had been prepared for the next day. He stepped into the garden, where glass decorations he had requested from Prim had been set up for guests to take photos with the couple's names displayed.



The moment he saw it, he smiled, feeling the weight of what was about to happen.

As he walked towards a chair set up for the guests, Sky dropped down into it, taking a moment to reflect. He knew Nani was a major figure in the business world, and their wedding would be a spectacle for many high-profile people.

But Sky only wanted the special and important people in their lives to witness their vows.

Before Sky could think further, a hand gently covered his eyes from behind. "Guess who?" a familiar voice whispered.

Sky grinned, already knowing who it was. "My husband-to-be."

Nani chuckled softly before sitting down next to Sky. "You're bold lately, not shy anymore?"

"Am I?" Sky replied, leaning in to kiss Nani's cheek, his heart racing at the closeness.

Nani closed his eyes, fighting back the laughter bubbling inside him. Even though he tried to hold it back, his heart was screaming with joy. "If Dew and Win saw us together, they'd complain until morning."

Sky let out a small laugh, imagining the two of them grumbling in unison. "They definitely would."

Nani turned to look at Sky, his expression serious yet full of affection. "Sky..."

"Huh?" Sky replied.

"Starting tomorrow, we're no longer friends or lovers or whatever they call us. We'll be husband and husband." Nani's words were soft but packed with meaning.

"Yeah... I know."

"Don't you feel excited?" Nani asked, turning toward him.

"If I wasn't excited, I wouldn't be sitting here with you instead of sleeping." Sky replied and let at Nani's curious expression.

"Oh really? So, you'd rather be sleeping than spending time with your soon-to-be husband?" Nani teased, giving Sky a look full of mischief.

Sky grinned, leaning back in the chair and stretching his legs. "Well, if you put it that way, I might just be a little more eager to stay up. But you know, I can't just fall asleep before the wedding. It's like, if I close my eyes now, I might wake up in some weird parallel universe where we're still not married."

Nani chuckled. "You're unbelievable."

Sky shrugged nonchalantly, grinning wider. "You know you love it. Plus, I need to make sure I'm awake enough to look good for tomorrow." He winked, playfully tugging at the collar of his shirt as if it made him more dashing.

Nani couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Sky's exaggerated self-assurance. "You're ridiculous, Sky. But I'll admit, you do look pretty good already. That'll have to do for now."

Sky smirked, leaning closer and lowering his voice to a mock-serious tone. "I'll take it. But tomorrow, you better be ready for the full show."

"Please." Nani shot back, grinning, "You're just saying that because you think I'm the one who's gonna be stunned by your charm."

Sky raised an eyebrow and leaned in, pretending to whisper. "What if I told you that the real reason I can't sleep is because I'm too excited to see you all dressed up tomorrow? Your wedding suit's going to look incredible. You're gonna have everyone turning their heads."

Nani blushed slightly, trying to keep his cool but failing miserably. "Alright, alright, I get it."

Sky laughed, happy to see Nani's flustered reaction. "Well, I didn't say that, but... let's be real here. I'm marrying you, so obviously, I'm in love with the whole package."

"Stop, you're making me blush even more." Nani muttered, trying to hide his smile, but the warmth spreading in his chest was undeniable. He shook his head, still smiling.

As the night wore on, their laughter filled the air, both of them lost in the comfort of being together in this moment, knowing that tomorrow, their new life was just about to begin.