Chapter 116 - The Little Bride (1/2)

”She asked me to try them on and take pictures. Will that be okay?”

Silence met her question as everyone looked at her in surprise. Yanee was starting to feel awkward when both Marian and Mrs. James clapped their hands and their eyes filled with stars as they smiled.

”That's a great idea!”

”Er…right,”Yanee didn't know why they thought so but she just agreed.

She needed to do it anyway so it's better if they cooperated with her since she couldn't wear the kimonos alone. Aside from the heavy fake wig that felt more like a helmet than hair, the dress itself was layers and layers of paddings, cords, and jackets. There was no way she could do what Ami wanted on her own.

Mrs. James didn't waste time. As soon as the manager came out from the backroom carrying a pure white shiromuku wedding kimono, she informed her of what Ami asked Yanee to do, and she was more than delighted to ȧssist her.

”Are you really sure? I mean you can leave me here since it seems it will take a while,” Yanee suggested. She didn't want them to feel bored and she worried it wouldn't be comfortable for Marian to stay at the shop.

”What are you talking about? We already planned to go shopping the whole day. Now we're only staying here so it's not a problem at all. It's even less tiring than walking the entire street.”

The shops had ȧssistants in them so they would really help Yanee try the kimonos on. But Mrs. James and Marian didn't have to hang out at the store with her. But the two were more than happy to stay and accompany her. They even suggested what to try on first.

”Yanee try the shiromuku first,” Marian suggested excitedly and the manager quickly signaled the staff to take Yanee at the dressing area even before she's even able to react.

Five minutes into her changing, Yanee wanted to die.

”Oh Lord… I didn't realize it's like this,” she commented as the staff wrapped her in layers and layers of clothing.

Just a bit more and she'd resemble a burrito. She was naturally very shapely like a runway model, but the layers and paddings the staff put on her quickly made her like a barrel. Normally, if one had experience, one could put on a kimono by herself. But bridal kimonos were an altogether different type. Because the paddings and layers were so elaborate, one needed ȧssistance to wear it.

”Just bear with it,” Marian told Yanee with a grin.

It was summer and it's definitely hot. Yanee had a feeling she'd sweat buckets. But the manager asked the staff to turn up the airconditioning so it was bearable.

A few minutes more and the ȧssistant placed the white hood on her head.

”Oh My…”

”Stand there,” Marian ordered eagerly as she pointed at the circular podium in the dressing area where the people could see the dress from the surrounding mirrors. ”Pose!”

”Oh My…”

Everyone in the room whipped out their phones and took pictures as soon as Yanee took a pose. Used to doing this for Ami, Yanee didn't think twice and followed Marian's orders. The latter took on the role of cameraman for her as well. But she still had to fight the urge to laugh and cry at the same time upon seeing Mrs. James taking photos of her from so many angles as well.

”Next, next,” Marian barked and Yanee was rushed back to the backroom to change into another kimono.

The next one Yanee was changed into was an after-ceremony type of kimono called hikifurisode. It's what brides mostly wore at the reception party. It had a long, sweeping sleeves and elaborate patterns that ran, unbroken, across the back and onto the backs of the sleeves then around the whole body, and across the front and onto the fronts of the sleeves. The material was black and then embroidered in gold, or silver threads, and the style was both elegant and radiant.

Aside ffrom the kimono itself, the ȧssistants also fixed Yanee's hair that matched the clothes. This time, instead of the heavy wig, they styled her hair nontraditionally with colorful flowers.

”Wow, Yanee you look so beautiful,” both mother and daughter cooed as they took yet another round of photos.

Yanee had long since given up protesting. She just cooperated well with them since this was all for her sister's business anyway. After this kimono, she tried on four more types of kimonos until her task was completed.

”Ah! At last,”Yanee said comically, making the staff laugh.