Johnno — Chapter 29

Johnno, dressing with Will before the ceremony, admits he’s honored yet insecure about being best man, recalling he had to invite himself after learning of the engagement from the papers. He clings to a childhood promise from Trevellyan’s that tied them together, even as he senses Will has pulled away.

Embarrassed by a too-small spare suit after forgetting his own, Johnno endures teasing when Duncan, Femi, Pete, and Angus arrive. Their banter turns to school days: Will’s angelic image, his headmaster father’s protection, and Will’s uncanny exam success. Johnno anxiously gauges whether anyone suspects darker truths.

The group recalls vicious Trevellyan pranks, including a seaweed-in-the-bed trick and the boys they targeted, while Johnno remembers a younger pupil obsessed with Will who stoically endured hazing. The camaraderie briefly masks unease about their shared past.

Will brings up fresh seaweed found in the bridal bed the previous night that upset Jules, and suspects one of them; all deny involvement. Charlie arrives for buttonholes and, ignored and belittled, becomes the butt of their derision, echoing old bullying dynamics.

As Aoife calls them to the chapel, Will privately asks Johnno not to embarrass him in the speech. Johnno promises to keep it safe, suppressing compromising history as they head to the ceremony.