Part Sixteen: But I Love You

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I exhale looking over the small crowd who sit in front of me. I look to Bobby who stand beside me, Hanbin, Jinhwan, Yunhyeong, Junhoe, and Chanwoo all standing lined up behind him. Bobby smiles slightly at me before looking straight ahead with the same smile. I look to my other side, Eryn smiling in the line of girls. The music begins, and I take in a breath to hold back my tears which come instantly with the sound of the piano echoing through the large ballroom. I turn to look up the staircase which stand tall behind me. The doors are opened from on the left side opposite to the doors I entered. Soon she walks out, her father leading her arm in arm, step by step. Her dress is white flowing out from her waist like a princess. Small sparkles glitter as they catch the light. In her hands she hold a bouquet of red roses. Her hair flows with each step she takes. And her veil rests already atop her head a tiara accompanying it. She’s stunning. All eyes in the crowd and mine the most are glued to her, but I know her’s are stuck on me. Her and her father reach the bottom of the staircase. He leads her to me only a few steps from it. “Thank you” I thank her father as he pats my shoulder and gives his daughter a kiss on the cheek. “You look stunning” I whisper to her as we both turn to face the priest.

“We gather here to celebrate the love between a young Beauty and her Beast” he begins and continues with the ceremony. “The couple has prepared their own vows that they will share now” he gestures for us to begin. Madisen starts, her words turning my cheeks warm, I smile a tear dropping from my eye and rolling to my chin. She reaches forward, pausing her words and wiping away my tear. I smile even more at her actions before allowing her to finish her vows. “And I will always love you, always” she speaks her last words with a smile. I begin, my vows making our guests, our party and ourselves laugh with jokes. But after a few lines I turn serious. “My beautiful Madisen, here I stand, you vowing to me, a man who is undeserving of such a wonderful woman. We’ve been through a lot as partners, as individuals and again as partners. I vow to be loyal, honorable, respectful and to be everything you desire. I’m far from perfect, and I can only try to be half the man you want, but it is love that has brought us here today and it will be love that writes our tale. So Madisen, my beautiful Madisen, I’m sorry-” I pause taking in a deep breath and wiping away a tear of many which rest on her cheeks. “But I love you”. She slides a ring over my finger and I slide a diamond band onto hers which compliment the delicate ring she already wear. With a nod from the priest, I place a hand to her cheek and one to her waist. And together we kiss for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. We pull away, her eyes smiling at me. We turn to face our guests, hand in hand we walk down the aisle, I take a look up at the chandelier and smile. A tale as old as time. I look to her who smiles up at me. Beauty and the beast.

I’m sorry, but I love you.

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