Thursday, April 7th 2022

His tongue stuck out as he arranged the pictures just the way he wanted it, taking extra care not to touch the surface of the pictures and mar them with his fingerprints. There were moments as he was growing up when his uality was questioned as per his skills in being kind of craft-oriented sometimes. He had always been more detailed and meticulous  than his fellow jock counterparts, and though he could throw a football and tackle down a man twice his size better than the rest of them, his slightly softer side always made him the source of some friendly ribbing and joking.

But he never minded, they were all done in good fun and he knew his friends would support him if he really was gay. And though he himself had wondered that briefly during part of his university career, Taeyeon had slammed him back into the ‘straight and narrow’ so to speak. How could he ever have been gay with a girl like her around?

With great care, Stephan finished up the rest of the album, and though he knew anyone leafing through these pages would see a sad heartbreaking picture, he was proud of himself. No one else had to understand. Just him. Him and Taeyeon.

She had looked so beautiful…framed in pure white and dark royal purple. That had been the theme.

He remembered everything about that day.

He remembered how he had to be the one to dress her in her wedding dress, for though unresponsive to him, she was afraid of everyone else. And he took comfort in the fact that she even then subconsciously trusted him enough to let him close and touch her.

Screw wedding traditions.

He remembered the tender moment between them as she stood there stock still as he carefully zipped her up in her simple yet beautiful white dress. How he had done her hair up in a loose braid that fell down one side of her shoulder. How he had pressed one soft kiss to the top of her head as she sat there while he did her hair. How she had smelled like fresh cut peaches and flowers.

He knew then that though this was not what he had imagined when he married her…he would still treasure this. This moment.

He remembered how he had been the one to lead her to the altar. How he had tuned out the priests droning words, only really hearing, “You may now kiss the bride.” He had leaned in just very briefly to brush his lips on hers before pulling back. And how…

How her lips had been cold and unresponsive.

That hurt him the most. But he didn’t let it show. Not for one second.

He was determined that this would be one of the happiest days of their life.

And now that he had so painstakingly arranged that day into an album? He realized looking back that that sentiment had never changed. It still was one of the happiest days of his life despite everything and no one could tell or convince him otherwise.

Not even Taeyeon herself.

He glanced over at his sleeping wife. A small huddled, curled up lump underneath the covers.

She looked so different now…but he knew that could change. He could wait.

He had all the time in the world.

Smiling wistfully into the darkness as he remembered a certain picture he had taken of his sleeping sweetheart years ago, Stephan turned off his desk lamp and walked to his cot a few feet from Taeyeon’s bed and