“SAVE THOSE WORDS”

 

 

"You look beautiful in white...

standing there in front of your friends and all your family..

and the man beside you, 'bout to say "I do",

God, I wish that man was me...

 

my baby, I'm begging please...

 

...save those words for me..."

 

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

 

"Haizt! Why aren't you answering my calls Dara?!" I irritatingly said as I redialed her number again. I put my phone on my ear and patiently wait for her to pick up. It rings. It rings again. It continued ringing. It continued ringing and ringing again. It continued ringing again and again and again. Until it was automatically cut off. "Sh*t!" I hissed. I gave up. I throw my phone on the bed and tug my hair in frustration. I've been calling her for a week now but she keeps on ignoring my calls. I also sent thousands of text messages to her but she didn't reply. I decided to went to their house but the maids said that their family was out of town.

 

"Maybe she was still mad at me..." I worriedly thought, I remembered our argument a week ago...

*Flashback*

 

"What?! You're going to Japan?!What for?!" Dara asked me turning red because of anger.

 

I'd just finished telling her that I'm planning to go to Japan to work there. I wanted to earn more money because I'm planning to ask her to marry me when I come back. We've been together for five years now and I love her so much. But her family doesn't want me to be their son-in-law. "You're as poor as a rat!!!!", they always told me. Dara's family owned one of the biggest car companies here in Korea. I worked as a mechanic there and fell in love with her the first time I saw her. She always went to their race track to practice driving. I also love cars so I admired her courage and skill in driving. I was assigned to be her mechanic so we kinda got close. Eventually, my love for her deepened. She was so kind and humble, not to mention VERY BEAUTIFUL. I gathered all my courage to confess to her and luckily, she loves me too despite my status of living. She even fight for me when her parents learned about our relationship. I love her more because of that.

 

"JI YONG!WHY ARE YOU GOING TO JAPAN?!" she asked me again turning redder than before.

 

"Teddy-hyung called me up and offered a job there. I want to grab the opportunity. I mumbled.

 

"But how about me? You're going to leave me?" she whispered. "You said you'll be there for two years. That was long..." she continued as tears flowed on her eyes.

 

I approached her and cupped her face. "Dara, I'm doing this for us...for your family to accept me..." I said to her wiping her tears. "I know it's hard but it's harder for me. I love you so much." I said kissing her forehead.

 

"Then why are you insisting on going there? Why?" she sobbed as I hugged her.

 

"Hush baby, I'm doing this for you..."

 

"But what if----" I heard her mumbled as my phone rings.

 

"Hello? Teddy-hyung? I'll just call you later okay? I'm with Dara."

 

"What are you saying again?" I asked her.

 

"Nothing." she uttered. "When are you leaving?"

 

"Next week." I said. "I'm gonna miss you baby." I continued and kissed her.

 

*End of Flashback*

 

I've been calling her since that argument. But she's not talking to me. I even asked her friends about her but they said, they didn't know where she is. Now, I'm having second thoughts of going to Japan. My flight was scheduled [b][color="#FF00FF"]TONIGHT[/color][/b] and I don't want to leave without seeing Dara. My god, I'm going crazy! Suddenly, my phone rang. Thinking it was Dara, I grabbed my phone and answered it without looking at the caller's name.

 

"Dara?! Dara, why aren't you---" I answered but the caller cut me off.

 

"Hyung...this is Seung Ri..." he said from the other line. His voice sounded worried to me.

 

"What?! What's wrong?! Is there any problem?!" I suddenly panicked. He's the maknae among my friends and I usually got worried of him.

 

"Hyung... It was because... Hyung... Where are you?" he said haltingly.

 

"I'm here on my apartment. What's the problem? Where are you?"

 

"Huyng, I'm here in the church..." he quietly said.

 

"What are you doing there? Are you and Chae Rin getting married now?" I laughing feeling relieved that nothing is wrong with him.

 

"No hyung... We're not getting married. I'm here because... I'm attending Dara-noona's wedding to Lee Donghae..."

 

I froze upon hearing what he said. I felt my heart stopped beating. Suddenly, I can't breath. I can't believe what Seung Ri had just said.

 

"Hyung? Are you still there? Hyung!" Seung Ri asked worriedly.

 

I ignored him and turn off my phone. I suddenly felt weak and sat on my bed.

 

"This can't be..." I thought as I rushed outside and hailed a taxi.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

"DARA!!!!" Hyung's voice echoed throughout the church. We all looked at the entrance and saw his figure tired and panting.

 

"Dara..." he uttered. I looked at Dara-noona. She looked very shocked seeing hyung. She was about to answer the priests' question when he appeared.

 

"Dara... Why is this happening? You don't love me anymore? Listen to me please... Dara..." Hyung shouted as he tried to approach noona at the altar. But the guards held him and tried to drag him outside.

 

"Dara! You do love me right?" Hyung's voice sounded desperate and hopeless.

 

I glanced at Dara-noona. Her head was bowed and she's not even looking at Ji Yong-hyung. Silence covered the whole church as everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for noona's answer. Even the guards stopped dragging hyung. Then the priest broke the long silence.

 

"Sandara Park, do you take this man beside you, Lee Donghae, to be your lawfully husband, now and forever?"

 

"I suddenly looked at hyung before noona can answer. I saw tears forming on his eyes. Then I heard Dara-noona answered.

 

"I do."

 

Everybody clapped except me, Young Bae-hyung, TOP-hyung and Dae Sung-hyung. Even noona's friends, Bom-noona, Minzy and my beloved Chae Rin didn't clap. We all looked at hyung. I saw him looked straight at Dara-noona's face who now faced him. She looked determined. I saw hyung's eyes reddened, suppressing his tears from falling. I saw grief in his eyes and felt pity for him. The guards finally let go of him. Then, he suddenly turned around and leave with slumped shoulders. I wanted to run after him but TOP-hyung stopped me and whispered sadly, " You can't help him now." I looked past him and saw Young Bae-hyung and Dae Sung-hyung nodded. I sighed. Then suddenly, Dara-noona spoke.

 

"Yes I do... I do love you Ji Yong..."

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

"i do." I suddenly said. Everybody clapped. I looked at Ji Yong. I was determined to tell the truth. I saw his eyes reddened and was about to cry but suppressing it. "Ji Yong!" my mind screamed. But everything happened so fast. I noticed the guards let go of him. Then he suddenly turned around and leave. In a blink of an eye, he was gone. I was shocked and speechless for a moment.

 

"Yes I do... I do love you Ji Yong..." I said knowing he wouldn't hear me. I turned to Donghae and said, "I'm sorry. I really love Ji Yong so much."

 

Then I gathered my dress up and ran to the exit determined to chase Ji Yong. I finally saw the sunlight outside. I desperately looked here and there to find him but there's no trace of Ji Yong anywhere. My mind can't think of what to do fearing that Ji Yong already left me. I hear footsteps behind me and I know my family and friends followed me outside. "Dara!" I heard them call me. I ignored them. Then a car stopped in front of me.

 

"Noona! Hop in now!" I saw Seung Ri driving, motioning me in.

 

I opened the driver's door and said, "I'll drive. I drive faster than you." He obeyed and transferred to thepassenger seat. I stepped on the accelerator and the car moved fast to I dunno where.

 

"Where will he go?!" I desperately asked Seung Ri.

 

"Maybe to his apartment. Tonight is his flight to Japan." he answered.

 

I suddenly felt nervous. "No Ji Yong! Wait for me!Please..." I desperately mumbled and turned the car towards his apartment ignoring the taxi going the other way. I suddenly stepped on the break that Seung Ri was almost thrown to the windshield of the car. I ignored him and ran fast inside. I didn't wait for the elevator and just use the stairs. I reached his room and saw that it's locked from the outside. I leaned on the door and let myself slumped on the floor. An old lady was about to enter the room next door when she noticed me and said, "Young lady, are you looking for Ji Yong?" I just nodded. I then noticed Seung Ri arrived, panting. "Oh, he already left carrying his luggage. He said he requested for an earlier flight, 5pm he said. Hmmm..He's probably on the airport now." The old lady said without noticing my tears falling. Then she entered her room.

"Dara-noona..." SeungRi uttered.

 

Then I suddenly felt alive, realizing what the old lady had just said. I started running again. Down to the stairs I ran a while ago, with Seung Ri tailing behind me. We rode the car in a flash and sped away. I glance at the car's digital clock. 4:45...

 

"Oh my God! Please let me caught up with Ji Yong... Please..." I silently prayed tightly gripping the steering wheel. Seung Ri was quiet during the ride. Maybe not to make me panic. I almost make the car fly. Then suddenly, Seung Ri's phone beeped. He fished it out from his pocket and looked who texted him. His eyes widened in surprise.

 

"Noona... Hyung texted me..." he excitedly said opening the message and reading it. Then he frowned.

 

"What did he say?!" I desperately asked.

 

"Noona..." he looked at me with pleading eyes probably not wanting to tell me.

 

"SEUNG RI! WHAT DID IT SAY?!" I shouted at him.

 

He said:

 

"seung ri...take good care of your noona for me okay?I love her so much...tell her to be happy with Donghae...oh,and i just want to tell you that i went there to try and beg for her to save those words for me...but she already said 'I do' to Donghae,and i'll be happy for her decision...take good care of yourself too.i'm going to board the plane now.see you when i come back.send my regards to the boys."

 

 

I stepped on the brake as Seung Ri finished reading. We arrived at the airport's entrance and tears ran down my face as I saw a plane take off. I glanced at the car's digital clock; it's already 5:01pm. It's too late. I sobbed...

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

"Finally! I'm back here in Korea! I missed my friends here...I also missed her...I wonder how is she..." I shook my thoughts away as I was driving my brand new Bentley. I was driving along Han River when I caught sight of her. I abruptly stopped. She was carrying a bouncing healthy baby and was laughing with her friends. Bom-noona, Minzy and Chae Rin.

 

"So she already had a baby..." I sadly thought as I looked away and accelerated faster. I was going to meet the boys.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

"Hyung! What took you so long to come here?!" Seung Ri greeted me as I entered the [color="#FF00FF"][b]CAFE[/b][/color] where we decided to meet. I smiled and looked at my friends. Our maknae, Seng Ri, looked more mature than before. He was grown up now. TOP-hyung looked more handsome and I wonder why. My best friend, Young Bae, looked more masculine. It was clearly obvious with the way his shirt fitted on his body. I chuckled. Well, as for Dae Sung, he doesn't change a bit and was smiling widely when he saw me.

 

"Sorry guys, I just test drive my new car. So, how's your life going on now?" I asked as I joined them in our table.

 

"Well Hyung, did you know that TOP-hyung and Bom-noona are dating now?" Seung Ri then blurted out. I chuckled as I thought, "Seung Ri still spill out secrets without asking for permission.”

 

"Really Hyung?! Wow! That's great! I bet that's why you're more handsome than before." I said teasing TOP-hyung. I saw him blushed and I thought, "He's really in love with Bom-noona...like I was to Dara before...until now..."

 

"Young Bae-hyung's a choreographer now and girls go crazy of him!" Seung Ri continued.

 

Young Bae laughed and said, "Yeah, that's right. But I can't choose the right girl for me."

 

"How about that 'IU girl'?" Dae sung asked.

 

"Yeah, she's cute." TOP-hyung chimed in. I saw Young Bae blushed a bit.

 

He then said, "That's enough." He turned to me and said, "Do you know that Dae Sung has a crush on Minzy?" My eyes widened.

 

"REALLY?! Is that true?" I asked Dae Sung. He shyly nodded to me. "She's too young..."

 

“Ji Yong, two years already passed.” TOP-hyung said. “Yeah…” I thought.

 

“How about you and Chae Rin?” I suddenly asked Seung Ri. They all smiled and turned to him.

 

“Well, we’re married now and already had a baby.” Seung Ri proudly said to me.

 

“Woah! Our maknae’s the big boy among us now.” I said launghing. Then I remembered.

 

“Well, I saw them a while ago near the Han River.” They all looked at me, shocked.

 

“And she’s with them… How is she? I saw that she already had a baby…” I sadly uttered to them.

 

Suddenly, I heard someone calling Seung Ri.

 

“Seung Ri! We’re here!” Chae Rin’svoice was slowly faded when she saw me. We all looked at the girls. Then to Dara. She’s carrying her baby and just stand there looking at me, obviously shocked seeing me there.

 

“Dara…” I whispered unexpectedly. They all looked at me. Then Seung Ri got up.

 

“I think we had to let them talk. Chae Rin, get our Hyun Seung from Dara-noona.”

 

I saw Chae Rin obeyed and get the baby who is extending his hands to her saying, “Momma!”

 

Then I finally realized. “He wasn’t Dara’s baby but Seung RI and Chae Rins’! Stupid me!” I thought as they left us there, staring at each other.

 

“Dara… How’s your li---“ I didn’t finished asking because Dara threw her hands to me and kissed me. I was shocked at first knowing many people were watching and wondering why Dara is kissing me. She slipped her tongue out to gain access inside my mouth and I willingly obeyed.  I wrapped my arms on her waist, and pulled her closer to deepen our kiss. “I missed you.” I uttered while kissing her. Then I remembered she’s already married. I lightly pushed her away. She questioningly looked at me with those eyes that kept me mesmerized from the first time I saw it until now.

 

“This is wrong, you’re already… You know…” I said avoiding her eyes and letting her go. But she cling to my arms.

 

“DON’T TELL ME [color="#FF00FF"][b] WHAT IS RIGHT[/b] [/color]  AND WHAT IS WRONG, JI YONG!” she shouted with the stubbornness I really missed. I looked at her and saw the love she strongly felt for me.

“But…” I tried to reason out.

 

“You texted Seung Ri you want me to save those words for you right? I saved it Ji Yong. I didn’t marry Donghae. I saved it for you. Are you going to ask me or not?” she impatiently said.

 

I smiled and reached something on my pocket. It was the ring I planned to give to her. I thought it was impossible for her to have. But now…

 

I kneeled in front of her and presented the ring.

 

“Will you marry me Dara?” I asked with my heart beating fast.

 

“Yes! I will marry you Ji Yong!” Dara said teary eyed.

 

The people at the café clapped as I put the ring on her finger and hugged her tight. “Finally…” I happily thought.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

It was early in the morning and yet everyone in the church was busy. Well, they are all preparing for our wedding. I was finally standing beside the altar with Seung Ri at my side. He’s my best man. If it wasn’t for him, Dara wouldn’t wait for me. He’s such an adorable boy. I chuckled at the thought of it. I saw Dara’s parents and they immediately approached me.

 

“We’re so sorry Ji Yong. We never understand Dara’s love for you before… But when she left us on the church two years ago to follow you, it was so…” her mother said teary eyed and grasping my hand.

 

 

“Mom… It’s okay now. We’re finally getting married.” I smiled to reassure her. They finally accepted me. Not because I earn well now but because they realized Dara and I really love each other.

 

“Take care of my daughter, son.” my soon to be father-in-law said to me, tapping my shoulder.

 

“Yes Dad.” I said smiling brightly to him and tapping his hand back.

 

Then the organizer said, “The bride will arrive in a minute. Get ready everybody.” Then I felt nervous.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

I entered the church and found Ji Yong waiting for me at the altar. My heart skipped in joy. “Finally…” I happily thought. My father accompanied me. I never took my eyes off him as I was walking the aisle. Finally, he get me from my father and squeezed my hand. I smiled at him. We both looked at the priest as he started the ceremony. Dae Sung and Minzy was singing our wedding song. Young Bae was the one playing the piano. Seung Ri was smiling widely and proud being Ji Yong’s best man. Chae Rin was teary eyed while carrying their baby. Bom was my maid of honor and TOP was supporting from the audience. “This is it.”

 

The priest finished asking Ji Yong and finally turned to me.

 

“Sandara Park, do you take this man beside you, Kwon Ji Yong, to be your lawfully wedded husband, in the eyes of man, and in the eyes of God, from now ‘til forever, ‘ti death do you part?”

 

“That was long…” I noticed it was not the priest two years ago.

 

“Do you?” the priest repeated. I noticed Ji Yong looked at me, worried.

 

Then I blurted, “Yes I do father! I do love Ji Yong! I love him so much! I want him to be my husband! I do!”

 

Everybody clapped and laughed. Even the priest chuckled. I suddenly felt shy but I don’t care. I looked straight to my husband.

 

“I do save those words for you, baby. I do.” He smiled at me and slowly pulled me closer to him.

 

“And now, I pronounced you, Mr. and Mrs. Kwon Ji Yong. You may now kiss the bride.” The priest said winking at him.

 

Then Ji Yong pulled me for a kiss, a gentle and full of love kiss. I couldn’t wait for later on our room.

 

_______________________________________________________________________