for Pauula

Nakhes

~flow19~

                The air conditioned lobby was alive with chatter and excitement with ladies and little girls coming in dainty, chic dresses and gentlemen and little boys coming dapper, clean suits. It was a cold, winter night and coat after and coat was being handed over to be hanged. Uniformed ushers were in place, doing their tasks with bright smiles on their faces. Everything was poised to make the night perfect and unforgettable.

“Good evening, ma’am. Good evening, sir.” An usherette bowed low in greeting a warm smile on her face as she led the elderly yet still towering couple inside the auditorium. “May I please see your invitations?”

“Halmeoni! Harabeoji!”

Choi Siwon handed the requested invitations to the usherette before crouching down, catching his running six year old granddaughter in his arms. “There you are.”

Son Mihyun pouted at her grandparents. “What took you so long?”

“Sweetie, how many times did I tell you not ask your harabeoji to carry you?” Choi Jinyoung appeared behind her daughter, dropping a kiss on her own mother’s cheek. “Hi, umma.”

“Hey!” Siwon protested; a pout of his own gracing his face. “I’m not that weak, you know.”

“Just nod and smile or else we won’t hear the end of it.” Choi Sooyoung laughed when her husband made a face. “I’m just messing around with you.”

“Omeonim, abeonim.” Son Injung bowed in greeting before he collected his daughter from his father-in-law.

Once his arms were free, Siwon was able to hug his middle child. “Where is everyone else?”

“Standing by the side of the door of the auditorium.” Injung replied, readjusting his daughter in his arms. “They’re just waiting for us then we can find our seats.”

                Siwon and Sooyoung merely nodded in reply; the elderly couple following behind their daughter’s family as they moved through the crowd. In the midst of it all, Siwon’s hand found his wife’s. He had always held her hand for all these years, Sooyoung mused. He never failed to. The thought of his consistency brought a smile to her face; a smile that widened as she saw the rest of her children, in-laws and grandchildren.

                Choi Yul was the eldest of Siwon and Sooyoung’s three children, easily inheriting his parents’ height as he was taller than his own father was when he was at that age. He stood closest to the door; his wife, Han Yujin, standing by his side and their two boys, Choi Jongwon and Choi Gujin playing around them. Their youngest child and the second of Siwon and Sooyoung’s daughters, Choi Sora stood beside her sister-in-law with her own husband, Oh Jinsoon, double checking his camera behind her.

                Most of the time, Sooyoung couldn’t believe just how quickly time had passed by. She could still remember the time when it was just her and Siwon and the best set of friends they could ever wish for. She could still remember how life was when they were just dating, their subsequent enga