CHAPTER 2

SPEAK NOW

She was sitting on a creamy white couch in the Bridal room.

She was in her white Wedding Dress. The White Wedding Dress she adored while standing outside the Wedding Boutique that day. That day she was 10.

It was 12 years ago when she told her grandmother she would want this wedding dress to be her on the day she gets married. And here she had it.

Today, she was the Bride. Victoria unnie told her she was the most beautiful bride that she’d ever seen. Krystal put the white pearl crown on her hair and said “You’re just like a Princess, believe me, you’re so beautiful…”. Luna, while busily fixing her bouquet and Amber, who taking photos of the 4 ladies around her said the same.

Yeah, like a princess, but not a princess. Not at all.

A princess should have a prince who rides on his white horse and come to propose her, right? In every fairy tales grandmother read for her, they all hava happy ending… “And they live happily ever after…”

She was not a princess. She was not a little girl anymore.

She closed her eyes. She had decided. She had buried her love for him deep inside her heart. She knew if she let go of his hands, it could be painful, but it worth.

But now, what will happen next?

5 years, they remained brother and sister.

5 years, she tried not to take any move.

5 years, they were still together, but today, “together” had another meaning.

“Excuse me, Miss Sulli… I mean, this is the last time, someone calls you “Miss”, from the moment on, you will be Mrs. Choi. Congratulations on your Wedding day. Your father is waiting outside. The ceremony is beginning…” – The wedding planner came in and smiled, she helped her stand up and prepare.

At the lobby, her bride maids were in their gowns, smiling.

Victoria winked at her.

Luna thumped up.

Amber pouted, reminding her to smile.

Krystal, her Maid of honor gave her the bridal bouquet.

Rose. Pastel pink rose.

She whispered “Hey, Bride, don’t hang that poker face on that beautiful face, or else, I would slap your until you cry. There’s no groom in this world who wants to see this face from his Bride. You two have decided, and if you want, there’s still time for you to cancel the ceremony and run away. But once you take your father’s hand and come inside with him, please smile and be happy. Promise me, Ssul?”

She didn’t answer.

She took a deep breath and… nodded.

Mr. Choi whispered… “Are you ready, dear? Shall we come in?”

The big door opened.

Here came the Bride.

*Flashback*

3 weeks ago…

8 pm.

At the hospital.

She slowly open her eyes, they were a little bit tired.

Then she smiled, feeling the warmness on her hand.

“When did you come, boy? I thought you had left earlier?” – She said softly

“Grandma, how do you feel? Better?” – He answered, tighter his grip on her hand.

“I’ll go to see Sulli’s grandpa and your grandparents soon, boy… That thought makes me feel better…”

“Grandma, please don’t say that. Sulli won’t be happy if she hears these words…” –

She weakly chuckled.

“That little girl? Sooner or later, I’ll have to leave, and our Sulli will have to learn how to move on without me… As she learned how to move on without you…” – The old lady lifted up her hand to pinch at his nose.

“You’re mad at me, aren’t you?” – His voice condensed

“Why should I, my dear?”

“For not taking care of Sulli, for… for refusing her?” – He gulped

She smiled, reaching out for his hands.

“Min Ho, I’m mad at you, yes, right… Because you refused to come back to the old you, refused our help… But it was long time ago. Now, you’re back to the old Min Ho, the old cheerful and caring grandson of mine, why should I mad at you?... Sulli? I taught her to believe in fairy tales, but I didn’t teach her that fairy tales were fabricated by us, human… And if she wants miracles happen, she would have to make it herself… And I’m glad she learned from those what happened… Life is not a fairy tale. She learned it by herself and continued to move on…”

“So, why do you still want us to get married?” – He asked, still holding her hand

“Because I’m old, Min Ho… And when people get old, they become silly. They still want to do something silly… And as a silly old woman, I still want to keep my promise with my little granddaughter… I don’t want to leave her alone, I want to give her hands to you. Silly, right? I guess…”

“What if this is a wrong decision?”

“Then this is truly not a fairy tale, dear, this is life…” – She smiled – “Sometimes in your life, it worth to give everything a little try… To move on, and let your heart decide…”

*End of flashback*

…

He was standing at the end of the aisle, and here she came, in her white wedding dress.

She looked so beautiful. She was becoming his wife.

What did he say?

Wife.

“Be my wife, Sulli…”

*Flashback*

“Don’t worry oppa, I’ve talked to Grandma. She didn’t say anything, but I think she won’t mention it again…” – Sulli softly smiled and turned her back at him

“I’m proposing to you, Choi Jin Ri…” – He said boldly

“…”

She turned around.

“Are we playing the game again, oppa? Who will get mad first for not standing the other doesn’t answer?” – She laughed

“Will you marry me?”

“….”

“I have to go to the hospital, see you later oppa…”

Her arm was kept by his. Strongly.

“We will get married, Ssul…” – He said, firmly

“We won’t, oppa. Don’t push yourself because of my grandmother…”

“She doesn’t want to leave without seeing you getting married, she want us to be together.”

“We are still together, as usual, we’re always together since we were kids. Now we’re still together, aren’t we? – Sulli said, opened her brown eyes and looked straight into his.

“Together as husband and wife, together as a couple, that’s what she wishes… Her last wish…”

“It’s not, it’s not her last wish…” – Sulli started to tremble, her voice was shaking when Min Ho mention her grandmother “last wish”.

“Sulli, her last wish is to see us together, see the two of us get married…” – He said softly

“Why do I have to do this? Why? Why, why do you have to marry me? Why?” – Sulli cried, she couldn’t hold it anymore, her heart sank. She thought

“Grandma wants us to take care of each other, she wishes after she’s gone, I’ll be able to take care of you, I’ll be able to bring her cheerful granddaughter back…” – Min Ho said lovingly

“She’s dying, oppa… She’s dying… Grandma is dying…” – Sulli cried harder, tears flew down her milky face. She tried to deny it, deny that painful truth, but, truth is truth… Her grandmother was on her very last time.

She wished she could have more time with her, she would be stronger so that when her grandmother had gone, she wouldn’t have to worry about her, she would have smile on heaven to see her granddaughter move on.

“Ssul, that’s why she wants us to be together…” – Min Ho hugged her, rubbing her back.

“What kind of marriage is this if I say yes? You don’t want this, don’t you?” – Laying her head on Min Ho’s chest, Sulli cried her heart out.

“Ssul, you have grown up with me. 5 years since that… uhm… that day, you’re still here with me. I don’t know what will happen nor will I be able to bring you happiness. But, for our Grandma, at least, shall we give it a try? And, as she told me… Let the hearts decide…”

*End of flash back*

…

Wedding ceremony.

He took her hand, smiled at her.

He didn’t know if his smile was the same as the smile that Sulli once told him when they were young that “The groom will stand at the end of the aisle, with his big silly happiest smile waiting for me…”

He didn’t know what this feeling was.

Does he love her? Yes, he loves her. From the day they knew each other, he knew he loved her, as his sister, then as the most important person in his life. Even when he had Seo Hyun by his side. She was still there, she was still the owner of one of the very deep corner in his heart…

But, what is this love?

How could he name this?

What kind of love is this?

His little sister?

From now on, she would be his wife, his life’s partner.

And… “Let your hearts flow… You’ll find the answer soon, my dear Min Ho… It’s time for you to move on, take her hands or not, it’s still the right time for you to move on and find the answer for the question you asked me on that January night, two months before her 15^th birthday…”

…

“I, Choi Min Ho, take you, Choi Jin Ri, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law, in the presence of God I make this vow.”

“I, Choi Jin Ri, take you, Choi Min Ho, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law, in the presence of God I make this vow.”

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My dear Minsullians, readers and subbies. Here comes my Chapter 2.

I know this chapter is boring. I already have all in mind for those next chapters, and I just want to jump right away to those, but still, we need to go through this in order to build a completed story. Please bear this with me.

Let me know your thought by your comments, and please upvote, if you find my fiction interesting. Thank you, your comments are my inspirations.

From Ceroro with love <3