Chapter 29
Eventhough So

The funeral extended for another 3 hours. It saddens for me to see a funeral that has more strangers than family members. Hae suddenly came to me, sat beside me, and leaned her head on my shoulder. We stayed intertwined with each other for a moment, no words exchanged between us.

"I don't know why I'm like this. I shouldn't cry more than you." Hae sniffed. "Don't talk like you don't know me. You know I can't cry during funerals." I smiled. Hae looks to my left ring finger, and she sprung up. "I have to tell you something about Chansung. You can't marry him." Hae's eyes were wide, her voice coarsed. I cocked my head to the side. Rigidly, I stood up to join her.

"That's a bewildered statement, Hae. What made you say that. Appa-ragu?" I asked. Not wishing to know her excuse. "There's something about him, you need to know! Please." Hae slightly begged. "What is it?" A husky manly voice came from behind me.

"What is it, Hae?" he repeated. Hae was stunned. Not knowing what to do. I don't know if I was relieved, or conceited at the sight of him. But no matter what, he reminds me of that night.

I hate him. But I miss him, quite frankly.

I don't know what's got into me, but I dashed into his arm, and it felt home. The tears almost cursing out of my eyeballs, but I tried very hard not to show anyone. "You shouldn't be here." I said to him. "Yes I think I should. I have to pay my respect." Chansung said, marching right into the funeral center, gripping my hand. He bows, underneath the big picture of Doctor Kim, smiling. "That's his future son-in-law. A rich man coming from a chaelbol family. So unfortunate he didn't get to see his daughter's marriage." A random ahjumma spoke.

I sat in the limousine, after not finding Hae outside. I guess she left to attain eomma.

Eomma...I haven't seen her in awhile. I hope she's doing okay.

Chansung is once again on the phone, with someone I don't know. Omi moves nearer to Chansung, and at an instant she lays her head on Chansung's wide shoulders. And like a switch, Chansung stopped talking. "...I'll call you back." He hung up the phone, and sighed.

"I don't know if I'll miss him. He was never there. Or is he always there, that I stopped caring? How did I become so heartless?" Omi muttered. Chansung didn't reply but he's listening to every word. The sun was eaten by the night, and I find myself on the kitchen island looking down. I feel so gloomy and a death in the family have taken me to my state of insanity.

Despite all that, I can't cry.

*****

The day has come. The long awaited day has come. "Your hair and make up is done. You may proceed to your wedding dress now..." The hairdresser said. I walked nervously towards to the room. The changing room was as big as my lawn, seriously. Chansung never ceased to amaze me in every way he can. Then I saw, a familiar dress.

A red dress. Drawn by Chansung in his Galaxy Tab.

Chansung was standing amidst the full-length mirror, watching himself. He has put himself into a situation where he mustn't look back. Wearing a black tuxedo and a blood red handkerchief folded neatly on his left pocket, he inhales deeply, then turned away. The crowd was applauding, and as the traditions have it, the groom must wait for the bride patiently. "Let's just hope nothing bad happened to her..." Junho commented. "What does that suppose to mean?" Chansung gritted his teeth. "I'm just saying. You don't know what Hara's capable of."

The glimpse of her dress wash away his worries. She looked magnificent. Taecyeon took her by his arm, and led her to Chansung. When she arrives at the end of the aisle, she nodded to Junho and lastly, peeked to see Chansung. "...We are gathered here..." Blah blah blah. Chansung's mother was crying. His father is feeling contented, and by the side, Omi's mother, and Hae. "You may kiss the bride." Crowd was amazed at such a beautiful couple they both have made.

The moment Omi waits for him to kiss her, he looked at her and say, "...You're mine." As scary as it may sound, it was also y as hell. The wedding preceeded with a dinner, fit for royalty. And of course, a dance. "Will you dance with me Mr. Hwang Chansung?" Omi asked him. "Sure, Mrs. Hwang Chansung." He tilted his head to the side, and joined her.

Then comes the slow dancing. Omi lays her head on his heart, listening to its beating calmly. "I hope you play your cards well." Omi said. "Why so?" He replied, twirling her once, and bring her close to him. "We've come this far. I'm not Hara, and I will never be her." She patted his shoulder, and let her grip loosen on him, then she steps back, and whispered to Chansung's mother, to which she responded with the biggest smile a lady has ever had. As if knowing what she'd told her, Chansung spread one arm toward his mother and danced with her.

Omi sits on the chair, drinking an apple juice to past the time. Chansung danced with her mother next, while Taecyeon entertained Mrs. Hwang, Chansung's mother. "Sorry to intterupt, but you haven't danced with me yet, and that's a big no-no to the Hwangs family." Chansung's dad said. His eyes shrinks when he smiles, and I couldn't resist his charms. Dancing to L.O.V.E by Nat King Cole, he has moves that would put many young man to shame, truly. I kept giggling, since he keeps astonishing me with his moves.

"Thank you for taking care of Channie for us." He smiled. "I think its the other way around. He took care of me." In so many ways that is quite true, remeniscing the other night... "We wouldn't know what we could've done if he was with someone else. And by someone else, I meant, Hara..." He has a worried eyes when he mentioned her name. "Why do you say so?" I asked out of curiousity. " By so many reasons...Hasn't he talked to you about Hara?" Mr. Hwang asked. "I'm afraid not. He rarely...no, almost never talked about Hara. I try to bring her up on most of our conversations, but he just... What about Hara were you worried of?" I asked. "Everything." He said, and hold me gracefully.

What everything? What does everything mean? Geez.