19-02 Happily Married
Happily MarriedThis is for all of my loyal readers who don’t lose faith with my lack of update.
Hakyeon changed out of stage outfit and stood in front of the mirror in VIXX’s waiting room, removing his make-up. Hespotted, in the corner of the mirror,a Taekwoon slumped on the couch, eyes closed, fully clothed in sweaty stage wear and smudge make-up.
He sighed. “Taekwoona…” he turned sideways to look at his friend who didn’t respond so he nudged the lifeless lump and called again, “Taekwoona.”
“Umm,” came the weak moan but otherwise he still didn’t show any sign of life.
“Come on man, we have a magazine photo shoot and interview, just live through that and you’re done for the night.” He practically dragged his friend down the couch.
Taekwoon grumbled and brushed Hakyeon’s hands off his body, finally starting to prepare himself for the next schedule.
Hakyeon sighed yet again as he was gazing at Taekwoon’s robotically moving figure.
Taekwoon had never been the same after Luna left him.
******
Chanyeol checked the clock unwillingly knowing it was time for him to leave. He glanced at the figure sleeping peacefully and a smile crept on face. He loved staying by her side, watching her sleep and listening to the sound of her breath. Sometimes her eyes would move under the closed lids, her expression changing a bit. He wondered if she was dreaming, he wondered if he was a part of her dream.
After this round of promotion, he could spend more time with her during the hiatus. He would feed her, comb her hair and sing to her. “Just wait a little while noona, I’ll look after you more when I can.” He held her hand and gave a gentle squeeze. His grin dissolved as he pressed his lips tightly caressing at the glinting band around her ring finger.
Every time he saw that ring he felt it yelling at him, that Luna noona wasn’t his.
******
Taekwoon let himself hauled through the photo session and tried his best to appear interested during the interview. It wasn’t that hard because s covered almost all questions. He hoped his distress won’t really show as he was famous for being indifferent.
“VIXX is now a megastar and as you guys are at the age to marry, the fans want to know if any of you are considering marriage and what kind of girl would make your ideal wife?” The interviewer finally asked the inevitable question. The members chuckled and answered while joking at each other.
“…and… I think the girl has to be really strict with Hakyeon-hyun…” Wonsik was talking about Hakyeon’s bride-to-be when Takewoon blurted something under his breath.
“Does Leoshi have something to say? Finally? Please say something Leoshi.” The interviewer noticed him and gave him a chance to speak. Hakyeon gawked at him nervously.
“Umm… You might remember I made a public proposal at my girlfriend a couple years back.” Taekwoon started.
“Of course, we were all curious what happened to your relationship. Your agency even confirmed that you were dating to a… a… the writer of that award winning drama. But we never heard about her afterwards.”
“Actually we’re married. Happily married.”
Taekwoon smiled shyly while playing with a ring on his hand.
******
You tried to get the much needed oxygen. It felt like you were drowning several feet underwater. You gasped and a rush of water filled your lungs. You were drowning. You tried struggling but you couldn’t move either. You tried crying for help but no sound came out.
You can’t die right now. What about Taekwoon? Oh you can’t leave Taekwoon all alone. You promised him you would take care of everything that you would wait for him till the day starlights would accept you worthy of their star.
“Please save me!” you cried internally as a rough stream swept you deeper into the water. You tried opening your eyes but you can’t see anything but darkness. You found a shape moving from the corner of your eyes. What was that? Maybe a person. You tried to call for help from that person when you remembered he was the one who pushed you under the sea.
Now you remembered everything. You remembered calling Hakyeon and told him your decision to hide your marriage as long as it may take for the fans to accept the news. You remembered hanging up before he could say anything. You remembered Taekwoon cried himself to sleep tangled in your embrace. You remembered leaving a sleeping Taekwoon sobbing in his dream. You remembered taking a lonely walk along the dark beach. And you remembered him.
Him, a faceless stranger who was now on you. As you were walking on the beach, the stranger came onto you from the darkness, shoving you down on the sand, straddling you, keeping you captive using his big frame and incredible weight. You used all your strength to fight him back. When he realized he can’t have what he wanted, he blew your head with something hard and dropped the half conscious body in the sea.
You remembered drifting with the freezing tide which finally washed you back towards the shore, your body hitting a hard rock, then the consuming darkness as your conscious left your body.
******
Taekwoon walked into the hospital room wearily eyeing Chanyeol who was standing beside the bed where Luna lied inertly. From gazing longingly on her pale face, Chanyeol looked up. Taekwoon stood at other side of the bed, facing him. “Take care of her,” he said, and left the room swiftly.
“You don’t worry, I’m taking good care of my wife,” Taekwoon called after exiting Chanyeol. Chanyeol paused in the doorway and snorted. However he didn’t retorted anything and carried on his journey.
Taekwoon plopped down the chair beside the bed. He caressed her cheeks then the neck where the green veins were visible under the thin skin. He the many pipes connected to her, providing her all the life supplies she needed, barely keeping her alive. He was so scared and tired to see her like this.
Although he was seemingly alive, he felt like a dead person. He didn’t want to defend himself when Chenyeol found out what happened to her and beat him up. He didn’t even tried to stop Chanyeol when he started visiting her, tending her like she was his to be taken care of. As days turned into months the two men took the caretaker duty by shifts, matching their schedules so that one person will always be there by her side. They barely talked to each other but carried on the unspoken understanding as the months became years.
Taekwoon took a boney hand and kissed the wedding band on her ring finger, as it was his tradition of greeting her over the years. The very ring was the reason he willing let Chanyeol took care of her. It showed him who she belonged to.
He pressed the limp hand to his face, “Yeobo, how are you today?” He kissed her palm, “You’re cold,” he gathered bother her hands in his and started rubbing them.
“The doctors say you’re getting better but I don’t know… you’re very unresponsive. Please, please show me a sign that you’re coming back to me.” His voice started to faltered.
“Do you know how much I’m scared? When I woke up and didn’t see you beside me that night, and when I couldn’t find you anywhere…” he gulped down, his throat getting dry. He still can feel the horror from that night. “When they found your body on the rock the next morning, covered in bruises and freezing and blue.” Tears tinged his eyes, he was sure she committed suicide.
“I wanted to die, but they promised me you’ll live. I was a wreck for months but then again I realized this wasn’t what you’d have wanted for me. So I started working again.” This was the story he told her every single day in hope that she will appreciate his suffering and come back to him eventually.
“Today I was in an interview, the interviewer asked about marriage. She said it’s about time, that our fans want to see us settle down, to have a family.” He chuckled drily. “I told her I already have you, that today is actually our anniversary. I finally told the world that I was yours for many years now.” He got up from his seat to sit on the bed beside her. He leaned onto her fragile body and touched his face on hers, his fingers playing with the wedding ring on her hand. He started singing ‘Hate to be an Idol’, one of VIXX’s early songs, the song that she liked and deemed their song.
He lied there, eyes closed, pressed to her flimsy body, listening to her distant heartbeat when he heard a smallest of moan resonating her chest.
“Luna? Are you awake?” He looked up her face and he thought he lips trembled a bit. He sat up and examined her face, shaking fingers touching her lips finding for any sign of life. “Luna, yeoboya?”
That’s when he saw a single clear tear rolling from your fluttering eye.
“Taekwoon?” her hardly audible voice ringed like a thousand bells in his ears.
******
You were still drowning under the dark water. You desperately looked for light and air. Your lungs felt it was about to explode. You struggled and struggled and finally you started to feel your limbs. You tried your best to swim to the surface of the water. Yes! You can see rays of light coming from the surface, you swam towards the light.
“Luna, comeback to me.” Was it Taekwoon? You thought you heard Taekwoon calling you feverishly. And then you started to hear his voice clearly. He was talking to you.
“Taekwoon.” You called.
“Taekwoona,” you yelled again.
“Luna?” He seemed to hear you.
A tear of hopefulness escaped as you tried to open your heavy eyelids. You were too tired but as a final attempt, you gathered all the strength you could muster up and broke free of the sticky water weighing you down. You took a gulp of fresh air and shrieked at the top of your voice “Taekwoon?”
And… that’s a wrap. I’m so glad I’ve finished my first story on AFF.
I’ve sacrificed much loved sleep for this final chapter. Don’t be shy and let me know what you think.
(I didn’t sleep writing this last night and now I feel like in office on a Monday morning)
I know I promised you a Hongbin fic, I’m working on it so please be patient with me. I will update an advertisement chapter after I post the Hongbin fic.
Meanwhile I will finish the oneshot with Jungkook and update Jaejoong and VIXXO fics.
Thanks for everyone’s love and support even though I obviously lack the sense of responsibility.
Thank you again for putting up with me for all these time from the start.
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