JiYoo stared at the huge mahogany doors in front of her nervously, her right hand clutching tightly onto her father’s left arm as she balanced the bouquet in her hands. The Wedding March began playing but today, it sounded like a Funeral March instead. She looked at her father and he nodded, his face stoic.

The doors opened and JiYoo saw the guests rise to their feet. She could see her step-mother at the end of the aisle, smiling encouragingly at her as she began her first step towards the front of the church. Her eyes went to the smirking man in front of the priest. Her husband-to-be.

I hate you. I hate you.

As she continued walking towards the rows upfront, her eyes searched for the people she wanted to see the most. The boys of SJ were looking up at her, giving her various sad smiles. All except one. EunHyuk, in his white and silver suit, refused to look up and was glaring at the floor as if his life depended on it. JiYoo’s heart felt a tugging pain as she continued watching him, hoping he would at least look up and glance her way. Beside him, her good friend, YooMin caught her eye and gave her a rueful smile. 

“Don’t lose hope.” She mouthed silently.

Don’t lose hope? I’m already 10steps away from my impending doom and I’m not supposed to lose hope? I hate that witch. That witch who spent all of Father’s money and got Mother killed. And now, to regain the wealth and make Father proud, I have to marry him. Kim Joon Sung. Korea’s richest tycoon, who only wants the marriage so that he can hit the news.

JiYoo continued focusing her eyes on the friends she loved, refusing to even look at the grinning man waiting for her in front. Her mind wandered to a memory she and EunHyuk had just a year ago.

“I will only marry the man who can shoot down the Sun for me.” Jiyoo announced as she wiped her perspiration off her forehead. She and EunHyuk were at the beach, having their weekly jogs.

“Then that person shall be me.” EunHyuk replied.

JiYoo raised her eyebrows, “And how exactly are you going to do that?”

EunHyuk shrugged and flashed her his gummy smile. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, you can just think about marrying me.”

“I’m handing her to you now.” JiYoo heard her father’s whisper as he pulled his arm from her grip. They had reached the altar and JiYoo’s hand was now placed on to the arm of JoonSung.

JiYoo’s heart was bursting with pain and frustration but she willed herself not to cry. The past few nights were spent in tears because she could not accept the reality that was overtaking her.

This marriage was not JiYoo’s choice. But it was beyond her control. Her father’s dying wish was to see his only daughter married and to regain the wealth that they lost. He was already facing stage 3 of lung cancer and JiYoo only felt it was right to fulfil her father’s last wish. But she did not know she had to give up the only man she really loved. JoonSung was the epitome of superficiality. He never loved JiYoo. It was all for the attention. Never could JoonSung cause JiYoo’s heart to skip a million beats. It was only a feeling that only EunHyuk could do.

“Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to celebrate the union…..” The priest began his speech and JiYoo was felt her insides squirm. YooMin told her to not lose hope. Maybe, just maybe, a miracle could still happen. Trying to busy herself with the Priest’s speech, JiYoo was unaware with the flutter of movement going on behind her.

“If anyone now present objects to the union of these 2 souls, please speak now or forever hold your peace.”

JiYoo could not help but turn back and look at her friends seated, shooting them pleading looks, and wishing one of them would stand up. As she gazed at the 2 rows, she realised the seat between RyeoWook and YooMin was empty. DongHae and SungMin disappeared from their seats too. JiYoo then shot YooMin a confused look.

“A while more.” YooMin mouthed as she nodded gently.

Where’s EunHyuk? DongHae and SungMin too?

“Okay then,” The Priest cleared his throat and started reading from his little book again.

JiYoo can’t help but turn her head back again, to the annoyance of JoonSung.

“Stop looking back and pay attention to the priest.” JoonSung hissed.

She ignored him and continued looking at her friends, her frustration turning into hope as she saw them smile for the first time in days.

ShinDong, who was the closest to JiYoo, began pointing to the door, and started gesturing with his hands. JiYoo tried her best to understand his signs but she felt a hand squeeze her gloved hand and she turned her head back to the priest.

Before we say the wedding vows, I’m supposed to look at them? What is ShinDong trying to tell me?

JiYoo felt her heart pounding loudly against her chest. This could be the miracle she was hoping for.

“Do you,” The priest snapped you out of your thoughts, “Lee JiYoo, take, Kim JoonSung, as your lawfully wedded husband, for richer or for poorer, for sickness or in health, till death do you part?”

“I-I..” JiYoo started as she turned to look at her friends again. YooMin was now on the phone and whispering wildly into it. She gave ShinDong a thumbs up and ShinDong nodded confidently at JiYoo.

“Honey, say you do” JoonSung mumbled, trying to keep the smile on his face.

JiYoo looked at her friends again and this time, all of them were nodding their heads frantically at her.

It was now or never.

“I don’t.” JiYoo let go of JoonSung’s hand.

The crowd gasped in shock and JiYoo’s stepmother shrieked.

“WHAT?!”

JiYoo ran towards her father and hugged him.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Her father nodded understandingly and nodded, “I know, dear. I’m sorry too.”

With one last look at her father, JiYoo lifted the skirt of her dress up and ran towards the doors, where LeeTeuk and HeeChul were already waiting. JiYoo’s stepmother was now screaming insults at JiYoo but JiYoo did not care. She ran and ran and ran, only stopping slightly as HeeChul and LeeTeuk opened the heavy doors for her.

Unable to speak, she turned to them and smiled gratefully.

‘We’ll handle this. Just go.”

JiYoo began taking off her dreadfully high heels and soon spotted SungMin and YooMin at the side of the road, waiting for her.

“Come on, DongHae will be coming soon.” YooMin yelled.

JiYoo ran down the steps just as a van rounded the corner and stopped noisily beside them.

“Go on.” SungMin said as he opened the door.

JiYoo climbed in the van, still panting from the sudden turn in events.

“I’ve got your flip flops and clothes ready.” YooMin smiled as she handed JiYoo the paperbag she was holding.

“Thanks guys.” That was all JiYoo could manage as she wore the slippers.

SungMin nodded and soon shut the door.

JiYoo turned to the driver’s seat and was surprised to see DongHae manning the wheel.

“EunHyuk’s waiting for you.”

JiYoo nodded, breathless and unable to speak. Her heart was bursting with joy.

I’m out. I’m out of that wretched arrangement.

“I can never thank you guys enough for helping me today.”  JiYoo started as she tugged the hideous veil and tiara out of her head.

“Don’t worry about it. Yours and EunHyuk’s happiness is also our happiness.” DongHae replied, his eyes twinkling as he drove through an empty grass patch. Soon, a small jet came in view. In front of the jet was a man in a silver and white suit, his blonde hair shining against the sunlight.

DongHae stopped the van and nodded at JiYoo, “Go.”

JiYoo flashed him another grateful smile and opened the door of the van.

Because of the size of her skirt, she was unable to take big steps towards EunHyuk so she waited for him to close the gap between them.

“You came.” He whispered.

“Of course I did. I almost thought you were going to leave me there with him.” JiYoo buried her faced in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I don’t think that jerk is capable of shooting down the sun anyway.” EunHyuk laughed.

JiYoo looked up at him and stared at EunHyuk’s dark brown orbs, “I love you. Whether or not you can shoot the sun, I still love you.”

“I loved you yesterday and I love you still,” Eunhyuk then lifted JiYoo’s chin up gently and continued,” I’ve loved you today and I always will.”

He closed the gap between the two of them, capturing JiYoo’s lips into a kiss. They stayed like that; lips moving each other gently as each poured their feelings of love into the kiss.

JiYoo slid her hands around EunHyuk’s neck as he rested his forehead on hers, grinning slightly as both of them gasped for air.

“What now?” JiYoo asked.

EunHyuk then pulled her arms down from his neck and held her right hand, pulling her towards the jet.

“Do you think it’d be right if we had our honeymoon first before the wedding?” EunHyuk winked at her and carried his blushing bride in his arms.