“Everything’s gonna be fine. Everything’s gonna be perfect.” 

    Right, she thought. Sooyoung was right she thought. Today was her day, her wedding day for crying out loud and she was not gonna think too much on her wedding day. Enough thinking. She’s gonna walk down that aisle on the arm of her father and stand before the man who she will marry. What else was there to think?

    Two knocks on the door made the girls startled a bit. Sooyoung gave Jessica an encouraging smile and mouthed, “It’s okay, believe me.” and went to open the door. A lean boy, in a white tuxedo, slightly taller than Sooyoung slide through the door and when Jessica saw the who the person was, she smiled, her first genuine smile that day. 

    He saw her and smiled back. Like he always did since the first time they met at her 4th birthday party. 

   “Hey, Choi? Do you probably have a piece of tissue with you? I don’t know, just seeing my best friend in a wedding dress makes me want to cry. I just, never thought she’d get married before me, or to be honest, I’d never thought any guy would even proposed to her.” Jiyong joked and earned a slap on the arm from Sooyoung. “Shut up will you? The bride is nervous and your stupid jokes aren’t making her feeling any better.”

    Jessica shook her head and laughed silently. When she looked at them, Jiyong was already walking towards her, still wearing his cheeky smile.

   “You’re nervous?” 

   “Wouldn’t you? I mean, on your wedding day?” 

   Jiyong chuckled. “Yeah, maybe I would.” 

   She gave him a faint smile and Jiyong pouted.

   “Everything’s gonna be okay, and you will be happy with Suho. He’s amazing, Jessica and he will not hurt you. Smile for him, please? For his parents, your parents, the guests out there, for that annoying lil girl over there,”

   “Hey I heard that!” 

   Jiyong rolled his eyes and continued, “and smile for me. You know your smile always makes me feel better. I have to admit, I’m just as nervous as you are right now.”

  She wrapped her arms around his real quick and cried. “Thank you, Ji. I love you. You’re my best friend and I love you.”

  “I know, and I love you too.”

   Jessica broke the hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek and smiled and he smiled back. 

  “I should go. It’s starting soon.” 

   Jessica nodded.

   At the door, he gave Jessica one last encouraging smile and turned to Sooyoung.

   “I’ll miss you once you’re gone.” said Sooyoung. Jiyong’s eyes widen, then sighed. He gave Sooyoung a hug and whispered, “I haven’t told her.” 

   “I know.”

   “Wait, gone? What do you mean gone? Ji, where are you going?” Jessica asked, her eyes locked on Jiyong, she turned to Sooyoung who seemed to be mouthing something to Jiyong and left the room.

  “I, uh, I’m moving to London, Jessica. My dad wants me to be transferred there. Might be for years, might be forever.” 

 “Forever? You mean you’re not coming back?” At this point she was already crying and her make up was probably ruined but that was the last thing she cared about. Her best friend is leaving.

  London. That’s 11 hours flight away. Every little memory of her and Jiyong suddenly came flashing in her mind.That night when he brought medicine and blankets and her favourite movies that she left behind in his apartment to her house because she was sick and Suho was is Japan while Sooyoung was on a holiday with her family in New Zealand. That night, Jiyong called her over because the girl he thought he’d be with forever dumped him. She remembered Jiyong was drunk when she arrived and he had confessed to her saying he’d never love any other girl like he loved her nor any other girl would love him like Jessica loved him. She knew Jiyong was in love with her. She remembered his reaction when she told him Suho proposed and she said yes. His face showed anger and sadness but Jessica pushed the thoughts away. He smiled anyway for her, like he always did. 

  “Maybe.”

  Nothing’s gonna be okay now. 

**

  “You’re alright? You seemed as if you just finished crying? Too nervous?”

   Jessica looked up to her dad and sighed. “Jiyong’s leaving. To London, and he might not be coming back.” 

  “Oh dear, I’m so very sorry. I didn’t know.” 

  “Neither did I.”

  “You know, I’ve always thought you were going to end up with that guy. I like him.” he said. His palm resting on his daughter’s cheek. “You two have a beautiful friendship and distance isn’t going to break your strong bond. Anything isn’t gonna break your friendship.”

  “I know, but I still don’t like him leaving. What if I get sick and Suho’s away? What if I want ice-cream in the middle of the night but too lazy to get out to buy it? Who’s gonna buy it for me? What if there’s a new good rom com movie come out and who will I be watching it with? Video calls are great but still, I just, I don’t know, dad.”

  “Is Suho not capable of doing those things for you, or, do you only want Jiyong to do them for you? Tell me my dear, honestly, are you in love with him? Jiyong, I mean. If you are, it’s not too late.”

  He said, then, gently tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear. Jessica closed her eyes. What about Suho? He’s always been so nice, so gentle, so understanding and forgiving but will he forgive me for this? Will he understand why?

  “I know you’re thinking about Suho. He’s a wonderful guy. Your mother loves him. He never made you cry whereas I remember there have been lots of times where you came to me crying because you fought with Jiyong but isn’t that what love really is? Not perfect? Think about it, Jessica. You still have time, not much, but there’s still time.”

**

  Jessica gave a smile as she walked down the aisle on the arms of her father. She looked around and saw, her mother crying next to Suho’s mother who was also crying and she thought if Jiyong’s mother was still here, she’d been crying too. She turned her head and saw her friends, Tiffany, Yoona, Seunghyun, Nichkhun then her eyes moved again and she saw Sooyoung and next to her was him, Kwon Jiyong. He mouthed something and Jessica had always been good at lip reading. 

  Smile for me, please.

  She smiled.

  Thank you.

  She didn’t even realise she was already at the altar, standing next to Suho. He smiled and whispered, “You look breath taking.” 

  She felt her heart wrenching for every second passed. She didn’t hear anything other than the line 

  “Do you, Jessica Jung except Kim Junmyeon, to be your truly wedded husband?”

   Jessica looked around and saw Tiffany giving her thumbs up, crying and her husband, Nichkhun comforting her. She saw her mother and Suho’s mother giving her the smile that only mothers have. She saw her father, giving her a smile, she turned to see Sooyoung giving her a faint smile and mouthed everything’s gonna be okay.

   Will it? 

   She looked next to Sooyoung, where Jiyong was standing before, was empty. He looked back to Sooyoung and Sooyoung nodded her head towards to entrance door. She quickly turned her head only to see Jiyong walking out his way towards the door.

   “Jiyong!” she called out. Everyone was surprised, except for her dad who was smiling wider than before. 

   He didn’t turn around.

   “Kwon Jiyong, wait, please, for me.” 

    He stopped and turned around. 

    Jessica ran down the aisle towards her, she stopped half way to take her heels off and continued running, faster than before. She hugged him, “I’m going with you.”

   “Jessica, no, your-“

   “I don’t care Jiyong, I don’t. I am in love with you. I’m sorry it took so long for me to realise that I am deeply in love with you.” 

   “I am in love with you too.” 

   Jiyong leaned in and kissed her. Jessica felt her lips melting through the kiss. 

    Jessica turned around to Suho after she broke the kiss. She saw him struggling to keep a smile on his face but his eyes seemed to be telling her that he’s okay and she should be happy with Jiyong. 

    Jessica smiled as he gave her a thumbs up. She turned back to Jiyong and asked, “When are you leaving? I mean you know how long I take to pack my things.”

   “Yeah I do, I mean I could go there and stay for years and come back only to see you haven’t finished packing.” Jiyong joked. 

   “Shut up you bastard.” she scoffed and smiled at the thought that everything’s gonna be okay now.