After getting approval from the casts, it was time to meet her family. Gary as extremely nervous because it was his first time meeting them. Even Jihyo was nervous too. She didn’t know how her parents would react to her wanting to marry Gary, whom she hasn’t even properly introduced to them before.

Oppa… I’m scared. They will approve of us right?

Gary smiled and held her hand. Don’t worry too much, he thought to her, even though he himself was worried.

Ya, oppa, you are worried too, right? She smiled, seeing him trying his best to comfort her.

Of course, they are your parents! What if they don’t like me because I… left so suddenly?

I don’t know… oppa…

Gary stole a glance at Jihyo. If she valued the casts’ approval that much, her parents’ approval would be even more important to her. If they would to proceed with the marriage without their blessing, Jihyo would be caught in the middle.

“Jihyo-ah,” he said, turning to look at her. “If they disapprove, then we’ll wait until they approve, ok?” he caressed her cheeks. “Even if they don’t agree now, I’m confident that one year or two years later, they will agree… when they see that we truly love each other, then they will agree.”

“Oppa, I’m still scared,” she said, hugging him. She was glad that her was willing to wait, but her parents, especially her mother, were very stubborn.

Don’t worry, he thought, kissing her cheek. Everything will be alright in the end.

Finally, they reached her parent’s house.

“Eomma, appa,” Jihyo greeted.

“Mr Song, Mrs Song,” Gary greeted too.

Her father made a small smile, but her mother remained expressionless. Her father nudged her mother, and eventually she gave a small nod.

They all sat at the sofa. Tension hung in the air.  Gary’s heart pounded furiously against his ribcage that he wondered if they could hear it too.

“Mr Song, Mrs Song,” Gary begin, his lips nervously. “I… May I ask for your daughter’s hand? I… I know I’ve hurt her in the past when I left suddenly… I promise to never hurt her in the future,” he said as calm as he could.

Jihyo’s father looked at her mother, who suddenly stood up. “I’ll go and prepare dinner.”

“Eomma!” Jihyo whined, but her father pulled her back.

Now, there was only the three of them left. Gary sat there, playing with his fingers nervously.

His father coughed to break the silence. “There must be a reason why you left Korea so suddenly, Gary-ssi. And also, there must be a reason for your sudden decision to get married even before dating properly. I believe these two reasons are linked. Would you care to explain?”

Gary looked at Jihyo nervously. Should we tell them?

What if they end up getting freaked out by me, oppa? I’m scared…

Gary reached out to hold her hands. If HaHa could accept me, your parents could too, he affirmed her.

Jihyo took a deep breath. At least it was telling her father only. While she was closer to her mother, she was more afraid of her as well. Talking to her dad felt easier.

“Appa… what if I told you we had special powers?” she said in a low voice, so her mom could not hear.

“Mwo?!”

To prove it, Gary took the fruit knife on the table and made a small cut on his thumb. Jihyo held up his hand and healed it.

Her father watched in shock and amazement.

“Are you who they call the Stars?” he finally breathed.

“You know?!”

Her father nodded. “When I was a child, my grandmother used to tell me stories about people with special powers. She said they were called the Stars, and my grandfather was one of them. But because she wasn’t, none of their children were Stars.”

It got Gary interested. “Ah, jjinja? I’ve never heard of Stars marrying non-stars before!”

Her father nodded. “It was an arranged marriage. Their story was a pretty sad one, my grandmother told me, because he always complained that she couldn’t understand him. He loved another Star, but he had to marry my grandmother… so it was a marriage without love.”

“Omo… that’s sad…” Jihyo whispered.

“Hm,” her father nodded. “But in the olden days, marriage without love were very common anyway… I can’t believe you are one of them, Jihyo-ah.”

“I was shocked too…”

“Ok… so what has it got to do with everything?”

And so, they explained to him, glad that he was open minded about all these information.

“What about eomma…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find a chance to explain to her.”

After dinner, Jihyo’s mother called her into the room.

“You love him a lot, don’t you?”

She hung her head, not knowing what to reply. If she said yes, her mom would be angry. If she said no, her mom would still be angry because she lied.

Her mother went over to the drawers and took out a box.

“Here, take it.”

She opened the box carefully. It was a pair of golden bangles.

“Eomma?”

“My mother gave it to me when I got married,” she said cooly.

Jihyo stared at the bangles blankly for a few seconds before she finally understood.

“You approve of us?” she asked, getting teary.

Her mother sighed.

“You love him so much… you think I don’t know that you cried yourself to sleep every night when he left? You called out his name even when you were in a coma… and only he could wake you up… Even though I’m angry with him for hurting you… I know I would hurt you more if I disapprove right?

“I know he’s a good guy, I have faith in your taste, Jihyo-ah.”

“Eomma…” Jihyo started to tear, as she hugged her mom.

Her mom patted her hair and back. “Aigoo… Don’t cry, silly girl,” she said, tearing up herself. “You’re going to be someone’s wife soon, and eventually someone’s mother… don’t cry so easily.”

She sobbed into her mother’s shoulders like a child. Her mother hugged her tightly, soothing her back.

“After you get married… you won’t be our baby girl anymore… all grown up already, my daughter…. My precious daughter…. Take care of yourself well, ok?”

She could only nod while still sobbing.

A few days before the wedding, HaHa went over to Gary’s house to try out his best-man suit. Gary crouched over the tea-table in his dining room, fiddling with a pen in his hands. He seemed to be thinking hard about something.

“Hyung, what are you doing?” HaHa walked over in his best-man suit. “Do I look good?” he gestured, trying to stand as proud and tall as he can be.

Gary’s attention was still on the paper. “Yeah, sure. You’re the most handsome best-man ever.”

“YAH! You didn’t even look!” Haha grumbled.

Gary turned over with his brows furrowed. But when he saw HaHa smiling like a fool, he couldn’t help but break into a smile. HaHa’s fringe was combed sideways, so it touched his eyebrows slightly, making him look more matured than he usually looked.

“Ya, you look great, Dong Hoon. Don’t steal my limelight at the wedding!” he laughed.

HaHa held Gary’s chin and tilted it side to side. “I think you’re going to make the record for the ugliest groom,” he joked.

Gary rolled his eyes.

“Yah, I’m kidding, hyung. I’m really so so so happy for you! You two have went through so much to get together… I…. I feel like a father whose son’s finally getting married.” He exaggerated his actions and pretended to cry while hugging Gary.

Chuckling, he pulled away from him. “Stop fooling around!”

Although he said that, he knew HaHa was genuinely really happy for him.

“So what are you writing?” He peered over Gary’s shoulders to see.

“My wedding vows.”

“Isn’t it the standard ‘I’ll love you and cherish you till death do us part’? Why do you still need to write?”

“I know…. but some people write their own wedding vows to make it more meaningful, you know. We already said it once before….”

HaHa nodded. Gary told him before about the incident where Gary and Jihyo nearly died.

“So, I want to make it special.”

“Does she know? You should tell her to write hers too!”

“She’s not this kind of cheesy person. And she doesn’t know. It’s a surprise!” Gary smiled gleefully.

Haha nodded. He swiftly grabbed the paper from the table.

“YAH you’re not supposed to read it! Ah, I’m shy!” He tried to snatch it back, but to no avail.

In messy handwriting, the paper read:

I, Kang Gary, am blessed to be able to take you, Song Ji Hyo, as my lawfully wedded wife.

I may not be a prince charming, or a knight in shining armour,

But I will be the sun that brightens up your day,

I will be the moon that guides you through the darkest times,

I will be the guardian angel that protect you,

I will be your one and only Kang Gary,

Who will love you, cherish you, and honour you,

Till death do us part.

“Awwwww… so romantic,” he teased. “But why did you scribble over the last line?

“Because I’ll love her even when we are separated by death.”

Their wedding was carried out on a cruise. Not many people were invited, only the running man members and their family, Jihyo’s family and friends, Mdm Park and a few well-behaved kids, including YongHui and HyeJin, and finally, Gary’s friends, which included Dylan and his wife, and Gil.

First, videos of their Monday Couple moments are played. The members reminisced over each and every episodes as they watched the video. Jae Suk unconsciously shed some tears of joy. Gary’s faced turn red as he watched himself being so romantically cheesy, but he still enjoyed the videos. It was these little moments that made them who they were.

Then, it was time for the wedding march.

Gary stood up the stage, overwhelmed by pride, joy, and nervousness. He played with his fingers anxiously as he waited for Jihyo to walk out.

The doors opened, and Jihyo walked out, linking arms with her father, who had watery eyes already.

Gary’s jaw dropped. She wasn’t in the most fanciful wedding dress, just a simple, white wedding gown and a diamond necklace to top it off.

But to him, it was like an angel just descended on Earth. She was smiling her usual mesmerizing smile, and walked gracefully down the aisle. Her long, braided hair swayed left and right, in sync with her gown.

Finally, she was in front of him. He held to hold back a gasp but failed. She giggled at how surprised he looked. Her father passed her hands to Gary’s and held them together tightly.

“I entrust her to you now, son,” he nodded, smiling and crying at the same time. “My precious daughter, take good care of her.”

Gary nodded confidently.

“Now, it’s time for the wedding vows,” the wedding officiant announced. He looked at Gary, signalling him to start.

He cleared his throat. His palm was getting clammy and his mouth was dry from nervousness. He swallowed anxiously and his lips. Taking a deep breath, he was ready to start.

“Everyone, I thank you for taking your precious time to attend our wedding,” he begun. “I’ll now begin my wedding vow. I’ve wrote it myself to make it more meaningful…”

And so he read.

As he read, Jihyo smiled and felt tears welling up her eyes. Gary noticed and gave her hands a squeeze.

By the time it was her turn to say, her voice was slightly shaking.

“I… wrote my wedding vows myself, too.”

Gary looked at her, in shock. She smiled. Since we’ve already said it once, she thought to him.

He smiled back. We think so similarly.

With quivering voice, she said,

“I, Song Ji Hyo, take you, Kang Gary, as my lawfully wedded husband.

Thank you, for always protecting me.

Thank you, for being my rainbow after the thunderstorm,

For being my sunshine after the rain.

You’ll always be my prince charming, my guardian angel.

I’ll love you, cherish you, and honour you, forever and always.

And even when death do us apart,

You’ll always be in my heart.”

Before the wedding officiant could announce for them to exchange their rings, they pulled each other into an embrace and kissed each other, both in tears of joy.