Chapter X: The Wedding

Dara didn't respond.

They sat for a moment, staring at the chapel.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked at last.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'll go make sure they're open and that they have room. Do you want to come along and see if you like the place? Because there are plenty of others, that there is."

"No, it doesn't matter. Let's just get this over with."

"Okay."

He got out and strode down the wide sidewalk to the green door of the wedding chapel. They'd passed several competing places as they'd driven through the city. Some had a store front; others resembled a plan house or the lobby of a hotel. A few actually appeared to be churches, but they all looked as if they were having some sort of identity crisis. Decorated with neon lighting in the front, much like chapels in Las Vegas. And they only got cheesier and more horribly furnished the closer to the Love District they were. Jiyong figure this would be the best place he'd find other than a real church and far better than a government building.

Jiyong suddenly remember the beautiful, traditional Korean wedding he and Taeyeon had. Dozens of friends and family at a beautiful old shrine. It was a long and wonderful ceremony. He had never been more nervous, and he had never seen Taeyeon looking as beautiful as she was in pure white kimono, her face painted white and she sparkled from the light bouncing off the many ornaments that hung from her headdress. He wore the traditional black kimono, and cut a fine figure if he remembered properly.

A wave of guilt washed over him as he glanced at the flashing neon light above him. This was nowhere near the kind of wedding he was offering Dara. But then he remembered that this wedding was only for show and to protect his investment. Besides, he was sure Dara wouldn't have wanted such a display for a fake wedding.

At first the small lavender lobby was empty, but as soon as the bell tinkled over the door, announcing Jiyong's presence, a young, chunky, high school girl appeared from somewhere in the back and took her place behind a cash register.

"May I help you?"

Jiyong told her what he wanted. She gave him instructions on how to get a marriage license and where the nearest place he could get one was and charged him twelve thousand, one hundred and forty-five yen in advanced for the ceremony.

When he returned to the car, Dara was reading a book called Hematopathology.

"Time to get the license." He said.

"But it should only take a few minutes."

She nodded, seemingly immersed in her studies.

He came around the car and drove to the nearest courthouse, where he had her go with him. No blood test or birth certificates required, only one form of picture ID. They both flashed their driver's licenses and were back at the chapel in twenty minutes.

"I'll get your clothes." He said, popping the trunk as they got out of the car.

"There's really no need to change is there?" Dara asked, standing on the curb.

"I mean, no one's even here to see us. If I don't wear it I can take the dress back and save CL some money."

"Come on. We should get a good picture for Sanghyun. He deserves a souvenir that he does. And I'm sure CL wanted you to wear that dress or she wouldn't have bought it."

"I don't think CL understands what's really going on here, even though I've tried to explain it to her." She muttered, but she dutifully took her hang-up bag and small suitcase into the changing room with her when they went inside.

Jiyong used another small room to change into his best suit and tie, and then waited alone in what served as one of the actual "chapels."

 A small room with about ten fold-up chairs, it also had an abundance of dusty silk-flower arrangements and some candles and burning sticks of incense arranged symmetrically in front of a sort of shrine. Again Jiyong was flooded with memories; of the scent of fresh flowers mixed with the thick curling smoke of the hand rolled incense sticks. Again he felt guilt, glancing around at the fake, dusty flowers that had to be over ten years old. And the cheap drugstore type incense sticks that smelled more like burning wood than anything. The joke of a shrine had his lips turning downward.

A noise drew Jiyong's attention to the doorway, where he found Dara, looking as though she might bolt at any moment.

"You look…nice."

He said, knowing it was a tremendous understatement, but trying to keep them on safe ground. She'd piled her brown hair loosely on top of her head, which revealed the delicate hairs that curled at the nape of her neck and accentuated the size and shape of her light brown eyes. Her dress was sleeveless and sort of bone colored with a tailored bodice and a flared skirt that fell to midcaff. Nylons and strappy sandals finished off the ensemble. She'd quickly swiped on a touch of glossy, pink lipstick.

She looked far different than the traditional figure Taeyeon cut during their wedding but Dara was y as hell in her own way. But if he told her that, he might just pull her into his arms.

Hoping his expression didn't betray him, Jiyong motioned for her to come on into the room.

"Where's the minister?" She asked, hanging back.

"The girl out front said it's a woman. She should be here very soon."

Dara nodded, sighed, then wrung her hands.

He smiled and handed her the bouquet he'd bought her.

"You seem nervous, that you do."

Her chin came up, but when she answered her voice was a little higher than normal.

"I'm not nervous. Why would I be nervous?"

"Who knows what's going on inside that pretty head of yours. Why don't you tell me?" He flashed her a pleading smile.

She tugged at her lip with her teeth and moved closer to him, then looked over her shoulder once and lowered her voice.

"I've just been wondering if…if you're going to kiss me. I mean, I think it might embarrass me if you let the minister know that you don't want to. But-"

She swallowed.

"-I understand if you don't…want to."

Jiyong watched her in amazement. She didn't know how appealing she was. That if he were any other man.

"This is just a business deal and all that." She was saying.

"You don't really like me, I mean in that way, but it wouldn't have to be a big kiss. Just a peck, so the minister doesn't know."

Tears started to well in her eyes, but she blinked furiously and managed to hold them back.

"I didn't think any of this would bother me, but now that I have this dress on and I'm holding these flowers, I feel kinda like a real bride, you know?"

"I was going to kiss you."

Jiyong said gently, feeling sad for her predicament.

"Right."

Her cheeks went pink and she nodded.

"Okay."

Dara cringed inside. Her and her big mouth. She'd already made a fool of herself once today, when she'd started that war with her uncle. She just didn't know when to quit, did she?

Avoiding Jiyong's curious gaze, she stared down at the perfect white roses in her bouquet, then smoothed the skirt of her dress, wishing the minister would hurry. She wanted to put this day behind her, get back home. But there was another wedding party next door, a happy, large crowd but then finally the minister walked in. She was a large, happy looking older woman in black robes. She introduced herself to them and promptly took her place in front of the shrine.

"Are we all set? Who's going to be our witnesses?"

Dara glanced around, a sudden depression washed over her at the sight of the empty room. She shook it away and glanced at Jiyong. She hadn't thought about witnesses other than her uncle.

"I paid for that service to be performed for us." He assured her and the minister.

"Fine." The older lady said and she disappeared behind a door and spoke to someone. A minute later she returned with a man and woman. Staff members.

"Now we're ready. They will be your witnesses. Shall we get started?"

The two employees seated themselves in the folding chairs and the minister cleared .

"We are gathered here today…"

It was the customary western style wedding, the one most people could recite from heart and yet the words stood out, having more clarity, more meaning to Dara than ever before. She was making a vow to love and cherish Kwon Jiyong, and he was making a vow to do the same to her. Yet they didn't mean a word of it. They were planning on getting a divorce in nine months.

 Dara's stomach knotted. Had they thought this through carefully enough? What if he left the cap off the toothpaste? What if he expected her to do his laundry? What if he stayed out late and came home reeking of another woman's perfume? Wouldn't that bother her even though it wasn't supposed to?

The minister was looking at her, waiting for her to respond, but when Dara opened , nothing came out. Jiyong didn't want her, he wanted a baby and he had a way of getting one that didn't involve the intimacy most people shared in marriage. For a moment, she had a hard time remembering why she'd agreed to take this vow in the first place. Sanghyun would get better. He wouldn't die…

Jiyong touched her elbow. She could feel the force of his will compelling her to respond and finally the words came.

"I do."

"You may now place the ring on your bride's finger."

Dara felt a circle of cool metal slide onto her finger and she looked down, expecting the slim gold band she'd seen at the jewelry store. Instead she saw the rock-sized pear-shaped diamond. Her gaze flew to Jiyong's face. The smile she saw there shot warmth through her whole body. She'd told him he couldn't come to the birth, but he'd brought her the ring anyway.

‘Oh, God.’

She was going to be hurt, completely devastated when he walked away.

"Why did you do it?" She asked, amazed.

He shrugged.

"It looks good on you, that it does."

"You may kiss the bride." The minister said.

Time seemed to stand still as Jiyong pulled her into the circle of his arms and bent his head towards hers. She could smell the wintergreen on his breath and felt the most incredible thrill of anticipation, as if she'd been waiting for this since the first moment they'd met.

But with Sanghyun sick, she couldn't afford to love Jiyong too.

Ignoring the ripple of his powerful shoulders beneath her hands, and how badly she hungered for a real kiss, she went for the safe thing instead. Closing the last inch of distance between them, she brushed her lips quickly across his and jerked away.

He stiffened in surprise and for a moment, Dara thought he was going to pull her back and kiss her right. But then the minister said.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

And the moment was gone.

"What would you like?" Jiyong stared across the table at Dara, who appeared to be having trouble concentrating on her menu. Her gaze kept straying to the ring he'd given her, then to his face then back to the words on the menu.

"Um-" She glanced at her ring again.

"-I'll have the salad."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. In his peripheral vision he could see the waitress approaching

"Which one?"

"The Cobb salad."

"We're at a steak and seafood place. You sure you don't want shrimp or lobster or something?"

She sighed.

"I'm not very hungry. I just want to get back."

"Our plane doesn't leave for another two hours."

"I know"

"You might as well eat something and try to enjoy yourself."

"Okay." She glanced up at the waitress, who was already waiting, pad in hand.

"I'll have the filet mignon."

"How would you like that cooked?"

"Medium well."

They went through the usual questions…soup or salad, choice of dressing, choice of drink, choice of dinner bread. Jiyong ordered a surf and turf, lobster with steak. He handed over the menus and turned his attention to Dara.

"My partner Top and I went in to be tested as a marrow donor for Sanghyun yesterday morning." He said.

"Did they tell you?"

"No, have you received the results?"

Jiyong nodded.

"I called while you were changing, hoping to give you some good news." He shook his head.

"No match. I'm sorry, that I am."

For a moment her eyes grew bleak. After everything the nurse had told him yesterday about how hard it was for find a donor, Jiyong knew why. But in a