Chapter 37

“Joohyun why don’t you and Yonghwa just get married, it doesn’t have to be grand maybe next month?”

Joohyun almost choke as she ate her breakfast, she looked at her mother as if she’d spoken some alien words that she can’t understand. Ever since that night everyone seems to be more excited for the wedding than Yonghwa and her. She has a lot of deadline for the coming months and Yonghwa is equally busy as she is. They wanted a long engagement, 2 years to be exact but everyone in their family refuses to budge stating they don’t need the whole day to get married. Half a day would do, they don’t even need to lift a finger. Joohyun would always decline stating that it’s her wedding and she’d like to choose and be hands on with it, then her mom would make a great comeback stating she had already done it with Seunggi before, which will shut her up.

“Mom! This is like marriage a forever thing, you’re making it look like I’m just registering my car or paying my annual tax”

“Exactly! It shouldn’t be that hard right?”

“Eomma!! Why is it so easy for you to marry me off, I’m the maknae and an only girl but you seem to be more than oblige to hand me to someone!”

“Yonghwa is not someone!”

“Ok still why can’t you guys just let us do what we need to do first?”

“Joohyun you are not getting any younger!”

“Marry off oppas first, Dara unnie and Donghae oppa needs to get married first!”

“They are busy and your oppa hasn’t proposed yet!”

“Reality check, me and Yonghwa are busy also do we look like we’re playing around?”

“No, but you talk too much young lady and you’ll be late for work!” her mother looked at her sternly. She just rolled her eyes as she gathered her things before she went out.

~~~~~

“Hon I’m about to go crazy at home” Yonghwa exasperatedly let out a sigh over the phone

“You’re not alone kiddo! I’m dreading going home tonight, I’m planning to pull an all nighter just to avoid them”

“Let’s get that ring first maybe if they see a ring on your finger they’ll stop for the time being?”

“Yeah I guess” she answered as she leafed through the sample cover of their special issue. She smiled at the outcome of Seunggi and JiWons interview and pictures. When they attended the wedding she could feel that there are some who are still watching her every move, it was awkward as hell, the ex fiancée covering his wedding. It was a good thing that Yonghwa was there and his hands never left hers, it was apparent that they are together but other people are just mean that way meaning the pressure for having the best Wedding edition was 100 times higher.

“So pick you up later?”

“Yup”

“Okay”

They chatted a bit more and that afternoon they went to buy the engagement ring. For a lot of girls this maybe disappointing, there’s no element of surprise but they both know it’s not practical, Joohyun loves anything romantic just like any other girls but she has been with Yonghwa way too long and they perhaps know everything that one needs to know about the other. No, not a lot of people will agree with their type of relationship as everyone would agree, romance needs to be present no matter how long two people are together however for them, they do not define romance by just surprises and expensive things. A lot of people may define love with many words but for them they would define it as friendship that caught fire. They would rather have forever in the mere I love you messages or a simple I miss you, a slow walk along the streets, late night gab fest outside a convenience store eating ramyeon or standing in front of a teokbokki stall eating while talking about anything and everything under the sun. At the end of the day, when they are both old and wrinkly and all the passion in their bodies left them, they have their bestfriend beside them and that’s what matters the most.

They went home that day parading the new ring on her finger, even to the extent of dropping by the hospital to show Jess the ring

“OHH!! It’s pretty!! I can’t believe it’s really finally happening!” she squealed as she examines the sparkling stone.

“So you think we’ll get off the hook?” Yonghwa asked her

Jess looked at the two and smirked

“Ha! You wish!”

“Unnie! Can you help us 1 year then we can get married” Joohyun beg

“Yonghwaya, Joohyuna, you know why they are so eager to marry you two off?”

They both just stared back not really knowing what the answer is. They were scared that the family may not approve their relationship but they were wrong but it never dawned on them that their family would actually push them to marriage immediately.

Jess then continued “You two have known each other for years, same as your feelings. Everyone in the family had been secretly hoping that you two would end up with each other and no, no one ever said it out loud, it’s just that I can feel it” she chuckled “It’s either you two or me and Heechul but we all know that if Heechul and I be together for real? It’d be so messy that we probably would ask for a divorce after 1 week, but not for you, Joohyun your family knows you love Yonghwa even before same as our family but it’s not up to us if you’ll be together or not, but now that you two are, everyone is afraid that you’re love for each other had been burning for too long, it just might die soon and so does everyone elses hope for you”

The two tried to understand what Jessica was saying and it was Joohyun who spoke first

“But unnie, in reality marriage doesn’t guarantee a lifetime of togetherness, what do they have to say about that?”

“Exactly” Yonghwa agreed

“Kids, you just have to see it from an outsider’s point of you.  Yes marriage doesn’t guarantee forever but for them, for both our parents, it’s enough for a promise of forever. Look at it this way, when you watch a certain drama you would want the main lead to be together for real right? Shallow as it may sound they are like that, they are like watching this reality show of two people being together and then hoping that you two end up together do you get it?”

“A bit” Joohyun sighed

“Yonghwa do you love Joohyun?”

He laughed “Isn’t that a weird question coming from you? What are we high schoolers?” Jessica smacked his head so hard he it resulted to a loud thud

“Noona!” Yonghwa exclaimed while Joohyun rub his head where he has been hit

“Just answer the damn question you smart !”

“Of course!” barking back

“and you Joohyun?”

“Without a doubt unnie” she answered immediately afraid that she’ll get smacked too

“Are you planning to get married sometime on the future?”

“Yes”

“Why wait do it now!”

They both sagged from their seat as they try to understand their family. They really don’t get what the rush is for and the reason that Jess gave is a bit childish, it’s not like they don’t want to get married but they just have a lot of things going on in their life right now and marriage is still far off from their plan.

“So what do you think?” Joohyun asked him during their drive him that day

“I don’t know, what do you think?” he asked while looking at the road

She stayed silent