The flowers bloomed beautifully, the chairs were lined up perfectly and the weather was great. It was indeed the best day to hold their vintage-themed wedding and to share the moment with their friends. The covered barn was divided into two; one side for the groom and the other for the bride. As he fixed his crooked bowtie, she was retouching her rosy pink lips. As his friends took group photos before one of them gets hitched, she shares her last minutes as a single woman, hugging her sisters.

Their parents were at the farm entrance, welcoming the guests who have been invited for the couple’s special day. The elders were shaking each guest’s hand when the groom’s mother seemed to spot a familiar face, as a man alighted from his car, looking dashing like always, as she had recalled.

“Yeobo, is that TaecYeon-ie?” the groom’s mother whispered and the husband to look at the person approaching them.

“Looks like him…” the dad responded, and it was when the man flashed his gummy smile that they both were sure that he was their son’s long lost friend.

“Abeonim, omonim…” TaecYeon greeted as he approached the elders and shook their hands. The old woman even gave a motherly hug as they have not seen or heard of each other in a long time. “How have you been omonim?”

“Yah, TaecYeon-ah… you’ve grown to be a handsome man… how can your thin body be that muscular? I can’t even wrap my arms around your shoulders anymore…” the mother expressed and the young man could only smile in response.

“You shouldn’t be here… you would attract people more than my son… ppali ga…” the father joked and the groom’s mom playfully hit her husband’s arm. “Just joking, young man…” the father laughed.

“Abonim, it’s nice seeing you joking around like before… I missed spending time with you… I could still remember how I hung around your house all the time, with the boys… I missed Korea… I missed home…”

“Geurae… how could you leave so sudden like that… anyways, go inside… the boys are inside the barn… uri WooYoung would be very happy to see that you’re here now…” the groom’s mom spoke as more guests are starting to arrive.

“We’ll talk more later, okay?” the father spoke with a gentle smile.

“Neh, congratulations on the wedding abonim, omonim…” he smiled and shook their hands again before he walked away towards the barn.

He peeked inside the barn and a smile immediately appeared in his face when he saw his best friends in high school. The men who were with him during his most painful memories and also his most playful times.

“Yah, our Udong-ie is really getting married today, eh?” he made his presence known and the men all turned their heads and in a second they all tackled him into a headlock.

“Yeobo, your shirts going to get wrinkled…” the bride peeked through the improvised barrier between them. She looked at the new guest and smiled at him, as she was meeting him for the first time, though she knew who he was through the pictures and the stories.

“Neh yeobo…” WooYoung straightened his shirt and fixed his bowtie and suspenders again before introducing his very soon-to-be-bride to his friend. “SeYoung-ie, this is my friend, TaecYeon… the one who migrated to Switzerland and never had the conscience of visiting us this past eight years…” he was grinning sarcastically as he introduced his friend.

“Nice meeting you, jaesu-ssi…” Taec extended his hand for a shake. “You’re really pretty… are you sure you want to marry this kiddo?” he asked playfully and earned a punch in the side from the groom.

“Nice meeting you too… and yes, I am a million percent sure…” she gracefully answered.

“Fine, but in advance, let me warn you that he could be whiny, more than a kid would…” Taec commented and earned chuckles from his other friends and a sharp glare from WooYoung. “But he is also the most responsible, most patient man I know, that would show someone his love in every detail…” he added making the bride smile and the groom touched. Even if he was away and without daily communication, their friendship lasted. “Congratulations…” he spoke with a genuine smile.

“You’re still the same Taec… the playful yet still serious buddy…” Khun, their other mate, spoke.

“And you’re still the chick magnet that plays every girl’s heart…” Taec retorted.

“Not quite… Khun hyung had developed a phobia on women… he stopped dating, though sure enough, he still has a trail of women chasing after him, but no, he never dates them, or even beds them… that was after a certain Victoria played his heart…” JunHo disclosed with a smile.

“People sometimes change, huh…” Taec nodded.

“Let’s take a picture… it’s the first in eight years right?” ChanSung, the maknae and also the photo-addict of the group, suggested.

“But where’s JunSu?” Taec asked as he had just noticed the absence of his one friend.

“You mean MinJun-ie?” Khun asked and Taec showed confusion in his face. “He changed his name after his dad passed away… some sort of family decision… his dad’s legacy, or something…”

“Yeah, I heard of his dad’s matter, but not the one that he changed his name…” Taec wondered and the man in question suddenly appeared behind them.

“Sorry I’m late, had too much to drink last night…” MinJun walked in as he rubbed his head, shirt still untucked, and mind not really focused as he went pass Taec not noticing his long lost friend. “So, when would the wedding start?”

“Just after you give me a welcome hug…” Taec spoke creepily behind him and the other man jumped in shock while the others laughed their hearts out.

“Yah! Neo… wasseo?!! When did you get back?” MinJun asked surprised.

“Could not miss the first wedding on our gang, so I flew in early this morning…” Taec spoke. “But why are you so surprised to see me? Am I not supposed to be here? Am I not really invited in this thing?” he was jokingly disappointed.

“Hyung, you forgot that we sent invites to every classmate we had in high school? And were you too drunk when I shouted ‘Taec just confirmed his attendance to my wedding’ during the engagement party?” Woo reminded. “And did you have a solo bachelor’s party last night, that you have a heavy hangover right now? And it’s already 4pm for Pete’s sake…” Woo teased.

“Aigoo… and I thought the five of you were already a riot…” SeYoung spoke with a sigh and the boys could not help but be embarrassed of that truth.

“And it would be more chaotic when we crash your house on Saturdays…” Taec teased and SeYoung could not help but direct a sharp glare at her husband.

“Aniya… that would not happen…” WooYoung nervously whispered as he played with her fingers to calm her down.

“The wedding would start in a few… dear groomsmen and bridesmaids, please follow me… bride and groom please be on stand-by…” the wedding coordinator announced as she checked inside the barn. The five men and SeYoung’s sisters and friends followed the lady and they were soon left alone. The couple looked at each other lovingly for minutes, before they were finally called in to walk down the aisle.

The four groomsmen, MinJun, Khun, Ho and Chan, stood at the right side of the podium, while four bridesmaids, the bride’s friends, stood on the other side of the aisle. The string quartet started playing and the couple slowly walked in, as people clapped for them. Taec was among the guest chairs and as he watched the couple walked in, he caught sight of the woman who was already part of his past; a past that he had buried, a past that he had forgotten.

The moment she walked into their classroom and introduced herself as their Home Economics teacher, he had a crush on her at once. Even if he hated house chores before, he did his best in their class, wanting to get the young teacher’s attention, in which he succeeded. He was always complimented for he excelled in cooking and other livelihood assignments, and by the end of the year, he was the teacher’s favorite.

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains towards the sky
Never revealing their depth

Another year passed, and even if he was not in her classes anymore, he still went to her often for “school advices” as he had described. However, he fell for her more day by day, even if his friends told him that she was just being nice because he was a student, and that she was just seeing him as a younger brother.

And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
And you're my survival, you're my living proof
My love is alive, and not dead

And at the school fair during his senior year, he sang to her, and called to her during his performance, which earned him detention, and the teacher a penalty. He requested to the principal that the teacher be exempted from punishments after he had admitted that it was a one-sided attraction. However, he was not heard, and the teacher was kicked out of the school, which he greatly regretted.

And tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love.
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

He went to see her and apologized and even if she said that she’s okay, he was still not believing her. He knew that she must have hated him as he was the reason for her termination, and he ended up asking for her forgiveness on his knees. She gave in and eventually he was co