When Mi Yeung heard Jung Hwa mention about getting married again, properly in front of an officiate this time around, she was excited and happy and then nervous. Her mind was awhirl, overwhelmed with the thought. She had turned to Jung Hwa in the morning as she went about getting their breakfast ready. 

"How am I to do this wedding Jung Hwa? I don't have anybody on my side anymore." She was actually feeling fearful of what a real wedding entails, and not having her halmoni to guide her on proper traditions made her miss the lady even more so now than ever.

"It doesn't have to be a big wedding ceremony Mi Yeung-ie, unless you want it to be?  We can make it as small and intimate as you are comfortable with." He had moved to hug her from behind. "I will be glad either way. I just wanted our marriage properly officiated; in my mind, even though it has been a real marriage all along, it was merely paper signing, not even done together. I want this for us: to stand in front of each other. This is all that matters to me, not whether others are there or not."

"We can just have one or two people then, is that ok? Wouldn't others wonder why we are redoing our vows?"

"I don't care what they think; but this is not all that unusual. We've been apart for sometime, so it only makes sense to want to renew our vows. We are renewing not re-doing. I don't plan on changing anything." And he kissed her shoulders. 

"I didn't realize you're such a romantic," she said turning to face him, winding her arms around his shoulders. And she gave him a kiss that made him move forward, until she was backed into the counter with no other place to go. His hands started roaming as their smoldering kisses took on more depth and hunger. 

"We will be late if we keep going," she murmured when he continued kissing a path down her neck, , as he started ing his shirt she's wearing.

"We can spare a little time this morning, I think. I'm not particularly hungry for breakfast, are you?"

Her chuckles were cut short when he lifted her up against him to set her down on the counter. He didn't wait for her answer and instead fell to kissing her once more. Their position opened up different exciting possibilities and Jung Hwa wasn't one to let an opportunity pass; he didn't waste a single minute of their short time together. Coffees turned cold, the thought of breakfast was long forgotten; the two satisfied a different type of ravenousness altogether that one fine morning.

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She had been waiting at the curb for Jung Hwa when her phone rang earlier. He apologized for not being able to pick her up to bring her home after riding together to work this morning. Instead he was sending Kwan Seok. Mi Yeung sat on the passenger side, welcoming the heater inside the car. It has stopped snowing just hours ago, the ground still wet with slush and not icy yet.

"Thanks for picking me up, Sgt. Kwan Seok-shi. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all. It was on my way. I'm headed to dinner with a few other officers. How is your teaching going?"

"Oh fine, it's been really good. The kids are always a riot at this age. How are you?"

"Good. I hear congratulations are in order? Its this weekend already, right?'

"Yes, yes it is." She rubbed cold hands in front of the heater. "Did Jung Hwa tell you I'm a little nervous?"

"He might have mentioned something," he chuckled. "You're husband is not extremely talkative when it comes to you. He's very protective."

Mi Yeung blushed at that. "Will you come, Kwan Seok-ssi?"

"Of course. I will stand as best man."

"Oh, I'm glad. You are welcome to bring Ye Ri." 

"Ah, probably not. We aren't really together."

"I'm sorry to hear that!" 

"Don't be. It wasn't serious." He paused  for a beat, seeming to think whether to proceed or not.

"Mi Yeung-ssi, if I may ask something. I only know very little details about how your marriage came about, but you were separated many years after, with no contact whatsover..." he paused. Mi Yeung waited for him to gather his thoughts. "Did you wait for him, did you know he was coming back?"

"It wasn't purposeful if that's what you're asking. I didn't know I already loved him that time, but I knew I cared enough. I didn't wait pining for him; there just wasn't anybody else that came close to what I felt for him even then, in that short time we had in the beginning. Does that make sense?"

She continued, "I'm hardly the romantic type; but I can't explain how different it was being with him. He makes me feel alive, happy, content, even then. When he left, I was upset; but I was too young and too many things vied for my attention. He became a memory I hung onto. Maybe my halmoni had a streak of foresight afterall, because I cannot see my life without Jung Hwa anymore."

She looked at Kwan Seok who was deep in thought. "Kwan Seok-ssi, I don't know your story, but if there is that slightest chance, a possibility of love being revisited, won't you take that opportunity to see? We are all waiting for the other to take that step, that turn towards the other; if we all just waited, we would all be locked in a standstill, all wasted opportunities all around us, blocking our paths. Fate can only push us so far after all. Destiny relies on the opportunities afforded us, on actions we decide to take."

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The day loomed beautifully, as if the universe itself decided to bestow its share of glory to them both. No threat of snow was forecasted to mar the weather, though the cold is still ever-present. But the sun shone bright in the cloudless skies, lending some warmth and radiance on an already auspicious day.

She had a thick coat on covering her dress as she entered the consulate office. Kwan Seok and Ms. Liu, her teacher's aide, came to stand with them in ceremony. Ms. Liu was effusive in her thanks at being asked, as she herself did not have immediate family anymore. Jung Hwa waited at the front, looking dapper himself in his formal military garb. His gasp was audible after she shed her coat to walk and stand in front of him.

Mi Yeung is a vision; ethereal and graceful in her simple gown of white. Her shoulders were bare in her gown, simply cut in its design, but all the more so highlighting her own natural beauty. She didn't need further accouterments; a small flowered headpiece was sufficient to complete the vision of her loveliness. She was glowing, shining brightly like a star that dropped from the heavens. And he, he is the lucky recipient of such a gift. He could not contain the love that peeked out of his eyes when he gazed at her; her blush as she met his eyes, the slight tremble of her hands as they clasped his. The words they said took on weighted, special meaning as they uttered them to each other: a promise to love and to cherish one another until the very last of their breaths, until the very last beats of their hearts. Jung Hwa took her hand and slipped a ring on her finger, an elegant band wrought in platinum, pure and dainty but resilient, just like her. And she took a similar band to slip into his, impervious and enduring just like his love for her.

The kiss they shared is no longer a kiss of promise, for they have made this promise to each other many times over. Rather this kiss...this kiss is a declaration. A declaration of their love enduring, to a future they will create together; a vow to be each other's constant from this moment on.

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Epilogue:

Months and months later, in the Summertime:

Kwan Seok stepped off the car out in the glaring heat of the sun looking out towards the vast expanse of the field. It has been many years since he has returned to Andong. His old house has long been gone and the once small field they had have reverted back to the bank's ownership after his parent's passing. He walked the once familiar path of the field, past crops of corn that line the well-worn path, making his way towards the looming grove of citrus trees until he came upon a small weathered pagoda. From the shadows of the interior, he could see someone sitting reading a book, occasionally looking out onto the field, only a few chirping birds as her companion. She must have heard a noise, for she stood, lifting her hands to shade her eyes as she tried to peer against the bright glare of the sun to see. Kwan Seok walked on further, only stopping about a foot away and stood staring, waiting.

Yeon Hee dropped the book she was holding, and took a step forward.

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Jung Hwa completed his much dragged mission months later. After further investigations and countless more short trips, he unearthered a the plot that brought about the downfall of Yangkusan many years ago, putting several people's lives on the way, and altering his and Mi Yeung's in the process. Several officers were involved, but only a few still living. His report to General Yang outlined the conspirators involved, the motivation of one officer centered on a family held hostage in the Northern country, the other primarily by greed. The trail finally ended with the court martial of the last offending persons, thereby closing the case once and for all.

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Jung Hwa and Mi Yeung took a trip out of the country to meet his half brother whom Jung Hwa has not seen for a very long time. With Mi Yeung's encouragement, he went on to rebuild their once close relationship, one that distance and time have rendered fragile. She who has lost much family do not see the rationale of any type of estrangement, be it intentional or not. She plans to rebuild a family of their own and she will not lose any existing one. When she told Jung Hwa this, he was agreeable and required no further prompting to contact his brother. Happy that he has done so willingly and with such an open heartedness, she turned to him to whisper in his ears. His eyes had rounded and looked at her in surprise, seeking confirmation. She nodded at him, beaming, arms wound about his neck. He grasped her in a tight embrace, lifted her up and twirled her about unable to contain his happiness.

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The End.

Thank you for staying with me until the very end.

*****chapter pic credits to Icemaiden21 for the lovely edited pic.*****