The ballroom was gradually filled with people, all of them had a pink coloured invitation on their hand. It was a grand day.

A wedding between the famous Han family and Byun family is just about to begin.

Sitting in the bridal room was Han Areum, the bride for the day. Areum was dressed in a champagne mermaid silhouette gown with emerald jewels decorated around the empire waist of the dress. Exactly how she liked it to be.

Staring at her own reflection, she heaved a deep sigh. She might look calm and peaceful on the outside, but she was preoccupied with something else. If that was what she really wanted, she needs to take action before it becomes too late.

Running away from the wedding was not an option, she believes. After all the fuss she went through for this wedding, becoming a runaway bride sounds like a bad idea. But what else can she do? Her heart was no longer with the groom of the day, it was with somebody else. She needed a solution quick, or else she'll be tied to the wrong person for the rest of her life.

A pair of hands massaged her stiff shoulders, breaking Areum's train of thoughts.

"I guess you are very nervous for the wedding, right?" Ara asked, revealing her set of pearly white teeth in the reflection of the mirror.

"Think so," Areum gulped uneasily, forcing a smile up her face.

The younger twin withdrew her hands from the bride's shoulder as her smile faltered in a second. She could sense that something was wrong. Her gut feeling tells her that something bad is about to happen.

"Please don't tell me you're thinking of becoming a runaway bride." Ara frowned.

Areum inwardly cursed, she hated the fact that the younger twin was so good at guessing her thoughts. "I do love him, Ara. I really do." she admitted.

“What about brother-in-law?" Ara hissed, staring at her older twin in complete disbelief.

Areum flinched, her feelings are so clear to her. She could not imagine her groom to be her husband. "Don't call Baekhyun that anymore, I don't like it."

The younger one scoffed, "You were so excited for the wedding just a day ago!"

Areum threw her bouquet on the floor in fury, "Do you think I want this for myself? I didn't think it through!"

"Don't give me bull, you're getting married today and no family shall be humiliated!" the younger one deadpanned, shoving the bouquet of flowers back to the bride.

The older twin stood in silence; it was never a thing for the younger one to be this loud.

Taking a deep breath, not sparing her sister a glance, Ara walked towards the door.

A pair of hands wrapped around her left arms, stopping her from moving.

"Ara, please. I really really love him. He's waiting for me at the lobby." Areum pleaded, tears sliding down her cheek.

Biting her lips, Ara tried her best to fight against her inner demon.

She sighed, "What do you want me to do?"

Ara lost. She was never one who ignores someone's plea from the start.

For once, Areum felt like there was light at the end of the pathway. Finally able to regain her smile as she wiped her tears away, staining her wedding gloves.

"Be the bride,"

-

"Honey, go check on Areum and see if she's ready for the ceremony." Mr Han said. Mrs Han nodded, leaving her husband to tend to the guests.

Millions of happy thoughts filled Mrs Han's mind as she made her way to the bridal room. She couldn't wait to marry her eldest daughter off and the plans after the wedding were to match make her younger daughter with other wealthy families.

A slight frown was evident on her face as she failed to turn the doorknob.

Mrs Han gave a slight knock on the door of the bridal room. "Areum? Open up the door."

She was standing outside for a few minutes before the door was unlocked and she was let in. She suspiciously eyed the twins, "What did both of you do inside the room?"

The younger one smiled nervously, "Nothing much, mother."

Mrs Han looks at her, confused. Then, it took a while for her to realise. She held the hands of both daughters as she chuckled, "Are you two trying to confuse me with one of your old games?"

The older one widened her eyes, "Of course not, mummy."

Mrs Han burst out in fits of laughter, "Both of you can't lie and not get caught by mummy dearest,"

"Mummy, I can exp-" Areum tried to explain, face full of panic.

"Okay, Ara. Off you go to attend the guests. Looks like your sister needs the makeup artist to touch up on her makeup." Mrs Han said, pushing the older one out.

"I'll call the makeup artist for you on the way out," Mrs Han reassured, winking.

"Thanks, mother." Ara replied, showing a subtle smile.

The door closed finally, giving Ara time to process what happened in the short time she has been inside the room. Looking at the reflection of the mirror, she is now the one wearing the wedding gown, the bride of the wedding. She is now Han Areum.

Closing her eyes shut, reprimanding herself over and over again for making such a huge mistake. She should not forgive herself, because no one will.

Bursting in the room was the older twin, as she hurriedly grabs her bag. "I owe you my life for this. I'll transfer my data to your phone and yours to mine during the wedding," she said gratefully, before closing the door.

How ironic.

-

A male wearing tuxedo was pacing to and fro in the lobby with an anxious look. He prayed to all the gods of every religion he had known and wished she will return to him.

"Jae!"

He turned around, and realised that he was looking at the woman he cherished so dearly. A tearful smile surfaced on his face as the female ran into his arms.

"Thank you for coming back to me, baby." Jaehyun whispered into her ear as they embraced in the lobby hall. He buried his face in her hair and deeply inhaled the scent of the woman he loves. The scent that he missed so much over the past few weeks. The scent that made him go crazy and kept his mind preoccupied when she was away.

She pulled away from the hug, wiping her tears. "I really thought I can't make it."

He used his thumb to wipe away her tear stains, "But you're here now."

Areum nodded, proceeding to be in deep thoughts for a brief moment. Jaehyun looked at his girlfriend with a soft gaze, "What's wrong?" Areum snapped out of her thoughts and smiled nervously, "Ara is the bride for the wedding."

"I believe she'll understand us," he assured. Areum sighed, "I hope so too."

"Let's attend the wedding together, I need to introduce you to my parents before we go." Areum said, pulling Jaehyun back up to the ballroom.

Jaehyun gulped in anxiety, "Really?" Areum nodded in reply, pulling Jaehyun right in front of her parents.

"Jaehyun! What brings you over here?" Mr Han greeted the male, with a light pat on the shoulder.

"Mummy, daddy, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend."

"Ara has a boyfriend?" Mr Han asked his wife, with a face full of surprise.

"Yes, and it’s Jaehyun," Areum replied almost immediately. "That's good! Today is a good day! Head in and sit!" Mr Han exclaimed in joy, laughing proudly.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to, I'm in a hurry to finish my work. I just wanted to drop by and say hi," Jaehyun smiled apologetically.

"Oh! Okay, we shall not disturb you any further! You may head off!" Mrs Han smiled.

"See you soon, Mr and Mr Han." Jaehyun bowed promptly before leaving together with Areum.

-

Looking at the clock, Ara realised that there were less than ten minutes before the commencement of the wedding. She had no time to wait for the makeup artist to arrive. She picked up the brush and did the work.

As she placed the brushes back to the container, she heard a knock on the door. "Come in,"

Mr Han was at the door, smiling happily. "Areum, it's time to hand you over to Baekhyun."

Ara flinched inwardly; she hated the idea of marrying someone she did not know well. It was true that she and Baekhyun were on friendly terms because Baekhyun was Areum's boyfriend and boss at work but the idea of being in Areum's place made her feel repelled.

Ara might have a hard time replacing her sister, since both of them have such different personalities.

Even though both of them look identical but due to an outgoing personality, Areum was always the popular one while Ara was the cold and unapproachable one.

Now standing in front of the entrance to the ballroom, Ara inhaled a deep and slow breath. Mr Han brushed his thumb over her cheek, "Don't cry my little chick. It will ruin your makeup."

Ara sniffled, forcing herself to smile. Nothing matters if no one in her family gets hurt.

Mr Han hands Ara over to Baekhyun, which Baekhyun gladly accepts. His grin shines brightly even in the well-lit ballroom. Everyone could tell how excited the groom was at his own wedding.

Baekhyun closed in and whispered into her ears, "I've been waiting for this moment. You look gorgeous." Chills ran down her spine, feeling slight discomfort although it sounded quite right at the same time.

"I, Byun Baek Hyun, take you, Han A Reum, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death does us apart."

Ara looked into Baekhyun's eyes, searching for the motivation to say her vows.

It was this moment that reality hit Ara hard. She was in utter disbelief that the wedding was real and couldn't believe that she gave into her sister's pleas and became Areum while the real Areum gets to be with her loverboy. She was ending her single life even before she could enjoy the fullest of it.

She thought of the things she could have done alone, Ara loved being alone by herself. Her wish was to travel to Paris to enjoy coffee in a cafe alone. She didn't quite believe in love too, seeing how Areum always had short relationships that didn't seem genuine at all.

A tear slid down Ara's cheeks as she was biting her lips, engrossed in her own thoughts.

Everyone was sitting still in their seats, waiting for Ara to complete her vows.

Baekhyun brushed his thumb to wipe the tear of Ara's cheeks, "Don't cry, baby."

Closing her eyes shut, Ara reminded herself again that no names should be humiliated during this wedding.

She opened her eyes, inhaling a deep breath. Forcing a smile on her face, "I, Han A Reum, take you, Byun Baek Hyun, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death does us apart."