Nam Ji Hyun held on to her bouquet in one hand and slipped her other hand on to her father’s waiting arm. As the doors to the wedding hall opened, Nam Ji Hyun exchanged a tender glance with her father before the two started walking down the aisle lined with lush white Phalaenopsis orchids. Nam Ji Hyun fully expected to hear the wedding march, just as they had rehearsed. Instead, she heard the strains of “101 reasons” and Ji Chang Wook singing at the end of the aisle, waiting for her. It was the song he had sang for their drama, the drama that brought them together. Tears immediately sprung to her eyes and she tightened her grip on her father’s arm. Her father looked at her with concern and pat her hand gently as they slowly made their way down the aisle.

The wedding hall was filled with their friends and family. All the people that had a hand in forming them in the people that they now were. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for the familiar faces she loved so dearly. She passed her friends from school who she loved. She was grateful that they never treated her like Nam Ji Hyun, the actress. She was just one of them, an ordinary student working on her degree, taking the bus to school and spending all her waking hours in the library studying. She smiled happily at them and they made small excited waves at her.

She saw the cast and crew of Suspicious Partner and beamed happily at them. Their bright eyes and wide smiles warmed her heart tremendously. She saw Kim Ye Won and Nara quickly wipe tears from their eyes as she walked by them. She smiled gratefully at the two. She tried not to laugh out loud as Choi Tae Joon gave her an emphatic thumbs up sign with his hand.

She saw Ji Chang Wook’s omma – her hands clutching to her handkerchief as tears fell softly on her face. She had given up the obviously futile attempt to dry her tears. She also saw her omma and unnie smiling as tears streamed down their faces. Nam Ji Hyun fought hard to prevent her own tears from falling. She took in a sharp inhale. 

As she reached the front of the aisle, she gazed at Ji Chang Wook through the sheer tulle of her veil, smiling shyly at him as she tried her best to blink back the tears. She saw the tears pool in his eyes as he looked intently at her before he took her hand from her father and they turned to face the officiator.

…

Nam Ji Hyun sat on the couch in her suite at the Shilla in her wedding hanbok, absolutely exhausted from the day’s festivities. They had the ceremony, reception and pyebaek in quick succession. Her parents and unnie sat with her as they chatted happily about the day, munching on the fruit platter on the coffee table. She heard Ji Chang Wook walk into the suite with his omma.

“Come join us!” Nam Ji Hyun’s father called out.

Omma smiled gratefully at them and sat down on one of the armchairs. Ji Chang Wook tried to sit on the side of the armchair beside his omma while trying his best to manage his wedding hanbok. Failing miserably, he planted himself on the floor instead, crossing his legs and pouting at his wife. Nam Ji Hyun laughed at her husband. Sure, he could act as an emperor on screen, but in real life, he was a real klutz.

Omma chatted with Nam Ji Hyun’s parents. They had already set up a parental group chat and exchanged the pictures they took of the happy day. Nam Ji Hyun’s unnie ran through the pictures of her phone, randomly asking Ji Chang Wook about some cute guy in the group photos.

“Who is he? He smiled at me during the reception!” She pointed at one particular dashing guy in the photo, enlarging the picture quickly.

“We were in the military together. He’s too young for you.”

“Pfft. Age is only a number! How about this one?”

“We went to school together. He’s a flirt. Not good for you.”

“Argh, ok just give me Tae Joon oppa’s number. He’s single right?”

“He is ALSO a flirt. So, no.”

“Jinja, oppa!” Unnie said, hitting Ji Chang Wook lightly on his shoulders. The Nam sisters were clearly not be bullied.

Ji Chang Wook laughed heartily, making the entire family laugh along with him. Nam Ji Hyun loved that her family got along so well with Ji Chang Wook and how well their families had come together.

…

Ji Chang Wook and Nam Ji Hyun said goodbye to their family and collapsed collectively on the couch again with the thick layers of their hanboks cushioning them, too exhausted to change out. Ji Chang Wook reached out to hold Nam Ji Hyun’s hand, cocooning her hand in his.

“Hello wife.” He said with a big smile, enjoying the sound of the word “wife” on his lips.

“Hello husband.” She replied, with a shy smile spreading slowly as the word “husband” lingered on her lips.

“Saranghae Nam Ji Hyun.” He said as he pulled her in for a tender kiss.

“I didn’t expect you to sing the song today.”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Saranghae Ji Chang Wook.” She kissed him back.