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"I heard Krystal's getting married?"

"Ah yes, she invited me to her wedding. It's going to be held in the states."

"Are you ok?"

"Of course I am, hyung! She's my friend, I'm really happy for her."

Yonghwa sat opposite his band mate, god knows how Minhyuk actually felt right now.

"Get Jungshin to attend it with you. Hyun's in her last trimester and has been advised to not travel-"

"Hyung, I'll be ok. It's a happy occasion, what's going to be wrong, right?"

Right.

Three weeks later, Kang Minhyuk found himself outside the venue that Jung Soojung will be holding her wedding ceremony in.

He turned to his side when he felt a pat on his shoulder.

"It's ok, I'm here." Jungshin deadpanned, looking like he was going into war.

Against Minhyuk's insistence that he was fine to attend the wedding alone, CN Blue sent out a rep after multiple meetings over soju and barbecue.

Jung Yonghwa had to be with Seohyun, who was in her last trimester. Naturally, the couple couldn't make it.

Lee Jonghyun picked up the responsibilities of Producer since Yonghwa had to be away for an extended period of time. With the new album production and debut of a new junior group the poor guy barely had time to even eat.

In the end, Jungshin volunteered amidst never ending runways for him to grace his presence upon.

And so, without their Hyungs, CN maknaes made their way to the states for the wedding of a particular Krystal Jung.

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"Hey you two!" Luna identified them almost immediately, because really, they were easily one of the tallest around.

"Hey!" Jungshin's stern demeanour a second ago vanished at the sight of her.

"Sorry, Yonghwa and Jong hyung can't make it today."

"Don't worry, Seohyun Unnie told me everything." She led them towards the back, where an area was set up for light refreshments (and a fully equipped bar for whoever who needed an alcohol fix).

"Let's get you guys a drink!" Motioning for a server to their direction, the trio kept small talk in between.

Guests started filing in awhile later, filling the compound with lots of chatter and clinking of glasses. Luna left them to themselves before resuming her task as one of the hosts.

Jungshin and Minhyuk spotted more familiar faces, after all, this circle wasn't big. Some came up to say hi upon seeing them both. Maybe it was him over thinking, but people who knew what happened seemed to be giving pitiful glances towards their direction.

After more small talk with other invitees to the wedding, Jungshin and Minhyuk moved towards the chapel. There was a framed wedding portrait set on the easel at the entrance.

A really happy Jung Soojung was holding the hand of her would-be husband in the picture, smiling back at anyone who was looking.

Kang Minhyuk suddenly wondered if she ever smiled like that when they were together. He regretted that thought almost immediately, because it only served to remind him that she was getting married today but the groom wasn't him.

Thirty minutes prior to the wedding, guests were starting to fill up the venue. Jungshin was trying to find them both somewhere that wasn't too prime.

It would be easier to hide the ugly sobs Minhyuk might make later, he thought.

"Jungshin! Come over, there's lots of seats here."

Alas, his height once again proved to be of advantage. Park Shinhye, one of the bride's closest friends had no issues spotting him.

He moved to where she was and obediently sat at the seat he was assigned to.

"Where's Minhyuk?" Shinhye asked, looking for a similar tall lanky figure.

"Where?" Jungshin almost laughed, did she not realise how ridiculous that sounded?

He turned around, fully expecting to see Kang Minhyuk just behind him.

Wait.

No wait, where was Minhyuk!?

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Minhyuk swore he didn't know what came over him.

One moment he was just trailing behind Jungshin, moving to the front for seats. The next moment he was heading towards where the waiting rooms were, after an exit by the side doors.

By the time he realised what he was doing, Minhyuk was already in front of a door labeled "Bride".

It took him a second, maybe, to decide that this wasn't right and he should just leave.

And he thinks he would, if the door wasn't flung opened at that very moment.

A flustered looking lady in her 20s came out, saw him and proceeded to grab his arm.

"What took you so long! You're the videographer right??"

Kang Minhyuk opened his mouth to try and formulate something.

"Oh whatever, I gotta make sure the catering is going well, in the meantime please do your magic."

She then pushed him into the room and closed the door behind her before presumably going around to cross out more items on her to-do list.

Minhyuk stood rooted where he was, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

There was someone humming on the other side of the room, Minhyuk moved towards the sound. His feet seemed to have a life of their own.

1 step, 2 steps, 3 steps; the next thing he knew was Jung Soojung's eyes looking at him through the mirror.

There was a short pause, followed by a flurry of motion. Jung Soojung stood up from where she was, holding her wedding dress on its side, they were now on eye level.

The different scenarios on how they would meet at her wedding had ran through his mind the whole time they were on the flight here - but this- this didn't cross his mind at all.

He never thought he would be able to see her before the ceremony, all alone, prepped and waiting in her wedding dress that she had always dreamt of wearing from back then.

The silence was almost deafening. They were both trying to make sense of this.

Soojung spoke first.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me, Minhyuk oppa?"

It was as if they suddenly remembered where they were, who they were and what they were here for.

Her smile; that smile he loved, the smile that was so blindingly beautiful it almost hurts.

"Of course, congrats Soojung ah. Have a blissful-" He paused, "marriage."

They just stood there, staring. It was a good two years since they last met at Jonghyun and Seungyeon's wedding.

Why was it always weddings, Minhyuk thought.

"It's weird huh?" Soojung's voice filled up the small area they were in.

Of course it was. They used to talk so much about this, so many nights where they huddled together to discuss the dresses, the rings and their lives together; their happily ever after. They had almost made it here, together.

Yet as fate would have it, here they were now, together but not the way they had thought it would be.

"I-"

"I-"

"You first?" "You go first-"

"Soojung are you ready?"

Jessica walked in briskly to check on her sister, unaware of what was to come. It took her only a second to recognise that the man standing with her sister was none other than Minhyuk.

Perhaps this was already written in the books, that some things were better left unsaid.

"I'll get going then." Minhyuk said after steadying his breath. "Once again, congratulations, Jung Soojung. You look lovely too, sister of the bride."

With one last smile, he left the room.

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The march in was any moment now and Jungshin was beyond glad that Minhyuk was within his line of vision again.

He touched his pockets, hoping that there would be enough tissues for Minhyuk later.

Melodies from the piano started to a tune of the wedding march in song. There were lots of shuffling around, people were craning their necks to get a better view of the chapel entrance.

Kang Minhyuk remained seated where he was, looking at the altar in front. He saw her groom, wringing his hands in anticipation while he waited for her at the foot.

The melody continued to play, everyone was clapping to cheer the bride's entrance.

From the corner of his eye, Minhyuk could see Krystal inching towards the front linked on her father's arm.

She was right, this felt really weird.

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It was almost as if time stood still when her father handed her over to her groom.

The hall was now quiet as they waited for the pastor to preside the ceremony.

Minhyuk looked towards the altar and felt like he was in an alternate universe. Surely this was the lousier one? If it was right then why wasn't he the one at the altar taking her hand? 

He gave a wry smile, realising that Jungshin's arm was on his, in between a grab and a hold.

He shifted his gaze to the latter in a questioning look and Jungshin returned with a sheepish smile, "just, you know, in case you do anything stupid."

Since stepping into the church, it was the first time Minhyuk wanted to laugh. "Seriously? You really think I would run up and snatch her to run away with me?"

".... Speak now or forever hold your peace." The pastor's monotonous voice felt like a boom in the quiet church.

Would he?

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