No.

No.

No. I don’t.

“Wait,” Jisoo snaps.

“Wait, No.”

Her heartbeats shake to a beat she isn’t accustomed to.

“I didn’t mean that.”

Jisoo stands up from the couch and walks to her desk to get a piece of tissue. She can’t like Jinyoung, it’s against the contract they’re in.

“I’m confused, just that,” Jisoo sniffs hard. She wipes her wet cheeks harshly with tissue over and over again. Her wedding will happen tomorrow and she’s just overwhelmed. She wants to believe in that.

“Stop it, Soo.”

Seulgi walks closer to Jisoo's vulnerable state.

Over the years, Seulgi never sees her good friend trembles out of fear. She cried over someone’s death before. She also cried in her graduation day but never like today. Today, she sees her cried out of fear for liking a person.

Seulgi envelops Jisoo’s shaking shoulder and whispers deeply.

“Stop hurting yourself, Soo. You did nothing wrong.”

When Seulgi falls in love with his boyfriend, now husband, Jaebum, Jisoo wasn’t with her. She was in Paris and Seulgi was in Seoul. At that time, Seulgi could only tell Jisoo over the phone how her dates went and how Jaebum made her feel things. She remembers telling Jisoo how Jaebum created a new perspective in her life.

But Jisoo didn’t see any of that. Seulgi fails to show Jisoo that love is something than just physical contacts and meetings, it's what you feel deep inside. It’s what you do together that grows into habits. Small things like how Jaebum reminded her to keep her keys in her bag because she always forgets where she put it. Or the little smile Jaebum gave before sending her off to her house.

Seulgi falls in love over those small things.

And Jisoo doesn’t understand that feeling.

The sound of Jisoo’s uneven breathing suffocates the atmosphere. It keeps on, reaching different octaves with the ticking clock.

“You like him and that’s okay,” Seulgi inhales. “He’s nice. Maybe. I don’t know him yet. But, that’s fine.”

Jisoo grits her teeth over Seulgi’s statement. It’s not great, Jisoo knows.

“No, Sseul,” Jisoo sighs. “I don’t like him. I was confused.”

“I like Jaebum,” Seulgi smiles.

Seulgi pushes away slowly and smiles.

“I was confused too.”

The dark circle under Jisoo’s eyes becomes clearer thanks to her own outburst. It’s not good for the wedding, Seulgi thinks.

“Let’s sit,” Seulgi heads back to the couch. “Let’s finish this.”

Seulgi grabs Jisoo’s shivering hands tightly on her lap.

“I wasn’t in love with Jaebum at first sight. It’s a roller coaster ride from the first day until our wedding day. Until today. And I wasn't expecting him as a man I can date. He was just some man before a husband.

“Jaebum and I went to a few lunches before we decided to take things seriously. He’s a nice guy, always, and I saw him in a friendly way. And like I said, my feeling grew because of those habits you didn’t expect. And I love it.”

The dimmed room matches Seulgi and Jisoo’s blushing cheek with different reasons. One because she is recalling her past, one because she knows her future.

“You don’t like him yet, Soo. But you’re fond of what he did. And that’s okay. That’s the beginning of ‘like’.

“It’s okay to be happy because of the things he did to you rather than feeling guilty over it. Just cherish this feeling you have.

"At least you’re happy.”

Seulgi pauses to see the air in Jisoo’s face.

“Are you happy?”

Jisoo knows nothing about love. Does love grow after or before marriage? Is love the reason why people get married?

But her mother loves her father, she knows that.

“Do I look happy?” Jisoo asks, sincerely.

“You never cried for a man, Soo. That’s enough reason to  be happy.”

The day of her wedding is finally here and everything still feels like a dream, in which Jisoo wishes never happen.

The sound of a soft jazz classic music surrounds the bride’s room. The big bedroom fits more than 10 people in one time, hence it can fit 20 people in a go. The wedding is in four hours  and Jisoo is asking a quiet time for herself. She is done with make-up and hair and wants to wait for Seulgi for her wedding dress. After her meltdown last night, she just needs one alone time before the big storm happen.

Her hair is tied in a messy ponytail, flowing smoothly behind her head. Since her back is going to be exposed, she doesn’t want too much attention on her today. Being a bride is already enough burden, being too y will just ruin everything. And yes, Jisoo chose the off-the-shoulder dress.

Jisoo looks through the white sheer curtains facing the garden in awe. Jinyoung picked this place, personally, without Jisoo’s approval. Jisoo didn’t want to be involved in the approval anyway, it’s a nuisance. But seeing it herself, she regrets it.

The Shilla in Seoul is an extravagant, over the top wedding venue. If you google it, the top search will show an article of ‘The Best Wedding Venue in Seoul’. Not to mention the infinite number of celebrities and other rich people who had their weddings here. Jisoo cursed herself for not saying anything when she found out about the wedding venue. It’s too expensive. It’s the wedding no one wanted, Jisoo wishes Jinyoung doesn’t have to pay a fortune for it.

Knock knock.

“Hi, Princess,” the door opens a little from a voice Jisoo knows too well, Seulgi.

Jisoo turns her back quickly to a beaming smile.

“I’m sorry I’m a bit early,” Jisoo smiles in return.

“No, no,” Seulgi gets in. “Not just a bit. 2 hours earlier is not a bit early. The hair and makeup gangs were scared to death this morning, Soo.”

Seulgi herself were a bit frantic this morning when she got a text from her supposed to be hungover friend. Jisoo had arrived in the venue two hours earlier than the scheduled time it’s what she understood from her text and that’s not okay. She arrived home a quarter to midnight last night after the big talk. She sleeps less than what she needed and Jisoo doesn’t do better either.

In her text, Jisoo only mentioned that she has arrived at the venue. Nothing else. Seulgi knew she just wanted to tell her, but after what happened last night, she really can’t leave her behind. Without really saying what happened to Jaebum, Seulgi cooked extra fast for breakfast and asked Jaebum to take care of Naeun while she got ready to the wedding.

Yes, Jaebum is Seulgi’s forever boyfriend turned husband and Naeun is their three-year-old first child.

“They did well with your hair,” Seulgi admires her hair. “Did you get enough sleep?”

Jisoo quickly stands from her seat and hugs Seulgi without answering. She needs assurance and Seulgi is the only one she can hold on to for today. And, no, she didn’t get enough sleep.

“Something is wrong.”

Jinyoung drinks his third espresso shot with worry on all over his face.

“Why is she here since 6.30 am?”

When Jinyoung arrived this morning, he was welcomed with an ‘unpleasant’ news from the hotel manager. Kim Jisoo, his bride, has arrived since 6.30 and she was only by herself. The manager only knows that the makeup artists have arrived later at 8 am and has been in the room since.

Jinyoung knows that the preparation for the bride is longer than the groom, but the wedding is at 4 pm, did she have some major changes?

Maybe?

“She probably wants to change something,” Wonpil gets the small cookies from the table.

“9 hours before the wedding?”

Jinyoung is on the verge of having a fist or explodes at this point. He isn’t sure on why he is furious of today’s happening, but it bothers him. He always hates late meetings, but early meetings are also signs of an unorganized project.

“She only has one bridesmaid and her mother has her own makeup artists. My mom also.” Jinyoung looks back at Wonpil intensely when he gets to the matcha cupcake, “our wedding organizer is pretty sure that her preparation won’t take more than three hours.

“Something is wrong.”

Wonpil puts back the matcha cupcake and smiles at Jinyoung. Somehow, though he won’t admit it, he likes this kind of Jinyoung. The rambling idiot.

“Do you want me to ask?” Wonpil snickers.

“I can’t, can I?”

“Bad luck, that’s what they say Jinyoung,” Wonpil heads to the door. “I’ll find out for you. You can take the cupcakes, it looks like you really want that.”

Wonpil leaves the groom’s room in giggles. He rarely sees this Jinyoung, the one with so much fury. He can’t even laugh over the worst prank ever. Now, he just shows enough emotions for the rest of the year. And it’s not even noon yet.

The bride’s room located in the south wing where the flowers still bloom. Wonpill knows this because Jinyoung was the one who picked the room. And Wonpil held back to ask him the reason.

“Excuse me,” Wonpil knocks twice. “It’s Wonpil.”

The door opens slightly and Seulgi appears.

They met already at the wedding rehearsal a couple days ago. She told him clearly that nothing can go wrong and he can’t agree more.

“Oh, can I help you?” Seulgi asks.

“Yes,” Wonpil grins. “Jinyoung just want to check whether Jisoo-ssi is okay.”

Her eyes open a bit wider.

“Okay?” Seulgi gets curious. “Why? He thinks she’s not okay?”

Wonpil knows he can’t lie to her. He can’t risk their good situation.

“Well, he heard from the manager that Jisoo-ssi arrived very early today. Is there something wrong? Does Jisoo-ssi need anything?”

Should Seulgi tell him? The bitter truth.

Over those simple questions, Seulgi finds something even bitter. Something painful.

Stupid cupid.

It’s true that Seulgi knows nothing about Jinyoung. But, Seulgi knows about men.

“Jisoo is fine. She needed to make some adjustment for her dress.”

Seulgi pauses.

“She’s okay. Tell him she’s okay.”

Seulgi gives a light tap on Wonpil’s shoulder before going inside and slowly closes the door.

Everything is okay except time for Jisoo and Jinyoung. They met before, they met again, and they met in this part of life. But things just don’t match.

Is this the right beginning?

Yes, it's double update.

How is it until now? I have to say, this part of the stories really hard to create. I want to make the right timing for both protagonists very much. I want you guys, readers, to sense both of their true personalities.

I would love some critics or opinions about both protagonists if there is any. Anything is appreciated. 

See you soon