"Loving you has been the greatest adventure of my life. Now, it's time for me to have one on my own."
— The Better Man Project
 

|| A Few Minutes Earlier ||

Kim Junmyeon steadied himself as he turned off the Yamaha's engine, and hopped off his motorcycle with a quick swing of the leg. He removed his polished helmet and set his eyes on the towering building in front of him, releasing a tired, weighted sigh.

Just a little over four months ago, he was floating on cloud nine, excited for the future. A fool madly in love.  

Just a little over four months ago, he was prepared. Willing. And eager to make a lasting promise to the woman who had ensnared his heart with her loving smiles, charming laughs, and captivating personality.

Just a little over four months ago, he was ready to spend each day of forever with her by his side.

Just a little over four months ago, it never once crossed his mind that a stranger's death would end their relationship.

Just a little over four months ago, he never expected to find himself in the position he was currently in—standing in front of a famed, high-end wedding venue to plan his upcoming nuptials.

And just a little over four months ago, he never once thought he'd be marrying someone other than his girlfriend of almost three and a half years.

But he was.

When Ara left him to correct the wrong, Junmyeon's world paused.

It stood still.

Quiet and empty.

Though he understood her reasoning for ending their relationship, he regretted supporting her cause. He regretted letting her go without fighting to stay by her side. And for the first time, he regretted choosing to be selfless and smiling through the pain.

For two whole months after she left, Junmyeon lived aimlessly without motivation. Day in and day out, he followed the same routine with little variation in an effort to establish his new normal—more so, to return to the time when Seo Ara was just a beautiful stranger who passed by him along the Han River.

But of course, it was difficult.

It was difficult to move on. Difficult to tuck away the memories. Difficult to suppress the longing. It was difficult to deal with the immeasurable heartache.

Add on the pressures from his family to settle down, Junmyeon could only tend to the pain for so long.

To pacify his parents' pleas, he finally agreed to meet the woman his uncle had been pestering him with even before he and Ara broke up. The insistent meddler somehow convinced his mother that a landscape architect and a botanist was a match made in heaven, and in turn, the concerned woman begged her son to reconsider. 

Though Junmyeon preferred the opposite, their first meeting, which happened around the same time Ara got married, surprisingly went well. Kim Soojin was nice and sweet. Innocent and proper. Demure and fragile. They got along well and shared many things in common, but he never expected to be pushed into marriage after only two months of dating.

Too deep in to back out now, the groom-to-be took another breath and switched his gaze to the automatic glass doors of The Lux. He shelved his thoughts to the furthest drawer in his mind then headed inside.

|| …………… ||

"Junmyeon-ssi," he heard his fiancée's mellow voice call out to him. She was standing to the side just some distance from the reception area, dressed in a slate blue chiffon skirt and white top, her canvas tote bag neatly clasped in front of her, and her hair tied in a low ponytail. There was female hotel employee to her right, presumably their wedding coordinator.

Junmyeon curved his lips into a half-smile and made his way over. "Sorry I'm late," he apologized politely before greeting the other woman with a bow.

"He's as handsome as you say," the catering manager commented as she turned to the future Mrs. Kim, who had proudly but shyly bragged about her groom earlier. "You two make such a charming pair. I'm sure you have a love story to match," she continued in the same upbeat manner, summoning an air of awkwardness only Junmyeon and his bride could sense. "Anyway, shall we get started?" she offered with excitement.

The couple displayed a short exchange of timid smiles and a small nod in response, then quickly broke from each other's gazes soon after the wedding coordinator her heels.

As he trailed just a few steps behind his fiancée, Junmyeon couldn't help but wonder: Did Ara also feel a comparable awkwardness when she met her husband? Did they also share similar limited conversations? Were they highly conscious of their words and gestures? Did they have the same shy interactions? Had they already developed a sense of respect and understanding for one another? For their marriage? Had they gotten used to each other?

These were the many thoughts that rattled his mind with every stride he took towards the venue, but the question that weighed most, was one he preferred not to think about: had Ara already fallen for the stranger she chose to marry?

"And here we are, the Lorien! This gorgeous space can accommodate up to 150 guests in a sit down dinner, with enough room for a sizeable dance floor—just the perfect ratio," the catering manager announced as she pushed open the white double doors, revealing a well-lit spacious hall and that iconic ramp leading to the altar-equivalent for hotel venues. With a lively breath, she led the couple further into the room, and quickly got to work.