He has been waiting under the rain for ten minutes without even a frown. He is used to Minho's tardiness, everybody knows it, has suffered it on their flesh. But its been half an hour on their first day together as a whole and there isn't a sign of Minho coming. And Jinwoo is becoming anxious. Perhaps something has happened. A car accident. Maybe he has decided that marrying Jinwoo isn't what he wants and run away, leaving him behind, waiting in front of their family, their friends. The humiliation shakes him, cold hands, sweat dropping.

"He is deciding what bracelet to wear," Seunghoon laughs in his ear, reassuring, a hand brushing his shoulder, smoothing his shirt. "Don't worry. He was the one dropping the big question. And he is still head over toe in love with you, we all know, he is obnoxious about it," he reminds him. Minho might be flawed, but he carries his adoration for Jinwoo in his sleeves, clear, for everybody to see, unashamed, swell with pride and glee at the realization of having Jinwoo next to him. 

Jinwoo laughs with a wave of nervous giggles. He looks around: everybody is there, waiting, patience growing thin with every minute passing without Minho stepping in, walking with him to the altar that abides at the end of the flowery path. And the rain falls, the wind blows and Jinwoo looks less ethereal than he wants to, hair messy and make-up running down his chin like black tears.

"One more minute and I'm going to drag him here. I don't care if I ruin his clothes or if his socks aren't matching. This is ridiculous!" Seungyoon mutters between gritted teeth and Jinwoo sighs, worried, not for him but for the others (he has been waiting for Minho his whole life, one more minute won't make a difference, won't change his heart, the shimmering love that he feels for him and that has never broke or bend or totter; always shield with all that Minho means to him, the significance of his life, the reason why he is there, waiting under the pouring rain).

"He isn't panicking, hyung," says the low, raspy voice of Jihoon, Minho's best man, coming from the little lodging they have rented to change and prepare for the grand moment, rushing to assure Jinwoo. He is smiling broadly at him, eyes dangling, lips stretching, covering his whole face. "He can't believe his luck. Has been pinching himself for ten minutes," and he chuckles, clapping, delighted with the idea of his friend’s suffering.

Jiho, from the other side of the blooming bushes, rolls his eyes in desperation, sighing with the wind.

"He doesn't deserve you, Jinwoo hyung," and most of the assistances have to agree. Kim Jinwoo is too good to be there waiting under the rain that has come to bless their union. He could have chosen someone else and, yet, it has always been Minho, the lucky one, who has carried Jinwoo as a charm, a balm, enchanted by the light of a thousand stars lingering deep on his eyes, the perpetual smile, the prone giggles that always take him by surprise, sweet and loving, always giving, always supporting.

Jinwoo might have the patience of angels, but not Seungyoon, who is tired of standing still, the ring bearer, the little box a bulk inside his pocket, expecting to be revealed, to be put inside the fingers they belong to. He is done waiting for Minho, so he steps out from between the flowers hanging on the chair and heads up straight for the place he knows Minho will be in. Diane, who is all rose and cream, with curly hair, let go of Seunghoon’s grip on her hand and follows suits, scurrying after Seungyoon, leaving Seunghoon’s shimmering eyes behind, and Seungyoon smiles, looking back at her, knowing that having reinforcements will come in handy (that Minho is going to be a hard nut to crack, to convince that anything he will wear will be all right because, somehow, Jinwoo is already smitten and convinced to marry him, that he doesn’t need anything fancy but to show up at once).

As expected, Minho is weeping, hands covering his cheeks, stained with tears. He looks a mess when he turns to meet them, eyes puffy and lips trembling.

"I can't believe you are here, hiding, ugly sobbing, while we are all waiting outside, under the rain!" Seungyoon exclaims, defeated, staring at the havoc that Minho is, curled on the bed, cupping his eyes, drops like rivulets on his flesh.

"I know," Minho wails into his hands, "and I don't think I'm good enough for him," he mutters under his fingers.

"Don't mind him," says a voice from the toilet, and Danha peeks from the door, carrying a bag of make-up. "My brother is plain stupid.”

"But... I can't do it!" he stutters, words confused with snivels.

Diane comes in with a regretful smile, taken aback, not expecting this at all (not the tears or the whimpers in this gleeful morning where two predisposed hearts should betide in a union).

"Why are you crying? It doesn't look like joyful tears, though you should be overjoyed with pride and love since you are marrying Jinwoo," she says, blinking at the mess.

Seungyoon can't agree more. No-one would be doubting at this moment, with the most incredible person waiting outside to spend the rest of his life with the disarray that is Minho. Even if he isn't enough, Jinwoo wants him, adores him, a love that runs deeper than the sea and Minho, the one who Jinwoo has chosen, is doubting, scared.

"Should we put some sense into his brain?" Seungyoon grins, threatening, his fist ready to smash his skull, to convince him (to provide him with a real reason to cry and bawl). Minho sighs. "Look, Jinwoo is ready, he loves you, for mysterious reasons that escape me," he says shaking his head, the mop of hair swirling around. "But he does. And if you doubt that, it means that you are a fool who doesn't deserve him," Seungyoon sits in the bed and signals Minho to follow, putting a raspy hand on his tight, reassuringly.

"I know he loves me, I'm just amazed that he does, honestly," Minho mutters, tears tumbling down, wetting his lips. "I was thinking that he would change his mind, that he would realise the disaster that I am, that he could do much better without me and how hollow it would make me feel, devastated without him, but he is there, waiting and waiting... for me," he finishes and, with Seungyoon's hand still pressed in his lap, he gets up, decided, rubbing with his palm the salt staining his cheeks. “I guess he won’t change his mind now,” he sighs, a smile crossing the marks of tears

"So it's time to get ready, the groom will run away if you show up looking like a zombie, with puffy eyes and all," Diane laughs and Minho nods, smiling.

Danha comes in just in time to weep away the stains and replace the make-up back in place, converting the disaster into a pool of brushes and powder, smoothing skin and gleaming lips and eyes. In a matter of minutes, Minho is totally arranged, ready.

Jinwoo is truly a blessing, an angel waiting for him under the rain, all in white, beaming at his arrival, his smile as big as his heart, and Minho has never felt this loved before, this thankful for all that Jinwoo has given him: love, care, a family, the place he wants to belong. He runs to him, not worrying about the surprised looks, not thinking about ruining his white attire (he only wants to reach Jinwoo, to hold his hand between his fingers, to get lost inside the oceans of his eyes, all the stars that linger there like little universes).

"I'm sorry, I was thanking all the roads and paths that lead me to you," he mumbles as an apology and Jinwoo takes his hand, softly, gracing the surface with tender of fingertips.

"From now on, all the roads you take, I'll be walking next to you," he promises, “and you won’t ever have to walk alone”

"I was scared that I wasn't enough, but you love me even when you have seen the ugliness in me, the imperfections and the missing bits. You chose me, freely, and I'm graced by heavens with you. I don't know what good I did to deserve this," and tears are back in his eyes, satiny his skin with a gloss that shines with a love that pours from his core to his words. Jinwoo looks at him, teary eyes, a stumbling smile but all his feelings gleaming still, his hand on his, holding strongly, assuring.

"Life was hollow and empty until I saw your light," Jinwoo replies sincerely, opening his core, "and your warmness melted all the ice, all the fears. I am more me when I'm with you, and I don't wish to be anyone else. I don't want to be with anyone else but you, from now on and always”.

There is no need for more words of vows, not when their lips meet, not when the tie between them is bind around their souls. All it's a clamour of claps and congratulations and praises but it's only a matter of wearing a ring, they have been tied since the beginning.