At twenty-two, tight the miniature glistening, gold statue, Shuhua breathed, delicate and reverent, “And one day, I’m gonna marry her. You know?”

The audience chuckled. It was knowing, like she had said it a time or two before.

Seated amidst the crowd, the cameraman crouched in the aisle to capture her burning cheeks, Soojin murmured from behind the palm of her hands, “Oh god.”

“I love you, you know?” Aww’s trickled through the private venue. “Oh, and thank you again!” She added as an afterthought, the statue hoisted above her head in gratitude. 

Two seats to Soojin’s left, the cameraman off to find his next victim, an older gentleman leaned over the empty chair. “She’s charming,” his golf claps were loud like thunder while his voice rang out like the low notes of a bass. “My grandchildren adore her.” And before she could respond, he flashed his own charming smile, “They adore you as well. The topic of many dinner conversations, in fact. Sooshu and their dogs… Haku and Mata, was it?”

The red in her cheeks crept down her neck and settled in her chest. “I—uhh—yes and, well, thank you,” Soojin stammered out, tongue tied and still processing.

White hair glimmering in the soft glow of the theater lighting, the gentleman asked, "May I tell you a secret?" His words were nothing more than a soft whisper, masked behind the palm of his hand. 

Not trusting her words to flow smoothly, Soojin nodded. 

"I too still get butterflies when my wife says she loves me."

The after party was over the top. 

It was lavish and opulent, with showg