The darkness had to be in daylight soon; for them.

∞

4:06 pm 

Daylight. 

A kind of golden daylight had shined over the visage of a building of a hotel; Grand Hyatt Seoul, and the sky was patched with whites yet the daylight couldn't be hidden from the threatening rain, as if the daylight had embarked a new phase for the pair who were bound to brought by their fate despite the threatening world, and their chaos. 

Because the darkness had to be in daylight soon; for them and for one and another. 

The ballroom was in a sound of chaos; a wedding of the two known people was going to begin in a few minutes and the sight had to be witnessed for the ones present here. 

A decor of the elegant touch of whites with a sense of gold tone; the aisle in the purest white shining under the silver lighting enhancing the royal theme of black, and white and golden, as the soft music echoed throughout the walls emerging with the sound of chatters of the people. 

“Is this really happening?” 

Ji-eun mused, standing in her peach colored formal dress with her amused eyes roaming around the ballroom and Se-Ju standing in his black suit enhancing his muscular physique yet stood awkward in it because not wearing it often but hummed at Ji-eun's words. “It's been a week; you still can't believe it, Eun?” 

“Because it's unbelievable.” Ji-eun uttered, sighing. “I never pictured Iseul's marriage like this.”

“You actually pictured Iseul's marriage?” Se-Ju had an amused look. “That woman can't let a bug get closer to herself and you boldly pictured her marriage is really confident of you.”

Ji-eun rolled her eyes. “Keep your police facts to yourself, Se-Ju.”

“Whatever.”

“Ji-eun.”

Ji-eun turned to find Iseul's mother; she was standing in her formal dress coming through the entrance of the bathroom and Ji-eun was quick to greet her as well as Se-Ju before he excused himself and Ji-eun found Yeona looking around. “Is Iseul ready?” 

“Yes, auntie.” Ji-eun nodded. “She's in the room outside the ballroom.”

Ji-eun found a hesitancy in her eyes as Yeona nodded, and watched her greeting the people known to her in the society where Ji-eun also found her parents entering the ballroom; the sight, and the whole situation seemed foreign for her to adapt to it as it wasn't long for the pairs to meet with a strong hatred, and it didn't take them for each other to get to know their purposes and now they were getting married for it. 

Was it the purpose or the destiny playing with their lives to bring them to this point? 

Or was it so they can mend their brokenness together? 

And all she wanted was for them to mend it; their brokenness, their trust, and their hatred for each other. 

“What are you thinking about?” 

Ji-eun flinched, and found Kang-min standing in front of her in his black suit, his hair styled upwards handsomely matching his good-looking face yet the moment he smiled enhancing his dimples, Ji-eun felt her heart fluttering at how incredible he appeared right now where Kang-min felt flustered at her long intent gaze. “Am I looking fine?” 

“Handsomely.”

Ji-eun mused, and snapped out as he flashed her a wide-happy-grin. “Thank you.”

“Don't tease about it.”

“I just thanked you.”

“I can see your smile widening, Kang-min.”

He couldn't help but chuckle as his head tilted; his eyes held a softness. “You look beautiful.”

Ji-eun felt her cheeks warm; a shy smile curling her lips. “Thank you.”

“It's unbelievable, isn't it?” Kang-min questioned, and Ji-eun's eyes rounded. “My words.”

“There's a saying; life is full of surprises and changes and I'm seeing it right now.” Kang-min mused, his eyes looking around the ballroom and Ji-eun nodded. “Where is Baekhyun though?” 

“He got tired of greeting people outside so left for the restroom a bit.”

“It's not like he's wearing a heavy gown like us.” Ji-eun frowned and Kang-min chuckled at her words. “You don't have to wear it; the marriage can proceed still.”

Ji-eun slightly flinched at his words; unable to understand if it was for her or he just uttered casually but his eyes seemed surprised as well by his own words as they stared at each other with flustered expression to chuckle awkwardly and nervously before Ji-eun's watched Iseul's mother walking out of the ballroom probably meeting Iseul and hoped it goes well for them. 

“I'm so exhausted already.”

Baekhyun blowed a tired sigh; the greetings from the people that barely appeared sincere for him, yet had to be done for the world purpose, and a sudden realization hitting him after scanning himself in the mirror of being in a black tuxedo with his silver hair in a coma style as he stepped back a bit to shove his hands in his pockets while his reflection shone a purpose behind the happenings for he was standing here. 

Yet it would involve Iseul never crossing his mind; she was nowhere near his mind to be involved with her for the purpose which had probably the same destination as his but not her. 

He had thought for her to be his destination but not again; he couldn't go to that side of the lane again where he had walked out from broken, and definitely not involving his heart since the shattered pieces hadn't been merged to crush them more in pain. 

He couldn't afford to want that pain anymore. 

The next moment, he had shrugged his thoughts off, after feeling the unpleasant tug in his heart for missing his parents right now as he paced outside the restroom to the hallway only to stop his steps as he found Jeon Yeona stopping in front of him; a distant, and aloof demeanor from her yet Baekhyun had greeted her silently with a polite now. 

His parents had taught him enough even though the world didn't need it. 

“Can I take a bit of your time if you don't mind, Mr. Byun?” 

Baekhyun nodded at her formal manner as he urged for her to take a seat inside but Yeona shrug it off, “I'm here to excuse for my behavior last week; I shouldn't have treated a guest like that but I have my own prejudice against you and you're aware of the reason behind,” Yeona trailed off, with a sigh. “My daughter's choice is you; I can't change it nor I can do anything to stop it but I only want one from you.”

Baekhyun stood still with an attentive glint in his eyes until he heard her; her eyes sharp yet soft. “Don't leave my daughter's side; I hope you treat her right, and don't let her get hurt, ever.”

Baekhyun's frowned eased; her tone seemed more like a request instead of an order as his mind flashed the scene from the last time they met where the clash had happened, and how she appeared aloof even to Iseul, but right now he was seeing a mother concerned about her daughter and he was left perplexed of her behavior for how she shows it to her daughter and how she was in front of him for her. 

Nevertheless, he gave her a nod. “I will do that, ma'am.”

“Thank you.”

Baekhyun watched her walking away to the ballroom inside; he reflected on his words again for agreeing to her and acknowledging it but will he? He wasn't sure yet the words left his lips of his own accord, and he sighed deeply. “Damn, my mind.”

“Take it from a good angle, Ms. Moon.”

Iseul lifted her gown a bit to let her silver heels in a display; the employee from her work was standing with her phone to capture the picture of her heels to promote her brand more and Ms. Moon had shown her for Iseul to nod with approval. “Good; upload it on the official website with my full length picture.”

“Alright,” Ms. Moon nodded before smiling at Iseul. “Congratulations, ma'am.”

Iseul found her exiting the room where she had been sitting; her eyes glancing at the mirror to find her reflection greeting her back, clad in a white princess gown, as the full sleeves to her sweetheart neckline was embroidered with the lace touch, and a silver diamond crown on her head attached with a see-through veil accentuated with a sleek bun giving the few tendrils to rest either side of her temples. 

She appeared beautiful in her own eyes yet the sight appeared unlikable; the white didn't please her but tugged her heart in a dreadful unpleasantness. 

All she could see was red; the dreadful red. 

She didn't want this; she didn't want to happen whatever had happened before either yet the life was showing her how oppressed she was against the fate binding her into the things she wanted no more; Baekhyun was never part of her plans, and purpose but here she was, dolled up in a wedding gown to get married to him. 

There was a time she would have liked it but not anymore; the heart didn't want it, since it was no longer in use because of the brokenness and not in the condition to mend it to break it more. 

She couldn't afford to need, or want it anymore. 

A memory of her father had gone through her head like a sinking yet pleasant moment at the sight of her being in a wedding gown. 

“I'm never going to get married, dad.”

“Why not, princess?” 

Instead of escaping an answer from , Iseul found her head being shaking by the head massage from her father who had been standing behind the chair of the dining table where Iseul was doing her high-school assignment; her open hair in a oil mess but her father's fingers massaging her scalp softly left a soothe through her mind. 

“I don't fantasize about marriage; what if my life partner treats me badly?”

“I will shoot him.”

Iseul smiled. “That's not a good thing coming from a police officer.”

“It's coming from a father,” Iseul felt her hair being curled in a braid as she continued to scribble before hearing him. “My princess deserves to be treated like the princess she is for me; I won't compromise on it, and same goes for you, life partners are supposed to be partners in hard and good times and you will meet your happy marriage there.”

Iseul grinned. “Like you and mom?” 

There was a pause in his actions for a mere second, “Yeah, like us.”

Iseul's lips twisted. “I still won't leave you alone.”

“That's not something for a girl to say who grins like a dreamer looking at her parents' wedding picture, princess.”

Iseul gasped, and twisted her torso to meet her father's teasing smile and she pouted. “You're not supposed to peep on your daughter, dad.”

“That's a cop's habit of peeping; you can't blame me.”

“Whatever.”

His forehead creased. “Do you want to tell me?” 

Iseul felt embarrassed but she could never stay silent with her dad; he was like a personal diary of hers as she nodded, “I want someone just like you.”

He scrunched his nose. “I'm only one piece in this world.”

“I know,” Iseul let out a laugh, “But I want someone like you who can be righteous; unafraid to protect me, unafraid to tell me what is right and wrong, and unafraid to love me,” She trailed off, turning to look at the garden of their house as a daylight beamed on the green grass. “And I want a sunset proposal on a beach.”

Iseul turned to find another teasing smile for her to laugh at. “You said to tell you.” 

“And you don't fantasize about marriage.”

“Dad!” 

“Princess!” 

“I fantasize about walking down the aisle with you.” Iseul smiled happily and she felt herself being standing up by him with a smile. “Let's practice till my princess's prince arrives.”

“That's so corny, dad.”

Yet the laughter had echoed between them.

A burning sensation through her eyes had Iseul snap out as she found her reflection through blurry eyes; tears, and her heart in a tight squeeze of the memory with her father behind a unpleasant guilt, and regret of the happenings afterwards as she was quick to blink her tears away while biting her lips as she tried to hold back her emotions again. 

Her heart was in pain for not having him here to walk down the aisle with her. 

But would it be possible for her to be getting married if the happenings around her wouldn't have taken place in the first place? Irony of her life to be here after losing him in the most brutal manner; irony of her life that she couldn't mourn his death as if telling her how she really was not worthy of it. 

Yet her heart was missing him; it wasn't something to stop either. 

A knock on the door had her recover herself quickly to find her mother as Iseul's mind blanked, and somehow preparing for her words that she shouldn't take it to her heart after that moment years ago or after the last week but here she was preparing for it nevertheless. 

“When did you arrive?” 

Yeona stared at her without answering; Iseul found a changed emotion in her eyes as if it was something soft, and welled up, and she was thinking if she was mistaking it, but her words really left her stunned. 

“You look beautiful; Tae-ha would have been happy to see you like this.”

Iseul gulped a forming lump through her tightened throat and Yeona continued. “I won't take much time; the ceremony is about to begin,” She paused, appearing awkward as ever as she sighed. “Take care of yourself; I don't agree with your choice but I respect it, I don't know how you got to know about this but I'm relieved you confronted me, and I need to tell you this that it had happened with our family pressure but I don't regret marrying your father.”

“I hope you don't regret your choice; you have my blessings.”

Iseul listened to her; the moment from years ago crossed her mind again, the unpleasant words, and sight, as if she weren't regretting being married to her father so does she still claim her as a mistake? 

“Dad didn't cheat on you; I don't have anything to prove but I know it because I knew dad.”

Iseul couldn't ask her that; she was afraid of her answer that would shatter her broken heart yet again, but could say it confidently that she couldn't back then and found her mother's expression in a sad smile. “I know.”

“Why-” 

“Ma'am, it's time for the ceremony to start.”

The staff member had informed, and Iseul found her mother exiting the room leaving her in a turmoil of her thoughts; why would she blame him for it when she knew he didn't? Did they reconcile after she had left? Or when she wasn't talking to them? 

However it was; Iseul still couldn't stop the guilt for not taking a step towards her father when it was needed, and definitely not, when she was one of the reasons he wasn't here with her. 

This purpose might be the way to repent; she was up for it and she was quick to pull her veil over her face with a determination in her eyes. 

“Now enters the bride.”

The announcement echoed by Jung Hae-Jin after Baekhyun had found himself standing alone after walking down the aisle; the claps had beamed with the rhythm of his hammering heart to which he was confused about, he was sure he wasn't getting married with a happy heart, yet there was a jitter, and something strange, something he couldn't dislike, an unknown anticipation in his heart. 

“Relax, Baekhyun-ah, it's just Jeon Iseul, and this marriage is nothing more than a contract.”

Baekhyun mumbled; his palms clammy for he fisted as he glanced at the seated area to find Kang-min and Ji-eun along with Se-Ju together where he found Iseul's mother behind them along with Hwang Oh-Seong and his wife as Baekhyun met his conflicted eyes as if nervous about something but his system flinched the moment the entrance door had opened for the spotlight to trace her. 

Jeon Iseul.

Baekhyun felt his heart stopping for a second to beat with a speed he found abnormal; his system stopped functioning as his stunned eyes stared at the end of the altar to the woman standing in white, the purest white, and she was walking down the aisle towards him. 

The familiar sight he could never forget even if he wanted to; the same white, the same Jeon Iseul shining under the light like a beauteous captivation of a swan. 

And he couldn't take his eyes off yet again. 

“It's alright, Iseul, no need to look around and get done with this walk.”

Iseul mumbled, her clammy hands gripped the bouquet of white roses tightly, and she swallowed before blowing out another breath as she continued her steps through her gown where her eyes looked ahead through her see-through veil to find him standing and staring back at her. 

Byun Baekhyun. 

He was standing in a tuxedo but it wasn't like she was seeing him in it for the first time so why had her heart begun to hammer more than it already was? The shine of his silver hair didn't fail to appeal her eyes to his face as she hated to admit how handsome he looked right now and something more was in her system that she couldn't decipher but couldn't dislike either. 

The moment she had stopped by him; his palm had extended towards her to find a gentle expression on his face as his eyes gestured to his hand; the hand holding out for a faithful cooperation for their purposes for as long as they were together in this, and Iseul had slipped her palm on his to ignite a sudden warmth within her as he held it firmly in his hold; the faithfulness for having it together. 

Trust wasn't there but this could do; for them. 

Or more than that they didn't have to be aware of yet. 

Byun Baekhyun and Jeon Iseul were facing each other; this time, differently, this time, for their vows through the daylight beaming behind the glass window of the ballroom. 

“I, Byun Baekhyun, take you, Jeon Iseul, to be my wife,” He trailed off, looking up to meet her eyes from the veil and gulped as he his lips before continuing. “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, till death do us apart.”

Party A and B shall appear as an affectionate couple; both parties shall respect their boundaries in privacy.

“I, Jeon Iseul, take you, Byun Baekhyun, to be my husband,” Iseul paused, swallowing hard as her heart hammered to continue as her eyes met his deeply intent ones. “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, till death do us apart.”

Both parties shall cooperate faithfully to fulfill their purposes.

“Bride and groom may exchange the rings.”

Iseul found his hand holding out again for her to place it on his palm as he slid the silver ring on her ring finger of her left hand, and her heartbeat quickened, almost closer to her neck pulse before Baekhyun found his own left hand in her hold, and the silver ring sliding around his ring finger as he swallowed hardly at the happenings around them.

The contract shall be terminated after both parties have achieved their purposes. 

“Now you may kiss the bride.”

Iseul's eyes widened with a flinch but so did Baekhyun's as their eyes met with surprise unaware of Kang-min in the seated area pressing his lips together since he forgot to exclude this term where Ji-eun had her anticipated eyes on the newly married couple while Se-Ju had both an amusement and anticipation. 

“Didn't you ask Kang-min to remove this term?” 

Iseul whispered to Baekhyun who glanced at Kang-min discreetly only for him to look away pretending to fish out his phone and for Baekhyun to hiss under his breath. “That punk.”

“I'm warning you; don't get close to me.”

Iseul gritted out, as she bit her lip for Baekhyun to glance at her action to step closer and Iseul took a little step back for him to utter his words. “Do you have any other option?”

“Don't you dare.”

“I shall show you my daring this time.”

Iseul felt his figure closer to her proximity; the next second, he was holding her veil to push it up backwards revealing her face clear in his sight; a hold of his breath unconsciously as his eyes stared at her dolled up self in a captivation again, her lips in a shade of red roses and his lips parted with a swallow the moment she met her sharp eyes; damn, does she had to look like hard to take his eyes off? 

A confusion in his eyes for seeing her smile; lip-tight, pretense one. “I will slit your throat if you do it and I mean it, darling.”

“Oh really?” 

Iseul found a challenging smirk on his lips for her to swallow. “Yes, really.”

“Go ahead.”

He whispered, and she found him closer to her front, as the next second, she felt his hand sliding to her waist in the most brushing way to her back with a gentle yet swift pull towards him that her front leaned against his with a subtle gasp escaping her lips along with her hands holding his forearm, and the left side of his chest. 

“Listen-” 

“Relax, sweetheart.” He whispered, as he leaned in closer for his nose to brush, and for her heart to flip with a warmth, as he whispered further, “I'm not thrilled to kiss you either,” He trailed off, glancing at her lips with a swallow to meet her nervous glint eyes with a smirk. “Not until you ask me to; I mean it.”

Baekhyun found her gaze sharpening. “Never.”

His forehead creased, and Iseul felt his other hand sliding to her jawline holding in a gentle hold as she felt his fingers brushing her nape sending a wave of chill through her system, and her hammering heart quickened more to feel his warmth against her parted lips as her eyes instinctively glanced at his lips to meet his intensely deep eyes again. 

His heart hammered the second her nose brushed his in a warmth, and his eyes glanced at her rosy lips again to lean in, a sudden pull towards her, and a confusion crossed through her system after feeling his thumb brushing against the corner of her lips as his head tilted in a way that the crowd couldn't see them and his lips pressed against his own thumb against her lips. 

Something was felt; relief? It should have been but it wasn't. Disappointment? There's no way it could be that; a confusion of their emotions surely was it. 

The claps echoed and Baekhyun leaned back while meeting Iseul's eyes in an intent gaze as he stepped back only to stumble himself in her gown for Iseul to pull him steady only for his lips colliding her forehead; their eyes closing in the moment of the sudden happening. 

Another round of applause beamed again. 

Iseul leaned back to find Baekhyun's eyes meeting with the same surprise; a wave of awkwardness, and nervousness about the warmth rushing to them and they couldn't like it; it wasn't something to like again but the vows were sealed like they were meant to be. 

“We pronounce you as husband and wife; congratulations.”

The pair stood beside each other; watching the people ahead of them with Iseul's hand linked around Baekhyun's arm as they glanced at each other with a realization of their purposes; the new term of their relationship. 

And the unknown and silent vows of their hearts for their calms; the path of them towards each other till death do them apart. 

A new embark of their beginning beaming through the daylight on them. 

_______________

9:19 pm

“What the hell is this?” 

Iseul gritted out, her eyes staring at the sight of two folded swans on the bed with a grimace before hearing Baekhyun's footfalls approaching from behind to stand beside her and a snicker left his lips but had pressed his lips the moment she shot him her glaring sharpened eyes as he pointed at the bed with a sarcastic smile. “It's our first night; they really prepared well for us, sweetheart.”

“Don't kid around, darling.”

“We shall pay them good for showing such great talent.”

His sarcasm couldn't be stopped again as Iseul watched him pacing inwardly in the room; the suite room of the same hotel they had their supposed wedding earlier, the rest of the time passed with the after-dinner with the guest, and with the insistent of the hotel owner's to stay a night had them comply as both of them had found themselves sharing the same room, and space together. 

How unlikeable it was could be understood by them only. 

Iseul had changed into a beige bodycon dress with her hair still in a bun where he had left his blazer on the couch leaving him in his white button down tucked in his black pants where the bow tie was gone somewhere no one cared. 

“Let's get rid of this first.”

The moment Iseul heard him, the towel was thrown towards her direction covering her head as she flinched at the sudden action to pull it down with a glare towards Baekhyun who stood with his ever nonchalant yet not so apologetic expression to shrug. “Oops.”

The thing Baekhyun had felt the towel being thrown back to him on his face as his eyes closed at the impact to pull it away with a scowl towards Iseul to find her pacing to the wardrobe; his steps were quick to follow and Iseul felt him beside her to give him a questioning look with a notice of the towel hanging around his neck as he looked through the wardrobe while ing his cuffs to roll up his sleeves afterwards. 

Iseul couldn't help but stare at him in a sudden trance to immediately turn away with a huff of hers; she really needed to get herself together. 

“Good thing the clothes are here.”

Baekhyun reached out, taking his nightwear to find Iseul's hand holding his clothes still for his eyes to narrow at her. “Now what?” 

“I will shower first.”

Baekhyun held the door of the wardrobe, opening it further to step closer to her figure while Iseul stood still with her sharp eyes. 

“This is not your office, where you can order around and it will be fulfilled.”

“I didn't say it; I will still shower first.”

Ignoring her, Baekhyun had grabbed his clothes for Iseul to glare at him. “Don't ignore me.”

He shot her a knowing smirk. “I can do whatever I want, sweetheart.”

“Not here.”

“And you can?” 

“Why not?” 

“Who's gonna let you?” 

Iseul gave him a look. “Who's gonna stop me?” 

She gave him a challenge and he never backed out from it, as he nodded, leaning his face closer to her for her to back away as he smirked. “Your darling husband.”

Before Iseul could have reacted, he had paced away rapidly towards the bathroom and snapping out, she paced behind him but he was quick enough to get inside, closing the door behind for Iseul to slam the door loudly. 

“Get out!”

Another slam against the door with her heel. 

“Careful, sweetheart; people might think we have already started our business.”

Iseul frowned. “What business?” 

The next second, she heard the door opening; his head popping out with a flinch to her system at his close proximity but enough for him to lean in, and a raised eyebrow as his head tilted enough to glance at her lips. 

“Marriage business, sweetheart.”

Baekhyun closed the door behind with a threatening smile; more because how oblivious she appeared with her innocent glinting eyes that he had seen years ago but found the glimpse of, and hearing her grumbles from the other side had him smirk in satisfaction. 

“That scum.”

Iseul halted her heel slamming to the door again at the reminder of his words; a sudden flush to her system as she had her hands opening wide to strangle him; she wanted to punch him, or anything and she found the pillow for the action as without thinking much, she had thud the pillow twice on the bed before throwing it hardly for the last time. 

A sigh of exhaustion left her lips; the whole wedding scene with the dinner afterwards had left her in a fatigue and she was used to it, because she preferred exhaustion from work, so she can be distracted from her dreading thoughts haunting her; the nightmare that occasionally visit her in her sleep. 

A time when she used to be on sleeping pills; a deep slumber of a comfort because without it, there was none, and it doesn't seem like there was a change of it either. 

Her eyes turned to the balcony of the room; the summer breeze was intact, and a smell of petrichor swooning softly to the room behind the bright cityscape of Seoul as if an indication of another rain to bid a goodbye to the last weekend of June, but Iseul couldn't want the rain yet nothing happens to her accord to have any hopes in her life and the proof was the silver ring in her hand of a sacred bond yet couldn't feel like it. 

“Is he planning to sleep inside?” 

Iseul grumbled since the sound of shower was intact, before changing her feet into slippers as her heels were placed beside Baekhyun's shoes now; the next thing she was seated on the chair of the dressing table as her hands were on the task of opening her bun; the hairpins weren't her side either to be out as a hiss left her lips with another grumble she could count. 

“Why did the stylist stick it with hair spray?”

Iseul hated someone touching her hair to the extent of ruining it yet she let someone else do it other than Ji-eun or her father had her huff since the damn spray really was a piece of work; in the midst of her grumbles, she heard the door opening as her eyes instinctively traced Baekhyun's figure in the black silk pajamas while his silver hair damp as he kept ruffling it softly to leave it upward displaying his forehead in a shine. 

“You're staring, sweetheart.”

Baekhyun met her serious eyes as he stood in front of the dressing table beside her seated figure to look at himself in the mirror as he ruffled his hair again until his actions stopped at her question. “What were you doing inside for almost an hour?” 

“You want me to explain how I was showering?” His forehead creased in amusement with a smirk as he continued his actions, still boring his eyes into her sharp ones now. “Don't twist my words, Baekhyun.”

“Stop asking twisted questions; I take this much time, get used to it, sweetheart.”

“Not anymore.”

Iseul was back to her task of taking out her pins yet failing miserable and frustratedly as Baekhyun opened his mouth for replying to her words but halted at her struggling self to meet her eyes. “What?” 

“You look helpless.”

“I don't need help.”

Baekhyun chuckled, silently. “Of course.”

Iseul f