“Nothing big, I beg of you.” I was basically on my knees on the rug, tears beginning to form and fall out of desperation. This was easily the 20^th time I’ve been attempting and failing to plead with Dara unni to just take her ‘event organiser’ obsession down a notch; or maybe twenty. When there are special occasions, I know Dara unni likes to dream big, like fairy tale big, and the rest of the 2NE1 girls’ were often victims to it. I’ve heard nightmare-esque stories, and after a few years they’ve finally managed to make her tone it down to just her presents alone. However, for the wedding of a close friend that she would witness, Dara unni was coming all-out, guns blazing no doubt. Especially when she heard that I wasn’t have a wedding party.

With my hands clutched together, still having not gotten up off the floor, I remembered the almost humorous changes in emotion her face went through when Ji Yong and I made the announcement yesterday in front of the YG family.

“We’re getting married,” Ji Yong had said with one hand wrapped around my waist. The first reaction was confusion, simply because he was just repeating old news.

“What he means is that we’re going to sign the papers this week,” I added. This was followed by a bout of genuine congratulations and ‘atta boy’s, which Ji Yong bashfully accepted. He ran his fingers through his hair, now almost resemblant of a church boy’s hair, simply black and slick.

“When’s the wedding!?” Psy shouted from beside sajangnim. Ji Yong and I shared knowing glances and he took control.

“Hyung, we won’t be having one.” Shock slowly settled onto their faces as realization hit them. That just didn’t happen in South Korea. There were only a few reasons why a bride and groom wouldn’t have an official wedding party, and none of them good in terms of societal standards.

“With his 2^nd world tour coming up, the rehearsals and an unfinished album, it just isn’t going to happen,” I started to explain. “And it’s not that we won’t, it’s more like a ‘not now’. We wouldn’t want to be in a wedding which only half of us was invested in, and honestly we didn’t want to show you guys such a half-assed attempt either.”

“When it happens, we’ll make it so that you guys know that we will undoubtedly be happy,” Ji Yong said. They sympathised, most of the ladies still attempted to debate the idea but it was clear from their smiles that they understood where we were coming from. An almost no-name model married to the industry’s biggest icon right before his tour and album release; it had ‘marketing stunt’ written all over it. Little did I know that in the corner of a room, a lady looking much too young for her age was grinning ear to ear for all the wrong reasons.

It took me all but half an hour to figure Dara unni’s plans. She wasn’t really good at being secretive.

“Your husband’s going to kill me,” I said, now attempting to reason with her. Chaerin and Bom unni along with Minzy and their respective managers were watching our little scene, clearly amused. “You know how crazy you get with these, and he hardly sees you at home already. Is that what you want? To create a rift between me and him?”

“Ah, he’ll live,” she quipped, then shooed me away with a simple motion of her finger, knowing that she had heard enough of my personal input on the party, which was basically zilch. She already had a bright orange planner with a furry pen already on her lap filled with numbers of caterers and decorators I was certain.

“I commend your perseverance. When she did it to me I didn’t even try,” Bom unni explained as I leaned on her shoulder for some physical and mental support. “Sometimes she’s a force of nature that you just can’t control.”

“Just… try to keep it normal…” I said, praying that it would get through to her, as I walked out of the dorm to meet Ji Yong downstairs. I saw her wiggle her fingers at me in ‘good bye’, her grin still spreading from ear to ear and I left knowing that my prayers would be unanswered.

“Were we being unreasonable and unfair?” I asked Ji Yong when we got to his apartment. After my little suggestion we spent a few extra days more than we should have at the pension in just pure bliss. Now Ji Yong had a lot of catching up work to do, but considering the bomb we just dropped, it sure wasn’t going to happen in the YGE building. He decided to stay home for a day or two, which was quite stupid I thought. Did spending all those days alone in the pension not teach the poor man anything? We were both a distraction for each other.

“I’m kind of glad Dara unni is doing this actually. I know I’m being unfair to you,” he said, leaning into me as soon as the front door closed behind us. He nuzzled my ear, and lo-and-behold, his quick hands were already under my shirt at the small of my back. I hugged him back and caressed his hair.

“All is fair in love and war. Do what you want with me, and you’ll still be the love of my life in my eyes.” He took a step back and stared at me as if a light bulb just went up above his head. I could almost hear the ‘ding!’.

“You… I get it now.”

“Get what?”

“That time when you said that we weren’t healthy, and we needed space a couple of years. This was what you meant, and I get it now because I believe you. I mean, that was some pretty serious stuff you said just then. That ain’t rational.”

“Scared?” I asked taunting him. “Because I am. But a good scared because I wouldn’t want to hand my heart over to anyone else. I’m nothing without you, I told you that in London.”

He smirked; a deliciously y one at that, with straight white teeth showing and all.

“Good, because I wouldn’t want it any other way. Let’s love each other until disaster.”

I laughed.

“Well aren’t you ever the cheery poet. Did you get tips from Blo oppa or something?”

“I can be sad and melancholy as well.”

“I know.” And I did, because that was a world I was trying to bring him out of, only to find that it was impossible. No one could be forever happy, people trip and fall, especially in such a dynamic industry, but at least… at least I would be there through the ebb and flow of things.

The sound of a slap, skin on skin, destroyed our little moment. It was my hand on his arm, as I could feel his fingers begin to play with the clasp of my bra.

“No,” I said adamantly.

“Why?”

“I declare a period of celibacy. Chaste kisses and hugs, nothing more.”

“What am I? In a church?”

“You’re never getting any work done otherwise. Or you know, I could just go back to my wonderful, wooden home.”

“Fine! Fine!” Ji Yong grumbled. “As if I don’t have enough stress already.”

“I thought you worked better under pressure,” I said matter-of-factly. I knew a rant was about to escape his lips, but Ji Yong thought better of it and just held his tongue, though his eyes held the weight of his internal complaints. In the end my fiancé just let out a huge sigh, and then turned to walk towards his built-in studio near the kitchen.

“Babe?” I called to him sweetly. He stopped mid-step. “I didn’t say starting from when.”

There was a rush of ‘oh-thank-god’ before I found myself lifted off my feet and hurdled straight on to the master bed in a fit of laughter. I loved this man, my body and soul just knew it, and I hoped that one day someone was able to receive and give as much love as we had for one another. And I honestly hoped that that day would come soon. 

AN: Happy Easter everyone! Looking at recent photos of some serious Skydragon coupling, I suddenly had this urge to write a story, but then I remembered that I was in the middle of one already, and then my fingers suddenly just missed writing. Thus, here is the 22nd chapter! Again thanks so much everyone, your patience is otherworldly =D. By the way, polling time once more!! As you guys can see Bom and Dara are actually married by this time... which is the year 2018. So... who are their respective husbands? Vote away!!!