The band is playing Dwele’s Open Your Eyes at the first course of Hanin’s reception and in a mere moment guests clears their ways for the groom and bride to take the first dance. The motion rolls simultaneously; one follows another events in order just like scenario in romance novels yet there is nothing remote and I find myself mesmerized by this particular wedding. By any other word, magical should describe this event in utter precise.

From a far I can see Jongdae takes Hanin by her hands and capture his no longer fiancée inside his capture, simply as the vow has bound them, they’re husband and wife from this moment on. They glide as the melody flow and everybody attending falls into the ball joining their merry vibe. The next thing I know, my date hold me inside his warm captive and flatter ever so flirty.

“I’ve been standing from across the ball and couldn’t help but to have my eyes captivated by this young, attractive lady I’m holding, here, within my arms”

I giggle

“Would this lady fancy a dance with this younger gentleman who has been dying to let her lead him on their ways of dance?”

“Okay Sehun, you’ll never make a good Hemingway nor Shakespeare, just say the good old line, baby”

Sehun scoffs “Yeah, I’ll never beat Shakespeare, not even an E.L. James so, dance with me Sangmi” he asks.

And I nod as complied yet with my whole of heart for this man, because there is no way I’m doing anything for him without giving everything in me—I Love him that much, no questions asked.

***

The sound of fork clattering against thin walls of champagne glass beckons throughout the hall in request of attention “Ladies” I hear Hanin calling for us female guests. She raises in her grip a harmony of calla lilies, lisianthus and roses bound into one hand-tied bouquet that represents the beauty of her Spring Wedding. It is time.

“Ladies are you ready?” Hanin asks in merry as her grip swings the bouquet in several circular motions, setting our female hearts to pump at a pace faster than prior. I can feel excitement pulsing in and can’t wait for…

I’m not quite sure whether for the moment I would manage to catch it or for the moment I would be sure about the directions I’m taking with Sehun.

Are we going the way I think we’re going? To the place where he’ll be bound as mine as I will as his? In matrimony?

“Here it goes!”

Oh, wait for me! I’m not ready!

Hanin throws her bouquet and it flies across the room above our orbs. I feel like everything turns into stop motion and I’m suddenly incapable of stepping ahead of any other women—things flow tentatively yet the bouquet seems as if it falls on its natural speed and it soon land moments after, but not inside my grip.

***

“You mind telling me why catching that bouquet was so deeply fundamental to you girls? Seriously, I don’t get it” Sehun asks as both of us enters his apartment. I walk inside and he closes the door behind before we both stride hand in hand into his living room at tentative pace slower than ticking time—my mind is in quest for suitable answer yet there’s no strong argument I can reason him with.

“Well, it was said that whoever catch the bouquet will soon get married, and—“ I look at Sehun, there’s pile of displease lingering in his eyes, this man simply won’t buy it at any costs “—well, besides, it was just exciting, you know”

Sehun walks me to the sofa and we sit side by side, for mere minutes we sit in silence and I feel rather awkward. Was it my previous statement? Does he feel like I’m pressuring him into marriage? I feel wrong and I need to set righteousness between us.

Oh, Sehun, don’t get me wrong.

“Look, Sehun, I—“

“Do you want to get married, Sangmi?” he asks.

I’m astounded, partially perplexed and in complete shock. He looks calm and subtle with both eyes looking into me as if if he digs deep enough he would find the answer either of us should oversee. Is he proposing me? Is this for re—

“You know, Sangmi, eventually”

A train wreck clashes upon my sanity “Oh” Sehun said eventually. He is settling the evident probably upon the question he just asked for yet can I actually lie to this man? Even if I could, I wouldn’t.

I smile, not giving anything away “I’m a girl, Oh Sehun”, “So, yes. I would want to get married at some points”

“At what sort of certain points are we talking about now, Sangmi?” he grins “enlighten me” says him as he leans closer.

I capture his scent dancing its way to my olfaction and in to time I am intoxicated. My lips purses as I gulp feeling his closeness bewitching me like an injection of truth serum, I reason truthfully under his spell “at moments like—“ this

“Like when you were trying to catch that bouquet? Because that’s just ridiculous”

“Sehun?!” I burst.

Sehun scoffs, his palms travel their ways onto my cheeks as cup my face until my attention is paid devotedly to this man before me “if you think a flower bouquet will get a man bending on his knees and asks for your hand in marriage, then, you’re out of your mind—“

I know.

“A flower bouquet won’t get you down the aisle, baby—“ he releases me and fishes a box from inside his tuxedo. I gasp. It’s a Tiffany box “—a wedding ring would” he opens its lid and I see everything I’ve been questioning over the day, week, month, answered in a sight of his symbolic passion resting concrete between cushions. A white gold ring.

Tears escape my eyes involuntarily beyond control of my conscience.

“Choi Sangmi, before I ask your hand in matrimony, I have to state that this is not the way I had picture about this! I, uh, um, you know—“ Sehun stutters “—I wanted it to be flower petals and candle lights all over the place, and, well, maybe not candles I’ll burn them clumsily. But I wanted this moment to be romantic, the way you would want it and I, uh, I—“

“Sehun” I smile as tears keep on pouring down my cheeks in infinite happiness “Dear, Sehun—“

“I wanted this to be special”

“I don’t need romance, Sehun. I don’t need flower petals nor do I need candles, or any other fairy tale scenarios there are. I need you, baby, cause you are real and you make things real for me”

Sehun captures my hand inside his grip and rest the ring encircling my wedding finger “then I won’t be asking you anymore, Sangmi, I’m marrying you, no questions asked”

I cry in utter joy having this feeling pounding hard as if its power will burst my heart out, my physique is overloaded with happiness from the effect. The effect only Sehun can cause.

“Choi Sangmi, you are marrying me” says him as he captures my forehead with his tender lips. Through the kiss he whispers “because despite wherever we ran to, how far we would get away from one another, the universe would eventually bring us together again—because we are meant to be”

I nestle inside his hug and adjust to the one home I’ll be living for the rest of my life in, the one sanctuary I know—my fiancée, my spouse, my Sehun.

He might not be Shakespeare. He might not be Hemingway or even an E.L. James, but Sehun knows the one romance that will always have me mesmerized by its captivating magic, it is his and his own.

We love each other that much, no questions asked.