THIRTY

The thought of him fidgeting like the grooms he used to silently laugh at never crossed his mind, not even in his wildest dream.

And yet here he was, covered in cold sweat with his heart pounding rather loudly against his chest as he waited for his wife to appear. He chuckled at how foolishly naïve and conceited he was when he declared that he would never feel the way he was feeling right now. And it wasn’t even his real wedding yet. The thought of marrying Dara for real filled his already muddled brain with unnecessary thoughts. Making his already overworked heart pound even faster and louder. And it wasn’t even his fake wedding ceremony.

It was their wedding photo shoot!

They did everything backwards. He thought making him laugh. He caught his reflection in the mirror making him laugh louder. He was white as sheet with beads of sweat trickling down his temple. A nervous wreck. He was far worse than the grooms he used to laugh at. He was laughing and shaking his head when the door opened.

His laughter was cut short, his breathing heightened and his heart skidded to a stop. There was his bride with her brows furrowed and lower lip trapped between her teeth. “What do you think smooch?” She asked with a soft shy smile. Her smile slowly fell when he kept silent. “Uhm, you don’t like it?”

Beautiful.

It was the first word that crossed his mind as soon as his sight landed on Dara. Her hair was piled in a soft crown above her head; she wore almost no makeup, just a hint of pink lipstick making her appear even more delicate. The off-shoulder half sleeved lace ivory gown made her look ethereal. It accented her shoulders and the delicate arch of her neck. The gown has high waist making her stomach look even smaller and her bust a bit fuller. He has never seen her this shy before and it made her impossibly alluring.

 How can she look innocent and alluring at the same time? He knew he was staring rather longer than what was polite but he couldn’t help himself. She was such a sight to behold that he was rendered momentarily incapable of speech.

Dara cleared and forced a small smile. Jae Joong’s stare was making her nervous. Was she that hideous? “So..uhm..Jae do I,” She paused to clear , “Do I look okay?”

“No.” Her face fell then that cute pout of hers finally appeared. Adorable. He thought with a smile. He slowly rose from his seat. His eyes never leaving hers as he walked towards her. “Smooch.” He called her name with such tenderness that Dara cheeks turned pink. She really was the blushing bride. “You’re perfect.” He slowly reached his hand to gently cup her face, the cameras around them completely forgotten.

It felt so right to have her as his bride. He smiled. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.” Dara could feel her cheeks burning. He was making her even more nervous than she already was. She always received his smiles but it was different today. She pondered for a while as she slowly met his warm gaze.

His eyes. She thought making her heart pound even louder. His eyes were looking at her with such tenderness and warmth that made her feel like she was indeed the most beautiful bride he has ever seen. “Thank you.” She managed to reply with a small awkward smile.

He knew that he shouldn’t. But he just can’t control himself around Dara. The cold image of Kim Jae Joong was always nowhere near whenever Dara’s around. “No smooch,” he said as he pulled her close until their faces were an inch apart. “Thank you.” He whispered with outmost sincerity. And then without warning he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Dara’s eyes grew wide with shock. formed a big O as soon as her hand touched her forehead. Did he just kiss her? Did he?

Jae Joong chuckled. The look on her face will remain in his memory forever. “Shall we?” He asked, offering his arm.

“We are going to start with the easiest outdoor poses first.” The main photographer, Jang Hyuk, stated as he lead the couple towards the centre of the huge garden. “Jae Joong-ssi,” He directed them towards the path made by several tall trees with branches meeting in the middle, creating an arch. The couple stood facing each other with the sunlight streaming through the branches, basking them with a soft glow. Dara tried hard to focus on what the photographer was saying but her eyes kept on drifting back to Jae Joong. He looked exceptional handsome in his white tuxedo. “Okay Dara-ssi?” Jang Hyuk’s voice