"Stealing the Bride"

A Two-Shot Featuring Park Kyung & Zico of Block B, and You

Part Two of Two Parts

Something Borrowed, Something (or Someone) Blue: Six Months Later

During the past long months, you'd watched probably every single kind of wedding movie in existence: happy ones, sad ones, crazy ones involving mistaken identity, zombie brides, and amnesiac grooms.

And as you stood in front of the floor-length, three-way mirror in your wedding dress, you truly felt like you were in a movie -- one of the good ones. It was the perfect dress -- a pearly white tulle material with an embroidered sweetheart bodice and the dress flaired out from your waist like a gown you'd wear at a fancy ball. You loved the way the sunlight shining in from the small window nearby sparkled on the details of your dress. You also loved how the gown made that shh-shh sound when you moved and how you looked elegant lifting parts of it up with you hands when you walked across the floor.

So in the films, what comes next -- you wondered, putting on your white lace gloves -- hmm, usually this is the scene where the future bride stares into the mirror and talks to herself...repeating her future last name over and over again.

"Mrs. Jiho Woo..." you said out loud in the small room. In a little over two hours, you would finally be a married lady. "Mrs. Woo...that's me."

The door of the room opened. Instead of coming in, P.O. popped his head inside. In a split-second, he had on that cute, mildly doofy smile of his where his eyes squeeze together and his mouth is nothing but gum and top teeth. "Ohhh! Oh, oh, oh. Look at you, look...at...you!" he said with that masculine voice of his that sounded like a powerful car engine revving up. "So cute! So...so....cute! Cute, cute, cute."

If it were possible for a wedding to have a fandom, P.O was the biggest fanboy ever of your nuptials to Zico. He'd been this way since the day Zico had told him you'd said yes to his proposal. Your days had consisted of Pyo Jihoon spazzing over floral arrangements and tuxedo rentals. He was not above taking your hands and making you jump up and down with him in excitement while picking out table centerpieces.

"Thanks, Pyo. I really appreciate that," you said in response to his compliments, secretly hoping that Zico's jaw would drop when you came down the aisle.

Deep down, though, you wondered where was unlucky 'Bertha' and it made you feel a bit guilty. But no wedding that you'd heard of had ever gone this well. You'd managed to avoid getting chocolate on your white dress, the weather forecast predicted nothing but sunshine, and no one had gotten into a fistfight in the parking lot. Everything was perfect, maybe too perfect. Then again, when Zico said that you wouldn't have to worry about a thing, he meant it.

"You're so pretty and sparkly right now -- like a chandelier or, I don't know!" P.O stretched his arm forward and into the room, his hand opening and closing in a grabby motion. "Sequins! Whoa, whoa, whoa...both sequins and pearls! That dress looks softer than anything I've ever seen, let me feel the --"

But suddenly he was pulled backwards out of the room. Minhyuk/B-Bomb had his hands firmly on P.O. It was a full-blown wedding-fanboy intervention.

"Sorry he's here bothering you -- he slipped away before I knew he was missing," Minhyuk said with that quiet and calm voice of his -- and you were happy that P.O was still smiling despite his spazzing being interrupted. "I guess he's just getting you ready. When you marry Zico, you also get a Pyo free-of-charge."

"And a Kitty Kwon, and a baby Taeil, and a dazed Jaehyo, and a nose-picking Kyung, and a -loving Minhyuk," Yukwon/U-kwon said from somewhere behind his taller band mates.

"Can we just get over the thing?" Minhyuk sighed, tossing a glance back at U-kwon. Then he tilted his head to the side, and looked at you. He smiled. "Whoa...you look beautiful. Wait until he sees you."

Then the three of them left you alone again in the room. B-Bomb was right, though: being Zico's wife meant loving his second family Block B, too. You were happy at the thought, especially since you loved his band members already. You even cared about Park Kyung, though he avoided you every chance he got.

Kyung -- maybe someday you'd figure him out. Whenever all of you went out to eat, if you happened to end up sitting next to him, he'd subtly get up and sit in another seat. Or during those moments when the two of you found yourselves alone in the car while waiting for Zico, he'd turn on some music and start rapping to himself. Seemed like he went from fun Kyung to cold Kyung if you so much as entered the same space as him.

I guess I can't win all of Zico's friends over into liking me -- you reasoned with yourself -- Still, they've known each other since middle school. It would have been nice to be on friendly terms with Kyung.

The door of the room crept open again. P.O must have somehow escaped B-Bomb and U-kwon. If the guy really wanted to fanboy right now, you were willing to let him take a moment right now to fanboy.

As you continued staring into the mirror, you saw the reflection of Kyung standing behind you.

He was in the gray tuxedo that all of the groomsmen were supposed to wear, plus a pastel pale yellow bowtie. The bowtie was so right on him. He'd returned to his curly-haired phase, and his hair swirled on top of his head more full and poufy than your flower bouquet.

"Hello, Kyung!" you gasped, unable to hide your surprise at seeing him here, in your bridal dressing room. Was he lost?

"You busy? Or do you think you could spare a moment of your time?" he said while his eyes stayed focused on your gown. There was the faintest hint of a smile on his long face. "Can you come with me? I need to show you something."

Busy? I'm getting ready to be married to the love of my life, and Kyung asked if I'm busy? -- you turned away from the mirror, and gave him a friendly smile -- But maybe this is him trying to be nicer to me. I guess I should give him a chance.

You nodded. "Sure, I'll go with you. It's too quiet in here anyway." Then you added, truly concerned, "What if Zico sees me? It's bad luck for him to see me in my dress before the wedding."

"Hey, girl, Block B don't depend on luck, but I promise he's all the way on the other side of the building," Kyung's reluctant smirk finally became an actual smile. He beamed all of those bright pearly teeth at you. Then he gestured for you to follow him, and he left the room.

You didn't think too much about it as you trailed him into the dim hallway. Nor did you question it too much when he approached a door marked EXIT. It wasn't until you were both outside in the warm air with the sun shining above you that something didn't feel quite right.

He'd led you outside of the building. A field of green grass stretched in front of you with small groups of trees here and there. To the right was the packed parking lot. Most of the guests had already arrived and were waiting inside. In the distance, straight ahead, you could see the outline of the lake and several ducks.

"Grass stains ain't cute. I'll handle this," Kyung said, and before you realized what he meant exactly, he'd picked you up and swung you over his shoulder.

"Kyung! What the --? What are you doing? Kyung!" you protested, your arms now hanging behind his back. It wasn't exactly the most dignified way to carry a girl in a dress. "Hey, what are you doing? This is unneccesary!"

"It's like no one cuts the grass around here or something. It would have gotten on your dress, so I'm carrying you. Don't worry about thanking me for being such a thoughtful gentleman." He kept having to use his mouth to blow the hem of your dress out of his face, but he kept his hands securely on your legs so you wouldn't fall. "This thing is heavy as hell. Not you! The dress. The dress, sweetheart, I meant the dress!"

Wait, he called me sweetheart? That was so random -- you thought, as he started walking across the field while toting you.

"Hey! Hold on!" a familiar voice called toward you. You heard the sound of someone running, and even though you couldn't see what was happening in front of Kyung, you knew it was Jaehyo Ahn who had spoken.

"Why in the world are you wearing that?" Kyung asked Jaehyo, laughter spilling out of him. "Take a look at this guy!" Kyung said to you, and he spun you around so you could see Jaehyo.

Jaehyo's dark hair was longish and in a small ponytail -- and a wreath of wildflowers rested on his head.

"I'm a pretty flower boy. Get it?" Jaehyo said, fully amused with himself.

"Man, you need to stop! Just stop," Kyung groaned, shaking his head. He whirled back around so that you weren't facing Jaehyo any longer. "Just focus on being the handsome one and Iet me be the funny one -- the actually funny one. Don't be selfish here!"

"Whatever, you just don't get my humor. I'm more than a handsome face," Jaehyo said, probably briefly pouting. He was a pouter. Then he said, "Anyway, nothing big is going on with me, but have either of you seen a certain piece of jewelry just laying around here --"

You instantly tapped Kyung on the back. "Spin me around! Spin me around again!"

Kyung obediently turned so that you were facing Jaehyo once more.

"Did you lose my wedding ring, Jaehyo?" you said, carefully.

"I never said that," Jaehyo answered quickly, and he began to speed-walk away in the opposite direction. "Nothing is wrong!"

Your jaw fell in shock, but Kyung didn't give you time to focus on anything. He had resumed hauling you across the field.

"Kyung, seriously...is this some kind of joke?" you said as you heard the sound of ducks squawking very nearby. "How is a cucumber this strong?!"

He finally set you down on your own two feet again. You glanced around, and noticed that you were standing in the little picnic area beside the lake. There were wooden tables with benches and a beautiful weeping willow with its fronds drooping into the water.

Then Kyung ran quickly toward the center of a large flock of slow-walking ducks. It was actually a funny sight -- Kyung, surrounded by brown and black-spotted ducks who were agitatedly flapping their wings and squawking at him. He was bent over, walking here and there, as if searching for something among the fowl.

You couldn't help yourself. You raised a hand to cover your mouth, but the laughter still came out.

"What are you doing now?" you asked, wondering if you'd ever figure this guy out. You seemed to wonder this every day.

Kyung didn't glance back, but continued chasing the ducks around. "A note. Girl, I tied a note to one of these ducks' legs. Why won't they be still for a second so I can find it?"

"Well, you're charging at them. Of course they're going to run away like that!" you said, not hiding your laughter anymore. It felt good, actually, to laugh. You were forgetting your nervousness. "You tied a note to a duck? Why would you do that?"

"It was a special note. It was for you," Kyung said, as the poor webbed creatures kept waddling away from him.

"Oh! Did Zico tell you to do that? To surprise me?"

"This ain't got nothing to do with Jiho," Kyung responded, and he turned around to look at you. And there, with the ducks making a loud chaotic ruckus around his legs, he said, "It was a note to you. From me. About us. About what I've been feeling for you. About how I'm feeling you. You've got my heart on lockdown."

You kept smiling, thinking he was joking around. "What does that mean?"

"The note I wrote to you, it said 'I'd give you anything you want, baby. Some dudes say they'll give a girl the stars or the moon, but babe, I'd give you Jupiter. I'd give you a planet because who the hell wants the moon, anyway?'" Kyung said and that big toothy smile of his told you that he wasn't kidding. Not at all.

This is not happening, is it? -- you hoped, staring at him in confusion -- So Kyung is my 'Bertha' today?

"What are you even talking about, Kyung? You can't stand me," you said, recovering from your shock slightly. "You hate being around me, and you avoid me, and you tease me..."

"Girl, haven't you been to elementary school before? I was old-school flirting! It's my style. And what was I supposed to do, give my best friend's chick the lovey-dovey eyes in front of everyone? That's just rude, ain't it? But now, I got to get this off my chest and tell the truth. Do you remember when we first met?"

"Yeah, at a fan-signing after you guys' concert -- two years ago," you said slowly, crossing your arms over your chest.

"I remember that day, too. You were in a pair of jeans, a white blouse, and there was a little polka-dot clip in your hair. You've been living in my heart every since, even though Zico won when it comes to you," Kyung said, and he glanced at the ducks, who were still flapping and rustling around him -- still not calm yet.

Then you could feel it. You feel the sadness Kyung must have felt every time he'd seen you with Zico. You could feel his awkwardness every time Zico had kissed you or held your hand when he was around. You could feel it, and it was breaking your heart. Was a heart supposed to break on your wedding day? Were you supposed to feel so blue and sad like this?

But the truth was and still was, that you loved Zico. You'd loved him since the first time you'd met him in person. Since the moment he introduced himself and then laughed that booming laugh of his soon after. You loved everything about him and there was a lot to love. There could never be anyone else but him.

"I...I'm sorry...I never knew how --" you began, desperately seeking the right words to explain.

Kyung laughed, but it sounded different than his usual laugh. It sounded forced. "Uh-huh, yeah so, there was more in that note. I ended it by saying 'Even though you could have been my goddess -- girl, I can't let it happen. Zico's been my closest friend forever, and he's thirsty for a chick like you. He needs you, and I could never get in the way of a dude that I care about being with the lady he loves.' That's what the note said at the end. That's how I ended it."

Both of you knew what had just happened: Kyung was putting his feelings aside for now and forever because he cared about Zico too much. He cared about his friend's happiness more than his own. But you also knew that Kyung would be happy -- you couldn't keep a good Kyung down. Nothing and nobody could.

You walked the short distance, and placed a small sisterly kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for always taking care of Zico. He'd be lost without a friend like you."

"No, he'd be lost because he can't read maps or give directions for ," Kyung said, grinning at you. He was pushing you both past the memory of what had just occurred. Quickly, you two were reaching for 'normal' again. Reaching for friendship. "Hey, I forgot to tell you. I bought my own underwear in honor of you and Zico's wedding. I didn't borrow a pair from anybody. Be proud of me. But I had to snatch some of Yukwon's shoes."

"Well, wearing your own underwear is a start. Step by step, right?"

"Yeah, in tight- shoes," Kyung laughed -- sounding like himself again. He patted you on the shoulder. "Hey, one of these days, I need to meet my own lady. I want to do the whole house and married thing, too. I can imagine a bunch of little Kyungies running around. That's what I want. A girl that's into my flavor."

"It will happen, I know it," you said with a genuine smile, and you were happy that somehow, things had become less awkward between you two. "I'm going back to finish getting ready. Okay?"

Kyung nodded. You noticed Taeil -- wearing the gray suit and his black glasses -- was approaching. You tossed him a smile, too, and kept walking away.

"Where the hell have you been?" Kyung shouted at him, but he held his hand out and hugged Taeil. "You're tardy to the party, man -- as always!"

"Nobody woke me up. Hey, should she have been out here in her dress like that?" Taeil said, then he frowned at Kyung. "Don't tell me...you told her that you love her, didn't you? Out here, near the lake, trying to be romantic or some crap like that."

"What? How did you know? Was it obvious or something?" Kyung groaned, touching his hands to his head.

"You're an ," Taeil said, laughing at his friend.

They heard someone else coming close, and soon, 'pretty flower boy' Jaehyo was standing with them.

"I just remembered!" he said, bending over to catch his breath. "I gave the ring to you, Kyung!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I've got it," Kyung waved his hand casually -- smiling at the little trick he'd played on Jaehyo. Somethings were too easy. Then he said, "Hey, is Zico really going to get her initials tattooed on his ring finger after the wedding?"

Jaehyo and Taeil nodded.

"That's some serious stuff right there," Kyung said, more to himself than to anyone else. He knew at that moment that what you had with Zico was real and permanent.

Taeil sighed, looking toward the building. "I was up there for just five minutes, and the bridesmaids were already sweating me."

"Bridesmaids? I forgot about the bridesmaids, ha!" Kyung said, straightening his jacket and running a hand through his curled hair. "Let me get the engine going."

Kyung shook one shoulder, then the other shoulder, moved his feet and his legs -- until he was doing his famous shoulder-dance perfectly.

"Yeah, I'm ready for those bridesmaids," Kyung grinned widely, and he, Jaehyo, and Taeil walked toward the wedding together.

Thank you to everyone who read this first two-shot! It was my first Block B story.