Two people coming together by heart marks the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another. It took me time to understand this, being me, but throughout the time I spent trying to adjust myself to the many changes I encountered with Sung Gyu joining my life, I realized that we had, in fact, finished that one phase of it, the part where realization taking place happened, ended and closed the chapters. It was as if we have begun a new book in life, starting from an all new point, and entering an all new life. Looking back to that time, I came to acknowledge that I had, indeed, significantly changed. Not only myself, but everything that surrounded me. I suppose these were the perks of ending that phase of realization. I was no longer chasing, no longer in doubt. I was stronger, resolute and the dependency didn’t come to me as a matter anymore. And of course, I was going through it so well.

But, as said. Adapting took me time. I wasn’t used to the phone calls at the crack of the dawn and in the middle of sleepless nights, but there they were, smooth, long and beautiful. I took time to adjust to having someone sleeping next to me too, having to wake up to the brilliance of them every morning on my side. But there were the mornings where he would be sleeping next to me, his smooth bare skin pressed against me, his warm breath colliding softly with mine. At first I couldn’t figure out how I should be reacting to them, to the changes I had never encountered before; but along the time, I came to realize that I couldn’t, indeed, survive a day without them. The little things, I would say, that we need to cherish and look up to. Having him waking up next to you, holding hands when nobody is watching, waking up late and brunching among the sheets, sharing the secrets and every emotion, becoming one…The little things were what I needed to get adapted to. And later they became the most significant in my life.

After Sung Gyu obtained his doctorate, he decided that he didn’t want to continue being the CEO of SK C and C anymore. It was, nevertheless, inherited property of the Kim’s but for them, Sung Gyu’s well-being mattered more; so after a month spent with much trouble to bring it back on feet, the communications firm was sold off to the uncle of his who was willing to buy it all from the beginning, took an early retirement from his job as a director and took two months of a break. Then he landed himself on a job as a visiting lecturer, which later escalated to a full-time lecturer opportunity at the university he obtained his bachelor’s degree from; needless to say, Sung Gyu finally seemed like he had finally gotten there to being the person whom he always soughed to be.

With this, the sense of responsibility washed over me. I began to take things more seriously than I used to do before; education deemed to me as the biggest priority, and I began to give myself the best. I studied hard, focused as much as I could, helped Myung Soo to take me along his path to success, and in two years’ time I managed to obtain a bachelor’s degree in social sciences with colors, and I knew I had already kept a massive step ahead. Now, I had a life.

The life I had, I should admit, was entirely different from how I had expected it to be. Years back. Along the time, things began to move on and shift places, colors changed and moments differed. I had been quite naïve after all, and my thoughts have been quite, I’d say, juvenile? Although success was all at my feet, I did make quite a number of mistakes, there were set backs and there were pulling ups. Through these I grew and became different. I accepted the new life, I changed.

And before I could even realize it, years passed by, and I turned twenty five.

My twenty fifth birthday wasn’t an extravagant event, much to my relief, and I was glad Sung Gyu and the rest of them considered my ease. It was I who suggested we only go out for dinner, thus after work, Sung Gyu triple-legged himself over to where I worked (that would be the ‘Seoul broadcasting corporation’, I worked in the international section) and it was while he was waiting in the lobby, looking much like a hobo, that I found him. As if it was the first time, my heart leaped up to my throat and I rushed off to hug him, I loved him so dearly as that.

“Hey, happy birthday” He whispered, hugging me back in the middle of the lobby, one hand of his on the back of my head, the other on the small of my back and the head of the walking stick was pushed in against my skin.

“Thank you” I whispered back and finally pulled away. I could feel all the eyes on us, because though Sung Gyu visited the station occasionally, it wasn’t every day that we snuggled and acted like lovers. He rarely made any affectionate gestures in the public and birthday hugs in the lobby of the SBS station should come to them as well as to myself as a surprise. I gave him a smile. “Where are we going?”

He gave me a boyish grin; the twenty-nine year old Sung gyu never really behaved his age. At least, not around me. “You’ll know when we get there”

We loaded into his jeep and rode through the serpentine roots of the city, him, as always enthralling me with tails from his university. The first time he spoke to me of his students, I caught the glint in his eyes so clearly; the pleasure and the fondness, something I hadn’t seen much, coming from him in the past and that was the moment I knew that he had finally found his ways. Sung Gyu indeed loved his job, his students and where he was now, and that was the reason why, despite being tired after working the entire day, I would still give into it and listen to him without a word.

Through the endless conversations, we made it to somewhere I deduced as familiar and not so much. The lights were bright outside and the sophisticated ambience seemed too give out nothing away. I craned my head and looked out the shutter, trying to figure out where we were heading to, and then I happened to see the N-Seoul tower up close.

“Namsang” Sung Gyu, who noticed me gawking at the tower, heavily lit up, said to me. “I realized, in the years of us going out, we never really came here”

“We didn’t?” I asked, surprised myself. The truth was, in the years of us going out, we’ve been to so many places, regardless of Sung Gyu still walking with support, that I couldn’t even keep track on them. We’ve been to China for god knows how many times, and just a few months back we went to Chennai in India where Sung Gyu got himself a rather perturbing skin rash due to the foreign water. Therefore, having visited so many places all over the world, it was hard to believe that we’ve never gone to the Namsang tower the first place.

“It’s like having been to Paris but not been to Busan” Sung gyu responded as if he just read my thoughts, humor underlying in his voice. “We’re a strange pair indeed, Jung Eunji”

We had dinner on the top of the tower which had a set of sophisticated restaurants which I have never even imagined visiting a few years back, but now didn’t come as a big deal because we often visit that kind of places. We sat in the three-hundred-and-sixty degree observatory, looking out at the city through the thick glass and awed at how incredibly breathtaking the city of Seoul seemed in the night. It was as though the city never sleeps. Sung gyu was telling me how we should have visited all the important places in Seoul before anything else and that way he could have avoided getting the skin rash in Chennai, and I watched him, noticing how the city lights and the lights from the observatory reflected on his pristine skin. His eyes shined, and they did even more so when he spoke of something he loved. His hair, jet black a little wavy but more on the straight side was a little messy and effortlessly fell over his forehead. I just watched him, subconsciously nodding at his words and giving short answers, urging him to go on speaking to me, but underneath I was wondering, my inner voice a little too loud to my liking; “What good have I done to deserve him?”

I loved Sung Gyu, so very much, and I just kept on falling in love with him, every second of my life.

That night we returned home in a semi-drunkard state after a few bottles of vodka, and we chose to stay over at my apartment. Ever since Appa moved back to Busan to live with his old-aged sister, life felt a little empty, like a significant part of me just broke off from me. The house never seemed so soundless, and every second I would want to run all the way to Busan and snatch him back. With all the promises he kept about coming back when his nephew had returned from his mandatory army services, I still couldn’t get over the initial loneliness of him being away, even with Sung Gyu by my side. Hence my decision to get myself an apartment room and renting out the house.

My apartment premises was situated just a drive away from that of Sung Gyu. Myung Soo was still around there, and despite being busy, working for a non-governmental organization of some sort, he still found time to be the usual OCD freak and snoop up on us whenever convenient to make sure we didn’t dirty the carpets. So we always chose mine as the best option to crash in.

And crashing in we did that night, still half-drunk but minds clear as water. Puppy who was now a four year old big guy greeted us with a bark and wagging his tail. He adored Sung gyu more than he loved me, and along the time Sung Gyu softened up to him, gradually becoming attached to him. There were times Sung Gyu would come over only with a bag of dog treats and claim that he was visiting the dog. I’d get mad at him for doing that, but then again it was the sweetest gesture for a man of his age and I couldn’t help but love him more.

Then we trudged into the bedroom, washed our hands, Sung Gyu pressed me against the sink cabinet and kissed me on my lips. “Bath or bed?” he breathed out afterwards, and I knew where we were going.

“I prefer bed”

He chuckled and gave a smooth line of butterfly kisses down the nape of my neck; my toes curled in reflex and I reached for his tie which was the red one I gave him four years ago. “Bed it is then”

Sung gyu trotted over to my bed, still supported by the stick and the very sight of him made my heart twist. Though Sung Gyu always seemed to be in his good spirits, I never failed to notice his struggles, trying to fit into an ordinary life when he wasn’t another ordinary man himself. Sung Gyu, I figured was ambitious, determined and exceptionally will minded, and that made him all the more attractive to me.

He sat down on my bed, I followed, we removed our shoes and I locked the bedroom door in case Puppy would care to make a visit. Then we kissed, let our hands around in the darkness, felt ourselves, laughed, moaned, got rid of all the additional clothes, slipped under the sheets and then we made love.

We made love thrice in that night. And then we lied back, , basking in the afterglow. His arms were around me and I held his hands in mine, deftly feeling the soft skin of his while he kissed my exposed back and muttered sweet nothings as he did. These were the moments that I really soughed after, the kind of moments we didn’t live at most times but lived to the fullest when we occasionally did. In that sense I was glad that he wasn’t overly affectionate because he was incredibly passionate when he wanted to be.

Then, simply out of the blue he asked me, a mere whisper in my ear; “Shouldn’t we get married, Ji?”

After all these years, marriage is a topic that we always tried to avoid. It wasn’t like we didn’t love each other enough, nor was it that we were scared of imagining the future together but merely because it always occurred to me as taking up a massive responsibility. I was never certain if we were ready for it. Marriage, to me seemed like the connected set of big life decisions involving commitments, responsibilities for the making of a family.  And giving space for rearing a child, bearing in mind the state Sung gyu was in at this very moment, seemed beyond possible for me. I wasn’t sure if Sung gyu himself felt the same way or he was more positive minded and determined about it than I was. I didn’t know so because children is a topic that we never really touched.

For the question he asked, I couldn’t fathom how I should respond. If I stayed silent, that would imply something else and I didn’t want him to develop misconceptions. Whatever the answer I would give, given the gravity of the question, would have the same kind of a reaction.

So I just laughed and said, “Really? Should we?”

He stopped kissing me and raised his head, then torso with much care, not giving too much weight on his foot, to move above me. I could see his skin, pristine like marble, shine in the moonlight with his perspiration. “Shouldn’t we? I don’t know…I just…love you too much”

I stayed silent for a moment pursed my lips and simply moved my hand to run it along down the nape of his neck and down his back. And then I spoke.

“Sung Gyu Oppa…”

“Hmm?” He went and stooped a little lower towards me.

“There’s time, loads of it. So let’s not dwell on it yet, hm?”

He gave it more thought, nodded and agreed. It was a mutual agreement that we made that night.

A month or so later however, the decision we mutually made, however was put to a state of being questioned. It was a Saturday morning and Sung Gyu and I had made plans to visit Woohyun since he was to leave for his mandatory military services along with Sung Yeol in the coming week. Sung Gyu was yet to come around and he had called me a while ago to inform me about the traffic jam he was stuck in. While he made his way over to my place, I, since I woke up just a while ago decided to make breakfast for the both of us and have a bath.

First things came first, I had a bath and brewed coffee while the eggs fried on the stove, still in my bath robe. It was in a matter of seconds that the odor of frying eggs mixed with the fragrance of coffee came to me as peculiarly disgusting and completely unbearable. My stomach churned, head felt light and I was feeling dizzy beyond belief like the world was falling over. I rushed to the bathroom, crouched down before the bowl and threw the guts out. I had never felt so physically miserable ever in my life. For a moment I wanted to call Sung Gyu and ask him if we could postpone the plans since I wasn’t feeling well, and decided against it, in hopes that it would eventually wear off. But once I returned to the kitchen, I couldn’t help but feel like I was going to fall over any second. Preparing breakfast was beyond me and I had no hopes to fill my stomach either. I trotted off to my room, got into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and ducked under the duvet. It was out of boredom that I looked up the symptoms of my tummy bug on my phone, without any intentions, and that one doing only gave me the frights I never wanted to get. The symptoms and descriptions fit so well that it made the world spin around me. My hands were trembling, heartbeat increased, realization dawned upon me; it was through this that I found the audacity to call Sung Gyu up.

“Just around the corner, Ji” Sung Gyu said to me over the phone, and that didn’t matter to me.

“Pregnancy test” I said to him the tremble in my voice so blatantly evident. “Bring me one on the way”

There was silence on the other end, a long moment of it and then; “Eunji, why?” echoed his voice, now coated with something I couldn’t fathom.

“I…just-just get me one on the way, okay?”

I was in the bathroom, sitting by the toilet bowl, feeling sick again for the umpteenth time when I heard the front door open and Sung Gyu’s triple-feet echoed in the hallway. He called out my name, and I managed to croak out a response in my sickened state. He soon emerged from the doorway of the bathroom, only to find me sitting on the floor with my hands on my head. Just as I had imagined, he was calm and composed, not panicking as I were. He came over to me in slow steps and slowly kneaded my head.

“How are you?”

“Grand” I answered, and strangely found myself being soothed by the sweet scent of him and the calmness he was projecting. So I added in a small voice; “and scared…”

He was silent, but I could hear the crackle of paper and plastic behind me. I stayed still, not saying a word and holding my breath. I was scared beyond belief and the only thing which kept me calm was the soothing aura which surrounded him. My entire body went cold when Sung Gyu’s hand reached over, the pregnancy test, now off its covers held in his hand. “I’m on the other side of the door if you need me okay?”

I was still taken by his calmness but nodded anyway. I couldn’t climb up on my feet until he was gone out the bathroom and the door had closed behind him.

I did the test following the instructions, my hands trembling and mind in a haze. I was scared, lost and a little excited towards the end of the string. It wasn’t that I didn’t want it. I was only scared of looking towards the future, to think of what happens next. But then I thought of Sung gyu. Just how calm and will-minded he was despite all short comings. The very thought of him made me feel even stronger and through this will, I took the test.

After it was done, I opened the door, only a slightest crack, and just as I had expected, Sung gyu was waiting for me, leaning on the wall, hand clutched onto the bronze head of the walking stick, veins protruding on his paled skin, eyes clear and expectant but not a hint of fear in them. I felt composed, relaxed, and happy.

“Well?”

I looked down at the test in my hand to double check, looked up to meet his hopeful eyes and gave him a smile. “Positive”

There was silence on his part, silence on mine too and he slowly opened the door wider, and I let him in. His eyes were dead on, on me, an expression I couldn’t fathom etched on his face, and once he was inside the door closed behind him and he said he wanted to see it.

“The….test?” I muttered, embarrassed. He just nodded, and he seemed like he needed proof, so I held it out under the sunlight for him to see. He looked down into it, traced the double lines with such composure I couldn’t imagine myself to bring out and stepped back, nodding to himself. We just remained in silence for quite a while then, and I finally managed to croak out in a whisper. “What do we do?”

He looked at me, did a double take, cupped my face in his free hand while the other pulled me closer to himself and he kissed the living breath out of me. He kissed me and kissed me for the longest time I could remember, and when he pulled away, I realized, he was glowing, like the sun has raised in his world. The tint on his cheeks was prominent, and he couldn’t fight his smile. He was looking at me so lovingly that I melted under his gaze. This, I supposed, was the happiest I had ever seen. He wasn’t scared at all. He took a deep breath and ran a finger down my cheek. Then he said; “Eunji….I love you so much, so, so much….you brighten my days, you make the impossible possible, you make my life complete….and I-I”

He was chocking up, strangely, and I couldn’t react that I stayed the same. I couldn’t react when he reached into his coat pocket with his free hand, nor when he met my eyes, nor when he muttered in a low voice that I shouldn’t laugh and that it was all he could find. I only did so when he began to lower himself onto the floor despite his difficulties.

“No, No! What are you doing?”

“Ssh” He responded and continued to lower himself. He almost toppled over and I immediately caught him. He straightened up, remaining on one knee and opened his palm, what I found in there, failing my expectations was a plaster with Rilakkuma prints on a yellow background. Plasters which I kept on the top of my drawers in my room. I began to laugh.

“I told you not to laugh!”

I stopped then, my heart swelling in so much of adoration towards this perfect, perfect man before me and I couldn’t help but feel such an inexpressible pride within me. I could help but realize just how lucky I was to have him in my life.

Then he reached over to me, took my hand in his and looked up to meet my eyes. “Jung Eunji; I guess our baby leaves us with no choice...”

Our baby. A phrase, I suddenly realized, I have always wanted us to share.

I gave him a nod.

“And there was never a choice anyway…because I love you, and you love me and….and…”

Silence, deep breath.

“Jung Eunji, will you marry me? Will you be my wife?”

I gave him a smile, but I was crying when I fell to my knees to hold him in my arms. He reacted out of reflex, holding me in place and soon we were sitting on our backs in the confines of my bathroom, him pasting the rilakkuma plaster on my ring finger. Despite all odds of it, even the plaster-a poor choice for a ring-seemed to glow.

“It goes without saying doesn’t it?” I replied afterwards to the question that he asked. “Of course I will marry you, Kim Sung Gyu. I will spend my entire life with you. You know all these already…”

He laughed and pulled me closer to his heart. “Even at a moment like this! I just asked you to marry me Eunji, you sure do talk too much”

I laughed in return and snuggled my face within the folds of his shirt. He was scented of apples, crisp, mellow and heart-filling, and I could feel his heart, relentless underneath. I kissed his chest, he rubbed my back, and I said to him in a whisper; “I love you Kim Sung gyu…”

“I love you more…” He replied.

The first person I informed the good news to, was my father. It was a fairly difficult task, given that he never really agreed on people getting physically intimate before marriage, and I kind of had to twist the tale around that the decision of marriage came before the pregnancy, yet he still wasn’t satisfied. He greeted us well anyway and promised to come back soon because I was being an irresponsible little brat. He asked Sung Gyu if I was giving him troubles to which Sung Gyu just laughed and met my eyes with the same glint which never washed away. The next was Myung Soo who rushed his way over to our place, the visiting card of a wedding planner in his possession. Sung Gyu was over at mine at that time, and we were having tea in the living room when Myung Soo crashed in and almost scared the out of us.

“Hyung!” He claimed, and Sung Gyu, whose eyes have dilated twice its size set down his cup. “What the hell are you doing here?”

He was all breathless and perspiration running down his forehead like gems. He trotted over to us then, settled himself in the empty sofa and I prepared him a cup of warm tea.

“I found you a wedding planner” he said before we could even ask him. “And you two have got to plan fast before Eunji grows ten times bigger you know”

Out of reflex I looked down at my still flat stomach and pouted my lips. We visited the doctor a few days ago and I was told that I was still in my early pregnancy days and I should be visiting for the scans in twelve weeks and also attend the monthly clinics, since I was getting worried about not getting bigger, supposing that it’s been a month, the doctor gave me a complete biological explanation on how long it take for women to conceive. In that sense I was only in my third week.

Sung Gyu set his cup down at what Myung Soo said and gave him a grave look. “Myung, I’d rather if you don’t make her uncomfortable”

I managed to give him a smile. “Nope, I’m cool”

Both Sung gyu and Myung Soo looked at me as though I were insane and then returned to look at each other. “What were you saying about a wedding planner?”

Myung Soo reached into his pocket and pulled out a visiting card with golden embossed letter. I scooted over to Sung Gyu’s side to have a glance and he looked up to meet my gaze. “What do you say?”

I didn’t know what I was supposed to say so I just shrugged. He handed me the card, at which I took a closer look and then I happened to notice the familiar name embossed on it, I couldn’t help but let out my huge smile. “Ah, so that is what”

“Hm?” Sung Gyu went, and I pointed at the name before looking up to meet Myung Soo’s eyes. “Naeun’s into wedding planning?”

His cheeks took up an interesting shade of red. “Well, she said she’d love to work for you two and-,”

“Why don’t we take the offer then?” I asked Sung Gyu who gave me a charming smile.

“Sounds like a promising plan”

The smile which etched on Myung Soo’s lips reminded me of sunshine and morning dew. “You would?”

“Of course” I said, reached out and took Myung Soo’s hand. “Of course we would Myung Soo…your brother agrees too…”

It took us a month and a half to plan the wedding ceremony, not too extravagant, not too low budget either yet just to our mutual liking. The ceremony was held at Sung Gyu’s family house which also took up the aura of the heaven’s gates in my eyes in the spring days. The soft pink cherry blossoms decorated the stone stairway to the main house which I and Sung Gyu, owing to our physical conditions, couldn’t take. The cobblestones of the larger lawn, nonetheless was decorated of the same blossom petals, decorating it entirely in white and pink. This, somehow, we picked as the theme of our wedding. Pink, cherry blossoms, spring, a new beginning.

My dress was done by the clothing boutique which Woohyun’s mother owned, and she presented it to me so dearly, along with her well wishes. As per requested by both Sung gyu and myself, the dress was simple, pure white with a hint of pale pink embroidery, high-waist since it was supposed to house my sizeable baby bump (it was extraordinarily big for a one month), coupled with a diamante tiara with the veil attached behind and a pale pink bouquet of baby roses. For the first time since many years, on the day of our wedding I felt special, important, and beautiful. I felt as though I was the happiest woman on earth.

My father was in Seoul by then, and while I waited after dressing up, in the Kim’s main house, Sung Gyu’s mother accompanying me and asking me about the wellbeing of the baby, my father arrived, stared at me as though in a haze. It was in a matter of seconds that his eyes began to fill up. It wasn’t like he didn’t meet me for a while, because he’s been in Seoul for over a week. But I suppose it was the gravity of the occasion, the sense of the acceptance, accepting that he is finally giving his precious daughter away.

Sung Gyu’s mother greeted him with a warm embrace, spoke for a while and left us two to ourselves. He sat down before me then, while I rested comfortably in the sofa. He took a long look at me, the kind of a look a father would make when they see their babies in the crib for the first time. Surprised but in pure adoration. Expectant, hopeful and the greatest sense of love. I could see it all etched on my father’s face, it was a map to the simplest notions of his mind. He was neither happy, neither sad. He was surprised, and I can say there was the tiniest sense of jealousy that his most important possession, now on would be shared with another.

“How are you?” He finally asked me and gave me a gentlest smile. I smiled back, and it was out of reflex that my hand moved down to the bump. It was becoming a habit to me. Ever since I got pregnant, many people who heard the news would ask me the same question, and for me it was not only directed to me but also to the baby. My hand on my bump, it was remaining there as though I was making sure it was fine. I could see that his gaze had followed the movement of my hand.

“I’m happy, Appa. I’m grand, I’m incredible…”

He looked at me, the gentleness of his eyes seemed to tell me thousand words, all the words he had told me since my childhood and an inkling to never forget. “Of course you are” He said then, reached over and patted my hand. “You’re going to be a wonderful wife, my daughter. Of the perfect kind. You grew up so well….”

Unable to form a response, I remained silent, but with a smile. My father took this as a moment to get closer to me. He dragged his chair towards me so that he didn’t need to reach further to hold my hand, then he held them both in both of his and looked into my eyes.

“Eunji, my daughter…you grew up so fast”

I knew better of myself to not to cry and ruin the moment, so I remained still as he carried on.

“You went through a lot in twenty five years, didn’t you? With your mother’s death and all the mistreatments, the problems you faced….true, they hurt you, might have broken you. But look at where you are. You grew with them, learned through them, found your ways, met the right people and now you are a mother…”

I pursed my lips and nodded in response.

“I’m a proud father, Eunji. Not only because of all things you succeeded in, but also all the things you failed in but still decided to move on. And as the proud father that I am, I also want to tell you…I suppose you realize that this is a difficult path you are taking. It’s never an easy road. There will be times you’d want to cry and give up on everything. But when it happens, remember, you have pulled through greater obstacles, you have achieved greater things. Life might get difficult to you, but the ending of it is what matters, what makes the whole process beautiful and worthwhile…You are not going there alone, now are you? Together. There’s Sung Gyu, and there’s me and everyone who loves you around you. It’s going to be a beautiful ride, Jung Eunji. Anticipate it. Cherish it”

I stared down at our hands entangled through this; father’s and mine. I looked at his paled skin, protruding veins and the evidences of his old age, the faint lines were like the traces of his commitment in bringing me up, giving me a life I probably never deserved. I was thankful, because, for some reason I was surrounded with people with so much of love, affection and warmth, and this journey which I took so far and I will be taking on from here with the addition of two more important people will be indeed a challenge. But in the end, it will be beautiful.

“Thank you Appa” I managed in the end, reached out and he embraced me in his warmth. “Thank you for giving me life”

“But of course” He said, chuckled softly and patted on my back. “And thank you too, Eunji. Thank you for being born”

After the moment gradually drifted away and after we had gotten back to ourselves, father and I discussed about the baby and the future plans after the marriage. I was to move into the Kim’s for the time being and while so we’ll be looking out for a house of our own. I have nullified the contract of the apartment renting already thus I was staying over at Sung Gyu’s apartment until the wedding day. We were discussing all these when a knock sounded from the doorway. Both father and I turned to the general direction of the door, only to find Myung Soo standing there (Now a brunette) already in his tux, giving us a small wave. He gave my father a quick bow and met my eyes. “Missus Jung, the guests are waiting…”

“We’ll be there” I said, and my father, who was already up, gave me his hands.

“Come on, now. It’s time”

The wedding ceremony went on, giving us the greatest sense of accomplishment. It was Myung Soo and Naeun who did most of the things for us since we hired Naeun’s wedding planning services. She was just kicking off with her very first attempt of running a business and there wasn’t much for her to offer. But with Myung Soo’s support, even the smallest detail she managed to pull off was a success and I was really thankful for that. It was Sung Yeol who gave us the cake, who was now in a serious relationship with Chorong unnie that they were running the business together. As always, it had been with much of a fight that Sung Jong and Namjoo had decided the design of the cake. Though they don’t generally have them in Korean weddings, Woohyun swore that he wouldn’t speak to us if we didn’t let him to be the best man. Howon, my best friend of god knows how long and also who heard of this happened to make the same claim, so Sung gyu and I could do nothing but agree. It was with much pleasure that the two turned up that morning with Bomi and Hayoung, all four dressed in matching suits and pastel pink dresses.

All in all, we had quite a number of special, important people around us who were a part of us and who willed to be a part of the biggest step of our lives as well. Sung gyu and I were beyond thankful, for without them, we wouldn’t have made our wedding so special and memorable.

With my father holding my hand and Bomi holding the veil behind me, through the lines and lines of crowd who watched with awe-filled, expectant eyes, I made it down the aisle towards the altar. The either sides of the isle was decorated with pastel pink roses and baby’s breath, coupled with pink silk hangars flowing down like waterfalls. The sun was so bright at that time, but the warmth was not too much but just the amount we needed. The golden sunrays paved the path for father and me, and for my surprise, Sung Gyu’s nephews, now all grown up were there instead of flower girls, throwing flower petals along the path I walked. At the end of the isle, there he was, Sung Gyu, dressed in white, dazzling in the sunlight, being the angel he was, his smile effortlessly reaching his eyes and making them glow like morning stars. This was the moment I realized I was indeed marrying this man, the love of my life, the person I looked out for more than anyone else in the world, my other half, my soulmate; and nothing seemed more real in my eyes.

This, indeed was the moment where I was keeping the biggest step of my life. Marrying the person I loved over my life, and making him the father of my children, the soulmate and partner in carrying out all future endeavors.

Once I had approached him, my father stepped aside after leaving a kiss on my temple. Slowly but surely then, Sung Gyu’s fingers warmly encircled in mine. When our eyes met, finally, all of it was stark and clear in them, like I was looking into pools of crystal clear water. He had been the one all this time.

Moments later, we were married.

It was with great amazement that I stared at the golden band around my ring finger, how it shined in the sunlight, how it fit my finger so well and how it held so much of meaning and importance than it seemed to hold. There were fine carvings around it, like sea waves and a tiny diamond stone placed in between regular spaces, on the inside were our names carved and also the date of our marriage. Despite the fact that we all knew it by heart and also that we lived together, Sung gyu and I, and also the child growing inside me, I realized, the ring was the only indication that we were married. It was a strange thought indeed, and something that I shouldn’t be thinking of at a moment like this but the thought appeared nevertheless. It was when a voice sounded beside me that I finally dismissed this and looked up from where I sat, only to see Woohyun seated beside me.

“Hey” I greeted, and he greeted back with a wave. “Why is the bride sitting alone here?”

“Oh” I gave him a smile. “Sung gyu Oppa went off to greet some of his students…and I’m a little tired actually…”

When Woohyun looked at me, I could catch his softened, concerned gaze. “It must be hard on you, Eunji. Being like this and having the wedding…and Hyung too….”

I looked over at Sung Gyu, at him grasping tightly onto the walking stick through his exchange; unconsciously, my lips curled into a smile. “It is…indeed. And I’m sure it’s harder on Oppa….but he’s pretty strong you know. And he trusts you and Myung. He knows you two are there to catch him if he falls”

“We won’t let him fall the first place” Woohyun said with a grin. “All this time, he’s taken the fall for us, Eunji, and now Myung and I, we’ll do anything for him…” He met my eyes and smiled. “And of course, you too….”

“I’m sure he knows that” I replied.

“How is the baby doing?” Woohyun asked after a moment of silence. Woohyun was the fourth one to know the news, Sung Gyu’s parents being the third, and the first thing he said was (Though with genuine humor) ‘Being in that state, you’re incredible, Hyung’. (To which his Hyung responded none too nicely). Despite that, however, Woohyun was incredibly happy for us, excited all the same, and would often visit me with meals he had made himself and would look out for my wellbeing every now and then. He was like another brother for me, and possibly the other older brother of Myung Soo too.

“It’s doing well” I said, laying a hand on the bump. There wasn’t any deliberate movements though, and I assumed that it was because I haven’t exactly reached my third trimester. Woohyun looked down at the baby bump, at my hand resting on it, and smiled. “It’s weird but I can’t wait to meet him too”

I chuckled at his response and placed my hand on his arm. “Hey, I’m sure he’s waiting to meet you too, Woohyunnie”

Afterwards, Woohyun and I talked about anything and everything which we couldn’t update each other on while waiting for Sung Gyu to get back to me. I was leaving him for his moments since, after all the sleepless nights spent planning this, I supposed that he needed it. Half-way through, Hoya, Myung Soo, and Sung Yeol joined in; in no time it was a complete squad discussion filled with old stories, insults and laughter.

The wedding reception went on, thus, in full fling. I changed into something more comfortable since the constraints were killing me. After we’ve had lunch, Sung Gyu located me within the crowd, engaged me in a long kiss in a corner and suggested that we dance.

“Dance?” I echoed incredulously and looked down at the bump. It wasn’t that I was huge either, but my feet were calling murder and the last thing I wanted to do was dance. This, however, Sung Gyu misunderstood and shook her head. “Ji, I might be like this and all, but I will never miss out on our wedding dance”

And I knew that I had to salvage the situation.

“No!” I said, and took his hand in mine. “No, no…Oppa, that’s not what I meant-!”

“Well, why waiting then?” He asked, a grin curling up on his lips. “Come on now!”

Sung Gyu took my hand in his and slowly led me to the center of the lawn where the cobble path was. The crowd which was already slow dancing in the middle slowly dispersed, giving us space, and soon it was only the two of us, standing in the middle, encircled by all our loved ones watching us. Suddenly, I was taken back to a memory from a few years back. Sung Gyu and I, succumbed by the drunkenness after a few bottles of Soju, dressed all suited for the moment and dancing in the street. At the thought of this, I smiled fondly to myself and Sung Gyu smiled back. Who would have thought, back then, that the two of us who ran away and danced in the street that night would actually be dancing together the wedding dance? I looked into Sung Gyu’s eyes and caught the shine in them. He was happy. So was I. And this was the moment that everything connected like pearls on a string. Years of us together, bonded by love. This was the moment indeed.

As the music started, Sung Gyu moved closer that the tips of our noses were touching. I inhaled his scent, crisp, warm and soothing and closed my eyes. I could feel the head of the walking stick against my back, and just as I felt his grip loosing on it, I reached out and grasped his hand in mine. He looked down at me questioningly but I shook my head. It didn’t matter to me that the stick sank into my skin. All of him was embedded into me and that hardly mattered anymore.

Then I put both my hands around his neck, he grasped me even closely and tightly, placed his forehead against mine and we had our eyes closed. Strangely I could feel myself reliving the moment we had years ago on the street, but only I was seeing it in a different light. The first kiss. The beginning of us.

Dancing was a little difficult at first but we both soon got a grip of it. I was careful not to step on his feet, and when we’d go wrong we’d stop and start all over again. Once we were used to it, we were dancing. Slowly, but without fail. MLTR’s Blue night was playing in the background as we moved along and while we did I looked down between us. The result of us, our love child was warmly nestled between us. Sung Gyu who noticed where I was looking slowly brought a hand to rest on the baby bump and kissed on my forehead for the longest moment. When he pulled away and whispered in my ear that he loved me more, I knew, my life couldn’t be more perfect than it was already was. We were perfect as we were.

The days went by so fast that we could hardly catch up with our lives. Sung Gyu and I moved into a new house which was a rather pleasant little abode in the heart of Haundae and soon the second trimester arrived. The bump was extraordinarily big by then that I could hardly move around. If not for Myung Soo and Naeun who were always around to help out I would still be lying in a complete mess. I was a little freaked out, honestly, because I really didn’t think pregnancy could get this so difficult. I had constant back cramps and had to lie down all the time. Once the bump seemed all too freakish when I looked at myself on the mirror that I asked Sung Gyu (Who was brushing his teeth at that time) if I might have gotten something else rather than a baby inside me. He stepped out, his eyes crinkled in amusement and said; “What else? An alien?”

But when we were in the car, traveling to the hospital for the first scanning Sung Gyu seemed all freaked out and nervous that I almost wanted to laugh. He was looking down at the bump every five minutes, looking appalled that I couldn’t stop myself from asking; “What else could be in there? Aliens?”

And soon we were in the scanning.

Sung Gyu held onto my hand as we went through it, eyes glued to the screen. At first it was just a blurry dark image, the doctor tut tutting and going on about something and soon the vision cleared, although we could hardly grasp anything. Sung Gyu squeezed my hand and whispered, quite confidently; “There they are”

I almost sat up from my position. They?

And just as on cue, the doctor gave us both a glorious smile and looked back at the screen before us. “Of course! Congratulations Omma and Appa! You’re blessed with twins!”

I knew that it wasn’t a moment to freak out, but my head was spinning. The news was wonderful, it certainly was, and I couldn’t be happier, I had tears on the edge of my eyes. But the look in Sung Gyu’s eyes almost killed me. He looked horrified, and I couldn’t expect him to be happy, I couldn’t blame him at all. Having a child was already a big responsibility and twins meant that it would only be doubled. I could almost read his mind.  He’d thinking about his foot, his condition, thinking that I would have to take it all on my own, and he was scared.

But of course I wasn’t scared at all. They were ours. They were there because we loved and there was nothing better that I can ask for. Twins. Two of little Sung Gyus and little me’s. I was already having mental images of them and before I could stop myself, the tears fell.

“Eunji?” Sung Gyu was looking down at me now, and his fingers were tangled in my hair. “Hey…”

“We’re having twins” I murmured, and moved my hand to bring his hand towards my lips. I kissed him long, my eyes closed, and looked back at the screen before us. Of course there were tiny little beings moving around inside me. They were us. We were them. They were ours.

We were at home and lying in bed few hours later, my back against his chest, his fingers in my hair and silence engulfing us, reliving the moments which passed. I can still here Sung Gyu’s voice whispering to me; “There they are” He had known it all alone. That’s why he had looked worried all throughout the morning, because he knew that we were having twins.

But how?

So I asked him that.

He smiled at me, his hand now slowly moving up and down the bump and kissed me softly on the corner of my lips. “Why, Eunji, I went through this once. My nephews are twins”

I figured that he had had this in his blood. Earlier on, while Sung Gyu was in the bathroom, I looked up how conceiving twins was possible. It said that it actually is carried in family genes, Bu I guess both the Kim siblings having twins was indeed a rare happening. I felt quite a glow within me at this thought. Something strange but beautiful, and I was a part of it.

We were silent again, but I could feel Sung Gyu taking heavy breaths behind me, evidence of his worries. I pulled away with difficulty, sat up and caught Sung Gyu watching me with a feeble smile. I stared back, trying to grasp the essence of his thoughts.  Could only think of his worries and it was constraining my heart. I was all about to ask him, tell him that he was not to worry when he interjected, saying;

“Did I tell you that you’ve gotten more beautiful, Ji?”

At the sound of his words, I could swear my heart stopped beating. Here I was, thinking he was scared. Here I was, thinking he was convinced he wouldn’t be able to take up the responsibility, but Kim Sung Gyu never failed to surprise me. Speechless, I could only stare at him, tears prickling behind my eyes. I knew that he had always thought of me as beautiful, he had told me so every single day. But right now I knew that there was a deeper meaning underlying in them, those words, something I had to read between the lines to understand. Was it happiness? Reassurance? A secret? A promise? I could never say. He watched me just the same as I watched him. His eyes were glowing, it’s the same glow I witnessed the day we learned I was pregnant and his lips were curled into a kindest smile. I wanted to leap over to him, hug him, kiss him, and hold him close. More than that though, I wanted to keep staring into his eyes and be lost in his world, like it was the first time.

And then he sat up and slowly moved closer to me. We didn’t utter a word when we sat there, on the bed almost touching. Nor when he cupped my face in his hands and moved even closer. Nor when his lips landed on mine in a softest feather light touch, nor when my eyes fell shut in euphoria. Because even when his lips moved soundlessly, we were talking. We could hear each other, we could hear our breath, and we could reach the depths of our minds. We were still talking, in a soundlessly, breathy touch.

He stopped kissing me then, and I was breathing onto his lips which moved along mine as he spoke.

“I love you, Jung Eunji….to heaven and back….”

I nodded, nodded and nodded, unable to find my voice.

“And whatever the future’s got in store for us, no matter how difficult things might get, I will still and always be with you…”

This is not the end...I guess? I mean, we all want to meet the twins!
Nonetheless i marking this complete here because I guess I have to. I might have us meeting the twins, if it does go that way, if i get around to write the rest but I really am terrible with all those child birth and stuff, it's just difficult to put them all down beautifully. Apologies for that!

On an end note, well, let's just press 'Next', shall we?