June Bride

Love at first sight.

Yunho was never one to believe in old sayings. He had never taken them seriously and he thought that people who said those were just people who didn’t have anything worthy to do in their lives. So he didn’t believe that one saying could actually happen in his life.

It was one morning when Yunho sauntered into his cousin’s boutique that day. His cousin asked him to model for him in his new wedding collection for this year. Yoochun, his cousin, had always asked him to be his model for the past year but Yunho just always shrugged it off. He didn’t really know what made him say yes this time. But say yes he did. Now he found himself opening Yoochun’s store and he experiencing the biggest surprise of his life.

The store was not like he imagined. It was littered with people left and right. People who were running, swaths of cloths in their hands. People with make-up cases busily arranging and rearranging girls’ hair and cosmetics. People tucking flowers in vases and baskets. Girls wearing colorful dresses. Boys wearing little suits. Women wearing intricate wedding dresses and men wearing tuxedoes and suits. It was chaos. But it was the most beautiful chaos he had ever seen. Yunho’s eyes nearly popped out from the sheer volume of people and clothes that could fit in the room.

After some minutes he realized that he was actually standing in the middle of the room and he was being a nuisance. He felt himself being pushed by people whom he didn’t know and not only once did he receive a glare and a reprimand from some of them because he was in the way. Without anything better to do, he just tucked himself in a corner and gazed at the people, open admiration shown on his face. In that same instant, he saw from the corner of his eye a movement that caught him unaware. A woman was bundled in what he could see as a pink wedding gown making her way through the mass of bodies in the middle of the room. She had her head bent and she seemed very much in a hurry to get across the room. Yunho being the gentleman that he was rushed out to assist her. He used his body to push at some people to give her room to walk on. When she got across, she rewarded him with a smile and he saw that she was very beautiful. He smiled in answer and seemed entranced by the sheer beauty. Another person followed in her wake, holding her train and he smiled wider. He felt as if the sun itself shone in the room when that smile was given his direction. His heart thudded erratically and he got a bit confused. What just happened to him? why was he feeling this way?

Yunho let the person pass and seemed mystified with what he had seen. They went to another room to his right. At that moment, Yunho’s eyes seemed to be drawn to the direction of the girl.

Jaejoong almost tore the fabric of the pink dress he was holding. There were a lot of people in the room; he didn’t know how he could move. Yoochun, his boss wouldn’t be pleased if something happened to his creation. So Jaejoong was very careful indeed. He bent his head to shield the fabric to keep it from being stepped upon. He was happy that a nice looking young man was there to help him and he rewarded him with a smile. He didn’t know that his smile affected the man in ways he couldn’t imagine.

After several minutes, Yunho saw his cousin make his way toward him. Yoochun was clearly getting stress over this and his face showed it. Worry lines deepened on his forehead and his smile was not as easy going. He was holding a white rose on his left hand a bunch of pink satin ribbons on the right. 

“How’s it going?” Yunho asked. Yoochun shuddered as if to make his point.

“This is hell! I thought you’d be here early? Why are you late?” he waved the ribbons in front of Yunho’s face. 

Yunho smiled a bit at his obviously panicking cousin. “I was here early but I was stopped by the traffic jam in this area. Where do you want me?”

“This is not even the studio. Let’s go inside, you’ll be assisted by Jean. You need to change clothes and make-up—” Yoochun made his way inside another room which he called the studio and there Yunho saw that a photo shoot was going on. He saw the girl he helped earlier. She was now surrounded by make-up artists and the people responsible for her wardrobe. Yunho’s heart soared as he remembered the smile he saw earlier. He couldn’t wait to see it again. He vowed that he should see it again before the day was over.

Jaejoong, who was standing amidst the make-up artists and other wardrobe people, saw that the young man was looking at his way again. He had this look about him that said that he was going to do something uncharacteristic. Jaejoong’s heart beat furiously in his chest at that thought. What could the man be thinking? Jaejoong was curious to know. He didn’t know the man but he had this feeling that he would get to know him soon. Jaejoong tried to return his thoughts to his job.

Yoochun was by now barking orders to one of his assistants, Jean. So he didn’t see where Yunho’s eyes were trailing. The moment he turned to his cousin, he saw that Yunho was walking toward the girl in the pink wedding dress. Shaking his head in resignation, Yoochun hastily followed his cousin and pulled his arm. Yunho looked back at him, disappointment obvious at being interrupted.

“Yah! You can ogle my model later okay? But now, you have to do make-up and clothes. Jean! Hurry”

“B-But I wasn’t ogling your mod—“Yunho started but was cut short when Jean pulled his other arm and led him toward a small room. Jean pushed a hangered suit in his arms and told him to change in those. His make-up would be done later. Yunho had no choice but to change. After some minutes, he was ushered to a small corner where the make-up people accentuated his handsomeness. All the while, his eyes were darting toward the direction of the model. The model was seemingly oblivious to his stares. Yunho didn’t care, he wanted to look. He needed to look.

As the young man’s make-up was being done, Jaejoong couldn’t help but spare a glance at Yunho’s direction. He found the man very endearing, he hadn’t once taken his eyes off him the minute he stood inside the room. Jaejoong was flattered, this was the first time someone had given him his attention. His heart fluttered at the possibilities.

When he was done, Yunho was instructed by the photographer to stand beside the girl in the wedding dress. The photographer mentioned how he should move to accentuate the suit and the dress he and the model were wearing. Yoochun was there giving him tips on how to stand and how to project the right attitude to the camera. Yunho almost scratched his head with all the confusing things they were telling him but he did what he could. After what seemed to be forever to Yunho, the photographer shouted that the first part was done. They could take a break. Yoochun was at once beside him, all smiles. He dragged his cousin to a small table where some food and refreshments were served.

“So what do you think? Did you like your first experience as a model?” Yoochun asked as they were sipping their cold sodas.

Yunho took a swig from the bottle before answering. “I don’t know, maybe I could like it.” When he said that, his eyes automatically searched for the girl earlier. This time Yoochun didn’t let it pass. He gave Yunho as poke at his side.

“You were looking at my model the whole time. Do you like her?” Yoochun’s voice was teasing.

Yunho smiled secretively, “Maybe. I don’t know.”

“She’s very young, came here last month. But I think she has a bright future in modelling.”

As Yoochun mentioned the girl’s qualities, Yunho let his eyes move to her direction. What he was saw really agreeable. The perfect height for him, perfect form from what he could see. His eyes lowered at what he was observing and he mentally shook his head. Was that a waist? He didn’t think that a waist could be that small. Yunho couldn’t wait to put his hands there. He couldn’t really wait to put his hands all over that body. As he was thinking this, a sudden thought dawned on him. He really liked them to meet formally so he could ask if they could go out, on a date. He really liked that to happen to them. A smile formed on Yunho’s face which Yoochun didn’t miss. He knew that smile.

“Yah! You’re thinking of dirty thoughts aren’t you? I won’t have that. You can’t have my model!” Yoochun gave Yunho a slap in the arm.

“What would you do if I walk in there and take someone away from you?” His voice held a challenge and Yoochun was saying no continuously. If Yunho would get his model, he’d be ruined. Girls fell for his cousin like flies. They were never the same afterward. At that same instant, Yunho moved forward and took a step toward the girl. Yoochun was horrified. He couldn’t let Yunho get his model, he couldn’t.

“No! Yunho wait! You can’t do this to me!” Yoochun ran forward but his cousin was already heading toward his destination. Yoochun saw that Yunho was only just a few steps away from his model. All his thoughts fled when he saw Yunho reached out when he was near the girl. Yoochun knew he was going to look for another girl after this. He saw Yunho grab an arm and Yoochun’s jaw dropped.

Jaejoong was standing at one side of the room after the photographer said they could take a break. He immediately held the pink cloth and moved it off the floor. He was busy with what he was doing that he didn’t notice that the young man he saw earlier was moving toward him. He only got to notice him when a hand pulled his arm to get his attention. He let go of the scrap of clothe he was holding. He looked up in surprise, a gasp escaping his lips.

“Hello, I’m Jung Yunho. You don’t know me but I think I really like you. Do you want to go out with me?”

Jaejoong didn’t know what to say. He just looked at Yunho in silence. That was when Yoochun reached them, his arms on his sides. He had a silly grin pasted on his face.

“Yunho! So were after Jaejoong? I thought you’re after my model?” his voice showed his surprise too. Yunho, instead of grabbing for his model’s arm earlier, was now beside his assistant Jaejoong’s side. The assistant was with the model all this time. He was holding the girl’s train so she won’t trip on it.

It was Yunho’s turn to smile now, “I didn’t say that did I? You were the one who kept on mentioning her when all the while I was looking at this beautiful creature here. Well, Jaejoong, what do say? Do you want to go out with me?”

Jaejoong knew that he wanted to say yes but he still couldn’t meet Yunho’s eyes. He was embarrassed. He couldn’t believe that this was happening. It was the other man who answered for him. Yunho bent forward and put his arm around Jaejoong’s back, his other arm around the back of Jaejoong’s legs and lifted him up, bridal style. Jaejoong had to hold on to Yunho’s neck so he won’t fall. A small smile grazing his lips. Yunho started walking out of the roomful of people carrying in his arms the person he fell in love with the first time he saw him.

Now he believed in old sayings. One saying happened to him. And he couldn’t be any happier.