“Two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one… -John Keats”

Song inserted in this chap: My Everything by Lee Min Ho (credit to owner)

Kang So Ra was helping the beautiful bride adjusting her veil. She let out a soft laugh when she heard the bride let out a deep sigh. So Ra leaned forward behind her and looked at her through the mirror in front.

“Breathe. Why are you so nervous? This isn’t your first time.” She asked with a smile.

Park Shin Hye looked up and met So Ra gaze through the mirror. She let out another sigh. “You should understand this time is different.” She looked down again and smiled. “This time is real.”

“Then you should be happy and not nervous. After everything that has happened between both of you, the happiness is finally waiting for you.” So Ra said.

Shin Hye nodded. “You are right. I should be happy instead.” She flashed So Ra a sweet smile.  She gently caressed So Ra’s hand that she placed on her shoulder. “Thank you so much for being there for him when I’m not around. I’m so glad I have a best friend like you.” She said sincerely.

So Ra walked to her side and kneeled down beside her. She held Shin Hye’s hands and looked into her eyes. “I don’t even know how to express my feeling now. I witnessed everything that happened to you since we first met each other. And looking at you now, with Min Ho in your life, I’m just so glad that you finally found your happy ending. As a friend, after everything that had happened, we can only help you to take care and protect the one person that means the most to you. We have faith in you. We know you will sure come back because the person you love the most is here. You don’t need to thank me. That’s what a friend should do.”

Tears started to well in Shin Hye eyes as she pulled So Ra into a hug. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” She bit her lips, trying hard to hold the tears from rolling down.

So Ra gently pulled away from her. “Yah, Park Shin Hye. Stop all this sentimental talk. You are going to ruin our makeup.” She used her fingers to wipe the tears that were lingering at the corner of her eyes. Both of them laughed together.

They both turned to the sound where they heard someone knocked and opened the door. It was Lee Min Jung, holding little Seo Hyeon in her hand. She flashed them a happy smile as she stepped into the room.

“Oh my god. You are so beautiful.” Min Jung said as she walked towards where Shin Hye was sitting. “No wonder my brother was head-over-heels in love with you. I missed your wedding 3 years ago but it’s alright because this one is the real one.” She said with a smile before she turned to Seo Hyeon. “Come here you cute little flower girl.”

Seo Hyeon who was holding a flower bouquet in her little hands half running to Shin Hye. She passed the flower to her with a sweet smile. Shin Hye took the flower as she gently her head. “Shin Hye eonnie. You are so beautiful today. You look like an angel.”

Shin Hye laughed softly. “My little Seo Hyeon looked very beautiful too, like a little angel.” She gently pulled her into her arms and kissed softly on her head before she let out a sigh, feeling relieved. Thank god she was okay now. She was so worried there will be any side effect after the brain surgery. The doctor said the surgery was very successful and Seo Hyeon recovered just fine. She pulled back a little as she looked at the cute little girl. She adjusted the flower pin on her head as she her hair lightly. “You have to promise eonnie that you will stay healthy and I promise you that I’ll come to the orphanage home to teach you violin when I’m free. Okay?” She said as she held out her pinky finger. Seo Hyeon nodded as she hooked her little pinky finger with hers.  

Another knock on the door caught all of their attention. It was Lee Soon Jae this time, Min Ho’s father. Shin Hye immediately stood up and walked to him. “Sil-abeoji, why are you here? You should be waiting outside.” She asked gently.

Lee Soon Jae smiled awkwardly before he looked at Shin Hye. “I… erm… I just…”

“Appa said he want to hold your hand and walk you down the aisle.” Min Jung cut him off with a cheeky smile. “He was so shy and don’t know how to tell you.” She said as she turned to So Ra and laughed.

“Aish…” He hissed softly at his daughter. He then turned to Shin Hye and cleared his throat. “I just thought since your father already not here, I think it will only be right if I walk you down the aisle later. I mean… a father-in law is also consider a father, right.” He said nervously.

Shin Hye eyes slowly turned red as she held Lee Soon Jae’s hand in hers. “Of course. You are Min Ho oppa’s father, which mean my father too. Thank you so much.”

Lee Soon Jae smiled at her as he gently squeezed her hands. “I should be the one who thank you for everything you have done for my son. I was selfish to force him to married you 3 years ago but looking at both of you today, I’m thankful that I didn’t create another tragedy.” He said as his gaze dropped to the butterfly necklace hanging on Shin Hye’s neck, the one he gave Min Ho’s mother. He let out a sad smile. “The love that I couldn’t give to Min Ho’s eomma, he is now giving it to you. This necklace was like a string that tied both of you together.”

Min Jung walked to her father and patted on his arm softly. “Appa, don’t make Shin Hye cry because it’s not easy to do her makeup. Oppa will kill you if you make his bride become ugly.” Everyone started to laugh before they heard the bridal chorus started to play. So Ra quickly took the flower and passed it to Shin Hye. “We have to go now.”

Shin Hye tightened her grip on the flower as she nodded her head with a smile.

Standing in front of the church, with his best man Lee Jong Suk and the priest, Lee Min Ho could feel butterflies in his stomach. In a few minutes, just a few minutes, Shin Hye will be here standing with him. He took a deep breath and he felt his knee went jelly. “Gosh.” He uttered.

Jong Suk chuckled as he leaned closer to him. “Yah, can you please relax. You look very embarrassing.”

Min Ho glared at him. “Let’s wait for your wedding with So Ra. I’m sure you will be as nervous as me.”

“We are different. Our love is very pure and simple. At least we didn’t go through tragic love story like both of you. You know, something like contract marriage or psychotic disorder.” Jong Suk teased. “I don’t understand, why you still need to have a wedding again. The divorce paper was already withdrawn. You are just too rich and don’t know to spend your money.”

“Aish… you…” Before he could finish, the bridal chorus started to play. Adjusting his suit for the last time, Min Ho looked at the door of the church as he took another deep breath. He first saw Seo Hyeon who was dressed in white, holding a basket of flower petals as she showered them around. Behind her was So Ra, Shin Hye’s bridesmaid.

Finally, Shin Hye, the beautiful bride Min Ho was waiting, walking slowly down the aisle in her beautiful white gown with his father by her side as she clang onto his arm while gently holding onto the bouquet with her other hand. Their eyes immediately locked with each other with a smile.

----------

One month ago...

Shin Hye was searching for something up and down in the bathroom, looking extremely nervous. She then ran out from the bathroom and walked to her dressing table and search again in every drawer. She sits down on the chair as she let out a long sigh.

“Oh my god. Where did I put it?” She murmured to herself as she looked at her ring finger. She bit her lips angrily. “How can I lose my wedding ring? Oppa will sure kill me.”

“Who kill you?”

Shin Hye jumped up in shocked as she heard Min Ho’s voice behind her. She turned around and smiled at him awkwardly as she hides her hands behind. She shook her head. “I-I said if I don’t get ready now, So Ra will sure kill me. We are getting late.” She stuttered.

Min Ho narrowed his eyes at her as he stepped closer. He wrapped his arms around her waist. “Are you okay? Are you hiding anything from me? You looked weird.” He asked.

“No. Of course not. I-I’m just a little bit tired. You know, I just came back from US last week. Jet lag.” She lied.

“Hmmm… then you better change now and finish the dinner with them earlier so you can come back to rest.” Min Ho said, letting go of her as he walked out of the room.

Shin Hye sighed. “I’m so dead.”

----------

Shin Hye was sitting in the living room, playing with her butterfly pendant mindlessly. She still couldn’t find her wedding ring and she decided to confess to Min Ho tonight when he comes home. She let out a sigh. Just then, her phone rang.

Shin Hye: Yoboseyo.

So Ra: Shin Hye-ah. You have to come to the hospital now. It’s Min Ho.

Shin Hye widened her eyes in shocked as she stood up.

Shin Hye: Hospital? Oppa? What happened?

So Ra: It’s very hard to explain to you through the phone. You faster come now.

Shin Hye: O-Okay. I come right away.

----------

Shin Hye jumped out of her car and ran as fast as she could to the hospital entrance. But before she goes inside, she was stopped by So Ra who was already waiting for her at the entrance.

“So Ra. How’s Min Ho oppa? What happened?” She asked worriedly.

So Ra let out a smile. “You will know if you follow me to the garden now.”

“Garden? What garden? I want to see Min Ho oppa.” She said urgently.

“Just come with me.” So Ra said as she pulled Shin Hye with her.

The garden was dark and only lightened with few lamp post. But as they walked further, Shin Hye saw Min Ho who was standing in the middle of a huge heart shape formed by lighted candles. He was holding a bouquet of red roses as he looked at her with a wide smile. Her heart was still panting heavily as she turned to So Ra. “What is this all about?”

So Ra smiled and looked at Shin Hye. “Your husband had planned all this before you came back from US. He was trying to return something that he has owed you long long ago.” She said as she nodded at Min Ho before she walked away.

Shin Hye was still froze in place, looking very confused.

“Are you going to just stand there and make me come to you? It was really not easy to light up all the candles at once without any wind blowing it off.” Min Ho broke the silence, flashing his most handsome smile.

Shin Hye looked at him for a moment before she walked to him slowly. She stepped in the middle with him.

“What are you doing? I was so worried and thought something happen to you.” She said softly.

Min Ho held his hand up as he tugged some strands of hair behind her ear. He caressed her cheek and looking at her lovingly. “Sixteen years ago, we met each other here. I walked to this garden and saw you playing your violin, crying painfully over your mother’s death. Your tears that ached my heart for the first time. Your gaze that captured my heart for the first time.” He pulled his hand away from her face as he moved to the necklace hanging on her neck. “My mother told me to give this butterfly necklace to the person I love when I grow up. And fate brought you into my life. Because of those tears flowing down from these beautiful eyes, you caught my heart and I gave the necklace to you. All those years, I was hoping I could see you again.”

“An arrange marriage planned by our fathers brought us back together. I hate this marriage because I don’t love you. I hate you because you think a contact could tie me with you. But then I was wrong.” Min Ho continued as he held her hand in his. “Once again, I was deeply attracted by everything about you. Your smiles, your tears, your violin and this pair of eyes that could look into my soul. Just when I thought I’m falling in love again and should forget about the little girl, you told me that you were that violin girl I met here 16 years ago.”

Min Ho took a deep breath as his eyes slowly turned red with tears lingering in it. “I know it hurt us so much when we lost our baby. That tragic incident separated us from each other for 2 years. Maybe that was a punishment for both of us because we were not able to protect our daughter. But everything was over now. I just want to let you know that although this place has brought us a lot of sad memories but at the same time, it brought us together, it brought us closer together.” He gently let go of her hand as he took something from his pocket and slowly kneeled down in front of her.

Shin Hye’s eyes were already covered with tears. Her eyes were widened in surprise when she saw Min Ho was holding her wedding ring. She let out a smile with tears rolling down as she looked at him. “No wonder I couldn’t find it. You were the one who stole it.”

Min Ho chuckled softly before looking into her eyes. “Park Shin Hye, I love you. I promise to love you forever… every single day of forever… will you marry me?” He asked whole heartedly.

Shin Hye swallowed hard and trying to sniff back her tears but more are rolling down. She bit her lower lip as a smile slowly curved on her lips. She nodded her head as she held her hand out to him. “Yes.”

Min Ho let out a sigh of relief as a wide smile plastered on his face. He gently slipped the ring onto her ring finger. He gave the red roses to her as he slowly stood up.

Shin Hye looked down at the beautiful roses before she wrapped her arms tightly around Min Ho’s neck. “I love you.”

The sky was filled with hundreds and thousands of beautiful shining stars. They made the promise to each other on the night where cupid’s wings lighted up the sky.

----------

“I do.” Shin Hye said softly as she looked into Min Ho’s eyes with a smile.

A curve formed at the corner of his lips. At last she was truly his. The girl who had brought him out of his world, the girl who had changed his life, the girl who had stolen his heart from the very first time he’d met her, was finally his.

Both of them turned to their best man and bridesmaid to take their wedding rings. Min Ho gently reached for her hand and placed the ring on her finger as Shin Hye did the same too.

“As they have pledged themselves to meet sorrow and happiness as one family before God and this community of friends, I now pronounce them husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” The priest announced.

Min Ho and Shin Hye turned to each other. He slowly lifted her veil and gazed at her for a moment before he leaned forward and planted a gentle yet passionate kiss on her lips.

--------------------------------------------------------------

“Oppa, where are we going? I thought we are going to Namsan Tower restaurant to celebrate my birthday? So Ra and Jong Suk is waiting for us there.” Shin Hye asked in confusion.

“You will know when we reach later. So Ra and Jong Suk wouldn’t wait for us there. Don’t worry.” Min Ho said with a smirk on his face.

Shin Hye was surprised when he stopped his car in front of the orphanage home. “Oppa, what are we doing here?”

Min Ho didn’t answer her as he stepped out of the car and walked to her side. He opened the door for her and gently pulled her out. He was holding an A4 size envelope in his hand.

“What are you doing? And what is that you are holding?” Shin Hye asked again.

Min Ho just smiled at her as he pulled her towards the gate. Sister Emily, So Ra and Jong Suk were already waiting for them there with a wide smile.

“Sister Emily.” Min Ho bowed politely at her as he nodded at So Ra and Jong Suk.

Sister Emily smiled as she turned to Shin Hye. “Shin Hye-ah. Happy birthday. Min Ho told me it was your birthday today. We planned a small celebration party for you. Hope you will like it.”

Shin Hye who was still looking confused, smiled politely at Sister Emily. “Of course I like. Thank you.” She looked at the garden and saw all the kids was holding a balloon and wearing a party hat, running around happily. She finally smiled and looked at them.

“The dinner at Namsan Tower was a lie. All of you have arranged a surprise party here for me. Thank you so much. I love it.” She said to them.

Sister Emily looked at Min Ho. “You haven’t told her yet?” She asked.

“Tell me what?” Shin Hye asked as she turned to Min Ho.

Min Ho stepped closer to her and passed her the envelope. “Your birthday present. I know it’s not some kind of present but it was something you wanted but you just didn’t tell me.” He said.

Shin Hye narrowed her eyes at him. Something she wanted but didn’t tell him? What was that? She was even confused now