Chapter 5

Yunho walked towards a couple of old ladies who just walked into the churchyard & greeted them, “Good morning, aunt Ai, aunt Mayu.” He kissed their wrinkled cheeks gently.

Mayu Takahashi took off her glasses & put it back on again, before exclaiming happily, “Yunho?! Is that you?! Oh my goodness, look at you! The last time I saw you was when you are...hmmm, still in high school, right?! You have turned from a grubby little boy into a handsome young man!”

Ai Takahashi stepped closer & pushed her big sister aside, “Yunho, my dear. You grow up too fast & oh, how I’m going to miss your chubby cheeks.” She pinched his cheeks with her hands.

“Ai, you are going to hurt him. Take your hand off. Yunho, do you remember when you played in our pool? You caught a cold after that & we had to take care of you for almost a week but now, look at you.” Mayu looked at him closely before her sister nudged her again.

Yunho looked at the Takahashi sisters with confusion. He had never thought that they would act like this but anyway, an affectionate smile appeared on his face.

“Mom & dad would be very pleased to see you again. Why don’t you just go inside & have a chat with them before the ceremony begin?” He led them inside the church & watched those sisters argued.

“Chubby?! He had never had chubby cheeks; not when he was a little boy nor does he have it now! You were only trying to find an excuses to pinch his cheeks! Admit it!”

“& what about you?! We have never had a pool. Not when he was still a child nor now!”

Yunho shook his head & glanced at his watch again. It was nine-fifteen. He had stood outside the church & waited for Yuri for almost five hours but still no sign of her. The Takahashi sisters seemed to be the last guests that his family had been waiting for as the seats were almost full with the invited guests.

He looked at the altar & saw Jinwoon giving him a code. It seemed like he had to forget the idea that Yuri would come today. It would be just a dream that Yuri would barge into the wedding & demand him back. Yunho sighed & looked around. The guests had filled up the seats; flowers & beautiful ornaments were placed at strategic places in the church. Wedding had always been a beautiful moment for everybody. Look at them all, dressed in their best suit, looking forward to witnessing a couple promising one another a love that would last a lifetime. His bow-shaped lips curved into a bitter smile as he thought about his dream of making Yuri his wife. They could never have this beautiful moment together. He looked towards the church gate & could see no one there. No one was running to the church, face full of panic as she shouted at him to hold the wedding. No one was asking if he was insane, marrying someone else when they loved each other so much. No Yuri. Steeling his heart, Yunho closed the door. The sound of the door closing was like a cell door banging shut, imprisoning his entire dream away from him. He took in a deep breath & walked to the altar.

*Flashback*

"Do you know how cute you are with short haircut like that? Makes me want to cuddle you up like a big teddy bear." But she settled on placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Hmmm, if only I knew earlier that you would like it, I would have cut my hair every week." Yunho smiled & winked at his girlfriend. They had been dating for almost a year & he really enjoyed every moment he had with her. Surreptitiously, Yunho touched his left black lambskin jacket & felt the ring that was in his pocket. After mulling about it for so long, he had decided to proposes to her today. He couldn’t think of any romantic place & situation but he knew that Dessert Wonderland was the most comfortable place for both of them.

"Why you are grinning like a fool?" Ask Yuri curiously.

"Hmmm, maybe because you make me feel happy today. Every day."

"Do I? I did nothing but mussed your hair. Come on, tell me, what are you hiding from me?" Yuri started to tickle him.

"No, Kwon Yuri. Take your hands away from me." Yunho squirmed away from her lethal long fingers. Quickly, he grabbed her hands & held it tightly; worried that Yuri would feel the ring box that he had hidden in his pocket. Yuri only grinned unrepentantly & quirked her thick, straight eyebrow at him.

"Do you know how much I love you?" Asked Yunho, when the car had been parked in the parking lot.

Yuri nodded & smiled, "You love me as much as I do." She kissed him softly before continuing, "I love you so much but right now, I need something more than you. Can we have ice cream please?" She giggled & jumped out from the car before Yunho could retaliate.

Yunho laughed, feeling his heart soared, seeing Yuri so happy. They were in a very good mood right now & he believed that his plan would work out perfectly.

Yuri sat on their favorite table in the left corner next to the window while Yunho went to the counter to order. As usual, chocolate ice cream for Yuri & vanilla & strawberry ice cream for Yunho. Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into his mind.

“Why don’t I just put the ring inside the ice cream? She loves surprises & I’m sure she’s going to love it.” Yunho took out the 14k white gold 1 ct diamond solitaire vintage-style ring out from its box & dipped it to the ice cream cup that the ice cream girl handed to him & placed it on his left side.

“Here’s the money & wished me good luck.” Yunho winked at the ice cream girl who looked more focused on him instead of her duty. Amused by her reaction, he reached out for the ice cream cup but only encountered empty spaces. It was gone.

“Where’s my order?” Asked Yunho, confused.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Here is your ice cream.” Another ice cream girl prepared his orders quickly & placed them in front of him.

“No, I have already took mine & placed it right next to me.”

“You must be wrong, sir. We haven’t made your order yet. This is yours.”

Yunho hit his forehead & looked around. There were about eighteen people in the shop & all of them had an ice cream cup in their hands & one of them was going to eat his nine thousand engagement ring any minute now, “Yunho Oppa, what’s wrong? What took you so long in there? Hmmm, I know. Beautiful ice cream girl, right?” Yuri smacked his chest & pouted.

“Yuri, will it be okay if I ask to taste ice cream from other people’s cup?” Asked Yunho nervously. He had more than three spoons in his hands.

“What kind of question is that & what are you going to do with all those spoons? You have enough money to buy the ice cream for yourself?”

Yunho was going to find some kind of rational excuses when a scream attracted their attention.

“Ah, a ring! Taehyun Oppa, oh my god! You put a ring in my ice cream cup!” A girl with a ponytail hair suddenly exclaimed happily. She cleaned the ring with a tissue & slid it onto her left finger.

“It fits & it’s so beautiful. Thank you. This is the best birthday gift I have ever had.” She jumped up & hugged her boyfriend who looked confused.

Yuri looked at the couple & smiled, “Oh, that’s so sweet. I have always loved surprises. So, when will you give me a surprises gift?” She looked at Yunho expectantly & grinned cheekily.

Yunho looked at the couple & could feel the happiness of the couple. He looked back to Yuri who was waiting for his answer.

“Errr...actually, I was planning to give that to you tonight. That ring was supposed to be for you. I dropped it in the wrong glass.” Said Yunho carefully. His plan didn’t work out as well as it did in his head but he didn’t want to step back & started all over again.

“What? Why would you want to give me a ring?” Ask Yuri worriedly. After all, a ring is a very personal gift & she wasn’t sure if she’s ready to receive one from Yunho yet.

Yunho smiled tenderly & placed his hands on Yuri’s rosy cheeks, “Marry me, Yuri? Well, let that girl keep the ring. We could buy another one tomorrow & you could choose any ring you want. Will you be my wife, Yuri?” Yuri sighed inwardly & closed her eyes. She didn’t have the guts to look into Yunho’s eyes & see the pain in there. The pain that she had no choice but to causes. She didn’t even dare hear the words that came out from but she knew that she must say it.

“Oppa, I love you but I can’t marry you.”

Those were the last words that came out because after that, it was silence that filled the night.

*End of Flashback*