It’s just several more minutes before meeting Sunny and taking her as my wife, Taeyeon thought while looking at herself on the restroom’s mirror. She did not necessarily want to pee, but for some reasons she just needed to look at her own reflection once more, in a hope that staring at her own eyes would somehow boost her confidence and ease all her doubts away. She looked at her own watch and took a deep breath.

 

“Okay, this is it” she mumbled to herself.

 

Taeyeon walked outside the restroom with confidence, even though her heart was pounding like crazy. She was much more nervous than when she and the other girls first had their own concert. In a nutshell, everything looked so easy. She just needed to stand there in front of the priest, her parents, Sunny’s parents and everyone else invited, said the vow to Sunny and put the wedding ring on her ring finger, kissed her, and voila! – they’re married. But no, everyone who had ever experienced this must have known what she felt right now. It was way more complicated than that.

 

She walked until she finally found a door. Behind it, there would be the wedding arch. In just a few minutes she and Sunny would stand together under it. Her tensed face got relaxed a bit when she found her father standing in front of the door, ready to stand with her in front of God until Sunny came.

 

“Appa” The daughter gently greeted.

 

“Are you ready?” The father smiled.

 

“I don’t know. I… I am so nervous right now” Taeyeon hung her head low. She might look calm in front of everybody else but once she met her father’s eyes, she knew she could let her inner feelings out.

 

“That is normal, dear. But believe me, that feeling will be gone once you’re there”

 

She looked deeply yet innocently at her father, like a little girl who was always curious of the things the father knew.  “Appa, may I ask you something?

 

“You can always ask me anything, even after you’re married”

 

“When you were about to take eomma as your wife, how did you feel? Did you feel… like you’re not sure you could make eomma happy?”

 

Her father took a while to answer, but smiled all the way when he was thinking. He fixed his eyeglasses before facing his daughter once more.

 

“You will know the answer once you stand there and look into her eyes,” he took Taeyeon’s hand, “Now, let’s go, alright?”

 

Somehow Taeyeon was not satisfied with her father’s answer, but the nervousness overwhelmed her again when her father began pulling her into slow steps, approaching the door. So she decided to hold her questions back. They slowly opened the door, and soon Taeyeon could see the sky, the trees of the garden and of course, the honored invited guests.

 

She set a smile instinctively as she felt eyes staring at her. Not a long time after she could hear someone whistling from somewhere among the seats. Taeyeon scanned the guests and she soon spotted Tiffany throwing her eye-smile. Taeyeon was about to just chuckle at it when her eyes caught another familiar member. It was Yuri showing a ‘hwaiting’ pose to her. That black pearl did not even bother if the other guests were staring at her. Never changing Kkab-Yul indeed, Taeyeon thought as she mentally shook her head.

 

Taeyeon did not have to wait alone for too long, since soon after that she could hear the music playing and she knew what that meant. That was the time for Soonkyu – her princess – should arrive here and meet her.

 

 

Safetysuit's Never Stop started playing as a cue for the bride to walk. Sunny gripped on her father's arm tighter, hoping that some kind of strength and confidence to get through with the bestowal was transmitted through their connection. Her walk was slow, but her distance to the priest was not far. She was soon met with some people seating at the utmost back of the seat, giving her brightest smile and they smiled back, as if saying their congratulatory messages through some kind of telepathy.

 

 

Each lyric of the song stabbed through Taeyeon’s heart. Somehow, it reminded her of how she and Sunny could walk together until they reached this day. Yes, this was what she had dreamt of every single night. She remembered how she used to listen to this song back then, with the image of her Soonkyu in white in front of her. Now she almost couldn’t believe what had always been her imagination finally came true.

 

A few more steps and Sunny started seeing more familiar faces, from her friends to her SM family members. She was about to flash her signature nose-crinkling smile to Bora, her Invincible Youth family member, when she finally saw the one standing at the end of the path. There she was, even more beautiful than what Sunny remembered, wearing her dark blue tuxedo.

 

 

Taeyeon dared herself to look up and make her imagination come true. She could see the figure of a lovely woman dressed in white slowly approaching her from the opposite side of where she was standing. Her eyes danced along with the song to the other woman’s strapless gown. Sunny’s y waist could still be appreciated even in that long gown. The upper part of the gown let her see Sunny’s milky skin, which was glowing even brighter than the purely white gown itself. She continued tracing her eyes way to the neck up to the lips. It was still the same pinkish, y lips that she had kissed before, and today she was going to make sure those lips would belong to her and her only forever.

 

 

Then, she met her eyes. Sunny’s face was covered by the veil, but Taeyeon could still see through it and catch her heavenly eyes. As if nobody else was there, her soul flew away when she met those eyes. Thousands of feelings were exchanged when she locked the slightly younger woman’s gaze with her own. She stared deeply, and now she knew what her father had told her was true. This was the woman she had fallen in love with for years. This was the woman who had been with her through thick and thin, and nothing would change that. This was the woman who had made her want nothing else in the world, nothing but having their body and soul become one and no longer two. She was Lee Soonkyu; she is Lee Soonkyu; she will be Lee Soonkyu. In the past, now, and forever, she would have Soonkyu in her – and herself in Soonkyu.

 

Taeyeon smiled and she knew it was not another fake smile she had made back in the day. It was a sincere smile for she knew all of her doubts had gone away. Nothing stayed but the woman in front of her. She kept waiting patiently for the other bride to arrive and not even for a split second did she turn her attention away from her soon-to-be wife.

 

Even from afar Sunny could spot Taeyeon’s chin dimple portruding. At that exact moment, she could only see Taeyeon clearly. She couldn't even hear the background song, as if time had slowed down. From her smile, Sunny could vividly hear Taeyeon's thoughts, as if she whispered it on her ear even though they were still a few feet away from each other.

 

Finally.

 

Right at that second, Sunny realized that finally, they would take their relationship to the next level. Finally, they would start planning for their future together. But most importantly, finally they would be tied by God through marriage, and no mortal power could break it. When she finally reached Taeyeon, she could hear her father mumbled, “Take care of her,” in which the latter nodded with a wide smile before taking entwining their hands together. She still couldn’t take her eyes off of her soon-to-be wife, even when they already stood in front of the priest.

 

“Dearly beloved,”

 

The priest’s voice broke their gazes as they finally shifted their focus to him instead of each other.

 

“We are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the presence of these witnesses, to join together these two women in holy matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God. It is therefore, not to be entered into unadvisedly, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons come now to be joined. With that in mind, let us join our hands together to ask for God’s blessings so that this holy matrimony goes well with no hindrance.”

 

The priest then opened his hands, leading the mass for an opening prayer. “Father, You have made the bond of marriage a Holy Mystery – a symbol of Christ’s love of His Church. Hear our prayers for Taeyeon and Sunny with faith in You and in each other. May their lives always bear the witness to the reality of their love, Amen.”

 

“Amen,” the congregation, along with Taeyeon and Sunny answered.

 

The priest then gave his short speech to the soon-to-be-wives, the one that he had given to the two of them during their private pre-marital counseling. Even though they had heard the advice, they listened intently, nodding when the priest reminded them about something, and smiled when he told the congregation about how they should be thankful that they had each other for years before finally tying the knot. When it was time for their statement of intention, they were told to stand face to face, making them blush in embarrassment when they saw each other’s nervous expressions.

 

“Just relax, you two look like you just met each other for the first time,” the priest teased.

 

Giggles could be heard from the crowd when Taeyeon shyly took Sunny’s hand in hers, preparing to state her intention first with the help of the priest.

 

“Kim Taeyeon, do you take Lee Soonkyu to be your wedded wife, and in the presence of these witnesses do you vow that you will do everything in your power to make your love for her a growing part of your life?”

 

Taeyeon looked deep into Sunny’s eyes, thinking of their past efforts to convince their parents that they truly love each other, and it was not mere ‘confusions’ or flings. She truly loved Sunny, and she would do anything to proof that and more. “Yes, I do.”

 

“Will you continue to strengthen it from day to day and week to week with your best resources? Will you stand by her in sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth, and will you shun all others and keep yourself to her alone as long as you both shall live?”

 

She then thought about the days when Sunny took care of her when she was sick, when she struggled against the scandals and Sunny stood by her. She knew by then that she was more than willing to return the favor, even if it meant she had to do the same for Sunny, and more. “I will.”

 

The priest then turned his attention towards Sunny, whose eyes already glistened from Taeyeon’s doubtless answers. “Lee Soonkyu, do you take Kim Taeyeon to be your wedded wife, and in the presence of these witnesses do you vow that you will do everything in your power to make your love for her a growing part of your life?”

 

Sunny thought about the days when she was unaware of her feelings for Taeyeon; how they grow bigger and bigger that she couldn’t contain it anymore. She loved Taeyeon with all her heart, and she would fight her own logic if it meant she could spend the remainder of her life with her. “I do.”

 

“Will you continue to strengthen it from day to day and week to week with your best resources? Will you stand by her in sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth, and will you shun all others and keep yourself to her alone as long as you both shall live?”

 

Past lovers and flings meant nothing anymore. She knew if she had to choose to devote herself to one person, she would do it with Taeyeon. No one else understood her better, and no one else could outshine Taeyeon’s love for her, and she would cherish it no matter what. “Yes, I will.”

 

Pleased at how serious they took their intention to heart, the priest then proceeded with the next step. “Kim Taeyeon, you are pleased to say your wedding vow to Lee Soonkyu”

 

Taeyeon turned her face facing Sunny and stared at her eyes deeply. “On this day, I Kim Taeyeon, vow to Lee Soonkyu to be her danshin partner forever. I vow to take care of her, be with her through day and night, through sunny and rainy days; to eat her red bean paste in our food and to stay short with her; to let her be the only one to touch my cheeks and cross my legs. But, more importantly, I vow to keep my love for her until I die, to keep my eyes only on her whole existence, to be loyal beyond death that even death cannot keep us apart”

 

A wide smile was seen on Sunny’s face, even though she couldn’t hold a lone tear from escaping her eyes. Taeyeon rubbed Sunny’s hand in hers, mouthing ‘don’t cry’ at the woman in front of her. Sunny slightly nodded, quickly wiping her face with her finger before clearing , bracing herself to look into her soon-to-be-wife’s eyes while she stated her vow.

 

“I, Lee Soonkyu, vow to Kim Taeyeon, to be there for her. When she’s sad, I vow to make her smile. When she’s happy, I vow to make her happier. In the presence of our loved ones, I vow to be her source of happiness. I vow to be the mother of our children, and make them our source of happiness. I vow to be true to her, in good and bad times; in sickness and in heath. I vow to complete her, as she has completed me. I vow to love her as much as the sunflower loves the sun. I will love and honor her, to the end of our days.”

 

“May God be the witness of your vows and give you strength to fulfill them” The priest commented. He then gave another smile as Sunny wiped Taeyeon’s face from the tears the latter shed.

 

The overwhelming feelings when they exchanged their vows made Taeyeon somehow unaware of the priest’s next instructions. Her eyes were too focused on the face behind the white veil, especially the lips. Taeyeon moved her feet a few steps ahead approaching Sunny. With her hands she opened the veil bit by bit until she could see Sunny’s red-tinted cheeks. She was about to lean her head to capture her lips when she noticed the change in Sunny’s eyes. The other woman was looking at her as if something was wrong. By then, she just realized that the priest was calling her name.

 

“Kim Taeyeon, now is the time for exchanging the rings first” The priest told her, trying to hold back his grin.

 

“I-I am sorry!” Taeyeon reflexively pulled her head back from Sunny and she could hear small laughter and giggles from the guests’ seats. What made her face reddened even more was that the priest was grinning along due to her embarrassing mistake.

 

Luckily, Seohyun and Jessica – the bridesmaids – walked in; each holding a golden tray with the rings Taeyeon had chosen for them respectively and bringing the holy atmosphere back.  Seohyun slowly stepped toward the bride in tuxedo with her teary eyes, feeling touched that she could be a part in her sisters’ marriage. Taeyeon gave her a sincere smile as if she knew what the maknae was feeling at that moment, then took the wedding ring from the tray.

 

She took Sunny’s hand gently and rubbed her palm. She could not believe she could finally put this ring on Sunny’s finger. The ring slid in without much trouble and it looked perfect on her wife’s finger. “Soonkyu, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.”

 

Subsequently, Sunny turned towards Jessica, who held out the golden tray with her hands. The bridesmaid winked and the other replied with a smile whilst taking the ring. She turned her attention towards her wife, who still had that dorky grin on her, after all those years. “Taeyeon, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity,” Sunny said firmly. It wasn’t the first time she wore a couple ring with Taeyeon, but somehow this one felt different. For once, it felt right; not binding, yet assuring.

 

“May the rings be the symbol of the tied knot between the two brides” the priest commented. “Now, Kim Taeyeon, you may kiss your wife”

 

Taeyeon her lips shyly at the mention of ‘your wife’. Sunny is her wife now! She is not her girlfriend anymore, but wife. She had kissed the woman in front of her so many times before, but somehow today’s kiss was going to feel different. This would be the first kiss after they pledged to be each other’s wife.

 

The guests were silent as they waited for the taller bride’s movement. Taeyeon opened the veil once more, this time not by mistake, bit by bit until she finally revealed the beautiful face behind it. She smiled in relief when she could see that face without any interruption at last.

 

Knowing her wife’s body, Taeyeon’s arms found their way to linger on Sunny’s waist. She kept them firm there before pulling Sunny closer to her, leaning her head to Sunny’s as she did so. Taeyeon gazed at the red, y lips of Sunny before finally locking them with her own. When their lips finally met, Taeyeon could feel that Sunny’s lips still tasted as heavenly as always. This kiss meant they would belong to each other forever. She never knew a wedding kiss could feel this warm and sweet and she savored the moment while the guests applauding them from behind.

 

Sunny s her arms around her wife’s neck, not minding the whistling and jeering from the crowd when they saw the deepening kiss. She didn’t need to care about what they think; Taeyeon was hers and she was Taeyeon’s. In front of God they had shown their sincerity for each other, and the kiss symbolized their new beginning. With their families and friends as their witness, they had started a new chapter – one that was sealed with their kiss.