Chapter 30

When I said my good bye to Jin Guk, Se Hun walked me to the entrance of the hospital. We stood together in silence for a few minutes before he turned his attention on me. I knew he was going to tell me that I was an idiot and that my idea of us getting ‘married’ was a ridiculous idea. I honestly thought the idea was ridiculous too, but he was going to make it sound even worse than it sounded when I agreed to the idea.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” He asked as he placed his hands into his pockets. “If you have time, we can just get it done and over with, so we don’t have to worry about it later on. We can just do it for a day so it doesn’t seem suspicious.”

“I was supposed to look for center pieces with Jung Ah and Kang Hee, but I’m sure I can reschedule it with them.” I could tell he was kind of uncomfortable. “Look, Se Hun, what I just agreed to back there with Jin Guk –”

“Don’t worry about it. I should have known that he was going to ask that from you and should have prevented it, but I didn’t. It’s not your fault.” He seemed sincere.

“Okay…” I didn’t want to add on to anything that wasn’t really needed. “I-I should go home now since it’s getting late.”

“Would you like me to take you home?” He asked.

I shook my head. “It’s okay. I can get home on my own. Take care of Jin Guk.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow in the afternoon then.” Se Hun pressed his lips together before he nodded his head and turned back to go to Jin Guk’s room.

As he disappeared, I took a deep breath as if I was holding it in a little too long. I honestly felt relieved because I was waiting for anything and everything to come out at once from Se Hun, but he didn’t yell at me or call me an idiot. It didn’t feel right since I was so used to him giving me crap about the things I did, but I guess he didn’t feel like that unless he did and he just didn’t want to say anything.

“Ahn Soo Jin.”

I was just about to head out of the hospital when I heard someone call me from behind. I turned around and saw Seung Hee walking towards me. She crossed his arms as she halted to a stop and glared at me as if I had done something to her.

“Why are you here again?” She asked irritated, which made no sense to me cos’ I have never done anything to her.

“I came to visit Jin Guk.” I crossed my arms too.

“Are you trying to get back with Se Hun?” She arched an eyebrow which made me mirror the same thing she was doing. “You shouldn’t even be here.”

“Look, it’s none of your business as to what I do here or who I associate myself with. I barely know who you are and you don’t even know me.” I scoffed. “I don’t understand why you think you have the audacity to talk to me the way you have been doing.”

“Because I like Se Hun and I want to be the one who is by his side.” She said this so casually and upfront that my mouth fell ajar.

“Oh…” I shut my mouth and pursed my lips.

“Oh? What do you mean oh?” She snarled.

“Look, Seung Hee, or whatever your name is… I have no interest in Se Hun.” I raised my left hand. “In case you did not notice, I am engaged and will be getting married soon so you have nothing to worry about. I’m not here for Se Hun. I’m here for Jin Guk.”

“Then why have you agreed to marry Se Hun for Jin Guk’s sake?!” She almost yelled out loud in the empty lobby causing a couple looks coming in our direction.

“Wow, you were eaves dropping on us? Don’t you know how to mind your own business especially in a place like this?” I shook my head. “This has nothing to do with what Se Hun and I had. Everything that’s happened between us is all in the past and what is going to happen between us is between us and most likely for Jin Guk.”

“You are a snake.” She scoffed.

“Seung Hee, the only person you’re competing with is your insecurities. Please leave me alone. I have other things to worry about than someone who is in love with Se Hun.” I turned around and walked out hoping she wouldn’t chase after me.

When I got out to the street and called for a taxi, I was thankful that she stayed inside the hospital. I couldn’t believe she came and attacked me like that when I barely exchanged words with her the first time we ran into each other. She liked Se Hun? SHE, Seung Hee whatever likes our famous Oh Se Hun? I mean, I guess I couldn’t blame her for liking him. I’m sure he was kind and charming towards her since she worked with Jin Guk.

“Ugh!” I pulled at my hair after getting into the back of a taxi.

I couldn’t understand why I had a quarrel with someone I barely knew, and it was because she liked Se Hun. I leaned back in my seat and took my phone out and was going to text Se Hun, but I decided not to. I had to figure out how I was going to go out of town without anyone knowing that I was going to be with that stupid gangster kid. Why is he always causing trouble around me when I didn’t even ask for any of it?

**

Se Hun and I met early in the morning at the train station with Jin Guk. I explained to him that Kang Hee knew we weren’t going to meet, but Jung Ah knew that she was supposed to cover for me for the day since I didn’t know when I was going to come home.

“You don’t have to do this.” Se Hun said as we boarded onto the train. “You can walk out right now if you don’t feel like this is right.”

“It’s not right.” I muttered under my breath but proceeded to follow behind him anyway. “I don’t want to do this, but if this is his last wish from the two of us, I’m willing to go through with it. It’s not real anyway.”

“I spoke with a pastor there that my grandfather knew and he said his son could help us since he is just learning to elope couples.” Se Hun scooted into the window seat and had Jin Guk sit on his lap while I sat beside them. “When we get there, we can find something cheap to rent for the wedding shenanigans.”

I nodded my head as I rested back against the seat. “Okay.”

“I’m so excited!” Jin Guk said as he grabbed onto both of mine and Se Hun’s hands. “I can’t wait to see the two of you get married in front of me!”

I looked at Se Hun who looked at me and slowly smiled. My heart was beating a bit faster and faster the longer he was staring at me. I looked away and looked over at Jin Guk and gave him a big smile. I didn’t want to say anything. What we were going to do was out of the ordinary and my heart was somehow falling apart as the train started moving. What did I agree to? What was I going to do when it happened?

**

The first thing we did once we had arrived was visit Se Hun’s grandfather’s grave. We paid our respects and after a few minutes, I stood back and watched as Se Hun and Jin Guk sat on the grave and exchange conversation. As I watched the two of them, I could tell how sincere Se Hun was towards Jin Guk. He patted the little boy’s back as if it were his own son. The way he looked at him made my heart wrench inside.

“Soo Jin, I think we’re ready to go.” Se Hun said, cutting me out of my thoughts.

“Okay…” I followed after him as Jin Guk grabbed onto my hand.

**

We still had a couple of hours before we were going to get “married”. We headed off to the beach where Se Hun and I knew and let Jin Guk run around since it was so nice out.  It was quiet, and no one was around thankfully. The two of us sat down on the sand beside each other and watched him from a distance.

“So when are you going to call me an idiot for agreeing to something absurd like this?” I asked turning to Se Hun, who was looking straight forward. “You have not said a word to me about this since we got here and it worries me.”

“Because even if you were to say no to what he wanted, I would have made you do it anyway.” Se Hun sighed. “What we’re about to do is about the craziest and stupidest thing we could ever do since you’re supposed to get married to someone else, but this isn’t about us. It’s about Jin Guk.”

“Se Hun, I hope you know that I would have always agreed to it whether it was going to involve you or not. I know the consequences.” I bit my lower lip.

“I truly appreciate it. I mean, after the things we both have been through together… I’m glad you didn’t run away this time.”

“Run away this time?” I scoffed. “Wow.”

“You’re always running away.” He shrugged as if this was nothing new.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I could say the same thing about you.”

“Really?” I turned my body towards him. “You are unbelievable for making me think something happened between the two of us for the last five years when nothing even happened, and you also made everyone turn their back on me.”

“I did not! They chose to keep it a secret because they did not want to get involved. If only that stupid Lu Han would stop giving you some stupid ideas, we wouldn’t even have to be here today!” Se Hun groaned. “It was supposed to be easy! You were supposed to get married and let me continue living my life as if you never existed!”

“Uh no, you don’t even get the right to say that to me, you bastard!!!” I nudged him. “You should have never confessed to me and let me think that you cheated on me so I could easily get married and not feel like I have cold feet because I still love you!”

“You still love me?” He looked at me with softened eyes and this caused my cheeks to start burning.

“I will always have some feelings for you, Se Hun.” I said this as I turned away from him hoping he wouldn’t see my face, but I’m sure he saw already. “You… You will always be a big part in my heart no matter how much I try to push you away and you know how much I hate that?”

“I’m sorry.” Se Hun ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry things turned out the way they did. It’s honestly no one’s fault but my own.”

“Glad you’re taking responsibility for it.” I said as I watched Jin Guk jump into the water.

**

The dress I was in wasn’t the prettiest thing I have ever seen, but I wasn’t complaining. The pastor’s wife was kind enough to find me something white inside of her closet so Se Hun and I could get this quickly over with since they knew what we were doing. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. This was for Jin Guk. Our plan was to walk down the aisle, say our vows, seal the deal, and get the heck out of there, but why was I feeling indifferent about it?

“Are you ready?” I heard Se Hun’s voice outside of the curtain I was behind. “Jin Guk is already dressed and he’s waiting at the altar.”

“Yes, I’ll be out there soon.” I answered. I placed a hand against my chest. I could feel my heart pacing quickly.

“Don’t be nervous.” It was as if he could see through the curtains. “It isn’t real.”

“I know. I know.” I said. “I’ll meet you at the altar.”

It took me a few minutes to get out from behind the curtains. I was standing alone, but I knew Se Hun and Jin Guk were waiting at the altar. There was a melodic song playing around, but it was quiet. As I started to walk down the steps and towards the aisle, I could feel my chest tightening with every step. Se Hun never looked so good wearing a fitted suit. Is this what it would have looked like if we were the ones to get married?

My face was burning in embarrassment, but somehow, I could feel tears on the brim of my eyes and I didn’t understand why. What was I going to cry about? What was going on with me? This was a fake wedding. An all for show for Jin Guk, who was standing on the opposite of Se Hun with a big smile on his face. It felt so wrong, but it didn’t at the same time.

When I stood in front of Se Hun, he reached a hand out towards me and when I reached out to grab it, tears came down streaming my cold cheeks.

“Why are you crying?” Se Hun whispered under his breath.

“I don’t know.” I said sniffling. “I really don’t know.”

As the pastor said his words and we exchanged our vows, Jin Guk stood beside us and stared up with gleaming eyes.

“I have something to say!” Jin Guk said raising a hand cutely.

“What is it, little man?” Se Hun and I both bent down so we were at his eye level.

“I wanted to thank you, appa, for taking care of me after all this time. Because of you, I was able to experience much more in life than I could have ever. Thank you for all the story telling and thank you for bringing pretty noona into my life.” Jin Guk looked over at me and smiled. “Pretty noona, thank you for coming back to make appa’s life happier and better. I know he missed you a lot and wanted to be with you again. When I’m gone, I hope you can continue to make him the happiest man alive.”

More tears streamed down my cheeks and when I looked over at Se Hun, I saw him crying. He had his lips pressed together, but there were more tears than I have truly ever witnessed. Se Hun has cried for me, but I knew these tears were from pain. It was as if he was losing his grandpa all over again and it caused me to cry harder.

“Noona, I know I didn’t get to spend too much time with you, but I feel like I know you because of appa, who expressed how wonderful of a person you always were and I truly believe it. You have been so kind to me since the first day we met in the rain. Appa, pretty noona, I love you both so much. Because of you two, I can leave happily and with no regrets.” Jin Guk reached out and hugged us both tightly. “I hope the two of you can love each other forever. I’ll be watching.”

“We love you so much, Jin Guk.” I said as I bawled my eyes out.

“Se Hun, you may kiss the bride.” The pastor whispered causing all of us to stop crying for a split second.

“Kiss her, appa. You’ll regret it.” Jin Guk nudged Se Hun, whose cheeks turned pink for the first time in forever.

“Are you blushing?” I asked finding myself laughing.

“I-I can’t kiss you.” Se Hun shook his head.

“Why not?!” Jin Guk asked confused. “Appa, you have to kiss to seal it!”

“I can’t do it…” He looked at me with such loving eyes that it made my heart skip a beat. “We both know that we cannot do this.”

“It’s not real, right?” I found myself doing something I never thought I would ever get to do again. I reached out to Se Hun, pulled him from the back of his neck, and pressed my lips against his, giving him a kiss that I have truly missed so much.

Author's Note: AN UPDATE! Thank you for kindly waiting after so long. I'm trying my best to complete this story as quickly as possible, but life is still getting in the way. I love you all so much for the support and constantly waiting on me. To all those who are against cheating, I hope you all know that I am truly against cheating as I too am in a relationship and cherish my significant other. I hated to add this into the story, but it was  always going to happen since I have had this in mind for the longest time. This is fictional story, which anything could happen. Please take this with a grain of salt and let it pass by as I am not promoting it! Thank you all so much. Have a wonderful Labor Day <3