Being in a promising, stable relationship and landing a secured, well-paying job at the age of 25 doesn’t always mean you got your life under control.

Take Jung Hyemi, for example.

It’s not that she’s complaining, but she could honestly appreciate not being asked regarding a certain date as to when she would tie the knot with her boyfriend of 3 years, Kim Namjoon –the next time she brings him to a family event.

Not every relationship needs to end with marriage, don’t you think?

Well of course, she is Asian –born and raised, where some norms occur and even the idea of simply living together without a legal status is out of the question.

But really, how does one know it’s the one if they’re always forced into making decisions they aren’t exactly sure about themselves?

 

Hyemi loves Namjoon for sure, and she knows wholeheartedly that Namjoon is the one for her regardless, she really does, but she’s 25 –at the top of her game and she wants to make the most out of it. And getting married seems to look decent enough in her 3-5 years later plan.

Her family is the conservative type though, believing that when the age comes, marriage shall too. If anything, she is already grateful that her parents didn’t marry her off to their own pick of bachelor by the age appropriate for marriage like those you would see on TV.

Human may plan. But God’s the greatest planner.

Or some sort.

Hyemi believes that you must go through a process for everything and that good things shall take time, as the old saying goes.

 

In conclusion, she really isn’t one to be blamed when she doesn’t feel like going to her next whole family gathering happening at her grandmother’s 70th birthday.

It’s undeniably her family but she feels so out of place sometimes, like she believes even Namjoon fits them more and is more welcomed there than she would ever be (or it could be just another lame excuse of hers).

It shouldn’t have bothered her this much though. Isn’t it every girl’s dream for the whole family to welcome the love of her life lovingly?

Though in Hyemi’s case, the welcoming part is perhaps a tad too warm for Namjoon. Give him a break, guys.

Said guy was dragging her hand gently, chirping casually in hope to lighten up his girlfriend’s already sour mood somehow.

Fact number one, Namjoon is very talkative.

That’s why they even clicked in the first place. Hyemi is more of the quiet type most of the times but when Namjoon comes around, it’s like he holds a key to open another side of her she herself didn’t know existed. The two could talk about the most random things at the most ungodly hours.

Back to this very moment, due to Hyemi’s not so fabulous mood, her only wish is that Namjoon would just shut his mouth and take her away from the venue.

But to her dismay, her boyfriend went on and on with his blabbering. She resorts to cling onto her boyfriend’s arm instead, stealing glances of him –obviously admiring the perfect strands of Namjoon’s slightly styled blonde hair which looks too damn fine for his own good.

 

“Come on babe, we don’t want to show up late.” Namjoon says, picking up the pace a little bit, careful because Hyemi’s wearing high heels and he does not want to nearly imagine what an angry Hyemi could and would do with those killer heels.

“Ah, the dreaded court.” Hyemi mutters.

“What court?” Namjoon chuckles lightly.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, none other than the ‘When are you two going to get married?’ court.” Hyemi elaborates.

She blows a raspberry at her insensitive boyfriend, who was trying hard to hold back his bubbling laughter. He was looking all happy and love struck as if Hyemi was the only one irritated.

Namjoon steals a glance at her from his side view, his gaze soft and loving that Hyemi can’t help but turn away, cheeks pink.

“True, but I kind of have an answer now.” he mumbles softly, almost too soft for Hyemi to miss it, but she didn’t. Hyemi thinks she’d heard something, but she brushes it off with her usual ‘I must be out of my mind!’

“What?” She opts instead, complete with her blank, unfazed look.

“Nothing, let’s keep walking.” Namjoon diverts, smoothly covering his words from before.

Hyemi gulps yet she follows Namjoon close either way.

Nothing else could be a better distraction than her boyfriend’s amazing side profile, and she makes use of that.

 

The decoration aren’t at all that glamorous, nothing that screams out of the world magnificent –just some of Hyemi’s grandmother’s favorite flower arrangements (peonies, baby’s breaths and white lilies) around the corners and standing balloons tied to a chair or a plain pebble scattered around the venue, making it look simply festive and welcoming.

Nevertheless, the crowd and the mood are definitely that of a birthday party and it almost makes Hyemi cringe, because her sweet 16 wasn’t even this grand.