They said they’d prepared the shortest possible ceremony considering Hyedam’s condition, and the wedding itself wasn’t very long.
The moment he made eye contact with Leo, who stood facing him dressed in an identical white tuxedo, an indescribable emotion surged through him. But soon, seeing that face smiling brightly at him, the corners of Hyedam’s mouth also faintly lifted in response.
The officiant’s words didn’t properly register in his ears, and instead the shape of Leo’s lips clearly saying “I love you” as he looked down at him entered Hyedam’s eyes distinctly. Everything that had happened since Leo came to find him while he was resting on the island felt like a dream.
His plan to live happily as a family of three with Alkong and Dalkong had all fallen through, but now Hyedam’s family had become four instead of three. Broadly speaking, six including Leo’s parents.
All the things he had assumed on his own weren’t true. His parents, whom he thought would dislike him, actually treated him like their own child. Alkong and Dalkong were also growing up healthy and well. Except for Leo occasionally acting childishly and causing awkwardness, there was nothing uncomfortable or difficult at all.
A wedding with the little kid who had proposed to him as soon as they met. It was Leo whom he’d met again only after their paths had crossed three times. And a wedding at the place where they’d reunited…
Having escaped from Leo’s beautiful eyes that seemed like they would melt him, Hyedam looked up slightly.
The thin fabric draped overhead to appropriately block the midday’s hot sunlight fluttered in the wind. The faintly audible orchestra music and the officiant’s voice harmonized beautifully.
As the sunlight became dazzling due to the fabric’s movement, he frowned slightly, and Leo shifted his position slightly to block the sunlight for him.
“There will be an exchange of rings.”
At the officiant’s words, the black ring that had hastily found its place on his left hand on that thunderstorm day disappeared, and a simple silver ring with no pattern or jewels embedded was placed on his left ring finger. Hyedam’s dimples deepened as he placed a ring on Leo’s hand.
“Motnani, your dimples are showing again.”
Will you please shut that mouth. Hyedam, who had been extremely nervous in case he dropped the ring or made even a small mistake, bit down hard on his molars at Leo’s brazenly whispering voice. Contrary to his worry, a small sigh of relief flowed from Hyedam’s mouth after he successfully placed the ring on Leo’s hand without dropping it.
Following the ring exchange, at the officiant’s words to give the marriage vow kiss as the finale, Hyedam hurriedly looked at Leo. A kiss. A kiss. A peck, smooch. You know, right? So don’t think anything strange!
Mischief appeared in those beautiful green eyes that shone even brighter in the bright outdoors, and Leo’s face gradually came closer. And what Hyedam heard was the sound of people cheering.
After the wedding ended amidst people’s blessings, with his hand firmly held by Leo, Hyedam exchanged pleasant greetings with those who had attended. Like the clear and beautiful weather, at the gentle smiles and well-wishes, Hyedam found himself beaming with smiles, and when people moved away for a moment, he unconsciously let out a sigh.
“Is it hard?”
“More than that, I don’t know who’s who. I’m not usually someone with such a poor memory.”
“You don’t need to know. You just need to know me, that’s all.”
At the leisure felt from Leo, who had enjoyed parties since childhood though this probably wasn’t a wedding, Hyedam slightly bit and released his lower lip. Only after those they’d just greeted moved away did he realize they were Leo’s uncle and aunt.
“That was your uncle and aunt.”
Muttering with resentment that he hadn’t given him advance notice, Hyedam put strength in his hand and squeezed his hand tightly.
“I said you just need to know me.”
At Leo’s mischief of squeezing his hand tightly back just because he’d squeezed it, then quickly releasing it, Hyedam lightly hit the back of his hand with his other hand.
“If you’re tired, should we go inside and rest?”
We’re almost done greeting people, why go inside? I don’t have such weak stamina that I’d collapse after being outside for just a couple of hours.
While greeting people enjoying the buffet and refreshments prepared outdoors, Hyedam saw a baby toddling toward him and, smiling brightly, lowered himself to sit down.
The little lady, all dressed up in a white dress with pink ribbons and accessories, came running with clumsy steps at a quick pace, so Hyedam spread both arms.
“Ajji.”
Hyedam stably caught the princess who came rushing into his embrace with incomprehensible baby sounds, and stood up from his spot.
“Ugh, oppa. Don’t hold her. Don’t hold her. Even though she looks like that, she’s over 13kg.”
As the baby wrapped her short arms around his neck and clung to him, at the sweet milk scent felt from the baby, Hyedam hugged the baby even tighter and kissed those soft, squishy cheeks, then turned slightly at Luna’s horrified voice.
“Haya… kko…”
Though completely unintelligible, the baby also seemed to be in a good mood and was chattering away while pointing at the sky, so Hyedam answered, “Really? What? What. That?” while looking at the sky together.
The clear sky and white clouds. And besides the drones floating for security, something else caught his eye. I’ve seen this before, and come to think of it, the gently blowing wind seemed to have gotten a bit stronger.
“Baby. Come here.”
The dark clouds that had been far away when he was looking with the baby were approaching too quickly, and while he was flustered, the baby he’d been holding in his arms was transferred to Leo’s embrace.
“The weather over there…”
Hyedam grabbed Leo’s arm at the rapidly approaching dark clouds.
“Congratulations on your wedding, oppa.”
“Thank you. Thank you for preparing the wedding too, it really feels like entering a beautiful movie scene just like you said.”
“Next is our Alkong and Dalkong’s turn.”
At Luna’s words, Hyedam smiled awkwardly. It’s good to celebrate Alkong and Dalkong’s birth, but what’s with this embarrassing baby shower? Just let it pass quietly. At this rate, there’ll be a 100-day wedding party, a 100-day celebration for Alkong and Dalkong’s birth—it seems like these parties and celebrations will never end.
“Who do they take after to be this pretty?”
“What?”
“I said pretty.”
“The word ‘pretty’ coming from your mouth doesn’t sound good at all.”
The words of Luna and Leo bickering every time they met didn’t register in his ears. They said the weather was good today, it was clear and sunny, and there was no news of rain for several days before and after today. Hyedam’s eyes trembled slightly as he looked at those leisurely enjoying their meals and refreshments, seemingly not having noticed the sky yet.
Should I tell everyone to hurry inside?
What did we prepare indoors?
He recalled that because the weather was so good, most of the preparations had been made outdoors. But he couldn’t exactly tell them to take the boat back in a storm, and they’d all have to stay indoors until the storm ended.
“Luna.”
“Yes, oppa.”
“Those clouds over there…”
At the same time as speaking to Luna, Hyedam raised his hand to touch the tip of his nose at the feeling of a water droplet falling on it.
The water droplet that was first felt on the tip of his nose this time fell on the crown of his head. And the number of people opening their palms and looking at the sky gradually increased. The rain clouds haven’t come yet… Stupidly, only now could Hyedam see the dark clouds that had gathered behind him and above his head.
The rain clouds weren’t coming from far ahead—they’d already gathered plenty from behind.
“Yaa… abuyaa…”
The baby held in Leo’s one arm was also getting rained on, covering her big head with her short two hands. At the noise created by people hurriedly getting up and going inside and people standing still looking at the sky, the orchestra’s music was drowned out.
“They didn’t say it would rain. Oppa. Quickly inside…”
Even at Luna’s words as she took the baby from Leo’s arms, Hyedam didn’t move his feet from where he stood.
“Hurry inside…”
The raindrops that were initially one or two gradually became thicker, and in the sudden shower, Hyedam’s hair and clothes got soaked. The bewilderment disappeared from Hyedam’s face as he looked at Leo, who was getting rained on just like him, and a smile formed.
Nothing is perfect.
One tries and prepares to be perfect, but people are always swayed by the unknown. It could be fate, it could be this kind of fickle weather, and sometimes it’s a trivial small emotion.
Until the rain came, he thought this wedding was perfect like a scene from a movie. Smooth preparations and ceremony proceedings without even small mistakes. The food, music, invited guests—there was nothing to fault. But the moment the dark clouds appeared, the movie scene became reality.
But could this wedding really be said to be ruined?
“Lee Hyedam!”
When Hyedam didn’t budge, he looked at Leo, who covered the top of his head with his large hand, then eventually took off his white jacket to create a space above his head to shelter from the rain.
He could read the expression asking, ‘Let’s hurry inside, what are you doing?’ If it were his usual self, he would have just picked him up and carried him inside, but clearly, perhaps because there were many people around, he was still giving him some time.
Luna, who’d been chattering beside them, went inside first, probably because of the baby, and said something, but such things didn’t register in Hyedam’s ears.
Hyedam cupped Leo’s cheeks with both hands as he looked at him with a puzzled gaze. Then he lifted his heels and brought his own lips to his lips first.
Living life, one can’t always be happy. There will be rainy days like this, and windy days too. And each time, Leo and the babies would be by his side.
“Leo Lewis.”
“Yeah.”
With their lips touching, when he called his name softly, Leo obediently answered.
“I love you.”
What returned to those sincere words wasn’t an answer but a sweet kiss.
<The End>
