Kim Sara glared with fierce eyes, then stretched out two fingers. She alternately jabbed her index and middle fingers spread in a V-shape at her own eyes and Jun-wan’s eyes, then made a throat-slitting gesture with her thumb.
Even at the menacing warning, Jun-wan was completely unaffected. Rather, he looked at Kim Sara as if she were pathetic.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Good, you understand. Just try bullying my little brother. I’ll cut you up right away.”
Kim Sara wrinkled the bridge of her nose and bared her upper teeth. It was a beast-like threat that completely didn’t match her fluttery pink chiffon dress.
After delivering her satisfying warning, Kim Sara left. Chief Manager Min approached and skillfully smoothed over the awkward atmosphere.
“Just a moment, we need to attach the flower.”
“Okay.”
A boutonniere decorated with small white lisianthus and green herb leaves adorned his left chest. The fragrant smell tickled his nose. Yu-shin wrinkled his nose and lifted his head. His eyes immediately met with black pupils.
Though he didn’t know since when, it was clear Jun-wan had been staring continuously. However, he couldn’t read the thoughts contained in that gaze.
Does he still not like this marriage? Looking at the expression that seemed cold at first glance because he wasn’t smiling, the possibility seemed high. Still, it would be nice if he’d smile a bit on a day like today.
“Relax your expression.”
Yu-shin smiled beautifully in Jun-wan’s stead. Jun-wan’s brow furrowed as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have. Yet his persistent gaze stubbornly wandered over Yu-shin’s face.
“Let’s go. We don’t have time to dawdle any longer.”
Jun-wan let out a breath close to a sigh and ran his hand down his face. Yu-shin readily followed his request.
Walking a bit from the waiting room, they came to the prepared wedding aisle. The arched platform was dazzlingly beautiful, and family members from both sides sat peacefully in the metal chairs on either side. Knowing the ceremony was starting, the guests each twisted their waists to look at the two standing in the wedding aisle.
Standing at the end of the white cloth, it finally felt real that they were getting married. Yu-shin quietly took in the faces of his family members.
As Kim Sara had said, their father’s expression was a sight to behold. Deep vertical wrinkles were carved into his brow and his thick eyebrows formed diagonal lines. With his sullen lips and puffed-out cheeks, he looked exactly like someone who’d jumped out of a Daruma painting.
Yu-shin couldn’t help but smile. A voice asking what was wrong was heard from beside him.
“I’m just a little worried.”
“The ceremony itself won’t take long.”
The calm voice strangely encouraged him. Though Yu-shin originally detested events like this, just having someone by his side was comforting. He straightened his shoulders and his back as well. Just then, the officiant started tapping the microphone and began reciting the opening remarks.
“Distinguished guests, thank you for being here at this meaningful occasion despite your busy schedules. Now we will begin the wedding ceremony of Park Jun-wan goon and Kim Yu-shin goon. Please give them a big round of applause!”
Since it was a same-sex wedding, they’d decided to enter simultaneously. Yu-shin raised his left elbow for an escort. Instantly, his elbow bumped into Jun-wan’s, who had raised his bent arm identically. Thump. They looked at each other as if dumbfounded.
“What?”
“What are you doing, Kim Yu-shin ssi?”
“Well, obviously to escort…”
“Are you telling me to link arms?”
It was a bad omen from the start. The feeling that they’d oppose each other without yielding an inch. Yu-shin was the first to give up.
“Let’s hold hands.”
Yu-shin extended his left hand. Jun-wan’s fingers wrapped around reluctantly, as if giving in.
The sensation was unexpectedly good. Not just the palm, but even the fingertips were warm.
Though he’d expected they would just hold hands, Jun-wan even intertwined their fingers. A sense of stability somehow settled in from the grip that subtly squeezed his fingers and the touching arms.
They walked the wedding aisle together like that. During their entrance, the string ensemble’s elegant performance mixed with somewhat deflated applause.
Most of the ceremony procedures were omitted, and the officiant was replaced with congratulatory speeches from both fathers.
Minister Park Jae-guk, who came forward first, brought four pages of manuscript.
“A married couple can be said to be beings who share joys and sorrows together. Not only during happy times, but also during difficult times, they must know how to understand each other’s hearts, becoming lanterns that illuminate each other’s lives…”
The congratulatory speech written in tiny letters was somewhat old-fashioned content. Kim Sara, drowsy from the monotonous voice, tapped her nape and yawned widely enough to split her mouth. The Park family twins also started whimpering.
However, Minister Park steadfastly finished the entire prepared speech. When he walked to the front of the platform and gave a courteous greeting to the guests, another round of deflated applause erupted.
Taking over the baton, Minister Kim now stood up. With his sullen expression, he burst into tears as soon as he grabbed the microphone.
“I remember when our… sob! our Yu-shin was born.”
Madam Hong and Kim Sara gasped, and even Minister Park’s family couldn’t hide their bewilderment. Because this was the first time they’d seen Kim Dae-geon, called the lone wolf of Yeouido, shedding tears and snot.
But how heartbreaking must it be to send away the son he cherished like a treasure? Minister Kim continued his speech while wiping away tears.
“He was a child I loved and cherished so much… I wanted to carry him in my pocket all the time. Even while thinking someday he’d become independent, how can I express in words my feelings of absolutely not wanting to let go…! Sob!“
Minister Kim wailed while clutching the microphone. Yu-shin frowned at the sight. Why is he like that… At his muttering voice, Jun-wan firmly squeezed Yu-shin’s hand.
In the end, Minister Kim couldn’t finish his congratulatory speech and was dragged away by Madam Hong. To hide the sound of sobbing in the corner, the string ensemble desperately started playing.
The two then exchanged and put on wedding rings, then filled out documents. The wedding vows were replaced by signing the marriage registration. It was the moment they became a married couple with just one signature.
As Park Jun-wan had said, the ceremony didn’t take long. When he came to his senses, Yu-shin was sitting in the wedding car. He could see his father outside the car window, making hand signals telling him to definitely call if anything happened.
“It’s like I’m the villain kidnapping Kim Yu-shin ssi.”
“Technically speaking, you’re not a villain but a revolutionary.”
Jun-wan sitting in the passenger seat gave him a look as if to ask what he was talking about.
“Thanks to you, I became independent. Park Jun-wan ssi is like Darwin, who evolved me into a more mature adult.”
“While it’s true Charles Darwin’s theory was revolutionary in the scientific world, he has nothing to do with being a revolutionary. And Darwin’s theory of evolution was also based on ecology and genetics…”
“Mmm, I don’t really like difficult talk.”
Yu-shin closed his eyes, saying it was bothersome. His slouched posture was utterly lazy.
Jun-wan swallowed what he was going to say and turned his head toward the car window. The wedding car slowly began to move. A sigh escaped naturally. For Jun-wan, who was thoroughly a realist, the future ahead seemed bleak.
They arrived at a nearby 5-star hotel and unpacked. Even the honeymoon was plain. They planned to just get by with one night here.
They’d already reserved a suite room, but the hotel, having seen the article, upgraded the room one level to congratulate them on their marriage. The roses and premium wine set up in the room were bonuses.
Jun-wan and Yu-shin both frowned slightly at the sight of the roses. Suppressing their sighs, they first showered and changed into comfortable clothes. Afterward, they moved to the hotel rooftop.
It was only three in the afternoon. It was a warm April spring with gentle sunshine. The two settled into wood chairs placed diagonally and spent their leisurely time differently with the drinks they’d ordered in front of them.
Yu-shin stretched out his legs on the chair spread out like a sun bed and lay down. Wearing sunglasses, it was unclear whether he was sleeping or awake, but his posture with crossed arms and even his ankles crossed looked utterly comfortable.
On the other hand, Jun-wan sat upright reading. The English original book was exceptionally thick. Since he rarely had leisure time, Jun-wan intended to finish this novel today at least.
About two hours passed like that. The sunlight beating down on their heads eased and a cool breeze began to blow. The rooftop lit up its lights early. The leisurely space gradually began to fill with guests who came to see the night view.
“Excuse me…”
A weak voice interrupted. Jun-wan’s gaze, which had been buried in the pages, slowly lifted.
Those who had approached were unfamiliar women. They appeared to be friends, smiling brightly while clutching their phones as if they had something to say. Their flushed faces looked as if they couldn’t bear not speaking, but they couldn’t easily open their mouths because of Jun-wan’s sharp gaze.
“You are, right? The ones who got married today.”
