Fresh tulips were beautifully decorated all over the place as IU sang “I GIVE YOU MY HEART” as Alex walked down the aisle.
Alex personally invited IU sunbaenim to her wedding. She wanted her to serenade their wedding as she walked down the aisle. Song Hana came together with her.
While Alex was finally walking down the aisle looking like an ethereal goddess who descended from the heavens, Sage recalled everything he has gone through in the past. From the time he was jealous and broken because of Liam, to his lonely years in the US, to his confession as a pizza delivery man, to the small room where they held their registration and now this. He was now on the verge of tears as he closed his eyes to stop them from pouring. He firmly pressed his fingers on his eyes to stop himself from crying any further.
He could hear his loud heartbeat as she walked slowly towards him. He thought he had seen Alex at her prettiest, no, she was always the most beautiful in his eyes but right then, Sage just couldn't find the right words to describe her. All he knew was that at that moment, Alex was taking his breath away.
Alex on the other hand was never better. She recalled how long Sage had waited for her. She felt disappointed that it took her too late to realize that the man of her dreams was just there with her from the beginning. She recalled how she used to follow him when they were still kids. How he always pampered her in the best possible ways that made her not want to have any boyfriend at that time because having Sage was enough.
And now, as she was closer to him, seeing his handsome face in front of him, Alex started to become teary-eyed as she looked upwards to stop herself from crying because she doesn’t want to ruin her make up. She was shivering in anticipation. She couldn’t control her heartbeat. It seemed like it wanted to come out due to pure bliss.
Finally, after today, they would become a married couple to the public. They no longer need to hide from anyone. This in itself made it truly liberating.
Sage finally took a bow to her parents and took her by the hand and Alex did the same to his parents as well. The latter could see his hands shiver slightly and when their hands finally intertwined the shivering stopped and all she could feel were strong, comforting, and secured hands that won’t let her go. She tightened her grip to match his as she looked at the man in front of him with semi red-eyes.
“For all four seasons, and twelve months,
with you every day, till we run out of breath,
we shall be in love and stay together... “ IU’s voice echoed in the room.
As the bride finally was with the groom, all the people inside were teary-eyed because they all witnessed the struggles of the two in their relationship especially Aira who was already crying big time while fanning her self making sure her makeup is intact.
She was with Alex in all the stages of her relationship. She was finally happy that her best friend no longer needs to hide from anyone. She looked like a mother who finally turned over his daughter to the man she wanted her to marry. Hans was rubbing her back gently to pacify her.
“Babe, relax, your reaction is more dramatic than auntie and uncle. They might think you are Alex’s real mother and not them.” Hans tried to joke to pacify Aira’s emotions. As a result, Aira pinched him on the waist and finally leaned on his shoulder and wiped her tears away.
When the couple reached the platform, Mr. Park officially started the ceremony after everybody was seated.
"Good evening everyone. I am Walter Park, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, professor of this couple way back in college. We gathered here today to witness the union of two people whom I have known personally before they became top personalities.
When Alex became a freshman, I noticed the change in Sage. The aloof Vice President of the student council that time suddenly became sensitive to a junior’s needs. Sage was a campus heartthrob in the university back then but he talks to no one else unless it’s school related. If I remember correctly, only Hans could talk to him casually. Other than him and to his professors, he was silent. I even received a lot of applications from the student council because of him. Because he only talks to his council members, yet still school related.”
Everybody chuckled after hearing these. Those college friends knew these full well because they were mostly Alex’s friends and only a few council members of Sage and Hans were invited to this wedding. Then Mr. Park continued.
“After seeing his ‘extra’ efforts I thought he finally had a girlfriend. But when I asked him, he would always say that they were just friends. However, his action says otherwise. The president of the student council who would excuse himself to the toilet and would return 20 mins later. I acted as if I didn't know that he usually goes to the toilet in "another building" which I bet would be the auditorium."
Alex laughed at Mr. Park's story while Sage looked down shyly.
"After hearing my aloof and introvert student delivering his graduation speech commending two important women in his life. I thought, finally, he had confessed. But life was indeed full of surprises. When he asked my thoughts about entering the showbiz industry, I realized there was still no progress. I thought after hearing his speech, Alex would realize her worth in his life? They then became Sage and Elle, who seemingly drifted apart. I was curious but wasn't brave enough to ask as a respect to both of them. I'm merely a spectator too. I thought, maybe they really will be just friends in this lifetime.
"But life made another turn, TBn production company contacted me if our college is open to be a shooting location of their drama. And I bet I'm not the only one who hoped that the right time would finally come. And now, here we are. They took a long road, a long journey before they have reached where we are now. And I know, that journey, those lessons and realizations along the way, prepared the two of you for a longer journey of a lifetime.
"My wife and I are already married for 20 years, we still have a long way to go. It was far from a perfect marriage, but I know it is a happy marriage. Two things that I could impart from that are, one, always respect one another, as husband and wife, and as a person, whom their parents' loved dearly. When you respect your partner, you will not hurt him or her, you will take care of each other, you will treat each other right, you will not take one another for granted. It entails compromise and loyalty. More so, you will also put high regards to this day. The day you vowed for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, til death do you part.
And the second thing is, today is not only for the couple but it also requires participation of the people here. We are here not only to witness their union, to celebrate, to eat sumptuous meals, to take pictures for instagram. We have a greater role, responsibility than that and that is to remind them when they forget their promise, a guiding light to the right direction before and when things get tough, when these two get derailed from the track. We serve an important role in this marriage too, the sound of reason when they can't find one."
“Sage and Alex, married life is a lifetime commitment and always a work in progress. Being an ordinary couple is already tough but being a celebrity couple under the scrutiny of the public at all times makes it even tougher. But I know you will thrive because you’ve been best friends even before you became a couple. I presume you’ve known each other well enough to build a solid trust that would not be easy to topple down even under public pressure and that in itself is something that doesn’t waver over time. When difficult times occur, always remember this day and the vows you made to one another before all of us.
In life, we cannot choose our families as we are born with them but we have the option to choose our lifetime partners. Yet... you chose one another and you have to continue choosing each other at any time, all the time.
And I would like to request everybody here present, when the time comes that one of them comes to you for any advice... when they are having marital problems, please advise them not to give up on each other.
But at the end of the day, Alex and Sage, everything will always be your decision. Always continue to remind yourselves that friendship is the most sturdy foundation of marriage. Before you decide to do something you’d regret later on, ask yourself, “Am I ready to lose not only my partner but also my best friend because of this?” Always bear that in mind.
This has been a very long speech already so I think I’ve said enough or Sage might not let me stay for dinner because I talk too much. I wish for the two of you to have a happy marriage. Thank you and good evening.”
The crowd then made a thunderous applause as Sage and Alex gave meaningful glances at each other, taking in all those words Mr. Park has spoken.
He gave a great speech, words of wisdom, that would benefit every husband and wife, even soon to be husbands and wives, in the hall.
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Alex's Vow.
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Sage's Vow.