"Omma, Am I beautiful?" Seahyun asked, she was facing the antique full length mirror. It was their wedding day, and though theirs was a contract marriage, she still wanted to be a beautiful bride. She was wearing a sweetheart cut a-line white dress that fall just above her knee. Her hair was curled using a steam roller making her look like a doll, soft babyish curls framed her face. Her make-up was light for a virginal look.
"You're lovely, my princess" her mother replied. Their eyes flew to the door after they heard a soft knock. Aunt Sue was already there, staring at her. And because she was in a good mood, Seohyun smiled at her. That was then, she approached them.
Aunt Sue has a bouquet of flowers in hand "I brought you these, Seohyun-ah" she said "I believe every bride should have flowers in hand, I picked these up in the garden earlier."
She was touched by the act, and then she realized, Yonghwa's aunt isn't so bad after all. She took the flowers of different sort and was put together tightly with a thin wire. They were beautiful in its simplicity, no ribbons, just flowers and leaves, wild and pure.
"Thank you, Aunt Sue"
She smiled in return "If you're done, let's go downstairs, Yonghwa has been waiting anxiously. As if the bride won't come" Aunt Sue said
Seohyun laughed, she was really happy. After all, it was going to be a real civil wedding. They just won't get it registered and eventually, the marriage will be null and void.
She sighed. it was ironic that an important thing like marriage can lose significance just because of a simple technicality. Was the process like that in the whole of South Korea, or just here in Busan?
She shook her head. It wasn't the right time to think about it.
She carefully climbs down the stairs to the driveway, where Yonghwa was waiting. He was so handsome in the cream colored long sleeved polo and black slacks, his black leather shoes shining against the light. Beside him was the equally handsome grandpa. He looked like a respectable politician. In broad daylight, she can see their striking resemblance.
His grandpa was in in great shape since the day they arrived, and now he was expecting a great grandchild.. sigh... she's think about that later too.
Yonghwa meet her halfway the stairs, and took her hand. He did not say anything, he just looked at her in an odd way. It was the first time she saw him look at her that way.
They are now inside the van, including the three old maids. Aunt Tess looked like she was mourning Aunt Anne was passive. Aunt Sue was excited, she was fussing all over Seohyun, ignoring the sharp glances of Aunt Tess.
--
Seohyun was surprised when Judge Shin asked for a wedding ring and Yonghwa took it inside his pocket. She has forgotten about the wedding rings. He bought a pair of wedding rings.
A tear was creeping out her eyes when Yonghwa slid the ring on her ring finger. She stared at it a good amount of time, and thought she couldn't take the ring off. He even pressed her hand after he put on the ring for her. She looked up at him, he meet her gaze. He was dead serious.
And he slowly leaned close for a kiss
"Chakkaman!" Judge Shin said "I haven't said you may kiss her"
They both smiled, their foreheads touched
"Okay.. now you may kiss the bride" the Judge grinned.
Seohyun closed her eyes in anticipation. And it didn't surprise her at all that Yonghwa's lips were tender and sweet. It was just a simple kiss, just their lips touching, but it lingered. As if Yonghwa does not want to break off the kiss, or maybe her?
She would treasure this moment for as long as she lived. Happiness didn't come in monumental packages, it came in small ways slowly accumulating.
They then signed their marriage contract after their kiss, together with their witnesses.
And then the well wishers
"Best wishes Seohyun-ah" Aunt Sue said, she gave her a small box adorned with ribbon "For you"
She was touched. Between the three, Aunt Sue was now nice to her. she kissed her and prayed that Aunt Sue will experience the happiness she felt right now.
They went to the popular restaurant in town after the wedding, she heard it was also one of grandpa's properties.
She was surprised to see a lot of people in the restaurant waiting for them, they greeted them happily. She looks at Yonghwa, he seemed happy as well
Yonghwa guided her to the table assigned to them and their immediate family. The wedding cake was just at the corner.
After they ate, the manager ushered them for the traditional cutting of the cake. After they gave each other a bite of the cake, the Champaign followed. And then they heard the clinking of the glasses, a signal for them to kiss.
Yonghwa smiled and obliged willingly, he bent down for a soft lingering kiss and the crowd cheered
After the cheer died down, Grandpa stood up and took the microphone. He has an announcement to make
"Inside this envelope is a deed of ownership and a check worth 2 hundred thousand dollars. This is my gift to my granddaughter in law"
The crowd clapped
Seohyun couldn't believe it and couldn't say a word, she was now in tears. "Oppa...." she whispered "I can't accept that"
"Just accept it for now, we don't want him to be disappointed now, do we. He's just really generous to those who please him" Yonghwa whispered back, but his expression was that of worry
"Thank you so much grandpa. But you don't have to..."
"It's okay Seohyun-ah, just give me an heir"
Hearing that make her want to cry more
--
That night
Seohyun's door opened, in came Yonghwa 2 pillows in tow. "We should sleep in the same bedroom, you know, we just got married" he said after he saw her reaction. He put the pillows on bed.
"Move a little, will you?" he added "And besides, are you not ashamed? We have a lot of wedding presents, Mayor even gave us a refrigerator. And a total of forty five thousand from family and friends" he said
"Yes, I am aware of that. so what are we going to do about it?" she couldn't face Yonghwa. She was aware of the tension that was consuming her. Can she sleep?
"What do you mean?" he asked, he was lying in bed with arm on his forehead
"Where are we going to get a baby?" she said
"Tsk. This is because you pretended to be pregnant"
Seohyun sprang up and stared at him "Are you blaming me? I was just helping you"
"Sorry" Yonghwa said. And she realized it was all getting into him too.
"Let's just tell them the truth" she suggested
Yonghwa got up "After all of these? No way Seo Joo Hyun. Grandpa might disown me and my inheritance might go to those three old maids"
"One more thing, your aunts have the right to inherit something, they are also an heir because they are the daughters of grandpa."
Her heart went to the old ladies because Aunt Sue was nice to her. The present she gave her earlier was an antique brooch, her mother loved it, and whispered to borrow it sometime
"Of course they are going to have their inheritance. Grandpa was just giving them a lesson, because when they were young they were quiet a handful, spoiled and brats. Grandpa wanted to be a mayor of this city but he lost because of the three, they were really bitchy, I heard" Yonghwa said, wondering if they would spend the night talking. He couldn't imagine what will happen if they have nothing to talk about anymore
Maybe they didn't have a choice then. You couldn't deny the fact that there are really people who are opportunists. Maybe they were afraid, they are women who have everything they can ask for and does not know anything. They should've trained to be independent." She said
"They have each other. And don't worry, grandpa wouldn't just cut them off the inheritance" Yonghwa said and then sighed. he was still thinking about his forefinger
"What are we going to do now?" Seohyun said.
"Let's just cross the bridge when we get there" he replied
"We're already on the bridge, oppa. are we crossing it? Or are we going to swim or are we drowning ourselves?" Seohyun countered
Yonghwa couldn't say a thing. Silence engulfed the room, the tension palpable.
She still couldn't believe that they are now married
It was making her feel giddy but anxious at the same time. They have been friends for so long, the thought of being intimate was taboo.
But they kissed already. Twice
But they were just simple smacking of the lips
She Sighed
Yonghwa sighed
"Goodnight, Oppa" she said as she turned off the bedside lamp
She couldn't sleep, she was thinking of a lot of things when the rain started to pour
"It's raining?!" they said at the same time
"Close the windows, oppa" she said and Yongwha did as told and then he went back to her bed.
They tried to sleep
But moments later, Yonghwa was now uncomfortable because of the cold. He curled and put his hands between his knees but it doesn't help
"Why did it rain? It was so hot and sunny earlier" Seohyun said
"They said it's a blessing" he replied "Seohyun-ah" he called
"Hmmn?"
"Do you have another blanket?"
"This is the last one. The laundress did not come yesterday. where's your blanket?" she asked, her heartbeat quickened
"I spilled an orange juice on my blanket earlier."
"Go and borrow a blanket from aunt Sue" she said
"They're already asleep, Seohyun-ah. everyone is" he replied "Let's just share" he said. His feet are cold.
Yonghwa went inside her blanket, back to back. They willed themselves to stay put, but their muscles wouldn't agree, they turned and grabbed each side of the blanket until Yonghwa couldn't take it anymore and decided to face Seohyun's back and casually put his arm across her waist
Seohyun stopped herself from jerking when she felt Yonghwa's arm on her waist. She does not want to be accused of putting malice on the act. They are friend, there should be no malice between them, but the truth is, she almost had a heart attack
And then Yonghwa slid his other arm under her neck. She liked it. She was suddenly warm and comfortable. At least her body, not her mind
Yonghwa held her tight and she felt his breath on her nape. But it felt great. It was as if they are married for real
She heard their position now is called 'spooning'. Because they look like two spoons. But no, maybe she was the spoon and Yonghwa was the fork. She felt something prick in her lower back
"Oppa...."
"hhmmmnnn?"
"You might drill a hole on my lower back"
"What do you want me to do then?"
"Scoot overa little"
"Aniya... the blanket is too small"