Arranged by chance and Married by choice - Chapter 8：Eight

Sooner than they had expected the wedding day arrived. The whole party had assembled at the chapel early in the morning. The ceremony was supposed to happen in the early hours of the evening so the bride was taking a nap in her room after munching about the upcoming ceremony. The groom, on the other hand, was too hyped up to even sit still. He was currently pacing back and forth in his assigned room occasionally biting his nails in worry. His best friend and best man couldn’t take his pacing any longer.

Ray: Sit down now, will you? Your pacing around is giving me a headache.

Kai: (glaring at him) I am just strolling around.

Ray: no, you are too tensed to even relax properly.

Kai: It is my wedding! What do you expect from me?

Ray: you willingly walked into this. Are you having second thoughts now?

Kai: (closing his eyes and taking a deep breath) no, I am just getting all these thoughts, I am not sure.

Ray: (raising his voice in annoyance) SIT DOWN BEFORE I MAKE YOU!!

Kai: (jumping in surprise) what the!?!

Ray: (pointing to the chair) sit!

Kai obeyed quietly after seeing how serious his friend was about him sitting but he was still not able to be still. He started to shake his leg and make himself busy with his phone. Ray sighed in resignation at his close friends’ misplaced fear.

Kai: what do you think Min-Soe would be doing right now? She isn’t replying to my texts.

Ray: getting ready maybe.

Kai: (shaking his head) no, it can’t be. Mom told me that the ceremony won’t even start until 6:00 PM.

Ray: (shrugging) she might be busy.

Kai: Today is our wedding, how can she be busy?

Ray just gave him a pointed stare at his logic. He was saved from putting his thoughts into words by the other member’s joining them.

Timo: (making himself comfortable beside Kai) what did we miss?

Ray: Kai was asking me why Min-Soe was busy today.

Vic: Because it’s your wedding.

Timo: (cracking up) Ha ha ha ha!

Mui: (being the voice of reason) why don’t you go there and meet her?

Kai: (sighing) I am not allowed to.

Timo: why?

Kai: (again starting to pace around) some tradition of not seeing the bride before the wedding.

Vic: (confused) so what is holding you back now?

Ray: (lighting up in excitement) maybe this is what he wants, to meet Min-Soe to help him go ahead.

Mui: b-but?!

Timo: (smirking mischievously) gate crashing the bride’s room, sounds like a plan to me.

An hour later Mui came to the bride’s room under pretence of meeting her before the wedding as he was flying to Japan soon after the ceremony. His excuse worked smoothly as he was allowed into her chamber by Ye-Jin, who was on guard duty. Excited Mui looked around for his sister-in-law only to find her sleeping, he was about to tell his brother to change the plan when there was a sharp knock on the window of the room. He almost jumped out of his skin but soon calmed down when he saw Kai’s anxious face; he was wildly waving at him to open the window. Mui caught up with his role in the plan and hurried to open the window. He could see Vic down on the ground supporting the ladder.

Mui: bro-

Kai didn’t let him complete the sentence and instead took hold of his shoulder to jump inside to safety away from the ladder. He then showed thumbs up to Vic who took it as a sign of removing the evidence. He soon turned around and started looking for Min-Soe.

Mui: bro, she is sleeping.

Kai: (in disbelief) really!?

Mui: (pointing to the bed) I’ll stand guard at the door.

Kai carefully made his way to the foot of the bed. As he moved closer he could see Mel’s peaceful face clearly. Her hairs were framing her face and her mouth was slightly open. She had her arms wrapped around the spare pillow and legs were curled up in a ball. Her vision almost took away his breath. He could only think that she looked innocent- not his type from any angle but still she was enchanting him to fall in her trap. She moved around in her sleep and he stilled in shock.

Mel: (incoherently) Kai-

He almost had a heart attack but it soon became apparent to him that she was dreaming and sleep talking. He glanced at Mui who was grinning at him and giving him thumbs up. Gathering his courage he went ahead and sat on the edge of the bed taking in her image. He pulled out his phone and without wasting another beat took her pictures. He was about to wake her up when his phone blinked alive with Ray’s text.

‘Ray: Kai-ah! It’s almost time, you must return soon.’

Kai: (whisper-shouting) Mui!

Mui: what bro?!

Kai motioned for him that they should leave now. After waiting for another beat he got another text from his best friend.

Ray: coast is clear!

Kai was embarrassed enough about having to climbing in through the window once but he was now relieved that he didn’t have to do it again. Nodding at Mui he took one last lingering look at Min-Soe only to be met back by her open eyes. She was staring right at him and confusion was written all over her face but before she could voice out her thoughts, Mui pulled him hurriedly out of the room.

Mui: (pushing Kai out of the room) hello sis-in-law! You can talk later, we are in a hurry.

The band started with the music and Min-Soe’s palms started to sweat in anticipation, she gripped her father’s arm more tightly when the doors opened and the bridal march started. He patted her hand once in assurance and slowly started to walk with her in tow. Mel looked like a vision in her wedding gown which ran down covering her heel encrusted feet. She had given up on the veil but her hairs lay curled down her back. The rhinestone combs adored the intricate plaiting in the back of her head. She held a bouquet of red roses in one hand while the other was holding on to her father for support. Everyone turned back to look at the bride as soon as the door’s opened. Mel grew self-conscious at all the attention directed towards her.

Her eyes skipped the guests and went ahead to look at the front- at the stage. She was surprised when she saw Mui standing in the place of the minister with a sweet eye-smile adorning his face. He gave her thumbs up when he noticed her looking at him. Mel smiled in return and her eyes moved to the left of the altar, her heart plummeted to the ground when she saw only Ray standing with a goofy grin on his face dressed in black and white. He waved at her and she slightly nodded at him in return. She had wanted to see her groom but was disappointed when he was nowhere in sight. When she had almost reached the altar, he moved forward from his best best-friend’s back- dressed in all white-with the difference only being in black buttons, shoes and a black bow-tie, hairs styled but free of colour, the wings of his angel tattoo visible from the collars. He was smiling pleasantly at her but his eyes clearly reflected the anxiety he was feeling.

He came down the steps of the altar and forwarded his hand to get her hand from her father. Her father patted him once on the shoulder before handing over her hand to him. She kissed his father’s cheeks but her eyes filled with unexpected tears. She blinked away the sudden waterworks and turned towards her groom with a serious expression.

Kai: (whispering) shall we?

Mel only nodded in response. He took her sign of acceptance and holding her hand in his protectively stood in front of their part-time pastor.

Mui: (clearing his throat) So, I wanted to do this properly but Kai told me to keep it short and to the point. (Addressing the people) we are gathered here this evening to witness the union of Kim Kai and Yoo Min-Soe if anyone has the problem with it then speak now or forever hold your peace.

He waited for a beat or two before continuing when Timo raised his hand.

Mui: b-brother?

Timo: (with a straight face) Min-Soe, we are handing over our brother to you, will you promise to take care of him?

Mel: (nodding) I will do my best brother.

Timo: (nodding) Kai-ah never hurt our sister-in-law.

Kai: I’ll do my best bro.

Timo: (looking at Mui pointedly almost crying) what are you waiting for? Get them married already.

The hall erupted in laughter but Timo sat down heavily, hiding his face- a clear sign of him crying. Vic patted him and tried his best to console him as the ceremony proceeded.

Mui was smooth with his job; he quickly went through the prologue for the wedding and gave the stage away for the couple when the time for vows came.

Kai: (holding both her hands) Yoo Min-Soe, I can’t promise you that we would have a happy life forever; I can’t promise you that we won’t fight ever. I can’t promise you that I’ll be with you every passing minute. My career does come with a lot of trials and it does sure test one’s limit. I can promise you that I’ll try my very best to make you happy, I can promise you that even when we fight or have hard times I’ll not turn my back on you. I’ll be by your side whenever you need me. I will also try my hardest to keep you away from the negativity that my career would reflect on our lives and especially on you.

Mel: (picking up from where he had left) Kai, you should be more worried about my career than yours. After all, you are marrying a Journalist.

The hall once again laughed at her bluntness.

Mel: (smiling at him and looking in his eyes) I too promise to be by your side through all the good and tough times that we would be facing. I’ll stand beside you like a friend, a consort and as your wife through thick and thin but promise me that you won’t come between me and my sleep and we will be just fine.

Kai: (chuckling) Really! ok, I promise you that I won’t come between you and your sleep.

He saw all the things she had intended to say to him at that moment getting reflected in her eyes. The feeling was overwhelming when he looked into her expressive eyes. She wanted to tell him that he was worrying for nothing; she was assuring him with her eyes, all the things she couldn’t say aloud she put them in her eyes and was conveying it all in a single stare.

He now understood that she had noticed the momentary worry in his eyes. She lightly squeezed his hands again in reassurance and smiled at him before turning to Mui who was asking for their rings. So-ah came forward and presented the ring to Mui. It was a plain gold and platinum blend band.

Mui: (presenting the ring to Mel) Yoo Min-Soe would you take Kim Kai as your lawfully wedded husband?

Mel: (looking at her groom) I do.

Mui: repeat after me, with this ring I thee wed and promise to stay by your side in sickness and in health, in happiness and in sorrow.

Mel repeated the sentences and slid the ring onto the world stars finger. She saw his eyes tear up the next moment. This time Ray came forward and gave the ring to Mui which was similar to the first one.

Mui: (handing it to the groom) Kim Kai would you take Yoo Min-Soe as your lawfully wedded wife?

Kai: I do.

After he had slid the band onto her fingers came the most exciting part of the wedding.

Mui: with the power rested in me by God and the system, I now pronounce you both married. You may now kiss the bride.

Mel felt her breath being knocked out after Mui’s statement. She had been dreading this single moment from days without any particular conclusion and now it was staring at her in the face. She looked at Kai, who looked most at ease with the idea. He smiled at her once and pulled her towards himself.

Kai: (whispering in her ears) relax Baby!

And just like that, he planted his lips on hers. In the beginning, Mel’s brain almost short-circuited at first contact. But as he deepened the kiss by sucking on her lower lip slowly, her body relaxed. His lips were warm and soft and Min-Soe was enjoying the sensation a tad bit more when the whole thing ended. She could hear him softly chuckling before pecking her forehead and snaking an arm around her waist.

Mel pouted a little at the loss of the newly discovered feel but recovered soon enough to face the cheering and clapping of the crowd present in the vicinity.