Meant To Be •KSJ• ✔️

Twenty Seven

The minutes were quickly ticking down yet they still weren't going by fast enough. It felt like I was running out of time to get ready even though I knew that everything was happening right on schedule, if not ahead of schedule. There really wasn't much left to do.

I sat down and pulled my shoes over, bringing one up to loosen the laces. I despise wearing heels for any occasion and I refused to make an exception even for my own wedding day. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible, so I decided on a pair of baby blue Converse high tops. I already have five pairs of these sneakers in various colors, as they're what I normally wear anyway, so at least I'd be able to wear these after the wedding too.

Charlotte sat down beside me and picked up the other shoe. "Damn, I wish I'd thought of this for my wedding day. It felt like I was walking on bloody stumps by the time the night was over."

I chuckled. "I kept telling you to take them off for awhile but you wouldn't listen."

"I paid $300 for those shoes." Charlotte set my other shoe down and brought over her own. Hers were also Converse high tops, but dark purple instead to match the flowers in her bouquet. "I was going to get every last penny out of them, even if it killed me." She slid her foot into one sneaker and her voice became a mumble, almost as if she was scolding herself. "Now they're just sitting in a box in my closet."

I smirked as I tied my own sneakers, thankful that Charlotte left the back of my dress just loose enough to allow me to move freely. Once they were secured, I dropped the bottom of my dress and stood up.

I turned towards the window when I heard the soft sounds of chuckling voices and instrumental music whenever the breeze would come through. More people had arrived, as expected.

It was almost time.

Charlotte stood up once her shoelaces were tied. "We're still early, which is both great and annoying. I'd rather be ahead of schedule instead of behind, but I know you're chomping at the bit to get going."

I grinned. "In the best way possible."

...............

I took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. The living room in front of me was empty, along with every other room in the apartment. I couldn't even call it my apartment anymore. It was now a shell of what it once was and awaited its next occupant to come in and create all new memories.

Jin stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders. He kissed the side of my head and smiled down at me when I looked up at him. "Charlotte and I will be out in the car. Take all of the time that you need."

I nodded and gave him a thankful smile before he turned to step outside. My attention went back to the room that I was now standing in the middle of. It felt bigger without the furniture, even though I didn't have very much.

I thought back to the day I moved in. My small circle of friends all helped me get settled, and of course we threw a party that night. I was convinced that I would be evicted the next day with the noise we were making, but it turned out that my neighbors were out of town that weekend, so I lucked out. They ended up being really nice people anyway, so I'm sure I would have been fine.

Birthday parties were celebrated here. New relationships. The start of a new job. More tears were shed here because of happiness instead of sadness. I was bringing every single one of those memories with me to Seoul, where millions more were waiting for me.

I pulled the key out of my pocket and turned it over in my hand. I could still recall the surge of excitement that went through me when it was first handed to me, and it wasn't much different from how I was feeling in this moment. It was only different now in that this was bittersweet.