ANAGAPESIS

24

"What do you think of this color?" Alice passed her phone to the demeanor next to her on the couch. "Is it pretty?"

Iris was lazing around, almost falling asleep but soon wide awake when the question was thrown to her. She could have just ignored and taken her nap but she chose to put her friend first - her priority.

"Is this pink? Baby pink?" her sleepy eyes tried to focus on the color shown, considering how complicated color codes could be. "It does suit you."

She passed the phone back to its owner, letting her head fall backward. But then she was nudged again, by the owner of the couch.

"I need your opinion, Iris," Alice pulled her to sit straight, nervousness was so obvious on her face. "I need to buy this dress."

Iris sighed, finally sitting up straight and facing the girl who was so anxious about the upcoming event this weekend.

"Look girl, I don't have a good taste in fashion but I know this color suits you," she took Alice's hands, slightly squeezing. "Besides, this is your engagement. You have the right to choose the theme."

Finally, the riddle had been answered, Younghoon and Alice were a thing and they were planning to climb up to the next step as soon as possible.

Of course, Iris was a bit taken aback by the sudden news but what she could say was, she had expected it. She had heard too many stories about Younghoon from Alice to confirm that they shouldn't have let go of each other.

"Iris is right," Anne joined with a bowl of instant noodles she cooked in the kitchen, the smell immediately changed the mood in the living room. "We have different tastes in choosing colors, but we believe you. Whatever you choose, will look the best."

"Oh my god, I'm gonna cry," the bride-to-be was clouded with emotion, fanning her face every so often. "But, I still need your opinion on this."

As soon as Alice pulled out some brochures for the wedding, Iris could feel her stomach turned. Only the images on the papers made her feel nauseous, let alone the thought of her in a wedding dress.

She could have fainted.

"I'm taking fresh air," she excused herself for the garden, leaving the two confused but could not argue.

This misery she was having was confusing. Back in the day, she was always excited by the thought of marriage. She would have been so excited to see the decoration of the hall, the color theme and even imagining herself in a dress.

But now, the table had turned.

She no longer felt excited, and some more hated the thought of being married.

"What makes you feel so?" Jaehyun asked through the phone call. He intended to call regarding something else, but it turned out that she was having a mental disruption.

And he thought he should let her speak her mind.

"I don't know," the girl shrugged, Jaehyun could have guessed that her face was scrunched up. "I don't have any sparks about weddings anymore. It feels like I am being forced."

Sighing, Jaehyun walked out to the balcony of his apartment, letting his hair be hit by the evening breeze.

"Did you talk about this to anyone?" he asked to which Iris hummed, confirming that she did. "To who? The girls?"

"And my mom, and him," by the mere mention of him, Iris sighed for what it sounded like so deeply. It did not go unnoticed by Jaehyun, he immediately questioned which Iris did not hesitate to answer. "He asked me back whether imagining him with me on that day was what has disgusted me."

"And.." he dragged his word, anticipating for more.

"Jaehyun, you don't believe me too, do you?" in a split second her tone changed which was worrying.

"That's not what I mean," he covered it up real quick, not to piss her off when she had been too overworked with this matter. "I am sorry."

Silence fell upon them, Jaehyun bit his lip anxiously, worried if the girl had had enough of him. He did not mean to spoil her mood, but he was trying to figure out her feelings as well.

"Sometimes, I did think," relief washed over him when she finally spoke up, and Jaehyun gave his all in return. "If I proceed with this marriage, maybe it is not because of him but his family. I'm going to marry someone because of their family."

A soft chuckle escaped her lips but a while later she was heard, sniffling.

"Are you crying?" Jaehyun asked.

"I'm fine," she shook her head, wiping out her tears. "I shouldn't have cried, we are supposed to enjoy this sleepover."

The way Iris simply changed the topic cracked him up, he wondered how random she could be.

The more Jaehyun got to know her, the more he was entertained by her true self. For she was quite funny if she was comfortable with someone.

"But I am curious," he said, the girl at the end of the line flinched. "Don't you want to get married as well?"

"Funny!" she sarcastically sassed, scoffing next. "What could I do, I don't have a partner to marry with."

It was supposed to be a joke, Jaehyun was supposed to laugh as much as Iris did but instead, he gave her a heart attack.

"Ask anyone to marry you," for a moment, Iris doubted what she heard, she even pulled her phone farther from her ear, to see if the device was still connected.

"Jaehyun, are you-"

He didn't give her any chance to continue when he cut with a simple excuse.

"Shall we discuss about Alice and Younghoon's engagement party now?"