Destination Wedding

1

"Aish, I can't see your pretty face. Prop up your camera so I can see you better, my baby," Jin pleaded.

"Okay, okay, hyung. Here is the dress shirt and blue slacks... I think they fit okay... might need a little hemming," Taehyung speculated.

"Oooh, my little brother, you look so good! Let me see the jacket."

Taehyung pulled on the crisp navy, almost black tuxedo jacket which coordinated seamlessly with the rest of his suit. He tried to dress quickly to avoid the noisy saleswoman working the floor of the clothier shop. She had been unrelenting in her knocking on his door every five minutes or so.

Taehyung picked his phone back up so his brother could see. Jin really had good taste. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the full ensemble, grateful that he wouldn't be stuck in the tux-equivalent of a bad bridesmaids gown when he stood up in his brother's wedding.

"What do you think, hyung?"

Jin squealed. "Perfection. You look like a supermodel. But do you like it?"

Taehyung grinned at that. Jin's big day... or should he say, big ten days, were coming up and he'd wear anything for his big brother, but Jin was no bridezilla and cared that Taehyung was happy in what he was wearing.

"I love your choice, hyung. The navy is so unique and I'll definitely wear it again. Might be a tad hot for a destination wedding in Hawaii though. But you know I'd sweat my ass off to make you happy on your big day."

Jin and Taehyung used to bicker and butt heads as school-aged siblings do, but in young adulthood they had grown quite fond of one another. They weren't the closest with their parents, but Jin, at the ripe old age of 29, showered Taehyung with paternal and maternal love, and Taehyung was certainly his 26-year-old baby.

The brothers were FaceTiming because Jin was in Seoul and Taehyung was in California where he had resided for the past six months. Ironically, the distance further strengthened their relationship. They no longer took for granted the ease by which they communicated when they both lived in Seoul, and their conversations, while more sparse due to the time difference, were more thoughtful. Quality over quantity. Taehyung missed Jin and even his parents sometimes, and felt guilt over moving somewhat impulsively to the States.

Taehyung also harbored guilt in being his brother's best man, but being absent from his side in all of the wedding preparations. Fortunately, Jin and Namjoon elected to have a destination wedding and most everything was taken care of by their resort of choice in Oahu, so there wasn't much for him to do anyway. Still, Taehyung called, texted and lent support however he could from a distance.

"My sweet brother. I appreciate your willingness to sweat your ass off but I think you'll be comfortable at this time of year. It's not supposed to be sweltering. Plus this getup is really for the ceremony and pictures. After that you can roll up your sleeves and kick your shoes into the sand for all I care."

"Sounds good, hyung. Are you feeling ready otherwise? We're only a couple weeks out now. How are mom and dad? What more can I do for you? I feel like I'm the most unhelpful best man, so far away-"

Jin scoffed. "Stop that, Taehyungie. I know you are struggling and feeling far away, but everything is taken care of and we'll be together soon. We get to enjoy ten full days in Hawaii! Though I think it's going to be a little crazier than I anticipated..."

"How do you mean?" Taehyung questioned.

"Well... Joonie and I thought we would be keeping the wedding small by going the destination wedding route... but the travel doesn't seem to be deterring many guests..."

Taehyung nodded matter-of-factly. "I mean... I guess that is to be expected with two wealthy families. I'm lucky that mom and dad wanted to cover my trip but I feel like for lots of our relatives, a ten day all-inclusive trip to paradise is like drawing a drop out of a bucket. We're all just spoiled."

"I don't think you qualify as spoiled when you recognize all of the blessings and financial security in your life." Jin argued. Taehyung was the least entitled person he knew.

"Thanks, hyung. But hopefully once things pick up at work I'll be more self-reliant financially. I don't want to rely on mom and dad's money forever."

Taehyung was a freelance photographer. He shot everything from editorial fashion to pictures of travel neck pillows or cushy slide sandals for Amazon product listings... anything to pay his overpriced rent in LA. He had other aspirations for his photography, but he was presently just trying to get by... distracting himself with work and a foreign land with the aim of dulling residual heartbreak. Not that he had a ton of success with that just yet.

Taehyung realized he was getting carried away with his thoughts again. Lately, he felt stuck in his own head most of the time. "Enough about me though... have a lot of people RSVP'd then?"

Jin took a notable pause. "Um... Yeah, yes. I mean, you know how it goes with all of the aunts, uncles, cousins, friends.... And since Joonie and I grew up together, our families and friends are pretty intertwined at this point... you know, close with both of us... all the more reason to make the trip."

Taehyung noticed a little reticence in his brothers voice. He chalked it up to pre-wedding jitters and pushed on. "Right. Pretty spectacular that you are marrying your high school sweetheart, and another man no less! Have I thanked you yet for being the gay pioneer of the family?"

Jin just laughed. It hadn't been easy for his conservative parents to have two gay sons, but they'd evolved tremendously from their initial reactions. "All in a days work."

"So back to the confirmed guests... who are we talking about? Anyone I should be ready to avoid?" Taehyung stated jokingly, envisioning great aunts with oppressive perfumes, unprepared for the bomb Jin was about to drop.

"Funny you should ask," Jin hesitated. "I have to tell you something. And I'm so sorry about this. I tried to stop it on multiple occasions but since Mom and Dad are paying for our wedding, I didn't have much say."

"Um, okay? What is it, hyung?" Taehyung asked cautiously.

"Don't freak out but... Mom included the Parks on the guest list."

Taehyung did a double take toward his iPhone screen. "I'm sorry. I don't think I heard you right." Surely his mother wouldn't invite his ex and his family to share a tiny island with him for ten days. He practically fled South Korea after being abruptly dumped those six months ago.

"I'm so sorry, Tae. Bogum is coming to Hawaii."