Promised To The Clouds

Promise X

I looked at my own reflection in awe; the details on this dress just look so heavenly. It's so beautiful, I felt like bursting into tears. My hair was tied up into a simple bun, showing my neck above my exposed shoulder and half of my chest. The bodice is filled with hand-sewn small flowers and decorative pearls, tied meticulously with a corset back. The tulle skirt that falls gracefully to the floor is decorated with embroidered floral lace and has just a short train at the back.

"She's ready." The attendant that helped me into the dress called out as she guided me to turn around and the beige, heavy drapes parted. It was almost unbearably slow, allowing time for my nerves to tremble as I clutched the beautiful gown fabric.

Will he like this dress? Is it too much? Too showy? Too expensive?

Yunxi stood up as soon as he saw me appear, looking at the dress from up to down, making me slightly blush at his gaze as he walked towards me. I felt his hand around my waist as he took one of my hands and rubbed my knuckles. I turned to the attendants, but they were professionally looking down and not at us.

"Are you comfortable in this one?"

I could feel his fingers just playing with the ends of the corset ties on my back. "Is it not too tight?"

I shook my head at him with a smile. "It's not tight at all."

Resting both his hands on my waist, he smiled at me softly. "You look amazing. My Xiao Nuo is already so perfect, but my Xiao Nuo in this dress is more than gorgeous."

I fanned myself and placed a hand on my chest at his sweet words. Pulling me into his embrace, I could feel his fingertip gently running from the top of my bodice to the bottom, and he settled into blanketing me with his two strong arms. He whispered into my ears, "Xiao Nuo, perhaps adjust the bodice to be a little higher?"

Pulling him away, I glanced back at the sweetheart neckline with a slight plunge in the middle and looked back at him. It's not even that low, in my opinion, since sweetheart necklines are meant to look a little sexy.

"If it's a little higher, I might as well get one that covers my entire chest. By that, I might as well change to a different dress."

His brow raised momentarily at that. "Do you want to do that? We can change the neckline or pick another dress."

I furrowed my brows at him, and he chuckled as he put some of my hair strands behind my ear. "Okay, okay. You really like this one. Because you look too beautiful, I'll let it off only this once."

"You think it's too showy?" I asked carefully.

Pulling me by the chin, he whispered into my ear so nobody else could hear him. "I just don't want others to see what I haven't touched."

On reflex, I threw a playful fist at his chest, and he just giggled it away. "Let's get this dress, Xiao Nuo. I promised we'd get whichever one you want, and I'm not breaking that promise."

My eyes trembled slightly at his words. It wasn't a confession. Nor a heartfelt, sweet phrase. Luo Yunxi was simply him, letting me do whatever I wanted and choose whatever I wanted, despite the fact that he did not fully agree.

Luo Yunxi, you have compromised for me.

Pulling him by the neck and ignoring the few attendants that were looking away from us, I tip-toed a little and pressed my body against him. My exposed chest felt a little warmth channeling through his thin shirt.

"Let's choose a beautiful veil to go with this," he suggested, his breath warm against my cheek.

---

We walked hand in hand almost casually, though I was still not used to the crowd following us and the phone cameras directed at our faces. Yunxi nodded at their greetings, his face brightening up as we strolled around the mall. His grip on our securely intertwined hands is a little strong, as if he was scared that he'd lose me in the crowd, and I almost giggled at the thought.