Joshua didn't understand when it happened, but he was happy that it did.
Being left alone at his own wedding, and to save him the embarrassment when his father asked for the brown-haired smiley man to marry Joshua, Joshua didn't like it. He wanted...
The bouquet of delicate roses slipped from Joshua's quivering fingers, their petals brushing against the cold marble floor as if mourning the shattered hopes and dreams that lay scattered around him. His sister's words cut through the hushed murmurs of the grand wedding hall, each syllable landing with the weight of a thousand anvils on his already heavy heart. His throat tightened, suffocating beneath the weight of unspoken emotions, as he cast his gaze upon the sea of faces, their whispers swirling like a vicious storm threatening to engulf him.
His hands clenched into tight fists, his nails digging into his palms, anchoring him to the harsh reality he desperately wished to escape. The splendor of the hall, once a beacon of joy and celebration, now felt like a gilded prison, trapping him in a nightmare from which he could find no escape. There was no way this was happening. No way!
Hadn't he loved Junhui with every fiber of his being? Despite the countless obstacles his family had thrown in their path, Joshua had stood unwavering in his devotion, determined to defy all odds for the sake of their love. Yet, in this moment of profound betrayal, he found himself questioning everything he had ever believed.
His trembling fingers loosened their grip on the crumpled letter clutched in his hand, the words written upon it blurring through tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry..." The phrase echoed hollowly in his mind, a cruel mockery of the pain and anguish that now consumed him. Was Junhui truly sorry? Could a mere apology ever hope to mend the irreparable damage he had wrought upon Joshua's fragile heart?
As tears threatened to spill over, Joshua felt a gentle pressure on his shoulder, a silent reassurance in the midst of the chaos. Sniffling, he turned to see his father standing beside him, his expression a mirror of the turmoil raging within Joshua's soul. With a trembling sigh, his father's hand moved to cradle Joshua's head, offering a silent solace in the face of unfathomable loss.
"It's okay, my son," his father murmured, his hand gently stroking Joshua's trembling head as he allowed himself to be enveloped in the comforting embrace of paternal love. In that moment, as Joshua nestled into his father's arms, he felt the weight of reality crashing down upon him like a relentless tidal wave.
Wen Junhui, the love of his life, had truly abandoned him, shattering every promise and leaving behind nothing but a trail of broken vows and hollow farewells. He was gone now, beyond Joshua's reach, lost to a distant horizon where their dreams lay scattered like dust in the wind.
As they stood together in the solemn sanctuary of the dressing room, the air heavy with unspoken sorrow, his father's voice cut through the silence like a beacon of hope. "If you don't mind, I have a suggestion for you."
Joshua's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding against his chest as he struggled to rein in the tumultuous emotions threatening to consume him. "What do you mean, Dad?" he managed to utter, his voice strained with the weight of unshed tears.
His father's gaze bore into his own, steady and unwavering, as he took a deep breath in preparation for his next words. "You know Seokmin, right? My friend Hyojin's son?"
Joshua blinked in confusion, his mind racing to make sense of his father's cryptic suggestion. "Yes, what about him?" he asked, his voice trembling with uncertainty.
His father's expression softened, a flicker of hope dancing in his eyes as he spoke. "Marry him."
"What? Are you crazy, Dad?" Joshua's voice trembled with disbelief as he took a step back, his brows furrowing as he glared at his father. His father remained silent, clearing his throat before speaking.
"So, what do you plan on doing? Going back and finding that little bastard who left you like this?" His father's words pierced through the air, the harsh reality of the situation settling heavily upon Joshua's shoulders. Outside, the wedding guests waited eagerly, unaware of the turmoil unraveling within the grand hall. Joshua longed to expose the cruel truth, to shatter the façade of happiness and reveal the gaping wound that Wen Junhui had left behind.
"I've listened to you until now," Joshua's eyes wavered, his gaze locked with his father's, searching for understanding. His father shook his head, a solemn expression etched upon his face. "It's high time that you actually listen to me, my son. Just give him a chance."
As his father's comforting presence enveloped him, Joshua felt a flicker of uncertainty give way to a glimmer of hope. Could Seokmin truly be the anchor he needed in the storm of his shattered dreams? Could he find solace in the embrace of another, after being betrayed by the one he had loved so fiercely?
"Seokmin's a good guy, you won't regret it," his father's voice was filled with conviction, a beacon of reassurance in the darkness of Joshua's doubt. Could he truly trust another man with his heart? Could he dare to hope for love once more?
"Just give this a chance," his father urged, his words echoing in the recesses of Joshua's troubled mind. And as he stood there, torn between the ghosts of the past and the uncertain promise of the future.
Joshua stepped out of the dressing room, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and uncertainty as he made his way to the altar. With his head bowed, he stood before the man he barely knew, a stranger whose name eluded him, yet who now stood as his potential partner in life.
The weight of the situation pressed down upon him, threatening to suffocate him beneath a veil of despair. He listened in a daze as the wedding vows echoed around him, each word a painful reminder of the shattered dreams and broken promises that had brought him to this moment.
"Do you take Lee Seokmin as your husband?"
Joshua froze, his breath caught in his throat as he stared blankly ahead, his eyes fixed on the pair of legs standing before him. Was he truly prepared to go through with this? With a heavy heart, he drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly before lifting his head to meet the gaze of the man before him.
As he opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of a brown-haired man wearing glasses, his expression inscrutable yet bearing the faint traces of a smile etched into the lines of his face.
Despite the uncertainty that gripped him, Joshua found himself drawn to the warmth and kindness reflected in the stranger's eyes, a glimmer of hope amidst the turmoil of his inner turmoil.
"Yes.....I do.."
------
-Vaish
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