Please Smile (EXO Fan Fiction)

Chapter Seventeen.

I feel so complete.

I feel so real.

Being in his embrace, I feel human.  All my scars of the past seemed to completely fade away; leaving my skin painlessly.  Tears streamed my face, but for once they were tears of happiness.  Cheers and applause were heard all around me, but that too seemed to sound distant.  All I heard were his comforting whispers and the rapid beat of his heart against mine.

                “I love you so much, Hyomin.” He whispered through my hair, his breath tickling my skin.  Too choked up with tears, I only nodded and held on to him harder.

                “Will you marry me?”

                Luhan reached for my hand and stared up into my tear-filled eyes.  He looked so beautiful, and it seemed my world began to stop completely as he waited for my reply.  I opened my mouth, but no words came out.  Rather, I answered him with a brisk nod and the next thing I knew, my feet were off the ground, and my face was snug against the crook of his neck, along with Luhan’s arms strongly around my waist, holding me firmly.

                “Thank you so, so, so, much,” Luhan said, barely audible.  It seemed he too was crying, “Everything is so close to perfection now.”

                “Perfection?” I hiccupped, amused a bit by his words.

                “The day we marry, have children, and a cute house of our own.” Luhan replied, putting me down. “But let’s just focus on us okay?  I told you, no matter what, we’re staying together forever. You are mine, and I am yours.”

                “Forever.” I added, and hugging him again.

                I stared at the beautiful ring on my left hand, shining beautifully against the bright Christmas lights.  Delicious and mouth-watering aromas drifted around the house from the kitchen, where Kyungsoo and Chanyeol offered the cook.  Luhan’s muscled arm was draped around my shoulder as I leaned against him, watching everyone else yell at each other as they fought in the four-player video game Sehun bought for everyone to play.

                Let’s say, I’m too happy to play any video games at the moment.

                “Hyori,” Someone spoke my name next to me and I looked to see it was Yixing. “Congratulations on your engagement.”

                “Thanks, XingXing.” I grinned at him, and he grinned back, showing off his dimple.

                “I hope I can be the Best Man there,” Yixing took a seat next to me, a few inches away so there’s space between us.

                Luhan chuckled, “It’ll be hard to choose out of eleven people.”

                As they began to engage in conversation, I felt the need to use the bathroom so I excused myself.  Luhan was a little reluctant to let me go, but I shook him off playfully and hurried towards the bathroom, exchanging a small smile with Kyungsoo and Chanyeol.  Once I entered the brightly lit and clean bathroom, I locked the door behind me.

                After finishing my business and washing my hands, I looked at myself in the mirror; actually looked at myself.

                During pre-debut, my face never seemed to have glowed this much.  My face was frozen in time, and I never smiled, never laughed; never even talked.  During that time, Luhan and I were mere strangers living under the same roof, and the only people I willingly communicate with were Hyuna, Minri, Shinyoung and once in a blue-moon, Yixing.