Boundless

재 26 장

The glass doors parted with a soft hiss, letting in the warm gold of the morning sun. I rushed forward, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Ms. Park!" I called out, voice bright with emotion.

She smiled and opened her arms wide. I fell into her embrace — a mother's warmth, tender and familiar, as though we had known each other across lifetimes. She pulled back slightly, her hands wrapping around mine, lifting them to admire the glitter of my ring.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, her voice trembling with happiness.

I barely had time to respond before Jae appeared, guiding our suitcases with easy strength. His eyes found his mother's, and for a moment the world faded into their silent exchange of love. He wrapped her in a gentle hug, tender and boyish all at once.

"There's not much time," Ms. Park said, her voice snapping me back to the present. "We need to get to the courthouse."

My brows knitted. "Courthouse? Why?"

Jae smiled, so casual it almost made me dizzy.
"We're getting married today."

The words floated between us, surreal and weightless.

"M-married? Just like that?" I stammered. "No planning, no flowers, no anything?"

He placed his hands on my shoulders — warm, steady, grounding. His dark eyes searched mine, earnest and pleading.

"Baby," he murmured, "I wish I could give you the world, a castle full of roses... but we don't have the time. Once I'm married, my father can't control me anymore. I can protect us. I can protect you."

Something broke open inside me, and with a soft sigh, I nodded.

"Alright then."

His entire face softened with relief. He kissed my forehead gently, like a prayer.
Ms. Park opened the trunk with a click, and Jae loaded our bags swiftly.

He opened the passenger door with a small bow, and I slipped inside.
Ms. Park followed, settling into the backseat with a gracious smile.

"You should sit up front, dear," she said warmly. "I'll be organizing some things back here. Jae Eun can drive."

The car smelled like fresh leather and vanilla. Jae climbed behind the wheel, flashing me a mischievous grin.

"I have a surprise for you," he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.
"Jae," I warned. "What are you up to?"

He only laughed — that beautiful, rich laugh that unraveled me every time.

"Why would I ever scheme against my bride?"

Still, I was suspicious.
That morning, I had woken when he slipped out of bed, whispering urgently into the phone, thinking I was still asleep. The moment he left, the sheets cooled, and I had clutched them desperately to my chest.

Now, his hand found my thigh, resting there with casual possessiveness.
"Everything will be alright," he promised in a voice so low it melted straight into my bloodstream.

I nodded, heart pounding against my ribs.

Today, I would become his wife.

And somehow, that was all that mattered.

⸻

The courthouse was small, bathed in soft gold light from high windows. It felt sacred, like a secret whispered by the universe.

Jae stood beside me, tall and beautiful, his freshly trimmed hair shining dark against the pale backdrop.

The judge's voice, low and ceremonial, drifted around us like music.

"Min Jae Eun, do you take Athena Jackson to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Jae turned toward me, his eyes crinkling in a smile that could have lit a thousand nights.

"I do," he said, his voice a solemn vow.

The judge continued,
"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, holding only unto her?"

"I do," Jae repeated, stronger, steadier.

Tears pricked my eyes.

The judge turned to me, and the air seemed to thin around us.

"Athena Jackson, do you take Min Jae Eun to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," I breathed, my heart in my throat, my soul soaring.

"And do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him?"

"I do," I repeated, with every fiber of my being.

We exchanged rings, our hands trembling slightly. When I slipped the ring onto Jae's finger, his tears finally spilled — raw and beautiful. I barely held my own back.

The judge's words blurred in the golden light:

"Two threads, once separate, now weave together to create something beautiful. Love will be your anchor. Trust will be your bridge. Dedication your compass. Faith your sail. Commitment your home. Today you pledge yourselves to the journey unknown."

Jae squeezed my hands, and I felt the earth beneath my feet steady itself.

"Inasmuch as you have promised yourselves to each other," the judge said, smiling, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Jae moved before the sentence even finished.
His hands cradled my face as though I was made of spun glass. His lips met mine with a kiss that wasn't rushed or greedy — it was a promise. A life. A beginning.

When he pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, our noses brushing.

"I love you, Mrs. Min," he whispered, voice thick with emotion.

A tear slid down my cheek.

"I love you too," I whispered back, my hands framing his beautiful face.

In that moment, it wasn't just a marriage. It was the weaving of two souls into one.

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