Someone to Love

Forty-Four

The Day of the Wedding
Seo, Lee Kyung (Groom)
Oddly enough, you might think that staring at the mirror a few hours before the wedding would be a bride thing to do, but here I am doing it.
It's actually a norm here that men wear a bit of make up so, while Ara is getting her make up done a few floors and rooms away from me, I'm also getting my make up done.
"Are you okay, Dr. Seo?" the make up artist asked, of course, speaking in Korean. I have been speaking Korean ever since well, we arrived here in Seoul and I have been reminding my self to speak English during the wedding ceremony. It's really not valid if Ara doesn't understand my side of the wedding.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" I replied.
"Well, I have been fixing your eyebrows by plucking them and you don't seem to feel it. A little twitch would have helped." She said
"Uh, yes, I felt it. I'm just nervous." I said
"Well, you don't have to be. But you have every right to be." She said
I looked at her.
"Have you done weddings before?"
"Yes, I was one of the make up artists for the Song-Song wedding, on Song Joong Ki's side, and he was pretty nervous too. And to think their wedding was not live broadcasted." She said
"Yeah, I don't really understand why is my wedding being televised. Are people actually gonna watch it?"
"Dr. Seo, I think you have been in America for too long. Your family is basically royalty in this country. If you hadn't run away to New York, you would have been the Crown Prince. Everybody knows that."
"I'm not fit to be a Crown Prince. I am more than fine to being a Royal Physician or something."
"It really doesn't help when you're marrying Amara Hayden of the Hayden family. Plus, we all know that you guys are basically ignoring your family history."
"Well, we think that we are more than that. And we can work past that. I just hope that the wedding would run smoothly. It's gonna be a long day."
The photographer takes shots of me and whatever is going on with me while I just sit here get my eyebrows fixed.
We were supposed to give each other gifts and I honestly don't know what to give her and I don't think she's gonna give me one because I already got a watch way before we got engaged. And yet here I am finalizing my gift to her.
I got her a simple diamond necklace, well, not that simple, the pendant matches her ring, so it's a bit big but it's not that flashy so she can wear it everyday. Well, I want her to wear it most of the time, I can't actually force her to wear it everyday.
As soon as I placed the wrapped box in a paper carrier, there was a knock on the door and Katherine entered.
"Have you taken enough pictures of this?" I asked the photographer in Korean.
"Yes, alongside with the envelope." He said
"Thanks."
I looked at Katherine.
"How is she?" I asked in English.
"Great, she just wants the preparations done and over with but we still have many more photos to take."
"Same here. Uh, are you here to collect-"
"And give." She said, and then I noticed that she was holding a paper carrier.
"Right." So she did get me something, not that I was expecting.
I handed Katherine my blue paper bag.
"Please handle that with care." I said
"Of course. Miss Hayden hates wrinkled paper carriers." She said as she handed me a green paper carrier.
"I'll see you later. Don't be late." She said
"Tell her I'll be waiting for her at the end of the-"
She just nodded and left.
I eyed the paper carrier and well, it was green and it had a tiny crown on the bottom part. She got me another—
"Rolex?" Jae Kyung suddenly said as he entered the room.
I looked at him as he stood behind me.
"Jae Kyung." I said
"You got a new watch on the day of your wedding?" He said
"No, I didn't buy this, she got this for me."
"Oh. But didn't she get you one already-"
I opened up the paper carrier and took out the box.
"I guess she's making me start a collection."
Before I even open the box, there was a sealed envelope stuck on top of it, of course with a probably expensive Amara Hayden stationary that I have never seen before.
"Make sure you get a shot of him reading the note." Jae Kyung said
Seo, Lee Kyung was embossed at the front of the envelope, with what I think is wrapped in gold colored foil or whatever. It was sealed with wax alongside with what I think is Ara's monogram.
"Would you want to take a photo of it first?" I asked the photographer. And naturally, he agreed.
"But, would you want to see the gift first?" He said
"Right! Yeah. Uh, take photos of it closed first, I wouldn't wreck the envelope don't worry." I said
And then he proceeded.
"Are you okay?" Jae Kyung asked
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I said
"You seem, I don't know, not here."
"I'm scared and nervous." I said in English.
Jae Kyung smiled and put his hands on my shoulders.
"You'll be fine. All you have to do is wait for her at the end of the aisle, she'll be the one walking. And hopefully the only one in white." He said
I looked at the photographer and asked if I could read the letter now, and it seems like he's a bit intimidated by me or irritated, I have no idea he seems weird.
I stared at my name on the envelope. She could have written, or in this case imprinted on my English name but she opted to use my real name, which I think is definitely kinda sweet.
"Would you want privacy-" Jae Kyung started
"Um, no. Just make sure that the photographer gets the shots well." I said as I stood up and sat on the coffee table. Well, not the table but the chair, but you get me.
Most of the people took a step back, and I opened up the letter. The paper smelled like her, and with the impressions felt on the paper, I'm guessing that this one is handwritten.
I inhaled and then started reading.
If I had a chance to go back 10 years from now and tell the 17 year old me that the doctor I shared a cup of coffee with, the one I begged not to open up my brother will be the one I'd marry today, she'd probably laugh at me, probably say that I had way to much coffee and sashay away. Of course, she'd do a double take because I look fantastic but still.
I thought I had my life figured out honestly, I was sure that my father would have ensured that I married well, my brother is taking over the company and at this age, I'd probably have twins on the way or making twins in a Carribean cruise or something, but well, it didn't turn out that way and frankly, I am relieved that I took a little detour.
I didn't think that I'm actually gonna get married for love, I'm getting married because I am madly in love and I finally found the person that I will spend the rest of my life with. Sounds cheesy, I know. But it is what it is for me.
In all honesty, love, you saved me from a lot of things. Oddly enough, you shone a light into what I didn't realize was a dark world. I never really knew that I could experience that kind of love, I've met many people, dated a few, and none of them made me feel what you had made me feel. A feeling that I couldn't even describe, a feeling I never knew existed. So thank you for coming into my life and I sure hope that you never leave. I love you very much, Lee Kyung.
I really do hope that you treasure my wedding gift to you, a little something to symbolize the start of our little forever.
I'll see you later, my love.
And then she signed it.
I folded up the paper and put it back in the envelope and went to open up my gift. But there was another note on it.
You don't have to wear this today, but I really think you should use this on a daily basis hereafter. Looking forward for my time with you.
- A.
Well, I decided not to wear it today, I wore the first one that she gave me, the one which I like to call the engagement watch.
I looked at Jae Kyung through the mirror and he was looking at me.
"You okay?" He asked in Korean.
"I'm actually getting married, brother." I said
"Yes, and I have to say that most of us are actually shocked." He said as he stood behind me.
"I am one of those people that are actually shocked." I said
My mother suddenly entered and as soon as she saw me, she was so close to tears.
"My son!"she said as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
"Eomma-"
"It's not like it's the first time he left home, eomma. He's just gonna get married here and fly back the New York." Jae Kyung said, hiding his eye roll.
"Yes, I know. But he is still getting married. And to Ara, who is every bit of American so, the chances of me seeing Lee Kyung again is getting slimmer and slinmer."
I held my mother's hand.
"Eomma, you can come visit me and Ara anytime in New York. It's just that we both are really busy with our jobs and cannot just drop them at once. You knew that when I told you I wanted to become a doctor and not a company president." I said
"I know, and it is a good thing that I can see my two sons again, reunited with me. Even for a short time. And you, Jae Kyung, pay your mother a visit will you? You work in Korea, there is no reason why you cannot visit me at least once a month!" She said as she hit Jae Kyung's arm.
"Eomma! Ji Hyun might give birth anytime now, I can't just-"
"Oh-hoh! You just got back from London!" She said
I stood up and hugged my mom.
"I'm getting married, eomma."
"I know, baby." She said
"Where's dad?" I whispered.
"Getting ready in his room."
"He's not coming here?"
"I-"
"Lee Kyung." I suddenly heard
"Oh, appa-" Jae Kyung suddenly said
He stood there looking at the three of us.
"Congratulations, son." He said
I nodded.
"Thanks." I said
"Can we get a family photo?" The photographer asked
"Ah, yeah."
We posed for some shots. My mother fixing my tie, of me and Jae Kyung horsing around and a shot of my father helping me put on my jacket. And of course, a family portrait, of my mother sat on the middle and the three of us behind her.
"Okay, we have to go now. The traffic is gonna be bad." The wedding organizer said
"Right, we don't want to be late." Mom said
"Let's not keep Miss Hayden waiting." Jae Kyung said, in English.
"Have you got the ring, Jae Kyung?" I asked in Korean.
"Very safe and boy does it look good. Expensive?" Jae Kyung said
"What do you think?" I said with a smile.
We took some few more shots and headed on to the car, of course more shots.
I'm coming for you, Miss Hayden.