Sweet Night (18+) || kth ||

Chapter 20

Standing up, I tapped my fork on the wineglass, getting everyone's attention. For someone used to people ogling at him, I was still unnerved to see a hundred pairs of eyes swivel towards my direction at the same time.

Clearing my throat, I began.

"If I could just have your attention for a moment please," I said to the room, and waited as people settled down. I bowed in the following silence. "My name is Kim Taehyung, and I've been a friend to Park Jimin for years now."

There was a smattering of applause. Up in the presidential table, Jimin raised his glass in salute. Smirking, I gave him a salute of my own, the one I learned from the military. After all, he was a senior officer to me. He stood up and returned it. The people laughed around us. Jimin was a year into his military service when I joined. And I just got out myself. His wedding to Han Erin, the woman he was paired with (because of me) all those years ago, was my first public appearance after my release. Han Erin – or, well, now Mrs. Park Erin – laughed prettily beside him. Jimin sat down and put his arms around his wife. A controversy enveloped those two years ago, around the same time that my own tragedy happened.

The crowd hushed down, and I was free to speak to again. An attendant was suddenly at my elbow, offering me a microphone. Giving him a quick thanks, I looked up at Jimin again.

"As I said, Jimin and I have been friends for a long time," I began once more. "Even though we went down different paths in our lives, we've always been there for each other. We know a lot about each other, and so I know for a fact that Jimin is one of the most annoying people in the world."

Again, the crowd laughed. "He can be immature, loud, sloppy, unpredictable and sometimes, just plain weird. He was president of our class in high school, so he can be quite bossy too at times. I've long told him that he will never get married because he's so fussy. No woman will be able to stand him."

"Ya!" he yelled across the hall, causing everyone to laugh again. "Are you here to diss at me?"

Erin tried to restrain him, but she was also laughing.

"Why? Did I say I was finished?" I shot back. "Aish! See? And he's older than I am, everyone!"

It felt nice to be smiling again. Genuinely at that. But being in a wedding can do that to you.

"But for everything that Park Jimin does, there's a reason to it," I went on. "He became a goofball to make me feel at ease back in high school, even if we were both from outside Seoul. He'll stand up and stick by your side whatever the circumstances may be. He'll always try to come up with something to make you happy. He'll go out of his way to make sure that you are happy. He'll take on the burden for you, if he has to, so that you won't have to be in pain. In short, Park Jimin is the most amazing man I've ever had the honor of knowing. I am who I am right now partly because of him.

"And so, when I say congratulations, I just don't mean I'm congratulating you on getting married, Erin-ssi," I said, addressing Jimin's bride. "I'm saying that to you because you have found the man that would love you with all of his heart for the rest of his life. The man who would give you his own life. And Jimin-a," I said. "Don't you dare make Erin-ssi cry, you got that? I told you before it'll take an extraordinary woman to settle down with you. You've found her. Don't lose her."

Her face flashed before my mind, making me grip the mic harder. "What you two have now does not come around twice in one's life," I said. "Treasure it, treasure each other. And Erin-ssi, if he's a trouble to you, just give me a call and I'll give him a good thrashing for you." The crowd tittered once more. I raised my glasses towards them. "Congratulations, you guys. To the happy couple!"