Wedding Bells

6

Once we were sure that the door was firmly shut and the lock had clicked, Siyeon and I flopped onto the queen bed of my guestroom. Our hangovers were still in full throttle, rendering us both exhausted. I stared Siyeon down, daring her to go first and spill her secrets. The look she gave me challenged my commands, and urged me to be the one to speak up first.

"Go on, let's hear this history of yours. You don't think I actually trust you to stick around if I go first, do you?" I spoke up.

Siyeon raised her eyebrows at me and nestled herself comfortably in the sheets. She propped her elbow on the pillow and rested her head on her upright arm so she could stare directly at me.

"Oh come on, I'm as hungover as you are. Do you really think either one of us is capable of a speedy getaway right now? Besides, I want to share my side of the story so you can see why I feel the way I do. I promise I'll stay right here and tell you whatever you want to know after you're done," she reasoned.

"Alright, fine, but only because the sooner we get done talking, the sooner I can take a nap. I know I'm going to change my mind the minute another opportunity arises, but right now I never want to drink again!" I huffed.

"Stop stalling and let's hear about that crush of yours," she teased, her eyes twinkling.

"You know, you're a real pain in the ass," I deadpanned which prompted Siyeon to start cackling.

"I guess I'll go ahead and get started then, since there's nothing stopping me from doing so," I sighed, "God, this is gonna be difficult. I've known Minji for a pretty long time, so it's pretty hard to determine when exactly my feelings for her turned romantic. I have a general idea, but we're gonna have to do some time hopping. Hope you're ready to buckle in and enjoy the ride," I warned her before beginning our journey into my complicated relationship with my childhood best friend.
~
Twenty Years Ago

"Come on,we're almost there! Just a little bit further!"

"Can you slow down just a little? Your legs are so long! I feel like I'm gonna die just trying to keep up with you!"

Even though Minji and I met in kindergarten, I'll skip ahead to a more important day regarding my feelings for her. In this story, we were two seven year old girls running through the forest. Minji, the taller of the two of us, was leading the way, twirling around excitedly with a flower in her hair. I was struggling not to fall behind, pumping my tiny legs as fast as they would take me. We were a duo on a mission, heading to the secret base we had set up in a location known only to us. Soon enough, we arrived at our destination. The secret base consisted of a spacious tree marked with our initials. Our secret base was where we discussed our innermost dreams and wishes, and concocted lofty plans for our futures. Of course, all of these plans included us being side-by-side forever.

"Alright, today is a very important day. I was just at my cousin's wedding this weekend, and I realized that we gotta plan our weddings way in advance. How else are we gonna make sure that we get married at the same time and have the best party ever?" Minji declared once we were settled in our usual spot.

"You made me run all the way here for that? Weddings are so dumb, plus I don't even know if I wanna get married!" my seven-year-old self huffed.

Minji looked at me as if I had just said I kick puppies for fun. Her lower lip trembled and her big brown eyes threatened to spill a fresh batch of tears. My eyes widened as I raced to revoke my comment.

"Hey, hold on! Weddings may be dumb, but anything that I get to do with you is way less dumb. In fact, getting married with you would make me super happy," I explained as I grabbed her hands earnestly.