The first key of the piano sent shivers down Yoon Seri's spine. The pianist continued caressing the ivory keys, producing a beautiful melody that filled the venue with hypnotic music. There are pastel pink peonies and white roses anywhere she turned, and it made the place so enchanting- very fitting for the union that is about to happen.
A tear formed in her eyes as she saw the love of her life, Ri Jeong Hyeok, standing at the end of the aisle.
People don't usually remember much from their childhood. That's only fair, because they say that your brain preserves the negative memories no matter how much we try to forget them as adults. There are also happy ones, and it retains on your memories because of the emotional joy it brought to you as a child.
Just how Yoon Seri vividly remembers that one day in November 1987, when she forced her friend Jeong Hyeok to play House together with their playmates. He had no choice but to comply, as he was the only boy in this trip that his mother dragged him along to and she bullied him into submission. Seri played the Mother as she is the eldest among the girls and by default, Jeong Hyeok played the role of Father. He was a wonderful husband to her and a responsible father to their "children", helping her "cook" their imaginary food and handing them cut out papers that served as the currency in their make-believe world.
She distinctively remembered being cold, and little Jeong Hyeok let her borrow his jacket - Providing her warmth and a boyish grin.
Who would've known that she would remember that moment as the first time she felt how it was to have a complete family, albeit childish and fake. Growing up with only her mother by her side, Seri cherished that memory with all of her, holding on to it whenever she's lost in the ocean of her despair.
They both grew up, making memories by themselves and with each other. Seri was with Jeong Hyeok when she failed a quiz in primary school.Seri was with Jeong Hyeok the first time she skipped a class. Seri was with Jeong Hyeok when he got his heart broken by that slutty cheerleader in High School. Seri was with Jeong Hyeok when she received her acceptance letter to one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea. Seri was with Jeong Hyeok when he was having a quarter life crisis. Seri was with Jeong Hyeok when they both achieved their dreams- he, a lawyer, and she, a doctor. When her beloved mother died and her world almost fell apart, like all the other times, Seri was with Jeong Hyeok.
In between those beautiful memories, it only took some time, before she realized that Jeong Hyeok was never just Jeong Hyeok. He is her bestest friend, and he is the love of her life.
Everything flashed before her very eyes- from that day in November, to this one day in June. Then all of a sudden, Seri can feel her vision blur. She didn't even notice the tears that started to fall. Looking at Jeong Hyeok will always, always, make her heart jump out of sheer sadness or pure joy, there is no in between for this man.
Her heart was all his to take.
She loves him tenderly. She loves him with all the ways she knows how. She loves him with all of her and more.
Today, the tuxedo that he wore wonderfully clung to his skin, making him the dashing knight straight out of her dreams. He shifted his weight from one foot to another like a nervous teenager as he waited at the end of the aisle. Seri smiled, he looked just like the boy who gave him a boyish grin when they were five.
Their eyes met, and more tears welled forth not only from Seri, but from Jeong Hyeok as well.
How Seri fervently wished Jeong Hyeok did not look at her like that— with regret, with pain, with sadness, and with love, for the hurt inside her chest only multiplied tenfold.
And today, Seri is with Jeong Hyeok when he marries her beautiful wife-to-be.
Her favorite author, John Green, was so right. Pain demands to be fucking felt, indeed.
Jeong Hyeok's gaze never left Seri, who was sitting on the second row, the handkerchief on his hand was filled with tears he shed for all the regret, tears for the words did they did not say, chances they did not take and choices they did not make, and tears for the love that was present but they chose to ignore.
Seri and Jeong Hyeok thought to themselves, the realizations are a little too late.
His bride is now halfway through the aisle. Several steps more and she will get the life Seri had dreamed of ever since she was a little girl.
As more tears gave away her pain, Seri's heart physically ached. She held onto her chest, mirroring the other guests who have their palms on theirs, gushing about the beautiful bride in white. Except hers is because of the devastation that the only man she has ever loved is getting married before her eyes.
Jeong Hyeok is still staring at Seri, even if the woman he is supposed to marry is literally meters away from him.
If he can only hear her thoughts.
Maybe in another life, I will be there in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for richer or poorer.
Maybe in another life, I will be your lawfully wedded wife and only death will do us part.
