Side Story 12
“This place is… so breathtaking it makes me sigh.”
At her admiring words, Jeonghan laughed softly and stood behind her, gripping the railing with both arms.
Trapping Suhyeon within his arms, he brought his lips close to her ear.
“That’s the highest praise. Makes all the effort put into building it worthwhile.”
Suhyeon smiled and turned her head to the side. Jeonghan gently kissed her lips from behind.
Soft touch
After their lips parted, Suhyeon lowered her eyes slightly before turning her gaze back to the view.
Music and laughter drifted over on the breeze from the opposite side.
“…”
Suhyeon stood silently watching the night view for a while.
Jeonghan, who was looking down at Suhyeon rather than the scenery, asked in a low voice.
“What are you thinking about?”
Suhyeon slowly exhaled before answering.
“About our wedding the day after tomorrow.”
“Are you worried?”
Suhyeon slowly shook her head.
“…No.”
Her voice was submerged like water. Her tone made Jeonghan’s expression change.
“Seo Suhyeon.”
Jeonghan turned her around. Seeing her eyes sparkling with tears, his brows tensed.
“…You.”
Suhyeon wiped her tears with her fingertips, smiling embarrassedly.
“I think I’m just getting sentimental, maybe because the scenery is so beautiful.”
Jeonghan lowered his head to meet her gaze up close. Looking alternately between her jewel-bright tearful eyes, he said,
“If you don’t want to have the wedding, even now…”
“No, that’s not it. It’s not that I don’t want to.”
Hastily waving her hands, Suhyeon looked at Jeonghan with moist eyes.
“Just suddenly… all of this feels surreal.”
“…”
Jeonghan stared at Suhyeon with darkened eyes.
“What I mean is…”
In front of the man’s worried gaze, Suhyeon’s lips trembled before she spoke again.
“It suddenly felt unreal that the wedding is so close, and from that moment, I became so anxious…”
Suhyeon’s tear-dampened eyelashes fluttered slowly.
“What if all of this is a dream… when I think that being loved by you like this might not be real, my chest feels so tight I can barely breathe… Ah, why am I being like this?”
Suhyeon covered her face with both hands.
The sudden surge of emotion embarrassed her.
‘Why am I acting like this?’
What man wouldn’t find it strange – a woman bursting into tears while looking at the beautiful beach where she came to get married?
Even she couldn’t understand herself.
But why did her heart ache so much, why was she so anxious?
The moment she thought this happiness was hard to believe, everything started feeling like a dream, and she became indescribably anxious.
Why am I like this? Why?
As Suhyeon embarrassedly wiped away her continuously falling tears with frustration, Jeonghan took her hands.
“Ah…”
As Suhyeon raised her head with a flustered expression, he lowered his head and gently pressed his lips against her wet eyelashes. After pressing them firmly like a seal, he met her gaze.
“It’s okay, don’t hold back your tears.”
“…”
Suhyeon’s eyes trembled.
Jeonghan quietly gazed at those eyes and said in a low voice.
“It’s alright.”
At his calm gaze and low voice, Suhyeon felt something surge up inside her.
Her face crumpled as tears poured down. Jeonghan quietly held her in his arms.
“Hic…”
Suhyeon cried like a child in his broad embrace. As she sobbed, releasing everything inside her, Jeonghan gently stroked her back to comfort her.
The sweet music and distant laughter of people reached her muffled ears.
For who knows how long she cried, Jeonghan held her preciously and stroked her.
The sensation of his large hand gently stroking her hair, back, and shoulders gradually calmed her.
Hah…
Only after crying until her face felt hot did Suhyeon finally calm down.
After exhaling deeply, she lifted her face from Jeonghan’s chest with an embarrassed expression.
“I guess this must be that blue marriage I’ve heard about… How embarrassing.”
Sniffling, Suhyeon looked up at Jeonghan with rabbit-red eyes, seeming ashamed.
Jeonghan smiled and placed small kisses all over her flushed face.
He gently sucked her tear-stained lips. Then he cradled her face in both hands, making her look at him.
“Seol Suhyeon.”
Jeonghan’s deep eyes shone quietly. After gazing into her drenched black eyes for a long moment, he spoke softly.
“…I feel the same way.”
“What…?”
Suhyeon blinked slowly.
“I get anxious too. No, frequently.”
“…”
His dark, quiet gaze was fixed on her. Slowly wiping her reddened eyes with his thumb, Jeonghan said,
“When I see you sleeping beside me as I wake up in the morning… when you smile at me. When I hold you in my arms and our eyes meet.”
“…”
“Each time, I feel an overwhelming happiness, and simultaneously become afraid in equal measure to that happiness.”
Jeonghan’s eyes darkened like the night sea.
“Even while constantly confirming you’re in my hands, I’m endlessly afraid of feeling again the pain of when I couldn’t have you…”
Jeonghan stopped speaking, frowning as he let out a sigh.
“…”
Suhyeon silently looked up at Jeonghan. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes.
His broad chest heaving deeply, he continued.
“When I imagine all the possibilities of losing you, my heart feels like it might stop at that moment.”
Jeonghan caressed Suhyeon’s cheek with a pained expression.
“The greater this happiness called you that I’ve finally grasped, the more my heart swells with joy seeing you smile at me…”
His Adam’s apple bobbed prominently.
“…The more I feel suffocated by maddening anxiety about whether I deserve to be this happy.”
Tears rolled down Suhyeon’s cheeks.
“You too…”
Were anxious. Just like me.
Swallowing the rest of her words, Suhyeon curved her lips into a smile while looking at Jeonghan with tear-filled eyes.
“We’ll need to practice getting used to happiness together.”
At Suhyeon’s smile, a smile also appeared around Jeonghan’s reddened eyes.
“…Yes.”
Curling his lips up, Jeonghan wiped away the tears flowing down Suhyeon’s cheeks.
Jeonghan gazed deeply into her beautifully sparkling eyes. Looking down at those obsidian-like eyes shining for him – eyes he wouldn’t trade for anything – he said,
“Whenever you feel anxious, cry in my arms.”
“…”
“I’ll give you my embrace until you’re tired.”
His eyes shone with sincerity.
“Okay. I will.”
As Suhyeon answered softly, Jeonghan kissed her cheek.
Though Suhyeon felt embarrassed by her uncharacteristic behavior, knowing Jeonghan felt the same way made her feel more at ease.
“When you feel anxious too, tell me. I can hold you just like you’re holding me now.”
“I will.”
Jeonghan smiled as he kissed the bridge of her nose.
Suhyeon smiled back, her tear-filled eyes curving beautifully.
After placing one last light kiss on her lips, Jeonghan raised his head.
“Let’s go in now. Even if it’s lukewarm, staying in the water too long isn’t good.”
“Okay.”
When Suhyeon nodded obediently, Jeonghan lifted her into his arms.
Holding her with strong arms, he walked out of the pool illuminated by the soft glow of lights and moonlight.
* * * * *
They discovered Suhyeon was pregnant two days later, right after their joyful wedding ceremony under the brilliant sunlight, blessed by everyone.
‘So it wasn’t marriage blue but pregnancy…’
As Jeonghan kissed Suhyeon’s surprised lips repeatedly, his face couldn’t hide his pure happiness.
Seeing his emotional expression, Suhyeon forgot her bewilderment and smiled.
‘I love you, Seol Suhyeon.’
Whispering this passionate confession, Jeonghan embraced Suhyeon fully in his arms.
Feeling his trembling breath, Suhyeon hugged him back tightly.
It was an unforgettable first moment as they went from being a married couple to becoming parents of a family.
-The end
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