Chapter 22: First Night – January 18, 2025
“Are you nervous?”
Haewon glanced down at Dahui. The girl was positively glorious in her pink, silk dress. Haewon had twisted the curls on the top of Dahui’s head back and pinned them down with a couple of clips. The remainder of her raven locks had grown long enough that they were nearly brushing her shoulders now. She looked absolutely adorable today.
Haewon smiled at her. “Not really. I love your appa, and I’m very excited to be marrying him.”
Today was so different from her wedding of nearly three years ago. When she had married Eunho, once the man of her dreams. As a young woman, she had fancied herself in love with him. He had always been her knight in shining armor. But then, when she’d discovered who he was to the rest of the world, she’d been horrified. Yet she’d also had to reconcile that Eunho with the one who had rescued her from a situation he had inflicted upon others.
When she’d married him, she had believed she could trust him…to a point. He had been faithful to that trust. But her heart had been aching that day.
Mourning over the destruction of her ideal image of him – the one she’d carried around in her heart for so long.
Weeping over the loss of her virginity – viciously stolen by a stranger who had claimed to be a friend.
Grieving over the shattering of her innocence and her simple faith in people.
Also, carrying the burden of a six-month life sentence – the knowledge that she had only a few months left to live.
But life often surprises people. The expected had not happened. The unexpected had. Eunho had been stabbed to death by a man wreaking vengeance upon him for his past crimes. And through that bizarre twist of fate, Haewon had finally received the heart she’d spent her whole life needing. Thereby changing her entire destiny.
She had been set free to pursue her dreams. Of being a teacher. Of falling in love with a man and having him return her affection. Of becoming his wife. Of having the privilege of being called Eomma by a precious child. Of becoming a mother, even if only an adopted one.
Haewon was no longer just dreaming. She was stepping into the possession of every single dream she’d dreamed as a young girl. Except that the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle wasn’t Eunho. He was someone entirely unexpected. But every bit as wonderful to her as Eunho had been. And Eunho had set the bar pretty high. She doubted anyone else would give her his heart. Not his physical one, at least.
But Myeong had given her his heart. And he was entrusting not just his own heart to her but that of his daughter as well. Haewon had once married the man she’d grown up desiring. But it hadn’t been the fairy tale. She’d only married him because she’d known she had but a few months to live. She had craved the freedom he could give her. And she had hoped to inspire him to become a better person.
She had. But not in the way she’d expected.
She hoped that the dreams that she now cherished concerning her future with Myeong, Dahui, Bada, and her baby would materialize in a way that she could enjoy. She’d suffered more than her fair share of trauma. She was craving some peace. But she had also learned how to fight for her dreams. And she was ready to put her whole heart into pursuing them. And into loving the circle of people she had come to adore.
Marrying Myeong today was a dream come true. In so many ways. He was the fulfillment of a dream which, in turn, was leading to the fulfillment of other hopes. So it was with great joy that she anticipated walking down that aisle.
“How about you, Dahui? Are you nervous?” Haewon smiled down at her junior bridesmaid.
“Not in the least. I’m so excited!” She was bouncing up and down in her pink shoes. “You’re going to be my eomma for real in a few minutes!”
Haewon’s heart melted. “That is one of the two best things about today,” she murmured as she embraced the little darling.
“Haewon,” Bada announced, “we need to line up. I’m pretty sure the music is about to start.”
The bride smiled down at her young friend. “Thank you, Bada, for agreeing to be my maid of honor.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m thrilled you asked me. And that you are taking me and my baby in! I love you so much, Haewon.” She hugged her friend quickly before taking her place at the front. In a moment, she would lead the group down the aisle. Bada was entering on the arm of one of Myeong’s good friends. Dahui would be walking down the aisle with Jungju. Who was half a head shorter than her. Ajin had been asked to precede the bride down the aisle as her flower girl. Finally, Haewon would bring up the rear on her appa’s arm.
She turned to smile at him. “Appa, are you happier about this wedding than you were about my other one?”
“I am certainly happier about this marriage than I was about the other one. But, as it turned out, I underestimated Eunho. He couldn’t have been a better husband to you if he had tried. I know no other man who has died to save his wife. And succeeded in saving her twice.”
She gave him a tremulous smile.
“But I love the way you look at Myeong. Almost as much as I enjoy the way he looks at you. I pray that you find a lasting peace and an eternal love with this man. I think you’ve chosen well, Haewon. And today is so much different than last time. Today I have the hope that you will live many happy years with him. And with the children you’re embracing.” There was a tear gleaming in her appa’s eye as he gazed down at her.
“Oh, Appa! I love you! And I’m so happy we’re both here today. I’m happy you’re walking me down the aisle.”
“There’s no place I’d rather be,” he murmured.
__
She was radiant.
It was his first thought as Haewon entered the hall at the back of Nari’s house. His bride followed his daughter down the aisle. Haewon was clinging to her appa’s arm, and she was glowing with happiness. She looked absolutely delighted to be marrying him. Myeong counted his blessings in that moment.
When his wife had unexpectedly died, the sun had been blotted out, and he had been plunged into darkness with only a tiny light – his precious baby, Dahui – to illuminate the black hole by which he’d suddenly been swallowed whole. Over the years, that little light had grown in brilliance. Still, he had longed for another sun. Someone to love him. Someone with whom to share his life.
Dahui was already halfway to adulthood. Soon enough, she would fly the nest. He would have been alone then. But for one thing. A new star, a bright and shining sun named Haewon, had entered his dark existence and radiated her heat through the light of her ethereal smile. She had embraced him with her love. Surrounded him with her affection. Invited him in through the delight in her eyes.
And now, as those stunning eyes captured his once again and that shy smile engulfed his heart with her goodness once more, he felt completely embraced by a love he hadn’t even had the courage to dream would ever exist in his life again.
—
He had the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen. Still.
As Haewon glanced up to meet Myeong’s gaze, she fell headlong into those piercing blue pools. She would never grow weary of staring into them. They were as stunning now as they had been the first time she’d ever looked his way. But now they were filled with an adoration that stole her breath. As she gazed into his glorious eyes, she felt wholly embraced by his love for her. Completely accepted. Most beloved. And she could feel him birthing new dreams in her heart.
—
“Haewon, what would you like to do with me tonight?” Myeong asked huskily as he eyed his bride.
She swallowed. “I don’t know,” she mumbled. Now she was nervous. But excited.
“Okay. Well, how about we just lie down in bed together and kiss for starters?” His smile was teasing her.
She suddenly felt such a rush of love for him that it overwhelmed her. She closed the distance between them in one heartbeat and slid her arms around his neck to entwine her fingers in his hair as she drew his head down to hers. Their lips met like a blast of dynamite. Softly invading their senses. Yet overtaking them like a massive wave of the ocean descending to crash upon the shoreline.
Myeong had only ever been gentle with her. He was still so tender that she felt a tear invading her eye as his arms surrounded her. Making her feel cherished. Not threatened.
“I love you, Haewon,” he murmured against her lips. “So much. I didn’t dare to dream of you. I was so broken after Dahui died that I couldn’t dream anymore. But you came to rescue me. First, you rescued my daughter. Then you looked into my eyes and refused to let go of my soul. You just kept loving us. Being your sweet self.”
“Myeong,” she smiled against his lips. “Are you writing me another poem?”
His lips twitched. “Hmm. Let me see.” He cleared his throat and began to compose a few lines.
“Tender, lovely Haewon,
This girl who love has won.
You alone invade my heart.
You did from the very start.
“Please keep coming for me.
Always make me happy.
You make our family complete.
An eomma, a wife, so sweet.”
She grinned at him.
“What do you think, Mrs. Kang? Is your husband a poet?”
“Absolutely. He’s brilliant.” She claimed his lips with her own again. But a smile was still dancing upon her lips.
After a few moments, they found themselves on the bed. They traded sweet kisses and tender touches for a long while.
“Myeong,” she breathed after a time. “I’m ready to give myself to you.”
“What?” He drew back, surprised.
“I’ve been talking myself into it all day long today. Let’s do it before I…”
“Change your mind?”
She lifted her chin and let it drop.
“I meant it, Haewon. We will go as fast or as slow as you like. Your delight is my first priority.”
Then he did something that definitely delighted her. And he spent several long moments inching his way towards their ultimate goal. But Haewon discovered that his touch didn’t unleash the echoes she’d expected. She had no fear with Myeong.
He wasn’t Eunho. Myeong had no violent past from which to draw. She hadn’t been abused by his friends. She had only ever received gentleness from her association with him.
The memories of yesterday – the darkness that had surrounded that whole period of her life – had begun to flee under the sun of Myeong’s love. A sun which kept rising over her to cast its happy rays down upon her face.
Dynamite 😂😂😂