Side Story (Part 1)

Unlike the bustling situation outside, the bridal waiting room was quiet. In that silence, Seo-hye gripped her bouquet more tightly to hide her trembling hands.

“Are you hot, bride?”

The assistant asked in a concerned voice.

“You keep sweating on your forehead.”

Seo-hye awkwardly smiled as she lowered her hand, which she had raised toward her forehead.

“I guess I’m too… nervous. I won’t be nervous anymore.”

The assistant slightly smiled, letting her eyebrows droop at Seo-hye’s words.

“Easier said than done. Try to breathe a little easier.”

The assistant carefully wiped Seo-hye’s forehead to prevent her makeup from smudging.

Following the assistant’s suggestion, Seo-hye tried taking a deep breath in and out, but even that was difficult because of the tight corset.

Thinking about why she was so nervous, it seemed to be due to the pressure.

It was the wedding of the grandson of a renowned company chairman in South Korea. Countless prominent figures from the political and business world, as well as journalists, had gathered.

Surely, a lot of attention would be on the bride marrying the chairman’s grandson, and she worried that her tumultuous life and the fact that she could invite only a small number of guests might harm Do-jin.

She gripped the bouquet tightly once more, pursing her lips and exhaling.

“Whew.”

Promising herself not to miss this happy moment because of external gazes, since it was the day she promised her life to the man she loved.

It was then.

“Could you please step out for a moment?”

Her puckered lips froze in place.

It was because of Do-jin’s voice suddenly coming from the door.

The assistant and the photographer immediately stepped aside.

Seo-hye looked at him as if entranced.

Her heart started to race wildly at the sight of his neatly styled hair, straight forehead, and finely sculpted handsome features.

Perhaps it was because he was wearing formal attire, not his usual clothes.

“Why is your face so pale? Your expression is stiff, and your eyes look frightened.”

Feeling sorry for showing such an expression to Do-jin on their wedding day, Seo-hye quickly tried to relax her face.

“Is it because you’re nervous?”

He had already come right up to her, leaning slightly forward and narrowing his eyes.

The subtle crease in his brow carried a curious allure.

“What’s the problem?”

Seo-hye awkwardly lifted the corners of her mouth.

“No problem. Just nervous. I’m nervous, Do-jin.”

“Nervous about living with me?”

“That’s… exciting.”

Do-jin frowned slightly and smiled.

“……I’m nervous that people might say I’m not a suitable bride for you.”

“For that, the Chairman is already causing a stir outside.”

Seo-hye suddenly widened her eyes as if asking what he meant.

“He was grinning from ear to ear, being praised for how he managed to welcome a hidden genius painter as his daughter-in-law, saying ‘as expected of Seonghan.'”

“Re… really?”

“For someone who is most conscious of others’ views to be that proud, who would think you aren’t a good match for me?”

Only then did Seo-hye’s face look much more at ease than before.

“Do-jin.”

“Yes.”

Seo-hye met his eyes softly and slowly moved her lips.

“You seem a bit different today.”

Do-jin also tilted his head slightly and deepened his gaze as he replied.

“How am I different?”

“Maybe because you’re not wearing your usual suit, you seem unfamiliar…”

“Unfamiliar?”

“I wonder if you’re really my man…”

Do-jin chuckled softly.

“Then if I’m not your man, whose man am I?”

“That’s what I mean. It’s hard to believe such a handsome man will live with me for the rest of my life.”

“Maybe I’m the one who should say that.”

He clasped the hand Seo-hye wasn’t using to hold the bouquet, interlocking their fingers tightly.

“You’re so incredibly beautiful that just looking into your eyes makes me tremble.”

“……”

“How am I supposed to live with this?”

Seo-hye shook her hand, meaning for him to stop teasing her. But he only held her hand tighter and leaned in a bit more.

“The wedding ceremony is too long.”

“It hasn’t even started yet.”

“Exactly. I want to roll around with you now, but there’s still a long way to go.”

Seo-hye frowned, but he continued speaking unfazed.

“I have something I’m curious about.”

“……What is it?”

“Is the dress heavy?”

“What?”

Seo-hye looked at him with a puzzled expression, wondering what on earth he was talking about, as he whispered in her ear.

“I was thinking of doing it once since there’s about 30 minutes left.”

“……”

“Wouldn’t it be too much to enter in this state?”

Seo-hye looked down a bit at him, annoyed.

Then she tapped his abdomen with the bouquet and shouted.

“Won Do-jin, even on our wedding day…! Control yourself! It’s not the first time…!”

Do-jin grabbed Seo-hye’s wrist as she hit him.

“Whose fault is this? Isn’t it because you’re so pretty that it stands up every time?”

“Ah, Do-jin, you’re making me dizzy. Please, go outside for a bit.”

Seo-hye let her shoulders drop as if she was out of energy and gestured toward the door with her chin.

Do-jin released Seo-hye’s hand and walked toward the door.

Before opening it, he turned back to Seo-hye and asked her a question.

“Could you ask just once?”

Without even looking at him, Seo-hye adjusted the slightly disheveled bouquet and replied indifferently.

“What is it now?”

“How does it feel to be the groom of the most beautiful bride in the world?”

Seo-hye’s mouth dropped open.

“Seriously, why are you like this…?! It’s giving me goosebumps…!”

“It seems your tension is relieved.”

Do-jin showed a calm smile and was about to leave the bridal waiting room.

“……How does it feel?”

However, Seo-hye asked in a faint voice. 

Hearing this, Do-jin turned back and answered.

“I’m so happy I could die, what else.”

Thud—

After he completely left the bridal waiting room, the door closed. And soon after, the door opened again, and the assistant entered.

“Oh my, bride. Why is your face so red?”

Embarrassed, Seo-hye cleared her throat and fanned herself with her hand.

***

The two chose to enter together.

Before the bride’s entrance, Seo-hye struggled quite a bit as she couldn’t breathe properly, almost fainting.

“Don’t be too nervous. Your photos won’t come out pretty.”

At the assistant’s whisper, Seo-hye closed her eyes tightly and then opened them.

Then, the silhouette of Do-jin on the wedding aisle came into view.

She focused solely on Do-jin and managed to step onto the virgin road.

He examined Seo-hye’s face as she stood there.

His expression seemed to ask if she was okay, so Seo-hye nodded to signal that she was.

Do-jin extended his arm for Seo-hye to link hers through.

As she slipped her arm into his, a strange sense of stability began to form.

Seo-hye glanced up at him.

His well-lit, handsome face was so dazzling it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

“Do-jin, you’re… glowing.”

Do-jin glanced down at her.

“It’s probably because I’m next to you.”

Seo-hye smiled.

“Groom and bride, enter!”

At the signal from the announcer, the two stepped forward.

Imagining how happy the world they would walk together would be, their steps felt unusually light.

***

After successfully finishing the wedding and reception, the two headed towards the prepared car.

Before boarding, Eung-soo cleared his throat and called out to Seo-hye.

“Ah, hmm. Child.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Seo-hye, who still found it awkward to call him grandfather, replied somewhat curtly.

Having learned what he had done to Do-jin and his parents, and remembering how he tried to marry her off to Hae-mi, she couldn’t bring herself to be affectionate with him.

“Yes. I heard you’re leaving for your honeymoon the day after tomorrow, taking today and tomorrow off because of Do-jin’s work?”

The honeymoon was planned for the day after tomorrow to match Do-jin’s schedule.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Alright. Rest well for two days since you’ll be tired, and there’s no need to stop by to greet me before you leave for the trip.”

Seo-hye nodded slightly in agreement.

“And, ahem. Also, child, when you return from the trip, could you paint my portrait? I think it’s about time I received it.”

“Did you place an order?”

Do-jin spoke exactly what Seo-hye wanted to say. His tone was so cold that Eung-soo couldn’t hide his bewildered expression.

“It requires looking at the face continuously while painting.”

“……”

“I wonder if Seo-hye can endure that for now.”

“You brat, how can you speak like that!”

Do-jin chuckled self-deprecatingly.

“Ask again when your mistake has faded a bit, Chairman.”

Do-jin helped the startled Seo-hye into the car. He drove away from the wedding hall entrance himself.

“Do-jin.”

“I don’t think I was too harsh.”

Expecting Seo-hye to scold him for speaking so harshly to her grandfather, Do-jin defensively replied first.

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then?”

“It’s reassuring.”

Do-jin, who was looking ahead, glanced at Seo-hye.

“That my husband is on my side.”

Do-jin’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at the unexpected words, but then he burst into laughter.

“Right. I’m indeed your husband now.”

Do-jin switched the steering wheel to his left hand and reached out with his right hand to hold Seo-hye’s hand.