Chapter 6 (Part 4)

Leaving the waiting room, she saw Romeo already standing in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary. William was also standing at the officiant’s spot, waiting for them. She safely escorted Rosaline to Romeo’s side and stepped aside. The wedding began.

“Groom Romeo, do you vow to love the bride beside you forever?”

And finally, the awaited moment arrived. It was also the reason William had to officiate. If Friar Lawrence said ‘bride Juliet,’ Romeo would end up vowing his love for her in front of the statue. That had to be avoided.

“Yes, I vow.”

Romeo answered confidently. It was as if he couldn’t imagine any other possibility. At that moment, Romeo staggered and collapsed into his seat.

“Romeo!”

Rosaline called his name in surprise. William also looked somewhat shocked. She had warned them that he might lose consciousness if the Masterpieces clashed, but facing it in reality seemed to have startled them. She was the only one unfazed, having seen such a scene before.

After a short time, Romeo opened his eyes again. He looked around in confusion. His eyes shook violently as he confirmed the woman in the wedding dress standing next to him and himself in a tuxedo.

“What is this…?”

Before Romeo could gather his thoughts, William spoke.

“Groom, please lift the veil and confirm the bride’s face.”

Romeo staggered to his feet and followed William’s request. As he lifted the white veil, Rosaline’s tense face was revealed. She was looking at Romeo earnestly.

“Rosaline…”

And from Romeo’s lips came her name. The name of the ‘Lovely Person’ he thought of. Tears filled Rosaline’s eyes.

“Groom Romeo, do you vow to love bride Rosaline forever?”

And Romeo answered.

“I vow.”

His eyes unwaveringly fixed on Rosaline. She realized one thing. Watching Romeo confess his love to Rosaline, she didn’t feel any heartache. Just then, Rosaline’s face slowly changed into someone else’s. Seeing that face, her heart swelled with emotion.

She quietly left the church. And she slowly walked around the church, waiting for someone who would surely follow her out.

“Juliet!”

Finally, the person she was waiting for called her name and ran over. He seemed to have rushed out, still in his officiant attire.

“William, I’ve been waiting.”

At her reply, William looked at her with somewhat frightened eyes.

“Is that to sort things out with me?”

“What?”

She asked back, surprised by the unexpected question. He mumbled as if unable to meet her eyes.

“Now, all the problems brought by the Masterpiece are resolved. Except for me, who has become your fiancé.”

William’s eyes wavered anxiously. With trembling eyes, he faced her directly.

“The Montague and Capulet families have reconciled peacefully. Romeo and Rosaline are reunited. Now the only problem you need to solve is me.”

She finally understood what he was saying. He continued with difficulty.

“Juliet. You have no idea how much I’ve had to endure every day. To maintain my pride as a writer, or rather, simply to not cross the line as a person, I’ve had to keep enduring. Juliet, ever since I found out my script was a Masterpiece, I’ve wanted to write a story where you fall in love with me.”

William confessed with difficulty. Each word felt so burdensome that she listened with a strangely aching heart.

“If I have any talent for writing scripts, as people say, I wanted to squeeze out every bit of it to create a plausibility where you would fall in love with me, to somehow write that one sentence that you love me. If I could do that, it seemed like it would be okay for that to be the last sentence I ever wrote.”

Every letter was filled with sincerity. It felt a bit heavy. It was a confession he had drawn out with all his might. He opened his mouth one last time, as if it was overwhelming.

“I love you, Juliet.”

Having finished speaking, William lowered his head as if he couldn’t face her anymore. She reached out and cupped his face.

“Look at me, William.”

Following her touch, he slowly raised his head. She began speaking in a slightly stern voice.

“If you write that I love you in the Masterpiece, you’ll never be truly happy.”

“I’m sorry, Juliet, I…”

William’s eyes blurred at her words, which might have sounded somewhat cold. He urgently tried to say something, but she continued without listening.

“William, even if I say I love you, will you be able to believe it? You’ll doubt it and despair that it’s not real love. Don’t do such a thing.”

“Yes, Juliet. I will never write it.”

William answered with a dejected face. She smiled and added a word.

“And you don’t need to anymore.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Watching Romeo and Rosaline’s wedding, I realized something.”

William looked at her in confusion at the sudden change of topic. But he waited silently for her to continue.

“When I saw Romeo marrying another woman, I didn’t feel any heartache. When he sweet-talked me, my heart didn’t race wildly as it used to.”

She took out the perfume bottle from her pocket. It was the Lovely Person she had brought along, worried that the magic cast on Rosaline might break midway. She sprayed the perfume on William without hesitation. And before her eyes, only one person’s image appeared.

“Right now, I see the face of William Shakespeare.”

No more words were needed. She strengthened her grip on his face and pulled him toward her. His lips met hers. Warmth spread across her lips.

“I love you, William.”

At the end of the brief kiss, she confessed to him. William looked dazed, unable to accept the situation. Soon, his face turned red. It was the reddest face she had ever seen.

“Juliet? You mean it, right?”

William looked at her with an expression of disbelief. Without answering, she smiled and hugged him. Slowly, his arms wrapped around her. She looked up while embraced. A bright red face appeared before her eyes. It was the face of the person she loved the most.

“I love you. I really do. Thank you. Truly.”

William poured out his emotions for her without any order. She accepted all those words with joy. After a long hug, she spoke once more.

“William, shall we make one promise?”

“A promise?”

William’s mouth questioned her, but his eyes already spoke of acceptance. He was so honest that it was almost worrisome. She swallowed a bitter smile and continued.

“Yes. From now on, let’s never write in the Masterpiece about things that haven’t happened yet.”

William’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was still alive, waiting for the end of the story. She had found a way to conclude that story.

“Instead, let’s write about the past. Today, we write about what we did yesterday, and tomorrow, about what you said today. Since these are events that have already happened, the Masterpiece won’t be able to act on its own under the guise of plausibility.”

“The past…”

“Let’s create our ongoing story into one Masterpiece.”

William’s eyes widened, and he hugged her even tighter. She also strengthened her arms around him. Warmth blossomed between their touching bodies.

“Yes, Juliet. I will make it the greatest story of my life.”

“It’s not just you making it. We’re making it together.”

Even as she chided him, a smile spread across her face. It was the beginning of a new story.