One week before the wedding,
"Sofia ssi you can go home now, I'll take care of the rest", said Kang Muyong, assistant manager at the restaurant where I work
"Jinjja? I can go home now?", I asked looking at him
"Ye, I just have to throw away the trash and lock the door. Just go home ... ", he assured me
"Arasso", I replied smiling at him
I took off my apron and took my bag at the employee locker.
"Oppa, I'll leave now. Thank you for today," I said while bowed to him
"Ye. Be careful on the way home", he replied waving at me
I closed the restaurant door and tucked my coat up. It is already late autumn, in a few weeks winter will arrive. The air feels colder at night.
I checked my cellphone, it's already 10.30pm. I walked slowly towards the bus stop at the end of the road. I just finished my part time job at a restaurant. I've been working here since last year.
At that time, I thought that I should help my mother earn money because I felt that my mother was too tired to work alone to support us and she was often sick because of that.
After my mother died, I worked harder. Apart from working part time at a restaurant, I also take orders to make costumes and accessories. It didn't make too much money, but it was enough for my daily needs.
* ringring
I looked at my phone screen and frowned, wondering who had contacted me this late.
"Yeobosseyo?", I replied
"Sobi~ah, where are you?", a deep male voice came across the phone
"Who is this? Yoongi oppa?", I asked, confused
"Ye. This is Yoongi, Suga. Where are you?", He asked impatiently
"I'm on my way home. Wae?", I asked
"Where is that? I'll pick you up", he said again
"Huh? Jinjja??", I asked, stop walking, trying to hear more clearly
"Where are you? I want to meet you, I have something to talk about," he said a little annoyed
"Ooh, I .... mmm I'm at the bus stop Sillim ro 23", I replied staring at the bus stop in front of me
"Okay, I will arrive in fifteen minutes. Just wait ...", he said and then hung up the phone
"Yeobosseyo? Oppa? Yeobosseyo ??", I said
"What the hell, why did he hang up like that?", I muttered irritably, staring at my cellphone screen
Why would he come to see me this late? Wait! Where did he get my phone number?. Ah, maybe from his mother, I thought again. I sat at the bus stop and stared at the highway. The night was cold enough, not many people were passing by at this time.
Fifteen minutes later a black Hyundai Grandeur stopped in front of me. The front window slowly slides down and I can see a man wearing a hat and wearing a black shirt waving at me. I squinted my eyes to see him more clearly. Is that Yoongi ?, I thought.
"Sobi~ah, come in", he said
"Oppa?", I said as I walked over to the car
"Come on in, hurry," he repeated
"Ye", I replied when I found out that the man was Yoongi
"Annyeong", I said when I sat beside him
"Ye. Put on your seat belt", he said again without looking at me
"Ne," I answered
I fastened my seat belt and stared at him. He then started the car back on the highway.
"I thought you were still in Japan", I said breaking the silence
"I just arrived in Korea this afternoon", he replied indifferently
"Ooh ... is there something? Where are we going ?? Why do you want to meet me, oppa?", I asked again
"Gosh you're so noisy, why do you ask so many questions?", He said, shaking his head
"Wae ?? You called me suddenly and told me to wait for you in cold weather like this. Why can't I ask the reason?", I replied a little annoyed
I folded my arms across my chest and stared out the window, irritated by his rude attitude.
"We're getting married soon, I guess we have to straighten things out first", he replied simply
I didn't respond to his words, I just kept quiet and stared at the road in front of me. Then he stopped his car in a park not far from my apartment.
"What do you want to talk about?", I asked without looking at him
"Next week we will get married, we will become husband and wife and live in one house. You know I can not possibly live in your apartment, it will be very risky for me to live in the neighborhood where you live today", he said seriously
"Then?", I asked again
"I also didn't tell the members and the company about my marriage, so I couldn't suddenly leave the dorm," he said again
"What do you want to talk about oppa?", I said massaging my forehead
"Uh, well, I ... I mean ... mmmm I just bought a house for us to live in together. But maybe I can't come home to see you every day. You know how my job is, sometimes I have to stay up until morning when shooting or making music. So, ummm ... I hope you understand about this, "he said
I looked at him but hurriedly averted my gaze when our eyes met, I felt a little nervous about being this close to him.
"Arasso. I also have a condition if we have to live in the same house, oppa", I said looking at him
"Ye, say it ...", he replied, tilting his head full of interest
"When we get married and live together I want us to sleep in separate rooms", I said looking at him
"Ye, no problem. There are many rooms in the house", he replied, nodding his head
"Second, I don't want any physical contacts between us", I said a little awkwardly
"Like what? Sleeping together? Or touching is not allowed too??", he asked frowning while thinking about his words
"All of them", I replied, lowering my face
"Arasso, I won't touch you if you don't allow me", he replied, holding back a smile. "Anything else?", He added
"Mmmm ... no, I don't think there is any more", I replied looking at him
"Arasso. Then now it's my turn", said Yoongi smiling at me
"Eh? Your turn?", I asked, surprised
"Yee, you're not the only one who has the conditions?", Said Yoongi, laughing with amusement
"Okay ", I replied
"First, because we're going to live in my house, you have to follow the rules I made," he said
"What kind of rules?", I replied quickly
"I will think about it later after we move into our new house. Second, you cannot tell about our marriage to anyone", he said
"Arasso", I replied nodding at him
"And third, mmmm ... I did this because I thought you would want to feel this way, uh .... I, mmmm I prepared this for you ...", he stuttered and looked nervous
He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small black box. I stared at the small box. This is impossible right?!, I thought refusing to believe what was on my mind.
"Mmmmm ... I know our marriage has been arranged beforehand, but mmmm ... I just want to do as couples do in general," he said awkwardly as he kept his face down and played with the little box in his hand
I hold my breath, is this true as I thought?
He then opened the black box in his hand, inside there was a beautiful and shiny diamond ring.
I gaped at the small thing, no way !.
"Are you proposing to me ??", I asked, surprised
"Huh? Mmmm ... I don't know. Proposing is if I ask you to marry me, while our marriage is already fixed, mmmm .... so I don't know whether this is a proposal or not", he replied nervously
"Here, accept it", said Yoongi handing the box to me
I clenched my hands in my lap. Should I accept it ?, I said doubtfully.
"Come on, hurry up, you know I'm not used to doing things like this," said Yoongi, taking the ring and pulling my hand towards him
My heart skipped a beat as his hand slowly inserted the ring into my ring finger. I pulled my hand right after the diamond ring wrapped beautifully around my finger.
"Gomawo", I said briefly
The two of us looked at different directions, too embarrassed to look at each other.
"Ahem ... well, I'll take you home then", he said stiffly
The atmosphere in the car was very awkward. We didn't talk to each other during the trip.
"Where is your apartment?", Asked Yoongi to break the silence
"Uh, go straight, then turn left at the T-junction," I replied giving directions
I cupped my fingers tightly, the ring felt cold. I lowered my face slowly and stared at the ring on my finger. Very beautiful. This feels so surreal.
"Is it here?", Asked Yoongi
"Uh? Ah, yes ... that's my apartment", pointing to a 5 floor apartment on our left
"Gomawo oppa ", I said while removing my seat belt and getting ready to get off
But when I was about to open the car door, a thought crossed my head.
"Mmm, oppa. Can I ask something?", I asked him
"Ye", he said, looking at me
"Are we ... uh, will our marriage last forever?", I asked while biting my lip
Yoongi frowned at me, there was something in his eyes that I didn't know. He sighed and rubbed his face. Like thinking about the right answer to my question earlier.
"I don't know, Sobi. We never know what will happen in the future, I can only do my best and hope for something good to happen. But if you find someone you love in the future, I think uh, I will let you go so you can be with him. And I hope you do the same, let go of me when I find the woman I love", he replied with a serious face
I looked into his eyes, somehow I felt the bitterness in his voice earlier.
"Arasso, alright. I understand", I replied smiling at him
"You should go, it's almost midnight. I'll wait here until you enter your apartment," said Yoongi told me to go
"Ye. Oppa, gomawo", I said before getting out of the car
He nodded his head and smiled at me. I walked into the entrance of my apartment and climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor where my apartment is located.
I still saw his car in the parking lot when I arrived on the 3rd floor. I waved at him before entering my apartment.
I closed the door to my apartment and leaned behind the door for a few moments. Thinking about what just happened. I raised my left hand and brought it close to my face.
This diamond ring is very beautiful, simple but beautiful.
"I think it's real", I said after trying to biting it
Our wedding is only a week away. All preparations have been completed, starting from the place, food, invitations, souvenirs and my wedding dress, everything is ready. It only remains to prepare my mental which hasn't.
I took a deep breath while walking towards my mother's room. I sat on her bed and picked up a frame on her bedside table that contained a picture of my mother and father.
"Oemma, appa (mom, dad) ... I'm getting married next week. I don't know what will happen later, but I hope you are happy because this is the marriage you want", I said, stroking the faces of my father and mother.
"You know what Yoongi oppa just did? He proposed to me while giving me a diamond ring, this ring is so beautiful. The most beautiful ring I've ever seen in my life. I didn't think he would do that considering this marriage is an arranged marriage", I said smiling when remembering what had happened earlier
"I don't know how I feel right now ... I really hope you are here with me now and give me strength. I really miss you", I said looking at the smiling faces of my parents
I held the photo tightly against my chest. Trying to hold back my tears. I will face this, I keep the promise that Yoongi said. We will let each other go when in the future we find the people we love. I hope things will go well for both of us ...
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Stay safe and stay gold as always ARMY
Borahae 💜💜💜