Starlight Wedding

Several men and women gathered at a Korean BBQ restaurant famous for its charcoal-grilled ribs.

They sat around a table for six and looked around.

“This place hasn’t changed at all,” said a woman who seemed lively.

“I know, if you look closely, you might even find the graffiti I wrote.”

“Crazy, Kim Eun-soo. You even wrote on the walls? No manners.”

The woman clicked her tongue. The man called Kim Eun-soo raised his voice, sounding wronged.

“You wrote it with me! Because we lost the game! And they don’t usually mind if you write here.”

Despite the man’s protest, the woman pretended to cover her ears with her palms, as if she didn’t want to listen.

“You guys haven’t changed at all,” said another man, chuckling at the scene.

Although I didn’t know them well, it seemed they had come to a place with quite a history for them.

They reminisced about past memories as they looked at the unchanged interior of the restaurant, the stained chairs, and the menu with changed prices.

Their rising decibels, as if they were enjoying themselves, brought back memories of their youth.

Their memories, which had been tucked away in an old drawer, transformed them back into fresh college students.

Thinly sliced pork belly, ordered to match the number of people, signaled the start of the meal.

The sound of the meat touching the grill and the savory smell of oil tickled their noses.

They swallowed their saliva and put a piece in their mouths one by one, exclaiming in admiration in their own ways.

“But when is Seong-a noona coming?”

As the meal was in full swing, someone asked.

Everyone was waiting for the arrival of Seong-a, the center of the gathering.

“She said her work would end a little late today, so she told us to eat first.”

“Big companies are different. They really make you work.”

“We should have made plans for Friday or Saturday.”

“No. She said she was only available today.”

“She’s busy. But still, it doesn’t make sense when you think about it, does it?”

Eun-soo picked up two lettuce leaves, stacking them on top of each other.

“Have some lettuce manners… But what’s so amazing?” Hye-rin said, frowning at the sight.

“No, I knew noona was good at studying, but I didn’t know she would even double major.”

“And she graduated from both with honors.”

“That noona lived in the library except when she was hanging out with us.”

Someone who received Eun-soo’s words dipped their chopsticks in soybean paste and said.

“That’s right. She didn’t go home often either. What did she say? She said she didn’t want to go home. She either stayed up all night at the library or slept at Soo-jin’s studio, right?”

When Hye-rin asked, Soo-jin, who had been silently eating meat, nodded.

“Anyway, I thought it was amazing to see that noona studying so hard and still participating in school events… She’s definitely the most successful among us.”

“I saw on KakaoTalk that she seems to have a boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? I didn’t see her profile?”

Soo-jin’s eyes lit up, and Eun-soo laughed.

“I think she accidentally made it a public profile while setting it up. I saw it for a moment and then it went back to the default profile picture.”

“Did you see her boyfriend’s face?”

“Yeah. He looked a bit older?”

“Did she meet him at work? I never thought Seong-a unni would be dating.”

“I know. She got confessions in college, but she didn’t seem interested at all. I thought she was avoiding relationships.”

“Or maybe she has more time now that she’s employed?”

“Well, that could be it. We should ask her when she gets here.”

Kim Sung-ah arrived when a new serving of thinly sliced pork belly was being served.

Everyone stood up from their seats and welcomed the main character of the gathering, and Kim Sung-ah, dressed in casual clothes, waved with a bright smile.

They shared stories they had accumulated and reenacted their past selves.

The reunion of alumni was in full swing, and their stomachs, which had shrunk from hunger, were filled with food.

Everyone at the table thought it was a pleasant time.

“Unni, let’s go for a second round. How about beer? The pub we used to go to is still there.”

It was already 10 o’clock. The group, who had eaten meat until closing time, rubbed their bulging stomachs and left the restaurant.

Was it because they hadn’t seen each other in a long time?

Someone suggested a second round, feeling sad about parting, but Kim Sung-ah shook her head.

“No. I have to go in early.”

“Because of work?”

“No, I’m on vacation from tomorrow.”

“If you’re on vacation, you can stay out later.”

“I’m going to Japan, and my flight is early in the morning, so I have to sleep early. Actually, it’s already a bit late now.”

“Wow, Japan. I’m jealous. But why a sudden trip?”

“Ah, honeymoon.”

After Kim Sung-ah’s words, no one opened their mouths.

How many minutes had passed? The silence was broken by someone’s sharp scream.

“Unni? Are you getting married? Why didn’t you give us wedding invitations!”

“Wow, noona. I feel betrayed.”

“What? Are you married? Or are you going to get married? If it’s a honeymoon, you’re already married, right?”

Kim Sung-ah smiled awkwardly at the noisy words of her younger friends and calmed them down.

“Wait~ Wait~ Quiet. I’ll explain everything.”

Looking at the eyes of her younger friends who were only looking at her, Kim Sung-ah opened her mouth.

“I didn’t say anything separately because I’m not having a wedding ceremony. I was going to talk about the marriage itself while meeting you today.”

“Why aren’t you having a wedding ceremony?”

“Ah… that’s because neither of our parents can attend.”

Everyone became somber at Kim Sung-ah’s words.

“That… on the husband’s side too?”

“Ah, yes. My husband’s parents can’t attend either.”

“Did your husband’s side tell you not to do it?”

Someone asked with subtle suspicion, and Kim Sung-ah laughed.

“No, I said it first. My husband said it would be better to have one… but I was a bit practical. I said let’s save the wedding costs and add them to the interior design.”

“Ah… well, there are many people who don’t have weddings these days.”

When someone supported Kim Sung-ah’s choice, others nodded in agreement.

“But we did get rings.”

Kim Sung-ah proudly held out her left hand, and the platinum ring on her ring finger sparkled.

“Oh, I thought it was a couple ring.”

“I wanted to see unni in a dress, so it’s a shame.”

“A dress….”

Kim Sung-ah pondered something for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders.

The others thought it meant she didn’t care much.

After reluctantly parting with her younger friends who didn’t want to leave, Kim Sung-ah walked the streets of the school, where a part of her youth was buried.

Passing the red wall and through the alley, there was a shortcut she used to take often.

The shortcut led to the station closest to the school, but she had no intention of taking the subway.

“You came early and were waiting.”

Seeing the car parked on the side of the road with its hazard lights on, she quickened her pace.

Opening the passenger seat door, she bent down and got into the car.

“You’re here?”

“Yeah, was it fun? You didn’t get to hang out much, did you?”

When Kim Sung-ah asked, the man who was holding the steering wheel glanced to the side and asked.

“It was short, but it was fun enough. It was nice to see them after a long time.”

“Okay. I packed all the bags, so just check the passport and stuff and then go to sleep.”

“It’s my first overseas trip.”

“Don’t forget to take off your shoes when you get on the plane.”

“Last time when we went to Jeju Island, you said to stand up and shout ‘Bravo’ when we landed. I’m not falling for it this time.”

Kim Sung-ah glared, and Kang In-ho chuckled and drove the car.

They talked about their trivial daily lives and tomorrow’s trip as they drove on the road.

The car soon arrived at their house, the house with a yard, where Kang In-ho had once stayed as a villainous executive.

“That’s right. Ajusshi. Let’s go somewhere for a moment.”

Just as they were about to enter the house, Kim Sung-ah grabbed him.

“Where?”

“Just follow me.”

In an instant, a light flashed, and Kim Sung-ah grabbed Kang In-ho by the back of the neck and flew into the sky.

An ordinary person would scream, but he seemed used to it, crossing his arms and dangling in the sky.

Kim Sung-ah dragged him to the roof of the tallest building nearby.

“Why here?”

Kang In-ho asked when they arrived at the rooftop where the cold night wind was blowing.

“We got married, right?”

“Yeah, on paper.”

“But we’re not having a wedding ceremony, right?”

“Should we have a wedding ceremony?”

“No. Wedding ceremonies are a waste of money.”

Kim Sung-ah shook her head.

“Then?”

“But I wanted to wear a dress. A wedding dress.”

“Ah… then should we just wear a wedding dress and take pictures? I heard there are places that only take wedding photos these days.”

“No. I have something better.”

When the girl snapped her fingers, starlight enveloped her.

The name of the starlight is various.

Meeting,

Memories,

Fights,

Hardships,

Farewell.

And relief.

The girl who didn’t want to become an adult was now an adult and stood before him.

The immature child became a woman who shyly held out her hand, and the man responded to her heart by smiling kindly and taking her hand.

“Ajusshi.”

The girl became an adult. That’s why she realized.

“Thank you. For being by my side.”

What he had given up to come to her.

The fact that she couldn’t just be happy that she had been chosen by him.

“I’ll make you happy.”

The girl vowed. To give only happiness to this man who had given up so much and come to her.

“I love you. More than anyone else.”

The eyes containing mysterious starlight sparkled.