Wedding Planning (1/1)

"So what's up?" I said, circling my teaspoon around in my coffee.He sat silently, then slowly began talking, "Listen, I'm really sorry that I'm dumping my problems onto you... I know you have your stuff going on; you can tell me to shut up whenever."The clanging of pans and plates and utensils sounded throughout the spacious rooms. The dining hall was quite busy at this time in the morning.I gave him a reassuring smile, "Khun, what's wrong?""She dumped me," he looked out the window at the blinding reflection from the snow."What!?" I blurted out in the midst of a moment of silence. "But that can't happen! You guys were the only example of a fairy tale couple I could ever think of! If you guys can't stay together, then who can?! Did she ever say why?!" "Tiffany," he whispered, "Indoor voice, please.""No! We will get to the bottom of this!""Yes, but you could lower the volume a little bit... for my ego's sake. I don't really want everyone listening in on our conversation...""Ah, sorry," I calmed myself down a little."She said that it's because she just didn't really like me anymore... I mean," he drew in a deep breath and sighed, "She actually said it's because she was never as into the relationship as I was. I was putting too much pressure on her to commit.""What does that even mean?!""I don't really know," he sipped his coffee.I tried to think back through all the snapshots of their relationship I had been a part of. Come to think of it, he had always been the one to actively make the relationship go on. He had been the one to plan everything when she would be slightly more reluctant."Khun," I said, shaking my head, "I'm so sorry. I know how much she meant to you.""Yeah... How much she still means to me.""Well... you know what they say," I sighed, "There are plenty of fish in the sea.""Do you think I could get her back?" He suddenly changed the subject.I shook my head cautiously, "I don't think it's worth it.""But I still just... love her so much," he said, furrowing his eyebrows."I know, dude," I said, biting my lip, not quite sure what to say to him. "We'll find someone else, okay?""I know I have to, but I don't want to.""But then you'll just be hurting yourself more.""I know."He sat there, staring at his coffee, as I stared at him, wondering what I should say next."You're in love, Tiffany. You should know how it feels to just have to let go like that and to want to fight against the cause of the break up."I nodded, "But the circumstances are different.""Yeah, I know. He still loves you to death, and she can't stand me anymore.""That's not true," I shook my head, "Just because you broke up, doesn't mean you can't be friends.""But you do realize how much that's going to hurt, right?"I nodded, "I do. Trust me. Even though Taecyeon was just testing me back when he was getting his fake relationship on with Joy, I wanted throw myself off of a building."Silence."But if romantic movies have ever taught me anything," I smiled a little, "It's to give yourself time to remember who you are-- who Nichkhun Horvejkul is as an individual... not a part of Khuntoria."He chuckled, "Did you guys really call us that?"I nodded."It's cute."And then my phone rang: "Toniiiiiight, Toniiiiiggghtt""You finally changed your ringtone?" He teased.I stuck my tongue out and picked up, "Hello?""Hey, I hope you're feeling better," Dongwoon's soothing, deep voice sounded through the speaker."Yeah... barely, but thanks for checking up," I said."No problem. Look, I know this is an awful time for this..." he cleared his throat, "But my mom just called me to tell me that you're supposed to be picking out a dress later today and maybe even planning various other parts of the wedding.""Ah." My heart sank. If I had one wish at that moment, I would wish that it was Taecyeon who was on the other end of that phone line."Tiff?" He checked to see if I was still there."Yeah, still here. Um... What time is it at and where?""It's at two in the afternoon; she told me to come with you, so I'll take you," he said."Okay...." I trailed off."I'm sorry.""It's okay," I sighed, "Is it okay if I bring other people? Just like... friends to help me choose the right dress?""Sure. I'm sure they won't really care... I mean, I don't think any of our parents are going to be there, so by all means," he said."Dongwoon, I'm sorry," I realized how awful he must have felt, "That you're put in this position. I know what you're feeling, and I'm sorry that I'm being so selfish. I guess I should really start changing how I feel, huh...?""No." I could imagine him shaking his head during the pause, "You get to feel how you want to feel. This type of thing is supposed to happen to people who are in love... We're not."I sat silently, waiting for him to say something else."Tiffany?""Yeah. I'm here.""I'll come by at one, okay?""Yeah."I hung up and took a deep breath."So," Nichkhun started, "Where am I accompanying you to today?"I smiled, "Dress shopping.""Oh ugh," he looked away, "Can we bring someone else along?""Of course! What? You really think I trust you with picking the dresses I'll be wearing at my wedding ceremony and dinner?""Hey! I have pretty good style, thank you." He stuck his tongue out at me.I laughed as did he."So who will we bring? Nicole? Bekah? Nana?""Uh..." I looked away, "Honestly, I've been avoiding everyone lately. I'm just really tired... and I don't have the emotional capacity to explain to everyone what happened. I mean, I don't really mind if they know... I just don't think I have the ability to tell them. Not even Taec knows.""What?!""Lower your voice!""Why? You were yelling ealier," he raised his voice louder."You're so embarassing!""You are too," he yelled.I glared at him, then started laughing. I missed hanging out with Khun like this. This might sound bad, but his break up with Victoria may actually be a good thing for him. That way he could get back in touch with his friends. For some time, she was a big part of the group-- our "family" as I liked to call it, but then she started hanging out with the popular girls in the dorm... girls like Jessica and Raina. She's definitely changed. But whatever, now that Khun is back as an active member of the family, I'm happy."So... I'm the only one that you've told?" He asked."And Junsu," I shrugged."What about Junho and Wooyoung?"I shook my head."Chansung?""Nope.""I'm scared to ask the next one," he look at me from an angle, "Taecyeon?"I looked away and shook my head."So... I'm guess we'll be bringing Junsu?"I nodded."Good," he chuckled, "We'll need to take someone with some fashion sense."****"That's hideous," Khun blurted out as he sat up from a slouched position, watching me walk out of the changing room.I started laughing, "You're the one that chose it!""Khun, I don't understand how you function. The clothes that you put on yourself look cute on you, but the clothes that you choose for other people just don't look... normal," Junsu half-joked."Okay, next," he shook his head."Well, I don't know guys, this shiny butt part is soooo cute," I teased. It was actually the most hideous dress I had ever seen.Junsu stood up and herded me back into the changing room, "Next.""Fine!" I yelled and giggled simulataneously as he closed the curtain behind me.I wiggled out of my dress and stepped out of it. Now onto the puffy one that Junsu chose. The top was very form fitting but the bottom poofed out... like a princess dress. Stepping over the layers that spread outward, I nearly tripped and died. When they heard me squirm and yelp, they both freaked out and almost opened the curtain to see if I was still alive."I'm fine, guys. If you open that curtain, I swear to God.""Then don't give me a heart attack like that!" Junsu said."Because I'd totally die in a changing room at a wedding dress shop," I giggled.Silence. Pure silence. Not even whispering. Wow, I'm so not funny."Okay, I'm clothed, but I need someone to help me lace up the back for me," I said, partly opening the curtain and turning around.As the dress was laced up tightly, I felt hands wrap around my waist and give me a back hug.Flustered at the thought of being hugged so affectionately by Junsu or Nichkhun (who were practically my brothers), I turned around and yelled, "What the heck, you guys!"As I saw Taecyeon in a tuxedo standing in front of me, I took a step back and tripped over the dress, falling gracefully on my ass."Careful," he said, reaching a hand down to lift me up."T-Taec..." I stammered, "What.. How...""You look beautiful," he said, eyeing my body and face.Looking away, I bit my lip, "How did you find out?""Why didn't you tell me?" He ignored my stupid question... obviously one of those two told him."I was trying to figure out how.""Tiff," he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in closer to him, "Let's just run away.""Taec, we've been over this before. I can't," I shook my head, "There's no way I can do that.""I'll pay for your college tuition.""No, Taec. You can't!" I took a step back."Why not?!" He yelled."Because, I'm not going to leech off of you for the rest of my life," I breathed."So instead you're going to give your life to someone else you don't love? And what? You're also going to leave me behind?""Taec," I placed a hand on his chest to calm him down, "It's not like that. I really think there's no way out... no rational, reasonable way out."He looked angry-- angrier than the time I told him I cheated on him with Chansung-- but also sad, his eyes became glossy. Were those tears?Unable to look at me any longer, he looked at a spot on the wall behind me, blinking away the wetness in his eyes."Babe," I moved my hands to his jaw, cupping his face with my small hands.I looked down at his hands. They were balled into fists."Taec? Please say something."I was on the verge of tears as well, seeing him like this and really grasping the situation realistically. This marriage was to happen, and there was no way out. Nothing I could do or say would change it. That's it. Taecyeon and I are over.Finally, he looked down at me and a tear spilled out of his eye."The one thing in the entire world that I want to have and live for... is being taken away from me. Just like that."My heart sank. I felt like it was going to fall right out of my body.Tippy-toeing, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips against his as hard as I could. I wanted this kiss to last, even after I pulled away. For all I knew, this could be the last.He pulled the curtain closed and held my waist firmly, breathing out a deep, warm breath as I took it in. He worked his hands up to my back, ready to untie the back just as easily as he had tied it earlier.I swiped my tongue over his lip as if to ask for entrance, but before I could even begin making out with him, he pulled the string of the dress, unraveling the tie. The dress fell loose, and he hoisted me out, pulling a lingerie-clad me out of the poofy mess and holding me against him.I began to cry as he kissed me harder, slipping his tongue into my mouth and expertly retracing every corner of my mouth. My tears fell on his clean pressed shirt, wetting and dirtying it. I sniffled, pulling away to gasp for air. While apart, we stared at each other, reading the other to confirm a mutual sadness."Tiffany?" A woman's voice filled the show room.Wide-eyed, the two of us scrambled to get our clothes on and clean up. Taecyeon swiped his fingers under my eyes to wipe away runny make up and kissed me gently one more time before stepping back into a corner of the changing room to hide from anyone who could possibly open the curtains in that moment.I quickly pulled up my jeans and zipped them up before walking out of the changing room to see who was calling me."Dongwoon told me you had a couple of dresses you were trying on. Have you chosen yet?" Mrs. Son said kindly."Yeah, I think I found the one," I said, running back into the changing room to pick up the puffy one that I had just been stripped out of."Oh, that's cute! I like it," She smiled, "Let's go and pay for it, shall we?"I nodded and started towards the front of the store with the giant dress in my arms when she asked me if I was okay, seeing my puffy red eyes and runny nose."I'm fine," I smiled, "Just some allergies." Lies. I don't even know what having allergies feels like."Oh, dear. Let the assistants get that for you."An employee quickly came over to me to take the dress out of my hands."Oh wait!" I said as I followed Mrs. Son towards the front of the store, " I forgot my purse. I'll be there in a second.""I'll get it. They want you to fill out some forms for the dress," she said, walking towards the changing room.Shit."Go on!" She waved her hands towards the employees waiting for me as I nervously watched her make her way over to Taecyeon.Just as she was about to open the curtain, however, I yelled out to her, "Wait!""What is it, dear?""Umm..."  How the hell was I supposed to cover that up?!I took too long. She whisked open the curtain and found Taecyeon standing against the wall, trying to act inconspicuous. He and I stared at each other nervously."Excuse me?" She was appalled. "Tiffany, do you know him?"I nodded cautiously, "That's... my boyfriend.""But--""Mrs. Son, I didn't want you to know because I really do like you as a motherly figure," I began slowly, "But... I really do need someone to hear me out when I say that I don't want to marry Dongwoon. I know he's your son and that you want the best for him, but he's not the one for me."And just at that moment, Dongwoon walked in casually, then stopped in his tracks as he saw the three of us standing there in the changing room.Ignoring him, I continued, "I've tried talking to my dad, Mr. Son, and nothing will work." The tears began to stream down my face again. I had really been putting away these tears for some time. When Dongwoon told me yesterday, I didn't want to just start bawling my eyes out in front of him, and now they were bursting out of my eyes.Taecyeon quickly made his way over to me and held my hand, squeezing it tightly. He then took out a handkerchief, wiped away my tears and then handed it to me so that I could wipe my own tears away.She scanned everyone's expression, then silently turned back towards the cashier and whispered something to the employee, taking the form I was supposed to fill out with her as she left the store just like that.I looked at Taecyeon nervously as tears welled up in my eyes again. Did that mean that she wasn't okay with what just happened? I could see Dongwoon watching me from the corner of my eye."It's okay," Taecyeon's gentle voice calmed me down as he held my hand tighter, sweeping my hair behind my ear and kissing me on the top of my head. He turned towards me and and then looked me in the eyes, "Let's go.""Where to?""Away."--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------aaaah. This chapter made me sad. but it was so short. but I have so much work. argh. anyways, I hope you liked it.@Mzjulieb2uty: ugh omg. Taecyeon is always such a boss... at least in my mind. and that's just how I picture him in real life.@fyekay918: b'aww thank you so much!! :) That makes me feel very motivated to keep writing haha. and I mean, I wouldn't be able to choose between Chansung and Taecyeon if the choice ever presented itself. They're both so hot, and their personalities are so different, but still both so great! =____=^___^ Thank you for all your support!-yellowbee