The One That Got Away
Prologue:
Jung Yunho had an aversion to weddings. He avoided the occasion as much as possible, and always made excuses not to attend one.
This time, though, no amount of excuse would ever work. It was his brother’s wedding. But Yunho seriously believed that there was no point for him to be there - he wasn’t even Ji Hoon’s best man - and didn’t play such a huge role in the wedding or in the preparations. (Ji Hoon had picked his long time friend Choi Dong Wook as his best man. Yunho hadn’t minded because he wouldn’t have been as much help as Dong Wook, anyway.)
Dong Wook was now standing behind Ji Hoon as a pillar of support, as Ji Hoon’s bride walked towards the altar, the music accompanying her walk. (Park Yoochun had been the designated pianist for the occasion. He was also going to provide the music for the dance at the reception later on.)
Kim Junsu nudged him. “Pay attention to the ceremony, would you?” The two of them were sitting at the very front row of the church. “It’s not every day your brother gets married.” (Their parents, Jung Jin Ho and Jung Youn Ha, were also at the altar with Ji Hoon and Dong Wook to welcome the bride in to the family.)
“I can’t believe Hyung is getting married to someone he just met three months ago,” Yunho muttered. Ji Hoon had met his future bride, Jeon Ji Hyun on one of his business trips to America. (Ever since Ji Hoon had taken over as CEO of Jung Corporation, the business had expanded more overseas, especially their hotel chains.) Jeon Ji Hyun was working as a manager at Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. According to Ji Hoon, one look at her and he knew she was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
“Yoochun fell in love with me at first sight,” Junsu reminded him. “Now hush, don’t spoil the occasion.” (Yunho did not even notice that his parents and Dong Wook had already taken their seats and the priest had started to speak.)
Yunho let his mind drift off from the wedding. It’s not like he wasn’t happy for his Ji Hoon-hyung - on the contrary, no one could be happier for Ji Hoon than Yunho. Yunho had known how his brother had always put his family and the business first and second before his own needs and wants, and it was nice to finally see Ji Hoon settle down and have a family of his own. And to be honest, Yunho couldn’t have chosen someone better as Ji Hyun for his brother. (From the way Ji Hoon and Ji Hyun glanced at each other, every one could tell it was love.)
It was just that Yunho was uncomfortable with the wedding itself. He had not wanted to be there and it had taken a lot of convincing and pleading from his parents and his brother that he attends. Now, Yunho just wanted the whole ceremony done and over with.
There was a time though, when the thought of a wedding excited him. The thought of marrying someone and settling down had made his heart beat so hard and fast inside his chest that Yunho felt like flying. He watched as Ji Hoon and Ji Hyun exchanged rings, making promises to love and cherish each other for the rest of their lives. (Beside him, Junsu caught Yoochun’s loving gaze from across the aisle. The latter was sitting at the pew nearest the piano.)
But that feeling had long passed. Yunho couldn’t remember another time after that when he felt like his heart would burst from so much love. It was a time in his life that Yunho treasured and kept close, because it had not happened again. (The reason he hated weddings was because it reminded him so much of that special time.)
“You may now kiss the bride,” the priest announced. Yunho blinked. He had been so lost in his thoughts that the ceremony had come to a close without him realizing it. Yunho watched as Ji Hoon pulled the veil away from Ji Hyun’s face and they had their first kiss as husband and wife.
The memories flashed through Yunho, stronger and more vivid than before, as if it happened yesterday. (And Yunho had to close his eyes and push them away at the back of his head.)
But they still came at him, one after another, and it took all of Yunho’s self-control to just not stand up and walk away. (Although he probably could now that the wedding ceremony was over.)
Jung Yunho hated weddings with a passion, despised them so much, because his own had ended before it even began.
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“How do you know its true love?”
“You don’t.”
“Then how can you be so sure that you’re marrying your true love?”
“It’s called a leap of faith, I guess.”
“So, what do you think?” Lee Seunghyun asked his fellow writer and good friend. “Do you think I should make it more romantic?”
“Wouldn’t it be dangerous for TOP to get married? He’s a spy for South Korea. His wife could be used as a threat to his life.”
Seunghyun grinned. “I actually plan to reveal later on that the person TOP married was another spy who was ordered to kill TOP.”
“Well, that would change things entirely. You should probably make TOP fall hard to the point that he’ll feel betrayed when the person he loves tries to kill him.”
“Do you think you could help me with those parts, Jaejoong?” Seunghyun said. “I haven’t written a love story before.”
Kim Jaejoong looked up from the manuscript he was reading. “I could try. But I don’t think I can be of much help.” He pushed his black wire-rimmed glasses up his nose. “I haven’t written a novel for over two years now.”
“Maybe you should get back to writing again,” Seunghyun suggested. “Your fans are probably anticipating another Kim Jaejoong novel. Your stories have always been one of a kind, Jae.”
“Are they really?” Seunghyun had not been the first person to tell him so. There have been a lot of people encouraging Jaejoong to write again and it wasn’t like Jaejoong had not wanted to try. (It was just that every time he started, the words that came out didn’t really satisfy him.) “You’re just saying that because you don’t want me to be your editor anymore,” Jaejoong teased him.
“Are you kidding me?” Seunghyun exclaimed. “I love you as an editor! We jive well together and you know what I need to spice up my TOP series.” The series already had twenty novels published and still counting. “And I do think I need your help with the love story part of it, Jae.”
Jaejoong sighed. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do.” He looked back at the manuscript and after a moment, thoughtfully added a line of his own.
“But what if you couldn’t even take that leap to know for sure?”
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A/N: I probably shouldn't have started this while I still have another fic unfinished. But the idea wouldn't get out of my head after watching the movie "My Amnesia Girl," so I guess I just had to write it. For those who have watched the movie, I'm definitely going to incorporate bits and pieces of it in the story.