Chapter Text
It was a quiet, small village. One that has a tiny square with an old fountain and statues, gardens full of lilacs, and a river with an arched stone bridge. It was a beautiful, tranquil place, but if you ask whether or not it's a holiday-worthy place that meets the costs of long, tiring flights, well...
After putting the bags in a hotel room which, obviously, seldom had foreigners in it, they came out and had a quick stroll around the village square. And Simoon found himself having the most odd smile.
So that must be it; in this remote foreign town, "that kind of thing" is allowed. Even a man with another man...
"So?"
Tenka briefly recoiled as Simoon maundered, but he remained rather jaunty. With an unbeatable smile upon his face - which is his trademark - Simoon raised his hand and pointed.
"That's the church?"
What on earth are you mumbling about, Tenka muttered, but Simoon ignored it that and let out a sigh.
"I can read you like a book. Wondered why you nagged me to get us a vacation to go overseas out of the blue. To this little tiny nameless place. I should have known."
"No idea what you're sayin'."
All the quibbles that he cried like last resistance proved to be of no use. when Simoon gave him a glare he quickly recoiled, as if trying to bury his head between his shoulders, and looked away. After that questions started to get answered.
"So, yes or no?"
"...Y...es."
"Since it's a church... a pastor?"
"...Ja."
"When?"
"...An diesem Sonntag."
"This Sunday? You clearly planned this out. Have you booked for this?"
"...Incluting tux."
Always so meticulous in this kind businesses. Very much dumbfound, Simoon was about to sigh again but had to swallow it back when he saw Tenka glancing guiltily. He was still hunkered down, pouting like a child.
"'k, 'kay, I'll cancel..."
"No tux."
Tenka froze when he heard Simoon. Simoon walked away, leaving him to wordlessly puff like a goldfish, and glanced disapprovingly at the red bricked church.
"Tuxedos, really? Embarrassing. Just carry on as usual."
"Huh?"
"I know your suitcase is busting. Take one from them."
"Wa, wait, hold on, no, I mean, you don't want me to cancel it?"
"Why would I want that?"
Turning around, Simoon tilted his head, confused.
"A church should, Ah, what is it, a sermon? A ceremony? Anyways the whole thing won't be for free. You're just gonna waste it?"
That's right. This man is a total scrooge. As he realised that once again, Tenka stretched his head out towards him and asked again.
"For real?"
"Yes."
"You cerea- serious? Relly? for real real?"
"Isn't that what you wanted? Then we might as well do it. Won't be any harm to me." And he sourly added; "It won't be binding once we go back to Korea. If this is your wish on the star, well, yeah."
By this point Simoon expected screams of joy. Is he going to through me in the air or something that makes your face blushing furiously, Simoon wondered, but he was quiet. Tenka only stared at Simoon blankly, as if he just heard something utterly nonsensical.
"Who are you? Where's Simoon? This is just too easy."
"Don't bail out. And stop complaining."
"Then you're serious about tis?"
At that point Simoon began to consider beating him up right there, since his borderline paranoia was not even fitting for a dog's breakfast. And abruptly, Simoon opened his eyes wide in sudden realisation.
"Oh, I get it. You're scared."
"What?!"
He screamed as if he got pinched. "What did you say?" He asked, and Simoon looked up at him, in blue-eyed, don't-worry-I-absolutely-understand-you kind of manner(which was this old detective's best forte).
"No need to be ashamed, it can be frightening."
"Careful on what ya' sayin, mister! Who's scared?!"
"No?"
"No! No I am not!"
Tenka was about to jump up and down in protest, then he unexpectedly changed his attitude. With his look turned sly, he looked down at Simoon on his high horse.
"Ha, scared, my ass."
"Excuse me?" Simoon's brows crumpled, and Tenka raised his voice.
"Better admit it. Bluff to your heart's content now, but I won't be there to hold your hands when you cry like a be-bie later."
"Sorry, but that's my line. You're the one who's so obviously terrified!"
"Who's terrified?"
"Ah, really?"
"Yeah, really. You?"
Kept staring at him, Simoon grinned. Tenka, too, cracked an awfully crooked smile and met his eyes.
"Don't regret it later." said Simoon.
"Says you."
"Okay, then shall we?"
"Pye all means, yeah. Let's-"
And they barked out at the same time;
""Get married.""
So that's how it turned out.
The next few days passed like an invisible warfare. A war of 'pretending to be at ease' - touring around the village and acting like tourists at places where nothing was, in fact, particularly exciting or sight-worthy. The weather was so bloody perfect, food and drinks were way too delicious and villagers were kindly to the point of needlessness. But of course, the two of them have already lost their cool to realise how crisp the weather is, or how good the fish stew they had for lunch was, or even how the villagers out for a walk politely smiled and greet by taking off their hats at them as they passed by.
"Now, where should we go totay. A walk along the river?"
"Walking along the river, that sounds good. Let's have kebabs for lunch at that place we found the other day."
"Hahaha, sure. Kebab."
Stressing each words while having the most mundane conversations, they walked out to the village, wearing big sunglasses, suited up flawlessly from head to toe - even their shirts all buttoned up. After that, they walked through lanes that blocks the sight of the church. They marched like soldiers along the riverside, swinging their arms in mechanically manner, with exactly one feet distance between them so that their fingertips would not brush against the other's by any chance.
Like that they walked - no, they almost jogged - up and down the stream, twice. Simoon pushed his sunglasses up and mockingly said. "Ah, how leisurely we are. You look so relaxed."
"Of cource. I told you."
"You're so chilled that no one would notice if I switch you with a gargoyle right before the pastor's eyes."
a string of vein stood out on Tenka's forehead. Irritated and yet laughing, Tenka walked, in a most polished and natural way, over to an ice cream stall. He picked up a couple of soft cones, came back, "Hahaha, darling, you throw tantrums when your sugar's low. Let's have some rest here." and as smooth as before, shoved one of the cones into Simoon's mouth. Stiffly, Simoon stood there a while, with the coffee flavoured ice cream smeared all over his mouth. Then, as if nothing happened, he smiled. In the most holy way. Holding the cone in his hand he strode to florist right next to the ice cream stool.
"Hahahaha, how sweet you are, honey. Then in return,"
Simoon came back with a small bouquet of white roses. The ice cream cone was gone while he paid for the bouquet, so he clenched it with both hands. His approaching eyes glowed furiously and while he was laughing his face stayed horribly stark.
"What's wrong? Where are you going? You won't take my gift?"
"Hey, no, umm, I meant-,"
"Take it, you. Take it. TAKE. IT. Take it and shove 'em all up-."
Tenka looked away and swiftly walked away, and Simoon followed right behind him, throwing the white petals one by one on his back. Talking in whispers, passersbys glanced at the curious and peculiar sight; An enormously tall, solid guy awkwardly trotted away, then a neat-looking Asian man, mumbling in dreadful face, picking rose petals from a bouquet in his other hand, and throwing them like knives on the back of the tall guy's head. And as their shadows disappeared from the riverside, Simoon bashed Tenka's back with the bouquet of bony stems.
"So, what are you going to wear?"
Simoon said in the room next door. Noises of an iron pressing down upon clothes travelled along faintly.
"Looking at them now." Immediately Tenka replied, light and gleeful.
Which was a lie.
His trunk was open wide on the table, spitting out a wave of colourful clothes, but he was not standing before it. Instead of taking them out and excitedly trying them on in front of the mirror, he was sitting in a chair crossing his legs and resting his chin in his hand, with a slight distance from them.
"No flashy stuff. If you wear that purple pants again I'll hang you upside down."
"Alright, alright."
He softly chuckled, but soon he was sucked into idle thoughts. He mumbled between his finger pressed lips. "...'s tomorrow."
"It's tomorrow."
So clear like water was Simoon's voice, so he couldn't catch anything out of it. Tenka's hand which was lazily sprawled on the armchair quietly clenched into a fist. Dreams always collapse before their best parts, because they're dreams. You can never grasp the sweetest parts in your hands.
Isn't it about the time to wake up, before the disappointment sinks in?
He found this place just for the pure joy of planning the whole thing; booking the church and the wedding and the expectation to see Simoon's surprised face when he breaks the silence. 'It's only a joke.' Well, there it is.
He just wanted to have a wild, outrageous dream. In fact he never wanted more than that. Having him? Even if it's nothing more than a child's play, claiming Simoon as his? When he finalised the booking, he quietly let out faded chuckles and closed the laptop. It's absurd.
But now it's getting close to realisation.
He rubbed his lips with his fingers, then dug them into his temple. Why is this happening? It can't be like this, yet it is. What was Simoon thinking, playing along with him in this comedy?
'Scared?'
'Scared, my ass. Bring it on.'
'Relly?'
'Really.'
'Don't even think to run.'
Don't even... Tenka heard a sudden rattle and jolted. Simoon has just opened the door and walked in.
"Tenka, if you got something to iron... What, you haven't decided?"
When he met Simoon's blue eyes, wondering like a set of blue moons that holds no shades, Tenka realised that he was panicking. His fingers were rigidly rooted into the armrest. However he soon managed to wear his usual grin.
"That nawy shirt with stripes. And I'm gonna slick my hair back."
"...I told you I'll hang you upside down if you do anything flashy. Give me the ropes."
"Whoa, getting way too kinky, Simoon! I'm not ready for that kinda stuff!"
Stop the nonsense, Simoon said, and throw a white shirt over Tenka's head. He laughed under it.