The Wedding Reception

There was something a little surreal about sitting next to Jungkook at the top table, my wedding band sitting prettily against my engagement ring, everyone referring to us as husband and wife, and people being cute and calling me Mrs. Jeon instead of Choi. It was weird. But the good kind of weird.

Our wedding reception was held at the King Hotel. The banquet suite was this grand hall with tall ceilings, pillars, elaborate chandeliers, and huge arched windows with views of the Han River. It was stunning and beyond anything I'd ever imagined for this moment.

After dinner, Appa tapped his champagne flute, drawing everyone's attention as he stood up to give his father-of-the-groom speech. I'd told him he didn't have to, but he said he wanted to. And watching how comfortable he was as he lifted the mic, I couldn't help but feel butterflies in my stomach as he smiled down at Jungkook and me.

I didn't know what to expect from Appa's speech. I swallowed past the hard lump of emotion in my throat, leaning into Jungkook, who automatically wrapped an arm around me without my even having to ask.

"I am sorry that your dad can't be here with you on this day, Sweetie," Appa continued, his voice low with enough emotion that it threatened to spill the tears over my lids, "but I know that he would be so proud of you for the woman you've become, and so happy that you've found a family in Jungkook and in us. I was honored to walk down the aisle with you for him. Tonight"—he lifted his glass, turning to our guests—"I ask you all to raise your glasses to my son and daughter. To Jungkook and Y/N."

As everyone said our names in unison, lifting their glasses to us, I fought back the tears. Just barely.

The truth was, I did feel part of the Jeon family. But it was kind of more than a little beautiful that the Jeon family thought of me as part of them.

Next to stand up was Adam as Jungkook's brother-in-law. He lightened the mood, joking about his and Jungkook's past, about Jungkook's reputation with women, how different he was with me, and how much fun he had had watching Jungkook work his ass off to get me. Upon Adam raising his glass to us in toast, Jungkook kissed me, waited for his best man to sit down, and then stood up himself.

I looked up at him. More than anything, I wanted the reception to be over; I wanted to not be the center of attention anymore. Mostly, I just really wanted to be alone in a room with my new husband.

Jungkook stood tall in his tuxedo, looking every inch the delectable groom, and he stared out at the room with a familiar air of intimidating confidence. "Over two and a half years ago," he began, his voice deep, his tone serious, "I shared a taxi with a complete stranger. A young woman with a smart mouth and"—he smirked down at me—"a great pair of legs." The guests chuckled as I shook my head slightly at him, a small smile playing on my lips. "I knew then,"

 [ Don't worry father-in-law wasn't there on that time ]

 Jungkook spoke loudly to the guests, but his eyes remained on my face, "my life had changed. I just wouldn't know until you walked out of your best friend Somi's bathroom without a towel on how happy I was with that coming change."

I rolled my eyes, feeling my cheeks burn as everyone laughed.

"I'm not joking." Jungkook turned back to them. "The second time we met, Y/N was stark naked. Up to that point, it was the best day of my life."

"Even after being caught in the buff, she gave me attitude." He grinned down at me again, and I felt the warmth inside my chest turn into a burn of overwhelming emotion.

"You've challenged me since the day I met you. No woman has ever challenged me more. Nor made me laugh harder. There is not a moment that passes where you don't make me feel more alive than I ever thought I could, and today you gave me something I thought was lost a long time ago for the both of us. You've given me peace, babe. You've given me everything." The timber of his voice had deepened with emotion, and I swear to God I was close to bawling my eyes out as he lifted a glass of champagne from the table and raised it in the air.

 "To my wife, Mrs. Jeon Y/N."

The guests repeated his words as he bent down to me, his eyes warming at the sight of my unshed tears. "To my wife," he murmured again, cupping a hand behind my nape to bring my lips to his.

While making the rounds of the reception, attempting to stop to chat with all our guests, the unsettled fluttering in my stomach had called a cease-fire, and I was feeling a lot more relaxed. The champagne was helping.

I stood by Jungkook's side while he introduced me to distant cousins, relatives of Elodie and Clark, friends, and business associates. We'd nearly made our way through the entire guest list when we came upon Somi and Adam. Somi was one of Ellie's friends, and Adam was her husband. When I'd first met Ellie, Somi and Adam had been a close part of their group, but after their wedding, Somi fell pregnant, and for some reason, they stopped hanging out with a lot of their friends. Ellie had been a little put out at first, but Somi seemed more content to spend time with married friends who had children, and I reassured Ellie that she hadn't done anything wrong. Some people were just like that. Still, it was nice to see them.

"Y/N, you look beautiful," Somi said, giving me a tight hug.

"Who's looking after Andrew?" Jungkook asked, referring to their baby boy.

Adam grinned. "I talked my parents into babysitting tonight. We haven't had a real night off in God knows how long. I actually had to talk Somi into coming here, into leaving him."

Somi frowned at her husband. "I don't like leaving him. There's nothing wrong with that."Hearing the bite in her tone, I shot Jungkook a look that suggested we should move along.He nodded at me and turned to speak, but Somi cut him off by jerking me toward her.

"So, when are you thinking about having a baby, Y/N?"

The Somi I knew was chilled out, down-to-earth, uninquisitive. Whoever this was, I wanted to kill her. "Uh . . ." I glanced around the room, looking for help.

"We haven't had a proper talk about it," Jungkook offered, his hand resting on my lower back in a way that suggested he knew I was about to run away. "But kids are definitely in the plans."My shoulders tensed, my stomach cramped, and the champagne sloshed unpleasantly in my stomach.

This morning I'd been optimistic as I'd looked at myself in the mirror. I'd thought about the mini meltdown I'd had a few weeks ago when Jungkook first mentioned having kids. I'd thought that it was something I'd get over.

But once again, the thought of children paralyzed me.

Worse, the thought that Jungkook believed they were in our immediate future paralyzed me.I couldn't have kids yet. I wasn't emotionally ready for that. No. I definitely wasn't. 

"There's Hoseok and his girlfriend." I pointed over Adam's shoulder. "I better go say hello." I pulled away from Jungkook's touch and almost sprinted from them, two steps from them when a strong arm wrapped itself around my waist and hauled me about.

I crashed against Jungkook's hard chest, blinking up at him in surprise. "Was that necessary?"My husband frowned at me. "Something's wrong."

"No." I shook my head in denial. "I just . . . Somi bothers me a little now. I just wanted to get away."

As Jungkook searched my face, I wondered if he believed me. In the end, I didn't know if he did or not. But he let it go, bending down to press a soft kiss to my mouth. It was our wedding.No fighting allowed.