Chapter Text
“Daddy? Did you hear what I just said?” Jeon-Park Sena asked her dad.
Jeon Jeongguk had indeed heard what his 25-year-old daughter said.
Her wedding was less than a month away, and she’d just announced that Jeongguk would walk her down the aisle—the happiest day of his life.
Normally.
Except now, he had to plaster his best smile because Sena would also be accompanied down the aisle by her appa.
Jeongguk’s ex-husband.
Park Jimin. The man that built and destroyed their family of three.
After coming to Jeongguk with the idea of adoption just one year after they married, they found Sena when she was three. Jeongguk and Jimin devoted all their time and energy to their daughter. They were determined to make Sena’s life the best they could provide.
That’s why Jeongguk couldn’t say no to his daughter on her big day. He cleared his throat and said, “Sena-nabi, I couldn’t be more honored than to walk you down the aisle.”
She breathed a sigh of sheer relief. “I was worried you would say no.”
“Sena, baby, whatever relationship Appa and I have today has no bearing on your wedding. We are your daddy and appa. That didn’t change when we divorced five years ago.” Jeongguk reassured his daughter.
“Appa said the same thing.”
Of course he did. It’s true, though. No matter how bad it got between him and Jimin, they always did what was necessary for Sena. Jeongguk stood up from the table and walked over to the counter where his daughter was standing, wringing her hands. “Is that why you were so stressed earlier?” He said, rubbing his hand up and down her back.
Sena shrugged her shoulders, “I just…don’t want there to be any problems, Daddy.”
He placed a quick peck on her temple for reassurance. “I promise I will be on my best behavior for your wedding day. We both will. But…I can guarantee Appa is going to be mad because Daddy is going to be the best-looking of your two dads.”
Sena busted out laughing. “You can’t be serious right now?”
Jeongguk laughed with his daughter, “What!? Do you disagree? Your old man still knows how to move on the dance floor, too,” as he broke out in a few moves.
Sena groaned at her dad’s dancing but followed it with a sweet, “Thank you, Daddy. Jackson and I are happy that you both get to join us on this special day.”
Wrapping his arms around her, Jeongguk spoke into the top of her head, “There’s nowhere I would rather be than by your side for this day.”
Once Sena left Jeongguk’s house, the one he bought after the divorce, he slowly walked back over to the table where his empty glass of wine sat. Shaking his head, he sat back down, refilled his glass, and stared at the wine label. It was one of the bottles of wine from the case he and Jimin bought on their trip to the south of France. A trip that was supposed to save their marriage, a last-ditch effort to salvage what they could. It didn’t work.
And as the final drop of the $200 2016 Saint Emilion Grand Cru slid down Jeon Jeongguk’s throat, he slightly snorted at his current situation.
Across town, Park Design Landscaping
The elevator doors shut, closing Park Jimin in, and began its ascent to his firm in the high rise. He slid his thumb up his phone screen, scrolling through the emails he had received since shutting down his computer late last night. Proposals, lawyers, and high-maintenance clients filled the landscape architect’s inbox. It was shaping up to be a long day already at 8:00 am. Still thumbing through his messages, Jimin noticed a mail from his biggest client and he swore under his breath. The oceanfront developer wanted a meeting first thing in the morning to discuss an issue with trees Jimin planned for the site.
The ding announced the elevator’s arrival on the 13th floor and Jimin stepped out of the elevator, mumbling, “Why can’t this guy ever plann-”
“Good morning, Mr. Park!” his assistant Martha greeted him suddenly.
“Ahh!” Jimin let out a surprised yelp and clutched his chest with the hand still holding his cell phone, the mail forgotten.
Martha kept her smile on her face and said, “I saw you arriving from the garage on the security camera. Coffee?” She said, thrusting his iced Americano in his direction. Jimin, still catching his breath, calmly took the coffee from her and muttered thanks. Jimin got his feet back under him and started walking quickly to his office.
“Did you see the mail from you know who?” She said, her heels clicking fast in an effort to match Jimin stride for stride.
Jimin grunted his response in a show of remaining as professional as possible. “I’ll give him a call in a few minutes. Any messages?” He said as he opened the door to his office and crossed the vast office he finished renovating just last month. He had needed a change. Out with the old, in with the new, you could say.
“Yes. Mr. Waters asked about changing the river rocks for the crushed oyster shell.”
Jimin sighed. “Tell him no. The colors clash with the pavement and will make it look like an amusement park instead of a funeral home. Curbside image is important for his line of work.” He took out his laptop from his briefcase and placed it on his charging station.
Martha was writing the response and continued, “Your lawyer wanted to discuss that proposal you made for Sena’s trust fund.”
Jimin waved the update off with his hand, “I’ll email him later this week.” He took a quick sip of his coffee and turned on his laptop.
“Noted. Mrs. Delacroix wanted to see if you were available for dinner tomorrow night. She…,” Martha cleared her throat to get her boss’s attention, and once Jimin looked up at her, she continued, “wants to set you up on a blind date with her niece.”
Jimin rolled his eyes. “She apparently didn’t get the memo that I’m a divorced gay man.”
“Doesn’t seem it. I’ll send some flowers with a polite decline then.” Martha wrote as she spoke.
“Anything else pressing, or can I start my day? These emails won’t answer themselves,” Jimin added.
Martha closed her notebook and beamed her bright smile. “That will be all. Send me the ones I need to take care of,” and she made her way to the door.
Just before she disappeared out the door, she shouted out, “Oh! The wedding planner sent me a message late last night. They are finalizing the wedding programs. They wanted confirmation if you were bringing a date or not.”
Jimin’s fingers paused over his keyboard, and he looked over at his assistant, who was waiting anxiously for an answer. “I just spoke to Sena last night. Why didn’t she ask me herself?”
Martha, ever careful not to intrude on her boss’s private life but especially when it came to his family, bit her lip. “Well…perhaps because it puts Sena in a strange position. Given the divorce. That and…,” but she stopped talking.
“And…” Jimin repeated.
Martha stared at Jimin as she chose her following words. “Forgive me if I’m being too forward, but I was assistant to both of you and Mr. Jeon before your divorce,” she started. Jimin covered his reaction at the mention of his divorce and his ex-husband. Somewhere between a wince and a growl.
“Marth-” Jimin began, but his assistant finished her thought.
“I think Sena wants both of her dads to be happy. But she will always want you two to be together. Knowing if you are bringing a date is her way of preparing herself for something she doesn’t want to accept.” Martha smiled ever so slightly and shrugged her shoulders. Jimin sat back in his oversized executive chair, and he immediately relaxed despite the conversation he was having.
Did he want to take a date to his daughter’s wedding? Was what Martha said true? Would Sena ever seriously accept a new romantic partner in my life? Would she accept one in Jeongguk’s life? Was he taking a date? He hadn’t thought about this point, but it’s normal for people to take dates to weddings. Right?
Scratching his nose, he finally spoke up. “I’ll…speak to the wedding planner myself. Thank you, Martha. That will be all for now.”
Nodding, she said, “Of course Mr. Park. Your lunch will be delivered at 12:45.”
The quiet click of the door shutting gave Jimin a brief respite and a sense of security. A bubble of comfort. He stood up and walked over to one of the large bookcases framing the room. The engagement photograph of Jackson and Sena held a central place on his shelf.
Looking at it, he allowed himself to remember the night Jeongguk proposed. A night full of consequences that made for the best speech at their wedding.
Flashback, 25 years ago
Jimin sat there with his mouth wide open, starting at the diamond band that sat inside a black velvet box.
“Are you serious right now?” He exclaimed.
Jeongguk was kneeling in front of him, “I am. Marry me, baby.”
“I don’t believe you did this!” Jimin whined.
Jeongguk’s smile faltered, “I know it might be a little early for conventionally acceptable relationship dating times, but I’m 100% sure that I want to be with you forever. Please, marry me Jimin.”
Jimin fell silent and he rubbed his nose as his eyes dropped to the side, away from the box. “I don’t know if I can accept your proposal, Jeongguk.”
The light in Jeongguk’s eyes went out as they grew in size. Tears filled his eyes and he tried his best to blink them away and he stood up, closing the ring box quietly. He turned away from Jimin, completely embarrassed.
“I’m sorry Jeongguk, I just can’t let you propose to me.”
Jeongguk gasped and turned around whispering, “You rubbed your nose.” He pointed at Jimin, “You, you rubbed your nose. It’s your tell. You’re lying. Why are you lying to me? That’s so mean to do that!” as two tears tracked over his cheeks.
With that, Jimin reached into the pocket that hid his own velvet box and dropped to his own knee. “Because, tonight I was going to propose to you.” and he opened the box to show Jeongguk.
Jeongguk barked out a laugh that eventually turned into a hysterical sob. “What! How-how does that even ha-happen?”
Jimin pulled on Jeongguk’s hand so he too was kneeling. “I don’t know, baby, but it did”
Jeongguk fell to his knees in ugly sobs. “Marry me, Jeon Jeongguk.” Jimin grabbed the ring and slid it on the third finger on Jeongguk’s right hand, already sure of his answer.
Jeongguk nodded fervently and said, “Yes I will marry you Park Jimin. On one condition.” He grabbed the ring box and opened it. “As long as you marry me too.”
Jimin wanted to roll his eyes at the absurdness of his love’s statement. “How does that work if you agree to marry me but I don't agree to marry you?”
“I don’t know! It just sounded like the right thing to say!” Jeongguk spouted out, tears covering his face.
“It’s ok, Bun. Put that ring on my finger.” Jimin chuckled.
Jeongguk wiped his eyes enough to take the ring out of the box and slip it on Jimin’s ring finger, matching the one he was already wearing.
They both looked at the rings they each wore and then at the rings they just gave their future husband. Jeongguk held Jimin’s face in between his two hands and placed a hard kiss on his love’s mouth. The kiss broke but their contact didn’t as they grabbed each other in a hug, with whispers of ‘I love you’ and ‘no, I love you more.’
Minutes later, Jeongguk laughed into Jimin’s neck, “Why am I the only one crying like a baby?”
A light sniffle came from Jimin as he burst into tears.
Present Day
The sound of his phone ringing brought Jimin back to the present moment. Looking at the name of the caller, the oceanfront developer, Jimin cursed but picked up the call anyway. “Good morning, Mr. Wallace. What can I do for you?”
And just like that, Jimin was able to put the memories of the past in the past and move forward with his life. Like he always did.