Work Text:
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
Yongsun nervously fiddled at the back of the school yard, standing on one leg to another. The prom was about to start and her prom mate was nowhere to be found. Gasping sound made her look up from the ground, and fell agape at the sight.
"W-what the-? B-Byulyi? Why are you here? I saw your partner earlier, you should be there with her by now. H-"
"Hajoon? For some reason he suddenly wanted to dance with her and and asked me to be in his place, so here I am." Byulyi shrugged nonchalantly, but conceded under her best friend's incredulous gaze. "Fine, fine, maybe I have or have not begged him to switch pairs, but he actually likes my prom mate so isn't it hitting two birds with one stone?"
Yongsun could only roll her eyes. For one, she didn't know how to react at her friend's lame excuse. For another, she could care less about that. The fact that her best friend, her most important person was going to dance with her in the graduation prom already made her an emotional mess. And the black suit just didn't help either.
Byulyi chuckled at how her friend just straight out drooled over her appearance. "You don't like it?" She raised her eyebrows, teasing her reaction.
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Yongsun replied a little too loudly, gaining multiple looks from other people. Her cheeks burned, not sure if it was because of embarassment or amazement. "I like it. As much as you are annoying, you actually look good today."
"I'm happy you like it." Byulyi grinned as she reached out to hold her hand and pulled her to where they should be standing, trying hard not to think about how their hands fit perfectly together. The song to which the students had practiced begun to play on the school speaker. "Let's go, it's starting."
***
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
"May the brides have their first dance together."
Everyone spread out and created a circlular space in the middle of the hall, leaving the spotlight to the newlyweds. The chandelier's blinding light was reflected on their wedding rings' diamonds. The familiar piano intro started playing and they began to walk towards each other with a smile.
One step closer
Yongsun's heart pounded loudly in her ears as she was closer to Byulyi with each step. She silently thanked their days apart, the challenges that helped strengthen their bond and led them to today, opening a new chapter together. And despite how much time had passed, Yongsun felt the same excitement and happiness every time her lover was in her sight.
"Kim Yongsun," the latter politely bowed. "may I have the pleasure to dance with you?"
"It'd be my honor too," she returned her smile, and accepted Byulyi's hand.
***
"There's not much space here."
"Well this is all we can get. Not to mention our school's small, our grade has lots of students too."
"Okay now stop talking, I need to hear the music."
"You're the one that spoke first though?! Aish, you almost stepped on my dress!"
In spite of the constant banter between the couple, Yongsun and Byulyi still managed to move in rhythm with the song, as if they had practiced this together many times. (And they did. No one had to know just how many afternoons were spent together immersing in the slow tune for this ceremony.)
Nothing around them mattered anymore. As the music and time went on, all Byulyi could see in her eyes was Yongsun, from her sheepish smile when they made eye contact to the hand placed on her waist, squeezing it lightly. Everything belonging to her best friend, she would try to carve them into her mind, because when this night came to an end, she would no longer be in her embrace.
***
Heart beats fast
Colours and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt
Suddenly goes away somehow
The choreo wasn't that complicated, so Byulyi had to try hiding her amusement seeing her wife keep muttering the dance sequence, an unbreakable habit of hers as a professional choreographer.
"Relax, baby," She whispered into her ear, "No one is gonna scold us if we miss one or two steps."
"Right..." Yongsun took a deep breath. Years ago, all they had was a limited space between other couples to move at the edge of the school yard, but now they had a large hall to themselves. Somehow she got extremely nervous when they started dancing, and she laid eyes on everywhere - her wife's broad shoulder, the gliding chandelier, the crowd behind them - except Byulyi's face.
"Yongsun-ah, only look at me, will you? Am I so ugly that you don't even want to spare me a glance?"
Yongsun complied, and slightly gasped as she was mesmerized by her partner's eyes, so deep and dark and full of love and adoration and-
"You're always the most beautiful person in my heart." Almost subsconsciously, she spoke up quietly. "I'm just afraid I will get lost even more deeply in your eyes."
"Then get lost," Byulyi smiled after spinning her lover twice. "Our love will guide your way in my eyes, to my heart."
***
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
Byulyi was startled to see Yongsun's face wet after they spun twice. Not stopping her moves, she gently reached up to wipe her stream of tears.
"I don't want to go," Yongsun burst out sobbing. "Byul-ah, I don't want to study abroad, nor do I want to leave your side. How can my clumsy self survive without you?"
"You have to go and you will, that's my wish and request to you. Your dream is to become a dancer, right? You need to see the world and let the best teachers guide you to your dream. You will become independent too, so you might not even need me anymore."
"Don't say such things! Who knows, maybe you will no longer recognize me by the time I get back, knowing how much of a social butterfly you are."
Byulyi smiled weakly, knowing her voice was already laced with tears, but she didn't want to admit that. "As long as you remember me, I will still be here waiting for you. I'm not going anywhere, okay?" She tried to keep her voice stern, but obviously failed.
"Really? Promise?" Yongsun looked up at her, looking so fragile she just wanted to hug her tightly and protect her from this world.
"Yes, I promise. So don't cry and finish this dance with me, hmm?"
When no one was watching, Byulyi sneaked a kiss on Yongsun's forehead. The kiss went as fast as it came, but when Byulyi pressed herself lightly onto her partner and Yongsun was embraced by her best friend's warmth, she felt as if something had bloomed inside her. Looking back, Yongsun realized it was the feeling of finally finding where her heart belonged to.
***
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
The rest of the song was spent just feeling the melody. Yongsun pulled her closer as if wanting to morph both of them into one. Byulyi on the other hand wrapped her arms tightly around her wife, elated as she could finally call this woman hers.
"I could never dream of a day we would dance to the exact same song again," Yongsun dreamily said as they swayed with the music. "I'm so sorry to have made you wait for such a long time, Byul."
"I promised to always wait for you, it doesn't matter how long I had to do it."
"You're still so cheesy as before."
"And you're still so beautiful as ever."
Yongsun just shook her head and laughed in embarassment.
"You're lucky I love you."
"Oh that's cool, because I love you too, for a thousand years and beyond."
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
They giggled at each other, and after another moment of smiling bliss, Yongsun wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her into a loving kiss, right as the song stopped.
People swooned over the level of chemistry between the newlyweds during their first dance together. However, unbeknownst to many, this was their second "first" dance.