RSL Ch 102 END

The appointment at Munich City Hall was at 11 AM. The official in charge was leisurely drinking coffee, waiting in his office. Han Jae-yi and Woo Seo-jin had already arrived, and Chris had gone to the bathroom. They were waiting for Alain and Melanie in the corridor.

Jae-yi had chosen Alain Jung as his witness. He was a friend of ten years, for better or worse. Even when Jae-yi and Seo-jin had grown apart, Alain had called, saying Max looked hurt. He had watched over the two of them in both good and bad times. He was the perfect witness, except for his tendency to be late.

“Call him.”

“I did earlier, he said they were almost here.”

“Hmm…”

Seo-jin leaned against the window frame in the city hall corridor, arms crossed. He seemed concerned, being strict about time commitments. Jae-yi stroked his back as if to say not to worry. Just then, Alain came up the stairs with Melanie, walking leisurely.

“Hello, friends.”

Alain casually took off his sunglasses and greeted them with open arms. Seo-jin glared at him and said,

“We were about to go in without you if you were any later.”

“The weather was nice so we walked. This is like an act of God, you know.”

“That doesn’t work here. Even if two suns rise, you should keep your appointments.”

Jae-yi sided with his partner, chiding Alain once more.

“Alright, you two are so perfect. You’ll live happily ever after. Say hello, this is Mel. It’s her first time meeting Jae-yi.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Thank you for coming. I’m Han Jae-yi.”

When Jae-yi asked Alain to be his witness, Alain said he had a good idea and would come with Melanie. He suggested recording this modest wedding without flowers or champagne entirely in photos. Melanie, who had apparently met Seo-jin in Paris before, also gladly agreed to participate.

“But where are both sets of parents?”

Alain looked around and asked. He had heard that Jae-yi’s mother, who didn’t want to lose her son too, had finally opened her heart.

“We’re going in by ourselves. Our parents will join us for the meal after it’s over.”

While Seo-jin was answering Alain, suddenly there was the sound of a camera shutter. They turned to see Melanie whistling with a smile.

“The subjects are so great, I’m enjoying my work too. I’ll be taking candid shots throughout, so it’s easier if you just pretend I’m not here.”

Just then, Chris came out of the bathroom at the end of the corridor. Now all the participants had gathered. Jae-yi slightly opened the office door they had been waiting at and checked inside. The city hall employee drinking coffee gestured for them to come in.

It was a very official space. And old-fashioned. Stacks of documents were piled up, and even a dusty fax machine was visible. The official guided them to guest chairs in a routine tone. Jae-yi and Seo-jin sat in the middle, with each of their witnesses sitting on small folding chairs.

The official pulled out a document and showed it to them. It was a real marriage document, not a civil union. He put on his glasses and looked at the two of them in turn. Then he asked which one was Schmitz. Seo-jin slightly raised his hand to indicate it was him.

“Good. Then I’ll ask this side first and we’ll sign in this order. Before that, I’ll read this part here, so you two just listen. When it’s done, sign here and here. Got it? Witnesses sign here. Can you see?”

He held up the document to show Chris and Alain. Even Alain, who couldn’t speak German, seemed to understand roughly and nodded. The official, having checked the expressions of all participants, smiled with satisfaction and adjusted his glasses again.

“Well then, shall we start?”

Jae-yi and Seo-jin’s wedding ceremony began.

* * *

The afternoon sun shone across the plain onto the road leading to Oberpfaffenhofen Airfield. Beside it, an unusually strong spring energy was settling in, sprouting green buds. A Porsche leisurely drove down that road, meeting the spring breeze. Inside were a newly married couple, heading off on their honeymoon as if on a picnic.

A new ring had found its place on the ring finger of Jae-yi, who was holding the steering wheel. The same ring was on the left hand of Seo-jin, who was looking out the window in the passenger seat.

Jae-yi held that hand resting on Seo-jin’s knee. When Seo-jin turned his head and their eyes met, smiles spread simultaneously across their faces. Jae-yi brought Seo-jin’s tightly clasped hand to his lips and kissed it several times.

Although the wedding ceremony was modest, they had prepared quite seriously for the honeymoon. At the airfield, a Cessna 172 that Jae-yi had bought as a wedding gift for Seo-jin was waiting for them. They had rented a house on the island of Sardinia in the Italian Mediterranean. A blue villa made of stone and earth atop a steep cliff. The week-long honeymoon would be accompanied by the sea and sun.

“The person managing the place said we could go fishing too. If we go out on a yacht, we can catch a lot of sardines.”

Jae-yi was puzzled by Seo-jin’s words.

“You know how to fish?”

“I’m not great at it, but I’ve gone a few times with my father. Of course, I’ve never done sea fishing before.”

Jae-yi laughed as if finding this amusing.

“Seo-jin. Do you think you’ll have time to leisurely go fishing?”

At that, Seo-jin rested his elbow on the door trim, feigning indifference. His left hand was still held by Jae-yi. Looking at Seo-jin, who seemed to have realized his fate and fallen silent, Jae-yi once again strengthened his resolve. He would devour him as soon as they arrived. The week-long honeymoon would be accompanied by the sea, sun, and s3x.

Just then, Seo-jin’s phone rang.

“Ah, Mel has already sent the photos.”

He said happily after checking the sender. An email arrived with the title “Perfect Shot of the Perfect Couple”. When he opened the attachment, a monochrome photo that hadn’t yet undergone post-processing appeared. It was a scene capturing Seo-jin signing the marriage document and Jae-yi looking at him. Their first wedding photo, peaceful and quiet. Seo-jin chuckled, amused by how seriously he was taking the signing.

Jae-yi looked at him laughing alone while looking at his phone. Since he was still holding his hand, he shook it back and forth as if urging him. Seo-jin showed him the photo. Jae-yi couldn’t look at it closely as he was holding the steering wheel. Still, Jae-yi already liked the photo. Because Seo-jin liked it. He had lived for 16 years always for the same reason.

“You should get some sleep. You’ll be tired when you have to fly later.”

“It’s okay. I’m too excited to sleep.”

Jae-yi looked at Seo-jin again at his words. He was looking at him almost once every minute.

“Excited? Because you’re happy?”

“Yes. I’m excited because I’m so happy.”

Jae-yi kissed the hand he was holding once again at Seo-jin’s words, echoing his own. It felt like his chest was expanding tumultuously. His increased expressions of affection were like a song that never got old no matter how many times he heard it.

They arrived at the airfield. From large private jets to small light airplanes, several planes were waiting on the wide plain of Oberpfaffenhofen. Jae-yi parked the car next to a white Cessna prop plane. The name ‘Maxi 907’ was painted on the side of the body. Seo-jin looked at Jae-yi with an expression that said “you’re incorrigible” after reading the plane’s name.

“You want me to say my name every time I communicate with the control tower?”

“Yes. Sorry, but I did it on purpose. When I imagined Max driving Max, I just couldn’t give up on that name.”

Jae-yi teased him with a mischievous face as he took the luggage out of the trunk. Seo-jin watched him calmly arranging the luggage with his arms crossed, then walked towards the plane, seemingly tired of it.

Only then did Jae-yi look up again. Every time he saw Seo-jin sulking like that, he wanted to pull him into his arms and lock him up. Writhing in cuteness over a sturdy man of 185 centimeters. Sometimes he wondered if he was a little crazy.

Seo-jin expertly examined the exterior of the plane. He checked the tire air pressure and pressed the parking lever with his hand. Then he checked the wings, various joints, and the fuel in the fuel tank. There was nothing unusual. He also read the blowing wind while looking up at the sky. Then he turned to Jae-yi and said,

“I think you’ll be cold if you go up like that. You should put something on.”

“I’m fine. You’re more sensitive to cold than I am. Your jacket is too thin now. Here, take this.”

Jae-yi took out Seo-jin’s aviation jacket from the luggage bag and threw it. Seo-jin, standing defenseless, reflexively reached out and caught the clothes. He took off the suit jacket he had worn for the wedding and put on the jacket over his shirt.

Jae-yi approached him with Boston bags in both hands. As he loaded the luggage into the plane’s cargo hold, he said,

“No matter how I think about it, I still feel a bit regretful.”

“About what?”

Seo-jin asked, wondering what this sudden remark was about.

“I wanted to propose, but you beat me to it. I really wanted to take you to a nice place and make you cry your eyes out.”

After checking the loaded luggage, Jae-yi walked back towards the car.

He had mentioned it once before. That he wanted to be the one to propose ever since they started dating. Seo-jin had laughed, saying what did it matter who did it. Meanwhile, Jae-yi gathered small personal items from the front seat of the car.

“Anyway, I was a step behind this time, but next time I’ll definitely say it first. Here, you’ll need this, right?”

“Ah, yes. But what are you talking about? There’s no next time.”

Seo-jin asked as he took the sunglasses Jae-yi handed him.

“Why isn’t there a next time? We said we’d stay together as long as we’re alive. I’m planning to find you every time you’re reborn.”

He loaded the last bag and pocketed the car keys. Now that the luggage was packed, he needed to put the car in the garage and come back.

“So let’s fall in love again each time. I’ll propose first then.”

Jae-yi took out the last piece of luggage from the trunk.

“…”

He glanced at Seo-jin, but he was silent. For a moment, he thought Seo-jin looked really cool standing in front of the plane. It was just a thought. Jae-yi closed the car trunk.

“I’ll go put the car away and be right back. Wait here.”

Jae-yi smiled lightly and walked to the front seat. He opened the car door to get into the driver’s seat. At that moment, Seo-jin ran towards Jae-yi. His shoulder, just about to get into the car, was strongly pulled back.

“Why…”

And before he could block it, a kiss began, causing the car keys in Jae-yi’s hand to fall to the ground. The softly entering t0ngue was welcome, and the exhaled breath was sweet. Jae-yi saw Seo-jin’s closed eyelashes trembling slightly. So he could understand without words. His joking proposal seemed to have ignited a spark in Seo-jin’s heart.

Embracing Seo-jin, who was burrowing deeply into his arms, Jae-yi swallowed his lips. As he started to properly return the kiss, Seo-jin’s waist began to arch backward. Jae-yi firmly supported him and gave him an intense kiss that felt like it would suck out all his breath.

“Ha…”

“So, is the answer yes?”

Jae-yi asked formally. Will you be with me even in the life that hasn’t come yet? Their eyes, looking at each other as equals, contained each other. In them, they saw a world filled with themselves, leaving no room to escape. Seo-jin cupped Jae-yi’s face and said, as if imprinting it:

“I’ve already answered. Can you teach me if there’s a stronger affirmation than this?”

And then, he turned his head again and kissed him.

A sensation beyond certainty was etched into his entire being. As he inhaled the scent of the wind blowing from afar, Jae-yi closed his eyes.

The thrill he felt when he first asked for his name—16 years later, it remained unchanged. Woo Seo-jin, my Maximilian. My everything, and the one for whom I am everything. He carved away as much of his heart as he wanted, yet, in the end, returned it in equal measure. Without him, he could no longer breathe, see, or hear.

This magnificent man, who pledged that they would meet again and fall in love every time they were reborn, sealed his promise with a passionate kiss. He loved him. He was grateful he had been his friend and happy he was now his lover. No matter what form their relationship had taken, he wouldn’t have been able to endure it without loving him.

Because in every moment he remembered, he had been there with him. Yes, they had found love, and they would be happy forever.

-End-