"Our engagement ceremony...?"
Seo-jun's mind whirred faster than it ever had before.
‘Wait, surely I haven’t forgotten something as important as an engagement ceremony, right?’
He had never considered himself that dense. He was fairly certain this was the first time he’d ever heard about it.
Still, he needed to respond carefully.
The key was to listen closely and give a safe, agreeable answer that wouldn’t cause any issues.
“It’s a bit sudden, but, um… everyone’s been asking when we’ll hold the ceremony. So, I was wondering if maybe…”
“Yeah, you’re right. Holding it soon sounds like a good idea.”
“R-really?”
Namgung Sua’s face lit up. Her smile was as radiant as a blooming flower.
“That’s a relief… I was worried that bringing up something like an engagement ceremony out of the blue might catch you off guard.”
So, he hadn’t forgotten about an engagement ceremony after all.
Seo-jun felt a wave of relief wash over him. It was good to know he wasn’t quite the fool he feared he might be. He nodded earnestly.
“Having an engagement ceremony, then a wedding—it just means two happy occasions instead of one. That’s a win-win…”
His words faltered. A sudden thought of Chun-bong struck him like a lightning bolt.
‘Wait a second…’
Wee-woo! Wee-woo!
His mental alarms blared louder than ever. This was a massive emergency.
Namgung Sua’s engagement and their eventual wedding were non-negotiable. Namgung Sua was the epitome of a perfect bride, the kind of woman who could proudly claim the title of the most ideal spouse in the entire martial world. Seo-jun had never encountered anyone else with such incredible qualities.
Marrying her wasn’t just an honor—it was something he would thank the heavens for.
But there was one colossal problem: Chun-bong.
She had made a bold confession, asking him to live with her. If she found out he was suddenly having an engagement ceremony?
It wouldn’t be surprising if she went into a qi deviation from sheer heartbreak.
If the roles were reversed, Seo-jun was certain he’d ascend as the Heavenly Demon on the spot.
‘Crap. What do I do?’
Canceling the engagement ceremony wasn’t an option. That would only hurt Sua instead.
Just look at her now, with that dazzling smile. Seo-jun had never seen Namgung Sua look so happy before.
Was he capable of shattering her joy by saying, “Uh, actually, I’ve reconsidered the whole engagement thing. Haha…” ?
Seo-jun wasn’t even sure if that kind of remark could be called courage. It sounded more like madness.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Sua asked, giggling softly.
Despite his internal turmoil, Sua didn’t notice a thing. His acting skills had become remarkably refined, but more than that, Sua was currently in one of the best moods of her life.
She was putting every ounce of effort into holding back her beaming grin and stopping her shoulders from bouncing with excitement. Focused entirely on keeping herself composed, she didn’t pick up on Seo-jun’s struggle.
“Oh, nothing important,” Seo-jun replied, forcing himself to calm down. This wasn’t an issue to rush. He needed to think things through carefully.
As he tried to focus, Sua poured some liquor into his cup and held up her own.
“A toast?”
“A toast.”
Their glasses clinked, and both drank.
With light snacks and drinks, Sua seemed unable to stop smiling. She laughed softly several times, her voice mingling with the fragrant aroma of the liquor wafting through the pavilion.
“Should we leave choosing the date to Father? He’ll know how to pick an auspicious day.”
“Yeah, if anyone can read the heavens, it’s him.”
“Then let’s set the date and make the ceremony grand. Something big enough for everyone in Hefei to see.”
“That sounds great.”
Sua, more talkative than usual, chattered away, occasionally bursting into soft laughter.
“Why are you laughing so much?” Seo-jun asked.
“I don’t know. I’m just too excited.”
“It’s a good thing.”
“Yeah, but… don’t I seem a bit silly?”
“No, not at all.”
Seo-jun scratched his head awkwardly. There’s only one fool here, and it’s me.
Feeling fed up with his own hesitation, Seo-jun downed the rest of his drink.
At this point, continuing to agonize over the situation felt foolish. What was done was done. He decided to enjoy the moment and figure out a solution later.
‘Besides, look how happy she is.’
Seeing Sua’s bright smile eased some of the weight on his chest.
Seo-jun turned his focus entirely to the present, sharing drinks and laughter with Sua.
As the atmosphere grew warmer from the alcohol, Sua moved the now-empty plates aside and leaned forward.
Sua’s sudden closeness made Seo-jun smile faintly.
“Are you drunk?”
“Not at all.”
Her cheeks were flushed red as she crawled closer on her knees, wrapping her arms around Seo-jun’s neck.
“You know I can hold my liquor better than you, right?”
“Oh? Challenging my pride now? Let’s settle this tonight.”
“Hmm, next time.”
The moon hung high above, bathing the pavilion in soft light. Even the maids had been dismissed, leaving the night quiet, save for the chirping of crickets.
Sua’s red-tinged cheeks caught the moonlight, her blue eyes gleaming as they locked with Seo-jun’s.
“Remember that time?” she asked.
“That time?”
“You know…”
She tapped Seo-jun’s lips gently with her finger.
“When we kissed.”
The memory came flooding back—their first kiss, a touch more passionate than expected.
“Looking back, it was too sudden. I wish it had been a little different.”
Her smile shone as her blue eyes sparkled.
“I want a do-over. Would that be okay—ah!”
Before she could finish, Seo-jun leaned in and kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.
Sua let out a trembling sigh as she melted into his embrace, her slender figure leaning into him.
Their bodies pressed together as they toppled slightly, Sua perched atop him. As their lips parted briefly, a silver thread lingered between them, and Sua’s breath came in soft gasps.
Her blue eyes wavered as she looked at Seo-jun, her face a deep shade of red.
Her nose crinkled slightly as if pouting, but she brought her face closer, her breath warm against his lips.
“You surprised me…”
“I have to take the lead once in a while.”“Just once?”
Sua’s heartbeat thundered loudly, and before Seo-jun could respond, she pressed her lips to his again.
This time, the kiss was deeper.
Under the moonlight, a soft breeze cooled the heated air between them, though the warmth they shared refused to dissipate.
Seo-jun opened his eyes slightly, catching a glimpse of Sua’s face as she focused entirely on their kiss. Her long lashes glistened faintly in the moonlight.
Family…
His heart pounded harder than ever.
*
"Marriage is not as simple as it sounds.
Traditionally, a wedding goes through several stages: Proposal , Informal Agreement , Choosing the Date , Gift Exchange , Formal Proposal , and Accompaniment to the Bride's Home . However, in Seo-jun’s case, the first stage, Proposal , was unnecessary.
The Proposal involves the groom’s side formally expressing their intent to marry the bride. Unlike a casual proposal, it usually involves a mediator presenting the marriage arrangement.
Even if a separate romantic proposal is made, there was no need for Seo-jun to go through this formal process.
The Informal Agreement , which entails the bride’s family sending a document listing details about her lineage, social status, and birth date, was similarly unnecessary. The Namgung Clan didn’t place much importance on these formalities.
The next step, Choosing the Date , traditionally involves divining an auspicious date for the wedding. However, Namgung Jincheon had a firm stance on this:
“Don’t let ill omens deter you. Even if the heavens declare this marriage inauspicious, I’ll rewrite the skies myself.”
Namgung Jincheon’s expression was unusually bright as he spoke. It was clear to anyone that he eagerly anticipated his daughter’s marriage.
Seo-jun felt his breath catch. Should he bring up the solution he had been considering for days?
If Namgung Jincheon drew his sword upon hearing the suggestion, Seo-jun couldn’t exactly blame him.
‘No, I need to talk to Chun-bong first.’
It wasn’t that he was afraid of his father-in-law’s sword. Sooner or later, this was a conversation he had to have.
It was simply common sense to consult Chun-bong first, as this would leave a significant mark on her life.
With that resolved, Seo-jun decided to find Chun-bong, who was training as usual, alongside Namgung Sua.
“Oppa!”
Chun-bong dashed over and jumped into Seo-jun’s arms. After enjoying a moment of affection, she hopped down to proudly show off her progress.
“Look at this!”
Whoosh! Her sword gleamed with a bright platinum energy. The radiant light danced like starlight, and Chun-bong’s smile was equally dazzling.
The energy dissipated after a moment, as she couldn’t yet sustain it for long periods.
“I’ve got the hang of it now. It’s not quite ready for actual combat, but hey, this is still progress!”
“Of course! My Chun-bong is amazing!”
“That’s right! This is me!”
Chun-bong threw her arms up triumphantly, a confident grin on her face.
Seo-jun bit his lip, hesitating for a moment, before closing his eyes and blurting out the words.
“Chun-bong.”
“Yeah?”
“Can we talk for a bit?”
“Talk?”
Chun-bong, noticing his unusual expression, tensed up. It wasn’t often she saw Seo-jun look nervous—was he even capable of that?
Swallowing hard, Chun-bong nodded.
“Okay…”
*
Since it wasn’t a conversation suited for the training grounds, Seo-jun brought Chun-bong and Namgung Sua back to the room.
He sipped on tea, appreciating the skill of the Namgung Clan’s maids in brewing it.
“So, what is it you wanted to talk about?” Chun-bong asked impatiently, her words cutting through Seo-jun’s brief moment of escapism.
How should he approach this? The thought process had been long, but the action came quickly.
“Chun-bong.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m getting engaged.”
“Huh?”
Chun-bong laughed awkwardly, scratching her ear.
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
But something felt off. By now, Seo-jun would usually counter with some absurd joke, but he didn’t.
Her lips twitched nervously.
“You’re serious?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh… okay…”
Chun-bong’s eyes darted around anxiously. For some reason, her eyes stung.
The words hit her out of nowhere. It took her a moment to fully process their meaning, and when she did, she fought hard to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
‘So sudden…’
Her chest felt tight. Thoughts collided chaotically in her mind until her head felt completely blank.
“Congratulations.”
Chun-bong finally managed to speak, forcing a smile.
“Well, I don’t mind being second!”
When she thought about it, it made sense. Namgung Sua, a direct descendant of the prestigious Namgung Clan, was a far more fitting first choice for marriage than Chun-bong, the last surviving member of the fallen Geum Clan.
“What are you talking about?”
Seo-jun waved his hands, flustered. Chun-bong’s lips quivered.
“Wait… you mean I’m not even second?”
Finally, tears streamed down her face. The smile she’d been struggling to maintain crumbled, and she began to cry.
“I can’t even be second?”
Her quiet sobs filled the room.
Seo-jun hadn’t expected this reaction and felt completely unprepared. His mental state took a hit, and he knew he had to act quickly.
Originally, he had planned to discuss everything carefully with Namgung Sua present, but it was clear that wasn’t an option now.
Abandoning his prepared words, he jumped straight to the conclusion.
“The engagement ceremony—let’s do it with all three of us together.”
He blurted it out and turned to gauge Namgung Sua’s reaction.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t what he expected.
Namgung Sua’s eyes widened with genuine admiration.
“Oh, that’s an option?”
“Huh…?”
“I assumed Chun-bong would go first, naturally.”