There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 793: Side Story 4. Endless Journey - 74

It was a beautiful, bright spring day; the breeze was cool and nice, combined with the warm sunlight and the scent of flowers in full bloom. The driveway uphill was lined up with pink and white blossom, fluttering in the soft wind blowing from the sea.

It was a perfect day for a wedding.

If only the groom could enjoy the beauty of the scenery. Unfortunately, Asa was busy fanning himself with the card where he had written his vow, looking like a respiratory patient running away from the hospital.

If the patient wore a dashing navy suit.

Breathing fast and heavy as the guests started to fill the seats facing the altar, Asa took rapid breaths and exhaled harshly. "Oh, Gods...oh, Gods..."

"Breath," his twin gave useless advice, but at least the esper’s larger build could hide Asa from the guests’ eyes.

"I’m breathing...I’m breathing..." Asa nodded, still. But his eyes caught the card he had been using to fan himself and he was panicking again, hissing anxiously. "What if I stuttered my vow?"

"Then it’ll be a nice dinner story," Kar shrugged, smirking annoyingly that Asa had to use his card to smack the esper.

"Don’t worry, Hyung," his twin’s boyfriend, fortunately, was more graceful. Byul rubbed Asa’s shoulder to soothe the nervous groom. "Even if it happens, everyone here is family and friends--they won’t spread it on social media or anything."

Maybe. He had no idea what Lucy would do, though. But Asa didn’t need to think about that.

"Relax," Zein patted his son’s back, wondering if Bassena was also like this while he was getting ready inside the house. "If it makes you feel better, your Dad almost dropped the wedding ring into the lake."

The twins and Byul paused, blinking as they looked at Zein. The image of Bassena fumbling with the small metal circle and the heart lurching everyone must experience as it stayed in the air for a split second before the esper caught it.

"Pfft--ahahahah!" Asa bowed down as he burst into laughter, and Zein patted his back with a smirk across his lips.

"Stuttering your vow doesn’t seem so bad anymore, isn’t it?"

"Yeah," Asa took a deep breath and straightened his back, exhaling slowly--calmly. He could finally smile on his wedding day. "Thank you, Father." freёnovelkiss.com

"Just keep remembering that story if you get--ah," Zein exclaimed softly as the sound of the door opening could be heard, signaling the oncoming bride.

Rina, the head organizer of the event, gave a sign for the guests to stand. A canopy of flowers had been built in front of the door leading to the garden, so they couldn’t see the bride right away. But a little troops of girls and boys were running out with a basket of flowers and scattered them along the way as music started to play from the string band.

Adorable children--the grandchildren of the Iron Shield and the orphanage--started the march with squeal and laughter, filling the air with organic confetti.

And then came the bride.

Walking with elegance under the veil of flowers and lace, Julia held Bassena’s elbow and stepped forward, one by one, making sure she wouldn’t trip and embarrass the family. But alas--the more she tried, the more she failed. Her sole caught on her skirt at the last staircase and she could feel herself wobble.

That was it, though. She didn’t fall, or even lean sideways in the slightest. Something invisible propped her from below, and no one saw anything wrong with her step. She glanced at the esper beside her--her soon-to-be father-in-law.

Bassena merely smiled, ordering his shawod to retract. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Julia took a sharp breath. "...I think so."

"Just walk slowly, take a deep breath, and look around," Bassena said.

Following the esper’s words, Julia slowed her pace and took a deep breath while looking at the guests. Immediately, she could see her old teachers from the orphanage, waving to her while clutching their chests and wiping their tears. With the teachers were the people who were closest to her when she was still in the orphanage, and not far from them were her and Asa’s friends from the research center.

On the other side of the alley, there were the members of the household--the Iron Shield, people she had been meeting a lot while preparing for the wedding. And then, there were people she never thought would be anywhere near her before; the patriarch of House Mallarc and his husband--as well as parents; a hermit saint class esper who did not look like he was anywhere near a hundred-year-old; and more great people her hazy mind couldn’t keep up.

It was a friend and family event, but there were lots of those friends and family. That being said, she could feel that each one of them smiled brightly with sincerity. Each one of them, even though she barely knew them at all, seemed to be genuinely happy for this occasion.

It was...bizarre.

"Remember," Bassena whispered as they reached the flower path. "These people are now your family."

Her family...people who were happy for her. Happy because of her. The two adult girls jumping up and down in excitement while their fathers tell them to calm down, the dashing best man and his stunning boyfriend, and the father who looked like the personification of a beauty himself.

And then...and then, there was the man who promised to be her family for the rest of their life, waiting for her with a dazed expression.

Julia smiled and nodded subtly. "Yes, Father."

Thankfully, despite taking Julia with trembling hands, Asa did not stutter during his vow. Perhaps all those years of presentations made him fluent during important times. No one prepared for Julia to be the one bursting into tears, however, and for a good five minutes, panic ensued around the garden. It was followed by ten minutes of applause, cheers, laughs, and more tears until Rina told them to get in order so the wedding pictures could be taken.

Without missing a beat, the venue proceeded to be changed into a garden party by everyone attending. It was truly a family event. The wedding cake was brought forth, which got everyone to take out their commlink. It was three-tier alright, but each tier was as tall as an adult’s head. Covered in dark blue frosting like the night sky, a golden circular stair cages the cake like a pathway of stars.

In the middle of the garden, the cake was strikingly beautiful. With the size, every guest had a chance to taste the flavorful cake made by a saint-class esper. In fact, most of the food in the reception was made by another saint-class esper--truly a bragging right to be savored while a former celebrity and a hit actor anchoring the events.

"I know you expect the parents’ speech--or the best man--but the family had agreed to give the floor to someone who made it possible for the bride and groom to meet," Rina raised her hand in the podium, pointing at the family table with her card. "The floor is yours, Uncle Dia."

Radia rolled his eyes at the winking defender, but he still standing up to face his grinning nieces and nephews. "Isn’t it weird for someone from another House to give the first speech?" he shook his head and sighed. "Anyway,"

Radia, who wasn’t informed about this sudden role beforehand, turned toward the newlywed with narrowed eyes. He stared at the twinkling amber eyes and chuckled.

"When Asa was still a little boy--and Zein still cornering Bas for Lucy," he glanced at the screaming and laughing girl, winking. "I remember teaching Asa about patience."

Asa tilted his head, trying to recall the event. It was more than twenty years ago, so it was blurry for him. He did remember something about broken toys and whatnot, however.

"He said he did not understand then, and he didn’t seem to practice it even after he knew--I know a lot of you will agree with me on this one," Radia continued, prompting the household members and the spaceship researchers to laugh. "Turns out, he used up all of his patience quota to persistently court someone for years."

Radia took the champagne flute his husband gave him, and raised it toward the newly wedded couple. "I must say, I did a good job teaching you," he smiled. "Good game, my boy."

Asa laughed and raised his glass, followed by the applauding guests who filled the garden party with so much laughter and cheers that those at the foot of the hill could hear. Loud splashing sounds and high-pitched screams could be heard from the sea, where Zephyr the sea serpent was swimming happily, ready to catch anyone foolish enough to fall over the cliff’s balustrade.

Of course, a wedding wouldn’t feel complete without a bouquet throw. As people filled their bellies with food and drinks, the youngsters were crowding excitedly while Julia turned around and threw her bouquet--made by none other than Grandpa Senan--high in the air. Mischievous wind, however, blew the bouquet to the side, straying toward the group of sitting childhood friends and landing on Nari’s surprised hands.

"Feels like deja vu," Bassena and Zein muttered.

"...Why?" Nari looked at the bouquet and frowned. "Why?! You should prepare a groom from me before giving me this!"

She stomped the ground and threw the bouquet away as the guests and the groom--especially the groom--laughed at her reaction. The poor bouquet landed on the esper sitting opposite her, and the guests whistled in response.

"Well, how about it, Mister Hot Topic?" Rina winked from the podium while Byul was blushing hard beside her.

"Can’t," Kar shrugged. "Need to wait for my best man to return from the stars, no?"

"Of course!" Asa crossed his arms and scoffed. "It’s not like you have anyone else."

"This punk..."

Laughter and congratulations scattered in the wind, fluttering with beautiful petals among family and friends. A blessed day where knots were tied and bonds were forged, and it was everything Zein could ever ask for in his life.

Did you see it, kids? Life is good. Yeah. Life is good.

He stroked the bead pendant and smiled in satisfaction, holding his beloved husband’s hand while watching his expanding family’s bright face.