Welcome to Your Last Race (Street Racers #3)

epilogue 06

Taehyung

*for context, Soojin is 7 years old*

I knew it would be possible one day. I wanted it badly enough that there was no other way. I've turned 37 two months ago, and today, in September, I'm getting married. Officially and legally. I still don't know what it is about marriage that makes me so happy, but I'm starting to understand why people call it 'the happiest day in their lives'. It would be one of the happiest for me.

Our actual guest list was short, but the word spread, and there is... a tone of people. Racers, so many of them. Our age and the kids (no longer kids, but always kids to me). From Seoul and from Daegu. And actual kids. I thought Jungkook was special to have a kid, but damn.

It's about to happen. I have the wedding band on my finger and I can feel my throat closing. I am not even listening to what the officiant is saying. I can't hear anything anyways. I'm about to be declared married. I've waited ten years to have someone say those words. We've been acted like a married couple, anyways, but I want it to be made official. Just for the sake of it, maybe. Just because we deserve it just as much as our best friends who celebrated their 10th anniversary this year. Just because I want it.

"Therefore in the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today and by the power vested in me by you, it is my honor and delight to declare you married together in life, for life, husband and husband."

I'm not even the only one tearing up. He is, too. But we smile at each other. I like the word 'husband' much better than 'boyfriend'.

"You may seal your vows with a kiss."

And we do, holding hands. And the kids (the racing kids) are screaming. I laugh against his lips, and he deepens the kiss.

I move back, the tears getting a bit too hard to hold back.

"Ah, fuck, is this happening? Really?" I ask, wiping my cheeks.

Wooshik reaches out to wrap his arms around me, but he doesn't get to it. With a high pitched excited scream, Soojin runs into me.

I pick her up, smiling when she smiles at me.

"These are happy tears, right, uncle? Daddy said you're happy."

"I'm very, very happy, Soojin."

She reaches out, pulling Wooshik closer by the tie. "Come here, uncle. Group hug." Squishing us tighter than a seven-year-old should be able to, she says, "I love you both a lot."

It takes some time to hear everyone who has something to say out. I'm usually not as willing to have so many interactions with others, but they are all congratulating us, and I'm so fucking proud that I'm married to him, that I listen to everything. The kids say we're 'icons'. One of them tells me that apparently we're one of the first gay couples in the country to get married. The other says we're still carrying the racing community.

People I've known for longer say they are happy for us. Most of them are honest, saying things like 'I used to not like you, man, but seeing you so happy makes me genuinely really happy. Good for you'. I like hearing those. For some reason it feels good to see how far we've come. How much things changed.

You don't have to like your family, but even if you don't, you can't deny you've got at least the tiniest spot for them in your heart. Racing community is, in a way, my family.

~~

After a couple hours with the closest people only (which is a bigger group than I expected), there's a party. Soojin stays the night with her grandparents, and we go to the club. Neither of us organized it, though. I heard it from Jungkook, who heard it from Hoseok, who heard it from Sunhee, who heard it from Reiko, who heard it from someone I don't know that there is a party happening to celebrate our wedding.