I allow his mother to help him wash and change into clean clothes in private, but after that I won't leave his side. Still wearing my silk hanbok, I cook, bring food, clean and unpack the gifts Chin-Hwa gave us. Amongst other things there's a lovely set of prettily decorated bowls, a couple of colorful quilts and some pieces of simple white fabric, Mrs. Ho is ecstatic about.

When evening comes and I still don't want to leave his side, Mr. Ho places a folding screen between our mats and looks at us with his most stern expression, then he briskly retreats.

Behind the screen, I change into my nightwear and then I lay down under one of the new quilts. It's not long before Gi-Kyong softly shoves the screen out of the way and lays down beside me.

We don't do anything, he simply holds me and after a while I feel tears running down my cheeks. I silently cry it all out until at long last I feel the tension, that has been with me all those weeks, begin to recede.

His lips gently touch mine and his fingers wipe away the moist. "It's alright nae sarang, I'm here, everything's fine now."

I close my eyes and fall asleep with the image of his sweet face printed in my memory.

The wedding is set for early fall. Because I have no family, there are many customs we have to omit or that Mrs. Ho has to do herself. Instead of preparing the traditional saju envelop, Mrs. Ho goes directly to the local fortune teller to receive the best date for the actual day.

I've already seen my wedding outfit, but one morning when I wake up, I find a house full of guests and a beautiful crafted box waiting for me. Gi-Kyong is nowhere to be found. His leg is almost healed and I recon he's somewhere outside with his father, who is also missing.

Inside the box I find a folded paper with hanja characters written on the outside. I recognize some of them, but don't know what it says.

Cha Dan-Bi, Beak-So's older sister, sees me frown and whispers amused: "It's a honseo, it's the proposal letter. This says Ho Gi-Kyong", she points at three syllabic blocks and then to the next three, "and this says Yeong Ji-Eun." I stare at the beautiful calligraphy and touch the thin paper with awe. I have to learn how to write these, I only know the hangul alphabet.

The box also contains the beautiful red wonsam and a few pieces of jewelry that make me suck in my breath. There is a broach in the shape of a butterfly, tassels in three colors hang beneath it. I've seen Chin-Hwa wear something like it on top of her skirt. Tentative I pick it up and see Mrs. Ho nod with satisfaction.

There's also a hair ornament and a shiny jade hairpin with the head of a swan. With one finger I graze the glass-like material and say in awe: "So beautiful." I can't believe they're really for me. They could have been sold so the family could life in better circumstances. I sigh and place the ornaments back in the box. Instead they have been saved all these years, to one day be given it to their son's bride. And he has chosen me. I'm so happy I laugh through my tears.

By now, everybody knows my story: that I'm from yuleob from across the sea, that my parents were merchants who died years ago. They also know all about my kidnapping and how Gi-Kyong rescued me. The story seems to have begun a life of it's own, because one day I hear a friend of Mrs. Ho tell her about the grace of the magistrate who put the two kidnappers to death in order to avenge the young lady who was taken.

We lock eyes and bite our lips to hide our smiles. Oh well, it could have been worse.

In the days that follow, I am instructed in the elaborate traditions of bowing at the right time, walking to the right places and when to kneel. There's also drinking involved and I'm very glad I'll have two attendants who help me through it all.

In a private conversation I listen to Gi-Kyong's mother while she tells me about what happens after the wedding. Apparently we will have spectators during the ... I hide my face out of shame, but Mrs. Ho laughs out loud and pulls my hands away, saying she will shoo anyone who dares to linger.

With burning cheeks I secretly admit I'm looking forward to the undressing part.

Everything will take place at this house, because there is no other house. Therefore there also won't be a procession before or after the wedding. It will be a fairly small ceremony, compared to others, but that's fine by me. We'll probably have but a few guests, because I hardly know anyone.

In this, I am grossly mistaken. The day of the wedding comes together with what seems like half the town. Chin-Hwa is in front in her litter, joyfully waving as soon as she spots me.

The whole courtyard is filled with people and I am relieved to see Gi-Kyong's three friends looking well and happy for their friend. I was told not to smile too much, since this is a serious business, so I am glad I wear a veil, because I can't stop grinning.

Gi-Kyong looks amazing in his wedding attire. The dark red coat makes him look like some important court official and his black boots are shining. His shiny belt is similar to mine.

The woman who helped me dress had a little difficulty with my short hair, but in the end Mrs. Ho did a wonderful job in creating some sort of cap that holds the extended hairpin and the long pieces of embroidered silk that hang over either end.

I don't have a mirror, but I must look alright, because Gi-Kyong's eyes widen the moment he sees me and his Adam's apple bobs up and down a few times, before he's able to bow in turn.

The feast goes on till well in the night, but early in the evening we are escorted to the backroom where Beak-So and Chin-Hwa help us with our first layer of clothing. Not that we need any help, but it's tradition and Chin-Hwa and I do a lot of giggling, while the men merely shake their heads and can't wait for this part to be over.

And then, all of a sudden, we're alone in the room. Husband and wife. Suddenly I'm terribly shy.

Gi-Kyong steps forward. I see his hands lightly shaking as he reaches up and removes the pincushion-like ornament from my head. The cap with hairpin and ribbons is next and when he laces his fingers through my curls, I close my eyes. He kisses me softly at first and I can hear soft 'oooh's' and 'aaah's' from behind the rice-paper door that replaced the curtain.

Soon however, Gi-Kyong deepens the kiss and starts to pull at the ribbons that hold my many layers of clothing together. I'm momentarily distracted by bustling and rustling of fabric, which must mean Mrs. Ho is shooing our spectators, but a few seconds later I don't care anymore.

Gi-Kyong breaks the kiss briefly because he needs to see what he's doing and I'm not allowed to help. Then his mouth is back on mine and against my lips he breaths: "I love you!"

There are a million things I want to say to him. I love you, I need you, thank you. I wish I could let him have a peak into my soul to understand the depth of what I'm feeling right now, but I only have time enough to mumble: "Me too."

The sky turns dark and soft patter announces rain. The crops have been bountiful this year, we've build up a good stock to lasts us the winter in comfort.

There's still a lot I have to learn before I am confident I can run my own household, but I have Mrs. Ho to teach me and Gi-Kyong to love me, so I will be alright.

Late at night, when Gi-Kyong plays with the curls on my forehead, he asks me: "What is that deep thought in your eyes?"

I smile and answer: "I'm just wondering."

"About?"

I remove my hand from under the quilt and push his hair behind his ear. "About how I got to be this lucky. About how a broken work-unit ultimately proved to be the best thing that could happen to me."

He takes my hand and presses my fingertips to his lips before asking: "Won't you miss it? Life there?"

"No," I smile, "not in a million years. My home is here, my heart", I place my hand against the left side of his chest, "is here."

"I love you", he whispers, nuzzling my cheek.

"Me too", I whisper back.