Me and Liana arrived at Midnight Bays Airport, and I am nervous about the long flight ahead. I have never been on a flight this long before, and I am not sure how I am going to handle it. But I am excited to be going to Seoul with Liana and to see her family and friends for our wedding.
We make our way through security and to our gate, where we find out that we are seated next to each other in first class. Liana and I hold hands tightly as we board the plane, and I can feel her nerves as well.
As we take off from Midnight Bays, I watch out the window as the lights of the United States disappear beneath us. I turn to Liana, who is trying to distract herself with a book and ask her how she is feeling.
"I'm nervous," she admits, looking up at me with a worried expression. "I've never been on a flight this long before."
"I know," I say, squeezing her hand. "But we'll get through it together, we are gods after all."
As the flight progresses, Liana and I try to distract ourselves with movies, books, and music. We chat about the wedding and our plans for the future, but our nerves never fully dissipate. I can feel the plane bouncing through turbulence, and I know that Liana is feeling it too.
"Are you okay?" I ask her, noticing that she looks a little pale.
"I'm fine," she says, but I can tell that she is not. I reach over and place my hand on her forehead, feeling her warmth.
"You're running a fever," I say, concerned.
"I think it's just the nerves," she says, looking up at me with a weak smile.
I nod, understanding. "Do you want to try to sleep?" I suggest. "It might make you feel better."
Liana nods, and I help her recline her seat. I watch as she drifts off to sleep, her head resting on my shoulder.
Hours pass, and the plane finally begins its descent into Seoul. Liana wakes up, and I can see the excitement in her eyes as we approach our destination.
"We made it," she says, smiling at me.
"We did," I say, feeling relieved and excited at the same time.
As the plane touches down in Seoul, Liana and I hold hands tightly. We are nervous and excited about our special day.
Katerina and Liana grab a taxi from the airport to the Grand Hyatt Seoul, where they check in at the front desk for their special honeymoon suite. The room is beautiful, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a stunning view of the city. They drop their bags and head out to explore the city.
Their first stop is Gyeongbokgung Palace, a stunning example of traditional Korean architecture. They wander through the palace grounds, admiring the intricate details of the buildings and the beautiful gardens. Liana takes dozens of photos, and Katerina can't help but smile at how happy she looks.
As they walk through the palace, they spot a street food vendor selling tteokbokki, a spicy Korean dish made with rice cakes and gochujang sauce. They buy a few skewers and sit on a nearby bench to enjoy the food.
"This is amazing," Liana says, licking the sauce off her fingers. "I can't believe we're actually in Korea."
"I know," Katerina says, taking a bite of the tteokbokki. "It's so different from anything I've experienced before."
After the palace, they head to Myeong-dong, a popular shopping district in Seoul. The streets are packed with vendors selling everything from clothing to accessories to street food.
They stop at a vendor selling Korean fried chicken and beer, a popular combination in Korea. They order a plate of chicken and a few bottles of beer and sit at a nearby table to enjoy their meal.
"This is so good," Liana says, taking a bite of the crispy chicken. "I could eat this every day."
Katerina laughs. "I don't think our waistlines would appreciate that," she says, sipping her beer.
After their meal, they wander through the streets of Myeong-dong, stopping at various shops and vendors. They buy a few souvenirs to take home, including Korean face masks and traditional Korean clothing.
"This is so beautiful," Liana says, leaning against Katerina. "I can't believe we're actually here."
"I know," Katerina says, wrapping her arms around Liana. "It's like a dream come true."
Three days later
Liana and I are also excited to pick up my Aunt Jen and cousin Natalie from the airport. They will be staying with us for the week leading up to the wedding, and we can't wait to spend time with them.
We have planned a few activities for the week, including a visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace, a traditional Korean BBQ dinner, and a trip to the Namsan Tower to take in the stunning views of the city. We know that Aunt Jen and Natalie will love exploring Seoul, and we are excited to show them around.
As we make our way to the airport, Liana and I talk about how quickly the wedding is approaching. We are both feeling a mix of excitement and nerves, but we know that we are ready to take this next step together.
When we arrive at the airport, we see Aunt Jen and Natalie waiting for us with huge smiles on their faces. We exchange hugs and kisses, and Liana helps them with their bags. We make our way to the car, and Aunt Jen and Natalie ask us about the wedding plans. We share all of the details, and they are both thrilled to be a part of our special day.
As we drive back to the hotel, we catch up on each other's lives and talk about the week ahead. We know that it will be a busy week, but we are excited to spend time with our family and make some special memories leading up to the wedding.
We spent the rest of the evening at a popular Korean BBQ restaurant, where they grill their own meat at the table. The restaurant is busy, and they're seated at a long communal table with several other groups of people. They order a variety of meats, including bulgogi and galbi, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of the restaurant.
As they're grilling their meat, they strike up a conversation with the people seated next to them. They're a group of college students from Seoul, and they're eager to practice their English with them.
They talk about their favorite things to do in Seoul, and the students recommend several other places for them to visit during their stay. They also offer to take a group photo of Katerina, Liana, Natalie, and June which they happily accept.
After dinner, they head back to the Grand Hyatt Seoul, exhausted but happy from a day of sightseeing and eating delicious food. They fall asleep almost as soon as their heads hit the pillow, excited for another day of exploring Korea.
Back in Midnight Bay
Sophie and Emily continued helping Katerina create a legend of the beach serial killer, they continued finding and mutilating men that fit the same characteristics as the first victim. They would work together as they ran overtop the buildings of the city during the night observing the people as they walked through the city sidewalks. They would scan the streets until they would find someone who fit the bill, and then one of them would alter their face slightly and lure the guy into an alleyway while flirting with him. As soon as the lone men would enter the alleyways or leave the sight of the public the other would jump down quickly dismembering the men, they would laugh quietly and snicker as they used their claws to rip out their intestines and created various shapes with them on the ground.
Katerina and Liana's wedding day has finally arrived, and the Grand Seoul Hyatt is bustling with activity. The guests have all arrived, and the ceremony is set to begin in just a few minutes.
Katerina is getting ready in her hotel room, surrounded by her bridesmaids, who are helping her put on her wedding dress. She looks radiant in her white gown, and her hair and makeup are perfect. She turns to her bridesmaids and says, "I can't believe this day is finally here. I'm so excited to marry Liana."
One of her bridesmaids replies, "You look absolutely stunning, Katerina. Liana is going to be blown away when she sees you."
In the meantime, Liana is waiting nervously at the altar, surrounded by her family and friends. Her mother and father are beaming with pride, and her siblings are excited to see their sister get married. Liana takes a deep breath and thinks to herself, "I can't believe I'm about to marry the love of my life. I'm so lucky to have Katerina."
The ceremony begins, and a hush falls over the crowd. Kim, the officiant, begins to speak, and everyone listens intently. Katerina and Liana exchange their vows, and there isn't a dry eye in the house. Katerina tells Liana how much she loves her and how excited she is to spend the rest of her life with her. Liana tells Katerina how much she means to her and how she can't wait to start their life together.
"I vow to cherish and adore you for all eternity, to always be your protector and your rock. I promise to stand by your side through every challenge and every triumph, to laugh with you, cry with you, and grow with you. Even a hundred thousand years from now, my love for you will burn brighter than the sun. You are my forever and always."
After they exchange rings, Kim pronounces them married, and the crowd erupts into cheers. Katerina and Liana kiss and everyone cheers again.
The ceremony is followed by a reception, where everyone dances to upbeat music and enjoys delicious Korean food. Katerina's coworkers, who are mostly scientists, let loose on the dance floor, and even her boss, Gregory, gets in on the fun. Katerina and Liana join them, and they all dance together.
Katerina's mom, June, pulls Liana aside and says, "I'm so happy that you're part of our family now, Liana. You and Katerina are perfect together."
Liana smiles and replies, "Thank you, June. I'm so lucky to have Katerina and your family in my life."
As the night wears on, Katerina and Liana toss two bouquets to the
crowd of single women, and two of Katerina's bridesmaids catch them. Katerina and Liana then cut their wedding cake, feeding each other small bites as they laugh and smile.
The night is filled with joy and happiness, and Katerina and Liana are surrounded by love from their friends and family. As the reception winds down, Katerina and Liana take a moment to themselves on the balcony overlooking the city. They hold each other close and look out at the twinkling lights of Seoul.
Katerina turns to Liana and says, "I love you so much, Liana. Today was perfect."
Liana replies, "I love you too, Katerina. I couldn't have asked for a better day."
Katerina leans in and kisses Liana, and they hold each other close as the night comes to an end.