Candlelight
***
The main event was an auction of personal treasures brought by the attendees.
All proceeds from the bids would go entirely to a hospital for children with incurable diseases.
That's why the invitees had each brought along an item laden with their own stories.
Of course, Lily and I had prepared something too.
While waiting for my turn, I watched the other stars' auctions alongside Lily.
It wasn't just about selling objects.
The owners themselves came on stage to share the stories behind their items—and surprisingly, it was a blast.
"And our first bidder is this gentleman!"
With the emcee's introduction, eternal top star Tom Cruise hyungnim took the stage.
He pulled out a worn leather case containing a pair of aviator sunglasses.
"These are the ones I actually wore while filming the first Mission: Impossible."
"Ooh!"
Gasps erupted from the audience.
"Look closely, and you'll see a small scratch on the edge of the lens. It happened when a rock kicked up during the motorcycle scene. This holds all the passion of my twenties."
With his detailed explanation, those old sunglasses transformed from mere props into pieces of history.
The bidding started, and the price skyrocketed like mad.
A thousand dollars, two thousand... it blew past fifty grand in seconds.
In the end, it went to a young CEO from an IT company, who received them with childlike glee.
Next up was fashion legend Vera Wang.
She didn't bring clothes, but a weathered picture frame.
Inside was a rough pencil sketch of a dress on a napkin.
"This is a sketch I drew on a napkin in an airplane ten years ago. Inspiration hit me like crazy, and I went wild with it. This design later became the gown for the actress who won Best Actress at the Oscars."
The original spark of genius.
Fashion students and designers' eyes lit up.
"That's a work of art."
Admiration burst out here and there, and after fierce competition, a famous gallery curator snagged it.
It wasn't just about buying and selling expensive stuff.
It was a place to share memories, stories, and hearts.
Lily's eyes sparkled as she gripped my hand tight.
"This is fun, honey. Every item has a story."
"Yeah. They're full of meaning."
Hearing the celebs' behind-the-scenes tales was endlessly entertaining.
As the mood ripened, the emcee grabbed the mic and shouted.
"Next up is a very special guest! The hottest name lately!"
My turn had finally come.
Auction success usually hinged on the story.
Like the items before—something worn in a blockbuster hit needed that concrete narrative to drive up the price.
Today, I'd brought two bottles of liquor I'd received as a wedding gift.
Not just any booze, of course.
I planned to sprinkle in my own story for flavor.
"Now, let's reveal Hoon's treasure!"
In the center of the packed charity auction hall, I took the mic and casually scanned the crowd.
Time to channel Korea's legendary con artist—or entrepreneur—Hong Gildong, who sold the Daedong River.
"Hello, everyone!"
I bowed my head, and cheers and applause exploded from the seats.
"Today, for this meaningful event, I've brought something truly extraordinary."
Curiosity flickered in their eyes at my solemn tone.
'Ahem. Let's get started.'
I carefully lifted the item from the box beside me.
Smooth curves, elegant pure white form.
A traditional Korean porcelain sake bottle.
Foreigners go nuts for ceramics, right?
This was a precious gift handmade by one of my father's acquaintances for our wedding.
"Ooh..."
The pristine white porcelain gleamed ethereally under the lights, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Visual impact: check.
Now for the real sales pitch.
"This is a traditional Korean sake bottle. And inside it is a rare liquor you couldn't buy for any price."
The word "liquor" lit up the men's eyes, especially.
I poured a splash into a prepared crystal glass.
Glug glug.
Rich, deep crimson liquid flowed out like premium red wine, shimmering with a mystical purple hue in the light.
"This is bokbunja ju, a traditional Korean fruit wine. Looks like wine, doesn't it?"
I pretended to sniff the aroma.
"Made from the finest bokbunja berries from Gochang, Korea's renowned region, and personally brewed by master craftsman Park Heung-su, a certified Food Master of Korea."
Mentioning a maestro craftsman energized their gazes.
Then, a man shot his hand up.
"But Hoon, what's bokbunja anyway?"
I grinned.
"Great question. Bokbunja is like Korea's black raspberry. But why do Koreans call it that? Anyone know?"
I scanned the room, but they just tilted their heads.
"Let me explain. There's a fun story."
I lowered my voice and began.
"Once upon a time, there was a frail, sickly man. On a monk's advice, he ate these berries. And then..."
I paused for effect.
"His energy surged so much that every time he peed, the stream was so powerful it flipped over his chamber pot."
"Pfft!"
"For real?"
The crowd burst into laughter.
"That's how it got its name: bok (to flip), bun (basin), ja (seed). The fruit that overturns chamber pots."
I pressed on.
"In other words, it's been famous since ancient times as a tonic for men's health and vitality."
My blunt pitch had the men roaring with laughter, their eyes blazing, while women covered their mouths in embarrassment but shot curious glances.
Another man chimed in.
"What? I bought some at a Korean convenience store. Is it really that special?"
Sharp observation.
Bokbunja wine was common at any Korean convenience store.
But this was different.
"You're right. You can get it at convenience stores in Korea. But!"
I wagged my finger with a confident smile.
"This is different. Hand-brewed by a master, non-commercial exclusive."
I compared it to wine.
"Even from the same grapes, why the price gap between supermarket plonk and Romanée-Conti? Craftsmanship and rarity."
Nods rippled through the crowd.
"This is the top-grade bokbunja, limited to just ten bottles for grateful friends and family. I got it as a wedding gift—'have lots of kids' kind of meaning."
I glanced at Lily with a playful wink.
"But me... I don't need to rely on this stuff."
"Hahaha!"
The hall turned into a sea of laughter.
The vibe heated up with my manly bravado.
Lily blushed, swatting my arm.
"Honey! What are you saying?!"
The emcee, stifling laughs, grabbed the mic.
"Alright, the legendary chamber-pot-flipping liquor! Bidding starts at a hundred dollars!"
"Five hundred!"
"One thousand!"
Men's hands shot up like crazy right away.
Even married women poking their husbands.
"Five thousand!"
"Ten thousand!"
The price soared to the heavens.
In the end, my bokbunja set a record high for the night, landing in the arms of an elderly gentleman.
But it wasn't over.
I placed another box on the table.
"This is the hallye bok—my wife Lily's wedding attire from our ceremony in Korea."
Opening it revealed vibrant red silk embroidered with gold phoenix patterns and multicolored threads that sparkled under the lights.
Eastern mystique drew gasps from the crowd.
"Honestly, I planned to keep this forever. It's our most precious memory as a couple."
I looked at Lily.
She nodded firmly, though shyly.
"But Lily suggested it first."
I continued steadily into the mic.
"My wife is an albinism patient with an incurable condition. She knows the despair of living with it better than anyone—and the pain of poverty denying treatment."
The room fell silent.
"She wants to auction our dearest memory to help those kids."
Her sincerity moved some to tears.
Of course, emotion alone wouldn't open wallets.
Value had to be proven.
"This gown was crafted by Korea's top hanbok master, Choi Bok-rye."
I showed the details.
"She's a longtime patron of my mother's restaurant, Handamwon. They're like sisters, so she gifted it for our wedding."
Eyes widened again.
Dad's a sauce master. Mom's friend a hanbok master.
Family of artisans?
Being clothing, fashion insiders' eyes sharpened.
Maria, Daol's chief designer who'd gifted Lily a dress, was especially stunned.
The exquisite harmony of straight lines and soft curves.
The emanating elegance.
Curvaceous beauty, bold colors, graceful silhouette.
It perfectly matched Daol's feminine design philosophy.
The hanbok's vibrant hues sparked new inspiration.
"...Chairman."
Maria urgently tugged the chairman's sleeve.
"We have to buy that. It'll be worth a fortune later."
She didn't underestimate Lily's potential.
When Lily became famous, "the gown from her wedding" would be priceless.
Plus, a traditional Korean wedding hanbok by the top artisan?
Rare even for the wealthy in America.
A once-in-a-lifetime wedding memory.
Must-have.
Bidding erupted, brand reps' hands flying.
Fierce battle.
But the winner was set.
Daol's chairman trusted Maria's eye and bid boldly.
Lily's hallye bok went to Daol.
"Eek!"
The moment it hammered, Maria hugged the chairman.
"Thank you, Chairman! Truly!"
He chuckled, patting her.
An artist's pure joy at her treasure.
It brought smiles all around.
Cooling her excitement, Maria rushed to Lily.
Her eyes still burned.
"I'll treasure it, Lily."
She vowed solemnly.
"I know how to preserve it like new even after centuries. Daol's archives are world-class."
Lily beamed.
Truth be told, I'd worried it'd be mishandled or stuffed in storage.
"I'm so happy. It's full of precious memories. Take good care of it."
"Don't worry, Lily. I stake my name on it."
Maria thumped her chest confidently.
Then, she snapped her fingers.
"Oh! Got any wedding photos?"
"Photos?"
"Yeah. The gown alone lacks context."
She winked at Lily.
"People need to know the real owner and how stunning it looked on her. For a perfect exhibit."
Lily nodded shyly.
"Sure, I'll send some."
They swapped numbers on their phones.
From transaction to artistic kindred spirits.
The event wrapped triumphantly, and we headed to the top-tier hotel hyungnim had booked.
Reporters were on site, so photos were done.
Probably headlines tomorrow.
Carol-singing streets and twinkling lights everywhere en route.
In Korea, Christmas Eve was for lovers, but for Americans, it was prime family fest prep time.
Our first Christmas with Lily.
Entering the hotel room, Lily surprised me.
"Ta-da!"
Red Santa suit, cute hat.
Secretly prepped for today.
To mark our special couple's day, we lit candles on a cake.
Flickering light made Lily's face even more adorable.
Biteably cute.
I took her hand.
"Lily. Remember my proposal?"
"Of course~ How could I forget?"
Her eyes sparkled.
"I'll never forget till I die, honey!"
I'd promised to make her the happiest woman alive.
With all the ups and downs since, I wondered.
"...Lily, do you regret marrying me?"
She gazed at me, then answered with the world's brightest smile.
"No way! I'm so happy right now!"
Not a hint of hesitation.
"...Good. Relieved. Keeping my promise."
I kissed her forehead lightly.
"Let's stay happy, us."
"Yeah! Now blow out the candles, honey~"
We counted, eyes locked.
One, two, three.
"Fwoo—"
Thus, Lily and I together extinguished the warm candlelight glowing on the cake.
Our smiles shone brightly.