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Minyoung can't really hide the fact that she is unhappy, she tries and then stops trying, because why would she? She is unhappy. Her cheeks are most likely stained red and her mouth upturned, and she really, just honestly, cannot be bothered to even try and pretend that she is in any way or form, enthused. So there she is, off to somewhere on a fine Saturday morning, when she could, for all intents and purposes, be in bed asleep for an extra hour or two before the day actually starts. Or supposed to start.
The city is quiet, or as quiet as Seoul could be, and she doesn't try to remember if this is normal or not; it's just not . And Dojoon, she loves him but, there is, maybe, a limit, and there should be, is driving them somewhere after he woke her up from her very peaceful and deep sleep with kisses, that, perhaps Minyoung doesn't mind waking up to everyday. But, that good feeling quickly dissipated when she realised that he actually meant to wake her up.
At 06h00.
On a Saturday morning.
Minyoung wonders if this is a valid reason to file for divorce, because she really could cry. She whips out her phone and spitefully looks up 'valid reasons for a divorce'.
Dojoon is cheerful, so Minyoung types even faster. The radio is on, and he's expertly maneuvering the car around the traffic, looking freshly showered and young, so young that he could be the guy who offered her a laptop on their first day on campus. She grits her teeth at the thought. Then, there she is , with a baseball cap, lightly brushed hair, unshowered and wearing the first thing she could find so early in the morning, her socks probably don't even match! Half of it is hers and the other is half his. She thinks she remembers him humming under his breath, Minyoung side eyes him from the passenger seat.
The golden rays of the warm morning sunlight start peeking around the tall buildings, warming her face, and like photosynthesis: the rays, and maybe music and smooth car ride, synthesise her irritation, warm the cold part of her heart and threaten to leave a small happy smile on her face. Absently, she puts her phone down and closes her eyes to bask in it.
She starts a while later, the car is parked, and they're sitting in a parking lot. Curiously, she peeks around the place, to see where they are, and why, just why, she had to wake up so early in the morning.
It looks like a villa, hidden under large billowing trees in the early morning breeze and the lot is empty, except for, maybe, two other cars.
"Where are we?"
"Come on," Dojoon says instead, opening his door and hopping out.
"Where are we going?" Minyoung presses on, stepping out of the car. The wind has a chill to it so she folds her arms to keep the warm for a bit longer.
"It's a surprise," he says, draping an arm around her shoulder.
She narrows her eyes.
He smiles, delighted, to reassure her.
"You're cute," he says, nuzzling his nose into her cheek, and Minyoung wants to hate it, scrunching her nose to keep the smile from breaking her face into two and the bubbles from bursting out from inside of her. She is determined to hate this to the end.
She rolls her eyes.
It's warm when they walk in, quiet and smells so good. There's a hostess! To her resounding shock. Who greets them warmly, with round cheeks and a neat uniform. Looking around, she wonders if she woke up especially early for this, or just never went home in the first place. By the looks of things, this is an unusual hour.
"Mr Jin," she greets.
"Ms Lee, thank you for this."
Minyoung looks between them, noting the casual and familial way they address and speak to eachother.
"This is Seo Minyoung, my wife," he introduces her.
Again, she does her absolute best to keep her face and voice level.
"Good morning," she says formally, bowing at the waist. Her gesture is returned with a warm outstretched hand.
"Shall we?" She asks after they exchange pleasantries and leads them down the hallway. Minyoung bites her lip, in desperate curiosity, while Dojoon seems perfectly relaxed.
She wants to ask him with her eyes, but he is resolutely staring straight ahead. When he finally senses her eyes on him, he thinks it's time to be cute and slobbers a long smooch on her cheek.
Again, the laughter almost bubbles out of her, so close.
The hostess opens the door and steps aside to let them see what is supposed to be a dining room but is instead decorated and laid out with gifts?
"Wh- "
"Ta-da!" Dojoon says, walking in front of her and splaying his arms wide open in a gesture of surprise.
Minyoung waits.
"Huh?" Minyoung asks, eying the hostess who is watching with mirth to gouge her reaction. Her cheeks flame hot and she looks away shyly to throw daggers at her man.
"Well," he starts, cockily. "Since we couldn't celebrate your birthday two weeks ago, because I was away, today…is…officially…" he draws it out for good measure,"your birthday weekend!"
"Huh?"
"Come on in," he says, pulling her into the room.
"Uh," says, looking around the room. It is beautiful. And smells so much better, now that she's closer. She'd drunkenly told him that she had, once upon a time, wanted a Star Wars themed birthday party as a child, a very young child, but here she is now, an adult woman having a Star Wars themed early morning birthday party?
She looks around the room, so touched. There're balloons in the corners and the floor is covered by a thin material and the lights are dim, creating a cozy and intimate ambiance. And balloons! She can take home instead of flowers that will wilt and require cleaning up by the staff.
Dojoon appears next to her again, while Minyoung had been taking in the room, apparently he'd slipped away to pick up her present, and Minyoung does a double take, eyes widening: it's R2D2!
Minyoung reaches out to hold her hero, and it's so heavy that she almost drops it.
"It's the original prototype," Dojoon explains the heaviness and rustiness. "Before the movies, this was what they based the movie version off of."
And that explains the size.
"Where did you get it?"
"Oh, you know me," he says with a brilliant flash of a smile.
"Uncle Oh?"
"Yes, I- he just knows how to find things."
"What else is here?" She asks, excitedly tucking R2 under her arm and walking along the wall of presents.
There are fancy gifts here and there, from Dojoon himself, and a few from her parents, co-workers and friends.
In the middle, is a fort like place for them to sit and eat, cozy and comfortable; just for two people. The door behind them slides open while they're looking at the extended black and white photo album of her, through the years, when the sweet aroma of undoubtedly good food and warm beverages wafts in.
Her stomach grumbles.
Minyoung sort of skips into a sitting position, tucking R2 safely next to her, serious and unabashedly joyful. "Let's eat, I'm hungry."
Dojoon comes to join her, and he brings a bouquet of flowers with him.
"Where'd-"
"I do have my ways," he says, handing them over to her. Yellow roses. Minyoung tucks her nose in, and, in the morning, smells the roses .
"When did you plan all of this?" she asks, curious.
"A while ago. I was actually going to invite everyone, but then I had to go away, and then no one wanted to wake up so early in the morning."
"Mhm," she agrees with the sentiment, mouth full of the warm chocolatey goodness in her cup. .
"Yeah, but what's more surprising than a breakfast birthday surprise party on a Saturday morning?"
For the life of her, with all the options available in the world, Minyoung does not understand why, just why, does her husband choose only to have black, bitter coffee in the morning.
"Taste this," she says, extending her arm.
Dojoon grimaces and shakes his head no.
"I swear, you're an old man inside there."
Dojoon laughs. Minyoung meant for a light joke that would probably inspire an eye roll or snicker, but he laughs instead, a genuine belly deep laugh, so deep that she can see all of his teeth.
I want his babies, Minyoung thinks. Heart leaping wildly in her chest, with joy that flows like a river.
"If only you knew," he says, picking up a spoon and swallowing a mouthful of warm soup. An 'ah' follows, a deep guttural satisfaction. Minyoung scrutinizes him for a second, it's not uncommon to get that reply, but his tone of voice, the change in the lines of his face, his eyes darting around the table, looking for a distraction; would probably go unnoticed to a naked untrained eye, but she, she's known him since university. Something about it…
Distracted, she picks up her chopsticks.
"Tell me about it one day?"
She's surprised by the sincerity of her question.
Dojoon smiles, still not looking up, and Minyoung knows that it's something she wants to know.
"Yeah?" He asks, finally looking up at her, voice maybe smaller than his usual register.
"Yeah," she says, inflecting all the love she could muster into one word.
"Ok. One day then," he says, his face relaxing and Minyoung feels her own muscles relaxing, finally settling comfortably on the floor. "Don't be too surprised and leave me ok?"
Minyoung blanches.
"Is it something illegal?"
"No!" Dojoon laughs, and again, his laughter is so light and boyish. "No, it's not."
I want his babies, Minyoung thinks again.
And the mood is light again.
They have a light breakfast, followed by a good game of Jenga that they both suck at, and then Minyoung has to guess what is in each of her gifts for cash prizes, then it's picture time, which stops promptly when their second breakfast is brought in.
They nap for what feels like hours, but is actually 30 minutes.
"We have to go home," Dojoon says groggily above her head. "The staff will send your gifts home later."
She lifts her head to send daggers at him. To emphasize her absolute comfort, Minyoung wiggles her body against his. If she could, she'd lie inside of his chest.
"It's your birthday weekend, remember? This is only our first stop."
Minyoung whines. Dojoon, being the brute he is, slithers from under and leaves her sprawled on the floor on her own. He comes back a minute later and picks her up bridal style.
"Let's go," she doesn't complain when he carries her to the door.
"My R2!"
And he graciously tracks back to collect her R2 and safely tucked in her arms, he carries her out into the morning. The sun high in the horizon, blue skies, nothing at all like the glossy sun rays they'd watched earlier. The morning heat seeps into her exposed arms. Every memory of chilly morning dissipates into thin air. Dojoon gently sets her down and they walk hand in hand to his car.
Minyoung picks up her phone from her seat, after tucking R2 safely in her seat, where she'd apparently left it all morning and unlocks it to find that she was searching for 'reasons to divorce'.
She laughs lightly, erasing every word. Dojoon eyes her from his side of the car.
"If only you knew,"
When she gets into the car, Dojoon hands her a pair of shades, while he puts on his own and they drive home.