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“Are we just going to do this?” Jang Uk, who had been quietly watching Yeong slice the vegetables, sulked. This was their third day in Danghyanggok, emphasis on the ‘third’. They were all alone in the middle of nowhere, staying in the hut that Master Lee used to stay in, yet all they had done so far was to hunt relics, go fishing, make food and explore the place. It was not that Jang Uk did not like doing these things with Yeong, but it was that he had been expecting something…more.
“Doing what?” Yeong was puzzled, momentarily stopping with the work on her hands and looking up at him.
“Doing this,” Uk gestured to the hut, the vegetables they had been growing, and the relics where the spirits have been trapped within, and then folded his arms akimbo, his lower lip jutted out.
“ Wae ? What else do you want to do, then? There are still many relics out there roaming the dangerous valleys of Danghyanggok that we have not caught yet, and you’re already bored?” Yeong huffed.
Uk complained, “I mean, we were sent here by Kim Do-ju and the others because we did not have a proper honeymoon before, so what’s the difference if we just come here to hunt relics again and do nothing else? Are we just coming here for a change in the scenery?”
“And your point is?” Yeong said impatiently, folding her arms, mirroring him.
“My point is, we have…” Uk paused, the tip of his ears turning a little red, as if he just realised that he did not know how to phrase it. “We have witness-making duties. So we should be spending more time together.” He protested, making his point.
It took a minute for Yeong to comprehend. And when it clicked in, she merely raised her eyebrows. “Ohh, so that was what it was about. I almost forgot about the outrageous claim that I made ages ago, about the witness to that shotgun marriage.”
“Stop changing the topic.” Uk pouted. “And it was not an entirely outrageous plan, I preferred the way you handled that situation.”
“Oh? I don’t remember you being as excited as I was to make the witness back then.” Yeong retorted.
“Well, I am excited now. Naksu would not have entertained this situation and likely killed everyone. Mudeok would have only slayed Seo Yul’s uncle and faked his death or got him to break up the engagement.” He pointed out.
“Are we not the same person? Just with different experiences and circumstances?” Yeong said incredulously.
“Yes, but I’m glad that we did not have to kill anyone to get married.” Jang Uk winked.
“If you’re so happy with your witness-making duties when I was Bu-yeon, why not do it then? I’ll just make this soup myself.” She snapped. She was aware that she was not making any sense, but she didn’t care.
Jang Uk blinked. “B-but you’re Yeong, and you’re the same person. And I can’t do the witness-making duties by myself.” He looked down, muttering to himself. And then he looked up curiously at her, saying, “though, why does it sound like you’re jealous of yourself?”
Yeong ignored him, and took another radish to start chopping it up, which confirmed that she might indeed be jealous.
“Aigoo, my wife, are you being jealous right now?” Jang Uk teased her, eyes glinting with new interest.
Yeong humphed, turning away from him as she started chopping the radish aggressively, as if to draw a line between them and say, ‘if you come any closer, you will end up like the radish’.
Jang Uk grinned, delighting in her adorable way of expressing displeasure. He either took no notice or ignored the knife that she held in her hands, and came up from behind, ambushing her in a tight hug, arms snaking around and circling her waist. “I’m so happy that I found all versions of you and had the chance to love all versions of you despite everything, but I think that I love this moment the most, Yeong-ah.”
Yeong grumpily acquiesced, leaning into his warm embrace. “Yes, yes, I love you too, now crack open these chestnuts for me.” But the side of her lips were slightly curled upwards in exasperation.
“Alright, my wife.” Jang Uk said merrily, using his powers to pick up the pile of chestnuts and crack them, then tossing them into the pot. Yeong added the chopped radish soon after, and then added the various spices into the soup, before Uk closed the lid.
“By the way, what are we making?” Uk asked.
“ Gal-bitang. It is Park Jin’s original recipe, though Kim Do-ju played a huge part in helping to make it. It's good for the cold weather.”
“Oh, I do remember the surprisingly good gal-bitang that Park Jin made. Doesn’t it take a long time to brew to release the naturally sweet taste?”
“Yes, it does, why?”
“What are we going to do until then?” He tilted his head innocently. It did not suit him, but Yeong could not help but laugh at his eagerness.
“You mentioned witness-making duties?” She played along.
Uk triumphed, and swept her into a hug, lifting her up from the ground. Yeong yelped in surprise, burying her face into the blade of his shoulder as he carried her toward the hut.
“I’m glad that we’re on the same page.”