The Age Of Love

Twenty Nine - Duty Calls

He pulled open his MacBook Pro, opening the FaceTime app and double-clicking on the little circle with Se Ri's picture. It rang a few times before Se Ri's harried face popped into the screen.

"Hey!" she greeted with a happy smile, though he could see the remnants of the discombobulated state he must have caught her in. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun with fine, little pieces sticking out in every direction, and her eyes looked a little wild.

"What's going on over there?" he asked.

She plopped down on the bed. "I think I accidentally packed my Louboutin pumps. You know, the mauve, suede ones with the little cutout on the side..." He knew. He knew very well. He loved those pumps. "I've dug through tree suitcases already and I can't find them anywhere."

"And who exactly do you need those for? You got a date or something I should know about?"

Se Ri rolled her eyes, apparently too stressed out to play along. "It's for my meeting with my agent tomorrow... and your editor. To sign the final book deal."

"Well, if my editor knows what's good for him, he won't be concerning himself with your sexy heels."

"Ugh," she flopped backwards so she was lying down, her phone held up above her. "You're such a man sometimes. This is a big deal for me. This is a momentous occasion and looking good helps me feel confident."

"You always look good." She rolled her eyes at that. "So, how's the packing going?"

"Better before I undid half of it looking for my heels," Jeong Hyeok laughed. "And I need more boxes. I keep telling Appa to set aside some empty ones for me to use but it never seems enough. Especially with Eun Jung's stuff."

"Is your father still upset?"

Se Ri shrugged her shoulders from her prone position. "He said he is not upset and he is okay with it but I can totally tell he's not there yet."

Jeong Hyeok reached up to rub at his neck. "I get that it's going to take some adjustment but it's not like you and Eun Jung were going to live with him forever. He had to know this was coming at some point."

The corner of Se Ri's lips scrunched up into a resigned grimace. "He knew, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. He has all these reasons, like, we're rushing it, or what happens to Eun Jung if we don't work out, blah blah blah. But really, he just sucks at changes. He's is so used to seeing me and Eun Jung all the time. He'll adjust eventually. He wants me to be happy."

"And are you?" he asked.

Se Ri's halfhearted scowl melted immediately into a smile that made his heart flutter. "I am," she told him.

"Good," he smiled back. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, just enjoying seeing one another's faces. "So, where's my favourite girl?" he asked.

"You mean you're not looking at her?" Se Ri asked teasingly.

"Please, I know better than to call you a girl. You're my favourite woman."

"Ah," She nodded as she sat up, her lips pressed together, her brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Excellent point."

"So?" Jeong Hyeok asked. "Am I going to get some baby time or did you sell our daughter to Circus to fund your shoe habit?"

"She's with Harabeoji," she informed him. "My room is kind of disaster zone right now." She swivelled her phone around to give him a panoramic view of open drawers overflowing with clothes, empty hangers strew about, and piles and piles of books.

"Yeah, that is not a safe space for a baby. Hell, I am not sure it's a safe space for you. With your coordination, you're likely to trip over Chaucer and tumble headfirst into your wardrobe."