Married to The Job

Gallivanting

"Just, don't..I...I just want you to have it. It's our place anyway."

"Our. Place."

"Yes."

She nodded awkwardly. We got inside the apartment and she cooked me some breakfast. I made her some good coffee and we ate silently together in the kitchen bar.

On our way to Cambridge, she was still quiet. I tried to break the conversation by asking her about Shinhye and her Dad, telling her about the latest update on Youngjae, and my parents. Still awkward, like her mind wasn't here with me.

"What are you thinking about, baby?"

"Nothing, just where would I apply for work, that now I have the tier 1 visa. But I studied law in South Korea, I can't just practice law here."

"How about some UN office? there is the UNHCR office in Holborn, or do you want to work in a private consultant firm? Bla bla bla and associates, something like that."

"Yeah, that would be good. I should look up for job vacancy pages," she turned on her phone and started to browse.

I was a bit miffed. She supposed to have fun with me today, not working or lookup for work things.

"Would you mind doing it later? I feel like just a driver here."

"Hmm? What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to me, or sing something from the radio? Just, anything that not related to work."

"O-okay."

But then, she became silent. Maybe I expect too much from this trip. I exhaled, a bit bored, and we ended up with no talking at all during the trip. I was expecting her to start one topic but she did not.

Arrived in Cambridge, we headed to Mill Pond and parked the car nearby. I book a private punting tour for us. Yejin looked groggy when she was going to hop on the boat.

"Come on, hold my hand. Should I carry you or what?"

She just chuckled but slowly stepped on the boat by gripping my hand.

We streamed down the upper river with the chauffeur. Punting on the upper river was more relaxing compared to the lower part of the river. If the lower part offers Cambridge University's old buildings as its main view, the upper river shows the countryside and villages. Picture perfect views of meadows and tea gardens along the way.

It was autumn when the huge trees overhanging the river had orange-ish color. In my opinion, autumn was the best season to go punting, even though the weather was cooler-no, chilly. Yejin was wearing a coat but still looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Are you cold?"

She just smiled and nodded. I scooted closer and pulled her body to mine. I put my hand around her back. She nudged at my neck and both her hands were holding my other hand, intertwining our fingers.

"This is so peaceful, here, with you," she said.

I instantly grinned from ear to ear. She closed her eyes and just stayed in that position for more minutes without saying a thing. I guessed this can work too, not much talking but more cuddling.

"Are you sure, that me going to Seoul with you, to the Blue House, won't cause anything between you and you father?" she asked

"I am. You don't have any intention to harm him in the first place, do you? He threatened you was because he was assuming that you were in Choi Jaewook or someone else's side, not us, I mean my parents and I. Don't worry about that. By the way, Mom wants to call you since weeks ago but I still refuse to give her your number."