She felt it this time, the fact that she was working on the Hospital Ship, and resting at their little house in the outskirts of Busan, and that he’s there, away in Seoul.

Well, she’s technically the one who’s living away, but that’s the general idea. That they’re living faraway from each other and there were still twenty three months of that.

She had to remember her reason for choosing her internship there. That she wanted to treat the poor, and the Hospital Ship reached the most remote areas that no other doctors could.

Yet she herself, no matter how simple her mind usually was, couldn’t deny that this time, she started to miss him.

Her friends would vouch that she was less focused when they were at their little home, lost in her own thoughts and not even listening to conversations.

They often had to shake her shoulder to get her response.

“It’s finally happening” Seulgi concluded.

“What is?”

“You. Falling for Sehun-ssi”

“About time” Wendy grinned.

Irene cleared , and said she was sleepy, so she went to her bedroom.

*****************************************************

His friends noted that he was always cranky when he returned from visiting Irene. It turned to a sacred monthly ritual, going there and staying with her for one weekend.

He’s always super excited when the date for her free weekend was nearing. As an intern doctor, she only had the weekend off once a month. The other weeks, her day offs always fell on weekdays, where he couldn’t visit her due to his classes.

“The last thing I want from the internship of mine is you, messing your school because of me. Do not visit me on weekdays, focus on your classes. You’re going to manage your family’s hospital one day, you have to be on top of your game”

It was a sound and rational advice of course, and he followed it dutifully, but the days were long and the nights were even longer.

Sehun practically lived for that one weekend every month.

The new bed was there when he visited the next month, and there was no more excuse to hold her in his arms as she slept, but God, it felt so good just to be around her.

They went to the nearest city that had a cinema there, in which he had to drive for one hour just to reach it, but it was worth it, seeing her transfixed and laughing out loud, as they were watching a comedy.

Another month, Irene decided that besides being able to cook ramyeon, she needed to at least be able to cook fried rice. So he spent one afternoon in the kitchen with her and the ahjumma, watching her cook, with the alibi that he was studying for the semester’s finals on the table nearby.

She refused the ahjumma’s help to cut the onions, that made her cried. She made the omelette, and finished cooking the friend rice in around thirty minutes.

The ahjumma felt the young couple was sweet. One was so eager to cook for the husband, and the husband couldn’t stop staring at the wife the whole time. He even recorded the cooking process, or more to recording his wife than the cooking, mainly, when she wasn’t looking.

*****************************************************

Six months flew by, and he knew she was getting more comfortable with him.

She replied his texts faster and she was “really there” with him when he visited, far different with the lost wife who barely could bear looking at her husband in the past.

And he knew, he needed to be patient with her, that he was making a lot of progress to gain her trust.

But he was craving one thing.

It was a huge lie if he didn’t crave for that since they first got married, but he knew he had to wait patiently.

Recently though, it was harder to hold it in.

He wanted to kiss her so bad.

The hardest temptation he ever had in his life was on his wedding night, when he helped her undo her wedding gown and corset, feeling her smooth skin on his fingertips and was close enough to inhale her perfume, yet knowing full well that if he touched her further, it will be over for him.

That was one and a half year ago.

He had been very, very patient. He was practically acting like a saint, a martyr.

Irene was so beautiful it sometimes took too much of his energy just to blink and look away from her.

He was starting to lose his head and stared more, though, no matter how he tried not to.

When she talked, it got harder to focus on what she was saying rather than just simply stared at her face, or more recently, her lips.

He wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer.

**************************************************************

Sehun was not afraid of many things, but when Irene’s bodyguard called him during his class, his heart beat uncommonly faster.

“Doryeonim, Miss Lisa just visited Agassi”

“What??? Just now?”

“Yes, I thought you would like to know”

“Wh – how?”

“Visited the Hospital Ship. Then they both went to a coffee shop and er....chat”

“Is Lisa gone now?”

“Yes”

“Is ....... does my wife looks mad?”

“No”

“Right. I’ll be there this evening”

*****************************************************

Irene just helped the surgeon delivered a baby in the hospital ship. The ship was where everyone who lived in the remote area went for an emergency. They had no gynaecologist on board, so the surgeon did the caesarean surgery.

She was so touched seeing the new life, the little baby wriggling and all pink. The nurse let her held the baby and she was all coos and smiles.

That was why she didn’t even hear when the manager informed that she had a guest.

She hurried to wash and changed to clean clothes, before rushing to the cafeteria.

And there she was, looking all stylish, holding the plastic coffee cup.

They went to a coffee shop at the nearest beach, the ship set anchor that day and didn’t sail.

They both sat silently for some time. Irene didn’t think she needed to make small talks, since she was sure the other girl was there on a mission.

“So” Lisa finally began, “You’re Sehun’s little wife”

Irene thought it was somewhat rude, but let it slide.

“Yes. And you’re the ex girlfriend” she replied matter-of-factly.

She shrugged, not making any comment on that.

“Just tell me what do you want to say” Irene urged, “The faster you’re done, the better it will be. I only have an hour break and I haven’t eaten yet”

“You really are the type Sehun should end up with”

Irene said nothing at that.

“Soon to be a doctor, pristine personal life, looking pretty enough”

“..........but?”

“But I don’t like how he ends up so well after breaking up with me”

“From what he said, it was your fault that he broke up with you”

“True. Life could get so boring. Being loyal to one is boring”

“Then I don’t see why this conversation between us has to happen, Lisa-ssi”

“From all the boys I’ve been with, Sehun is my favourite” Lisa smiled. “I don’t like having my toy getting snatched away from me”

“I see. Is that what you want to tell me? That he’s your favourite?”

“Obviously. And that I want you to leave him”

Irene stared at the girl in front of her, wide-eyed.

“There’s no divorce allowed in our families. I won’t leave him”

“Why? Because he’s rich?”

Irene raised an eyebrow, “There’s nothing that he has that I don’t”

“You’re a lot richer after you married him. Don’t think it’s hard to find out how much money the Oh Family puts in your bank account every month”

“You really are rude” Irene summed up.

“With those monthly transfers, don’t dare say you married him not because of his money”

“One, it’s normal. Every wife gets a monthly allowance from her husband. That amount was decided by Oh Family, I didn’t even request that. Two, I haven’t even used any of it, because I have my own generous allowance from my family. Three, I don’t think any of this is your concern, and you have no right to even discuss this with me”

“What if I ruin you? I could find out all the scandals in your life and publish it”

“Go ahead. Dig into my past. I have nothing to hide. I have done nothing scandalous that might jeopardize my honor”

“How boring. What does he see in you?”

“A respectable girl, I think?”

“You satisfy him in bed, I guess. That’s the only logic. Although I couldn’t see how a plain girl like you could do that”

Irene looked up to the ceiling and took a deep breath.

“Thank you. You’ve showed me exactly why Sehun-ssi refused to have any more relations with you”

“What if I destroy you? One malpractice in the future could destroy your medical career”

“You can try. You will make not only me, but the patient I handle in the future suffer. But you see, Lisa-ssi, you’re not the only one that can play games. I’ve lived all my life believing we shouldn’t hurt others. However, if I or my family is disturbed in any way, there’s no way I will sit still and let you go unscathed”

“You’re tough” she smiled, “Unlike how weak you look”

“I know where I stand. You don’t”

“I could ruin his life, though. Would you let that happen to him?”

“Though I would hate it very much, I don’t see why I need to leave him just so you could not ruin him”

“You really won’t back down?”

“Find another guy to mess with, Lisa-ssi. It will be better for all of us, really”

“You will regret this, Irene-ssi”

“I think it’s you who live your life with regret, Lisa-ssi. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to return to the Hospital Ship. Unlike you, I have a job to do”

“How very middle class” Lisa smiled, as Irene got up and left her.

******************************************************

Sehun was there when she came home to the small house that evening.

The other girls went straight for shower, giving the couple some privacy.

“Hello” Irene greeted, smiling and putting her backpack on a chair.

“Hi” Sehun answered nervously.

“It’s a weeknight”

“I know”

“You have class tomorrow morning”

“I’m going to skip it”

“I see” she replied, going to the kitchen and began to heat the jjigae and everything else.

“You’re not angry” Sehun concluded. “The guard is not lying, then”

“I’m not angry” Irene affirmed.

“Was it bad?”

“Hm.........well. She was rude”

“I’m very sorry for that”

“Why? She’s the one who disturbed me, not you”

“I’m sorry because you had to go through that. That she ruined your day”

“I was annoyed, I admit that. But honestly, I’m more flattered than angry”

“Flattered???”

“Ne. My husband is someone who is still chased by another woman, but I’m the one that gets him. Flattering, really”

“You’re not jealous at all”

“I’m not. I get why you refused her. She’s too wild” she stated, giving him a bowl of rice.

“I don’t mind if Noona gets a little jealous, though”

Irene giggled.

“Come on, you’re you. It’s so understandable”

“I’m me?”

“Ne. You’re so unbearably good looking that girls fall for you after looking at you for five seconds. Lisa-ssi was with you for what? Half a year? I get it if she felt I stole you”

“She’s the one who slept with somebody else”

“And you still feel bad about that?”

“Nope. If she didn’t do it, I won’t be married to Noona right now”

“I guess so”

“Though Noona has been looking at me for one a half year and you haven’t fall for me yet”

The other girls came out from their rooms then.

“Great. Dinner. Starving!” Wendy cheered, running to the table.

“Ew. You’re blushing. Don’t speak about anything gross while we’re eating, ok?” Yeri warned Irene.

“I’m not blushing!” Irene denied.

“You so are” Yeri insisted. “What were you two talking about?”

“Don’t tell!!!” Joy warned Sehun, who was just going to answer. “I don’t want to hear it!”

“Ahrasseo” he smiled cheekily.

***********************************************

“Sehun-ssi?”

“Hm?”

Irene turned to face him in bed.

“You can miss your morning classes tomorrow, but if you miss the afternoon ones, I will be angry”

Sehun grinned. “Alright”.

Feeling assured, Irene closed her eyes and prepared to sleep.

“Noona?”

“What?”

“You’re not going to tell me what you two talked about?”

“Me and Lisa?”

“Ne”

“..........she wants me to leave you”

“You won’t leave me?”

“No”

“Why?”

“Because you’re my husband. I won’t leave you”

“That’s it?”

“That’s the most important reason”

“Since I’m your husband” Sehun said, moving to her side, “Surely I can do this, right?”

He kissed her forehead, before lying beside her, slipping his hand underneath her and pulling her to him.

Irene’s heartbeat jumped as she looked at him.

“We’re forever so far away from each other. I want it to stop”

Since she didn’t pull him away, he held her closer with his arms. He found it cute how she’s so tense.

“What are you so tense of? Relax”

Irene drew a shaky breath, before trying to relax against him.

“There you go” Sehun exclaimed, his fingers starting to tangle into her hair, combing it slowly.

“I hope she won’t harm you” he said, worry filling his tone.

“I got the bodyguards. I’m sure everything will be ok”

“Don’t go anywhere alone, ne, Noona? Always bring them with you. Don’t even go to a convenience store without them”

“Ne”

The last thing she remembered from that night was the smell of the softener of his t-shirt, before she fell asleep.

*********************************************************

Author’s Note:

Thank you for reading.

I haven’t written this regularly for some time.

You can visit my Livejournal here:

This fic makes writing feels like flowing again for me. It’s very simple, but I haven’t enjoyed writing this much for a while.

So thank you for this, Hunrene, hehe.

Thanks to you too, for reading.