That weekend, I went with Kris to the mountain climbing meet.

I had meant it to be my last duty to him as a wife.

Once I get back to the apartment, I am leaving.

I'll just stay with my parents and talk it over with then for the moment. Then....

"Jiyoon, could you help me chop the vegetables?"

"Sure, no problem" I replied. "Carrots, potatoes and .... How many more do you need to cut?"

"Get the onions too if you could please. They hurt my eyes and I cant keep it up."

"Oh Kris."

On the surface, we played the part of an agreeable couple.

But truthfully, we had barely spoken since I brought up the divorce.

"Wow, look at your wife go,"Man A said.

"Compared to her, you're plain clumsy Kris,"Man B joked.

"What can I say? I've barely held a kitchen knife."

They're right. Those carrots and potatoes. They're all just chopped into chunks.

What would he do for cooking without me there?

That train of thought caused a bittersweet feeling to swell within me.

It wont be any problem.

After all, he has her. He can just have her to do all his cooking from now on.

"Wow, done chopping already? Impresssive!"Man A praised.

"You've got yourself a great wife there Kris."

"Yes, I think so too," he said with a slight blush.

*giggle*

"It really is true."

That voice.....

"Oh, if its isnt General Manager's wife!"Man A said.

"...."

I saw Kris looked away from her.

So she's here too.

I suppose it makes sense.

She's Kris's supervisor's wife.

"I'm so jealous of Mr Wu and his wife. Newlyweds must enjoy everyday they spend together."

*giggle*

"It makes me green with envy."

"Didnt you marry Mr Jong Min two years ago yourself?"Man B state. "He brags about you all the time, about how gorgeous his wife is."

"Oh? But my father is just an ordinary salary man. Its a little hard to compare the two of them,"Hyuna pointed out sarcasticly. "Mr Wu has it nice on that front, though. His wife's father is a banking executive."

"Oh yes, thats right."

"Kris father runs a business of his own. There's a resemblance there."Man B commented.

"Mine's just a small business,"Kris said flatly. "In that sense, I can hardly say we're on a standing worth of equal compliments."

"Then in a sense, does that makes you a gold digger?"

*giggle*

"Isnt it nice having a marriage with benefits?"

Kris fell silent.

"I'll go and wash the dishes we're done using," I told my husband.

"Yes, please do."

I thought dully as I washed the dishes at the watering hole.

They all knew my Dad is a bank executive.

Come to think of it, didnt Kris said something similar once?

That his colleague were jealous of him when he married me.

"What is this about?"

That voice.... Its coming from behind the lodge.

"Didnt you say you werent coming today?"Kris said angrily.

Hyuna shrugged.

"So I changed my mind. Whats the big deal?"

She looked at him with more serious expression now.

"You have been giving me the cold shoulder lately. Even when I call, you never come and see me."

"I've already explained that. I am busy with work right now."

"Oh? I suppose my own husband is swamped with overtime himself but....Isnt that kind of thing what made it so thrilling?"

She smiles seductively at him.

"Didnt it give you goosebumps wondering if your wife was watching?"

Kris looked away.

*giggle*

"That reminds me of your wedding."

What?

"I came to see you before the reception, remember?" She runs her finger on his shoulder down to the length of his hand.

"Your wife was in the waiting room and my husband was at the lobby. That got my heart pounding."

She chuckles softly.

Oh, she even came to my wedding?

Kris brushed her hands away. "Stop it. Can you lay off?"

"Whats the problem? No one's going to see us anyway darling."

As I saw her reach her hands out to Kris once again, my vision went white.

The next thing I knew, I was running to flee from the scene.

*huff, huff*

Why do I have to see that?

Why do I have to learn the things that I never wanted to know?

Its too cruel.... Why?

"Ack....!" I tripped on a root and toppled forward.

I couldnt brace myself in time and I went rolling along the ground.

"Heh..Heheh....Hahah..."

I know longer knew whether I wanted to laugh or cry.

I couldnt care less about Kris at this point...

We're seperated....

What do I care who he cheats on me with?

And yet I was the one who was hurt the most.

I couldnt care less. Its not my concern. I wanted to think that so badly.

What am I doing?

I spotted my husband fooling around, then I go rolling and gettinv myself scraped up. Its so dumb!!!!

"I'd better get back."

I'll hurry up and pretend nothing happened.

Then I just get through the next two days and one night....

After that, I can just leave that house. I rose to my feet and brushed the mud off my jeans. I looked around for a pathway back....

Then it hit me.

"Where am I?"

I walked and walked but I couldnt find the campsite.

What do I do? I feel like I've been going in circles.

A cold sweat rolled down my back.

Even if I wanted to call someone, I had left my cell phone in the lodge.

The sun's going to set soon...

Am I going to spend the night here? Oh, god...

And I remember the signboard at the entrance to the campsite.

It said beware of bears....

Rustle!

"Eeeek!"

A figure emerged from a thicket, and I threw a rock at it!

"Aghh!"

Wait! That voice. It couldnt be!

I hurriedly ran up and saw someone crouched there.

He wore a familiar duffle coat. It had to be him.....

"Kris?"

"Jiyoon..."

The moment our eyes met, he pulled me close to him with a strength I wouldnt have expected of him.

"There you are..Thank goodness...."

"..."

"Gh..."Kris moaned.

Wait, he's holding his forehead? Is that where my rock hit him?

"Kris, are you alright?"

"..."

"Kris..!"

"Yes. Yes, I found her safe and sound. We'll be returning shortly. I'm sorry for all the fuss."

Kris let out a sigh as he hung up the phone.

It must have been because his head still hurt where the rock nailed him.

"I'm sorry.."

"..."

"I was convinced that it was a bear, so I just..."

"It wasn't on purpose?"he cuts me off.

"Of course not!"

"I had thought you hit me on purpose, in retaliation for everything else."

"I am mad about it,"I confessed. "But that's no reason to throw a rock at someone."

'I see."

Kris nodded and offered me his hand.

"Lets go back."

"..."

"What's wrong? You dont want to go back?"

"Thats not quite it...."

I dont want to take Kris's hand right now.

I cant yield myself over to Kris that easily any longer.

He saw my reluctance.

"All right. Just follow me."

Kris his heels and started walking.

At that moment, in spite of my own rejection, I felt a pang of guilt in my chest.

He must have come searching for me.

I suppose he's have to. He wouldnt have come all this way otherwise.

And after all that........

For a moment. I remembered something that made me want a hug.

"Thank you."

He looked at me, loss for words.

"You came searching for me, didnt you?"

"You're my wife, of course I did."

"And what if it was her that disappeared?"

"..."

"I'm sorry. That was a mean thing to ask."

"..."

We both fell silent.

Our footsteps made the dry leaves crackle beneath us.

Its been like this for the past few days.

Even when we're eating, we barely spoke to each other.

"I'd like to say something in my own defense."

"What?"

"You said that I love her... That I love Kim Hyuna. But truth is I dont. I dont love her."

"What do you mean by that? Havent you been seeing her? Besides...arent you both sleeping together?"

"It was a year ago that she and I started having relations. Our relations formed in the course of things and we were compatible enough that it kept going."

"That's horrible..To have relations with someone you dont even love."

"Love isnt necessary there,"he state.

"You're a scum!"

"Maybe I am."

He looked away.

"But I still dont know what is it to love."

What?

"I've seen plenty of women before this. Some of them, I even thought I loved. But they all said the same thing. That I didnt love them."

I looked at him, listening silently.

"So frankly, I dont understand love. I dont love Kim Hyuna. Or you.."

I knew that much but to hear him spell it out so clearly caused a pang in my chest.

"So marriage really is a transaction to you, Kris?"

"Yes.."

"You dont know what is it to love..That's why you chose someone like me who would make for a good transaction..."

"Thats right."

"You're pitiful."

"Hardly."

"No, you are. You're pitiful. Thats just so lonely..."

"Maybe I am...."

I was surprised, didnt expect him to agree with me on that.

"Maybe......I could love....."

"Kris, what did you just....."

But just then...,

"There, they are! Kris!"Man B shouted. "We came for you!"

Kris's colleagues came up to ud with flashlights in hand.

"Oh, you didnt have to do that,"Kris told them.

"Dont worry about it. Mr Jong Min told us to meet you halfway since he figured yoi'd have a hard time on the trail in the dark."

"He did? I see."

"Hmm. Hey, are you injured?"Man A asked.

"Look at the size of that bump!"

Huh? Oh.....

When they shone flashlights over Kris's forehead, I let out a little cry.

Oh God! I didnt think it was so swollen....

'What happened there?"

"I hit my head when I fell,"Kris lied.

"Oh man, what a dummy,"Man B commented.

"You better cool that down quick.. Dont you think so Mrs Wu....?" Man A said in concern.

"Yes.."

I wrapped a water-filled plastic bag in a towel and handed it to Kris.

"How is it?"

"My hands are freezing. If I keep this up, its going to wear me out."

I look at him guilty. "I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing to apologize for. You mistook me for a bear, right?"

'Yes, but... Here, let me hold the towel.."

"That wont be necessary. I can do it myself."

"But you must be tired from holding it for so long. Wouldnt it be easier if I did it?"

"..."

"Dont be stubborn. Let me hold it!"

I took the towel and pressed it so that it wouldnt slip from Kris's hand.

'Is this alright? Is the towel positioned properly?"

"Yes, its fine."

Kris closed his eyes and let out a quiet breath.

"Why are you being nice to me?"he asked softly.

"Sorry?"

"You're angry with me.... You want a divorce. Am I wrong?"

"You're not wrong. But....I cant ignore this. I'm the one that injured you, and besides we're still married."

"..."

Kris's eyes flickered back open.

"Do you still remember  why was it that I chose you as my wife?"

"Because it was beneficial to you right? My father would back you... I could speak a little of other languages..I had a job..."

"There is one more reason........."

"And what is that?"

"I...I thought that with you... I might be able to love you."

"!"

"Remember that picture I showed you of us when we were young?"

"Oh, the one of us as babies?"

"Yes.. Back then, I clung to you and wouldnt let go... Thats what my father told me."

I look at him, confused. What exactly is he trying to say.

"It had nothing to do with any requisites..."

"I thought that if someone had attracted me that much at such a young age, maybe I could try and love her. That maybe the reason I could be attracted to you and not need a reason."
 

"But we were only two back then. Liking someone at that age doesnt have anything to do with love."

"I suppose not..."
 

"Besides, in the end, you never were attracted to me."
 

He wouldnt even so much as kiss me at our wedding....

"Yes, you're right of course. But...."

He gripped my hand as I held up the towel for him.
 

I look at him in surprise, and he met my eyes with a serious gaze.
 

"I dont want to seperate from you. I dont want to let go of your hand."

"But why?"

"Because I dont!"
 

"!"

"I'll stop seeing her. It might take some time but I'll make it happen.."

Can I believe him?

"So please give up on this divorce."
 

"Can you really call it quits? You've been seeing her a long time."

Besides she's serious about this. She even barged in on my workplace.

"Even so I'll stop seeing her. I'll end my relationship with her."

"You mean it?"

"Yes, I mean it. Mark my words."

CLICK!
 

"Cut the crap! I wont let it happen." Hyuna said angrily, barging into our room.

"What are you doing?"I asked but she ignored me.

"You cant call it quits with me. We're in this deep together. Isnt that right, Kris?"

She gave him a pleading look.

"You.."

Kris's cracked voice echoed loudly in my ears.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THE BIG GAP IN BETWEEN THE SENTENCES. TYPE IT ON A NOTEPPAD AND CUT AND PASTE. LESSON LEARNT, DO NOT CUT AND PASTE HERE.