O – o – O – o – O – o – O

I had never paid this much attention to her – but now.

She looks so carefree. It’s so easy for her to say what’s in her mind. Though sometimes, the way she speaks freaks the hell out of me, I should admit, that I found that character as her charm.

Does she like me? What does she think of me? Her being vocal about disliking me, is it true? Has anything changed since the day I started opening up myself little by little?

How does she see me now after I told her the other night that I’m willing to be good to her and to treat her nicely?

To be honest, she’s really hard to read. It’s irritating to know I can’t even find clues to answer these questions. Her gazes are mysterious. Her laughs are intriguing, and the way she just smiles out of nowhere is confusing.

Is she smiling because of those sweets or is she smiling because of me?

Sometimes, I don’t get, too, why she suddenly opposes her previous reactions. It seems like she’s restraining herself of something. Of what, exactly?

It’s frustrating how I thought I could always read a woman’s mind, how I can manipulate them around my fingers so easily and even see beforehand their future emotions and reactions, but she’s different. She makes me think of something, but the next thing she’ll do will break something I just thought. I have never come across someone like this before, but is she a player, too?

Nevertheless, we went to our next stop: a boutique inside a shopping mall in Seoul. She silently follows me from behind as I walk along the pile of dresses. “Saw something you like?” I ask her when I notice she’s spacing out, only looking at her feet while walking.

“Huh? Uhmm…” That’s the only time she pays attention to the clothes, but she frowns afterwards, as if she couldn’t see anything she would like. “Nothing?”

“No, it’s just that…” She pauses and looks around with other dresses.

Yes, women… women… they always take so much time choosing the best clothes for themselves. I guess all women, including her, are the same on this part.

“Should I wait for you to think of what you would like to get?” I ask her but she looks at me with those innocent and clueless eyes. I smile, and turn my eyes on some dresses to look at them.

Actually, I have been here with so many women, but I only come here to buy them something they like. I just sit on one corner and let them try as much as they want. They would ask if they look great on this, on that, and would end up asking me if they chose the right thing. But actually, they just ask that, even if you respond negatively or positively, they will go with their own taste. If you said something will fit them more but they insist on thinking they look better on the one they chose, then your argument is invalid.

Randomly browsing, my eyes go to this little black dress. I unknowingly take the hanger. “How about-“

I am about to ask her if she wants to try it on but then I see her holding on to a pale yellow velvet dress. Maybe it’s something she’ll like more.

“Yes?” She turns around and sees me still holding on to the little black dress.

“No. It’s okay. I just…”

She walks towards me and looks at the dress, examining it carefully. “Do you want me to try this on?” She asks me innocently, with eyes so pure. I can’t figure out, too, if she’s toying with me or not. Perhaps, she has figured out that this is my weakness.

This is my weakness? What exactly is my weakness?

“How about you try that one first, then if you want to try this, too, then you can.” I tell her and she only nods, takes the clothes from me and enters the fitting room.

For the first time, I am feeling nervous while waiting someone to come out from the fitting room. Few minutes later, she opens up and goes up wearing that yellow velvet dress she picked.

“You…”

“Wait!” She blurts aggressively to my surprise. “Don’t say anything yet. I’ll wear the other one and then that’s when you can judge!” She says and goes back inside the fitting room afterwards.

I shake my head. Really, usually, girls want to get complimented over every dress they wear, but she wants me to see both before I can decide which one looks better.

Finally, she goes out wearing the little black dress I took a while ago. It fits her perfectly. The dress is able to emphasize the curves of her body. It hugs her so right that I think it’s made for her.

But will I say those things? It might creep her out.

“So?” She asks probably when she feels like I randomly spaced out.

“Oh.”

“What? Come on, tell me. Honestly, there’s nothing that looks good on me, right?”

“No. No.” Actually, I’m speechless. The black dress looks so good on her.

“No?”

“I mean Yes.”

“Yes?” She asks in such a confuse way, but I’m confused, too.

“The black dress looks better than the other one. Just my opinion, though.” I tell her eventually, and she nods.

Looking at the attendant, she asks “Do you think he’s saying the truth? That this black dress looks better?” I want to laugh at her. She never really trusts me, does she?

“Your boyfriend will never lie to you, ma’am. You look best on that outfit.”

After hearing that response from the attendant, she strikes a look at me, “How many girls have you brought here? She seems like she says the same thing to every girl you bring here.” Rolling her eyes, she looks back at the attendant and says, “Fine. I’ll take this.” And goes back to change her clothes back to the fitting room.

The attendant giggles shortly and looks at me. “She seems different.”

“You’ll be more surprise to actually realize how different she is, but I’ll take that as a compliment, thank you.” I tell her with my usually charismatic smile. “But correction, I’m not her boyfriend.”

“Then… she is your…”

“My wife.” I wink at her surprise and the attendant blushes, then she smiles and nods, and as soon as Rae In comes out and gives the dress to the attendant, she proceeds to wrap it and fix the payment.

“You should have tried more clothes.” I say as we walk out of the boutique. “There are many other good designs in there.”

“I’m okay with what you chose.” She says simply without even looking at me.

“You should have just picked the yellow velvet dress, then.”

“If I am to pick that, then why would I bother seeking your opinion anyway?” She asks me directly, which again, always leaves me speechless for some seconds. “You said you are going to show me off to other people there later on, then I know for a fact that you’ll choose the best outfit for me.” She nods satisfyingly, as if she has successfully read my mind.

“Dannie will come out soon. Let’s go?” Then, she reminds me about picking Dannie up. Yeah. It’s 20 minutes to 3pm and we need to get going.