31. COMFORT

When I woke up, my adrenaline rush had subsided and I lay thinking of the repercussions of my actions. I berated myself for giving in to Ji’s goading. I was much older to her and knew better. How was I going to face her? Somehow, I was not that bothered about Gina, Xing and Sam who were all married and experienced.

I hid myself under the blanket. Oh my god! What had I done! I had done a strip dance in front of my sister. Oh my god! I rolled around till I’d cocooned myself in the blanket.

There was a knock on my door, but I decided to ignore it. I only wanted to see my Puppy. I wondered if I should call him and ask him to come home early. The knocking stopped but then someone entered the room. I pretended to sleep in my cocoon.

I heard Ji’s soft voice, “Oppa, its evening. You need to get up or you won’t get any sleep at night. I have brought you sweet tea.”

My breath hitched at the mention of sweet tea, just what I needed to recover my balance. But I couldn’t let go of my cocoon, I was hiding after all.

“Oppa I know you are awake. Stop hiding. You can’t spend your life under this blanket.” Ji began tugging at the said blanket.

I held on tight to the blanket. I needed my Puppy.

“Come on oppa. Let go. You are not a pupa to cocoon yourself like this. Opppaaa! Talk to me.” Ji began cajoling me.

I shook my head under the blanket. She kept pulling at the blanket and finally managed to get some of it off my face. I felt the light hit my eyes and scrunched them up tightly.

“Oppaaa get up.” Ji tried again.

I shook my head once more, my eyes squeezed shut. I could feel my face go red in embarrassment.

“My sweet oppa. My baby oppa. My lovely oppa. My dearest oppa. Come on get up and have tea with me. We have guests for dinner. You can’t hide under the blanket forever.” Ji tried to sweet talk me. “You must have been very cute as a baby, oppa. No wonder Puppy oppa calls you a cute bunny all the time.” Ji gave up trying to get the blanket off me and got under the blanket with me to hug me tightly. “Come on my baby oppa. Open your eyes.”

I felt even more embarrassed with her baby talk. “You were a very sweet baby. I am sorry Ji. Please forgive me.” I finally managed to speak in a very small voice.

“It was my mistake oppa. I wouldn’t listen to your refusals. No harm done. Stop worrying. I am a big girl after all.” Ji kissed my cheek to comfort me.

“You are like my own child. How could I? I am older, I shouldn’t have taken leave of my good sense. It wasn’t right.” I protested.

“We are family oppa. There are many things we do that are not right. Many things in the past and many in the future too. According to umma and appa your introducing me to Yeollie was not right either. But I am glad you did. You know umma and Soo unnie are very staid. I don’t know why, but I can feel I am not like them. I am going to be married soon. You and Puppy oppa make me realize that there is so much more to marriage than just love. There is a private life of the married couple and its upto them to keep it interesting.” Ji’s words made me open my eyes and look at her in surprise.

“I want to be happy with Yeollie. We’ll be living with his parents. I part of me was dreading it. My friends talk of living separately with their husbands when they marry. They want the freedom that comes with living without inlaws. I see how careful you and Puppy oppa are around our family. Now I know better.” Ji continued to explain softly when I looked at her questioningly.

I listened attentively as she spoke, “Oppa, thanks to you, I realized today that a couple can have their private life even when living with a big family. It depends on the couple how they shape their married life. You and Puppy oppa are always so careful around the family. Half the time your bedroom door is open, even at night. Still, you are able to have a private life all your own. When you can do it oppa, so can I.”

As I listened to Ji explain, I felt a rush of gratitude towards her. I held her face in my hands and kissed her forehead, “Baby girl, you can do whatever you set your mind to. You are wiser than Soo and imo, you know. Beagle is lucky to find a girl like you. You’ll make your new home a little piece of heaven on earth. I have no doubts that you will be very happy in your marriage.”

She blushed and kissed my cheek, “Now get up oppa. Our drinks are getting cold.”

As we had our tea and coffee, Ji and I wrapped ribbons around our gifts for the organizers. It was the same as those for the team leaders, except that I added another set of cutlery for their spouses. Next, we helped Gina and Xing with the dinner and soon our embarrassment was a matter of past as our daily routine caught up with us.

The evening progressed smoothly and the dinner was a big success. The women were chatting comfortably by the end of the evening. The husbands of three of the women organizers adjusted well with us and all in all it was a pleasant evening. Our gifts were well received by our departing guests.

All of us crashed in the living room as the last of our guests left with a loud round of good byes. Sam served us another round of coffee as we relaxed.

“It’s competition time. We’ve been waiting patiently all these days.” Kris reminded us, rubbing his hands expectantly.

I shook my head, “I am done dancing for the day. No more for me tonight. I accept defeat. Let Gina and Xing compete.” Puppy wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed, understanding my discomfort.

“Not done ummappa. You cannot back out like this.” Beagle protested while Ji tried to hush him up.

“No way am I dancing alone. And I am not dancing with Jinki either. I cannot compete with him. He wins.” Gina blushed. She must have remembered my single show.

Xing also colored and nodded at Gina’s words. “He wins. We cannot compete with him.”

Kris and Luhan looked at our blushing faces and then at Puppy’s grinning one. “What happened all of a sudden?” Luhan spoke for both.

I buried my face in Puppy’s neck and his arm hugged me tighter to him. As silence reigned, it was clear that Gina and Xing had no words either.

“Gina unnie keeps laughing at the wrong times. Xing unnie is unable to match her expression with the dance, she’s much too serious. Jinki oppa looks ludicurous shaking his shoulders to match the hips. So, the competition is cancelled.” Ji calmly explained at last.

The three of us looked at her in gratitude. Kris and Luhan were loud in their disappointed exclamations and tried to cajole their wives to keep their honor. But, thankfully, the ladies were equally adamant in their refusal. Their husbands then ushered them to their apartment for a private showing, leaving us alone with the young couple.

We wondered where our family was at that moment in Australia as they were supposed to travel by bus from Kangaroo Island to Torquay. Ji remembered how hyper Tae was about the tandem sky diving that many of them would do on Bells Beach. It was not a very popular activity with our group. Only Tae, Siwon, Heechul, Sehun, Kai and Amber had opted for it. Rest were planning to spend their time relaxing on the beach. After lunch they hoped to begin their journey to Melbourne via the scenic Great Ocean Road.   

We placed bets on how long it would take them to reach Melbourne which was only an hour’s drive from Torquay. Puppy had great faith in uncle and said it wouldn’t take longer than two hours. I was sure it would take at least three hours. Ji was certain that imo and Kibum would stop often for photographs and reach in nothing less than four hours.

Puppy and Beagle had to arrange for an early morning bus to pick them up from the Canberra airport on Saturday morning as they were flying from Melbourne to Canberra to save time. One thing we all agreed was on that Saturday morning would be mayhem in our two apartments.

We waited for Ji and Beagle to go to their rooms before closing our bedroom door. As we changed, Puppy was curious about the remainder of my day and I went pink in the face again. There was no stopping his laughter as I recounted my cocooning and Ji’s efforts in making me emerge.

“Stop laughing jagi. I have never been so mortified in my life.” I pouted.

“Sorry yeobo. I am imagining how cute my Tokki must have looked. I love you.” Puppy softly kissed my lips to placate me.

“I love you too. I can’t believe I danced like that in front of Ji. What was I thinking?” I whined.

“You weren’t thinking yeobo. You just wanted to prove that you are the hottest man alive. I pity your audience. I am sure Ji will never challenge you again for anything.” Puppy put his arms around my waist and hugged me lightly.

“I did lose it when she compared me to those five youngsters and said they looked better than me. But I am her brother. She is not supposed to think of me as a hunk.” I grumbled into his neck.

“She was not the only one there yeobo. There were three other women with her. Your competitive spirit wouldn’t let them think of you any less. I have seen you dance. You are the best.” Puppy tried to calm me down.

I shook my head silently, disagreeing with him.

“Don’t argue. You are the best. And from what I can see, Ji has recovered nicely. Let it go. Think about us only for now. By the way, it’s your turn to do the lapdance.” Puppy whispered in my ear.

“Huh uh, that was Ji messaging you.” I looked at him and steeled myself for the explosion.

“What? How could you?” Puppy did not disappoint me as he went red in embarrassment. “What would she think of us? What if I had written something more intimate?”

Kissing his nose, I smiled softly, “It’s alright jagi. She is a big girl now. She learnt her lesson today. She won’t tease us from now on.”

Puppy looked at me with many questions in his eyes. I nodded and kissed his eyes as we lay down. We loved each other slowly in comfort. Later, Puppy dragged me into the Jacuzzi reminding me that we had only two more nights to enjoy it. He even got a bottle of champagne and a glass for us to share as we relaxed in the warm waters.

Next day, we slept through the sunrise and woke up to Ji’s knocking on our door. I sent her to check on the other two couples as Puppy and I rushed to dress for the day. Beagle served us coffee as we waited for the other four to join us.

The day passed routinely. We reminded Sam and William to be ready with the kids for the overnight trip on Saturday. Sam kept thanking us, till Ji calmed her down with, “Unnie it’s a short trip here only, knowing them it could have been plane tickets to Korea for your next holiday.”

“Excellent idea, Ji. Please get the children’s school schedule from everyone. We must invite them to Korea for your wedding or school holiday, whichever happens first.” I smiled broadly at all the ladies.

“Or we can plan the wedding during the school holidays.” Ji expanded on my idea.

“I doubt Chan Yeol would want to wait that long.” Gina interrupted our plans.

“Yes, he is very eager to wed Ji at the earliest.” Xing nodded in agreement.

“Umma won’t agree. She made Soo unnie also wait a few months.” Ji knew her mother very well.

“A few months will pass quickly.” Sam patted Ji’s back in comfort.

We spent the day planning a wedding and which time would be most suitable for everyone to come to Korea. We dressed formally for the farewell dinner at the hotel and packed the formal suits for Puppy, Kris and Luhan. Ji and I quickly tied ribbons around a few extra gifts to take with us.

As expected, Chief of Australian cyber squad was there with his spouse and a few other big wigs of Austrlian police force. At the end of the dinner, Puppy and I met each one and thanked them while giving them the gifts. We requested each one to let us know if they were ever in Korea. We could honestly say that we immensely enjoyed our time in Australia and wished to return the favor.

Gina and Xing sat with Ji and observed how effortlessly I mingled with everyone. On the way back home they commented on it. Puppy grinned and squeezed my hand as I blushed, “Well, you give my Tokki a six day old, a six year old or a sixty year old. He is equally good with all of them. You are yeobo. Don’t shake your head in denial.”

I just shook my head again, “It’s just that I made up my mind that I would always be an asset to your career. Being a same-gender partner, I wanted to make sure that our relationship did not hamper your police career in any way.”

Puppy kissed our laced fingers and I noticed Beagle and Ji looking at each other speculatively and then smile.

Kris, who was driving, assured Gina, “Don’t worry Ginnie. I am doing well. You don’t have to do anything you are uncomfortable with. Just be yourself.”

“I have interacted with so many people here in less than a week. I have seen how Jinki does it. I can still be myself and comfortable while hosting dinners for your work colleagues. Contrary to my earlier beliefs, it is quite easy.” Gina smiled at Kris.

“Yes, even I have seen how easy it is. I always thought that I’d fail miserably and the fear made me keep myself away from his co-workers. When we can do it here, why not at home? People stay away from me because I stay aloof from them.” Xing added her own opinion as Luhan smiled kindly at her.

“Yeollie do you have an extra room at your house?” Ji’s question took us all by surprise.

“Yes, we do noona. It’s not very big though. Why?” Beagle was curious like us.

“I was thinking of opening a home-office to continue working after marriage. Your mother and I can work together. It would be hagwon-related work initially. If she likes it we can open a branch of appa’s business in Seoul.” Ji answered.

“I am sure she’d love it, noona. It is so kind of you to think of involving her in your work. She was a marketing executive before she left her job. She misses it sometimes. Thank you on her behalf.” Beagle looked at Ji with eyes full of adoration, making her blush.

At home, we invited Ji and Beagle to enjoy the Jacuzzi with us. Ji jumped at the chance and changed into her swimsuit. Puppy loaned a pair of shorts to Beagle. We relaxed in the Jacuzzi with hot cups of coffee. Puppy and Beagle kept us laughing with one joke after another. I smiled with Puppy when we had similar thoughts.

Uncle would absolutely enjoy their second son-in-law. Where Leeteuk was quieter and had imo’s unequivocal love, chatterbox Beagle was sure to be same for Uncle who always had new jokes to tell every day.

Our skin was pruning by the time we decided to go to bed. Once the youngsters were in their room, Puppy locked our door and insisted on applying lotion all over my body. Of course, then I had to return the favor. And needless to say, it was a long time before we slept.

Puppy was still insatiable and whispered naughty plans for the next night in my ear as I cuddled into him to sleep.