9. WILD PROMISES

Our first weekend in Canberra began with us loving once more in the shower before dressing for the day. Sam and family had off for the day as we were going to the hotel for breakfast with Jjong’s team and then had a day of sightseeing arranged by the host nation.

Ji knocked and entered our room. “Both of you had better behave yourself today. Jjong oppa stop using that poor woman to make Jinki oppa hot. Though it does serve her right for throwing herself at a married man.”

Jjong laughed and caught Ji’s wagging finger in his hand. He pulled her into a hug before teasing her, “When did you have time to notice what we were doing baby sis? I thought you were too busy getting infected with the Happy Virus?”

Ji blushed. “Oppa don’t tease me. He is a just a boy. Only a few years older than Sehun and Kai.”

“And you are a grandmother.” I pulled her long hair.

“He cannot even drink alcohol.” Ji poked my tummy with a finger.

“And you are a drunkard.” Jjong picked up the teasing.

“He lives in Seoul.” Ji pointed out another fact.

“Which is only a few hours away.” Jjong grinned as he squeezed her in a tight hug.

“Oppa stop teasing me. It’s not nice. I never teased you about Jinki oppa.” Ji pouted.

“Baby sis you are 22 and will be 23 in a few months. It’s high time you had your first kiss.” Jjong winked at her.

She scoffed at him, “Look who is talking. How many people had you kissed when you were 22?”

“Too many baby sis. Too many.” Jjong smirked at her.

“In your dreams only I am sure. You know after your first visit to our house, I heard umma tell imo that you were absolutely pure and innocent and exactly right for Jinki oppa. I bet your first kiss was with him only.” Ji pinched his cheeks.

Jjong blushed at her words and she pulled his cheeks even more.

“So cute. You are really an adorable puppy, oppa. Unnie wanted to marry someone like Jinki oppa, but I always wanted someone like you. Find me someone like you and I will consider him.” Ji kissed his red cheeks.

“Why can’t you two sisters be original? Why steal our love story?” I interjected.

“Hmmm if you want someone like me then Happy Virus is perfect for you. Absolutely pure and innocent, waiting for you to corrupt him. Younger than you. And has eyes only for you since he saw you at the Incheon airport. He even threatened to sabotage all my digital work to get daily dinner invites. And once here, he talks only to you. Once away he talks only of you.” Jjong looked at her speculatively.

“Too early to tell anything oppa. But you are right. He does remind me of you. If I do fall in love, wait don’t high five you evil duo, you have to promise to take care of umma and appa for me. Appa will take one look at him and shake his head in a silent no. Stop gloating both of you. I am not in love with him. I said ‘if’ and that’s a big if.” She looked at us in exasperation.

We did a victor jig before answering her, “At least you are showing an interest in a guy. We thought you might be interested in girls.”

She burst out laughing at my words and whacked my head before leaving the room.

Children were excited about spending the weekend with Jjong. They kept telling him how much we had missed him during our daily trips to Canberra sights. He smiled at me and held my hand as I drove us to the hotel. Sehun asked if we could see Russell Crowe’s house. He’d searched online and found that Crowe lived in Sydney. Jjong assured him that he would arrange for a drive by Crowe’s house when our group visited Sydney. Sehun was bouncing in his seat after that with his sunshine smile fully on.

At the hotel we had buffet breakfast and mingled with members of other teams, many of whom had already attended our private dinners. I hadn’t realized how many team leaders I was on first name basis with. I was warmly greeted by the French team leader Marc, German Viktor, Canadian Yifan, Chinese Luhan, American David, Italian Carlo, Swiss Pierre, Dutch Jaap, Swedish Gustav and Polish Izaak.

They commandeered a long table and we all sat together for breakfast. Children happily sat with Ji and Chan Yeol on another table. They loved talking to the ever-smiling, talkative Chan Yeol. Hyori pouted through breakfast when she couldn’t find a seat on the table we were sitting at. I think she also felt intimidated by all the team leaders sitting with us.

Jjong was heavily ribbed by our tablemates for having a partner who was rich enough to follow him round the globe for official seminars. Half the table was their inability to bring their families with them. The other half was happy to be away from their families and have a little freedom. Guys didn’t hold back on gay jokes either. It was a fun breakfast setting the mood for the rest of the day.

We were visiting the Canberra Space Centre that day. The bus we traveled in had three teams – Korean, Chinese and Canadian. Kids were under the supervision of JiYeol and sat near the front. Hyori immediately pulled Jjong to sit with her near the end and I sat in the seat behind them, the last seat, with Yifan and Luhan. I laughed when I realized Luhan was called Lulu and Bambi by his team. He looked jealously at Yifan for having a manly nickname Kris.

Byong who had come to take snacks from my bag, looked at Luhan and told him with a straight face, “You will fit very nicely in our zoo family. We have a puppy--dragon, bunny, cat, baby dragon, duck and a lion. Sehun hyung is the fungus and we might get a virus also soon. As Bambi, imo-halmeoni and Hee umma will fall in love with you.”

I blushed and sent him on his way to the front to sit with Duckie. But the damage was done. I was constantly pestered by the two sitting on either side of me. I think the problem was also that the three of us were born the same year. Kris threatened to sit on me and Luhan was clear that he’d hug me to death if I didn’t clarify JinJong’s statement.

Jjong kept looking back at us and grinning at my discomfort. I was certain that Hyori was having her creepy hands all over him. I whispered to Kris and Luhan that I’d tell all only on one promise. They had to help me secretly. And if they revealed to anyone, I’d kill them with my bare hands. Both sat down serenely like good little boys to hear what I wanted.

“You have to help me make Jjong jealous. There is this team member who is all over him since the time we left Korea. And he does nothing to discourage her. I want to teach him that two can play the game. So are you both in?”

They nodded, and rose a little to look over the seat in front at Hyori. Luhan whispered that she had her head on Jjong’s shoulder. Ha, he was going to get it hard from me that night in bed. No mercy.

“Fine, now that we have agreed, who’s who in your family?” Luhan wouldn’t let the topic go. Kris looked bored but his eyes shone with keen interest.

“Sitting in front is dragon, he calls me his bunny and our daughter is called Minx. The one who spilled the beans is Byong, short for baby yong that is baby dragon. We also have my BFF’s daughter Duckie and her father is Simba. My niece is also called Llama and nephew is tagged as wolf. Our neighbor’s son is Jjong’s cardiac fungus and a young boy called Happy Virus has just befriended my cousin and they are sitting near the front. Is that enough for you?” I said in a single breath and looked at the two who were staring at me bug-eyed.

“You didn’t mention any puppy?” Kris pointed out my oversight.

“That just refers to the eyes that Jjong used ten years ago to make me fall in love with him.” I hedged.

The two began laughing uncontrollably. Kris managed to speak out, “Dragon making puppy eyes. You are so funny Jinki.”

Their laughter made Jjong turn back to look at me. I winked at him and laced both my hands with those of Kris and Lulu. Jjong’s eyes followed the movement of my hands and his lips curved in a naughty smile. He took out his phone and messaged me.

Yeobo gonna do u hard tonite

Jagi my turn first

No u had your turn in the shower earlier

Ok my turn next

U look so cute when u pout. Love u my adorable Tokki

N u look so y right now. lv u 2 my Puppy

Want u now. want to claim u as mine right now

erted puppy

Always for you

Tell the floozy u r mine and mine alone

She knows. I tell her all the time. doesn’t listen. I think she is deaf

Brain dead is more like it. 3 weeks is all I m giving her to be with u. if she so much as touches a single hair of your head when we go back home, she is dead.

Ooooooh I love my ferocious cuddle bunny

Going to mark you all over tonite.

Hard yeobo hard

How hard?

erted Tokki

Always for u

I heard two throats clearing on either side of me and turned to look at them. Both Yifan and Luhan were red in the face and their eyes were glued to my cell phone. They were taking in every word that passed between Jjong and me. “erts,” I dug my elbows hard into them.

“Not me. It applies to you. You are 40 for god’s sake and ting at your age is illegal.” Kris grinned unrepentantly

Jagi will talk 2 u later. Got 2 erts sitting with me

Caught by your y aura for sure

Get the floozy’s head off your shoulder

Oooooh u r ier when u talk tough

Stop texting me. erts are reading everything

Good luck to them in catching u. just a reminder, they will be alone in bed at night while I will be with u ;)

Luhan who was sitting behind Jjong, leaned back and kicked Jjong’s seat very hard. Jjong looked back at us and laughed loudly. “My Tokki is a walking encyclopedia of love, and seduction. You both will go back changed men.” He teased the two.

I knew he had heard every word the three of us had uttered since we sat down. Kris, Luhan and I didn’t hide our conversation. It saved me the energy of repeating it at night. Who in their right mind would believe that I was flanked by two senior police officers from Canada and China and we were talking and laughing about my life? May be age was turning Puppy and me shameless.

“Jjong I am also known as Dragon in my precinct,” Kris informed very seriously.

“Good you are Chinese dragon and I am Korean one. Just remember that Tokki is mine.” Jjong winked at him.

“Don’t worry, I love my wife very much.” Kris assured him making an x sign in front of his heart.

“My Tokki can make anyone’s head turn. You’d better be careful.”

“I am straight.” Kris reaffirmed.

“So was I before meeting him.” Jjong grinned.

Kris looked at me. Then at Jjong. Then me again. Finally he wagged his finger at me, “Count me out. I am keeping my distance from you. You are a dangerous man.”

“Oh no, no you promised. You cannot back out now.” I brought his hand to my lips and kissed the back of it.

Kris’s eyes bugged out. He snatched his hand back and swallowed hard, mutely staring at me. He shook his head as if to clear it. Then leaned over to Jjong and whispered, “You are a very lucky man. If you ever cheat on him, I will break every bone in your body.” Then he sat back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest and looked at me glumly. “What do I do with you Jinki? I promised to help you. I want to let you know I take my marriage vows seriously.”

I smiled at him, “As do I Kris. For me the only man is Jjong and will always be Jjong. You are just a means to an end. We are only playing at flirting. Not really flirting. When I look at you, I see nothing more than a friend. The only man I ever flirted with is Jjong. Now, stop scowling at me. Consider me the same as any of your friends back home.”

Kris huffed at my words. Jjong looked back and winked at him. Luhan stared at us open mouthed.

“What kind of a couple are you? Don’t you feel jealous Jinki that a woman is all over your man? And he is winking at us instead of warning away from you.” Luhan whispered and Kris nodded in agreement.

I took a deep breath and chose my words carefully. “What’s there to be jealous about? The woman is interested in him but the feeling is not reciprocated. We love each other only. Our bond is too secure for us to bother with a petty emotion like jealousy.” The two looked at me as my voice dropped even lower. “I am certain that Jjong is highly right now at the thought that others want me. And for my part, if I act on what I am thinking, both of us would be behind bars for indecent exposure. We are not flirting with others. We are flirting with each other. It’s just a question of how long we can last and keep away from each other before locking ourselves in a restroom.”

My words were met with silence. Both men contemplated before Kris spoke in a shaky voice. “You both are very lucky. If I was in Jjong’s place, my wife would castrate me without a second thought.” Luhan nodded at his words.

I patted their hands, “Relax gentlemen. You are safe with me.”

Jjong turned around again and asked them, “How does champagne sound as thank you gifts or some jewelry for your wives?”

Finally the two overcame their shock and laughed loudly. I left the two alone to discuss the gifts with Jjong and went to check on the children. Ji and Chan Yeol were sitting together talking and softly laughing. Sehun and Minx had their heads together as usual, lost in their own world. Amber was sitting with a Canadian team member, talking shop. She smiled and waved at me as I passed her. Byong and Duckie were munching on packaged snacks and doing puzzles in competition with each other. All of them replied in negative when I asked if they needed anything.

On my way back I saw Hyori trying to hold Jjong’s hand while he tried to avoid it. I leaned over to her and smiled as I showed her my wedding ring. “Hyori-ssi, gay marriages might not be legal in South Korea, but we are still married for all practical purposes. Please keep in mind that you are poaching on my territory and my patience has its limits.”

She had the grace to blush. Jjong displayed his wedding ring to her. I was sure it was not the first time. I went back to the front and called Amber to follow me. Jjong vacated his seat for Amber who plunked down and began picking Hyori’s brains immediately. Kris sent one of his team who was occupying the last row seat with us to sit in Amber’s place. Everyone shifted and made space for Jjong to sit next to me.

Jjong whispered in my ear, “So yeobo how hot are you feeling?”

“Enough to pull you under the seats. You?”

“Enough to not care whether we are under the seats or in them.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Break it up you two. This is worse than him sitting in the seat ahead.” Luhan grumbled in a low voice.

“Didn’t I warn you that my Tokki is smoking hot?” Jjong smirked at them.

Kris mumbled, “Weirdoes.”

We had reached the destination by then. Amber skipped off to be with the kids and Ji. Duckie and Byong came over to hold my hands but very soon JiYeol took charge of all the kids. Hyori’s embarrassment was short lived and she again took hold of Jjong’s arm. He was right. She really was deaf.

Canberra Space Centre functioned in collaboration with NASA. We first had a tour of the exhibits of NASA’s space history including pieces of moon that was 3.8 billion years old. Then we were shown 3D multimedia movies about space explorations and our solar system. Not only the children but everyone watched with fascination.

As soon as the one hour long movies began, Jjong came over to where I was sitting between Kris and Luhan. He pulled me up and walked out of the multimedia theatre and entered the restroom. He checked to find it unoccupied.

Pushing me against the door, he started biting my lower lip. I put my hands in his hair and on his upper lip. He rubbed my thighs and pulled them up to wrap around him as he supported my body weight against the door. I moved my arms to wrap around his shoulders and back and pulled him flush against my body. We gave up on biting and devoured each other’s mouths.

When we surfaced for air after a long time we talked in urgent whispers as he caressed my thighs and my hands roamed over his back.

“Yeobo you are so hot. I burn every time I look at you.” He nipped my neck.

“Every time that floozy touches you, I want to kiss you deep.” I pulled his hair and made good on my words.

“Can we do it now?” He bit my ear.

“Kids.” I rubbed cupid on imugi.

“Night is too far away.” He rubbed in sync.

“Patience jagi.” We kissed deep again.

We broke apart when someone pushed against the door. Reluctantly I lowered my legs and Jjong moved away. I pointed to the wash basin. As he began splashing water on his face, I moved away from the door as well and let it open. I smiled at the bewildered man and walked out.

Kris and Luhan stared at me as I rejoined them.

“His lips are all red.” Luhan whispered to Kris.

“What do you expect? He was MIA for 15 minutes for a different kind of action.” Kris whispered back.

“Guys I am sitting in between.” I pouted.

“Did you do it?” Luhan asked me directly.

I shook my head. “There was no lock on the door.”

My eyes hungrily watched Jjong walk to his seat. He looked at me with same hunger before sitting down. I concentrated on not hyperventilating and checked my lips to make sure I was not drooling.

“Luhan, I want my wife to look at me like this.” Kris whined.

“My wife has not looked at me like this since our honeymoon.” Luhan whined back.

“Don’t complain. You are half to blame.” I tried to come to my senses. “When was the last time you looked at your wife in the same way?”

Both remained silent, obviously thinking for an answer. And I got the time necessary to pull myself together. I unsuccessfully tried to put Jjong out of my mind for some time. My desire for him continued to simmer under my calm surface.

After the show, I checked on the kids as it was near their lunch time. We were divided into groups based on the buses we traveled in. As we left the theatre, our group was guided to Moon Rock Café for lunch while another group went in for the 3D experience.

I wanted to sit with the kids but they waved me away. Chan Yeol was keeping them entertained. They knew not to stray away. All of them commandeered a table for themselves and shooed me away.

I bent down and whispered to Ji, “He is good with our crazy family. Don’t let him get away.” She blushed as I walked off.

“Guys do you have any single men in your teams? If yes please introduce them to the floozy so I can have my man with me for the rest of the day.” I asked Kris and Luhan.

Both talked to a few of their team members and then went and spoke with Jjong. He introduced Hyori to them and made them sit on one table. Hyori became flustered when five men suddenly began paying attention to her.

Jjong sat next to me on our table. “I was missing my Tokki. Thank you for arranging this.” He bowed to Kris and Luhan who grinned at him.

“It was self preservation. We are here for three more weeks. Your hot exchanges were heating us up.” Kris mumbled. Luhan turned red as he nodded.

Jjong rubbed my thigh under the table for a few moments before holding my hand above the table and playing with my wedding ring. His actions told me how much he’d missed me since morning.

After lunch we went to the open grounds to see the largest space antenna complex in the southern hemisphere. Huge space dishes were used for radio communications with the various satellites and explorers in space. We learnt how deep space tracking was done with the help of the huge dishes. Chan Yeol kept a running commentary for the kids. Jjong wondered when his battery would wind down and he’d stop speaking.

After the Canberra Space Centre we toured the adjacent Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. We went on a one hour bushwalk. We couldn’t see all the wildlife but we did see many kangaroos and a few koalas, platypus, emus and wallabies. It was tough to stop Byong and Duckie from hopping around like kangaroos once they saw the animals.

We also visited Birriagi Rock Shelter which was the oldest aboriginal site in that part of the country. Aborigines were native to Australia before the rest of the world made it their home.

Thankfully since lunch, Hyori was kept busy by the bachelors. Jjong and I picked up Duckie and Byong who were beginning to droop with exhaustion after the bushwalk. Sehun and Minx carried their backpacks along with their own. Kris and Luhan offered to carry the kids for a while but we were used to it.

Night had fallen by the time we began our return journey to the hotel, Jjong and I sat together. I put my head on his shoulder and relaxed. “I love you Puppy. Forever and ever.” I softly whispered into his shoulder.

He kissed my forehead and rested his cheek on my head. No more words were needed as we absorbed the simple joy of being together. A buffet dinner was arranged at the hotel. As we again took our seat with various team leaders, Jjong and I thanked Kris and Luhan for their help.

They grinned and Luhan answered for both, “You were right Jjong. One day with him changed us. I for one appreciate my wife more now.” Kris nodded in agreement.

We smiled at them and seated Duckie and Byong next to us. They still had the tendency of falling asleep mid-dinner when tired. We quickly fed them first. They then climbed into our laps and clung to us as they slept off. We lingered through our dinner, discussing the day with the others.

As we drove back home, the teens chattered about their version of the day. Ji sat lost in her thoughts. At home we quickly tucked in all the kids into their beds.

Then it was time for us to keep our promise to each other that we made in the bus. I marked him all over his chest. Ten years and our desire for each other grew with each passing year. Life with my Puppy was a miracle.