UNDODGEDBULLET | five

“Two weeks?” Sehun frowns as he looks down at the paperwork in front of him. His father hums in confirmation. “And Do Kyungsoo isn’t able to go as per his duty because…?”

His father chuckles in reply. “He’s on paternity leave starting today.”

No wonder he hasn’t seen the Senior Marketing Manager anywhere at the office today. “So soon? I thought his wife isn’t due to give birth until next month?”

“The baby came out early.” The company president sees the concerned look on his son’s face and smiles at him reassuringly. “He said they are doing well. Maybe you can visit them later. Bring Joohyun with you.”

The mention of his wife brings him back to the issue at hand. Sehun is in charge of their local branches and Kyungsoo usually handles their overseas ventures. Now his father insists that he take over for this particular project since Kyungsoo is on leave. Two weeks alone in New York would have been nothing back when he was still single and unattached but now it's different for him, now he has Joohyun.

They have been married for barely three months but the shy, beautiful girl is now his home, the place he comes back to every night, the one that makes him feel complete. He can’t imagine lying on a bed without her slender body draped over his, her long hair tickling his nose, her sweet scent blinding his senses. The thought of separation for a fortnight is unpleasant; especially now when they are deep within the blissful honeymoon phase.

Talking about honeymoon, that means no for two freaking weeks isn’t it, damn it-

His father snickers at the look on his face. “Haish, really? You’d think I’m sending you there for a couple of years instead of a couple of weeks. If you’re worried you’re going to miss her why don’t you bring her with you?”

, is he a mind reader now?

Sehun sighs and starts to stand up, bringing the file on their New York new venture with him. “I can’t ask her to close her café for two weeks just to follow me to New York, Appa.”

He steps away from his father’s desk, re-buttons his Armani suit and bows low, ready to take his leave. “I’ll call Kyungsoo Hyung and ask him for more details about this project, then. Joohyun has met his wife before, she’ll be happy to know that Noona has safely delivered the baby. I’ll be going now.”

He turns to walk away but not before his father manages to speak, a glint of amusement in his voice. “Sehunnie…. Speaking of babies, when are you two going to give us—“

Uh oh. He fastens his footsteps, eager for escape. “Oh, I forgot! I have a meeting down at the Gangnam branch! I need to go now, Sajang-nim, the traffic there is no joke.”

He quickly opens his father’s office door to make his escape but not before he hears the dry response from his father. “Aigoo…. Funny how this boy always needs to rush to a meeting every time I want to ask about grandchildren.”

Barely three months married and their parents are already starting to breathe down their necks for a grandchild. Sehun pretends not to hear him as he turns and gives his father a huge, innocent grin. “I’ll see you at home tonight then. I’ll eat supper with Joohyun, no need to wait for us, yes? Work hard, Sajang-nim!”

His father watches as he cheerfully closes the door behind him. The boy is obviously happy he manages to escape yet another questioning. He shakes his head and reaches for the phone. A few rings and he reaches President Bae’s private phone number.

“Hello?”

“Mission fails again.”

Joohyun’s father snorts on the other end of the line. “Leave it to me. I’ll ask them when they come to dinner at our house this weekend.”

“Sehun won’t be here this weekend. He needs to go to New York for a few weeks to secure a deal there.”

“Oh? Then we’ll just interrogate Joohyun then. Even easier.”

Sehun’s father lets out a long, amused sigh. “From the noises coming from their wing every night, I’d honestly thought we would get a grandchild right away. My wife said all the maids are traumatized now; nobody dares to pass by their room anymore.” 
 

His voice drops lower as he whispers in a scandalous tone. “Did you know, that other night they came back home from God knows where looking like a hot mess, rumpled clothes and all. They were trying to sneak upstairs but they bumped into us in the hallway. My son, of course, had his poker face on but Joohyun’s face was redder than a cooked lobster…. Aigoo so hilarious...”

Joohyun’s father almost chokes on the other side of the line. “Sehun Appa, as her father I really don’t need to know all this!”

Sehun’s father just cackles in reply.

--------------------------------

The phone rings just as Joohyun finishes doing the inventory in the pantry. She puts the list down and grabs the phone from her pocket, smiling when she sees the picture on the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“Hey, baby.”

“You’re late! It’s almost closing time. Are you coming soon?”

“I’m on my way.” He hesitates, “Babe….there’s something I have to tell you.”

“Hmmm? What is it?”

“Later, after we eat. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, okay?”

“Okay. I’ve made your favorite for supper.”

“Hmmm? Which one? Everything you make is my favorite.”

“It’s seolleongtang, you silly man. I’ll tell Seulgi she can leave first then. She has a hot date tonight.”

He chuckles. “Seulgi Noona is finally going on a date? Wow.”

“Yeah... Uh oh, she looks like she’s going to kill me for spilling the beans. Come save me, hurry!”

He laughs. “I’ll come and save you, baby. Lock the door when she leaves, it’s dangerous to be alone.”

“I know, don’t worry.”

--------------------------------

Haish, I can’t believe I forgot to lock the door. Sehun will flip if he knows. 

Joohyun is busy cleaning the counter when she suddenly remembers her husband’s reminder when he’d called her. Seulgi had just left for her date a few minutes ago so she is now alone in the cafe. She is reaching for the lock when a shadow of someone suddenly appears at the glass door, nearly giving her a heart attack. But then she looks up and breaks into a surprised smile.

“Ommo, Bogum?”

The tall man clad in fall jacket grins widely back at her through the thick glass and she quickly opens the door to allow him to step inside.

“Come in, it’s cold outside!”

“Joohyun Noona! Bonjour!”

“Bonjour! When did you come back from Paris? I didn’t even know!”

The good-looking man, her junior when they were studying culinary in Paris; just laughs in response. She hasn’t seen him in almost a year and she doesn’t really keep in contact with him anyway. He’s currently working in Paris in one of the top restaurants there as an apprentice to a well-known chef.

“I came back yesterday for a short vacation. I heard from another sunbae that you’ve opened a French café in Itaewon so I decided to come and meet you. This place looks awesome!”

Joohyun nods her head and laughs. “Thank you. You should‘ve come earlier though, we are already closed now. Quoi de neuf? Still working in Paris?”

He nods. “Yes, still working there. The workload is crazy but I’m learning a lot.”

She smiles approvingly. “In a few years, you’ll be opening your own restaurant already. I’m so proud of you, Chef Park.”

“Merci, Chef Bae Sunbaenim.” He stares at her friendly face, blinking a few times. “Noona, I didn’t believe it’s possible but you’re even more beautiful now.”

Joohyun bursts into laughter, her hand coming up to cover as per her habit whenever someone compliments her. “Aaah jinjja? Thank you.”

His face suddenly turns serious, his eyes staring at the sparkling wedding ring on her finger. “I heard that you are married now, Noona.”

“Oh!” Joohyun puts her hand on her chest in mortification. “I’m so sorry, Bogum! I didn’t even send you an invitation.”

“No, don’t worry about that.” He hesitates for a split second before he asks her bluntly. “Is it an arranged marriage, Noona? I…saw an article about it. Your family and the Oh family are very well known. That’s how I found out…apparently three months too late.”

She blinks in surprise at his direct question and more so at the tone of his voice. They’re merely senior and junior and they haven’t seen each other for a while so she doesn’t want to share details of her private life with him. The intensity of his gaze is making her a little uncomfortable so she laughs awkwardly to cover her discomfort. “Yaah, you still have time to read gossip? I need to tell your boss to give you more work then.”

He doesn’t laugh with her. “You can tell me if they forced you to marry him, Noona. Actually, that’s why I came back to Seoul. I heard that you got married and I knew instantly that they must’ve forced you.”

She sees him trying to reach for her hand and quickly takes a step back, cautious but unafraid. She has no idea what had prompted him to come see her and act like this but she knows Bogum is harmless. “Yaah Park Bogum, what are you doing?”

“It’s not too late, Noona. You can’t throw your whole life away just because you feel like it’s your duty to your family. Come back to Paris with me, there are many restaurants that would love to hire you. You can build a new life away from this. I’ll support you, trust me---”

Joohyun shakes her head and takes another step back, bewildered by his rambling and now a little pissed at his presumption. “Bogum-ssi, I think you’ve misunderstood. I don’t need anyone to save me, especially not from my own husband. I’m sorry, but my life and marriage are none of your business in the first place.”

He tries to reach for her hand again. “But Noona—“

“Back away from my wife, now.”

Joohyun freezes when she hears the deep, familiar voice right behind her. She anxiously turns to look at her husband as he stands still a few feet away from them, worried that he might have misunderstood the situation. He is still in his work suit, his expression unreadable but she can tell from the coldness in his eyes that he’s simmering with anger. She quickly walks toward him, her junior forgotten.

“...Honey?”

Sehun is still staring hard at the unknown man who dares to try to touch his wife, but at the worried tone in her voice he looks down to meet her searching eyes. The soft innocence of her gaze pours over his fury like cool water on a blistering day. He breaks into a small smile and wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side. He can feel her exhaling in relief.

“Sorry I’m late, baby.”

She shakes her head and leans into him, circling her own arms around his waist. She has learned quickly how possessive he can get when he’s jealous, and she doesn’t want him to be pissed at Bogum. That idiot boy is way out of line but he is still a good kid. He probably thought he’s trying to save her from an unwanted, loveless marriage.

“It’s fine. I just finished cleaning up.”

“What? Why didn’t you wait for me?” He softly chuckles when he realizes there’s a trace of chocolate on her cheek. She is forever wearing her food. “Although it seems like you missed a spot, baby.”

He his thumb and uses it to wipe her skin clean before he nonchalantly slides it back into his mouth for a taste. “Hmmm, you made chocolate soufflé? My favorite.”

She scrunches her nose in distaste. “Yaah!”

“What?”

“I’ve told you to stop doing that! That’s unsanitary!”

“Oh?” He tightens his hold on her waist. “Maybe I should it straight from your face then?”

“Yaah—!”

Bogum quickly clears his throat when he realizes the bickering couple has completely forgotten about him. They turn to look at him while he stands there awkwardly, looking like he’s ready to bolt. Joohyun takes pity on him and gives him a gentle smile as Sehun’s face turns stoic once again.

“Oh, sorry! Bogum, meet my husband, Oh Sehun.” She squeezes her husband’s waist and looks up at him playfully, trying to diffuse the tension still brewing in the air. “Park Bogum-ssi is my hoobae back in culinary school. He’s a good little brother so he got a little overprotective when he heard about our marriage.”

Sehun watches how the other man’s face drops at the word ‘little brother’. And then he remembers how this punk had tried to persuade his wife to leave him and his anger starts to spike. He raises his brow and asks in a low, precise tone. “Is it appropriate to meet someone’s wife and ask her to leave her husband?”

Joohyun st