This chapter is actually pretty much the same as the chapter before. The difference is just this chapter is on Hyeokjae’s point of view (POV) side.

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*Italic font is Cho Hyeokjae’s POV/thoughts

Sojung’s house, at Jeju Island…

“Oppa, don’t you ever dare to considering to carry any of those baggages.”

Oh geez… I could clearly heard that scolding tone on Sojung’s voice.

This woman could be really annoying, and she’s getting worse.

Huft~…

I automatically glancing to Mr. Baek, he was already so generous to pick us up from the airport even though I just asked him this morning. That old man will worn out if he has to carry those all bagages by himself.

I sigh, “I’m not that weak, Sojung-ah. These all are too much for Mr. Baek.”

“I’m who gonna help Mr. Baek.” she said seems without thinking.

“Mr. Baek, drive me to my farm house. I don’t want to be weak patient if I stay here.”

There… I said it.

I just couldn’t held myself to show her how upset I am.

I’m fine by myself. I have ability. I can survive without she take care of me.

What she actually think of me? A toddler?... geez!

“Just divorce me if you don’t want to stay here with me.” Sojung is savagely responded.

Oh! My!! God~!!!

This woman is the scariest women ever exist.

How could she so easily said that sentence?

She’s threat me?!

But…

It did scares me.

Ough… I’m such a weak man.

Mr. Baek is dropping his jaw to heard that. He is looking terrified for real.

Maybe I better just obey her.

Argh… shame on me~…

At the gazebo that on the back of the house. We are here to waiting for Sojung who cleaning up the house.

“Sojung was right, Hyeokjae-ah. You still need time to recovering. She is worry about you. She’s doing right what wife should do. It’s for your own sake, though… just get some more rest. Then show her that you are really get better. I’m sure she gonna let you work again later.” Mr. Baek is suggesting. That old man already on his third Kimchi Jeon (김치전 : Kimchi Pancake) that Sojung made for us along with warm tea.

“You should be happy. Now you have a beautiful wife who you dreamed of taking care of you.” Mr. Baek said again while munching.

“She’s just feeling guilty because I got wounded while helped her…”

“Eyyy… don’t say that. I can see that Sojung is really care about you.”

“But not because she loves me.”

“Eyyy… I can see that the way Sojung act now is totally different from she used to did before you got married. She really considering you as her husband.”

“Yeah… ‘considering’… that’s the right word.” I just could held myself to snort at that fact.

“Hyeokjae-ah… don’t be such a skeptical. This is the right time to get closer with Sojung. Do your best, don’t keep on arguing with her. Be a sweet lover for her. I bet she gonna like it.”

I sigh, “how I can be a sweet lover to her? I don’t even know how to do that…”

Mr. Baek chuckling, “you’ll know it… just follow your heart.”

“Appa…” Joonwoo comes out from the house. That little boy climb onto my lap, “Appa, aaaa…” Joonwoo offering to feed me a block of chocolate. So then I just opening my mouth, Joonwoo then put that chocolate block into my mouth.

Uhmm… it’s good.

Sweet but the bitter also still there.

It perfect for my taste.

“is it good?” Joonwoo asked.

I nod, “eung, it’s good. Where did you get it from? Was it from Seoul?”

Joonwoo nod, “eung, Eunha Imo who gave it to me.”

“Ah.. Eunha. She’s really have good taste of food.”

“Yeah, Eunha Imo really like to eat, she knows lots of delicious food.”

“Yeah, agree. Hahaha…”

“Let me taste it too, Jooonwoo-yah.” Mr. Baek asked.

Joonwoo then break another block of chocolate, “here’s for you, Mr. Baek.” That little boy politely give.

But instead Mr. Baek open his mouth, “aaa…” he imitating what Hyeokjae did.

So Joonwoo then put the chocolate block into Mr. Baek’s mouth.

“Uhmmm~… it’s really good. Thanks Joonwoo-yah.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Baek.” Joonwoo politely answer.

“Is Eomma hasn’t finish the clean up?” I asked.

“Eung, she hasn’t finish yet.” Joonwoo said while put his last block of chocolate into his own mouth, “Eomma will clean the house until it shining. She won’t left even single dust behind once she determined to clean up.”

“Wew…”

She really is stubborn and determinded woman.

Very strong.

Hard to handle.

But…

That also what I admire about he.

Huft~… maybe I should choose softer character woman than her for easier life. But I just can’t help to like her… very much.

Argh..

Why I have to falling in love to Kim Sojung?

Why I have to want her this much?

Cho Hyeokjae, you are bring trouble for yourself…

About 2 hours later…

The sun is already set a while ago, and Mr. Baek already went home. The beach afternoon breeze is feels so good, it as if lullabying me and Joonwoo into sleep. When I wake up, Sojung is standing there, watching at us, while Joonwoo is still soundly sleeping on my lap.

What is she doing?

“Sojung-ah…” I called her in sleepy hoarse voice.

Sojung then take a seat right beside me on the wooden bench, “did I woke you up?” she asked.

“No…” I said then yawn. “Do you already finished the clean up? It’s quite big two storeys house. It must be too hard for you to clean all up in a day, just clean up bit by a bit, there’s still tomorrow.”

“I have finished it. You can come in now. Have a dinner then you can continue to sleep in bed room. It’s all ready now.” Sojung said.

“Wow.. you finished it? You have done a lot of work. Sugohesso (수고했어: You worked hard).”

Sojung is smilling.

Ah… she’s smilling.

She’s so beautiful.

“Come on in. Let me take Joonwoo.” Sojung about to take Joonwoo from my embrace.

She must be thought that I’m still weak.

Huft~…

“You’ll gonna wake him up. Let me…”

“He’s quite heavy…” Sojung is trying to persuade.

“I’m strong enough to carry him.”

Then Hyeokjae get up along with Joonwoo in his arms.

“Oppa-…” Sojung is following me,“Oppa…” there’s a persuading tone in Sojung’s voice.

She’s sound desperate..

“I’m okay. Until when you gonna think that I’m still weak? I’m getting better and stronger. Don’t worry.”

I start to climb up the stairs to the second floor to where Joonwoo’s room is. I can hear Sojung is deeply sigh.

Later, in the living room…

There’re Kimchi stew and side dishes ready on the table. Our dinner.

“Mrs. Nam called me this afternoon. She was check on us, wheater today we still at Seoul or already here as we told her before. She told me that they are planning to visit us tomorrow.” Sojung said, when we just start to eat.

“So soon… What kind of visit?”

“Uhmm… actually it’s a formal visit. There will be auditors who come along with them.”

“Oh.. what time they gonna come tomorrow?”

“After lunch time…”

“Okay. Was she told you something that we should prepare?”

“No. But she told me that the auditors would like to interview Joonwoo.”

“Oh, okay.”

The next day, at the living room of Sojung’s house at Jeju.

Mrs. Nam and Mrs. Joon are comfortably sipping their warm tea with the other one more lady, it’s Mrs. Lee, the Chief Auditor. The Child Support Bureau Adoption Auditor are there to auditing the adoption progress. The two auditors are have been inside Joonwoo’s room for almost an hour. It’s somehow pretty much make me nervous. I can see that Sojung is couldn’t stay still. She’s fidgeting, fiddling with her fingers.

Sojung must be more nervous than me…

I decided to take a hold of Sojung’s hand. “Calm down, everything is gonna be alright.”

Sojung is turn to look at me. She’s biting her below lips.

Aww… how could she look that cute even in this kind of situation?

I can see the tense is still clearly there in her face. I take Sojung’s hand onto my lap and clasping her finger with mine, I pat at her back hand, trying to calming her down.

“Are you not nervous, Oppa?” Sojung asked.

“I’m nervous too.”

“But you look calm. You even trying to calming me down.”

I just chuckling, “so what? I may not do that? I’m your husband, I think it’s normal if I’m trying to calm you down when I see you look nervous…”

“That’s true… but how could you do that?”

“What? Calming you down?”

“No…” Sojung upsetly grumbling, “I mean : you being calm. How you do that?”

I lift up my hand that holding on Sojung’s hand, showing it to her, “this. I do this.”

“I thought you do that to calming me down…”

“No. I do this to calm myself down.”

Sojung is sighing. She looks irritated.

Hey… I need to calm down too.

I have to hiding my grin. Or she gonna mad at me.

After few months being together, taking care of me, we actually getting more comfortable with each other companion. We are able to have pretty good conversation, but we are also still bickering sometimes, but way more civilized.^^

Finally, there’re sounds of foot steps coming down on the stairs. Joonwoo get down with 2 Auditors. That boy look just fine, there’s no sign that he might feels intimidated or been forced. He happily coming to me and climb onto my lap and stay there comfortably. The Auditors then taking a seat right across the table. I can sense that they are kind of serious and formal people.

“Uhmm.. you already told Joonwoo...” one of the Auditor said, sounds hanging, like he is actually meant to asked.

Sojung nervously gulping her saliva, then nod, “yes, I did. The situation forced me to do that. You must be already know what happened to our family few months ago?”

The Auditors just coldly nod their heads.

“When The Child Support Bureau took Joonwoo away from us while his Appa still unconscious at the emergency room, my son happened to heard people said that he is not real-… I mean… that I’m not the mother who born him. He asked me about that…. So I told him.”

The other Auditor respond, “uhmmm… Joonwoo seems accepted that fact nicely.”

“Yes, and I’m very grateful because of that.” Sojung said.

Mrs. Lee, the Chief Auditor who stays in the living room with Mrs. Nam and Mrs. Joon, join to ask, “I can see that Joonwoo is comfortable with both of you. He loves Sojung-ssi as his Eomma, and even with Hyeokjae-ssi who just later become his Appa, Joonwoo also comfortable. That’s good thing.”

It’s glad to heard that. Sojung also look glad.

But Mrs. Lee hasn’t finished yet, “But both of you, Sojung-ssi and Hyeokjae-ssi, your relationship is actually the one thing that I have concern about…”

What?!

“What’s wrong with our relationship? We are okay though…” Sojung argue.

“Yes. You seems okay. But it’s weird…” Mrs. Lee said again.

What she’s mean?

It’s as if she heard my thought, Mrs. Lee then explain..

“You see… couple, I mean real couple, real married couple, normally have problems. It’s not like when two different persons become a couple then everything is just fine, everything is beautiful, with no problem. That’s impossible. Real household normally have problem too. Human is problematic creature. So… if both of you are too okay, too modest, then that’s is become our concern.”

“Why? Isn’t that good thing?” Hyeokjae innocently asked.

Mrs. Lee is smirking, “if it that good, then why instead it makes me wondering, ‘are you real?’… without problem, never quarrel, everything are sweet… that’s too good too be true. That kind of married relationship is bull .”

Woah… she’s harsh.

This lady is also very ‘strong’ lady.

My life is surround with strong women…

Huft~…

“I doubting your relationship.”

Silence…

I have an urge to at least respond, and break this silence, it making me crazy…

“Uhmm… we are actually not that nice… in matter of fact we actually often to bickers.”

“Yes, we bickers a lot.” Sojung also agreeing.

“But ’a lot’ is also not good…” Mrs. Lee is laughing.

Huh?!

Everything is wrong.

So what we supposed to do?

“Too nice, too peaceful, too much bickers… Everything that being too much is not good.” Mrs. Lee said.

“Then what should we do?” I have to asked.

“Just be real. Be honest to yourself. Don’t try to fool us or acting as moderate family. I have becomes auditors on The Child Support Bureau for years already. I have met various people, adopters in so many kind of characters. My track records is pretty good I think, that’s why now I becomes the Chief Auditors. You can’t fooling me. It’s easy to say that you are a married couple. But I know that you aren’t... what married couple supposed to be.” That dignify lady unexpectedly a bit shrugging her shoulder, and making a sort of sneering expression of face while she looking at Sojung and Hyeokjae who are anxiously froze in front of her, but then she smirking, “… at least not yet…” then she glancing to Mrs. Nam who comfortably sipping her tea and Mrs. Joon who munching Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancake) that Sojung’s prepared for their coming.

“… and don’t know when they gonna get better at it…” Mrs. Nam calmly said after sipped her tea then glance to Sojung and Hyeokjae in somehow teasing way.

Huh?!

What she’s mean with “… at least not yet…” and “..it..” ?

They are teasing us…

But I really don’t get it.

Mrs. Lee chuckling, “anyway… The Child Support Bureau’s main concern is for the child goodness sake. We will approve your adoption proposal as long as we sure that the child is in the good hand, and his well being is taking good care of, also that the child gets loved. We might gonna approved if those concerns are fulfilled. We actually doesn’t really care if the parents are not loving each other, as long as they love the child. That’s why a single parent have rights to adoption too.” Mrs. Lee somehow sort of glance in teasing way to me and Sojung, just like what Mrs. Nam did.

“Jjob… jjob… (sounds of loud munching) but of course it will be great add of points if the parents is also in good term of relationship. Because it pretty much more securing the well being of the child mentality goodness sake.” Mrs. Joon also commentated.

Sojung and I are glancing to each other.

I think I should say something…

“We-… we’ll work it out.”

“You’ll find us better… next time.” Sojung also said.

Mrs. Lee smirking, “okay. Let’s see the progress next time.”

Sojung and I nervously nod our head. At least we should calm the situation. Then all those people from The Child Support Bureau leave.

Sojung and I are dumbfounding in the living room for quite a while.

Huft~…

Both of us sigh in the same time.

I look at Sojung when at the same time she alsio looking at me.

“We are still far for doing this ‘homework’…” I feel kind of depressed.

Sojung is weakly nod, “I’ll do better…”

“But don’t force yourself too much. Afterall they said that they will approve as long as Joonwoo is happy live with us. Our feelings to each other is not too important.”

Damn!

I sound so fake.

Ah… if only…

Sojung-ah, if only you also love me…

We are might be look more convincing today. So those people from The Child Support Bureau won’t doubt at us, and approve our adoption today. Joonwoo would be ours legally now.

That would be great.

Ah… if only…

That night, dinner time…

“I’m planning to go to check on my farm and company tomorrow.” I said after gulped my first spoonful dinner.

I can see that Sojung is just can’t hide her surprised face right after she heard that, “so soon?”

“I left too long already.”

“Was Mr. Baek who asked you to get back that soon? Was he reported something bad happened in the company?”

“No, he didn’t.”

Argh.. how could she thought such that?

But then I see there’s a change on Sojung’s face, she’s look kind of embarrassed.

“But… it’s too soon. You should have a rest a bit more.” Sojung timidly said.

“I’m okay already. Don’t worry. I won’t do the farming works yet. I’ll just gonna check the management.”

Sojung is finally nod. But she looks hardly agree on that.

Later, in the bed room…

When I enter the bed room, Sojung is already in her pajamas, applying her night cream before she go to sleep like she used to do.

“Sojung-ah,” I called her.

“Yes?”

“Can you help me to change the bandage?”

“Yes, sure.”

When I take off my shirt, Sojung is look a bit off. But then she already calm down when she’s back with the aid kit box. She’s concentrating to treat my wounds. Being extra careful when she is taking off the current bandage, it’s a bit sticky right on the wound site because of the ointment, but she know what she should do. Sojung maybe learnt it from the nurse who took care of me. I can see that she is trying her best to treating me.

I’m sitting on the bed side, while Sojung is kneeling on the floor. I can fully watch she’s doing. She carefully pat the damp boorwater cotton to wet the bandage on the wound site, once it get wet, it less sticky, so it gonna be easier for her to take off the bandage.

She’s looking so serious.

So cute…

I just couldn’t held myself to chuckle, “you are being so serious.”

“It’s my first time doing this. And I’m trying my best to not hurt you.” Sojung is a bit grousing.

I’m laughing, “it’s not that bad anymore, don’t worry, you don’t need to be too soft.”

“No. It’s right in front my eyes. I can see that this main wound is still not dry enough. I’m sure you still gonna feel sore when it get wet.”

“It’s okay. It’s not too hurt now.”

“Wait, I’ll get warm water.” Sojung said then get up to do her plan. Not too long, she’s back with a basin of warm water. She put the basin on the floor, then get a washlap from the drawer.

“What's that for?” I asked.

“Doctor still forbid you to take a bath. So at least we should wipe your body to clean up. Just like the nurse did to you at the hospital.” Sojung calmly said while damping the washlap into the warm water then squeeze the water out from it. She’s about to start to wipe my body with that wet washlap.

I stop her, “I can do it by myself.”

“No. Let me.” Sojung firmly said.

Ough… I know that tone very well.

I heard that quite a lot.

She’s just like ‘pain in the ’ everytime she sounds like that.

Oh well… okay, just do what you want.

Sojung is gently and carefully wiping Hyeokjae’s body with that wet warm washlap. After that she wipe it with dry gentle towel. Then she start to apply the ointment on the scars and being extra careful when on the wound.

“Eugh…” I failed to held that low groaning.

Damn it, Hyeokjae-ah!

You failed to hold that little pain?

Shame on you!

Sojung is lifting her face to look at me as soon as she heard that, “is it hurt?” she’s looks worry.

I have to soothe her…

“A little. Just sore. It’s okay.”

“I’ll be more softly.” Sojung is promise, then she softly blowing on the wound, trying to ease the pain, like she used to did everytime she apply oint