Returning Home

My Life Partner... You

A small bump in the road woke her up, making her hit her head on the ceiling of the wagon. She groaned, rubbing her head.

 

“Sorry for that, Kim,” Second Liutenant Choi said, grinning. “I told them to go extra harsh on you, you know, as a last you from this war.” The man laughed when Chaewon flipped him off.

 

“But seriously, Kim,” he continued more soberly. “I really hope you follow the Commander’s advice. I’d really like to see you all one day. Might make a adventure party together.”

 

“Not with this junk, I don’t think so,” Chaewon remarked dryly, patting her leg wooden prosthesis.

 

“Life is not over for you yet, Kim.”

 

“But it does seem like it,” Chaewon remarked quietly, knowing that, at least, her military career was over. Years upon years slaving on the ranks of Amn military, only to be taken out by a single Arrow of Fire.

 

Well, that was symplifying things.

 

Things that were best left uncovered, and left alone, perhaps forever.

 

Whatever the case, Chaewon knew that life itself wasn’t over. She still had her family, some friends, and a favor or two she could charge now.

But it was difficult to think about another way of life when she had to bitterly be reminded of reality, no, not just about her now gone leg, but of what awaited her in a few months, when she would become 24 years of age.

 

For the past 100 years or so, by the capricious whim of gods (or so Chaewon felt like), there had been an obligation. After the mythical Sheoreathian War, which had caused a great loss of human life, probably only rivaled by this war that had just passed, the gods had determined a way by which a human should live, in order to avoid something like that again (which failed, by the way). This obligation entailed that for a human to live past the 24 years of age, they should find themselves a life partner, and bond with them at a ceremony of their god’s chapel. After the ceremony, their lives would be forever entwined, to the point where there would be no space for another partner in life.

 

A soulmate, if you will.

 

This, of course, felt too restrictive for Chaewon, who had wished for her whole life to serve her country, and have no impediments to do so.

 

However, she was now being sent back home, and the only thing left for her to do was to look for a wife or husband, and live quietly the rest of her life.

 

Death had seemed an appealing option at first.

 

“C’mon, we’re almost there. Don’t forget the promise you’ve made.”

 

Ah, yes, that promise. The promise she had been made to do a few days ago when she had been drunk out of her mind.

 

I promise to live long enough to see your grandkids, Commander.

 

And that’s why you don’t promise anything while drunk... And that’s also why you shouldn’t get drunk while in the company of the likes of these pigs. Hah, if it wasn’t for them, she would probably already be planning her funeral. Idiots.

 

“I haven’t forgotten,” Chaewon retorted, turning her head to look at the scenery. True enough, they were almost at her home city. The vegetation had already changed to be more lush and green, which indicated that they were close to the bridge that would see them get home.

 

It took a while, but finally they were a few steps from the entrance, which meant that it was time for Chaewon to get off the wagon.

 

“You sure you don’t want to rest for a night?” Chaewon asked, grabbing her sack and throwing onto the ground below.

 

“Nah, I’d rather make it to my post as soon as possible,” he said, helping Chaewon climb down. The younger woman smiled bitterly, but hid her expression quickly.

 

“Alright, then. Don’t let me stop you.”

 

“You promised,” Choi said, pointing a finger at her.

 

“Yes, yes, see you later,” Chaewon said dismissively and started her walk towards the entrance.

 

“Well, well, if it isn’t our soldier Kim Chaewon!” one of the guards said.

 

“How have you been?” Chaewon asked cordially, still remembering the old man with affection. He had been the one to first train her, after all.

 

“We’ve been good, Chaewon-ie, but it’s sad that you have waited until now to come visit.”

 

“I am not just here for a visit, gramp, I’ll be staying here for a while.”

 

“What? Do you mean...?” The old man’s eyes bugged out, appraising Chaewon up and down.

 

“I have been discharged, yes,” Chaewon confirmed, nodding her head slowly. “But not dishonorably.”

 

“No, I would never peg you to be dishonorable, but why then?”

 

Chaewon, grimacing, answered, “I’ll tell over a cup of tea. How’s that sound?”

 

The old man smiled, understanding. “Of course. It is a relief that you are alive and well, with how the war happened.”

 

“It is, I suppose,” Chaewon shrugged. “Well, I’ll be seeing you, gramp.”

 

“See you then, Chaewon-ie. In the afternoon, let’s take a cup of tea!”

 

“Yup,” Chaewon said, continuing her walk towards the city’s main square. Her parents’ house was, for better or for worse, in the most busy district of the city, which made Chaewon’s search through the renovated city easy.

 

When she finally found her house, she took a key from out of her sack and opened the door.

 

Heaving loudly, she looked at her surroundings, submerging in the nostalgia of her younger years.

 

“I’m home.”

 

Leaving her sack next to the kitchen table, she walked towards the bed and threw herself in it, quickly wrapping herself with the bed sheets. The comforting smell of home was intoxicating, and Chaewon found herself falling asleep slowly.

 

“Heyah!”

 

Chaewon’s eyes opened abruptly. Recognizing the voice, she sighed in desperation, waiting for the intruder to come see her. There was no way she was getting out of her blanket burrito.

 

“Chaewon! I knew you’d be there! Some merchant had told me of someone entering this house, so I supposed it was you.” A tall woman appeared in her sight, smiling, as if appraising her self-wrapping skills.

 

“If you knew it was me, why did you enter like that, then?” Chaewon grumbled, even when she secretly felt happy at seeing her friend after a very long time of only communicating through letters.

 

“Why? You didn’t want to see me?” the woman asked, pouting. “Ah, but I wanted to see you, so don’t answer.” The woman threw herself on top of Chaewon.

 

“Ugh, get off. Yujin!” The taller woman laughed, getting off after Chaewon’s few attempts to get her off her.

 

“Right,” Yujin cleared . “How have you been?”

 

“I’ve been better.”

 

“Oh, and you will be better when I show you the interesting things to do here. The city has only grown in your absence. Unless... you aren’t planning on getting a soulmate?”

 

Yujin, as her official best friend, knew all about Chaewon’s aversion to the topic.

 

“I wasn’t,” Chaewon answered. “But I changed my mind.”

 

“That’s great! Believe it or not, I’d like to see you grow old and more bitter than ever!”

 

“You sure know how to make a woman feel special,” Chaewon remarked dryly.

 

“It’s what I do.” Yujin winked. “Anyways, have you thought about who are you going to marry?”

 

“Can’t I marry whomever?” Yujin frowned.

 

“No, you can’t! What if you marry an ogre with a penchant for killing entire towns?”

 

“You know what I mean. I have no one I am interested in, anyways. Who the am I going to find in the space of three months?”

 

“Well, we can always arrange that,” Yujin said. “What if I told you I know a matchmaker who can help us?”

 

“You know a matchmaker?” Chaewon raised an eyebrow, skeptical at Yujin’s assertion. Yujin, hopeless romantic, friends with a matchmaker?

 

“Well, okay, gramps knows her. Potato, Potahto.”

 

“Alright... and?”

 

“Well, we can always arrange for someone for you. You can give your list of requirements to the matchmaker, and she’ll probably find someone dumb enough to accept being your wife.”

 

“You are this close, missy...” Chaewon narrowed her eyes. “But wait, are you okay with it?”

 

“Well, you are right about having no one. I’d marry you myself,” Chaewon snorted. “If it wasn’t for the tiny little fact that I already have a wife.”

 

“Not like I’d want to marry you, brat.”

 

“Yah, I am a catch, if I do say so myself!”

 

“Sure, keep telling yourself that.”

 

“Yah! Then you don’t want my help?” Chaewon sighed.

 

“Sadly, I do.”

 

“Great, then let’s start right now!”

 

“Can’t it wait, like, for a day or two?”

 

“Nope, the sooner we get you a wife, the better.”

 

“Oh, god.”

--

Now, sitting on Chaewon’s kitchen table, Yujin had gathered some papers, a quill and some ink.

 

“Okay, so, what are your requirements. What do you want in a wife?”

 

“Nothing much. Just someone agreeable.”

 

“So, no requirements at all?” Chaewon touched her temple.

 

“Well, if it had to be stated, then I would want my wife to dislike adventure. I don’t want her to like going out and fighting and treasure hunting.” Yujin raised her eyebrow.

 

“Wow, that’s exactly the opposite of what I expected of you.”

 

Chaewon shrugged. “What can I say? If I can’t go out my wife can’t go either.” That wasn’t necessarily the real reason, but Yujin didn’t need to know.

 

The taller woman laughed. “You sounded so petty, Chaewon-ie. Okay, anything else?”

 

“No, there’s nothing that comes to mind.”

 

“Really? You don’t want her to have some special skills? Know how to cook? Know a specific profession?”

 

“Nah, we’ll make do if that happens. There is one thing, though.” Yujin inclined forward, interested in Chaewon’s caveat. “If the matchmaker brings someone to me, I’d like to get to know them first. I won’t marry a stranger just like that.”

 

“What is the point of matchmaking if you’re going to screen your choices? You could just look for someone here!”

 

“Look at it as a test. The first test for that person is to get through the matchmaker and the second test is to get through me.”

 

“Or... you could write a list of requirements and give them to the matchmaker. How’s that sound?”

 

“I have no other requirements.” Yujin groaned.

 

“You so do! If those were the only requirements... Okay, you know what? Call!”

 

“Really?” Chaewon raised an eyebrow.

 

“Sure, we’ll say that that is another of your requirements,” Yujin said, writing onto the paper. “Wow, if I had known it would be this easy, I wouldn’t have brought these things at all.”

 

“You should already know I am a simple woman, Yujin-ie.” Yujin snorted.

 

“You are not, but that’s okay. We love your grumpy, bitter self.”

 

“And I am sure thankful for it,” Chaewon said sarcastically, but she truly meant the words, and knew Yujin knew it. “When is the matchmaker coming?”

 

“Well, you’re in luck, because she has been staying here for a while, offering her services to people in the city. Gramps will call so she can come tomorrow.”

 

“Wait,” Chaewon narrowed her eyes. “You and gramp already had this planned, didn’t you?”

 

“We did,” Yujin admitted. “Even if we had to drag you to the binding ceremony kicking and screaming.”

 

“I’d like to see you try,” Chaewon said without bite.

 

“Oh, we would manage, even if we had to hire mercenaries.” Chaewon tried hiding her laugh, but was ultimately unsuccessful. The idea of hiring mercenaries just to force her to marry was just... so gramps.

 

“Anyways, what’s up?” Yujin asked.

 

“What’s up with what?”

 

“With your life, of course. What else has been going on aside from what you’ve told me through letters?”

 

“Well, not much, aside from fighting, having my leg blown off, and having to come back.”

 

“Gee, that was brand new information,” Yujin deadpanned. “Seriously, I know something else went on that you haven’t told me.”

 

“I’d rather not talk about it,” Chaewon said, turning her head. “Please, just no,” she continued when Yujin seemed like she was about to argue.

 

“Alright, alright. I won’t ask about it, but I need a fresh supply of stories! So tell away!”

 

Chaewon sighed in relief. “Well, I guess there is this one time...”

--

Hello! So this chapter is meant to set 2kim up, but don't worry, next chapter we'll see 2kim together! Hope you enjoy my little story and thank you for subscribing and commenting!

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Comments

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yrthings #1
Chapter 6: still as good as i remembered it to be. thank you so much for updating, i really liked this chapter.
ginny41
#2
Chapter 6: Tbh I was wondering if you had dropped this fic, but I'm glad you didn't! It's definitely my favorite fic of yours.

I'm also glad to see Chaewon is as sweet as ever, regardless of what happened and still willing to keep her promise. Although I have a feeling not everything will go so smoothly for these two...

Minjoo here is always adorable and it's good to see how much she cares about Chaewon's feelings and thoughts, no wonder Chae couldn't leave her. As for her little secret, I'm still a little confused about it, how they will keep it a secret and make sure she doesn't wreck the house in particular...But well, I love to see their relationship and how it is affecting their dynamic.

A great update, thanks a lot for it! Really a good day for me with it and izone back :))
rvelvetfan #3
Chapter 6: I missed this story, author-nim! Good to see 2kim caring for each other in their own ways, thank you for updating ?
unknown712
#4
Chapter 6: Omg. Thank you for updating this story. I have been waiting so long for this. Thank you so much *kisses*
anemoi
#5
Chapter 5: just found this out! great story!
Silvercopper #6
Chapter 5: Omg wow!! I really love this story it was so good!! Seriously I love this so much. It's so interesting and just hooks you up as soon as you start. It's amazing I'm in love!
Dubkau
#7
Chapter 4: Wow this is one of the best 2kim fics I've ever read <3
Their relationship is evolving fast. I'm glad Chaewon still says she'll come back after what happened
Jgwtf2791 #8
i just want to thank you so much for this update, honestly this is one of my favourite 2kim fics. I love how their bond developed in that short amount of time that they knew each other. I'm really excited to read more about their story.

I've been trying to find you on twitter so i can yell at you about how much i love your fic since i express myself better through keyboard smashes and reaction pics but ive been unsuccessful so far.

Anyways, thank you again for this update, you've got me so giddy and smiling like an idiot (even with what happened towards the end of the chapter).
ginny41
#9
Chapter 4: It's super late here and I have to wake up early tomorrow, so I'll leave my ramble on ao3 later, but just to let you know I effing love you! You just blew my mind with this chapter!
Curryfontina
#10
Chapter 4: Wow. Just wow ?