Stretching my arms and yawning, I feel a soft and thick blanket around me. “What time is it now..I feel like I’ve slept for 12 hours...Shoot! I need to cook dinner before he comes back home!”  Opening my eyes wide, my hand moves fast to find my phone on the tiny table beside the bed. “8?! at night?? Wait…morning?”  I jump to my feet and speed walk to the large glass window and push the curtains aside. 

I squint my eyes as the blinding bright sunlight greets me. “Just how many hours was I asleep for? And...how did I get to my bed...did I sleepwalk?” I feel like knocking my head on the pane of glass. I sigh to myself and repeat my mantra- the past is the past. Tying my hair into a bun, I walk into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Staring at my own face in the mirror, I study my features: double eyelids, big eyes, a button nose and a round face. “I don’t think he married me because of my looks.” Scoffing to myself I begin my morning routine.

Finished with my house chores, I take my laptop and walk to the balcony. What I love about this house is even though it’s not big with only two bedrooms (the second room too small so we’ve turned it into a study room), kitchen and living room, it has a wide balcony, bigger than our living room.Turning on my laptop, I open the email in case I’ve received a reply from another company or maybe even from Blue Soft. I keep refreshing the page but still it shows 0 notifications... “Why bother looking... I’ve  already signed the contract with K Star” 

Looking around the empty balcony, an idea of how to spend my day grows. While growing up in the countryside, I was used to helping my parents with gardening. Shutting down my laptop, I decide to get ready and visit Yangjae Flower Market Center. It’s quite far so I need to take a train via sinbundang and stop at Yangjae Citizen’s Forest station exit 4. I know there are lots of flower shops nearby, but  since I don’t have anything to do, why not just go there? The thought of buying some plants already makes me excited.

Oh, I absolutely love coming here! This place is huge, and it is quite nice just walking around, taking me to a tropical land away from busy Seoul. The floral scents and vibrant, beautiful colours is just so cheerful and comforting. The green atmosphere is just so pleasing. This is the most well-organized and clean flower market I have visited in my life. For a flower and plant lover, it is akin to children stepping into a candy store. Plus, I find shop employees quite pleasant and kind.The area is separated into greenhouse buildings so I make sure that I walk into each section to get the complete view of the market and see as many products as I can. I just so happened to walk into the auction building, stand back and watch for a few minutes. It’s very interesting to watch buyers and sellers trying to score great deals on wholesale flowers, plants and trees.

Stall after stall, they sell everything from fresh herbs ready to be used in food dishes approximated around 1,500 to 3000 won to plants in plastic pots ready to be grown. I can even find small trees in large pots for sales. Looking around, I can easily find unique plants that I have never seen before. Prices vary widely by stall and item but many stalls are selling the same items..the prices are competitive. I end up buying a small pot of perilla leaves, rosemary and mint. I don’t think my arms can carry more than 3 small pots and I still need to take a train back home. “Should I just take a taxi?” Feeling my stomach grumble, I know that lunch time has passed already. While walking back to train, fresh cut flowers being sold grab my attention. Without thinking twice, I buy 6 freshly cut roses. “Since no one will buy them for me, why can’t I buy them for myself.. hehe”

I struggle to open the house door, scare I ruin the flower or might drop any of the plant pot. Put the pot and flower on the dining table. I make a call to order delivery food for my late lunch. Change to comfortable clothes I take both a small pot rosemary and mint and arrange it near the sink. Smile to myself I try to find a tall and nice vase but remember we never buy one. I take the straight glass jugs fill in a bit of water and arrange the fresh cut rose. Put it on top of the dining table. “now I know why people fix the rose on table it does give romantic vibe.. hehe” Lastly, take the perilla leaves pot I bring it to balcony.”This pot to small, I need to buy a new big pot and move it” Turn on the laptop I try to find big pot online, I might struggle to bring back big pot if I buy outside. Door bell singing means my food here. Jump from the chair I grab my card to pay for the food and focus on shopping online again. Confirm the final cart I read the list 3 big round pot, 2 long pot and 4 seeds which is tomato, chili, salad and spring onions. Press confirm, fill my details and proceed to pay.

Shut down the laptop I walk to the bedroom while Stretch my hand. “Ah..I want to take a long warm shower..” play with the soap my mind totally empty. Soft knocks can be heard. “Hey, what time do you want to come out? It's been an hour already” I guess my reflex is really fast but sloppy. My body straight stand up to grab a towel but end up fall in the tub again because of my slippery foot. “You okay?” I can hear Jongin’s trying to open the door make me shout I’m okay. After calm myself I wash my body and wear the bathrobe. Sneaking my head out I find that he is no longer in the bedroom. Just how long am I in the bathroom. Wearing pyjamas I walk to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Luckily I already cooked rice before taking a shower so now I just need the main dish. Beef bulgogi stir-fry as the main dish because it is fast to cook.

Put the ginger, soy, mirin, garlic, chili flakes, sugar and 1 tsp of sesame oil in a food processor I blend until it fine. Pour the marinade into a bowl, put the meat, mix it with my hand and leave it to sit while I prepare the onion. The water from my wet hair make my shirt wet but I too focus cooking. Move around to find the frying pan my feet suddenly stop moving when Jongin’s hold my hand. Blur what happen I look up to him “am I short or he tall? But I consider tall among my friend” I feel he tie the small towel around my hair. “T..thank you” See the frying pan behind him, I dash to take and heat the sesame oil in a frying pan until hot. I add the onion and stir-fry for a few minute. Add the beef and the marinade, stirring constantly until it's cooked through. I keep change my hand and stir for about 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and chopped spring onions. I serve the dish and rice plus kimchi as side dish.

Grab the chair to sit the chuckle left form the man opposite me. With an amusing face Jongin’s keep look at the rose and the food. “D..do you expect I..I will prepare western food?” See how his face change from amusing to confuse I know he does not understand what I mean. “h..hmm.. y..you know in the movie when they go out for d..date on the table always got a flower and they eat steak” For the first time in 3 years I saw and hear he laugh out loud. It makes me happy.. the sound and how he look I wish I could record it. He makes me happy.