ꞜꞜꞜꞜꞜ

Sniffing the bouquet Sehun hopped from one foot to the other elated. Couldn’t wait to see Namjoo’s reaction when he surprised her with the unexpected.

Hiding the flowers at his back, he pushed the door open. “I’m home!”

He expected to hear Namjoo racing down the stairs preparing to fly into his arms or a chair scraping against the floor as she left the table to peek through the kitchen doorway.

Nothing.

He blinked surprised.

“Namjoo?” he called out further walking in. Closing the door, he took a peek into the kitchen. The dining table was barren, abandoned like no one lived here.

“Hello? Wifey?” he continued to call. Heading upstairs he went in search of Namjoo. Almost expected to find her napping on the bed.

No one.

He whirled around trying not to let the worst scenario pop into his head. In love now Namjoo had no reason to disappear without warning. Touching his phone, he dialed her number as he raced downstairs.

No one was home. Not a living soul found.

Scurrying out the door racing down the stone pathway Sehun listened to the phone ring continuously.

He tried again.

Namjoo wasn’t picking up.

Where the hell was she?!

Tightly gripping the flowers, he raced toward the manor, bursting through the door with energy. Someone would have the answer to his question. Mom. Dad. One of the housekeepers.

Someone!

Crossing the hall, passing the plush sun room he increased pace hearing voices. His parents erratically chatting. Mom cracking up at something she thought humorous. He didn’t care who was over, what they were talking about, what was going on. He needed to find Namjoo. Needed to know where she was, whom she was with, and why she hadn’t said anything to him!

Heads turned when he skidded in the doorway huffing. Half smiles planted on their faces; surprise etched in their eyes.

“Sehun, you’re home?” his mother called out.

Uncle and Aunt Na were over. Sitting adjacent his parents. Matching teacups out on the table separating the couples.

“Come join us,” his father gestured for him to take a seat.

“You seem quite in a hurry,” Uncle Na commented. “Come take a seat and tell us how you’ve been doing.”

“Yes,” Aunt Na pitched. “Come sit. How is work? And the baby?”

Chuckling happily, his father said, “Look at him. Such a romantic. I’m afraid he spoils our daughter-in-law too much.”

Obeying, Sehun slid onto the seat across his parents.

“The beginning of marriage is always like this,” Aunt Na said eyeing her husband. To him, “The sweetness disappears once the child comes.”

“Now, now, don’t spoil it for them,” his mother softly chided. “Let them enjoy this happiness. The children must be a different story, because we haven’t seen them once since the marriage. Right, son?”

He offered a tiny smile. Couldn’t really tell his mother the actual events that had occurred between him and Namjoo. What things had led up to this point or that they’d just recently started trying to make that baby real.

Or that Namjoo was four months behind the real birth date.

Sehun twisted around at the noise of giggling. A man’s voice and the very familiar sound of a female that may just be his missing wife. Then appearing from the doorway carrying grocery bags was Namjoo. And Hwayi.

The laughter on her face ceased to a halt when she spotted him. His expression grew terse.

What. The. Hell.

“You’re back? Did you get the tent?” Aunt Na asked. Getting up to head toward them, “What did you buy?”

“Don’t worry, mom.” Hwayi whined when she snatched the bags to peek inside.

“Beer!” Aunt Na chastised.

“It’s for the guys, obviously,” Hwayi rolled his eyes. Smirking his way, he locked an arm around Namjoo’s shoulders, “It’s not like Namjoo will be joining us.”

Namjoo awkwardly laughed. Sehun bit his lower lip.

“You must be tired from the trip.” Sehun’s father perked up. “Now that Sehun’s home, come sit with him.”

Rubbing her hands together Namjoo made way toward him. He didn’t want to sit with her yet at the same time couldn’t bear not to. He was upset and wanted her to know it.

“How is the baby doing?” Aunt Na turned to her. “Are you taking care of yourself?”

“We’re well, aunt.” Namjoo replied. Shooting him a glance, “Whatever I need, Sehun takes care of for me.”

His mother laughed under her breath satisfied. “He’s just so sweet. We don’t have to worry at all.”

“So sweet Namjoo must get all the freedom in the world.” Hwayi plopped into the single seat adjacent Namjoo. Rubbing his chin, he went on, “Sometimes I find her lurking the streets as if she’s nostalgic.”

Both he and Namjoo glanced at him curtly. Tossing them a broad grin Hwayi shrugged innocently.

“What nonsense are you going on about,” his father murmured. Turning to his parents he explained, “We’ll stay at the guest house for the night. Don’t worry about preparing dinner for us; Hwayi’s bought plenty of food. Let’s save the effort for camp tomorrow, shall we?”

“Then, let’s do that.” His father agreed. As his aunt’s family rose to leave his father said to him, “Stay a while, will you? It’s been ages since we’ve seen you two. Why not have dinner with us?”

“We should go, dad. It’s late and I haven’t prepared anything for camp.” Sehun said.

Clapping her hands together, his mother said as if to sabotage his desire to be alone with his wife, “That’s right! I forgot! I went to the store the other day and just had to buy a darling dress I saw! Don’t leave yet.”

Sehun withheld a sigh as his mother leapt out of her seat and disappeared into another room that led to another corridor that connected somewhere else.

“Then, let’s stay and eat,” Namjoo decided. “Father’s right. We haven’t seen each other in a while. It would be nice to have dinner here.”

His father let out a deep roar of laughter. “That’s right. That’s my daughter-in-law indeed. Stay here. I will tell the cooks to prepare the best meats for you.”

Getting to his feet with a grunt his father, too, disappeared. Once out of sight Namjoo touched his arm.

“Are you angry?” she quietly asked.

“Of course not.” But the tone of his voice and his pout gave him away.

She let go when his mother returned and he cursed under his breath.

“Look at this! Isn’t this just beautiful?” Showing off a long flowy dress his mother beamed excitedly. “It won’t even look like you have a belly when you start showing.”

“It’s beautiful, mother.” Namjoo happily grinned getting up to observe the dress.

Sehun ran his eyes over her. Still slender. Nothing to show. Yet.

In a few weeks he’d get her a pregnancy test. He was positive that right now her body was already starting to change. Maybe after camp he’d lure her to bed again. Just to be positively sure.

ꞜꞜꞜꞜꞜ

“At least let me see the flowers,” Namjoo said walking behind Sehun who was hurriedly marching home.

“You should have answered my calls,” Sehun grumbled. “I came home and you weren’t there!”

“Sorry.” She apologized. She held up her right hand even though he couldn’t see. “I promise we didn’t do anything.”

“I told you not to laugh with that scum,” he irritably reminded. “What was so funny you were heehawing so loudly?!”

“We were just joking around.” Namjoo told. “Please, don’t be mad.”

Swirling around she bumped into him. Deeply huffing he exclaimed, “Well, I am!”

Quickly hugging him Namjoo put her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not done with you.” Pushing the flowers into her hands he stomped off.

She scoffed after him. “Petty.” Holding the roses up to her nose she sniffed them.

Sehun was stripping in their bedroom when she arrived. Giving her a glare, he went into the bathroom leaving the door wide open. She heard the shower go on full blast. Clicking her tongue at him she went in search of a vase to store the flowers. Leaving them on his desk she sat at the foot of the bed.

Sehun stomped out soaking wet with a towel wrapped around his lower half. Cutely pouting, “You really didn’t come in?”

Gesturing toward the vase, she explained, “I was getting the flowers ready. They die fast you know.”

in a breath dissatisfied he stormed off into the walk-in closet muttering, “Fine!”

When she came out after washing up, Sehun was in bed back to her side. Throwing his tantrum with her. Switching the lights off she joined him. Laying there. Waiting.

“You’re really going keep being like that?” Namjoo asked. Receiving no reply, she said knowing it’d tick him to finally give her an answer, “Then good night.”

Shifting around he ordered, “Then hug me.”

Smugly grinning she wrapped her arm around him snuggling into his body. “I thought about you the whole day. I thought it was you coming home.”

“Don’t laugh with him ever again. I told you a million times already.” He complained.

She giggled into his shirt. “Ok. Ok.”

“Where did you go?”

“He showed me the guest house and then we went to get food for camp.”

“Jerk!” Sehun spat. “I know he did it on purpose.”

Her body rumbled as she cracked up. Sehun and his animosity toward his cousin entertained her on a level.

“During camp I better not see you anywhere near him.” Sehun warned.

Pinching his cheek, she said, “My cute old man, don’t you worry. I only have eyes for you.”

Shaking her off he touched the back of her head urging her closer.

The next morning Sehun actually took his sweet time preparing for camp that they were about half an hour late. He took charge of carrying their tent and air bed leaving her to with their pillows.

“What’s the point of camping if we’re bringing a bed?” Namjoo had asked that morning.

“It’s for your comfort, duh.” He’d answered. “And besides, I can’t hug you if we’re both in sleeping bags.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

The woman had set up a portable table and were preparing snacks. Uncle Na and Sehun’s father were working with a grill, struggling to get the fire going. On a camping chair Hwayi was staring into the woods, not surprisingly, looking bored out of his mind. In his hand he cradled a can of beer. A cooler of drinks floating in ice water at his feet.

“Don’t look at him,” Sehun whispered. “Stay by me.”

Namjoo tried not to roll her eyes. Didn’t succeed. Pecking his jaw, she comforted, “Don’t be so jealous.”

Abruptly turning to her he lightly glared. “Try me.”

Sliding her arm across his back as she walked off, she said, “Set up the tent.”

“So, you’ve finally come,” Aunt Na greeted. The women were wrapping sweet potatoes in aluminum foil. Plastic bags containing marinated meat sat off to the side beside grocery bags of fruits and veggies. Possibly other meat.

“Don’t worry about anything here,” Madam Oh assured. “Enjoy yourself and look around. Later we’ll go hiking through the woods. I believe your father is thinking of fishing for dinner. Let us know if you don’t feel well.”

“Are you eating all right?” Aunt Na nitpicked. Scanning her closely, “You don’t seem to have gained weight at all. That’s concerning.” Glancing at her sister, “How exactly is Sehun taking care of her?”

“We’ve been doing just fine,” Namjoo uneasily fiddled with her fingers. “I’m usually the type that hardly shows when I gain.”

Aunt Na raised a brow puzzled.

“What does that mean?” Sehun’s mother questioned confused.

“That,” Namjoo paused wondering what crap she’d just pulled right off her tongue, “the weight will slowly start to show. I’m fine, totally fine. Since I’m a person who doesn’t gain much weight even before I got pregnant. The doctor says nothing’s wrong at all. It’s normal for my body.”

Now she was starting to grow hot. Her eyes swayed toward Sehun prepping their tent.

“Uh…I think I’ll go help put up the tent.” Excusing herself Namjoo scampered away.

“I thought you didn’t want to help.” Sehun sulked when she grabbed a corner of the material.

Discreetly peering toward the women Namjoo whispered, “I think I screwed up.”

“What?” he followed her gaze.

“I rambled too much.” Namjoo worried.

Sehun frowned.

“So!” Hwayi walked up to them. “Need a little help?”

“No thanks.” Sehun gruffly remarked.

“Aw, shucks. Let me.” Walking over he took the corner of the tent right from Namjoo. “I’ll help you.”

Off to the side Namjoo watched Sehun grimace and stare irritably at Hwayi the entire process. Once up, Sehun didn’t hide the distaste in his voice, “Don’t come in.”

“You should thank me,” Hwayi said backing up. Sending her a wink, “He’s always so stubborn. You can take over now.”

Crouching into the tent Namjoo listened as the machine roared while Sehun blew up the air bed. Every nerve and muscle on his face drew together annoyed. She waited for him to finish before sitting on it.

“Don’t be in a bad mood already.” Namjoo said.

“He just ruins everything for me.” Sehun mumbled sitting next to her.

“He hasn’t really done anything if you think about it.” Namjoo reasoned.

“You’re going to defend him?” Sehun looked incredulous.

“Of course not. Would I?” She asked. Smiling she cupped his face and kissed him. “We just started the day. Don’t let it get to you yet.”

“We should’ve stayed home.” He groaned.

“We’re going hiking and fishing.” Namjoo told. “Didn’t you say you’ll teach me how to fish?”

“I didn’t bring my pole.”

“Then we can play in the water.”

Tapping her cheek, he teased, “Seeing you wet does bad things to me. Best not.”

Swatting his hand, she mumbled, “You’re such a ert.” Making a face at him she exited the tent to the smell of meat, and then Sehun’s father was calling her over to give her a bite.

ꞜꞜꞜꞜꞜ

Shoving the tent door open Sehun stepped outside to see his father offering Namjoo beef. His parents’ love for her was just endless. He was glad for everything they sincerely offered her. Today he wouldn’t worry about anything. This was Namjoo’s first time joining their family camp and he’d make sure she enjoyed every second of it.

Hwayi was another matter. Sehun glanced over at his cousin dutifully finishing his can of beer. He still didn’t like them interacting. Hwayi knew everything about Namjoo. He was wary why the cousin wasn’t giving Namjoo away yet. Did he have something up his sleeve?

Sehun glared when Hwayi’s eyes slid his direction. His smile stretched up toward his ears. Holding up his can he gestured for Sehun to join him. Compressing his lips Sehun strut forward, plopping into the available camp chair.

“Thought you’d never agree.” Happily plucking out an ice cold can Hwayi popped it open for him. Lightly hitting his can, “Cheers.”

“How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from my wife.” Sehun quietly asked.

“Really, man?” Hwayi laughed like he’d said something blasphemous.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Sehun frowned stoically.

“Why are you so serious? As if I know something.” The clownish smile on Hwayi’s face firmed. Leaning right into his face the cousin asked so quietly only he heard, “Or do I know something?”

***My sister had her baby so I may be leaving town for a few days to go see her! Expect no update until then!