4 | The Past

 

***

 

"Will that be okay? People will recognize you, Doctor Im." Jessica got worried when the young doctor suddenly suggested to dropped by a supermarket while she was driving, so he could buy groceries for Seohyun.

 

"It's going to be fine. I don't think I'm not as popular as Seohyun-ssi." Yoong is confident. 

 

"I want to come with you." Seohyun raises her hand, smiling cheerfully.

 

"No, that would be more concerning."

 

"I know a supermarket that knows me. They ask their security right away if I ever come." 

 

"Oh yeah, there was one." Jessica didn't argue with the younger one. "You can count on her with that." Then she turned the car to the left, where the supermarket is located.

 

Yoong slowly nodded. "Okay." He smiled back at the young singer. 

 

"Why would you buy her groceries when she doesn't even cook, though?" Jessica laughs lightly. 

 

"Yah! Unnie!" Seohyun glared at her. The blonde stuck her tongue out playfully.

 

"That's why I have to do that. So she should be forced to cook." Said Yoong as he grinned.

 

"Aish. I told you I don't have time to that." Seohyun pouts her lips.

 

"Your husband is right though." Jessica couldn't agree more with the young doctor.

 

"Ugh, fine." Seohyun rolled her eyes in annoyance.

 

Yoong is amused and pinch her cheeks. The latter smiled giddily.  

 

"But to be honest, she doesn't even know what to get in a grocery. It's me who always have to buy it for her." Jessica couldn't stop spilling it.

 

"Unnie please focus on the road." 

 

Yoong laughs softly. "I know you're not really someone who does that often." 

 

"I have someone who delivers food in my apartment." Seohyun finally revealed. 

 

"And that's me." Jessica chuckled. She immediately lean to her left when the young singer tried to hit her. 

 

"Well then, you have to learn from now on. You're someone's wife now." Yoong reminded. He felt excited to teach her some things she doesn't usually do. Having a wife can be fun too. 

 

"That's not necessary."

 

"Yes it is, Seo Joohyun." Jessica agrees with the doe-eyed right away. "You must learn how to cut vegetables first."

 

"Right, you should do that first." 

 

"You guys are teaming up to bully me, aren't you?" Seohyun squinted her eyes playfully.

 

Jessica and Yoong laugh at the same time.

 

"If I knew he would happen, I shouldn't have agreed to hang out in my apartment." Mumbled Seohyun as she sighs in the process.

 

"It was you who suggested it first and I just have more ideas." Said Yoong with a smug smile.

 

"Tsk." Seohyun turned her head outside as she crossed her arms near her chest. Her lips curved into a giddy smile.

 

-

 

"You guys are good to go." Announced Jessica, once she told the supermarket's security about Seohyun's appearance.

 

Yoong came out first and offer his hand casually as the young singer stepped out. 

 

"Thanks, Unnie." Seohyun flashes a sweet smile. She wrapped her arm with Yoong's arm as they made their way inside.

 

The place doesn't have a lot of customers thankfully. So they had no problem strolling the store. Seohyun who doesn't know what to get decided to be the one pushing the cart while following Yoong, who knows exactly where to go and what to get on every shelf.

 

While he's focused on his task, she's watching him close and finds him cool. He's not just good with his job as a doctor, he's also good at other things. It flutters her moreover the more he watched him. 'He's definitely a husband material.' She thought in my mind while smiling on her own.

 

"Seohyun-ssi."

 

"Yes, Yoong-ssi?" She attentively responded, tucking her hair behind her ear as she smiled brightly at him.

 

Yoong turned to face her. "Can you get the coffee?" He forgot about it and realize they pass on it nearby.

 

Seohyun turned her head and found it. She happily skipped and took one box of coffee sticks. She returned and placed it on their cart. "What else?" She wanted to do more and asks right away.

 

"Let's proceed to the Veggies." Yoong simply said as he leads them.

 

Seohyun pushed the cart, following him once again. She didn't know pushing the cart and watching him can be that fun. She hopes they'll do more groceries together.

 

"Okay, can you tell me the names of each of them?" Yoong suddenly asked her. "If you got at least ten, I'll reward you with something." He offered, grinning at her.

 

"Easy." She smugly replied and began to name the veggies while pointing at them. "Carrot, squash, lettuce, eggplant, lemongrass, cucumber, Onions, cabbage, garlic..." She pauses as she thinks of the name of the white thing that looks like a carrot. It's in the tip of her tongue but she doesn't know what to say. "Umm..."

 

Yoong noticed she was looking at the radish and smiled in amusement. He keeps his silence as he waits patiently. 

 

"Aish, isn't that white carrot?" Seohyun gives up. She looked at him to find her answer.

 

"Nope. That's radish. We used that to make kimchi sometimes." Yoong chuckled. "I thought you will take really a long time."

 

"So I got nine only, right?"

 

"Yup. No reward for you." He said and took some of the veggies, especially the lettuce and radish.

 

"Tsk." Seohyun stomps her feet in frustration. 

 

"Can you get one tray of an egg?" Yoong favored while he's busy.

 

Not saying a word, Seohyun complied. She walks to the egg section and took one tray of it. She returned to him right after but before she can reach him, her feet got caught and she throws the tray as she falls...

 

"Omo." Yoong instinctively tried to save the tray but the eggs flew off and he caught two before it drops. Unfortunately, the rest of the eggs drops on the floor. Not even one survives.

 

Seohyun finds herself on the floor, looking at the egg yolk with her eyes widened. While Yoong staring down at her, speechless.

 

"M-Mianhe." She nervously smiles. 

 

"What happened here?" The manager of the store heard the noise and approach them.

 

Yoong immediately helped Seohyun up and bowed in front of the manager. "I'm sorry, it was my fault." He apologizes, took the young singer by surprise. "We'll pay for this. And we'll get another-"

 

"I'm sorry." Seohyun bowed so deep as well. "I dropped it carelessly." She straightened herself and smiled a little. 

 

"We'll clean this mess." Yoong added as he smiled at the young singer.

 

"Tsk. Don't bother, I'll call the janitor." The manager shakes her head and turns to leave.

 

"I thought she will scold us." Seohyun sighs in relief. She almost wants to call Jessica. 

 

"I thought you wouldn't say anything." Chuckled Yoong in disbelief. "That was actually impressive." He thought she was completely a spoiled rich celebrity but turns out not.

 

"I can't let you take all the blame." Explained Seohyun. "I might owe you a lot." And she doesn't want to be sound like she doesn't have pride. 

 

"But I still love that." Said Yoong, taking a new tray of eggs. "Now, let's be careful." 

 

"Yes." Seohyun flashes a cheerful smile, going back to their cart. 

 

As they proceed to the next section, they suddenly couldn't agree with one thing.

 

"Let's buy beef for now and later pork." 

 

"Why not? I have a big freezer. The two can feet there." 

 

"I know but you might not be able to store the others if you let buy them both. We have hotdogs, sausage, and ham that need to be stored in the freezer as well. Also, pork isn't that healthy if you keep eating it. You need a balanced diet if you want to have a healthy body."

 

Seohyun scoffs. "Are you a nutritionist?" 

 

"I'm a doctor and I value health especially." Yoong explained himself firmly. 

 

"But I love pork more than beef. Can we buy that instead of beef? I mean, I don't eat a lot either way. So next month, let's buy beef." Seohyun flashes a grin.

 

Yoong sighs and smiled in defeat. "Fine."

 

"Chincha? Yay! Thank you." Seohyun is so happy that she unconsciously kissed him on his lips. 

 

Yoong was caught off guard and couldn't say a word. His cheeks blush as he blinks his eyes in a fast manner, trying to comprehend what just happened. As if they haven't kissed, he's totally lost. 

 

"We'll buy one kilo of the pork please." Seohyun immediately told the ahjumma who is smiling teasingly at them. "Yoong-ssi?" She noticed he isn't saying anything. 

 

"Oh, Uh... Nothing." Yoong smiled awkwardly. 'This relationship will really kill me.' He thought.

 

"You're flushing." Seohyun raised her eyebrows.

 

"I'll get some chips." Yoong hastily left to the junk foods section. 

 

It took a minute before Seohyun realized it. She giggles and loves his reaction. 'He's really cute.' 

 

-

 

Walking inside the apartment, Yoong followed the young singer until they reached the living room. He was surprised at how dirty it is. There are peels of bananas on the sofa, tissue papers, a pack of chips on the floor, and bottles of soju. He also noticed that there are dust on her cabinet and the glass wall is dusty. Her big wall photo was the only clean in the living room. 

 

"You... don't clean that always?" 

 

"Yeah, you know I have a lot of stuff in mind than to take care of my own apartment." Seohyun nonchalantly explained, grabbing some of the plastic bags Yoong is carrying. She headed to her kitchen and put them on the table.

 

Yoong followed just to be greeted by plates on the sink, an unfinished box of chicken on the table, and a lot of posts on the fridge. It was unorganized. "You don't have a maid that comes to clean?"

 

"There was last time but ever since I lost my bag, I decided to not hire one. Don't worry, I'll clean later." Seohyun assuredly smiled, as she opened the fridge.

 

"I think we have to clean first." Yoong suggests.

 

"Yes?" Seohyun turned to him. 

 

"You haven't cleaned since when?"

 

She pauses as she thinks of it. "4 months ago?"

 

"Ugh. We really have to clean first. And let's start it in your kitchen." Yoong didn't think twice and he took his blazer off and rolled his sleeve to his elbow. 

 

Seohyun doesn't know what to do first as she blinks and blinks and looks at him, waiting for instructions.

 

"Let's wash the plates first then the entire kitchen." Yoong chuckled, walked to the sink, and opens the faucet. 

 

"Mianhe." She's embarrassed. She hands him the sponge in the process.

 

"It's okay." Yoong flashes a cheerful smile.

 

Seohyun smiled back. She casually helps him with the plates. 'Why is he so good with everything?' She noticed, glancing at him, and once again can see a husband material from him. She flutters unconsciously.

 

-

 

Exhaling so loud, Seohyun turned to face the doe-eyed sitting next to her after she had a drink of her beer. They cleaned up everything and it feels so great to have some beer with her husband after such long hours. "I owe you really a lot now."

 

"Why would you feel like that?" Yoong doesn't think she should. He casually opened himself a can of beer. "You don't have to." And he winks before he took a sip of the beer. He felt good too after the work he did. 

 

"But I learned so much." Seohyun confessed. "I should hire a new maid-"

 

"No, do it yourself. Maybe every weekend?"

 

"That's actually a nice idea. I don't have so much schedule every weekend." 

 

Yoong noticed her hair and he tuck it behind her ear. "Also, take note of everything I taught you in the kitchen." He reminded.

 

"Yeah, I absolutely put it in my notebook." Seohyun giggles. She then took a bite of the pasta. "Your creamy pasta is the best by the way. I feel like you are not a doctor." 

 

"I once enrolled in a cooking class." Yoong shared as he chuckled. He intentionally did because he can't always order fast food for his son. He wants him to be healthy just like he wants the young singer.

 

"Oh, that makes sense." Seohyun shrugs her shoulders. She can't get enough of the pasta and took another bite. "I feel like I won't remember my name once I finish this." she jokes and chuckle.

 

"You're adorable." Yoong unconsciously uttered while admiring her quietly. 

 

"Wait, let's take a picture." Scooting closer, Seohyun took her phone and opened the camera. 

 

Yoong put his face next to hers and smiled cutely before it was captured. She pose once again with a V sign this time, which made him kiss her cheek and she close her eyes while smiling wide before she pressed the capture.

 

"You really should open an sns." Seohyun mumbled as she look at their photos. 

 

"I don't know how that works." He confessed.

 

"Chincha?"

 

"I mean, not into social media apps."

 

Seohyun laughs and she opened her palm. "Give me your phone."

 

"No." Yoong stuck his tongue out. He took a bite of the pasta and received a hit on his back. He looked at her in disbelief. 

 

"Give it to me. I will make you one." Seohyun insisted.

 

"What will you post?" Taking his phone from his pocket, Yoong handed it but suddenly retracted his hand back. "You're not-"

 

"Aish, it's just a social media account." Seohyun snatches it and smiles victoriously. "Password." She then swipe it up to see it was locked.

 

"0530."

 

"Your birthday, I see." She nodded her head gently and unlocked the phone easily. She was greeted by a sky wallpaper which she doesn't mind and downloaded the social media app.

 

Yoong is relieved he has two phones. The other is at home and his son usually uses it with his Auntie's permission.

 

"What should be your username?" Seohyun stares back at him.

 

"What's...username?" Yoong innocently asked. 

 

"You... Seriously don't know?"

 

He scratched his nape and smile sheepishly. "I only know candy crush." 

 

"Heol." Seohyun is dumbfounded. "You're outdated." She chuckled. "It's a name you use to create your account." She explained. If he's teaching her house chores, she's going to teach him what generation z are up to. 

 

"Okay. Im Yoong then." A big smile plastered Yoong's face.

 

"Let's see if there are other names the same as yours." Seohyun tried to type on it and it wasn't available.

 

"What?" Yoong exclaimed. "I have a twin?"

 

Seohyun laughs. "Yah I thought you know a lot of stuff? We have a lot of twins out there you know. This country is big for you to own that only."