"Voyage"

“Be careful, Madame” one of the staff in this cruise trip helped me to walk by holding my hand as I stepped out from the beauty salon (yes, this cruise has a salon inside and oh my God, I couldn’t be more thankful than this!). I spent a beautiful morning doing manicure and pedicure with special treatment after the breakfast, my hand smelled so much like the aromatherapy oils that was applied on my skin. It’s so relaxing and I love it a lot, a salon in a cruise trip definitely got a yes from me. And of course, I did my hair also, it looked shiny and healthy for now, it’s so hard to appear proper with my current situation, I tend to go everywhere bare face with messy hair. Oh what a sight.

The staff was being informed that I’m pregnant, so whenever she saw me she would give her hand to help me. Opened the door, accompanied me to the restroom, or simply helped me to take a plate filled with apple scones during tea time; she’s done it for me, not because I couldn’t do it but simply because I’m pregnant, the things that my so-called husband did to me also.

“Are you done?” Kris asked as he stood up from the seat located in front of the gate of the salon once he saw me.

Ok, let me be a little jealous with this man across me. He’s tall, that’s for sure, but the way his jeans hugged his legs made him looked way taller than he is. Unlike his usual hairstyle, Kris’ hair was being put down, revealing his nice loose straight blonde silver hair. He wore a red plaid shirt covered with the black thick coat, making him looked so gigantic compared to me. Oh yeah, and that shirt was just somehow similar with the one I wore along with my black leather biker jacket. Ok, it’s not a couple thingy whatsoever; we’ve just realized that we wore the similar shirt when both of us about to go for breakfast. It’d take another minute if we changed our clothes, considering that we’re harboring today in the port, so we’re just go with it (ignoring stares from other passengers who loudly whispering ‘oh…what a cute couple’ to us when we’re having breakfast earlier).

“Let’s start the tour” he said as he walked next to me.

Along with other passengers who’re registered to the tour, we walked from the port to the tourism destination here in Ketchikan: Saxman Native Village. Ignoring the fact that we had a surprising morning wake up (face to face, hand holding, and an intimate legs tangle), both of us managed to put aside about it and acted like there’s nothing (because there is nothing, of course). And I like how Kris decided to forget what happened this morning, so did I.

We arrived in the location with a loud gasp. The view was so so so beautiful and breathtaking. Arriving in the park, we’re greeted by 11 totem poles that lined up along the street where it led us to the main building, the Clan House. Another 14 totem poles were seen there before we reached to the main building. Me and other tourists looked at those poles with awe. Man, can you imagine that those things were all carved by hands? I couldn’t stop gasping and I noticed Kris did the same. Out of curiosity, I asked him about his cruising experience.

“I’ve never done this kind of tour before” he casually replied as we walked to the Clan House, making me surprised.

“Really? I thought you’ve done it…” I mumbled.

Kris shook his head. “I’ve went to Alaska before, just for a leisure, but I never go for the cruise. You should go in this kind of trip with your friends or accompany, right? Who would want to do the cruise all by himself?”

I looked at him in confused. He has his mother here, right? And his uncle? And his other cousins, or Henry?

“Hey, go this way” he told me as he grabbed my arm to follow him along with the group.

We’re walking and sharing some of our thoughts regarding the totem poles. I was excitedly trying to guess what the animal is being carved on the poles, because the poles were all high and I couldn’t clearly see the top of it, which made it interesting. The paved sidewalk was easy to walk on, but since the poles were on an incline position, it’s getting harder to guess the animal.

I took several pictures of the totem poles before we entered the Clan House. Another gasps released by me as I saw the building. It’s amazing how they managed to carve the building perfectly. On the outside, they displayed a magnificent carving of a beaver which made people feeling so amazed. On the inside, there was a large panel carving that’s being tourist attractor. Once we’re done with the tour, we’re greeted by the Saxman village dancers.

They performed a very interesting tribal dance with loud music and weird dance movement. Everyone enjoyed the show, including Kris whom I found clapping interestingly during some dance movement. I didn’t know he likes this kind of thing, but when I heard his excited shout towards the dance performance, I just knew that he’s actually just like any other human who loves seeing interesting things, despite the fact that he’s a serious guy in normal days.

We took pictures with the group and also the dancers. I saw one of the dancers was taking her baby and following my instinct, I came to her and to my surprise, she walked to me too. I smiled politely to her, but without saying anything she caressed my cheeks and then hugged me. She’s shorter than me, so I have to bend my legs a bit to adjust our body. When she released her hug, I saw her cute baby girl on her hands and my motherly side made me having a big smile only to look at the baby. Oh hormones, how fast you’re changing me…

“You’re her husband?” the woman looked at my back and I found Kris already stood next to me. Kris glanced at me in confused but he nodded anyway.

“Please take care of her. Take care of her, don’t you ever leave her” she said as she took Kris’ hand along with mine and made Kris intertwined his hand along with me. “Stay together” that’s all she said, smiling weakly, before she came closer to me and rubbed the bump of my stomach. I thought no one would notice it, since the bump was slightly seen, but this woman seemed to have a sixth sense or something, from the way she looked at me and my bump.

“May God bless you and protect you” she said, caressing my cheeks again but after that she nodded politely to me and Kris, leaving us together in confused.

“Do you talk with her?” he asked me, I shook my head.

“I didn’t even say anything before she spoke…” I said, still in dazed. But I must admitted  I felt comfortable when the woman caressed my cheek and stomach.

The group leader called us to go out from the Clan House and walked to a short gravel lined walking path through the rainforest that surrounded the park. The walk there gave me a comfortable feeling, for the fresh trees, shrubs, flowers, and berries there greeted us in such a warm way. I talked several times to Kris; the weather reminded me of Seoul and somehow, made me missing home. At the end of the path, we visited the carving shed where the native carvers worked on their current projects. It’s so amazing to see people with skill dedicated their all to create those precious works.

The activity there ended with souvenirs shopping scheduled for an hour before we’re all back to the ship and enjoyed our lunch there. I bought cute t-shirts and several handmade totem poles keychain, but Kris thought it was too little for souvenir to be taken back home so he packed some more. Sometimes I couldn’t get the way he thought but then again, it’s less thinking with Kris so I just followed it.

We’re heading back to start the trip again; we’re still having three or four more ports to visit during the cruise. Kris helped me to walk until we arrived back in our room. And I’ve just realized that we kept holding hands ever since the woman made Kris touched my hand. I glanced at Kris, he didn’t seem to notice about our hand but somehow, I felt his hand comfortable to hold on to, so I didn’t say anything when I felt him caressing my inner palm.

Oh, well.

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I couldn’t stop looking in amazement as the helicopter started to flying off the ground. I couldn’t believe that I finally could join this ride. The doctor in local hospital there checked on my condition first before certified me as fine to fly. Ok, rewind.

We arrived at the second port, Juneau. The excitement of exploring Alaska totally made me forgetting the fact that somehow I was not in that close relationship with Kris to do some trip together, but in the end, being almost like a native Canadian guy who already visited Alaska previously, he wanted me to explore some of Juneau’s infamous attractions.

“Helicopter ride?” I chewed the pizza on my mouth very quickly once I heard his suggestion for today’s trip.

When we arrived early in the morning at the port, we were informed that we’re having free day up to 9 PM tonight. So Kris decided to have his own itinerary for this trip and of course, I’ll be following him everywhere. He already listed the places to visit during our stay and he made sure he missed nothing. Plus, Henry called us too, asking me about my first trip in Ketchikan in the previous day and he asked Kris to take me to every remarkable place to visit in Alaska. But a helicopter ride, wow, that’s beyond my imagination of an Alaska tour.

“You know, one of the most attractive things to do here is the Mendenhall Glacier Tour. You surely have to take it, it’s pretty cool and you can see the glacier closely. It’d be a once in a while experience though…” he replied as he drank his coffee.

To be quiet honest, having this kind of conversation with Kris Wu, while we’re having a breakfast (how early could I get to see him) was kind of normal and happened naturally. Even before we officially married, I always thought that we’re going to have a very awkward relationship but in matter of days, I’ve proven wrong. Seemed like we have a pretty good partnership in this area, considering how weird everything started between us.

Kris packed us a very warm and thick jacket for the trip to the glacier but his only concerned was my availability. He thought that I really should try the ride to see the glacier, but considering that I’m pregnant he wanted me to do the checkup at the hospital first. So we went to the hospital to check on my health and when the doctor stated that I’m fine to take the ride, we directly went to the place for the tour. I forgot everything when we flew above the city.

In seconds, I could see the city of Juneau under my feet. Kris constantly checking on my ear muffler and jacket, he’s been told by the doctor that I should not feeling cold at all, that’s why he put so many layers on my body. The ride itself was fun and fine, no bumpy ride during the trip to the glacier and when I saw a white landscape below, I was informed that we’re going to land there. Landing, above the glacier, I’m feeling so excited.

Kris helped me to get out from the helicopter and we’re joined by other tourists who already arrived using other helicopters. Everywhere was white and all I could see was the glacier. Kris told me that there used to be more glaciers, but since the global warming happened, there’s been a reduction of the glacier’s amount. I’m not surprised when the expert glacier guide told me the same thing like what Kris said to me.

We walked around the area, listening to the expert telling us about the formation of glacier, along with how the glacier flowed and then shaped the landscape we’re seeing now. As usual, I took so many pictures and also filmed the beautiful scenery. It was really beautiful and of course, cold. I imagined the glacier as a cold beauty, which made people getting curious and wanting to comeback. But if I want to be one, I don’t want to be addressed as a cold woman; especially for the little things inside me. I’ve been talking to the baby inside, thanking it for being a good baby as it stop making me having the morning sickness.      

“It’s beautiful, right?” Kris said as we walked back to the helicopter to go back to the city. I nodded and climbed back to the helicopter and wore the ear muffler again.

“Thank you for taking me here, Kris” I said to him, but he just gave me a blank look. I guess he couldn’t hear me well, so I just shrugged my shoulder and started to check on the view below me. We took a different route on the way back, I managed to see the Mendenhall Glacier stretching out towards the sea and I swore, it looked so breathtaking and such an unforgettable sight.

When we arrived back to the city we managed to visit a salmon hatchery. There we watched the hatchery process from the deck. There’s also an aquarium inside the place showing local marine life in the natural salt water environments. And as I checked on this hatchery, we’re offered to taste the raw salmon. Concerning my pregnancy, Kris preferred for me not to eat it raw so it’s only him and other tourists who tried it. I love fish though, but I still can hold my need on eating fish.

We’re having a late lunch. It’s fine for me since I was having some snack during the trip so when we have a delayed lunch, it’s still okay. Again, I’m having a good appetite I ate so many food and Kris couldn’t say anything upon seeing the way I eat those food.

“Superb. The baby probably just wants to order everything in here” he jokingly said, making me rolled my eyes. But still, he’s kind enough to help me ordering the food.

For the appetizer we’re having garlic twisters (herbs and cheeses made into a rolled pizza crust), Sweet Potato cakes with spicy Thai sauce, and a hot crab and artichoke dip. The appetizers itself already made me drooled for the main course. Kris ordered a nice portion of Halibut and Chips, but still, I couldn’t stop taking his portion and shoved it to my mouth.

I’m having a huge grilled chicken burger. And I swear, it tasted sooooooooo delicious. I ordered two of it, but Kris encouraged me to order some more so we’re also having a plate of pasta. I’m done with pizza since I’m having it for breakfast. Oh Lord, the food was so heaven there, I couldn’t stop eating, emm.. I mean the baby. Man, I never ate anything so much like today. This is the maximum amount of food I’ve ever eaten, I guess. And guess what? I’m still not full yet; a cup of strawberry ice cream still could fit in my stomach.

After a yummy lunch, we just walked around the city while waiting for the next spot: Mount Robert Tramway. Really, we’re having so much fun in our trip here and I really have to thank Henry for letting me experiencing such a gorgeous and beautiful adventure here.

“Kris”

“Yes?”

“You said that…previously you never joined this group tour to Alaska”

“Well, yes” he replied shortly, looking at his phone.

“….why?”

He looked at me and gave a wondering look. “I’m alone; I have no one to go with”

“Don’t you have your mother here?”

“She’s sometimes coming to Vancouver, but she’s not living there” he answered. “Why?”

“Well, I thought from your experience here you’ve done doing the group tour”

He shook his head. “My uncle owned a helicopter and also a private jet, I went with him when he’s having business meeting. But of course, he has no time to play with me so I’d be just wandering around the city” he said, shrugging his shoulder.

I looked at him in confused. So he’s a loner? Looking from his link connection and the way he did interview on the TV, I thought he’s a very warm and opened up person; but I think I knew nothing about him. And for a loner, I think he’s quite a nice man. Not being a bias though, but I’ve been spending almost a week with him only around me and he’s not that hard to talk with.   

“Is this your first time travelling to a far place without your parents?” he asked me suddenly. “I saw you keep calling your mother, even when we’re still staying at the hotel on our wedding night” he added.

He noticed it? Oh well…

“I got used to talk with my parents, so whenever I went to some places, I’d call them as I send my pictures, just to let them know that I’m fine in that place” I explained to him. See, we’re having a good communication level; we’re talking like a normal people.

He just nodded in understanding. “How do you think of Alaska so far?”

“It’s nice, it gave me so many experiences and it’s the furthest place I’ve ever went to from Seoul, so definitely my favorite trip so far” I said, smiling to the clear sky. Kris let out a chuckle as he heard my answer.

“I never thought that…. We could go this far” he suddenly said, making me looked at him. We’re sitting on the bus stop here somewhere in Alaska and he’s saying…erm, kind of sweet things. That’s enough to make me scared.

“We haven’t really talked about it, Jinah. But I do think I have to make things clear for you” he said, taking a short breath before continued to speak again. “We’re husband and wife, in front of anyone who knew us, but I knew that it was not what you want. I’m sorry for using your condition currently to save my position, but I-“

“Kris” I called his name softly. He’s so full of energy when he speaks, so I think, it would be better for me to just call him in a softer tone. “What do you wish to say to me?”

He got caught up and just looked at me in surprise.

“We’ve agreed to be a husband and wife, we’ve done the wedding, you’re going to register me in your family, I’ll be having your baby and a win win solution for both of us; you got your position secured, I got my baby. And what else there to be said?” I asked him. No, I’m not in the mood to talk again about everything from the start.

He shook his head. “I just want to let you know that if you have difficulties with your pregnancy, then I’ll be helping you out”

“Why?” I asked him out of curiosity. “You do know that actually, you just have to pretend to be a husband for me”

“But I’m the real father of the baby, right? And I don’t think I have to pretend to be a father for it…”

And that’s the moment when I couldn’t say anything and just listening to his words. It’s true, he’s the father of this baby (of course, who else? I’m still a little mad at him whenever I remembered the day he asked me whether the baby is his or not…Pffft) and it’s true also that he didn’t have to pretend to act as a father. He could do it naturally, unlike his role as my husband.

“As your husband, I’ll just pretend in front of people who knew that we’re married but other than that, if it’s about your pregnancy, I’ll handle it along with you” he said again, with a firm tone. “You are not alone in this, Jinah”

I didn’t know why, maybe it’s because of the pregnancy hormone, but I did feeling like….touched. His words, it was different from his first reaction when he knew that I’m pregnant, that I am carrying his child. His words now, made me feeling like… he does care about me.

“Whenever you need anything, please tell me. Help me to understand your need and I’ll try my best to get it for you. Okay?”

Oh God, why I suddenly feeling like crying? He didn’t get angry to me; he didn’t make me upset, but why I wanted to cry badly? I think this is what Sora said about mood changing, I easily got teary lately. Even seeing the whale the day before during the cruise made me feel so blue and I ended up crying. I mean, what did the whale done to me to make me cry?

“Okay, I got it” I said as I sneakily wiped the tears away, and I felt relieved because he didn’t notice my tears.

“I think it’s time for us to go for the next spot” he said, checking on his watch. “Ready?”

We ended our last visit by enjoying Mount Robert Tramway. It’s a trip to the top of the mountain, enjoying the view of Juneau and having a dinner there. Another breathtaking experience, I must say, despite the weird taste of the food I had; but maybe it’s because of my appetite, I’m feeling like not eating. I felt happy with this trip though, it’s been a while since I’m being so free and be on leisure on a trip, if it’s not for a photo-shoot or some footage video.

That night, accompanied by Kris on my side, I slept well in such a comfortable condition. I felt fine to stay near with him, no worries, no fear. I’ve learned that maybe, rather than thinking of him as my opposite, I should just befriend him. And let’s see where things lead us to…

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“Jinah, wake up…” I softly whispered to Jinah who happened to sleep next to me on the plane. She kept sleeping ever since we’re leaving Vancouver and other than meals time, she would spend her time doing off.

We’ve been informed that we’re going to land back in Seoul in several minutes. The past 10 days with her in Canada and Alaska surely gave me a new sight of this woman. I learned a bit about her habit, things she likes, things she hates. She’s somehow doing fine around me and I felt I’ve accepted her to my inner circle. I let myself being opened to her, not fully, but I felt I don’t have to put my cold façade around her. And that’s important, since she’s going to stay with me, at least for the next three years.

She still looked so sleepy, so I took her hand when we’re walking out from the plane, afraid she’s not walking properly. The last two nights in Vancouver, she’s having a hard time to sleep since she slept in a wrong position, making her stomach feeling cramped. And I have no idea how to help her sleep, but in the end, listening to her nonstop complaining would be the best way so I basically did not sleep, along with her.

We arrived in immigration and once everything settled, we’re picked up by Chen. It’s been awhile not seeing him, so I gave him a warm hug and asked for his news. It’s late in the evening when we arrived and she immediately called her parents. I informed my mother also that we’re back in the country and she asked me to just having some rest before going back to the office. I still have several days before Monday hit and I will have to go back to the office.

“Are you still sleepy?” I asked her when she mindlessly yawning. I have to cover her face with the shawl as I laughed, since there’re several paparazzi, I didn’t want her bloated face filled the news tabloid on the next morning.

“What are you doing?” she asked me with a confused look.

“Paparazzi. Don’t yawn just everywhere” I told her, cheekily smiling because her face was just… funny.

“They rarely made a shot of me being silly, I did whatever I want in front of them. And you, actually, would be the one who should watch everything around you because clearly, they will try to find anything to make you look less comparable to me” she casually shrugged and started to walk on. She grinned at me after she said that though, I knew she just wanted to make fun of me.

My pictures being sleepy and yawning pretty big had been captured in the paparazzi camera, and the pictures circulated so fast. It’s like they’re stating that I’m human too, despite my flawless face. I didn’t know whether I have to complain since they commented about my gigantic yawn but at the same time claimed that I’m indeed a handsome guy. The media surely would love me for sure.

“Sir, we’re ready to go” Chen informed me as the car arrived.

I walked first to open the door for Jinah while Chen took the front seat. The paparazzi did nothing but taking our pictures, so if there’s any weird headline on the news, it would be purely their own statement of fantasy for none of us talked to them. Jinah, again, leisurely resting her back to the seat and muttered something like “I’m so tired” or “I’m so sleepy” while she hugged her shawl and immediately closed her eyes. She finally stopped talking when we’re on the highway.

“Sir, we’re heading directly to your new house, right?” Chen asked me as we have to take a turn on the road.

“Sure” I replied.

When I put my phone back on my pocket, I glanced at Jinah who was totally sleeping. Back in the city, I realized that now the marriage life is waiting for us to get into. I’ll be a husband from the woman who’s carrying my child, and I also will have a wife I’ll be taken care of, following with the baby inside her. It still felt like dream to me. I never dreamed of this kind of future, with a wife and baby on my projection of the mature me. I do dreamed of a family, still, not this fast though; from wife to a baby, which later on inherited whatever I have.

“Chen”

“Yes?”

“Did my mother having a meeting with the rest of the family during my leave?”

Chen didn’t say anything, he kept silent. And I knew, something must have been happened when I was away from the company.

“Is there any possibility of changing it? I mean…”

“It has to be a boy, Sir” Chen said almost in a whisper.

I took a deep breath, I knew this would happen. There’s a reason why I was the only Wu in this family, and how my big family handled the tradition somehow scared me. I was the only boy born under Wu, since my other aunties who carried Wu name married to other and since then, no inheritor other than me.

“At least there’s a baby here” I reasoned.

“If it happened that way, then there will be no problem, Sir” Chen resumed for me.

I glanced at Jinah, she’s as calm as a sleeping baby with her lips slightly pouted. I adjusted her neck that’s slightly bended and placed her pillow on the back of her head. I stole a look on her stomach. The bump was kind of appeared now, I could easily spotted her pregnancy sign just by looking at it.

I recalled the lady whom I met back in Ketchikan, where Jinah and I watched for the dance performance. She told me to keep myself close to Jinah and of course, protect her. And I would never forget the way she spoke when she told me that if I ever left her, something bad would happen to Jinah. I didn’t want to believe a fortune teller or something like that to predict on my future, no. But if it’s Jinah and if it’s about our baby, I’ll be sure to take a step on it.

And if my family ever wants to do something to this baby, then I’ll be the first one they have to face.

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Ok, updated like…finally!

I’m sorry for being late on updating the latest chapter of Perfect Timing. One, I’m busy working so I have no time to put a proper chapter update for more than weeks, coming home late every day made me feeling so…weak, I couldn’t think of updating story. Second, I caught up reading some books that made me feeling kind of lazy to write (really, I didn’t even want to open the document). Third, just when I finally have the mood to write on a story, I did a new project. And fourth, since I like to write on weekend, recently my weekend were filled with socializing schedule so I kept going somewhere with my friend and family.

But finally, the mood coming back and here comes the latest chapter! Applause to all of you who had been patiently waiting for me to update it. I’m happy people waiting for this story and hope you enjoy the update.

This chapter we’re talking about the honeymoon. Pictures given to make you understand more about the things I've been talking about hehe. It's so nice, exploring Alaska....through the internet. I really wish I could go there though... Oh ok, back to the story. Not necessarily talking about being lovey dovey all of a sudden, of course not, but there’s some progress between them, if you noticed hehe. I have a projection in my mind about Kris and Jinah interaction and hopefully I can pull it well. If you're still confused with Kris' family situation, I'll put the explanation on next chapter ok? Been a little lazy to write it hehe..

Next chapter, Woobin apparently will be appeared again and maybe (or maybe not) his relationship with Jinah will be revealed. I hope you all don’t mind if I took a pretty long chapters for this story. There are so many ideas and thoughts I wanted to share with all of you, but I promised, a definite ending is prepared already. It’s just, the process in the between would probably long…

Anyway, recently I’ve started sharing a story of EXO as daddy. It’s just for fun though, but it was written in Bahasa so for Indonesian readers here, if you’re interested to check on the story, please visit here. Hope you enjoy it, it’s having similar concept with Ever After (random scenes put into one chapter as update). Probably I have to update Ever After also.

Ok, it’s been a long note… I hope you guys having fun here and if you could and feel kind of want to, please leave me a comment. Not to make me feel good, not to ask for next chapters (haha I got you!), but just to share your thought on this or where I’m lacking or what do you wish for this story to be, anything. Feel free, okay?

Ok, I’m done talking. Bye!

xoxo,

yuriyaa