Guests were bustling around in the midst of loud music swarming from the boom boxes. A foggy smoke swirled around the DJ with chains hanging around his neck and hundred dollar hat on a high platform. His body rocked back and forth, from side to side with the melodic bass coming through. Below him a crowd was enjoying a party on a dancing ground, drinks in hand, and bodies roaming into each other.

Smiles sat through faces as they talked while others on the sides enjoyed refreshments and snacks set atop long tables. It was a small house near the beach that had been rented for a one night party with friends. Beyond the heavy vibrations of drums the waves were roaring, coming in strong. A cold wind fluttered in from the free windows with no screens or glass, but no one felt it because of all the heat generated from all the active bodies in the house.

“Hey, congratulations! I didn’t think you two would make it to your first year anniversary!” A slim woman in a chic black dress congratulated as she walked by from behind, her hand sliding over his arm.

“You owe me!” Kris shouted and heard her laugh as she walked down the short staircase.

“So has anything changed?” His friend questioned pulling him back into the circle.

His party buddies were with him obviously; each with a glass of red wine in hand just as they always liked it.

“What do you mean?” Kris asked. “Nothing’s changed?”

“Really!?” Another friend questioned quite unbelievably.

“I heard that married women always nag more and they never let you go anywhere.”

Kris felt a light bulb come to life over his head.

There had been a few occasions where his wife had followed him around the house raising her voice at him; even throwing pillows at him to get him to clean up. There were also nights when she didn’t want him to go out, but there were also nights where she just waved him off as if she didn’t want him around.

In conclusion, nothing particularly changed.

Kris ended up shrugging, “She’s still the same snail.”

+++

A baffled snort dropped from Namjoo’s lips, “Are you kidding me? He’s such a lazy fart now! Just because he’s married he thinks I’m going to pamper him.”

She was surrounded by various girls she’d met from all around while enjoying her night life.

Then she took to imitating Kris’ low voice as best as she could even running her hand down in front of her, “Namjoo-ah, I’m thirsty. Can you get me a cup of juice?” Then clicking her tongue against the roof of went on to complain, “The kitchen’s just right behind him when I’m all the way in the bedroom! What’s worse! He doesn’t clean up after himself in the bathroom!”

Heaving a deep breath she took to imitating his voice again, “Then one day he goes, ‘Namjoo-ah, have you seen my socks? You know the black ones I wear to work?’ Well of course I know,  I always put them in the drawer just in his sight. So I say, ‘It’s in the drawer on your left.’ ‘But I can’t find it. Come get it for me.’ Ugh!! I hate him! He’s so useless! He’d get lost in a mall without me.”

Setting her beer can down she held her hand out for one more to which she was handed.

“You see, the one thing about getting married is that men think you’re there to do their biddings,” Namjoo spoke. “If I were you girls I’d be halfway around the globe right now! So don’t rush to get married just yet! Forget getting pregnant, forget the duties of a woman, and party your heart out!”

Slamming her hand down onto the table she exclaimed, “Be independent! That’s what we’re born to be!”

Then she laughed and her hands when the beer poured out of the opening of her can onto her.  

Later into the night just a few hours before the sun would rise she could still hear the friend behind her bidding each other farewell.

“Goodnight!”

“Don’t go to work tomorrow, Kris!”

“You two work hard in bed now!” Then a wild wave of laughter continued behind them.

Namjoo felt herself throw her head back to laugh as well and began to turn around to wave at them, but Kris held her strong to prevent her from doing so.

“I’m tired, lets just go.”

“Says you,” Namjoo mumbled before walking away from him to their car.

They lived in a well built two story home in a village district within the outskirts of Seoul. It had been designed by Kris’ grandfather before he died. His father, who had gambled away his grandfather’s inheritance, had nothing left but the house to give him.

A forest green area surrounded their home secluded from the prying eyes of curious strangers. Kris worked at small business firm and Namjoo worked as a sales manager inside a women’s store. It was just enough to live on and party on.

After climbing up the oversized staircase planted just by the window Namjoo plopped down onto their bed. There were two living rooms in the house; one downstairs and one upstairs. The difference was that the one downstairs was much larger.

Flipping herself over she stared at the ceiling before managing to drag herself in to take a shower. As the water gently ran down her back she let out a relaxed sigh and hung her head down.

Honestly, it was unbelievable for her that they’d been married this long too. Even she didn’t think they would make it to their first year wedding anniversary. They were a bit of an irresponsible pair; a bit wild with yearning for the enjoyment of smoky clubs and loud music, cheery laughter, the stench of liquor, and natural movements on the dance floor.

Stepping out she dried her hair by rubbing the towel against her head and got into her pajamas before heading to bed. There was wind flowing in gusts through the three vertical windows in their room. It was calming and warm at best.

Drawing the cover up she slipped onto her side of the bed and from her angle saw the special glimmer of the moon shining in on them. She remembered hearing once that if the moon followed you, it was watching over you.

Turning over she slapped Kris’ back, “Are you just going to sleep like that?”

He mumbled into the sheets. Tired herself, she turned her back to him and closed her eyes for rest. A second later she felt him draw her arm around his neck as he snuggled into her.

Her body curved back and she let out a shout with a laugh when he touched her ticklish spots.

“Stop it!”

Kris lazily laughed before hugging her.

“Happy one year anniversary.”

Placing a hand atop his hair turned soft after the use of her shampoo she smiled and closed her eyes, “Yea, happy one year.”

+++

Namjoo was gone when Kris awoke the next morning. When he sat up he realized that his feet were sticking out at the bottom of the blanket and Namjoo hadn’t taken the care to adjust it over him.

He thought it was just like her.

Getting up he washed up before heading down the stairs passing the white furniture on the second level before he could smell freshly cooked eggs halfway down. All the windows were open inviting the rays of sunshine inside. The luscious green grass that had sprouted up from the ground after a long harsh winter were now waving cozily in place.

Their kitchen was the most sophisticated area in their house and perhaps his favorite. There was a counter separate from the ones on the wall smacked right in the middle of the kitchen. An extra mini-sink had been installed there as well as a stove even though they had the bigger ones connected to the counter behind.

As he walked over he thought he could feel the cold coming from the silver two door refrigerator to the far left. A rhythmic pattern of the knife against the cutting board resounded throughout the silence as he neared.

“What are you making?” Kris asked sitting on a stool on the other side. Leaning his elbow onto the counter he pointed to his lower chin, “You have something right here.”

Namjoo reached her hand up to touch her lower chin and he moved his finger elsewhere.

“No, right here.”

Namjoo moved her hand on, but still couldn’t feel anything and shot her eyes up at him with a frown.

“Where is it!?”

Kris laughed heartily, “I was just kidding.”

“I guess that’s two servings for me this morning.”

“Go ahead, I’ll just eat some cereal and watch you gain weight.” He slightly turned his head away.

Namjoo reached her hand over and knocked her knuckles against his head.

“What do you want? Coffee?”

“Whatever you’re having.”

“Then water it is.”

Kris smiled as his eyes followed her. The plus to his life was eating meals with someone every time of the day now. He didn’t think he’d like it any less than ever.

“Is the rice ready?” He asked. “I’ll help you get the rice.”

Standing up he grabbed some plates and some utensils before scooping out some rice. Since he’d been given time off from work today he wanted to do something special for Namjoo. They’d partied it all out yesterday with friends, but he thought time alone wouldn’t be so bad.

It would just be the two of them.

“What are you doing later?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Lets go running,” he suggested.

“Ok.”

“Really?” Kris turned around to look at her surprised. “You usually don’t like going with me.”

“Because there’s no one else to look at today.”

Kris made a face at her before carrying their plates over while Namjoo continued to set out some side dishes from the fridge. When they sat down together he scooped up some food onto a spoon and held it out to her.

“I want another slice of egg on there,” Namjoo pointed to his plate.

After doing as told she said, “No, no. Just a little bit.” Then a moment later, “That’s too little.”

Dropping a sigh he looked at her, “Can’t you just eat it without being so difficult?”

“You started it, so you should at least do it to my liking,” Namjoo retaliated in return.

He heaved another deep breath and she leaned over to take the food, stealing his spoon as well. As she pulled it out of she placed her untouched spoon onto his plate. Stealing his spoon back he placed her spoon back onto her plate.

Scooping up the food into his mouth he commented, “It doesn’t even taste as great as you make it look.”

Namjoo smacked him on the back of the head playfully, “You know it tastes good.”

He looked at her quite contradictorily, “It’s good.”

And they both laughed.

Once they cleaned up and changed into some comfortable exercise clothes they started down the simple track that wound through the forest toward a swamp and back to the house. They started down the path at the same pace before he eventually started to lose Namjoo behind him. When he turned around to look for her she wasn’t in sight.

Confused he turned around a little, but still couldn’t find her.

“Namjoo?” He called out and felt a little creeped. He recalled a story where his grandfather had found a lost woman, and when he found his way back to the house she was no longer with him.

“Namjoo!”

Silence met with him.

“This isn’t funny!”

Kris waited patiently, his heart drumming hard.

“I’m leaving without you!”

He took a step forward, but still turned to look around anyway. Namjoo was still nowhere to be seen. Where was she exactly?

Then there was a sudden rush of footsteps, but when Kris swerved around he couldn’t see anyone. His insides flipped in fright when someone jumped onto his back screaming into his ear.

“Boo!” Namjoo shouted and laughed.

He immediately recognized the weight of those arms around his neck and relaxed.

“What the hell!?” He shouted shocked.

“Ah…I’m tired. Carry me back,” Namjoo wrapped her legs around him.

“No!” He tried pushing her off, a bit angry with the scare. “Where were you? I couldn’t find you!”

Namjoo kept her grip strong; however, so that he wouldn’t be able to shrug her off.

“I was hiding behind a tree,” Namjoo told before kissing the end of his jawline. “Ok, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d get so freaked out. Lets go back, ok?”

Kris gritted his teeth slightly before turning to look at her, wondering whether she was out to get him.

“Give me another kiss.” He stated nonchalantly.

Laughing, glad that she’d won she leaned forward to give him a quick peck before urging him on.

As they started down the trail as planned he felt the heat of the sun burn down onto them. The clear swamp sparkled underneath the dull glitter of the clouds that looked just like cotton candy. The clumped weeds trapped below water created green spots throughout, sort of like polka dots.

“Don’t do that again,” Kris said.

“What?”

“Hide and scare.”

Her chest pounced against him as she laughed.

“I mean it.”

“Alright, fine.”

“When we go back, go buy something for me.”

“What?”

“Some snacks. We don’t have snacks.”

“Fine.”

A smile crawled over his lips. Namjoo was oblivious to his plans. And he thought everything would work out until they returned back to the house to see a woman knocking on their door. Upon his footsteps the woman in her late forties with short hair clumped up behind her turned.

“There you are!” She greeted, running down the steps to wait for them.

“Oh…” he heard Namjoo mutter before sliding off his back.

It was Namjoo’s mother, but why was she here?

Kris glanced at her polished car on the gravel and immediately greeted, “Mother, I didn’t know you were coming.”

The woman smiled broadly without holding back and held up a bag of fresh eels she’d just bought, “I got treats for my son-in-law! You know what they say about stamina! The more you have, the more babies there’ll be!”

She jumped back from feet to feet excitedly while quickly waving them over.

“What are you waiting for? Come unlock the door!”

If she stayed he didn’t think his plans would go as planned.

What to do now?   

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***LOL you know what korean women say about eels /laughs

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