Requested by: llk2027

Characters: Jongdae/Chen [EXO] & Diana [OC] 

Premise:This married couple must deal with the hardships that come with everyday life and realize that married life is not like the honeymoon phase (Angst).

Author: Admin K, DivinestSense

Of Empty Tables and Empty Words

“I have to stay late at the studio tonight.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry, honey, I know you wanted to try that new restaurant.  Why don’t you go without me with Hana or someone?”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m actually kind of tired and I have an early day tomorrow," she lied.  It was true that her job required her to come in earlier than usual, but she had been more excited to go out.  

Between work and the human body’s need for sleep, the two of them had been trapped in the house for the past few weeks, and while that wouldn’t have bothered her if she and Jongdae had been had been focusing on each other, that wasn’t the case.  With her work requiring her to start her day early and his usually running into the late evening, the couple barely said “good morning” and “good night.”  

Tonight was the first night in what felt like forever that their schedules were supposed to compliment each other—she had finished work a little later than usual and his last voice lesson was cancelled.  The moment she discovered this chance to go out together, she booked a restaurant and told him.  It was true that she was eager to try out the new place, but they could have ate anywhere—she just wanted to spend quality time with her husband.

“Diana, I’ll see you in the morning, okay?  Please make sure to eat dinner," he said and she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.  Chances are that they wouldn’t see each other tomorrow morning, but rather late at night when he returned and she was already dressed for bed.

“Okay. Dae, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

At the sound of the line disconnecting, Diana threw herself on the couch.  Angry and upset, she allowed the tears that were forming to fall freely down her face—it was not as though her make up even mattered at this point.  Feeling uncomfortable sitting in her new cocktail dress, she made her way over to her small closet to change.  She had bought the dress months ago—it looked perfect on her flattering herself in all the right areas and since the day she swiped her card for it, she had anticipated Jongdae’s reaction.  The two of them were long past the honeymoon phase of their marriage and to her, this dress was a way to fall back into the feeling of adventure and passion they had once shared.

The two of them were undeniably still in love with each other—she never questioned that much—but as time had passed, she had been able to clearly the see the consequences of their actions.

She and Jongdae didn’t necessarily rush into getting married, but they should have waited.  Young and blinded by love, the two of them said “I do” before either of them had truly established their careers.  She had barely began her dream job as an English teacher while he was struggling to figure out what he even wanted to do with his life, all that they knew was that they loved each other and wanted to grow old together.

Despite the uncertain nature of their professional lives during the first year, the two of them basked in the glow of the honeymoon phase.  Even when everything else in their lives was obviously not okay, they found solace and a haven in each other.  They were inseparable, always having each other’s backs and always putting the other first.  But like all marriages, they were bound to be to slapped by reality and when the slap came, it came hard.

From the financial roller coaster that the two rode to Jongdae finding a passion for teaching singing lessons, they moved from apartment to apartment, eternally searching for something to call home.  When they had settled into their current house and he had done the same with his job, the impact of his decision to pursue vocal training began to hit them both, but her especially.  

Not accustomed to coming home and being alone, the first few weeks were horribly lonely for Diana.  She would arrive to the empty home only to go and rest on their cold bed.  Eventually, she would cook dinner for the two of them and they would eat, she getting lost in his smile and he simply glowing at the events of his day.  But the moment she had fallen into that schedule—the moment she had come to terms with herself and learned that she could make the best of it—he had decided to take on more clients, having been offered to work for an entertainment industry on the side.  The late dinners which had become their chance to relax became meals for one for her and take out for him.  

She had always expected that when she got married, she would adjust to a life of work and family, but not in the way they were.  Due to the fact that they had not been set in their careers at the alter, they were forced to deal with it as a couple, except that he was not making decisions  as a team—he was just doing what was best for his career.  

Of course she understood that by working with an agency he was working to help support the two of them financially, but as a year of eating dinner alone and days without so much as a kiss passed, she had to wonder at what cost was he doing it?  She could manage it as best she could for now, but how would she feel in a year?  Without a doubt, he would still hold her heart, but was it really worth it?

Most young couples worried over the faithfulness of the other spouse—constantly anxious that the other had found someone else—someone younger, someone more attractive, someone more successful.  Even though their work pushed them in different directions during all hours of the clock, this was never something she worried about.  Sure, as a vocal coach, Jongdae had his share of young, attractive, students, and she definitely had some nice looking coworkers, but trust was never something that either of them questioned.

People looking from the outside-in possibly perceived her belief that both she and him would never find comfort in another as young ignorance—that she was blind to reality because she had gotten married at a young age—but they could not have been any more wrong.  She didn’t base her assumption on whispered “I love you”’s and secret promises—no, their bond was much stronger.  

“How do I look?”

“Hana, you look fine, relax.”

“Diana, we’re hanging out with Byun Baekhyun—how can I relax?  You know how much I like him.”<