Chapter 4

Autumn has come, the morning air was chilly, and the leaves of the trees around the campus already began to fall. In the campus garden, Joohyun sitting alone. She is currently working on her college assignments only accompanied by 1 cup of hot chocolate milk.

Occasionally she stopped writing. Drinking her hot chocolate milk. She took her chocolate milk with her left hand and make her staring at the ring finger of her left hand. The ring finger is no longer wearing a plain white gold ring and there’s the name Jung Yonghwa inside of it.

Joohyun interrupted her reverie. She is back to write. Her brown hair blowing in the wind that morning. Joohyun tighten belt his brown coat. Lucky, today she didn’t choose to wore a dress as usual, she chose to wore black jeans, purple sneakers, sweaters, and her favorite brown long coat.

"Hyun-ah ... !!" Yoona shouted from a distance and ran towards Joohyun. Joohyun turned around see where the voice was coming from.

"Hyun...let's go to faculty of law building, there’s an exhibition of paintings there." Yoona said sitting beside Joohyun.

Joohyun previously smiled at her friend. She re-examine the books are there in front of her.

"You'll go there.. ask another. Are there Yura and Ryu, right? "Answer Joohyun re-write.

"Yura didn’t come today. And Ryu.. do you know she’s dating, right? now surely she was going out with her boyfriend… "

"Ask another. I’m working on this task. "

"I've finished working on the task, you can see my work. Moreover, lecturer for today doesn’t come, you can finish in this afternoon. But now we see the exhibition first...Come Seo Joohyun..." Yoona persuade.

"From today i will be working part time in a bookstore across the campus. At 3PM I have to be there at the store " Said Joohyun and Yoona shocked.

"Are you serious? Why you must work?"

"I no longer live with eomma. I could no longer ask my eomma to give me money, to pay my education.." Said Joohyun with a forced smile.

Yoona just stared for a moment  at Joohyun’s face. Yoona know if Joohyun didn’t put make up at all on her face. Her lips were pale, here eyes were glazed. But even no make up, Joohyun still look beautiful.  Beautiful natural.

"u’ve a husband now. He is fully responsible for yourself. If he doesn’t give you money? Don’t  pay for your education?" Yoona said carefully. As if she knew there was a problem between Joohyun and her husband.

Joohyun was silent. Hold back her tears. Lately she felt too sensitive. Tears easy to fall.

"he’s a responsible husband..the money that he gave was enough for me. even more enough. But i can’t depend entirely with money he gave. " Answer Joohyun cover up the problems she was facing. And remembered the agreement of marriage which Yonghwa made.

"Then why did you want to work?" Asked Yoona is still curious.

"I just go to campus then back to home. There’s still plenty of time to spare. Nothing that i do. I'd better work. More useful, right? "Answer Joohyun give a smile on her lips.

Yoona also smiling. But in her mind still occur if there’s a problem between Joohyun and Yonghwa. But she didn’t dare to ask. She only saw Joohyun back to write. Now more serious.

"So, can you accompany me to see the exhibition now? Come on... for this time.. " Yoona persuade again.

Joohyun still thinking. She didn’t want to disappoint her friend. but the exhibition was held at the faculty of law. Yonghwa’s faculty.

"Ok! I’ll company you. But not for long. "Answer Joohyun tidying the books and papers in front of her.

Faculty of Law

The exhibition of paintings contained in a small hall in the faculty of law building. There have been many people whose filled the room. Paintings from talented painters at Seoul University also been displayed neatly on the walls of the room.

Yoona looks so excited to enter the exhibition hall. She holding Joohyun’s hands. Joohyun also looks happy. It's been a long time she didn’t spend time with Yoona.

They looked one at a painting hanging. Yoona very fond of painting  and art. Yoona looks one by one the title of the paintings seriously.

Until Yoona Doesn’t aware that she has left Joohyun. In the end Joohyun let Yoona enjoy the paintings herself. Joohyun choose to sit on a couch in the corner of the room.

Not far from where she sat. There’is painting that caught her attention. Painting with a dark colored background. Joohyun rose from her seat and walked over to the painting. Painting with a dark colored background. In the middle there’s a man sitting on red chair with head bowed. Joohyun saw the man holding two books. The book one that cover berlin wall, and the other one cover one boy and one girl who was playing swing. And this book looks thicker than book that cover the berlin wall. Man's face in the painting looks confused.

Jooohyun’s heart beating faster. Her finger touched that painting. was dry. She remembered when she and Yonghwa used to play swing together when we were child. Yonghwa gladly willing to push firmer so Joohyun can feel the high swing ride.

Joohyun as if she didn’t want to see an explanation of the painting. Joohyun doesn’t want to think about really happened. Slowly her eyes moving towards the bottom of the painting. She saw the name of the painter and the title of the painting.

Jung Yonghwa

Tittle:

In between.

Joohyun leaving the painting. She walked quickly. She's just following her footsteps. doesn’t feel she crashed into someone's shoulder women.

"Hyun!" Joohyun crashing Yoona’s shoulder who are seeking Joohyun.

"Ahh....Yoona.... " Joohyun holding Yoona’s hands.

"Is there anything that happened?? " Asked Yoona panic.

"Not. I’m fine. I'm just hungry." Said Joohyun.

"But i haven’t seen the paintings at that part?" Yoona pointed to the corner of the hall also there’s Yonghwa’s painting.

"Yoona...but I've been very hungry" Joohyun tried to persuade Yoona so she don’t see Yonghwa’s painting.

"Okay..To my friend who is hungry, I'll buy the most delicious food in the cafeteria at this faculty. " Said Yoona  holding Joohyun’s hands and walked toward exit door of hall.

"Yoona...can we eat anywhere else? We can eat in the restaurant next to the bookstore where i  work. The most delicious restaurants and also cheapest. " Said Joohyun pulled Yoona’s hands that makes Yoona stopped.

"do you have been very hungry, right? Canteen closer than that restaurant."

"Yoona... but..."

"come one…Let’s eat!" Yoona walking leaving Joohyun behind.

Canteen Faculty of Law

Canteen looks so full. Not strange because it break time. Many students who not only enjoy their lunch but there’s also a task, and there’re just chatting.

Yoona’s and Joohyun’s eyes see one by one table in the cafeteria. None of empty tables.

"I told you..we should have lunch in that restaurant." Said Joohyun see Yoona's face who whose eyes are still searching for an empty table.

"Ah! I knew we could sit where. " Interesting Yoona pulled Joohyun’s hands towards the tables she saw.

They both walked towards the table that there’re four men who were  in conversation. Joohyun can see a man from a distance. There’s Yonghwa. And certainly with his friends.

"Hi..Yoona-yah!! What are you doing here?" Lee Joon shouted  who saw Yoona walked up to him and the other.

Yonghwa spontaneously turned around. He saw Yoona and also his wife. Walking toward them.

Joohyun can’t do anything else. Yoona held her hand so tightly. She couldn’t escape.

"Hi...!! Can I and  Hyun sit with you guys? There’s no empty tables. " Yoona said smiling and begging.

"Of course.." Said Hae Jong moved from his seat and seek two.

"let sit.." said Lee Joon.

"Why are you here?" Asked Ji Hoo drinking his iced coffee.

"Ah..me and Hyun see the exhibition of paintings."

Yonghwa was shocked to hear what Yoona said.

‘Do Hyun see my painting?’ He thought.

Joohyun only silence heard their conversation. She just looks at her handphone to check on something. Yonghwa occasionally see Joohyun. Lee Joon look at Joohyun Yonghwa. Unlike married couples, They’re more look like people who don’t know each other. Lee Joon felt there was something bad about them. Joonhyun only busy with her handphone, and Yonghwa was fun to listen to songs from his handphone.

"But i don’t see the paintings in the left corner of the hall." Yoona said Yonghwa's heart feel glad.

‘That’s means Joonhyun not see my paintings.’ Yonghwa thought.

"Ah Hyun.. what do you want to eat?" Asked Yoona rose from her seat.

"Anything. it's up to you. "Answer Joohyun shortly.

"I went first. I’ve an appointment with professor Lee in his office. " Said Yonghwa who also moved from his seat. Holding the bag.

All look towards Yonghwa. Yonghwa like not assume Joohyun at his side.

"Oh ok!" Replied his friends and Yoona.

Yonghwa walked leave them out of cafeteria. Joohyun only silence. She was back at her handphone. She didn’t want his friends to think if there’s a problem between them.

One week Later...

Already at 10PM. Joohyun should at home at this time. But that night the rain hasn’t stopped since afternoon. And from 8 PM rain got worse. There was a storm and the wind is very strong. Using an umbrella is useless. And als subway has stopped operating from 9PM because the storm is getting worse.

Joohyun just stood at the door of the bookstore where she worked. That day the store was more quiet than usual. Because of the rain and bad storms.

She continued to look at her watch. Is past 10PM. If Yonghwa had to go home and see if she’s not be at home Yonghwa will be worried for sure.

‘Ahhh....It ‘s impossible Yong worried why I hadn’t come yet home at this time’ He thought.

‘But if I hadn’t come home yet, Yonghwa will suspect me where I’m. And I don’t want him to know if I work part-time.’ She thought again.

Storms getting worse. Most likely,she was trapped in the store until the morning. Joohyun chose to sit among the bookshelves. She read the book that she took from the bookshelf.

Yonghwa's apartment

 Yonghwa out of his study room. He was hungry. He decided went to the kitchen and see if there’re any foods he could eat. He saw dining table, empty, no food. then he saw the refrigerator. Fortunately that was a lot of ingredient which he can cook.

‘Did Joohyun already eaten? Why did she not leave food for me?’ Yonghwa asked himself.

He walked to their room. He opened their room. He saw the bed. Still neat. He entered and check if  Joohyun in the bathroom or not. The bathroom was empty.

‘Looks like she hasn’t come home yet.’ Yonghwa thought.

Yonghwa see the clock on the Joohyun’s desk. Already at 11PM, but she hasn’t come home yet. Where is she?

‘Does all this time she often came home late at night like this? Even i don’t know when she arrived home. i just saw her in the morning. When breakfast time. What she  did until late night like this?’ Yonghwa sitting on the edge of the bed.

Yonghwa took his handphone from his pocket. He decided to call Joohyun.

‘However Joohyun is my wife.’ He thought.

Joohyun’s handphone is not active. Make Yonghwa panic bit. He want to call his mother-in-law, but he canceled. He chose to call Yura. Yura also didn’t answer a call from him. Yonghwa tried calling Yoona. Fortunately, Yoona was answered.

"Yoboseo...Yong, why are you call me late night like this?"

"Yoona-yah...if Joohyun with you?"

"Huh? No. We only have a class this morning. What’s wrong? Do Joohyun not come home yet?" Asked Yoona shocked.

"Yes. She hasn’t come home yet. I tried call her but her cell phone was off. At the outside was a storm..." Said Yonghwa who couldn’t hide his worried.

"Ahhh..I know. I think Hyun stuck in the bookstore. Maybe she can’t back home because of the storm.” Pick her up there. "

"Bookstore...?? do you mean? She bought the books until late at night like this?” Asked Yonghwa who confused.

"Hyun didn’t tell you? Already one week she works part time in a bookstore near the campus."

Yonghwa was silent. Not answer Yoona’s question. For a week his wife working part-time and he didn’t know.

‘For what Joohyun work part-time? So where the money  I  gave to her?’ Yonghwa still silent. let Yoona kept calling his name.

"Yonghwa-yah.. Are you still there?" Asked Yoona a shout.

"Yes. Ok. I will pick Joohyun there. Gomawo. " Answer Yonghwa finish his call.

yonghwa check the balance of savings that he has made for Joohyun from his handphone. He was surprised to the savings balance. The money still intact and not diminished even a bit.

Book Store

One by one the other employees going to their home. the storm has subsided. Joohyun not bring an umbrella that day. And she feel so unlucky. Can’t do anything. The only way to g