In the evening, Da-Jung went to the hospital to meet her father. As she entered inside, she saw that her mother was asleep on the chair while holding her father's hand. Da-Jung smiled as she witnessed this. It was a really good thing to see her parents this close even after these many years.
Not trying to disturb them, Da-Jung cautiously closed the door and left. While taking a stroll in the hospital garden, Da-Jung thought back of the time when her mother and father used to tease her and do many other things just to irritate her.
Thinking back of those days, her eyes welled up and she cried. "Get well soon, Dad! I really miss your and mom's teasing! Tease me more, Irritate me! I miss you!" Da-Jung wiped her tears and walked to a nearby pojangmacha (1) to have a drink.
"Ahh!!! It is so frustrating! Why do I have to be in such a miserable state?" She asked herself and walked out of the pojangmacha. Realizing that she had no or very less alcohol tolerance or whatsoever, Da-Jung decided to go back home and get a fresh juice or something instead of an alcoholic beverage.
Lying down on the bed with a thump, Da-Jung let out all the tears come out which she had been holding inside ever since, she heard Woo-Jin yell and scream at her.
It was their first meeting after four years and this was how Da-Jung was treated? Even if all she had was hatred towards Woo-Jin, Da-Jung just wished that he would have not yelled at her and helped her just like how he usually did back then except for that one time when she needed him the most.
****
Right after their first date, the next day, Da-Jung proposed Woo-Jin for marriage and he accepted it. It was a simple proposal. She took him to the beach and let out a small box from her pocket and proposed him. Da-Jung was hesitant thinking that Woo-Jin would not accept her but she was very much happy when he did accept her proposal.
That was the reason why Da-Jung hates beaches. Even though the scenery is very beautiful and serene, Da-Jung did not like it. It always reminded her of the silly mistake she made which changed her entire life.
After proposing, it became very difficult for Da-Jung to get approval from her parents. Woo-Jin's parents liked Da-Jung so, it was not a problem from Woo-Jin's side but it was a problem from Da-Jung's side and the reason was just simple...
HE WAS POOR AND NOT OF HER STATUS!
Da-Jung even regretted not agreeing to her parents and running away from her house to get married. Had she not done that, her small family wouldn't have crumbled down within four years. Living with Woo-Jin was good but since he was poor, Da-Jung didn't like staying in his house.
She always used to go back to her parents' house twice or thrice in a week. Da-Jung remembered how he once pleaded her to not go to her parents' house.
It was maybe their third year of marriage. At that time, she hadn't realized that things were slowly, slowly falling apart. Her father was taking loans to keep his restaurant secure, there were less customers day by day, Woo-Jin was getting annoyed and irritated by Da-Jung, the couple who used to sleep while looking at one another had their back faced to one another... everything was changing.
But, DA-JUNG HADN'T REALISED THAT!
****
WINTER, START OF FEBRUARY, 2018
Byeon Da-Jung was walking alongside Woo-Jin. As he was hurrying up, she also hurried up. But because of her untied shoelaces... she tripped and fell down.
"Woo-Jin Oppa!" She called out to him and Woo-Jin turned around with a frown on his face. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop being clumsy? You already know that I'm being late and yet you... Ahh! GET UP!"
It was the first time Da-Jung had heard something like this from her beloved husband. She was taken aback for a while but came back to her senses when she saw him tying her shoelaces. Seeing his action, a smile came on her lips and she giggled.
"I do it because you are there..." She pouted and stood up.
Seeing his wife's childish behaviour, Woo-Jin didn't say anything and hurried to his car. He looked at the time in his watch and he was already late.
"Hurry up! I will be late. I also have to drop you!" He opened the door for himself and sat inside. Meanwhile, Da-Jung just stood there hoping for Woo-Jin to open the door for her.
"What? Why are you standing there? Are you expecting me to open the door for you? C'mon, Da-Jung! It is almost going to be four years since our marriage, do you think things will be the same?"
But as she heard his stern, and irritated voice, she opened the door on her own and sat inside. His cold-hearted words hurt her like a needle piercing through her heart. Yet, she slid them away from her brain thinking that he was actually late.
Even if it was four years or fifteen years, it is just a small door for you to open... Da-Jung thought of how her father always used to open the door for her mother, even now. Removing those thoughts away, Da-Jung fastened her seatbelt and he started driving the car.
After Woo-Jin stopped the car at Da-Jung's university, she looked at him with curious eyes "Woo-Jin Oppa... you will come today, right? It is my performance today and I want you to see me, Mom and Dad will also be there." She smiled as she imagined being on the stage with her family members, Woo-Jin and his family members watching her, applauding for her.
"I will try!" Her smile vanished when she heard her cold-hearted reply.
Nevertheless, Da-Jung gave a smile. "You have to try, okay? I love you, Woo-Jin Oppa!" Moving closer, Da-Jung kissed on his cheek and stepped out of the car. She waved Woo-Jin goodbye and hurriedly walked inside her university.
Da-Jung was in her second year of university. She was pursuing a bachelor of arts in music. And today was a big competition. Many big entertainment companies from around the country had come to her university.
Da-Jung's university, SH University of Arts, was a well-known university in Country A and she went in this university through scholarship. Da-Jung was very good in her studies and she always wanted to be a singer.
However, she just had one year to complete before attaining a degree in arts.
As she changed into her outfit which was brought by her parents, Da-Jung looked at herself in the mirror. "I can't even recognize myself!" She said to herself and quickly took a selfie and sent it to Woo-Jin with a heart emoji.
Da-Jung's turn was number eighteen and right now, number seventeen was going on. Everything felt like it was going great. Da-Jung was practicing her song and she was also taking glances at the audience seat to check if her husband had come or not.
All until her number had come, she only saw her parents an Woo-Jin's parents seated in the front row. Other than that, she saw no sign of Woo-Jin.
"Why is he not here yet? His exam might have been over by now..." Da-Jung murmured to herself after checking on the time in her wrist watch. Her heart began to beat faster as she started to become nervous.
Just as she took her phone to message Woo-Jin, she received a text from him.