The next few days after the breakfast incident passed uneventfully. Ji-yu and I settled into an awkward routine: I would go to college, and she would... well, I wasn't entirely sure what she did all day. Every time I came back, she was either watching TV, scrolling through her phone, or casually ordering something online. Occasionally, I'd come home to a mess in the kitchen—evidence of her latest attempt at learning how to cook.
On the fourth day, I arrived home from college, mentally exhausted. College had been particularly rough today, with assignments piling up. As I unlocked the door and stepped inside, I braced myself for whatever new chaos might greet me. Sure enough, the house was in a state of disarray. Clothes were scattered around, empty food containers piled up, and Ji-yu was lounging on the couch, engrossed in her phone.
I couldn't help it. The stress of the day, combined with the mess, pushed me over the edge.
"Ji-yu, what is all this?" I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended. "Why is the house such a mess? Do you do anything around here besides shopping and eating?"
She looked up at me, her expression startled. For a moment, she didn't say anything, and I felt a pang of guilt for raising my voice. But then, her eyes narrowed, and she stood up, crossing her arms defensively.
"Excuse me?" she said, her tone sharp. "I didn't realize I had to keep everything spotless just because you're out at college all day. I'm not your maid, Jun-ho."
I was taken aback. "I didn't say you're my maid! But we live together now, and it would be nice if things didn't look like a tornado hit the place every time I come home."
She scoffed, her arms tightening across her chest. "You think I'm just sitting around doing nothing all day? You have no idea what it's like to be stuck here all the time."
I frowned, confused. "Stuck? You can go out, you know. You're not a prisoner."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. And do what, exactly? I don't know anyone here, and I have no idea where to go. Besides, I'm trying to adjust to all of this, too. Or did you forget that this marriage was just as sudden for me as it was for you?"
That hit a nerve. I could feel the frustration bubbling up inside me. "I didn't forget. But you're making this a lot harder than it needs to be. You could at least try to make an effort!"
Her face flushed, and for a moment, I thought she was going to explode. But instead, she turned away from me, her shoulders slumping slightly.
"You think I'm not trying?" she muttered, her voice low. "I don't know how to cook, I don't know how to keep a house in order, and I've never lived with someone like this before. But I'm trying, okay? I'm trying to figure this out, and you just keep treating me like I'm some... burden."
The anger I had been feeling melted away, replaced by guilt. I hadn't realized she was struggling so much.
"Ji-yu, I didn't mean to make you feel like that," I said softly, stepping closer to her. "I just... this is all new for me, too. I'm sorry I snapped at you."
She didn't respond right away. When she finally turned to face me, her expression was softer, but there was still a hint of frustration in her eyes.
"I don't want to fight with you, Jun-ho," she said quietly. "But you need to understand that I'm not used to any of this. I never imagined my life would turn out like this—married to a guy I barely know, trying to figure out how to be a wife when I don't even know what that means."
Her words hit me hard. I had been so focused on how overwhelming this situation was for me that I hadn't stopped to consider how difficult it must be for her. We were both navigating uncharted territory, trying to figure out how to live together without really knowing each other.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "You're right. We're both in over our heads here. I don't know what I'm doing either. Let's just... try to be patient with each other, okay?"
She nodded slowly, her arms falling to her sides. "Okay. But I need you to stop assuming the worst about me. I might not be perfect, but I'm trying."
"I know," I said, offering her a small smile. "I'll try to be more understanding. We'll figure this out together."
The tension in the room seemed to ease, and for the first time since we'd gotten married, I felt like we were on the same page. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start.
We spent the rest of the evening cleaning up the house together. It was oddly therapeutic, working side by side without the weight of unspoken frustrations hanging over us. By the time we finished, the place looked decent again, and the atmosphere between us was much lighter.
As we sat down to a simple dinner of instant ramen—because, let's face it, neither of us were master chefs—I glanced over at Ji-yu. She was focused on her food, but there was a slight smile on her lips. I realized then that, despite everything, I didn't hate this. Living with her wasn't the nightmare I had initially feared. Sure, we had a lot to learn about each other, but it wasn't all bad.
"So... what do you do all day, when I'm at college?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
She looked up, raising an eyebrow. "You really want to know?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm curious."
She shrugged, poking at her noodles with her chopsticks. "Mostly, I watch TV and browse the internet. I've been looking into cooking tutorials, but clearly, I need more practice."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, I noticed."
She shot me a mock glare. "Hey, I'm trying, okay? I just... haven't had much experience with any of this. My parents didn't exactly teach me how to cook or clean. I was always more focused on my studies."
"What did you study?" I asked, genuinely interested.
"Art," she replied, her expression brightening a little. "I wanted to be a painter. I still do, actually. But after everything that's happened... well, that dream seems a bit far off now."
I hadn't known that about her. "You can still pursue it," I said. "Being married doesn't mean you have to give up on your dreams."
She looked at me, surprised. "You think so?"
"Yeah. I mean, I know things are complicated right now, but I don't see why you can't still paint. If it makes you happy, then go for it."
A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Maybe I will."
For the first time since we'd gotten married, I felt like we were having a real conversation—like we were actually getting to know each other. It was strange, but in a good way.
As we finished our dinner, I realized something important. This wasn't just some temporary arrangement. Ji-yu and I were in this for the long haul, whether we liked it or not. If we were going to make this work, we had to start treating each other like partners, not strangers.
And, slowly but surely, I was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, we could make it work.