Chapter 58
After the campfire, we sat side by side in front of the laptop to check the synopsis.
AhJung’s role in the drama was not the main character. She wasn’t a supporting role with a large part either. It was just a character that showed up once in a while from time to time. Her role was the main character’s work colleague.
Truthfully, this didn’t meet my expectations. AhJung is a great actress. When she is acting, she is a shining gem. But, I could only see her for a mere five minutes per hour-long episode? It’s not a shame just for me, it’s a shame for the audience.
However, I did realize that it didn’t matter how many years you had in theater acting. AhJung had no drama experience. I accepted the reality and put down my ambitions.
“You will be a new rookie in the perspective of a drama audience,” I said calmly looking at the laptop with my arms crossed. “It would be difficult to give you the main character’s role. I understand. The part isn’t big, but the character has some flare. I like it.”
“Wow! I never dreamed I’d be in a drama,” she said. “It’s so awesome! It’s like a dream!”
Unlike me, AhJung didn’t seem to have any ambition over the part because she was extremely happy about the opportunity she was given. Watching her excitement made me happy.
I smiled and asked, “Do you want to do this drama?”
I knew the answer before I even asked, but I wanted to be sure. AhJung nodded with fervor.
“Then let’s do it.” I nodded in agreement.
At that moment, JungHan woke up crying.
***
He had been sleeping for longer than usual. JungHan cried and fussed as if he’d just awaken from a nightmare. I held him close and patted his back to calm him, but it was no use.
“Oh, why is our quiet little JungHan acting up today?” AhJung asked nervously as she observed him. “Did he hear what we were talking about? Does he not want his mother to go out and work?”
“It’s not that,” I said as I laid JungHan down on the sofa.
“I know you’re a worrywart, but you really worry about the most unlikely things,” I calmly criticized her while removing JungHan’s diaper. I thought it had smelled a bit. As expected, it was fully wet. “This is the reason.”
I pointed to the wet diaper and headed to the bathroom with JungHan in my arms.
AhJung followed us mumbling, “If that’s all, then it’s a relief... But, leaving you and JungHan alone in the house while I work worries me.”
I turned on the faucet. As I washed JungHan’s bottom with warm water, I replied, “Even when my AhJung is at home, I’m the one taking care of JungHan. When you are out working, I will continue to take good care of him. There’s nothing to worry about.”
I turned off the faucet after checking to see if my baby was all clean. It was more of a hassle to wash him each time, but I stubbornly insisted on it because it was less abrasive to the baby’s sensitive skin.
AhJung looked at me unable to retort. She just nodded and agreed. “It does look that way.”
I carried JungHan in one arm and grabbed his towel with the other. I dried his bottom with the towel.
“There is one thing you should be worrying about,” I said.
“What’s that?” She asked.
At the mention of something to worry about, AhJung’s eyes filled with fear.
I carried JungHan out of the bathroom after making sure he was fully dry. Once I was face to face with AhJung, I said, “When you start filming for the drama, you will be tired from working all day. When you come home, you’ll want to rest.”
I kissed JungHan on the forehead since he was squirming about. I leaned over and whispered to AhJung, “Even if you come home after work, you aren’t excused from your night shift. I already waited a year. Starting from today, I don’t think I can wait another single day.”
If I had to wait anymore I was probably going to lose it.
AhJung whispered into my ear, “Are you asking me to worry or to anticipate?”
She grabbed my hair and pushed her face close to mine. “You better not change your mind later. If you say you are going to wait every day after today, I’m going to, you know. I won’t wait.”
At her serious expression, I smiled.
“I don’t think I can even wait until tomorrow,” I seductively said.
AhJung released my hand as if she had just been burned.
“Wow, this serial arsonist,” she said as if she hadn’t already known.
Upon seeing JungHan in my arms, she stopped. JungHan remained still in my arms, but his eyes were wide open.
“We should wait until JungHan falls asleep though, shouldn’t we?” AhJung asked me sadly with mixed emotions. She probably felt the same way I did.
Our son was so lovable. For something like this, he would be much more lovable if he were asleep.
“If he’s fed and warm, he will fall asleep.” I patted his head gently wishing with all my might.
“Sing him a lullaby,” AhJung suggested. “Oh, he sleeps well if you let him listen to Canon. If we turn that on and breastfeed him, he’ll fall asleep quickly!”
She quickly headed to the bedroom. She was so fast, I already started to hear the music coming out of the room. As expected, it was Canon.
“What are you doing? Get in here,” she commanded from the bedroom.
She was probably sitting on the bed ready to breastfeed. The sight was so obvious that I laughed before I had even seen it. I knew I couldn’t hide my laughter, so I just planted it on my face.
I quietly whispered to JungHan, “You need to meet someone like your mother. Someone that makes you smile every day.”
Although JungHan couldn’t understand what I was saying, he looked up at me curiously.
“You dad is a very lucky man,” I said. “I’m able to experience all these happy things. That in itself is the best luck in the world.”
Hoping he understood my advice, I kissed him on the forehead. Before AhJung called me again, I hurried my footsteps toward my greatest luck that couldn’t be found anywhere else in the world.
***
There had been little expectation for the small role. We had just hoped that it would provide a new experience for me as a drama actress. However, it proved to be a huge success. The viewership of the drama continued to top the charts. The audience enjoyed the laughter I brought through small snippets of my appearance throughout it.
Due to the great reception, my role in the drama increased. Calls from other places streamed in. Of course, all the roles were for supporting parts, but the sheer amount was becoming significant. I even got a call from a variety show. My field of work was expanding.
If this had happened before I got married, at 33, I would have been suspicious and thought, There’s no way my life could work out so spectacularly. Something is going to go wrong.
I no longer held such suspicions because I lived with my No 1 fan. I was too busy wondering every day how I could be living such a happy life.
“Oh, please! Could you not watch that?” I asked.
I finally had a day off. I had just awoke from a nap when I saw JiHan watching something on the television that made me blush. On the television, I saw myself waiting for my scene, talking to my colleagues.
“I’m binge watching to see how you are outside of the home setting,” JiHan nonchalantly said.
I had agreed with his idea to have my manager log my daily activities. Feeling guilty for making him take care of JungHan alone and sacrificing his free time, I allowed myself to be filmed on the drama set for him to watch at his leisure. I just didn’t like him watching it when I was in the room. I got goosebumps in embarrassment.
“Whether you binge watch or not, watch it when I’m not here,” I said.
“I was going to turn it off anyways,” he replied. “Now that you’re awake, I can see the live version.”
JiHan turned off the television with the remote. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me over next to him. He continued to stare at my face.
“You see my face every day. Don’t you get sick of it?” I asked.
“I hadn’t seen it for 28 years before I met you, so I’m not sick of it yet,” he replied. “Ah, yes Well, we still have 25 years left.”
After three years of marriage, I thought JiHan’s rose-colored glasses would have disappeared, but here I was still responding to it. I took it one step further by grabbing his shoulders and talking in his tone.
“After 25 years, are you planning to get sick of it?” I asked him in an investigative tone.
JiHan responded easily while smiling. “I will let you know then. You better stay alive until then and hear my answer.”
“What?”
“You better not run off before then,” he said. “You have to continue living with me until then.”
“You’re trying to tie me down with something like this?” I asked. “It’s not like you have some valued treasure of mine to hold me hostage, like my fairy wings or something. Just tell me yes or no. What’s so hard about that.”
JiHan smiled so that his eyes practically disappeared. He put his forehead on mine. “Do you think I will only hold you down with something like that?”
Before I could answer, his lips were on mine. It was a kiss that would make sure I wouldn’t go anywhere.
Ah... He is keeping me here just with this.
With my eyes closed, I felt the effect of the kiss with all my heart. When JiHan removed his lips, I pretended this wasn’t enough.
“This is all you’ve got?” I asked.
“No this is not all I’ve got.” He imitated me before kissing me on the forehead. “I can’t show you all those things at once, so I’m going to have to take the 25 years to figure out what will keep you here with me.”
His trustworthy tone made my anticipation rise. My heart leapt in joy at the anticipation of being happy for another 25 years, but my stomach suddenly growled in interruption.
“First, I will see what the breakfast menu will be,” I said. “What delicious meal will you make me?”
I looked at him with eyes filled with expectation. JiHan swiftly got up without a single trace that it was bothersome. Instead, it was as if it would bring nothing but joy to him.