Chapter 37: Galaxy
Chapter Theme: U You - Apink

Yoon Harin

I woke up feeling suffocative because someone had been depriving me from getting oxygen. When I turned, Seungwoo's sleeping state appeared to me. I almost forgot that we're sleeping together tonight. My boyfriend had an arm to die for, which blocked my nose from inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.

His arm wasn't light that I exerted a lot of effort to shove it away. He was in a deep slumber and I don't think I could wake him up. I don't want to disturb his peace sleep though. When his arm was dismantled from my face, I had freedom. Freedom to breathe.

Though he was unconscious, Seungwoo managed to wrapped his arm on me like a pillow. I almost chuckled when he snored like a beast. He's asleep but I still managed to distinguish his behaviour when he's sleeping.

Seungwoo's a clingy guy when he's asleep and he doesn't snore a lot but when he do, it's too loud for my ears.

I covered myself with a blanket and hugged myself more when Seungwoo tried to wake me up. He jumped into the bed causing my body to bounce.

"Yoon Harin, rise and shine!" He whispered to the blanket but I ignored him. I wasn't able to sleep last night right away after I woke up because of his snores. I don't care if it's already noon or night again. What's important to me was that I'm sleeping.

Everyone was in the dining table, eating their breakfast when I woke up. I yawned before greeting them a good morning. Of course, I made sure that I don't have a bad breath before talking to them.

"Good morning everyone! What's for breakfast?" I greeted cheerfully but my laziness can still be determined through my following yawns.

"Bacon and sunny side up, eat now before Dongpyo will eat all of these." Sunhwa eonnie replied. Seungwoo dragged the chair beside him, motioning me to sit. Gentleman indeed.

Seungwoo was such a gentleman when he put the foods on my plate. He was earnest on feeding me that he never noticed how I am grateful for his action. He's a thoughtful man that every woman dreams to have.

Having my leave was very helpful for us to knew each other more. Yesterday, I discovered that he was an attentive kind of person but it's a little intimidating for my part. I don't know if his stares were of his appreciation or if he was imagining things with me. Second, he'll ignore me if I'll ignore him. Plus his habits last night and now, he's thoughtful.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Uncle lectured me when I tried to refuse the food that had been given to me by Seungwoo for the second time. I'm not particularly full but I thought what I had was enough.

I flashed a shy smile and nodded to him. "I will definitely remember that uncle."

After our breakfast, I presented to wash the dishes. None of them argued to my offer because they were all busy except for me. Seungwoo needs to drop Sunhwa eonnie at her workplace and Dongpyo at his school. Uncle will meet his amigos for bowling.

The feeling of having another family aside from my mother extended my life line. All my life, having a complete family was my dream but circumstances forbid me from having. It was always me and my mother the whole time and I'm grateful that I had her on my side through these years. Getting envy to people who had a complete family heightened when Seungwoo and I started dating. When I get to knew his family, I envied him for having more than one people on his side. It was an insecurity that shouldn't be flourished that's why I'm starting to drift myself from envy and make myself comfortable around them. And now, I consider them my family.

People whom I consider as my family grew which made me to be conscious. I wonder if I can make them stay with me or they will slip away from my hands. I only used to have a few people on my side but it's different now. They put extra color to my plain color life. Most especially, they added happiness in my life.

If fate will allow me and Seungwoo to be together in the future, I will make sure that what we build by our love will not go in vain. My dream when I have my family is to display a family portrait on the wall inside our house. Completeness is what I've been looking for and Seungwoo is slowly putting me on the right track.

"What should I do today~" I hummed as I brushed my hair.

My singing voice resonated in Seungwoo's room as I sung to Hong Jinyoung's Love Battery. Trot songs can relieved my boredom because they're entertaining to the ears.

There was an empty laundry basket behind the door. When I came here, Seungwoo never do a single laundry. To my curiousity, I inspected the floor under his bed. Seungwoo often changed his clothes and it's a mystery why he's laundry basket was empty.

"Oh, gosh this man really!" My head went completely crazy when I found a bundle of clothes under his bed. Why would he put it here?

Being a housewife wasn't my dream because I don't like to depend on my husband's salary but I think I should be an ace in doing laundry so my family won't wear clothes that are untidy. Doing laundry wasn't my thing but I should try to make it as a passion. I'm making a clown out of myself.

The main door creaked when Seungwoo opened it. Just by standing at his room's doorway, he can already see me with the laundry basket lifted on the side of my waist. Seungwoo's face blanched as he walked towards me. My eyebrow raised as he tried to pull the basket away.

"Where did you find my dirty clothes?" His voice was a little hesitant and I can sense that he was fazed.

"You're no good at hiding things. Under the bed, really? It's to cliché!" I teased him and pulled the basket away from his hand.

I purposely swayed my hips to taunt him more. Honestly, I want to witness a very shy Seungwoo and angry Seungwoo. Like he's really at the ultimatum of being shy and angry. I wonder how would I react if he's really furious? Will it make him the hottest? I think so.

"I can do my laundry!" Seungwoo whined, tailing me. I dropped the basket carefully on the tiled floor and started to sort out his white clothes from the colored ones. Well, I included my clothes here too and I want to do the laundry for my boyfriend.

"Should we just hand wash the clothes instead of using the washing machine?" I suggested. Seungwoo froze for a moment and his face brightened for an unknown reason.

"I'm good at washing the white one's Harin. I've been washing my clothes and Dongpyo's uniform for an eon. It's just basic for me. Trust me please." His lips pouted when he pleaded. We were both sitting on a small plastic chair ready to wash the clothes.

The white clothes were placed in my basin and the colored clothes were placed at Seungwoo's basin.

"So tell me which part of the clothes should be washed thoroughly?" I asked like an announcer in a reality game show. His eyes wandered looking for an answer.

He smiled awkwardly. "It's the whole thing. Washing the whole thing thoroughly is the most important." He  was diffident in stating his answer.

Earlier, I scanned Seungwoo's closet and it was organized properly. He was good at classifying the colors of his clothes on his closet. All of his formal clothes were hanged. He was good at arranging Dongpyo's garments too. Seungwoo is really a husband and father material, no doubt. He also knew how to wash clothes because all of their clothes were like new. But sadly, he doesn't know where the important parts of a clothe that should be washed carefully.

I folded my arms. "You don't know the basics but your actions told me otherwise. It's the neckline, the sleeves and the blablabla."

Seungwoo nodded in deafeat. "Okay. So you're the one. The one who knows everything. Okay." He said incessantly without givinge me a glance. He proceeded on putting water to the clothes.

I shut my mouth and soak the white clothes with water. Seungwoo was completely drown to his job that he forgot that his girlfriend was together with him. I stared at him, yearning for hid attention.

"Spare me your thirst gaze." Seungwoo spoke with his baritone voice.

Thirst gaze? Ew.

"Thirsty huh?" I teased. Without a warning, I sprinkled a water to him enough to make him wet.

A victorious laugh came out from my mouth after I saw dreary face. Before he could take revenge, I ran away and locked myself on his room. I leave all the laundry to Seungwoo and I don't felt guilty about it.

***

"Harin-ah, let's go for some walk." Seungwoo joined me on the couch, hugging my waist from behind. I curled my legs and hugged him back.

"Walking makes me weak. You should carry me on your back instead." I suggested. I waited for his response but he gave me a no.

I scrunched my nose. "I hate you Seungwoo-yah! I'm your girlfriend! You should atleast spoil me."

Seungwoo withdrew his hold from me and slammed his back on the couch. He looked at me with his puffy eyes and stretched a smile.

"Should we do business together?" He asked suddenly living me in surprise.

Business? That's a good idea but why? To make money? Of course you fool.

I felt bad for making him took a leave too from his work. Seungwoo never tried to refuse my idea about our week vacation so I think he already learned a lot from being a taxi driver.

"All of a sudden? What kind of business do you want?" I teared the chips that was with me all along. I took a bite-sized chip and chew it.

Seungwoo fished his hand on the chip and took a mouthful. "I don't know.. but I think we should build a business that will last long."

"Food? Clothing? Transportation? Entertainment?" I mentioned a few that will last long but I don't think that everyone will be successful at those field. "The business industry is very competitive Seungwoo. We can't just make a business because we solely want to become rich. A business is composed of passion, experience and perseverance. Not only by the want to have money."

He exclaimed and gave me a thumbs up. "Oh ~ you sound like an expert. You can be my consultant now."

"I'm already employed, honey. Part-time jobs aren't my thing so no way." I declined.

Seungwoo played with my fingers, tracing my nails. "If I'll become a CEO, would you like to be my secretary?"

I sniffed. "I never wanted to become a CEO's secretary but I dream to become a CEO's wife."

Seungwoo became startled. He blinked a few times and chuckled. "That was smooth, eh? You wanted to become my wife?" He kissed the back of my palms. With his kisses, I felt so loved by him.

"But are you a CEO?" I teased him. He froze and sent me dagger looks.

He moved himself half a ruler away from me. He sat down formally and looked at me with serious eyes. "Marry me when I become a CEO then."

My face flushed upon his abrupt blatancy. He should atleast take everything slow because at this point, I'm going to have a heart attack. My eyes started to water. I'm very overwhelmed at the fact that he wants to marry me. Marrying is just like business but more crucial. Marrying is not all about love. It is enclosed with trust, patience and faith. And with Seungwoo wanting to marry me, I can see in his eyes that he had all those and he's sure about me but it's not enough to make us marry each other.

"Han Seungwoo, I will marry you no matter what your occupation is. It might be not now but I'm very sure that you'll be my endgame. You can marry me once we're financially stable to build a family okay?" I kissed his forehead and the tip of his nose.

"I'll make sure I'm not gonna lose you Harin. It's you or no one else." He assuringly said.

Marriage is not a joke. It's a life long commitment and it's holy. Marrying means you're tying a knot to somebody that you'll have for the rest of your life. And marriage requires being ready emotionally, mentally and financially. Those three are still missing on my part and I think Seungwoo too. We should not be carried solely by our emotion. I care about Dongpyo that I can't just steal Seungwoo away from him because he's too young and naïve. Marriage can wait and besides, we're still young.

Seungwoo pulled something from his pocket. It was a silver necklace with a pearl pendant that I saw from a jewelry store before. My heart pounded in awe. It might be only a necklace but it means so much to me.

"Seungwoo.." I said in amusement. He just smiled and put the necklace on my neck. I touched it with full admiration. It's beautiful and pure just like Seungwoo's feeling for me.

"When I saw that, I knew it by then that it was your style and with your reaction, it's really your style. Tomorrow will be our 100th day as a couple and that's my gift for you. Sorry if I wasn't too romantic but I hope you like it." He said in happiness. "It's my sign of love for you, my universe." He whispered with love.

100 days. It's not long but it's an achievement. Seungwoo and I had been bonded by love for 100 days. It's not an easy ride because there were a lot of judgments and temptations crawling to us.

Calling me his universe is extravagant and I'm loving it. He always made me feel that I'm valuable and worthy.

"To more a hundred days with you Seungwoo-yah, my galaxy."

Seungwoo's my galaxy. He's the stars that made up my universe.