Elegi Of Rose

"Did you pack?" she asked him as the chauffeur drove them to her home. She already changed back to the lime green dress her mother gave her that morning. "Yes, it's already in the trunk," he said with heavy eyes.

"Are you sleepy?" His mother had been trying to tell him all afternoon to slow down with the wine. "I think you had too much to drink."

He chuckled sarcastically, his hand busily tugged at his bow tie, "You're acting like a wife, you know that?"

"No, I don't because I don't really intend to do that."

"Then why the sudden concern?"

"I wasn't concerned. I just pointed out that you had too much to drink, that's all."

"Hmm... yeah, maybe..." he trailed off as he started to doze off.

"You might regret drinking when you get on the plane later though," she said with a wicked grin.

"Why?" he asked, eyes closed.

"You'll see..." she replied mysteriously.

She looked at her sleeping husband and smiled.

*****

It was getting dark when they arrived at her house. She woke him up and told him to help her with her bags. He lazily obliged and got out of the car. "What's all this?" he asked when he saw the suitcases beside the door.

"Just bring them to the car," she said as she went to the phone to listen to her messages.

He grumbled under his breath as he picked up two suitcases. He was about to walk out the door when the message on her phone spoke up, Herland's voice loud and clear, "Yu, it's Herland. I hope you're getting my messages. I wanna talk. Call me back, please?"

Ayu knew her husband heard it all, but she didn't really care. He could die with curiosity because she was never going to explain anything.

"Who's that?" he asked when she went to pick up the last remaining suitcase.

"No one," she answered and arched her eyebrows at him when he just stood there without moving, eyeing her intently. "What?"

"I told you no sexual encounters in this marriage, right? No boyfriends or lovers," he said coldly.

She sighed. She rather wanted him sleepy than wide awake. "I'm not having any relationships that should alarm your reputation, okay?"

"Then who's that?"

"A friend."

"Didn't sound like it," he said.

"Stop prying. I don't like it. I'm not even asking you about Angie or whoever she is."

"Yeyena?"

"Why? You forgot her name? The one at dinner," she said sarcastically.

"Stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Whatever you're doing," he said.

"What am I doing?"

"You're being sarcastic."

"I consider it art," she said, ending their conversation. "Let's go and I suggest you go back to sleep. I like it better."

*****

She handed him his ticket when they reached the airport. It took him only a second before he glowered down at her.

Ayu smiled contentedly up at him, her evil side reigning now.

"I can't believe you actually did this," he almost shouted.

"Believe it," she smirked.

"Indos? Are you freaking kidding me? It's at the other side of the globe, Ayu!"

"And I already made plans to go there before you showed up so I'm going whether with or without you."

"You booked me a commercial flight," he pointed. "We'll be travelling for hours!"

"Yes, I did. And I think they said you'll be sitting at the back. You know, where there is the greatest inconvenience," she did not hide the chuckle that escaped her lips when his face colored in frustration.

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"You did this on purpose."

"Of course..." she placed her hand on her chest, "... I did. I also made it sure you'd have no sleep. I told them my husband likes children and the lady gladly told me you'll be lucky because there are a bunch of school kids sitting beside you." "And where will you be sitting?" he asked.

"I had a business class flight scheduled months ago."

"No, I can't let that happen," he started to walk to the long line of counters.

"What are you going to do?" she asked aloud.

"I'm going to fix this problem," he said over his shoulder.

"Whatever, sweetheart. You can go home after your talk."

He stopped in his tracks and spun around at her. "What do you mean?"

"Didn't you see the time on your ticket? We'll be boarding in," she looked at her watch before she continued, "like now. So catch up with me or go home." She walked to the opposite direction with a smile. She didn't really care at all if he was going or not.

"Dammit!" she heard him curse behind her, but his strides were audible as he followed her to the boarding area.

"You're going to enjoy this honeymoon, honey," she said aloud.

*****

"You'd be okay, sweetie," she uttered, looking down at him. He was sitting so out of place between two heavy kids having a fight. He managed to change into a pair of slacks and light white shirt. "You can't just leave me here," he hissed.

She smiled at him mockingly. "Oh, honey, I got a great seat waiting for me. Behave, okay? Don't make these kids cry," Ayu said before she planted a peck on his cheek. He turned his face away from her hands and she chuckled. "You're not gonna cry, are you?"

He looked at her, his jaw clenched. "Don't count on it, darling. We'll see each other again before you know it." The warning in his voice should have alarmed anyone, but not Ayu. She was too much like him whether she admitted it or not. "I'll be looking forward for that moment," she said with a mock cheerfulness before walking down the aisle of the plane to the business class. She glanced over her husband. His eyes were closed-more like in prayer, as the two big kids reached across each other in front of him, their hands wailing everywhere and her poor haggard handsome husband couldn't do anything but fume.

Things are gonna get better, she said to herself thinking about what she could do next when they reached their honeymoon destination.

*****

They landed in Korea for a connecting flight.

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"Where the hell are you?" Roy's voice boomed right at her ear the moment she answered the phone.

She could detect the anger and exhaustion in his voice and couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. She told him the name of the café and disconnected before he could cry out another remark.

"Get me a coffee," he said to her when he arrived after a few minutes. He dropped in a chair beside her and slumped.

She sighed, looking at his messy hair and the dark circles around his eyes, and got up to order a strong drink for him. Anyway, she was not that heartless to make him suffer all the way. He would be facing a lot more in the next couple of days. "Here," she handed him a hot steaming coffee. He took it, looked over at her with half-closed eyes over the rim of the cup. He sipped some of the hot liquid without taking his eyes from her oh-so-fresh face. "You look so well-rested, honey," he said with etch of bitterness.

"I know, I slept soundly," she beamed, "You don't look so well, though."

"It's your fault," he pointed out. "But," he let out a breath as he leaned against his chair with a smile, "my suffering will end soon."

She froze, sensing he was not anymore as angry as he was before they left New York. "Why?"

"I talked to my friend right after I got off the plane," his grin widened and his blue eyes glinted. "It appears that there's an extra seat right next to you."

It took her a few seconds before she finally understood. "No, I don't have an extra seat next to me. I will be sitting with someone else."

"Then that someone else apparently decided you will not be a good company and chose to change seats."

She groaned, "God, I wanted you to suffer more..."

"Well, honey, it seems that's not gonna happen," he gave her a wink.

"Whatever," she snapped. She shouldn't have ordered coffee for him, she regretted.

*****

"I can't believe you used your connections," she huffed two hours later.

"And I can't believe you'd let your husband suffer hours of no sleep and exhaustion with two hyperactive boys who won't stop fighting," he replied. "I won't even be surprised if I discover bruises on my arms."

Ayu snorted, "Bruises? Don't tell me you joined their fights?"

"I didn't. They just decided I'm a good punching bag," he restlessly changed from one position to another and when he finally found the best one, he closed his eyes with a smile, "Finally, a good place to rest. Don't talk to me, darling. I really need a good sleep."

"Sleep tight, sweetheart, I still have a lot of surprises in store for you," she whispered with mocking sweetness.

"I shouldn't have let you arrange this damn honeymoon..." he trailed, already dozing off.