In The Arms Of Morpheus || CHOI SAN

XXXVIII

 

"Chae, why are so angry?"

"How are you even asking me this," Chaeyoung replied, agitated, "You know I don't want to get married."

"It's not like you don't want to get-married, but maybe not at the moment," Sieon reasoned with her.

"I don't know," Chaeyoung sat on the sofa, holding her head in her hands, "It wasn't just shocking but i- I didn't expect mom to just say 'yes' to the proposal. She could've at least talked to me about it."

"You can still think about it-"

"She is adamant." she sighed and looked at Sieon, before whining.

Sieon moved to sit besides her and placed a hand over her shoulder, "At least calm yourself down."

"Sieon," she mumbled and looked at her with slightly teary eyes, "I need some time...We should take a break, so you don't have to come to the shop until I tell you to."

"What," Sieon stood up, "What about the orders?"

"They can wait," the look Chaeyoung had, made Sieon feel bad for her and she understood why her friend needed space.

Sieon nodded, "Alright, I won't come to the shop, but let me check up on you okay?"

Chaeyoung nodded and Sieon gave her a small, reassuring smile before leaving.

✂

It had been two days since Chaeyoung did not open the shop.
Sieon went to check up on her and thankfully, she had been eating well, but wasn't her usual self.

Sieon also felt lazy and barely touched the few orders she brought from the shop. Most of her day going into cleaning and cooking for herself. But she still had time on her hands, specially at night.
She would think about Chaeyoung's situation, and somehow failed to understand her.
She was upset, and needed time alone.
Alright.
She did not like the fact that her mother agreed to her marriage to an ideal man apparently.
Why?

She wondered why Chaeyoung was making a fuss.
Weren't all parents like that?
Who would want the best for their children and would do their best for them.

Well, how would I know? Not like I have parents to take decisions for me…

 
—
  

Sieon went out for a stroll in the evening, going wherever her feet her took her to.
Weather was getting colder and sunlight felt soothing to her.

"You like going into the forests I guess."

She chuckled and looked behind, "And I think you like following me, San."

The latter smiled and joined her, "You were too lost in your thoughts that you didn't see me. I was lying down there."

Sieon looked at the flower patch where he pointed. "Why were you lying there?"

He shrugged, "I was bored, and slightly sleepy too."

"Sleepy?"

"Yeah, the two best friends don't let me sleep," he jokingly punched the air.

They walked around the forest which lead to the river where villagers went to take bath. That place was now practically empty since no one wanted to clean themselves in cold water. Instead the would take the water at home and warm it up to take a bath.

"What about you," he asked, "Got no work today?"

"I have a lot of work to do actually. But Chaeyoung has closed the shop."

"Till when?"

"I don't know."

He gave her a confused look.

"Well, she needs some time alone and closed the shop till she fells better."

"Is...everything alright?"

Sieon sat on the singular bench at a corner and nodded.
"Actually no. Nothing's alright," she looked at San, "Her mother has arranged her marriage."

"..She doesn't want to get married?"

She shook her head, "She is probably upset over the fact that her mother agreed to it without her consent… Idiot."

San scoffed, "Idiot? I think she did right."

"I get that she is upset, but she should at least consider why her mother is doing this," Sieon replied with a sad smile, "Some of us don't even have a mother -or father, who can be concerned for us."

San looked at her and stayed silent for a moment.
"Do you want to get married?"

Sieon rolled her eyes when she saw a playful smile on his face, "Only when I find 'the one' for me."

They laughed and San nodded.
It went quite again but the silence was comfortable. The sound of nature added to the peace Sieon felt.

"What about your family in the city?"

"What about them?"

"I mean, do they not visit you?" He asked.

"They do. My aunt last visited me a week before you came to the village."

The slight sadness in Sieon's voice didn't go unnoticed by San.

"They are very upset from me," she continued after a pause, "especially my aunt. Ma."

She glanced at San -who was looking at her the whole time.

Sieon looked at her lap, a little hesitant, "They wanted me to live in the city with them, but I denied, because I'm used to this place, where I've spend my whole life and made so many memories. Besides, a few weeks I spent in the city were very uncomfortable... Everytime ma visits me, she asks me to come to the city with her and I deny, that makes her more upset. So, we don't exchange letters often either."

"Everyone has a choice of their own. They can make their own decisions because it's their life. I don't think there's anything wrong with you not wanting to go live in the city, or Chaeyoung disagreeing with her mother," San said as he clasped his hands together.

"You're right..." Sieon took in his words, "Maybe Chaeyoung is correct. But who's going to make her mother understand that."

"Only one person can," Sieon turned to San, "and that's Chaeyoung herself."