c l i m a x

c l i m a x // VI

It’s already past 10 in the evening and Jiyong hasn’t come home yet. Dara dialed his number once more but for the nth time all she could hear is a voice of a woman telling her that his phone cannot be reach. Dara sighed. What if something happened to him? No. No, she can’t think like that.

Dara climbed off the bed and decided to go downstairs and wait for Jiyong there. Shin Yong has been asleep already. Luckily, he obliged to her and went to sleep without a fight. But Dara knew Shin Yong was really disappointed as much as she is and she feels deeply sorry for him.

Once she was on the last step of the stairs, the lights suddenly went on.

“Jiyong!” she yelled when Jiyong suddenly fell on the floor. Dara quickly ran to him and checked him if he’s okay. Jiyong was drunk. His hair’s a mess, his expensive suit all disarrayed. Oh god, this is the first Dara sees Jiyong got so drunk like this. “Ji, get up.” She tried to hold him up but he’s heavier than her.

“Baby…ish that y-you.?” Jiyong words slur and the strong stench of alcohol in his mouth hurt Dara’s nose. “O god..you’re sho beau..tiful.”

“Ji, stand up please. I need you to stand up.”

“No, you…lishen to m-me.” He said, freeing his arms from her hands then clasping it. “I-I’m sorry, baby.”

“Let’s talk about that tomorrow, Ji. Please. Now, get up.” She tried to lift him up once again but he didn’t budge.

“No. I’m sorry, Dara…” he whispered and then passed out after.

Dara heaved out an exasperated sigh then tried to lift him again. No, lifting him won’t work. She then pulled on both his feet and dragged him across the floor towards the couch. When Dara settled him finally on the couch, she took a basin with water and a towel from the kitchen.

She took a seat beside him and started wiping him clean, “Why did you get so drunk, Ji?” said Dara to a sleeping Jiyong beside her. “I know Shin Yong will understand you.”

But Dara didn’t know that the real reason behind her husband’s drunken stupor was another woman. After Jiyong and Sohee’s encounter at the parking lot earlier that night, he drove to the nearest bar and drunk himself to oblivion. He can’t face Dara when he knows what he did at the back of his mind.

Dara silently cleaned his husband on the couch. From his face down to his lean but sweaty torso. Even though Jiyong smelled of strong alcohol and damped with sweat, he is still beautiful. She smiled to herself. Then she changed his clothes and placed a blanket above him.