HOMEWORK

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Fay tilted her head to one side, "it's rare for you to complain. What happened?"

"Nothing, I just gave a patient my diagnosis, and she went berserk."

"Tell me."

Charya freed himself from Fay's embrace, "sorry, I can't discuss this with you."

The doctor turned and walked further down the hall to his bedroom. If the Charya liked a colorful world, his room was an example of sobriety and precisely what one could expect from a doctor. White walls, gray curtains, and bed covers.

The room was in total contrast with his personality, which people considered warm and friendly.

"What's all this?" Charya yelled down his corridor as he discovered a black Dior suit and two white shirts of the dame brand.

Fay advanced in the corridor as she towel-dried her hair, "my father is in Paris; he'd like to dine with us. So I picked up a few things at work."

Fay Lin worked in Dior's recruitment service; her father was a wealthy Chinese industrial with high expectations for his daughter. Doctor Charya Sok possessed the right diplomas but was not the best match for Cho Lau's daughter.

Charya's head already began to ache as he imagined Fay's father's remarks during the meal.

Fay always attempted to be reassuring by saying it was her who would choose her husband, but this did not stop the doctor's panic attacks whenever he was in the presence of Fay's extremely wealthy family.

Charya came from a modest background, his father was a doctor like himself, and his mother held a nail parlor, not to be cliché. The Sok were honest folk who had an optimistic vision of life and people. Perhaps it was their faith, but the Sok valued the simple things in life.

Charya did not run after designer labels, cars, or other things he considered vain. One would imagine his lover would share the same values, but love does not always filter such things.

Charya's intelligence and kind nature attracted fay. She paid little attention to his dress sense. The man possessed other qualities, and the woman didn't mind being the only one to notice them. As for his appearance, the woman took it upon herself to prep him for special occasions.

The man's complexion was not milky white, but Charya had his height, thin facial traits, and slender figure made him stand out amongst many. Doctor Sok's future was secure. Fay estimated not taking many risks. Besides, it wasn't like she was betraying her culture as he was half Chinese.

"Don't you like the suit," Fay asked as she entered the room.

"Yes, you have good taste, unlike me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Never mind," said the man who undressed to take his turn in the shower.

Dr. Sok was a myriad of positive adjectives of a man, but his dress code seemed buried somewhere in the wilderness. He proclaimed his style as experimental, but most people just thought he suffered from severe color blindness.

Fay smiled; your style is unique.

Charya stared at Fay; he felt lucky. She was beautiful and from a socially acceptable family. From a genetics point of view, their children were very likely to have similar traits.

Fay's 1.72cm, Charya's 1.86cm, and their IQ above one hundred and thirty motivated the two whose background and traditions pushed them to find the best match.

Trying to maintain love as a criterion in their relationship was important but more vital for one than the other.

"What is it, Charya? You seem thoughtful."

"It's nothing. It's just todayㅡ, this womanㅡ."

Fay knew Charya needed to talk. He hated holding grudges or cradling frustrations. No matter how much he tried, Charya always finished by confessing when prompted. His honesty, too, was a reassuring aspect of his personality. Finding someone with an open book persona in an Asian community was almost a miracle for Fay, whose attitude was closer to French citizens with whom she worked than her ancestral Chinese roots.

"So, what is it about this woman?"

Charya stopped the water to shampoo his hair, "she has everything to be happy, or what she possesses should be satisfying. She has a great job, a kid yetㅡ." Charya stopped to search for his words, "when I looked at herㅡ."

Margot's words came back to the doctor's mind;" you are not looking at me properly."

"Carry on," prompted Fay as she slouched on the bathroom's door frame."

Charya stretched his hands full of foam in front of him, "when I looked at her, I could see she has the answers to what is bothering her, but she prefers to pretend things are great. When I gave her what I believed could potentially be the cause, she went crazy."

Charya resumed his scrubbing before turning the tap back on to rinse. Fay waited for him to finish to give her opinion on the matter.

"Listen, honey; I'm sure you did your best to help her. She'll probably thank you for the advice you gave."

Charya laughed and stepped out of the tub.

Fay cocked an eyebrow, "what's this evil chuckle you just unleashed?"

"Trust me, Fay Lin, I doubt she'll do something as improbable as thanking me," Charya replied as Margot's flaring nostrils, and gawking eyes appeared in front of him.

"Cha bae, you know you should not get your mind tangled up with the people you see. They are just passers-by. Your job consists of seeing they are capable and fit to work. Things should end at the consultation."

Fay was pragmatic. Like anyone outside of his branch, she classified his patients like files. Dr. Sok could not; people mattered. Even if Margot was hell-bent, her health mattered.

Margot's blinking eyes and gapping pout appeared once more.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I am?" Charya turned to stare at the mirror, which reflected his gleeful expression, "eh, I am just glad you are here."

His girlfriend's presence enchanted him. Fay was the pretty, confident, and poised kind. She procured him the balance he needed.

Fay kissed him, and the man returned another one. They smiled at each other. The food would have to wait as the lovers ran to the bedroom, where the towels flew off.

Sex was fun.

It allowed not only to communicate but to blow off the steam of a hard day. It demonstrated the intensity of feelings and found a new meaning daily.

The man could not see how someone could renounce to such pleasures as sex once they tasted it.

There was something about Margot he failed to grasp. Charya made abstraction of the matter and focused on his performance and bliss.

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