The Age Of Love

Twenty Four - Limbo

He followed the sounds of shuffling and soft thumps of opening and closing cabinets down the hallway to the kitchen. Off to the left, in the living room area, but still in sight through the open floor plan, he could see Eun Jung rocking in her swing. She was dressed in her rainbow sprinkle romper. One hand was wrapped around her foot while the other clutched her activity ball.

To his right, Se Ri was standing in front of the stove, a cup of coffee in one hand, a spatula in the other. She was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and an old SNU t-shirt. Fleet Foxes was playing softly in the background.

He smiled at the sight in front of him. The awkwardness of their parting last night was instantly forgotten. One day soon, this could be their reality. He could hold out a little longer if it meant they didn't squander the possibility. Of course, as much as he loved the idea of waking up to more mornings like this, there was one thing happening here that he knew better than to expect on a regular basis.

"Are those eggs?" he asked.

Se Ri turned around, startled by the sound of his voice. "Jeong Hyeok," she chirped in surprise.

He smirked, walking into the kitchen to join her. "You expecting someone else?" he asked, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"No," she shook her head. "I just... I wasn't finished yet. I wanted to surprise you."

"You're using the stove. I am surprised," he teased. "I believe the last time you made me breakfast it came out of a tube."

"Well, I figured I couldn't screw up eggs too badly. There's toast too and I cut up some strawberries I found in the fridge."

"You better be careful, a guy could get used to this. You might turn me into some sexist pig who wants his woman barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen." He bumped his hip up against hers.

Se Ri scoffed. "You wouldn't be saying that if you had seen me pregnant," she replied.

He felt a twinge of regret at the thought that he'd missed out on that. But he let it go. They were past that. Maybe someday he would have the chance, but for now, he was focused on their present. "I am sure you looked amazing pregnant," he assured her.

"If I looked anything like I felt..." she turned the stove off and moved the pan from the burner. "But never mind that," she turned to face him. "I want to pamper my man. Sit," she gave him a big grin and nodded at the kitchen island.

"Seriously," he mused, "I must have done something really right last night to get this kind of treatment. Although for the life of me I can't figure out what, because I usually earn my breakfast in bed." He joked.

Se Ri tensed up, turning away again. She reached up to open the cabinet and grab two plates. Her shirt rode up, revealing a strip of alabaster flesh that he ached to reach out and touch. Se Ri's hand snapped down, tugging at the hem and hiding the flesh away. Jeong Hyeok sighed. Apparently looking and touching were both off-limits. Perhaps it was for the best-- he didn't need extra temptations.

"Too soon?" he asked of his joke. Se Ri didn't answer, just divvied the eggs up between two plates and grabbed the toast out of the toaster. Jeong Hyeok took a deep breath, then went to sit at the counter where the butter and strawberries were, along with a container of orange juice were already waiting. Se Ri silently put the plates down in front of him before retrieving some utensils from the drawer and joining him.

Jeong Hyeok took a few bites of eggs as the awkward silence engulfed them. He glanced to his left to see Se Ri picking at a couple of cut up strawberries. "Okay, this is ridiculous," he finally said, dropping his fork and letting it clatter on his plate. "Are you mad at me or something? Because if so, I really don't get why you made me breakfast."