The Age Of Love

Twenty Eight - Christmas in Jeju

The sun was starting to set as Jeong Hyeok pulled the car off the main road. "You know what I like the most about vacationing on Jeju island in the middle of winter?" he asked.

"What's that?" Se Ri asked.

"How quiet it is. None expects you to hang out at the beach all day or to go to some big party at night. And it's much warmer than Seoul."

"That's what you like?" Se Ri asked, her voice sceptical.

"Yep," he replied emphatically with much enthusiasm.

"You, Ri Jeong Hyeok..." she reiterated. "Like to go on vacation and just stay at the house and do absolutely nothing?"

"Well, not absolutely nothing," he replied, his lips curving up into a mischievous smirk.

He noticed Se Ri glance over her shoulder to make sure Eun Jung was still asleep. He knew she was, he'd already checked. "You seriously have a one-track mind."

"I went six months without it, love. Then when you finally give in and sleep with me, I've barely seen you since, what with the extra hours I had to pull at work all week to be able to take this time off. So yes, I plan on having lots and lots of sex on this vacation. I hope you didn't buy me a present because all I want for Christmas is lots and lots of sex. And just to confirm, we are staying in the house next door to your grandparents, right?"

"Yes," Se Ri laughed. "But we're staying in the same house as my parents."

"Perfect!" he nodded, turning on his blinker. "Built-in babysitting."

"We are not pawning our kid off on family just so we can spend the entire week locked in our room having sex."

"Sure, that's what you say. But now that I once again have access to all my powers of persuasion, I am pretty sure I can make a compelling case."

His eyes were on the road, looking for the turn so he couldn't see her reaction. But he imagined it involved a pretty impressive eye roll. "I almost forgot how cocky you were about sex. I didn't miss that part."

Jeong Hyeok snorted. "You missed exactly how cocky I was about sex."

Se Ri lost her fight to pretend to find him annoying and let out a giggle. "Yeah, you have a point there."

"A point I will gladly introduce to you up close and in person as soon as we get to our room."

"You're ridiculous," she scolded half-heartedly. "Now shoosh, we're here." She pointed at the house just off their right. He pulled into the driveway. He'd barely put the car into park when the front door of the house flew open and Han Jeong Yeon came running out.

"Thank god you're here!" Her arms flew around her daughter. "Your appa and I have spent an entire week on this island. Do you have any idea how boring this is?"

"Okay, first of all," Se Ri choked out, trying to extricate herself from her mother's grip. "It hasn't been a week. It's only been five days."

"Five and a half," Han Jeong Yeon corrected. "But who's counting?"

"Apparently you are," Se Ri laughed. "But no judgement here."

Han Jeon Yeon released her grip on her daughter. "What took you so long to get here? It's after 5 already."

"Oh my god, how long has it been since you travelled with a baby, Eomma? I just kept forgetting things." Se Ri informed her mother. "Appa!" she added, greeting her father who had come to join them.

Yoon Jeung Pyeong gave his daughter a big hug. "Jeong Hyeok," he added after he'd released Se Ri. "Let me help you with that," he nodded to the luggage, grabbing a duffel bag and hoisting it over his shoulder.