Chapter 8: A Day of Hide-and-Seek

After we carefully arranged all the shopping bags and put away the essentials Ji-yu had bought, we both collapsed on the couch, exhausted but satisfied. The next morning was the weekend, which meant one thing: time for some relaxation. And this time, we decided to spend it outside, enjoying the fresh air. We made plans to visit a nearby park just a quiet day out for the two of us.

The sun was shining, and the weekend had drawn quite the crowd. It was one of those rare moments where everything seemed perfect. Families were out, couples were strolling hand in hand, and kids were running around, laughing. It was one of those picturesque mornings you don't get often, and Ji-yu and I were soaking it all in.

I couldn't help but glance over at Ji-yu every few seconds. The way the sunlight caught her hair, the way her eyes sparkled as she took in the scenery it was impossible not to stare. Her smile was infectious, and I found myself lost in the moment, completely captivated by her expressions.

She noticed me staring and asked with a teasing grin, "What? Is there something on my face?"

I blinked, snapping out of my trance. "Uh, no! No, nothing like that. You just look… really nice today." Smooth, Jun-ho. Real smooth.

Ji-yu giggled softly, and I mentally kicked myself for being such a dork. We walked around, taking in the sights and sounds of the park, and everything seemed perfect. But, as with most things in my life lately, perfection doesn't last long.

Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly spotted two very familiar faces Li-wei and Min-jun. And knowing those two, if they saw me here with Ji-yu, I'd never hear the end of it. They'd turn it into some grand spectacle, dragging us into their usual shenanigans.

"Uh oh," I muttered under my breath, instinctively grabbing Ji-yu's hand. "We need to move. Now."

She looked at me in confusion as I quickly ducked behind a tree, dragging her along with me. "What's going on? Why are we hiding?"

"My friends, Li-wei and Min-jun," I whispered, peeking out from behind the tree. "If they spot us, they'll make a big deal out of it, and I just don't have the energy for their nonsense today."

Ji-yu raised an eyebrow. "So, we're hiding from your friends?"

I nodded. "Exactly. It's a matter of survival."

She chuckled but went along with it, allowing me to lead her away from the area where my friends were wandering. I thought we were in the clear until I spotted another potential disaster walking in our direction Annie, along with her group of friends.

Great. Just great. If this kept up, I'd have to map out an escape route for every public place we visited.

Without saying a word, I tightened my grip on Ji-yu's hand and started walking faster. This time, Ji-yu was the one to stop in her tracks, pulling me to a halt.

"Wait a minute!" she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "First, we're avoiding your friends. Now, we're running from those girls? Care to explain why?"

I mentally groaned. Of course, she'd notice. And now I had to come up with something that didn't make me sound like a complete idiot.

"Well, those girls are classmates too," I said, trying to sound casual. "If they see me walking around with a girl, the news will spread faster than wildfire. My friends will hear about it, and they'll probably think I'm doing something shady."

Ji-yu stared at me for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Seriously? You're worried they'll think you're 'doing something shady?'"

I shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed. "Hey, you don't know these guys. They'll blow everything out of proportion, trust me."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Okay, okay. But next time, let's not run like we're being chased by the mafia."

I chuckled nervously, glad she wasn't too bothered by my paranoia. We managed to avoid both groups, slipping through the crowd until we found a quieter area of the park. For a moment, it seemed like we were in the clear. But, of course, that peace was short-lived.

As we rounded the corner of the park, something caught Ji-yu's eye. Her gaze locked onto the large sign in front of the nearby shopping mall.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up. "We should go check out the shops! I haven't been there in a while!"

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. I should've known this was coming. The mall was like Ji-yu's second home, and whenever she spotted one, it was like a magnet pulling her in. I was powerless against it.

"Uh, again with the shopping?" I asked hesitantly, already bracing myself for the inevitable.

She gave me her best puppy-dog eyes. "Come on, it'll be fun! I won't buy too much this time, I promise."

I sighed in defeat. "Alright, but just a few things. You know, because we already filled the house with stuff yesterday…"

Ji-yu grinned and grabbed my hand again, practically skipping toward the mall. As we entered, I couldn't help but wonder how she never seemed to run out of money. It was like she had some secret stash of endless funds that I didn't know about.

We spent the next hour (okay, maybe two) browsing through different shops. And, as expected, Ji-yu couldn't resist picking up more than a few items. By the time we were done, I was carrying half a dozen bags, while she looked as carefree as ever.

"Are we done now?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light but secretly hoping the answer was yes.

"For now," she said with a wink, clearly enjoying my suffering. "Let's head back."

As we left the mall, I couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. Another day, another shopping spree. But despite the exhaustion, I couldn't be mad at Ji-yu. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and as much as I joked about it, I was starting to enjoy these little adventures with her.

We made our way back home, and as we put away the new mountain of bags, I collapsed on the couch, sighing dramatically.

"You know," I said, looking up at Ji-yu, "at this rate, we'll need to rent a storage unit for all the stuff you're buying."

She laughed, sitting down beside me. "Oh, don't be so dramatic. It's not that much."

I raised an eyebrow. "There are only two of us living here. Do we really need this much stuff?"

She grinned. "Well, you never know when you'll need an extra pair of shoes or a backup blender."

I couldn't help but laugh. As exhausting as these shopping trips were, they made for some pretty unforgettable memories. And with Ji-yu around, every day felt like a new adventure, no matter how mundane the task.

As I leaned back on the couch, I realized something. Life had certainly taken a strange turn when I married Ji-yu, but honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way.