Chapter 2: Surprise

From Europe, let's fly back to Asia, not to Seoul in Korea but to Tokyo in Japan where our Princess Chaegyung is busy designing clothes or perhaps not as of now…

"Misa…Misaki-chan, help me!" a young clumsy girl of 21 shouts as she has overloaded herself with stacks of thick books. Behind the books, there is a familiar face. Yes, she is Chaegyung. Misaki, a Japanese girl in blue jeans and of around the same age as of Chaegyung comes to the rescue. Apparently, Misaki is the first 'good friend' she made in Tokyo. Misaki takes half the books from Chaegyung and keeps them on the rack. Chaegyung drops a book and Misaki picks it up for her.

"Thanks, thanks a lot, Misaki chan," Chaegyung says as she rubs off the sweat on her forehead with a handkerchief lying on the table beside her. Who can say that she is a part of the Korean royal family by looking at her?

Misaki is about to say something but she bursts out into laughter.

"What's wrong?" Chaegyung exclaims.

"Your face!" Misaki replies, still laughing.

Chaegyung looks at her face on the black monitor of the computer. "Oh my, this ink…From where did it…?"

"There is ink on this handkerchief. Chaegyung-chan, you are so funny," Misaki says. Her cell phone rings and she walks out of the room.

"'Chaegyung-chan' sounds funny," Chaegyung says to herself. She has spent quite some time in Tokyo now and has learned Japanese, not fluently but she can manage somehow. Also her English has improved a lot than before. All thanks to her friend Misaki who is fluent in English as she has spent fourteen years of her life in England. Misaki often narrates Chaegyung about her childhood in England and every time the word 'England' comes up, Chaegyung is reminded of Yul, her cousin-in-law plus her very good friend. She hopes that he is doing fine along with his mother in England.

Classes get over and Chaegyung leaves the college campus with Misaki. They walk together to a bookstore and then part on their ways. Chaegyung walks on the busy afternoon street among hundreds of cheerful Japanese.

"I can't believe I am here far away from my country," she says to herself. Of course, this is not the first time she has come abroad. The first time was when she went to Macau. But this is a different case, a different feeling. Why? Because when she went to Macau, it was partially due to her will and partially due to her 'responsibility' as the then Crown Princess of Korea that she went there but now she has come all the way here to Tokyo to fulfill her dream of becoming a fashion designer, a dream that she has been seeing since she was young. Some high school girls walk past her, chatting and laughing among them. Seeing them, she is reminded of her own high school days- how she used to fool around with her friends, how they laughed together at happy times and cried together at difficult times. But more unforgettable was the time when she met Shin for the first time in the school. At that instant, little was she aware of the fact that she was engaged to him. And then there was this time when she realised she was to marry the Crown Prince, Shin, whom she despised and had already labeled him as a 'jerk'. The past memories make a long chain in her mind and she does not realize that she has been standing at one place on the street instead of moving forward, until an old man shouts at her and asks her to move aside as she is blocking the way for his truck. "Oh, I am sorry," she apologizes and moves on.

On reaching home, Chaegyung takes out a bottle of apple juice from the refrigerator and a packet of wafers from the kitchen shelf as she feels hungry and is too lazy to prepare anything. She gulps the wafers and has a sip of apple juice. She gazes at the calendar hanging on the wall beside the refrigerator. The date 17 is circled with a red marker. She makes a quick calculation in her mind.

"Yes, two weeks and three days more. Then I can go back to Shin Goon," she says to herself and smiles at the thought of seeing her husband after a long time. Chaegyung is going to finish her fashion designing course in Tokyo and has decided to go to Paris where Shin is presently staying to finish his Film Studies course. Though her college has offered her to get her admitted in a good university in Yokohama but she can't stand staying away from Shin anymore and has planned to continue her studies in Paris. Of course, Shin doesn't know about it. He has the premonition that Chaegyung is going to be in Tokyo until she becomes a professional fashion designer. Chaegyung has decided to tell Shin about her visit to Paris only the day before she leaves Tokyo. "He is going to get a shock when I'll tell him I am coming to Paris!" she says to herself and giggles imagining Shin's reaction.

Time passes by and finally the day for which Chaegyung has been waiting eagerly has arrived.

"Giving Shin Goon a surprise by calling him and telling him that I am coming to Paris is more exciting than going to Paris itself," she thinks and starts searching for Shin's number in her cell phone's contacts list. "Found it!" she jumps and sits down on the sofa. The phone rings for about fifteen seconds until it is picked up by Shin. Chaegyung was about to complain what took him so long to pick up the phone but before she could say anything, Shin says, rather yells in a voice mixed with joy plus astonishment, "Chaegyung! Really, it is you?"

Chaegyung replies, "Eh, yeah, yeah…it's me. I have to…"

"But you…you said, no, you made a pact we would never call each other during the time we are abroad," Shin interrupts. He doesn't know what to say exactly. He really does get a shock by Chaegyung's phone call.

"Oh, forget that pact. Shin Goon, listen, I have to tell you something…something very good."

"Huh? What is it? You are a pro designer now?"

"No, that's not it. For that, I have to wait a bit longer. It's something else. You won't believe. In fact, I myself can't believe." Chaegyung is too excited. One, she gets to hear Shin's voice after a long, really long time. Two, she is going to make the announcement of her visit to Paris in the next few seconds.

Shin gets annoyed and feels happy at the same time. "Just say it, Bingung Mama," he mimics the servants in their palace.

"Whoa! I have missed hearing that. It feels good to hear it again,"

"Are you going to say it or not?"

"Oh, yes. Well, ahem, the thing is that…err…I am going to Paris tomorrow by the morning flight,"

"What?" Shin doesn't know what he is supposed to do now- should he believe in Chaegyung and take it seriously or should he just ignore her thinking it is just a silly joke his wife is cracking?

"Yes, yes. You got a shock, didn't you? I knew you would. I knew it. Shin Goon, I bet no one has surprised you to this extent in the past few years. I am great."

"Alright, I get it. It was a joke after all."

"Eh? No. It was not a joke. I am serious. I am really going to Paris tomorrow. Shin Goon, you are listening, right?" Chaegyung yells over the phone helplessly as she finds that the tables are turning.

"Wait, you are really serious, Shin Chaegyung?"

"Yes, Lee Shin. I am really serious."

"Means, damn serious?"

"Yeah, damn serious."

"Means, you are really coming to Paris tomorrow? Really?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Chaegyung is getting irritated now. Her plan was to irritate Shin but it is her who is ending up getting irritated instead.

"Stupid girl, why didn't you let me know about this before?"

"I wanted to give you a surprise. You don't like it?"

"No, I don't."

"What? You don't like it that I am going to Paris tomorrow? I should cancel my flight?"

"That's not what I meant. Anyway, tell me the arrival time."

"Eh? What?"

"Tell me the time when you are going to arrive at Paris. I'll be there at the airport."

"Oh, that. Wait let me check…Umm, its 6:45 PM."

"Which terminal?"

"13"

"Fine. I'll be there."

"Yes, you better be. Otherwise I am going to kill you."

"You have already become a dominating wife?"

"As if you aren't dominating at all."

"When the hell did I ever dominate you?"

"Shin Goon, have you forgot everything about the past after going to Paris? Seriously, have you?"

"Did you call me to talk about the past?"

"No, to tell you that I am coming to your place tomorrow."

"And nothing else?"

"Like what?"

"What kind of wife are you?"

"Excuse me; you are saying I am not a good wife?"

"You really need to watch some romance dramas, you know."

"Why do I have to watch them? I am busy."

"Never mind. I shouldn't have expected anything from you in the first place."

"You are still as rude as ever!"

"You are still as dumb as ever!"

"Yeah, thank you very much. I love getting such compliments from my hubby. It is gonna make my day."

"Wait. Why are we quarrelling over the phone, especially when we are getting to hear each other's voice after such a long time?"

"You started it first. You better know why."

"And why do you think I did?"

"Listen, this is getting on my nerve. You are so annoying."

"Hey, I want to see your face now."

"Why?"

"Because I miss it- that face which has annoyance written all over when I drive you mad like this."

"Shin Goon, you have a death wish? Just let me come to Paris."

"I will be waiting."

"I miss you. I love you. Bye."

Chaegyung hangs up the phone. Shin chuckles. "I love you too, Chaegyung," he murmurs.

Shin lies on his bed with his eyes closed. He can't help thinking about Chaegyung.

"Finally, I will get to see her," he says to himself and smiles. He tries to sleep but he can't. When something good happens to you and you are super happy, you find yourself restless.

On the other hand, Chaegyung is busy packing her stuffs. She has the premonition that the next day is going to be the second best day in her life so far (the first being the day on which she and Shin got married in Macau). She hums a tune and tries to imagine what Shin will say after seeing her at the airport the next day. Her cell phone makes a beeping sound. It's a text message from her friend, Misaki.

"Hv a safe journey ^^

Will miss u

Don't frgt 2 txt me"