The aroma of home-cooked food wafted through the simple dining room in Alea's parents' house. Plates piled with side dishes were neatly arranged on the table. A warm atmosphere enveloped the dining table, and conversation flowed until it reached the topic the family had been waiting for: children.
Alea's mother set down her serving spoon and smiled gently. "As for having children, don't treat it like a burden. Let things happen naturally. Everything has its right time."
Alea's father nodded in agreement, then looked from his daughter to his son-in-law. "Oh, right. Your mother and I have something to tell you. The day after tomorrow, we're planning to leave for a remote village deep in the countryside for a good cause—to volunteer as free teachers there. We'll be staying there for about two years, at least." He chuckled. "As retired teachers, it feels strange to just sit around at home without doing anything."
Hearing the sudden announcement, Drew calmly nodded in understanding. Across the table, however, Alea's eyes widened. The spoon in her hand clanged loudly against her plate. "Why are you only telling us now that you're leaving the day after tomorrow?" Alea's voice rose. "Why can't you just stay home? What if you or Mom gets sick? It's so far from a hospital out there!"
Drew immediately stopped moving. He reached across the table for Alea's hand, gently stroking his wife's fingers before looking deeply into her eyes. "What your parents are doing is noble, Alea. As their children, we should support their good intentions."
Alea yanked her hand away, her chest heaving as she fought the tightness inside it. She had misunderstood him. "Oh, so that's how it is? You think I'm just being childish and irrational, don't you?"
She shoved her chair back with a loud screech. "Yeah, you're all such righteous, noble people! I'm the only one who's wrong here!"
Without waiting for a reply, Alea stood, left the dining table, and hurried toward her old bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Drew remained seated, frozen in place, staring after her in bewilderment.
Alea's mother sighed anxiously. "I'm sorry about Alea, Drew. She always worries too much when it comes to us."
Drew slowly shook his head with an understanding smile and rose from his chair. "It's all right. I'll go after her."
Inside the bright pastel-colored room, Alea sat on the edge of the bed with her arms crossed over her chest and her lips pursed in a pout. The bedroom door creaked open, revealing Drew as he stepped inside without a sound and stood directly in front of her.
"Since we got married, this is the first time I've seen you get this angry," Drew said calmly, folding his arms across his chest.
Alea looked up, her eyes glistening with tears. "They're old, Drew! And they're going to some dangerous place without even discussing it with us first. How could I not be angry?"
Drew lowered himself onto one knee in front of Alea, bringing them to eye level, then cupped both her cheeks. His thumbs brushed the corners of her eyes, which were nearly wet with tears. "Your concern is valid and completely understandable. But have you ever thought about it this way...? They've always been used to actively teaching. When they retire and no longer have anything to do, for some older people, it feels like having their will to live taken away. They feel useless."
Alea stared at him, stunned, her lips trembling. "Do... do you think they feel that way?"
Drew nodded firmly. "Tomorrow, I'll go there first. I'll check the medical facilities, accommodations, a proper and safe place for them to stay, and transportation. I'll take care of everything so they'll be safe."
Alea gazed intently at her husband. A shock wave slammed into her chest; she hadn't expected this stiff, reserved man to be willing to go through so much trouble for her parents.
"They want to do something meaningful, and you want them to be safe. Those two things don't contradict each other," Drew continued gently.
Alea smiled sincerely. "Thank you so much, Drew..."
"It's nothing. No big deal," Drew replied with a faint smile. "Besides, they won't stay there forever. Someday, when you're pregnant..." One of Drew's eyebrows arched. "...I'm sure they'll come straight home. People say grandparents are the most selfish creatures in the world when it comes to their grandchildren. They definitely won't want to stay far away—unless you're the one kicking them out."
Alea laughed softly and lightly hit her husband's shoulder. "You really are something..."
Drew took Alea's hand and kissed the back of it. "Do you want to stay here for a few days? Before your parents leave."
Alea bit her lip uncertainly. "What about you?"
"Do you want me to stay here and keep you company?" Drew teased, his gaze intense.
Alea fidgeted, her cheeks flushing red. "No, I was just asking!"
Drew's gaze swept around the small bedroom before stopping at one spot. "This bed... was it replaced?"
"Hm..." Alea's cheeks flushed. "I asked Dad to replace it after we got married. I knew you wouldn't be comfortable sleeping on that old, tiny bed."
At that, Drew's memory shot back three years earlier—to the first night of their marriage, in this very room.
That night, they stood facing each other in the cramped room. Nervously, Alea said, "You can sleep on the bed. I can lay out a folding mattress on the floor."
Drew shook his head firmly. "I won't let a woman sleep on the floor. But I can't sleep down there either. I'm allergic to the cold."
They fell into an awkward silence as they stared at the small mattress, until Drew finally made a decision. "Okay. Let's go to sleep." He lay down on the right side and patted the empty space beside him. "We'll sleep together."
With her body stiff as a board, Alea lay down at the very edge, afraid even to blink.
"You're not going to fall, are you? You're practically hanging off the edge," Drew had warned her then.
Alea stiffly shook her head. In the darkness, Drew's baritone voice came in a low whisper. "Lea, I told you before—we're going to live a normal life as a married couple after we get married. And a normal life... includes sharing a bed."
Alea's heart beat faster. "Are... are we going to do it now?" she asked, barely audible.
Drew turned toward her and stared intensely. "No. Not now. Later, once we're back at my house, we'll have to get used to sharing a bed." The wedding ring on Drew's finger glinted as he moved the pillow separating them onto the floor, then shifted closer. "So don't be afraid, and don't stay so far away from me."
Alea's face flushed, and she nodded slowly, inching a little closer to Drew's side.
Minutes passed in silence. Finally, Alea dared to turn and found Drew with his eyes closed. She let out a relieved breath. A small smile formed on her lips before she closed her eyes as well.
Just before morning, Drew woke first and found his wife curled around him in a tight embrace like a koala. *
"B-but, Drew," Alea's murmur broke the man's reverie. "Even though the bed's been replaced, this room still isn't as spacious as our bedroom at home. I'm afraid you won't be comfortable staying here."
Instead of answering, Drew wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and pushed Alea backward until she fell onto the mattress.
"We don't need a lot of space," Drew whispered. "This is more than enough."
The next second, there was no longer any distance between them. The man's lips silenced Alea's protest—a light, gentle, warm kiss.
Click.
The bedroom door suddenly swung wide open without warning. "Lea, I brought you two your favorite mangoes—"
Alea's mother froze in the doorway.
Drew jolted in surprise, nearly falling off the edge of the bed before quickly getting to his feet.
"Mom...! Why didn't you knock first?!" Alea shrieked as she yanked the blanket over her face, which was as red as a boiled crab.
Alea's mother turned her back to them, her face no less awkward. "You two, why didn't you lock the door?! This house is small, and the walls aren't soundproof. Be more careful next time!" she called, half-scolding them. "Never mind, I'll just leave the mangoes on the dining table!"
She hurried away, shaking her head.
Inside the room, Drew looked at his wife, who was still hiding beneath the blanket. The laughter he'd been holding back finally escaped his lips. Alea could only curl up beneath the covers, pouting in mortification.
"Shut up, Drew!"