Chapter Text
4.5years later
Friday 3pm
Neung jog-walked down the corridor, trying to not drop her pen while she juggled her phone and notebook with the other hand. She was 5 minutes late for the meeting with her boss, and she hated being late. It created such a negative impression and would make her look unprofessional she feared. But the guest she was interviewing for her podcast, had a meltdown and she had to calm them down... that ate into the little gap between the programme and the meeting. Now she was late!!
She knocked on the door and entered when invited. "I'm so sorry, very sorry I'm late" she started apologising breathlessly to her boss.
"Don't worry Aneung, I know what happened. I thought you might need to move this meeting actually. Have a seat, take a breath!"
Aneung thanked her boss and sat down and tried to calm down. She was trying so hard to be on top of things.
"Tell me how the show is doing?" her boss asked.
Aneung smiled and launched into the 5 point summary she had mentally prepared hoping to show her boss the impact of the show. It was about mental health among teens and she was so passionate about the subject.
Thanks heavens, she had the engagement numbers and performance metrics to speak off the top of her head... except for the last episode. I'm sorry, I can get the numbers for last week's episode immediately after this meeting, sorry I should have had them with me right now." Aneung apologised at the end of her little performance recap.
"Yes, send me cumulative numbers report later. I doubt that the last episode was significantly different from the general trend which has been good" and he looked at her questioningly. At her small nod signifying it wasn't very different indeed, he carried on, "let's talk about the new show. Do you have ideas to share, a plan?"
And Aneung got her cue to present her latest project that she had been working on for the past 2 months.
8pm that night....
Aneung got home exhausted and drained. At seeing ArNeung, her slumped shoulders lifted, "you look stunning ArNeung! Are you going out? I don't remember you had plans."
Khun Neung was dressed to turn heads: in a formal black, off shoulder dress that teased with a hint of cleavage, hair lose and wavy, understated makeup that emphasised her eyes. A picture of poised and sophisticated beauty.
"And she is all mine", Neung thought feeling inordinately pleased with herself enjoying the view.
"Yes, tonight is the charity gala for the girls' orphanage. Don't you remember? We had to go together, and I tried calling you to remind you. You didn't answer my calls, nor my texts. Is everything ok at work? Are you ok?"
"Oh no! How could I forget? I'm so sorry ArNeung! Today has been mad at work. This guest had a breakdown, then the teleprompter stopped working, a couple of unplanned meetings... but I'm fine."
"Have you eaten at all? "
"I didn't get time. I'll eat now or at the gala." Aneung replied. "but I can't go like this. I'm scruffy and you look like a goddess! I need to change." And she started moving towards the staircase leading to their bedroom upstairs.
"Hey, Aneung, wait Darling." And Khun Neung, hugged her gently. "It's ok, you don't need to go, you look exhausted. Please eat and rest. You are taking on so much. I will go alone... unfortunately, at least one of us has to go. But I'll see you soon, hmm." And she kissed Aneung's lips, whose protests fizzled out.
She wanted to be with ArNeung, just look at her and drink her in. But she was so tired. Work just felt relentless. No matter how hard she tried to get home in time to spend the evenings with ArNeung she usually ran late. Sometimes even the weekend was spent working on plans for new shows.
"I'm sorry ArNeung" she said sorrowfully as she saw her girlfriend walk gracefully to the door.
"Rest up my love and don't stay awake waiting for me" was the worried and gentle reply she got.
"Tomorrow I'll spend proper time with ArNeung she thought. How long has it been since I just lay in bed with her"
Saturday 9:15am...
Anueng woke cuddled into Neung. Sighing with satisfaction she burrowed her nose into Neung's hair. "Aneung loves ArNeung" she whispered in ArNeung's ear, hoping to tickle her awake with her breath. Some morning sex and cuddles would be so lovely! Neung woke and stretched langourosly and kissed Aneung slowly, deeply. Aneung felt a familiar stirring of her senses. She loved it when ArNeung started kissing down her neck with purpose.
"Aneung, you have been working too hard. I think you need to relax a little, let me help you relax, baby." Neung murmured as she nibbled her way down Neung's throat.
Aneung's phone beeped: new text message! She checked the message and groaned.
"I have to meet Yui at 10am. We have to work on the new porgramme I'm hoping to pitch to the boss. Damn, I just have 45mins to get ready and ge there."
Neung looked at her with concern. "Aneung, its Saturday. You have been working such long hours. You really need to rest your mind and body. Why don't you reschedule."
"I can't, I really wish I could. But ArNeung, it's almost done. And if the boss likes it, I will be producing 3 shows! Can you imagine, me, producing 3 shows."
"Aneung, Darling, I know this is exciting and important to you. But isn't three shows too much. Just doing 2 is so much work. How will you manage?" Neung asked Aneung with a frown.
"Oh ArNeung, please! This is my chance to show them what I can achieve. The workload will only go up a bit, I'm sure I can manage." Aneung said even as she began taking out clothes from the closet.
"Only increase a little! Don't be childish. You know it will make your workload insane, even more than it already is." Neung's voice was now cold and she wore a seriously displeased expression.
"Don't call me childish. It won't. Why won't you trust me, believe in me? I can manage." Neung said sulkily.
"I do believe in you Aneung. But I think you are underestimating what this will take." Neung said.
"No! You just don't get it. I want this and I can do it. You just want me to be home 4pm like a bloody student running home after the last class." Anueng's voice rose and cracked even as she swallowed her tears. Why couldn't ArNeung just offer her support when she was trying so hard. She could do this, she knew she could. She wanted to be taken seriously, as a professional. Not to have to run home as soon as the class bell rang.
"I'm leaving, don't wait lunch. I'll eat with Yui." With that Aneung, slammed the bathroom door shut behind her, even as she wiped her stinging eyes. Damn it! Why did this make her cry.
Saturday 4.30pm...
Aneung returned home, weary and her head pounding. The session with Yui didn't go as well as she had expected. She'd felt sluggish and it felt like her creativity had dried up. Maybe ArNeung was right and she needed to slow a bit, but she felt resentful that ArNeung could not see why she needed to work hard.
She looked for ArNeung downstairs and was disappointed to see no trace of her there, or even in their bedroom upstairs.
"Is she annoyed with me? I spoke too rudely.. and we haven't made love in ages." Aneung felt guilty and the guilt just made her even more tired.
On her bedside table was a note.
"I'm going out to spend some time with Sam. Please don't wait dinner. Neung, x"
Aneung felt crushed and felt the tears start up in her eyes again. Didn't ArNeung want to have dinner with her? They only got time on weekends and now she had been left alone to eat. How unfair.
Her eyes then took in the photo album that lay open on ArNeung's side of the bed. Curious, she sat with it. What was ArNeung doing looking at this? As she flipped through the album she saw pictures from their holidays together with P'Sam and Mon. P'Sam was a talented amateur photographer. Her candid shots were amazing.
Distracted from her bruised heart and her tears forgotten, she looked at pictures from their first holiday together, the 2 couples. ArNeung looking contented as she smiled at Neung, hair whipped every way by the wind. ArNeung smiling at her like she was the whole world. ANeung and Mon making funny faces at the camera. ANeung messily eating an ice cream, big grin on her face.
This was from their second holiday together as a big family. 3 years ago. ArNeung looking for all the world like a spoiled child having a tantrum : arms folded and cheeks puffed, sulking, standing outside the dodgem cars enclosure. Aneung remembered, they had gone to an amusement park and ArNeung had been an absolute terror, slamming everybody with her car in the dodgem cars, till the ride operator had thrown them out. ArNeung had not been pleased, she wanted to keep playing. Such a giant kid! How rare was it for her to show that playful side of herself.
This was from the holiday after. ArNeung in a bikini, staring off into the horizon, the edge of her lips lifted in the barest hint of a smile. P'Sam had captured the look of absolute serenity on her face.. and here was ArNeung kissing ANeung's nose. They looked so happy.
After that some random pictures over the last two years.
When was the last holiday they took together, all four of them? Last year? No, the year before just around the new year.
Wow, it’s been 18 months since we took a proper family holiday! And the romantic breaks with ArNeung- none in ever so long. Aneung realised. Guiltily she recalled her taking on a new show had caused them to cancel plans for one and it seemed that she just never had any time anymore. Everything fun was “for later.”
How had she gotten so busy that she could not find time for ArNeung anymore?
Saturday 10pm…
Aneung ate a solitary dinner, lost in jumbled thoughts. ArNeung was out late! And Aneung didn’t feel like disturbing her and P’Sam especially after having been so rude. Maybe ArNeung would be less angry with her after she got a chance to decompress with her sister?
Aneung thought she would wait up in bed and cuddle with ArNeung.