[ Yoon Se-ri is no happier to see Cheol-gang than he is to see her. It's been like this for four and a half months now, and all the benefits of conforming socially and presenting the image of a married man with a beautiful wife do little to snuff out the reality that he now comes home to someone he doesn't like. At least she's usually sleeping at the odd hours he steps through the threshold, which have of late been odder, further into the night just to ensure that interaction stays to a minimum.
But, to her credit, she collaborates and cooperates. It's still hard for a woman from the South to adjust to her place here and accept that how much power she holds in this world is connected to his status and his status alone, as her behavior constantly indicates, but there's a shrewdness to this woman, a conniving streak, that he can at least respect. So he finds himself sharing more than he'd thought he would when marriage was still an abstract concept and the image of the nebulous figure being referred to as a hypothetical wife was a North Korean one. Only what's directly useful to her, what might qualify as her business - things that would incriminate her too.
Along with the fact that she's legally bound to him now. His death, his imprisonment or torture is hers too, a concept he's made certain she knows well.
On this particular night she's sitting at the table when he steps through the door, drinking tea in her nightclothes instead of sleepingโthe image of a loyal wife waiting for a husband to return from work, at least in the eyes of someone who doesn't know better. Cheol-gang takes off his hat, hangs it, sighs. ]
We're going to Pyongyang on Wednesday. Do you have something you can wear to a wedding tour?
[ to say this was a nightmare would be an understatement. ever since she crashed in north korea it was like she was in hell but it wasn't like she had many options. things had been complicated enough before she had found out about her brother's involvement in keeping her here. by now he had likely slandered her name to the point she could never recover from it and his stupid wife had likely taken over se-ri's choice. and then there was this whole mess of a situation with cheol-gang. it wasn't that she wasn't somewhat grateful he hadn't had her arrested (or worse) but it's hard not to hate him even just a little bit. but what other choice did she have? and it could be worse which was something she'd never speak out loud, she wasn't about to tempt fate.
she had to go along with this it was the only way to survive and she wanted to survive. even now more than anything else she wants to live. maybe she can convince cheol-gang they need a piano so she can play that melody over and over. something to keep her going even if it was little and insignificant. she doesn't want to stay here, what sort of life can she have in north korea? but what sort of life waits for her at home?
she keeps to her room for the most part, especially when she knows cheol-gang is there. she wants to avoid him as much as possible. it was easy enough since he only seemed to be there when she was sleeping. but tonight she feels more suffocated than usual, she hadn't planned on being there when he came... back (she can't bring herself to consider this place her home) but she was. she's drinking tea and trying not to think too hard about the entire situation. except there is little else she can think about? it isn't as if she has any work or business to do. she doesn't really have friends she can talk too and everyone she does talk to is under the impression that she is smitten with cheol-gang. the fact se-ri played up their relationship in public, partially just to annoy him, probably didn't help matters.
she barely even acknowledges him when he comes in, focusing instead on her tea. ]
The clothes here aren't exactly what I'd call fashion but don't worry I will look the part of the ideal wife.
[ she feigns a smile as if to prove the point. it wasn't like this was the first time she had faked or orchestrated a relationship, it was just this time the stakes were so much higher. ]
[ At least they're on the same page about this. It's the crux of their agreementโhe's giving her shelter and status and she's living off his paycheck, so the least Yoon Se-ri (Yoon Sam-suk to the outside world) can do is play the part when they're in the public eye. ]
The daughter of the Military Director of the Central Committee is getting married. It's important that both of us be in attendance. We'll be there through the weekend.
[ Presumably more thought went into that arrangement than theirs, starting with the fact that she didn't show up at some man's house in the middle of the night and certainly not ending with the presence of even one in-law for either party. Which, speaking of.
It'll be suspicious if they, newlyweds themselves, take out a room with more than one bed (not that there are many to begin with), so they'll be stuck sleeping in the same bed. For the first time. Cheol-gang isn't looking forward to it, though at least there's something to be said for the fact that Se-ri doesn't seem to expect any insincere physical affection of him behind closed doors. ]
['...through the weekend.' that gets her attention and she turns to actually look at him for the first time since he came in. their arrangement so far has been mutually beneficial. she appears to be the doting wife in public to help with his social status and she in turn is given a place to live and money to live off of (and se-ri made sure she took full advantage of that. north korea may not have had all the same things as she did in the south but she made sure to take full advantage of it).
they rarely spent time together so the idea of having to spend an entire weekend together as a couple throws off her slightly. a weekend in pyongyang meant they'd have to share a hotel room and because they were married that meant sharing a bed. she grimaces slightly and downs the rest of her tea. ]
You realize the types of questions people ask of newlyweds at weddings, don't you? People always want to know about others' relationships, somehow I get the feeling North Koreans will be even more nosy.
[ telling stories about their supposed romance was one thing, having to answer more ...personal questions was something else. not that se-ri would waste an opportunity to make cheol-gang uncomfortable by saying she couldn't wait for them children. ]
[ How stupid do you think I am? Cheol-gang narrows his eyes. ]
They won't ask about sex, if that's what you're insinuating, Yoon Se-ri. Fishwives are nosy everywhere, but they'll be more interested in the bride and groom. [ Not everything's about you. ] And invasive questions like that aren't common here to begin with.
[ Well, at least among women. Young men in barracks operate outside of the traditional bylaws and confines of normal society. ]
No, you should be concerned with behaving as normally as possible. Don't start conversations. Speak when you're spoken to. We'll review your answers.
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[ Yoon Se-ri is no happier to see Cheol-gang than he is to see her. It's been like this for four and a half months now, and all the benefits of conforming socially and presenting the image of a married man with a beautiful wife do little to snuff out the reality that he now comes home to someone he doesn't like. At least she's usually sleeping at the odd hours he steps through the threshold, which have of late been odder, further into the night just to ensure that interaction stays to a minimum.
But, to her credit, she collaborates and cooperates. It's still hard for a woman from the South to adjust to her place here and accept that how much power she holds in this world is connected to his status and his status alone, as her behavior constantly indicates, but there's a shrewdness to this woman, a conniving streak, that he can at least respect. So he finds himself sharing more than he'd thought he would when marriage was still an abstract concept and the image of the nebulous figure being referred to as a hypothetical wife was a North Korean one. Only what's directly useful to her, what might qualify as her business - things that would incriminate her too.
Along with the fact that she's legally bound to him now. His death, his imprisonment or torture is hers too, a concept he's made certain she knows well.
On this particular night she's sitting at the table when he steps through the door, drinking tea in her nightclothes instead of sleepingโthe image of a loyal wife waiting for a husband to return from work, at least in the eyes of someone who doesn't know better. Cheol-gang takes off his hat, hangs it, sighs. ]
We're going to Pyongyang on Wednesday. Do you have something you can wear to a wedding tour?
no subject
she had to go along with this it was the only way to survive and she wanted to survive. even now more than anything else she wants to live. maybe she can convince cheol-gang they need a piano so she can play that melody over and over. something to keep her going even if it was little and insignificant. she doesn't want to stay here, what sort of life can she have in north korea? but what sort of life waits for her at home?
she keeps to her room for the most part, especially when she knows cheol-gang is there. she wants to avoid him as much as possible. it was easy enough since he only seemed to be there when she was sleeping. but tonight she feels more suffocated than usual, she hadn't planned on being there when he came... back (she can't bring herself to consider this place her home) but she was. she's drinking tea and trying not to think too hard about the entire situation. except there is little else she can think about? it isn't as if she has any work or business to do. she doesn't really have friends she can talk too and everyone she does talk to is under the impression that she is smitten with cheol-gang. the fact se-ri played up their relationship in public, partially just to annoy him, probably didn't help matters.
she barely even acknowledges him when he comes in, focusing instead on her tea. ]
The clothes here aren't exactly what I'd call fashion but don't worry I will look the part of the ideal wife.
[ she feigns a smile as if to prove the point. it wasn't like this was the first time she had faked or orchestrated a relationship, it was just this time the stakes were so much higher. ]
no subject
[ At least they're on the same page about this. It's the crux of their agreementโhe's giving her shelter and status and she's living off his paycheck, so the least Yoon Se-ri (Yoon Sam-suk to the outside world) can do is play the part when they're in the public eye. ]
The daughter of the Military Director of the Central Committee is getting married. It's important that both of us be in attendance. We'll be there through the weekend.
[ Presumably more thought went into that arrangement than theirs, starting with the fact that she didn't show up at some man's house in the middle of the night and certainly not ending with the presence of even one in-law for either party. Which, speaking of.
It'll be suspicious if they, newlyweds themselves, take out a room with more than one bed (not that there are many to begin with), so they'll be stuck sleeping in the same bed. For the first time. Cheol-gang isn't looking forward to it, though at least there's something to be said for the fact that Se-ri doesn't seem to expect any insincere physical affection of him behind closed doors. ]
no subject
they rarely spent time together so the idea of having to spend an entire weekend together as a couple throws off her slightly. a weekend in pyongyang meant they'd have to share a hotel room and because they were married that meant sharing a bed. she grimaces slightly and downs the rest of her tea. ]
You realize the types of questions people ask of newlyweds at weddings, don't you? People always want to know about others' relationships, somehow I get the feeling North Koreans will be even more nosy.
[ telling stories about their supposed romance was one thing, having to answer more ...personal questions was something else. not that se-ri would waste an opportunity to make cheol-gang uncomfortable by saying she couldn't wait for them children. ]
no subject
They won't ask about sex, if that's what you're insinuating, Yoon Se-ri. Fishwives are nosy everywhere, but they'll be more interested in the bride and groom. [ Not everything's about you. ] And invasive questions like that aren't common here to begin with.
[ Well, at least among women. Young men in barracks operate outside of the traditional bylaws and confines of normal society. ]
No, you should be concerned with behaving as normally as possible. Don't start conversations. Speak when you're spoken to. We'll review your answers.