Chapter 09

Sorry for the delay on the update.
Disclaimer: I've never been to Madrid, so what I wrote here were just based on my research and imagination.

So there on with the show...

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"Aaaahhhh!!! It hurts!" Chaegyoung said in between breathings as she had another contraction.

"Bigung mama, you have to do your breathing." Choi sang gong said, trying to encourage her, although her left hand has become numb because of Chaegyoung's tight hold on.

"I've. Been. Doing. That. But. It. Still. Hurts." Chaegyoung let out a sighing breath when the contraction was over. "Where's my Umma? I want my Umma!"

"She's coming Bigung mama."

"How about Shin goon, he's coming right?" Chaegyoung asked.

"Yes, Bigung mama. I was told that the meeting with the new Prime Minister is about to end."

"I shouldn't have told him to go to that... AAAAHHHH!!" Chaegyoung was not able to finish her sentence as another contraction hit her. Choi sang gong tried not to cry out in pain also, as Chaegyoung's grip on her hand tightened.

The door opened and Chaegyoung looked up immediately, hoping it was Shin. But it was the doctor entering with her mother. Chaegyoung let out a tear as she saw her mother.

"Umma, it hurts. I don't want to do this anymore."

"I know, but you have to bear it. This is the way it should be." Mrs. Shin said, trying to console her daughter while the doctor was measuring how far along she was.

"Bigung mama, I think you should start pushing at the next contraction."

"What?!!! But Shin goon is not yet here. I want him to be here when the baby comes."

"Well we cannot wait longer or the baby will be stressed."

"I want Shin goon to be here!!!" She screamed in pain again as another contraction went through her abdomen. She tried pleading with her mother to find Shin, but they all kept on telling her to push.

"Bigung mama please start pushing!" The doctor said, which was echoed by Choi sang gong and her mother.

"No! No! I want SHIN GOOOOOOOON! SHIN GOOOON!"

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"SHIN GOOOOOON!!!"

Shin almost jumped out of his seat and threw the book he was reading when Chaegyoung screamed his name. She was lying prone at the seat next to him, sleep-talking again. They were in a plane going to Madrid. Although there were only a few people at the first class section, her scream awakened some people and made others turn their head towards the two of them. They did not fly using the Royal family's private plane; they wanted to start their experience by trying to be like ordinary people.

"SHIN GOOOON!" Chaegyoung screamed again and now people are looking at them curiously. Embarrassed with his wife's sleeping habit, he tried to wake her up.

"Chaegyoung, wake up. Chaegyoung..." Shin shook her while trying to see if people are still looking at them. Chaegyoung opened her eyes wide and upon recognizing Shin's face, she hugged him tightly.

"Shin goon."

"Hey, I'm sorry to wake you up. But you're talking, well screaming in your sleep and people are starting to look at us." Shin said as he pulled himself from her embrace and looked at her. Small beads of sweat were on her forehead and she's shaking. He shook his head at her. "Didn't I tell you to stop watching those scary movies."

Chaegyoung lightly punched his arms at his comment. She hesitated telling him what the dream was about. He might think of it as silly. So she tried to go back to sleep but just couldn't get her dream out of her mind.

Shin tried to ignore her tossing and turning beside him. He got so annoyed at her behaviour that he put his arms around her and hugged her to him.

"Hey what's wrong? It's annoying the way you toss and turn beside me."

Chaegyoung decided to tell him what was bothering her but then the captain turned on the seat belt sign. They both buckled their seatbelts. Moments later the plane dipped due to some air pockets. Chaegyoung held her breath as the plane tried to pass through it.

Shin noticed that Chaegyoung was gripping on tight to the armrest. The dream must have really scared her, he thought. He reached over her and held her hand. Chaegyoung smiled with appreciation towards his gesture.

Chaegyoung fell asleep again inside Shin's embrace. It wasn't until the plane has landed that she woke up. Shin woke her up and asked if she's okay. She nodded and tried to smile at him. They both got up and exited the plane. Shin kept his eyes on her all the time.

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After passing through the immigration and customs, they got a cab and Shin gave the address of their new home. It seemed that Chaegyoung has forgotten what was bothering her as they enter central Madrid. He noticed her facial expression brightened as she looked outside the cab's window. Chaegyoung's face lit up like a child, full of excitement upon seeing the buildings, monuments, gardens, churches that they passed through on the way to their new place.

"Oh-wah! Shin this is Madrid, it's so beautiful." Chaegyoung exclaimed, glancing at Shin.

Shin tried to tell her the names of the buildings, statues, and other landmarks that they they were passing through. Again Chaegyoung was amazed at his knowledge.

"You really know a lot of things, Shin goon."

"I've been here before, twice to be exact, with my parents." Shin replied.

"So that's why you aren't as excited."

"Just because I don't look excited doesn't mean I'm not. This is the best trip I've ever made in my life." He confessed. "But I don't need to ask how happy you are because I know you are."

Chaegyoung blushed at his comment and said, "I don't think I would be this happy if I came here without you."

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After fourty minutes of a relatively slow moving drive, the cab parked in front of a Baroque-style building.

"We're here." Shin said opening the cab's door and letting Chaegyoung out.

Chaegyoung looked up the ten storey building and admired the architecture. From the outside it looks so old. But when Shin led her to the lobby, she was amazed at how elegant it was, from the marbled floor to the wood-panelled walls, and the elevator looks modern too. Shin pressed the button for the fourth floor.

"Rent in this building must be expensive."

"We're not renting it." Shin told Chaegyoung matter-of-factly. Chaegyoung was surprised that he bought a place in Madrid. When did that happen? she thought.

Shin grabbed her hand and led her out of the elevator. They turned left and stopped at the second door, Shin knocked on the door that has the number 42 on it. Choi sang gong opened the door and welcomed them both inside.

"Unnieeee! You're here!" Chaegyoung exclaimed happily and hugged Choi Sang gong at the same time. "You too! Park Sang-hyo Ssi!"

"Yes, bigung mama. Welcome to your new home."

Park Sang-hyo bowed as his greeting and went on to help them with their luggages. Chaegyoung turned and looked around their new home but she was surprised at what she saw inside the apartment. It looked like a replica of her house back in Seoul. She couldn't believe that Shin would do something like this. She turned around to ask Shin about her observations but before she could ask, Shin has already an answered.

"I really liked your house, so I thought maybe you wouldn't be so lonely here if I made our place look like your house. I hope that's okay with you."

Chaegyoung ran to him and hugged him so tight. Shin put his arms around her and held her tenderly. Chaegyoung was at a loss on what to say. Shin noticed this and smiled at the thought that he has rendered her speechless.

"But of course the bedroom has a bigger bed." Chaegyoung laughed at Shin's joke.

The apartment has three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room and two bathrooms. Chaegyoung walked around and inspected the kitchen and dining room. She never expected this from Shin, but their new home really is a replica of her house in Seoul. Shin followed her around; he was glad that Chaegyoung liked their new home. When his assistant was done bringing their luggages in their bedroom, he grabbed Chaegyoung's hand and led her there. When he opened the door, Chaegyoung almost cried of excitement, most of her stuffed toys are in the bedroom. Even her favorite pillow with her name on it was there. She also noticed that the bed is indeed big enough for the two of them.

"Look at here," Shin said while looking out their window. "See, we've got a nice view from here."

But instead of looking out the window, Chaegyoung hugged him from behind and put her cheeks on his back.

"Yah, you're obsessing with my back again." Shin said trying to turn around.

"Just stay still will you. This is my way of thanking you."

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"Bigung mama, let me do that." Choi Sang gong said as she saw Chaegyoung mixing a batter for pancakes.

"No. I woke up early to do this. I want to do this for Shin. It's our first day of school and I've always wanted to make his breakfast, just like a good wife." Chaegyoung said while preheating a pan and then pouring half-cup of batter onto it.

"Just as long as you don't burn it."

"Shin goon!" Chaegyoung exclaimed and tried to turn around, but Shin was hugging her from behind while kissing her shoulders. Choi sang gong left the couple in the kitchen. "You're awake."

"Yeah. I woke up and you weren't beside me." Shin said. He let go of Chaegyoung so that she could cook properly and went to sit at the table.

When Chaegyoung was done with the pan cakes, she arranged the table and served a plate of two pancakes to Shin. Chaegyoung stood beside him, watching him slice a piece and put it in his mouth. Shin noticed her standing beside him with an open mouth.

"What are you doing, don't you want to join me for breakfast?"

"Uh... so what does it taste like?" Chaegyoung asked him while sitting down.

"Not bad." Shin said. "But why does it taste salty?"

"What?" Chaegyoung sliced a piece of pancake from her plate and tasted it. "You! It's not salty."

Shin tried not to laugh out loud at his wife's reaction but threw a wide smile at her.

"Just eat your breakfast or we'll be late."

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Shin and Chaegyoung went to school together that morning - as they would do every morning. The queen wanted to provide a car for their own use but Shin insisted that they wanted to live like ordinary people while studying in Spain. So Shin tried to learn more about the city of Madrid and how to get around it.

Metro de Madrid is one of the most often used public transportation around the city. Their first ride wasn't bad at all, thought Shin. Although there were a lot of people rushing, Shin noticed that he doesn't seem to be different from these people who, like him, is in a hurry to get to where they are going.

He saw different kinds of people getting on and off at each station. There were men wearing business suits and busy talking on their hand phones, the same with some women. There were some teenagers wearing earphones, oblivious of their surroundings. After ten stations they get off at the Ciudad Universitaria.

"You already know where your classroom is, right?" Shin asked Chaegyoung as they entered the university campus.

"Yes. Choi Sang gong unnie told me about it already."

"Are you sure you can find it? Maybe I should just take you there."

"What...but..." Chaeygoung didn't get to object as Shin was pulling her towards her classroom's building.

When they reached her classroom, Shin let go of her hand.

"I'll be going now to my class." Shin said and gave her a peck on her cheek.

Chaegyoung just smiled her appreciation towards his gesture.

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After her last class for the day ended, Chaegyoung was surprised to see Shin waiting outside her classroom.

"Why do I think that you have done something with our schedules so it will be the same?" Chaegyoung asked Shin.

"I just want us to go together and go back home together." Shin said and held her hand.

Chaegyoung smiled at him. They were walking for quite sometime when Chaegyoung noticed two girls following them. They were whispering and giggling behind the couple. It's just the first day and girls are stalking my husband already, Chaegyoung thought. She looked at Shin to see if he noticed the girls behind them.

"What?" Shin asked when he noticed that Cheagyoung kept on sneaking looks at him.

"Huh..what?"

"You've been looking at me. Do I have dirt on my face?" Shin said.

"Nothing." Chaegyoung said and smiled embarrassingly. "So do we go straight home?"

"Do you want to see the Real Jardin Botanico?" Shin asked. "I've heard you ask Choi Sang gong about it the other day."

"Really?" Chaegyoung said excitedly.

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