We decided not to cross the line.

Episode 108. Cohabitation Rules

[Ep. 108 recommended BGM- Oh! It's you by babychair]




I handed the cohabitation wishlist I’d written

to Hunji.




[1. Split chores evenly

ex. Hunji: cleaning, cooking (brunch)
Jeong-a: dishes, cooking (dinner)


2. Don’t complain about food the other person made


3. Do your own laundry


4. Tidy up the bathroom after showering


5. Use your own towels


6. Take turns cleaning the bathroom every weekend


7. Put the toilet cover down after use


8. Clean each person’s own room on their own


9. Put used items back where they belong


10. Don’t use the other person’s things without permission


11. When in your own room,

respect each other’s alone time


12. Travel freely on your own


13. Let the other person know in advance if you’re coming home late or staying out overnight


14. Split rent and shared living expenses 50/50


15. Don’t tell anyone that you’re living together ]




As Hunji read down my list,

his eyes kept getting wider

until eventually even his mouth started to fall open.





"No... what kind of prison life is this?

What kind of rules are there this many little details about?"




"It’s not that many...
 
I’ve pared it down as much as I possibly could. I..."




Hunji looked back down at the paper.





"This is the minimum?"




"Yeah."




"Jeong-a..."




"What is it?"




"Do you really want to live together?"




"I do."




"But I found something weird.

Yeah, fine, the other ones are rules for daily life, so

I can accept that, but number 12—what is this?"




"Number 12... do you mean travel freely on your own?"

"Yes. Why would you have to travel together just because you live together?"




"Even if we live together,




it doesn’t mean we have to do everything together, including traveling.

There are times when you want to travel alone."

Hunji said with a hurt look.




"I don’t want to travel alone...




I want to go together."

"We can go together sometimes,





but when you want to go alone, don’t insist on

making me go with you... or something like that!"

"This is too...




it doesn’t feel like cohabitation between lovers,

more like... something kind of terrifying."

"What exactly were you imagining, Hunji?





Waking up together every morning and kissing sweetly...

or something like that?"
 
He stared at me intently.




".... Yes."




"Huh? Yes?"





"That’s what I dreamed about."





"Ah... so Hunji dreamed of things like that.





But, Hunji... what are we supposed to do?

Cohabitation is reality."

I looked at his disappointed expression for a moment




and went on.

"Even if we fight and feel bad, we still have to be in the same space,





and even if the other person annoys us,

we have to تحمل it and be careful."

"Then...





are you willing to put up with that too

and live with me?"

I nodded instead of answering.




He looked at me for a moment, then

quietly hugged me.

I patted his back and said,




"Hunji... let’s get along well from now on."




"Yeah... but when Jeong-a is in her room...




I’m not allowed to go in?"

"No.




When I don’t want to be disturbed,

I’ll keep the door closed."

"Then if the door is open, can I go in?"




".... Why are you asking that?"




"Because it matters."





"But if the door is closed, you’re not allowed in."





"Ah... seriously... so cold." 





"But do we really have to split the living expenses

so exactly 50/50 too?"

"Of course. We’re living together, so naturally."





"I’m a man, so I can pay for everything."





"What kind of nonsense is that?"





"Why?"





"We’re not even married...





if we’re going to live together,

we should split living expenses too."

"Ah... so cold...





I’m going to freeze to death at this rate."
 
"Hunji. When it’s hot, taking off clothes still leaves you hot, but




when it’s cold, you can just put on more clothes.

Isn’t that right?"

"Still, I’ll gratefully accept the heart behind saying that.


But... I sold my house to come here. ㅎ"

"Ah... I’m tearing up..."




"I... I think I need to go to Paris for a bit."






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