Chapter 1 - My Precious

 

The Sun had not showed up at all when they started moving. And now as they’re almost done, the clouds’ colours have turned darker and the sky looks like it’s about to rain. Maybe the sky represents her feelings after all.

Jihyo has never thought she’d meet her younger twin step-sisters, Jiwon and Minyoung that she never knew of their existences. Only after they came across each other at her mother’s place, that’s when she found out her father had married another woman and the much younger girls that look so much alike came to relay the news that the old man had passed away.

At first she didn’t feel much about the news because ever since her father divorced her mother and had gone from her life, she never really thought of him ever again. But now as they send the last respect to the parent before they leave the graveyard where they have buried him, Jihyo finally feels some sentiments that slowly seeps inside her. Some of the memories she shared with her father in the past were actually worth to remember now as she thinks back. She wonders why and where the good memories were hiding all these while.

A warm hand slips into hers and she feels their fingers intertwined. Jihyo tilts and finds her daughter that has grown much taller (than the last time I wrote about her) in the past years. The young girl shows a small smile that soothes her mommy’s heart. Jihyo’s heart melts as she stares at Seol and pokes her daughter’s dimple.

The pair move their heads up. They watch as the head of the family, Soojung assists Jihyo’s father’s current family with the burial and is getting near the end of it. They can’t be more than proud of Soojung for helping so much despite the short term of getting to know the other half of Jihyo’s family. Indeed, she’s really reliable.

Finally, the burial has ended safely. They leave the place when it’s just time to rain and Jihyo’s lone tear drops on her cheek.

***

“Here’s your coffee, eommonim!”

The rain is pouring heavily outside and the weather is starting to get colder. Soojung offered to make warm drinks for her mother in-law while Jihyo was in the room with their daughter. Despite the night is getting late, Jihyo’s mother requested for a coffee and Soojung obligued without a say on it although she’s curious if her mother in-law doesn’t want to go to sleep at all.

“Caffeine no longer keeps me awake since I have had too much of it!” the old woman explained as if she read her mind. Soojung chuckles at the irony and sips her own hot chocolate.

“I guess all your life is about coffee,” she joked and the single parent takes it well with a brief laugh.

Not long after that, Jihyo shows up and joins the table beside Soojung. The latter pushes her another mug of hot chocolate and the former gladly accepts it.

“How is Seol doing?” her mother started to ask as Jihyo drinks her drink.

“She really had a lot to ask about her grandfather. Thankfully she didn’t break down and cry or I would have to worry about that!”

“Well I’m worried if she had to wipe your tears instead because as long as I know, you are one of a crybaby but not our daughter!” Soojung grins to wife and receives a smack from the latter in return. Jihyo’s mother watches the couple as her own daughter whines about the teasing. Soojung has a point. Jihyo is the type that is easily moved to tears meanwhile Seol on the other hand is the calmer and cooler type. She’s really the young version of Soojung.

“Ahhh!” the old woman yawned startling the couple. “I’m going to bed now and keeps my precious grandaughter company. Thanks for the coffee, Soojung sweetie!” She gets up from the chair and Soojung smiles at her. Jihyo gets up as well and hugs her mother. “Goodnight mom!” she wishes and kisses her mother’s cheek.

It’s hard for her to read what her mother has in her mind about her father’s death. She seems to take it well outwardly but the woman also looks more melancholic and less energetic than how she usually was.

Soojung and Jihyo settle in their room while Seol will be sleeping with her grandmother tonight. Jihyo lays on the bed while Soojung washes her face and brushes her teeth before eventually joining Jihyo going to bed.

As they settle, Soojung pulls the blanket and covers the both of them when she hears her wife sighs. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you think my mom is actually sad with his passing?” Jihyo inquired but her eyes are staring at the ceiling with her head on her own arms.

“I’m sure she is, but she just doesn’t want to openly show it. After all that was the man she lived her life with and eventually brought you into this world,” Soojung spoke with her slow speaking voice.

Jihyo understands the point of Soojung’s words and nods in agreement. She turns and smiles at the older woman that is her wife. She’s thankful for the kind and comforting words that she doesn’t know how to properly express her gratitude. “Thank you for today, sweetheart. You helped out my step-sisters’ family on the burial today, worked hard on the funeral, and now you’re here for me and my mother, I cannot be more grateful for your presence,” Jihyo actually tears up as she spoke those words.

Soojung moves her thumb and wipes the tear that fell from her wife’s eyes. “I did all that out of love, honey. That man was my mother in-law’s ex-husband, my wife’s father and my daughter’s grandfather. I helped him and his new family for the sake of my family that I love so much.”

Jihyo cries even more after Soojung saying all of her hard works were for her love on this small family. The older woman really knows how to move and touch her heart. Where else she would find a very loving and kind woman like this that loves her for her all? This is truly the only once in a lifetime love for her.

Soojung hugs her wife and tries to sooth her. “Hey, why are you crying, my love? I don’t deserve your tears!” she lifts up Jihyo’s head so she can slip her own arms that Jihyo can lay on and her other arms wrap around her wife’s body. “Jihyo…”

“I just suddenly feel like I don’t deserve you,” the woman cried. “I’m crying because I’m so happy that you are with me. Without you I don’t think I can stay strong,” she sobs harder.

Soojung Jihyo’s head softly as the latter buries her face into Soojung’s chest. “I know I’m the best. You just fall for me harder, right?” She really just had to ruin the mood and used that time to joke like that. She gets a pinch from her wife for her playful remark and only laughs afterwards. Jihyo can’t stay upset nor mad at her wife so she joins the older and laughs too.

And to be honest, there is nothing wrong with Soojung’s words. Because Jihyo only actually falls for her own wife more and more.

***

Twelve years ago, Jihyo never thought she would be granted with so much blessings in her life. The upmost that she could get was being happily in love and experienced the best relationship. Soojung alone had brought so much happiness for her, she couldn’t possibly ask for more.

Little did she know from Soojung she gained a lot more than she could ask for.

Jihyo’s relationship with her mother had been cold, but they eventually fixed the bad part and now they have been closer than ever. It first started because Soojung had convinced her to spend more time with her single mother who had been nothing but a lonely woman. She’s glad she actually obeyed her words.

Then came a little child that added more blessing in her little family. Lee Seol; the blessing in disguise of a human form. With Seol’s presence in her life she just felt tenfolds happier and merrier. Now that kid has turned twelve (12) years old, she feels proud to see the girl’s growth and anticipates for more years to come.

Fifth year into the girl’s birthday, Soojung suddenly surprised her with another greatest gift; a wedding! When they were decorating the house for their only daughter’s birthday, Soojung came in prepared with a white dress in her hand. Jihyo had seen that design before; it was like the same one that Nayeon had been fussing over for with her design team which Jihyo didn’t really care about because she wasn’t part of it. Turned out the design was made for her per request from her own wife. After the fuss with the dress, Soojung also had to get down on her one knee and showed her a ring.

“My lovely Jihyo, I know it’s a bit late than I originally planned but do you still want to marry me and live with me and love me forever?”

The subjected lady covered as tears began to pour out. “Yes!” she later screamed and Soojung quickly got up on her feet and hugged Jihyo for her life.

On the d-day Jihyo had to wear that very dress as she promised Soojung and never really expected anything fancy until the day eventually came. In contrast to her dress, Soojung was wearing her long coat that she hadn’t touched since forever. The last time she wore that coat was two years before when she flew to Italy with Kim Sungjae and Choi Won. It was a gift from the latter so she could show off at the event they attended there. She matched her outfit with a white skirt for her bottom and it came out nicely. They were having a belated wedding ceremony along with Seol’s fifth birthday party.

They used the yard to hold out the ceremony. Friends and families alike were helping with the servings and such while Soojung and Jihyo were restricted from working as they were told to just enjoy the day, which they did. Seol was in Jihyo’s mother’s arms when Sujeong began to play a classic, slow love song to heat up the atmosphere.

Soojung and Jihyo stood at the center of the spotlight and began to groove their bodies to the song. Jihyo had her arm on Soojung’s waist and Soojung stiffly moved along as she felt uncomfortable at the attention from her guests. This was not normal for her at all.

The previous song ended and Seol was the one who was looking over the playlist. When she was scrolling the playlist she finally found the one song that her Soojungie had been teaching her a lot for the past months. The music began to play and Soojung’s eyes twinkled at the familiar song; Only Hope! Jihyo smiled showing her teeth as she starting dancing again with her wife. “Seems like your teaching didn’t go for nothing!”

Soojung started to get adjusted to the attention and danced more comfrotably. “Yeah, she’s really my daughter after all!” she said slowly but later corrected herself. “Yeah and nope, she’s actually our daughter after all!” The woman gave her deadly smile and Jihyo melted at the former’s deep dimples. They’re really her type.

“Gosh, I love you so much Lee Soojung!” she stopped on her track and kissed the older woman. Soojung kissed her back and their lips locked for a while, could careless about the guests that could take care of themselves.

“I love you so much too, now and forever!”

---

***A starting chapter for the sequel! So it has been 12 years since Seol got into their life and the story will be told from this point on. This fic will be more like family oriented while I'll still insert romantic moments from our main characters, Soul and Jihyo :)

Anyway, here're the pictures of Jihyo and Soojung's outfits from the wedding like I imagined:

                              (Jihyo)                                                                      (Soojung)