It was not the first time and neither would it be the last time. He had failed, once again. Even though knowing that he was not the best candidate out there, he kept his hopes up. After all it was one of his dream company, which he had always wanted to work in since his university days. He had faith that he would be able to make it, at least into the final round of interviews, but he failed. He felt his hopes crushed, his dreams shattered. He thought he was cool enough to let it go, but hearing the news made him realized that he was not as cool as he made himself to be or at least what others thought him of. The truth hurt, it hurt so much that he wanted to just break down and cry, but he could not. He could not just break down, not when he had his wife and child waiting for him at home.

Taeng walked slowly into his house. He was at a loss at how to break the news to his wife. To tell her that he failed his interview once again and that he would try harder? Taeng smiled bitterly at his thoughts. He was a man of pride, a man who wanted to show the world that he was able to taking care of his family without relying too much on his wife.

Opening his front door carefully, Taeng decided on keeping the news from his wife till he was ready to tell her.

"Appa!"

A small being launched at him once the door opened. Taeng felt his back hit the floor and winced in pain upon the impact. However, that pain was soon forgotten when he felt kisses on his cheeks, forehead and lips.

"Hyoyeon... Stop that. Appa is dirty."

Hearing the sentence, Hyoyeon sniffed around the grown man and pinched her nose in disgust.

"Appa is so dirty. Appa needs to bathe."

Without waiting for any response from her father, the young girl scrambled off and ran towards her parents' room. Rubbing his back to ease the pain, Taeng picked up his briefcase and walked into the kitchen where his wife was cooking their dinner.

"Fany..."

Hugging her gently from behind, Taeng leant in to kiss her on her cheek before resting his head on her shoulder. There he stayed, quietly watching his wife frying the vegetables in the wok. Thoughts of breaking the news of his failed interview clouded his mind as he tried to think of a way to break the news without getting his pride hurt.

"Fany... I..."

Taeng started, but immediately closed his mouth. Half-expecting his wife to prod him to finish his sentence, Taeng thought quickly, but no questions came. Instead, a cheerful, high-pitched voice interrupted them.

"Appa! Go bathe. Appa is dirty!"

Taeng broke slightly from the hug and looked down towards the voice. Immediately, he was greeted with a towel and clothes thrown at his face. Shocked, Taeng stumbled backwards, leaving Tiffany and Hyoyeon laughing at him.

Hearing their laughter brightened Taeng's mood up. He gave a bright smile before bending and scooping the young child into his arms. Once in his arms, he started tickling the young girl with one hand while the other held on to her body firmly, making sure she does not fall and hurt herself.

Squirming hard, Hyoyeon tried to get out of her father's 'evil' clutches but she was unable to. Instead, she hung on to her father's neck helplessly while screaming in laughter.

"A-a-ppa S-s-stop. S-s-stop..."

Slowing down his attacks, Taeng allowed Hyoyeon to catch her breath.

"Are you going to laugh at Appa again?"

Instead of answering, Hyoyeon pouted, her head turning away from her father.

"Hyoyeon..."

Seeing his daughter pouting, Taeng could not help but smile at the cute sight. Tugging on his daughter's shirt gently, Taeng pretended to be sorry and gave a puppy

"Hyoyeon... Appa is sorry."

Taeng whined to catch her daughter's attention. Instead of answering, Hyoyeon struggled to get down from her father's arms in which Taeng allowed her down gently. Once her feet touched the floor, Hyoyeon ran towards her mother, her arms rose up as though asking for a hug to which Tiffany complied.

"Kim Hyoyeon!"

This time, Taeng pouted, crossing his arms as though he was angry. He stared angrily at the young girl. Seeing her father's angry face, Hyoyeon thought her father was really furious with her. Hence she leant forward, her arms clutching to Tiffany's neck for support, and kissed Taeng on his cheeks. This action brought a smile to Taeng's face, but it also urged him to want more. Hence, he pointed to the other side of his cheek and tilted his face.

Giving a smile, Hyoyeon leant forward once more but Taeng shifted his head backwards while shaking it. He pointed at Tiffany first before pointing at his cheek.

Smiling shyly, Tiffany started to lean towards Taeng's face. Sensing that, the smile on Taeng's face grew wider. However, instead of the lips of his lovely wife, he felt a hand smacking on his cheek before pushing it away. Taeng looked towards the two culprits and found them to be giggling.

"Appa smelly."

Hyoyeon pinched Tiffany's and her nose, pretending to be disgusted by the smell. Seeing that, Taeng frowned before wriggling his fingers and reaching out to the youngest. The moment Taeng's fingers reached the ticklish body; Hyoyeon squirmed in delight before trying to hide against Tiffany's body. Chuckling, Tiffany proceeded to fend off the attacks like how a mother chicken would do to protect her children.

---

Tiffany sat on the bed with her head resting against the headboard. Recalling the interactions between her husband and her child, she could feel a warm feeling in her heart. This was the feeling that she would trade nothing for and would definitely do her best to protect it. It was a dream she always had since young, and was thankful to have such a wonderful husband and child.

Their marriage before was anything but blissful. Tiffany had gotten herself pregnant when she was in her last year of university, to which she had to struggled with the stares and humiliation of others and some of her friends for they knew that she was not married. Her parents had urged her to abort the child so that she could concentrate fully on her studies. In addition to that, she also had an offer for a job in a prestigious company that many dreamed of entering it. However, to the job and her parents, she refused. Instead she insisted on marrying Taeng once the baby was born. Taeng, on the other hand, had to cope with the burden of feeding a grown-up and a child after his graduation. He was just an average student and had spent months looking for a job. When he finally got one, he realized he had to work extra hard and over time just to make ends meet.

2 years after they were married and Hyoyeon was growing up, Tiffany had gone out to find a job. Her job was higher paying and her career prospects were fantastic. Because of that, the couple had argued for a couple of times, each time their anger flared up quicker and worse than before. It took a long time for Taeng to admit that his job was not enough to sustain the family and finally accept to Tiffany working. They were living well with the two incomes although Taeng insisted on paying for most of the bills, until Taeng's company collapsed suddenly a few months ago, rendering him with no income or compensation and no plans.

"Fany..."

The door to the bathroom opened and out stepped a man drying his hair. Hearing no response from his wife, he looked towards the bed and found his wife sitting on the bed with a blissful smile on her face.

Throwing his towel onto a nearby chair, Taeng settled down beside his wife, hugging her by the waist. During his shower, he was thinking about breaking the news of his failed interview to his wife. Tiffany had been confident and was encouraging since he told her he was applying for the job. He had already been unemployed for months and they were living off Tiffany's salary which was just enough for them to get by. Even though Tiffany had been nothing but encouraging, Taeng just felt it was wrong rely on his wife. He wanted to pamper her, to spoil her, to make the two girls of his life feel like princesses, but till his recent seventh interview, he was still unable to find a job.

"Taeng..."

The husky voice of his wife filled his ears as he shifted his attention to her. Even though she did not reply, Taeng knew she was curious about how he fared in the interview.

"I failed."

His eyes were casted downwards as he was ashamed by the confession.

"I know."

Tiffany smiled gently, happy that her husband had told the truth.

"I'm sorry."

Taeng buried his face in the neck of his wife, as though he had committed a mistake and was ashamed about it.

Knowing her husband was a prideful man; Tiffany lifted Taeng's head gently and looked softly into his eyes. She gave her best smile as she leant in towards Taeng. Pecking him gently on his lips. Tiffany hugged him as she gave him the comfort and assurance.

"Don't worry Taeng. I'm not blaming you. Take your time to find one."

"I'm sorry I'm unable to give you a better life."

Hearing the words, Tiffany felt her heart drop. She knew Taeng had always been comparing himself to other men, trying his best to give her a life that all women dreamed off, to spoil her and pamper her. Even though Tiffany, being a woman, wanted that kind of lifestyle where she did not have to worry about anything, she knew the limits of the man she loved. She knew he had been trying his best, working hard and giving in his all. She was grateful, grateful for everything Taeng had done for her. Hence, she did not mind that she had to go to work and take care of the household. Instead, it brought her fulfillment and a sense of achievement.

"Don't be an idiot, Taeng. You have already gave me the best life that anyone could have. You have given me Hyoyeon too. I'm happy with what I have now, to be able to work and take care of the family, to have you sleeping by my side everyday instead of worrying on whether you are with someone else, and to have a beautiful child like Hyoyeon. You don't have to pamper me, buying me gifts everyday, because you and Hyoyeon are my best gifts. Seeing you both happy everyday is more than enough."

Tiffany retracted from the hug as she said those words. She watched as tears started circling in Taeng's eyes. Knowing that her husband did not like to feel vulnerable before the woman he loved, Tiffany pretended not to see them and instead kissed him gently on his forehead before moving on to his lips. There, she allowed her lips to linger as she kissed him with love. She also took the initiative to start inviting herself to explore Taeng's mouth, bring the kiss to become a passionate and lustful one. Slowly, the couple felt the tension and fire rose in their bodies as they clung onto each other. Burning from the fire in their bodies, they started shedding clothes as they started their acts of love. Temperature in the room rose and moans started to fill the air as the loving couple made love under the covers of their silky sheets.

---

Hours later, Taeng woke up to find his wife resting her head on his body as her arms hooked lazily on his waist. He could feel the contours of his wife's body fitting him snugly as though she was made just for him. Recalling the words prior to their lovemaking, Taeng was glad to have a wife like Tiffany. She had after all been encouraging, sensitive to his feelings and definitely understanding. Caressing her face lightly, he smiled lovingly.

However, his thoughts and actions were interrupted with knocks on the door. Knowing fully well who it was at the time of the night, Taeng gently woke Tiffany up as he wore his clothes. Ensuring that his wife was fully clothed and had settled under the blanket, Taeng proceeded to open the door. Outside, he saw a small being carrying a teddy bear and rubbing her eyes sleepily. Scooping her into his arms, Taeng gently placed her onto the bed where she immediately snuggled up to her mother.

"Hyoyeon, why are you not sleeping?"

Taeng asked as he lay down beside his child. Hyoyeon gave a yawn as she snuggled closer to her mother.

"Can't sleep. Umma's too loud."

Hearing their child, Taeng gave a chuckle while Tiffany's face grew red from embarrassment. Giving a glare to her husband, Tiffany gently Hyoyeon's hair.

"Sorry, Hyo, for waking you up."

"Can Hyoyeon sleep with Appa and Umma?"

"Sure!"

Tucking the young girl into bed, Taeng eased himself under the covers, getting ready to sleep. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he felt his hand being grabbed and gently lifted before it rested on a body. Underneath his hand, he felt another hand which he knew belonged to his wife. Peeking out discreetly, he saw the smiles on the faces of the two women he loved as they drifted off to sleep once more.

This was the family that no one could ask for, to have an understanding and caring wife and a filial daughter. Many times, the support of the family is crucial to keep an individual going despite of all the failures that he may encounter. Hence, family support is the best thing that one can ever ask for.

-End- (2348 words)

PS: Something that came from my heart... Though written a year ago, the memories is still something I can vividly remember. The storyline is not what I experience, but rather just the portrayal of feelings that I had. Hence the first part of this story was what I felt, and the second part of the story was what I hoped to see in my own life. It was definitely great to see how my story could be the way I wanted it to be even though in real life I could not, and hence the title "Bliss".