Six months later…

Lee Mansion…

It was already 2 in the afternoon by the time Shin Hye and Hyun Jun came back from the school. After they came out from the car and just when they stepped into the house, a loud baby crying sound immediately echoed into their ears. But before Shin Hye could react, Hyun Jun already threw his school back to the couch and rushed to the staircase, running upstairs.

Shin Hye smiled as she followed behind him, walking steadily. Although Eun Byul is crying very loudly upstairs but her mother’s instinct told her that it’s not a serious cry. It’s just a throw-a-tantrum cry. Don’t ask her how she knows and how she recognized the crying sound is Eun Byul and not Hyeon Byul. That is something that only a mother could understand and it’s unexplainable.

However, this is not the first time she saw Hyun Jun being so anxious every time he heard his sisters cried. Since they were born, he has grown up a lot. He has become more responsible especially when he was around his sisters. Whenever they smile or laugh, whine or cry, he will be very concerned, protective and restless. She thinks this is also something unexplainable and only a brother could understand.

“Slowly, Hyun Jun. Don’t run.” Shin Hye called after him as she followed from behind with a smile.

“Ahjuhma…” Hyun Jun rushed into the baby room, his eyes busy finding out who is crying. And as expected, it was the little ‘miss troublesome’ again.

“Eun Byul…” He uttered his sister’s name when he saw Eun Byul crying so hard in Kang Chun Hwa’s arms. They were sitting on the couch, Kang Chun Hwa trying to comfort the angry baby, while the babysitter that was hired by Min Ho is standing at the baby crib, making sure Hyeon Byul doesn’t wake up.

Shin Hye stopped her step, leaning herself against the door the moment she arrived at the baby room. With her arms crossing over her chest, she watched them with a smile spread across her face. The colder and quiet Hyeon Byul is sleeping soundly in the baby crib while the more stubborn and energetic Eun Byul is being held protectively by Kang Chun Hwa. The older woman was trying her best to make her feel better, rocking her softly delicately in her arms, hoping that she will stop crying.

Her smile widened as she wondered how fast time has passed. Just in a blink of an eye, Hyeon Byul and Eun Byul are six months old now. Thinking back to the night when she was in the labour, it felt just like yesterday. She was still so worried about them when the doctor didn’t allowed her to bring them back on the day she discharged. They were born prematurely and needed to stay in the hospital for further monitoring. But as the doctor said, both of them were healthy and fine. Just a month after they were discharged, they grown up so fast and their sizes are the same as the other babies at their age now.

As what people said, all babies cry. They cry when they are hungry, bored, uncomfortable or frightened. They also cry when their diapers are wet, hear a loud noise, meet new people or for no apparent reason. But unfortunately, some of the baby cry more than others. And in between two of them, Eun Byul was always the crying baby.

Hyeon Byul looked more like her but has Min Ho’s personality. She is more to the steady and observant type, and she doesn’t make much noise like her sister. She is smart and learns everything faster compared to Eun Byul but she doesn’t like to be around the people that she seldom sees. The first time that she cried so hard was when Si Wan held her on her hundred day’s celebration. And since then, Min Ho and Hyun Jun don’t allow him to touch Hyeon Byul anymore.

On the other hand, Eun Byul is totally different from her sister. She has Min Ho’s features, looked like a female version of Hyun Jun. She is lively and gentle at the same time. She love to be around people and no matter who hold her, she will smile and play with them. In terms of personalities, she is more like Shin Hye, gentle and polite. But also because of that, she inherited her mother’s stubbornness too. When something didn’t get her way and irritates her, she will cry angrily and will not stop until she is satisfied. But strangely enough, this troublesome baby always has a way to make Min Ho and Hyun Jun surrender. Whenever Eun Byul cries, both of them will be helpless and doesn’t know what to do. Just like now.

“What happened?” Hyun Jun ran to them and took a seat on the couch. “Eun Byul-ah… why are you crying?” He asked as he leaned forward and planted a soft kiss to her forehead. “Oppa is back. Don’t cry, eo?”

With his hand wiping the tears away from Eun Byul’s tiny face, he looked at Kang Chun Hwa and asked in concern. “Ahjuhma, what’s wrong with Eun Byul? Why is she crying?”

Kang Chun Hwa continued to rock Eun Byul in her arms as she looked at Hyun Jun and sighed helplessly. “You know your sister. Whenever she can’t get what she wants, she will cry out at the top of her lungs. She was riding excitedly in her baby walker just now. But it’s 2pm already. Both of them are tired. They had their milk an hour ago and it’s time for their afternoon nap. Look at Hyeon Byul. She is sleeping so soundly in the crib already. But Eun Byul still wants to continue. She just wouldn’t stop crying since I put the baby walker back into the storage room.”

“It’s okay, ahjuhma. I’ll take it from here.” Shin Hye cut in as she walked into the room and smiled at the older woman. “Both of you must be very tired after taking care the two of them for the whole morning.” She turned to the babysitter with another smile. “Take a rest. I’ll take care of them now.”

“Agasshi… are you sure?” Kang Chun Hwa asked, hesitated. “You should be more tired than us after came back from the school. Don’t worry about us. We can manage. We are used to Eun Byul’s tantrums already.”

Shin Hye shook her head. “No worries. I’m not tired. You know she wouldn’t stop unless I hold her.” She said as she held her hands up.

Kang Chun Hwa heaved a deep sigh before she walked closer to Shin Hye and gently put the crying Eun Byul into her arms. She was right. Except Shin Hye, nobody could stop Eun Byul from crying.

“We will be at downstairs. Call us if you need anything.” She said.

Shin Hye nodded with another smile, appreciate her offer. “I will.”

After taking one final lingering look at both Hyeon Byul and Eun Byul, Kang Chun Hwa gave a signal to the babysitter as both of them walked to the door and exited the room.

With one arm carrying the crying baby protectively, Shin Hye carefully took a seat on the large three-seated couch with Hyun Jun staring at his sister eagerly. She smiled at his cute expression before reaching out her other hand to caress Eun Byul’s smooth, chubby cheek. She was still crying as more tears rolled down her face. Her little face flushed and her tiny hands clenched into fists.

“It’s okay, sweetie. Eomma is here.” Shin Hye whispered, gently rocking her daughter in her arms. She leaned down and pressed her lips to Eun Byul’s forehead, soothing her with a soft kiss. “Are you upset because of the baby walker?” She smiled and planted another kiss to her forehead. “It’s okay. You will get to ride it again, eomma promise. Don’t cry, eo?”

The very same words was said to Eun Byul by Kang Chun Hwa just now but each and every time, only Shin Hye’s voice worked like a magic to her. For Hyeon Byul and Eun Byul, Shin Hye’s voice sounded like an angel, her beautiful features gentle in motherly tenderness.

Within a minute, Eun Byul stared at her mother with her big brown eyes, tears still flowing down her chubby face, but made softer noise with few hiccups. Her head turned a little upward to take a clearer look at Shin Hye, her lips pushed into a pout.

“Eomma is here. Don’t cry, little princess.” She rocked her softly and when her crying voice was completely stopped, she gently lie her down on the couch and looked into her curious eyes. Her little face scrunched up in confusion, looking at her mother with her tiny palm holding Shin Hye’s index finger.

Shin Hye smiled as she took a small face towel at the side and wiped Eun Byul’s tears away. “Such a cry baby.” She said, kissing her little palm. Eun Byul giggled as a wider smile overtake Shin Hye’s lips.

Hyun Jun glanced from his sister to Shin Hye and then back to Eun Byul again as an awed expression was etched on his face. Just in a minute, her mother has successfully calmed his angry, crying sister. He really doesn’t understand how did she do it. Every time when Hyeon Byul or Eun Byul threw their tantrums, only Shin Hye could soothe them.

“Eomma…” He looked up at her. “How did you do it?”

“Do what?” Shin Hye asked.

“How did you make Eun Byul stop crying?” He asked curiously. “Every time when Hyeon Byul or Eun Byul cry, you will sure have a way to make them stop. Ahjuhma can’t do it and even babysitter ahjuhma is an expert, she still couldn’t make them stop either.”

“Hmmm…” Shin Hye paused, thinking for a moment before she replied him. “Maybe… because I’m their mother. Both of them have been staying inside of me for more than eight months. It’s a kind of mother-child bonding that no one can explain.” She paused again and smiled at him. “Just like us. We have a special kind of bond since the day we met that no one could explain either.”

Hyun Jun held her gaze for a long moment, trying to understand how a woman that doesn’t have any blood relationship with him could treat him so good. Since his sisters were born six months ago, Shin Hye’s action has proved to everyone that even if he is not her biological son, there is no difference between him and his sisters. Sometimes, he even felt that she love him more than them.

“Eomma…” Hyun Jun called out softly, looking straight into her eyes.

“Hmmm?”

“You are a good eomma, the best eomma in the world.” Hyun Jun said with every ounce of sincerity he had in him.

Shin Hye smiled as she reached out and caressed his cheek. “Did you learn all this sweet talk from your appa?”

Hyun Jun shook his head. “This is not sweet talk. Hyun Jun is telling eomma the truth. Sometimes when Eun Byul cried too much and wouldn’t stop, ahjuhma and babysitter ahjuhma would feel frustrated and don’t know what to do. I asked Park Jang Woo and he told me that his parents would scold his brother or even fight with each other when his brother cried too much.” He paused and continued to look at Shin Hye. “But I never see that kind of expression on eomma. No matter how much Hyeon Byul and Eun Byul cries, you are always so patient, so gentle and comforted them so tenderly.” He looked down at Eun Byul, who was now half-sleeping while playing with Shin Hye’s fingers.

He looked up at Shin Hye again and smiled. “I wonder how did my mother react when I cried last time. Did she act like you, caress my cheek or kiss my forehead to soothe me?”

Shin Hye held his gaze and her chest tightened at what he said. She remembered Min Ho told her before about how Se Yeon scolded Hyun Jun when he cried last time. The situation was so bad that Min Ho have to pass Hyun Jun to ahjuhma to take care. But looking at his expectant and hopeful gaze in his eyes, how could she tell him the truth? And moreover, Se Yeon has changed and everything that happened in the past was over.

Letting out a warm smile on her face, Shin Hye gently pulled her finger away from the sleeping Eun Byul and leaned forward, cradling Hyun Jun’s face in her hands. “I’m sure she treated you the way I treated Hyeon Byul and Eun Byul.” She paused as her fingers his jaw gently. “Every mother loves their children. It might look normal for a baby to cry but it always pained their mother’s heart when they do so. I’m sure your mother feel the same too.” Leaning herself even closer, she planted a soft kiss to his forehead before pulling back slightly and looked into his eyes. “Even if she didn’t kiss you when you were crying last time, you have me to kiss you back now.” 

Hyun Jun giggled as he pressed his forehead against Shin Hye’s and closed his eyes. His dream has finally come true. He has a father, a mother and two beautiful sisters. He finally has a family, a happy and complete family that belongs to him.

A wide smile was spread across Min Ho’s face as he watched them at the door. They were too immersed in their sweetness and didn’t realize that he has been standing there for a long moment. His meeting ended early today and when he came home, Kang Chun Hwa told him that Shin Hye and Hyun Jun just came back from the school and was in the baby room, comforting the crying Eun Byul. He couldn’t wait to join them but the moment when he arrived at the baby room, he witnessed how his beautiful wife taking care of their babies and how much she love Hyun Jun. The scene was so beautiful that he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt them.

A deep, breathy sigh slowly escaped his lips as old memories slowly replayed in his mind. Very long time ago, something like this happened before. He came back from work, baby Hyun Jun was crying but when he rushed up to the room, the scene that he saw was totally different from this.

Thinking back the time when he met Shin Hye and how their relationship started, he always felt guilty for everything he did to her. But looking at the scene today, looking at how this woman bring so much love to his children and to him, he knows his decision of wanting her was right. Even though the process was heart breaking and hurtful, but they still managed to overcome and found their happy ending.

Just before Min Ho wanted to go back to his room and give some private time for the mother and son, a soft whimper sound broke the peaceful silence and stopped him from walking away.

Shin Hye pulled away from Hyun Jun when the whimper sound filled the room. Her eyes glanced down at Eun Byul but she was soundly asleep on the couch without moving. She knows it’s not her. It’s Hyeon Byul this time. She stood up and just when she wanted to turn around to the baby crib, she was slightly startled to see Min Ho standing at the door, looking at her.

“Oppa?” She looked at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

Hyun Jun quickly got up from the couch too as he turned to his father. “Appa…”

Min Ho smiled at them as he stepped into the room, walking towards the baby crib. “The meeting ended early and I thought since I miss all my babies so much, I should come home earlier and stay here with all of you.” He stopped at the baby crib and his lips widened when he saw Hyeon Byul looking at him, whining softly.

“Hello, my princess.” Min Ho leaned over and gently picked her up into his arms. “Why are you crying? Did we wake you up?” His hand reached over and gently her soft hair. And within seconds, Hyeon Byul stopped crying and just looked at her father with an adorable smile on her tiny lips.

“Awww… my princess is smiling. You are happy to see appa, don’t you? Did you miss appa?” He grinned widely as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Appa miss you too.”

Shin Hye couldn’t help but smile, looking at Min Ho’s gentleness towards Hyeon Byul. After their babies were born, he has changed so much. He is no longer the workaholic anymore. He doesn’t go for any business trip anymore, no more working overtime in the office and he spent most of his time with them.

“Eomma…” Hyun Jun called softly. “We better put Eun Byul back to the baby crib before she wake up and cry again.”

“You are right.” Shin Hye gently picked Eun Byul up and put her into her baby crib beside Hyeon Byul’s one. She then walked to Min Ho as her eyes staring at the older twin.

“She is happy to see you.” She said to her husband.

“Yes.” Min Ho nodded with a smile. He took a lingering glance at the sleeping Eun Byul before looking back at the one in his arms. “We are lucky that only Eun Byul inherited your stubbornness. If not, all of us will be very busy.” He teased his wife.

Hyun Jun laughed when he saw Shin Hye glaring at his father.

“Eun Byul is not stubborn.” Shin Hye said defensively. “She is just… just… bad tempered.”

Min Ho chuckled as he looked at Hyeon Byul. “Yes. We have an ice princess here and a flame princess sleeping over there.” He paused and looked at Hyun Jun, who was standing beside them. “And a prince charming.”

Hyun Jun giggled at what his father said.

“Why are you still in your school uniform? Si Wan seonsaeng-nim is coming soon. You should take your shower and prepare for the class.” Min Ho reminds him.

Hyun Jun turned to the clock at the wall and almost jumps in shock. “Oh my god. It’s so late already. I forgot the time because of Eun Byul.” He said as he turned back to his parents. “I got to go now.”

“Hey, wait.” Shin Hye pulled him back to her. “Don’t rush. You still have an hour before the private class start. Go down to look for ahjuhma and take your lunch first. Arasso?”

“Yes, eomma.” He replied obediently before leaving the room.

With Min Ho rocking Hyeon Byul softly in his arms, she slowly fall back to sleep with her tiny lips parted slightly, looking extremely cute. Min Ho couldn’t help himself but to kiss his baby girl again before gently putting her back into the baby crib.

He exhaled a long breath as he turned to Shin Hye and smiled at her. “How is my wife today?” He asked, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

Shin Hye pouted her lips and pretended to glare at him. “You only remember to ask about me after you have check all your kids? I’m jealous.”

Min Ho’s laugh rang through the room as he leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. Holding her like this make him feel a swell of happiness in his stomach. “Are you blaming me for neglecting you?”

“I’m blaming you for loving us too much and neglected yourself.” She said as her arms reached out and wrapped around his neck. “Because of us, you came back early every day and cut down your time that you work in your office.” She paused and inhaled a deep breath. “I know you sneaked into your study room every night after I sleep. You secretly bring your work back and do it at home after all of us fall asleep.”

Min Ho gazed at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Nothing could ever hide from you.” He breathed deeply. “But I’m fine. Being here is where I always wanted to be.”

Shin Hye smiled as her arms around his neck tightened, bringing herself closer to him. “You know I love you, right?”

“I will be more convinced if you show it through your action.” Min Ho said with a smirk.

And without saying another word, Shin Hye leaned over and kissed him.

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Study room…

Shin Hye gently knocked the door of the study room as she was holding a glass of lemon juice in her hand. Without waiting for Min Ho to asnwer, she turned the doorknob and opened the door.

“It’s good to hear that.” Min Ho spoke into the phone and when he saw Shin Hye at the door, walking towards him, he shifted uncomfortably on his chair. He inhaled a deep breath as he averted his gaze and continued with the phone conversation. “I wish you all the best. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. And…”