It was late at night when I decided it was time to go to bed. The light was on in my husband Jongin’s office again. He must have been working late. Every night for the past week had been the same; he got home relaxed for a short while before heading to the office to work. He left the room shortly for dinner before returning. He stayed in there so late that he fell asleep while he was working.

I wanted to know what was so important that he was willing to stay up so late and spend barely anytime with me or our young daughter Moonyung. The daughter he loved and cared for with all his heart barely saw him at all. He leaves before either of us wake up. The only time she saw him was dinner and the weekends, it was breaking her heart. They used to play almost from the moment he entered the door until she was put to bed but now he doesn’t. This was breaking my heart too.

So I decided I would confront him. I walked right up to the office pausing in front of the door before knocking.

“Come in” My husband called sleepily.

I walked in and was in disbelief. This is what he had been doing for the past week; making origami butterflies and flowers. There was a huge box full of them next to him.

“What are you doing?” I screeched questioningly.

“It’s a surprise” he responded not looking up.

“This is for Moonyung’s birthday tomorrow isn’t it.”

“Yeah but at this rate I’ll never be finished in time, could you help me.” He looked up at me with puppy eyes.

“Sure, how do you make them?” I said while pulling a chair up next to him.

“Here sit on my lap I’ll help you “

I sat on his lap and he put an arm on either side of me and his head next to my shoulder. First he showed me how to make butterflies then I had a go with his help and guidance.

“Do I fold it here?”

“Yeah just press here.” He said gently guiding my hands and folding the paper. ”And…..now just fold here and open it up”

“Is it done?” I didn’t think it looked anything like his perfect butterflies.

“Yes, it’s done. Your first origami butterfly!”

“It looks nothing like yours.” I sighed disappointedly.

“If you do more you will get better I promise.” He said before kissing my exposed shoulder softly. “Now you make butterflies and I can focus on making the flowers.”

“Okay then” I replied sitting on the seat I had pulled up beside him earlier.

We folded for what felt like years but it was really only about an hour.

“We’re done!” Jongin exclaimed waking me from my half-sleep.

“Really?”

“All the paper is gone so we’re done, well when you finish that we will be done and then we can start setting up the surprise.”

“What is the surprise?”

“You’ll see in a second, come on let’s go to her room. But remember not to wake her up.” He smirks picking up the box of flowers and butterflies. I followed him up to Moonyung’s room. When he got there he turned around.

“We’re going to cover her room in her favourite thingsbutterflies and flowers, I need you to help me stick them all over the wall across from her bed and then whatever doesn’t fit on the wall we’ll scatter across her room.” He whispered to me smiling from ear to ear. I nodded and slowly opened the door. I looked over at Moonyung to see if she woke up and smiled. She looked so peaceful and small in her bed, which was far too large for such a little girl.The moonlight flooding her room and lighting across her perfect little face.

“She’s so beautiful when she’s sleeping, she reminds me of you.” Jongin whispered gently putting down the box. Then we started the most challenging part of this surprise, decorating her room quickly without waking her up. I started at the bottom and worked up a piece of wall about a metre wide with the butterflies and flowers of all colours and sizes. After about another hour of work I had finished my half of the wall. I turned to talk to Jongin but I stopped when I saw the cutest thing ever. He had wiped the hair out of our darling daughters face and was smiling down at her, then he lent in and kissed her forehead.

"Just one thing left to do." I whispered Jongin nodded in agreement as we went to the box and spread the remaining butterflies and flowers everywhere.Then we went to bed and tried to sleep as much as possible before morning.

Next Morning

I woke up to Moonyung jumping on me and Jongin. "MUM.. DAD.. the fairy came to visit. THE FAIRY CAME TO VISIT! come look at what she did to my room!!"

"The fairy?"I sent a puzzled look at Jongin who just smiled at me. We both got dragged by our hands down the hall to her room.

"Daddy told me a fairy would come and visit me on my birthday and look what she left! Isn't it beautiful?" She explained to me.

"It is very beautiful. Do you like your birthday present?" Jongin asked her

"I don't like it...I LOVE IT!" She squealed jumping off her bed into Jongin's arms and she hugged him as tightly as her little body would let her.

"Next stop is an extra special breakfast for our extra special birthday girl." Jongin winked at me before carrying the delighted Moonyung to the kitchen. It was times like these that you fell in love with Jongin all over again.

The end.