Shinhye gracefully walked into her husband’s restaurant. All the restaurant workers and assisting chefs were performing their routinely check-up before opening. Tonight was a special evening for the Jung family as Yonghwa was making his re-debut as Head Chef since fulfilling his father’s wishes.

It was a big day for him and he wasn’t the kind of man to get nervous over what he loves to do. But she knew he must be fighting occupying himself in his small private kitchen. She rounded the corner, taking a glimpse at his empty office, and stopped at the doorway of his private kitchen.

Yonghwa stood in his private kitchen, meditating as he had all his ingredients laid out in front of him. His hands were pressed together as he was in deep thought over how the evening could go. After deeply inhaling and exhaling, he clapped his hands together and turned the stovetop on.

Shinhye quietly watched her husband begin his preparations. Her heart thumped as she watched her husband swiftly slice vegetables and place them in the hot pan. Yonghwa was always the multitasker in the kitchen, tending to various cooking pans without burning them. Mesmerized by his bulging arm veins and his excellent tossing skills, she didn’t notice Yonghwa already decorating his dish. His full attention to detail was all in his art for his exotic dish.

“Will you stand there all evening and gawk? Or will you bring you lovely self over here and try my new dish and give me a kiss I’ve been waiting for since you came?” Yonghwa set his prepared exotic dish on the table in front of him and gave her a mischievous grin while holding out his arms for her.

Shinhye felt her heart ache with love and giddiness and immediately danced into her husband’s arms. His musky and y cologne and heavenly warmth washed over her as she hugged him tighter.

“How long have you noticed me standing there?”

“I have a sixth sense and can feel your presence anywhere I am. Besides, how can I not notice my beautiful and y wife and mother of my two beautiful children?” He grinned against her forehead and lightly pecked it.

“No matter the cheesy and cute things you say, my heart falls more and more in love with you.” Shinhye lifted her chin up to meet her husband’s y eyes.

“I love saying cute and cheesy things to you. Ja, try this.” Yonghwa retrieved a fork and knife for her and sliced a piece of lobster drizzled with an asparagus cream. He brought the fork full portion to his wife’s waiting mouth, watching her close her eyes and chew with such excitement.

“Mmmm…….it’s very very delicious. Everything is perfect from the cream to the texture of the lobster. Nae nampyeon is jinjja jinjja jjang!” She held two thumbs up and cutely scrunched her nose.

“Gomawo.”

Yonghwa placed his hands around her hips, pulling her closer to him as he stared into his wife’s eyes. He by lightly rubbing his nose against hers. Their smiling eyes locked onto each other. He leaned down and slowly closed the distance between them. His lips lightly brushing her bottom lip. He gazed at her once more before caressing her lips with his soft lips. Their kiss was a slow dance, making them melt and ache for each other.

He deeply sighed. “It’s been so long since I’ve shared a creation of mine with my customers. I’m nervous yet happy to do what I love since I was young. I hope I don’t mess up or-”

“Hey.” Shinhye cupped his face in her small hands, making him look at her. “You do not need to worry tonight and every other night about the creations you make and share with your customers and the world. You put your heart and mind into cooking up a storm. You will never disappoint. You can overcome anything and I’ll be right there beside you. Ne?”

He smiled. “This connection we share always cheers me up and lifts every burden off my shoulder. I just wanted to hear you tell me everything will be okay.”

“And it will but it will be great and boost your drive to continue doing what you love without any burdens.”

Yonghwa just shook his head, still staring lovingly at his cheerful wife. He smiled and kissed her once more, catching her by surprise. As always, Shinhye welcomed all the sneaky kisses her husband gave her. It only made her heart flutter more for him. They became lost in their kiss with both their tongues massaging each other’s.

“Jamkkanman. Where are the kids?” Yonghwa reluctantly broke their kiss.

Shinhye was still regaining from their deep kiss when she finally realized what her husband asked of her. “Ah, they’re with nae eomma. She wanted to have them for the afternoon. But she will bring them before opening. Her and eomoni will have dinner here.”

“Jinjja?!”

“Ne. Uri family are here to support you.” She smiled and gave him a small tender kiss on his lips. Yonghwa smiled within their kiss and continued their deep kiss.

A few hours later…………

“Everybody ready?” Yonghwa stared amongst his restaurant staff as they lined up in front of the main kitchen. “We have a long line of dedicated and longtime guests out those doors as well as new guests. Tonight won’t be any different even if I’ve been absent. We are artists in the kitchen and create delicacies for guests to enjoy and love. Let’s do what we have the passion for which is cooking. Arasseo?!”

Everybody gave him a respectful ninety degree bow and stood straight and yelled “Ne!”. They went to their respective stations and began with the evening’s menu, Lobster Oosterschelde, sea aster, green pea, & white asparagus. Yonghwa felt confident and proud for his staff’s warm welcome and dedication. His staff was another reason he missed cooking in the restaurant.

He looked on around his restaurant as the waiter and waitresses were welcoming shuffling guests to their seats and his staff preparing their stations. His eyes finally fell on his beautiful wife and his two cute and growing children as they were seated at a special table. Shinhye met his gorgeous eyes and gave him his favorite smile before she directed her two children to look towards him.

Junhee, now five years old, stood down from his chair and helped his nearly three year old sister, Sunhee, out of her booster seat and made their way to their father’s open arms across the restaurant.

“Appaaaa!” Sunhee was very excited to see her father, trying to keep up with her older brother’s pace.

“Oh, Sunhee ah, Junhee ah, be careful!” Yonghwa walked closer to them as he finally swept his two children into his muscular arms. “Appa missed you both! Neomu neomu bogosipeo!”

“Sunhee missed appa too!” Sunhee bounced up and down in her father’s arms.

“Nado appa! I missed you more. Can I stay with you?” Junhee gave him his pouty face.