Hae Soo, nicknamed Ha-Jin, was waiting at the airport for her mother, Oh Soo-Yeon. It’s been half of year she was working at Japan for her job as florist with her friend. Skipping nervously she was checking on her watch that to twelve of clock.

“Ha-Jin~.”

Soo turned to see her mother came from the departure exit waving her hand. She waved her hand back as she ran to her mom and gave a big hug.

“Mom!”

“It’s been a long time, sweetie~!” Soo-Yeon replied, “how are you?”

“I’m fine~! Guess what? I am owning the cosmetic shop now!”

They squealed heartily as mother and daughter. They took a cab back to their home as they get mother’s luggage on the trunk.

“Look at you, all grown up! It’s just a yesterday you were so small.” Soo’s mother mused nostalgically.

Oh Soo-Yeon was actually infertile woman who adopted Soo when she was an abandoned infant. Since then, she grows to love her as her own child but never harshly scolded her like normal Korean mom does. She knew scolding wouldn’t help but instead she always supported her dreams of becoming a cosmetic designer. Lately due to her work, she cannot come home everyday as she has more than one job to raise Soo.

“Since it’s long time, why don’t we eat your favorite dishes? Handmade sea-food chopped noodles?”

“Yay~! Finally, real food! I’m able to escape cup noodles~!” Soo exclaimed.

As if she remembered something, Soo-Yeon perked up with knowing smile.

“More importantly, Soo…” Soo blinked her eyes, “do you have a boyfriend now?”

Soo was blushing by that question…

“No way~!” She denied, ‘Well, I do have one heck of a cute alpha wolf…’

The taxi stopped by their house. They got off, took the luggages and entered the front garden, filled with various flowers her mother had planted. Soo’s phone rang and she accepted the call.

“Yes?”

“Soo-Sunbae*, you gotta go prepared right now…” Chae-Ryung called out.

“What? What’s going on?” Soo asked, gained her mother’s attention.

“They’re all gonna be there soon!” Woo-Hee snatched Chae-Ryung’s phone.

They were talking about eight Wang brothers. Wang Jin-Mu, Wang So-Ho, Wang Yo-Sub, Wang Sang-Wook, Wang Jae-Won, Wang Eun-Hyuk, Wang Baek-Ahn, and Wang Jung-In*. Their sister, Yeon-Hwa also came along with them. So-Ho was currently the guy Soo is dating with.

“WHAT?”

“We’ll catch up at your house soon as we are stopping them! Just tell ur mom you invited some friends!” Soon-Duk alarmed.

As Soo hung up the phone, she turned to her mother.

“Umm, mom? I kind of invited my friend today and I forgot to mention it to you…”

Her mother blinked her eyes in confusion.

“I don’t see why not?”

They unpacked the luggages, well, Soo’s being very hasty with them fearing how will her mom react when she figures out her having relationship with the boy who came from wealthy family. They heard the doorbell rang and Soo came down.

“Sorry, Soo sunbae…I tried to stop them but they were too fast—I gotta lay down~!” Chae-Ryung drowsed herself on the floor.

Then she heard seven different voices calling out.

“Soo~!”

Followed by one particular guy who’s very pissed with the fact they were trying to ‘ruin’ the impression he wanted to give to his girlfriend’s mother. As he saw Soo, his eyes grow soft with smile.

“Okay, people..you gotta be quiet…my mom’s strict person so stay out and wait,” then she glanced at So-Ho, “except you…I need to introduce you to mom.”

So-Ho willingly followed her as rest of the brothers find the window of where the living room locates, curious what will the couple gonna do as they were curious what kind of mother Soo has. Soo led him to the living room, attached to the kitchen and dining room where her mother was cooking.

“Uhh, mom? I brought someone to introduce you to.”

“Alright.” Her mother replies as she came out from the kitchen. She was wearing a long apron with light green shirt and long dark green skirt, soft, furry slippers fits her feet.

Every brother nearly choked with shock.

‘COURT LADY OH!?’

So-Ho only blinked his eyes, yet he was shaking. Knowing the personality of previous incarnation of Soo’s mother, he predicted it is going to be a long day to impress her. As Soo’s mother saw the man, her eyes blinked in confusion.

“Mom…” Soo took a deep breath, “this is So-Ho, my…lover.”



“Wang So-Ho, huh,” Soo-Yeon mused, raising her eyebrows before smiling warmly, “my, such a handsome lad.”

So-Ho sat on the couch properly, light blush formed on his cheeks indicating his nervous and shy nature.

“Soo, why didn’t you tell me you had a such good-looking boyfriend, right So-Ho?”

So-Ho only looked down, still nervous. The brothers, who were peeking from outside, sighed in relief. Chae-Ryung, Soon-Duk, and Woo-Hee was the one being more nervous as they knew their best friend’s mother.

“Umm,” So-Ho spoke up, “I’ve brought a gift today and I don’t know what type of flower you like…”

He brought a large shopping back and picked up the small pot placed the small growing beautiful flower tree. Soo remembered So-Ho always love planting trees before. And he even named them.

“Oh god, he’s stepping on the mine…” Chae-Ryung warned.

“What? Why?” Jae-Won asked his girlfriend.
“Soo’s mother has a strong taste on flowers…”
As Soo’s mother kept looking at it, she smiled even more.
“My, such a beautiful flower,” she praised, “did you planted them by yourself?’
“…yes.” So-Ho replied.
The brothers, and Soo’s friends once again sighed in relief. Soo was quite surprised.
‘My mom likes them?!’ Soo thought.
“I think it’s getting more better…” Yeon-Hwa mused, unaware of her brother Sang-Wook’s expression.
“So…was he really this romantic?” Her mother asked.

“Oh, mom~! So-Ho oppa is just sweet and sensitive guy.” Soo answered shyly.

‘WHAT PART OF HIM IS SWEET AND SENSITIVE!?’ All brothers except Baek-Ahn and Jin-Mu, thought in disbelief raising their arm comically as girls were preventing themselves from laughing as they remember how So-Ho was during the previous life thousand years ago.

“I’m quite surprised,” Soo-Yeon said as her warm smile formed, “children does grow up fast…I have heard my daughter also once worked at your house.”
Soo nearly choked on her drink.

“H—how did you…”

“Your friends told me everything,” Soo-Yeon replied, the noticed her food’s ready, “and I know all your boys and girls are outside.”

Soo’s friends and So-Ho’s brothers flinched and went in, admitting they were spying on them all along.

“The food’s ready for all of you. Come in..”

‘This is our unlucky day..’ So-Ho and Soo thought miserably.
____________________________________________________

Few weeks later, Soo and So-Ho wed a rather modest, yet romantic wedding with Baek-Ahn as a best man and Woo-Hee as maid of honor, and the one who caught the bride’s bouquet appointed as a next bride. After wedding, So-Ho and Soo decided to move to the house close enough to visit both Soo’s and So’s family. It was big, yet smaller than So-Ho’s old house. Perfect for the newlyweds, with additional family in case. Fortunately, the brothers and Soo’s friends visit them to help them moving furnitures and clean the house.
Soo filled all the photos of her and So-Ho on their big room, much to her husband’s flattery.

“My, that’s quite a fruits basket…”

“I was thinking of placing the pictures of our times spent together…” she giggled.

“For what? Worried that I might miss you to death while you’re off to work?” He laughed.

“Sorry, oppa*. I just don’t want you to stop breathe while I’m out.” She sarcastically, yet teasingly replied.

His long, strong arms surrounded her waist and scooted her closer.

“I don’t need photos to help me breathe without you…,” he smiled as his face get closer to her ear, “I finally have you.”

Before their face’s distance could even get closer, they heard the door nock.

“Hey, soulmate-forever wolfie! There’s new furniture to move on!” Yo-Sub sarcastically called out, “and NO PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION!”

So-Ho made a “tsk” sound as they went down, until Soo saw the last thing she wanted to see entire life. She called Baek-Ahn, Soon-Duk, Yeon-Hwa, Chae-Ryung and Woo-Hee.

“Guys, move this back to my old house, hurry!” She whispered.

They all nodded their head and moved the box on their car and drove to Soo’s old house.

“What was that?”

She turned to see the brothers staring at her suspiciously. Sweats coming out from her head.

“Well, it’s uhh….nothing~!” She feigned.

“Well, if it’s nothing,” So-Ho spoke, “then I guess there’s no problem seeing them.”

“No no no no, wait! Okay, I’ll talk…those were all of silly stuffs from… elementary school to high school…”

The brothers’ eyes get bright as they never heard anything about So-Ho’s wife’s childhood before.

“School life, huh?” Sang-Wook spoke up with sift smile.

“Yes…nothing to matter about—gotta got get some supper~!” She excused herself outside, leaving the brothers remained suspicious, especially So-Ho.

“…What are you hiding…?” He mused then looked at his brothers, and smiled.

“You’re thinking what we’re thinking?” Eun-Hyuk smiled mischievously.

Then all of them smiled wickedly.
____________________________________________________
Eight brothers drove their way to Soo’s old house to figure out the secret Soo was hiding. Realizing that the door was opened, they confirmed the girls might have left the door unlocked. They went straight to the living room and found the large boxes. Before So-Ho could reach, the light revealing five people behind them.

“Looking for something, gentlemen?” Soo-Yeon, Soo’s mother came out from the view, “when these five children came with those I figured all of you wouldn’t be fall behind.”

Most of them almost wanted to shout Bravissimo on her.

“Score one for Damiwon Court Lady…” Yo-Sub muttered grudgingly.

Soo’s mother and the girls held the box as she sat on the couch followed by them.

“But I don’t get it, what’s her big secret anyway?” So-Ho asked.

“You see…school life weren’t the most…graceful period of Soo’s life,” Chae-Ryung said, “she’s kind of embarrassed by them.”

“How bad could it have been?”

Soon-Duk raised her eyebrows. “Bad?”

Then the girls explained every single memory Soo tried to hide or forget. Starting from five years old Soo beat up the older boys to protect young Chae-Ryung, play the lasso on bullies, pulling a prank on mean girls by drawing on their faces, messing up her own cheerleading routines, swearing the foul languages the adults didn’t know in general, to babysitting got spiral out of control. By hearing all of them, most of the brothers snickered internally.

“Ay…she was a one hurricane…” Baek-Ahn swore he would have had a headache by hearing them.

So-Ho found the yearbooks of Soo’s previous schools.

“Ah, here it is!” He opened them finding his wife’s name, “let’s see…Ha-Jin….Ha-Jin..”

As he found the name, he looked at the picture of elementary schooler Soo and Chae-Ryung. He uncontrollably cackled, laughing and pointing at the picture of young Soo’s tomboyish, messy, yet cute face. Her hair was messed up with clumsy ponytail.

Jin-Mu chuckled heartily, while Yo-Sub snickered at young girl’s face covering his mouth. Sang-Wook barely contained his laugh and most of them cooed at her face.

“D’aw~, she’s so cute~!” Eun-Hyuk giggled.

“Look at her chubby face, SO PRECIOUS!” Jung-In kept laughing.

Yeon-Hwa snatched the picture book and gave it back to the girls.

“Oh, give her a break…” She mumbled while laughing.

“So…Miss Oh, what was it like to raising a spunky girl?” Jin-Mu asked as he managed to stop his brothers’ laugh.

“What was it like? Ten babysitters would’ve done easy, compare to me.” She jokingly replied with chuckle.

“Come on, she have been a girl scout for her entire life, she couldn’t have much been in trouble..” So-Ho defended, shrugging.

Three girls glanced at each other, then Woo-Hee spoke.

“Nuh-Uh, what would you say she gained WHOLE mailbox of challenges by bullies?”

Now that caught everyone’s attention.

“I’d say…tell us more.” So-Ho said.

“Well as much as I remember it…” Woo-Hee mused, “we were in a same middle school and Soo was the new student. Couple of bullies thought she was an easy target because of her petite figure and BOY HOW WRONG THEY WERE PICKING THE WRONG GIRL…her moves were similar as Soon-Duk….you all should have seen the bullies’ face after they got beaten up…after then, everyone literally worshipped her.”

“She finally brought the rain to scrub all drought for salvation…” So-Ho smiled as he already knew his wife was an extraordinary girl.

“So whatever happened to that bullies?” Jae-Won asked.

“They all demoted themselves as her pawn. We recruited Soo as a new spotlight of our group…”Chae-Ryung replied as she inspected the box then shocked at new discovery, “whoa…I had forgotten all about this…”

“Now what?” Baek-Ahn asked as he reached for the box only to get snatched by his girlfriend.

“No, no, no, no, no! We’ve shown you guys too much already…” She said as she ran around from him.

“What’s more worse than nearly killing her bullies?” Yo-Sub asked sarcastically.

The girls sighed in defeat. Before they could say anything, Soo came out nowhere screaming.

“NNOOOOOOOOOO—!!!”

“How about this?” She was too late as Woo-Hee brought a small box contained with love letters.

“Soo…now that was a pleasant surprise..so are we going to have a bedtime stories or do I have to rip your friends?” So-Ho asked half-joking, but they could feel the dangerous aura around him.

Soo glared at her friends.

“It’s not my fault! THEY made us do it! NO RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN!” The girls all screamed, “we’re outta here!!!”

The girls left the living room as Soo’s mother excused herself and left them alone. Soo groaned while pouting at her husband.

“So-Ho Oppa, how could you?” She whined, stomping her feet out of frustration.

“Oh, can you blame a man wanting to know how his wife was like in younger years?” So-Ho smirked at his fingers naughtily pinched her cheeks.

“Alright, you win. But I’m warning you, it ain’t pretty as you think…I was at the same college with Woo-Hee and Baek-Ahn and we were talking about the Valentine’s Day. I wasn’t a type of a girl to go out with boys and they were all suddenly being nice to girls, hoping they could have a chocolates from them…”

She explained about the Valentine’s Day during her college life. All boys bothered her with love letters and all nice gestures they did, much to the brothers’ annoyance.

“Beating up girls, tons of valentine’s day cars…wow your life made a real shin-dig.” Jung-In mused.

“Yeah, there were pretty all spiral out of control going on…” She muttered as she stared at So-Ho checking the photos. His face got darkened when seeing the particular ones.

“So…this is the real reason why you don’t want me to see this?” He asked, frowning as he pointed at the picture.

The pictures were taken by the days Soo dated with her scumbag ex of hers. 

“Whoops…” Soo gulped knowing how jealous her husband is, “congratulation, you just found the picture of my douche-scumbag of my ex boyfriend…”

“He’s not as handsome as stereotype ex I imagined…” Jae-Won said shook his head only to get punched in his head by Yo-Sub and Jin-Mu.

“Well, thanks to him I get to know you guys…” She begins to explain, “you see…I was helping my best friend with her makeup because she said she was going out on a date. So I helped her with them and while I was doing my job at local makeup store I found my ex waiting for someone. I thought she was waiting for me..but instead he was waiting for my friend…”

“Ouch…” Jae-Won commented.

“Completely hustled me. Both of them…” Soo said with sad smile, “they stole all of my savings, my small house, left me handling with debts…”

“That was the sole reason why you accepted our offer to work at out place? You wanted to pay all the debts?” Sang-Wook asked.

“…yes…” She said as she was peeling off the apples looking at the picture of her friend and ex-boyfriend, “sometimes I thanked them and those deeds I could forgive, FOR STABBING ME BEHIND MY BACK.”

She said as the kitchen knife stabbed the face of both her ex friend and boyfriend on the picture, causing some brothers twinge in fear. So-Ho’s hand squeezed hers tightly.

“Don’t worry, you have us and so do you have him.” Baek-Ahn assured as he nudged his elbows at So-Ho.

“Speaking of him…here’s the special delivery.” Yo-Sub handed her a rather familiar books to her.

Soo smiled causing So-Ho to tilt his head.

“What’s…that?”

“Well, when I figured out what you were up to I sent your brothers a special mission to retrieve…” Soo revealed the book, “your albums and yearbooks.”

So-Ho was paled at the announcement.

“NO …you wouldn’t…!”

He tried to snatch the books, but Soo was fast.

“Come, on~! It can’t be anything embarrassing in you past, can’t there?” She teased as she opened the year book, “oh lookie here~! My bae So-Ho was a little dancer~!”

“Give it back!” So-Ho yelled out, blushing.

“HA! Look at your hair!*” She laughed while running, looking at the hairstyle of her husband’s high-school years.

“That was the style of THAT time!” He muttered loudly as his brothers were laughing.

“Wow, you sure are very OLD!” She joked.

The brothers looked at them, smiling.

“Uh, bro? Was it okay to bring them?” Jung-In asked.

“What, I just like to .” Yo-Sub laughed.

“You’re a devil…” Most of the brothers commented.

 

[THE END]