[Seulgi POV]

Hearing the front door open, I open my eyes and look at the clock. It was already four in the afternoon, so that's probably Isabella coming home from school. Grabbing a pillow, I hid behind the couch. 

"Mom? You home?" Isabella asks from the doorway. Hearing her steps approaching me, I pop up suddenly. "Think fast!" I yell as I threw the pillow at her. She dodges it impeccably, her instincts kicking in. She rolled towards me and tackled me into a hug. 

"Mooom! You know you can't surprise me, right?" She giggles. I giggle as well, "Oh, whatever. But you did flinch though." Isabella rolls her eyes and stands up. For a fourteen year old, her senses are pretty sharp. She does have my genes, so that's a plus. And the part where I make her follow a proper diet plan, nothing too strict mind you, just enough to keep her mind sharp and body healthy. 

I stroll into the kitchen and Isabella follows behind. I grab a glass of water and sit on the counter. Isabella rummages the fridge, and yells, "Aha!" while taking out a dragon fruit. "Sooo, where are we going for the summer, Mom?" she asks, peeling her fruit. 

"We're gonna visit your grandparents. It's been forever since we last saw them. Plus I heard that three silver furballs miss you very much." I wiggled my eyebrows. "Awww, really?" She gushes. Isabella owns three snow wolves, given to her by the BP squad, but ever since Joohyun found out about her fur allergy, dogs are a no-no. So we had to leave them with Mom and Dad back in Korea.

I heard a half-groan, half-sigh from the hallway. I turn to see Joohyun still in her white coat, looking a bit exhausted. "Busy day at the hospital, Hyun?" She nods, chuckling. "13 accidents, 4 gang-related incidents and 8 surgeries. One heck of a day, Seul." Isabella hands her a glass of water. "You should drink this, Mum." Joohyun smiles and gulps it down. 

I grab the chopping board and knife. "Well, why don't you ladies freshen up while I cook dinner. I'm making my world-famous buttered shrimp." 

"Try not to burn the house down, Seul." Joohyun teases while climbing the stairs. "And the food. Don't burn the food, Mom." Isabella seconds, giggling.

 Sighing, I join Joohyun in our bed. She was fiddling with her phone, probably checking her emails. "A penny for your thoughts?" She asks, putting it down. "Nothing much. I'm just pretty excited to visit Mom and Dad. It's been too long, and I miss the place I grew up in." She smiles, "Me too, actually. Hospital work has been hectic lately, and I think this is just what I-- what we need right now. A vacation." I pull her close to me, and we cuddle, enjoying each other's warmth.

After staying in Korea for about seven years, we moved to Canada right away. Korea still doesn't recognize same- marriage, and we wanted to tie the knot legally, with papers and documents. Wendy was actually the one who suggested the idea, since she's of Canadian descent. I managed K-Corp offshore from our home in Toronto, and with Joohyun's abilties and recommendations, she got a head position in the Toronto Medical Center. 

"I'm sure it's gonna be just great. Plus, some Korean air is bound to do us some good." I kiss her forehead. She nods, sighing.

Then she suddenly grabs my . I raise my eyebrows, smirking. "I thought you were tired?" She straddles me. "Well, I don't see why not? Isn't this the reason you sound-proofed our bedroom AND put Isabella's room on the other end of the house?" Joohyun teases. I unclasp her bra from under her shirt. She gasps. "You know, you're a lot more confident thes