AN: little fluffy ficlet because I am craving hot pot and missing NamJi couple. Also, sorry this is so short, wrote on my way to work! hahahahaha

Chang-wook was tired.

The twins were at the terrible two age and refused to sit for their meals or listen to their eomma. They would listen to him. But he suspected that was because he bribed them with snacks and not because they respected him. Add to that he was on set for a cameo in Lee Deok-hwa sunbae’s new variety show—men sat around discussing married life and helping younger celebrities learn how to do things like change diapers. Chang-wook was there to help with the idea of twins. Filming was taking longer than expected because the fake babies they were using wouldn’t stop crying no matter what they did. Already not his favourite kind of program, hearing babies scream at the top of their lungs was starting to make him see stars. He was sitting on the floor leaning his head against the wall when Chi-gu came over, his phone pressed to his ear.

“Sure, we are running late but I think we can make it. Did you have a place in mind?”

Chang-wook looked up hoping for good news, please, please let it be good news and not Ji-hyun deciding she was going to abandon the twins at the nearest all-night market.

“Hot pot,” Chi-gu smiled. “Please don’t look so dead with Ji-hyun sees you. She wants it to be a surprise but if she sees you like this she might start to get angry at you for doing too many things. And don’t forget to act surprised.”

“I think I love her,” Chang-wook smiled. Just like Ji-hyun to know how to arrange a pick-me-up.

“I should hope so!” 

###

Ji-hyun tied her hair back before she got out of the family car. The twins were safely with her eomma and appa for the night—a special treat for them, a blessing for Ji-hyun and Chang-wook. Looking in the mirror she wondered if she should have dressed up a bit more. Not just for orabeoni but also for herself. She was busy filming a film and there were bags under her eyes which she had fixed with make up but she could still see them. 

“No, dressing up would be too much. Plus orabeoni is coming from the seat and it would make him feel uncomfortable to see me dressed up when he won’t be,” nevertheless she put on some lipstick and smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles in her shirt. 

She opened the car door and looked around trying to see if she saw any other cars she recognised. What she hadn’t mentioned to Chi-gu was that it was going to be a little party to celebrate hers and Chang-wook’s anniversary. They normally did something a bit fancier—specifically a trip to Busan—but their schedules didn’t make that possible this year. At last she spotted Fairy godmother-eonnie’s car. Glad that some people had already started to arrive she marched into the restaurant and smiled at the waitress who led her to the private room they had booked. A few more of their friends were there and she greeted them but was really hoping that Chang-wook and Chi-gu could get there as soon as possible. She really, really wanted to hug him. 

“Do you think that he will guess?” Fairy godmother eonnie asked. 

“Chi-gu probably told him we were having hot pot… but I didn’t tell Chi-gu that it was a party… I don’t trust him with information like that. But Lee Deok-hwa sunbae is even more of a loose cannon… he might let the information slip…”

“Aish. It was a bad choice for the day.”

“It couldn’t be helped. It was the only time everyone was available.”

“Omo! Hyun-i!” Choi Tae-joon threw an arm over her shoulders. “What is this for? Why so many people? Are you pregnant again?”

Ji-hyun elbowed him in the ribs, “Aish. Tae-joon oppa. Really. I’m not pregnant. I just wanted to throw a party.”

“Hmm… You never do anything without a reason…”

“Then hold on to your curiosity.”

“Ok, ok, I got it. You don’t want to share…”

Ji-hyun, however, wasn’t paying attention. Chang-wook was calling to say that they had just parked and were on their way inside.

“EVERYONE!!! This is a surprise for Orabeoni. So please be quiet and then shout surprise! This party is for our anniversary!”

Everyone laughed and moved around so that when he opened the door he wouldn’t see everyone. Just as they were ready, the door opened

“SURPRISE!” 

Except instead of Chang-wook walking through the door it was Lee Deok-hwa. He started chortling and reached behind him to grab then inelegantly shove Chang-wook into the room. The poor man looked around in shock. There were all their closest friends but he couldn’t see Ji-hyun until he felt her hand slip into his. “Happy anniversary, Orabeoni.”

She stood on her tippy toes and pressed a small kiss on his cheek. 

“The twins are with my parents and your eomma is spending the night there as well… so we have the villa to ourselves…” she whispered into his ear. 

“I love you jagiya,” he grinned. Two of his favourite things in the world: hot pot and an empty house.

###

Chang-wook opened Ji-hyun’s door with a little flourish. “After you,” he smiled.

She got out, and he marvelled, not for the first time, how lucky he was to have her by his side. The dinner had taken a huge weight of stress off his shoulders and he was now ready to seduce his y, y wife. 

Inside, they pottered around in the kitchen before heading into their room. While they were brushing their teeth next to each other, Chang-wook s an arm around Ji-hyun’s waist.

“We look really good together,” he said through a mouthful of toothpaste.

“hUMoibwef,” Ji-hyun replied with her toothbrush scrubbing at her teeth. She rinsed and turned towards him. He laughed. She was looking up into his eyes that were equally sleepy and y. Even though he hadn’t finished brushing, he leant down and pressed his lips to hers—she didn’t seem to mind and returned his kiss. “Finishing brushing your teeth, lover-boy,” she smiled and slipped out of the bathroom.

It didn’t take long for him to join her. Slipping under the covers he discovered that his beautiful wife was soundly asleep.

“Married life,” he grinned. He pulled her against his chest and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her uniquely Ji-hyun scent. “Luckily we have all day tomorrow together. Lots of time for that… I’m a lucky man, Ji-hyun. Thank you for loving me.”

Her only response was a little huff and she rolled over to face him. Her eyes opened and she reached forward to pull him into a kiss.

“Ji Chang-wook. Do you really, truly believe that I would fall asleep with an opportunity like this?”

Those were the last coherent words either of them spoke for quite some time.