Chapter 14: Meet the Family, Part II

Seohyun stretched her arms and legs widely in bed before realizing that she might hit a sleeping Yonghwa. She looked next to her, expecting him to still be napping, but he wasn’t there. She sat up quickly, slightly nervous and slightly annoyed. So much for him promising not to leave her all alone. She ran a hand through her hair and rose from the bed, not wanting to keep Yonghwa’s family waiting. While she was smoothing down the lumpy sheets and making up the bed, Yonghwa’s mother appeared again in the doorway.

“Ah, Seohyun-ah, I was just coming to wake you,” the woman said, exchanging a smile with Seohyun.

“Nae, Omma-ni. Opp—my thoughtful husband should’ve woken me up when he did,” she replied with a nervous laugh.

Despite Seohyun’s efforts to make the bed, her mother-in-law took both her hands and pulled her down to sit down on the bed by her side. She sheets were lumpy again.

“There’s something different about my beautiful daughter-in-law.” The woman studied her closely.

Seohyun panicked a little. She was different? What did that mean? Could she tell like the CN Blue boys or like Yunji that she was an imposter? “Annio, Omma-ni. I’m the same as ever.”

“Annio, I can tell. You and Yonghwa are being shy, especially you,” then her mother-in-law dropped her voice and whispered, “Seohyun-ah, are you pregnant again?”

Seohyun’s heart began beating faster. The look in Yonghwa’s mother’s eyes was a mixture of joy, expectation, and desperation. It was one thing for her own mother to bring it up, but Yonghwa’s mother saying something made Seohyun feel very sad for everyone who didn’t know her and Yonghwa’s secret.

“Not yet,” Seohyun replied quietly. It was kind of true, and it wouldn’t break the woman’s heart.

Her mother-in-law deflated a little but still held a grin. “Well, I’m happy to see you two are still trying. Don’t spend too much time in this room with your suitcase of surprises. I have a lot of fun planned for all of us, including a girls’ day tomorrow with me, you, and Soo Ye.”

Together, the two women made their way down into the backyard garden, where Yunji was off playing a chasing game with her cousin, and Yonghwa was already comfortably chatting up his father and brother. In fact, he looked so comfortable that she panicked, wondering if his nap had some magic powers over his memory, causing him to forget their problem. But then he turned around and made eye contact with her, and she knew he was still him. She knew because he looked at her with the same look he had over the past two weeks, a look of recognition but not much else. Not any attraction, or love, or anything a man would feel when looking at his wife.

She wondered if anyone would pick up on it. If they were under pressure for having another baby, they would definitely be under watch for any kind of marriage problems.

Yonghwa approached her apologetically and whispered, “Mianne. You looked so tired. I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“You promised,” she whispered back, adding a smile when she saw that all the family members were watching them from the garden furniture. “Your Omma came to get me. Why didn’t you?”

“Seohyun, don’t. I said I was sorry. Be comfortable around my family or else they’ll think something is wrong.”

He put his arm around her, startling her, and dragged her over to sit next to everyone. His father was cooking on the grill, and Soo-Ye was fanning herself as she talked to her husband. 

Yonghwa kept his arm over Seohyun as they sat down closely together, and Seohyun tried to relax. 

“So, tell me the love story again,” he started out of nowhere, “about how you two started dating.”

Seohyun stopped herself from rolling her eyes and smiling. Soo-Ye laughed.

“Same story as yours,” chimed his brother, kissing his wife on the forehead.

“But not quite. Come on, the baby wants to hear the story,” Yonghwa pressed playfully.

“Can I touch?” asked Seohyun, leaning forward to place her hand on the woman’s large belly.

“We’re really hoping it’s a girl this time,” Soo-Ye made conversation. “Hye Joon enjoys being an oppa to Yunji so much.”

All of them watched the children laugh and spin around, caught in their own little worlds as they played.

“Unnie, did you and brother-in-law always want a boy and a girl?” Seohyun asked innocently.  

“Nae. Yeobo always wished Yonghwa sshi was a girl.” The two of them laughed while Yonghwa frowned.

………………………………………….

Yonghwa’s attempt to find out how his hyung and his ex ended up a married couple was thwarted when his father announced that the food was finished. His mother, Seohyun, and Soo-Ye set up the table with side dishes and drinks quickly while Yunji and Hye Joon washed their hands. 

During lunch, he split his attention between conversation with his parents and his brother and stealing glances at Seohyun, who was trying to maintain a conversation with Soo-Ye about children’s educational toys. She was incredibly cute, pretending to know what she was talking about, and he knew that she was only reiterating conversations she had had with Taeyeon.  

In the moments that he indiscreetly watched her, he noticed the delicacy of her body, the shine of her hair in the sunlight, and how her eyes shrank or widened with each expression. Once upon a time, had had written songs for her, had held her hand, had worn a “wedding ring” that signified their relationship. Once, he had really liked her and wanted to be with her, but life had other plans. She had been at the peak of her career, and he was just starting his. There hadn’t been any time for them to explore their feelings, but he kind of wanted to explore them now.  

Yonghwa’s mother described a plethora of activities that made Seohyun feel like she was back on an idol schedule in Seoul. The only interesting part for Seohyun was the promise of a girls day, in which she could get her hair and nails done, go shopping, and visit the spa. But the bad part of that was she would be separated from Yonghwa and would have to fend for herself.

After lunch, they spent the rest of the afternoon playing a card game, and then Yonghwa’s father got called into work, and his hyung and Soo-Ye went for a walk around the neighborhood as part of Soo-Ye’s daily pregnancy exercise. Seohyun stayed behind and helped his mother wash the dishes, while Yonghwa entertained the kids.

He had fallen madly in love with his daughter, Yunji. She was obedient, kind, and intelligent and looked so much like Seohyun. Except when she smiled, her cheeks bursting like his often did. He wanted to be the best father he could be although he had absolutely no practice. 

It was made worse that Yunji was strictly a daddy’s girl and seemed to be used to her father’s constant attention. “Appa” had become a chant around the house that he had to get used to as much as Seohyun sleeping in bed beside him. He had to admit, they made a beautiful looking family.

After lunch that would probably fill them until dinner time, Seohyun didn’t hesitate to help clean up and wash the dishes with Soo Ye. Yonghwa went to use the restroom, and when he returned, he walked in on his hyung and ex-girlfriend kissing intensely in the kitchen. Yonghwa was so startled that he hid and watched them shyly. He had never seem his brother act like this with a woman, and although he had dated Soo-Ye, he had never had the chance to share such passionate kisses with her.

The others must’ve been back outside enjoying the weather.

A flushed Soo-Ye pulled away and blushed. “Your parents might see us.”

“Who cares,” his hyung stole another kiss.

“Yonghwa and Seohyun are acting strange,” said Soo-Ye, her face turning serious.

“What do you mean?”

“Did you see the way he asked us to tell the story about how we started dating? It was accusatory, in front of his own wife nonetheless. And he kept asking you and your father strange questions.”

Yonghwa tensed. He thought that they had made it through lunch perfectly fine and in harmony with the family. But there was so much of a strain that Soo-Ye had noticed and had brought it up to his brother? Yonghwa felt panicked.

“He’s just tired. We haven’t seen them in several months.”

“They’re usually inseperable,” she pointed out thoughtfully. “Anyone can see how distant they are today.”

“Maybe they had a fight. Soo-Ye, it’s none of our business. Just let Yonghwa deal with his midlife crisis on how he missed out on the perfect wife,” Yonghwa’s hyung kissed Soo-Ye’s forehead, “and it’s problem solved.”

“Perfect wife? Seohyun is the epitome of the perfect wife.”

His hyung laughed humbly. “I was complimenting you. How many years has it been and you’re still pointlessly jealous of your sister-in-law?”

“I’m not jealous! You know I’ve grown to like Seohyun, but I’m just saying. Something’s strange.”

Yonghwa interrupted then, not baring to listen to anymore. He made a loud entrance and acted surprised to see them. “Oh, hyung! Where’s my yeobo?”

“She’s outside,” his hyung pointed out into the backyard. “Are you feeling ok?”

He made a point to sigh loudly. “Seohyun and I are so tired, but we want to spend time with everyone. I’m sure we’ll feel more like ourselves tomorrow.”

With that, he left out to join the rest of the family back outside.

………………………………………..

The rest of the day had passed quickly, and later that night, Yonghwa sat up in bed, waiting for Seohyun to emerge from the bathroom in her pajamas. When she finally did and met eyes with him, she quickly looked away and watched her feet as she made her way to the bed. She crawled into her side of the sheets and lay on her side, hoping that he would shut off the lights.

She had had an exhausting day with his family, pretending she knew what was going on. A couple of times, she had caught Yonghwa’s mother watching her carefully and sometimes Soo-Ye, but Seohyun was used to keeping an image and so she had managed with the weird atmosphere.

When Yonghwa didn’t turn off the light or shift in bed, she sat up and looked at him. He appeared to be deep in thought.

“Oppa?” she asked carefully.

He looked down at her then and slightly shook his head. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” she echoed and fell back onto her pillow.

She had apparently fallen asleep because next thing she knew, she was being shaken awake by the arm gently.

“What?” she responded groggily.

“Sssh,” Yonghwa whispered in her ear. “Come on, let’s explore.”

“Oppa, it’s late, and I’m really tired,” Seohyun moaned, rolling over to face him.

“Seohyun, bali!” he smiled widely. She, of course, did as he asked.

They crept along the halls quietly, and he led her room to room, whispering where they were and it’s importance. His hyung and Soo-Ye lived in his hyung’s old room, and Hye Joon had taken over what used to be an old computer room. Yunji’s beautiful room was a redone room Yonghwa’s mother used for storage of her shoes and clothes. Yonghwa showed her his father’s office, the door to his parents’ room, and every other room in the house.

“And this is the kitchen,” he announced, going over to a cabinet. Seohyun sat on a stool, exhausted. “What would you like to drink?”

“Drink? It’s too late.”

“It’s never too late.” Yonghwa looked inside of the cabinet and pulled out a wine bottle. He uncorked it, reached for a glass, and poured himself some. He offered to her, but she refused it. He shrugged and took a rather large sip that was more like a gulp. She furrowed her eyebrows at him.

He spoke then. “Here’s the deal. I heard Soo Ye and my hyung talking earlier. They noticed something was different about us.”

Seohyun panicked momentarily. “Ottoke!”

“Relax,” Yonghwa reassured her, taking another large sip of wine. “They’re not exactly going to guess that we time traveled. They probably think our marriage isn’t so good right now.”

“That’s even worse. I don’t want to hurt the family with misunderstandings,” Seohyun explained.

“But Seohyun, it’s kind of true,” Yonghwa admitted. “We’re married in pictures and with wedding rings, and we have a child, but we don’t act like it. We’re closer, but not as close as two married people should be. We’re going day by day with no real plan, and sooner or later, everyone’s going to notice. We got lucky with my dongsaengs believing us. We can’t divorce, but we don’t know if we’ll be stuck like this forever. We’re kind of trapped.”

Seohyun thought for a moment. “We’re going to solve the mystery of why we time traveled, so we’re not exactly stuck. But we need a plan until then.”

“Right, and the plan is simple.”

“Really, Oppa, how simple?” She asked him curtly.

Yonghwa took a deep breath and sat down his wine glass. He approached her on the stool, and she stared at him, inching back from his sudden overwhelmingness.

He took another deep breath, pleading to her with his eyes. She understood what he was going to do then. He lightly gripped her chin, staring at her lips. She started to protest but he made a soft ‘ssssh’ sound and whispered “Just let me.”

As he grew closer, she closed her eyes and expected his lips to connect to hers, but instead, she felt his lips, soft and moist, connect with her forehead. She shivered under the kiss.

She felt it as he placed his hands gingerly on her neck and jaw line and her cheeks with his thumbs before planting a kiss on her left cheek. She opened her eyes when he took one of her hands and placed a kiss there as well, only that time, he held the kiss as they looked at each other. His eyes were intense, and she remembered was it was like to be trapped in that gaze so long ago. She remembered because she was trapped once more in this moment. She longed for him to kiss her on the mouth right then and there, but understood that the kissing would unfortunately stop at her hand for tonight.

She let out a shuttery breath and looked away, embarrassed that she wished he had kept kissing her skin and didn’t have the urge to get upset or walk away.

“It’s that simple,” Yonghwa whispered. “Right now, you’re my wife, so I’m going to treat you like it. Please treat me as your husband.”

She said nothing, only wondered what he was thinking.  

He misinterpreted her shyness. “Seohyun, don’t get upset. Husbands and wives, they… touch… and kiss. We have to try harder, and I’m going to take charge from now on. Please do better.”

“I’ll have a little bit of wine now,” was all she could say.

A/N: Did you guys miss me?? :D

Sorry I was away for so long, but April and most of May were extremely busy for me. I must’ve written a million blog posts to apologize and explain what was going on, but I was too busy to finish and post any of them. Now I have some time again so I’ll try to update more (even though I still have things to do). What did you guys think?

Thank you for your continued support of this story and thank you to all the people who kept asking me to update. I felt terrible for not being able to!