SIXTY THREE

A few days after they sent Yonghwa off to the airport, the L’Or photoshoot in Hyoyeon’s penthouse took place where they made it appear that the mother and daughter have been living there since they came back to Korea. They only had to do two briefs there and they just finished the first one where they recreated one of their favorite bonding time— Seohyun baking cookies while Euna played with her coloring book. The little girl had her moment of awkwardness so the director decided to do the same trick they did during their first photoshoot where they pretended to have a break while she ‘played’ with her Umma.

While the staff pretended to ‘fix’ and ‘arrange’ their equipments, Seohyun and Euna ended up covering their faces with flour; drawing on the countertop (that was surely unplanned) and on their faces (which was a cute addition); eating all of the chocolate chips (that were supposed to go with the cookies); and, most especially, failing to do the whole baking-the-cookies and coloring-the-coloring-book. Despite all these, the photographer was able to capture the most natural pictures of them spending time and being crazy with each other.

The next shoot happened in the patio of the master’s suite where the staff placed a light pink mattress with pillows and sheets of the same shade. Since Euna was able to get over her shyness, or more likely ignored the presence of the other people in her Hyo Imo’s house, the shoot went well for awhile until the little girl literally fell asleep in the middle of it all. They took that opportunity to do the interview for the article while the rest of the staff had their breaks as well.

The interviewer, Park Eunjung, was the same writer who did the article for them years ago. Since Seohyun has developed a special bond with her, they ended up chatting right after the formal talk over cups of tea while Euna slept on the bed in the middle of the open space.

“It feels like yesterday, Euna is really growing up so much like you,” the older woman commented with a smile as she watched the sleeping child over her shoulder.

“She is…” Seohyun nodded feeling the rush of pride although she heard that so many times before. Watching Euna grow up as a happy little girl reminded her of her own childhood. She promised herself before that she would give everything she never had before as child to her own children—material and emotional, especially love.

Overflowing love.

And she felt really lucky that it was Yonghwa she found to share that dream with. He is equally invested to their little family as she is.

“It’s amazing to think how you and,” Eunjung, oblivious of Seohyun’s contemplation, continued as she looked around. They were still careful since some of the staff didn’t share the secret they were holding, “And him found each other through L’Or.”

Seohyun smiled putting her cup on the table, “Who would have thought? You were all part of our story. I have always been thankful to you and to everyone who knows but continuously keep this with us.”

“Aside from the privacy clause, I think most of us are just happy that you both found love and we cannot destroy that by mere selfishness.”

“I know…” she laughed nervously, “The fear never leaves me, Unnie. Even before having Euna, it has always been there, more so now that we have this little angel to protect.”

“Yeah but I’m just curious, do you want to keep this for a long time? As long as you can?” She asked and sensed the uneasiness on the younger girl as she seemed to be giving her a tight smile.

“I’m conflicted when it comes to that topic. The pressure is slowly growing; I think we cannot really keep this for long. I just don’t know how it’s going to happen and it’s scary.”

“It is…” Eunjung reached out and held Seohyun’s warm hand. She gave her an encouraging smile while squeezing her hand, “But whatever happens, we will rally behind you…”

“Thank you, Unnie…” There was a tight knot in hearing that. She knew there are so many people who will continuously support them whatever happens and she was thankful— always and always. Seohyun sighed then gave her unnie a wide grin, “Maybe one day, when everything is in place, we can have another interview… like this… with… Oppa.”

“I will be waiting for that day, Seohyuna.”

After the interview, Seohyun lay down beside Euna and used her phone to take pictures of them on the bed. She smiled at how pretty it was and ignored Photographer Han who started working with his own shutters. Seohyun just realized his intentions to capture natural photographs for this shoot so she decided to throw that knowledge at the back of her mind. Instead, she sent the pictures she took to Yonghwa.

As expected, he replied just after a few minutes, “Wow, my lovely girls! Are you having fun?”

“We are. Your baby’s particularly natural that she’s even taking her nap in the middle of this photoshoot. Imagine that! Such a professional! XD” Seohyun smiled as she reread her reply after sending it to him.

“Hahaha! But she looks pretty even asleep so I bet P.Han is having a field day right now.”

She turned for a moment and gave the said photographer a smoldering look as the latter snapped away, “I guess. Hope you’re having a good day too. Wish you were here.”

“I am but I’m missing you both.”

“We miss you too,” she fixed a small pout at the camera of her phone and sent him.

“You’re looking really y, tiger. Can you take one more picture? Only you?”

“HAHA. Euna will be mad.” She replied but she sent him one anyway.

“Wow… god, I just fell in love again. Can you at least two of those little thingies?”

Seohyun found herself laughing and noticed the frown of the photographer so she waved at him, “I’m so sorry. Can you give me a minute? After this I’ll wake Euna up.”

“Okay?” The good photographer gave her a knowing frown and a grin before turning to check the raw files.

When she was sure that nobody was paying attention, she bit her lip while ing the white dress shirt she was wearing. She sent him a short reply before actually taking another selca, “You’re crazy.”

Yonghwa seemed to have been waiting with his phone on his hand as he replied in lightning speed, “I’m not kidding… please?”

She giggled, “No…”

“Come on now, tiger…”

She hit send and waited until her phone vibrated again. Seohyun laughed at his response.

“Wow!!! Now I have more reasons to plan our night after this tour. Maybe we can send our kid to her grandparents so we can turn the umma-and-appa time to umma-and-appa week!”

“A week? Now you’re exaggerating.”

“Fine. Umma-and-appa weekend, how’s that?”

“Ha. Ha. Okay, going back to shoot. Love you!”

“Love you more! Think about the umma-and-appa weekend ;)”

~~~

That night, Euna was drawing on the living room while Seohyun prepared dinner. Waiting for Euna to finish taking her vitamins, she took the paper her baby was drawing on, “What’s this?”

“It’s a mountain,” she said confidently as she handed her mom the dosing cup. Twitching from the bitter aftertaste of her vitamins, Euna grabbed the glass of water and drank every drop.

Seohyun patted her head and pointed at the stick figure on the paper as if to divert her attention, “And this?”

“It’s me…” Euna shrugged then took a crayon, “I will dwo you next, okay?”

“Sure thing, baby…” sh