#minty-53

soft spot

When they move back to Seoul, they get a real apartment with more than two rooms. It has a full living room, a kitchen Hye-Sung doesn’t always know what to do with, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a study. It is perfect for their growing family and it is close to both the precinct where Soo-Ha works and the court house where Do-Yeon sits as chief judge. Hye-Sung’s office is in the new legal complex built to replace the buildings Jin-Ie and Hyun-Su destroyed. 

It is a little bit out of the way and sometimes she gets home later than she’d like. Soo-Ha never complains even though he is not fantastic at making their son keep to his sleep schedule. She often finds him dozing on the couch with little Kwan-Woo curled up next to him.

When she goes back into work after their girls are born, it’s the same. Little Kwan-Woo might be better at sleeping in his own bed, but their girls are always competing for room on top of their father. Sometimes she catches Soo-Ha awake, sitting on the couch, with one girl snuggling into his leg, and the other demanding the crook of his arm while he works through the evidence of one of his cases.

Hye-Sung worries about the stress on his knee and shoulder but he just smiles and insists he doesn’t mind. She gets a picture every time. She saves them to her phone, to her computer, and makes Soo-Ha do the same. Hye-Sung doesn’t want to lose a single memory.

It is bittersweet when all three of the kids get too grown up, too busy, and too independent. She misses coming home to these moments. She and Soo-Ha sometimes spend entire evenings going through the save photographs. One night, they find a series of pictures on Hye-Sung’s phone she doesn’t remember taking but...

It appears that at least one of their children took control of the phone to capture moments of their own--Hye-Sung and Soo-Ha dozing together on the couch. Soo-Ha smiles and kisses her temple as they laugh. They try to guess which one is the sneakiest but end up falling asleep before making it to the bedroom.

letter

Shedoesn’t know if it is a sign she is too busy or too pregnant but Hye-Sungmisses an important date. Soo-Ha always gets the mail anyway because she standsfirm in her belief that important announcements came through email. She does,however, catch his pensive expression as he stares at an envelope while takingoff his shoes.

Hye-Sung,honestly, cares more about the fried chicken in his other hand. He’s too slow,so she trundles herself over to the entryway and reminds him she is carryinghis child with a bump of her belly against his arm. She takes the two boxes ofchicken away from him and heads over to the dining room table.

“Ifyou don’t hurry, I’m going to eat it all. Don’t tell me I can’t because youknow I can.”

Helaughs and quickly joins her. She gets a hug and a kiss and is ready tocomplain that she can’t drink the requisite beer when he sets the envelope onthe table. Hye-Sung blinks and looks at the return address. That’s when thedate occurs to her.

Sheopens the envelope and reads the letter. “I have my license back. I canpractice law again.” Soo-Ha grins and squeezes her hand because he can probablyhear how happy this news makes her. Tears come to her eyes. It feels like it’sbeen so long since the hearing. “I can be an attorney again. It’s finally over.All of it.”

plane ticket

“It is a really good opportunity,” Mother says. “I think you should take it.”

In-Ha stares at the accepted application she put together with absolutely no expectations. She’d asked for recommendations with truthful smiles that if she didn’t at least try, she would regret it. Dal-Po said he would support her but he had to know she wouldn’t get it. Six months as a junior reporter attached to an embassy in the United States.

“But I just had a baby.”

Mother smiles and pats her shoulder. “Hiccup now. Your baby is nearly three.”

In-Ha hiccups. She wrinkles her nose. “I did not just have a baby,” she says before they can take control. She walks home from the bus stop that night and takes her time. How can she leave Dal-Po alone with two children for six months? Dad would help him but Grandpa was getting old enough to really need someone to watch out for him. 

She can’t just leave her family. 

In-Ha is unprepared for the pop of confetti when she walks in the door. Her two little children rush her happily and Dal-Po follows in their wake. She looks up and sees the banner hanging from the ceiling. Mother must have told him.

“Tell the truth,” Dal-Po says after he kisses her. “Do you want to go?”

“It’s not that important.” She hiccups. “It will be okay.” She hiccups. “I can’t leave you and the girls for six months.” A third hiccup turns her into a liar as he just smiles and kisses her again.

where were you

Thereis a mild paranoia that sets itself into the background noise of their lives.It gets worse when they move back to Seoul. Hye-Sung won’t admit it out loud,but the reason she takes her son personally to preschool is because she doesn’tentirely trust the bus. Soo-Ha never tells her she’s being unreasonable. Shesees how tightly he holds onto the girls’ hands when they go to the park.

Hernightmares are different than Soo-Ha’s. They don’t talk about them. They don’treally have to. Soo-Ha can see the lingering images in her mind and he pullsher close. He silently soothes her. They laugh about taking turns.

Shedoesn’t break until one night, she rolls over and he’s not there. Hye-Sungchecks the floor. She checks her phone. Her heart starts to race and she doesn’tbother to throw a robe on over her pajamas before hurrying out into the livingroom.

LittleKwan-Woo sits on the counter, babbling at Soo-Ha, while he assembles lunchesfor the next day. Her son beams at her and jumps off the counter. “Omma! Don’tworry, I already yelled at Appa for sneaking out.”

Soo-Haducks his head and looks away bashfully. “I realized it was my turn,” he saidbefore she could ask any questions. “And we were out of sausages. I’m sorry.”

Hye-Sungblinks and begins to laugh because she realizes her fear was ridiculous. Soo-Hawipes his hands and comes over to her. She needs the few kisses he gives her. Shehas to sit down as she giggles it all out. She bows her head and littleKwan-Woo pats her shoulder helpfully.