Minji's Voice - Bbangsaz

Epilogue

-Five years later-

I watched as my wife swung lazily in our hammock, shifting one foot on the grass to move back and forth in the summer sun. She twirled a lock of dark brown hair around her delicate finger while with her other hand she turned the pages of the book she rested on her swollen belly.

A fierce pride filled me as I looked at my Hanni, the woman who loved me and our children to the ends of her heart.

Our three-year-old twins, Luca and Leo, were frolicking in the nearby grass, spinning until they were dizzy, laughter spilling gleefully from their mouths as they fell onto the grass in fits of laughter.

Children.

I walked slowly towards Hanni and when she saw me, she put the book face down, leaned her head back and smiled at me.

You're at home.

I leaned over the hammock and pointed, The meeting concluded quickly.

I had been in a negotiation meeting for the purchase of some land located on the outskirts of the town. It had gone very well.

The town had voted against the expansion plans that Kim Min A had been putting in place five years ago when I took over the land. But it turned out that residents weren't against expansion or bringing in a little more business, they were just against the particular kind Kim Min A had in mind. So, when I proposed opening several rural accommodations that would respect the picturesque history of the town they loved so much, the people supported the project with their votes.

The fourth establishment would be built on the land I had just purchased that morning.

The city was prospering, business was booming, and it turned out I was a pretty good business woman.

Who could have said it?

I had asked Hanni one night, smiling when the first vote came in in favor of my plan.

"I knew it," she said quietly. "I knew that." And she did it.

She had been the one who had told me that my voice mattered, and her love had made me believe that it could be true. And sometimes that's all it takes, one person willing to listen to your heart, a sound no one has wanted to hear before.

I plucked a dandelion from the grass and smiled as I offered it to Hanni.

She bowed her head and accepted it with a warm gaze and whispered, "All my wishes have already come true." She looked at our kids and said, "This one's for them." She blew softly and the fluff danced in the air, floating on the summer breeze.

Our eyes met again, and I placed my hand on her belly, feeling our baby move.

"It's a boy, you know," she said, smiling.

Probably.

I smiled.

Are you okay with that? I asked.

She smiled softly.

"Yes, perfectly fine," she said, and then added, "As long as there's only one there, I'm fine."

She laughed, looking at the little duo still spinning around in the grass, the ones who hadn't stopped moving since the day they came into the world.

I laughed silently and then clapped three times, getting their attention.

Their little heads lifted up and they began to shout, "Mommy, mommy!" while simultaneously pointing to the word.

They ran towards me, and I made them think they had knocked me to the ground, letting me fall to the grass so they could climb on top of me, laughing non-stop.

A beautiful sound that floated over the entire property.

I sat down, bringing the children with me.

Which one of you is going to help me with the construction today?

I will!

They both said through sign language.

Well, well, we have a lot of work to do if we want to finish the annex before your little brother... or sister arrives.

I extended my hand to them, and they put their little hands-on top of mine, looking seriously into my eyes.

I withdrew my hand and pointed, Brothers all the way, and they pointed right after me, looking solemn.

That's right, I said. The most important agreement that exists.

Maybe one day I would have more of a relationship with my own brother. It had gotten better since I took over the city and he became the Chief of Police, and even I knew that Beomgyu loved his nephews, but we still had a way to go.

My children looked very serious, nodding their heads and opening their eyes wide, with their identical faces so similar to mine. Not even I could deny it.

"Okay, kids, run inside. I'll go make you lunch while your mommy gets her tools," Hanni said, trying to sit up in the hammock and laughing when she fell back, unable to lift her body.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her into my arms, kissing her lips and falling in love with her once again.

That night, four years ago, when Hanni walked to the altar of the Pelion church arm in arm with Norm, I had promised that I would always love her, only her, and I had said it from the bottom of my soul.

And even now, with this crazy, noisy life, with my own job and Hanni's thriving catering company , every night before I fell asleep, I would turn to my wife and say silently: Only you, always you.

And her love enveloped me in stillness, anchoring me to her and reminding me that the most important words are the ones we live.

End.

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We have reached the end of the story.

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to come here to read, comment and vote. Seriously, without your support this wouldn't have been possible.

I really hope you enjoyed following this Bbangsaz story full of ups and downs. Now I have another bbangsaz story that I'm translating, it's called "A matter of time", you can find it in my profile, it's one of the best stories I've read in this platform, so I invite you to give it a try. The synopsis of the story is as follows:

Hanni and Minji hate each other.

Why? 

Too many differences between them... Different social class, different way of thinking, different priorities in life and different circle of friends.

A trip to New York will change everything. It will only be a matter of time.