CW: A little bit of scare in the first bit and mentions of mature content in the last bit (not too descriptive but just in case). Skip the *** as usual!
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***Skip if you don't want to read slightly eerie content***
Shadows.
The house hidden deep within the forest was shrouded by the night that graced the ancient house of the Hyuns. On such a night, the owl hooted drearily into the eternal darkness, whereas every wall in the house seemed to shrink away from the moonlight.
Thud.
The dead sound of a heavy boot meeting the dusty ground sent a swirl of leaves whirling into the distance. From where the stranger was standing, the fierce ferocious glint in those stormy eyes reflected off the dark surfaces of the windows dangerously, as though he or she was planning a massacre that night.
Thud.
Thud.
Silence. It was a silence so jarring that even the owl stopped hooting to study the cloaked figure with its bright, yellow eyes. The wise owl felt its feathers stand up, sensing something off about the strange human slinking up to the ancient house it watched every single night.
Hoot hoot...
The owl spoke again, its hoots beckoning to the stranger with the question on every night creature's mind.
Who?
It was 4 am.
It was a time where the house was dark, where the earthen ground was cold to the touch, where nightcrawlers crept and thrived as the daylight creatures slumbered deep into the night. They rarely saw any of their kind walking around the forest at such an hour. Not when the world was quiet and devoid of the usual laughter that seemed to drift from the ancient house like a lullaby of happiness.
It was odd...So very odd.
Thud.
Creakkkk...
DOOM!
The mysterious figure disappeared past the gates, leaving behind a wisp of cool air that would have frozen even the warmest creature on the earth. Where the stranger's boots met the ground, the leaves would drop slightly, as though they lacked the usual touch of warmth that emanated off the lovely inhabitants of the ancient house.
Past the heavy mahogany doors, the stranger's footsteps were muffled by the carpeted floors. Reddened eyes scanned the various portraits and decorations around the house, silently appreciating yet silently loathing the happy additions that beamed brightly with love and positivity.
To the cold, hardened heart, nothing about those smiles on the faces of the couple and the children stirred any semblance of life in that empty excuse of a human heart.
The house was warm but it has never been colder too.
Slowly and purposefully, the figure drifted up the stairs, the heaviness of the boots soundless, whereas the cloak swept past the edge of every step silkily, leaving an invisible mark of darkness that was now absorbed by the shadows.
A disturbance to peace.
A shockwave of terror.
None of that belonged in the perfectly wholesome atmosphere that the Hyun family worked so hard to cultivate and ingrain in the very walls that had its own fair shares of torment.
Now, which room would he be in?
A sliver of reddened lips could be seen beneath the cloak as the figure let out a frustrated huff of breath. Decisively, perfectly manicured fingers reached for the shiny doorknob of the door nearest to the stairs.
Heavy breathing slipped through the cracks of the door, much to the distress of the woman buried underneath the comforters that were trapping her mercilessly.
The hair on the back of Ye Jin's neck stood up as the cold sweat dripped down bit by bit onto the bedsheets, tainting them with her desperation to escape from that cold draft of wind rendering her frozen in their bed.
The hand wrapped around the doorknob then and the rusting mechanisms holding it together protested greatly.
Screech!
Beep beep!
And the figure was gone.
***It's safe***
Summary: A strange figure was walking up to the Hyun Family House. But just as the stranger was going to open the door to the master bedroom...
And Ye Jin woke up with a start.
Shaken and utterly terrified by the sudden coldness wrapping her heart, Ye Jin had wiped off the cold sweat clinging to her forehead with the back of her hand.
What on earth?
Leaning back weakly on her pillow, Ye Jin forced herself to take deep breaths to control her pants as she felt her shaking subside.
Closing her eyes again, Ye Jin tensed up when the door to the master bedroom opened slowly and a shadow of a figure slinked in before the door opened wider. The way the door was being pushed open bit by bit was scaring her. In a moment of desperation, Ye Jin had gripped harder to the blankets, forcing herself to breathe and pretend that she was asleep.
Perhaps this was a nightmare.
Yes, that made logical sense.
She was dreaming.
Why else would anyone be walking around the house, and opening the door to their bedroom at 4 am?
That was until...
"Why are you pretending you're asleep, angel?" A very familiar chuckle bounced off the eerily empty walls.
A wave of relief filled her veins with warmth as Ye Jin's eyes snapped open to greet her husband.
"You're home." That same relief coloured her voice as she peered up gratefully at Hyun Bin.
Leaning down to kiss Ye Jin's forehead, Hyun Bin drew back slightly to study his wife, fully revelling in their reunion after three long weeks of separation. "I'm home, Jinnie."
"I've missed you." Ye Jin whispered.
"I know. I missed you too, my love." Hyun Bin tucked her slightly damp hair back.
Grasping onto his hand, Ye Jin gave it a tight squeeze, seeking comfort and strength from the tiny circles he was drawing on her knuckles. For a moment, peace engulfed the room as the couple let out a collective sigh of relief.
Hyun Bin was exhausted from the three-week grind and the long plane ride that would have been less tiring had he actually slept. Yet, his mind had been running wild with thoughts over how he would embrace his angel when they were reunited or what he would say to their children.
Ye Jin was exhausted too from her fitful sleep, one that she was admittedly shaken about. Besides, it was 4 am and that meant she could use more sleep.
They were both exhausted but from their hug, they found strength and their souls were awakened. Yet, past the initial euphoria, both simply wished to rest.
Reluctantly, Hyun Bin let go of his wife, intent on taking a quick shower before he joined her in bed. To his surprise, Ye Jin had grasped on tightly to his shirt, preventing him from leaving.
"Where are you going?"
Taking her shaking hands in his, Hyun Bin laid a gentle kiss on them, watching as her shakes subsided with every touch from him. "To shower. I'm dirty."
"Please don't leave."
This time, Hyun Bin faltered. The desperation clung to her voice alarmed him greatly and he couldn't figure out why Ye Jin seemed so fearful. Did something happen?
Yet, looking deep into her eyes that were misty with unshed tears, Hyun Bin knew that she simply needed him. Nodding firmly, the man simply stripped his outerwear and pulled the blanket apart so that he could embrace her under the sheets.
"Arasseo. I'll stay right by your side. Go back to sleep, angel." He promised.
Ye Jin didn't know why, but the minute she laid herself against Hyun Bin's chest, the waterworks started. Fat, salty tears fell down her face, soaking her husband's skin despite her determination to be strong.
And she wasn't just crying because she was scared. She was crying because she felt relieved.
Relieved that her husband was here. Relieved that they survived those three weeks. Relieved that he was home.
Pulling Ye Jin closer to him, Hyun Bin hugged her while pressing soft kisses on her face. Occasionally, he rubbed her back, hoping to stop her tears with his simple touches. A part of him felt choked up with emotions too, seeing his angel cry. Somehow, he understood, so he kept quiet and chose to offer comfort in a way that words could not.
Gradually, sleep graciously claimed Ye Jin again. For a few minutes, Hyun Bin simply admired his angel, resolidifying her features and her beauty in his head. He missed this. He sincerely missed being able to hold her and feel her heartbeat against his.
Now that he was home, he was at peace.
Through the gentle haze of sleep drifting over his vision, Hyun Bin followed suit, holding his angel flushed against his chest as they strolled into dreamland together.
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The next morning
"Oppa, wake up! Appa's home! Appa's really home!"
Minutes later, the rapid pitter-patter sounds of running feet could be heard on the second floor as the children ran to their parents' bedroom to welcome their father home.
In their excitement, the children's running footsteps was akin to a stampede. If that didn't wake the couple up, surely they were in for a wake-up call once their children made it into their bedroom.
In the dining hall, Halabeoji looked up from the newspaper with a knowing smile on his face.
Looks like the morning would include an exciting reunion.
"They're awake?" Mdm Ji Hyun placed the cup of tea in front of Halabeoji.
"I don't think our sleeping beauty is awake yet, but her sister and brother most definitely are. What an exciting morning we have, isn't it?" Halabeoji chuckled.
"Oh, the children must be so excited to see Mr Hyun again. Eun Ae wouldn't stop talking about it just two days back. She even asked me to make those croissants that she and her appa love." Mdm Ji Hyun laughed.
"Those two share the same taste buds."
"And baby Ki Rai shares the same taste buds with her eomma."
The two elders laughed heartily at that, their laughter absorbed by the cold walls of the house, filling it with vitality and life once again.
Back upstairs, Eun Ae and Jeong Eun had barged right into the bedroom, throwing away all their manners because they simply couldn't wait to see their father.
"Appa!" Eun Ae clambered right onto the bed to snuggle up to her father.
The couple stirred slightly at the sounds of their children's excited shouts, still dazed from the haze of sleepiness.
Blinking away the druggy daze of every morning, the first thing Hyun Bin saw was his precious daughter peering up at him innocently with a joyous smile on her face. She was snuggled right up to his chest, listening to the sounds of her father's therapeutic heartbeat.
But before he could hug his daughter back, a cannonball had launched itself at the couple as their son jumped right onto their bed, his hands flapping like the wings of a bird. Instinctively, Hyun Bin had wrapped his arms around his daughter to keep her from falling as the bed jostled dangerously from their son's weight.
"Appa's home! Appa's home! Yay!" Jeong Eun rejoiced, jumping up and down as Ye Jin laughed.
The smile on Jeong Eun's face was what you could call a sunshine smile, for it encapsulated the child-like joy that could only be found in children, one that would brighten your day instantly.
"Yes, little tyke. I'm home. Now come here and give me a hug!" Hyun Bin held his arms open, letting Jeong Eun launch himself into him.
Wrapping their eldest two in a bear hug, Hyun Bin felt all his tiredness being washed away now that he was home. All that was left was finding his littlest princess.
"Shall we go wake your sister? After that, you can open your presents." Hyun Bin chuckled.
"Presents? You got us presents, appa?" Eun Ae smiled with that toothy grin of hers.
"Of course!" Hyun Bin ruffled her hair fondly.
"Gamsahamnida, appa!" Jeong Eun smiled from ear to ear, rocking back and forth in his father's arms.
"Let's go!" Eun Ae grinned, hopping right off the bed while dragging her father up.
Hyun Bin let their princess drag him out of their bedroom as Ye Jin and Jeong Eun followed them. Mother and son were swinging their hands freely whereas Eun Ae had somehow found her way onto Hyun Bin's shoulders.
They were quite a crowd especially since they typically took turns to wake their youngest. So it wasn't much of a surprise that Ki Rai was slightly grumpy when she woke to all that noise.
"Good morning, princess." Hyun Bin cooed when their little one finally opened her eyes.
All was quiet for a minute as Ki Rai processed who she was looking at. However, to Hyun Bin's mild shock and horror, their little one had jutted out her bottom lip and turned away from him.
What happened next could be considered comical, if not for the fact that it was at Hyun Bin's misfortune.
While their eldest two had decided to run off to play, Ye Jin and Hyun Bin were standing on either side of Ki Rai's bed to coax her awake.
After Ki Rai had looked away from him, a slightly disheartened Hyun Bin had called out to her again, only for Ki Rai to pout even more as she faced her mother instead.
This time, Ye Jin decided to call Ki Rai. "Sweetheart, appa's home." Ye Jin gestured with a motherly smile on her face.
At the sound of Ye Jin's voice, Ki Rai's pout was quickly replaced by a smile as their youngest reached out happily for her mother.
Now that Ki Rai was in a better mood, Hyun Bin tried again, in hopes of seeing their little princess smile at him. But alas, the minute he called her, Ki Rai pouted again.
Back and forth the couple went until it became apparent that whenever Hyun Bin called their daughter, she would pout, whereas if Ye Jin called her, she would smile.
Ki Rai had a bad case of stranger danger, except...it was towards her father.
Dejected, Hyun Bin could only follow Ye Jin out as she carried their youngest to the dining hall. Hyun Bin's first breakfast back in Seoul was eventful, to say the least. Hyun Bin wasn't complaining, of course. It was a major upgrade from the weeks he had to have breakfast alone.
Eun Ae refused to eat unless she sat on Hyun Bin's lap whereas Ki Rai was still ignoring him. Of course, he didn't mind Eun Ae being clingy at all. What he minded greatly was their youngest avoiding him like a plague.
Just yesterday, Ki Rai had given him a big flying kiss when they video called. Now, he couldn't even get a smile, let alone a kiss, out of their princess. Hell, even Mina was being more affectionate around him compared to their child.
Hyun Bin couldn't lie and say he wasn't upset about that. Occasionally, Ye Jin would look over at him to check on him, only to see her husband mirroring the pout Ki Rai gave him in the bedroom whenever he would try to feed their baby.
"Appa! Can we open the presents now?" Eun Ae looked up at him from his lap.
"Of course, princess." Hyun Bin automatically smiled, eliciting a bunch of squeals from Eun Ae.
Before the family knew it, they were in the common room where Hyun Bin brought down the bags of presents that he got for his wife and their children.
The edible gifts include White Rabbit candy for the children – a milky sweet that was a local childhood favourite, the more experimental Durian candy – based on a tropical fruit that Singaporeans love, and tea for the adults. TWG sold many unique flavours and Hyun Bin had painstakingly picked some based on the rather poetic description of the tea found in the back of every packaging.
Hyun Bin picked White House Tea for Halabeoji, Golden Earl Grey for Mdm Ji Hyun, Cocktail Hour Tea for CEO Kang and Red Chocolate Tea for his wife. He also brought a few assortments of tea for his parents although he wasn't sure if they would be back in time to receive the gift from him.
Oh, and of course, Mina had these delicious Bak Kwa dog treats to enjoy too!
Back to that durian candy. Hyun Bin had brought those on a whim after being told that durian was a must-try in Singapore. During his time there, he came to realise most Singaporeans shared a common love for the smelly (no offence) fruit. From desserts to the fruit itself, almost every other street had durians, much to Hyun Bin's dismay because he truly couldn't appreciate it when he tried it.
Perhaps it was an acquired taste. That or one had to be born in a culture that loved durians to appreciate the rather unique taste.
Hyun Bin only ended up buying it for the children and Ye Jin to try. He couldn't appreciate them, but maybe his family would.
Jeong Eun was the first brave soul to try the pale yellow sweet whereas Eun Ae was trying to take off the translucent wrapper of the White Rabbit candy.
"Eun Ae ah, that translucent sheet is edible. It'll melt in your mouth, try it." Hyun Bin urged her while chuckling at how intent Eun Ae looked while trying to unwrap the candy.
Hearing that, Eun Ae popped the candy into her mouth, humming appreciatively at the delightful burst of milky goodness in her mouth. "Daebak! This tastes better than cotton candy, appa!"
"I knew you'd like it, princess. Try one, angel." Hyun Bin lovingly fed one candy to Ye Jin.
Just like their daughter, Ye Jin's eyes lit up when she got the first taste of the sweet. Eun Ae was right, this tastes better than cotton candy.
As for Jeong Eun, he had assumed that the translucent wrapping of the durian candy was edible. Except...it wasn't. Unlike the White Rabbit candy, the durian one wasn't supposed to have edible paper although children who grew up eating the White Rabbit candy were often deceived. Because of that, Jeong Eun had spit out the candy seconds later.
"You don't like it, little tyke?" Hyun Bin assumed instantly.
"Ani, I ate the paper. Let me try another one." Jeong Eun said cheekily.
This time, Jeong Eun could get a proper taste of the odd candy. It only took seconds for his face to scrunch up adorably as he eyed his father accusingly for feeding him such strange candy.
"How is it, sweetie?" Ye Jin asked with a gentle smile on her face.
"It's..." Jeong Eun paused. "Interesting." He drew out each syllable, for he wasn't sure how else he could describe what he was eating.
Did he like it? Not exactly. But Jeong Eun wasn't picky with his food. If his father brought this all the way from Singapore, surely there must be something he was missing. Perhaps he just needed to try more of it.
But before Jeong Eun could give the candy a second chance, Eun Ae had spat it out because she was absolutely disgusted by it. Unlike her brother, Eun Ae openly expressed her distaste as she quickly popped another White Rabbit candy in her mouth to wash the foul taste away.
"Appa, that's disgusting! It tastes so funky!" Eun Ae complained.
"I think so too, princess." Hyun Bin laughed, while Ye Jin looked at him curiously.
"Honey, jinjja? Then why did you buy this?" Ye Jin looked shocked when she said that.
"To let all of you try it. I was told durian is very popular in Singapore. They have the fruit in all forms. Cream puffs, mousse, pies...candy." Hyun Bin gestured to the bag of them.
"Interesting. Let me try it." Ye Jin said.
"Eomma, you're going to regret it. You should save your tastebuds!" Eun Ae spoke dramatically.
Despite their daughter's warning, Ye Jin tried the durian candy. Surprisingly, she enjoyed the unique blend of flavours in her mouth.
"This is interesting. Goodness, I can't believe I've never tried durian before." Ye Jin raved.
Shocked, Hyun Bin's eyebrows rose as he studied Ye Jin closely. "Angel, you like it?"
"They're not too bad, honey. I can see myself enjoying this."
"The candy is mild compared to the fruit. I tried it when I was there and..." Hyun Bin grimaced when he recalled that memory. "I couldn't swallow it."
"Aigoo, maybe I should be the one going to Singapore. I'll fit right in!" Ye Jin winked.
"Eomma, appa! Ki Rai ate the durian candy!" Jeong Eun suddenly brought their attention to their youngest.
And indeed, Ki Rai finally stuffed one of the durian candy into her mouth while the family was busy sharing their thoughts about it. Mdm Ji Hyun was right. Ki Rai and Ye Jin shared the same tastebuds because the little one had clapped happily when she got her first taste of it.
Laughing heartily at the collective disgust on the faces of the durian anti-fans in their family, Ye Jin picked up her happy baby, nuzzling their cheeks together. "That's my baby! Looks like we have all that candy to ourselves."
"Be my guest. I have no part to play in this." Hyun Bin surrendered as their eldest two nodded their heads silently.
For the first time that day, Ki Rai smiled at her father since the man had given her a new sweet to enjoy. Unfortunately, that unrestrained familiarity between Ki Rai and Hyun Bin didn't last too long because their little one was back to ignoring him when he tried to give her the Merlion nightlight he bought. He got them in three colours; pink, purple and white, one for each of their babies.
Although Hyun Bin was disappointed, Ye Jin's silent assurance did make him feel slightly better. She had reasoned that it would take some time for Ki Rai to warm up to him again since she was now used to seeing him through the screen.
Instead, Hyun Bin spent the rest of the time describing the Singlish phrases on the plates he got for Ye Jin, knowing his wife enjoyed collecting unique plates.
"Shiok?" Ye Jin pronounced.
"They use it to express themselves when something is especially pleasing or enjoyable." Hyun Bin explained.
He wasn't a Singlish guru, but he picked up a few phrases here and there. His wife seemed particularly interested in the topic because she never stopped asking questions as she took her time to admire each plate.
Apart from the Singlish plates he got for her, there were also these beautifully crafted plates that had designs of the food he tried plastered on them.
"For memory sake. One day when we go to Singapore, it'll remind us of the food you've been wanting to try every time we spoke over lunch." That was his reasoning behind the thoughtful present.
Ye Jin visibly melted from his words. The corners of her eyes lifted gently, whereas she had naturally leaned further into his embrace. She missed him too. She missed being able to hold him. She missed being able to see everything; from his expressions to his gestures when they spoke.
After all, her husband had what one would call happy feet. His feet were probably more expressive than his face. If he was calm, his feet would be firmly planted on the ground. If he was anxious, he would be tapping away. And when he was shy, he would be rocking them back and forth. None of that could be captured on the video call.
Softly, their gazes climbed until they were naturally leaning closer to one another. The air thickened, much like the way their eyes were suddenly coated with a sheen of love and desire.
The moment felt right.
In the back of their heads, they recalled the night they shared their first kiss. Even back then, if they had been listening closely, they would have known that the heavens blessed their love. If they had been listening, they would have heard the distinct sound of a gentle 'ding' in the air, akin to pure crystal striking the stars – or as Gatsby would claim, a tuning fork that had been struck upon a star.
But this time they heard it and they were more than willing to embrace the feeling of ardent love that fuelled their hearts as the couple sought their reunion kiss.
Unfortunately, some things never change but some things do. And the couple truly wasn't in a convenient place to kiss. They ought to know by now if they wanted some private time together, they had to do it behind closed doors when their children were asleep. That was the only way they wouldn't get interrupted.
Eun Ae was the culprit this time. Their little one had slipped herself between them because Jeong Eun wanted to put up a performance for them. Back in reality, Ye Jin laughed when their little man jumped onto the couch and started dancing silently to the beat in his head. After Ye Jin placed Ki Rai on her lap, the family were ready to watch Jeong Eun perform.
"This one's for appa and eomma!" Jeong Eun spoke enthusiastically before he broke into song.
And the atmosphere Jeong Eun had effortlessly created was magical. Being able to hear everybody's laughter dancing together in the air as their son sang was indeed soul-healing.
Just like that, their hearts were filled to the point they were overflowing with love. It washed away their tiredness and misery over the arrangement and filled them with renewed energy to embark on their new journey.
After Jeong Eun concluded the song, the family had clapped for him before Eun Ae pulled Hyun Bin up to the music room. Her brother's performance had reminded her of the piano piece she wanted to show their father.
"Eomma, you need to help me!" Eun Ae said.
"Oh, that one? Are you sure, sweetheart? You know appa's the pianist here." Ye Jin rubbed her neck unsurely.
"But he needs to watch..." Eun Ae pouted. "You'll be fine, eomma! You're a good pianist too!"
Their child's optimism had Ye Jin laughing hard and she finally caved and took a seat next to Eun Ae.
"Hana dul set!" Their daughter counted and they both placed their hands on the keys.
Just like they practised, the duo began to play. Eun Ae played her part flawlessly whereas Ye Jin was a good accompaniment to their daughter's duet. Meanwhile, pride filled Hyun Bin's eyes because he knew first-hand how far their princess has come since the piece he taught her just a few months back.
Their children were all learning different things at their own pace but whenever they accomplished something, they were always proud. And that pride couldn't be explained with words because nobody would be able to comprehend the sense of puffed-out pride that parents felt for their own children.
"I'm proud of you" hits differently when it came from your parents because they were the ones who struggled with you every step that you took.
That was why when he told Eun Ae that after her mini-performance, their child had beamed up at him as though he just handed her the biggest trophy in the whole world.
"You were amazing too, Jinnie." Hyun Bin whispered as he drew Ye Jin closer to him.
Once again, their moment was kindly interrupted by their children. This time, it was their littlest princess.
Inspired by her sister, Ki Rai found herself in front of the mini piano that the family had brought for their children.
Re So...
"Omo, Ki Rai you're doing so well baby!" Ye Jin clapped her hands adorably like a seal.
Even with just two notes, Ki Rai had her mother excited as she squatted to watch their baby. With the family's attentive love on her, Ki Rai was having the time of her life pressing the white keys. Her little fingers couldn't quite reach that far which was why naturally, she was using one finger to press the keys.
Giggling softly, Ki Rai finally stopped ignoring Hyun Bin when the man sat on the floor next to her, the mini piano looking even tinier in front of his massive frame.
"Want appa to teach you, princess?" Hyun Bin spoke in a soft, tender voice.
"Appa!" Ki Rai pointed at him with a grin on her face.
To be on the receiving end of Ki Rai's grin again made the man ecstatic and he grasped onto this moment tightly, using that time to solidify his bond with their daughter again.
Their morning together ended with chocolate cake; the one that Ye Jin and Ki Rai had baked for his homecoming.
Ye Jin winked at Ki Rai when she saw the heart-shaped cake. Just as she predicted, Hyun Bin didn't even suspect anything. Rather, he was full of praises as he fed Ki Rai more cake. It took a whole morning, but the man was immensely grateful that Ki Rai was comfortable around him again.
Their day passed by quickly.
By the time the children had to be tucked in, Hyun Bin spent practically half an hour just hugging their children. Minutes later, he was tucked under the blankets with his wife.
They were a tangled mess of limbs on the bed but neither of them was satisfied until every inch of their bodies were pressed close together.
"We have a week." Ye Jin said evenly even though her heart raced at the thought of her husband leaving again so soon.
"We'll make the best out of it." Hyun Bin responded determinately.
Peering up at her husband curiously, Ye Jin nodded firmly, knowing he was right. "What do you want to do?"
"Anything. As long as I'm with you and our children." Hyun Bin squeezed Ye Jin's waist comfortingly.
Humming lightly, Ye Jin smiled. "We could go to the beach. It's been a while since we went to the family villa."
"Perfect."
"We can go this Friday. Right after Eun Ae and Jeong Eun ends school."
"They'd love that." Hyun Bin chuckled.
"I'm certain too." Ye Jin laughed softly.
A comfortable silence fell between the couple before Ye Jin turned to face Hyun Bin fully.
"I've missed you." She said.
"Me too. There was never a day I didn't think about you." Hyun Bin shifted such that he was leaning against his arm as he admired his wife lovingly.
After brushing Ye Jin's hair back affectionately, Hyun Bin slowly trailed his hand down such that he was rubbing her bare arm. "Do you know what I missed most?"
"Ani, tell me?" Ye Jin mirrored his stance as she shifted onto her arm too.
"I wouldn't be able to choose. You. I missed everything about you. Your eye smile, your laugh..." Hyun Bin gently traced her face when he said that.
"My lips?" Ye Jin whispered teasingly.
"Mmm, definitely your lips." Hyun Bin played along.
"Love?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I get that kiss now?" That same haze of ardent loving filled Ye Jin's eyes when she said that.
"You didn't even have to ask." Hyun Bin whispered emotionally.
And then his lips were on hers.
Once, twice, thrice, they kissed until they were one; lip for lip, heart for heart, soul for soul. They tasted each other, realising one another for the billionth time. Yet, every kiss they shared was special, sweet and memorable in their own right.
They could feel each other, smell each other, sample each other; all of which they couldn't have done had they been apart. Suddenly, that distant memory of one another didn't seem as far away anymore as they resolidified their existence and life in each other.
Being apart, they have never once forgotten about one another. But rather, it only built their yearning for each other more. And the reward for their patience was sweeter than milk and honey.
Suddenly, they were kissing harder, deeper, with an urgent fervent need that reminded them of the kiss they shared when they were reunited after she was stabbed. They were done sampling because their bodies craved more.
Tonight, they needed to feel more.
"Make love to me, my love?" Ye Jin tilted her head up slightly, her eyes honeyed with pure love for her husband.
"I'll do that over and over again tonight, angel." Hyun Bin bit out huskily.
Wordlessly, the lovers surged onwards, letting their bodies mould together as they built each other towards the climax of a dance that was old as time itself. Their reunion couldn't be any sweeter that night as they explored each other time and time again.
Through their door and past their children's doors, a sweet smile could be seen on each of their faces, for they were happy that their father was home.
When soldiers come home from war, what they sought the most was love from their family. Hyun Bin got all that and more. Because of that, he knew.
Whatever was on the road ahead, they would be fine.