In My Arms (Hometown Cha Cha Cha fanfiction)

Chapter 25: Warm Hearts

Du Sik's POV

Hye Jin glows with a radiant joy as he make our way back to the beach from our secret garden. She holds my hand and look at the world around her with a sense of awe and wonder.

"Are you working today?" She asks me.

"No. I cleared out my whole day today. I'm all yours today." I smile at her.

"Then..." Hye Jin starts and holds a playful glimmer in her eyes.

"Why? Is there anything you want to do today?" I ask her.

"We can..." She bites her lip and looks at me with a look that makes me feel alive. "We can eat lunch first and afterwards, we can do..." She winks. "Other stuff."

I have to control myself from smiling.

"Ah, I see," I smirk back at her. "What kind of other stuff?" I ask.

Hye Jin moves close to me so that she can whisper into my ear. Her words sends a wave of intoxicating exhilaration sliding down my back.

We've reached our house.

I kiss Hye Jin's cheek as she draws her lips away from my ear.

"CHIEF HONG! DR YOON!" Hwa Jeong's voice rings from the entrance as she steps into our house yard.

"Oh! Mrs Yeo!" Hye Jin and I are both shocked by her sudden appearance. "Hello!" I greet.

"Ah, I heard it's Dr Yoon's birthday today, so I brought over some seaweed soup, beef japchae beet songpyeon and tteokguk!" Hwa Jeong says happily as she sets the countainer of food down.
"Wah, Mrs Yeo." I say in delight as I look at the stacks of food.

"This is really too much, how can I accept this?" Hye Jin says gratefully as she looks at the large volumes of food.

"Of course you can accept this Dr Yoon! It's your birthday. I wanted to make something especially for you!" Hwa Jeong says.

"OH HWA JEONG YOU'RE HERE TOO?" Nam suk says loudly. "Dr Yoon! This is for you!" She says happily as she presents a plate wrapped in aluminum foil. "It's nokdujeon! I fried them myself this morning." She says happily.
"Oh, wow. Thank you so much." Hye Jin accepts it gratefully.

"Ah, it's the least I can do for Gongjin's great, wonderful doctor!" Nam suk claps her hands together.
Unnie! Unnie!" Ju ri rushes into our yard with Chun jae following close behind as he lugs something on his shoulders.
"Unnie! Happy birthday!" Ju ri says happily and hugs Hye Jin. Hye Jin laughs with amusement as she hugs the girl who sees her as her role model back.

"Dr Yoon, this is for you!" Chun jae says as he hands over a big wok of shrimp gambo. "I saved the biggest, juciest shrimps for you!" Chun jae adds.

"Thank you." Hye Jin beams.
"Dr Yoon!" Il jun and Bo ra run into the yard together. "Dr Yoon, this is for you!" Il jun says as he gives Hye Jin a handwritten card from him and Bo ra. Hye Jin smiles with amusement.

"Is this me?" Hye Jin asks as she looks at the drawing.

"Yes!" Il jun says excitedly. "And that's me, see?" He says, pointing to the other cartoon character drawn on the card. "This is the first day I met you, when you helped me with my baby tooth that fell out! I will never forget your kindness, Dr Yoon!" Il jun says as he bows politely. Hye Jin's expression is welled up with gratitude and joy.

"Dr Yoon! I helped make the card too!" Bo ra says excitedly as she points to the drawing of herself in the card.

"We made it together." Il Jun says. As he beams with pride, he reaches out to hold Bo ra's hand. Bo ra raises her eyebrow at him, but doesn't let go of his grasp.

"Thank you Il jun, Bo ra." I thank them, patting their heads.

"Dr Yoon!" Yun kyung follows closely behind the two children. "This is for you Dr Yoon!" Yun kyung says excitedly as she hands Hye Jin a fruit basket. Behind her follows Geum chul who cradles their new baby girl in his arms.

"Hello Eun ra!" Hye jin whispers in a soft tone as she looks at their baby girl.

"Wah, Eun ra is already growing up to be such a beautiful girl." I say and pat Geum chul on the back. "Good job, Eun ra's father." I laugh.

"Of course she's going to grow up to be very beautiful after all the tender loving care I've showered on her!" Geum chul says happily.

"Tender loving care?" Yun kyung snorts. "You should see Geum chul try to change her diapers. My poor Eun ra had her diapers facing the wrong way for a whole day!" Yun kyung shakes her head in disapproval.

"Hey!" Geum chul exclaims and quickly quietens down as the baby girl in his arms shifts in her sleep. "Don't wake her!" He says in a hushed tone.

"Thank you everyone." Hye Jin addresses everyone who has come with their well wishes. She glows in a warm bliss. Her heart is full and it shows in a lovely way in her expression.

"Dr Yoon! Come and blow your candles!" Ms Mat-i and Ms Sook-ja beckon her as they bring out a cake lit with candles.

"Make a wish with me?" Hye jin turns to me and asks as they set the cake in front of her.

"Ah, it's your birthday." I say shyly. Hye jin holds me hand and stands in front of the cake.

"Blow out the candles with me, like we did for your birthday last year." Hye Jin requests.

"That's right, Chief Hong! Hurry up and blow the candles with Dr Yoon before the wax melts all over the cake!" Hwa Jeong calls and everyone cheers.

Holding Hye Jin's hand, I blow out the candles with her. Everyone claps and we're laughing with delight as we cut the cake.

The afternoon is filled with cheerful laughter as everyone gathers around to feast on the huge spread of food.

"Wah, I'm so full." Hye Jin laughs as she leans on me. I reach out and wrap my arm around her. She leans her head on my shoulder.

"Aigoo, you two really make a very good looking couple." Nam suk says as she snacks happily. "Your children will definitely be very good looking." She continues.

Hye jin and I both laugh and turn to look at each other.

"I guess we've never really thought of that before." I say as I smile at Hye jin. She smiles back at me.

"Wah, you should really consider, you know?" Nam suk smirks.

"Just make sure you only have one child... two is a handful." Geum chul sighs. Yun kyung slaps his thigh.

"Eun ra-ah, don't listen to your father." Yun kyung says sweetly as she covers her baby's ears.

"Hye Jin! Chief Hong!" Seong hyun's voice can be heard as he steps into the yard. Next to him is Writer Wang.

"Oh! Sunbae!" Hye Jin says in surprise as we go greet them. "What are you doing here?" Hye jin asks.

"I missed Chief Hong too much." Seong Hyun says. I laugh with amusement.

"Really? Why? Has every surfing instructor in Seoul given up on you already?" I ask and grin at Seong Hyun.

"Ah, that hurts." Seong Hyun jokes as he holds his hand up to his chest.

"Happy birthday Dr Yoon!" Writer Wang greets her and Hye Jin thanks her.

"Did you drive here all the way from Seoul?" I ask.

"Yes, we could. Thanks to Ji won for pulling an all-nighter so we could come here today." Seong Hyun says and puts his arm around Writer Wang. It is evident that Writer Wang is trying her best to hide a smile. But the feelings of pure bliss shine on her face. She looks at Seong Hyun with a different gaze. In the past, there was a sense of denial and maybe longing. But now, she looks at him with affection.

"Good that you know how hard I work." Writer Wang says. Seong Hyun laughs.

"Come and join us! Everyone is here." I invite them to the feast.