Hye-jae: Book 4

Birthday Beauty Part 67

Seon-jae stirred first in the couple's under-the-covers swooning snooze and in the half-light lay studying Hye-won's resting features - arched brows over lidded eyes with dusty lashes, high cheeks, straight nose and pretty, rose lips.  For a moment, he allowed himself to remember his first time to see his love - in work mode, unaware of his hidden attentions - and his memory told him she had looked elegant and beautiful but also so aloof and unattainable and he realised that he never saw those qualities in his love any more.  It's as though she is a different person now - that's the new Hye-won, I suppose.  He could have stayed cosied right there all morning and I'm sure we could think of something to do to keep us amused but he was well aware that 2 Very Important Persons had a plan of their own that needed Daddy's help and with the lightest kiss dropped to his love's resting breast later, I'll be right back here later he slid from their nest to shower and dress.

A few minutes later, elbow-deep in batter, joking with Seon-won who was splashily washing blueberries, Hye-jae stirring milk and chocolate and watching her Daddy's cooking carefully - as Seon-jae always told her - make sure I don't burn everything - he realised that these early morning birthday breakfasts were such special, fun moments with the kids.  Knowing that he wouldn't have to miss even one made him very happy.  Having spent the autumn and winter preparing and recording music - while living so happily with Hye-won, the growing kiddies and Ciara in the same house in Oyster Bay, while Ciara's friend remained on her cruise ship over the autumn and winter and Julie became a frequent visitor - the spring had brought a schedule of carefully chosen concerts.  The success of the previous recording and concert tour had risen Seon-jae's booking power and the management company had succeeded in placing him in several prestigious concert halls for groups of 2 or even 3 concerts.  Playing in Carnegie Hall in New York had been a hugely significant milestone made all the more wonderful by the fact that Hye-won, the children, and Ciara and Julie had been his specially invited guests.  Other concerts - in The Orpheum in Vancouver, Canada, Hye-won accompanying him for that trip while Ciara and Julie cared for the children - and in the Royal Albert Hall in London - when he had travelled alone but then flown to Paris where the family had flown to join him - had been moments of great excitement and artistic reward for him, without the loneliness of long absences from his loved ones that had marred the previous summer.  And all of it made possible because of my brilliant sweetheart.  He was fully aware that it had been Hye-won's experience in negotiation - strategic in thinking, versatile in communicating - that had effected such positive changes in his career.  And I won't ever forget that, my love.

'Daddy, you are day-dreaming - you will burn Mommy's birthday pancakes.'

Hye-jae's laughing warning brought him back to the task in hand, with a start: 'aish - gosh - thank goodness you were watching over me, my clever girl.'

He shook himself from his musings and devoted himself to the preparations and soon the 3 had a huge stack of golden pancakes with blueberries and a steaming jug of lusciously thick and deliciously creamy chocolate, made with a little thought of gratitude to his - Eomma - Mom - for the recipe.  

'Ok, you 2, you know the plan, now off you go,' and as the 2 began to run giggling with excitement to their bedroom for the next planned stage of the careful preparations for this birthday breakfast, their Daddy couldn't help smiling with the joy that filled him.  I'm happy Eomma - Mom - I'm so happy.

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