The Art of Family (Book 2)

Chapter 16 Calm

It was dead into the ashen night when the incessant buzzing of Ye Jin's phone woke her. Groaning slightly, Ye Jin attempted to hide her head under the pillows to drown out the ringing but to no avail. Whoever it was calling her was determined to reach her, and Ye Jin soon found herself rolling over to switch on the night light.

Mindlessly cursing at her phone, Ye Jin looked at the Caller ID blearily before her eyes widened dramatically.

It was Hyun Bin.

It was unlike Hyun Bin to disturb her slumber unless something was very wrong. Even before she answered the phone, Ye Jin already had a bad feeling about their conversation. 

"Yeoboseyo?" Ye Jin answered before she yawned, finding it impossible to stifle.

"I'm sorry, Jinnie. Did I wake you?" Hyun Bin asked dumbly before he corrected himself. "Of course I woke you. Mianhae."

"Ani, it's alright. Why are you calling so late, Binnie? Is something wrong?"

"Angel, don't get upset but what I'm about to tell you is not what it seems, alright?" Her husband's panicked ramblings came.

Now, she was wide awake, for it worried her that Hyun Bin seemed to be a minute away from a panic attack. Even through the phone, Ye Jin could imagine him burning holes into the floor with his heated pacing.

Slipping herself off the bed, Ye Jin pressed the phone closer to her ear as she put on her bunny slippers before walking over to the window where the moonlight was at its brightest.

"What's going on, Binnie? You're making me worried." She frowned.

Somehow, Hyun Bin couldn't stop himself from apologising over and over again, which only intensified the growing concern in Ye Jin's chest.

"Mianhae, the thing is..." Hyun Bin sighed heavily as he launched into an in-depth explanation of what happened, taking special care to recall even the tiniest detail, for he wasn't leaving anything to chance.

If there was any chance that Ye Jin would misinterpret the story, Hyun Bin was determined to squash any possibility of that happening. He decided to be honest with her and honest he shall be.

Throughout it all, Ye Jin stayed silent, simply listening to what her husband had to share.  Apart from how her lips were pressed tightly together from displeasure, one wouldn't be able to tell that Ye Jin was upset.

"I'm going to fire her. She was drunk." Hyun Bin ended the story with his final verdict.

That got Ye Jin talking again as she quickly retorted. "Wait a second. Before you do that, hear her out first."

"You can't be serious, angel. How are you so calm about this?" Hyun Bin was genuinely exasperated and confused.

"I'm not saying that there's ever a good reason why someone would be hitting on a married person, but you should hear her out, honey. You and I both know how important second chances are." Ye Jin explained calmly.

"But..."

"Set up a disciplinary hearing. Do whatever suits you. But do not fire her until you hear her side of the story, arasseo? I'm fine. I trust you, Binnie."

"If that is what you want, I will oblige."

"Let me know how it goes, honey." Ye Jin requested gently. "Oh, and try to sleep early tonight. It sounds like you had a long day."

Even from across the continent, Hyun Bin could imagine Ye Jin's gentle smile when she said that. Years into their marriage, his angel was still full of surprises. Her kindness was boundless and he couldn't have asked for a better life partner nor a mother to their children.