Affection's Facade

On happiness

Tae-hyung's pov

I began to unstrap my watch, focusing on the familiar action as a way to ground myself after the long day. While in the process of undoing my tie, I glanced up to catch Elera's silhouette framed softly by the dim light from the hallway. She entered, letting the door close gently behind her. The soft click momentarily filled the quiet space between us. Her gaze, seemingly lost in thought, finally met mine when she approached.

"Hello there, beautiful," I greeted, my voice soft, while my eyes continued catching hers in the mirror.

She tilted her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "You're late," she teased.

I smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm assuming you missed me?"

Her nod was delicate, accompanied by a smile that reached her eyes.

Laughing lightly, I placed my watch on the nightstand with a muted click. "Work held me up. Had to finalize some things for Mi-Jung. There were complications with filing both that and the divorce from So-yeon, but we found a little loophole. All's well." I smiled.

" Well that's good." She responded.

"And your visit with So-yeon?" I inquired, curious about their interaction.

"I thought it'd be on the news by now. Maybe she's rethinking her decision to turn in her father."

Resting a comforting hand on her arm, I pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "Let's not worry over that. She doesn't have many choices left."

She sighed, nodding in agreement before meeting my gaze. "Your father stopped by today," she began, a hint of caution in her voice.

I paused, my suit jacket halfway off my shoulder. "Really? What did he want?"

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, she folded her hands in her lap. "We met at the gate. He mentioned Mrs. Kim's knowledge about Mi-Jung. I assured him we're already on top of that. Still, given the situation, I thought you should know."

I let my jacket fall onto a chair, "He's been calling non-stop," I admitted with a heavy sigh.

Elera's gaze seemed distant, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on the duvet. "Maybe you should ask him what he knows," she suggested, breaking the brief silence between us.

Meeting her gaze, I gave a reassuring nod. "I will," I promised, my lips curving into a gentle smile. The weight of the ongoing legal matters was running about in the room. With that I found myself reading a text message I received from my father, better setting my phone aside, in order to give her all my attention.

She let out a weary sigh, allowing herself to sink back onto the plush bed. Her hair fanned out around her, and for a moment, I was caught in the beauty of the scene.

"Don't let it weigh you down too much," I murmured, reaching out to tuck a stray strand behind her ear. "Everything will work out soon."

She tilted her head to look at me, a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "Are you comfortable with me taking the girls out tomorrow?" I asked, tentatively.

Her eyebrows knitted together. "Out? Like, outside?" she asked, a touch of concern evident in her voice.

I chuckled softly, nodding. "It's one of the final court hearings. I think it might be good for the judge to see them — to see that they're together and thriving."

Elera took a moment, then gave a slow nod, her fingers intertwining with mine. "As long as you'll be with them, I trust your decision. Thank you for considering my feelings," she added.