Sleeping Beauty Syndrome

42

Another three days passed and Hongjoong still hadn't woken up, he even missed the arrival of Yunho and Jongho's son Chunjin , who was already 2 years old and immediately followed his destiny and painted everything that wasn't out of reach together with Sunny. Also San and Yeosang, who were simply too exhausted to notice anything after an all-nighter, as Sunny sometimes had a questionable sleeping pattern. Yunho and Jongho grinned proudly at each other, knowing that he was the perfect child for them, not knowing which of the three of them had more fluff in their heads and whether we should be worried or laughing at the good entertainment they were going to give us from now on.

As both sets of parents were still asleep but the little ones were already awake, I stood in the kitchen making breakfast while they sat in their high chairs, munching away contentedly on the first pancakes that were already ready, when I felt strong arms wrap around my waist and my husband rest his head on my shoulder. Sighing contentedly, I closed my eyes and leaned against him. After all these confusing months, the constant tears and the turmoil in my heart, I could finally let myself go and simply allow the love I felt for Seonghwa. I couldn't help but smile and finally felt happy again. But then I still had to let go of him for a moment, otherwise I would have burnt the pancake that was sizzling away in the pan unobserved and whose underside was already close to the pain threshold for being too dark... I quickly turned it over and switched off the stove so that I could turn to Seonghwa and attack his full lips with mine, which caused the 2-year-old behind us, who I had honestly almost forgotten about, to have a giggle fit, which is why we were startled and looked slightly ashamed at the children. Sunny had taken out the piece of pancake she was munching on and was now puckering her lips in the direction of the older one, who enthusiastically called out "kissy" and tried to lean close enough to her.

We were both smiling with amusement at the cute scene in front of us when Mingi came running in and frantically filled a bucket with warm water.

"What's going on now? You look so stressed." I asked him but he just ran out again and shouted "No time." However, we didn't have to wait long for an explanation because Wooyoung came into the kitchen laughing.

"Lee just threw up all over Hongjoong when she wanted to examine him. And he actually woke up from it," he explained, giggling, and our eyes automatically widened.

"Can you keep an eye on the little ones for a minute? I don't want to miss this." I asked him and he smiled warmly at us.

"Yes, just go over there, I'm not going back in until the mess is gone anyway." he said with a short nod and Seonghwa and I ran over immediately. Luckily, they had already changed his clothes and put fresh sheets on the bed, so he sat there looking a bit pissed off while Lee looked at him guiltily. She didn't look very fit, was extremely pale and a little green around the nose. Mingi cleaned the floor in front of the bed and then carried the laundry towards the bathroom, but he was almost knocked over by Lee, who put her hand over her mouth again and hurriedly overtook him.

"Sorry darling..." she mumbled through her hand and she had already disappeared through the bathroom door and we were allowed to listen to her loudly carrying out her urgent task.

"All good, baby." Mingi called after her, who didn't hesitate to follow her and stroke her back reassuringly.

But only after he had turned to us again, grinning and giving us a thumbs up.

"That was his way of telling us that he's going to be a father." Hongjoong speculated, croaking slightly, and we turned our attention back to him. I hugged him and almost cried, as we were finally together again and things would only go up from here, while Seonghwa sat down next to him and gave him a quick hug.

We told him everything that had happened when he was in a coma and when we finished, he shook his head.

"Please tell me that I don't have to marry Wooyoung now and end up with a brat on my cheek," he said with a desperate look on his face, which made us laugh out loud.

"Well, what's so bad about that Hyung?" Wooyoung asked seductively as he walked in the door and blew Hongjoong a kiss while winking.

"Now I know why Lee threw up, she ran into you," he countered dryly and the others, who were now awake and had their children with them, couldn't help but giggle.

In the evening, we all sat on the roof to celebrate and I lay in Seonghwa's arms the whole time while we drank, talked or simply gazed at the stars together. It was almost like before, only one person was missing...

But even if the grief for Juhee would never completely go away, I had made my peace with it and was finally looking positively to the future again. A new chapter had begun and everything we had experienced in the last few months had only made us grow closer together and stronger.

-----------------------------------------------------------End-------------------------------------