Worlds Apart - Taekook - Book 2

Chapter 266 - Festive Firsts

"Han-Shik! This is beautiful!" Emi was bowled over. She couldn't believe that her husband had arranged a special meal on Christmas day at an exclusive Italian restaurant. It showed her that he listened to her, which was a big deal.

"You like it?" He smiles. He knew that his wife's favourite cuisine was Italian, she'd told him about the fresh, handmade pasta she'd had in Portofino. Italy was a country that she wanted to see more of after she'd spent time in Milan, Turin and Capri, too.

Emi was beaming! She'd told her friends at brunch yesterday how she was happy with the money Han-Shik had given her so she could treat herself to some clothes and a visit to the nail bar but this? This was something else!

"I didn't know that restaurants would be open today." she gushes, having to let go of her husband's hand so they could be seated at a table with a crisp white table cloth and rustic wooden chairs, complete with royal blue brushed velvet padding.

"This one is..." Han-Shik smiles, "... there is a gift for you under your chair." He feels relaxed in his loose trousers and shirt. He'd toyed with the idea of the new jeans he had but thought dressing slightly smarter was more appropriate.

"What? Really?" Emi couldn't believe it. This was a lot to process and she wondered what it was all in aid of?

The couple were closer than they ever had been, she felt that. Affection was happening... it was a slow process... but Han-Shik will reach for her hand to hold now... greetings had become a kiss on the lips instead of the cheek... Han-Shik's gaze lingered more often, making Emi blush. Kisses morphed into intimacy and it was so much more than 'just sex'... Emi felt cherished and valued.

Emi began to feel like their marriage was real... no longer a charade. She understood that her husband had a lot on his mind and was distracted constantly by work now that he was in charge of Yang corporation and she gave him space for that and it wasn't as if she didn't have enough of her own work to get on with. Along with the inheritance, came a tonne of stress and there was still so much to sort out. They didn't know about the yacht until the will reading, they didn't know about Yang Travel and they were yet to make a decision about the apartment. Han-Shik was badgered by his mother, who hadn't let up in her attempts to contact him. Every day he expected her to appear at Yang Corporation but she hadn't yet. He wasn't in the mood for her fables and dramatics. Han-Shik knew where she was and regardless of what she said, he knew she had access to a personal bank account with albeit, 'limited funds' so her cries of poverty fell on deaf ears. The bottom line was that he was still conflicted. His head was a jumbled mess of what he should do? What he wanted to do? What to believe? What he knew? The emotional attachment, the reliving of the past... it was all too much when it came to his mother.

Kyong told him that he should focus on the future because that is what would get him through everything happening presently. Han-Shik mulled over his brother's words and decided that for the first time in his life, he could see a future, one that he was in control of.

Of course... he'd been thinking hard... he wanted to be sure that Emi was his future? Or it was at least, whether he WANTED her to be? Han-Shik's brain worked overtime as he pondered his options and battled the fear of being tied to one person. When he was allowed access to the house, he sat in Ryan's chair at his desk and it was the first time in forever that he had actual personal time to himself, to think. No-one knew he was there except Ho-Joon and the attorney representing Jungkook. The house was deathly silent as he sat in his navy suit, rolling a paperweight in his hand. It was too late to wish that he'd had more moments like this, where he'd pressed pause on life... but he was usually too hungover to think.

Emi pushes her chair back and gets off the seat so she can crouch down and look underneath. She finds a red and gold gift bag, which isn't easy to free from the chair legs. "How did you get this under here?" She giggles as she tussles with it, finally pulling it free.