Hye-jae: Book 2 - New Loves

Beautiful Life Part 1

The brief days following the end-of-year performance slipped by in a blur.  It was clear that the weeks of the concert series were going to be jam-packed with activity - travel, rehearsals, performances - so these preparatory days were precious in fine-tuning the choice and rehearsal of pieces and all 4 performers made full use of them.  Seon-jae spent long hours in the rehearsal rooms in the university and In-seo was busy with university duties, as well as rehearsals.  Ciara rehearsed at home as well as in the artists' collective, while Hye-won practised on the piano in the flat.  

The mornings were her most productive time when Ciara would often come by to rehearse for a few hours, after which they would break for food.  Ciara seemed to take these lunches as her responsibility and either arrived with something delicious that she had bought on her way or more often, would bring simple ingredients that she would whip into a light and tasty lunch-time snack for the two of them.  Invariably, she would refuse Hye-won's help in the kitchen but the 2 would chat companionably as she worked, about the music they had just played, other pieces in the pipeline or any topic that popped up.  In this way, creative mornings gave way easily to their relaxed lunch-breaks, after which they might resume for another short session to perform sections of their rehearsed pieces but by mid-afternoon, Ciara was usually waving a cheery - annyeong - goodbye - and Hye-won had time to herself until evening.  

The summer weather was at its most sweltering at this time of day and it became a habit with her to ease herself prone on the couch with a score to peruse but knowing that she would probably lightly doze too.  These catnaps seemed to really benefit her and she would awaken in the later afternoon with increased energy.  Some days, she would take a leisurely cycle to clear her head and on others, she would walk in the park.  

It was always such a pleasure to take this active time alone, her head musing over thorny phrases she was working on.  She was often amused to hear herself gently humming a particularly sweet turn of phrase that traced its lilting way through her streaming thoughts.  I suppose that is a wonderful side effect of spending each day making music.  As well as the pleasant easing of heat, Hye-won loved that the late afternoon air was redolent with the mixed scents of summer flowers blooming in the park.  She would usually shop for the evening meal at this time too and return home planning a tasty evening meal to cook.  

Seon-jae would often text her during the day - nothing of consequence but guaranteed to bring a tender smile or a semi-outraged snort from Hye-won - and one evening as they cooked, she affectionately referred to these texts as his sweet nothings.  Seon-jae paused where he was stirring a sauce - under instructions to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot - and, his head bent to his task, answered in an amused tone: 'sweet nothings - how cute.'  

Hye-won popped her head under his out-stretched arm, ostensibly to check the sauce but really to coquettishly turn her head up to meet his down-turned eyes: 'no, you're cute, Lee Seon-jae'.

He traced a finger along her eye-brow briefly, then reluctantly pushed her forehead gently away: 'I'm under strict instructions here, so take that distractingly pretty face away for 5 minutes, Oh Hye-won,' to which she laughingly answered: 'fine, fine, I know when I'm not wanted,' as she turned back to the counter where she was making a salad dressing.

Something about that phrase turned Seon-jae's heart to jelly and he reduced the heat under the pot to let the flavours infuse.  He moved to stand behind her, sliding his hands around her midriff and inhaling the outdoors scent lingering upon her: 'not wanted absolutely does not and could never describe you in relation to me, beautiful.  You are most definitely,' he buried his head further in her hair beside her right ear and inhaled again, more slowly and deeply this time, 'wanted.'