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The cold bothered Se-ri more than she would ever admit. Traumatised by the wounds of her past, Se-ri, grappling with the tempestuous storm brewing from every corners of her heart, had only herself to guard from the fierce squall.
Until Jeong-hyeok comes along, rolling into her turbulent waters like a ship in the night, gently cutting through like a knife, and Se-ri finds herself lost in his current, the storm tamed by him.
"It's cold," Se-ri complains with a girlish pout on her lips. Even with the warm weight of Jeong-hyeok's arm around her as they sit on the grassy meadows overlooking the crystal blue waters of Lake Lungern to watch the sunset, the gentle murmurs of the autumn breeze is still bitingly cold.
Desperately craving to be cocooned by his permeating warmth, Se-ri crawls into him, settling herself comfortably on his lap, prompting Jeong-hyeok to throw his brows upwards at her actions in spite of the twitch at the corners of his mouth, a set of dimples peeking shyly through his cheeks.
Strong arms enfolds her in an embrace he rests his chin on the top of her head, taking in the inviting notes of her floral-scented shampoo lingering on her dark tresses. Like two matched puzzle pieces, she loves how he fits perfectly with him.
It reminds Se-ri of how she and Jeong-hyeok seem to complement each other to the tee - like how he's a man of few words, as opposed to her outspoken, exuberant personality. Or the way she patiently listens to his troubles, never failing to be his wall of support. Or the way he allays her insecurities with his persistent encouragement and loving reassurances. And the way they shower each other with endless affections when they're in the confines of their own world.
She also loves how she seems to be dwarfed by his towering frame, prompting Se-ri to secretly thank the heavens for generously granting him shoulders as wide as the pacific ocean, for her to have her own personal comfort blanket.
He's her castle, like how she's his sky.
"It's still cold," she says, brows creasing.
"Do you want to go back in?" he asks tenderly, tightening his hold on her.
Shaking her head, Se-ri twists around to face him, wide eyes peering at him. Without warning, she slides her hand underneath the fabric of his sweater, her palm coming to rest on his firm torso to seek for warmth, the tips of her cold fingers alighting fire to the thousand and one nerve endings in his body, sending shivers down his spine.
There's a playful twinkle in her doe eyes when Jeong-hyeok's breath hitches at her roaming palm on his chest.
"Why is your heart beating so fast?" she notes.
His eyes widen a fraction, the tips of his ears burning a bright pink - as if she doesn't know the cause of it. "Don't you know?" he clears his throat.
After all these years, his heart never fails to thump wildly for her.
"Oh, I know," she teases, and then Se-ri smiles - the kind of smile that reaches her half-crescent eyes, bringing forth an incandescent glow to her beautiful face, so bright it almost blinds him, and the beating organ in his chest triples the time.
The surprise doesn't end there because Se-ri grabs the hem of Jeong-hyeok's stretchable sweater, ducks and fits herself underneath it, her body deliciously coming in friction with his warm skin. It causes him to mutter a curse under his breath, swearing that his precious swallow will be the death of him.
Jeong-hyeok takes in a deep breath to regulate his quickened heartbeat when Se-ri sinks deeper into his embrace, reminding him of how petite she is when she manages to turn herself around to face the view.
"Are you warmer now?" Jeong-hyeok whispers, his hot breath tickling her neck.
Se-ri hums contentedly. "You're like my personal heater Ri Jeong-hyeok -ssi," she smiles.
A smirk breaks on his handsome face as he perches his chin on the top of her head once again, and they watch the sun sink below the horizon - a palette of orange and gold brushing upon the darkening sky like an artist's canvas, the colour of fire hearths and tangerines stretching far and wide, reflecting off the shimmering lake. The setting sun takes away some of the warmth, but Se-ri has never felt warmer with Jeong-hyeok by her side.
...
"Are you cold? Tired? Do you want to rest for a while?" Ever the concerned husband, Jeong-hyeok throws Se-ri a string of questions as they walk leisurely, hand-in-hand along the pathway by the Swiss countryside, decorated with rows and rows of autumn trees, the gold and red leaves waving gracefully with the brisk wind.
Jeong-hyeok's gaze is fixed on Se-ri's every step, watching her with rapt attention, relishing in the way her dainty fingers are curled around his. Ever since her pregnancy, he has been doting on her even more, responding to her every beck and call.
He's wearing a grey turtleneck sweater underneath a black overcoat, looking maddeningly dashing, while she is dressed impeccably in a baby pink cable knit sweater dress, her growing bump protruding proudly beneath - the combination making them stand out against the pretty view.
"A little," Se-ri replies, smiling at him.
Even as he's unsure to which question she's responding to, Jeong-hyeok tugs on her hand to pull Se-ri closer, because he knows.
She feels herself wrapped within the confines of his large overcoat, pressed closely against the side of his torso, his fingers curled around her arm securely - resurfacing a recollection of the both of them braving a snowstorm in North Korea, and in spite of the different circumstances, a palpable flutter twirls around her heart, and Se-ri smiling bashfully at his sweet gesture.
They continue their journey in comfortable silence, basking in the toasty warmth of each other's body heat, marvelling at the magnificent view sprawling before them. Not long after, they reach the grocery store in the middle of the small town.
There is a moment of panic when Se-ri disappears from Jeong-hyeok's sight when he's picking out fresh fruits from the fruits section, only to see her juggling a few bags of chips and boxes of cookies in her arms, walking to his direction.
Raising a questioning brow when she places the items into the grocery cart, Jeong-hyeok says, "We still have some of those at home."
"It's always good to have some supplies," Se-ri quips.
"We don't need it."
"Why not? We can afford it."
Tilting his head sideways a little, he looks at her helplessly.
Determined to not be at the end of the losing battle, he replies in a resolute tone, "It's not healthy," and ventures to the section Se-ri came from to put away the chips and cookies back to the shelf.
"No!" she gasps, her lower lip jutting out into a pout and for a fleeting moment, Jeong-hyeok's heart wavers at the sight of his adorable wife pouting like a child. Still, for the sake of the health of his wife and unborn child, he sucks in a deep breath, preparing to face her wrath because he refuse to cave in to her cravings this time.
Yet, peculiarly, she obliges to him without complaining.
So, he moves on to the next section in search for spices and herbs, not noticing when Se-ri, as stealthy as a ninja, sneaks in a box of cookies without his knowledge into the cart and hides it behind some fruits.
Later, while exploring the dairy section for fresh milk, Se-ri slips in a bottle of soda, and he catches it from the corner of his eye.
"Isn't that too sweet?" he says, brows hitting his hairline.
"No...," she shakes her head, "because you're the sweetest," she counters mischievously and before Jeong-hyeok can react, Se-ri, always nimble on her feet, leans forward to cage his face between her hands, capturing his lips with hers, causing a pinkish tinge to bloom across his cheeks, and he tries to fight off the shy smile that's threatening to unfurl on his lips.
Nearby, their little public display of affection catches the interest of an elderly couple, and Jeong-hyeok's face turns an even darker shade of red when they cast a knowing smile to their direction, and Se-ri smiles cheekily, secretly pleased with her successful distraction.
Afterwards, when they're paying for the groceries at the payment counter, Jeong-hyeok's eyes narrow into slits as he throws a suspicious glance at Se-ri while folding his arms across his chest when she places a box of cookies on the conveyer belt, to which she responds by playfully sticking out her tongue, in glee with her victory.
...
Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed on his chest, Jeong-hyeok is besotted with the beautiful sight of Se-ri resting on their expensive and comfortable king-sized bed, with their newborn baby sound asleep on her chest, the dim lights casting a warm glow on her exquisite visage - a tender moment Jeong-hyeok will commit to memory.
It's been two days since Eun-a's birth, and Se-ri still finds it hard to believe their baby is safe and sound in her embrace - Eun'a chubby cheek is now squished on her chest, with her tiny fist curled up beside her small face, looking adorable in every way. It's making her heart soar, the exhilaration greater than the rush of paragliding could ever bestow her.
Lovingly, Se-ri traces the outline of the baby's soft cheek with her finger, admiring her minuscule features, which seems to be ever changing.
It's getting slightly chilly because she had left the windows open to let the fresh spring air in, but she doesn't want to disturb the sleeping baby, seemingly calmed by the soft humming of classical music playing through the bluetooth speakers in the bedroom.
Turning her head around, Se-ri finds her personal warmer standing beside the door, looking at her intently with a warm dimpled smile on his charming face. She beckons for Jeong-hyeok to come over, a glimmer of a smile lacing her lips.
"What are you doing standing there all by yourself?"
"Looking at you," he says as he slips under the ridiculously high thread count sheets to snuggle beside her. Jeong-hyeok extends his arm for her to use as a pillow and Se-ri adjusts herself until she's comfortably nestled on the crook of his broad shoulder.
Clad in only her nursing bra for some skin-to-skin contact with the baby, a small gasp escapes from her lips when she feels his other arm winding over her bare swollen midriff, and out of habit, his thumb glides over her skin in a soothing motion, kindling a fount of warmth from her toes upwards.
"What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Are you sore?" Jeong-hyeok enquires with genuine concern, jolting up to look at her. His worry ignites a spark of emotions within her, and coupled with the lingering hormones in her veins, hot tears begin to sting at the back of her eyes.
Yes, she's sore all over, but there is always something pacifying about his gentle touches.
"No," Se-ri chews on her lower lip, seemingly hesitant to tell him her troubles. She's read about all the uncomfortable and unglamorous postpartum period, and yet it's a different matter altogether when she's experiencing it herself.
"I'm not too sure if you would still love me the same with all these," she says, voice trailing into a whisper as she gestures to herself, misty eyes glinting under the soft lights.
"Oh," Jeong-hyeok blinks dumbly for a while. "That's silly. I love you no matter what," he says, tilting forward to lavish her with a kiss between the worry creases of her brows and proceeds to bury his nose into her hair, letting himself be intoxicated with her soft floral fragrance that spells out her name and blooms into the word home.
"Really? Even when I have stretch marks and a flabby stomach and boobs that will sag?" she pouts.
He huffs out a breath, an attempt to suppress the chuckle that's arising from his throat.
"I love every part of you Yoon Se-ri, and know that I love you even more because your sacrifices brought us our daughter," he segues softly, warm eyes boring into hers, mollifying her self-doubts, prompting her to melt with his words.
"Saranghao," he says, reinforcing the word by fluttering a kiss on her temple, and Se-ri presses her lips into a shy smile, soaking in the sensation of being engulfed by his radiating warmth.
"Promise?" she holds out her pinky finger.
Jeong-hyeok nods firmly, catching her little finger with his and he completes it with the words and actions Se-ri had taught him years ago.
Stamp on it. Copied and laminated.
It draws out a laughter from Se-ri - her melodious laugh like a piece of classical music, lighting up his once mundane life, and when her eyes unfurls into the infectious half-moon shape, he can't help but to mimic her smile too, his happy expression deepening with his crinkling eyes and a set of popping dimples on his cheeks.
The baby seems unbothered by the peals of laughter vibrating through Se-ri's chest, only yawning and squirming before settling herself to sleep again, to which Jeong-hyeok and Se-ri are looking at her, eyes wide with wonder.
They are transported back in time - to Jeong-hyeok's confession of wanting to have a family with Se-ri, and now what seems so unreachable back then like the stars in the sky is unbelievably unraveling in front of them. Dreams do come true, if you reach for it.