Work Text:
I love you
~reckless noona~
Tae-moo had always been an exceptionally attentive husband. After he learned he was about to become a father, however, he pampered his wife even more than before (if that was possible). She’d hardly need to say a word, and he would be there - wearing his apron, ready to cook any dish she wanted. Despite all her protests, on some days, Ha-ri, already tired of dealing with her hormones, couldn’t resist the temptation either. The day I am talking about was one such day.
After feeding his wife a wonderful serving of some pasta that only he and some specialized Italian chefs know how to make, he was now putting away the dishes. She sat on the kitchen counter because it better than sitting alone at the dining table - she could watch her husband cook for her, and they could talk, and it made her feel useful.
Attempting to begin a conversation because she had not been speaking for a while, he asked. "How was the food? I didn't include garlic since you don't like the smell of it these days, but I hope it was good anyway."
Ha-ri was silent. He untied the apron, holding it in his hand, and came face-to-face with her.
"Hmmm?" He said, before noticing that her eyes were moist. “What happened?” He tried to get her to look at him.
She didn't and instead stared at her lap. After a few moments, she whispered in a very small voice.
"I love you.”
The apron fell from his hands.
"What did you say?" He asked, unable to believe his ears.
Ha-ri’s cheeks turned red. "No-nothing important. I jus-just said that I am tired."
"I heard you clearly the first time though,” Tae-moo replied, now putting both his palms on the counter, trapping Ha-ri from either side.
"Just these hormones…they are making me say weird things."
"Do you like the food I make for you so much? Should I cook for you all the time starting tomorrow?" He questioned, mirth apparent in his tone.
"Why are you teasing me like that?" She said, trying to shove him away, but ending up with her hands fumbling on his chest. He couldn't possibly think she only loves him because he cooks for her, right?
"I don’t know,” He replied, grinning, “If that is what makes you say this, I would happily leave my job and just cook for you all my life."
Ha-ri, who was already feeling too emotional, now blinked back tears. “Stop teasing me! You are unfair!”
Irrational tears now fell down her cheeks. "You always say that you like me, that you miss me, that I look pretty, that you’d do everything for me - but you never said you loved me!"
"You want me to say that? I thought you didn't like me being cheesy!”
"It's...not that...,” she mumbled looked around the room - knowing that if she looked at him, she would be unable to think of anything.
Before she could think of some rational explanation for what made her so sad, he replied to her confession in a sweet, loving voice. "I love you too.”
He gave her a peck on the lips.
"What?" She asked - finally meeting his eyes. She wanted to hear it again.
Unlike her, who had been shy, he happily obliged. "I love you."
A pause, in which he noticed her trying to hide a smile.
"I love you."
A deep breath. She gave up trying to hide her glee.
Encouraged, he continued. "I love you. I love your nose, I love your ears – I love your eyes and the way you smile. I love how you eat, how you sleep, how you brush your hair, how you stand on your tiptoes to ki-"
"Stop!" She was blushing hard.
"Now why would I stop?” He asked, enveloping her into a hug. “Who else will I say this to - except you? I love you."
“It's embarrassing!” He expected to be hit, but she just hugged back tighter, indicating that she really, really liked what he was doing.
“I think you are happy, though,” He wiped away her tears with kisses.
“I love you.”
Grinning ear to ear, and now hiding her face by clinging to him, she made an excuse. "It's just the hormones-"
"I love you,” he replied.
"Stop saying that!"
"I love you!"
She leaned back to look at him.
"You won't stop saying that, will you?" She questioned. He chuckled and shook his head.
"I love you!" He said, now picking her up like a princess.
“What if someone sees us?”
“We will just tell them I love you.”
“That’s not an answer!”
“I think that’s all that you want to hear, though,” he answered, laughing as he took her back to their room, while she buried her face in his chest.
This quite quickly became an inside joke between our couple. If Ha-ri asked Tae-moo a question and he wanted to reply in affirmation, he’d just say he loved her.
“What do you think of the new product lineup, President Kang?” Ha-ri asked during a presentation several months later.
“I love you,” Tae-moo replied, out of habit, and she hmm-ed in satisfaction, out of habit. Sung-hoon had to fake a cough to remind them of where they were sitting, shortly after which Mrs. Shin excused herself from the meeting, blushing furiously, immediately followed by her husband - whose ears had turned bright red.
The narrator isn’t sure who leaked it (though she suspects a certain person - Department Head Gye), but the meeting clip went viral on several platforms soon after and became a meme for decades to come. It was even featured in the climax of 399th episode of “Be Brave, Shin Geum-hui!” – where the male lead asked the female lead if she wanted some gofood cilantro dumplings, and she said “I love you” in reply.
After all, it was just like President Kang to use this excellent opportunity to advertise both his products and how much he loved his adorable wife at the same time.