173 - Happily Ever After (feat. Heena)
TL/Editor: looloo
Status: ongoing
Illustrations: posted in discord
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Yeonho and Sarang. Even after our hotel staycation, ti raced on relentlessly.
Work was hectic and draining, but it couldn't dampen my happiness.
My late hours ant Yeonho, the love of my life, always welcod ho first.
Our daughter, who I adore almost as much as Yeonho, sotis needs scolding for avoiding vegetables and lately makes a tad jealous for monopolizing her father's attention.
Those two kept a smile on my face. Each day brimd with gratitude.
How long has it been since that miracle reunited with Yeonho? Even that mory's grown hazy. All that remains are our joyful monts together.
And those mories kept accumulating after our staycation.
"Woooooow!!! Daddy!! Uncle's coming this way!!"
"Bro, what the hell?! This ain't bumper cars!"
"Hahahaha!"
We'd sohow squeezed in a family sledding trip.
Careening down the slope, colliding left and right. I snapped photos of an ecstatic Yeonho and Sarang at the bottom.
Nearby, my brother and...
"Sarang!! Auntie's coming too!!"
"Sis, be careful, dammit!"
"Kyaaa!!"
My sister, also crashing about on her sled. Despite early pregnancy, she laughed raucously as ever.
My brothers-in-law, Jeongwoo oppa and Sunhoo oppa, had gone skiing separately. I was glad they seed to be enjoying themselves after their recent work struggles.
Eventually, Yeonho and Sarang tumbled off their sled, faces caked in snow, and ca to for help.
"This won't do. Heena, quit with the photos and help out. They're hopeless, crashing into each other like that."
"Mommy! Daddy and I rolled around! The snow's so cold!"
"Hehe, alright~ Mother-in-law's taking photos too, so I'll join in."
That day was a blast. I'd never cared for skiing or sledding before, but with family, it was exhilarating.
As we headed ho after hours of play, I felt genuinely disappointed. So I made a silent vow.
To hit the slopes every year from now on. All of us, together.
---Raei Translations---
With each new year ca our family's joint birthday bash. My birthday, Yeonho's, and Sarang's all fell in January-February, so we threw one big party instead of separate ones. It was more fun that way.
We'd gather at one house on the most convenient weekend between January and February.
"Happy birthday, you three~! But Yeonho and Heena, no presents for you, got it?! Everything's for Sarang!"
"Sigh. If Sarang gets more, I guess we'll allow it."
"Thanks, unnie~"
"This year's gift is sothing we all pitched in for."
"More like forced contributions."
"Can I try it too?"
My sister's and brothers' comnts piqued my curiosity about the gift. The wrapped box was enormous.
Yeonho and Sarang seed just as intrigued, poking at the box.
"It's huge! Is this really for Sarang?!"
"Of course it's for Sarang. But what the hell did they put in there? Surely not a doll."
"Don't be too shocked when you see it. Sheesh..."
"Why~ It looks fun!"
My mother-in-law sighed as if she'd already seen the contents, while my mom just chuckled.
"Sister-in-law, shall we take Sarang to the park tomorrow?"
"Sounds good. But will that fit in the car? Might be a tight squeeze in the trunk."
"If not, we can recline my back seats. We'll put the kids in your car."
"Ah, that'll work."
My father-in-law and dad were already planning an outing.
Curiosity mounting, we sang the birthday song.
"Whoosh~~~~!"
"Sarang, you're amazing!!"
"You recording? Send the video later."
"Will do."
Only after Sarang blew out the candles could we finally see what was inside.
I let out a disbelieving laugh at the gift. I was the only one with such a reaction. Yeonho's eyes sparkled, more excited than even Sarang.
Before us stood a shabby paper box, likely used as extra wrapping, containing a toy car large enough for a child to ride.
"Holy shit, this is insane! What is this? A Lamborghini?!"
"A car! But it's tiny!"
"Every man's dream is a supercar, right? We even assembled it for you."
"Argued for a week over which car to get. But this convertible was just too cool."
"Well... That's not all. A bed's coming tomorrow too, so clear out the blankets and mattress today."
Yeonho made a fuss while my brothers grinned proudly. Sarang had grown, and our bed felt cramped lately when we all slept together. So the bed was welco, but this mini car... I was speechless.
I had plenty to say, but seeing Yeonho so thrilled, I held my tongue. His childlike excitent as he examined the car was adorable.
After thoroughly inspecting the mini car, Yeonho placed Sarang inside and operated the remote control.
-Vroom!
The mini car inched forward in the living room.
"Whoa! The car moved! Daddy!!"
"Wow... Can't we go to the park now?"
"Honey. No."
"Okay..."
I restrained an eager Yeonho, and we enjoyed the birthday party. We tried on the pretty clothes Sarang's grandparents bought her, alongside the car and bed gifts.
Naturally, everyone gathered again the next day. We all headed to the park to play with the mini car.
"Kyaaaa! Daddyyy!!!"
"Sarang!! Why's it so damn fast?! Who's controlling it?!"
"Huff, huff...! Kids! Slow down!"
"Lee Heeseong! Let Dad have the controller!"
"One sec!! Lem try drifting once!!"
"Don't you dare, idiot!"
All the n from both families reverted to childhood, chasing Sarang in the toy car.
"Oh my, that old man's gonna wreck his knee again~"
"Ahahahaha!! What is that! It's so fast!"
"Daughter-in-law, stay put. You'll startle Tori."
"Ugh... Yes, Mother..."
"Hehe, unnie, your due date's late September, right?"
"Yeah! Ah~ Wonder when our Tori will ride sothing like that?"
"Sooner than you think."
A weekend brimming with laughter and smiles.
---Raei Translations---
And so, sumrs ant beach trips, autumn brought amusent park visits, and winters saw us sledding.
Year after year, the sa routines and seasonal events.
In a way, we always did similar things, but each ti brought fresh joy and happiness.
Yeonho remained devoted to and Sarang, while our daughter grew up kind and healthy.
I, too, always strived for my loved ones. To be a mom worthy of my wonderful husband and sweet daughter.
As years passed...
Life brought many changes. My brother married Rin unnie, who still ran the cafe, and moved out. Jeongwoo oppa and Yoonjung unnie's son, Jihu, was already two and chattering away.
Sunhoo oppa, though, still lived at ho, making money through gaming and showing no interest in dating... But to each their own.
Our parents stayed healthy, free from minor ailnts. That's what matters most at their age.
As for Yeonho...
"Heena. Gotta pop by the office for a bit..."
"Sarang was so excited to go out with you..."
"I'll be back after noon. We'll go then."
"Can't be helped. Be careful."
He'd quickly found work after discharge and was excelling. With his solid college grades and consistent studying even during his military service, he'd faced few hurdles.
In so ways, he had more options than . From major corporations to IT firms, and even a startup introduced by a college senior.
Yeonho chose the startup path. Though less stable, he saw it as a chance to gain experience while continuing to study developnt.
Overti was frequent during busy periods, but that wasn't much different for . Still, when he had to work weekends like this, I wanted to torch his company.
As lunchti passed and Yeonho's return neared, our rapidly growing daughter entered the kitchen.
Sarang was already 8, old enough for daily school with a backpack.
"Mom! When's Dad coming?"
"Soon, honey. Taking good care of Kong?"
"Yep! Finished my observation diary too. Wish Dad would hurry~"
Her speech was now clear and articulate, her personality sweet and unblemished.
Perhaps because she's my daughter, she still adored Yeonho. Every evening and weekend, she'd cling to him relentlessly.
Not that it hindered her friendships. She was quite popular in class.
Sarang was my spitting image, but with Yeonho's gentle eyes, giving her a kind face and beautiful smile. She'd also inherited his knack for easy friendships, making her irresistibly likable.
The kids' phone we'd bought her for elentary school seed ready to combust from constant vibrations.
Not that Sarang cared much about replying. Especially on days like today when she was going out with her dad.
I wasn't much different from Sarang in that regard.
Though years had passed since reuniting with Yeonho and having Sarang, I still craved every mont with him.
Like Sarang, I eagerly anticipated our outing today.
-Ding dong!
"Ah! Dad's ho!"
"Han Sarang! No running in the house!"
"Daddy!"
"Really..."
And so, we...
Continued to cherish our happy monts together, unchanged.
Author's Note:
Feels like a side story finale. Though it's not...
At this rate, the side story might outgrow the main one.
How'd it co to this?
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