SIDE STORY 2.3

The next day, and the day after that, the couple remained on Ibiza Island. During the day, they strolled along the beach or visited shopping towns to buy clothes and toys for their children. At night, they danced among the crowd before Seojun led her back to the hotel.

Though she had believed their intimate life was fulfilling even after having two children, by the third day on the island, Moonkyeong realized she had been mistaken. She now understood just how much Seojun had been holding back.

Each morning, he woke her with kisses on her chest. Throughout the day, he held her shoulders or wrapped his arms around her waist, stealing kisses whenever he could. Even while walking along the beach, he seemed restless, as if he couldn’t wait to touch her.

“Do you want something to drink?”

The previous afternoon, while they were at their pool villa, Seojun approached her as she swam.

Moonkyeong nodded. 

“Orange juice.”

Seojun handed her a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice that the staff had brought earlier. As she stepped out of the water to drink it and dried herself with a large towel, he gestured for her to come closer.

“Come here.”

“You just want to touch me again, don’t you? I’m not coming!”

Seeing her on high alert, Seojun burst into laughter. That charming laugh was enough to make her give in once again.

“I can’t resist you.”

She concluded that living with a handsome man came with its own challenges. Tossing aside the towel, she walked over to him. As soon as she did, Seojun pulled her onto his lap, as if he had been waiting for her.

From the nape of her neck to her shoulders, wrists, forehead, the bridge of her nose, and both cheeks, there wasn’t a single place he hadn’t kissed.  

“Is there anything you want to do this afternoon?”  

“What’s the point of saying it? The conclusion will be the same anyway.”  

She grumbled on purpose, and Seojun momentarily released her from between his knees. Moving aside, he lifted Moonkyeong’s chin and gently asked,  

“What conclusion?”  

Moonkyeong smiled languidly. She didn’t want to say the word “s*x.” If it wasn’t with Kim Seojun, she didn’t want to share her body with anyone.  

Without Kim Seojun, everything else was dull.  

“Love.”  

I want to love.  

I want to stay by your side for a long, long time.  

Satisfied with the answer, Seojun pulled her into his arms. The sincerity reflected in his dark eyes burned intensely.  

“Seo Moonkyeong.”  

“Mm?”  

“I want to taste you. Is that okay?”  

“Here?”  

“Yes.”  

In the private pool villa, there was nothing to hinder them. Moonkyeong ran her fingers through her damp hair.  

With a seductive smile, she pulled down her swimsuit herself.  

If he bit her chest, this time, she planned to bite him back.  

She thought about licking and devouring him sensually and, if he praised her, doing it a few more times.  

“Kim Seojun.”  

“……”  

“I love you.”  

She fell into Seojun’s embrace. When she was in his arms, Moonkyeong was n*ked.  

The only thing enveloping her was Seojun, the one and only in the world.  

***

That’s how the unplanned third child came to be. Knowing full well that it was inevitable, given how they clung to each other out of boredom on Ibiza Island, Moonkyeong couldn’t help but feel flustered.  

Seojun had definitely been careful to use contraception. Except for that one time when she pushed him to just go ahead without a condom while seducing him in the pool.  

“Could it have been that time?”  

She thought the hormonal cycle wasn’t particularly risky on that date, but apparently, she was wrong.  

Moonkyeong bit her lip.  

On her way home after an OB-GYN appointment, she called Seojun.  

“I have something to tell you. Can you come home early today?”  

“Sure,” came his brief reply, but Moonkyeong’s mind remained a bit tangled. She worried slightly about how Seojun might react if he wasn’t happy with the news.  

Even though he never said it, she knew how much Seojun cared for her. Watching her sacrifice so much while raising Inyoung and Jinwoo, he had given up a lot of his time for the kids as well.  

She remembered his words: “Now that the kids are almost grown, you should do what you want and live your life freely.”  

In fact, she had been planning to open a small ballet academy near their home early next year.  

The thought of teaching tiny, adorable children had made her heart race countless times a day.  

As the wind brushed past her, Moonkyeong swept back her hair and unconsciously rubbed her belly.  

What I want to do.  

Something that makes my heart race.  

It didn’t seem to matter anymore.  

As long as Kim Seojun was always by her side, as long as she had the love of her two precious children, and as long as she could hold the little hand of the baby about to be born—that would be enough.  

When she arrived home, Jinwoo, who had been in the caretaker’s arms, ran to her as soon as she opened the door.  

“Mommyyyyy!”  

Moonkyeong scooped him up in one swift move.  

“My Jinwoo, did you have fun at daycare? Mommy was a little late today, wasn’t she? I’m sorry. I had to run errands, go to the hospital, and take care of a lot of things.”  

She kissed Jinwoo on the forehead, and the caretaker, startled, asked,  

“Ma’am, are you feeling unwell? You mentioned going to the hospital.”  

“Oh, it’s nothing serious. I’m not sick.”  

“I thought you might have come down with something since you mentioned having a slight fever the past few days.”  

“I’m fine now. The fever’s gone, and I feel strong. Thank you for worrying.”  

Turning her attention back to Jinwoo, Moonkyeong decided to spend time exclusively with him until Inyoung returned from school.  

She couldn’t help but feel concerned that Jinwoo might feel neglected and starved for love once the baby was born.  

After Jinwoo was born, she had tried extra hard to give more love to her firstborn, Inyoung. But now, she worried about Jinwoo too.  

Moonkyeong gently stroked Jinwoo’s soft hair.  

“Don’t worry. Mommy will try her best to make sure you don’t feel left out.”  

“Okay!”  

Even though he didn’t really understand, Jinwoo’s chubby cheeks were irresistibly adorable as he gave a mature-sounding reply. Moonkyeong showered him with kisses.  

***

Later that afternoon, Inyoung returned home from her Taekwondo and art classes, and by evening, Seojun came home from work.  

The caretaker, who had been helping with housework and Jinwoo, also left for the day.  

When Seojun arrived, Moonkyeong was wearing an apron, busy cooking stew in the kitchen. He hurried over and planted a quick kiss on her lips.  

“You said you had something to tell me.”  

“I’ll tell you after dinner.”  

“Alright.”  

The family of four enjoyed a cheerful dinner together. Inyoung, who ate well without being picky, handled her meal by herself, while Seojun stayed close to Jinwoo, coaxing him to eat vegetables between bites of meat.  

“You need to eat this too, Jinwoo.”  

“No! I don’t wanna!”  

Moonkyeong joined in.  

“Mommy picked out this cabbage just for you at the market today. Are you really not going to eat it?”  

“Ugh.”  

Reluctantly, Jinwoo opened his mouth, and Seojun, unable to suppress a chuckle, slipped a small piece of cabbage salad into the boy’s mouth.  

“All done!”  

Inyoung was the first to finish, cheerfully announcing it before disappearing into her room. Jinwoo also finished his meal shortly after.  

As Jinwoo tried to run off without saying anything, Seojun caught him and taught him proper manners.  

“You need to say, ‘Thank you for the meal.’”  

“Thank you for the meal!”  

Though his pronunciation was still unclear, his manners were impeccable.  

Moonkyeong laughed, and Seojun patted Jinwoo’s head affectionately.  

With the two kids gone, only Seojun and Moonkyeong remained at the dining table.  

As she watched Seojun leisurely finish his meal, Moonkyeong pulled a card out of her bag.  

“What’s this?”  

“Open it.”  

“Don’t tell me…”  

Inside the card was a photo. Seojun, recalling the card she had given him when she was pregnant with Jinwoo, opened it with an expectant face.  

As he guessed, the photo showed a tiny gestational sac. Although the baby wasn’t visible yet, it was clear that a new life would soon inhabit that space.  

Moonkyeong smiled awkwardly.  

“Jinwoo’s going to have a sibling.”  

“……”  

“Are you happy? Or maybe…”  

“I’m happy.”  

Seojun quickly took a sip of water and looked into her eyes again, his expression undeniably joyful.  

Relieved, Moonkyeong finally felt at ease.  

“I was worried you might not like it.”  

“Why wouldn’t I? I’m just worried about you going through it all again. But since this baby has chosen to come to us, we’ll raise it with love. I’ll do everything I can to help.”  

“Okay.”  

“What about the ballet academy?”  

Moonkyeong shrugged nonchalantly. Perhaps it really didn’t matter anymore.  

“I guess I’ll have to give up on that.”  

“……”

“I’m fine. I thought I’d feel really upset, but I don’t feel upset at all. The thought of having Inyoung, Jinwoo, and now a youngest child who looks like you makes everything seem okay.”  

“Still, later on—”  

Moonkyeong interrupted Seojun, shaking her head gently.  

Her warm and tender smile conveyed that her family was the most precious thing in her life.  

And exactly eight months later, the youngest child was born from Moonkyeong’s womb.  

From the moment she was born, the baby girl had an unusually full head of hair and bright, intelligent eyes.  

Inyoung and Jinwoo visited the hospital to see the youngest sibling whenever they could. Jeon Taepyeong and Lee Hyesook were also constantly by their side.  

The youngest child’s name had not yet been decided. The family planned to come together and agree on a name collectively.  

Moonkyeong had no worries. She feared nothing because she had precious people who would walk alongside her in every moment of her life to come.  

Seojun held her hand tightly, his grip warm and firm.  

“You’ve worked so hard.”  

He was truly a blessing and a precious bond. For Moonkyeong, who grew up lonely without a true family of her own, Seojun was like a gift.  

She didn’t let go of his hand. Even if her hair turned completely white and time couldn’t be stopped, she wanted to stay by his side forever.  

Until the day they died, their gazes would never stop meeting each other’s.  

In the happiness she greeted every day, Moonkyeong smiled without a hint of doubt.  

〈The End〉