Hi all, I'm sorry this chapter is a day late.

I've been struggling with some aspects of real life and don't know if I can publish as often anymore. I do have a few chapters pre-written, so I will be able to post about once a week until they run out, but I don't know if I'm currently able to keep writing. This story means the world to me, but after having a mental breakdown, I've decided to slow things down and take some time to myself.

I'm sorry to those that enjoy my story; I'll try to make it up to you guys once my life calms down.
Thank you all so much. I truly love every one of you.

-PB

Hwang Bo Wook

Groaning, Wook let cold water douse his entire body, fighting the urge to twist the shower handle and bathe in hot water.

He replayed their argument in his mind, trying to figure out why she had been so angry. He understood that she had a right to be, but was it enough to justify a pause in their relationship?

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to Paris? I couldn't call you for days!"

"I forgot to call you—you realize I'm running a country, don't you? I am the president's right hand."

"Oh please. You couldn't call me once? Were your fingers broken? Was your wife next to you?"

"Si Yeon, don't be absurd. I was just busy."

"Too busy to tell me you were leaving? Too busy to send a single message?!"

He rubbed his eyes and sighed, spitting the water that had accumulated in his mouth. Wook shut the shower off and thought about his week back in Korea.

After getting used to the time zone, he had gone straight to his apartment—a small, secluded flat just outside of Seoul. It was where he met with Si Yeon, often spending hours and full evenings with her.

He had expected a warm embrace, happy kisses, and hours of rough sex. What he received was a cold glare and a firm 'no'. The bottle of wine he had brought from France was left unopened and Si Yeon left in a huff, shouldering the fur coat Wook had gifted her that year. He wondered how much Si Yeon actually loved him if a single missed phone call was enough for her to go ballistic on him.

Wook later came home to a wife that wore less—though it was still below zero outside. Soo's wardrobe had suddenly changed while he had been in France, and—given the circumstances—he found that he did not hate that his wife began wearing shorter, tighter, and lacier garments.

Every day, it was something different. A slim, black dress one day, a sheer blouse the next.

Si Yeon did not answer his texts and Wook looked down at his phone less and less.

He saw skin outside of the bedroom and glimpsed the curve of Soo's bottom, the swell of her breasts, and even the pink peaks of her nipples through her new wardrobe. Slowly, he began to notice his wife in a different light—one that had not colored his vision for a very long time.

One day, she had carried Yoon against her hip, wearing a red dress that had outlined everything necessary. Wook had resisted the urge to drag his wife into the bedroom and fuck her then. Instead, he stood by and watched as she carried their daughter into the kitchen for a snack...

Wook stepped out from their shared bathroom and made for his wife's closet before his own, glancing inside to see Soo standing before her full-length mirror.

She wore a small top made of gray lace that dipped far to reveal much of her chest. Beneath it was a pair of tight pants that drew Wook's eyes to his wife's bottom.

He stepped closer, tipping his head forward to kiss her shoulder. "Are you enticing someone?" he asked. Soo jerked in surprise and Wook kissed her skin again as droplets of water from his drenched hair fell onto her brazenly exposed body. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled his wife close and brought her knuckles to his lips, caressing her skin.

"I just… I wanted to try something new. It's been awhile since I dressed like this," she said quickly.

Wook nodded and stared into the mirror, meeting eyes with his wife. They had not had sex since he had left for France. He wondered if this was her not-so-subtle way of reminding him to make love to her.

He brought her wrist close and inhaled her soft, rosy scent. There was something different about the way she smelled. Something musky and faint laced her skin, but Wook could not place what it was. Soo usually wore his sweatshirts to bed when he left the country, so he wondered if it was his old self she smelled like. In any case, he wanted his wife and they both had time.

"I think," he murmured, "we can both do for a bit of time in bed. Hm?"

He kissed a line up Soo's throat as she exhaled slowly. Wook touched the goosebumps that appeared on his wife's arms as she closed her eyes. "Have you missed me?" he asked.

She melted to his touch and Wook cupped his wife's breasts, squeezing and kneading them as she leaned back against him. He ran his thumbs over her rising nipples and gently pinched them through her flimsy top, listening to her sigh.

"Not today," Soo whispered. She turned to face him and Wook gazed down at his wife, accepting her gentle kiss. Holding her hips, he deepened their embrace, running his tongue over hers and tangling his fingers in the lace of her top. Soo's moan vibrated against his lips until she pulled away.

Their lips parted with ease and he released her. Soo reached for a shawl to cover her shoulders. "The girls will be up. I need to get Mi prepared for school. She's going back today."

"She can dress herself for once and do her hair on her own," Wook said. He reached to hold Soo's hand but missed when she slipped away from his grasp. "Baby, stay."

Soo walked out of their bedroom and Wook sighed before dressing in his usual suit and tie. He would spend the day at work before coming home and going to his in-laws' house.

He stepped out and greeted his secretary, glancing over his day's itinerary as well as the weather report. While reading, his eyes strayed to the two bodyguards that lingered in the hallway.

Wook wondered if Soo would be against trading her bodyguard with his. Of course, Wang whatever-his-name-was had already proven himself more than capable at handling the household's entire security team. He kept it working smoothly and efficiently, cutting back on excess costs and replacing whatever was necessary—both people and useless cameras. That was why the newer bodyguard had been promoted over the older one as head of the entire security team.

Wook looked over the two men that awaited orders. One was tall and lean, his body built from the amount of exercise he committed to when he was not working. His expression was always contorted into a glare-like grimace. The other bodyguard was shorter and thicker, his face only menacing when he wanted it to be.

A switch in bodyguards would change some monotony… He knew his bodyguard was only necessary when he went to work. Wook always left the guard somewhere or sent him to some aimless task when he met with Si Yeon. Then again, she seemed to not want anything to do with him...

Shaking his head, Wook decided against switching guards. The new one was obviously more adept at monitoring people and smarter than the old one, judging by how diligent he was when he was with Soo. Wook would never be able to slip the new one.

Plus, the girls are more used to having the new one take them around their schedules. Mi and Yoon seem to like Soo's guard more than his and Wook knew it took quite a bit of maneuvering to get on Mi's good side.

Wook was protective of both his children, but his past mistakes had caused him to become even more so, leading to him personally vetting any staff that could possibly come in direct contact with Mi. He and Soo still referred to Mi's psychiatrist's notes from years ago when handling their oldest, and it was truly a wonder how much she had opened up to Soo's bodyguard when she had never even spoken to Soo's past guards.

He supposed that because Mi was so in tune with Soo, once Soo got tired of firing her bodyguards left and right for the most minute of actions, Mi also grew out of ignoring the help.

Wook handed his schedule back to his secretary and nodded to her before entering the dining room and smiling at his daughter. She sat in one of the chairs, the skirt of her school uniform fanning around her swinging legs.

"Good morning, Princess," he said, giving Mi a little kiss. Her hair was wrapped into two little buns on top of her head and Wook playfully bopped one with the tips of his fingers. "These are pretty."

"Mommy did them."

Wook glanced at their shared breakfast of rice and soup before sitting at his usual spot at the head of the table. The morning's headlines were already set onto a rack beside his chair and Wook read over them as he reached for his chopsticks.

"Where's Mommy now?" he asked, taking a bite of rice. Wook reached forward and placed a fried egg onto Mi's rice as she shrugged her shoulders.

"She went to Yoonie's room, but Yoonie started crying." Mi bit into the egg before smiling. Wook grinned back at his daughter and continued to eat, mulling over her answer.

"Yoon is crying because she had a bad dream," Chae Ryung said as she breezed into the dining room. Wook nodded to the governess as she delivered his coffee from the kitchen.

"Oh dear. Did she dream that we were out of her favorite bean buns?" Wook asked.

He chuckled as Chae Ryung and Mi both laughed.

Flipping the pages of his newspaper, Wook read the same news from the perspectives of four different journalists. He looked up whenever Mi spoke and nodded to her questions.

"Mommy says we're going to Grandpa and Grandma's house for dinner today. Is it because you came back from your trip?" she asked. Wook smiled at his daughter's wide-eyed gaze, her stare shining with curiosity.

"No," Wook chuckled. "I think Grandma and Grandpa just really missed you and your sister. You know Uncle Baek Ah is coming over too."

"Does that mean you'll come home early from work?" Mi asked.

Nodding, Wook patted his daughter's head before looking up when two people entered the dining room. "Good morning, Little Dinosaur," he called. "I heard someone had a nightmare."

His youngest child clung to her mother like gum, her little fists bunched into Soo's shawl. Wook smiled and opened his arms as Soo drew closer. "Little Dinosaur missed Mommy and Daddy at night," Soo cooed. "Do we want to go to Daddy?"

Smiling, Wook met eyes with his daughter as she nodded. Yoon's little eyes were red and watering, her pink nose full of sniffles. She blinked slowly, her eyelashes drenched with tears.

Wook let Yoon climb onto his lap and hugged her, rubbing her back. His youngest wore a pink shirt with a penguin on the front and her little legs were wrapped in green leggings with cats on them. "I like your outfit," Wook murmured. He smiled when Yoon burrowed close to his chest, wiping her eyes against his shirt. Wook chuckled as he let her rub her face on him. He would have to wear a vest to cover any stains she left behind, but if it meant being a place for his daughter to put her sorrows—no matter how trivial they were—he was willing to sacrifice any number of shirts to his little girl's tears.

Continuing to eat his breakfast, Wook offered little bites to Yoon who slowly turned and sat with her back against his chest. She opened her mouth like a baby bird and Wook fed his daughter rice from his bowl and blew on pieces of egg so she could eat them.

Soon, his youngest was pointing to the foods she wanted and Wook was only too happy to oblige. He fed his daughter as his wife ate, keeping an eye on both. Soo reached for pieces of grilled tofu and ate them with soy sauce. She cut a few pieces into small chunks so Wook could easily offer them to the dinosaur on his lap.

After breakfast, his wife was at the door with their girls to see him off. Wook knelt to kiss each daughter on the cheek and told them to have a good day. He patted Mi's head and pinched Yoon's cheeks before standing to look at his wife.

Reaching an arm around Soo's waist, Wook slowly lowered his lips onto hers and initiated a kiss much deeper than what they usually gave each other. He embraced his wife hard, holding the back of her neck and tasting her before telling her to have a good day as well. Their children giggled and Wook smiled before waving at his family.

When he returned home from work, Soo was at the door to greet him and Wook kissed her again. "Hi, baby," he murmured against her lips. She had changed out of her skimpy outfits and reverted back to her old style, covering her arms with cashmere and her legs with denim. But Wook could not blame her; they were having dinner at her parents' house.

No matter where they went, Wook loved driving with his family. Nothing made him happier than when he was in the car with no one but his children and his wife. He felt normal in those moments. They were just a little family going to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner.

Reaching over, Wook held his wife's limp hand as he drove. "What's on your mind?" he asked. Soo stared out the window at the dimming sun and Wook glanced over at her.

"Nothing really." She sighed and turned to look at him. "Mostly work."

Nodding, he squeezed her hand before letting go.

The house Soo grew up in was situated at the top of a secluded hill. It was gated and guarded with protection measures that could rival the president Wook served. It was a mystery how his little wife had managed to escape such tight security as a child.

Then again, Soo was one of the most creative people he knew. No wonder she felt trapped in the giwa compound the Hae family had inhabited for over a century. Too many walls surrounded the property, locking its inhabitants in and keeping strangers out.

"I remember jumping that fence," Soo murmured, pointing to a section of the gate. Wook shook his head and chuckled.

"You were a terrible child."

"I know." His wife sighed and pressed her hands to her face with a groan. "It's a wonder I only have one scar to tell of my escapades—and it's because I fell out of a tree."

"It's a wonder you're still alive," Wook remarked as they pulled into the driveway. He noticed Baek Ah's white Bentley already situated outside the garage. "Soo, when we're inside, I'd rather if you didn't-"

"I won't bring up the tax, but I can't control my parents," Soo replied quietly. "In return, please try not to get into a fight with my brother." They met eyes and Wook nodded.

They exited the car. Wook watched his children run toward the house, eager to greet their grandparents. Mi ran as well as she could on her injured ankle and Yoon bounced beside her sister as they made for the large giwa building with warm lights.

Wook looked upon the house his wife grew up in with mixed emotions. When he had first married Soo, her parents had insisted that they move into the massive villa, offering the western wing of the house to them and their baby. Wook had abhorred the idea of living with his in-laws—mostly because in the initial months leading up to his marriage to Soo, they had treated him as if he was a tumor stuck to their only daughter's life.

To his utter relief, Soo had also hated the idea of moving in with her parents again. His rebellious wife had shut the doors on all plans to renovate the small house beside the villa, and had instead asked her father for a loan to buy a new house for them to live in. It was thanks to his wife that he did not have to see his in-laws every morning and every evening.

The front door opened and Soo's father was there to pick his grandchildren into his arms, hugging them. "Hwang Bo Mi! Hwang Bo Yoon!" the old man called. "Wook, Soo, hurry and come inside—you're wasting time!"

When Wook entered the house, he was greeted by the delicious scent of cooking meat and the sound of his mother-in-law calling his name. "Soo! Wook! My other two children are here!" Smiling, he bowed to his wife's mother as Soo kissed her cheek, walking off to where Baek Ah carried Mi in his arms.

"So, Princess, tell me about school," Baek Ah said. Wook watched with mirth as his daughter threw her hands up and immediately began complaining about some girls in her class.

For how large the house was, there was no lack of liveliness. Yellow lights cast a warm glow over the pale furniture, and instead of priceless paintings or poetry, the hallways were lined with pictures of Mi and Yoon. All of the Hae family's art was scattered between his and Baek Ah's homes.

Where there had once been Soo's and Baek Ah's diplomas and achievements, there were now glossy photos of Wook's children, their happy smiles and tearful tantrums forever preserved on their grandparents' walls. Wook knew his and Soo's wedding portrait was hanging somewhere in the sitting room, as was Baek Ah's graduation photo. After Mi's birth, nothing had mattered to the grandparents more than redecorating the house to display images of their new grandchild.

An image of Mi taking her first steps had replaced the Degas in the foyer. Diplomas, awards, certificates, and achievements were all locked away in storage units, no longer worth bragging about. Hae Ha Jin and Go Myung cared little for anything other than framing HD photos of their granddaughters to hang on the walls of their home. The Cezanne in the living room had been auctioned off to make room for a picture of Mi smiling at her baby sister for the first time.

They ate dinner on the floor, sitting at a low table overflowing with steaming meats, hot soup, fresh rice, and a rainbow of side dishes. Wook sat across from Baek Ah and watched as the children sat beside their grandparents.

Soo spoke with her mother about price hikes in the tuition at Mi's school, declaring it unfair for the children attending on partial scholarship. "I don't care which designer they switch the uniforms to—it's complete bullsh-"

"Daughter," Hae Ha Jin snapped, glaring at Soo. Baek Ah's mouth opened in a barely masked smirk as he pressed his hands over Yoon's ears. The little girl whined and swatted him away.

Chuckling, Wook spooned soup into his mouth as Soo apologized before continuing her rant. "I called for the school to get rid of the uniforms, but no—prep schools have to let the entire world know that they're richer than everyone! What self-respecting elementary school forces children to conform to the restrictions of uniformity at such a young age?"

"Wife, elementary school is the only level of education aside from college that doesn't require uniforms," Wook said. He raised his eyebrows at his wife as Baek Ah frowned. "If anything, I think elementary schools—both public and private—should all install the uniform system. It avoids the mid-education confusion of choosing between conformity and freedom."

Baek Ah shook his head and Wook felt his ire flair. Of course his tattooed, wild child of a brother-in-law would disagree with him. Even on matters they agreed with, Baek Ah would jump the line and advocate for the devil if it meant being at odds with Wook. "Preschoolers like Yoon are dressed the same to avoid confusion when out and about. The teachers need to know where they are because little kids wander. In contrast, elementary schoolers are given the freedom to choose what they want to wear for them to find their individuality," his brother-in-law stated.

"Then why do we take their individuality away in middle school?" Soo immediately demanded. She raised her eyebrows and gazed around the table. "Why not just get rid of uniforms after preschool for all grades?"

"She's right." Wook turned to his father-in-law who nodded serenely. The old man picked up a piece of kimchi with his chopsticks and set it onto his rice. "Why give the children a taste of something and then take it away?"

Hae Ha Jin looked straight at Wook. Their eyes met and Wook tipped his head. Years of debates, endless matches between the other political parties, and years of butting heads with Wang Yo had brought him to this point: a pointless debate with his brother-in-law about the necessity of school uniforms.

"That is why all schools should implement the uniform system. Children have the ability to choose their own personal styles and preferences when they are outside of school," Wook stated, setting his chopsticks down. He held his hands out to gesture two sides of a scale. "School is a place of learning and intellect—not a place for children to stray and compare the price tags of their jeans.

"Korea has come so far only because of the combined effort of all of its students to create a unified method of education that provides an equal chance for each and every student. For some to be able to wear uniforms and others to not be is unfair and tips the system. Uniformity is the key to existence and the barrier against chaos."

He picked his chopsticks back up and narrowed his eyes when Baek Ah shook his head and laughed. "What communist tripe is that? Come on, kids are still going to learn no matter what they wear. Uniforms don't give students uniformity; they're an oppressive force that constrains the creative mind-"

"Let them become creative in college," Wook interjected as he set a piece of meat into Soo's ricebowl. His wife blinked at him, but Wook continued to eat, spooning glazed black beans into his mouth and pointing his spoon at his brother-in-law. Baek Ah glowered at him, but Wook continued. "I attended public school throughout my childhood and wore a uniform even in elementary school. I ended up attending the most prestigious college in the country. Let children focus on studying instead of trivial things like style, and a greater percentage will succeed."

Baek Ah scoffed. "I wore uniforms and grew up without an outlet for my creativity. If it was allowed, I would have jumped at the first chance to express myself through clothing."

"And here you are," Wook said with a forced sigh. "Next in line to one of the country's largest companies. Forgive me if I don't pity you."

They stared each other down until Yoon plopped down onto Baek Ah's lap and showed him Soo's phone. Wook returned to his food, victorious, and he smiled at his wife as she took a sip of wine and hummed.

After dinner, the adults had coffee in the sitting room. Mi sat on her grandmother's lap and babbled about her day, making Wook wish his daughter was as close to his mother as she was to Soo's. His mother-in-law braided Mi's hair, listening to her granddaughter speak about her love of cats. "Mommy won't let me get a cat, though," Mi said, her excited tone taking a melancholic turn. She turned toward her grandfather with wide eyes and Wook muffled his chuckle in his hand as Soo immediately glared at her father.

"Dad, no," she snapped.

"Hwang Bo Mi, when you graduate high school, the first thing Grandpa gets you will be the prettiest, fluffiest kitten in the world, alright?" Hae Ha Jin said. Wook patted his wife's back as she ground out a hard, "No, you won't, Dad."

Wook smiled when Yoon fell asleep in her grandfather's arms, tuckered out from running around the large house and playing with the old maid that had raised Baek Ah and Soo. Yoon breathed softly, her chest rising and falling with ease. She curled against the old man and held his sweater, sucking her thumb as she slept.

It was only on their way home from the in-laws' house that Wook realized his father-in-law had never even mentioned his failure to get a tax passed in parliament. Perhaps visiting his in-laws was not so bad after all. Baek Ah got on his nerves, but Wook knew how happy his children were to see their maternal grandparents. He saw how happy his wife was around her family and wondered if moving closer towards Soo's parents was a good idea.

Holding the steering wheel with both hands, Wook glanced into the rearview and smiled at his children as they slept in their carseats. When he looked at his wife, Soo was staring out her window.

The lights from the passing streetlamps illuminated parts of her face and Wook reached over to hold his wife's hand. Running his finger over the place where she usually wore her wedding ring, he wondered if she had gotten tired of it. Of course, Soo only wore her ring intermittently, unconstrained by celebrity rules. No one knew what she looked like. Wook, however, knew the media would go into a frenzy if he ever took his ring off.

"I'm a bit tired, can you talk to me?" he asked.

During the forty minutes back home, their conversation began with old memories. Wook later chuckled when his wife spoke about her work week, describing agonizing video conferences and meetings with other shareholders about the Hae Group's financial standing. In return, Wook spoke about Paris, telling her about the Eiffel Tower and his large hotel suite that felt too empty without her and the children.

He omitted the part about taking pictures of himself to send to Si Yeon and instead told Soo about how he wished she had been there with him. He would not have been able to see her outside of breakfast and dinner, but he assumed she would appreciate the thought.

Wook regretted giving attention to Si Yeon when she was going to be petty and leave him after he ignored one of her calls.

"We've been in a bit of a low point in our relationship, haven't we?" Wook asked. He took his wife's hand as she remained silent. Running his thumb over her skin, he kissed her knuckles. "I'm sorry I haven't been present in our marriage. I've just been stressed about work." There were no lies in his words, but Wook evaded telling Soo too much. He just wanted to convey that he was sorry for neglecting her and for foolishly letting Si Yeon get to him again. He would not take Si Yeon back; two break-ups were enough. "No matter what, I want you to know that I love you, Hae Soo… my wife… mother of my children. You're the only woman that's ever made me feel this way."

Wook kissed her hand again. "We should go on a trip," he murmured, pulling into their driveway. "Take a break from Seoul. Maybe go to Japan. We can go to the hot springs… or somewhere with warm weather. Take the girls and just play. I think the entire family needs some relaxation."

Wook turned to his wife as she nodded and undid her seatbelt, her lips pursed in thought. "A vacation sounds nice," she agreed.

Wook leaned toward his wife before she could open her door. He pressed his forehead to Soo's shoulder and sighed. Soo's hand touched the back of his neck and Wook closed his eyes as she massaged the tense muscles in his back. "Let's go inside. You need sleep," she murmured.

Wook wanted to retort that he needed her, but nodded instead. He helped Soo carry the children upstairs. Wook undressed Mi and put her in her pajamas as Soo did the same for Yoon. After tucking the girls in, he put an arm around his wife as they retired to their shared bedroom, kissing her cheek and inhaling her scent.

Roses and honey no longer made his head hurt like they used to.

As always, thank you so much to Krysyuy. This story wouldn't have made it past chapter 4 if it wasn't for you.