Ha Ni felt her eye twitch at the sound of the doorbell signal a new customer. At this point, she will agree with Namjoon that yes, she was paranoid. I mean it would be ridiculous to object after jumping at an old lady's cough. Or when she screamed when Namjoon tapped her shoulder. It was just that. Ridiculous.
She couldn't help it though, she was a woman on a mission. You see about a few days ago the man that she still is in love with proposed to her in her dirty apartment after finding out that he was a baby daddy. Great right, she should be happy? Fairy tail ending!
Wrong! Ha Ni was anything but calm or collected. Sure, she could have just said yes and had everything she wanted. The man of her dreams right beside her, legally and binding! Have her family back and restored just like it always had been. But was that the right decision? It wasn't just her anymore.
Her baby boy. Her angel. Her everything. Would this be the right decision for her son? She wants to give everything to her son, and if that meant his daddy in the picture ,of course Seung Jo has every right to be, then that's that.
Her heart clenched uncomfortably in her chest fully well knowing that it wasn't a proposal made out of love. It was Seung Jo taking responsibility of his son and the mother of his child. Nothing more, nothing less.
So with that in mind, she has been avoiding said man for the past few days, but he keeps showing up everywhere! At her dad's noodle shop, at her apartment according to the security guard in the front, even at her usual coffee place. Luckily, she escapes each time without being seen, but she doesn't know how much longer she can keep this up.
The flower shop was luckily busy, so it kept her distracted from having a stress melt down. Apparently with approaching holidays, everyone wants to arrange flower bouquets to be sent almost every day of the week for some reason. Anniversaries, birthdays, celebrations all that good stuff.
Whilst she was helping out a elderly man, the door bell rang signaling a new coming customer.
"Welcome! I'll be with you just a second," she replied brightly towards the door making a quick take at the new customer. Snapping her neck back towards the door there stood the devil she was just thinking about.
She sighed to herself as she inwardly pouted at being found. Making her client look around the store to get a good idea of what kind of flowers he'd like, she went back behind the counter to keep herself busy, hopefully said man would get the message and leave her alone.
Guess not, because the man in question leisurely strolled in front of her to clear his throat to beckon her attention.
"What do you want," she muttered looking up briefly before going back to writing in her planner.
"Excuse me, I thought this was an establishment. And aren't I a customer," he replied in a mocking tone that made her clench her jaw in agitation because he was right.
"Welcome most honorable customer, how can I help you," her enthusiastic response didn't match the scowl on her face.
"That's much better," he replied in amusement while finally taking in the flower shop since he stepped in. It was quite cute. Very Ha Ni. It was like walking into a magical forest with vines coming from the ceiling, and archway of leafs and flowers like something out of Alice in wonderland. The walls were just white, but it helped the overall aesthetic of dreamy.
"So," he began as his eyes went back to her.
"So," she asked with an arched eyebrow as if testing him to finish that sentence.
"Are you going to be my wife or not idiot," he replied out of frustration of the woman testing his patience.
Ha Ni got up in a huff as she passed him by not liking his attitude towards her, "You're just as sweet as ever," she seethed,"Seung jo right now is really not a good time. We can talk about this later."
Not getting the message or simply ignoring it, he kept following around the store as she kept checking up on her customers. "Well, when it's a good time you always hide from me, can you really blame a guy for having to hunt down his baby mama-"
"Seung Jo," her exasperated cry out of embarrassment cut him off. She couldn't believe him just announcing their business just like that.
Nonetheless he continues," to ask her if she'll accept to marry him, but she keeps avoiding him at every turn. You're really cold as ice," he muttered sounding hurt but she knew him well enough to know he was making a scene. And scene he made. All the customers in the store had turned to look at Seung jo in pity for the young man seemed heartbroken.
"Just a second," she giggled nervously at the customers attention as she grabbed Seung jo by the wrist and took him to the back where the office was.
"What do you want," she said through clenched smile as she kept looking towards the open door to check the store.
"Come over tonight to have dinner with my family. They need to meet Min Jun, and we need to talk," he said stoically.
She mulled it over before sighing and nodding her head," Fine, fine. Is that all?"
Shock ran through her as her back was suddenly pressed against the wall. Then she became aware of Seung Jo being too close for comfort with his hand pressed on the wall leaning so their faces were merely inches apart. If her face had been red before, she was afraid of how her cheeks felt as if they were aflame.
"Don't think that you can out run me, I will find you," he whispered menacingly but for some reason made her instinctually clench her thighs together.
"I won't," she muttered not being able to look away from the man.
Seung Jo looked into Ha Ni's eyes for something and suddenly smirked as if finding what he needed. There seemed to be no end at their staring contest, till they heard footsteps coming, causing Seung jo to straighten up from his position and take a step back as Ha Ni stayed where she was from shock.
Namjoon came strolling in while whistling, "yo," he greeted Seung jo as the other man replied with a courteous hello.
"As I was saying, I want you to deliver a dozen red roses to this delivery as soon as possible," he took out a note and the money and bowed before leaving a shocked Ha Ni.
"So was I interrupting your make out sesh with your hot baby daddy," her cousin inquired with a raised eyebrow. Making her cooling cheeks raise heat again.
"He just wanted to ask for the prices," she muttered not being able to look at the man.
"Oh, I'm sure," he replied sarcastically, "were they hiding under your skirt?"
"Namjoon," she whined in embarrassment not wanting to talk to her cousin about these things. She got off the wall to start looking for a pen to write Seung Jo's order down.
"Look all I'm saying is that I'm not an idiot and not gonna notice that he had you pinned against the wall and you both had bedroom eyes, to which ew, but I applaud the bravery of being into vouyerism I guess."
"Ok, first of all ew Namjoon too much information," she shuddered, "and second of all he's not interested in me, he just wants to marry me."
Namjoon felt his eyes roll all the way to meet his brain at his cousins oblivious nature. "Am I missing something here? Do you even hear yourself?"
"The point is," she continued undeterred while making the order form, " he isn't in the bit least interested in me and only wants to marry me because we have a son together."
"You really think that," he said in exasperation. "The man who willingly had sex with you, and seeks you out like the prince from Cinderella when you ran away from him at the party, then asks to marry you. That man isn't interested ?"
Ha Ni rolls her eyes at the boys theatrics as she wrote down the address for Seung Jo's flower delivery, handing it to Namjoon in a huff. Looking at the writing, Namjoon let out a huge cackle before flicking ha Ni on her forehead.
"What the hell," she grumbled as she massaged her poor abused forehead as she glared at the man.
"That's for being stupid enough not to realize that the address he handed you was your own home, not interested my ass!"
Ha Ni was getting ready for the dinner at the Baeks house, feeling a swarm of butterflies fill her tummy. It's been years since she saw them, would they be happy? Will they be angry she kept Min Jun from them? She hoped not. She shook her head readily trying to get out of her thoughts and her ready for the evening.
She decided to wear a simple white flowy spaghetti strap dress with some flats, and had some lose curls and minimum makeup look to finish it off. She wanted to look pretty, but not too try hard.
After she was done, she went into the living room to pick up her son who was absorbed in an episode of Wonder pets to get him ready too. She put some jeans on him and a white button down shirt with a brown sweater vest. She couldn't help but squeal at the sight, he looked exactly like his father, too cute!
While she was helping Min Jun tie his shoelaces, there was knocking on the front door, she quickly got up passing the flowers in the kitchen to open the door.
"Oh Seung Jo! Is something wrong ," she asked with wide eyes at the man standing before her. She assumed she was meeting him at his house, why on earth would he be here?
"Moms house is on the other side of town. Did you think I was going to make you walk over," he replied in a scoff.
"Oh..um thank you," she finally let out shyly.
"Mommy I can't tie these- daddy!," came an excited little voice from behind the woman. Min Jun came running towards his father who leant down to capture his son in his arms.
"Hey Min Junie! I told you I'd come see you really soon right," he said warmly to the boy in his arms.
The boy in question gleamed up at his father, "yeah! Mommy said we're going to visit grandma and grandpa!"
"That's right, and your uncle Eun Jo. Are you excited," he asked him in return he got a bunch of head nods that made the older man laugh.
"Are you ready to go," he asked directed to Ha Ni who was watching the whole exchange with a tiny grin.
She snapped out of her daydream at his voice," let me just get my purse and Min Jun's bag!" She was quick to head to the room to get her respective bags while both boys waited by the door.
Making their way down the stairs, Min Jun had Seung Jo in a heated conversation on why the T. rex was the best dinosaur ever. Ha Ni was trailing behind them making sure she had everything she needed in her bag, not noticing that slippery floor sign and felt herself slipping on a step. Letting out a loud squeak, she closed her eyes hoping for a light fall, but the fall never came as Seung jo had steadied her by grabbing her arm.
"Be careful dummy," he scolded her lightly helping her upright but not letting go of her wrist as they continued their way down the stairs.
Waiting just outside was a black Mini Cooper that Seung jo unlocked, setting the boy in the booster seat right behind his own seat. Ha Ni raised her eyebrows at the mans preparedness as she put her bags in the seat next to Min Jun.
Seung Jo gave a casual shrug as he smirked, "I had to be ready to accommodate my son."
As they neared the home, Ha Ni found herself studying the man next to her. He seemed like the same stone faced man she met in her adolescence, yet somehow different. She couldn't put her finger on it.
Seung jo has always been handsome and confident, but the way he carried himself was just so sexy to her. She couldn't help but notice his chiseled jaw line from the loss of baby fat on his face, and had he always had those muscles? Not to say that he wasn't fit before, but she would have remembered those. How muscular his arms seemed when they had steadied her from falling earlier. Or how big his hands were and she really wouldn't mind if he would squeeze her as-
"Oh Ha Ni, get out of the car," Seung jo spoke from her right already haven opened the door for her with their bags on one shoulder and Min Jun holding his hand. The woman blinked owlishly trying to get her mind on track and out of the gutter it had just been in.
Making their way inside, She felt a wave of nostalgia hit her full force. She missed being here, it felt like coming back home. She really missed this.
She didn't realize she was shaking till a hand held hers in concern.
"Are you ready," the man next to her asked in a calming voice as to ease her nerves. Looking at their intertwined hands, she felt warmth flood her cheeks and fuzziness fill her heart. It's just the comfort she needed.
Nodding, Ha Ni gave his hand a squeeze in gratitude before pulling her hand away to reach out for her son.
"We're home," Seung Jo announced as they walked through the threshold setting Min Jun's bag down on one of the sofas.
Various clanks came from the kitchen as a high pitch screech could be heard. The rush of footsteps could be clearly heard as they made their way towards the foyer. Geum Hee pops from the kitchen and gasps as she sees her beloved daughter back home.
"My daughter! You're finally home, I've missed you so much," she cries as she goes in to hug ha ni that almost makes her suffocate. The young woman can hear several other footsteps come from the stairs as she's greeted by the other men living in the house.
"Stupid oh Ha Ni finally came back to chase Hyung after all," came the teasing of a older Eun Jo . How much he had grown, she marveled. It was clear he still had yet to hit the growth spurt of puberty, but he was already getting closer to her height. He kept looking even more like Seung jo as he grew. Damn, she marveled, were the Baek genes strong. Even if he was older, he still had the same bratty attitude she huffed.
Before she could reply, a little voice came to her defense,"My mommy is not stupid! She's the smartest and strongest in the world!"
Everyone's heads snapped to the little huffing Min Jun who was originally hiding behind Ha Ni , now standing in front of her with his little chest puffed out as if defending his mother from trouble.
"Ah, everyone meet Min Jun. He's our son," Seung jo suddenly claimed as if broadcasting the weather.
"You didn't tell them," hissed out Ha Ni looking at Seung Jo as if he'd grown a third head.
"I just did," he replied to which ha ni rolled her eyes at. The nerve this msn had.
Before she could blink, Geum Hee had little Min Jun in her arms making the little boy giggle at her enthusiasm.
"Min Junie," she cooed, "I'm your grandmother, this is your grandpa and this is your uncle Eun jo! We're so happy to meet you!"
Ha Ni couldn't help but notice how natural everything seemed to fit, it was like Min Jun had known Seung Jo's family all his life and not just met them fifteen minutes ago. He loved his grandmother, couldn't keep a smile off his face at her shenanigans. His grandpa showed him his gaming collection, and you could see the glimmer in his eyes. Min Jun was a little skeptical at Eun jo at first as he was his mummy's bully, but after a treaty pact between Ha Ni and Eun jo everything was alright in Min Jun's book. And maybe a few cookies that Eun Jo snuck him were pretty effective.
After dinner, it was just Seung Jo's parents, Seung Jo, and Ha Ni at the table drinking coffee catching up.
"Min Jun is adorable," Geum Hee gushed making Ha Ni smile over her coffee cup as she took a sip," the next one you guys have better be a girl!"
Ha Ni couldn't help but cough out her coffee in surprise at Geum Hee's suggestion. Another one?
"I'm sorry," she spluttered, "I don't think I heard correctly."
Geum Hee only smiled wider, "Well my grand babies of course! Since we already have Min Junnie, I'm begging you to make the next one a girl Ha Ni, okay?"
She felt her ears turn red at how flustered Geum Hee made her, she certainly forgot how lively the woman could be. First of all, she didn't control what gender her baby came out, wasn't that all Seung Jo's job as the father? So if anything, Geum Hee had to ask Seung jo- what is she even thinking? Ha Ni shakes her head trying to get her thought process back in gear.
"Mother, we're not even married," came out her reply at last looking down in embarrassment. She missed the scowl that Geum Hee shot at Seung jo.
"Baek Seung Jo! You rascal! I did not raise you to be that kind of man," his mother let out in a dangerous voice.
"Mother, that's not it. I asked Ha Ni to marry me already," he let out calmly at his clearly distressed mother, who perked up immediately at hearing her sons actions.
"Oh, how wonderful! Then there's no problem! Just give me a few days to set the venue, oh we have to go buy the dress- and the rings! How could I forget something so important, we also need-," she was quickly interrupted from her day dream by a stoic voice.
"She hasn't answered to my proposal yet," he chimed in to which Geum Hee snapped her neck towards Ha Ni, who let out a squeak to her scary actions.
"Why ever not," the mother asked the young woman in a bewildered tone.
The young woman opened her mouth a few times before letting out, "well it was so sudden, I just needed time to think it over before deciding something rash."
Geum Hee nodded her head as if agreeing, "okay, so what are you going to answer?"
Ha Ni felt all the eyes in the room stare at her as she broke out in a nervous sweat. "Well... I decided that if Min Jun wants Seung Jo and I to be a complete family, then I will agree."
"Mommy and daddy are getting married," came an excited question from the threshold as little Min Jun came out of his hiding place before a guilty looking Eun Jo came right after him.
Looking down at her son, she could see his eyes radiate that spark when he was happy about something. Smiling down at him, Seung jo took the lead and picked him up and sat him on his lap.
"Min Jun, would you want mommy and daddy to be together?"
Min Jun blinked his eyes questioning the statement to which the man kept going, "that means mommy and daddy both living with Min jun."
"Daddy won't go away," Min Jun asked his father seriously to which Seung Jo grinned fondly.
"Daddy wouldn't leave, but live with Min Junnie and mommy."
"Play with Minjunie?"
"Of course buddy."
"Make mommy happy," the toddler placed both his tiny hands on his fathers face as he questioned his father with a seriousness that Seung Jo never seen other than on his own face, causing him to pause. He looked over to Ha Ni who seemed to be holding a baited breath.
"I promise to make mommy happy," he said while looking straight at Ha Ni, who blushed at the intense eye contact he made.
The tiny hands on his face were the reminder to turn back to his son, "so what do you say Min Junie? Should mommy and daddy get married?"
The boy took his hands of his fathers face to put them on his own face in puzzlement, as if thinking long and hard. Then the little boy exploded in excitement, "mommy and daddy get married!"
Ha Ni couldn't help but burst out laughing at how identical her son was to his father in looks, but he had her personality for the most part. Seeing him happy along side his father brought a few tears to her eyes as she remembered the days when Min Jun questioned his fathers love for him, that was finally over.
Maybe things would be alright. She watched her family with a slight smile.
They would be just fine.
