Author's Note: So I realized I use these for two reasons. 1: so I can tell when someone's made me happy or helped with my stories. 2: so I ramble about what I'm doing because sometimes I like to think you people care. So, I just started watching a drama with Hoon from U KISS. I just died! Okay. I'm done now.
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"All right, that's enough for today. Make sure you clean up your work space. I'll see you next week."
Min Ho returned to the front of his classroom and began cleaning up his workspace. He tossed the plate holding his paints and made sure the lids were securely on the bottles. He gathered his brushes from the bowl in which they were soaking and took them to the sink to finish rinsing off.
As the last student filtered out, he turned around to find Eri standing in the doorway with Ahn Na clinging to her pants leg. She waved a little at him before coming in the room, but it was hard to do since her daughter clung to her leg so tightly she could barely walk.
She walked all the way into the room and took the paint thinner from him, frowning slightly at the weight of it. He wasn't too surprised in things she did anymore. Not at all, but what surprised him more was the fact that he did whatever she said most of the time. He ended up following her around no matter how many times he said he wasn't.
Together they folded up the easel and put everything away. Even little Ahn Na started singing "Whistle While you Work" as she put away the small bottles of paint. The girl should be in daycare but knowing Eri she kept her out to do a day of bounding. Since Bin Ji had been in the hospital, everyone worried about him. So Woo Bin and Eri took turns taking her out every chance they could. Today must have been that day.
"Why did you come?" he asked when she was finally facing him. He hadn't mastered all of ASL yet so he preferred talking it out instead of signing.
"We were going for lunch and wondered if you were finished. Woo Bin is going to meet me at the studio so he can take her. Do you want to join us?" she asked.
"Sure. I'm done for the day. I figured you'd call me before you went to the studio anyway."
He tossed his art book in his bag and swung it over her shoulder. Next came Ahn Na, whom he picked up and held on his shoulders. She grabbed a handful of hair and kicked her legs. Laughing, they left the classroom then the center.
It happened every time they walked down the sidewalk. If he was holding one of the kids, people mistook him as the father. He could pass as Ahn Na's father because she had dark curly hair much like his, but Bin Ji looked just like Woo Bin. There were younger pictures of Woo Bin floating around everywhere since his company had been contracted by Shinhwa Group to head the building of a new state of the art hospital in Gangnam. Both Woo Bin's and Jun Pyo's faces were plastered all over the news and magazines, but they had done a very good job of keeping their families out of the press. Although Jan Di and Eri were recognized all the time, reporters never made a move to talk to them, and they definitely left the kids alone. Every now and then, they would allow a snapshot of the families but most of the time it was quiet.
Today was one of the days where it was quiet but women all around were oohing and ahhing the supposed couple that walked around the streets. Normally Min Ho would enjoy everything because he was walking around with a beautiful woman, but Eri was his older sister. She had adopted him after Bin Ji got out of the hospital and he'd called her Noona ever since. It could easily be misconstrued as a sign of endearment of a dating couple. Eri was eight years older than him and normally he wouldn't go for someone that much older.
Someone bumped into Eri, knocking the normally graceful woman off balance. Without a second thought, Min Ho wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tucked her into his side. The older gentleman who had knocked into her demanded she apologize, but Min Ho simply stated that she couldn't hear him because she was deaf. The man's face changed immediately and he apologized before tweaking Ahn Na's cheek and walking away.
Eri shrugged off his touch and continued towards the restaurant they frequented. Min Ho knew she didn't like being touched often but the look on her face told him something was boiling under the surface. He wasn't as good as Yi Jeong at interpreting her emotions or as Woo Bin as reading her body language, but he was getting there. He spent all of his free time with her so he was bound to understand something.
They got their normal booth by the window and didn't have to say anything as the waitress wrote down their orders. Ahn Na started coloring on the paper before her, happily accepting the crayons Min Ho handed her. She knew better than to color on the table. Quiet like her mother, she colored the napkins carefully as she made sure to stay between the lines.
Min Ho tapped the table between them, garnering Eri's attention. "What's wrong?"
She gnawed at her thumb nail. "I can't figure out what this person wants. Even Yi Jeong is at a loss."
"Maybe you should meet the client before you do anything. I find it very strange that she sent the qualifications to you without seeing you first."
"There wasn't a number. There's no way I can text or have Yi Jeong call."
"Yi Jeong seemed to know who she is. I'm sure he'll know how to get in contact with her."
That probably wasn't the best thing to say at that moment. Eri's eyes steeled as she stared at him. No matter what the others said, Eri was a jealous woman. She wasn't jealous of anyone in her family, but that couldn't be said for everyone else. She didn't ask about Woo Bin's or Yi Jeong's pasts, but she knew enough to recognize names.
Min Ho changed the subject as fast as he could, but the mood was already soured. He had to endure the thirty minute ice blast as he sat across from the woman. Luckily for him, Ahn Na took pity on him and tried to feed him her chicken. The first couple of bites he took then kindly pushed them away so she could eat them. But he never forgot that Eri was across from him and one wrong move would result in her lashing him at some point.
With the impending explosion boiling just under the surface, Min Ho paid for their meal then picked Ahn Na up and left the restaurant. He waited for Eri outside then followed her to the studio. She was really irritated at him or the situation. He couldn't figure out which one yet. He watched her weave in and out of the crowded street with ease.
Walking in silence, they came to the studio doors. Those poor doors got the beating of Eri's temper as she slammed them open. Min Ho winced as they shook on their hinges. He gently closed the doors then let Ahn Na down to run. He followed her in and wasn't surprised to see Woo Bin talking to Yi Jeong as he sat behind his wheel.
"Appa!" Ahn Na's voice rang out through the small space as she ran from the doorway to where Woo Bin leaned against the table.
Woo Bin swung around and caught her around her tiny waist to pull her up. She squealed as he rolled her from his wrist to his shoulder then held her against him. He nodded at Min Ho then searched for his wife. Eri must not have come through the studio before him.
"What did you do?" Yi Jeong asked. The bastard didn't even lift his eyes from the pottery wheel. "She went in the store room to change, but she's been slamming my doors. Those are heavy doors. I don't even have the strength to slam them most days. So what did you do?"
"I'm not even sure. All I said was you probably had the client's number since she didn't leave it in the packet," he answered.
"Who's the client?" Woo Bin asked.
"Ha Jae Kyung."
Woo Bin made a noise in the back of his throat. "How did she find out about Eri?"
"It was probably one of the art shows I've put on in the last few months. Eri's "Starlit Night" sold for eighteen million Won in just four hours, and her "Lover's Quarrel" for sixteen million. She must have a true following even though she doesn't want to do art for a living." Yi Jeong looked up at his best friend. "Did she really do "Lover's Quarrel" after you fought or is it just my imagination running away with me?"
"You've been listening to too much Temptations music recently." Yi Jeong shrugged then went back to his work. "It wasn't a fight with me. She had been over at Jan Di's and Jun Pyo's when she made that piece."
"Well that makes sense. Unlike us who find it humorous when those two fight, Eri finds the bigger picture and uses it. It's the perfect balance."
"Jeong!"
Woo Bin and Yi Jeong cringed at the voice that rang through the studio. Min Ho turned to look at the door as a very tall and very thin woman walked through. Her hair was cropped short and she was dressed in the best outfit on the market. When she smiled, he thought of Ga Eul her smile was that pretty.
"Jeong! I didn't know this was your studio. I just thought you were leasing it out for someone," she said as she walked over to him and handed him a cup of coffee.
Yi Jeong had manners but Min Ho could tell he didn't particularly like this woman. He couldn't pinpoint why though. "Thanks, but why are you here, Jae Kyung?"
"I came to see the artist. It seems she's very hard to get in touch with. Bin, what are you doing here?" she asked. Then she saw the curly head pressed into his neck. "Who is this?"
Woo Bin smiled and turned his head. "This is Ahn Na, my daughter. And don't call me Bin. Only one person has the right to call me that."
"You could have called, Jae Kyung. I would have told you how to get in contact with the artist you commissioned," Yi Jeong continued. "She's a little wary of new people so it would have been better if you called before showing up."
"She's here?" Jae Kyung's face lit up as she looked around. "Where is she? I want to meet her."
Woo Bin laughed. "That's the only thing you got out of that whole scolding."
Min Ho had no idea what was going on. Did these two really not understand why Eri was slamming doors? Or were they just ignoring the fact that their friend and wife was feeling something that they had never witnessed before? Had they seen her jealous before? Had they witnessed her temper? Or was he the only one who was bright enough to recognize a woman irritated that her family knew another woman and she didn't?
He was the first one to notice Eri as she came into the main studio. She was dressed to work with clay in her jumpsuit. Like usual, she had the torso unzipped and wrapped around her waist. She stopped as soon as she hit the doors as she looked around the room.
This was bad. There were only four women Eri trusted, and there were plenty she tolerated. But she didn't know this woman, and here she was chatting up her husband and best friend. Her temper was about to explode if they didn't realize she was there.
He moved first, stepping in front of her to block her view. She looked up at him as he gripped her shoulders lightly.
"She's the client. They've known her for years," he whispered. He felt her trembling under his hands. "Calm down. You can't let your temper get the better of you."
"She's not shaking because of her temper." Woo Bin was suddenly there. His smile was soft and reassuring. He reached over Min Ho's hands and framed her face. "It's because you crowded her suddenly. Every man who has done that has laid a hand on her in an untoward fashion."
Dropping his hands, Min Ho stepped back and let Woo Bin take control. It took a matter of minutes and several gentle kisses to ease her. He took her hand and led her over to Yi Jeong. The potter vacated his stool and watched as his friend sat down, hands immediately going to the wet clay.
"Who is she?" Jae Kyung asked as the men stepped back.
"That is the woman you have commissioned to do your painting. That's Eri, my wife. If you want to get in contact with her, you'll have to do it via text message because she's hearing impaired and can't talk on the phone. Or you can call Yi Jeong or Min Ho. They're always with her so they can get your message across. Never grab her from behind or turn away from her while you're talking. It'll only make her dislike you more. She isn't the friendliest person but her artwork is on par or better than those in Yi Jeong's gallery," Woo Bin explained. "Also, don't be surprised if you show up here and she and Yi Jeong are sprawled out somewhere. It's normal, and they're not cheating. It's how Yi Jeong controls the situation."
"How can I talk to her if she can't hear?"
"She can lip read, but I don't think she's in the mood to be doing that today. Text me later and I'll send you her number so you can text her whenever you have questions. Starting tomorrow, I have to be at the gallery every day so I may not be available to talk. Min Ho on the other hand is always with her. He can help," Yi Jeong said.
Min Ho really didn't like that. "You're going to put me in a room with a ticking time bomb and Miss Peppy by myself? You're a sick bastard."
Yi Jeong looked at him. "Well, this sick bastard pays you double what anyone else would pay so shut up and take it."
How did he get into this situation? All he wanted was a quiet life to work on his art and here he was tossed in the chaebol world with a woman who was worse than him. How did things like that even happen? How was he going to survive this?