The twins rubbed their full tummy with a satisfied grin on their faces. It was always good when it came to meat. They didn't really care even if their tummy had protruded more than usual.
But now their tummy was full, the two munchkins glanced at each other and right at the same time, both of them nodded off in drowsiness. Hence, with a silent agreement, they leaned against each other and dozed off without a care of the place and time.
On the side, Shu Hwa chuckled in amusement while she observed the whole deal. 'They were so excited just an hour ago. Now it seems like their battery has been drained.'
Then, she turned to the clown beside her, who had his head thrown back, eyes closed and hands around his belly. His stomach was so round and protruded now that it felt like a single nudge would possibly make it explode.
Ji Woon groaned. "I should have controlled my intake. My desire overcame me. Oh, such a human's nature."
Shu Hwa burst out laughing at his dramatic remark. "Next time, think twice before you decided to compete with the twins over the meat. It's an all-you-can-eat barbecue, not paid per serving. What are you thinking?"
Shu Hwa shook her head. Ji Woon opened his eyes slightly and stared at her grudgingly.
"Why are you still okay though even after wiping out half of the meals?"
Shu Hwa pretended to think for a minute before she snapped her finger and said, "Ah! Maybe it's because I'm stronger than you."
Ji Woon huffed indignantly. "Strong?! Strong my ass! You're just one of those irritable humans who can eat a lot without getting fat."
And as if he wanted to cry, he pouted and continued ranting, "Oh...those lucky a*s who are blessed with a fast metabolism. Why am I not one of them?!"
Shu Hwa pursed her lips and stared at Ji Woon incredulously. Eventually, she sighed and gave the man a reassuring pat on his shoulder instead.
"It's okay, My Friend. I know life is unfair. Even when I was born beautiful with a fast metabolism, I still get my man snatched and identity stolen."
Listening to Shu Hwa's effort to comfort him, Ji Woon didn't know whether to cry or laugh. "Forget it!! I can't even laugh in this state. I'm afraid I'll throw up all the food I've eaten if I moved even an inch."
"Eew.." Shu Hwa shot him a look of disgust.
Thereafter, she rose from her seat and picked up Min Hyuk. Then, she stared down at him so hard that Ji Woon felt like her eyes were going to shoot some killing rays at him if he didn't move soon.
"Okay, okay. Calm your nerve, My Lady. For this servant shall lift Min Jun."
He proceeded to grab the little sleeping prince. Shu Hwa's lips curved into a satisfied smile and they went straight towards the exit.
....
Both of them placed the kids in the safety seats and buckled them up. After everything is set, Shu Hwa asked Ji Woon for the car keys.
"I'll drive. You can take a rest."
Ji Woon happily tossed her the car keys. He went ahead and sat on the pilot seat before shutting his eyes. He let the drowsiness carried him to sleep.
Shu Hwa started the car. She drove her way straight to the all too familiar neighbourhood, Dongdaemun.
….
The last time she was here, she had been in a cab with her wrinkled dress and tattered heart. Her face stained with tears, her love ripped apart, and all she had was a tiny glow of hope. That one sprinkle hope to escape and she had desperately held on to it.
Shu Hwa parked the car at a private parking spot for the apartment's residence. However, even after the car had stopped, she didn't move. She just stared at the familiar old building and then at the entrance where she had walked on in the past.
It felt like it was just yesterday as she could still picture her young-foolish-self walking across the parking lot hugging herself in the most pathetic way.
She bit her lower lip and let out a long heavy sigh before turning around to look at her babies sleeping peacefully at the backseat. Her lips slowly curled into a warm loving smile.
That day, she hadn't realized it yet but she had run away not only with her small little hope but with these two-precious lights. Of all the decision she had made in the past, her decision that day had been the best one she had ever made. If she hadn't run away, she wouldn't have had the chance to meet her twin angels.
No one understood the trouble she had to go through while giving birth to them. There were many complications, even the doctor suggested a C-section seeing her frail body. It hadn't been easy living all alone in a foreign country and she had to juggle between work as well as pregnancy.
But she had been adamant on doing it the natural way. After a long fifteen hours, two sleeping angels were born. At that moment, she felt that all the pain and the sufferings that she to go through for a full nine months was worth it. Every single bit of it was worth it because she could hold her babies little hands, hearing their cries, and small innocent chuckles.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted her train of thoughts, "You should always smile like this. Every day."
Her brown eyes shifted to the guy beside her, who had his eyes locked on her. She leaned back to her seat and her smile grew even wider.
"Yeah. As long as they are happy and safe."
Ji Woon looked at the little woman beside him. As she closed her eyes and breathed in this peaceful moment, she looked both serene and vulnerable. Her current presence was nothing like in the hall this morning. The woman she was now had shed all her armours and all that was left was her lone-self, a mother with two kids whom she had to raise by herself.
Ji Woon couldn't help but feel protective when he looked at her this way. He still remembered when the company had implored him to be her editor slash manager. At first, he was confused.
He couldn't understand why the company would focus its sole attention on newbie author who had popped out of nowhere. It was even worse when he heard that was a web author. That had been before he had read her book out of his duty as her possible editor.
Every page, every word that she had poured into the sheet spoke to him. That wasn't just mere a poem or a flash story behind words but it was a conversation. More than fiction or beautiful words, it was an evocation.
He had immediately become thrilled to be her manager and had been eagerly waiting to meet her. But again, she had given him a shock when he had found a petite young girl waiting in the cafe for him in her casual attire.