173 - Happily Ever After (feat. Heena)

    TL/Editor: looloo

    Status: ongoing

    Illustrations: posted in discord

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    Yeonho and Sarang. Even after our hotel staycation, time raced on relentlessly.

    Work was hectic and draining, but it couldn''t dampen my happiness.

    My late hours meant Yeonho, the love of my life, always welcomed me home first.

    Our daughter, who I adore almost as much as Yeonho, sometimes needs scolding for avoiding vegetables and lately makes me a tad jealous for monopolizing her father''s attention.

    Those two kept a smile on my face. Each day brimmed with gratitude.

    How long has it been since that miracle reunited me with Yeonho? Even that memory''s grown hazy. All that remains are our joyful moments together.

    And those memories kept accumulating after our staycation.

    "Woooooow!!! Daddy!! Uncle''s coming this way!!"

    "Bro, what the hell?! This ain''t bumper cars!"

    "Hahahaha!"

    We''d somehow squeezed in a family sledding trip.

    Careening down the slope, colliding left and right. I snapped photos of an ecstatic Yeonho and Sarang at the bottom.

    Nearby, my brother and...

    "Sarang!! Auntie''s coming too!!"

    "Sis, be careful, dammit!"

    "Kyaaa!!"

    My sister, also crashing about on her sled. Despite early pregnancy, she laughed raucously as ever.@@@@

    My brothers-in-law, Jeongwoo oppa and Sunhoo oppa, had gone skiing separately. I was glad they seemed to be enjoying themselves after their recent work struggles.

    Eventually, Yeonho and Sarang tumbled off their sled, faces caked in snow, and came to me for help.

    "This won''t do. Heena, quit with the photos and help out. They''re hopeless, crashing into each other like that."

    "Mommy! Daddy and I rolled around! The snow''s so cold!"

    "Hehe, alright~ Mother-in-law''s taking photos too, so I''ll join in."

    That day was a blast. I''d never cared for skiing or sledding before, but with family, it was exhilarating.

    As we headed home after hours of play, I felt genuinely disappointed. So I made a silent vow.

    To hit the slopes every year from now on. All of us, together.

    ---Raei Translations---

    With each new year came our family''s joint birthday bash. My birthday, Yeonho''s, and Sarang''s all fell in January-February, so we threw one big party instead of separate ones. It was more fun that way.

    We''d gather at one house on the most convenient weekend between January and February.

    "Happy birthday, you three~! But Yeonho and Heena, no presents for you, got it?! Everything''s for Sarang!"

    "Sigh. If Sarang gets more, I guess we''ll allow it."

    "Thanks, unnie~"

    "This year''s gift is something we all pitched in for."

    "More like forced contributions."

    "Can I try it too?"

    My sister''s and brothers'' comments piqued my curiosity about the gift. The wrapped box was enormous.

    Yeonho and Sarang seemed just as intrigued, poking at the box.

    "It''s huge! Is this really for Sarang?!"

    "Of course it''s for Sarang. But what the hell did they put in there? Surely not a doll."

    "Don''t be too shocked when you see it. Sheesh..."

    "Why~ It looks fun!"

    My mother-in-law sighed as if she''d already seen the contents, while my mom just chuckled.

    And so, summers meant beach trips, autumn brought amusement park visits, and winters saw us sledding.

    Year after year, the same routines and seasonal events.

    In a way, we always did similar things, but each time brought fresh joy and happiness.

    Yeonho remained devoted to me and Sarang, while our daughter grew up kind and healthy.

    I, too, always strived for my loved ones. To be a mom worthy of my wonderful husband and sweet daughter.

    As years passed...

    Life brought many changes. My brother married Rin unnie, who still ran the cafe, and moved out. Jeongwoo oppa and Yoonjung unnie''s son, Jihu, was already two and chattering away.

    Sunhoo oppa, though, still lived at home, making money through gaming and showing no interest in dating... But to each their own.

    Our parents stayed healthy, free from minor ailments. That''s what matters most at their age.

    As for Yeonho...

    "Heena. Gotta pop by the office for a bit..."

    "Sarang was so excited to go out with you..."

    "I''ll be back after noon. We''ll go then."

    "Can''t be helped. Be careful."

    He''d quickly found work after discharge and was excelling. With his solid college grades and consistent studying even during his military service, he''d faced few hurdles.

    In some ways, he had more options than me. From major corporations to IT firms, and even a startup introduced by a college senior.

    Yeonho chose the startup path. Though less stable, he saw it as a chance to gain experience while continuing to study development.

    Overtime was frequent during busy periods, but that wasn''t much different for me. Still, when he had to work weekends like this, I wanted to torch his company.

    As lunchtime passed and Yeonho''s return neared, our rapidly growing daughter entered the kitchen.

    Sarang was already 8, old enough for daily school with a backpack.

    "Mom! When''s Dad coming?"

    "Soon, honey. Taking good care of Kong?"

    "Yep! Finished my observation diary too. Wish Dad would hurry~"

    Her speech was now clear and articulate, her personality sweet and unblemished.

    Perhaps because she''s my daughter, she still adored Yeonho. Every evening and weekend, she''d cling to him relentlessly.

    Not that it hindered her friendships. She was quite popular in class.

    Sarang was my spitting image, but with Yeonho''s gentle eyes, giving her a kind face and beautiful smile. She''d also inherited his knack for easy friendships, making her irresistibly likable.

    The kids'' phone we''d bought her for elementary school seemed ready to combust from constant vibrations.

    Not that Sarang cared much about replying. Especially on days like today when she was going out with her dad.

    I wasn''t much different from Sarang in that regard.

    Though years had passed since reuniting with Yeonho and having Sarang, I still craved every moment with him.

    Like Sarang, I eagerly anticipated our outing today.

    -Ding dong!

    "Ah! Dad''s home!"

    "Han Sarang! No running in the house!"

    "Daddy!"

    "Really..."

    And so, we...

    Continued to cherish our happy moments together, unchanged.

    Author''s Note:

    Feels like a side story finale. Though it''s not...

    At this rate, the side story might outgrow the main one.

    How''d it come to this?

    ---