In her sleep, she vaguely hears the hushed voices of her husband and daughter—one voice too deep to be successful, the other just plain terrible at it. Through the cloud of baby soap overwhelming her waking senses with little Hyeseong tucked tightly underneath her, she catches a whiff of something sweet, maple-y. She cracks an eye open before quickly closing it when a sharp gasp escapes Mirinae. As the 6-year-old hurriedly “whispers” that she’s awake and Minho assures she isn’t, Bora has to suppress the smile that would make her efforts to pretend, and not ruin the surprise, wholly fruitless.
She opts for tucking her face into the baby’s mop of sleep tousled hair. It is also fruitless..
“SHE IS AWAKE, APPA, LOOK!”
Mirinae’s high-pitched yell prompts silent laughter from Bora, shoulders trembling as she sits up to press a hushed finger to her lips to try to keep Hyseong asleep for as long as possible. In a motion as natural as breathing, she scoots to the edge of the bed to receive the little girl who launches herself into her mother’s arms with a less loud, but still louder than needed “Happy Vanenentimes Day!”—the loan term being garbled in her excitement.
Not to be left out, Minho joins them, pressing a warm kiss to his wife’s temple with a smoother “Happy Valentine’s, Bo.” Exchanging a look with their daughter, he returns to his original spot which Bora now notices is next to a cloche-covered tray on the nightstand. Mirinae is at his side in seconds and Bora suppressing another laugh as they go full posh butler mode.
“Good morning, Madame-Mommy Shin, today we have prepared for you the MOST fantastic and yummy Valentimes Day breakfast—” she pauses, shooting her dad a look when he misses his cue and he takes just a second too long to lift the cover.
It’s a nice spread, all things considered: heart-shaped waffles topped with a little too much syrup—Miri’s doing, she surmises—and butter that looks like maybe it was a haphazard heart-shape before it melted; a rolled egg with heart-shaped ketchup dotting the surface; and a handful of sausages cut like little octopi—one of Miri’s favorites.
Picking up the end of the expose while delivering the tray into Bora’s lap, Minho moves to lift a stirring 2-year-old into his arms, “Best of all, you get to enjoy a deserved bed in breakfast and I’ll get the kids ready and walk them to school.”
“You did this all this morning? What time is it..?” She answers her own question with a quick glance at the digital clock on the wall—7:25 a.m. An impressed hum leaves Bora around the mouthful of egg she popped, habitually lifting a hand to cover it as she spoke. “I don’t deserve you guys~” she coos, tugging Mirinae closer by the hem of her Avatar Star Sue pajamas shirt to kiss her round cheek. Affectionately patting the girl’s head, she sends them off with a little wave, “Go on, don’t be late on my account, mh? I’ll eat well~”
“Okay, loveyoubye!” Quite pleased with her big breakfast plan and a quick octosausage theft, Miri trots out of the room. Then, Minho is on her heels with a theft of his own, only somewhat smoothed over by the quick lip peck he gives as distraction.
–
The fight to get out is exhausting. Bora was privileged enough to not be a soldier in it, but she hears the battle clearly and catches glimpses of her little family running back and forth in the common area. Hyeseong won’t put on his coat. Mirinae’s shoe is missing. Hyeseong meltdown. Mirinae’s shoe is found but then Hyeseong’s sock is gone. At one point, nobody wanted their hair done or their teeth brushed and she tried to come help at least once or twice before being assured back into the bedroom.
When she finishes her breakfast—as much as she could with the sopping waffles she’d avoided the entire meal getting her sick after just a few bites—and runs through all outstanding emails and text messages, the house is uncharacteristically quiet. After dropping off the dirty dishes in the kitchen, she takes her time getting ready for the day, starting with some music.
Before she even reaches the record player tucked away at the end of the hall, she notices a heart-shaped sticky note on it. Brows furrowing curiously, she plucks it up to find a note written in Minho’s messy scrawl:
Just leaving you a little love note ♫
Bora’s face immediately scrunches up as she tries to process the bittersweet feeling of mixed cringe and delight, folding and tucking the note into the pocket of her robe to pick a record. Soon enough, the audio crackles and the voice of Brown Eyed Soul fills the apartment.
She heads into the dressing room to find her outfit for the day and immediately finds another little note note.
You plaid me at hello! ♡
“Wh- Jesus Chr…” the curse dies on her upturned lips and she sticks the note away with its friend before grabbing the gingham—not plaid—shirt it was attached to.
The onslaught of corny puns, in both Korean and English, continued as she went about her morning routine. Her makeup carried a “you make me blush” with it. The lunchbox he’d prepared said “we’re ferMENT to be.” The perfectly prepared thermos of coffee said, “you mocha me happy.” Nina’s terrarium said “you ssslithered into my heart.” By the time she’s heading out, a nice little collection of sticky notes stored securely in her purse, she’s smiling despite herself and repeating the latest one under her breath before an incredulous laugh follows. She steps into her pumps, crouching to secure them and stands to find one last note on the door.
Happy Valentine’s Day my Bora Bora!
Have a stress-free day at work! Try to get those kids out of your hair by 7 and I’ll pick you up. We have reservations at 8 ;)
My Snow White, I love you!
♡ Minho
Grinning, Bora tucks that note away too and leaves the apartment. She has a bit more of a pep in her step and a head swirling with awful puns and possibilities for their dinner destination.