Bonus Chapter: Part 1 of 4

“Oh my God!” Sam Soon exclaimed.

Her outcry was so sudden and unexpected that Jin Hun immediately stopped walking and jerked his head in her direction. “What? What?!”

But instead of looking frazzled or distressed, Sam Soon was smiling and pointing at the tall man frantically waving at them from across the barricade. She glanced at Jin Hun then turned back to look at him. “Oh goodness. He gets better looking every single time I see him. How is that humanly possible? Aren’t you supposed to get uglier with age?”

Jin Hun sighed then started walking again. “Need I remind you that you’re married or is that ring not big enough?” He lifted the hand he’d been holding since they cleared customs to show it to her.

“Oh, shut up about the ring, okay? It’s big. I can see that. Even a blind man can see it from ten miles away. Do you need to keep bringing it up?”

“Yes, I do. Especially at times like this when you forget that you’re married.”

“Please give me a break, okay? I’m married but I’m not dead.” She straightened her back and put on a regal air. “Do you want me to pretend that I can’t see that Henry is a beautiful man?” she asked dramatically. She knew that he wasn't really jealous but it was fun to tease him.

Jin Hun looked her up and down then shook his head. “What would you say if I started going on and on about Hee Jin’s looks?"

“Oh… I see. You’re trying to annoy me, huh?”

He smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Yep, whenever she started playing her little games he always knew the right buttons to push. And he just loved seeing her reaction.

Sam Soon instinctively put her hand on her cheek. “What’s that for? Is that supposed to make me forget what you just said? We both know that there’s a difference between me commenting on Henry’s looks and you talking about Hee Jin’s.”

“There is? Really?” It was his turn to be overdramatic. “Please explain it to me, Honey,” he said as they approached their excited friend.

Henry practically ran over and hugged them. Over the past year or so, especially after they were married, any tension that they’d previously pretended didn’t exist suddenly disappeared. Sam Soon’s cynical side attributed it to both couples being secure in their relationships while her more romantic side liked to think that with age came wisdom and they’d somehow learned to appreciate one another. Their occasional emails turned into bi-weekly phone calls and before they knew it, they’d become quite immersed in one another’s lives. And even though she’d never met their little Soo Jin, she already felt like her Godmother.

Henry stepped back for a moment then looked his friends over. “Wow, marriage really does agree with you, Sam Soon. You’re looking great.”

Sam Soon went back into Meryl Streep mode and suddenly started shaking her head and waving her finger. “No. No… you can’t say that. A married person should never say such things!” she warned.

Jin Hun groaned.

A completely confused Henry looked at both of them and asked, “Sorry, what? Why?”

Sam Soon burst out laughing.

“Just ignore her,” Jin Hun said, picking up their bags. “So where are you parked?”


***

“Oh, she’s so cute,” Sam Soon said, bouncing little Soo Jin on her lap. “She’s so cute! Just like her mother,” she continued, emphasizing the last word. She hit the seat in front of her, “Did you hear that, Sam Shik? I didn't say father. I said mmmmmmother!”

“What’s she on about?” Henry asked from the driver’s seat.

Jin Hun shook his head. “Trust me, it’s nothing important.” He reached across to the stereo knob and turned the dial. “I forgot how many commercials they played on American radio.”

Hee Jin turned to watch Sam Soon as she played with her child. After a few minutes she said, “You really look good with her.”

Sam Soon blushed. “Really?”

Hee Jin nodded. “Yes. You look like you were born to be a mother.”

A suddenly shy Sam Soon bent her head and covered her mouth with her hand. “Really? You think so?”

“Yes. Of course. I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true. You’re born to take care of kids.”

Sam Soon scrunched her face. “Hey, wait a minute. Are you trying to rope me into babysitting?”

Henry chuckled from the driver’s seat. “And it almost worked,” he said, still laughing.

Hee Jin kicked his seat. “Hey, you. Shush.” Then she turned to Sam Soon. “No, of course not. I can see that you’re great with her so if you want to come over and spend some time with her, just let me know. But tell me in advance so that I can schedule a hair appointment for that time – I need a trim ASAP,” she said as she ran her fingers through the ends of her hair.

“Funny,” Sam Soon said as she handed Soo Jin back to her mother as it seemed that even the little girl had joined in what had become quite raucous laughter.


***

“So you really don’t want to stay with us? I think I’m offended,” Henry joked as he drove them through Manhattan.

“With all your packing, I’m sure we’ll be in the way. When are you moving again?” Jin Hun asked.

“The movers are coming on Tuesday,” Hee Jin said from behind Soo Jin’s palm. She sat her daughter on her lap and continued, “but we won’t be getting there till two Sundays from now.”

“You haven’t even been in New York for a year and you’re already moving somewhere else? What exactly are you running away from?” Sam Soon joked.

“No. No. I am not running away from anything – it’s all that woman’s fault,” Henry said, pointing to the seat behind his.

“How is it my fault that you got offered a fantastic job at John Hopkins? In fact, yeah, it’s my fault.”

“No… but it’s because of you I didn’t go to Africa.”

“Oh… Oh. It’s my fault you can't live without me, huh?” she teased.

Henry laughed. “Yes... kinda. But when I wanted to go, you asked me to stay till you graduated. Then when you graduated, you wanted to do your residency, then you wanted to get married, then you wanted to have a baby.”

“Yes. Yes. I got pregnant all on my own. I completely forgot about that.”

Sam Soon laughed. “Really? I’m sure you could make millions selling your secret.”

“But yeah, Jin Hun, I’ve got a great opportunity to do some great things at John Hopkins so we couldn’t pass it up. Plus she got a great offer from George Washington so I guess it’s our destiny or something.”

“And is your mother-in-law going with you?” Jin Hun asked.

“Well she says she’s not coming, but she is,” Hee Jin said confidently. “My Dad keeps complaining that we’ve kept her for too long but too bad. Soo Jin needs her Nana. Don’t you, Sweetie? Don’t you?” she finished, switching to a baby voice as she talked to her daughter.

“So why don’t you take your Dad along?” Sam Soon asked.

“I don’t think so,” Henry boomed.

After a moment of mildly shocked silence, they all burst out laughing.

“Why not?” Sam Soon asked. “Besides, I can see that your Korean has improved a lot since you started staying with your mother-in-law.”

“Yeah. She insists that we only speak Korean at home. That way, Soo Jin won’t lose her identity blah blah blah.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Sam Soon said, turning her attention back to Soo Jin. She reached for her hand and started playing with it. “My God, Hee Jin, she’s so well behaved. We’ve been in this car for what - 25 minutes? And she hasn’t cried once.”

Hee Jin rolled her eyes. “You should have heard her this morning – she’s just taking a break. Trust me.”

“No… she’s ado-”

“Hey, Soonie, look out the window,” Jin Hun interrupted.

Sam Soon complied but only barely so. “Oh, Times Square… it kinda looks the same, I guess,” she said dismissively then turned her attention back to Soo Jin. “Oh, you’re so cute. So cute… awww. Aren’t you? Yes, you are. Yes, you are,” she cooed.

Noticing the blank expression that had suddenly clouded Jin Hun's face, Henry turned to him and said, “So you’re staying at the Courtyard? I thought you’d be at the Waldorf or some fancy hotel like that.”

“Why?” Sam Soon said, finally letting go of Soo Jin’s hand. She straightened her blouse and continued, “All we need is a nice place to rest our heads. What’s the point in spending all that money just to sleep?”

“And this is coming from the wife of the future owner of a 5-star hotel? Is this what you say to your guests when they check in and 'spend all that money just to sleep"?” Hee Jin asked.

After unsuccessfully spending a minute trying to come up with a reasonable rebuttal, Sam Soon gave up and said, “Oh, shut up.”

They all burst out laughing.


***

“Not bad,” Sam Soon commented as they walked into their hotel room. “It looks just like the photos on the internet.” She dropped her handbag on the bed and walked into the bathroom.

After handing the concierge his tip, Jin Hun dropped their luggage next to the closet then plopped on the bed. He bounced on it a few times and said, “Feels good.”

With a freshly rinsed face, Sam Soon walked back into the room and filled the little fridge with the drinks she’d purchased at the airport then grabbed the remote control and sat next to him. “I guess it feels okay,” she said as she put her head on his shoulder. Then she switched on the television.

She was flicking through channels when she felt Jin Hun’s fingers on her other hand. She turned to him and smiled lazily. “Hey, what are you doing?”

He picked up her hand and softly caressed her palms with his fingers. It was weird; weren’t you supposed to get bored with being with the same person all the time? But with her, he seemed to discover new things everyday. Like surely, that bump wasn't on her palm yesterday, was it? He looked up at the eyes that were staring at him. “What does it look like I am doing? I am playing with your hand.”

“Why?”

He pulled her hand closer to him and softly kissed it. “Because it’s cute. I like playing with cute things.”

“Really? My hands are cute? I remember you comparing them to pigs.”

“So what?” he said in between kissing her fingers. “Pigs are cute.”

Sam Soon laughed then hit him before pushing him away. Bastard. “I hate you!” She started to get up.

“No, you don’t,” he said as he grabbed her hand.”

She looked down at him. “What are you doing?”

“What does this look like?” he asked before forcefully pulling her on top of him.

Still laughing, she grabbed his face and softly kissed his chin. She really couldn’t ever get tired of kissing him. She kissed the side of his mouth then looked directly into his eyes. “You’ve got such a one track mind. You know that, right?”

“Only when it comes to you,” he said then kissed her full on the lips.

After a few minutes of making out, Jin Hun suddenly stopped.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” Sam Soon asked.

“I think it’s time for me to take a shower,” he said, getting off the bed.

“Are you crazy? Come back here." She pulled him. What the hell? After getting her all hot and bothered he just wanted to leave like that?

He pulled her fingers off him and placed her hand on the bed. “Trust me, I want to but isn’t it like almost the middle of the month?”

“And?”

“You know… so we can’t.”

“What are you talking about? Of course we can.” She stretched her hands out to him. “Come here.”

Jin Hun looked a little disgusted. “Honey, I love you but I don’t think so.”

“Why not?" Sam Soon stared at him in confusion till it finally dawned on her. She giggled. “No,” she said, “it’s fine. Come here. My ‘visitor’ isn’t here.”

“Really?” He thought about it for a moment. “Well, today is the 11th so I guess it’s not quite the middle yet.”

She looked at him in disbelief. “I can’t believe you actually have a calendar for this. Gosh!”

Jin Hun laughed but made no attempt to get back on the bed.

“So are you coming here or not?”

He scratched his neck. “Well, it was a long flight… I think I really need to take a shower,” he said turning around and walking towards the bathroom.

“Are you kidding me?”

Then he turned around and gave her a sly look. “But didn’t you promise to always keep me clean?”

Sam Soon raised her brow. That was more like it.

“Now what are you waiting for?” he asked as he stretched his hand to her. “Come here!”