Contract Marriage 18+ [A Hopekook Fanfiction] ✓

11.2🥀

"So what are the plans for tonight?" Soobin asked curiously as Hobie enjoyed the decadent slice of chocolate mousse cake she was having for dessert.

"We'll probably have a quiet evening," she shrugged. "Jeon doesn't know it's my birthday."

"Oh," Soobin glanced away for a long moment before turning back to Hobie. "Do you want me to tell him?"

"No he'd feel awful if he realises," Soobin's lips tilted at the sides.

"Well, at least he wouldn't be indifferent," Soobin said. "Which is probably what he would have been a year ago." Hobie nodded.

"I know..." she paused. "He told me he loved me... about a month ago. And he's said it every day since. But, I can't quite seem to bring myself to believe him."

"Hobie, it's been pretty obvious to me for a while now that he's in love with you," her cousin startled her by saying.

"It has?"

"Yes... I think I started to see it when he tried to forgive my debt for no good reason and then when you fainted after your amniocentesis and started crying when I got there, Eunwo was right, the man looked devastated when you burst into tears. I think you should start believing in him. I know that he hurt you badly in the past but it's time for you to decide if you can forgive him or not. Because if you can't then there's no point in staying in this marriage but if you can then I think this man is going to do his damnedest to make sure that you're happy for the rest of your life."

Soobin went home with Hobie that evening deciding that they should have an impromptu birthday dinner for her. But when they got back to the house and Hobie got a phone call from Jeon telling her that he had to work late, Soobin grimly bullied Hobie into a pretty dress, called Eunwo and said that they were taking Hobie and Lily out to what she called a "fancy" restaurant.

Hobie was in no real mood to celebrate and when they got to the restaurant, she dragged her feet to the entrance, where Eunwo stood waiting. He looked quite dashing in a tuxedo and well-matched with Soobin, who was wearing one of the pretty evening gowns she had bought on their shopping expedition that afternoon.

"Look guys, this is too much fuss..." Hobie protested. "Why don't we just head back to my house and have a nice dinner or something?"

"Too late now, Sunshine, we're here, so you're going to have to deal with it." Eunwo grinned, before dropping a kiss on her cheek and then reaching over to taking Lily's carrier from her. "Happy birthday, Hobie, you look ravishing."

Right, the knee-length silk slip dress was a little too low and made her swollen breasts look slightly too voluptuous for her liking. She felt a little uncomfortable in it but Soobin had chosen it, saying that the ice green colour did wonderful things for her hair and eyes.

"I mean, did you guys even think to make reservations?"

"Hobie, with your dad and husband being who they are, do you really think getting into any restaurant you want is ever going to be a problem?" Soobin scoffed and Hobie wrinkled her nose, conceding the point. Soobin flounced through the door and Eunwo stood aside to let Hobie in.

The waitress smiled and led her through without question. Surprised, she followed him with a little frown on her face. He led her through double glass doors. The place was packed with people and for some reason no-one was sitting down. She squirmed uncomfortably when everyone turned to stare at her, not quite sure what on earth was going on.

"Surprise!" She nearly jumped out of her skin at the collective shout and then finally realised that she recognised most of the faces in the room. Eunwo, who had stood outside of the room until after surprise, in case it scared Lily, moved to stand beside her.

"What's going on?" She whispered in panicked confusion.

"It's a surprise birthday party, you idiot," he teased, dropping another fond kiss on her cheek before heading off to find his wife in the crowd. People were smilling around her and shaking her hand. She recognised Mingyu Kim and all of Jeon's Friday night buddies along with their significant others, Eunwo's brother hyunhobie came up and gave her an unceremonious pat on her back and a gruff "happy birthday" before disappearing back into the woodwork. The man hated crowds, she could imagine this scene wasn't really to his taste but he was here and she was so utterly confused by that. Why was he here, why were any of them here? How did Soobin even know to invite Mingyu Kim and that lot?

"Happy birthday, my love," a familiar pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and she was tugged back against a broad chest. Jeon dropped a kiss in her neck. She turned in his arms and stared up at him in bemusement.

"You did this?" She asked in disbelief. "But I thought you didn't..."

"Hobie," he interrupted with infinite patience. "I'm not a stupid man, I wasn't about to repeat my past mistakes. I love you and I wanted to show you how much."

"How long have you been planning this?" She asked.

"God, since before my father died... the plans were put on hold until after I returned and then with Lily's birth they stalled a bit but I wanted to do something special to make up for all the times your birthday was neglected or forgotten over the years." She knew he meant by her father as well as himself and was helplessly touched by the gesture.

"Thank you," she smiled and stood up on her toes kiss him. He cupped her face and kissed her hungrily.