“Soo Yeon?” queried Ban Ryu. “Are you sure that you want to sit in the front room? Wouldn’t you rather stay here and rest in bed?”
His wife smiled sweetly up at him. “Ban Ryu, you are so adorable. But I’m just fine. I’ve already recovered from giving birth to this little fellow.” She beamed down at the baby in her arms.
Then she headed for the door. “I want to sit with Appa and Eomma. They’re about to have tea. And I can’t wait to eat some more of the cook’s dasik. Her current batch was particularly tasty.”
Truthfully, everything tasted amazing these days! Soo Yeon was always hungry. She couldn’t remember ever being this hungry before. But her little Won Hee was quite hungry himself. He insisted on nursing quite often. Which must explain her own voracity.
She preceded her husband down the hallway. But as she approached the door to the sitting room, she stopped and turned towards him. “Here, darling, will you hold him for a little while?” She held Won Hee out to his appa.
Surprised, Ban Ryu glanced up at her and reached out to claim his delightful burden. “Happily,” he murmured. Then he gazed down at the little boy with the sweetest expression lighting up his features.
That darling light was still glowing in his countenance when he stepped into the room behind her.
“Ban Ryu,” came a familiar voice. One he hadn’t heard in…months.
Shocked, the young man glanced up. Into the eyes of his father. Ho Gong.
“Appa,” he breathed in shock. As he stared at the man.
But after a moment, Ban Ryu’s gaze shifted to the face of his adopted appa. “Lord Kim?” he queried.
That fine man met his gaze and tipped his head towards the baby. “Why don’t you introduce your father to our little Won Hee?”
Ban Ryu blinked. Astounded.
Then his father stepped forward. “This is…your son?” he whispered as he gazed down at the beautiful child.
The young hwarang nodded. “Aye, Appa. This is your grandson. Won Hee. He was born…two days ago.”
“He’s…amazing,” the older man breathed.
Ban Ryu gazed up into his eyes. “Would you like to hold him, Appa?”
The man froze for a moment. But then he nodded. “Yes.”
He held his arms out and received the tiny child into his embrace. Then he stood gazing down at him with nothing but adoration lighting up his countenance. “He looks just like you,” he insisted after a few quiet moments.”
Ban Ryu stood still. Silent. Unable to believe this moment.
Was he dreaming again? As he had the day when he’d met his daughter?
But then Lord Kim Seub’s voice sounded again. Convincing him that this moment was real.
“Come. Sit down, everyone. Let’s have some tea.”
A most remarkable hour then unfolded before Ban Ryu. As he sat down to tea with his adopted appa, his father, and his newborn son.
