Contract Marriage 18+ [A Hopekook Fanfiction] ✓

11.3🥀

"You look beautiful," he told her.

"You don't look too bad yourself," she said, stepping back to take in his tailor-made tuxedo.

"Hey, break it up you two," a brash male voice intruded into their intimate little cocoon and they both turned to see Mingyu Kim's smiling face. "Jeon, it's like every time I see you with this gorgeous thing, you have your hands all over her. Share the wealth, bro." He stepped forward to envelope Hobie in a warm hug.

"Happy birthday, gorgeous. We've missed you..." considering how they'd met her only once, months ago, Hobie initially doubted the veracity of that statement but the sincerity in his face, led her to believe that he actually meant his words.

"Thank you," she smiled. "I'm sorry I never came to any of your other soccer nights."

"You had a difficult pregnancy, perfectly understandable," he dismissed with a careless flick of the hand. "And congratulations on your beautiful daughter, by the way. Jeon's been flashing pictures of her at us for weeks. It'll be nice to see her in the flesh. Where is the little darling?"

"My cousin's husband has her," she glanced around for Eunwo and saw him showing Lily off to his brother, hyunhobie and hyunhobie's business partner Ian. The little group was soon joined by Eunwo's business partner, Jackson and by Ian's wife. Everybody was cooing over the still-sleeping baby.

"Looks like she's not wanting for attention, so I'll take her beautiful mother out for a spin on the dance floor in the meantime," he whisked a laughing Hobie away from Jeon before the other man could protest and twirled her around to some upbeat music.

He'd had her for barely two minutes before someone cut in, after that she was passed from partner to partner for the next half an hour before Jeon finally claimed her.

"Think you can spare some time to flirt with your husband, hobie?" He asked grumpily and she blinked up at him uncertainly until she realised that he was a little jealous. The fact boosted her confidence and brought a delighted smile to her face.

"I have a few minutes to spare between dances," she nodded after a considering pause and he growled before dragging her closer and tucking her head onto his shoulder. They swayed together slowly and he started nuzzling her neck. She sighed and melted into his hard body, enjoying the warm, spicy scent of him. They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice anybody standing beside them until a voice penetrated the fog of desire.

"Jeon?" He made a protesting sound before raising his head and blinking at someone standing behind Hobie. She watched his face light up and a smile grace his lips. Baffled, she turned in his arms and froze...

"Hobie, this is my mother and two of my sisters... they flew over to meet you and the latest edition to our family. Mama, Hawasa, Somi, this is my wife, Hobie." The four women eyed one another warily, none of them quite certain what to expect. Finally, the youngest of the trio of gorgeous brunettes stepped forward with a smile. Hobie guessed that she had to be Somi.

"I'm very pleased to finally meet you, Hobie," she said in lightly accented korean and to Hobie's utter shock gave her a warm hug. "I'm Somi."
"I... nice to meet you," Hobie muttered helplessly in response, her eyes desperately seeking Jeon's. He looked anxious but smiled reassuringly when he met her gaze.

"I was expecting them to arrive next week but they flew in late last night, just in time for your birthday," she could see the apology in his eyes, as if he feared their presence would diminish her pleasure in the birthday party. She shook her head, the gesture so slight that only he caught it and smiled at him.

"Well, what a doubly wonderful surprise then," she shook off her shock and bestowed a genuinely warm smile on the small group of Korean beauties. Jeon's sisters were receiving a lot of speculative male looks already.

"My daughter Hyuna couldn't make it, she's having some trouble with her oldest child," Jeon's mother finally said keeping her voice determinedly neutral. "And of course, my mother-in-law is too old to travel. But they both send their best." Therese very much doubted that, remembering how particularly hostile those two women had been to her during the video call.

"Mrs Jeon," Hobie reached out to grip the other woman's hands in both of hers. "I'm so sorry for your loss and I'm sorry that I was unable to attend the funeral."

"Don't be silly, Hobie," she older woman scoffed, determinedly blinking away her sudden tears. "You were heavily pregnant. Travelling in that condition would have been foolish. You did the right thing. Now, where is this granddaughter of mine? I've seen photographs of course but I'm ready to meet her." The imperiousness in her tone brooked no disobedience and Hobie grinned when Jeon practically saluted before abandoning them in search of his daughter.