Irene looks up from the book. Seokjin is working on his laptop. She has to talk to him before sleeping.

She takes a deep breathe, "Jin..."

He hums in response.

"I wanted to talk to you about something..." She fidgets in her seat.

The hesitation in her voice does not escape Seokjin. He turns off the laptop and pays her complete attention, "Yes. What is it?"

"I...uh...I heard Noel aunty talk to you in the evening about Joy's..."

Seokjin stiffens at the mention of Joy. He did not want her to know about it...

"Yes..." He sighs.

They sit in silence for sometimes. Then Seokjin states, " Let's sleep now...It's quite late..." He lies down.

"No...I was saying that...it will be good to get her a gift or something...not to her!! But to her unborn child..." She murmurs.

Seokjin frowns, "What? But..."

She continues, "She sent a gift at our..."

She gulps and Seokjin closes his eyes tightly. He did not let Noel keep it inside their house...

Irene stables her tone, "You'd thrown it away...I know that. You should not have done that. It had her blessings and good wishes. Anyway...we should sent her a gift. It is not her baby's fault...Besides, there is no one from her side...except for you..." She presses his shoulder softly.

Seokjin sits quietly and then rubs his eyes tiredly, "Fine...Go ahead..." He turns around to sleep.

She smiles a little...

Aera sighs. She is standing with her hands on her hips. So much work!! So little person!! But she will do it all!! For her Jooyy and her baby-ah!! 

"Aera!! Can you place the straws on the table?" Cheonsa asks while putting the mini pies in the oven. Mini cherry and apple pies. Joy loves them. So, the older lady decided to make pie pops. It will be more fun!!   

"Ok!!" Aera runs out of the kitchen to the dining room.

"Goodness Cheonsa!! You have the patience to make so many of them, that too so delicately!!" Noel huffs while wiping the matching white crockeries with a maid.

They have not done much for the decorations except some white and lavender balloons, with white carnation and purple orchid, set in the long dining room. The servants are looking after that. Simple yet elegant. All Joy's favourites!! Things she actually likes and loves...

"How is your pizza?" Cheonsa asks.

"Baking away!!" Noel laughs. 

"So it was smart to make food that are consistent in her likings..." Cheonsa smiles. Noel laughs back, nodding. 

"Her friend should be here soon..." Noel has not finished her sentence yet when the doorbell rings.

"There you go..." Cheonsa laughs.

Finally after so many years Joy has found a true friend and sister in Yeri. She has transferred to Joy's class and became friends with the allegedly famous, pompous, lonely, married and pregnant Park Sooyoung. She knows all about her hardships in life and supports her like a sister. She has a great rapport with the three ladies.

"Hello aunties!!!" She chimes entering.

The ladies greet her back.

"I am so sorry I got late!! The exam was so hard... the extra classes are so boring...." She shudders. They decided to have Joy's baby shower on this day as she had an exam and some extra classes. She needed to spend some time in the library as well. So she will be busy till the evening. And they will have the time to prepare everything. Jimin will pick her up on the way home. And then surprise!!!

"I brought the tteokbokki, now all I need to do is add ramen and eggs!!" Yeri quickly moves towards the stove.

"The brownies??" Noel remembers.

"Got them..." She replies back.

"The Kimchi fried rice is ready and Mr. Lee is coming with the drinks..." Noel counts on her finger.

"Extra Kimchi...??" Noel asks herself, "Yes!!... in the fridge..." She recalls.

Just then Cheonsa's husband enters with the ginger ale and lemonade. 

Aera wipes her hands. All done!! Now they will wait for Jooyy and Min unkeel... 

She can hear a car entering the gates. It must be her Nemjun unkeel!!!

Her assumption is right. It is Namjoon, who has got home at 6 p.m., an hour before his usual timing.

"Yay!! Unkeel!! You're back!!" She greets him at the door.

Namjoon smiles at her slightly.

She follows him happily upstairs and he excuses the maid who asked him if he needed anything.

"So? Busy day??" He asks Aera while loosing his tie.

"Oh!! Yesh!! Sooo bizzyyy!!! I do keeping the strow, glass, blow the bellons, buy flurs, see the unnis work...!! So many work!!!" Aera narrates with her hands and head shaking dramatically.

He nods with a hidden smile.

"I just got rest now!!Phew!!" She wipes the invisible sweat from her forehead.

"I told ya the gifts ev-ry one be getting for Jooyy and baby-ah!! Where is yers??" She asks curiously.

"Hmmm...it will come later..." He pulls her cheek lightly.

Well, since Namjoon was invited, Aera 'felt' it was 'important' for him to know the 'rituals'. After all, if she wouldn't 'teach' him things, then who would?! So she informed him that he had to get some 'gifts' for the mummy and baby to wish them a happy and healthy, long life.

Now, Namjoon has never even to a baby shower before. So he asked for help from the internet and there were many nice options. Then Aera told him that many of these things were already bought by Joy and Noel and rest of them would be presented in the shower by others.

This little 4 years old knows a lot. She had asked everyone what they were getting Joy. So Namjoon had to see what was missing and he got it...

"Okay!!" Aera never pesters nor throws tantrums.

"You are looking very pretty today..." He smiles.

Aera, dressed in a cute, dark lavender frock blushes, "Thenk you..." She murmurs.

He pats her head and she beams again. 

"When will the party start?" He asks.

"When Min unkeel'll get Jooyy from li-bar-ry!!" She replies.

Namjoon blinks,"Oh..." 

A doorbell rings and Aera gasps.

"THAT MUSHT BE 'EM!!!!" She jumps in excitement.

"You go downstairs...I'll be there..."

Joy cannot believe it. She was a bit surprised to see Jimin instead of the driver but she was too tired to think. But now it is pretty obvious why...She wipes her tears. SHE IS SO HAPPY!!

Just as she entered, Jimin took her to the dining room. As soon as they opened the door, They all yelled, "Surprise!!"

"Cheonsa aunty!! Uncle!! When did you come?!" She hugs the older couple.

"We came 4 days back but wanted to surprise you!!!" The older lady replies.

Aera runs to hug her, "Jooyy!! It is yer baby sho-eer!!! You like??" 

"Like?! I LOVE IT!!!Thank you everyone!!!" She sniffs.

"Okay, okay, enough of tears. It is a special day for the special person here!! All will be happy and smiling!!" Noel says and kisses Joy on her cheek.

She spots her friend, "Yeri!! You knew it!!"

Yeri laughs, "Of course!! And now the mummy will get ready!!" She tugs at her hand.

After thanking all the servants again, she lets Yeri to drag her to change.

They are all in the dining room. Joy is looking really beautiful in a purple maxi dress with white laceworks. She is wearing a crown and a bracelet, made with white carnation and purple orchids.

 Everyone is chatting and laughing, having a great time. Gradually the food is being served. The help are excused to have their own.

"How...? Everything..." She covers in awe.

"You are the celebration after all..." Noel smiles.

"You got all my favourite foods!!!" She bites a generous slice of pizza. There is a bowl of steaming hot rabokki infront of her. 

"Yes...now eat slowly. You'll choke..." Cheonsa reprimends playfully.

"Hehehe...but...How did you know about my favourite flowers?" she asks. They may know most of the things about her. But she cannot remember telling about flowers...such situation did not rise actually.

"Well...our Aera told us!!" Yeri says.

"Yesh!! Nemjun unkeel told me yesh-ter-day!!" She replies with full.  

"Really...? Namjoon...?" Joy murmurs softly. So he remembers things from their "fake" 4 month "courtship"...

"Aahhaa...when I say we be dec-rating the dinin room with roses, he said that you like wite car-ni-tion and orkid!! purpel ones!!"

Cheona smiles in satisfaction with Yeri and Jimin. 

Noel is visibly surprised,"So you mean..." Before she can complete, the door is swung open and Namjoon enters.

"Unkeel!!" Aera cheers.

He smiles slightly at her and polite bows are exchanged with the unknown people at the table.

Joy is gapping now. HE AGREED TO COME?! 

She then realises that his chair has been empty. So they all know...

She looks at them and finds everyone grinning. She still cannot believe it!! So much of elation!! In one night?!

"Namjoon...this is Lee Cheonsa and her husband, Mr. Lee Hoon." 

The men shake hands and he nods to the lady. So this is Lee Cheonsa. He has heard so much about her from 3 of the ladies...

Yeri takes the chance to introduce herself. Compared to Joy's former, and forced friends, She seems many times better at the first impression.

He takes his place and Joy asks him what he will have in a timid voice.

He finds the menu to be quite odd and intriguing... He decided on rabokki.

They all begin to eat and have conversation.

Yeri catches Namjoon observing Jimin and Joy's lively interactions and nudges Cheonsa. The older lady follows her indication and nods, thinking about something...

After the hearty dinner, Namjoon excuses himself. No one is surprised as they all know. Coffees and teas are brought. The servants are called and Cheonsa wants everyone's attention.

"It was a wonderful evening and we're so glad that Joy liked everything so much...Everyone present here has come to bless her and her baby for a long, prosperous and healthy life. So to make it more special, I have a suggestion. It is a jar here. I'll give some chits to all. You have to write names on them. Boy name on the blue ones and girl names on the pink ones. Since we don't know the gender, everyone can suggest boy and girl both names!! Joy will choose from there!!

Joy dear, do you agree or you have already decided some names...?" 

"Oh no!! I'll be more than pleased to have anyone of you name him or her...He or she is so lucky to have such love..." She smiles gratefully.

"Okay then...start writing..."

Everyone writes names on the chits. Some wrote two, some three, some...one.

Aera does not like this. The jar is getting filled with the small pieces of paper but there is none from her Nemjun unkeel!! So not fair at all!!

She takes some chits and goes to Namjoon's room but he is not there. She searches, only to find him in Joy's room.

She gasps, "Dis is yer gift?!" She begins to clap happily.

"Yes...is it nice?" He smiles.

"OH!! SO PRETTY!!!" She replies. She looks at her hand and remembers.

"Unkeel, you've to write names for Baby-ah!!!" She gives him the papers. "You can write 1 or 2 or many..."

Namjoon looks at his hand. Some pink and blue small pieces of paper.

"Eve-ryone write!! You too!! Then Joy choosh after baby-ah comes!!!" She urges.

Namjoon refuses, "I don't know any names..."He hands them back. "Sorry..."

"Write one pweese...pweese...who come to party...all hev to..." She pouts sadly.

"Okay...fine..." He takes one chit and recalls a name which he always thought he would call his and Irene's baby. But...no. Not that name!! It won't be fair to...them.

He thought of things he saw today. Goodness!! Where the hell he'll find a name?! He sighs and writes one, remembering something.

"Yay!! I'll put it in jar now!!" She is about to run out of the room when she stops. She hugs Namjoon and he pats her head.

"Thenk you unkeel for coming...I be so heppy...and thenk you for getting baby-ah appa..."She smiles.

Namjoon's smile vanishes. What is she talking about?! She did ask for...but...

"Sorry...?" He asks very quietly.

"Yesh!! Now I know who be Baby-ah appa!! IT IS MIN UNKEEL!!! YAY!!! HE SO NICE!!! " She cheers.

Namjoon can only say, "Huh...?"

"I ask-ed ya and ya allbeez keep poumish!! Dere was no one excipt Min unkeel and Lee unkeel so Min Unkeel is Baby appa!!! He allbeez with Jooyyy and she be very happy...He heleps so much Jooyyy to-day...all day...ev-ry day..." She sighs happily.

Then she grew sad,"I not want baby be sad and hurt like me cuz of baby appa!!! I no nevr want Baby to hev appa LIKE ME..." She sniffs and walks out of the room, leaving a frozen Namjoon behind.   

Joy is exhausted. But the whole evening...she will cherish it forever. This kind of love and support she always wanted. Everyone left after she opened the gifts. Aera will sleep with Cheonsa tonight so that Joy can get some good slumber.

OH GOODNESS!! She will not have to buy anything for the baby for the initial months.

Cheonsa got her different souvenoirs, herbal things good for her now and in post-partum, baby's clothes, etc. So did everyone. Clothes, toiletries, diapers, God knows what else...They are all been kept in her room nicely now. And Jimin got her a stroller with can be used as a hand-carrier as well.

But 2 very important things happened tonight. At first she got to know that Namjoon still remembered such small things like her favourite flowers and HE CAME TO DINE WITH THEM. HE CAME TO HER PARTY. Though it was for a short time but she does not care...

The maids bid her goodnight and now she can finally go to bed. She happily walks to her room thinking about the events when she realizes it is not over yet.

She is standing with open. The maids did not say anything about this outside. Nor did anyone...

"Namjoon..." She murmurs.

"Here..." He gesture towards his gift.

Joy sighs. HE GOT THE BABY A CRIB...HE GOT THEIR BABY A CRIB...

She walks forward and touches it softly. Their baby will sleep here...

"It's...it's..." She chokes on her word. She looks at the man beside her. He is looking at her without his usual cold and expressionless face. There is something different...something like horror in his eyes...

She does not know what came over her that she grabs his face and kisses him softly. She gasps and lets him go.

They are looking at each other horrified. It was so sudden that Namjoon could not stop her and Joy....well she is physically fatigued with emotions running everywhere and her hormones are...that is a different story.

They keeps on staring at each other in shock till Joy bursts into tears.

Namjoon is totally flabbergasted. The whole evening...O God!!!

"I am sorr..." She sniffs, "Sorry...I don't know why I did this...?! I am too overwhelmed with today and then this gift of yours..I just...I am sorry...." She wails. Lucky for them, she remembered to close the door today.

Namjoon hands her a glass of water. He has no idea what he has to do.

"It's okay...you are tired...Good night..." He moves to the door and turns around to find Joy looking at him with a slight smile.

He sighs and walks out. Aera's words are still pricking him. If someone would have said something like this to him some 4-5 months back, He would have laughed on their faces!! 

So what changed? What changed him? He has never ever cared about anyone except Irene! Which he still does, in the SAME way... then what are these new thoughts about Aera...Park Sooyoung and...that child... What is going on with him?!... 

    Namjoon's gift.