Things were fine until Irene got home very late that night, drunk. Seokjin was already informed about her visit to Aera's friend's home and her harsh behaviour with the little child. All this led to another serious argument between them. Things were thrown and broken. Yelling and shrieking were heard. So loud that the residents of Kim mansion could hear them. At the end, Noel had to go there and stop them. No one was physically hurt but the whole situation was very tensed.

Namjoon wanted to check on Irene but Noel had stopped him. She explained that Irene could draw a wrong conclusion and hope that they would be together again. And that is the last thing they want. It would make her more aggressive and delusive. So, he reluctantly stayed back.

It had been a wise decision. After coming back, Noel informed them that Irene had asked her where her Namy was and why he was not there. She was sure he would be there if he could feel his Ren was a bit distressed. She looked disappointed at his aloofness. But it was many times better than to give her any false hope. 

About Seokjin...well, Noel looked very sad. It was the first time she had seen him so defeated. Joy was too worried about him and decided to meet him the next day.

"Hey oppa." Joy smiles and sits infront of him. She places the carrier on the chair beside her.

Seokjin looks at them and smiles faintly. That morning Joy called him and asked to meet. He was dreading to go back home after work so he agreed. This can help him to get some time and prepare himself to enter the house.

"Hi."

" The employees are shocked to see me in the office." She laughs slightly, " How are you?" 

He snorts, "Is this why you asked to meet me? You had asked me this many times over the phone now!! I am fine!"

He tries to sound playful but Joy shakes her head, "Really, oppa? Still?"

Seokjin smiles sadly, "What do you expect? The same as always..."

Joy reaches out to hold his hand, "No, oppa. I do not expect this..."

"Sorry?" He looks at her.

She sighs, "I do not expect you to be miserable. It has been 5 years now...Stop it."

"Joy, I..."

She shakes her head to stop him talking, "Today, please listen to me. Oppa, I know you love her so much!! I know you are trying your best to make her happy. Has done everything to make this marriage work. Just stop now. Don't you get it?! Anything you do, won't make her happy. Nothing or no one can make her happy. Well...except Namjoon..." 

He smiles sadly, "So you are saying I will be a failure, no matter how much I try..."

Joy looks down for some moments silently. She lookks at him again, "No, oppa. I can never think that about you. I am just saying that you are running after a lost cause. Look at you!! This marriage is draining the life out of you!! Are you even eating well? Sleeping soundly? Tell me the last time you slept for 8 hours at night!! You always tried to spend more time with her. Then when you understood that she was not comfortable with your presence. You started taking long and frequent business tours so that she could be relaxed. You did everything she had ever asked you to all these years. 

They say, in love, one is expected to give only. Never expect back. But this...this is sheer stupidity, oppa. You are not a loser, oppa. You are a fool who has been wishing for something that he always knew would never be his. Just for once think it in this way. What is this marriage doing to you? To unnie? It is killing you from within and driving her mad. So not for only yourself, but also for unnie, stop..." 

Seokjin blinks, "Wow. I did not know you've so much more left in your heart to convey..." He is taken aback from her words and the truth behind them.

She purses her lips, "Oppa, Namjoon is preparing to legally adopt Aera. And I am fully supporting him..."

"WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU?! I AND IRENE ARE STILL PRESENT!! IF REQUIRED WE'LL ADOPT HER!! THIS CAN HELP IRENE TO RECOVER!! YES, WE WILL ADOPT HER!! NOT YOU AND KIM NAMJOON..."

"YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN THE LITTLE GIRL WAS BEING PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY ABUSED BY HER DRUNK AND GOOD FOR NOTHING FATHER!! UNNIE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN STRICT ACTION AGAINST HER ELDER BROTHER!! NOT JUST PAYING HIM TO STOP BEATING HER!! HOW COULD SHE LEFT HER THERE WITH SUCH A VILE MAN!! HOW COULD SHE TRUST NANNIES TO RAISE HER?! SHE WAS NEVER THERE AND SHE WILL NEVER BE!! SHE WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT EVERYTHING IS FINE AND YOU'LL BELIEVE HER IN A JIFFY!! ONLY PROVIDING TOYS, EXPENSIVE CLOTHES, GOOD FOOD, DO NOT MAKE SURE A CHILD IS WELL RAISED!! WE SHOULD KNOW THAT BEST, OPPA!!" She takes in a deep breathe and begins again, "I am very sorry, oppa. I should not have said such things...I am sorry to be so rude. But tell me one thing honestly, is unnie fit to be a mother?! Will you be around all the time to take care of her?! Forget about that!! Just tell me, are you sure Aera will be at least safe with unnie?!" Joy does not want to embarass him but these are some things which have to be addressed. 

"I..." Seokjin is lost at words.

"Exactly. All we are trying to do is to let that child have a good childhood. She is already so much used to us. We are just trying to provide her a family..."

"But Joy...you and Kim Namjoon are..." He does not know how to voice it.

"But it is thousand times better than you and unnie...whatever it is.." Joy's stoic tone rests the case.

Seokjin cannot deny that. He sighs, "What do you want me to do?"

"The legal notice will reach the Kim mansion tomorrow. We know that Irene unnie will not agree. Things can go messy and Namjoon is ready to do everything in his power to get Aera. I do not want dirty games. It will affect the peace in the homes and not to forget the media...I am not asking you to support us. But I am asking you to not support unnie. For the sake of that child. She should not be dragged into all this. Trust me, we did not want to go through all this court and procedures. We are doing this cuz we do not trust unnie as her legal guardian."

Seokjin sighs, "Okay, Joy. I won't help her out. I am sorry that I could not be there for Aera. You were right. I should not have always believed Irene despite knowing how Bae Jace is..." He is ashamed of his carelessness.

"It is okay, oppa. I know you love Aera." She smiles slightly.

"Yeah, I wish I could have done something more for that little girl." He shakes his head, "I just turned a blind eyes to everything I thought could offend her. How...How naive was I?! I thought...I thought if I would do that we wouldn't end up like my parents. I thought if I listened to her, did what she wanted me to do and gave her space, she would start trusting and respecting me. Gradually that would turn into love. But..." He wipes the corner of his eyes, "You are right. I have been a fool. And you know the worst part of this..." He smiles ruefully, "I knew that all along. Was just hoping in vain..."

"Oppa, why are you still in this toxic situation? You are making it worse for both of you..." She asks impatiently.

He sighs, "Joy, what will happen if I get away from her? Do you even realize that it can..." He looks at the baby who is looking to and fro between her mother and uncle, "...it can create trouble for you and Deiji here? What if Kim Namjoon decides to leave you and be with Irene?! What will happen to Deiji?! Then what about Aera?! Aren't you two doing this to keep her safe?! If Namjoon adopts her and then gets back with Irene, everything will be at square 1!!"

Joy looks at Deiji, " As I had said before, I've nothing to worry about Deiji's future. Nor Aera's if the procedure is successful. Namjoon knows what he is doing and Itrust him." She sips some water, "As for me, I can say that I may not be as evident in his life as Irene unnie. But I am important in his life. You know I have heard him saying that he respects me and is thankful to me. And he was saying this to Irene unnie..."

Seokjin nods. He remembered Namjoon saying this at Dr. Tan's office when he had been describing his coversations with Irene.

"You know...he got me this. This is handmade by him. Imagine that!!" She shows her wooden locket to him that is set along with her wedding ring around her neck.

He hums, "I guess I've nothing to worry about..."    

"Yes, oppa. You don't. And God forbid, if something happens, you are there, right? But this time I'll live my life my way!! Okay?" She laughs playfully.

Seokjin smiles sadly, "Yes, Joy. Whatever you would want to do..."

Namjoon looks at the scene infront of him and raises his eyebrow, "What is going on here?"

Joy smiles, "Today, Aera is the Baby-ah!!"

 Aera is wrapped in a blanket. Joy is cradling her like a baby. They look very happy. He laughs, "Is it?"

"Yesh! I m Baby-ah to-dayyy!! I say to Deji and she say okay!!"

"You took her permission?!" The adults laugh.

"Yeshh!!" She sounds serious.

"Our Aera is a good girl." Joy kisses her cheeks, making her giggle.

She finds Namjoon looking at them with a tired smile, " Namjoon! You have a shower and I'll get the dinner ready!"

He nods and kisses the little girls before walking upstairs to his room.

He walks into the kitchen to find Aera sitting at the table, still wrapped in blanket with Joy. Even they have plates infront of them.

"Oh! Are we having dinner together?" He sits down.

"Yes. Aera had some snacks and could not have her dinner on time! So, she will have it with us!!" Joy replies and puts rice on their plates.   

"Oh! That is nice! Thank you for joining us, Aera..." Namjoon nods dramatically to which Aera giggles.

"Wow! Curry-rice!" He looks at the food, impressed.

"Yep! I thought to try something new and comforting!! Eat and say how it is!!" Joy looks at them curiously.

"Wow! Joooyyy, this is so gooooddd!!!" Aera nods happily.

"Yes. This is really good!" Namjoon agrees.

"Oh! Thank you!" Joy exclaims and joins them.

"Have you talked with Advocate Min?" She asks when they have almost finished eating.

He nods, "Yes. That is why I got late. All the work is done. They will get the papers tomorrow."

She gestures at Aera. They had decided to prepare everything and then talk with Aera. Not that they do not take her wishes seriously. They care about her opinion, no matter how young she is. They just wanted to make sure words do not reach Irene before they are ready. The servants are still very loyal to her.

Namjoon nods, "Aera..."

She looks at him, "Yesh?"

"We wanted to tell you something..."

She nods eagerly.

"Love...we did something without telling you. We are sorry for that but it had to be done. It is for your betterment..." Joy calmly explains.

"You know we can never hurt you, right?" Namjoon asks softly.

"Yesh! Unkeel!! I know!!" Aera agrees.

"Good! Aera...Would you...would you like to call me 'appa' and your Joooyyy, 'umma'?" They look at her with expectation.

Aera looks too surprised, "RELLY?! THAT KEN HAPPIN?!" 

"Yes, dear!! That can happen!! All we need to have your Irene aunty sign some papers and we sign some too. There will be some uncles and aunties who can ask you some questions like why you love us or how we love you. All you need to do is...speak the truth. You always speak the truth, right?"

She nods quickly, "Yesh! I albeez say the turuth!!"

"That is because my Aera is awesome!!" Joy puts her on her lap.

"So, Aera, do you want us as your umma and appa? We promise as long as we're alive, we won't let anyone hurt you..." Namjoon promises in a firm and warm voice.

"YESSHHH!!! I WANNA BE YOUR BABY-AH!!! UNKEEL AND JOOYYY BE MY APPA AND UMMAAA!!!" She cheers enthusiastically with her hands up in the air.

Joy cries in happiness and hugs her tightly, "Thank you, my baby!! Thank you for choosing us!!" She kisses her head.

Namjoon smiles with teary eyes. The feeling is quite similar to the one he felt at the hospital when Deiji was born. He could not understand what it was then. Today he knows. It is the feeling of raw happiness. He gets up from his chair and hugs his girls. They stay like this for a long time when they can hear a soft whimper fromt he baby walkie talkie.

"Oh! How can we leave her from this celebration?!" He laughs.

"Yes! You two go to her and I'll join you with some desserts! We have to celebrate!!" Joy looks at Aera who is giddy with merriment.

"Dessert? Wow! This is an amazing night!" Namjoon raises his eyebrow which Aera tries to copy again but fails.

They laugh and Namjoon carries his elder daughter to attend his youngest one.

After the night of laughter and brownies, Aera and Deiji fall asleep. Joy caresses the older girl's forehead softly and sighs.

"What is it?" Namjoon asks her sleepily. His room upstairs is only used for keeping his clothes these days.

"Though I gave birth to Deiji, Aera will always be my first child..." 

They smile at each other.

"True for me as well. She brought out the fatherly side in me which I did not know I had! I owe her a lot...I am just glad we can call her ours soon..."