"Appa! Look! And this seashell, it’s so pwetty! Look!!" Aeri screamed through the phone. The image was shaky; the result of an excited four year old.

I was lying on the couch in Min Jeong's room, looking at Aeri enjoy herself on the beach through a video call.

"Give me the phone, sweetie." Kikwang said.

"But I want to show Appa!!" Aeri said.

"Go collect more and then show it to him all at once. Isn't it better?" Kikwang said.

Aeri thought for a while, and then ran off.

"Hi, hyung." Kikwang said, waving to the canera.

"Hi, Kiki. Thanks for taking her out." I said.

"Come on, hyung. You've thanked me so many times. Enough." He said.

"It will never be enough. Where is she?" I asked.

"Aeri ah!" Kikwang shouted, and then Aeri waddled over like a little penguin. She crashed her small body against Kikwang who caught her in his protective arms.

"Be a good girl, okay?" I said.

"I love you, Appa!" She said, kissing the screen.

"Me too." I smiled, waving at her.

She grinned before turning to run off.

"Don't you dare say thank you again." Kikwang warned.

I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"See you soon." I said before ending the call.

I sighed as I threw my phone aside. Pandy jumped onto the couch, resting his head on my lap.

"Hey, Buddy~" I said, smoothing his coat.

I allowed myself to drift into sleep as I listened to the sound of the beeping machines that indicates Min Jeong and our little one being alive.

I was roughly awoken by a rough slam of the door, followed by Pandy's loud growl as he jumped off the couch to go stand protectively around Min Jeong.

In front of me stood a guy I have never seen.

"Who are... you?" I asked, still confused with the situation.

"Someone you would never wish to see." He said with a smirk. What happened next happened so quickly I could not respond in time. He had grabbed me from the couch and kicked me against the wall.

Just as I was recovering from the sudden blow, I saw Pandy bare his sharp teeth at the intruder.

"PANDY! COME HERE!" I shouted before he could pounce on him.

Pandy, obedient as he is, walked over to my side, but never stopped growling to show his anger.

"Who are you?" I asked, one hand holding tightly onto Pandy.

The door opened, giving him no chance to reply. Doojoon stood at the door, eyes widened.

"Yah... What's going on?" He asked, eyeing the strange man, and then at me.

"Hyung..." The guy said softly. He looked different from before. His anger had vanished; in replacement was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I told you not to be rash, right?" Doojoon said in a gentle voice.

"I couldn't control myself. I..." His words turned into soft sobs.

"What the is going on!?" I yelled, losing my temper.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier. I forgot. He is Min Jeong's younger brother,Hyun Ki.” Doojoon said.

Hyun Ki and I were both glaring at each other.

“Quit glaring, both of you.” Doojoon said as he pushed Hyun Ki’s face away gently with one hand while stretching out another to pull me up.

“Thanks.” I muttered.

Pandy barked loudly when Hyun Ki neared Min Jeong.

“It’s okay, buddy. It’s okay.” I said, hushing him.

Doojoon's phone rang, breaking the awkwardness.

"I'm coming." He said in a hurried tone.

"I have to go. The both of you, please don't fight." He said before running out.

Once he is gone, the awkwardness came back.

"What happened to her?" Hyun Ki asked, kneeling down next to Min Jeong.

"It's all my fault." I said, my head hanging low.

"It of course is. But what exactly happened?" He asked.

Repeating the story to him is like forcing myself down a memory lane I do not wish to go.

"I'm sorry." I apologized.

"So you got her pregnant, and then you abandoned her. Am I right?" He asked.

"I didn't know she is pregnant! And I didn't abandon her! I was just..." His glare cut my words off.

"So if you knew she was pregnant, you would have stayed? You are here now just for the baby?" He asked.

"It's not like that!!!" I yelled.

"I love Min Jeong! With the baby or not! I love her! But I was disappointed! I didn't know what she did for me back then! Now that I know, I am feeling guilty! Every single waking moment of my life this guilt is eating me alive! I wish I was the one lying there! It should be me! Not her!" I shouted.

He looked geniunely surprised.

"The only thing keeping me alive now is her beating heart, our baby, and Aeri." I said, letting myself cry.

The baby is sure messing with my mood.

"Ahhh~" I groaned when I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen.

"Not now." I muttered, rubbing my belly. The baby must be feeling stressed with all the commotion.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked with his eyes widened.

"Nothing." I said, making my way to Min Jeong.

"It's fine. It's okay. Calm down." I said, caressing her baby bump.

The pain gradually subsided, leaving me tired from the pain. I sighed as I threw my head backwards, hand still resting on my belly.

I did not have to open my eyes to know that Hyun Ki was staring at me.

"Quit staring at me." I said, eyes still closed.

"I am not!" He said hurriedly. I opened my eyes just in time to see him frantically trying to turn away. I guess cuteness runs in their blood.

"It's couvade syndrome." I said.

"I don't care." He said.

"Okay." I said.

"Hey!" He slapped my shoulder.

"What!?" I got mad.

"You can't just tell someone something and stop there!" He said with a slight pout.

"But you said you don't care!" I said.

"I don't care about you, but it concerns my noona! So tell me!" He demanded.

"You are very demanding, aren't you?" I said.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" He asked.

I stared at him, not saying anything. We had a staring match for a while until be broke it.

"So you think my noona will be okay with you bullying me in her face?" He tried to threaten.

I almost laughed. Like Min Jeong, he is fierce out front, but soft like cotton inside.

"Couvade syndrome is when the husband.." He stopped me before I could continue.

"You aren't married to her. Don't give yourself that title." He said.

I rolled my eyes, but that did not seemed to bother him.

"The male... Happy?" I corrected myself

He grinned and nodded.

"Anyway, that means the male feels all the symptoms of pregnancy together with the female." I explained.

"You're pregnant?" He asked, eyes widened.

"Very." I said, sitting down to ease the pain in my back.

"What are you?" He muttered but I still could hear.

I glared at him and he seemed genuinely shocked.

"I don't mean it that way." He said softly.

I sighed and caressed my belly.

"But you deserve it." He said.

I looked at him.

"You got my noona pregnant. This is the least you can do." He said.

"You are right." I said.

"Of course!" He said proudly.

"Cocky." I muttered.

"I heard that, but because you are suffering right now, I shall let it go." He said.

"Wow! Thank you." I tried to be sarcastic, but I am not sure if he caught it.

***

"Wakey~" I heard a soft voice say.

I tried to move but there was a weight against my chest, pressing me down.

"Hmmm~" I groaned in my tired state.

"Wakeyyyy~" The voice whined, this time trying to pry open my eyes.

I opened my right eye and with my blurry vision saw a figure that looked pretty much like Aeri. But Aeri is on a holiday with Kikwang, isn't it?

"Tsk!" The person slapped my chest and got off me.

I propped myself up and slapped myself awake.

"Aeri?!" I exclaimed. She had her arms across her chest, looking at me angrily.

"I am so sorry, sweetheart." I said, inviting her into my embrace.

"I didn't know it was you." I said, hugging her tightly.

"Why are you back already? Wasn't it supposed to be tomorrow?" I asked.

"I miss Appa! But Appa don't miss me." She pouted.

"What nonsense are you talking about!?" I exclaimed.

She giggled and buried her face into my chest.

"I miss you so much I could not eat or sleep!" I said.

"You were snoring! And Appa, you don't eat." She squeezed my cheeks.

"Are you teasing me now?" I frowned.

She leaned in to kiss me on my lips.

"Do you know what it means to kiss someone on their lips?" I asked, letting her sit on my lap.

"It means...." She thought hard.

"It means you love them very, very much!" She said.

"Only kiss me, okay?" I said, pinching her nose lightly.

"Noooooooo!!!" She shook her head.

"No!?" I asked, surprised at her answer.

"Jeongie Unnie, Pandy, Kikwangie sam-chon, Junhyungie sam-chon, and and and..." Her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"And who?" I asked.

"Doo... Doo.." She mumbled.

"Doojoonie sam-chon?" I asked.

"No...." She looked away.

"Look at me." I said, making her face me.

She looked so embarrassed to the point it was so cute.

"Are you embarrassed?" I .

"Does my sweetheart have a crush on Doojoonie?" I asked.

She said nothing except bury her face into my chest.

"Oh my goodness~ How old are you?" I laughed.

"Not funny!!" She punched my chest with her little fist.

"Alright, alright. Did you tell him?" I asked.

"He loves Junhyungie sam-chon only." She said, looking so sad I could punch Doojoon for breaking my innocent girl's heart.

"You will always have Appa." I said, kissing her all over her face.

"But you have Jeongie unnie, and baby..." She pouted as she pointed at Min Jeong.

"Aeri have no one." She bit her lips inwards.

"Hey, who told you that? Huh?" I cupped her cheeks.

Pandy barked, getting our attention.

"Aeri will always have Appa, Pandy,Min Jeongie unnie, baby, Kikwangie sam-chon, Doojoonie sam-chon and Junhyungie sam-chon. At the very least, Appa, Pandy, Min Jeongie and baby will always be with you." I said.

She rested her head against my chest, saying nothing.

"Silly girl. Why are you so silly?" I asked, smoothing her hair.

I tried to control my tears but to no avail. Hearing such words from Aeri was beyond heartbreaking. Have I neglected her so much that she got so used to feeling lonely to the point she accepts the loneliness as part of everything? What have I done?

Pandy jumped onto the couch and barked to get our attention. I let Aeri down so they could play.

Aeri ah, you are Appa's everything, do you know that?

***

"How are you?" Junhyung asked as he rubbed my belly, which annoyed me so much.

"Don't tease me." I glared at him.

"I'm sorry." He looked down.

I sighed and went to sit next to Min Jeong. Her belly was huge now. As I caress her belly, I could feel our little one being extremely active inside.

"Where's Aeri?" He asked.

"Downstairs with Doojoon." I said.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking worried.

"Aeri said some really heartbreaking words to me today." I asked.

"Did she call you fat or something? She’s a baby. She’s probably just teasing you.” He said.

“Don’t be an idiot.” I frowned.

“Okay, okay. What did she say?” He asked.

“She said that she has no one.” I said.

“What do you mean by she has no one?” He asked.

“She said that you and Doojoonie have each other, I have Min Jeongie and the baby. Whereas she is alone.” I said, feeling literally painful in my chest having to repeat it again.

“Where is that girl!? I have the need to scream at her!” He said.

“I must have neglected her for her to feel this way.” I said, resting my head against Min Jeong’s arm.

“No, hyung. No.” He said, squeezing my arm.

“I just feel so terrible hearing it from her. It’s like.. it is emphasising the fact that I am a horrible father.” I said.

“Don’t say that!” He shouted, surprising me.

“Don’t ever say that!” He got angry.

“Why… are you angry?” I asked.

“You are not a terrible father!” He shouted.

“Alright, alright. Calm down.” I hushed him.

“You don’t know how much any one out there would want a father like you. You have no idea, Seungho. You really don’t.” He said.

I looked at him. He was staring at his fingers, still frowning.

“I’m sorry.” I apologised.

“You know how envious am I of Aeri that she has a father like you?” He said, looking at me, his eyes glistering with tears.

“Please don’t cry. I am not ready for a crying Junhyung.” I said.

He laughed as he wiped off his tears.

“It’s the dust!” He insisted.

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes.

“Min Jeong ah, you got to wake up soon. You really have to. He is going crazy. You need to smack his senses back.” Junhyung said, holding Min Jeong’s hand.

“What are you talking about?!” I laughed.

The door opened, interrupting us with laughter.

“Hey, sweetheart. You are back!” I said, my arms open wide.

Aeri let herself crash into my embrace.

“Aigoo~ Look at you!” I said, wiping her perspiration off her forehead.

“So, did you tell him?” I asked.

“APPA!!!!” She screamed, slapping her palms over my mouth.

“What’s going on?” Doojoon asked, both him and Junhyung looking shocked.

I could not help but laugh. How adorable, my sweetheart.

“Bad Appa!” Aeri slapped my chest and got off me, stomping out of the room.

“Aeri!” Doojoon yelled, running after her.

“What’s going on?” Junhyung asked.

“You have a rival.” I laughed.

“What?” He asked, looking confused.

“My girl has a crush on your boyfriend.” I said.

Junhyung’s jaw dropped so low I never knew it could happen.

I turned to look at Min Jeong. Are you laughing too? I hope you are.