Jiyeon’s POV:

After explaining everything to Yoona, she finally let go of the last luggage she was tightly hugging the moment I started packing my clothes in our dormitory room. She was practically begging me not to leave because she doesn’t want any other roomie to adjust to and darn, this was our college plan, to be roomies and throw pajama parties every night and act like a couple of idiots. Believe me it pains me to leave her too but I don’t have a choice. My poor best friend, she even tossed me the bag of cookies she doesn’t share to anyone just to make me stay.

Since Yoona has exams for tomorrow, I didn’t let her out even just one step out of our room even if she insisted on accompanying me to my sister’s house. I know how hard college is, you need all the time in the world to review your out and pass all your subjects. I didn’t want Yoona to fail just because of me.

When I reached my sister’s house, the light in the living room was on. Must be Hongki (oh yeah, that guy was the first one to get his stuff from his apartment). And then I heard a baby crying. Must be Minsoo.

Wait—why is Minsoo crying?!

I was literally leaping my way up to the front door as the feeling of anxiousness washed upon me. Leaving my luggage on the floor near the stairs, I dashed to the living room. And there was Hongki, sleeping like beggar on the floor while Minsoo stood by the railings of his crib, crying at the top of your lungs. How could he even sleep through that noise? But that’s not the point—who would, in their right mind, sleep while a baby is crying?!

I cursed under my breath as I rushed to carry Minsoo, kicking Hongki’s side on the process. I was patting Minsoo’s back when Hongki finally woke up assuming a fighting stance, “Who just kicked me?! Is it you?! Huh?!”

“No, it’s Minsoo,” I said sarcastically.

“He did?” he blinked a few times.

“No you idiot! It was me, you just left freaking Minsoo crying on his own!” I almost facepalmed myself, if it weren’t for the baby in my hands.

“I did?”

“Ugh!” I groaned in frustration because of the parade of his stupidity and the piercing cry coming out from Minsoo’s, tiny yet destructive, mouth.

“Owh I remember now, I haven’t really got some sleep ever since—that night. Oh damn, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” Hongki rubbed the back of his neck staring at the floor.

“It better be not happen again. You should’ve at least made him sleep before you doze off on your own.”

“I did but I guess he woke up before I—did. But what’s wrong with him? Is he hungry or something?” Hongki advanced to check Minsoo in my arms.

“I don’t know. What are the reason’s babies cry anyway?” I asked stupidly.

“I don’t know. You tell me,” he shrugged.

“How would I know, do I look like I have a baby to you?!”

“Hmmm…yeah.”

I gasped and gawked at him, “How dare y—“

“Alright alright, come here Minsoo,” Hongki ignored my petrified face as he raised the boy from arms. His face practically turned pale when he sniffed on Minsoo’s , “OH MY FCUKIGN GHAD! He in his pants!”

“Oh ghad,” was the only thing I managed to say with my shaky voice at the overwhelming sight in front of me. And oh, don’t even ask me about the smell. I think I’m in hell.

“Oh ,” was the last thing I heard from Hongki before he ran to the window and took in an ounce of fresh air.

Minsoo wasn’t even crying anymore. The little devil was actually cackling at our faces as if he was enjoying the agony we were in.

“Okay so what do we do?” I heard Hongki asked. When I turned to look at him, he was already wearing a facemask.

“Where did that even come from?” I said, my voice coming from my nasal. I wasn’t even trying to breathe anymore.

“There, in that drawer,” Hongki pointed at the cabinet next to the lamp. As soon as he did, I immediately lunged for my salvation.

“What now?” I asked afterwards.

“You do it,” Hongki pushed me towards the changing table, where the poop monster now lies. I recoiled immediately as if Minsoo was the most biologically hazardous baby in the world. Well yeah, I think he is. Ghad, the smell.

“Why me?!” I immediately protested. “Is it because I’m the girl?!”

“No, because you handle every day,” Hongki pushed me again.

“Stop pushing me and I don’t handle shhh every day!”

“Well, aren’t you a pre-med student?”

“I am. But I don’t have those subjects yet so—“

“Well, you’ll gonna handle one way or another so might as well practice now,” he cut off pushing me for the nth time.

“I told you stop pushing me! And would you stop cursing, it’s bad for Minsoo’s ears.”

“Then what do I call them s?”

“I don’t know, brownies?” I shrugged.

“Brownies huh,” he repeated mockingly. “Well these brownies have jaundice and they look really disgusting so would you shut up now and get these brownies—cooking.”

“What?!”I stared at him not sure if it was some kind of a joke or something.

“I don’t know, you started it!”

I sighed trying to clear the red I am seeing in my eyes, “Look to be fair, let’s just do rock, paper and scissor. Just one round, just to get this over with.”

Hongki agreed confidently with a simple “Alright.”

“Kai Bai Bo!”

I squealed in glee. “Oh. My. God. I JUST FREAKING WON!!! And I’m not even good at this game!”

Hongki stared at his hand in disbelief. “No,” he whispered.

I just beat his rock with my paper! BOOYA!

Before the reality of his situation could even cave-in, my was out of the room in no time. “Good luck cooking those brownies!”  

After almost half an hour, I finally heard steps coming down from the second floor. I was already at the kitchen counter, eating fruits for dinner. Don’t ask me about cooking. I at that.

“Well how were the brownies?” I asked casually when I saw a zombie sluggishly descend the stairs.

“I don’t think I’ll ever look at brownies the same ever again,” the zombie said slumping on the chair next to the dining table.

I laughed popping a strawberry in my mouth. “What about Minsoo?”

“He fell asleep as soon as I finished changing him.”

“Hmmm good then…fruits?” I offered.

“No thanks. I don’t think I’ll be able to eat for a week after that—that oh god, I don’t wanna remember anything about it,” he buried his face in his palms and then started racking his hair. “Dammit! The next time, it’ll me your turn geek!”

“Yeah sure, I’ll make sure to buy a gas mask and a box of gloves and maybe goggles too,” I mumbled and then turned to Hongki, “Hey, did you use gloves?”

“Nope,” he grunted.

“Well, did you wash your hands?”

“Nope—wait. !” he immediately flew up from his seat and ran to the bathroom. On his way, I could hear him exclaim in a high pitch tone, “Holy ! I practically rammed my hands all over my face! Damn! I feel so dirty! I need a shower! Oh my god!”

OMG WHAT AN IDIOT! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I think I just peed my pants because of laughing.

~~~~~

As if on cue, the moment Minsoo started weeping like a fireman’s siren, loud and frustrating to the ears, Hongki and Jiyeon flew out of their beds. They were occupying the guest rooms where they used to sleep every time they spend a night in the house. Hongki’s room was at the corner beside the veranda. Opposite his room was Jiyeon’s which was beside the master’s bedroom. At the center of the hall was where the crying was coming from.

Hongki scratched his head as he dragged himself out of the room wearing his shirt in the process (sleeping half- was his habit), “Man it’s two o’clock in the morning.”

At the same time as he did, Jiyeon’s door swung open revealing a woman with a messy hair in a plain oversized shirt and a pair of strawberry PJs. She was rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand scrappily when she heard Hongki’s voice. She looked up just as soon as Hongki did. Both their eyes were half closed as they peered at each other. Hongki smirked at her appearance, “Geek.”

“Jerk,” she simply said, too tired to think of a snappy remark.

By 2:30, the two were fully awake pacifying Minsoo to make him stop from crying. They already tried the basic things people would do in such kind of situation, from milk feeding him to lulling him to sleep in their arms but nothing seemed to be working. Even Hongki’s voice didn’t calm the baby down.

It made it worse for them, when the neighbors started to add to the noise that Minsoo was making.

“Hey make your baby stop! People are sleeping for god’s sake!” a man’s voice shouted from the outside. Several agreeing voices were heard afterwards.

Hongki gritted his teeth as he paced back and forth across the room, “Man. I’m so tempted to commit a mass murder right now.”

“Please Minsoo-ah, stop crying. Please, please,” Jiyeon begged at the little destructive creature on her arms.

“What kind of parents are you?! Make him stop already!” another woman’s voice shouted.

This time, Hongki snapped his head to the direction of the window seeing red all over the place. He marched towards the pane like a maniac and bellowed, “We’re trying here people so shut the up!” He shut the window seal forcefully; Jiyeon thought it would fall out.

Silence came forth afterwards—well, except for Minsoo of course. But at least, he toned down just a little.

“Hey, calm down. Let the neighbors be,” Jiyeon tried to soothe the raging Hongki down.

“But those motherers are—“

“Hey, don’t mind them alright? And stop cussing within the baby’s earshot.”

“But—“

“Let’s just focus on Minsoo right now, okay?”

Hongki sighed, “Kay.”

“Good. Now do you remember anything about how oppa and unnie make him stop crying in the middle of the night? I mean anything? For some reason you often sleep here more than I do,” Jiyeon said calmly despite the bawling boy in her arms.

“Well I—wait! I do! Go grab the scented candles in my room,” he instructed before Jiyeon could even get to respond. In no time, he was carrying Minsoo down the first floor.

When Jiyeon descended the stairs, she saw lights coming from the kitchen and Minsoo’s cry coming from the living room. She went to the piercing sound of course and saw Hongki turning on the flat screen.

“What are you doing?” she asked in puzzlement.

“I remembered a time when I spent a night here and Minsoo wouldn’t stop crying just like now. Hyung and noona sang for him a song that hyung composed for noona.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, I think he composed it the time when they were still dating. Even though hyung’s a good lawyer he’s also a great composer and a singer. It runs in the family, you know,” Hongki responded as he placed a dvd on the player.

“Then why are we watching a movie?”

“You know for a top student, you’re a very slow one,” Hongki smirked which made her frown. “We’re not watching a movie, geek. They have this home video about Minsoo and there’s a scene where they sang that song together. So I thought that maybe we could make Minsoo listen to them.”

“You know for an , you have a pretty good sense. But hey, what are these scented candles for? And why do you even have them?”

“Oh that? I love scented candles. It takes out my stress.”

“What?! So basically, this is not for Minsoo, but for you?!” Jiyeon pointed an accusing finger at him.

“Basically yeah, but hey maybe it might help you calm your nerves too. You look pretty stressed for your age.”

Jiyeon gasped. What an ?! She’s just a meter away from killing this guy.

Almost as soon as Shinhye’s voice filled the room, Minsoo’s shrill cries turned to sobs. Even Jiyeon softened and approached Hongki’s side.

“Aigoo, my baby boy’s crying again,” Shinhye cooed, her flawless face inches away from the camera as she carried the sobbing seven month old Minsoo. “Jagiya, the camera’s too close,” she pouted when she noticed.

“Oh sorry, you two look beautiful up close that’s why,” Yonghwa’s chuckled. He was obviously holding the camera.

Shinhye smiled refreshingly.

By that time, Minsoo was just only whimpering in Hongki’s arms.

“I missed them so much,” Jiyeon whispered.

“We all do,” Hongki said looking solemnly at Minsoo, who’s eyes were glued on the tv screen. Jiyeon couldn’t help the tears forming in her eyes, when Minsoo stretched his little hand towards the screen as if wanting to touch his parents’ face.

When Yonghwa started singing, Minsoo completely stopped from crying. When Shinhye joined afterwards, he started cackling and clapping his hands.

For another half an hour, Hongki and Jiyeon alternately carried him and lulled him to sleep while playing Yonghwa’s song on repeat. Thank god the stress reeking out of the room was immediately overcame by the jasmine scented candle Hongki lighted up. He was right it was somewhat soothing.

It was 3:30 when Minsoo finally felt like giving mercy to his guardians. Jiyeon was lying on the couch, half-asleep while Hongki stood at the center of the living room lulling the boy in his arms—with eyes closed.

“Is he asleep yet?” Jiyeon mumbled not opening her eyes.

Hongki peered down at the boy in his arms. Relief washed over him when finally he saw Minsoo sleeping soundly.

“Halleluja. He is,” he muttered. He placed him securely in his crib, turned off the tv and— sprawled on the carpet.

A minute later, he felt the coldness of the floor. He shivered and gradually crawled his way on top of the couch.

P.S. Well I came back pretty fast huh? lol hope you enjoy the chapter <3