The wiggling bodies on top of Emma signalled the waking of Suji and Jihoo. Emma sighed in defeat and opened her eyes; she stared at the trespassing twins in her room, who were happily rolling around on top of her bed...and on her.

“Umma’s up!” Suji squealed.

“Yes...I’m up,” Emma chuckled softly. “What are you two doing here?”

“Umma, w-we were using you as a hill to roll down. But we were quiet,” Jihoo spoke quickly. “We always did this with appa when we woke up, but he said it hurted this morning…”

“So we came here!” Suji chirped happily, bouncing on the bed excitedly.

It amazes me that Youngwoo gets any sleep because of these two… Emma thought, getting up to start the day. As she shooed the twins out of her room to get dressed, her mind began to wander. She thought back to when VIXX had been to her house the night before. They were acting...weird. Well, weirder than usual. A different kind of weird? She couldn’t put a finger on the strange feeling growing inside her, but she buried it as she walked out of her room.

Jihoo and Suji danced around her all the way into the kitchen. Emma suggested they help her make Youngwoo’s breakfast, and they squealed in delight at the idea. After twenty minutes or so of cooking a rice, cheese, and vegetable omelette, pancakes, and little potato squares—just a few of Youngwoo’s favorite breakfast foods—Emma loaded the plates and bowls of food onto a tray. She put a glass of juice on the tray as well, and then had Jihoo and Suji lead the way to their father’s room.

He was sitting up in his bed with his casted limbs propped up on several various sized pillows; he greeted his children with a bright, cheeky smile, before realizing his other guest. “Oh, hey Em. Whoa did you make all of that?” he asked, eyes wide in awe.

“Appa, we helped!” Suji shouted, hopping in place angrily.

“You did?” Youngwoo asked his daughter. She nodded quickly, and he made a sound of amazement. “Wow, my babies are the sweetest babies ever.”

“Or as you referred to them last night, OUR babies,” Emma said, suddenly irritated all over again with her friend.

Youngwoo smirked playfully, but stopped when Emma threatened to not give him any breakfast. As Youngwoo ate his food—while giving a bite to his babies here and there—he began to question Emma on the past several days she spent with Suji, Jihoo, and VIXX.

“Well, there’s filming today,” Emma explained, catching the twins’ attention.

“We see appas again?” Jihoo chirped happily, surprising both his father and Emma. Jihoo rarely got excited to see people, let alone voice himself so happily.

“Why? Do you like them better than your real appa?” Youngwoo asked him.

“No appa! But they’re prettier!” Suji giggled, making Youngwoo gape at her. Emma laughed, and Youngwoo glared at her.

“Of course they’re prettier…” he grumbled. “They’re a boy band…they’re SUPPOSED to be pretty…”

After that, Emma began to explain to Youngwoo what VIXX and the director for Hello Baby had decided. He grimaced, asking, “So VIXX is going to be here tomorrow?”

“Yeah...we’ll be at Kangin’s house today…” Emma said. “Which means we have to get ready, babies.” They looked up from their father’s food and smiled. Suji cheered about going to “Kangin oppa’s house” while Jihoo seemed excited to see the “VIXX appas”.

When Emma arrived at Kangin’s home with the twins, she wasn’t surprised to see the film crew and other staff already at the home. What DID surprise her, however, was the fact that a few of the members of VIXX were waiting for her. Hongbin, N, and Ken greeted the babies happily, and Emma thought it was just the babies they had been waiting outside for, but their eyes instantly focused on her.

Why are they looking at me like that? Emma wondered nervously. She tried to ignore their stares, instead asking, “Are we late?”

“No!” Hongbin replied immediately. Emma watched N throw his diva-like glare to Hongbin before explaining with a laugh, “What Hongbin means is that the film crew is still setting up, so you all are actually a little early.”

“Early!” Suji and Jihoo echoed with bright smiles. N and Ken nodded to them with equally bright smiles before pinching their cheeks.

As the three members of VIXX led the twins and Emma into Kangin’s house, Emma definitely wasn’t imagining their stares. And it wasn’t just the glances that several of the crew gave her as she passed them, either. It was the watchful, burning stares that the boys of VIXX gave her. Why were they staring? That question had often been on her mind as of late. It seemed she had to ask that question to herself every time she had come to be on set with the babies for filming. Do they even know they’re doing it? Emma wondered, suddenly feeling guilty.

Her first reaction from realizing they were staring at her was anger. She hated being stared at whenever she was with the twins. She always got horrible, judging looks. Often, she tried to grin and bear it, because it was really no one’s business to judge her situation. They didn’t know her story. And neither did VIXX, which is why she was feeling a sense of guilt. She was getting mad at them, when they didn’t seem to be judging her the way others had. If anything, it feels like they’re—

Emma’s train of thought slammed to a stop when her shoe slipped in a little puddle. She staggered to regain her balance, but didn’t flail around for long when a pair of arms suddenly secured themselves around her. She felt someone’s broad chest radiating heat against her back. Emma tensed at the human contact before looking up to see who it was. Her wide, startled eyes met with Hongbin’s. They were filled with undeniable concern. They’re worried about me…? Emma’s thought finished.

“Are you okay?” he asked her. Emma nodded numbly, and silently let Hongbin help her stand up straight.

Beside them, Suji and Jihoo were loudly asking their “umma” if she was okay; aside from their worried chatter, Emma could hear N and Ken clapping at Hongbin’s quick save. “I’m okay babies,” Emma assured the tense little ones. Jihoo’s eyes were filled to the brim with tears, while Suji had a red, angry pout on her face.

“Umma you almost felled!” Suji shouted. “The last time you felled you got hurted!”

“But I’m not hurt Suji,” Emma said quickly. Jihoo’s tears spilled out then, and he wailed loudly in what Emma realized was relief. Emma’s heart was full of pity as she picked Jihoo up; he immediately clung to her like a koala, and the boys of VIXX and several of the curious crew looked at the scene before them.

Emma patted Jihoo’s back gently, and she glanced her way to the members of VIXX. “I’m fine, really. They just got really worried...they’ll be okay,” Emma tried to explain.

“Did you hurt yourself terribly the last time you had fallen?” Ken asked, somewhat pale. Emma bit her lip and stared at the three pairs of worried eyes.

“It wasn’t a bad fall last time. I was holding Jihoo a few months back when I tripped over one of their toys in the house. I just landed on my hand wrong and twisted my wrist,” Emma explained.

“But you got hurted before that too!” Suji bellowed. She turned to N, on the verge of tears. “She and appa were playing in the snow and she falled down the hill!”

“Did he accidently push you?” Ken asked, earning him a slap from his leader. As well as a murderous glare from little Suji.

“Appa would never push umma!” Suji wailed. The volume of Suji’s voice made Jihoo jump in Emma’s arms. Emma snapped her fingers at the little girl, and she flinched. She looked up at Emma with betrayal in her eyes before sulking madly behind N’s leg.

“No, that time there was ice, wasn’t there, baby girl? Everyone slips on ice,” Emma said. “And I didn’t get hurt that time, either.”

“Yes you did,” Suji pouted. “And appa didn’t push you.” Then she tilted her head up to Ken and frowned. “Appa never pushes umma...he only pushes when we play on swings.”

Emma laughed, and even the members of VIXX chuckled a bit. Then, the group finally made their way into the house; actually, Emma felt like she was being escorted in by overprotective VIXX and Suji. When she caught sight of the rest of VIXX playing with Kangin, they seemed to look up at the group’s arrival. And like Ken, N, and Hongbin’s stares, Leo, Ravi, and Hyuk’s stares were filled with just as much concern.

“I heard Jihoo crying and Suji yelling,” Kagin’s mother, Gayun, said as she came down one of the hallways. “Is everything okay?”

“I just slipped on a puddle outside,” Emma said, trying to brush the subject away as quickly as possible.

“Umma’s a bad walker,” Suji mumbled, making Ken snort.

After a few minutes of lingering around the house, the film crew and cameras were ready to record for the day. The challenge for the day was simple: VIXX would put on a “play” for Kangin, Suji and Jihoo, and Kangin’s family and Emma. It was going to be about Sleeping Beauty. The catch, however, made all of the VIXX members tense.

“The babies will pick your roles for the play,” the idols’ manager explained, out of the camera’s sight.

VIXX turned to Kangin, Suji, and Jihoo. The three children looked to each other, and the “MC”—again, VIXX’s manager—explained the situation to them once more.

“Sleeping princess!” Suji cheered loudly, startling the little boys with her. “Jihoo, umma reads us the story for bed!”

“Sleeping princess?” Kangin echoed. It was clear he was unfamiliar with the fairy tale. Suji jumped up and down excitedly, and even Jihoo seemed a little happy. Suji calmed down enough for the MC to tell the babies which roles the members of VIXX could play. Emma had to bite her lip from laughing. Seeing as how only Suji and Jihoo knew the story—and that Suji had a stronger, more commanding authority—the twins gave VIXX their roles.

Ravi was picked as the evil “queen”, because “his voice is like a bad guy’s”, as so kindly stated by Suji. Next, N, Hyuk, and Ken were cast as the “fairy godmothers” who watched over the princess while she grew. Finally, it was down to the prince and princess. Emma tried to hold in her laughter as Jihoo suddenly piped up, “Leo appa is princess!”

Leo looked ready to die. “But appa is a boy! Princesses are girls.” Kangin argued.

“Appa has to be a princess! There’s a princess in the story!” Suji shot back, defending her younger twin brother’s choice. Her words only made the silent VIXX member shrink in on himself. Emma smiled sympathetically. If it had been Suji’s request, Emma would have been able to persuade Suji to pick Hongbin as the princess and save Leo from the obvious torture he was feeling. But Jihoo asked for him to be the princess… Emma sighed. Jihoo rarely asked for anything.

“Leo appa is princess,” Jihoo repeated, surprising everyone with his firm tone. But it wore off quickly when Leo groaned and tried to hide behind his arms as VIXX laughed hysterically. The thought of Leo playing Sleeping Beauty seemed to highly entertain everyone, including Gayun and the rest of Kangin’s family. Emma was happy though, that Leo didn’t outright complain about his role; a part of her wondered if it was because he wanted to please the babies, and would do anything for them. Just seeing him play and interact with Kangin, Suji, and Jihoo had given Emma the impression that he was one of the members that loved the kids almost as much as the real parents did.

“So Bean appa is prince!” Suji exclaimed with a grin. The shortening of Hongbin’s name sent the members of VIXX into another fit of giggles.

After Leo grudgingly accepted his role, VIXX was led to another room of the house. They were going to rehearse and dress up in costumes for the play, which left Suji giggling excitedly, Kangin clapping expectantly for the play, and Jihoo grinning contently. Kangin’s family and Emma were to occupy the babies while they waited for the play; the fillm crew recorded the babies playing with Kangin’s family and Emma. The children spun around and sang several nursery songs to entertain the parents and Kangin’s older brother, Jeongsook. Then, they played an indoor version of Marco-Polo with Jeongsook; the person who was “it” closed their eyes and called out to the hiders. They called out in excited, hushed voices as the “it” person tried to find them.

It was just after lunchtime that VIXX was ready and prepared to put on the play for the babies. Kangin got caught up in Suji’s contagious excitement, because he was jumping up and down and squealing beside the little girl. “Suji, come sit with Jihoo,” Emma coaxed, patting the empty space beside the little boy.

Suji tugged on Kangin’s hand briefly to catch his attention before she somersaulted over to sit; Kangin stomped after her, eager to sit and enjoy the play. Emma, Jeongsook, and Kangin’s parents let out a noise of awe as several of the crew pulled out a backdrop of a castle and land that was painted on a large cardboard. Emma could tell that some of the members were hiding behind the prop, but she couldn’t tell how many or who exactly was hiding. Then, Ken, N, and Hyuk shuffled into place in front of the cardboard piece, and the play began.

VIXX’s manager read off of a card, and Emma realized he was supposed to be the narrator. “In a far away land, long, long ago, was a beautiful kingdom. The kingdom was ruled by a mighty king, and he had three fairies to help guide him and make his land one of peace.” Ken, Hyuk, and N bowed graciously to their audience. Emma smiled in amusement as the three hopped around and pretended to be “fairies”. They each wore one single color costumes: Hyuk was red, N was blue, and Ken was green. And they came complete with wings; it was the wings with see through fabric kind wrapped around thin metal wires that reminded Emma of the wings kids wore for Halloween or for school plays.

“Then, one day, the king’s wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl: the new princess.” At this point, VIXX’s quite visibly ashamed Leo popped out from behind the large prop background, and the babies squealed at his appearance. Somehow the poor boy had been forced not only to wear a long, blue “princess” dress, but a long wig and “golden” plastic tiara. A look of pure embarrassment was written on Leo’s face, and Emma tried not to laugh. Well, she tried.

Once things had settled down, the narrator continued, and this was where the story started to stray from any of the other versions of Sleeping Beauty. “All of the kingdom loved the princess, except one: the King’s sister, the former queen who had been exiled for studying dark magic.”

Ravi stepped out from behind the cardboard background, and the children gasped. He had on dark clothes, with a cape; like Leo, he also wore a long wig, but he also had in yellow contacts, and when he grinned, Emma could see fake vampire fangs.

The narrator paused before reading again. “When she heard of the princess’ birth, the evil queen put a curse on the baby girl. She would die sometime in the first sixteen years of her life by pricking her finger on a spinning wheel. Scared for the princess, the king had all spinning wheels in the kingdom destroyed. Then, he hid the princess with the fairies to help protect her. Many years passed, and the princess was safe.”

Emma perked up, realizing that VIXX was starting to act their parts. Ravi ducked back behind the cardboard, only after it had been flipped around to show a painting of a forest. The fairies N, Hyuk, and Ken ran circles around princess Leo, smiling but holding back amused chuckles as they sang, “Happy Birthday.”

Leo, the princess, remained silent, and half-glared at the three who were enjoying the scene a bit too much. “Why...are you so happy?” Leo spat out his lines, only slightly awkwardly. He must still be embarrassed to be playing a princess, Emma tried to reason.

“Princess, we are happy for YOU!” N the fairy squealed. He looked to his audience and nodded when the babies clapped excitedly. “Today is your sixteenth birthday!”

“And after today is over, you can return to the kingdom, princess!” Ken added, and the babies cheered.

“I can go home?” Leo the princess asked softly. The three fairy VIXX nodded quickly, and Leo nodded with a slight smile.

“Can I...go outside and bid my forest friends goodbye?” Leo asked, and it was clear that he didn’t like something. Maybe the next scene? Emma wondered.

“Of course!” Hyuk said cheerfully.

Just then, Hyuk, Ken, and N scampered off to the side of the room. Emma watched them as they approached a couple of the film crew, who had stuffed animals in their hands: a squirrel, a couple birds, a rabbit, and a little deer. Emma’s jaw dropped in surprise when Hyuk suddenly threw one of the stuffed animals at Leo. It bounced harmlessly off his shoulder, and Leo struggled to remain in character as he glared at the maknae of VIXX.

“Goodbye squirrel,” Leo said to the toy. As he said that, Hyuk pelted him with yet another stuffed animal. This time, it hit Leo’s head, and knocked off the crown. And this time, Leo was not so forgiving as he picked up the toy and hurled it back at the maknae.

Ken and N screamed as they dramatically dodged the toy, and when the animal hit him in face, Hyuk cried out, “You’re not supposed to throw your friends!”

This made the adults and Kangin’s older brother laugh hysterically. Leo seemed to have slightly forgotten his audience, but straightened up when N gently scooted the next animal across the floor. “Goodbye deer,” Leo said, and his eyes flickered up to Suji. She was scooting up to him and reached out for the stuffed toy. Leo blinked at her for a moment before saying, “I don’t remember you being in the forest…”

Suji giggled loudly, and so did Kangin, Jihoo, and the rest of the audience; Emma could feel herself smiling as Leo then wordlessly handed the stuffed deer to Suji and patted her on the head gently. Suji babbled something unintelligible before hugging Leo. This time, Emma heard Suji cheer, “Thank you, pretty princess!” and she dashed back to her seat.

This had all of the other members of VIXX on the floor, laughing their butts off. Even Emma couldn’t help but giggle with them—she didn’t even feel bad either, because Leo was laughing too. The play went on much like this. Every once and awhile, one of the members would accidentally say something that would make Leo glare at them, even though they had passed the part in the play where Leo the princess had “pricked her finger” and fell into a coma-like sleep instead of dying. Prince Hongbin had jumped out from the other room that VIXX had been practicing in earlier; he wore a stereotypical Western medieval costume, with tights and a tunic-like shirt. He came across the Hyuk, N, and Ken fairies, who said that the only way to save the princess was to defeat the evil queen Ravi.

It was finally wrapping up towards the end of both the play and filming for the day. Prince Hongbin had succeeded in defeating queen Ravi and had gone to check on Leo the princess. Leo lay on the ground, and Jihoo, Kangin, and Suji had snickered about his position as he had stayed there for awhile. “She’s not awake?” Hongbin asked, sounding believably confused.  

This made Kangin gasp. But Suji and Jihoo knew the story. “You hafta kiss the princess!” Suji shouted. Hongbin then turned to the audience and everyone laughed at his startled expression, except the “sleeping” Leo; there was a scowl on his face.

When Hongbin didn’t move, Suji stood up and stomped her foot. “Kiss the princess, mister prince!” she demanded. But he obviously was too slow because Suji marched over to the “prince and princess” and leaned over Leo. “Like this!” she ordered, and gave Leo a peck on the lips.

Leo sat up from his lying down position then, and Suji let out a surprised squeak before she stumbled back into Hongbin’s lap. Her eyes were wide before she said sternly, “Princess go back to sleep!”

Everyone, including the film crew, laughed then. The play ended like that, which seemed like a huge relief for Leo—it was clear that he didn’t want his lips anywhere near Hongbin’s. The members of VIXX bowed to their audience, and Kangin and Jihoo cheered happily. Suji pouted that the ending didn’t have the prince and princess kiss, but after Leo and Hongbin bearhugged her, she giggled herself back into a happy state.

Now that the play was over—and thankfully the children had behaved well enough that there was no need to reshooting—the day was just about finished. The director decided it would be a good idea to film about an hour of extra footage of VIXX playing with the babies, just for good measure. It was senseless fun, with VIXX’s roles changing from horses to monsters to dress-up partners at a tea party.

It wasn’t until about halfway through the filming that the director pulled aside Emma and Kangin’s parents. “I know this is last minute, but this idea seems to be like a great one. The suggestion to involve the babies’ real families seemed to be what will stand out this season, so I want to revisit for maybe one other day for shooting. The members of VIXX will not only interact with the babies, but with the babies’ families as well. Would that be acceptable?”

“I’m fine with it,” Gayun said with a nod. She looked to her husband, Kangin’s father, before he nodded. “I can take off work some day next week to be here.”

“That would be WONDERFUL,” the director breathed in relief. Then all eyes were on Emma, who just nodded. It’s not like I can say no since both of Kangin’s parents have already agreed...but Youngwoo isn’t going to like this…

The parents rejoined the scene, where VIXX was scattered around the living room doing different things with the three babies. Suji sat still in Leo’s lap as he brushed her hair, Hyuk, Ken, N, and Ravi were playing some kind of stacking game with Kangin, and Hongbin was quietly coloring with Jihoo in a coloring book. Jihoo looked up from his colorful page and shot up from his spot beside Hongbin. With a bright smile that was rare for Jihoo, the little boy raced up to Emma and tackled her legs in a big hug. “Umma, appa likes to color with me!” he cheered.

“Does he?” Emma asked sweetly. Jihoo nodded quickly and tugged on her jeans. He pointed to the spot he had left, and Emma let herself be dragged along. Hongbin smiled at her and scooted over on the floor to give Emma some room. She smiled and sat down, letting Jihoo crawl on her lap.

“See umma, see!” Jihoo said, still smiling. He pointed to the open book. Emma nodded and made a noise of awe.

“WOW Jihoo! Did you and Hongbin appa do all of that by yourselves?” Emma asked proudly as she the little boy’s hair. He beamed happily at his coloring skills and nodded. Emma squeezed him in a hug and he squealed. “You’re such a good drawer Jihoo. You should make a drawing for appa to keep.”

“Appa?” Jihoo asked, pointing to Hongbin. Emma nodded.

Filled with determination to do his best, Jihoo slid off of Emma’s lap and began to start a new drawing. Emma and Hongbin watched over his shoulders as he tried his very best to color inside the lines of the coloring book. Emma suddenly felt self-conscious when she realized how close Hongbin was to her. And how one of the cameras had scooted closer to her, Jihoo, and Hongbin. Hongbin looked up to the cameraman, and Emma could see out of the corner of her eye that the man had gestured to Hongbin to say something.

And say something he did.

“How did you meet Jihoo and Suji’s appa?” Hongbin asked.

Emma tensed, and looked to Hongbin. “We’ve been friends since I moved here,” Emma explained.

“When did you move here?”

“Around middle school; we sat next to each other in class.”

“So you two have been together since then?” Hongbin asked. But there was a certain ring to his tone. Emma eyed the young man, and noticed the shock, hurt, and worry all tangled up inside of Hongbin’s complicated expression.

“Well, we’re best friends,” Emma reasoned. Her words didn’t seem to ease the hurt very evident in Hongbin’s eyes.

“Are you two married?” Hongbin asked.

This made both Emma and Jihoo snort. “Appa does not want to marry,” Jihoo said simply. Emma laughed in agreement.

“I wouldn’t marry him either,” Emma said, making Jihoo giggle. Emma smiled and played with the little boy’s hair. “That’s right little man, you know how big of a baby your appa can be.”

“Appa’s silly,” Jihoo agreed.

“So you’re fine with never marrying Suji and Jihoo’s appa?” Hongbin asked.

“Oh yeah. I could never do that. I know him too well.” Emma nodded firmly, as if to make her answer seem more resolute.

A startled look crossed Hongbin’s face then, and he opened his mouth to speak. But whatever question Hongbin was going to ask was cut off by Jihoo holding up his finished artwork. “For appa!” Jihoo chirped, handing Hongbin the drawing.

Hongbin inspected it with a strained smile. It was quite obvious that he wanted to ask more questions, but then Suji suddenly rushed over talking in toddler language with Leo following her. She spoke so incoherently that Leo just shrugged helplessly.

“Suji sweetie are you wanting to go home?” Emma asked gently. Even she had trouble understanding everything the little girl was saying. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wonder, because Suji nodded quickly and held her arms out.

Emma rolled her eyes but picked up the little girl anyways; she instantly curled up into Emma’s arms and whimpered tiredly. “You must be sleepy, huh?” Her question was answered by a soft little nod. Then Emma remembered that the twins hadn’t taken their usual nap today. They usually take it after lunch… Emma realized.

Thankfully, the director had decided that recording was done for the day. Emma offered to help tidy up the toys and playthings, but Gayun waved it off. “You’ve got two little tired kids to get home. It’s pretty late, too. Just go on home.”

It was what Emma intended to do. But before she left, Hongbin tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to him and was surprised to see that Hyuk was with him. “Do you need a lift home?” Hongbin offered. “We took two vans on our way here.”

“Do you have car seats for the babies?” Emma asked. She was grateful for the offer, but was more concerned about Jihoo and Suji’s safety than her arms getting sore from carrying them.

Hongbin and Hyuk looked down guilty. So their answer was no. “Appa,” Suji called, catching sight of Hyuk. She reached out tiredly and patted his chest. He looked to her and she smiled. “Appa, you and umma are twins,” Suji said.

“Huh?” Hongbin wondered.Just then, the rest of VIXX had come out. They joined the younger two, and it didn’t take them long to understand what had been said.

“Oh...she had her appa look up your birthdays yesterday, and Hyuk and I share a birthday,” Emma explained.

“We share a birthday?” Hyuk asked. His face seemed to pale, as did the other members of VIXX.

“Yep. Same day, same month...even the same year!” Emma laughed in amusement.

This time, there was a look of horror on all of VIXX’s faces. “You’re his age?” N asked softly, eyes wide.

Emma blinked in slight confusion. What did I say? Why was VIXX acting like that? It didn’t dawn on her until after VIXX had been carted away for the night and she was more than halfway home: they still believed she was Suji and Jihoo’s biological mother.

Haha, I've finally updated! Sorry it took so long readers....

Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up MUCH quicker. But since it's been

so long since I updated, I tried to make this chapter a bit longer than the 

previous ones...let me know what you all think!

Oh, and I'm still a little bit unsure as to who Emma will eventually

end up with, so I'm letting the story write itself...

I will be in the dark as much as you all