Both father and daughter were surprised when Se Ryeong made her way to the kitchen bright and early on Saturday morning. She usually slept in on the weekends to catch up on the sleep debt she’d accumulated through the week.

“Se Ryeong umma, you’re so pretty today!” Eun Byul’s eyes sparkled excitedly when she saw her. “Are you going on a date with Silly Ahjussi?”
“I see you’re wearing a new dress.” Sehun raised a brow with a teasing smirk playing on his lips, forgetting the task of stirring the pancake batter in his hands. “What a pity, Byul-ie wanted to prepare breakfast for everyone today but I guess you’ll be having breakfast with Baekhyun?”
“Shut up, oppa!” Se Ryeong smacked her brother when she walked past him to grab a glass of juice and blushed when Byul-ie started giggling.
“All right, I’m just glad you’ve found someone to love and care for you for life.” Sehun’s lips curled into a satisfied smile as he gazed at his sister. “Cherish this relationship well. Good guys like him don’t come easy.”
“Yeah!” Byul-ie butted in as she wrapped her arms around Se Ryeong’s legs and looked up at her with a huge grin. “I’m sure Silly Ahjussi is going to take good care of Se Ryeong umma for life because he loves you very much!”
“What do you know about love, kiddo?” Se Ryeong ruffled the child’s hair.
“Love is when you feel like you’re the happiest person in the world with that person!” Byul-ie planted her hands on her hips proudly. “You’re always happy with Silly Ahjussi, just like how he’s happy around you, so both of you must love each other.”
“That’s right, Byul-ie.” Sehun smiled approvingly at his daughter.
“Does this mean you’re ready to call Silly Ahjussi your Baekhyun appa then?” Se Ryeong crossed her arms. Two could play this game.
“No!” the child’s response has both adults taken aback. “I can only have one appa! Kris Ahjussi has HyunA umma and Silly Ahjussi has Se Ryeong umma, but Sehun appa only has me so I’m going to stay with him forever!”
Sehun felt an indescribable feeling swelling in his chest as he bent over to hug his daughter close to his chest. “What happens when you get married? How are you going to stay with me forever?”
“I will live here with my husband! If he doesn’t agree, then he cannot be my husband.” Byul-ie looked so serious talking about it that Sehun would’ve laughed if not for the pride and happiness bursting within him. “Don’t worry appa, Changminnie likes you a lot! You give him treats all the time so I’m sure he wants to live with you!”
Se Ryeong burst out chuckling at this. “Oppa, how could you bribe your future son-in-law when he’s only a child?!”

Se Ryeong ended up staying for Byul-ie’s pancakes with Baekhyun joining them for their family breakfast. Both Jangmi and Mirae seemed to enjoy his company too as they repeatedly asked him to pop by more often for meals when they were making their way to his car. Baekhyun grinned so widely that Se Ryeong badly wanted to wipe that smug look off his face. The drive to Hongdae was filled with Baekhyun singing along to Se Ryeong’s favorite song on the radio and lots of excited chatter about what they should do for the day.

They first hit the tteokbokki and soondae store they’d visited on their first unofficial date. Baekhyun still struggled with spicy food and Se Ryeong chuckled when he tilted his head back and fanned his open mouth desperately.
“You’re an idiot!” Se Ryeong took out a bottle of water from her bag and handed it to him who wasted no time in gulping down the lifesaving liquid.
“Can’t deny that the food here is the best though.” Baekhyun beamed. “But I do think I will skip the spicy soup this time. I don’t want to end up in the toilet on our first date.”
Se Ryeong rolled her eyes before smacking him on the tummy and the latter whined. Looks like some things will never change, and Se Ryeong hopes their happiness will always stay this simple.

True to his words, Baekhyun politely declined the cup of spicy soup whilst Se Ryeong was armed with her own as they made their way down the street and stopping occasionally to admire certain street performances. Baekhyun would tap his foot or bob his head along to the song whilst Se Ryeong took the opportunity to stare at him in his flannel shirt and jeans topped off with sneakers and fake glasses perched on his nose bridge.

“I know I’m handsome, but if you continue staring I’ll start blushing.” Baekhyun leaned in and whispered in her ear without once taking his sight off the performance.
“I like how good you look in casual wear.” She admitted. “This is how I’d like us to live from now on, always carefree and enjoying the moment.”
Baekhyun finally turned towards her at this as he pulled her closer to him by wrapping an arm around her waist. “And with you. I want to enjoy a carefree life with you.”
“Yeah, that does