Winter is nearing as Jinri no longer leaves the window open during the night and the bed blanket has been replaced by a much thicker one. It’s 1am in the morning when Jongin calls us in panic, stirring us both from our sleep, telling us that Soojung is in the hospital and will be giving birth in the next few hours.

I don’t know if I have ever been this excited in the wee hours of the morning in my entire life. I wake up Jinri and she shares my excitement, quickly changing into her regular attire as I go into Shinae’s room and pick up the sleeping child in my arms.

The drive to the hospital is quick and as soon as we are informed of Soojung's room number, we find Jongin walking down the hallway downstairs. The creases in his forehead diminish when he sees our faces, giving us a friendly welcome and then escorts us to the waiting area outside Soojung's room. Jinri asks him if she can see Soojung but he tells her that she's sleeping. The worry in his eyes, the anxiety in his stance, is apparent, but he keeps his cool and makes us comfortable. That's Kim Jongin. The maturity he embodies is something I would like to acquire one day, but right now, all I can focus on is how I can be there for Jongin. He looks so tired and restless, but I don't exactly know myself how to comfort him because I wasn’t there when Shinae was born.

"Jongin," I say, when I notice his foot tapping on the floor in an impatient manner.

He gives me a side glance, waiting for my response.

"Don't worry. It'll be okay. I promise." I give him a huge smile and he gives me a similar one in response.

"God has great plans for your family," I add putting a hand on his shoulder and for a second, I see Jongin's eyes glistening. He nods afterwards and looks away, smiling into the distance.

Three hours later, Soojung's fully dilated and as much as it pains Jongin to let his wife go in alone, he decides to stay outside because he can’t stomach blood. However, his mind is full of Soojung and he stays with her spiritually, mouthing prayers, his forehead resting on his tightened hands.

I close my eyes and pray with him as does Jinri. Shinae wakes up and whines that she’s hungry. It’s already 4am so I get us something to eat along with Shinae.

“Daddy?” she asks, one hand holding mine, the other clutching on a teddy bear.

“Why is Uncle Jongin here?” she looks curiously into my eyes and I smile at her innocence.

“Because he’s about to become a daddy too,” I reply.

She furrows her eyebrows as if my answer didn’t satisfy her.

“But then why did Mommy tell me you weren’t there when I was born?”

My heart drops a bit when I realize that my child feels like this, that Jinri feels like this, that she wishes I had taken some part in our child’s birth.

“Daddy was so excited, the hospital wouldn’t let him in,” I answer and I think it’s the dumbest lie ever.

“Were you also excited on my birthday?” she says and I know she’s still holding a grudge on me for that. My own child is too smart for me.

I sigh and pick her up in my arms, “Daddy promises to never miss any special day in Shinae’s life again.” I stick out my thumb to seal our promise but she doesn’t do it right away.

“Mommy’s too?” she asks.

I nod and she seals our promise, and then wraps her arms around my neck gleefully.

Never did I think that a 4-year-old’s forgiveness would make me so happy.

ღ ღ ღ

Soojung has fraternal twins. Beautiful twin boys. Kim Youngjae (which means mountains of prosperity) is fair as Soojung and possesses her almond eyes but the rest of his face including his peanut nose resembles Jongin's. Kim Youngsoo (which means keeping prosperity), on the other hand, is just slightly a bit tanner and has Soojung's angular features and Jongin's large eyes.

Both in the 5 pound range but nonetheless healthy for twins. Jongin is still by Soojung’s bedside, caressing her head, smoothing out her dishevelled locks, wiping her tears even though he continues crying. I find myself huddled in a corner of the room, wiping my tears until Jinri comes closer and tells me that the rest of Jongin and Soojung’s family came and we better leave. So I say goodbye to them, hugging Jongin, patting Soojung and showering their children with my prayers.

We leave with my eyes so puffed up that Jinri drives instead because she fears that my emotions might get the better of me on the steering wheel. Shinae says I look like a frog and Jinri laughs along with her.

“Froggy Daddy, Froggy Daddy,” she chants as I am anything but amused.

I see Jinri smile at Shinae in the rear-view mirror and when I see the same glint in their eyes, I wonder if I ever will survive the future with these two.

ღ ღ ღ

“They really do look exactly like you guys,” Sulli says as she goes through Jongin’s and Soojung's baby albums while Soojung tries to scrap-book the pictures of her twins. They are now 2 months old and very, very active. The way they kick and fist pump, I can tell they have both their parents’ strong dancing genes in them.

Jongin picks Youngjae up and I cradle Youngsoo and I can just tell by the look in his eyes, that Jongin has never been happier, more grateful, more proud, than at this moment.

“I must have some kind of superior to be able to produce not one but two kids,” he boasts jokingly as he adoringly coos at the smiling baby in his arms.

I give him a sheepish look but before I can say anything about whether he’s trying to ridicule my ability to procreate, Soojung butts in and says, “Hey, I carried them so if anything, I win this battle.”

Jinri nods and adds, “Yeah and besides, you men produce thousands of but only one (in Taemin's case) or two (in Jongin's case) actually serve a purpose. What a wasteful system you have in there.”

Both Jongin and I are quiet and the girls laugh at us before continuing with the albums and scrapbook.

Shinae wakes up from her nap moments later, and without even taking into account the different surroundings a.k.a. Soojung and Jongin’s home, comes straight to me and asks me if she can hold the “aegi.”

Jongin gives me a nod that she can, so when she sits herself down on the sofa, I giver her the baby and she cradles him.

I find it really cute how she touches Youngsoo's nose, pats down his hair from time to time, even joins in helping Soojung with the diapers.

Jinri also witnesses her grown-up, responsible side and when our eyes meet, I know that there’s something we both want for Shinae.

ღ ღ ღ

SMTown is holding a gathering for Christmas for all its past, present and future idols so without question, most of us decide to go.

We have to leave Shinae with my mom this time, seeing as Jinri’s parents are out of town, but she seems to adjust really quickly as she doesn’t even bother waving goodbye to us.

When we get to the venue, we aren’t surprised by how lavish it is, how everything sparkles under the moonlight, how the surroundings are all decorated for the festive season. I take Jinri’s hand in mine. She smiles at me and her beauty dazzles me to this day, especially when she wears such elegant dresses. I still sometimes believe that I’m married to a Hollywood actress.

“You’re beautiful,” I whisper softly into her neck and I know my comment takes her by surprise because she blushes madly, doing her red dress justice. I’m about to lean in for a kiss but just like all good things must come to an end, this was no different because in the next second, I see Chanyeol’s head peeping at us through the window, telling us to come out of the car already.

I sigh but we eventually do and go inside the building, accompanied by Chanyeol and Nana-noona who says: “I barely know anyone here. This is so embarrassing. ”

I hear Chanyeol say: “You have to get used to my family now, Nana-noona.” It warms my heart when Chanyeol says that. We are a family.

Junmyeon-hyung pops up with Jessica-noona who is heading into her third trimester. She’s glowing, in much better condition than Soojung had been. Junmyeon-hyung looks at her attentively, smiling his signature smirk, a hand in his pocket, looking like the polished, rich man he is.

“Looking good,” he chants as he touches my shoulder and I want to laugh because Junmyeon-hyung makes everything so awkward. Thankfully, Junmyeon-hyung’s best friend, Chairman Lee Soo Man, shows up and Junmyeon-hyung runs to him. While they talk about the company, Jessica-noona, Jinri and I are joined by Jongin and Soojung (who has almost gotten her form back) bringing us a cocktail drink. Jessica-noona refuses of course and as more of EXO’s members start to pile in with their partners, Jongin begins talking to them while the Jung Sisters talk about babies and pregnancy. Thus, Jinri and I decide to sneak outside the venue before dinner.

We walk on a path, shaded by dancing trees and lighted by the glowing moon. Jinri is smiling at the stars and I mimic her. I let the soft wind embrace my hair, intoxicate me and as I turn around to see my beautiful Jinri, I can’t stop myself from taking her in my arms and kissing her.

She doesn’t refuse at all and kisses me back and momentarily, I forget where we are as we slowly back up into a wall. My hand finds the slit in her dress and I trail my fingers down her thigh. Just when my self-control gets the better of me, Jinri breaks away, leaving us both to pant as she leans on the wall and I try to form words.

“Why?" comes out of my mouth even though I know the answer, seeing how outrageously scandalous it would be to continue outside a venue with all of our acquaintances we know since childhood, sitting inside.

But what Jinri says is something I would have never managed to guess.

“I’m pregnant,” she admits, avoiding my gaze at first but then looks into my eyes, her gaze strong.

My mouth hangs open. I am at a loss for words but when Jinri looks like she’ll cry if I don’t say anything, I lean in and kiss her gently, before taking her in my arms and whispering a quiet “thank you.”

As soon as she hears those two words, her body relaxes under my touch and she hugs me back. “I love you.”

I nod and then we smile gleefully as we walk back in, excited to share the news with the others.

That night, we are congratulated by the artists who went through tough times and happy times with us, our SMtown that we hold so dear to our hearts. I'm grateful to be a part of this entity, this family, I am glad to have joined SM Entertainment because despite the many years I lived in constant pain and struggle, I found the one thing I couldn’t live without. My Jinri.

Life had its moments and will have its moments but the highs and lows is what makes me who I am, they are fragments of my past that I accept as a part of me. As the current of life continues with Jinri and I uniting ourselves through our marriage, raising a bright child like Shinae while looking forward to another one, I will focus more on today, whilst accepting yesterday and hoping for tomorrow.

These are our moments, and I regret nothing.

ღ ღ ღ

A/N: IT'S DONE!!! I'm so happy to finally have finished this six-part taelli fanfiction. It's honestly so overwhelming and emotional to read these last few lines about Taemin's love for Jinri and SM Family because we all know how precious and close-knit SMTown really is and imaganing their brilliant future, marrying (perhaps amongst themesleves), having beautiful children is so exciting and heartwarming. I hope SMTown's love is everlasting as well as Taelli's. I miss them so, so much and I know right now a lot of people have given up on the ship but remember that whatever happens in life, it happens for a reason. I think as soon as this fandom begins to lose hope, somehow fate brings Taelli back. Their recent moment is proof of that. You can check it out here.

Also, if you haven't noticed I changed Sheen Ae's name to Shin Ae (Shinae) because seeing as I started the prequel of this more than a year ago, I forgot where I found that Sheen Ae meant "Faith & Love." So I did a little bit of research again and found this. I think it's more appropriate as a Korean name as Shin Ae is a much more common name in Korea than Sheen Ae, but it is still pronounced the same way. 

In the end I would like to thank all my readers, my silent readers as well as the ones who comment, my subscribers, my upvoters. Thank you Taelli's fandom for always giving me faith that our ship is existent and will never cease to exist. 

I believe that Taelli is a work of fate and God, and fate can't be changed. 

So Taelli shippers, don't give up :)