Areum got out of the car, took his brother with her, and looked around, “Leo, did you go to this place a lot?” She could find a green and a big enough yard with trees, and a little playground that was made out of a slide and a swing. Not far from it, there was a small, yet, clean house with three kids running around in front of it.

“No, this is actually my first time” Leo too, he got out of the car, locked it, and casually walked in there.

“How many kids living here?” Areum caught up to him, soon after she realized that she’s almost left behind.

“About thirty—“

“Thirty?!?” Areum jumped in front, to turned around and stopped her friend, “In— in that small house?? You’re joking, right?? Our house is bigger, but Ravi and Ken still need more space! and—“

“I’m not joking” Leo moved aside, and continued walking. “I’ve heard of this place from my sister when she visited Jeju last month, but only got to check it today” He stopped right in front of the small fence.

Areum stood next to him, “And then?” She tried to understand his eyes that seems to be filled with thoughts.

Leo opened the fence gate and walked in, not even bother to answer her question. “Ah— sorry” He stopped walking and looked down,

“No, no its my fault” A boy who’s only as tall as his waist, bowed before he grab the ball that rolls into Areum’s feet. “Sorry!” He bowed again.

Another boy joined, “Ah, songsaenim, we’re very sorry!” and bowed again.

Leo crouched and looked at them, “You guys okay?” he pat both of their heads, and of course, smiled at them.

The two boys nod at his kindness, “Hehe, yes, we’re okay”,

“You guys play football? Cool!” Areum joined the boy, “Leo also plays football, he’s great at it!” She nudged her friend.

“So your husband is a football player?!” The two boys set their eyes on fire and hopes, sparkling with happiness for some reason.

Meanwhile the adults could only awkwardly stared at each other.

Areum was thinking about how to explain the situation, “Ehm—“

“No, I used to play football in high school” Leo took the ball from them, got up and move to make an enough space for him to show off his skill.

“Woaaa!!!” The kids were amazed by Leo juggling skills, the ball easily jumped from his left feet to his right knee, to his right feet and jumped over his head to get into his left feet.

Even the baby Kyunggi was amazed, “Kyaa~” he started to move around and asked to be placed down. So then Areum has no choice but to put his brother down, and let him run into Leo.

Leo picked the baby up, and hold on to him, while keeping on playing with the ball. The other boys also ran at him and played on a little game with him.

And so she was left alone. With not much of a choice, Areum sat on the terrace and just watched them be. She knew  that, if its football and kids, it's going to take much of Leo’s time.

“Hanshik! wongi! hey—“ someone came out of the house, “Ah! anyeonghasaeyo!” and noticed the girl who sat just next to the door.

“Oh?” Areum turned around, and found a woman who’s about her age standing next to her,immediately  and got up . “Anyeonghasaeyo!”

“Welcome to Bang House, I’m Jia, Bang Jia“ She offered a handshake.

“I’m Areum, Lee Areum, nice to meet you” Areum gladly received it, “Ah, such a lively place” She could hear the sound of feet stumbling from inside the house, and kids yelling around.

Jia kept her spirits up., “Yeah, this place is always loud, the kids are just— wonderful—“

“Unnie! Is lunch already??” Another kid, this time a little girl, came out of the door and clung on Jia. “Unnie, I’m hungry!”

“Oh, my! I forgot!” Jia widened her eyes, “Aish! I’m so sorry! I forgot to cook!!” She knocked on herself.

“Unnie! Everyone is already cracky!” The little girl walked inside.

“Okay! Okay! But it will take some time!” Jia followed her, “Tsk, I’m so stupid, I should’ve—“

Areum stopped Jia from closing the door, “Can I help?”.

Jia opened the door again, “Ah! Sorry, sorry! I forgot that— Ah! Sorry, sorry!” and bowed again, and again, apologizing for being stupid enough to forgetting Areum’s existence.

“No, no, it's okay, Instead, if it's okay, maybe I can help you cook?” Areum told her to get up.

“Ah, you don't have to—“

CLANK

“Unnie!!!! Yongwoon just broke a plate!!!” but then The house called for a help.

“Ehm,” Jia grinned at Areum, “we— well, if its not a bothersome, then—“

Areum chuckled, “Of course its not” and grabbed Jia by the hand and walk inside.

They could synch their thoughts and hand on cooking or talking. Surprisingly, the two of them got along with each other, they even decided to drop out the formality since they’re at the same age. 

“So you’re in charge with the nutrition and taste?” as she offered the help, Areum genuinely cut the vegetables.

“Yeah, Kinda, I just do what I can and help Eomma with this place” Meanwhile Jia’s hand was occupied with the pot and fry pan, “Oh, talking about Eomma, if you’re looking for her then she’s supposed to be here in any minute—” Jia put her hand inside her pocket and looked for her phone, “Ah, it's important, can you please stir this for a second?” She asked for a help, before she picked up the phone.

“Ah, sure” Areum moved to the pot and let Jia walked out from the kitchen and receive the call.

After a while, she could already smell the boiling soup in front of her. “Ehm.. wait…” She sensed something. She grabbed a spoon of the broth and taste it, “Aigoo!”. It turns out that the food was not up to her standard.

“You okay?”

Areum turned around and found Leo standing behind her. “Ah! yes, yes,” She took another spoon, “Ey, try this” and fed it to him.

He slightly opened his mouth, and took a sip.

“Its weird right?!” Areum complained.

Leo shook his head, “Nope”.

“Really?!”

“Yes” Leo moves aside, grabbed the diced vegetables and put it inside the pot. “Your standard is too high”

“Too high??” Areum watched Leo takes over the cooking,  And glared at him.

“ Not everyone can cook as good as you”

Areum checked on the guy’s face, confirming the smile that just slips away from his face. “What did you just say?”

“No— nothing” Leo looked away and continue cooking.

“I know, I know, I’m an excellent cook” Areum and praised is like a match and gasoline, easily burst out into prides and slightly arrogance. “Ahahahaha”

“I’m back—“ Jia shut close when she found the two people in the kitchen, “O— Okay…, ehm…”  She scratched her head, unsure on how to finish cooking with a ‘couple’ owning the place.

“Oh! Jia! Have you met him? Jia, this is Leo, Leo, this is Jia!” Areum bridged the two people around her.

“Oh, nice to meet you, Mr.Lee” still, awkwardly, Jia bowed at him.

Leo And Areum looked at each other before they looked at the girl who still bowing, “Mr.Lee?”

Jia got up, and looked back at them. “Yes… You’re Areum’s husband, right…?” She tried to get the confused look of Leo and Areum, “No…?”

“No! No! We’re not married!” Areum moved away from Leo to make same space. “We’re just—“

“I’m Taekwoon, Jung Taekwoon”

“Oh, okay, okay, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Jia bowed again. This girl sure knows how to apologize. “Jung— jung?? Mr.Jung??” She continued on shaking her head, “Ah— eh— uhm— eomma, eomma is— ah—“

“Yes, My sister has met your mom before. I’m here in the name of her” Said Leo.

“Ah— oh— okay— eh— eomma, eomma is already here, she’s at her desk..” Jia kept on stumbling, “You can— you can go meet her if you want too…”

And with a nod, Leo excuse himself, and leave the room.

“Why are you so nervous?” Areum didn't get Jia and her fidgetiness.

“You— you don't know??” Jia stopped stirring and turned off the stove. “Seriously? Aren't you his girl—“

“No, I’m not his girlfriend either, and I’m a bit loss right now…” Areum Shrugged.

“Oh, okay…” Jia took the pot with her and walked into the dining room, and Areum followed her from behind. “do— do you know his sister?”

Areum shrugged again.

“Well, I don't either, but, Eomma told me that she’s a very good person, you know the family, they offer us, a free insurance? Yeah, something like that…”

The newly informed girl stopped walking. “No way?!”  

And at the same time, they arrived at the dining room, a hectic dining room with kids running around. “Yes, yes way,  and also a renovation. They’re amazingly generous”. Jia started to set the bowls next to her, “Would you like to help me with this?” She asked for another helping.

“Sure!” And Areum gladly helped her in putting the soup into each bowls. "Woah, Taekwoon... that's awesome..."

“Kids!! Line up!!” With that, Jia could make the kids line up in a second.

“Unnie! what took you so long?!”

“Noona! My stomach is growling already!”

“I don't want carrot!”

“Is not too salty right?”

Kids and their whines are the best. “Just eat and don't forget to wash the dishes afterwards, okay?” But even so, Jia kept pouring the soup into the bowls and past it to the kids.

“Ne!”

“Ah! Who’s this handsome kid over here!” Areum picked up his brother who surprisingly line up with the others, “Kyunggi, you’re hungry too?”

“Mrs, can I play with your son again after we eat?” The boy from before also happened to be there.

“My— my son? Ahahahaha” Areum just laughed at it. “No, no, well, he’s my brother! ahahaha”

“Oww….” The boy, and Jia could finally understand the situation.

“Anyway, sure you can! I’m glad that you want to play with my brother” Areum gave him the spoon.

“Of course! Kyunggi is very cute! And your husband is very nice!”

Areum squinted her eyes on him, “Kid, he is not my husband”

“He is not? then, boyfriend?” The boy insisted.

“No, not my boyfriend either” Areum heavily, sighing, “Put a space between the boy and friend, boy friend”

He shook his head, “I don't get it”

And told him to move away from the line, “eat well and play with Kyunggi afterwards, Kay?” She grinned at him and told him to moved away from the line.

After the pot is empty, Areum and Jia could finally rest and eat for themselves. “Hahahaaha, You must hear a lot of that misunderstanding” Jia gave her new friend a bowl of the soup.

“Yes, a lot. It makes me wonder, do I look that old? hahahah”

“No, you just have a motherly vibe, kids like you” It was clear to Jia, the reason why people easily misunderstood her. “How about a boyfriend? Do you have one?”

Areum choked on her first sip of the soup, “No, no I don't have one”

“Really?”

“Yes! yes, no boyfriend or anything. Kyunggi is my only man” She tucked his brother in. “Right, baby??”

“Ahahahahaha, you’re—“

A kid came and pulled on Jia’s shirt, stopping her from laughing. “Jia Noona! Can I have a new ball??”

“ball? again? why?” She wondered.

“Leo Hyung is going to play with us! he’s good at football!!” He exclaimed. “can I? please? please?”

Jia got up from her chair, “Okay, okay, wait let me look for it” and goes to the other room.

Areum looked at the windows, and found Leo surrounded by kids, as he passed the ball to them.

“You guys are a very cute couple” The kid was still there, and he just blurted it out of nowhere.

“Eh? no, no, we’re not!”

“Still” The boy stuck his tongue out, and run away. “Noona!! Where is it??”

“Here! Here! this is the second ball of the month, please don't lose it!” Jia came back and threw the ball to him.

“Thank you!!” The boy got out and joined the crowd who worships Leo the god of football.

“Arent you coming with me?” Jia left the door open as she walked out of the house.

“Oh! okay! wait, I’m coming out!”

It was after lunch, and the weather was very nice for kids to run around in the yard and being active. About 20 of them gathered and swarming around Leo. with taht, the arm could only watch her friend being both happy and exhausted from the side with her new friend, Jia.

“Hyung! I’m tired! You’re too good at it!” A kid sat on the ground, “Lets do something else!”

“Yes! Yes! Lets do something else!!” Everyone has just agreed with him.

“Something else?” Leo picked up the ball. “Hmm… basketball? Or… hide and seek?”

“No, we’re too tired! Something that’s not tiring!” The kid refused, “Hyung, can you do anything else??” And so everyone just sat on the ground, leaving Leo to be the only who stood  in the middle of them.

‘Eh… what else…’  he thought.

“Leo is good at singing!!! Ask him to sing a song!!” Areum exclaimed.

“Woah?! Really?”

“Is that true?? Try to sing! oppa!”

“SIng! sing! sing!”

Leo glared at Areum from afar, looking for justice.

“Ahahahahaha,” Meanwhile Areum could only laugh at him, “I’m such a meanie”

Jia looked at the kids, and her, “You kinda are, he looked confused”

“I know, but I wasn't lying, he can sing well, very well” Areum put Her brother down and let him ran to Leo. “He likes to sing Kyunggi a lullaby, and it sounds like…. ehm… how do you say it…”

“Angel?” Jia helped her.

“Yes! Angel!”

“Twinkle… twinkle… little star, how I wonder where you are, ” Leo tried to fulfil their request. “Up above the world so high… like a diamond in the sky…”

“Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky, twinkle twinkle blablbalbalab that song is boring! And it's still noon! Sing something else!!” What a specifically annoying kid got to speak. “Something else pleases!!”

‘Five minutes ago, they were the cutest human being on earth. What happened?’ Leo just sighed and try to understand them. “Eh… I—“

“Those who need real music, please raise your hands up!!!” A voice, a familiar voice made Everyone turned their faces on the fence, “Uncle Ravi is here to save your ears!”

Leo was startled. “Eh?”. Not just Ravi, but of course Hakyeon, Hongbin, Ken and Hyuk, everyone is here. “What are you guys doing?”

“Saving your —“

“Hsst!!!!” Hakyeon quickly shut Ravi’s mouth. “Watch your mouth wonshik!”

“Woaaaa! so handsome!!!!” Kids started to change their attention to them. “Oppa!”

Wonshik and Hakyeon sat with them. Wonshik took out his guitar and start to play some enchanting melody to pull the kids' attention. “Uncle Wonshik is very good at making a song, he can make a song in a minute! Would you like to hear it??”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Who wants to hear a story!! I have lots of them!!” Ken quickly separated himself and make his own group.

“Me! Me! Me!”

And so there's only two guys left alone in the yard.

“Wow, there’s a lot of kids in here…” Hongbin muttered.

“I know…” Hyuk continued.

Then the two of them looked at each other, ‘You? Why are you even here?’ .

“Who are those people??” the additional five guys made Jia confused.

“Them?” but for areum, it made her Areum got up and  walks to the yard. “They’re the best people you can find on earth”.