❝Things get broken, and sometimes they get repaired, and in most cases, you realize that no matter what gets damaged, life rearranged itself to compensate for your loss, sometimes wonderfully❞ 

- Hanya Yanagihara.

________

“Elevator.” 

Baekhyun and Gayoung mused together as they found themselves staring at each other for a moment with a surprised look until she felt Areum's hand slipping off from her hand as she ran to her father where Seojun seemed to be doing the same as well. 

As soon as Seojun stopped his steps right in front of his mother who looked down at him confusingly. “Where were you?”

“I was running away from principal ma'am.” Seojun gave her a sheepish grin and Gayoung tilted her head. “You did something again?” 

On that, he instantly shook his head as Gayoung just sighed, ruffling his hair with a smile before looking ahead again to find Areum and Baekhyun already standing in front of them. 

“Dad, she's Gayoung Auntie.” Areum chirped, with a beaming smile as she looked at Gayoung before looking up at Baekhyun by his side. “She saved me from a bad auntie.”

Baekhyun's ear perked up as a frown plastered between his brows where he looked down at her. “What bad auntie? And what did she do?” 

“Actually,” Gayoung spoke up as Baekhyun turned to her with the same frowned look as she began to continue. “She accidentally bumped on a lady and she scolded her-” 

“She what?” 

Baekhyun cuts her off, his eyes turning serious as he himself has never scolded his daughter ever, scared by even hurting her and in his absence a lady has scolded her which he hadn't given any rights to do. 

“Are you okay?” He looked at Areum softly and when she gave him a nod, his eyes turned serious again. “Where is she?”

“Oh.” Areum sighed, lightly slapping her forehead, knowing how serious and dramatic her father can be while her gesture made the three people to look at her shocked before she looked up at him mirroring his look. “I am okay, dad.” 

Gayoung had to swear to see how identical the father and daughter looked and a smile crept on her lips to see her being a little mature in this situation where her eyes almost popped out seeing her father pouting at her. 

Shrugging her thoughts, she looked at her son eyeing the father and daughter but Gayoung found something different in his eyes as if they showed a glint of yearning which had left a hitching breath behind her chest. 

“Jun-ah.” Gayoung called him softly to which he instantly heard her as he looked up at her with a toothy grin of his making her heart melt as she smiled, before gesturing towards Baekhyun. “How did you meet him?” 

He gestured her to come closer as Gayoung frowned but still complied as she bent over where Seojun leaned towards her ear purposely knowing how tickling she feels there as Gayoung immediately let out a silent giggle making him smile. 

“Don't do that!” Gayoung leaned away from him as Seojun giggled, before telling her but with a little too much raised voice. “Uncle didn't know the way!”

And maybe he spoke up a little bit too loudly as the father and daughter who were immersed talking to each other, suddenly turned to the mother and son who instantly looked at them to find their blank look. 

An awkward silence followed, as Gayoung stood straight with a sheepish look while pulling Seojun to lean his back against her where she noticed Baekhyun looking away with an embarrassed look. 

“I'm really sorry,” Gayoung said, as she wounded her arms around Seojun's shoulder with his head leaning against her stomach before letting out an awkward chuckle. “He just doesn't know when to shut up.”

“I know.” Baekhyun replied, as a smile crept on his lips looking at Seojun's innocent face who hides a naughtiness inside him where Areum giggled. “Yes! He's very naughty too!” 

“I'm not!” Seojun exclaimed, a pout forming on his lips and Gayoung let out a chuckle where Seojun turned to her. “Mommy!”

Baekhyun chuckled, ruffling his hair before he looked at Gayoung as he gave her a nod. “Byun Baekhyun and thank you for helping my daughter.”

“Lee Gayoung.” She gave him a nod before giving a smile to Areum. “And it's really no problem.”

“Mommy, my chocolates!”

Seojun pulled away from her embrace to run outside with Areum running behind him as Gayoung and Baekhyun yelled out a 'careful' at the same time making them look at each other only to break out in an awkward chuckle as they followed suit. 

If an outsider saw this sight, they'd be thinking how lovely this family looked and it wasn't the case but who knew that future? 

              ____________________

7:38 pm 

The evening had followed with a knock of dawn where Gayoung had her laptop on her lap with her crossed legs underneath her with her fingers typing rapidly on her keyboard as her focused eyes behind her glasses were glued on checking the assignments of her students. 

“Here, open your mouth.”

A cube sized apple was presented in front of , digging in the fork as she gave a quick glance to her grandfather seated right next to her before opened to shove the apple inside. “Thanks, Dodo.” 

“Dodo, me too!” And a little high pitched exclamation erupted, as Gayoung let out a chuckle at her son's whine who was sitting beside her grandfather as he fed him the slice too. 

Technically, their grandfather, Lee Sungmin was being sandwiched between his granddaughter and his great grandson. 

“Gayoung-ah, have you had your dinner?!” 

Gayoung's mother, Lee Young-Mi yelled from the kitchen since she knows her daughter forgets everything whenever she's working including her food too. 

Before Gayoung could have answered, her father Lee Jung-Min had voiced out. “Yeah, I made sure of it.” 

Gayoung's heart warmed up at the thought of having such a caring family as she gave her father a smile before focusing back on her work. 

“Must be happy by getting a lot of love, wonder woman?” 

“Jinie Uncle!” Seojun jumped out of the couch as he ran towards the front door where Woo-Jin instantly crouched down to let the little guy hug him where he stood up with Seojun in his arms. “My spiderman.”

“It's Noona for you.” Gayoung snapped, scowling at her younger brother. “And you really need to stop buying him color paints seriously!”

Woo-Jin raised his eyebrows. “Why?” 

Gayoung rolled her eyes. “I told you yesterday, how in the world you became a doctor with that small brain?” 

Lee Woo-Jin was a doctor where her big brother, Lee Min-Jae was a lawyer and right now he was walking down the stairs from his room as he showered after coming back from his firm. 

“I also wonder about that.” Min-Jae chuckled, ruffling Gayoung's hair to mess her already messy bun as strands of her hair fell over her face making her glare at her big brother. “I can't tell if you're actually my side or him.” 

“I'm on both sides, kiddo.” He shrugged, kissing Seojun's cheek before walking in the kitchen to have some coffee for himself as he still had some work to do later while Seojun let out a laugh. 

Everyone turned to him with a confused look to find him laughing at his mother. “Mommy, you look like a ghost!”

And everyone had a hysterical laugh while Gayoung scoffed, brushing her hair back as she squinted her eyes at her son. “You little Spiderman, you are having fun, huh?” 

He just laughed as his adorable giggling had Gayoung's heart to melt as she prayed in her heart to have this laugh and smile on his son's face to stay like that always. 

“No chocolates for you.”

Gayoung stuck out her tongue in a playful manner where Seojun's whine erupted but a smile appeared right after as he looked at his grandfather to which Gayoung followed his gaze to find her father waving a chocolate bar in his hand with a smile which dropped when he got caught by his daughter's done face. 

“You all are responsible for spoiling him.” She pointed at every man in the house as Min-Jae also walked out with Young-Mi behind him as she chuckled. “That's why we're his favorite.”

Gayoung just shook her head knowing that no matter how much she forbade them, they would do the opposite of it but still she was thankful for her family to love her and Seojun this much after so much happened with her. 

Closing her laptop to put it on the table, Gayoung plopped herself off from the couch to stretch her neck side to side before turning to her both brothers. “Who's going to give me a ride to the grocery store?” 

“What's that?” Min-Jae raised his eyebrows and Gayoung rolled her eyes. “You're so funny, Jae.”

Her eyes averted to Woo-Jin who just sat down on the couch with Seojun on his lap as he looked back at her. “What? I just came back from work.”

“I don't ask everyday to take me there so just come along!” Gayoung crossed her arms over her chest and when she didn't get any replies from her annoying brothers, she let out a huff. “Fine, I'm going alone then.”

As she took a few steps towards the stairs to get to her room, her feet halted when Woo-Jin's voice erupted behind. ”Fine, lemme just get changed!”

A smile broke out on her lips as no matter how annoying her brothers can be, they were still overprotective over her and because she knows that, she always uses this trick on them since she knew it would always work like right now. 

“I promise I will make you a delicious meal.” She beamed, and Woo-Jin gave her a look. “You think I was going for free?”

“You're still annoying!”

Gayoung grumbled, following him upstairs, where the others just looked at each other with an as usual face before both the sister and brother left the house. 

On the other hand, Baekhyun found himself typing some things on his notepad of his phone which he needed to get from the store while Areum was seated next to him on the couch of their living room with her hand drawing some doodles in her drawing book. 

“Dad.”

Baekhyun's eyes averted to his daughter swiftly after her soft call as he found her hazel eyes looking at him with a look he already knew, what was coming as he still nodded, turning his torso toward him. “Yes, princess.”

“Can we watch Frozen 2?” She blinked innocently before puckering her lips cutely in a pout knowing that this action of hers works well with his father and Baekhyun stared at her with a pout. “But it was my turn to decide.”

It was a Friday night, both father and daughter had wished decided to watch a movie and it was decided that it would be Baekhyun's choice since last time it was Areum's but now the table has turn as his daughter was asking with much adorably and like every father, he also gave in. 

“What will I get then?” Baekhyun asked, and Areum smiled widely before bringing her small hands to his sight with a finger heart at him. “Dad, I love you!” 

“My heart!” Baekhyun gasped, palming his chest as he pretended to get shot with a hurtful look to which Areum let out a giggle where he giggled while tickling her sides making her laugh cutely. 

“Don't you want anything else?” He asked and Areum shook her head. “No, let's watch Elsa, come quickly!” 

The plan was to make a light dish to eat while watching a movie but unfortunately, the fridge was already empty before he could even start cooking. Hence, he decided to buy something from the grocery store which was a kind of difficult task to do since he hardly shops from the grocery store as his mother always buys everything every week for them but now the fridge was empty before the month even ends. 

The doorbell rang and Baekhyun hopped on his feet to pace toward the door knowing Mrs. Tae would be there as he couldn't leave Areum alone at home. 

Welcoming her inside, Baekhyun walked back to his daughter as he bent over to cup her face to kiss her forehead. “I'll be back in a few, okay princess.”

She nodded, not even looking at him to which Baekhyun's lips formed in a pout where he pinched her little nose playfully before walking away as he gave an apologetic smile to Mrs. Tae who just shrugged it off like always before giving Areum her company. 

And as Baekhyun reached the door, Areum's call had stopped her to which he turned to her as Areum smiled widely before sending him a flying kiss. "“Love you, Dad!”" 

A blissful smile curved on his lips as he sent back the flying kiss to her. “Me too!”

He stepped out of the house to drive off to the grocery store and in a few minutes of driving, he reached as he found himself walking down the store with a clueless frown plastered on his face as he didn't know which section he should go to pick the things from. 

He had asked a person the way but he only got one thing from that section and now he was just looking at the things but then a familiar figure had caught his eyes who was struggling to get a cocoa powder from the upper shelf but couldn't reach out to it. 

“Just a little bit.” Gayoung mumbled, as her fingertips touched the powder but her arm hurt too much as a dejected sigh left her lips with her arm dropping down as Woo-Jin's face popped up in her head. “He always disappears whenever I need him.”

“May I help you with that?” 

A male voice erupted by her side and a smile crept on her lips. “I would appreciate it-”

Her words had taken a sudden halt as she tilted her head to her side to find the person whom she never expected there to be as Baekhyun was standing there with a gentle look on his face but his forehead creased when the woman didn't say anything. 

“Ms. Lee?” He called out, and Gayoung snapped out blinking. “Oh yes, Mr. Byun, sorry I was just surprised to see you here.”

His forehead creased in an amused look. “Is it that surprising to be at the grocery store?” 

“Uh,” Gayoung mused, before her cheeks heated up at her embarrassing question as she bit her lip with an awkward chuckle. “No, absolutely not.”

Baekhyun had his lips tugged in a light smile before pointing at the shelf. “Do you need help?” 

“Sure,” Gayoung gave him a nod, stepping aside as he stretched his arm to grab the powder where Gayoung watched him doing it so effortlessly. “It must be good to be tall.”

“Oop.” She instantly cupped after her unconscious blurted words, and Baekhyun couldn't help but smile at how her eyes went round which reminded him of Seojun before holding out the powder. “Honestly, I'm not that tall.” 

“But you're taller than me.” She pointed out, as she reached right below his neck while taking the powder from him and Baekhyun had to nod at her before he saw another familiar figure walking towards them as he stood right next to Gayoung. “I got chips for