❝We don't meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason❞ - Unknown.

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7:00 am

The sky turned in a light blue shade as birds chirped around, with the hustle bustle of people for another usual day or some for their special day. Somewhere in the middle of Seoul, a silent house was located in a well known area, where two tiny feet were running towards a specific room without making any noise.

As those tiny feet tiptoed by reaching out to take a hold of the knob, the handle twisted silently and the door opened with a dark room covered with the curtains and turned off lights. 

Clutching the little bear in those little arms, she jogged towards the night stand to turn on the lamp which illuminated the room with a dim light enough to let her doe eyes locate the window where her little hands grabbed the curtain tightly and swung it aside.

A low groan erupted around the silent room, taking her attention to see the person lying on the bed on his stomach whose head turned towards the other side, preventing the lights from his eyes.

A playful curve appeared on those little pink lips which turned wide as she ran towards the bed before climbing on it and sat on the back of the males with her legs either side.

“Dad!”

A high pitched exclaim left her lips which was enough to wake the man and brought the corner of his lips upwards in a lazy smile by listening to his favorite voice in the morning.

“Dad, get up!”

A sigh escaped from his pouty lips as his eyes fluttered open, where his back slightly twisted as his big arm caught the little girl in his arm and tackled her down making her squeal with a cute giggle leaving her lips.

The male smiled, listening to the giggles of his favorite person in the world as he hugged her, closing his eyes to sleep again only to get confused by her rolling away from him. “Areum, Why won't you hug me?”

Areum tried hard not to melt against his pouty face as she sat up, crossing her legs under her with her little bear. “Dad, it's your work and my school.”

The male stared at her with a sulky look as his little, pocket sized daughter in front of him was just seven years old but was too mature for her age to understand him. 

This was their daily routine, her barging into his room to wake him up before the alarm goes off as she always wakes up on her own.

Somewhere, deep inside, it hurt him because he wanted her to be like all other kids around her age without having any worries and to enjoy her time. The fact that she knew her mother wasn't with her, who left them when she gave birth to her and the time when a child needs their mother's care and love. 

But, as she started growing up, she questioned it out just like a confused child would ask why she didn't have a mother. And as much as Baekhyun was afraid to break the news to her, she was rather calm about it, and as she grew up, she understood.

Baekhyun did everything he could as a father to make sure not to let her feel her presence by being her friend and giving her love, attention and care for all he could.

Sighing, he sat up while picking her up as he made her sit on his lap. “Why do you always wake up so early, princess?”

“Because, Areum has to study and wake you up and...and..” She stuttered, looking up as her hazel eyes went round and Baekhyun awed at the sight, making him smile where he pecked her cheek.

Her nose scrunched, cutely. “Dad, go brush your teeth....you can't kiss me.”

“Really?” He raised his eyebrows before tickling her sides, earning squeals and laughter from her as the silent room was filled with giggles.

Soon, both of them stopped when the alarm went off making them sigh and pout in unison. Getting off the bed, Baekhyun picked Areum in his arms and walked in his bathroom as both of them washed up by brushing their teeth. 

As both of them walked out, with him wiping her face with the towel, at that moment, the doorbell rang and knowing who it could be, Baekhyun had stepped out of the room with his hand clutched in his daughter's small hand. 

He opened the door to find Mrs. Tae Bo-Yun, a middle aged woman who lives right across from his home and Areum's caretaker since she was three years old. Baekhyun lives in Seoul but his family is in Bucheon so it was hard for him to take care of Areum the whole day alone since he was a doctor and he had to be in hospital during the day. 

Mrs. Tae Bo-yun was recommended by his mother as she was acquainted with her because his mother knew that their visit would be hard for them so to make it easier for both her son and her granddaughter, she had recommended this. 

However, Baekhyun wasn't really convinced, not that he doubted his mother's recommendation but he was a father, and as a father, he was concerned for Areum, so along with Mrs. Tae Bo-yun, Baekhyun was also around them most of the time to observe, and after a month or so, he finally let his guard down and till now, Ms. Tae Bo-yun hadn't disappointed him. 

She has been taking care of Areum really well, and most of the time Baekhyun often gets called out by hospital for emergencies and Mrs. Tae Bo-yun would always take care of her without any complaints which he was thankful for. 

“Good morning, Mrs Tae.”

Baekhyun gave her a light bow with a polite smile as he stepped back to let her in, where she bowed, mirroring his expression. “Good morning, Mr Byun.” 

“Good morning, Auntie.” Areum greeted her with a bow making the two of them awe at her as Baekhyun smiled proudly where Mrs. Tae smiled widely. “Good morning, Areum!”

“Shall we get ready?” Mrs Tae asked, and Areum bobbed her head cutely as she really liked going to school. “Yes!”

“Let's go!” Mrs Tae held out her hand for her while Areum held it before both of them walked to her room to have her wash up as both of them disappeared giggling inside. 

Baekhyun chuckled, before sighing as he brushed his fingers through his hair while walking to his room to get ready since he had some surgeries lined up and the thought had made him sighed loudly. 

Soon, Baekhyun had walked out after the shower which had woke him up completely, while walking to the kitchen to make breakfast for him and Areum. He wasn't a good cook from the beginning but when the circumstances had followed him in his life, it had taught him a lot of things, including cooking. 

He cooked strawberry pancakes, which was both father and daughter's favorite fruit and breakfast and as he was done laying out on the plates, his lips curved in a smile when he heard Areum's adorable squeal as she walked out of her room with her ready to go to school look. 

“Pancakes!”

Baekhyun let out a giggle as he stepped away from the counter to take his daughter in his arms while lifting her up to place her on the stool in front of the counter where he pushed the plate to her reach while cutting the pancake into small pieces for her. 

“Here goes the pancake in my Areum's tummy.” He smiled, as Areum opened opened widely to which he shoved the piece in where Areum's eyes lit up as she munched. “Dad, it's the best!” 

Oh, how much Baekhyun's heart wavered at her adorable expression. 

“Mrs. Tae, would you like some?” He offered her as she stood beside Areum while fiddling with her backpack and shook her head with a smile. “Thank you, but I already had my breakfast so Mr Byun, you should have some.” 

At this, Baekhyun gave her a nod before smiling at his daughter eating well before he finished his breakfast. 

Soon, he had changed into his white button down paired with blue jeans where his hair stayed up and as he slipped his feet into his sneakers, he stepped out of his room to outside of his house with Areum's small hand clutched into his big one. 

“Dad, bye bye.” Areum waved at her father with a wide smile as her hands raised up to her sides with her two pigtails waved cutely and Baekhyun smiled, crouching down to look at her properly where he planted a kiss on her forehead. “Areum, have a good day too.”

"“Yes!”" She exclaimed, “Dad, we'll have a strawberry milkshake today!” 

Baekhyun nodded to her wish. “Okay, we'll have strawberry milkshakes and berries too!”

Both of them giggled together as Baekhyun watched her going before he got in his car and left for his work. 

Their morning was as usual filled with giggles but the other side wasn't a usual giggling day as a deep sigh had left Gayoung's lips as her feet marched towards her car standing by outside the university where she works as an English literature professor. 

“Oh, Jun-ah, what did you do this time?”

It was 5 in the evening and Lee Seojun, Gayoung's only son and a very naughty child's school's ending time where Gayoung was making her way to his school to pick him up and to talk to the principal who had personally texted her. 

Hence, Gayoung just got a hunch that her lovely son has done something yet again to get texted and the way his principal's text was, she could tell everything already but just hoped that it won't be a huge issue just like other times. 

“Gayoung-ah, let's meet at the hospital later.”

Soo-Ah stated, as she got in her car and Gayoung gave her a nod before driving off to her destination. 

Chae Soo-Ah, Gayoung's best friend and a doctor at the infirmary of the university whom she had been friends with since they were high schoolers with another friend who had met in an accident yesterday, so Gayoung and Soo-Ah would meet him later. 

Pulling the car by Seojun's school, Gayoung stepped out of the car while slinging the strap of her bag around her shoulder before locking the car and turned towards the gate to find some children walking out of the gate to their parents or some getting on the bus which would lead them to their homes. 

Taking slow steps, she walked in the school to the hallway to the principal's office where she was met with her seven years old son standing right outside of her door with his head tilted down as his eyes were focused on his shoes but his expression was telling that he was really worried about getting scolded. 

A smile had curved on Gayoung's lips, as she crossed her arms over her chest with her steps getting close to Seojun as she stood right in front of him where seeing the familiar white sneakers, Seojun's head tilted up only to find his mother's soft yet firm eyes on him. 

“Mommy.” He uttered, a toothy grin making its way on his small lips and Gayoung's heart squeezed with a soft beam as her fingers ruffled his black hair gently. “What got you down, young man?”

“I didn't do it on purpose.” Seojun's lips turned into a pout. “This time I didn't.”

“Okay.” Gayoung cupped his chubby cheeks against her palm as she bent over to his level. “I know my baby.” 

“Ms. Lee Gayoung.”

Gayoung's ear perked up hearing her name as she straightened her back to look at the side to find a peon who gave her a polite nod. “Principal ma'am is asking for you and Seojun.”

She nodded, as he disappeared from the hallway where she placed her hand on Seojun's shoulder. “Let's go.” 

Pushing the door, Gayoung and Seojun stepped inside to find the Principal sitting in her formal clothes behind her table with her hands covering her face over her head as Gayoung looked at Seojun with a questioning look but her son had only given her a pout. 

“Ms Lee.”

Gayoung turned back to the principal who called her name. “Yes, ma'am.” 

“Do you know why I have called you today?”

“Um, because Seojun did something but what did he do?” Gayoung asked, biting her lip anxiously as the principal wasn't even looking at her. “But you're not even looking at me?”

“That's because he did this.” 

The principal lifted her head as her hands dropped down slowly where a loud gasp left Gayoung's mouth with her jaw dropping and her eyes widening at the sight as the woman's face was literally splashed with a red paint color. 

An unconscious snicker left Gayoung's lips since the sight was too funny to not to laugh and immediately tilted her head down while cupping where she locked eyes with Seojun. “Seojun, really!” 

“Ms. Lee, do you find this situation funny?” The principal had her arms crossed as she fixed the glasses on the bridge of her nose with a stern look and Gayoung cleared , shaking her head. “No, no, absolutely not, I am sorry and I will really scold him for doing this.”

“Much better if you ask him not to buy permanent paint colors.” She stated, as she gave Seojun a stern look where the little boy had to clutch his mother's pinky finger tightly where Gayoung held his hand before looking back at the principal. “I am sorry again for this trouble and I will surely send you some remedies to get rid of it.”

“What?”

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you in any way, I was just helping!” Gayoun