❝A Beautiful thing happens when we start paying attention to each other. It is by participating more in your relationship that you breathe life into it❞ - Steve Maraboli.

________________

11:20 am 

"Seojun, don't run like that!" 

Gayoung's shout erupted towards her son who was running around on the field of the outdoor gym like it was his home's backyard where Seojun just laughed loudly enjoying his time while waving at the people around who waved him back as it wasn't his first time here as the people knew that he was Gayoung's son. 

"Areum, are you enjoying yourself?" Gayoung looked down beside her to see her daughter holding her small hand into hers tightly while her eyes looking around awkwardly yet with a sparkle before looking up at her with a nod adorably. "Yes!" 

"That's good, because we're going to enjoy even more now!" Soo-Ah spoke up beside her while taping her cap, making Areum to scrunch her nose cutely only to warm the ladies' hearts with a soft beam. 

Gayoung, along with Areum and Seojun had finally arrived at her university, in their casual outfits to wear a cap on their heads since they weren't really a fan of sunlight beaming on their faces with Soo-Ah who instantly joined them towards the field as Ji-hu's team was going to play the basketball game soon. 

"Seojun-ah!" 

"Ji-hu Uncle!" 

And there they were, Seojun and Ji-hu running towards each other like they haven't met since Seojun was born as Ji-hu was quick to lift him up in his arms where Gayoung and Soo-Ah could just shake their heads before Gayoung picked up Areum in her arms who was quick to lean in her touch with her legs and arms around her. 

"Areum, you can't do this ever, okay?" She pointed at the two kids hugging each other like a dramatic duo as Areum's eyes went round with confusion. "Why?" 

"Because it's not so cool, and we're cool right?" Gayoung stared at her with a smile which only widened when Areum nodded with a smile. "Yes, we're cool!" 

"That's my baby!" 

Soo-Ah stared at her with a done look as to whom she was pointing dramatically at since the example was standing right beside her. 

Oh, how did she end up being friends with a bunch of dramatic kids? 

"I'm cool too!" Seojun whined, pouting as Ji-hu stood in front of them as he smiled at Areum who smiled back at him where Gayoung chuckled, reaching out to kiss Seojun's cheek. "Of course, you are, who's baby are you after all." 

"And you have to take all the credits, right?" Ji-hu made a face at her and Gayoung rolled her eyes. "Because it's a fact." 

"Sir!" 

Ji-hu was called from one of his students, as he nodded toward him to put Seojun down with a kiss on his cheek before peering through him and Areum with a smile. "I'm going to watch them and you two must cheer for us, okay?" 

"Yes!" 

He jogged away from there as Gayoung placed Areum down to walk towards the bleachers where at the moment, two girl students stopped by them as a girl smiled at Seojun since they knew each other well because Seojun had taken a liking to her since a few years back when they had met here. 

Both of them greeted Gayoung and Soo-Ah before the girl, whose name was Mina, bent over towards Seojun. "How are you doing, Spiderman?" 

"I'm doing great and I missed you, Mina!" 

"Noona." Gayoung immediately spoke behind him and Seojun huffed cutely. "But it's not cool!" 

"It's okay, prof. Lee." She chuckled, "We're friends so it's okay!" 

"And I'm going to marry her too!" 

Gayoung and Soo-Ah gasped, along with Areum where Seojun just giggled with Mina who taped his cap while Soo-Ah pulled his cheek from behind. "Where did you learn these things?" 

"Oh, who is this?" Mina asked, looking at Areum who immediately tightened her grip on Gayoung's hand while leaning toward her side, making her chuckle as she stared at her with a smile. "She's my daughter, Byun Areum." 

Mina nodded, after realizing that she had gotten married before smiling at Areum where Areum bowed. "Hello." 

Mina couldn't help but awe at her while Gayoung just smiled proudly before both of them shook their hands to get along well where Mina excused herself as her game was going to be announced so she left. 

And the four of them finally reached the bleachers, as Gayoung made sure to make her kids sit on the safe area while she was sitting beside Soo-Ah who passed the yogurts to Areum and Seojun who were focused on their surroundings by now. 

"How's Dodo?" 

Soo-Ah questioned, sipping her yogurt milk as she met him the next day at the hospital but got too busy to ask him through the phone where Gayoung nodded. "He's fine now and at home probably playing his PUBG game with granny." 

"How did you manage to get there though?" Soo-Ah gave her a confused look as from what she remembered, last time Gayoung couldn't even stand properly by the same news while she had heard about Baekhyun taking her there but she was still baffled to it since she still hadn't told her the details. 

"Oh, actually…" Gayoung trailed off, taking a look over at the kids to find them busy talking to each other before looking at Soo-Ah to find her 'tell me quickly' look as she shrugged, biting her lips with her fingers tracing the bottle of her yogurt milk. "Baekhyun-sii helped me out because I had almost freaked out but he made sure that I was okay to even walk, that I wouldn't be alone." 

As the words were leaving Gayoung's lips, her mind kept having the flashbacks of that time to how he had held her hand to calm her down which brought the same warmth in her chest before looking at Soo-Ah to find her soft smile on her face making Gayoung's forehead to crease. "Why are you smiling like that?" 

"Nothing," She shook her head with a pat on Gayoung's cap. "I'm just glad to see you like this, that you're not forcing yourself on things which might be not in your favor and that you didn't back out when you accepted it, so it's good." 

Gayoung stared at her with an understanding expression, knowing what she meant because she was always determined on doing everything by herself and this time she didn't force herself on it to let Baekhyun be by her side that time as she just smiled. "And it's a good thing that Dr. Zhang had texted us or we wouldn't have known about Dodo at all." 

Soo-Ah's smile dropped as a frown plastered on her face. "Dr. Zhang did?"

Gayoung wasn't an oblivious one to not to notice her sudden change of expression as she nodded with a confused look. "Yes, but why are you making that face?"

"What face?" 

"Like you don't like Dr. Zhang." 

"I… Why would I like him?" Soo-Ah stuttered out, looking away leaving Gayoung with a surprised look. "I never said you like him though? Why are you getting worked up over nothing?!" 

"I'm not!" 

"You are, are you sure you don't like him?" 

"Gayoung!" 

"What's happening?" Ji-hu took a seat beside Soo-Ah who was huffing while Gayoung was laughing as he stared at them confused. "Did she crack another lame joke?" 

Gayoung's laugh stopped as she gave him a look. "My jokes are not lame." 

"Just because Dodo finds it funny doesn't mean that it actually is funny." Ji-hu stated, tapping her cap which dropped by her nose to cover her half face leaving the kids to giggle at it where Ji-hu and Soo-Ah chuckled at them before Ji-hu's eyes stopped at Mr. Kang who was walking out of the gym as he sighed after. "I feel bad for Mr. Kang." 

"You too? Me too." Soo-Ah looked at him surprised as both of them looked at eachother surprised. "You also heard it, didn't you? I actually thought he had a chance." 

"Excuse me? What is it that you both have heard but I didn't?" Gayoung intruded, with a frown as Ji-hu pointed towards the direction where Mr. Kang had walked past the door of the gym inside the campus while Gayoung just stared at him confused. "What about him?" 

Soo-Ah sighed, shaking her head. "Mr. Kang had a crush on you." 

Gayoung stared at them confused, before peering through them if they were joking but seeing them being serious had open with a loud gasp. "Have you f-umm-" 

was covered by Soo-Ah's palm who gave her a look. "We have kids around, lady." 

"Have you both lost it?!" She whisper-yelled at them before looking at the kids to find them busy in their world where she looked back at them to find Ji-hu's confused look. "You didn't hear anything about you and him being shipped by half of the students here? Seriously? And you call me dumbo when the example is right here!" 

"No, it can't be." Gayoung shook her head, not even wanting to imagine it. "He always stays professional so it can't be." 

"Well, it's a past tense now because you're married so it doesn't matter." Soo-Ah shrugged, trying to ease her mind where Gayoung sighed. "You shouldn't have told me this, how would I look at him without being awkward now?" 

Ji-hu shrugged. "You shouldn't have asked." 

"You should have refused." 

"Like you would have been refused." 

"Anyway, when are we coming to your new place?" Ji-hu questioned, the ever person who has a job but still acts like a jobless person asking for a place to hang out yet again because he doesn't have anything to do at home where Gayoung made a face. "Why?" 

"What do you mean why? It's been a month since you got married and you haven't given a house warm party to your friends." He made a face of stating a fact and Soo-Ah nodded. "I guess, he's right, you're Mrs. Byun now." 

Gayoung froze, blinking a couple of times by the sudden change of her last name as she felt a warmth through her chest. "W-What? Mrs what?" 

"Aren't you Mrs. Byun now? Or should we call you Mrs. Lee?" Ji-hu teased with a playful grin on his lips and Gayoung bit her lip feeling her cheeks warming up. "Uh.. I don't know? I still have to get used to it." 

"Okay, Mrs. Lee it is then." 

"Or Mrs Byun it is." 

"Shut up." 

Gayoung just shook their heads as her both bestfriends laughed where Ji-hu got up as his team was finally going to play with the cheers getting loud with Seojun and Areum clapping together which brought the two young ladies smile where the next minute, Gayoung was already making their videos and photos from her phone while some selfies with Soo-Ah and the kids. 

At the moment, Baekhyun's face flashed right through her head where biting her lip with a thought of whether to do it or not, her next move was already decided by her heart as she had texted him. 

Gayoung - Are you busy? 

She sent it while staring at the screen and the next minute his text was up bringing a smile on her lips. 

Baekhyun - Not really, are you having fun? 

Gayoung - Yup, the fun you are so going to miss! 

She stifled a giggle as she sent it before looking up to cheer with everyone as she didn't expect him to send another text but as soon as she looked down only to find his text which brought a soft smile on her lips. 

Baekhyun - if it's not too loud can I call you? 

Baekhyun leaned forward, placing his arms over the table while tapping his phone as Gayoung didn't send a text back leaving him with a thought if it was too loud to even talk but his thoughts were cut off when his phone rang with Gayoung's name on it. 

And a soft light smile graced his lips as without wasting any seconds, he had pressed his phone to his ear but before he could say anything, Gayoung was fast to speak. 

"Please don't go like this is Dr Baekhyun-sii speaking-"

And he couldn't help but roll his eyes at her lame joke with a shake of his head. "Well, I can't say that if I'm speaking to prof. Gayoung-sii, can I?-" 

Gayoung just chuckled where Baekhyun slightly flinched by the sudden noise of cheers from the other side while flinching by the door of his cabin being opened with a jerk to which revealed Yixing and Yoora there. 

He placed his hand on his chest with a dramatic look of how they scared him toward them where both of his best friends just made a face while taking a seat on the couch. 

"Why is it so loud?-" He questioned, frowning while turning his swivel chair to the side as he found his best friends giving him a teasing look where he heard Gayoung. "Oh, we won!-" 

"You won? You talk like you were playing.-"

Gayoung could actually imagine his playful look as she rolled her eyes. "I deserve to say it because I have almost lost my voice by cheering too much." 

And Baekhyun could actually imagine her dramatic expression to which he just chuckled not knowing she was smiling on the other side while both of them eventually forgetting why the call was even dialed to talk about until Gayoung finally remembered. 

"Actually… I know you wouldn't be worried but just to make you assure that we're doing fine here.-" 

She knew that Baekhyun still would be a little worried even though he didn't say it so she just wanted him to be assured where Baekhyun smiled at the thought of her being so thoughtful for him. 

"Are you sure you wouldn't forget them like how you forget your surroundings?-" 

Gayoung scoffed playfully, while gesturing to Soo-Ah to help her with the kids towards the cafeteria. "A mother can forget anything but her kids.-"

"Wow, so dramatic, I really-" 

"Didn't take me like that?-" She completed his sentence as she walked ahead towards the door which leads out of the gym with Soo-Ah and the kids where she heard him chuckling. "No, this time I actually took you like that.-"

"Anyway, we're going to the cafeteria to fill our stomach and just to make you double assure, I'll be gladly sending you their pictures because you know I am a sweet person so I can do that much.-" 

"I'll be gladly honored.-"

And both of them just smiled without letting each other know before Gayoung hung up the phone with Baekhyun still smiling lightly only to drop it when he found his best friends still teasing look toward him. 

"What?" 

"Happy marriage to you." Yoora smiled widely where Yixing chuckled. "Right, happy, happy." 

"Seriously?" Baekhyun rolled his eyes, standing up to sit on the couch beside Yoora who looked at him with a smile. "It's good to see you letting your guard down about Areum." 

Baekhyun smiled, suddenly having flashbacks of Gayoung's words about how she made sure of what he was worried about before nodding. "It… wasn't easy but I guess it's Gayoung-sii so I can let my guard down now." 

"That's good then." Yixing spoke up smiling softly at him as he was happy that somewhere his best friend was moving ahead as to how things should be going where Baekhyun raised his eyebrows. "Why are you both here?" 

"What do you mean why are we here?" Yoora mimicked his words with a look. "Don't we always hang out here?" 

"Here? Today was his cabin to hang out at." Baekhyun pointed at Yixing who stopped munching the chocolate bar in his mouth as he looked at them confused to speak out with his stuffed mouth. "It was my cabin?" 

"Always the confused one." Baekhyun shook his head, leaning back against the backrest while giving him a look. "And why are you eating mine?" 

"Because I finished mine?" 

"He ate mine too." Yoora gave him a side look and Yixing scoffed, swallowing. "Who are you even complaining to? He ate all of mine too when I checked my drawer!" 

And here they were bickering over a chocolate bar like a bunch of dramatic kids. 

"Anyway, when are you going to invite us?" Yoora questioned, and Baekhyun looked at her confused. "Invite where? As far as I know you don't even ask before barging somewhere." 

And he got a slap from her which only made him laugh as Yixing gulped. "She meant your home." 

"You guys have been at my home countless times without even asking then why now?" Baekhyun stared at them confused and Yoora shrugged with a teasing wriggle of her eyebrows. "You weren't married but now you have a wife and two kids." 

Baekhyun froze for a second before a sudden wave of warmth went through his heart as he cleared his throat. "So?" 

"So we want to meet Gayoung and Areum and Seojun because we miss them." She smiled widely before nodding with a teasing look. "And it's okay we know that you have to discuss with her so it's not a problem at all."

"Shut up." Baekhyun chuckled. "You both are my friends and I'm sure she wouldn't mind it at all." 

And that's when he got the teasing look again to which he groaned loudly. "Stop with that." 

But who was he kidding? As both of them just laughed out loud making Baekhyun do the same as well. 

Time passed by, and it was already 6 in the evening where Baekhyun was heading home, not before Gayoung had texted to let him know that they were also heading back home as kids wanted to spend some time with Dodo again so they were coming after an hour or so. 

And somehow both of them reached together as Baekhyun had pulled his car over by the house to find Gayoung opening the door of the backseat where the kids were stepping out of there. 

"Dad!" 

Gayoung flinched, by the exclamation of Areum and Seojun who were running towards a direction before her eyes followed them to find the father and the kids hugging each other like they didn't greet or leave the house together this morning but the sight still warmed her heart. 

"Did you have fun?" He asked, with a smile before looking over at Gayoung as his smile turned into a playful one. "Or just mommy had some fun?" 

Gayoung gave him a look before looking away to get the stuff from the backseat as coming from her maternal house, Woo-Jin and Min-Jae left no chance to buy them some more toys including Sung-min and her father. 

As she took a hold of another paper bag, she felt a presence beside her and she didn't have to recognize that he was Baekhyun because she had come to adapt that much of his presence around her where the bags she was holding got taken by him while she didn't protest but gave in. 

"Give that to me." He pointed at another bag where Gayoung shook her head with a little smile. "It's okay, I can carry that much." 

He just nodded, stepping back as Gayoung closed the door to both of them walked together ahead towards their home with the kids walking ahead of them where out of nowhere Baekhyun stopped beside them with a excited face. 

"Let's see who's going to reach home first!" 

Areum and Seojun weren't really tired to refuse as both of them bobbed their heads cutely where the next minute, Gayoung found them jogging towards the home with her following them with a smile and a shake of her head. 

"I feel like I have three kids." 

Stepping inside, the first thing they had done was to wash up as the kids were done with that to leave them in the living room with their new toys as she had gone to have a quick shower leaving Baekhyun with the kids as he was done washing up. 

Soon after, Gayoung walked out of the washroom while wiping her hair with the towel where her eyes got a glimpse of something familiar on Baekhyun's laptop screen which was placed on the bed and the next minute she was standing by it with her eyes looking at the familiar name. 

Yoon Tae-woong. 

It felt strange yet she couldn't decipher what it was, as she stood still, staring at the picture which looked like a report of someone or that person's report which had a familiar name, but she didn't know if it was the same familiar person nor it felt like she wanted to know because she was in the phase of leaving her past behind but she wasn't sure if she had completely let go of it. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Ahh!" Gayoung exclaimed, immediately cupping to jump back the next second by the sudden impact from behind where she stumbled on her heels to get stopped by behind as Baekhyu