Jimin and I had crossed signals one day about who would pick up Haru from daycare. I was six months pregnant and the doctor had reduced my bedrest to at least five hours of rest a day. I couldn’t go back to work, but I was officially allowed to run errands, pack up our apartment (without moving anything heavy), and meet with a client or two. Technically, I was still on maternity leave, but I didn’t want to fall behind.

Jimin loitered on his phone outside the daycare looking fashionable in black jeans and a Chicago Bulls jersey. That thing was so old, but damn, it still made his arms look excellent. As I approached him, I saw a couple of women check him out. He glanced up with a perfunctory smile, and I watched as their expressions changed and they realized he was famous. They asked to take pictures with him and I smiled as he nodded and posed with one at a time, his arm slung over their shoulders, his classic fan-smile on his face.

I hung out in the background until they left, my hair hiding my face as I thought up a plan to surprise him. Jimin went back to playing on his phone, so I crept up next to him and tapped his shoulder. He jumped, startled, and immediately adopted that same fan-smile when I asked shyly, “Can I take a picture with you?”

“Sure.” He replied immediately, accepting the phone I held out to him. “Ah, your wallpaper is me. A true fan.”

“Ah, I don’t know. I like Bigbang better.” I told him with a suppressed giggle. Didn’t he recognize my voice? I wasn’t very good at disguising it.

“Tch.” Jimin tsked. “My wife tells me the same thing. Once she even told me that if given the chance, she would hook up with Taeyang.”

“Excuse you, I said I would make out with Taeyang. Hooking up implies a number of things that I just wouldn’t do with Taeyang.” I pinched his cheek and he jumped in surprise.

“Baby?” Jimin peered into my face. “Is that you?”

I smacked his arm. “Jimin, you , you can’t even recognize your own wife?”

He laughed. “Honestly, the number of girls who have imitated your style to try and get my attention is infinite. Before you got pregnant and therefore more easily recognizable, I would think I spotted you at least a dozen times before I remembered you hadn’t come.”

Jimin tucked a loose curl back into my bun with practiced expertise. I dimpled at him and he smiled in response.

“Can I still get that picture with you?” I asked, somehow feeling shy.

“Sure.” He opened my phone and trained the camera on us. “Kimchi!”

“Kimchi!”

Before the camera flashed, I turned my head and kissed his cheek. He let out a noise of surprise before laughing. We both inspected the picture, heads bent over the phone, brown and black strands mingling together.

“So cute.” Jimin cooed. “I’m gonna keep this one.”

I rested my head against his shoulder as he sent the picture to his phone and set it as his background.

“You can put that one on Instagram if you want.” I offered generously.

“I will.” He tapped away at his phone. “There. I captioned it ‘Surprise kisses from my biggest fan.’”

“I literally said I preferred Bigbang over you to your face.” I pointed out as he laughed.

“I know you’re still my biggest fan. Why else would you continue to inspire me on a daily basis?” Jimin smiled sweetly at me.

Before I could inwardly squeal and outwardly retch at his cheesiness, a member of the paparazzi jumped in front of us and snapped what felt like a million pictures. Jimin turned my face into his shoulder and lifted his black face mask over his nose and mouth.

“No pictures, please.” He said commandingly, despite his muffled voice. “Please respect our privacy.”

“I heard you and your wife were getting a divorce. Is there any truth in that rumor?” The reporter asked, shoving a recording device in Jimin’s face.

“Don’t answer.” He murmured to me, before turning back to face the reporter. “I expect you to be gone by the time I come back out from this building.”

Jimin slung his arm over my shoulder and guided me into Haru’s daycare.

“You alright?” He asked me once we were inside, patting me down and adjusting my clothes.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I smiled and ruffled his hair. “You big worrywart.”

“Sorry.” Jimin mumbled. “I know you don’t like the paparazzi.”

“Well, they weren’t too kind to me when we had a shotgun wedding.” I pointed out ruefully. “But, I don’t really mind them anymore.”

“I still don’t know how your parents still believe that we got pregnant on our honeymoon. Literally no one else believes that.” Jimin took my hand and started walking again; I took the opportunity to interlace our fingers.

“I think my parents want to believe that we weren’t pregnant. I can’t imagine my dad admitting to the fact that we had before marriage.”

He scoffed. “Baby, we lived together before we got married.”

“Yeah, I know.” I shrugged my shoulders and waved at the administrative assistant as we passed. “My dad and I didn’t talk that whole time.”

“Are you serious?” Jimin stopped and stared at me, jerking me back with him.

I blinked at him. “Yeah. You knew that, didn’t you?”

Jimin pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead, ignoring my protests. We had an audience and he knew how shy I felt about public displays of affection.

“Jimin…” I tried to push him away, but he held me tighter.

“Shh, shh.” He murmured into my hair. “Just let me love you.”

“I’m fine. It was fine.” I brushed away his concern.

“No, it’s not fine. I could never imagine not talking to Haru. That’s heartbreaking.” He placed his hand on my pregnant stomach. “Just cause we were in love and wanted to do what lovers do.”

“Jimin, relax. We have to get Haru.” I kissed his cheek and one of the teachers cooed at us as he walked by.

He stepped back and smiled at me. “I love you.”

“Love you, too. Now stop being a mush and let’s get our daughter.”

Haru didn’t look up when we first walked in. It seemed like she was having an argument with one of her pals. A teacher came over and scolded them both, which caused Haru to burst into tears. They stopped immediately when her father called her name. Little faker.

“Daddy!” She screamed, a look of pure joy appearing on her face. She plowed over one of her friends in her eagerness to reach him as quickly as possible. Jimin caught her in his arms and made her apologize to her friend before giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi, Mama.” Haru came over and kissed my stomach. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi, little love. How’s life today?”

“Good.” Haru beckoned with outstretched hands to her father, who willing scooped her up into his arms. Jimin nuzzled his cheek against hers and whispered that he loved her. I glanced around the room to see Haru’s three teachers staring at him with hearts practically shooting out of their eyes. I smiled to myself; having a hot celebrity husband was sometimes really amusing. He may have been the hottest and most fashionable person in the room, but I heard him fart in his sleep at night.

“What should we do today, Haru love?” Jimin asked her as I gathered her belongings, which consisted of a blue and white star-shaped backpack and a Hello Kitty raincoat. “Mama and Daddy want to hang out with you.”

“I don’t know.” Haru mumbled into his neck. “I wanna eat a snack.”

“Mama already ate them all.” Jimin told her.

Haru threw her head back and giggled. “No, she didn’t!”

“Yeah, I did. I ate all the snacks. None left for you.” I tapped her nose with a smile.

“No, you didn’t! That’s so silly.”

“You’re so silly.” Jimin kissed her forehead. “You silly little daffodil.”

Haru grabbed his cheeks and pressed their foreheads together, faces so close that their noses were touching. I quickly pulled out my phone and snapped a picture before Haru started to giggle.

“Daddy, you the cutest. The cutest little bumblebee.”

“I’m not a bumblebee. That’s silly.” Jimin kissed her and then swung her over his shoulders. “You ready to go, cherry blossom?”

Haru was laughing too hard to answer. Her little curls fell in her face and she brushed them away as Jimin spun around in a quick, tight circle.

“Put me down!” She demanded breathlessly, a huge smile on her face.

“Nah.” Jimin casually strolled out of the classroom, wearing our daughter like a scarf.

“Daddy! Put me down.” She pinched his neck and he gasped.

“Baby! Did you teach our daughter to pinch me?” Jimin asked indignantly. “Did you teach her all your mean tricks?”

“Excuse you! I am not mean.” I huffed.

He turned to me with one deliberately raised eyebrow, a smirk on his stupid little handsome face.

“I’m not that mean.” I grumbled quietly.

Jimin suddenly swooped down and kissed me, right there in the middle of the hallway of Haru’s school. Haru reached around and pulled one of my curls, laughing maniacally. Her father had wound her up with all the attention.

His lips were soft, though, and that distracted me from the fact that we were in public and surrounded by children and teachers that were clearly observing us. Other parents were coming to pick up their children, too, and Haru was the only celebrity child in the building, so we usually tried to act like proper parents, and not like the degenerates we were.

“Stop kissing me.” I mumbled against his lips. He into my mouth and then pulled away with a satisfied smirk, dark eyes narrowed at me.

“Have I embarrassed you enough yet?” He asked quietly.

“Judging by the scorching heat on my cheeks, I’d say yes, I am sufficiently mortified.” I met eyes with Haru, who still had a hold of my curl.

“Mama, your face is really red.” She tugged my hair again and I yelped. Her father pried her fingers off of it and swung her back into his arms.

“Haru, you wanna walk or you wanna be carried?” Jimin asked her.

“Carry me.” Haru whined and nestled her head against his shoulder. Jimin cooed and kissed her hair.

“Can we just leave already?” I whispered, hurrying the two of them along. Jimin laughed at me and winked at the administrative assistant as we walked by. I stole a peek at her in time to see the blush color her cheeks.

“You’re such a heartbreaker.” I teased as we stepped out into the bright afternoon sunshine. “Women just fall at your feet.”

“I wish you knew how much I get hit on. Maybe then you’d finally be jealous.” He bumped my shoulder with his, a grin on his face.

“You think I don’t see almost every woman look your way as we walk down the street? And then give me the once-over, looking like they’re thinking, ‘He’s with her?’”

Jimin scoffed. “If I could get a penny for every time a man checked you out while we were clearly on a date, I’d be a millionaire.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re much hotter than I am.” I argued.

He slung his arm around my shoulders. “No way. You’re the babe in this relationship.”

“Only you think that way.” I said truthfully.

Jimin fell silent for a moment.

“You know what Seokjin said to me when we first started dating?”

“Why do you like a girl who’s a terrible cook?” I guessed.

He laughed. “No, you goose. He said, ‘Damn, she’s like one of the few girls that’s prettier than me.’”

“Jin said that I was prettier than him? Or you?”

“Him. You’re not prettier than me.” Jimin clarified.

I pondered that for a while.

“Seokjin’s very pretty.” I mused.

“I love Uncle Jin.” Haru solemnly interjected.

“I know you do.” Jimin’s expression soured. Frown lines appeared between his eyebrows as he let out a sigh.

“I’m gonna marry him one day. Like you and Mama.”

“No, you’re not.” He snapped. “You can’t marry Uncle Jin, Haru. That’s that.”

Haru started to cry and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. Jimin sighed in exasperation.

“Anyway, my point is, if Jin said you’re prettier than him, then obviously you’re the hot one in this relationship.”

“I’m clearly not! You’re a babe, Jimin, a ing babe.”

“Not in front of Haru.” He hissed.

“You’re a babe.” I insisted.

Jimin brushed me off. “Tae’s a babe. Kookie, definitely. Jin. But not me. I’m not a babe.”

“Are we seriously having this conversation right now? My incredibly good-looking babe of a husband doesn’t realize how hot he is?” I grabbed onto his arm and batted my eyelashes at him with a smile on my face. “Baby, you’re gorgeous.”

Jimin’s cheeks flushed. “Stop. You’re embarrassing me.” He mumbled.

“You’re like the prettiest guy ever.” I continued, taking his hand and intertwining our fingers. “Did you know that? You’re so pretty.”

“Okay, but just last week you said Nam Taehyun from Winner was the prettiest man you had ever seen in your whole life.” Jimin raised his eyebrows at me. Haru stopped crying and laid her head on him, clearly tired. I wondered if she had taken a nap at school that day.

“Mm, he is beautiful.” I agreed thoughtfully. “Doesn’t mean you’re any less of a babe.”

“Are we equals in babeness or what?” Jimin sounded amused. We passed a crowd of people that stopped to take pictures of us. He nodded his head at them with a smile.

“It’s different. Two different kinds of babes.”

“Is he hotter than me or what? Stop avoiding the question.”

“He’s not hotter than you.” I turned and kissed Jimin’s cheek. “You’re equals.”

He smiled at me. “You’re incredibly adorable.”

“So…your celebrity crush is Tiffany, right? SNSD’s Tiffany?”

Jimin coughed and conveniently took the opportunity to sing to Haru.

“Ohhh, my god, you love her.” I squeezed our palms together. “You think she’s hotter than me.”

“I don’t.” He denied.

“You do! Oh my god, you do!”

Jimin flushed and ruffled my hair. “I don’t think she’s hotter than you.” He said quietly.

“You love her. Why don’t you marry her and have your babies with her?” I grinned and tickled his side.

He giggled and jumped away from me, our hands still intertwined. “You’re gorgeous. I think you’re the hottest woman I’ve ever slept with.”

“You’ve only slept with three women, you little .”

“Not in front of Haru!” Jimin snapped. “God, why can’t you just keep your little potty mouth shut?”

I made a silly face at him and he leaned down to kiss me.

“Daddy, where we going?” Haru’s little voice chimed in.

“Home, baby sunshine. We’re going home.”

“This isn’t the way home.” She played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

“We’re going to our new home. Our new apartment in Hongdae, you remember?”

“Oh, yeah. But we don’t live there yet.”

“I know. But we’re gonna go check it out. Uncle Kookie is there unpacking some boxes. We’re gonna help him out, what do you think?”

“Good.”

“Good.” Jimin echoed with a laugh.

We traipsed up the steps of our sunshiney new apartment building. I loved the yellow door and the yellow kitchen and the mosaics decorating the outside of the building. I loved this neighborhood and I loved Jimin for finding an apartment in it.

When we unlocked the door Yukon came bounding over to us. I picked him up and snuggled him.

“Why’s he here?” I asked Jimin, who was busy directing Haru away from the boxes. Jungkook shouted to me from the kitchen.

“He looked lonely in your old apartment, so I decided to bring him here!”

“Did he pee anywhere?” I set him down and he scampered away, yipping happily.

“Uh…I think by the front door. Probably marking his territory.”

“Great.”

“I cleaned it up for you.” Jungkook came out from the kitchen, drying his hands with a dish towel.

“Whatchu doing, Uncle Kookie?” Haru skipped over to him. He bent down and proffered his cheek for a kiss, to which she willingly obliged.

“Hi, baby! I’m unpacking your kitchen. What are you doing?”

Haru shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want a snack? There’s some…granola bars here.” Jungkook rummaged around in a box and tossed her one.

“What do you say, Haru?” Jimin prompted, stepping into the kitchen.

“Thank you.” Haru said obediently. She hopped up and down while unwrapping her bar.

“Baby, come here.” Jimin strode into the living room where I lingered and placed a hand on the small of my back. He steered me into the narrow hallway and into what we had decided would be the baby’s room.

“It’s painted!” I cried out quietly. “And it’s olive.”

“Do you like it?” He asked nervously, picking at the sleeves of his shirt.

“Mmm.” I hummed, turning towards him. He quirked up a corner of his mouth as I wrapped him up in my arms. I leaned my head on his shoulder and kissed his neck. “I love it. It’s perfect.”

“You’re perfect.” Jimin whispered, his head bent as I kissed across his skin.

“But not as hot as Tiffany of SNSD.” I let out a husky little laugh against his neck.

“You’re perfect.” He repeated quietly. “And I love you so much.”

I felt a sudden drop of moisture on my shoulder. Jimin took in a shaky breath and suddenly held me tightly to him.

“Are you crying?” I asked, arms reaching up to embrace his shoulders.

“Not really.”

“You are. I can tell by your voice and the telltale tears plopping into my hair.” I gave him a squeeze and he let out a long sigh. “Are you sad?”

“No.” Jimin breathed. “I’m incredibly happy.”

I smiled into his neck. “Why are you so happy, you sap?”

“I didn’t think we were gonna make it this far.” He murmured. “Did you?”

I laughed. “Oh, Jimin. Only you would have a moment of complete happiness just because I liked the color you painted the baby’s room. I haven’t even had the baby yet, you know. Sun Jae is still cooking in my womb.”

“Cooking in your womb sounds disgusting.” Jimin sniffed. “And don’t make fun of me.”

I leaned back and took his face in my hands, a sweet smile on my face. Jimin looked down at me with a tearful little pout on his face.

“You’re such a beautiful, tender blossom.”

Jimin rested his forehead against mine with a soft smile. He kissed me and then leaned back to whisper something to me.

“You’re like a pineapple, baby girl. Prickly on the outside but so ing sweet on the inside. Don’t act all big and bad when you’ve got tears in your eyes, too.”

I laughed as he swiped his thumb across my eye, collecting my tears on his fingertip.

“Did we make it, baby?” Jimin asked quietly into my ear, tucking me safely against his body.

“I think we did, my love. I think we did.”