CHAPTER V : LITTLE BUNDLE OF JOY

“Papa Yeol! Dada Baek!” a little girl running around the house looking for her parents shouts.

“Whel arl you?” She says to no one in particular after roaming around at all sides of their home and still not having a clue where her parents are at.

It's a Thursday afternoon and she just arrived from school and a lunch date with uncle Suho. She wanted to show off something to her parents. A while ago, in school, they had a surprise quiz and she aced it, so now she wants to show her parents her test paper. She also wants to show the big star stamped on her right hand that she got for acing the quiz and another big star stamped on her left hand because she participated well in class today.

But she can't seem to find her parents. The house seems so deserted. Busy moping, she didn't notice the two figures sneaking up on her from behind. She instantly screamed when a pair of hands touched her and whispered to her ear, BOO!

“CONGRATULATIONS BABY HYEBIN!”

It's her parents, when she was about to turn around, it's her papa Yeol who grabbed and scared her. He hugged Hyebin and lifted her up. Startled and still taking in the situation, Hyebin--holding tightly on Chanyeols shirt for dear life--moved her eyes to look at her papa Yeol to her dada Baek who's holding a strawberry cake, both her and Baekhyun’s favorite.

The cake is filled with strawberries on top and had letters sticking out that read ‘CONGRATULATIONS!’.

“Con-gwa-tu-way-ton?” The child utters.

“Yes baby, congratulations to you! Uncle Suho informed us earlier about how you were great today!” Baekhyun smiles at his child.

Mr. Kim was better known by Hyebin as ‘Uncle Suho.’ The couple introduced Joonmyeon to her as a family friend, someone Hyebin could trust like her other uncles, Sehun, Chen, Minseok and Jongin. Her Uncle Suho is much more special, however. Uncle Suho had Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays as ‘Uncle Suho Days’. Chanyeol gave Mr. Kim those days as bonding time for the two. True to his words, Joonmyeon did provide for the child ever since Baekhyun got pregnant.

He insisted on paying for everything that Hyebin needed. He really showered the child with all his wealth. Now Hyebin is living like a princess, not just because of Mr. Kim, but because of her parents’ wealth as well. She's the only person to splurge on.

Hyebin has grown up to be intellectually wise, the ‘Baek-il’ saying is right. The kid is smart and wealthy. Hopefully, it's right about the long life, as well. They all wish for her to live long and healthy, not just past not six years old.

Of course, Chanyeol also claimed the child as his. He loves Hyebin like she really were his own flesh and blood. At times, Chanyeol does become jealous of Hyebin’s closeness with her uncle Suho and he resists listening to his insecurities.

Hyebin is daddy's little princess, I'm his one and only appa, when he feels himself on the verge of losing his calm, he always tells himself this.

“Papa Yeol, look!”

One day, Hyebin went home after hanging out with uncle Suho.

“Uncle Suho bought me a pwincess sweeping set!” She shows off the package she's holding. “I'rl finary sweep wike a pwincess appa!”

The child beams at her father with her incomplete set of teeth. She hums to herself a tune that Chanyeol only heard from her starting that day--at some point he learned that it was a song uncle Suho thought her. Apparently, they sing it a lot on their trips together--and she hops and hums on her way to her room.

She only stops when she notices her appa isn't following her. She turns around and sees her father still rooted from where he welcomed his little girl, a little bit off of himself. The child calls out to him and waves her hand, signalling for him to follow her.

“Papa come on!”

The child wants to replace her current bedsheet. The current sheet is the fuzzy Rillakuma bear sleeping set that she loved ever so dearly. It's what her papa Yeol bought for her as a surprise gift because she did well again in school.

Now her new favorite sheets are the ones uncle Suho bought her, the princess set. Of course, this puts Chanyeol a little bit off. It's another point for Mr. Kim.

Well, it's not really a bet or a competition over whom Hyebin should be more close to, but Chanyeol is selfish. He wants Hyebin to be just his precious daughter, not Joonmyeon’s. Joonmyeon is supposed to be an uncle.

Just an uncle.

Maybe I should lessen Mr. Kim’s time with Hyebin…

After having noticed that Hyebin is too close to her ‘uncle Suho’, Chanyeol, at times, doesn't respond to Mr. Kim’s texts when the man asks for Chanyeol’s permission to be able to spend time with Hyebin.

Yes, Joonmyeon has scheduled days fixed with his daughter, but the chaebol still needs to report everything that will happen during those days to Chanyeol. Chanyeol has to agree first before he could really take Hyebin with him fully and, since Chanyeol has noticed that Hyebin is too much in favor of her “uncle”, the legal father ignores or sometimes make up stories so Joonmyeon won't have or lessen the time with the child.

Baekhyun notices Chanyeol’s behavior towards Mr. Kim. He feels hurt for his husband, for his better half is still in pain. He thought Chanyeol got over his issues when Hyebin finally came to be, but it turns out that Chanyeol became more insecure. Sympathizing his husband doesn't mean that he'll tolerate this childish behavior of, though.

At times, Baekhyun steals Chanyeol’s phone and grants Suho permission to be with Hyebin. They do owe a lot to the chaebol and the least they can do is to give him time with her. They made a contract, after all, and a deal is a deal. They gave him their word and he gave them his, both parties have their rights and all should be fair.

What Chanyeol is doing is unfair and Baekhyun can't simply tolerate it. He feels the need to make amends with Mr. Kim because of that and so, one day, when Joonmyeon goes to his eatery again, Baekhyun intends to apologize in behalf of his husband.

“Oh Mr. KiㅡI mean, Suho. It's nice to meet you again..” Baekhyun chides himself.

It’s obvious that he had to say something. This has always been his problem, he always beats around the bush when he feels nervous.

“Baek, there's no need to be formal with me. What's gotten into you today? I'm always here for lunch, how could you miss me? Did you wake at the wrong side of the bed?” The chaebol jokes.

“Umm.. I'm just really sorry Suho.. We have a contract and the way my husband has been acting towards you and about Hyebin is unacceptable. I'm really sorry,” Baekhyun stops fidgeting with his hands and looks at Joonmyeon directly, “I promise to do all that I can so we can make it up to you.”

He tries to give Suho a genuine smile. In all actuality, he doesn't know how to really make it up to Suho. What else is there to give to a man who already has everything?

“Baekhyun,” Suho inhales deeply and takes Baekhyun’s hands in his, “you don't have to, really I'm fine. I gave the both of you, you and your husband, all the right to Hyebin. I'm just her uncle remember? It's stated in the contract and I agreed to it. I have no claims over Hyebin, she's a Park not a Kim. I just need time. It doesn't really matter how short or long it is, as long as you give me some of her time and attention or affection, I'll be okay. I understand your husband's behavior, he's just being protective of his little girl. Actually, if you open your eyes more, you'll notice that he's also like this towards Sehun and all of the other people seeking for Hyebin’s attention. It's not just me.”

He even laughs, just a bit, when he remembers how Chanyeol reacts to people.

“Hyebin is such a precious gem in everyone's eyes. You can't really blame Mr. Park for feeling the way he does.”

The look he gives Baekhyun says it all; the tranquility in his face, the contentment; that oh so gorgeous smile. Mr. Kim is honest with the words he spoke.

Baekhyun can only relent.

“Okay Suho, I'll just make sure that my husband doesn't go out of hand.”

Another day, another dollar or, in their case, another won. Chanyeol made another great deal possible for the company and secured himself a hefty commission plus a bonus to go with it. He just closed a deal with an Arabian prince and now they are to manage the next multi-billion project of the aforementioned prince in Korea.

“So..” Chen snickers at the best architect there is in the company at the moment, “Are you going to invite us to your house or are we going on a boys’ night out?”

“Us? Why would I waste my money on you guys? I have a family to feed you know?” The taller of the two colleagues kids. “And you have Minseok and the kids to tend to. You have your own family.”

“Haha.. Funny Chanyeol?” Chen dreadpans, “So what's the plan? Another road trip for the family? You know, at six years old, Hyebin is really well traveled, don't you think?”

“That's my princess!” The dark skinned colleague enters uninvited in Chanyeol’s office and butts in the conversation.

“Can you stop flirting my child Jongin? She's S-I-X years old for Christ's sake!” Chanyeol scolds the younger.

But then, what's the use? Jongin flirts with everyone, even if he doesn't intend to. People just take a liking towards him.

Jongin laughs at that, “I'm sorry for being so charming, even to little children.”

He stops laughing the moment he remembers why he traveled to Chanyeol's office in the first place.

“I almost forgot, hyung my aunt is selling her property in Jeju Island. I remember Hyebin telling me that she wishes to have a house by the sea. Aunt Jinri is looking for potential buyers and is willing to give them a tour around town too.”

Chen pats Chanyeol's shoulder, “There's your next family trip waiting!”

He also gives Jongin two thumbs up. “And you know what's more fun? The whole gang can come! Sehun, Jongin, Minseok, Baekhyun, you, me and the kids! The more the merrier, right?”

“Why are you guys planning for me? It's my family, why are you guys included?” Chanyeol is, of course, joking the two.

He is actually considering this trip. He does need a break and Hyebin needs a break away from Suho. This might be a great de-stressing trip if no one mentions that chaebol in his presence.

Hyebin did say she wanted to have a house near the ocean. A palace, in fact. She got that idea after watching a movie starring that red head mermaid.

What's that little mermaid’s name again? She called me that name when one time I dyed my hair red.. hmm.. Ah! Princess Ariel! Another princess..

‘Uncle Suho bought me a pwincess