Namjoon loosens the tie. He arrived home quickly today as there had been not much work and also it was a Friday night. He looks out of the window at the Kim mansion. It has been two months since Irene lost her child. He has kept tabs on her. She is healing gradually which lets his restless heart some peace. He is about to walk into the bathroom when he hears the familiar knock, in a hurried manner. He opens the door to see Joy standing with a mug of coffee.

"Good evening! You are home quite early!!" Joy greets him entering. She is in a very cheerful mood today. She keeps the mug on the table and looks at him.

"I...I want to go out today...?" She asks with less awkwardness.

After his drunken endeavor two months ago, Namjoon has considerably begun to show some acknowledgement towards her. He woke up the next day with a peril...headache. He remembered he left the hospital after Irene's C-section and went to his office in a jeopardized mind. He bought so much alcohol. Later that day a servant came up to him with a hangover soup and informed that Noel was back home. He was a bit surprised to not see Joy attending him. The servant said that Joy was not doing well. She got no sleep due to the bad news and then she took care of him. She almost got no sleep for two nights and had a severe neck and back pain. So when Noel arrived she forced her to rest and made him this hangover cure. Then after going to his office the following day, he talked to the janitor. And for the first time! FOR THE FIRST TIME HE THANKED JOY. She was shocked, so was Noel. But she still took things not for granted and tended to subtlety.

"Out?" He frowns slightly.

"Umm...yes. It is Aera's fourth birthday today...I know the circumstances are not celebratory but I thought the baby never had her birthday celebrated and also she is in playschool and has friends who talk about theirs so...Every year Noel aunty takes her to her mother's grave. This year I took her as aunty has fever..." She becomes quiet after realizing she is babbling.

Namjoon nods slightly. He knows the reason. Aera's mother died on the same day she was born. Well as far he knows Irene and Noel have to hide the little girl from her father Bae Jace on this day so that he could not kill her...that useless man is missing for months now...who knows where he is...

"You are...going out alone...with a small kid? And it will get dark soon..." He quirks his eyebrow.

"Ummm...yes..." She says looking down.

Namjoon notices her getup. She is dressed in a simple pink long dress and her long hair was tied in a neat braid. She is wearing small pearls in her ears and has some pink gloss. His eyes wander subconsciously at her mid- section. She seems ready to go...

"But it won't be safe...Take the driver." He states.

"Okay!! Thank you!!!" She chimes happily.

"Jooyy..." They turn to the door. 

Joy's face brightens and Namjoon looks at the person with a small smile and amusement.

There stands Aera in a yellow and purple hanbok, looking at them shyly. Her hair is tied in a pony and has red shoes on. She walks up to them and bows. " Hullo! Good enning..."                                                                      

The adults smile. Joy looks down at her lovingly and says, "It is 'eve-ning'...My goodness!! My baby Aera is looking like a princess today!!!" She kisses her chubby cheeks.

Aera giggles and looks at Namjoon hopefully. 

Namjoon looks at her without his usual harshness and compliments, "Yes...Aera is actually a princess today..."

Joy is quite taken aback with his soft attitude and Aera laughs.

"Okay...so we'll go now...Bye" Joy says.

She tugs Aera's little hand when she resists. She looks at Namjoon and says, " Unkeel come with us!!! We have fun!! It is Aera's Budday!!!" She jumps a little in excitement and holds his hand.

Namjoon is shocked and Joy quickly tries to dissolve the matter. "Aera...uncle just came from office...you should not disturb him...let us go..." She holds her hand again and takes a sad looking girl out  from his room.   

Namjoon has no reason to be sad or anything. But the disheartened expression on her face is too...

Joy is waiting for the driver to get the car ready and Aera is sulking a little. The older girl hugs the younger, "Aera...Don't be sad...It's your birthday...Come on!! Cheer up!! We'll have lots of fun today!!"

"But...Ajumma Noil and Unkeel Jimin are not!! Also no Unkeel Nemjunn!!" She pouts

"Baby...I know..." She sighs. Noel being sick and Jimin gone to his home for an emergency make their plan dull.

"Mistress Joy the car is ready." A maid informs.

"Let's go!!" Joy hurries.

Another shock has been awaiting her. Aera happily runs to the person standing near the car. "Unkeel!!"

Namjoon looks at them with slight uneasiness. He is dressed in black jeans, a botton up white shirt and a black blazer. Not to forget black shoes. It may be the most casual look on him Joy has ever seen. "You'll come...?" She blurts out.

"I am invited..." He shrugs indifferently. To be honest he himself does not know what he is doing...and why...

But it does not matter to the Birthday girl. She is just happy that she is celebrating her birthday for the first time with them.

They get into the car and Namjoon asks where they are going.

Joy is still too awestruck to answer so Aera answers instead, "We are go-in to enjooy the eve-nin of the city!!! We'll see many things!! and eat a lot!!!" She sounds euphoric.

Namjoon nods and glances at the young woman beside him who seems to have recovered from her shock.

"We...we are planning to roam around and observe..."She adds slowly, "You can give us a lift and then go back if it is any hussle for you..." She adds slowly.

Namjoon drives safely towards the main town, "It's okay. I'll stay..."

The car is parked at the parking lot and they venture onto the streets. Since it is Friday night, there are many people around. It feels like a festival. Families, youngsters, couples are having a great time. The streets are decorated with lights and the vendors are all busy. A very busy and happening atmosphere.

Joy and Aera look around in awe. Everything is so special and beautiful to them. Though it may be the most common things to everyone else. Namjoon observes their faces and shakes his head slightly. They have never experienced all this from close.

The people are looking at the cute little girl in the traditional wear and gushing. She looks so cute!! They are also taking her pictures. Aera is walking upto every vendor to see their products.

And Joy... she would have run to see everything but she needs to think about her other baby. She is just following Aera and listening to the shopkeepers who are explaining about the things. 

Namjoon keeps quiet and lets them enjoy. He recalls those days when he was a student. He and Irene used to visit these places regularly and it was part of their life, their world...

So after years, visiting the streets have him a different emotion which he cannot comprehend. He looks around. Many things have changed, yet they are still the same...

He sees that an olderly woman giving Aera some free tinglets for being cute and the birthday girl. He thinks for a second,

"I need to go somewhere...I will just be back... Stay here..." He tells Joy who nods.

He comes back to see the lady blessing Joy a safe childbirth and a healthy baby. Joy looks down and blushes. He clears his voice and they begin their adventure after saying goodbyes.

Namjoon glances at her. She is showing a bit...

After their grand adventure, funny sounds are produced from Aera's belly. She hugs her tiny belly and smiles sheepishly. Joy smiles at her blush, "Hungry baby??"

Aera nods innocently.

"Well it is time for dinner..." Joy tells.

"So what are we having?..." Namjoon asks.

They are sitting at a road-side tteokbokki stall with so many times of street food around. When the girls first suggested the choice he was quite...surprised. But to be honest, a child does not care about the number of stars a restaurant is rated with. Though Park Sooyoung...she looks equally excited.

They begin to eat their tteokbokki and Namjoon observes how Joy is taking care of Aera. Just like...just like...His eyes fall on the glass in front of him. He freezes...

There they are sitting. Aera is in the middle and Joy is feeding her. They are laughing and talking. He recalls all those moments when he imagined himself...with his own small family. Yes that is what they look like now!! He can see in the reflection Joy looking up at him and smiles.

"Namjoon...Namjoon..."

He jolts back. What a vivid nostalgic moment it was...

"I need to go to the washroom...can you please...?" She points at Aera.

Namjoon nods and she excuses herself.

He looks at the little girl who is trying to have some soup. He muffles a laugh. The chair is too low for her and she cannot reach the table. So the shopkeeper puts a stool on the chair to level her up to her food. It looks very funny.

"Here..." He wipes with a tissue and feeds her. He frowns at his spontaneous reaction.

"Thenk yu..." She smiles.

He tries to make some connversation. He does not know why but he likes listening to her broken words. Too entertaining...

"So How's your bithday?" He starts.

Aera's eyes glow with excitement, "I hed the besht Bud-day evr!!! I got sea-beed soup for bekfasht and then she took me to mama's ge-grave...I say to mama hello and say that I m happy!!! I hev Ajumma Noil, Chensa, Jooyy and...yu!!!"

Namjoon looks at her shocked. Does he mean so much to her?! But what has he done?!  

"Then we go to skool!! Jooy make cupcakes for eve-ry-oon!! Chocolet and stowberry!!! She make good cake!!! I got gifts!! They all give me!!" She cheers. "Jooy give me..." pointing at her hanbok, "this!!"

He smiles and cannot help but marvel about how much the girls love each other...

"Oh my!! Aera, you finished your soup." Joy sits back.

"Unkeel help!!"

Joy looks at him and and smiles a little. "I think we should go home now. It will take time to reach and it is quite late..."

They walk to the parking lot and get into the car. Namjoon awkwardly takes out a packet. "Happy Birthday Aera..." He murmurs.

Joy blinks and Aera happily opens the packet only to squeal in delight. "Thenk yu!! thenk yu!! THENK YU!!!" She hugs him from behind. He pats her hands, around his neck, unnerved.

It is a beautiful box full of different colour pencils and everything else that are required for drawing. Suitable for children and expensive.

Joy looks at the thoughtful gift. "This...?"

"I figured she likes to draw..." He has seen many pictures on the hallway walls and the kitchens.

"She does..." Joy replies with a watery smile. Today is one of the most memorable days of her life...  

They reach home only to discover Aera has fallen asleep. Joy is about to pick her up but Namjoon stops her. He glances back at her tiny bump and takes the little girl in his arms. They got inside the house and finds Noel in Joy's room.

The lady has heard that Namjoon went with them. She could not believe it but then thought he may come back after giving them a lift. But when after 4 hours three of them did not come back, she was shocked. And still is...

"How...how was your outing?" She asks after some difficulty.

"OH!! It was amazing!! I wish you were there..." Joy quips happily and removes the dress from a sleeping Aera. Namjoon is still in the room. Why? He does not know...

Noel looks at the stationery materials and asks, "This...?"

"My gift...unkeel..." Aera mumbles in her sleep earning a laughter from Joy and an amused smile from the man.

Joy kisses the girl's forehead and looks at Namjoon, "Thank you so much for the evening...it means so much to us..." Her voice reflects her thankfulness.

Namjoon just shrugs and leaves, looking at the ladies one more time. "Good night."

Noel says, "Namjoon...he..." She looks at Joy pointedly.

"I know...even I was shocked too...Still am..." She will not keep her hopes high. Slow steps...

"Well...our Aera is very loveable...no one can resist her..." Noel sits on the bed.

Joy smiles.  She has smiled a lot the whole day...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Bae Aera

** Author's Note: New Bae Aera. Both the girls are the cutest ^ . ^

   I don't know why but there is an instant feeling of her being Bae Aera to be most suitable...