"Aeeeraaaa.... Today, I and Deiji'll be taking you to school!!" Joy announces and pours the little girl some milk.

"YESHH!!!" Her little arms are up in the air in elation.

"And then I'll go to my university and get some works done! After that I will take you two for vaccines..."

"NOOOOO!!!" Aera sulks.

Joy and Noel laugh.

"So you'll get late?" The older lady asks, checking Aera's bag.

"Yeah, the appointment will be over by the afternoon so..."Joy slowly walks behind the pouting, sad girl and hugs her, "I can take Aera and Deiji for an outing..."

"Relly?! YAYYY!!!" She jumps in her chair.

"Yes, so now you've to be a good and brave girl and take those injections without any fuss." Joy kisses her head.

"Yesh! Unkeel Nemjjun say that I m a good gal and bave gal!!!" Aera smiles. 

"He is right! Now finish your breakfast and then we will leave."

Aera hurries. Noel sees Joy packing some diapers in the baby bag.

"Joy! Will you be able to take care of two children together? I mean after the injection? You'll need to pay attention to two crying kids!! Listen, how about I come to the hospital around the appointment time and then we bring them home together? Of course after the outing..."

"Oh Yes Aunty!! I actually forgot. You are right. It'll be very tough...but are you free?" Joy looks at her worriedly. It slipped her mind that how she could have calmed a toddler and a baby after vaccination.

"Nah! I'll be free!" She smiles. They have their good bye hugs and kisses.

"Now let's get some works done!!" Noel reminds herself and goes to the laundry room.

"Thank you very much. Please send my regards." Namjoon disconnects the call and sighs in content. After being postponed last week for bad weather, that meeting finally took place and the outcome has been mutually successful. He leans back in his seat. He will be home in some half an hour. He had been in Busan for 2 days for this work. He looks at his phone and thinks. Should he call her? After few minutes, he dials her number.

Now, now, She gets very worried and then asks many questions when he gets back. He just wants to avoid such nuisance. Yes. That is all. It has nothing to do with him wanting her to stress less. And he absolutely does not like anyone fretting for his well-being. He means over-reacting.Yes. No other reason...   

He calls Joy (17 times) but she does not pick up. A mixture of irritation and...panic evoke within him.

"Hello?" Noel answers the call absent-mindedly.

"Hello Aunty!? Where are they?!" He blurts out more impatiently than he meant to, " If I don't call and inform about my whereabouts then you get all snarky and when I do, people don't answer!!! There is a limit of carelessness!!"

"So you landed safely?" Noel asks. She is trying to hide the smile in her voice. 

"Yes." He again asks, "Where are they? And Aunty you know who I am talking about...So please don't fool around!"

"Okay, Okay! I did not even say anything!!" She puts her hand on to stop her laughter, "Joy went to her university for some assignments submission and other works. "

"Eh? With..." He purched his lips, "Deiji?"

"Yes. Cuz she has to take Aera and Deiji for vaccinations so she did not want to come back and then again go to Aera's school. She must be at the hospital. Anyways, good that you called...!! There is a problem..." She looks at the clock, "I was supposed to join them there but can't! My sister called and she is not doing well. I have to go there. Can you please go and help her?"

"Help her?!" He asks in a confused tone.

"Yeah! Controlling a toddler and a baby is not a joke!! That too after injection!! Please Namjoon...Please..."She requests.

"Tell any maid..." He knows that Noel's sister is not doing well. So she should be there but he going to the medical centre instead of her?! This is too much...

"They are busy and 2 of them are at the Kims...Please Namjoon..." Noel waits for his reply expectantly.

"Fine..." He sighs and shakes his head. There he goes again!! Doing things he has no idea why?!

Noel keeps her phone and turns to look at her sister, "Sorry unnie!! I lied using your name!!"

"It's okay Noel...it was for a good cause...Now you'll be staying here for some days, right?" The elderly woman smiles.

"Yes, unnie...I know it will be very difficult for Joy but to get Joon close to his family, this had to be done. May be by helping her he can understand their importance. He needs to spend time with them..."

The sisters smile at the thought and Noel dials Cheonsa's number to inform about the progress in their plan....

"Jooyyy..." Aera looks around and gulps, "I m escared..." She hides her face in Joy's sleeves.

Joy smiles and pecks her head, "I know baby...but it is important for your health. You don't want to be sick! Do you now?"

She shakes her little head.

"Then? Aera is a brave girl. Good girl. I know it will hurt but it is for betterment...your betterment..." She hugs the little girl softly without knowing that a certain man is watching and listening to them.

Namjoon looks at the oldest girl sitting there. The way she has explained Aera without any pacifying or sweet talks, it is just commendable. 

"Is Bae Aera scared?! How is that possible??"

They turn at the voice and find Namjoon standing behind them.

"Unkeel??" Aera runs towards him. He takes the little girl in his arms and walks towards Joy.

"Namjoon? When did your flight landed?" She asks looking at his attire, "You did not go home??"

The concern in her voice makes him feel good. No tremour, missing of heartbeats, blush or anything...Just a nice and pleasant feeling. Such care has always been there in her queries but recently it has some effects on him. Nothing immense but palpable.

"No. I called you but guess you've the cell on silence. So I called Noel aunty and she told me you were here with..." He looks at the children.

"Oh! It was on silence since I was in university. Sorry! Then I had to keep it on this mode here as well..." She checks the phone. 17 times?!

She looks up at him and he avoids her. She smiles slightly and then asks, "But you...umm...why are you here instead of going home?"

"Aunty's sister is not doing well...So she had to go there. None of the maids were available. I was on the way so..." He shrugs.

Joy smiles brightly, "But...aren't you tired?"

The blush of her cheeks are evident. Now she does not try to hide it.

"No. It was just an hour flight." He waves it off and looks at the baby in the carrier.

"Ms. Park? It is your turn..." The nurse calls them in.

Joy enters with Deiji and Namjoon brings a nervous Aera, holding her hand protectively.

"Hello." The doctor greets them, "Hey Aera...how are you my dear?" She smiles softly at the pouting toddler.

So the appointment is over and Joy actually needs help. The baby is crying and so is Aera. Lucky for her, Namjoon is there to hug that little girl throughout the "ordeal". 

"Now we go out!!" Aera announces happily. Her pain is gone as soon as they step out of the building.

"Out?" Namjoon frowns.

"Yes...ummm...We take Aera for an outing anytime she has a doctor's appointment. It is her prize for being a good girl..."

Aera nods quickly supporting Joy's reply.

"You can go home...we have the driver..." Joy looks around the parking lot.

"No! I mean I have sent both the drivers with the car you brought here..." Namjoon points at his car.

Joy's eyes round. His driver also!! He wanted to drive us home?!...

"So...should we go home or...?" She looks at the sulking face of Aera.

"No. I'll take you where you wanted to go." Namjoon shakes his head. He is gifted with a happy squeal, a sweet smile and a whimper. He looks at the carrier.

"Awww...Deiji..." Joy softly runs her finger on the tiny head.

"Baby-ah is hurt..." Aera peaks at her sadly.

"It is okay...See, she is very small that is why..." Joy smiles, "Now shall we go?" She turns to look at Namjoon.When the doctor was giving shots to the girls, he avoided looking at them and tried to relax his breathing. Later he took a crying Aera and consoled her. He did not say anything about Deiji but he has been glancing at her.

"Huh? Yes." They get in the car and drive off.

"So where are we going at first?"

They first went to an amusement park which was quite a change for Namjoon. All his recreations and happy days were with Irene where he got to be young and carefree. After that, studies and business usurp his time and the longing for his Ren usurp his life. So being relaxed and jovial without her is almost a shock for him...

They rode different rides and had snacks. They drove and then walked around to see a lot of amazing and amusing things which do not let them realize the sun has set. They get aware of the time when Deiji woke up from her nap crying. 

"Oh! Deiji... She must be hungry..." Joy makes a soft humming sound to the baby, "Needs to change as well..."

"Okay. So we should get some dinner. It is almost time!" Namjoon checks his watch and raises his brows.

"Yes, somewhere kids friendly..." Joy nods. 

"There are lots of such places..." He checks his phone for suggestion, "Aera? What do you want to eat?"

Aera, who is adorning a princess crown and bracelettes, won by her Unkeel Nemjun for her, thinks carefully. Her eyes brightens,"Bap tai!!"

"Bap tai?!" Namjoon looks at Joy in confusion.

"She means pad thai..." Joy laugh, "Right Aera?"

"Yesh!!" She jumps.

"Oh...okay let's see..." He shakes his head with a smirk and searches for the right place.

And it is the right place. The environment is sophisticated yet homely. There are many families enjoying food with children. They take a corner table. Joy and Aera sit at one side with Namjoon on the other. The waiter comes to take their orders.

Joy stands up and excuses herself with Deiji to the bathroom, "Namjoon...can you please place the order?"

"Me? Are you sure?" He asks.

"Yes. It may take some time in the loo..."

"Okay."

Joy comes back after sometimes to find the duo sitting. Or like Aera talking about hundreds of things and Namjoon listening to her with mirth. She smiles and looks at them for a couple of minutes more. Isn't this what she has always dreamt of? She looks at the baby in her hands who is squirming for food. "Now let us go and get you fed!" She pokes her tiny nose and gets to their table.

Namjoon is observing the mother and daughter. That is some delicious thai food. Aera is munching on and so is he. Joy has a cover type of thing on her under which the baby is having her meal. She is holding the baby in one hand and using the spoon with the other.

"Oh You must have been very hungry..." Joy chuckles and looks up to see Namjoon staring at her, "You have ordered really well but isn't it too much?" She points at the food.

"We can take it home Jooyyy..." Aera chews and smiles.

Joy wipes her face, "Really? Then okay..."

She looks at him again, "I forgot to tell! I called Noel aunty in the loo. Her unnie is better but she has stay there for some days..." to which he nods understandingly.

"I should have asked you earlier. Sorry! How was your meeting?"

"It went well and we'll be working together soon..." He informs.

Joy's smiles happily, "Congratulations!!"

"Yesh!! Congatultion!!" Aera claps for him.

He smiles broadly after a long time, "Thank you..."

After the dessert and the left-over food being packed, they leave for home. Namjoon notices Joy struggling a bit with the carrier and baby-bag. Her own bag of books is in the car though.

"Take this..." He keeps the food packets infront of her and gestures for the heavy ones in her hand.

She nods gratefully and gives the baby bag to him.

Namjoon shakes his head, "Not that. Her..." he points at the carrier.

Joy blinks and hands it over. He looks at the sleeping face of the baby and notices her quivering slightly. He puts his hand on her little head to find it hot.
"Is she okay?? Why is she shaking??" He asks worriedly.

Touched with his gestures since the afternoon, her heart swells up.

"That is okay. Babies get feverish after injections. Many adults even..."

He nods, "Okay then..." He does not want to remove his hand from her soft head but he has to drive as well.

"Shall I drive? I mean you had 2 hectic days then flew back. Also you roamed so much with us..." She looks at Deiji, "You have to sit in the back though with the kids..."

Namjoon cannot describe why he is feeling excited to sit with the children. He keeps his neutral face and shrugs, "Fine!" His "I don't bother" facade is caught by Joy but she lets it be. The main matter is that he wants to spend time with his own daughter...

Since the restaurant is a bit far away from their home, the drive is longer. Joy looks into the mirror to check on them. Aera has fallen asleep and Namjoon is covering her with a small blanket. He kisses her head lightly and peaks at his own daughter. He stares at her for few seconds and takes his forefinger towards her face hesitatedly. He pokes her tiny nose and touches his own one. Then his lips curve upward in a cute and proud smile. As if he has discovered something very pleasant.

Guess someone has copied his nose on her little face...

The whole thing is so adorable that Joy has to secretly wipe her tears. She quickly puts her attention on the road for her family needs to get home safely...