“I heard it, Yeon. I heard what happened.”

Hakyeon was a little surprised to see their resident cat-man on the floor in front of Hongbin’s door. And even more shocked with what he said. So wordlessly, he grabbed Taekwoon’s arm and dragged him none too gently to the direction of his own room. Shoved the taller man through the door before stepping in himself and close the door with the weight of his body.

He leaned his forehead on the back of the closed bedroom door. “Daegunie… what the is happening?” he had been calm in front of Hongbin, because he knows the young man needs the steadiness of a calm mind. Or at the very least the appearance of it. But he was panicking.

“A baby, is coming. Hongbin, the baby. Is going to have a baby.’’ Taekwoon trying to put his own thoughts in order.

“Not yet, the girl may just abort the baby. Because as far as I know the two are not dating and she is young.”

“Yeon, I’m happy. Because baby. But I am scared too. Remember what happen to me a few months ago? How byulbit reacted to rumors of me dating a fan. This is not just dating Yeon, this is a baby.”

Then Hakyeon turned around away from the door and finally faces Taekwoon that he dragged half mindedly. He was welcomed with Taekwoon already snuggled up on his small bed, his deceivingly expressive face is torn between feelings excited of babies and scared of what would happen to Hongbin in the eyes of their fanbase, and how their career as a group would be.

Hakyeon then sat on his bed, and put his face in his hand. “How did this happen?”

“Hongbin forgot a .”

Hakyeon knew it was Taekwoon’s attept to lighten the mood, and he succeeded, Hakyeon felt a small giggle bubbled up in his throat. “Silly kid.”

“Baby, huh. The first VIXX baby.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. It things turn out perfectly, we don’t have to ever think about it again. But…. Things haven’t been perfect for us so far. What do you think?”

“I wouldn’t mind having the baby around. And Hongbin is responsible enough, I think. Hopefully.”

“Let’s just sleep, I’m exhausted. We can’t start thinking until we know more anyway.” Then Hakyeon moved to his dresser to grab a worn out sweater he stole off of one of the boys’ years ago and loose sweatpants. Then he took his phone out of his pocket he remembered the mental note. And he dialed Sanghyuk’s number.

“Yoboseo N-hyung.” Replied the youngest member, his voice sounds sleepy and distracted.

“Sanghyuk, come home tonight. I want you home. I don’t care. You come home.”

“Whoa, Hyung. Everything alright?”

“I’ll tell you in the morning, but it would make me feel much better if you come home tonight.” There was a small pause where Hakyeon could hear a little of the background noise. He seemed to be indoor, not anywhere public because he can hear soft music playing in the background, only one other person speaking in a soft tone, and the rustling of fabric. “Sanghyuk, are you with a girl right now?”

“Uumm…” The maknae hesitate.

“Han Sanghyuk. Come home right now. Tell her goodbye and get on a taxi now.”

“Hyung, what’s wrong, I’m an adult. You never have any problem with me staying the night before.”

“Hyoggie, please. I’m tired right now, I just need you to be home tonight. Please? Do it for me?  You can see her again another time.”

A deep sign can he heard across the line. “Alright, I’d be home.”

“Good child. I love you, Hyoggie.”

“I know mom. I love you too” and he hung up.

The next morning, the air was weird in the dorm. Hongbin barely slept a blink the night before. After Hakyeon left him alone in his room, he had time to start thinking now. Those ‘Options’. What will take place and each consequences? Whether or not he have a say in the decision at all. Whether or not this is something that Starlight will ever forgive him to let happen. Does this mean that if he want to keep the baby, his career would be over? Does he need to withdraw from VIXX to let his brothers keep going? Or it will drown everything out and their careers would also be unsalvageable. Is his career salvageable?

Eunjung. A smart woman by any standard. With bright future. In a field that is still very hard for a woman to get into, but she is there, right at the door. Would it be fair for him to ask her to put it on hold? But would he be able to deal with terminating a baby? Yes, the baby is not literally attached to his body. And he didn’t plan on having it. It was a drunken mistake. But he was raised a traditional man, that was habituated into taking responsibility of his action. So if there is a little human, that little human growing on the other side of the city is already his responsibility.

Them. It’s weird to think that there is a ‘them’ at all, because Hongbin hardly kept in contact with his high school mates, only those he was very close with still see him on a regular basis. But none of them were girls. And then now he have to deal with this big decision in his life with virtually a stranger. Sure he had admired Eunjung since they were younger, but then that is about it, admiration. She is smart, and kind and pretty, not idol pretty but pretty. The times he actually had a conversation with her can be counted by the fingers in his hands, including the ones they had during the reunion dinner.

He decided to get up from bed, because he can no longer get any more restful sleep by staying in bed. As he walked out of his room, he saw that someone left a mug filled with tea in front of his door, very prone to getting kicked and getting all over their wooden floor. He picked it up and brought it to the sink.

The living room was a mess, with Eungdong sleeping in a puddle of blanket on the couch. The puppy looked cold, he doesn’t have one of the many sweater Wonshik bought him. On his way to the kitchen he made a detour to pet the sleeping dog on the head. Wonshik’s furry son just snore louder, exactly like how Wonshik would be when he sleeps.

Hongbing then went about his morning routine, washup a little, go to the gym –he contemplated on asking someone to go with him but he decided against it, needing the time to himself-, on his walk back from the gym he stopped by the corner shop to pick up a few rolls of kimbab for anyone that feels hungry back at home. The walk in the cold morning air had done some good to his nerve. He was less nervous and stressed. But on his walk he couldn’t help but notice BABIES!! So many babies and kids and students with their happy faces and snotty hands.

When he was waiting for his kimbab to be rolled, he was standing next to this small lady that was carrying her baby in front of her in a sling. The baby looked happy and peaceful as the mother go about her day and her conversation with the ahjumma in the store. And the baby’s tiny fingers were reaching out and flapping around. Trying to reach for things, anything to hold. And the baby turned his head towards Hongbin, and he can’t help but smile. He can’t help but also reach his hand forward and took the baby’s hand. When his mother noticed the interaction between the two, she smiled.

He came back to a chaotic apartment. It seems like in the short hours he had been away the house had woken up. With Hyuk running around the house trying to gather all of his class notes, Jaehwan hyung warming up his voice by vocalizing very loudly like only he can do, and Wonshik on the phone with one of his producer, along with the sound of their coffee machine working in the background. This chaos brings a warm feeling to Hongbin, this chaos is familiar.

“Guys, I have an announcement to make.” He said loudly, as he set the plastic bag of kimbab on the dining table. Within a few seconds, the boys fell in order, volumes decrease and they moved closer to the table –either to listen to his announcement or to grab a roll of kimbab, he couldn’t tell.

“What is it hyung? You sounds serious? Does this have anything to do with why Hakyeon hyung forced me to come at 3 am last night?” the youngest piped in.

“Maybe, where were you last night?”

“Somewhere comfortable and warm.”

“Kongs, the announcement. What is it?” Wonshik said as he sat on one of the dining chairs with his hair still wet from the shower, reached forward and grabbed 2 rolls of kimbab, one he handed to Sanghyuk.

“I think you all want to sit down for this.”

“Okay, Binie-a, you’re scaring me.” Said Jaehwan.

Hongbin took another moment to calm down and look at everyone gathered around the table, he can see the two oldest member walking slowly to the dining room. “Firstly I want to apologize to all of you, for what has happened and what will happen is going to affect all of you. All of us. I made a mistake, and I was being an irresponsible stupid .

“Last month, my high school class had a reunion, we drank and eat, and talk and drank, and drank. I didn’t went home that night.

“And last night I got a phone call from one of my class-mate. And….”

“And?” Wonshik looked up from his phone, a bite of kimbab pushed to one side of his mouth to make space for the word. The other were also sitting on the edge of their chair, waiting for him to finish the story.

“And…. “ Hongbin found it hard to go on, and he looked up to where Hakyeon is, trying to find some support. The small nod that the leader gave him offered a little courage. “And, she told me she is pregnant and the baby is mine.”

Silence.

More silence.

“What…..”

“No… you’re kidding right.”

“A baby..”

“Bin you’re 25”

“Bin, you burn ramyun.”

“Hey what does cooking skill have to do with any of this?”

“Wait, so you’re going to be a father?”

All of those words come at the same time, on top of one another.

“We don’t know yet. Last night the girl just called Hongbin that she is pregnant, but she haven’t told him that she will be keeping the baby or anything.”

“Who is the girl? I wasn’t aware that you were dating.”

“I am not hyung… I just met her last month, before that last I saw her was high school graduation.”

Then after they got over the initial shock, everyone fell queit.

“So what happens now?” asked Wonshik. “we have to tell the company, then we have to figure out what to release to the public and to Starlight. We have to figure out how to tell them so that they won’t be angry.”

“I mean if we were to decide to keep the baby, then Byulbit will know eventually. And if they react badly then…. Then I won’t get in the way of your path. I understand if I have to step away.” Confessed Hongbin.

“WHAT! NO! WE ARE NOT LETTING YOU QUIT!!” yelled Hakyeon

“But hyung, if it were to be a burden for the team, I can’t insist on staying. Yes we do not have any dating restriction from the company but I am sure they draw the line at having a baby with a stranger.”

“No, don’t say that, we will figure something out. We are not talking about breaking this team apart. We get through this together, no matter what. With or without baby.” The leader said, trying to bring up Hongbin’s spirit.

“What do you mean without baby? Doesn’t the problem goes away if there is no baby?” quipped Sanghyuk from near the door as he was putting on his shoes, ready to head out to campus.

“Well, information can still leak. And I am not sure if I can just get rid of a baby like that. I mean it is still a little human, it is still apart of me, in a way. And I strangely already feel somewhat responsible to… him, her, it…. What do you call a fetus??”

“So you want to keep the baby?” said Wonshik.

“I don’t know, I haven’t talked to her yet. I need to talk to her.” And at that moment Hongbin’s phone rang in his pocket. He saw the caller ID and its Eungjung.

“Hello, Eunjung.” Hongbin greeted a little bit unsurely. How is one supposed to address and greet the mother of your unborn child?

“Hongbin, so I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon after lunch. I could not get any sooner because of the short notice.” Eunjung spoke into the call. To Hongbin she sounded exhausted, she sounded like how he felt.

“Do you want me to go with you? I don’t have much planned today.” He offered.

“No, not today no. I’d rather see the doctor by myself. At least for now. I need to be able to make my mind up before I include yours. No offense Hongbin, but I need to do this for me first.”

“Okay, I understand.” Hongbin said, as he shifted uncomfortable, because he just noticed that the rest of the room was looking at him.

“But it would be great if I can meet you after though.”

“For coffee? I’d pick you up. Text me the address of the hospital”

“No, there’s no need, I’d get there myself. I’m fine. Let’s just meet later okay.”

“Alright. I hope you are healthy Eunjung.” Hongbin settled on saying before hanging up the phone, and turning back to face his brothers.

“That was her, she just called to tell me when the appointment was and when to meet her. Is it weird that she doesn’t want me there? Doesn’t people want the father of the child at least to be there when they see the doctor?”

“Only if they are expecting the baby, and they would want someone to share the joy. Not quite apply to your condition right now Kongs.” Said Takewoon mater of factly. During the phone call he had moved to sit on one of the chairs, munching away on a roll of kimbab.

Wonshik tried to reationalize her decision. “You said she was not sure about having the baby right, many she want to meet the doctor and ask about all that, about possibility of terminating the baby, possibility about raising the child. Without your presence and without your influence. Because seeing you know, you give off that vary dad feel. Like you want to the baby now. With how you offer to go and pick her up. Even though you know that Sanghyuk is taking the car today.”

At that Hongbin looked around and saw that Sanghyuk was almost out the door with the car key hanging from his fingers. “Yep, taking the car today hyung, I said it in the group chat.” Ever since Sanghyuk got his driver’s license he had been taking their shared car a lot. And the other car available was Wonshik’s sports car that he never ever ever wanted to drive.

“Okay, so maybe I am protective now.” Hongbin admitted. “But is me being there going to get in the way of her making the decision?”

“Binnie-a, why don’t you just take a shower now, and see her later, talk to her. Then we can go from there. Meanwhile we all need to get going.