Since coming back from the tour, Hongbin finds himself keeping in touch with Eunjung a lot more. He had been texting her and occasionally calling her during her day, during her lunch break. Because now at 16 weeks, she looks quite pregnant, there’s no more hiding the bump that is Red Bean. He knows because one night he felt like he was missing Red Bean as he was going through a drama script, and he stupidly texted Eunjung confessing just that. And to his surprise his text message was replied with a picture attached. The picture was her in a comfortable sleep wear, standing in front of her full length mirror in a tidy room, it was of her side profile, with tee-shirt bunched up above her belly, clearly showing her new body line, the skin of her middle exposed. The picture brought so much warmth to Hongbin’s heart.

He still felt nothing romantic for Eunjung, but there was no denying that he got increasingly more protective towards her. The reason that he called her in the middle of the day is because he was worried because she was still as busy as she was before she was pregnant. And through their increasing conversations she had complained that she gets tired easily now. He was worried that she might push herself and got both her and Red Bean into serious problem.

They had talked about it, when he was in Melbourne. The fatigues of the tour making him a little delirious, thus he cannot stop it when the direction of their phone conversation drifted into defining what exactly they are to each other. Because since they decided to keep Red Bean they will be forever be in each other’s life. Even when they decided that Hongbin will have the baby most of the time, they want the baby to still know both parents, give him or her a family still, no matter how un-normal it will be.

So in that long dwindling conversation they decided, they are not going to force their relationship. But they will let time define it for them. Hongbin knows he will want to be involved in the pregnancy, not wanting to miss that part of Red Bean’s life, and he still feels responsible for her, not wanting to leave her alone. Because he knows from the countless maternity blogs he read over the course a month the presence of a partner is very crucial for the mother. He knows that nearing the end of her pregnancy she would need help moving around and will need more comfort.

It’s nearing Christmas, so it’s that time of the year again when VIXX have to pre-record Christmas Eve Greetings for Starlights. This year instead of going with a silly concept, they settle for something comfortable and homey with the boys sharing a meal around a table in a made up living room. They had debated whether or not to do the recording in their actual living room, but they decided against it. Because other than the effort to cram all 6 of them plus filming crew and equipment into their modest apartment, it’s because they were too lazy to have to clean up their living room and making it presentable to the world. Oh and of course privacy, because it’s not fun when they have explain to Starlight why there were a few pieces of underwear sticking out here and there in their living room.

It was also a chance for all of them to sit down and talk. Because November and December had been hectic for all of them, each having tight schedules.

With Woshik less than 2 months away from the release of his new mixtape, he is working non-stop, he hanrdly ever sleeps in his shared room with Hyuk anymore. With the amount of time he camp out in his studio, Hongbin doesn’t understand how he doesn’t have a proper bed there yet. Because all this time Wonshik had been sleeping on the couch of his work room, cuddled up with his overgrown puppy.

Hyuk is frantically finishing his senior project and other classes he missed. Due to their Japan promotion last September-October and the long tour early December, Hyuk missed a lot of his classes this semester, and if he wants to graduate on time by the time January rolls around he have to put in the extra work to catch up.

N-hyung is also swamped with planning his family trip, and many public appearances and charity projects, the oldest member of the team are hardly ever alive outside anywhere else other than event venues and rehearsal room.

And the other two Hyungs are actively on stage, both in musicals up to 6 shows a week. So they are also quite busy with fixed schedules.

He himself had been shooting dramas and in the process of promoting new series. And as always the work is neverending . He is currently reading through briefs and scripts of jobs coming his way.

So it has been a while since all 6 of them are in the same room, energized and calm enough to talk. Thus this is the first chance Hongbin have the chance to share the development of his situation with little Red Bean and Eunjung. Of course all of them knows that he had decided to keep the baby, he texted them the moment he stepped out of the hospital on that twelfth week check-up, and it’s a common topic during their tour. But he hasn’t got the chance to share any details of their plan. The company also knew already, and as expected he got an earful. Because they were very much concern about his public image, being the seemingly innocent and single visual of the group. His decision to keep the baby without marrying the mother can be detrimental on how the public will see him now.

So they were seated around the low coffee table, with food laid out on it.

“So Kongie, how’s little Red Bean?” Taekwoon asked, being the one most excited about the baby.

”The last ultrasound went well, and the blood test came back also fine. Oh, and Eunjung said ‘thank you’ for the blanket. I am pretty sure she is using it now before the baby got here. We were on the phone yesterday and she kept on mentioning how soft that blanket is.”

“A real baby is coming huh? Like a real little human, that came from Hongbin’s is going to come to life.” Wonshik said, as he sat down.

Hongbin looked at him weird, because seriously who says things like that. So Hongbin reached forward and pinched the front part of the headband Wonshik was wearing, and let it spanned back against his long forehead. Wonshik naturally yelped and his face turned into a frown that he put on when he tries to be cute, usually Wonshik doesn’t pull that face with him the look usually reserved for Jeahwan and Hyuk, occasionally Hakyeon to avoid scolding. “Yes, a real baby is coming. And never mention anything with my again, and I swear you will miss that stupid face of yours if you ever mention it to the baby.” Hongbin snapped Wonshik’s headband once more for good measure.

“When’s the baby coming?” piped Hakyeon.

“With the current calculation the baby will be here around the first half of June.”

“Early June.”

“But June….”

“Yes I know, I am sorry it’s only a weeks after our 2018 comeback. But Hwang-nim is currently trying to see if it’s possible to push the release earlier, so the news will not hurt the sales so much.”

“When were you planning to tell us?”

“When I got some sort of confirmation from the agency. It wasn’t anything official yet, it’s just one of those ideas that popped into his head while he was yelling at me.”

“Serves you right.” Murmured Sanghyuk from his position on the floor across the set. To this day, Sanghyuk was the one who felt most uncomfortable with the way the whole ordeal is unfolding. Sadly he had kept his distance from the soon-to-be-father, not getting excited about the news in the slightest.

A large contrast from the rest of the group. Obviously all of them are nervous and scared about how it will play out in the public eyes, and how this will affect all of their careers. But since all of they are craving for an outlet to channel their overwhelming feeling of adoration –and pouring it on each other is no longer enough without crossing many boundaries they’d rather not-, the prospect of having a baby around is not repulsive to them. Ever since the rest of the group knows that Eunjung is carrying the baby to full term and that Taekwoon bought Red Bean, Hongbin had received a star-shapped plushie from Hakyeon, a twinkling mobile decoration from Jaehwan –claiming that it was too pretty not to buy when he was out with the 92 line on one of their day out- and a pair of mini sneakers from Wonshik, it’s adorable and so tiny, and being the silently considerate person that he is the sneakers matched one of Hongbin’s favorite pair. Sanghyuk on the other hand had completely avoided the subject, to the extent of never using the nick name Red Bean – the unofficial way everyone had been calling the baby.

“Right, now that everyone is here, I have something important to ask all of you. This is regarding Red Bean and where we will live. So you all know that it’s close to impossible for Eunjung to be with the baby full time right, it would be too much for her. So we settled that she will only have the baby every now and then on the weekends, and the rest of the time Red Bean will be with me.” Hongbin paused his monolog. “So I was wondering if it would be alright if Red Bean and I still live in the dorm with all of you.” He saw no reaction. “But of course if you minded and doesn’t want to have a baby around full time I understand, I can move out to another apartment with Red Bean.” He quickly retracted.

Then Taekwoon looked at him as if he had grown a 2^nd head. “I thought it was a given that if you were to have the baby, the baby would live with us.”

“I mean, I never asked. And having a baby in the house will not be easy, and would definitely disrupt your rest. All of you are very busy.”

“So are you Kong, do you expect you can be the super dad that can always wake up every time the baby cry? Every single time and look fresh enough to film in the morning?” said Hakyeon.

“But at least it will only be my sleep that is disturbed, not yours.”

“Hongbin-a.” said Wonshik, as Hongbin felt wire-like arms go around his shoulder. “Remember when we said we are in this together? We are in this together, it doesn’t matter whose did the baby came from, and the baby will have 5 too many fathers.” Those supportive words warm Hongbin’s heart, he leaned back a little to convey his appreciation to Wonshik. But remembering when he said, Hongbin reached an arm back and blindly search for Wonshik’s headband and snapped it again. “YA!! What’s that for!!”

“For mentioning the thing again, and I think you will be the least effected, since you live under the studio table now!”

“I do not live under a table, thank you very much!” not denying that he practically lived in his purple lit work room. “

”It’s okay with me, I already learn to sleep through the noise, and I still keep the earplug from when Wonshik sleep next to me.”

“OI!! Jaehwannaaaaaa….” With the whine that came from their seemingly scary rapped, everyone settled into a comfortable bubble of laughter.

But out of the corner of his eyes, Hogbin noticed that Hyuk hadn’t said anything, and was looking the other way.

Then the PD finished setting up the equipment and the filming started for real. That night they enjoy many greasy food except Wonshik, with his ridiculously tight meat free diets. And Hongbin felt warm inside, knowing that his baby will be welcomed by  at least 4 adoring uncles.

In the ride back home, Hongbin share a van with Hakyeon and Jaehwan. The other van is supposed to make a detour dropping Wonshik in his studio. At the beginning of the ride, they were quiet. Hakyeon on his phone texting his many friends and business associate even this late at night, while Jaehwan was listening to music with an earphone.

“Kong-a,” exclaimed Hakyeon suddenly from the passenger seat. “We have to go shopping.”

“For what?”

“Baby stuff, we have so much we need to do. We only have 6 months.”

“Hyung, relax, 6 months is a long time.”

“No it’s not, we have to buy furniture, and that means we have to re arrange your room. And we have to child proof the house, we have too many sharp edges that can hurt a little human. OMG we need to figure out a new bathroom arrangement.”

“Hyung, calm down. We have time.”

“TIME RAN OUT LEE HONGBIN!! With this attitude you will come home from the hospital with a baby in your arm but don’t have anywhere to put them down or change the diaper.”

“Alright, we start planning soon.”

“Good, and I call dibs in building the crib and changing station!!”

“What’s a changing station?” Hongbin asked baffled.

Then Hakyeon turn in his seat, looking at Hongbin with disappointed eyes. “And you thought you and Red Bean will survive if you move out.”