“Are you telling us why we were brought all the way to the Shinhwa Theme Park when we could have just gone to Everland, or do we keep guessing?” Jaebum questions Nayeon once Momo, Chaeyoung and Dahyun are away with the kids.

“We needed to be as far away from Seoul as possible.” Is all the woman offers.

They had been brought all the way to Jeju island, Nayeon made sure that their airport appearance was flashy enough to raise a few eyebrows, but discreet enough to slip under her mother’s radar. Buramuk had instructed her on going by plane, more evidence of their absence in the big city. A few good pictures were taken with her and Jaebum obviously together, Jihyo strolling around very pregnant and Dahyun making a show of carrying Sana, Momo and Chaeyoung also clearly travelling with the group, the photographer carrying Mina and playing airplane (Sana hated airplane). All according to the script, the paparazzi got some great pictures of the long lost Im Jaebum and his family, and there was confirmation from the airline that they all had boarded. 

Jackson and Youngjae were flashier, though, also according to script, they were to throw the news outlets off the others, the eldest son of Im Nayeon and Kim Dahyun at the airport, accompanied by an older man who he clearly had a relationship with, was a spectacle. Jackson was known to be one of south-east asia’s most desirable bachelors, never caught in any controversy regarding his personal life, no past lovers that the public had ever known about, and he suddenly just shows up with a man on his arm, planting a kiss on said man’s lips in the middle of Incheon airport. That would certainly drawn out the heartwarming family show from earlier.

The arrival in Jeju was a very quiet affair, they had flown by private jet, making sure to exit through a private route and into nondescript minibus that had already been waiting for the party. It was important that they weren’t seen arriving there, Jackson was the one to draw attention with Youngjae a little later, making a show of everything, traveling commercial and being as lavish as possible. They gave the older man a wardrobe revamp, took him to a good saloon and god him looking better than ever, all to put on a show about this sudden reveal.

“Can we just leave this conversation for later?” Nayeon pleads. “Jackson and Youngjae aren’t with us yet, and we should focus on selling this family vacation really well. We can’t let it show that we are worried about anything at all.”

“She’s right, you know.” Jihyo interrupts as her husband was about to argue. “Look, let’s just have fun and go back to worrying when we get to the house and after we have eaten, showered and put the girls to sleep.”

“Fine, let’s just have fun, then. I wanna eat something.” The man relents. “Yeonnie, come and help out.”

“Why am I the one helping out?” Said woman questions dumbly.

“Are you serious now?” He asks with a blank face. But continues when there is no answer. “Jihyo is very pregnant and I’m not having her walk under this sun to come back with heavy loads.”

Nayeon grumbles something under her breath but gets up and follows her brother obediently. They were sitting under the shade in the area where the three little idiots were playing with the kids, nobody really suffering, as kids’ attractions weren’t that bad…… For Momo and Dahyun, that is. Jihyo took the time to check the news, and was pleasantly surprised when the pictures of Jackson and Youngjae popped up, her old friend had cleaned up really well, and looked at her nephew the same way she looked at her own family. Sure, Youngjae was a brother to her and Jaebum, but they would have a talk with him about Jackson if the young man had said anything to worry them.

“Looks like we are heading back earlier than expected.” Dahyun says as she approaches. “JackJack called, said they are locked out at the house, paps have been lurking around, and they agreed to just stay in and let us have fun with the girls.”

“How about we stop by a nice restaurant and get some takeout on the way back?” Jaebum suggests. 

“I’ll message Jackson and ask what they want. Get the girls and sit down so we can eat something.” Jihyo tells the pale woman and fishes out her phone.

They all eat happily, talking about nothing important, but Nayeon’s heart swells with happiness and she can’t really stop the tear that escapes her. The only one to notice is Dahyun, but is sensible enough to not say anything. Certainly, the press had surrounded the house they were staying at, everything was planned, including the place they would stay at. It was a modern looking mansion, the first floor was open with large windows and a big front yard. This was a show, and they were all going to play their part perfectly.

Jackson and Youngjae were at the front, looking a little desperate while trying to put together a tent they were planning to play with the girls in. It was a lovely and endearing scene, if you weren’t family, but the useless couple got laughed at by everyone, even little Sana and Mina, who told them it was okay and auntie Chaengie could do it for them. To which Chaeyoung took as an opportunity to further their suffering and proceeded to build said tent flawlessly, with so much skill even Jihyo was surprised.

“What?” The small photographer asks.

“It’s just a little unexpected.” Dahyun admits.

“Not if you knew how many times she took Momo camping back in college.” Jihyo offers and is met with all but four heads whipping her way.

“What? It’s not like they could be loud at the dorms, and I certainly didn’t have elsewhere to go, so they had to manage.”

“I did not need to know that last part.” Dahyun looks disgusted.

“Like you and tall Chae didn’t put me through hell during highschool.” Chaeyoung defends.

“Chaeyoung was my girlfriend and it’s not like you used your room that much anyways!”

“And Momo was my fiancè, your point is?”

“Can we back up a little and talk about this tall Chae?” Nayeon couldn’t hold her curiosity anymore.

“There is no need to talk about her.” The target tries to get out of the situation.

“There is every need to talk about tall Chae!” Chaeyoung quips, and prepares to badmouth her old friend. “She was the typical highschool it girl, tall blonde and a little bit of an airhead. Dubs here, was a thirsty rich girl and decided she needed to date someone she could show off to be that rich popular .”

There is a pause, Dahyun was desperate, she knew what was coming and hated every second of the wait. Youngjae breaks first, a small huff of air escapes through his nose and it’s enough for everyone’s willpower to vanish. The laughter was too loud, Nayeon was hitting her brother, who seemed to have lost his last brain cell and wasn’t paying attention to anything around him, Youngjae and Jackson were wheezing and coughing, Momo was crying and Jihyo had to speedrun to the bathroom or she would have ruined her pants, damn pregnancy and reduced bladder capacity. The girls, who had been running around the living room, got curious and came to check, only to see JackJack be the one to lose control over his bladder and ruin his shorts (good thing they were black and the paparazzi didn’t get a shot) and started laughing too.

It was then, that Nayeon’s phone lit up, far away from the happy scene, a single notification, about one single message, that carried one single word, but meant the world to the people there. 

Done.