Taeyeon's POV. "Surprise, Taeyeon!" Hal-abeoji exclaimed as soon as I opened the front door. My eyebrows arched up, then went even higher when I saw who else was in front of my house. Just him would have been surprising enough - or maybe not since I knew he wouldn't be able to resist dropping by sometimes - but this - my brother and my cousin Heechul with his wife and kids and their nanny?? Unbelievable. "Why do you look like that?" Kai asked, "you're not going to collapse, too, are you?" I feel like I might. "I think she's just in shock," Hal-abeoji said. "She looks like she's seen a ghost," says Heechul's daughter. She's the younger of his two kids, but I can't remember her name or age. "Kim Tae ri," Somin scolded her. Right. Tae ri. "Aren't you going to let us inside your house?" Kai asked me. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Aren't you supposed to be working? I mean, you are the new owner of the Kim empire, so don't you have a lot of work on your plate?" "Yes, he does but he's taking a break for this amazing weekend," Hal-abeoji said, with a smile, I'm guessing this was all his idea. I turned to Heechul. "And you?" He pats the laptop bag hanging from his shoulder. "I brought my work with me." Somin turned to him with a glare. "I thought we agreed you'd be taking a break." "Honey, you know I've got work - " "Have someone else do the work for once," she cuts him off, rolling her eyes. "There's no point having your own law firm if you still do all the work. Isn't that right, Taeyeon?" I didn't answer because I don't want to get caught up in their argument. "I'm not doing all the work," Heechul argued. "Just the important stuff." "To you, everything is important. Except your family." Their son, the older child whose name I can't remember either, glanced up at him and Heechul frowned. "That's not - " I cleared my throat. "So what are you all doing here? It's not Christmas, is it? Or Thanksgiving?" Though even then, I'd be surprised to see all of my family at my home. "Can't you let us in first?" Hal-abeoji spoke. "I'm tired of standing." Yeah, right he's old and all. "Of course Hal-abeoji, please go in." I smiled up at him. Kai attempted to help him in but I beat him to it. "Stay here, all of you," I warned then proceeded to help Hal-abeoji in. "There, are you okay now?" I asked sitting him down. "Ah, yes dear, so where's Sooyeon?" He asked looking around the house. "She's at the hospital with her sister, she'll be back pretty soon. So," I scratched my head. "What brought you here?" I glanced at the door. "All of you?" "We're here to visit you and your wife, of course," Hal-abeoji said. "You can think of this as a family bonding." He adds and smiled. "And I'm here to congratulate you on your recent marriage, of course," Heechul piped in from the door. "I couldn't make it to your wedding because I was out of town then, for business." I smiled and walked back to them. "Can we all go see Sooyeon at the hospital?" Somin suggested. "Kim Taeyeon, I can't wait to meet the woman who'd managed to trap you in place." I smirked then shook my head. "No, you can't, absolutely not, you'll all scare her." Tae ri's eyebrows furrowed. "But why not? I have a feeling that's her automatic response to anyone who tells her no. "Because she's busy with her sister and you'd all just get in her way," I answered. "She's not the only one who's busy." Heechul glanced at his watch. "Can you just get out of the way so I can - " "Yes, we can see Sooyeon noona later," Kai spoke. "For now, I think we're all tired and would all just like to rest, right?" I tapped my fingers on the door, considering it. "Can we just come in?" Tae ri asked. "I need to pee." "Surely you're not going to send us away," Her father said. "Are you going to sue me if I do?" I asked him. "We're your family, Taeyeon," Kai reminded me. I scoffed inwardly, 'like I don't know that.' "Noona, just let us in," He adds. "Oh, for God's sake, let me in this minute or I'm going to a hotel," Heechul demands. "You're not keeping another woman in there, are you?" Somin glanced at me suspiciously. Kai gasped. "No," I said. "Just two dogs." "You got dogs?" Heechul asked. "I love dogs," his son spoke for the first time. "I need to pee," Tae ri repeated. I let out a sigh and stepped back. "Fine." I guess I can't really turn them away. Besides, I do have spare rooms, plus there's plenty of food in the pantry. Kai entered the house first, followed by Tae ri and her nanny. "The library is to your right," I told Heechul. "You can work there. And the nearest bathroom is to your left, near the stairs." I directed his daughter. "Wow. This place is huge," Somin remarks as she looks around, "And really beautiful." She ran her fingers across a table. "Where are the dogs?" her son asked softly. Somin ruffled his hair. "Tae Hyung likes dogs." 'Tae Hyung?' "They're in the basement," I said. "Sooyeon doesn't know about them so I plan to hide them and surprise her later but I guess that has been spoiled." "They're inside the house?" Somin looked at me in horror. "Don't worry," I say. "They behave when they're inside." "And when they're outside?" Tae Hyung asked. "Not so much." I smiled and offered Tae Hyung my hand. "Would you like to come see them?" He nods. "They're vaccinated, right?" Somin asked. "And they don't bite?" "Of course they do," Kai told her. "All dogs bite." Somin puts her hands on her hips. "What I meant, genius was - " I stopped listening to their arguments. Instead, I grabbed Tae hyung's hand and pulled him away. I figured he doesn't want to listen to them either. Besides, I think I need a break from the rest of them right now. ~~ "Oh my God, Taeyeon told me you were all here but I didn't believe it," Sooyeon said as she stepped into the larger dining room, she immediately went to Hal-abeoji's side to greet him. "Yeah," I agreed with a sigh. "It takes a while for it to sink in." Though it already has for me. More or less. "Well, we didn't believe it either when we first learned Taeyeon was married," Heechul said and stood. "I'm Heechul your wife's cousin from her mother's side and this is my wife, he gestured toward Somin. "Somin." "Nice to meet you all." Sooyeon beamed. "Well the pleasure is all mine, Taeyeon did seem like she would never settle down," Somin joined the discussion. "But it turns out she was just waiting for the right woman to find her." "And it seems like she's been found," Heechul continues. "And by what looks like a beautiful, kindhearted, smart woman at that." Sooyeon placed her hand over her chest as she gave him a flustered grin. I patted her shoulder. "She's not used to compliments." "Oh," Heechul says. "Well, anyway, we wanted to see you, maybe get to know you a little." "We want to know about the woman who made our little Taengoo grow up," Somin adds. I glanced at her. "You don't get to call me that. I'm older than you." She shrugged. "But I'm married to your Oppa, which made me automatically your Unnie." Sooyeon runs her hand on her neck. "Wow. I didn't know I was such a marvel." "You are," Heechul confirmed. "Or a fool," Soojung muttered from behind her sister. Thank God no one else heard but us. I narrowed my gaze at her. So does Sooyeon. "Oh, sorry I'm Soojung." She bows. "Sooyeon's little sister. And, don't mind what I said Unnie, I'm always grouchy when I'm tired." She smirked. "Please, have a sit you two and eat." Hal-abeoji gestured to the empty chairs. "You must be tired and hungry." "Hal-abeoji, thank you but I'm not hungry, Unnie is hungry though, she hasn't eaten anything," Soojung said and excused herself limping her way up to her room now successfully leaving an awkward silence between us. Really, what the hell is wrong with that girl? Sooyeon sat down eerily. "Thanks." She broke the silence with an apologetic smile. Somin pushed the pot of chicken and mushrooms towards her. "I made the creamy chicken casserole, which the kids love. Taeyeon cooked the steaks." "Apparently we're the only two people here who can cook," I remarked. "You have kids?" Sooyeon glanced at Somin. "Two - Tae Hyung, who's eight, and Tae ri, who's six. They're asleep now." Sooyeon glanced around the table. "And you've all already eaten?" "Sorry," Somin said. "We were a little hungry." "But please eat," Hal-abeoji urged. Sooyeon threw me a pleading look and I took the hint, so I pulled out a chair. "I can eat a bit more casserole." 'Thank you', she mouthed. "So, how is school, my dear?" Hal-abeoji asked her and so the interrogation begins. "The usual. Hectic, with ups and downs," Sooyeon answered scooping some of the casserole onto her plate. "But, we are still on break, thank God." "What kind of doctor are you going to be specialized in?" Heechul asked looking at Sooyeon. "I haven't chosen my subspecialty, yet, but I think I'll be focusing on obstetrics more." "Nice," Somin said. "Maybe if Heechul and I have another kid, you can be the one to cut me open." "Maybe, I don't know if I'll be a doctor then." "Well, have faith, Sooyeon. So tell me when are you planning on starting your own family?" Sooyeon stiffened and she glanced at me looking for help. "Not thought about that yet, Somin, hey but don't worry when that time comes, you'll be the first to know." I winked at her. "But right now Sooyeon needs to focus on her studies." "So you're not trying to have kids yet?" Hal-abeoji asked with a look of concern. "When are you going to?" "Hal-abeoji, Sooyeon is still studying, hopefully in a year or two, you'll meet your great-grandchild." "But that is far too long," Hal-abeoji complained. "Hal-abeoji, they'll have kids when they want to have kids." Kai touched his arm. "When they're ready to have kids." "That's what we thought, too, your grandma and I, but by the time we were ready and wanted kids badly, look what happened. It turned out to be too late and we could only beget one son after a lot of efforts." Hal-abeoji looked at Sooyeon, then at me. "Don't make the same mistake we did." I met his gaze and the hurt I saw there was too grave, I wanted to assure him all will be okay, and that I will, we will... Sooyeon and I will give him as many kids as he desires. "I think it's okay to take some time, Sooyeon Unnie is still a student, Hal-abeoji," Kai said again saving us the awkwardness. Bless him. "Just maybe not wait too long?" Hal-abeoji began "Parenthood seems daunting, I know, but it's also amazing. You get to discover things about yourself that you never knew." "Yeah," Heechul agreed. Somin turned to him. "Yeah? Like you do a lot of parenting." "I still am a parent, Somin," he pointed out. I rolled my eyes. Are they going to argue now? "Maybe we should just go in and rest," Kai said. "And let Sooyeon Unnie eat in peace. You two will get to know her more tomorrow." "They've got a whole day with you planned, I think," I warned Sooyeon. "I hope you don't have any plans ahead." She shook her head. "No, I have nothing planned for tomorrow, and Sunny would take care of Soojung." "Alright, that's a good thing." Somin yawned. "And yes, I think I'm going to bed." Hal-abeoji stood on his feet. "Taeyeon I'll like a word with you later," he glanced at Sooyeon. "When you put your wife to the bed of course." He smiled, walked up to Sooyeon and dropped a weary kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight my dear." "Good night Hal-abeoji." Sooyeon smiled up at him, after a few more niceties and good night wishes, everyone left. I let out a sigh of relief and sat back. "Finally, some peace and quiet." "Mm-hmm." Sooyeon placed down her fork. "But I think I'm not too hungry anymore." "Yeah. They have the same effect on me." I wiped my mouth. "By the way, So-min and Heechul loved your room, so they'll be sleeping there." "What?" "Kai is in the grey Room. Hal-abeoji took one of the white and gold rooms. Tae ri and her nanny are sleeping in the citrus room. And Tae Hyung is sleeping in the last room available." I looked at her. "You know what that means, right?" "I have no room?" Sooyeon answered with a frown. I tapped my fingers on the table and grinned. "It means we have to sleep in the master bedroom. Together. For the very first time." "Not happening Taeyeon, I'm sleeping with my sister." She grinned back at me. "Oh dear, and what would you tell the rest of your reason for sleeping with your sister and leaving your wife?" I smirked. She gave up, I could see she had lost the battle when she couldn't find any words to say. "It is settled then, we sleep in one bed," I added not holding back my smile, while Sooyeon just simply rolled her eyes in annoyance. Well in some way, I'm glad about this family reunion. ~~ After my brief conversation with Hal-abeoji, I went back to my room feeling like the weight on my shoulders were lifted, I'm so glad I finally told him the truth, and also glad that he isn't angry with me or Sooyeon for deceiving him. The only question he asked me was "Do you love her?" It took a moment for me to answer but after long thought about it all, what shocked me was looking back into his eyes without regret and answered: "Yes, I think I do, even if I don't yet, I will learn to love her." He smiled kindly at me and hugged me. "Good, that's all that matters now." He said my back. Sooyeon walked out of the ensuite in h