“Appa, I wish you could put me to sleep every night like this. . .”

His daughter’s last sentence before drifting off to sleep echoed in his mind a few more times. His hand continued to pat the kid’s arm while holding her other that was wrapped around his waist. She was holding onto him for dear life. “We have the same wish, Inyoung. Appa wishes. . . I’m here with you and your mother every day of my life. That would be. . . great.” He responded despite already hearing the kid’s heavy and peaceful breathing. He closed his eyes for a moment to picture it in his mind, how content and perfect it would be to be with his two favorite girls. It might be the beer talking but he sure knows the truth, still. “Appa wants that so badly, you have no idea.” His voice cracked at the end, a lump forming in his throat as he took that confession into his system, more openly.

He opened his eyes once again and just stared in space, randomly towards Inyoung’s tea table—where she plays with her dolls—and sighed. “Remember when your mom and I told you that it didn’t work out because we just feel friend feelings for each other? We were just lying. . . or I was lying, at least. These aren’t just friend feelings, Appa wishes they were but they aren’t.” He couldn’t help but to start confessing to the sleeping little angel beside him. “Aren’t I stupid? I own a big company and capable of being successful on my own now. . . I have an amazing daughter in you whom I had with the woman that I loved and always love. But look what I’m doing right now.” He sighed and closed his eyes instantly as soon as he felt tears forming in his eyes again.

He was about to add more in his little self-confession when the door opened. He stopped himself right away and cleared his throat, to pretend that he was tucking Inyoung to bed. “Eomma and Appa went to bed already, they’re sleeping over for tonight. Appa’s a little drunk, he can’t drive.” Yerin walked in and spoke softly to avoid waking the child up. “Thank you for putting her to sleep, you could go now.” She added while clearing up the toys on Inyoung’s bed, to give the kid more space throughout the night. Kyungsoo stood up and grabbed his suit that he placed down the armchair beside the bed. “How about the teacher? Did he leave already?” He asked as he walked out of the room. Yerin followed behind while fiddling with her fingers on front of her chest.

Kyungsoo stopped on his tracks as soon as his eyes landed on the living room, Baekhyun was still there. He was seated on the couch, there were plates of cakes, some drinks—not alcoholic—on the center table and some pile of photo albums. “N-not yet.” Yerin gave her delayed answer while glancing at Kyungsoo nervously. She didn’t even know why she had to be nervous, she knew she doesn’t need to be but Kyungsoo terrifies her. The man stopped from looking at one photo album and shared eye-contact with him.

“It’s already eleven, what are you still doing here? Don’t you have a family? Even I am leaving.” Kyungsoo asked, monotone with a tinge of anger – yet again. Baekhyun chuckled in disbelief while roaming his eyes around for a moment before responding. “Thank you for the concern, sir, but I’ll be fine whatever I do, I’m an adult. Yerin’s just showing me baby pictures of Inyoung, no harm.” He replied, keeping the respect in his tone. He’s still, after all, the parent of his student. “What about you, sir? Do you have a family that’s why you’re leaving already? We can hang out here a little more. It’s still Yerin’s birthday after all. One more hour.”

Baekhyun’s last question rang painfully in Kyungsoo’s head. “Excuse me? What do you think this situation is? That Yerin was a mistress or wh—”

“Kyungsoo, stop.” Yerin held him by the arm to get in between. “Sorry, I meant parents. I just wondered if you still live with your parents. I apologize for the misunderstanding.” Baekhyun explained in disbelief, he really did not mean any of that. He genuinely meant parents and was shocked to get such a defensive reaction from the man. Of course, he knows about him already, Yerin had shared some details in the past. Kyungsoo pushed Yerin’s hand to cling away from her hold before walking out, his heavy footsteps filling up the silence in the room.

Yerin sighed while massaging her temples. Watching her stress about the man causes an unexplainable ache on Baekhyun’s chest. He hates seeing how Kyungsoo treats people, especially her. He was full of hate in him and he doesn’t understand why – Inyoung and Yerin are both amazing. If anything, he thinks Kyungsoo should be the happiest person alive right now. “I’m sorry, I—he’s always like that. He’s always tired at work, that’s why.” Yerin apologized on behalf of the man before sitting beside him on the couch. “You don’t have to apologize, it’s fine. I understand him.” Baekhyun smiled while looking back at her. “Well, how do you want to enjoy the last hour of your birthday? Wait, forty-six minutes to be exact.”

Yerin giggled at his last sentence and unconsciously glanced at the wall clock. “Hey, but really. . . Won’t your siblings look for you at this hour already?” She asked. Baekhyun rolled his eyes before clapping his palms together once, for emphasis of what he’s about to say. “Miss Yerin, we’ve talked about this. Those crazy young people don’t look for their old boring brother. They’re loving every minute of this.” He made it seem like a joke to be laughing about but if he says it in a more genuine—what he truly feels about it—kind of way, it’s going to be sad.

“So continue your story earlier.” Baekhyun remembered that she was about to say something about her pregnancy.” Yerin snapped a finger realizing she really was about to tell him the story of her pregnancy, mainly about the time that she was close to her due date. “Right! So it was, I think, three days before I gave birth. I was getting very anxious and all, freaking out like a lunatic every night. I. . . I needed someone but my dad was working overseas at that time and my mom got so sick the week before that she didn’t want to go close to me. So I was alone in my apart