Eyes drowned in awe, Yerin toured her sight around the café, her head turning from one corner to the other. After school, just as planned, Baekhyun asked them out for a café date. He led the way as they drove two cars and Yerin was surprised she never drove pass this place before as it was only ten minutes away from the school. It’s a playground café. One side of the café is the tables and front counter and the other is a magical-looking and colorful playground. She didn’t even have to go check on her daughter as she could already hear her squealing while hauling on her arm, excitement evident on the child’s tone. “You go take her to the playground, I’ll pay for the entrance fee.” Baekhyun motioned Yerin to go ahead inside as he stayed on the line.

It was neither too busy nor too slow, a couple of parents lined up to pay for the playground fee. He watched the two ladies skip towards the playground, it made him smile. It almost feels like a family date. He shook the thought away before it could affect him permanently. It shouldn’t. He shouldn’t be thinking about such things. This is a friendly date, he has convinced himself for a good ten minutes in the school’s restroom mirrors, self-talking and warning himself to be careful with this.

He knew he was interested in Yerin, he’s a man. He’s not going to deny it, at least not to himself. As much as he wanted to avoid her, knowing that he never really plans to get into any relationships, he couldn’t. One thing is the Inyoung situation and another thing is basically just his heart not getting along with his mind at the moment. Sometimes, she makes him wonder why he’s even avoiding it. Then his responsibilities remind him back into reality. “She met a schoolmate inside the dollhouse, I guess I need to give the lady some space.” Yerin’s angelic voice—at least for him—woke him from his trance. “Oh really?” He immediately roamed his eyes around the café’s side to check if he knew any parents.

“I think they’re not in the same class and grade though.” Yerin assured him, she must have felt that he got alarmed by the thought of seeing a parent who knew him. “Yeah yeah, no worries. Shall we?” He asked while stretching his arm out to gesture towards the café, finally looking down to the shorter lady in front of him. A shy smile creeped back on her lips as she looked back. “What?” He asked, half-voice half-chuckle. She only gave him a nod before walking away. Their height difference—really, just that—made him grin.

It wasn’t a significant difference. It was. . . perfect for a forehead-kiss kind of difference. He pulled a chair for her before taking the other across the table. Yerin immediately opened the menu and Baekhyun followed suit. “How was your day by the way? Stressful?” Yerin opened up a conversation while still glancing at the playground a couple of times – mothers. “Eh, not so much. I think only one class gave me a headache today, usually all of them. Don’t worry, it’s not Inyoung’s class.” Baekhyun easily made her laugh. “What about you? I knew you didn’t work, so what made you busy? Puzzles?” He then reciprocated the conversation.

Yerin gave him an adorable thinking face while pouting. Oh my god, his heart skipped a beat because of her cuteness. It was never forced; it was more natural than a cat meowing for attention – okay, maybe, that was too much.  “I did try to do more on the puzzle I’m currently working on but I had to work on some papers for my boss so yeah, I still kind of worked from home.” She finally gave him a detailed answer.

She’s so hard-working. Beautiful.

“Wow.” He reacted mistakenly, yet again. This time though, Yerin tilted her head to the side while giving him a silly grin. “What? My eyes are beautiful?” She asked making him panic inside and grab the glass of water on his side of the table. Luckily, the server saved him and arrived at their table. “What can I get for you two today? We have a family combo of four assorted slices of cakes that you can decorate yourselves, we provide the assorted edible decorations that you could do as a family activity. The combo then comes with two large milkshakes and three sides, you could choose the sides in the menu. Also, your child can choose what kind of cake we’re serving; we have vanilla, chocolate and red velvet. If you need to call him or her, you can go ahead.” The server effortlessly introduced their family menu, assuming that they were a family.

“Uhm—no—actually, can I just get a cappuccino and an apple fritter for now?” Yerin immediately cleared the growing tension—a good kind—while glancing at Baekhyun who looked fairly amused. “How much is the family combo? Is it this one in the bottom or the top” He instead, asked with enthusiasm while pointing at the menu. Yerin gulped hard as warmth started creeping up her cheeks. “The top is just for couples, sir. The bottom is the family one.” The server replied politely. “Ah, the couple one is two slices and just one large milkshake?” He asked. Yerin brushed her hair with her fingers to hide her embarrassment. “Yes, sir. One large milkshake that is good to share for two.” Baekhyun nodded continuously as he asked questions.

“Okay, how about we get her the cappuccino, a hot chocolate for the kid and please do a latte art on it because she likes it with it, and then we get the couple set. Since I don’t think we can eat four slices of cakes, is that alright?” Baekhyun then effortlessly ordered while Yerin just blinked in bewilderment. She worried that her face has turned into a complete tomato. Once the server was done jotting down the order and left, Baekhyun hugged his arms together and placed them down the table. “It’s a good deal, why not, right? And we get to decorate the cakes. Maybe we two decorate one slice and Inyoung can do the other one herself. She’d love that.” He smiled softly while looking at her.

Yerin chuckled and finally let the feelings out. “Why aren’t you married yet again?” She asked in complete amusement. “What?” Baekhyun laughed while shaking his head, shocked to hear such question. “Uhm, let’s see.” He tapped his fingers on the table as if he’s thinking, making Yerin giggle. “The unlucky woman has not come yet.” His answer made her laugh briefly until it turned into a sigh of disagreement. “Don’t say that, I’m sure she’s lucky. Easily to tell, you can even ask my daughter and she’s going to say the same thing. Worse, she might even say she’s the lucky woman but she needs to grow up first. The kid has a big crush on you.” Yerin joked and Baekhyun rolled his eyes in return. “I don’t think it’s a crush she’s feeling, she always tells me she wishes she has two fathers and I’d be one of them. She just likes it that I take care of her in school, I got a couple more students who feel the same way.” His genuine and harmless answer made Yerin quiet.

Yerin glanced at the playground again and sighed. “How I wish I was able to give her a normal and complete family but I guess it just doesn’t work out like that for everyone. Just. . . sometimes, I still feel very responsible for what she’s going through.” With a sigh, Baekhyun moved closer to the table across her. “Look, just knowing Inyoung, I could tell how you raised her so well. I. . . I really do think you’re an amazing mother. This is coming from someone who didn’t necessarily had a good one. So, trust me, you’re fine.” He assured her with a casual smile.  “How was she?” Yerin asked and she didn’t have to elaborate anymore. Baekhyun looked down, chuckling softly. “She. . . I wouldn’t say she was entirely bad. She just didn’t—I guess—didn’t think we were that relevant for her. You know, she just happened to have us and she had to deal with it. I d-don’t really know how to explain how she was. No one ever could.” He gave himself goosebumps just by answering that.

No one has ever really asked him such question.

“I’m sure she loves you, guys.” Yerin assured and that’s when Baekhyun realized he hasn’t really told her much about his mother. It was a surprise even for him. There was a brief silence before he decided. “She’s been living in a mental institute, but it’s more like a home for women who suffer mental illnesses – usually caused by trauma and abuse. I specifically chose that place because I heard a lot of good things about that they really take care of them like they’re family and it doesn’t feel like a hospital. And. . . they’re all women, so she’s safe.” He finally revealed and for the first time, he feared to look in her eyes. He always loved looking at her eyes, just not now.

“Oh my god, your mom was. . . a-abused?” She asked making Baekhyun finally relax. “No no no, it’s not. . . I didn’t mean it like that.” He shook his head immediately to assure her. Yerin blinked in confusion while nodding. “Well, ugh, how do I even start with this?” Laughing, Baekhyun scratched the back of his neck. He glanced to check the playground again, just like Yerin does. Inyoung seems really busy, she’s still