To say the main office was too quiet was an understatement.

When preparing for a big event, you would think that everyone was hot on their feet, stressing over things, running from point A to point B and basically resembling that one Spongebob meme where everything is on fire and the end is near.

Yeah, this place was way too chill.

The moment Sehun stepped out of the elevator and didn't received a wave of typical office rush, he was disappointed. He has not had much to do in his work since the builders were paid for the work on the centre and hands had already been shaken. His father was absorbed by an exciting game at a golf course in the vicinity of a Jeju Island, so the office was empty for a while. To his subjects he had no business to since they are...well, his subjects. 

Therefore, he was counting on the company of his friend and entertainment from his staff. His expectations dropped when all he found was Sooyoung sitting behind a computer screen with a bored face, Seungwan with some tall guy eating ramen from a mug and Minseok with Jongin pushed to the backrests of their chairs playing some games on their phones. No sights of Seulgi and Jongdae.

When Sehun was ignored by the said staff, he coughed to get their attention. Without much bigger of the results. Pressing his lips into straight line, he hid his hand in a pocket of his dress pants and knocked over the nearest trash can. At the loud sound, everyone jolted from their seats and turned their heads towards his him. 

"Finally, someone realized a guest arrived." Looking at each of them, he shook his head disappointed. "I have to say, I’m incredibly offended by the lack of welcoming committee here."

Seungwan stood up and walked over to the fallen bin, put it back on its place and threw her now empty cup of coffee. "Mr. Oh, if you came here to then I beg you, restrain yourself from doing that. We are already exhausted." She whined, massaging the side of her forehead.

Sehun raised an eyebrow. "From what? You look more like a high school study group that does everything except studying." He walked over to Sooyoung whose mouth would usually not close, but today she had a eyes of a death fish glued to the computer screen. "Whatcha reading Park that made you look so lively?" He asked sarcastically.

Sooyoung leaned her head in her palm and waved him off. "I was assigned at the last second to do a full cash report of the supply storm for one of the stands." When she received a blank stare from man above her, she fake smiled. "I'd rather be anywhere else but here right now."

Sehun just made a mocking face. "But in the contract, the delivery was supposed to be on the eve of the opening, or at least that's the version I've heard." He started to move slowly away from this group towards the main office. He clicked his tongue as if disappointed. "I swear, you may be the best in the country, but you're a mess of a team. Get a hold of your life a little, you people." The comment was largely ignored.

Sooyoung let out a laugh at his carefree, diva attitude. "Well Mr. I'm- better-than-everyone, you, too, would barely be able to do it if Her Majesty Katy Kim arrived unannounced and told you to fixed the consequences of her ed up self made schedule."

Hearing that, Sehun stumbled over his own steps, landing in a position that is certainly not meant to be called graceful. Before the managers managed to turn around to see what happened, Sehun was already at Sooyoung's desk, half bent with his eyes as if he had seen the whisky promotions at the supermarket. "If you're kidding me, I swear I'll smash all your powders from Chanel, Park." He pointed finger at her accusingly. 

Taken aback by his unlike-him behavior she made a stank face when his finger was too close for her liking to her face. "What's your problem? And take that finger away!" She swat him away.

"Kim Yeri. Did she really come here in person?" His voice was poised, but it held a strange feeling of threat if the answer was different from what he expected.

"Who?"

All heads turned to Chanyeol, who was sincerely interested in the newly mentioned name.

Sehun was already supposed to ask who is this curly haired man, who made Seungwan grab her head, but any action was discontinued by Minseok who did not even raise his eyes from the phone. "Kim Yerim, Yeri for friends and family. More famous for her nickname Katy. The youngest model of modern UK's fashion world, who established her own clothing chain after only 2 years of working with Alexander McQueen and Anna Wintour."

This short biographical note was known to everyone except Chanyeol who still could not understand the correlation with the current situation. Minseok noticed the conflict on his face. "President Kim's younger sister.”

The brightness came in the eyes of the boy. "Oh wow! I see! She sounds very cool. I was never interested in fashion, so I had no contact with that name." He admitted slightly embarrassed at his lack of knowledge.

"It's good that at least now you'll have an excuse to get interested in your boss." Seungwan added a little bit of a dryness to her advice aimed at the intern.

Sehun pinched Sooyoung in the arm while she was distracted by the couple sitting in front of her. She winced but turned her body back to him. "We were supposed to receive the merchandise. No visits were planned." His voice held a threatening tone despite the slight crack that came along with it.

"Why are you acting like it's my fault, huh?" She asked him visibly annoyed.

"No, no. He’s got a point there." Minseok butted into the conversation between the two. "Beside the presidents, she’s probably the busiest person we know. It does sounds weird that one out of two the most busiest siblings in the world made time to visit her home country when there’s a London Fashion Week going on right now.” Everyone look at Minseok with a surprised expression to which he groaned. "I like to read. I have other interests outside you guys.”

Sehun just couldn’t believe it. A sudden wave of childish anxiety flashed over him. He felt like a kid who was supposed to do chores and mother texted that she's on her way home.

"I've been meaning to ask that. Does anyone know why she’s not in the line up this year?" Jongin asked genuinely curious.

Seungwan puffed her cheeks, probably because he was the one who spoke out. "Who knows? Apparently she cancelled all of the runaways and public appearances for the following months she was supposed to be in." She clicked something on her phone and suddenly everyone’s phones started beeping. "British tabloids were all over it. If we are to believe rumors, she also stepped from the position of the CEO for the time being."

Sooyoung already knew that, she wasn’t this office’s biggest gossip for nothing. What caught her attention was the way Sehun was now staring at the wall as if his brain stopped working. In her eyes, appeared the usual spark and her smile was almost devilish.  "Mr. Oh, would you enlightened me-" She spoke loud enough to get his attention as well as everyone's present. "-why are you getting worked up over something so trivial?" 

Sehun turned his head to meet eyes of everyone anticipating his answer. He felt his palm starting to sweat. "Wha- what!" He tried to sound as composed as possible. "Where did you get that idea? She's my best friend's kid sister! I'm only asking out of concern!"

Sooyoung didn't buy that. "There isn't many things that can escape you and even less make you lose your cool." She leaned on her intertwined fingers like some kind of villain. "I've seen enough of you Mr. Oh. You're not the one to get nervous like that. So tell me," She put her whole upper body on the desk and sticked her out. "Has anything happened between you and Mrs. Kim?"

All eyes in the room were burning holes in Sehun's body. He felt like he was held at gunpoint. He tried to form a sentence but the air stuck somewhere in his throat. He let out a offended sound, making his chest puff, then his gaze wandered somewhere around and his final response was something resembling cheeky laugh.

This is some kind of dumb joke. 

Why was he being put in the corner by some gossip loving, drama seeker? Minute ago she was all gloomy without the care in the world but now she's back in action. He's spend enough time in K&B building to learn that once something catches her eyes and ears, she won't back down.

"I know what you're trying to do." He pointed accusingly at her again, this time justified. "And I'm telling you, it's not gonna work on me."

She shot him a sinister smile, seeing the way his got pinker every second following. "Hmm, I think it does."

Sehun couldn't do it. This was a bad idea to talk to these idiots. He has to get out of here now or at least talk with someone without a maturity of a 13 year old.

"Well, would you look at the time! I totally forgot I was suppose to pay a visit to our lovely presidents. Now if you excuse, I shall take my leave." He turned and in a fast pace, walked towards the grand door.

He hasn't even made five steps when Jongin informed him that Junmyeon and Joohyun were not in a office right now and it took all the strength he had in his legs and core to not fall when he spun around as he heard that.

Okay. So that won't do.

"Well," He stumbled, recovering from the turn. "That's a shame. Tell him I said hi." He tried to think of something. Where could he go to save himself from that interrogating atmosphere he shouldn't be part of. Mainly because he knew the consequences.

Think Sehun, think-

"DIRECTOR DO!” He yelled as if he had an Eureka moment and everyone around looked confused. Aside form Sooyoung, she knew what she was doing. "Is Director Do in office today? He searched for an answer in Seungwan’s eyes, who was probably the only sane person here.

She leaned back when he grabbed the armrests of her chair, getting way to close for her liking. "Ehm, I think. Although I don’t know if you want to talk to him right now. He’s been acting kinda weird all morning. Now could you please, leave my personal space?” She asked politely with a slight strain in her voice. She also noticed the alarmed state Chanyeol stayed in until Sehun backed off with a relief written on his face.

"Fine by me!” Before he took off, he shot Sooyoung an I’m watching you sign and exited the office faster than a Road Runner.

"That was something.” Minseok pointed out. "I wonder what got him so on edge.”

Sooyoung re-adjusted her chair and throw her hair over her shoulder- her usual spirit is back. "Dunno. But he was somehow involved with Mrs. Kim, and that means there’s some connection to President Kim." She felt so proud of herself. "I just need to dig some more and I'll be in the first row of a new drama."

Seungwan just rolled her eyes. "I remind you that you’re supposed to be working. Not sniffing new gossips. Right, Yeol?”

Chanyeol looked down at her when heard his name, but smiled and nodded shyly. He still wasn’t used to the nickname she made for him. "Absolutely!" He gave her a enthusiastic thumbs up which didn’t go unnoticed by the boys who just mouthed simp to him. He decided to ignore them- something he learned to do on this floor.

"By the way, what did you mean by Director Do acting weird?” He asked girl next to him, genuinely curious and concerned.

She crossed her arms and took a tired breath in. "I actually don’t know how to describe it. Now that I think about it, he kinda lost his intimidating aura. Most of the time he’s, I don’t know” She bit the inside of her cheek trying to look for the right word. "like he’s physically there, but absent in everything else. Almost depressed I would say.”

Jongin shook his head. "If that’s true then I think we can assume that the world is ending.”

"Better not. I have this killer dress for the weekend and I want to convince myself that I’ve spend my money correctly.” Sooyoung added, but it only made her colleagues ignore her before returning to their semi-procrastinating activities.

»»————-　　————-««

"I beg you. Please, don’t tell anyone, especially my brother!”

"Why are you doing this to me? You know I can’t keep secrets under pressure! Especially this big!”

"But I had to tell someone, it was driving me nuts!”

"But he’s gonna kill me if he finds out that I knew this whole time!”

"Oppa, please! Do it for me!”

"! I knew that conversation was gonna bite me in the sooner or later!" Sehun let out a groan while walking through the corridor. People were staring at him because he looked like a lunatic, bumping into people and apologizing exaggeratedly.

He shouldn’t have gone to London that day. He shouldn’t have agreed to go with her to that restaurant. He should have dropped the subject before she complicated things.

But he didn’t. As his memory suggested, he did it for her. Obviously. When someone entrusts you with a secret, naturally you should keep it. But not when it’s something this bad and Sehun knowing himself, was terrible at keeping secrets. The pressure, the constant stress- not to mention that she basically threatened him with tears to not tell her brother about that, who by the way, was probably the first person she should’ve told that. Or even Joohyun.

Now he won’t be able to set a foot in that office because of Sooyoung’s speculations when she didn’t know the full story. Even if she was right at maybe 1 percent-

No! No! I won’t be thinking about it like that.

Before he even noticed, he reached Kyungsoo’s door, thanking heavens that it wasn’t that far. He placed his hands on the table of the now startled secretary.

With big eyes, she murmured if he needed help with anything. "Is Director Do available?” He asked with a hurried tone.

"Well, he’s not busy but he’s also not in the office right now. He was saying something about drowning his worries in clouds of smoke, but I can call him if you want-"  She wasn’t able to finish that sentence because of the hand that appeared in front of her face. Sehun was not looking at her, dramatically gazing to the side as sun was delicately hugging his face.

"No need. I’ll find him myself.”

After asking the receptionist, security staff and occasional employees, Sehun was slowly losing hope of finding his smaller friend. He was almost done if it wasn’t for a voice he heard while walking past the Staff only exit. Pushing the door and exiting outside the building, he found three silhouettes sitting on a ramp, with their backs to him, surrounded by the supposed clouds of smoke.

"My son has recently got himself into bad company. He’s helping school bullies beat up others students and takes their lunch money.” Said the guy that Sehun took for a kitchen chef. He let out a tired puff and passed his cigarette to the lady on the right, in a grey uniform. Probably a janitor.

"My husband introduced me to his new side piece last weekend. He even had the audacity to let her meet our kids. is so young she could as well be their classmate.” She confessed sounding miserable. "And what problem do you have, Director?”

Between them was sitting a man with his own set of cigarettes, shoulders square. He let out a big cloud and sighed.

"I was lied to." He inhaled the nicotine again. "By the condoms factory.”

»»————-　　————-««

"Wow, man."

Right now Sehun was sitting semi comfortably across Kyungsoo in his office, who was drinking a calming cup of tea. It had to be calming because according to the rest of the employees, he was resembling a ghost so everyone thought that there’s some kind of conspiracy theory behind it. And it’s hard to blame them.

This man, on who's bad side everybody was too afraid to get on, was sitting on this white leather couch, head supported by a fist, legs crossed and gaze empty.

"So." Sehun decided to be the first one to speak out. "It's official? She's pregnant?"

When he heard word pregnant, Kyungsoo whimpered and put his face in his hands. To Sehun, he looked more like an alien than someone who had a serious problem. This certainly cannot be called a serious, let alone a problem. So why the breakdown? He allowed him to wail a bit before the shorter guy lifted up his head, his glasses were unevenly on his nose and his short hair was shagged. "How did this happen?!  For the past month we have been using protection! I admit, once we did it without, but Ji Hyun said she was on the pill."

What was Sehun supposed to say to him in such case?  He found it harder and harder to sit in this office with every second passing. Not only is the management either emotionally constipated or traumatized by the past dramas, the rest of the employees are a bunch of noisy, lazy and ed-up freaks with different es and imaginary problems like this one.

"Anybody else knows about this?" He won't lie, if he was the first one, he'll feel honored. But only a little bit.

Kyungsoo sighed. "No. You're the only one who caught me at my lowest moment, so keep it to yourself for now. Otherwise I won’t hear the end of it.”

Sehun's eyes have been filled with all the comments from the K&B people about the change in the director's behavior. "Yeah, I wouldn't be so sure about that, but okay.”

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Nothing.” Little did he know.

Why does life make me deal with bull crap like this? But if Sehun's suffering is to be rewarded, he will swallow this nonsense too. "Hey, think about it this way!” He put on his most enthusiastic, even if forced persona. "Many people would like to be in your place!" He sat next to his friend and put his hand on his shoulder. "Look how happy Jongdae was when he found out he was going to have a baby."

Minus of course everything else that comes later, but we’re gonna skip this part for the sake of this conversation.

Kyungsoo shrugged off the gesture and dramatically stood up. "I'm not saying I'm not happy! It's just-"

Your reaction says otherwise.  

"Just what? "Don't you want to have children?"

"It's not like that! I want to!"

Is this guy for real?  

"And the was supposed to help with that?"

A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of Kyungsoo's right eye, his mouth formed a rigid grimace. With arms folded tightly across his broad chest he tapped his foot furiously and all the while stared out of the window. Sehun noticed that maybe it's not good to interrogate guy in such way. "Okay, let me put it this way." He put his hands together and made them touch his lips, as if for praying. "How did you react? I mean, it will be easier to judge the situation.”

Kyungsoo froze. All muscles in his small body seemed to stop and fresh traces of sweat appeared on his temple. Sehun knew it was no good. "Dude. What did you do?”

Kyungsoo cleared his throat. "Well..."

When he walked into the kitchen, Ji Hyun was typing something on her computer. He wasn't sure whether to start the conversation, based on the fact that 2 hours earlier she had shouted at him that the table in the living room had sharp angles and therefore she hit her hip. But maybe she's over it. Besides, what is not forgiven for your beloved wife? Women's hormones, right? They all have them.

"Hi, honey. You want me to make dinner?"

She looked at him from above the screen and smiled a little bit which he took as a good sign.

"Sure, just-" She pointed him the chair next to her. "Sit down first. I want to show you something." Her voice was gentle and soft as she closed her laptop.

Kyungsoo, expecting nothing, sent her a big round smile, happy that she probably forgot about the incident with the table and rice cakes from weeks ago. "Okay. I hope I don't have to borrow your taekwondo safety pads." He joked while sitting down. 

She also laughed and when he was fully next to her in his chair, she reached under the table and grabbed something from her lap. Before he could ask anything, she passed him a white plastic stick on the table. 

He stilled upon eyeing that. Does he have hallucinations? "This is a pregnancy test." He stated firmly. 

Her eyes where fixed on the stick.  "Yes." She sighed enthusiastically.

He grabbed the thing and studied it for a moment, fully aware that it made his wife nervous. But so was he. Was his eyesight getting worse? "That-" He pointed at two red lines. "means it's positive?" He awkwardly laughed.

She sighed again and nodded while saying a hard yes.

He stared at her for a while, the plastic still in his rough hand. Her eyes expected an answer from him, trying to shorten this now literally "pregnant silence".

He smiled at her, pointing his finger at her. "Nooooo~". He said it in such a tone as if he had heard a good joke which is easy to fall for.

Ji Hyun let it slide and bit her lip. She nodded her head again. "Yes." She confirmed again, way past the current realization of what was going on.

"Heh, no." Kyungsoo continued to chuckle, this time, spreading his hands at least as if he had heard something ridiculous. He looked at her still smiling. 

She did not like this reaction anymore. She wrinkled her forehead. "Yes." She put it more insistently.

She didn't had to guess his reaction to the news because she figured it out by the way his now intertwined hands started to tremble, his face got pulled down and he let out uncharacteristic for himself high pitched "Nooo."

Stunned. Sehun was stunned.

He heard different pathetic ways guys reacted to the pregnancy. But this one? Topped them all.

"I hate you all guys so much." He said without even a shadow of emotions, which left him and Kyungsoo in their own version of a pregnant silence.

»»————-　　————-««

"I told you not to wear a suit."

That's right. She did. But since when does Junmyeon listen to her about anything?

Why did the temperature decide to rise to 30 degrees in the middle of spring? And this humidity. Disgusting.

Even though the car had the air conditioning set to the highest rotation, Junmyeon felt a sticky sweat forming on his forehead, armpits and neck. His hair perfectly combed back with gel began to fall on his forehead, giving the impression that he had just come out of the shower.

Next to him, Joohyun bit the inside of his cheek, probably refraining from commenting I told you so. The fact that she could now laugh in his face with her civil clothes consisting of an airy white puff sleeves blouse and fitting jeans did not help either.

Yes, she said not to wear a suit or overdress. But he will not admit that she is right, even if he was to boil himself in this suit.

"Shut up." He muttered, loosening and throwing the tie somewhere under the car seats and then ing the first two buttons of the shirt.

Joohyun tried not to laugh for fear that he would start ing and leave the car like a child he is. "Don't get me wrong -" He shoot her a glare, not convinced to her sentiment "- I'm glad you decided to dress up, but believe me, this jacket will soon go to the laundry after today." She pointed at the said piece of garment. He swatted her hand away to which she mischievously giggled.

When the loosening didn't help, Junmyeon started fanning himself with the side of the jacket. "Why should I go there at all? I mean, charities are your specialty."

She was too bothered checking her makeup in a compact mirror to look at him, so the only thing she did was to send him an eye roll. "It's not a charity, it's a monthly visit to a children's hospital that we both agreed to sponsor." She strongly emphasized the word both. "I hope you will behave properly unless you want the newspapers to call you a heartless bastard."

It's enough you call me that already.

The rest of the short trip was without talking.

The car drove up to a tall building with glass windows and grey walls adorned with coloured pipes and panels, and in front of the main entrance there was a huge inflatable penguin.

The Fantasy Kid Hospital was founded by a close friend of Joohyun's parents, so it was no wonder she had a special fondness for it. While her father was still alive, she would come with him and play with its patients as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the fact that there are children with special cases worthy of public attention. From the moment the company was taken over, Joohyun paid special attention to it and mentioned it at every possible opportunity. The newspapers, websites and everyone following the company's activities were delighted with her concern and affection for patients. 

Junmyeon did not really share her enthusiasm.

It was not that he did not like children, at least not as much as she did. He was brilliant in his early years fairly convinced that kids are not that bad, but as he grew older, he always felt uncomfortable when one of his friends tried to give him a child to hold, or when they started to cry when one of them didn't seem to like his ( in others' opinion) perfect face.

Joohyun, on the other hand, loved this circus. No matter how many dwarfs were clinging to her, how incomprehensible the language they spoke to her and how much they drooled on her expensive clothes, she always gave them a smile and cheer. Another thing she inherited from her father.

Which only confirmed him in two things: it was another thing that divided them and he could openly admit that he was not fit for it.

The hospital hallway was like something out of Star Trek. Everything that could shine, did shine. There was stainless steel, sleek floors and the art on the walls were all natural images in colors as bright as glacier melt-water or spring flowers. The air had a pure fragrance, not sterile, just clean. In the background played music at just the right level to give the patients and staff an emotional lift. At the end of the stairs leading to the 4th floor, there was a low man in a white apron whose smile made his eyes disappear. If Junmyeon's memory was not mistaken, it was probably Lee Jun Hyeok - director of the hospital. 

"Joohyun, thank you very much for coming!" The man enthusiastically thanked the girl, pulling her in a strong embrace.

Her eyes widened in response to the strength of the grip. "Ugh - all the pleasure on my side, Mr. Lee." Her voice was suffocated because the air slowly could not get into her lungs.

The man noticed this and let her go, blushing in the meantime. "Sorry, dear. Sometimes I forget that you grew up so fast."

Junmyeon felt the urge to gag. But before he could do it, Mr. Lee turned towards him and excitedly extended his hand to him. "President Kim, we are honored and very grateful that you have agreed to take part in this visit. Joohyun has said all good things about you."

Junmyeon slowly gave the older man his hand while looking at the embarrassed Joohyun. "You don't say sir. That's new." They exchanged the handshake while Junmyeon kept an eye on the girl he enjoyed messing with.

So sometimes you do say something nice about me.

Her blushing took on a deeper color. "Don't think of anything big. They wouldn't allow the abomination to a children's hospital.”

This comment didn’t swayed Junmyeon’s satisfactory smirk. Mr. Lee clearly didn’t read the situation as he pushed both of them towards the day care centre. 

Behind the big glass door, you could see at least 20 children of different ages, dressed in the same (probably specially prepared) tracksuits instead of hospital pajamas. Some of them had their heads or other body parts in bandages and casts, some had to sit by the IV, but there were also those that looked completely healthy. There were also patients, from what Junmyeon believed to be, the intensive care unit and chemotherapy. All these children were sitting in wheelchairs or with a nurse.  Junmyeon was saddened for a moment by seeing their pale faces while admiring them and wishing them the fastest possible recovery at the same time.

His sentimental thoughts were interrupted when the door opened automatically and all those gathered turned their heads towards them. Suddenly this seemingly calm gang started squeaking like a banshee and running in his direction. In a panic, he jumped aside and let the crowd practically trample Joohyun. But she stretched out her hands without hesitation and let them stick to her waist and hips.

"Mrs. Joohyun!" A boyish voice from the crowd was heard.

"We've been waiting for you all day!"

"You came to play with us?”

Junmyeon regained his composure silent upset that his presence was being ignored. Of course- not that he's trying to get it. After all, is not his strong trait to be liked by children. But at least what he could gain from them was some kind of respect. So he cleared his throat and glanced at Mr. Lee who was too busy seeing happy and joyful children to take care of a guest. When he managed to get his attention, the man straightened out, regaining an image of authority.

"All right, kids! Today, not only is Mrs. Bae paying us a visit, but she also brought a colleague with her! Please say hello to Mr. Kim.”

Junmyeon cringed when he was called a colleague but was also impressed by the well coordinated bow performed by the patients who thunderously, as children, screamed their Hello Mr. Kim.

And of course being awkward as he predicted himself to be, he waved at them and let out his good morning without any effort to impress them. Joohyun shook her head, knowing that such a scenario was foreseeable. He could have at least tried but what can you expect from someone as emotionally constipated as him. When Junmyeon stood against the wall, not knowing if he should say anything, she turned her attention to the kids who were still glued to her. 

She loved meeting with kids. Growing up without siblings, she at first believed she would be terrible at entertaining them an gaining their trust. Her father was amazing at that, no matter if they were younger ones or not. Believing in having her mother’s stiff attitude she didn’t want to go with her father to the visits such as these. But after couple of times, she couldn’t imagine something as uplifting and heart fulfilling as this. There was something so intoxicating about an excited children. They bounce, they pounce, they squeal and they run. As their grins get wider everyone about them starts to smile- and she fell under the same spell. Seeing them happy while also improving at regaining their health made her more satisfied than all auctions won and contracts signed.

In the whole crowd she noticed a girl who was standing further away from the rest, but in her eyes there was a desire to make contact, and in her hands she held a piece of purple paper. Joohyun patted the children on the heads and headed towards her. She knelt down on one knee to keep the eye contact with her. "Cho Hee, hi! How are you doing?" Joohyun asked softly, gently soothing girl's arm.

Said Cho Hee looked at her from under her fringe and smiled, showing the lack of frontal teeth. "Ehm-ehm, Mrs. Joo, I've made a laurel for you!" She shoved the paper towards Joohyun." Mrs. Nurse said that you like purple, so I used it!”

Joohyun's eyes were glazed. No matter how many laurels she got, how many times the children would sing her songs and how many sweets they would share with her, Joohyun's heart seemed bigger every time. Taking the gift from the girl, Joohyun looked at the contents and saw a couple of lines, a circle with fragments that were probably supposed to be a face and a storm of dark color on top of it - must be hair. She smiled at the small artist. "Thank you very much! I will hang it in my room today to remind myself what an amazing artist I know."

Cho Hee let out a cheer and threw herself at Joohyun in a loving hug who she gladly returned.

Unaware of anything, she couldn't see how Junmyeon was looking at this scene. He’s been observing her many times throughout years- the view should be familiar to him by now. And there he was. With something shifted. Something that felt right.

He felt a certain breath of warmth, which he could not explain. Even if it wasn't warm, it was certainly some kind of attraction. Seeing it now, it was not a disgusting creature he wanted to sicken himself with. No. There was a mature woman standing in front of him now, who was lighting up the whole room with her smile. He could only see her side profile and could still see the way her eyes showed love and care.

This view caused a strong need for his corners of the mouth to shoot up.

This view made him want to see it more often.

And this thoughts attracted and discouraged him at the same time.

Junmyeon didn't have to think any longer when he felt pulling on his trouser leg. Pulled out of his mind, he turned around, but saw no one. No one at least close to his height. He looked down and saw the little boy, who was staring- no, he was glaring at him.

"Uh, can I help you with something?" Junmyeon asked uncertainly, the boy's eyes made him feel uncomfortable.

"Are you really working with Miss Joohyun?" The little one asked taking Junmyeon aback by the absence of formalities.

"Yes. We're the heads of a big company."

The boy didn't even blink, but kept looking at him as a potential threat.

"Are you her boyfriend?"

And so the fantasy bursted like a bubble.

With this question, Junmyeon felt as if a truck had hit him. He tried to say something, but he was so shocked that all he managed to create was a couple of airsick reactions. "Excuse me? What is this interrogation? Of-of course not!" There he was with sweating again. "W-w-where did you get that idea, young man?”

The boy crossed his hands and squeezed his eyes at him. "Well, you stand there and have been staring at her for a good few minutes. And you are smiling dumbly."

You little . 

Junmyeon tried to find a bit of intimidation in him. "Tell me, and even if-- what business do you have in this?”

The boy smiled mockingly. "Because I'm her future husband and I will not let you look at her like that." 

Junmeyon fought the need to laugh at this, what? A 9 year old? A husband? Husband! Maybe Joohyun didn’t let much to be desired (or so he kept telling himself), this little dwarf actually thinks he has any chances? Ha! Good joke! First he would have to got through him-

Well , I did it again. Bad Junmyeon. 

Interrogated and exposed by a kid. Junmeyon will not be the object of someone’s jokes. He bent his knees a little bit, but left the difference in height between him and the boy. "What's your name, kid?”

"Jaemin. So what?”

"Listen, Jaemin. I don't want to burst this bubble of yours, but you are about 100 years too early and 100 years too young to think about such serious things. And believe me, you wouldn't want to be married to her. I know her better than you."

Discouragement. It's always a tactic, no matter how low you fall.

"You think what you want. At least I'm cute and don't have as many wrinkles as you do." Jaemin talked to him back. 

Junmyeon could feel the blood boiling internally and the veins on his forehead about to break. "You brat-"

"What do you think you're doing?" 

Junmyeon's almost outburst was interrupted by the cause of his dispute. Joohyun watched him hard with her hands on her hips. "I told you to behave and not threaten the children. I know I'm asking too much, but at least act like your age today."

"Miss Joohyun!" Jaemin's attitude quickly changed from being too confident to a pretended fear and crocodile tears as he run to Joohyun like a kid to its mother. "That guy wanted to hurt me and he also said bad things!" He showed his finger at the man.

Junmyeon was shocked. "What? No! He's the one who started--"

"I guess I expected too much. Try not to pull up such a number again, or I'll deal with you later." She grabbed the boy by the hand. "Come on, Jaemin. The games are about to start.”

"Okay." That was the weakest okay ever.

But as Junmyeon predicted, Jaemin turned to him when Joohyun wasn’t looking and pulled his lower eyelid down, sticking a tounge in his direction.

Little . I'll get him if chance will present itself.

Junmyeon was about to plan his revenge on that kid, as immature as it sounded, when Joohyun’s words rang in his ears. „Wait! Games? What games?” He yelled, jogging after everybody.

And actually. There were games. And that's a lot. In the courtyard behind the hospital, there were plenty of stalls, some with food like cotton candy or popcorn, some with shooting ranges, face-paint makeup artists, an inflatable slide with a ball pool, ponies, archery targets, and more. 

Holy . It wasn't an ordinary visit - it was a ing mini fun-fair.

»»————-　　————-««

It was the longest 3 hours in Junmyeon's life. During those three hours he was forced 10 times by a gang of girls to help him win a prize at the shooting range, ridiculed by Jaemin and his buddies after losing to a basketball machine, and lost in a fast-track archery contest.

But how was he supposed to win when his opponent was Joohyun, who for 3 years of high school was the ace of the archery team and won a record number of bulls eyes at the inter-school competitions?  

And now he was sitting alone at the table with a plastic cup of coffee and 3 paint pictures on his face.  

Children continued to run from one activity to another without showing even a bit of boredom. This group, apart from Jaemin of course, made him workout more than his regular gym today. His clothes at this point were stuck to his body and his hair had already fallen down a long time ago (maybe because one of the patients decided to lend him an armband when painting his face so that the hair would not fall on his face). So yes, he was a little bit exhausted and all he wanted was to go home and get in the shower.

"I see a loser sitting at the losers' table."

Then there was his headache.

"Go away you parasite.”

Joohyun apparently did not share his tiredness and sat rather cheerfully two chairs away.Junmyeon used this to look at her. After so many hours of playing, her long hair was apparently tired too and she tied it into a high bun. There were also drawings and glitter on her face which made her look ridiculous.

"You’re just bitter that you lost to children. And me.”

A heavy silence settled over them, thicker then the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. They shifted uncomfortably in their seat, not sure if conversation would be out of place.

"What do you think about this?” She popped the question out of nowhere. "The hospital, I mean?”

He looked up from his coffee and looked around. "Why are you asking me? I’m probably the last person you should ask.”

She sighed. "I know but I want to hear opinion from someone who has never been here.” She started to play with a poorly crafted flower bracelet some girl made for her. "I don't do it just because my dad was doing it. Some of these children suffer from rare diseases and as you know no one cares for anything charities try to advertise on TV.” She looked over her shoulders to see Jaemin and his friends riding ponies. "That's why I showed my maturity and took you here despite your poor tactics. Maybe you will use your abilities to determine whether this investment is worthwhile.”

Junmyeon raised an eyebrow. "No other reason?”

"Well, yeah? It’s not like we spend time together aside form work, so what other excuse would I make?”

Her words went to his my mind, leaving it moving in foreign ways, ways he have become unaccustomed to these many years. In their world emotions are considered unnecessary, suspicious and he and Joohyun had more priorities to think about than the health of their hearts and minds. Now, if that isn't conflicted, he doesn't know what is.

Junmyeon went back to this feeling from earlier. To the happy and cheerful sight of two generations sharing smiles and warmth. To the faces of those who just happened to be unfortunate but still had a will to fight for their tomorrow. If glitter, games and some laughter was a key to keep it sustained, then who he was to say otherwise.

"Despite your everyday condition of being a pathological idiot,” Joohyun was a second away from hitting him for that before he spoke again. "I genuinely think that it is probably the best thing you have ever done.”

Joohyun was left speechless. "Really? You’re not gonna make fun of me for being overly emotional?”

"Why? I saw the joy these brats had when you arrived. They are good kids and I believe its partially your doing.” He looked away for what he was about to say next. "You did good. Your dad would be proud.”

He only heard a distrust-worthy laugh signalizing him that she was both flustered and satisfied. After that they fell into a moment of silence again, but this time it felt right.

The relaxing moment was pleasant until Junmyeon heard a click from the phone camera. He threw his head in the direction to see Joohyun holding the phone hidden behind the table.

"What are you doing?”

"Are you kidding? You look like a unicorn puked on you! I must have some material for future blackmail!" She laughed loudly at her masterpiece of a photo.

Junmyeon got up so quickly that the garden chair fell backwards.  "You wouldn't, you !" He started to march marching towards her.

Joohyun gasped and slowly started to run away. "Language in front of the children!"

The two started chasing across the courtyard with Joohyun screaming in fear of being chased and Junmyeon trying to catch up with her to get the material of humiliation. 

Damn, she is fast. So small and running away like a deer. 

Joohyun reached the inflatable ball pool slide when she thought her chaser steps had faded. She held the phone firmly in her hand and took a moment to breathe, seeing that Junmyeon had disappeared somewhere. However, the break did not last long as she suddenly felt something slamming against her in a split second, catching her around the waist and tackling her over, straight to the pool filled with colorful balls.

She raised her head to the surface feeling like a pair of arms still holding her. She tried to crawl to get out but her restrains were years of doing 100 pushups a day. "Junmyeon, are you crazy!" She gasped for air. 

Junmyeon let go of one hand from her waist and put it on Joohyun's shoulder trying to reach the phone. "Delete that footage!"

She tried to pull her hand even further away from him. "Screw you!" Then she felt a pinch somewhere around her hip.

"Language!"

They wrestled in a sea of colors, kicking, showing each other and occasionally biting each other like the way they used to when they were younger. But it was different now. Nobody shouted at the other one to stop touching the other one, with disgust in their voices. This was replaced by cheerful squeaks and laughter caused by pinching and tickling. 

They did not even notice how practically all children stood on the edges of the pool. "The intruder attacks Mrs. Joohyun. Catch him!" Of course, Jaemin must have been at the head of this charge.

It takes a second or two for the new information to sink it, even though it is right before his eyes, larger than life. Then he felt his lips stretch wider into gaping grin and his eyebrows arch for the sky. Amazement doesn't quite cover it. He felt like someone just took the spark of wonder and spread it onto his whole body. The smile he was wearing on the outside couldn’t adequately reflect what he felt inside; it's like every neurone of his brain is trying to fire in both directions at once - the best kind of feeling. 

With Joohyun this close to him, kids charging at him but still making it fun and sun pouring its rays on this positive place, he realized that he didn’t remember the last time he felt this alive.