"Every person is a new door to a different world."
— Anonymous

"There oppa, over there! No, wait—maybe over…there? Hmm…no, over there!" an energetic Lee Min Jung exclaimed as she carefully wobbled towards a shady spot under the reddening maple tree—a perfect setting for a late morning picnic for three and a half.

Enamored by her overflowing cuteness, an ear-to-ear smile tugged on both corners of Kyungsoo's lips. He had been with the lively Min Jung for a little over two years, but the butterflies in his stomach remained alive and thriving. And ever since they found out they were expecting a little bundle of joy, his love for her had quadrupled. Now, all it took was a second-long glimpse of his girlfriend's toothy grin for his exhaustion to fade—including the one currently caused by the 25 kilos worth of goodies and equipment he was hauling on his back.

"Right here?" he confirmed patiently after following her heavy and winding footsteps down the low sloping hill.

"Uh huh! And lay the blanket right over…here," Min Jung instructed as she paced some steps to her right then back, her hand never leaving her hip and belly.

With an obedient "yes ma'am", Kyungsoo flashed a gentle smile and laid the 5'x5' red and white gingham blanket on its designated spot. He then assisted his pregnant girlfriend to the ground ever so carefully, unpacked the rest of the stuff to her specifications, and together, they waited for their honored guest to arrive.

|| Namsan Mountain Park ||

Per Ara's direction, Baekhyun pulled into the half-full parking lot of Namsan Mountain Park. He had driven roughly 20 minutes from their Gangnam apartment with only his wife's verbal street by street instructions as his guide, and though he knew the area well, he didn't expect to find himself at a park after spending hours at another one just some days ago.

He was certain there were striking differences between the two places, yet in his eyes, they were similar—close to identical, even. Both had trees, birds, insects, a field of grass, and people all resting under the same blue sky. Yes, everything in its entirety was picturesque, but truth be told, there was only one thing that peaked his curiosity about this location and the last.

With a slight tilt of the head, Baekhyun turned off the Maserati's engine and snuck a glance at the cool, calm, and collected woman to his right. Just how much of your life story revolve around parks? He wondered as he watched her unbuckle her seatbelt and prepare to step out.  

|| …………… ||

"How do you feel? Are you hot? Cold?" Kyungsoo asked as he sat down beside the expectant mother. He just finished laying out the pillows, blankets, and containers of finger food and drinks, but now, he needed to set his attention back to where it mattered most: tending to his precious Min Jung.

"I'm fine," Min Jung answered, followed by a quiet mumble and a telling grin, "…but our little soybean could use a snack."

Kyungsoo chuckled lightly. "Our soybean or her adorable mommy?" he teased.

Caught in her little white lie, Min Jung pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose in admittance. "Maybe both?" she confessed, making her boyfriend release another, much louder laugh.  

"Would this be okay for now?" he asked as he handed over the container of sandwich cubes to the nodding woman, who quickly and happily devoured a petite creation in one large bite.

Watching the visible bliss on her face was enough to fill his own grumbling stomach, but wanting to see more of her loveable expressions, Kyungsoo reached for the pink Tupperware filled with strawberry and matcha macarons that his stubborn girlfriend stayed up late last night making. "Then…I'll have some of these," he joked, but before he could even create the slightest crack between the plastic container and its silicone lid, a sudden outburst interrupted him.

"Not that one oppa!" Min Jung exclaimed, her cheeks stuffed with turkey, bread, lettuce, and cheese, "Those are for—"

Satisfied with her reaction, Kyungsoo grinned. "I know, I know, it's for your one and only—" he began, but his words were cut short by a sound the mother of his child had been waiting for all week.

"Lee Min Jung!" a familiar voice intersected from afar.

At the sight of Ara, Min Jung sprang to her feet as quickly as her round belly allowed. "Unni!" she called back with a squeal of excitement and toddled once more towards the direction of her beloved stepsister.

"Wait, don't run!" Ara shouted as she dashed towards the waddling woman. "Ya, are you crazy? What if you tripped?" she lectured the second she closed the distance between them.

Min Jung replied with a toothy grin and took her frowning stepsister in her arms. "I'm just so happy to finally see you again," she countered, letting Ara's worries pass her ears.

"Sorry noona, I should've stopped her," the gentle Kyungsoo apologized on her behalf.  

At the sound of his audibly nervous voice, Ara looked at him, her fierce gaze making him cower slightly. "Ya Do Kyungsoo are you still that nervous to be around me?" she teased with a hidden smirk.

"Not—not at all Ara noona," Kyungsoo replied as calmly as he could. His girlfriend's stepsister didn't necessarily scare him, but it was undeniable that the woman's charisma was intimidating.

"Pshh. Your trembling eyes say otherwise," Min Jung joked and playfully rolled her set of lenses—her pair of light brown that accidentally landed on the highly recognizable man standing a short distance behind Ara.

At the sight of the notorious Lothario, Min Jung froze on the spot. The future successor of BYN Group wasn't a stranger to her—more specifically, to her group of friends and seniors who frequented the clubs of Gangnam religiously and lusted over the high-flying womanizer. From the countless stories she had heard, the only redeeming quality about the man, was that he never engaged with anyone more than five years his junior.

But the fact that the living, breathing Byun Baekhyun was right in front of her, made her heavy stomach sink. Min Jung knew her stepsister ended a cherished relationship to marry another for her sake, but she never expected that person to be one of Korea's infamous lady-killers.

Noticing that the upward curve on Min Jung's lips had disappeared, Ara followed where the expectant mother's gaze was pinned, and realizing the reason, she flashed a cheerful smile, walked back to Baekhyun's side, then linked an arm loosely with his. "By the way, this is my husband, Byun Baekhyun," she introduced with an even tone.

"I'm Do Kyungsoo," Kyungsoo greeted amicably followed by a respectable bow, "it's great to finally meet you hyung-nim."

"Right. It's—it's very nice to meet you. I'm Lee Min Jung," Min Jung added with a short bow, the troubled gaze no longer visible in her eyes. It made her anxious to learn her beloved stepsister was married to such a man, but witnessing the closeness and casual skinship between the couple somehow calmed her heart. Byun Baekhyun may have a lengthy track record with women, but if there was someone capable of taming the notorious womanizer, the magnetic Seo Ara was the perfect individual for the job.

|| …………… ||

"So…why the sudden invite?" Ara asked as she sat at either side of Baekhyun and Min Jung, happily finishing her finger sandwiches. The mother-to-be had called her a little more than a week ago begging for some time to catch up, and today was the first day her hectic schedule had an opening.

"It's not sudden at all unni! Do you know how much I miss you?" her stepsister protested with a pout then lowered her saddened gaze to her lap. "I haven't seen you since dad's funeral," she added quietly, summoning a wave of silence. Though they weren't related by blood, she had no other immediate relative aside for Ara. Of course, her stepmother existed, but that vile creature was the antonym of the word "family".

Feeling Min Jung's words poke her heart, Ara flashed an apologetic smile. The adventurous 19-year-old had mostly been stuck at home, so it was understandable that she had been lonely and bored. Kyungsoo was preoccupied with his part-time jobs and school, while her friends—college students seeking to discover the sinful pleasures of the world—were too busy rotating between textbooks, alcohol, body waves, and sleep. At a little over five months, Min Jung's bulging belly wasn't really fit to rock the dance floor, especially when she was inching closer and closer to her due date.

"You're right. I'm sorry, I should've reached out once everything settled down," Ara replied as she reached for her stepsister's hand an gave it a light squeeze. Up to now, she had poured most of her energy in finding the truth, but that shouldn't have excused her from checking up on the mother and child—after all, everything she was doing was almost entirely for them. "Well then, what was the big news you wanted to share?" she continued, shifting the conversation to what she expected to be a happier topic.

Brushing aside the advancing