❝They stood there, looking at each other, saying nothing. But it was the kind of thing that meant everything❞ - Jenny Han.

∞

8:01 am 

The soft breeze of the calm morning went through the window of the room, beaming a warm sunlight radiating through the glass window to touch the face of the heavy sleeper woman on the bed who groaned softly the moment her eyes opened to meet the sunlight peeking through her making her turn to the other side only to find the empty space beside her. 

Gayoung's eyes rounded with her head lifting up from her pillow to frown before her eyes averted to the washroom to hear nothing from it, causing her to sit up lazily while rubbing her eyes as she sighed to look at the time in her phone. "Why didn't he wake me up? And where is he?" 

Throwing her legs out of the bed, she walked into the washroom to wash up which she was about to not to lock since Baekhyun told her last night that it was broken but was repaired the moment Granny got to know about it as she couldn't handle things getting broken at her place and with a relief, she locked the door to wash up. 

A few minutes later, she was walking down the stairs, with her eyes roaming around the whole house to get a glimpse of the man, her husband to be precise, Baekhyun to be said since she had taken a habit of seeing him the first one in the morning so not getting a glimpse of him had made her feel strange. 

And as soon as she reached the living room, she found Young-MI and Granny on the couch having their own chit-chats with some tea where her mother's eyes stopped at Gayoung. "Oh, you're awake, come here and have some breakfast." 

"Yeah, but mom," She paused, wandering her eyes around the house again to look at her with a confused look. "Where is everyone?" 

Granny took a sip of her tea. "If you're asking about your husband then he is out on the morning walk with your dad and Dodo." 

Gayoung cleared while scratching her head awkwardly thinking if she was that obvious but instantly her mind hit something as she frowned. "They went on a morning walk?" 

Granny sighed. "That's what I said, Gayoung-ah." 

"He went without me?" Gayoung mumbled, between her pouty lips as she went on a sulky mood since they decided to go together and she really wanted to go before sitting on the couch beside the ladies with her mother chuckling to grab her face with a squish. "Look at her pouting over everything." 

"I'm not!" She whined, placing her head on her shoulder. "But… Is everyone still sleeping? What about Areum and Seojun and I don't see Mongryong?" 

Granny stood up to walk toward the kitchen with her empty cup. "Areum is still sleeping soundly and Seojun woke up when I woke up from the noise so he joined them on the morning walk with Mongryong." 

The kids slept with her in her room leaving Mongryong with Woo-Jin who seemed to be liking him a lot since he has always loved pets but because of Gayoung's fear, he couldn't get one for himself but now was fulfilling his wish. 

Gayoung nodded, feeling relieved to hear it before hearing the door of Granny's room being opened to find Areum walking out in her strawberry pajamas while rubbing her eyes adorably leaving the ladies to awe instantly as she stopped right in front of her mother with Gayoung sitting up straight to spread her arms. "Good morning." 

She was quick to hug her, mumbling her morning with Gayoung leaning in to kiss her head. "Happy birthday, princess." 

A beaming smile curled up on her lips as she looked at Gayoung who was smiling at her warmly to immediately bury herself in her warm embrace with mumbling a thank you while Gayoung giggling at her before she was wished by Granny and Young-MI leaving Gayoung to smile at them. 

At the moment, the sound of laughter and chit-chats were heard by the entrance where Gayoung could recognize Seojun's giggles and Baekhyun's laugh at something her dad spoke while her Dodo was pretending to scold them. 

The sight felt so heartwarming by seeing Baekhyun fitting in her family so well like it was his place to make but as soon as she met his eyes walking in, as the first person his eyes caught was her but a frown plastered on his face when she looked away, it wouldn't have bothered him but her expression seemed strange enough to bother him but he shrugged it off thinking he probably had mistaken it. 

"Mommy!" 

"Yes, my little Spider-Man!" Gayoung exclaimed but immediately gasped when her little bean had crushed himself in her embrace leaving her to laugh as she tucked his damp bangs away from his face. "Should we cut your hair?" 

"No!" 

"Why?" 

"I love it." 

"You love getting bangs in your eyes?" 

"I love it because it's like dad's!" 

He immediately looked at Baekhyun with a toothy grin as Baekhyun chuckled to wink at him as he brushed his damp hair back before looking at Gayoung only to find her sharp eyes flinching him as he raised his eyebrows in a questioning way only for her to look away and he bit his lower lip wondering what he had done to get this treatment and somehow it left him with a strange feeling of not seeing her smiling like she does or talking to him because like her, he had taken a habit of talking to her the first thing in the morning but currently it didn't seem possible. 

His eyes stopped at Areum, as a smile crept on his lips while sitting on the couch beside Gayoung with a flow of natural brushing of their shoulders before making Areum sit on his lap to kiss her head. "Happy birthday, princess." 

"It's Areum's birthday!" Seojun exclaimed, kissing her cheek to immediately cup his mouth with an adorable gasp leaving her giggling as she ruffled his hair. "I'm your Noona now!" 

Seojun pouted. "Why?" 

"Because my birthday comes first!" 

"Seojun got a Noona now, and Areum is a big sister now." Sung-min chuckled, sitting across from them while having his water with Seojun pouting. "But I want to be a big brother and protect her!" 

Everyone awed at him and Areum pulled his cheek. "Silly, we can protect each other just like that!" 

"Really?" His rounded eyes met Gayoung and Baekhyun's who nodded as Seojun smiled. "Then Areum will protect me and I will protect Areum!" 

"Noona!" 

"Areum!" 

Both of them began their little bickering with Seojun running away in Granny's room to shower followed by Areum with Mongryong by her side where the elders also got up to do their own thing leaving the couple alone where Gayoung was just smiling toward Granny and Dodo having their everyday bickering not realizing the soft yet curious gaze Baekhyun held in his eyes staring at her while leaning back against the couch. 

As she was about to get up, her hand was grasped into a gentle tug to pull her back in her place as her shoulder collided with Baekhyun's who didn't seem to mind while their entwined hands were placed on his lap with a sigh leaving his lips when she didn't look at him. "Are you upset?" 

"No." 

He tilted his head. "Look at me." 

Gayoung bit her lip before slowly tilting her head to meet his eyes, and their eyes just bored into each other's for a moment in a way that a warmth was surrounded around them, something pleasant enough to waver their hearts until Baekhyun spoke up with a tilt of his chin. "Did I do something?" 

Gayoung blinked a couple of times to give him a squint of her eyes. "We were supposed to go on the morning walk together." 

Baekhyun gave her a blank stare for a moment. "That's it? That's why you were being pouty?" 

"I was not being pouty." Gayoung narrowed her eyes at him with an unconscious pout curling on her lips with Baekhyun's lips curving in a soft smile as his eyes fell on her exact pouty lips and for a brief second he felt a strange sensation ran through him to immediately look back in her eyes before imitating her expression. "You're making this pouty face right now." 

Gayoung's eyes averted to his pout to feel a tickle in her stomach with a light flutter to look back at him in disbelief. "I don't pout like that, and what do you mean that's it? I was so excited to go on the morning walk but you just left without me." 

"I didn't want to leave without you," He paused as his eyes turned serious as if his words wanted to be conveyed in a different emotion, something which Gayoung couldn't read but still felt as she stared back before she noticed his eyes turning playful. "But I couldn't help it since you sleep like a log even though I tried to wake you up several times." 

"Oh-" She nodded, looking away only to realize as she shot her eyes back toward him. "Sleep like what?" 

"Sleep like a log." He grinned, shrugging playfully. "Someone would kidnap you in your sleep and you wouldn't even know." 

"I'm not that bad!" 

"No, you're beyond that bad." He chuckled, with Gayoung whining to slap his arm as he just laughed it off where she attempted to get up only for him to tighten his grip on her hand to hold her in her place while smiling at her. "Guess what?" 

"What?" 

"I got to know the timing of the restaurant." 

Gayoung's eyes widened with delight as she looked at him. "Really?" 

The restaurant she wanted to go to was closed when she had asked Granny about it to pout over it but she didn't know Baekhyun would remember it enough to ask about it which had made her heart soften. 

"Shall we go, tomorrow?" He asked, looking more excited than her as she chuckled. "Okay, but don't leave me behind again." 

"Okay, don't sleep like a log again." 

"You-" 

Gayoung gasped, about to hit his arm again but he was fast enough to dodge it to get up with his soft laughter erupting in the living room as he walked to the stairs not before looking over his shoulder to her and the next thing he did left her surprised as he winked playfully to jog upstairs with a fluttering feeling in his heart not knowing Gayoung having the same feeling as well as she was frozen for a moment at his action to chuckle away with a warmth in her heart. 

They weren't aware of what was happening around them, or coming towards them but people around them could see it, as Granny and Sung-min stood by the kitchen door with a smile who had watched the entire scene with a relieved yet blissful heart. 

"I think I know why you were so stubborn about Gayoung being married to Baekhyun." She uttered, giving him a glance of an approval look in her eyes. "Because he is the best choice for her and Gayoung is for him." 

Sung-min slightly smiled, recalling how they had argued over the phone regarding the couple when he had informed about marrying Gayoung but the woman beside him was not ready for her granddaughter to go through the phase again but left the choice on Gayoung because in the end, it was her choice to matter but now she can see it, and was feeling satisfied for not interfering too much just like she didn't when it was her daughter's choice. 

"I guess, you have to admit that I'm a good judge of a person." He chuckled, and Granny gave him a done look. "This is the only thing you've done right besides having a good son." 

"My daughter in law is good too." 

"Because she's my daughter." 

"And you're saying this because you're jealous." 

"Get out of my kitchen." 

And their bickering got too loud enough for the sleeping people to get up from their deep slumber and by the time Baekhyun came down, he found everyone gathered in the living room with Sung-min and Granny on the couch focused on the TV in front of them with a face mask but with the pair, he found Yoora in the same way as he couldn't help but chuckle yet happy to see his friends getting along here. 

Min-Jae, Jung-Min and Woo-Jin's voices could be heard through the garden with Areum and Seojun along with Mongryong as he got a glimpse of him running around happily. 

His eyes automatically searched for Gayoung and as he heard the faint laughter coming from the kitchen, he could easily make out Gayoung's because her laughter had stood out the most, because that's the sound he had came to used to and liked to, as his lips were graced in a smile unknowingly while his feet walked towards the direction. 

The moment he walked in the kitchen, his brows knitted to find Yixing, Soo-Ah along with Ji-hu and of course, his wife gathered together around Young-MI who was standing by the stove frying something while the two women were helping her out with the men watching and waiting patiently for the dish to be prepared. 

Taking further steps, he stood right behind Gayoung who had her side leaning against the counter with him leaning his back against the counter where he leaned forward on his forearm on the counter with a tilt of his head towards Gayoung who seemed to be getting aware of his presence to immediately look over her shoulder to find Baekhyun's surprise look where she raised her eyebrows as if asking the reason behind his expression to which he just pointed at her mother. 

"Oh, mom is making an egg toast sandwich." She said, startling everyone who didn't seem to be aware of his presence with Gayoung chuckling. "Soo-Ah, Ji-hu and I really love it so she's making it for us." 

"What about this man?" He pointed towards Yixing with his chin who gave him a look to focus back on his task which was stealing glances at Soo-Ah who seemed to be blushing after knowing his doings while Gayoung, Ji-hu and Baekhyun exchanged the knowing look with each other as Gayoung chuckled. "He wants to try the sandwich." 

"I can see that." Baekhyun nodded, before his eyes spotted a pink scarf wrapped around Gayoung's neck. "When did you get this?" 

Gayoung followed his gaze to smile tenderly. "It's a gift from Granny, it's pretty, right?" 

Baekhyun stared at her for a moment with an intent gaze to nod. "It is." 

Gayoung felt a wave of heat rushed up her face at his sudden long gaze as she looked away only to see her mother filling the plate with some sandwiches while taking some for others, Young-MI left the kitchen leaving only four sandwiches in the plate as everyone was quick to pick each for themselves where Ji-hu scratched his jawline in a pondering expression to pick up or not and Gayoung was quick to give him one. 

Turning to Baekhyun, she was taken aback to find his sulky yet disappointed look and he was surprised at himself for feeling like that yet he found himself asking about it. "I thought you'd save me one." 

"Oh, I thought we could share one." 

She was quick to cut the sandwich in a half to forward him with a smile where Baekhyun stared at her with a blank but soon turned into a pleasant one as he straightened his posture against the counter to lean his head forward towards her with his mouth opening leaving Gayoung with a fluttering heart to feed him the small piece of sandwich in his mouth with her thumb brushing the corner of his lips sending chills down her spine. 

She was quick to pull back her hand with a rapid beating heart, while Baekhyun was munching joyfully. "It's actually really delicious." 

A smile curved on her lips. "Right?" 

At the moment, Young-MI walked in with the empty plate and a pair of blue hand gloves in her hand to wash the dishes for later where Baekhyun and Gayoung stared at the thing only to meet each other's eyes the next second with an amusement and as if they thought of the same thing, a smile graced their lips slowly to chuckle it away together. 

Four of the people in the kitchen looked at them confusingly as Yixing asked. "What happened?" 

Baekhyun shook his head with a smile. "Nothing, it's just our thing." 

"Our thing." Ji-hu blurted his words with a teasing smile. "Look at them, Baekyoung can't stop flirting with each other." 

"Yah!" Gayoung exclaimed, glaring at him but her flushed cheeks were saying something else which made them chuckle to walk away from the kitchen leaving the pair alone as Gayoung took a glance at him to point toward his corner of lips. "You have got some here." 

She turned to wash her hands in the sink but felt a slight tug over her scarf making her glance over to find Baekhyun wiping his lips with the end of her scarf where he instantly met her squinted eyes. "Really?" 

"We should make good use of it." He shrugged, playfully with Gayoung just shaking her head to wash her hands before Baekhyun peeked outside through the open window as he pointed towards Granny and Dodo. "They seem to be getting along." 

Gayoung stood beside him with a chuckle. "Well, they are kinda a complicated duo because," She paused to feel the tug over her scarf again to find Baekhyun playing with the thread of it as she slapped his hand only for him to do it again with her giving up. "They seem to like each other's company but won't admit it, you would find it surprising that Granny was the one who comforted Dodo when my grandma passed away and same goes for Dodo as well but they still act like they don't care about each other." 

"It seems complicated but it's like it's made for them." Baekhyun uttered, smiling at them before looking at Gayoung to find her already staring at him silently yet softly as if he was talking about themselves with him not being able to tear his gaze away from her as if it held them captivated for a moment. 

Gayoung's phone buzzed as she fished out to sigh. "I really can't choose which cake to order," She stopped to push the phone in Baekhyun's hand. "You choose." 

He leaned back against the counter again to scroll down the options with Gayoung leaning beside him peeking through it. "She likes princesses so should we go with Elsa? But she says I'm like her?"

Baekhyun gave her a confused look. "I thought you were a wonder woman?" 

Gayoung just shook her head with a look at him making Baekhyun chuckle as he pointed at Rapunzel. "Let's go with this." 

"Bear, the male lead's entry is here!" 

Sung-min shouted, where the next second Gayoung stepped forward to jog only to be stopped by the tug from her scarf with her hand clutching the other end of it quickly as she looked over her shoulder to find the thread wrapped around Baekhyun's index finger who gave her a disbelief scoff. "Did you just run carelessly to watch the drama's lead, professor?" 

Gayoung huffed, stopping in front of him to unwrap the thread around his finger. "You can't miss the entry of the male lead, doctor." 

Baekhyun just hummed with an offended look toward her but her focus was over his shoulder behind where she could see the TV screen but before she could see the scene, Baekhyun's face popped up in front of her as she immediately tilted her head towards the other side only for to do it again and he kept doing it making her tiptoe to jump only to whine. "Seriously?!" 

Baekhyun let out a laugh as he pulled her cheek where she pulled his cheek back with a hard pinch to run away as he attempted to catch her but she had left with her adorable laugh leaving him smiling to himself as he followed suit. 

After an hour or so, when the drama was finally over with the both elders of the house discussing it with much passion as if they were writing the drama, and at last, they joined the kids and the trio outside in the garden while Min-Jae and Woo-Jin playing badminton game with everyone ending up betting on each other to win the game. 

The target was Gayoung who seemed to be falling for the trap her best friend Ji-hu threw on her knowing it would work and indeed it was since she got up with a much competitive mood to win while leaning toward Baekhyun who was her partner. "We're winning. We're so winning." 

Baekhyun let out a chuckle. "I thought you weren't very competitive." 

"I'm not," She reached out, taking each end of the scarf around her neck to pull it around her hair in a ponytail to knot it twice leaving Baekhyun to stare at her in a daze where she, unaware at the moment to ramble. "Soo-Ah is really good at this game and I have been losing it every time they challenge me so this time I don't want Woo-Jin and Ji-hu to tease the hell out of me!" 

When she didn't get a reply from him, her eyes averted to him with a confused look to find her daze intent gaze as she felt her cheeks warming up to snap her fingers with Ji-hu whistling snapping him out as he flushed to clear his throat with Gayoung glaring at Ji-hu's teasing look as she huffed. "We're winning." 

Baekhyun ruffled her bangs to knock her forehead softly like he usually does with a smile. "I got it." 

"Oye, you Kwon Coach." Gayoung whisper-yelled while motioning him to come as the next minute he was standing with a confused look with Gayoung speaking up. "You be the whistler and let Yixing be Soo-Ah's partner." 

"What? Why?" He whined, "I always play coach at university, let me enjoy it here!" 

"No wonder, you don't have a girlfriend, we're literally trying to patch those two and here you're whining like a five year old kid." Gayoung shook her head with a done look and Ji-hu scoffed, but pouted. "Not like you have introduced me to any woman till now." 

"Don't worry, I'll help you with that." Baekhyun joked but stopped when Gayoung gave him a sharp look. "Why would you help him with that? And just how many women do you know?" 

"Wife investigation alerted." Ji-hu snickered, but instantly closed his mouth the moment he got Gayoung's glare before nodding as he walked away as he didn't want to be crushed by her racket in her hand with Gayoung looking back at Baekhyun who seemed to be standing with a blank look as she huffed. "I'm winning alone!" 

"Wait-Gayoung!" Baekhyun whisper-yelled, taking a hold of her forearm as she was about to go ahead with him as he made her stand beside him to tilt his head with a knowing look. "I thought we were partners, you're leaving your partner alone?" 

"Well, my partner seems busy discussing women with my friend," She smiled, sarcastically and Baekhyun his lips with a chuckle at her fuming look which seemed too adorable to be even offended by it as he tugged her arm gently to face him. "I meant Yoora, she knows the best and don't you want Ji-hu to settle down with a good partner by his side?" He paused, as he peeked through her face which somehow was turning into a pout of realization with Baekhyun's eyes turning playful. "So you want it, huh? I didn't take you like that, Gayoung." 

"No-wait-that's not it!" She whined, suddenly taking a thought of why she was even acting so childishly which just embarrassed her even more but Baekhyun was quick to wrap his arm around her shoulder as he leaned his head towards her ear. "Don't worry about it, and let's win." 

She gave him a nod with sparkling eyes and for a moment his heart fluttered to smile at her while soon getting into the game. 

It started pretty well, as they say their partnership is great and it was showing because of the countless times they scored in just a few minutes but Yixing and Soo-Ah weren't an easy duo to win over as they were taking over with four of them just bumping into each other to lose the score or just laugh at how their posture was funny yet Gayoung would find herself internally smiling over the way Baekhyun was trying not to get her hurt which went same for him as well. 

The family members were cheering with the kids as well while Ji-hu kept the sulky look on his face to participate in the game and as the last score was about to be happen which was by Gayoung throwing the shuttle towards the pair and her hopes almost crushed down when Soo-Ah was about to hit it back but she stumbled back on her foot with Yixing immediately taking a hold of her and the shuttle fall back on the grass. 

"Oh, yes!" 

Gayoung exclaimed, immediately throwing her arms around Baekhyun's neck who was quick to hold her by the waist to lift her off the ground in the flow to twirl around leaving everyone to smile at the sight. 

Leaning her head away from his neck, whose face was buried in her shoulder, she came face to face with him close enough to see his eyes smiling yet sparkling while still holding her in his arms. "Are you happy? You won." 

She nodded with a smile. "We won." 

"Hello, winning couple." Yoora intruded, as both of them turned to her as she smiled. "We're also here." 

As their eyes took a look at everyone, they found Granny taking pictures in her camera with both of them looking back each other only to realize their close proximity, and position to flush with a blush of warmth as the next second, Baekhyun placed Gayoung down gently to let go of her slowly while both of them finding hard to look at each other. 

"Why would you ruin their moment?" Sung-min chuckled, smiling at them tenderly as Gayoung just turned around to see Soo-Ah. "You okay?" 

"Yup, I made sure of it." Yixing nodded with a smile leaving Soo-Ah to blush with Gayoung giving her a teasing smile. "I guess, I don't have to worry about you now." 

Soo-Ah rolled her eyes. "Shut up." 

Gayoung just chuckled, before hearing Yoora and Yixing to show them around Gongju as they haven't seen it but just heard about it with Gayoung nodding since they had to shop as well for Areum's birthday party in the evening where the elders went inside followed by everyone while Gayoung showed her victory smile to Woo-Jin and Ji-hu as they walked together with Baekhyun just ahead of them talking to Yixing about an urgent call they had a while ago from the hospital. 

Woo-Jin just gave her a boring look. "I don't care." 

"Because you can't tease me about it now." 

"You think I have only one thing to tease you, Noona?" Woo-Jin smirked, wiping off her smile as he fished out his phone with an evil smile. "I have so much to show Baekhyun Hyung." 

Gayoung gave him a warning look wit