❝Happiness is holding someone in your arms and knowing you hold the whole world❞ - Orhan Pamuk

∞

One week. 

One week it has been since that day of chaos which followed by night of their first fight ever, behind their never ending what ifs, behind their worries of disappointments, but in those hard times, at the end of the night, they had confronted those emotions together, to be in this together like their embraced arms around each other. 

The day after that day, granny had to know about her condition and being scared, saddened, and miserable was an understatement, almost giving up the will of her life and at that moment, Sung-min, her ever enemy yet friend had made her understand the meaning of life, that she was getting a second chance to live again when it is given rarely to the people, and that how strong she has been throughout all of her life to give up just at this point. 

Granny had cried, because she was appearing to be strong again in front of her children, and grandchildren but Sung-min being her not-so-kind friend had understood her to the point to make her realize the meaning of getting a second chance of life to help get her confidence and strength again. 

And in those moments, Baekhyun and Junmyeon had played their roles too, while Baekhyun had played a bit more according to his different relationship with her to prepare her for the quick surgery which needed to be operated as quickly as possible. Hence, it happened, and this time Junmyeon had assisted Baekhyun in the surgery as well, like the first time he had done after assisting him before he had left for US and Baekhyun was more than delighted because Junmyeon was the one who have helped him out whenever he was having a hard time in those times. 

Fortunately, the surgery happened after the two days, but before he could have entered the OT, his family had told him not be pressurized about their presences just because they were his family because before anything, he was a doctor and they had a respect for him for it, and in that moment, Baekhyun had locked eyes with the one who had made him understand the same thing, the same words which brought nothing but a relief in his heart, and even more when Gayoung's eyes locked with his yet an understanding smile was graced on her lips, and that smile gave him much confidence to give her a nod back and came back with a success which was evident by his relieved smile. 

He wouldn't forget how Junmyeon had patted his shoulder with a smile, literally praising him about how he had gotten good at this, as no wonder the director had been nothing but impressed by him to which Baekhyun had just chuckled it off with a little shy grin of his, but the relief he had gotten from his family's happy smiles, and the comfort of Gayoung's embrace after that had him sigh of relief because he was nervous about the outcome but now it was okay. 

It was more than okay. 

Granny had to stay in the hospital for a while because given her age, she had a slow pace of recovery but Woo-Jin, along with Baekhyun and Junmyeon kept visiting her from time to time aside from the other family members, which included their friends too, and hence, the room was left with nothing but chaos yet it brought so much happiness and brought them more closer including Junmyeon. 

He didn't know after coming back he'd get to meet a heartwarming family, and people, let alone would get along with them as he had heard Yoora talking about them often on the phone call at how close she was with the family to visit Gongju and after being included in the family as well, he could tell why she was so chatty about it. 

And in the moment of their own time at Yoora's place, she had told him about being invited to Baekhyun's house and Junmyeon was baffled, because as far as he knows Baekhyun tells him himself if he wanted that on the call with him or at the hospital but after inquiring about it from his girlfriend, he got a reply of being friends with them, to invite themselves their own and he just had to roll his eyes. 

Gayoung was happy, and relieved. 

That one week wasn't really easy for her or him, or their family but it had passed like a darkening cloud being cleared to welcome the sunshine around them like a smile. 

She still remembers the way Baekhyun had engulfed her in a tight hug as if exhaling all of his tiredness or whatever emotions held behind it which she had understood it accurately because she had seen it the night they had argued, the night she saw how vulnerable he appeared out, and she was glad that he didn't hide it from her to be comforted by her like she had been when she was finding it hard to console her mother, Young-MI who was having the most hard time. 

However, she was delighted that those hard times were gone now or even if it passed by them in some moments again, she was sure that they would get through it all, together. 

__________

8:13 pm

The house of theirs was being chaotic as usual but the main reason for the chaos were the little ones of the house trying to dress up for the guest arriving in a few moments and because that special guest had taken a place in their hearts in just a week was still baffling for Gayoung, not that she hadn't seen Areum being excited about meeting Junmyeon since she had known and been close to him since she was little but Seojun would also take a liking to him after meeting him just twice had baffled her yet Baekhyun remained his first one since he was charmed by him the moment he had met him at his school. 

"Okay, Areum and I are going to wear a matching ribbon, okay princess?" Gayoung tilted her head, making a cute updo in her daughter's hair to clip it with a ribbon behind as an adorable gasp left her lips as she found herself looking at the mirror with the same hairstyle as her mother. "This is so pretty, mommy!" 

"Because, my Areum is the prettiest to make everything pretty." Gayoung cooed, not before smooching her chubby cheek as she couldn't help it after seeing her daughter dressed beautifully in blue her knee-length floral frock with a white cardigan since it was cold to give her a little twirl with a shy giggle. "I look so pretty!" 

"I'm prettier." 

Both of them turned to find the little Spider-Man of the house standing in his pants without shirt as Gayoung gasped. "Why are you standing like that? You're going to catch a cold!" 

"I won't, mommy." 

"You will if you don't listen to me and wear your white shirt." She gestured to him as she propped herself off the bed of Areum to walk to him as she grabbed the shirt lying carelessly by the footboard of his bed, to pull him closer to her gently as she gave him a playful glare to which he just giggled with sheepishly to whine afterwards the moment his head was tucked under the shirt as he ruffled his hair a bit after sliding his arms through the sleeves with Gayoung nodding, a satisfied grin on her lips. "Now, that's my handsome young man." 

"I'm a big man now though." 

"You're still my baby though." She imitated him, and kissed his cheek with a long smooch which irritates him like right now but Gayoung likes to like always, as she chuckled, fixing his messy hair before standing up while taking her phone from the small table of the room as it kept buzzing to walk out. "Don't mess up your clothes, I'll be back." 

The moment her screen lit up after unlocking her phone, her slow steps were walking towards their room as she was checking the messages from her friends with a smile on her lips to see the nervous Ji-hu for the first time in her life and that was just because of a blind date he was going to be at, the blind date which Yoora had taken a huge part of setting it up since the other lady was an acquaint of hers and the fun part was that Ji-hu didn't know about it until this morning she and Soo-Ah had broke the news to him. 

Curses were common like a courtesy between the three of them like every group of friends have, so him shouting and whining like a lunatic had them laughing but being his only female friends, they were always up on the ground to help him out like right now which was him asking about the outfit which Soo-Ah and Gayoung had chosen the same thing as usual before she went offline since she had to get ready too, to arrive at Gayoung's place. 

"Baby?!" 

Baekhyun voiced her out pretty loudly since he thought she'd be in the kid's room, unaware of her standing just a few steps far from the room but Gayoung being Gayoung, too immersed in her phone to even hear his calls until she had heard him again, loud enough to flinch her whole being. 

"Gayoung!" 

"That scared me." She mumbled, calming her heart as she palmed her chest to walk inside as the door opened with a jolt while Gayoung spoke up. "Why are you shouting like an old," Her words cut off the moment she saw the sight in front of her which had her eyes rounded a little to froze as her husband was standing by the closet, shirtless as his bare skin was just in front of her eyes to mumble out in a daze. "Man." 

"Because you weren't listening to me like an old woman." He stated, his head tilting toward her direction only to find her looking at him, yet her attention seemed to be in a daze as his brows furrowed but got the moment his eyes caught the crimson shade as the corner of his lips curved in a teasing smirk. "This reaction seems to be different from before." 

Gayoung snapped out, blinking a couple of times as he tilted his head, still a teasing smile on his lips. "Are you still going to deny checking me out, baby?" 

Her cheeks heated up, as she looked away biting her lips to calm her rapid heartbeat as she walked in, "Why are you standing like that?" 

"Like what?" 

"Like," She trailed off, swallowing to point at him standing shirtless to meet his eyes. "That." 

"You're saying it like you weren't checking me out a second ago." He rolled his eyes, and Gayoung scoffed, looking away. "I wasn't." 

"But you know you can check me out," He trailed off, raising his eyebrows with a knowing look as his eyes went up to down to meet her eyes. "I wouldn't really mind." 

Her eyes squinted with a shake of her head yet she felt the warmth crawling through her at his actions. "Like you're doing it now?" 

"Well, you look absolutely stunning," He paused, his lips curving in a soft smile as his head tilted. "I can't help it, baby." 

Gayoung rolled her eyes yet couldn't control the blushy smile gracing her lips which just hit his spot right there with a pleasant feeling to held out his hand for her with Gayoung quickly grasping it and found herself standing in front of the closet the next second with him standing behind her as his hands rested either side of his hips while she tried to peek through inside confusingly. "What am I supposed to do right now?" 

"I can't find my shirt." 

"What shirt?" 

"My white button down." 

"You wore it yesterday." 

"Really?" 

His tone came as a surprised one just by her ear as she shook her head with a mumble. "Seriously, I feel like taking care of three children yet I'm the forgetful one in the house, great sorcery." 

"And we're all yours, baby." 

She heard him whispering just by her ear with his arms locking around her waist, and a wave of heat rushed up to her the moment she felt the warmth radiating against her back through his bare skin and even more when she felt him nuzzling his face in her hair as his lips collided the shell of her ear sending a wave of warm chill through her to swallow as her hands around his hanging shirts clenched tightly. "What?" 

"You smell different." He mumbled, his lips still warm against her skin to which she slightly tilted her head the moment it sent a ticklish sensation. "Well, I changed my shampoo." 

"No wonder." 

"No wonder what?" 

"It felt differently good." His head dipped down in the curve of her neck as she felt his lips smiling and she had noticed that his lips would always stay in that place, smiling which would bring a smile on her lips automatically like right now. 

It wasn't the first time they were close, but their closeness these days would be extreme, too extreme to just feel like a burning sensation in them, yet somehow they couldn't back away, because that sensation, that feeling had given them a sense of comforting or pleasant feeling in its own way. There would be a time their intimate moments would get further than they would expect or without even knowing the lead of it, and the sudden air around them would feel different, too different to let their hearts flutter in a way they couldn't hate but completely opposite of it. 

Somehow they were getting the meaning behind those feelings, and those differently pleasant sensations but it was like they wanted it to happen in its own moment, because there wasn't any rush, they liked how things were, like they were in love and they were happy so the moment can wait, or let it happen like a blooming flow of its own. 

At the moment, her phone buzzed again to which she checked it to find Ji-hu's message about helping him to choose a decent watch with Gayoung peering through it with a much focused look which made Baekhyun to lift his head to see what she was doing and that's when Gayoung pushed her phone in front of him. 

"Which one?" 

He peeked through both watches to speak up. "Left one." 

Gayoung texted him back before nodding with a satisfied grin to raise her palm. "Nice dude!"

Baekhyun let out a chuckle to highfive it. "Thanks dude." 

"Okay, you gotta get ready now." She reached out, immediately fishing out a blue shirt while grumbling with a shake of her head. "You literally have collections of white and black, how come your favorite color is red when I don't even see you wearing it?" 

"Who says you have to wear your favorite colored shirt just because it's your favorite color?" He questioned, including his point of view and Gayoung frowned. "Whatever." She mumbled, to sigh. "Seriously, what're you gonna do without me?" 

"And that's the cue," He trailed off, turning her around slowly as she met his eyes but blinked a couple of times nervously as she looked away toward the curtain which seemed to be interesting for some reason with her hands against herself and Baekhyun tilted his head, frowning. "What are you doing?" 

"What?" 

"Why are you not looking at me, baby?" He asked, but soon his eyes took notice of her blushy cheeks and it was enough for him to understand as a teasing smile graced his lips as his head leaned closer to hers. "Are you nervous, baby?" 

Gayoung turned to him, their nose brushed in the moment like a tickle as her eyes squinted to find his expression. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"A lot." He stated, kissing her nose softly making her scrunch it yet a smile graced her lips before she felt his arms unwrapping around her waist to take a hold of her wrists as he wrapped it around his neck while his eyes boring into hers intently yet in a sense of intensity as she swallowed, with his palm either side of her waist. "I guess, I can't really do anything without you." 

Her eyebrows raised. "Seriously?" 

"Seriously." 

"That'd be kind of hectic then." 

"Why?" 

"What if I'm not here?"

His frown deepened, as he pulled her closer. "And where are you going?" 

"Market, at my work, or my maternal home," She counted on her fingers behind his neck with a lost look and Baekhyun cut her off. "Then we'd call you till-" 

"Till I switch off my phone." 

"Hey!" 

She let out a chuckle as she grabbed his face gently to squish his cheeks. "So cute." 

"What's that?" 

"Something that you are." 

"And I'm not that." 

"Then what are you?" 

"I'm hot." 

Gayoung gave him a look before nodding. "Well, if that's what you want to be." 

"But that's cute." He commented, reaching out to flick her ribbon clip supporting her updo and Gayoung smiled, as he kissed her cheek right after before stepping back from him. "Now, go and change." 

"Yes, my lady." He nodded, and walked away to the bathroom leaving her smiling with a shake of her head as she recalled the moment of him calling her exactly that being unaware of it and she was aware of it. 

But now both of them are aware of it. 

___________

9:04 pm 

"Jun!" 

Areum and Seojun exclaimed, marching towards the entrance where the man was walking in to smile, his wide smile as his eyes crinkled to find the kids running to him not even listening to their parent's shout of being careful which had him chuckle as the next minute, he crouched down to find their figures clutched to him in an embrace. 

"Woah, what did you do, babe?" Yoora questioned, her eyes watching the sight with an amazed face as she stood by him yet a smile graced her lips warmly and Junmyeon shrugged, as he patted their backs as they leaned away to stand up meeting her eyes. "I'm a likeable person, babe."

"Can we go inside?" 

Both of them turned to see Yixing standing there, a done look on his face while Soo-Ah standing beside him with her hand grasped into his and she had the same look as his boyfriend with Junmyeon raising his brows, amused. "Wow, I heard right about you both being similar together." 

"And I know who that could be?" Soo-Ah stared at Yoora who just gave her a playful shrug as Junmyeon chuckled, palming her back. "Let's go inside." 

Walking further inside, the women's greetings were enthusiastic as usual, with the men just watching them with a nonchalant look before Gayoung greeted Junmyeon properly this time which was reciprocated by him with a polite smile of his. "I had heard about you from Yoora but I apologize for not recognizing you at that time." 

"Oh, that's totally fine!" She exclaimed, a smile gracing her lips. "I could've recognized you but your juniors weren't really helpful," She paused to give a side look towards her husband and Yoora as they looked away with a shrug like they didn't know what she was saying to look back at him with a thankful smile. "But I really am thankful for your help that time, because if it weren't for you, then I would have totally lost it there, so thank you." 

He waved it off with a shy smile. "You're just too sweet, Mrs. Lee." 

"I know, right?" Gayoung let out a laugh and Baekhyun couldn't help but smile at that with a shake of his head which didn't go unnoticed by Junmyeon as he glanced at him to look back at her as she spoke up. "But you should be comfortable with me, and call me Gayoung like everyone else." 

He raised his eyebrows, before nodding. "Then, you have to call me Junmyeon too, like everyone else." 

"I'd like that." 

"Woah, no wonder you get along with everyone, Gayoung." Yoora wrapped her arm around her shoulder with an amused look and Gayoung chuckled, tilted her head with a smug grin. "Well, that's Gayoung for you!" 

"I thought that was for me?" Baekhyun frowned, his eyes glancing at her and earned a frown back from her. "Yeah, for you and for everyone else too." 

"I was tricked." 

"What's tricky about it?" 

Both of them got immersed in their bickering like they weren't standing in front of their friends right now which was a usual sight for them but it was something new for Junmyeon to witness, and the more he did, the more he found it amazingly good to witness it to come in that conclusion of it as well like how he had heard Yoora saying that they were made for each other and right now, he couldn't agree more. 

The night went further with a knock of snow outside the garden, like it had knocked with a sudden rain yesterday but now it was the soft snowflakes pouring in the green grass and trees around covering it with the white snow over it, yet the sight never seemed so beautiful before while the chatters kept going on inside the living room of theirs, the women had found the kitchen more interesting to have their own chit-chats and the men were seated on the couch with their own conversations. 

The kids had left to Mrs. Tae's home with Mongryong to play around, and to eat the homemade vanilla pudding by her which they love, and Gayoung also decided to learn it by her because she can see how much the kids love it and so for them, she wanted to learn it to see the excited smiles on their faces. 

"Oh, how's Ji-hu's blind date going?" 

Yoora inquired, taking a sip of her red wine to place it back on the kitchen counter as she placed herself on the stool and Soo-Ah leaned forward, her glass of wine placed by her side as she pushed her phone in front of her while scrolling through the messages and Yoora laughed out loud, since the messages were nothing but Ji-hu being nervous and excited. 

"He's so cute, man." She commented, letting out another giggle as Soo-Ah made a face but still chuckled, shaking her head as she couldn't agree more. "I don't want to admit but yeah."

"He must be arriving in a few though." Gayoung intruded, bringing her glass up to her lips as she took a little sip to enjoy the savory taste of it as a satisfied hum left her lips to place it on the counter as she placed her both hands on it afterwards to look at Yoora. "How do you think the date must be going?"

"From what I know, Ms. Lim seems to be an easy-going type." Yoora nodded to herself for her chosen words, "And given how our Ji-hu is, the date must be going hella good!" 

Soo-Ah frowned. "He's a nervous wreck though." 

"Hey!" Gayoung exclaimed, her eyes rounding. "But he's still our handsome nervous dumbo Ji-hu, okay? I hope he finds herself a great person for himself." 

"I hope so." Soo-Ah nodded, and both of his female best friends stared at each other with a smile hoping for their best friend's goodness and Gayoung looked back at Yoora with an excited expression as she peeked through Junmyeon then back to her. "How did you two meet by the way?" 

Soo-Ah's eyes widened with the exact excitement. "Oh, I also wanna know." 

Yoora blinked, suddenly blushing under their curious gazes to clear after the quick sip of her wine. "Well, Jun is Baekhyun's senior and Baekhyun was almost with him, be it assisting him in the operation or discussing about it and got close since then, so he suddenly joined us in the cafeteria too together and that's how we met and got to know how compatible we are together, " She paused, with a chuckle as she glanced at him to find his eyes locking with hers swiftly to smile as she smiled back warmly to look back at the ladies giving her a teasing smile as she chuckled. 

"Stop that, so yeah, we grew closer and he suddenly asked me out on a date and I couldn't refuse and that's how things got further but then he got an offer to study more about his profession," She trailed off, leaning forward to palm her chin with a pout. "Of course, I felt so many emotions of how things would go? Or would we drift apart from the long distance relationship but my besties and Jun just made me realize that if there's sincerity and efforts from both sides then nothing could drift us apart and so being his junior and girlfriend, I supported him and he, to me and that's how we're here."

 Soo-Ah smiled at her. "We're happy for you." 

"Me too." She giggled, and Gayoung tapped her palm against the counter with a widest grin on her lips. "Like I said before, you're the coolest dude I've ever seen!" 

"Dude?" 

"Oh, she's been watching a lot of dramas lately." Soo-Ah commented, and Yoora nodded with a giggle. "So like Gayoung but wait, I think I have a picture of Ms. Lim." 

Gayoung's eyes rounded. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!" 

"Well, you never asked me, Gayoung." 

"Forget her and show me." Soo-Ah leaned towards her as Yoora opened her phone to look for the picture with Gayoung trying to reach out to them since she was standing the other side of the counter with a pouty frown almost stretching ahead as her feet tiptoed until a voice spoke up behind her. "You can just walk to them instead of hurting yourself, baby." 

Gayoung was quick to get back straight on her feet as she heard him chuckling behind her to tilt her head over her shoulder to find him pouring the wine in the glass as she frowned. "Is it your second glass?" 

He hummed, taking a sip of it. "Why?" 

"You can't even handle it later." 

"I can handle it just fine, baby." He stated, poking her waist softly before pointing at the glasses. "Which one is yours?" 

Gayoung frowned, pointing hers which showed almost empty glass leaving one or two sips as she had yet to chug it down until Baekhyun had taken it to chug it down himself leaving her gasp, and not just her but the two ladies in front of them with him placing the glass back as he smacked his lips softly. "It was your third glass, and we can't let you get drunk, baby." 

"I don't get drunk easily." 

"Sure." He nodded, stretching his arm over her shoulder from behind to squish her cheeks gently to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "Enjoy." 

He stepped back to walk away to the living room and Gayoung rolled her eyes watching his back with a grumpy look. "Enjoy, my ." 

"Language, baby." 

"I don't care." 

He just chuckled it away with Gayoung looking back at the ladies to find their unamused look on their faces. "He always does this." She complained, with Yoora and Soo-Ah looking at each other to shrug with a shake of their heads before Soo-Ah gestured her to come to them with Gayoung complying with a stomp of her foot and that sight didn't go unnoticed by Baekhyun as he tilted his head down with a chuckle because he just enjoys teasing her and her reactions just never cease to make him happy. 

His eyes unconsciously glanced at Junmyeon sitting comfortably beside him on the couch, with his eyes already on him and Baekhyun's forehead creased. "Stop looking at me, I have a wife and you have a girlfriend, hyung." 

Junmyeon was quick to roll his eyes with a glare toward Yixing who let out a humorous laugh at Baekhyun's joke with the latter laughing along with him until he got a slight kick on his foot which had him hiss but Junmyeon didn't react to it, to lean back comfortably. "I guess, I shouldn't be worried about you now." 

Baekhyun frowned. "What do you mean?" 

"I was kind of worried when you had told me about getting married again, and given how you have been refusing to do it since long so it was shocking and I wanted to ask a lot of questions about it, if you're being pressured, or forced but I know you well so I was sure you wouldn't let it happen to you or Areum or anyone else. " His lips curved in a gentle smile to take a quick sip of his wine as he met his eyes again. "But seeing you now like this, happy and carefree, I'm glad that I didn't question anything back then, and that it's good to see you like this, like this home too." 

Yixing raised his eyebrows. "What about home?" 

"It feels like home now, complete if I say." He stated, shrugging and the both males stared at him attentively enough as Yixing nodded, while Baekhyun let out a chuckle. "You never lectured me this much regarding my profession." 

Junmyeon chuckled. "You didn't need it though." 

"Yeah, no wonder she calls me a genius." He mumbled, his eyes darting toward Gayoung for a moment with an adoring gaze to look back at him with a nod. "And I am happy." 

"We can see that, you bragging ." Yixing commented, rolling his eyes and both of the males were left with a laugh. 

The doorbell rang where Soo-Ah got off the stool to immediately open the door to find Ji-hu standing there with his ever beaming smile as he walked past her inside to open his arms. "The main character of the day is here!" 

Everyone turned to him with a smile with the ladies immediately throwing their questions of their long lasting curiosity starting Soo-Ah. "Yah, main character, how did it go?" 

"Did you manage to impress her or did she impress you?" 

"How did you both start your conversation?" 

"Greetings?" 

"Please, greetings are easy, Gayoung." 

"You don't know how clumsily he greets people, Yoora." 

"God, give me a break, womens!" Ji-hu exclaimed, shutting them off as he glared at them. "Give me a glass of water!" 

"Oh, gentleman, you should shift yourself here." Yixing waved at him, and Ji-hu was quick to follow with a relieved smile. "My saviors!" 

Though he was saved from the three glaring ladies behind, but knowing how they are, he still couldn't save himself to spill whatever had happened there, how nervous he was, or the other person was, but at the end, the feeling was a positive one and the most positive thing was the happiness bubbling in him. 

But guess what? The credits were snatched by the three ladies at the end, but who cares? Because happiness was around them and that's what it all matters. 

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