❝Some people say coincidences are meaningful. That it's the universe trying to tell you something❞ - Laurelin Paige.

___________

11:20 am

Later that day, Baekhyun, along with Areum and his father visited the Columbarium, like they always do every year where in the moment, Areum had an urge to use the washroom and fortunately, a Theme Park was located just a ten minute drive away. 

One thing was solved then another one had popped up as he couldn't go to the ladies washroom and he knew Areum was old enough to go alone there but it was a park filled with a crowd and he feared if anything would happen so, he couldn't take the risk. 

However, heavens probably had heard him loud enough as his eyes spotted Gayoung a few meters ahead, clad in a formal black outfit with Seojun and an old aged man whom she was talking to by the wooden bench where he was sitting. 

At this point, Baekhyun couldn't choose if he should be surprised or be nonchalant about the time he's been running into the woman in front of him, as he found himself being curious as he knew that coincidences do happen but do they happen that frequently? 

“Gayoung, Auntie!”

Baekhyun was pulled out of his trance as he heard his daughter's exclamation, making him look down at her to find her eyes twinkling with a spark and a beaming smile on her lips toward Gayoung, which had his stomach to twist in an unfamiliar knot to which he couldn't make out the reason behind it, yet. 

However, he could make out the glint of adoration behind Areum's eyes because it's something he had seen it before, and it wasn't a difficult emotion because it was longing and he knew what kind of emotion it was, and it hurt him but at the same time scared him since it was leading to something impossible conclusion which he wouldn't be able to do. 

Back to Gayoung, who had heard her name so softly yet so brightly, instantly tilted her head towards the direction of the voice to find Areum's wide smile with her hand clutched in Baekhyun's hand where a middle-aged man was standing beside Areum. 

Three of them were clad in a black outfits, just like them since it was her grandmother's memorial day and there was no doubt behind their outfits as well as she understood where her eyes slowly averted to Baekhyun who was looking at Areum but as if something had hit his system, he swiftly turned to look ahead only to lock eyes with Gayoung. 

Being surprised was an understatement as Gayoung didn't expect them to be here but here they were, walking towards where she was standing with Seojun by her side. 

“Mr. Lee?” Mr Byun, Baekhyun's dad spoke up with a surprised look on his face, as soon as they stopped close to them where Lee Sung-min, who was seated on the bench immediately looked up confusingly only to get surprised. “Mr. Byun.”

Lee Sung-min propped himself up from his seat as he turned to Mr. Byun with a smile who reciprocated his smile before shaking their hands together as Sung-min chuckled. “It's a surprise meeting you here.”

“I hope it's a pleasant one.” Mr. Byun chuckled, and the latter nodded with a light laugh. “Of course.”

Before they could've talked further, both of them felt gazes over them as they turned to see Baekhyun and Gayoung staring at both of them with a questioning yet confused expression. 

“Oh, isn't that Dr. Byun?” Sung-min let out yet another surprise tone as Baekhyun smiled toward him. “How have you been, Mr. Lee?”

“Am I the only one who's confused here?” 

Everyone turned to Gayoung who still had a confused look where she felt a tug around her hand to find Seojun's frowned face. “Me too.”

“Me too.”

This time, it was Areum who spoke up as Baekhyun chuckled at his daughter with his hand caressing her head and Sung-min looked at her with a smile. “Are you Areum?”

“Hello.” Areum bowed, with her bright smile towards him, making both her father and grandfather smile at her proudly where Gayoung's lips also curved in a gentle smile as she waved at her along with Seojun. “Hi, Areum!”

She smiled back before Mr. Byun and Lee Sung-min explained as how they know each other and that was because both of them had been meeting through their business meetings and as for Baekhyun, Lee Sung-min had met him at the hospital during one of his check up sessions as Yixing was his doctor and Baekhyun being his friend led him to meet him. 

Three of them often had a chit-chat and that's how Lee Sung-min knew that Baekhyun was a single father as he'd told him about Areum. 

Gayoung surely was surprised again, his grandfather knew Baekhyun, and he was a senior to Woo-Jin and even Yixing whom she had met one or two times during the sessions but never met Baekhyun but now suddenly they were running into each other more often. 

“Ms. Lee,” Baekhyun called out, and Gayoung averted her gaze from the two males to Baekhyun with a questioning look where she noticed him scratching his neck awkwardly making her smile a bit. “What happened?”

“Dad, can I ask?”

Areum looked up at him as Baekhyun looked back at her blankly, before her eyes darted to Gayoung where she saw Areum motioning to come close to her with her hand cutely. 

An unconscious chuckle left her lips as she bent over her level as Areum tilted her head to her ear. “I have to use the washroom but dad won't let me go alone and he is shy, so he is not asking.”

A smile curved on Gayoung's lips after hearing it, and she nodded. “Oh, that's what it is.”

Standing straight, her eyes stopped at Baekhyun who gave her an awkward look before looking away from her, making her chuckle where he looked back at her and cleared his throat. “The park is filled with a lot of people so I don't feel assured by leaving her alone and you're the only person I know.” 

The words he said, straightforwardly and in a way to lay out his point which Gayoung found commendable and she could understand the concern behind it very well since she also goes through this situation everyday. 

“I understand,” She uttered, nodding as her eyes went to Seojun as a chuckle left her lips. “I also have a similar situation.” 

Seojun gave her his pouty look to which Gayoung imitated his expression before caressing his cheek softly. “Don't wander around, okay? Mommy will be back.” 

“I know!” Seojun whined, stomping his foot lightly making everyone giggle as Baekhyun ruffled his hair with a smile before looking back at Gayoung. “I'm here, don't worry.” 

She stared at him for a moment as his words really did assure her in a way she couldn't grasp onto it but still nodded before stretching out her hand towards Areum. “Let's go, Areum!” 

“Yes!” Areum nodded, smiling as she grasped her small hand in Gayoung's warm ones before turning to Baekhyun. “Dad, We'll be back!” 

Both of them walked away as Baekhyun watched how carefully Gayoung was leading Areum by her side, then his words suddenly had hit the back of his head making him question it. 

I'm here. 

Why did he say that? The elders were right beside him but how come those words were uttered like he was here to protect him? It didn't get to him, and when it didn't, he shrugged it off nonchalantly, not finding it meaningful but maybe, it would get meaningful later. 

And he wasn't aware of it, yet. 

Back to the elders, who had been watching the entire scene like a movie, without any interruption as if it would have ruined the moment they were noticing their children were having at the moment. 

Something strange had irked in their minds, something which could change the way things are going on right now and it would probably lead to somewhere better. 

At the moment, both Mr. Byun and Lee Sung-min turned to each other and the look they gave each other, they didn’t have to put it in words because both of them probably wanted this. 

“So, you're Seojun!” Mr Byun exclaimed, smiling at him as he stood in front of him while patting his back gently. “I have heard a lot about you!” 

“That I'm handsome!” He exclaimed back, his grin widening and both elders laughed wholeheartedly at his remark, including Baekhyun whose head shook while pinching his cheek. 

Seojun instantly took a seat beside Baekhyun on the bench, imitating Baekhyun's way of sitting as he was leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs and that sight didn't go unnoticed by Baekhyun, as he tilted his head towards him only to have his lips curving up in a soft smile. 

“What are you doing?” He questioned, leaning by his side and Seojun let out a shy smile at him with his eyes twinkling. “Because, you're so cool!” 

Baekhyun couldn't help but chuckle at him, and took a glance to the elders to find them immersed in some conversation before looking back at Seojun to find him looking in a particular direction where Baekhyun's eyes followed his gaze to see some kids playing basketball by the nearby court. 

He tilted his head toward Seojun. “Do you want to play with me?" 

“Really?!” Seojun's eyes widened with a glint spark before his head bobbed cutely as he jumped off the bench. “Yes!” 

“Careful!” Baekhyun uttered out, but still chuckled as he ruffled his hair before kneeling down in front of him as Seojun eyed him confusingly only to see him tying his shoelace and as Baekhyun was done, he looked at him with a smile. “We can't let you get hurt, mommy's going to worry.” 

A beaming smile graced Seojun's lips and he felt contented at Baekhyun's behavior towards him, before he saw Baekhyun standing up to take off his blazer and held his hand out for Seojun to which he instantly grasped it with a smile as they walked to the court together. 

And, again the scene didn't go unnoticed by the two elders, as they watched the two of them going ahead before they looked at each other with an understanding yet unspoken words which they couldn't find as how to put it but had gotten the sign behind it. 

Gayoung reached out, taking Areum by her underarms to place her on the counter as she helped her wash her hands where she began to wash her hands afterwards. In the moment, she felt her gaze as her eyes instantly met her hazel ones looking at her with such an adoration which warmed her heart. 

A soft smile curved on Gayoung's lips. “Do I have something on my face?” 

“You're pretty.” Areum uttered, with a shy smile as her eyes went to her braided hair. “It's like Elsa!”

“And, Areum is prettier.” Gayoung smiled, as her hands caressed her brown hair. “Because, it's like rapunzel.” 

“But rapunzel has loooong hair.” Areum stretched her arm ahead, making Gayoung giggle as she tapped her nose gently. “So what? Her hair was silky like Areum!” 

“Yes!” 

“Yes!” Gayoung imitated her exclamation, before she pointed towards her loose ponytail. “Areum, can I redo it?” 

She instantly nodded, and Gayoung slid her hair band off her hair before redoing it in a high ponytail again and gestured her to look at the mirror. “It's done!”

“It's so pretty!” Areum exclaimed, as she looked back at her, doing her a little bow. “Thank you!” 

“You're welcome.” Gayoung copied her gesture, making her giggle and her heart melted hearing her giggles before she giggled back and both of them left the washroom afterwards. 

As they were approaching everyone, Gayoung found the two elders clapping and cheering toward a direction making her look at the direction to find Baekhyun and Seojun playing basketball joyfully. 

“Woah!” Seojun exclaimed, clapping excitedly as soon as Baekhyun threw the ball in the hoop where Baekhyun looked back at him to find Seojun's admiration towards him. “So cool like Ironman!” 

A laugh escaped Baekhyun's lips as he approached him. “Do you wanna do that?” 

“Yes!” 

“Come here.” 

Baekhyun took a hold of him from behind by his waist as he lifted him up toward the hoop where Seojun threw the ball in the hoop instantly and squealed loudly with an excited clap. 

“I did it!”

Gayoung, who stood there watching them with a smile as she saw how her son was enjoying but as if something had hit her system, her eyes turned blank then in realization, a conclusion which she found hard to admit. 

Seojun looked happy, and it was something to be happy about but she also saw how his eyes were looking at Baekhyun in a different glint of yearning, a yearning which would bring nothing but disappointment. 

And Gayoung feared it. 

It scared her because it was something impossible and she didn't want Seojun to go through it because it would hurt him and it was never the thing she wanted around him. 

“Dad!”

Areum's gentle tug has brought Gayoung's mind back to the present, as she found herself getting dragged ahead by Areum where the elders were seated, and where her son was coming hand in hand with Baekhyun. 

“Mommy, did you see me playing?!”

Seojun exclaimed, wounding his arms around Gayoung with an excited grin on his lips as he looked up at her and she nodded with a beaming smile. “I did, and my Spiderman played so well!” 

“Right?!” He giggled, “I can beat Ji-hu uncle now!” 

“Of course you will!” Sung-min intruded, patting his head as he chuckled before Seojun turned to Areum. “I was good, right?”

“My dad is the best!”

Areum said, confidently as she held Baekhyun's hand where Baekhyun chuckled, caressing Areum's hair and while doing so, his eyes noticed how Areum's ponytail looked a little different from before and he didn't had to think twice about who was behind it, nor he spoke up about it as if he didn't had to. 

“Then I will learn to be the best!” Seojun snapped back, with an offended tone as he was one stubborn and competitive kid, and Gayoung pressed her lips together as she thought that he doesn't take after her in this category. 

A few seconds of her thinking about it again. And yes, he definitely doesn't or maybe he did, after all. 

Soon, it was time to go home, both families left together by crossing the gate to their cars leaving the place to their destination, but the destination was just there, and they just had to come around to get there to their home. 

_______________

Days had passed, three days to be precise, and everything was going as it usually goes in both lives. 

Baekhyun and Gayoung going to their respective workplaces and spending time with their children and families and both of them had a similar thought about each other that the coincidental meeting of them in those days would have been just some coincidence because after that day, they hadn't met or that's what they had thought. 

However, in their usual days, both of them had found an unusual mention of the other person in their family. 

Baekhyun and Areum were being mentioned by Sung-min, as well as her younger brother Woo-Jin, since he knows him already where Gayoung's father, Lee Jung-Min who also got to know about him being their business acquaint's Mr Byun's son, then there was her own son, Seojun who couldn't stop his praises toward him and that's how she got to know that he was a single father. 

Well, the same thing was happening in Baekhyun's place as after the coincidental meeting from that day, both his father and his daughter have been mentioning her and Seojun from time to time in their conversation. Mr Byun had been staying over since the last three days as there was an upcoming business meeting of his in a few days in Seoul so he had stayed here with Baekhyun's mother who had also arrived that day. 

It felt confusing and strange having them being mentioned in their families which both of them didn't even know about but still felt the same, and they thought it wouldn't mean that much as they had been meeting accidentally a few times and it wouldn't happen anymore. 

But, again, that's what they thought. 

It was almost 5 in the evening and Gayoung found herself in the infirmary of the university where she works at, and the place to hang out with her friends as ahead on the chair was seated her bestfriend Chae Soo-Ah and in one of the resting beds, was lying an exhausted coach and their friend, Kwon Ji-hu. 

They have been best friends since their high school days, and it was four of them before and that was Yoon Tae-woong. 

It was in the beginning of last year in high school when Gayoung and Tae-woong started dating, because both of them were friends and knew everything about each other to liking each other. Both Soo-Ah and Ji-hu were happy for them and after completing their university, they had gotten married and their friends were the ones who had persuaded Gayoung's family for the marriage. 

But who knew it would end so soon and so tragically? Tae-woong was out of their lives the day they got separated, he cut all of his contacts with Soo-Ah and Ji-hu and Ji-hu was the one who told them that he had gone abroad which he also got to know from one of his friends which had definitely hurt him but with hurt there was an anger too. 

“Do you think this is your bedroom?” Chae Soo-Ah stated, eyeing the lying man with her ever stern look and got an unfazed look by him as he stayed still. “My bed is way more comfortable than this, Doc.”

Soo-Ah always has been a reserved, introverted girl and her extrovert sight was known by Gayoung and Ji-hu only, so other people often mistake her side too and this side had also gotten her the name of ice-lady. 

“Then get lost.” She spat, and Gayoung shook her head. “Must you two do this right now?”

“I'm tired, and she's not letting me rest.” He groaned, running a hand through his hair as he sat up before giving a soft look toward Gayoung. “Are you leaving?”

Gayoung gave him a nod, before standing up. “Gotta go, I have to pick up Seojun from school and Dodo from the hospital too.”

“How's his basketball going?” Ji-hu questioned, and with the mention of this, Gayoung got a sudden flashback of the day she found her son playing with Baekhyun happily where Soo-Ah noticed her lost state, making her knock the table softly. “Gayoung?” 

“Huh?” She snapped out, giving her a blank look before smiling. “Nothing.”

Soo-Ah just nodded, though she noticed something strange but didn't question it out yet, because Gayoung would tell her eventually later where Ji-hu also nodded, giving her a smirk. “So, Spiderman isn't doing it well?”

“Shut up, he's gonna beat you up.” Gayoung giggled, walking out of the room with her exclamation behind. “Bye!”

Soo-Ah looked back at Ji-hu with a scowl. “Why are you still here? Get lost!” 

“I'm sleepy!”

“Go home, then!” 

Gayoung could hear them even from afar but still chuckled, because however loud or annoying they were being, they were still her best friends who had been by her side and she was grateful for it. 

But unknown to her, she was going to be grateful for someone else too. 

____________________

Baekhyun took the last bite of the chocolate bar he had been having and dusted off his hands to wipe them up with the tissues, before hopping himself off from the chair to look ahead only to knit his brows together. 

“Why are you both still here?”

In front of him were his friends, Yixing and Min Yoora, the gynecologist, sitting on the small couch of his cabin and a place to hang out today as it was Baekhyun's turn to let his cabin be filled for a hang out today. 

Yixing and Baekhyun have been besties since high school, and entered the medical school together and that's where they met Min Yoora, their classmate who was assigned an assignment with them. Since then, the trio has been best of friends, even got to have a job in the same hospital and Baekhyun met Aera there who also turned around to be a schoolmate of Yoora. 

Meeting each other, they clicked well by finding similarities in each other, which brought a liking later and got married too, but soon they lost her, it was tragic, painful but they had to go on and they did, but so did their friendship. 

Yixing leaned back against the couch with a sigh. “Come on, I still have to check my patients later.”

“And I still have thirty minutes to clock out.” Yoora spoke, leaning back