"For you and Ari, I'll do anything." 

"Babe, please... there's more to come."

They were the center of his whole world... and they always will be.

The living room area was nicely decorated. There were balloons everywhere and presents were on one of the tables. There was plenty of food and drinks to go around. Both families were there including the Kims as well. The girls were running around excited as well. Areum made sure that the music list was a mix of everything so that all could enjoy it.

As always, Areum thought about everything and everyone. She made sure everybody has filled glasses with drinks, and snacks if some haven’t taken them. While Eunji helped her in making small desserts for later.

The only thing missing was Baekhyun, but she should be arriving soon. 

"Is everything ready?" Areum asked. 

"It is," Layla smiled. "Don't worry."

"At times, she panics," Junmyeon teased his sister.

"At times, he has a death wish," Areum stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't those two remind you of our kids?" Mr. Byun nudged his wife.

"Don't remind me," She chuckled.

"They have their moments," Eun chuckled.

“Areum is like my daughter,” Eugene said, “when she panics she lifts the whole house on fit. My sister can’t keep up with her energy.”

Eunji glared. “Thanks for your support, mom.” She smiled sweetly, “not my fault people can’t keep up with me.” 

"Besides, if it weren’t for us, you men would be a mess," Areum chuckled. 

"Ha. Ha," Junmyeon rolled his eyes.

"She has a point," Eun said.

"Poor Baek with you!" Junmyeon teased. "Lovely supporting wife…"

"He will be here in 5 minutes!" Jongin suddenly said. 

Areum motioned them to hide and turn off the lights as they hid. Baekhyun’s whistle could be heard and soon after his voice sang the well-known tune from the ‘50s. 

Da da da, da da dumb dumb da

Da da da, da da dumb dumb da

If there's anything that you want

If there's anything I can do

Just call on me and I'll send it along

With love, from me to you

I've got everything that you want

Like a heart that's oh so true

Just call on me and I'll send it along

With love, from me to you...”

He continued his happy whistling and the lights until the people jumped and screamed in surprise, his eyes widened. “What the--” 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" 

His heart raced fast as he saw happy faces, especially his future wife, and grinned. “Yeah...thank you...I... when did you have time to prepare this,” he blinked in shock. 

"Areum did it all," Layla said. "We just helped, son."

“I said no fuss, mom!” He pouted. 

"It's all your girl's idea!" The woman grinned. 

Areum smiled and walked up to him. "Happy birthday, Byun." 

He smiled lovingly at her and kissed her lips, not caring if others were there. He heard cat whistles and protests. 

“Yah! Get a room, you two...”

Areum blushed. "Anyway, it’s your time to shine and enjoy yourself."

“I shall. Jongin! Play us some Beatles! Time to party!” 

"You got it, dude!" 

Eunji rolled her eyes. “Don’t party too hard, love.” 

"Like old times," Jongin winked.

“As long as I don’t sing...” she muttered. 

"You have a great voice!" Jongin said.

Areum pulled Baekhyun to the dance floor. "Shall we dance?"

He pulled her to him close and twirled her. “Well, you are dancing already, baby girl.”

She chuckled. "We are aren't we?" She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Baekhyun noticed a glowing light that was deceased and faded in the dark. She had the most brilliant smile that could melt winter away. He was blinded. By her, by love. 

"You alright, love?" She whispered. 

“No, I am blinded forever,” he grinned. 

"You silly man," She winked.

He wiggled his eyebrows as he twirled her. “Your silly man, your silly adorable, dorky man,” he smirked.

She couldn’t help but laugh. "I know that smirk, Byun." 

“What smirk?” He winked, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

"Sure you don’t," She rolled her eyes playfully. 

Baekhyun and her continued dancing, throughout he saw her having fun of her life. Compared to the girl he met, she was different. She was reserved, distant. but within the time, she was opening up more and more to him. And then he started forming feelings. He thought it was nothing, but each day, she started showing more qualities he liked. She was what his mother was to his father - a rock. Areum was the important essence of his life. He didn’t realize he was staring until she poked his cheek and he puffed them out, making grimaces. 

"What ya staring at?" She asked playfully.

“Hm, tall slim female,” he smirked, “has a beautiful pair of eyes, nice .”

She blushed, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

“Somebody is shy,” he grinned, poking her sides. 

“Someone is making me shy,” She poked his sides.

He caught her hands and twirled her once more. “How can I not?”

She smiled brightly. “You win anyways, but I’ll have my revenge.” She winked. 

“Oh really?” Baekhyun smirked. “And how?”

“You’ll see,” Areum smirked. “It’s no fun if I tell you.”

“I can’t wait.”

He pulled her by the waist, giving her another kiss.

*

“Your daughter shook me to senses,” Layla started the conversation.

Eungene smiled at the woman’s words. “She is in that area after me,” she replied, “when I was her age I was strong, outspoken, carefree. However, within the time my voice...” she trailed off without finishing. 

Layla looked at her and nodded her head. “I guess we all have a story, don’t we?”

Eungene nodded. 

Her husband, Shin Dongwon wasn’t the man of her choosing. He knew that just as she did. It was arranged. Arranged marriages were still tradition after-war years. Older people used them as a reason for forcing choices upon them. Eungene wasn’t an exception. She couldn’t escape. She wasn’t allowed to finish university and have her life. That marriage resulted in her gaining bipolar disorder, better known as manic depression. the worst kind of depression ever. A lot of people who were hit by this kind of depression could live life, but with constant monitoring of therapists and medications. Eungene hated her parents and her family. 

The world. 

Herself. 

Layla looked at the woman.

“Yes, we do,” she replied, “mine is probably the worst.”

“Do you wish to talk about it?” 

She nodded. 

“He was charming, he was kind to me. He promised to me things, they all do, and then when we got married, the first sign was - breaking of their routine,” she said, “I had a meal with my long-time friend, and he was annoyed. Just like that, he started to change.”

She paused. 

“And then the first slap happened around Christmas when I said I wanted to spend time with my family and friends,” she said, “he started with verbal abuse, then with mental manipulation. And then emotional. Everything I said he turned it over.” 

Layla gulped as she listened carefully. She knew the pattern as she once went down that road. They were all the same and she couldn’t help but sigh. 

“And then physical abuse started. It never stopped. He would push me downstairs. that’s how I lost our first child. I never told that to Eunji or him. Nobody knew that just Chanyeol’s mother did, my sister. She took me to hospital, and thankfully I stayed two days, while he was on the trip,” she whispered. 

Her eyes turned to Layla. “And then I had Eunji. Thankfully he stopped the abuse. I was surprised, but he continued after I recovered, calling me a nuisance. I tried escaping many times, but he’d always drag me back, and the abuse would become worst. When Eunji was 13... she saw an incident...a scene no teenage girl should see. The two of them fought... Eunji, being a fighter, pushed him off me, but he momentarily went after her and she shoot him. Me?” 

She smiled. Layla’s eyes softened. 

“I got voices in my head, hallucinations, PTSD that made my state worse and worse. I would disappear for days, driving the car while being drunk. Each time I return home, my own child takes responsibility for me and it angers me. Because I knew that was not the way. I should look after her. So, I pushed her away... When she left, I was happy...but my illness made me make the biggest mistake...hurting my baby. Jongin’s mother shake me to my senses, like Eunji probably shake you but for different reasons...and I checked into a mental institution. That became my life now.. because my parents...ruined my life. Because of them...I as a parent.” 

“Stop it, mom...”

Layla turned to look at Eunji. “It’s alright, I asked her.”

Eunji shook her head. “You don’t as a parent, you never as a parent, he who is rooting in hell was a wanna-be parent. Not you, even if you had voices, you look after me, help me with homework. You supported me in my aim to be a lawyer.” 

Eungene closed her eyes. “I told you I am okay. You don’t need--” 

“Shut up." 

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Layla smiled softly. 

“No,” Eunji said, “My mother needs someone to over-dominate her, so please do talk to her.” 

Eungene scoffed with laughter. Layla nodded her head. “Alright.”

“Told you, stubborn as hell,” Eungene huffed but was smiling proudly. 

Eunji grinned. “That’s payback for earlier. Two Eunji vibe cocktails for you two,” she winked. 

Layla chucked. “That explains it. Are th kids in bed at least?” 

“Yes, they are, me and Eun did it like a couple of minutes ago. We moved the party in the yard so we don’t wake him because Byun and future Mrs. Byun are partying way too much.” Eunji explained. 

Eungene glanced suddenly and saw a tie wrapped around Baekhyun’s head and his dancing like John Travolta. 

“Ah...What… in… the… world?” 

“KIM EUNJI!” 

Eunji sighed. “Lord...here we go,” she smiled at her drunken husband tugging at her like a koala. “How much you drank?”

“Five tequilas and 5 shots of vodka!”

Eunji blinked at him then looked at two females. Eungene's jaw dropped. 

“I’d pass out after fourth,” Eungene blinked. 

Eunji sighed. “How about we sit, my love?” Eunji pulled him with her. 

“I want to dance, just like Baekhyun is dancing with Areum!” 

Eunji sighs and dranks third tequila and vodka shot. “Excuse me, ladies. I am needed by my drunken husband,” she elbowed him, “whom I can’t object.”

“OBJECTION SUSTAINED!” Jongin slurred. 

“Have fun!” Layla winked. 

“I think he has a lawyer kink...kill me...”

“You have raised him well,” His mother coughed.

Eunji blushed. “Great...” 

“Baby....shall I do the criminal and you be y law--” 

Eunji clamped a hand over his mouth. She turned around and grinned. “I must go and take my husband away before he reveals all our private life. My god... Start walking, Kim Jongin!” 

“Young love…” The three women cooed. 

*

Aruem took another shot as Eun ordered the music. If there was one thing Baekhyun had learned about her, it was that she was alcohol tolerant and that it took her a while to get drunk. It’s been a while since Areum relaxed or even drank this much, but she didn’t care. There was no one to judge her.

“Opa Gangnam style!” Eun and Areum chuckled as they danced to it.

Eunji squealed and dragged Jongin who drank from the bottle and the two joined in as well. Baekhyun smirked as he jumped in, singing along. Will he remember any of it? Probably no, but having fun at the moment was more important. 

And that is what truly matters. Areum wrapped the tied around his neck and pulled him closer, as her body swayed with the music as the music changed every few minutes or so.

“Can you handle me, Mr. Byun?” She smirked. 

“Indeed, Mrs. Byun, can you handle me?”

“You bet I can,” She winked.
 

The next day…

The previous night…

What was reality?

What was a dream?

Jongin remembers drinking four shots; afterward, he lost count. The events that followed were all in a blur and they made no sense to him whatsoever. There was a reason why he shouldn’t drink, yet he does it anyway. This morning he found himself staring into the distance as he drank his bitter coffee and ate pickles. 

Into the kitchen came sleepy Eunji with dark shades. She walked and back hugged him.

“Good morning,” she snuggled.

“Good morning, baby,” He smiled. “How did you sleep?”

“As a truck run me over,” she mumbled, clinging to him like a koala.

He smiled and patted his lap for her to sit. “Come here.”

She immediately sat and snuggled him. “Warm...” She mumbled.

“Cute,” He mumbled, wrapping his arms around her. “I have a surprise for you.”

Her head perked up. “What surprise?” She asked curiously.

“You’ll see,” He winked. 

“But... tell me!” She pouted.

“You’ll find out soon,” He cooed.

“Not fair,” she huffs. 

He kissed her forehead. “Go get ready.”

“A hint?” She gave him puppy eyes.

“Something big,” He winked. 

“You are not planning for me to sing before the audience, right?”

He shook his head. “No.”

She breathed in relief. “Then I’ll get ready, but, I have a headache,” she pouted. 

“Once you see it, your headache will pass, babe.”

“Yah! I n