January 1st, 2005.

Taeyeon was reading Minjeong a bedtime story when the sound of the door opening interrupted their moment, and Minjeong's face lit up with excitement as she recognized the familiar footsteps. "Daddy's home!" she exclaimed, her small voice filled with joy as she bounced on the bed, eager to greet her father.

Changmin entered the room with a tired smile, but the exhaustion from the long residency shift at the hospital instantly melted away at the sight of his daughter's beaming face. "Hey there, my little princess," he greeted her with a wide smile. He knelt down beside the bed, ruffling Minjeong's hair affectionately as he asked, "Did you have a fun birthday party?"

Minjeong nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she recounted the highlights of her special day. "Yes! I played games and ate cake! Grandpa give me this teddy bear" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with delight as she pointed to the big stuffed toy next to her. It was almost as big as Minjeong. "I played with Ryujin’s cute baby sister too," she chirped. She paused suddenly, her eyes wide with excitement as she asked the question that had been on her mind. "Daddy, can I have a baby dongsaeng too?"

Changmin's eyebrows shot up in surprise at her unexpected request, and he exchanged a knowing glance with Taeyeon. "Did Grandma put you up to this?" he teased gently. He knew that his mother had been asking them about a sibling for Minjeong for months now.

Minjeong nodded again, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Uh-huh," she admitted sheepishly, Changming chuckled at her innocent honesty. "Well, I will have to talk about with Mommy first. But we'll definitely consider it."

Turning to Taeyeon, Changmin raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry, silently asking if she had spoken to his mother about the topic. Taeyeon nodded with a small smile. Minjeong then continued to animatedly talk about her birthday and the presents she got, making her parents beaming with joy at her infectious excitement.

“Mindoongie, sweetheart, it’s already past your bed time,” Taeyeon softly reminded her daughter after a while, “we’ll talk again later, but it’s now time to sleep, okay?”

Always an obedient kid, Minjeong nodded. “I’m sleepy,” she said, “but can Daddy read me the story?” Minjeong pointed to the book that her mom just read too her.

“Sure, sweetheart.”

 

***


Minjeong was already asleep when Changmin joined Taeyeon on their couch. "How's my favorite girl doing?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Taeyeon returned his smile, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. "Better now that you're home," she replied. "We missed you."

Changmin's gaze softened as he looked at Taeyeon, "I missed you too," he murmured, reaching out to intertwine their fingers. "How was Minjeong's birthday party? I'm sorry I couldn't make it."

Taeyeon shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "It was good," she said, ”Minjeong had a great time with her friends. Oh, and Kibum said hi, he’ll stay in Seoul until next week and would love to have dinner with us.”

Changmin smiled at the mention of his wife’s twin brother. Within the four and a half years of his marriage with Taeyeon, he only met Kibum three times because he studied and then lived aboard. Changmin was grateful that her brother seemed to accept him as his in-law, a contrast difference to their father who still resented him. "That sounds great," Changmin replied eagerly, "I've been wanting to catch up with Kibum. It's been too long."

Taeyeon nodded, her smile mirroring his. "I know," she agreed, "I've missed him."

Changmin's expression softened with warmth as he broached the topic of expanding their family. "So, about what Minjeong mentioned earlier," he began, his tone gentle as he spoke. "Did my mother nag you again about having another baby?" Changmin asked, concerned. His mother has always been controlling and he felt bad that she started to nag his wife too.

Taeyeon nodded, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "She did," she confirmed, her gaze meeting his. He was relieved that she did not seem bothered by it. Taeyeon continued, "She said now is the best time, and we must hurry before she loses her energy to help us take care of another child.”


Changmin chuckled, despite everything, he had to admit that his mother had been a great help in taking care of baby Minjeong while he and Taeyeon juggled their study. “She has a great point… And I think it's a wonderful idea. Minjeong would make the best big sister, don't you think?" he said honestly, his eyes shining with excitement.

Taeyeon's lips curved into a playful smile as she nudged him gently with her elbow. "Oh, so you are excited about the idea of sleepless nights and endless diaper changes?"

"Now, now, don't be like that," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I was thinking more along the lines of adorable baby giggles and chubby little cheeks, and a sibling for Minjeong to grow up with."

Taeyeon laughed, her melodic laughter filling the room as she leaned into Changmin's side. Withstanding their turbulent relationship with their respective parents, the young couple knew how their siblings had been their greatest friends and allies and they both wanted that for their baby too. "Well, in that case," she said, "I suppose we could consider it."

Changmin beamed as he looked at his wife, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. "But seriously," he said, his tone turning more serious, "first, we need to think about the logistics of it all. With your internship at the hospital coming up, things are going to be hectic and demanding."

Taeyeon nodded, her brow furrowing slightly with concern. "I know," she admitted, leaning her head against his shoulder. "But I also don't want to put our lives on hold indefinitely. Another baby would be a blessing, even if it means a little extra chaos." Her mind already racing with possibilities. "Maybe I can take on a research position instead, at least until the internship is over."

"I just worry about you," he confessed, his voice filled with genuine concern. "You'll be juggling so much. Of course, I’ll do my best to help, but I just don't want you to overextend yourself."

Taeyeon leaned into his embrace, her expression softening with love. "I'll be fine, Oppa," she reassured him, her voice gentle. "I’ll be okay if I’m with you. We'll figure it out together like we always do."

Changmin smiled, his heart swelling with tenderness for his wife. "You're right," he said, "we make a pretty great team, don't we?"

Taeyeon nodded, her smile radiant. "The best."

********

New Year's Eve, 2023.

Minjeong's phone buzzed with a text from Jimin, wishing her luck for the big conversation with her parents. Her lips twitched into a half-hearted smile as she read the message, feeling guilty for avoiding Jimin ever since the topic of her friend's date had arisen.  It wasn't fair to Jimin, but Minjeong couldn’t make sense of the jealousy that gnawed at her. She couldn't help but wonder if Jimin had noticed her subtle distance.

Minjeong quickly typed out a brief reply, thanking Jimin for her good wishes, but she couldn't bring herself to engage in their usual playful banter. Her fingers hovered over the send button for a moment – but then the doorbell rang, and Minjeong quickly walked towards the entrance. She took a deep breath before opening the door and welcoming the guest.

"Hey, Dad," Minjeong greeted Changmin.

As Changmin entered the cozy apartment, he felt the warmth of familiarity mixed with the scent of sizzling steak fill the air. It’s been a while since he last visited the home where Taeyeon and Minjeong lived.

 "Hey there, kiddo. How's my favorite daughter doing?"

Minjeong’s mind was preoccupied with thoughts of what was to come. Her eyes flickered with a mix of emotions. "I'm okay," she replied, "just getting everything ready for dinner."

Changmin's heart clenched at the sight of his daughter's uncertain expression. He could sense her apprehension, and it pained him to know that she had been struggling with his remarriage.  He wanted nothing more than to ease her worries and reassure her that everything would be okay. Changmin moved forward to give her a gentle hug. "Happy early birthday, Minjeong."

Minjeong returned the hug, feeling a sense of comfort in her father's embrace. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of her stomach, knowing that tonight would be different from their usual celebrations. She quietly escorted her father to the dining and kitchen area of the apartment unit.

"I brought you a little something." Changmin handed Minjeong a carefully wrapped gift. Minjeong's eyes lit up at the sight of the present, a small spark of excitement in her gaze. "Wow, thanks Dad," she said, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.

"And this is to celebrate the New Year," Changmin said as he reached into another bag to retrieve the bottle of wine he had brought and put it on the dinner table.

Changmin glanced around the kitchen, taking in the sight of his ex-wife preparing dinner for their daughter's birthday and putting the finishing touches on the meal. "Smells delicious in here, Taeyeon," he commented.

Taeyeon glanced back, a smile gracing her features as she greeted Changmin. "You're just in time," she said, gesturing towards the meal. "Dinner is almost ready."

"Looks like you've got everything under control," he quipped with a playful glint in his eyes, "I hope you didn't burn the steak this time."

"Oh, ha ha, very funny," she retorted, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Speak for yourself, Dr. Shim. I seem to recall a certain someone burning the toast last time we had breakfast together."

"Hey now, that was a really long time ago," he protested, a hint of laughter in his voice, "and it was just a minor mishap!"

Taeyeon chuckled, "Well, just so you know, my cooking skills have improved significantly since the last time you tried my food."

"Oh, we'll see about that. I really hope it will taste as good as the smell," he replied with a mock apprehension, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Minjeong watched the exchange between her parents with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.  Despite their divorce, it was clear that there was still a deep bond between them—a testament to their friendship and mutual respect. Which is ironically also the source of Minjeong's confusion about her parents' relationship.

As they gathered around the table, the atmosphere was warm and comfortable, filled with easy conversation about their day. Changmin poured them each a glass of wine and they began to enjoy their dinner together. For a moment, Minjeong allowed herself to forget about the weight of the conversation that was to come, reveling in the simple joy of being together with her parents on the eve of her birthday.

When the meal drew to a close and the remnants of dessert lingered on their plates, the air grew heavy with unspoken tension.  Changmin refilled the glasses of wine for each of them, knowing that the time had come to finally address the elephant in the room.

Changmin cleared his throat, his gaze shifting between Minjeong and Taeyeon. "Minjeong, so I heard you want to ask us about our past, and why things are the way they are between us," he began, his voice gentle and Minjeong nodded. His eyes glanced to Taeyeon for support. "We want you to know that you can ask us anything, Minjeong.”

Minjeong felt a knot form in her stomach. This was it—the moment she had been both dreading and longing for. Minjeong hesitated for a moment, the weight of her curiosity pressing down on her. Finally, she found the courage to speak, her voice quiet yet determined. "I want to know everything from the start," she began, "Mom, already told me that Auntie Sooyoung set you up on a study date."