Yoon Hee stared in wonder at the candle lit room, the flickering flames giving the room a romantic glow, whereas the lights on the artificial Christmas tree gave mingled with the warm glow of the candle to give it a cheerful ambiance. There were presents piled as tall as Soo Jin around the tree and there were decorations and balloons everywhere. The smell of food drew her attention to the makeshift picnic in the center of the room and the entire seen was a moment out of time, a replay of one of her favorite memories and she felt her eyes mist over as she looked at the men standing around the room.

The five of them had become like a family to her and Soo Jin. The past year spent in their company had shown Yoon Hee what she had been missing out on and she was thankful every day for having the chance to know five wonderful people, but most of all she thankful for one in particular. With teary eyes she walked over to Joon and settled herself into his arms. She felt overflowing love in his embrace and in his arms was a place she wished she could always be.

But for now she was content and there was a party to begin. She eased out of his hold and smiled at the others. “Thank you all for doing this.”

“Think nothing of it Yoon Hee. Happy Birthday.”

She gave Mir a thankful smile before Soo Jin tugging on her arm drew her attention to her daughter. “What is it?”

“There are presents with my name on them too.”

Yoon Hee turned her eyes to Joon and he shrugged with a rueful grin. “I missed both of your birthdays and Christmas last year and I wanted to make up for tonight.”

She was in awe over his thoughtfulness, more in love with him than ever over the simple fact that he remembered Soo Jin as well. “Well then let’s get this party started.”

The seven of them settled around the blanket and the food was passed out. In the candlelit silence they ate the delicious food, murmurs of conversation was heard here and there, but for the most part the meal was silent and Yoon Hee found the silence companionably. When the food was consumed the members of MBLAQ cleared away the debris and afterward Joon left only to reappear with a cake.

Joon set the cake down in the center of the blanket and lit the candles and then the five beautiful members of MBLAQ broke out in song. Yoon Hee loved listening to them sing even if it was simply “Happy Birthday” because together they sounded so melodious, their voices mixing and mingling well together, harmonious.

She applauded when they finished the song and she and Soo Jin blew out the candles. Slices of cake were passed around and consumed and then Joon stood while the others cleaned up. He went over to a CD player sitting in a corner of the studio and soon Christmas music filter through the room. He then moved to the tree and with the help of Mir separated the presents into two piles before they motioned for her and Soo Jin to come over and sit.

They did as bid and settled around the tree with the others and without being prompted Soo Jin began tearing through her mountain of presents. Yoon Hee watched in shocked embarrassment as her daughter shredded paper and bows and paper alike went flying in every direction much to the amusement of five men.

Shaking her head she turned to her own pile of presents and carefully tore through the paper and placed the remains in a growing pile for easier clean up.  She was touched by each gift she opened, sniffling to push back tears as she each gift before setting it aside for the next. The majority of the gifts were from Joon, but mingled in were gifts from the others as well and again she was touched at the thoughtfulness of the men.

This time, after the presents were all opened, Yoon Hee helped with the clean up while Joon and Seung Ho loaded the presents into the van. Yoon Hee was tired as she sat down against the same mirrored wall that she had cuddled up to Joon against the time before. She began singing along to “Silent Night” as it filter from the CD player to her left.

Joon stopped inside the studio when he heard her voice. It was beautiful, pure and full of joy. He watched her, her eyes closed and her lips forming the words of the song. When the song ended he wasn’t the only one who applauded her.

Her eyes snapped open and a blush crept across her cheeks. She had been so lost in the song that for the moment she had forgotten the others as she sang. Now they all stared at her in awe and she felt flustered. Joon walked over to her and held out his hands, she took them and allowed him to pull her up and guide her to the center of the room where the others and Soo Jin crowded around them.

Joon looked deep into her eyes, his heart was racing, but the time had come to see whether his wish from earlier in the day would come true. With all eyes on him he let go of one of her hands to reach into his pocket and pull on a small box. Flicking it open he went down on one knee and looked up and Yoon Hee, his love for her shining brightly in his eyes.

Yoon Hee stared at the beautiful ring, her breath caught someone in , her heart beating rapidly. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, simple and yet elegant, not flashy. Her eyes moved from the ring to Joon’s face and she stood there speechless.

“I can’t promise that we’ll spend every day together and I can’t promise that we’ll always be happy, but I can promise to love you, work together with you to make a life together. I want to be with you, beside you and I want to be in Soo Jin’s life too, as her friend and as a parent. Yoon Hee…will you marry me?”

The entire room was silent save for the Christmas music still coming from the CD player. Each person held their breath as they waited with anxious hearts for Yoon Hee’s answer. Soo Jin stared from her mother to Joon and then back to her mom, her own little heart wishing desperately that her mom would say yes. Her eyes pleaded with her, but Yoon Hee was still staring at only Joon.

Her heartbeat was a tattooed staccato against her ribcage. She felt like it was going to burst. Her head was reeling and she felt dizzy. She had never thought that she and Joon would come to this moment in their life, but now the moment was here and she was shocked speechless. Her eyes roamed his face, saw the sincerity and love in his eyes, but also there was hope and also a little fear.

Her silence was unnerving. Joon wished that she’d say anything, anything at all, anything, but the silence that grew between them as she continued to do nothing, but stare at him. “Yoon Hee?”

The sound of her name snapped her from her shock and in that second her eyes misted over and a smile slipped across her lips. With her heart lodged in she didn’t dare speak for fear of breaking the dam of tears that threatened. Instead she nodded her head.

Cheers and applause ripped through the air and Joon felt a smile bloom as he jumped up and grabbed a hold of Yoon Hee swinging her around the room as the others laughed. Finally he set her down and took the ring from the box, taking her hand it slipped it on her finger and together they gazed down at the small, sparkling diamond.

Soo Jin approached the pair and tugged on Joon’s arm. Joon bent down to look her in the eyes. “What is it Soo Jin?”

A blush flushed her cheeks a charming pink and she dropped her head to hide her eyes from him. “Does this mean that you’ll be my daddy now?”

The sound of the word ‘daddy’ directed at him made his heart swell and warmth spread through him. “Would you be okay with that?”

She lifted her head, but her tiny little hands began twisting together. Joon took her hands and held them between her own. She finally met his eyes. “I’ve never had a daddy before.”

Everyone in the room watched the conversation between child and idol with teary eyes and small smiles. It was a moment that was both sweet and bittersweet. Everyone in the room knew that the pixie-like child had grown up with no one other than her mother and now she was being offered a chance to have a whole family.

“Would you like a daddy Soo Jin? I won’t always be around because of my schedule, but whenever you need me I will try my hardest to be there for you. I’ll make you as happy as I can. That’s a promise.”

Soo Jin looked at him a moment with her bright little eyes and then turned her gaze to the other men before looking back at Joon. “Will they become my uncles if you’re my daddy?”

Joon nodded. “They would.”

Everyone held their breath as the waited for Soo Jin’s answer, no one more so than Joon. Finally a smile toyed with Soo Jin’s lips and her eyes lit up. “Daddy!”

That one simple word was enough to lighten the hearts of everyone in the room. Joon felt the cool feel of wetness roll down his cheeks, but he didn’t care. He gathered Soo Jin close and held her close. He felt wetness seep into his collar and knew the tears that Soo Jin cried were tears of joy.

Yoon Hee watched the two of them, their embrace the true mirror of father and daughter and her heart swelled with joy and love. She turned her eyes and took in each man in turn before glancing down at the ring on her finger. All the heartache and pain in her life had led her to this moment, all the times she had felt so emotionally stripped and cold were over as she felt warmth spread through her at the thought of having a family.

She looked back at Joon and knew it was all because of him. Fate had thrown them together one fateful night in the club, had brought him into her life when she most needed to feel loved and had given her and her daughter the family they had always wanted and needed. Now on this night everything had been handed to her, to Soo Jin, and she knew that although things wouldn’t always be easy they would however be better because they now had a family to stand beside them.

Joon stood and led Soo Jin over to Yoon Hee and the others and in the candlelit room, music quietly playing the new formed family embraced. It was a picture perfect moment, but no one cared that there wasn’t a camera to capture the moment because the moment would forever be engraved in all their hearts.