Kiseop was visiting Hoon and Serin the same evening they returned from Japan. She had flown home separately after the performance, while they continued to carry out the rest of their activities. He had been amazed at the fan response. Though things had, thankfully, settled down in the months since the marriage had been announced, it now seemed as though fans were willing to accept Serin and Hoon’s relationship with more open minds, and for that Kiseop was glad. He had hated watching their struggle. He had felt so sympathetic for them as one blow after another tried to take them down.

It was October now, and the air was finally getting cool and crisp. They had just a bit of time off today, and tomorrow they’d resume their busy schedule, preparing for a Korean comeback sometime towards the end of November or beginning of December. Kiseop was looking forward to going home and seeing his mother and sister, but he’d wanted to make sure to see Serin, as he hadn’t really seen her much at all recently, and after everything that had happened, he felt as though he should.

“I was surprised at how well our performance when over,” Serin said. “I’ve mostly seen positive feedback online.”

“Yeah,” Hoon agreed.

“It was moving,” Kiseop added. “I was watching the performance on a monitor, and I couldn’t stop my tears. I think it was more moving for the members personally, as we knew the true meaning.”

“It felt good,” Serin admitted. “Finally getting all of that pain I’d been carrying around out in the open. I’m glad I did it. I’m so very thankful for the support I’ve been receiving, as well. And having you guys back in the country for the next little while is exciting. You’ll actually be around for Christmas, won’t you? I don’t think I’ve ever spent a whole Christmas holiday with Hoonie.”

“You haven’t,” he said. “Though we’ll be busy this time.”
            “At least I’ll get to see you,” she insisted. “Even though I can’t spend it all with you, I’ll be able to be with you the whole time.”

Kiseop smiled, happy for the two. They’d struggled in silence for so long. Things were finally out in the open, with a general public acceptance, and their mourning period behind them. They could finally start moving forward with their lives, and Kiseop was grateful for it. It took the stress off Hoon and Serin, and it took stress off of the group as a whole.

“What are you going to do for dinner?” Serin asked him then.

“My mom was cooking for me,” he explained. “Since I’m coming home after a long while, she was preparing a meal for me.”

“Yeah. Eomma-nim should be over here before long,” Serin said. “I told her she should come visit when you returned. She misses you, Hoonie.”

“I know,” Hoon admitted. “I wish we could all live together, but they’re just too far away from the company building and your office, as well.”

“Maybe someday,” Kiseop added. “If I know your mom at all, Hoon, she’d love to have you all together.”

“I know she would,” he agreed. “I plan on having us all together one day. But for now, we just have to do the best we can. Serin’s dad was generous enough to give us this place to live. It would be rude and ungracious to move anywhere for quite some time.”

Kiseop nodded his understanding. “It’s only right that you stay here. It’s more convenient for you. And your mom has other responsibilities at home, so it’s not like she can be here all the time, either.”

“I appreciate seeing her though,” Serin interjected. “She treats me like a daughter, and I’m so thankful for her love.”

“I know you are,” Hoon said. “And I’ve so glad you get along with her. It could have easily been a mess.”

Kiseop laughed, well aware how exactly how badly things could have gone awry if Serin hadn’t clicked with Jungsook as well as she had. “Well guys,” he announced, “have fun with Jungsook-nim. I’m headed home. I’ll see you later.” He left then, letting the two finally have some, likely much needed, time together.

--

Jungsook had left after dinner, refusing an invitation to stay overnight because she had a lot of paperwork she needed to finish first thing in the morning, which left Hoon and Serin alone in their apartment. Usually, it wasn’t at all awkward when they reunited after time apart, but this time it sort of hung over them like a cloud. Hoon could tell there was something on Serin’s mind, and he had something he wanted to discuss with her, as well. But he wasn’t sure how to approach the topic, and it seemed that she was also unsure of how to bring up whatever was bothering her.

So they sat together in silence, watching TV and staying a bit distant. It felt weird to him. Even though they had continued to talk regularly during the time he was away, she had seemed more withdrawn. It was harder to notice when they were apart, but sitting with her in this uncomfortable atmosphere made him extremely aware that something was up.

Finally getting tired, and still not having figured out how to bring up whatever it was that was on her mind, he announced, “Let’s go to bed early tonight.”

“Actually…” she said, “I wanted to talk to you about something first.”

“Yes?” he asked, glad that she was going to bring it up on her own.

“I mentioned it when Kiseop was here earlier, but I really would like to spend Christmas with you. And I’d really love to take you and the rest of the members on a vacation.”

“I think we’ll still be promoting at Christmas time.”

“I know. We could wait until afterward. I think we all out to go to the beach somewhere or a ski resort.”

“Skiing, well snowboarding in our case, would be fun,” he said. “Why were you so hesitant to bring this up?” he asked then.

“I… don’t know, exactly. You’ve been so busy, and I worried that you might not want to.”

He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “You’re not being your usual self. Do you want me to talk to the company for you, put in the request? We might all be able to get some time off during the New Year period if I ask now.”

“Ask everyone else, too. If they don’t want to come, that’s fine, but the invitation is for all of the members.”

“You want me to ask AJ then, too?”

“You could even invite Dongho and Xander if you wanted, since I’ve met them a few times, and you know them,” Serin said to him. “I know AJ’s away at school right now, but he may still want to come along during his winter break.”

“I’ll ask them for you.”

“Thank you,” she said, finally seeming to relax some.

“Was there anything else bothering you?” he asked then, not entirely trusting that she’d told him everything she was thinking about.

His instincts were correct because as she snuggled into his chest she said, “Actually, there’s one other thing. If we’re going to bed early, you may want to get something as protection. Since things were so crazy and all, I never went back on any sort of birth control.”

Hoon took a deep breath, glad to have the doorway to what he wanted to talk about opened for him. “Serin,” he told her, “I think… maybe we ought to see if we can have a baby.”

She made an uncertain face. “Hoonie… I don’t know.”

“I’m not saying we should put excessive effort into trying. Just perhaps we should see what happens naturally.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that, Hoon. What if it happens again?”

“You can’t think like that, Serin,” he told her. “You and I both really wanted to become parents. And I still do. I’m pretty sure you still do, as well.” She nodded, agreeing with his statement. “So I want to give it another try, and see what happens.”

She stayed silent for a moment, resting in the crook of her arms. Without a word, she stood up, and started walking down the hallway toward the bedroom. “So what’s your answer?” Hoon asked, standing up to follow her.

“Join me in the bedroom, and you’ll find out,” she insinuated, smiling coquettishly as she raised an eyebrow at him. He grinned in anticipation.

--

The vacation had just gotten approved and was less than a month away, and Serin couldn’t really believe her not so great luck. She had just paid for a round trip skiing vacation for herself and Hoon and the four members currently in the country. AJ had opted out, explaining he wanted to go home and spend time with his family instead. And she, being a person who fairly enjoyed skiing even though she wasn’t great at it, wasn’t even going to be able to skii. Perhaps she should have thought a little harder about planning a trip while simultaneously not trying to prevent herself from having a baby. Because here she was, pregnant and all set to go on a trip she couldn’t even really participate in.

She was a bit frustrated at herself, mostly because she couldn’t really put the blame on any one else. If she’d known, she would have gone the beach route. But it was a bit too late to change the plans on everyone now. She was just going to have to deal. Sitting in her car in the parking lot of her doctor’s office, she sent Hoon a text, letting him know that it was an evening that he would need to wake her up when he got home. They had just started promoting a new song. Serin thought it was a nice ballad, but perhaps could have flaunted their vocal talents more than it did. But still, promoting meant that they were extremely busy. She would be surprised if he got home before 2 in the morning, and that was if he even came home at all. Letting him know she wanted to see him and tell him something important would definitely increase her chances though.

--

At approximately 3 am, Hoon climbed into bed with her, freshly showered with still damp hair. He touched her shoulder gently and whispered her name. “Serin, wake up. I’m back.”

She rolled over onto her back and looked toward him, mind still clouded with sleep. “Ah. Mmm… Hoonie. You’re here.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m tired. What was it you needed to tell me?”

She pursed her lips and squinted her eyes as she tried to fish it out of her hazy memory. “Oh. Yeah. I ruined our vacation for myself, Hoonie.”

“What?” he said, confused. “Why?”

“I’m pregnant again.”

“Really?” he asked, excited.

She nodded. “Officially. The doctor said I’m around three weeks along.”

“You definitely shouldn’t take the risk skiing,” Hoon said then. “Are you sure it’s safe to fly?”

“I asked the doctor. He said there shouldn’t be any problems, and gave me a few tips on how I can stay safer and more comfortable during the flight. I’m a little worried about nausea though. He says that during the time we’re planning to go, I’ll likely start feeling morning sickness.”

“You weren’t sick the first time though,” Hoon said, the news having made him temporarily forget how tired he was.

“Doesn’t mean I won’t be this time.”

“I suppose you’re right,” he admitted. “Still… maybe you shouldn’t come. What will you do?”

“Hang out, I guess. I don’t think I ought to ski. But I booked a lodge where there are a few activities for non-skiers. I should be able to find something.”

“Sound good,” he said, snuggling against her back then, and putting his hand protectively over her belly. “I’m sure you’re going to want to wait to tell the members.”

“Yeah. It should be safe in February, but I want to push it off as long as I can.”

“We’ll tell them in February,” Hoon decided. “And the company. They don’t need to know before then. It’s not like it was before.”

“Yeah,” Serin agreed, sadness barely discernable in her tone.

“We’ll announce it publically later. Whenever you want to.”

“So what should we tell the members when they ask about why I’m not skiing with you?”

He thought for a second. “We’ll figure that out when we get there.”

--

“Hey,” Kevin asked Hoon, “I thought Serin liked to ski. Why isn’t she with us right now?”

Hoon froze. Shifting himself uncomfortably on the lift, he told them the excuse that the two had decided they’d use when asked this question. “She uh… pulled something in her back before we left. So she doesn’t want to make it worse.” Crisis averted.

“Ah really?” Kiseop asked. “That’s too bad.”

“Yeah. She paid for this really nice vacation for us, and she can’t even enjoy it,” Kevin said, visibly not okay with that fact.

Hoon nodded, feeling a bit guilty that he had decided to snowboard with the guys while she stayed back at the lodge. But she had insisted that just because she wasn’t going to join them, didn’t mean he should hold himself back from having a good time without her.

--

Sitting in the room alone, Serin was reading a book she’d been meaning to read for the last year. She didn’t usually have time to read for leisure, but she was on vacation. And while she had organized this trip fully intending on enjoying the snow sports with everyone else, a way to finally acknowledge being prepared to carry on with things after the miscarriage, she had managed to get pregnant again. She knew that if things hadn’t been as devastating during the last pregnancy, she would have gone skiing with them. She’d have thought nothing of it. But after the last time, she was unwilling to take the even tiniest amount of risk. She was so paranoid that something bad would happen, and so, instead of enjoying her vacation at the ski resort, she was sitting in her room, bored while everyone else had fun.

She finished a chapter, and sighed, before pulling out her computer to see if there was any interesting news. Her father had emailed her to see if she was having fun, and Jungsook had also sent her a message making sure they were okay and having a good time. She answered both, making sure not to include anything about how she was feeling fairly miserable and was bored out of her mind. That finished, she tried to focus on something else, and tried to work on writing a song to kill time.

She wrote a few stanzas, contemplating exactly what the point of the song was, before giving it up, and walking out of the room. She needed to find something to do, and there were plenty of shopping options in town. There was also a nice spa in the lodge, so she figured she’d eventually go get a message.

Walking around the town at the base of the mountain, she went from store to store, looking for clothes, trying on outfits, and feeling a bit lonely because no one was with her. No one knew where she was either. This is all your fault, little one, she thought to herself, hoping the developing fetus would hear her thoughts, even though she knew it was foolish.

She bought a few things for herself, a new pair of heels to wear for work, and went back to the lodge, sufficiently cold and ready to get in the hot tub. Of course, upon arriving at her room, she felt incredibly sad at the prospect of getting in the hot tub on her own, and decided on a massage instead.

When she got to the spa, the woman instructed her to remove her clothes, and Serin did as instructed, receiving a fabulous massage and explaining to her masseuse that her vacation hadn’t gone as planned. She didn’t mind telling this complete stranger, and she needed to express her frustrations somehow. She didn’t want to talk to Hoon about it and ruin the trip for him.

When the woman finished, she told her gently, “I’ll be thinking about you and praying for a safe pregnancy. I know the pain you went through before, and I truly hope you don’t ever have to go through that again.”

Serin thanked her as she got up and put her clothes back on. Handing the woman a substantial tip, and more relaxed and in a slightly more positive mood than before, headed back to her room. She ran into Hoon in the hallway. His cheeks were red from being outside in the cold, and he looked so cute and handsome in the sweater he was wearing. She opened her arms to hug him, as he got nearer. “I was worried when you weren’t in the room,” he said as he embraced her.

“I’m sorry. I went shopping, and then got a massage after I came back.”

He smiled and kissed her gently, quickly on the lips. “The guys want to go have dinner,” he told her.

“Who’s buying?” Serin asked, a little worried that she could get stuck with an enormous bill after spending quite a lot to get them there in the first place.

“They’re all paying separate,” Hoon explained.

“Then let me go get ready,” she said, taking his hand and walking down the hallway towards their room.

She changed surprisingly quickly, more quickly than he’d expected. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail at the base of her neck, oversize red sweater hanging off one shoulder over top of skinny jeans and black mid-calf boots. Serin always looked fashionable, even though she said she knew nothing about fashion. “Ah, these pants are getting a little tight,” she complained.

“They’re skinny jeans,” Hoon said matter-of-factly as he sat on the bed fooling with his phone. “They’re supposed to be tight.”

“That’s not what I mean. The waist is too tight around my belly. I must have already gained some baby weight.”

“I can’t see it, yet,” he told her softly as he looked up at her. “Come here,” he instructed. When she stepped over to him, he hugged her, wrapping his arms around her back and pressing his head against her stomach. After a moment, he told her, “Our baby is getting bigger in there.”

She smiled as she looked down at him, gently wrapping her arms around his head. They stood like that for a few moments, until Hoon’s phone buzzed. A text from Soohyun. “Hurry up. We’re hungry and don’t want to wait around for you two to get a quick romp in.”

Hoon’s ears turned red, and Serin laughed as she read the message. “Well… he’s wrong, but we probably should get going.”

So Serin stepped back, Hoon stood up, and the two grabbed their coats before going to meet the other members in the large hall of the lodge. “Look who finally showed up,” Soohyun said, tone full of irreverent insinuation.

“Stop being a ert, Soohyun,” Serin deadpanned.

He laughed. “When was I being a ert?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“You’re always a ert,” Kevin said, moving away from Soohyun so that he wouldn’t get hit for saying it.

Eli laughed. “Well, we’re all here and starving. Where should we go?” he asked.

“I saw a couple of nice places when I was out shopping earlier today. Want to go see what the options are?” Serin asked.

They all nodded and headed to wait for the bus that would take them down to the town area. They all seemed a little lost without the manager there to guide them, but it certainly helped that at least 3 of the 6 there were fluent in English. They arrived in the town and climbed off the bus, wandering around to find restaurant options. They were all quite hungry though, and the first place they came across, a steak and seafood place, was where they ended up eating. Kevin, Eli, and Serin were all glad to enjoy foods that they hadn’t eaten in awhile, while Hoon, Kiseop, and Soohyun simply enjoyed food that was different from what they usually ate.

When they had finished, it was still pretty early in the evening. “So what do you guys want to do?” Kevin asked.

“Let’s go shopping,” Kiseop suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Eli said.

Hoon looked over at Serin, and asked her, “Is that okay with you? I know you went earlier today.”

“Sure. It’s fine. It’ll be more fun with you guys, anyway.”

Wandering around from store to store, they all managed to find something to buy, and returned to the lodge after awhile. “Anyone feel like hitting the slopes again tonight?” Eli asked.

Kevin replied, “I’m game.”

“You guys going to come?” Eli asked the others.

“Yeah, let me get changed and ready to go,” Kiseop told him, turning to get on the elevator to do exactly as he’d explained.

Soohyun declined, and Hoon said, “I’ll stay here, as well. I left Serin on her own for long enough.”

“Ah yeah, Serin, it’s really too bad about your back. I hope it feels better,” Kevin said to her kindly. “I feel bad for being on this nice trip you paid for, and you can’t even have fun with us.”

“It’s fine, Kevin.”

“Why don’t you just come with us? We’ll stick with an easy trail for you,” Eli pressed. “Something where you won’t fall or anything.”

“No, it’s okay,” Serin said, sounding a bit regretful. “You guys just go have fun. I’m okay. Really.”

Eli wouldn’t let it go though, and kept putting pressure on her, joking around about how she was ruining all of their fun. “Knock it off, Eli,” Soohyun reprimanded after a bit, watching as Serin’s expression got more and more upset.

“Why? It’s not like it’ll hurt anything if she goes.”

Serin was not at all sure why his constant pressure was making her emotional, but with his last comment, lots of thoughts flooded her mind, and she couldn’t help the tears that came to her eyes. Crying, she slinked away from all of them, and walked into the women’s bathroom in the lodge area. Hoon was angry now. “Why’d you have to push it, Eli? She’s already upset that she can’t do anything. You made it worse,” Hoon said, scowling.

“I’m sorry. Honestly, I didn’t think I was bothering her that much. I guess I was.”

“Come on, Eli,” Kevin said, putting a hand on Eli’s shoulder and indicating that they should leave. Hoon was fuming, and Soohyun wasn’t much happier either. It would be better to leave and let things cool off for a bit. Eli, though he really wanted to set things straight, decided to follow Kevin, and the two, who met up with Kiseop as they walked away, headed up to their rooms to get ready to get in a bit more boarding before the lifts closed for the night.

When they were gone and Hoon had calmed down, Soohyun turned to him. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Hoon looked at him, confused for a second before saying, “I can’t tell you yet.”

“Hoonmin, I know you and Serin both better than this. She shouldn’t be in the bathroom crying right now. She’s a person who takes teasing like that in stride and tosses it right back. What’s going on?”

“I’m telling you. I can’t tell you. Serin can if she wants, but I’m not breaking my promise to her.”

And then it dawned on Soohyun. He knew what this secret was. Why she’d have gotten so upset about Eli’s wording. “’It’s not like it’ll hurt anything’,” Soohyun repeated aloud. “Except that it would. It’s not her back, is it?”

Hoon shook his head. “Hyung, I can’t…” he was desperate, pleading.

“You don’t have to tell me, Hoon. I figured it out. I won’t tell the others, and I don’t think they’ll think too much about it.”

Serin walked out of the bathroom then, eyes redder than when she’d gone in. “Are you okay?” Hoon asked, hugging her.

“Yeah,” she said meekly. “That was silly of me. I don’t know why I got so upset. Everything feels so tumultuous right now.”

“It’s okay,” he told her.

Soohyun stepped up to them, clearing his throat, and they separated and looked at him. “Why don’t you go enjoy the hot tub for a bit?”

“That’s a good idea,” Serin agreed.

“What are you going to do, hyung?” Hoon asked him.

“I’ll find something to do. It’s vacation, after all. Maybe I’ll sleep. Hit the gym, shower, and go to bed.”

“I’m sorry, Soohyun,” Serin apologized. “I’m creating needless tension for no reason. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

He gave her a reassuring smile while Hoon put his arm around her waist and squeezed her supportively. “I understand. Congratulations, by the way.”

She turned to Hoon with a scowl. “You told him?” she asked, anger in her tone.

“I didn’t.”

“He didn’t,” Soohyun clarified. “I figured it out on my own. I know both of you well enough. You can’t hide that type of secret from me.”

“Don’t tell the members, okay?” Serin pleaded with him. “After last time, I almost don’t want to tell anyone at all. I’d rather wait until the baby is here in my arms before I say anything, but I know I can’t do that. I’m going to wait as long as I can.”

“I understand. It hurt us all. You’re protecting all of our feelings, and I respect that. I won’t share this information with anyone. When you’re ready to you can tell the members. I’ll make sure no one else bothers you about not skiing with us.”

“Thank you, Soohyun.”

Hoon echoed the sentiment. “I appreciate that, hyung.”

They rode up the elevator together, walking to their respective rooms. Upon entering the room, Serin went straight to the bed, climbing in and curling herself into a tight ball. “What’s the matter, Serin?” Hoon asked, sitting down beside her, and lightly her tied hair.

“I’m ruining this whole trip for everyone.”

“No, you aren’t. They’re all having a good time.”

“You aren’t,” she said.

“Well, I can tell you’re miserable, and I’m more worried about you,” he admitted. “I can’t have fun while I know you’re alone.”

“So then, I am messing things up for you?”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m worried because I care about you. More than I care about enjoying this trip for myself, I want to know that you’re happy.”

Serin sighed. “Maybe we should go get in the hot tub like Soohyun suggested,” she said as she sat up slowly.

“Go change, and then we’ll head down together,” Hoon instructed.

He switched to a pair of swim trunks, and wrapped himself in the bathrobe provided by the lodge. Serin emerged from the bathroom in a very similar bathrobe, and the two headed to the hot tub hand in hand. She was shivering as they walked. “I shouldn’t be this cold,” she said through chattering teeth.

Hoon wrapped an arm around her, trying to offer her some extra body warmth. “It’s probably the baby,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” she agreed.

He reached out and opened the door for her, and the two wasted no time in removing their robes and submerging themselves in the steamy water. Serin hissed in pleasure as the water warmed her up. Hoon settled himself in a comfortable position, and Serin sat between his legs, leaning back against his chest. His hands traced tender circles across her stomach, and he rested his chin on her shoulder, humming in her ear. Her sigh of contentment was audible, and both were glad that no one else was in the hot tub right now. The moment of closeness was just what they both needed.

“I’m sorry for complicating things. Don’t be mad at Eli, okay? It’s not his fault that I’m being overly sensitive right now.”

“I’ll try not to. He made you cry though, and that’s going to be hard for me to overlook.”

“I know. But try. The last thing I want to do is cause tension between you guys.”

“Yeah. I know he didn’t mean it.”

“And maybe… maybe I should ski some tomorrow. He’s likely right. If I go on a beginner’s course, I shouldn’t hurt myself.”

“I don’t think it’s that great of an idea,” Hoon stated.

“Yeah, but I should be fine. I won’t push it or go too fast. Then you guys can at least stop worrying about me so much. And I’ll get to at least ski a little. It would be a shame to come to such a nice ski resort and not even go skiing once.”

“I don’t know Serin… I don’t think you should. It’s not super risky, but I only want what’s best for you and the baby.”

The door opened, and they both fell silent. Eli trudged up to them and bashfully asked, “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Climb right on in, Eli,” Serin said sliding out of Hoon’s grasp to sit beside him. He eased himself in with her invitation, bowing deeply before he sat down. “I am so sorry for upsetting you earlier. I didn’t… mean anything by it.”

“It’s okay. You just touched a nerve. And thinking about it, I might try to ski a bit tomorrow with you. Not a lot, but we’ll see how it feels.” She knew it was a lie to insinuate that her back was still bothering her, but she really didn’t want his thoughts to wander to other things. Soohyun knowing was more than enough.

“I don’t think…” Hoon started, anxious.

“It’ll be okay, Hoonie,” she whispered. “I won’t push myself. Trust me.”

“But…”

“Trust me,” she insisted once more, and he gave up on trying to convince her to do otherwise. She’d picked this spot because she enjoyed snow sports almost as much as the members did, and he knew she was upset about having to sit out of the fun for more than just making everyone worry about her. And though he considered it to be a poor choice, it was her choice to make so he dropped it.

“Serin is not upset with you,” Hoon said to Eli. “I am not exactly happy that you made her cry, but I can’t entirely pin that blame on you. So let’s forget about it, and go boarding and skiing tomorrow. It’s our last day here, so we should enjoy it while we can.”

With apologies out of the way, the three began to relax and chat more casually, and eventually Kiseop and Kevin joined, obviously having had a few drinks. They laughed and carried on for awhile, before Kevin passed out and nearly drowned in the hot tub, and they all decided to call it a night.

--

The next day Serin went down the slopes several times, being careful and slow each time. They were all glad to see her there, having fun, and even when she stopped because “her back was hurting”, they were thankful that she’d given them this vacation and didn’t question her or otherwise pressure her to stay. As she reached the lodge and walked to the elevator to go to her room, she felt like she was being watched. She shook it off and proceeded back to her room to change into something more comfortable for sitting around, and decided to read in the main hall in front of the grand fireplace. She took the book she’d been reading and went down to sit in front of the roaring fire and read.

But she felt it again. The sensation of being watched. She glanced behind her, and her eyes met those of a girl in her twenties. Having been caught staring, the girl averted her gaze quickly. Serin turned back around and frowned. She wasn’t at all sure what to do. She then heard a voice say, “Excuse me,” softly. She turned to see the same girl as before, closer and fidgeting nervously.

“Yes?” Serin asked, concerned.

“Are you… Hoon’s wife?” she asked quietly. “Lee Serin?”

Her eyes widened in shock, and she unsure if she should answer the question truthfully. Eventually, Serin answered, “Yes, I am.”

“I thought so,” the girl said, sighing in relief.

“Who are you?” Serin then asked, curious, as this girl obviously knew who she was.

“I’m Ryleigh. I’m a big fan of U-KISS, and I thought you looked familiar when I saw you. I watched fancams of the showcase performance. It was so touching.”

“Thank you,” Serin replied.

“You and Hoon looked so good together and so in love. It was hard for me to hold a grudge against you after that,” the girl, Ryleigh, admitted. “You turned me into a fan.”

Serin smiled at her, unsure of what to say.

“Am I making you uncomfortable? I’m sorry. I’ll leave if you want,” she suggested.

Serin shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I just… haven’t ever had a fan talk to me like this before. I don’t know what to say. Why don’t you sit down?”

“Ah, thank you. Your English is so good,” she commented. “Are you from the States?”

“Ah, no. My mom was, and I learned English from her,” Serin explained.

“Oh. Okay. Is… um… Hoon here with you?”

Serin nodded before she could think better of it.

“Really? Do you think I could meet him? It would mean a lot to me.”

“I don’t know if they’ll want to. They’re on vacation right now and might not feel like it.”

“They?” Ryleigh asked, excitement in her voice.

“Ah… yeah. They’re all here. Well, except for AJ.”

“Could I meet them? Please?”

Serin sighed. She was just about to tell the girl that she couldn’t arrange that for her because it was a vacation, when Hoon walked into the lodge and spotted her, walking over to her. When he noticed she was talking to someone, he looked at her curiously and asked her, in Korean, “Who’s this?”

“A U.S. KissMe,” Serin told him.

“Is she my fan?” he asked, getting excited that they’d have fans even here in a more rural area of the States.

“She’s mine, actually,” Serin teased.

“Really?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Of course, Ryleigh was star struck during their entire exchange. Serin noticed, and reached out to her, saying, “Ryleigh, I’m sure you know exactly who this is, but say hello to my husband, Yeo Hoonmin.”

“Hi,” he said. “I’m Hoon from U-KISS.”

“Hi,” she managed to say. “I’m a big fan.” He smiled at her. “Can I… take a picture with you?”

“Ah, he can’t,” Serin said. “He and the other members aren’t allowed.”

“Oh,” she said, visibly disappointed. “What about you? Would you take a picture with me?”

With a grin Serin said, “Sure. Hoon can take it for us. If you can’t have a picture with him, at least you can tell people you have a picture he took for you.”

Ryleigh beamed at her, and fished her phone out of her pocket, handing it to Hoon. Serin posed with her while Hoon took the picture, and she thanked both of them, seeming extremely flustered at her good fortune. Serin asked her to not post the picture on any social media for a few days, which she agreed to do, and then Hoon and Serin left to return to their room, both fairly pleased at having made a young woman’s family trip.

--

Trip over and on their way home, Serin felt a twinge of regret at not having gotten to do much during her trip. But everyone else seemed to have had a great time, and she was happy enough that she had been able to make the members so happy. Hoon was sleeping, leaning against her shoulder. She was going to have to get up soon to take a walk around, keeping her legs stretched and reducing the chance of issues occurring while she was flying.

She was surprised that she wasn’t feeling at all nauseous, a fact she was grateful for. Hoon moved his head off her shoulder, and she took the chance to get up and go to the bathroom before he could notice her absence.

He did though and was waiting for her when she got back. “I went to the bathroom,” she explained. “And to stretch my legs out a bit.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Did you have fun?” she asked him then.

“I did,” he told her, resting his head back on her shoulder and looking up at her cutely. “Thank you so much for this trip. I really appreciated it. And the members did, too.”

“You’re welcome. You guys are all my family now. It’s the least I can do for you after all of the stuff you had to endure because of me.”

Hoon shook his head. “We all went through it together. And our future is looking brighter than before. Our family will get bigger. And we’ll always support each other. No matter what.”

Her lips twisted upwards ever so slightly, and she tousled his hair gently before sliding her hand in his. “Yep. Now try to get some sleep. We’ve got a long flight ahead of us.”

He nodded his head against her shoulder. “Love you,” he told her softly, entwining their fingers with hers and lifting their hands to his lips, gently kissing her hand. He lowered their hands then, and drifted to sleep to the whirring of jet engines.