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yongility · 8 months ago

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NEO TV # ROCKABYE (taeyong x reader) 2/?.

genre: single dad au, ceo au, fluff, slightly angst, smut.

warnings: adult language, death mentions, idk there's not a lot of warning for this one.

word count: 7k (not proofread!!!)

a/n: if you want to be in the taglist, just lemme know;) enjoy!

When Taeyong was growing up, he always carried with him the memory of the wonderful family he had, a small yet at the same time, great family. He, his mother, and his father didn't need anyone else. They were always the three of them, and it was more than enough. Sure, his family wasn't always conventional, and there were obviously mistakes here and there, but that would never mean that Taeyong wouldn't be grateful for the life and love his parents provided him.

Taeyong was always a starry-eyed boy. Passionate about everything that interested him. As a child, he went through countless phases trying to discover what he wanted for his future... Would he be the same man as his father? Or would he choose another profession? Would he be a stay-at-home dad and dedicate himself to his family?

Like the hyperactive child he was... he never knew for sure, and if there was an exact word to describe Lee Taeyong, it would surely be unpredictable.

Unpredictable because no one had the slightest idea what the boy's next step would be. Unpredictable because Taeyong changed his opinions every half an hour unless he felt one hundred percent sure about what he was doing. That was Lee Taeyong, that's how his family and friends knew him, and that's how he was formed.

Nevertheless, the boy matured at a fast pace. Without necessarily feeling it present, the pressure regarding his father's company position was looming closer and closer, not explicitly, but it wasn't necessary to be so to know what would become of him once he graduated from university. He could always hear what others said about him: 'Oh, Mrs. Lee's son is a true gentleman, surely his parents will be proud of him' ... 'Will he really take over the Lee company? He's nothing more than a spoiled child who always had everything handed to him on a silver platter.'

There were always different opinions and criticisms from different perspectives. Yes, Taeyong knew he wasn't perfect, he was more than aware of it. Taeyong was human, he had made mistakes, stumbled along the way, but he always tried to put one foot forward and rise from every stumble he had encountered.

He wasn't a relationship guy. He was sure of that. Of course, he had had some teenage romances in his high school days. He had been on a few dates during college, and yes, he had had at least one relationship that had lasted at least a year.

Although this last one was more about social pressure than simply enjoying the company of the girl who was his girlfriend at his twenty-three years. He would never blame Joy and would never speak bad about her; in the end, Joy had been someone with whom he had spent part of his growth and accompanied in various moments, which was when they decided to try some kind of relationship between them and for the good of both families according to his mother. The Lee family and the Park family had been partners for a long time, so what better than to bring together both heirs of their heritage to reinforce both businesses? However, that didn't last long. Only a year, Taeyong appreciated Joy and vice versa, but definitely didn't see any future with her. He tried, he really tried. He wanted to do his best, he wanted to do things right, but he couldn't. He simply couldn't.

And with the pressure from his family and Joy's family, nothing could be contracted.

'Taeyong, we are very happy that our daughter and you are making such great progress, we can't wait to see a ring on my daughter's finger.'

'Taeyong, time is passing and you still haven't knelt before her, you know we can't grow old without seeing you at the altar.'

'Taeyong, today Joy and I were at the mall and we saw a spectacular baby clothing store, you're taking too long! How lovely it would be to already have a little one running through the halls of the house!'

Marriage, family, commitment. It was something that Taeyong didn't think about and didn't want to have at his twenty-three years. Sure, someday he would have to settle down and form his legacy, but he wished it would be with someone he truly loved, with someone he could see his future with and grow old together, but could he ever get all that someday?"

_______________________________________________

First Month.

Week one.

For someone with enough money, Taeyong didn't usually keep his apartment constantly in undergoing renovations. Lee Taeyong was a simple man, he preferred the minimalist and the modest. Nothing extravagant, nothing ostentatious. At the end of the day, there were few times he found himself at home, its only use was just for sleeping, if he had the opportunity to do so.

However, as many things had been changing suddenly in the last few days, it was no news that his apartment would be one of the things involved in one of those changes. So his apartment was now filled with piles of boxes here and there and a few cans of paint waiting to be used.

It would be a long process.

"If someone told me that, that when I return from America, I would be assembling a crib for one of my friends' daughters, I definitely wouldn't believe it," Jaehyun said slowly as he read some instructions.

"Hard to believe, but not impossible," commented Doyoung, snatching the paper from his hands and now reading the instructions.

"It's just that I only left for two weeks! And now I'm an uncle! As far as I know, that process takes nine months," exclaimed Jaehyun exasperatedly.

A thump on his head made him stop and he brought his hand to his neck to rub it as he complained slowly and looked at the cause of that attack.

"It was a nine-month process, idiot. It's just that we didn't find out about it until a little over a week ago," Doyoung told him, looking at him disapprovingly.

After that, and quietly giving up on how to build a crib, they left the room where they were and headed to the small baby carrier that was on the couch with a very peaceful Sun Hee inside it, or at least she seemed to be peaceful.

Doyoung and Jaehyun approached her, who either looked at them or made an attempt to do so, with her eyes wide open and babbling sweetly. The heads of both boys tilted as they watched the little one and her actions, almost as if they were examining her and trying to guess what her next move would be.

May the universe take care of the little one with such uncles she has.

"She looks like Taeyong," murmured Jaehyun.

"Well, of course she looks like him, she's his daughter," Doyoung replied obviously.

"She could look like her mom, who knows," the younger shrugged and continued to watch the little one. Who would have thought that one of their friends would be a father?, who would have thought that the very Lee Taeyong, who loved freedom, would become a father? The little one remained calm for a few more moments, until Doyoung and Jaehyun's gaze that was on her may have made her uncomfortable, because without further ado and letting out a whimper, she began to cry; causing both boys to look at each other and panic as they didn't know what to do next.

"Should I pick her up?" Jaehyun asked alarmed. He had never held a baby before. "Sun Hee? Calm down... calm down Sun Hee... don't cry."

"Where's Taeyong?" asked Doyoung, and the baby's crying became even louder. "Taeyong!"

"Sun Hee, please don't cry," murmured Jaehyun as he looked around, then took the remote control and turned on the TV. "Look! Look Sun Hee, the news! That so interesting, isn't it?"

"You idiot, what does she know about the news," snapped an upset Doyoung as he lightly hit his friend's arm.

"How would I know, I've never had a daughter! Where's Taeyong? Taeyong!" they called again for the attention of the father, who was not present, and the little one began to cry more and more. "Sun Hee, don't cry because I'm also going to cry," commented a very sentimental Jaehyun.

To the misfortune of both boys, Taeyong along with Johnny had gone down to the lobby of the building for a couple of things that would be delivered for the apartment renovation.

Who else but the great Lee Taeyong would leave a baby in the care of TWO adult babies? Nobody else but him.

Doyoung quickly grabbed a toy that looked like a rattle and after seeing his friend entering a great state of panic, he began to shake it trying to get the attention of the little one who seemed not to have precisely an off button, and instead of getting distracted and stopping crying with the noise of her toy, she seemed to become more uncomfortable and start crying once again.

Both friends looked at each other again, defeated. A one-week-old baby had more power over them. They would definitely be ready to be parents in about... thirty years.

"You idiots , what have you done to my princess?" Lee Taeyong questioned once inside his apartment, leaving the boxes he was carrying on the floor and approaching his daughter, lifting her in his arms and making her cry cease once she felt the warmth of her father.

"What did we do to her? What did she do to us!" exclaimed Jaehyun, bringing his hands to his face.

"You're so dramatic, Sun Hee is a sunshine," commented Johnny, approaching his friends and stroking the cheeks of the little one in Taeyong's arms. "Aren't you? You're a very pretty sunshine, Sun Hee, I bet when you grow up you'll be so pretty that everyone will be after you," he said in a high-pitched voice while Sun Hee seemed to be very familiar with the voice of her third uncle, who was making a very small attempt at a smile.

"Look at that, it seems like Sunnie already has favoritism towards one of her uncles," Taeyong said, smiling tenderly as he saw his daughter calmer.

"Johnny her favorite uncle? I'm the godfather!" exclaimed Doyoung offended.

"He's the godfather?" Jaehyun and Johnny asked incredulously, pointing at Doyoung.

Oh no.

Taeyong looked innocently at his friends and smiled slightly once an idea lit up his head.

"Whoever manages to assemble her crib will be her godfather. Isn't that right, Sun Hee?" the little one just babbled while her eyes closed, beginning to drift off to sleep.

He didn't need to repeat his sentence before his friends ran out of the room and ran towards the place that would be Sun Hee's room.

Taeyong laughed and left his little daughter in the baby carrier while gently rocking her.

It will be a long day.

_____________________________________________

First month.

Week three.

If there's one thing people know about Lee Taeyong, it's that he's a dedicated and determined man. A workaholic perhaps, and that might be the reason behind the great success and reputation of his company. Taeyong knew what he was doing, and he was the best at it. His investments always remained clean and on a large scale; any businessman would feel honored to work with the great Lee, or even to have a minimal connection with him. He was well-known in the business world, not just because of who his father was, but because of the great work he had done on his own to achieve everything his companies obtained after his father's retirement. A young man in big business, respected by the world.

That was Lee Taeyong.

He was also a man of routine and hated when it was affected. Over the years and as he grew older, Taeyong realized that the best thing for him was to have a schedule ready for each morning so that things would go more smoothly and efficiently. His days were mostly planned, but it was obvious that there would always be some unexpected event to deal with during the day. However, Taeyong always found a way to handle it as organized as possible.

However, with the arrival of Sun Hee in his life, and what it caused to change completely, his routine had to be terribly affected. He had been aware that this would happen, at least in the first weeks – or months – of Sun Hee's life. At least until he could take her to a daycare or until he could find a nanny he could trust completely to leave the most precious thing in his life in her care.

So for now, he had to play two roles, that of being a father and that of being the CEO of one of Korea's most important companies. Although now that he could see his life from two completely different points of view, he could assure that the first role was by far more difficult than the second.

He had heard a lot about being a father, even his mother had given him a book on how to be a father, he thought it would help, but it really didn't help at all. Being a single father was hard, especially being a first-timer; his mind was in chaos. Of course, he loved Sun Hee, she was his life, his ray of sunshine, but sometimes it was too much to handle, sometimes the diapers didn't fit as nicely as a pretty nurse had taught him... Sometimes Sun Hee didn't want to drink the formula that Taeyong offered her when she was supposed to eat – and according to his mother, maybe it was because the girl needed breast milk, how the hell could Taeyong do that? – Sometimes no matter how much effort he made, Sun Hee wouldn't stop crying.

And that's where he was right now. At three in the morning, with visible dark circles under his eyes, his hair disheveled, barefoot while rocking Sun Hee back and forth in his arms, who seemed to find no peace.

"Shh, Sunnie. What's wrong? You should sleep a little, don't you want to let Daddy rest a bit?"

The day for Taeyong had been difficult; there had been some mishaps in the company that couldn't be dealt with from home, so he had to go there with Sun Hee as his company.

The confused looks from his employees had not been of much help to him at that moment.

Nor had it been of much help that Sun Hee had been whiny all day. Taeyong didn't understand what was going on with his little one, it wasn't that she needed a diaper change, it wasn't that she was hungry... she just spent the day throwing little complaints.

And that had been too much for Taeyong. The pressure of business matters and the responsibility he had as a father became too much.

Sun Hee continued to cry in his arms, and Taeyong felt like he would cry at any moment too.

"Sunnie, please. I don't want us to be kicked out of the building for bothering the neighbors," murmured a very frustrated father. "Calm down, baby, can you do that for me? Can you calm down a bit, huh? Can you do that for Daddy?"

Taeyong stroked his daughter's cheek, who seemed to stop crying and just let out a few small sobs that hopefully would stop in a few seconds.

He sighed and relaxed his body, bringing Sun Hee closer to him.

And maybe... just maybe, he spoke too quickly.

Because as soon as he was relaxed, his daughter started crying again, and this time Taeyong couldn't take it anymore and cried too. He sat on his bed with her in his arms, and a few tears fell from his eyes.

Looking at his daughter and seeing the state she was in, he couldn't help but feel his heart ache. Sun Hee looked so fragile, so small. How could he keep her safe? How could he make everything alright? Oh, how he wished he had come into the world with all the knowledge about how to be a good father in his mind.

"I wish I could know what's wrong with you, Sun Hee, but I can't read your little mind," he murmured between sobs. Obviously, his daughter didn't respond, but rather continued with her act.

His lungs would probably hurt right now with all the crying he had done, and that terrified Taeyong, who stood in his place and walked to the bedside table, where he picked up his phone and entered his contacts list. He didn't exactly know what he was doing or why, but his desperation overpowered him, and in a moment his fingers were dialing the only number he could think of, he just hoped he was doing the right thing.

One tone... two tones...

It's three in the morning, Lee Taeyong, who would answer you at this hour?

Three tones... four tones.

"Hello?" a very sleepy voice was heard on the other end of the line, and Taeyong could feel the air returning to his lungs.

"Y/N?, I'm really sorry for calling you at this hour," Lee murmured as he left his daughter in her rocker and held his phone between his shoulder and ear.

(Y/N) recognized that voice after a few seconds and recognized those cries even more, making her sit up briefly in her bed and mentally forcing herself to wake up completely.

"Taeyong? What's wrong? Is it Sun Hee the one I hear?"

Of course, it's Sun Hee, idiot! What other daughter does Lee Taeyong have?

"Yes, it's Sun Hee... and I... don't know what's going on. Sunnie has been complaining all day and hasn't stopped crying for a while. I don't know what to do, I've already changed her diaper, she's already eaten, I even sang her some lullabies, but nothing works," explained Taeyong desperately. "I don't know what to do, I'm tired, my arms hurt from carrying her so much, I've memorized all the nursery rhymes, and Sun Hee doesn't seem happy with anything."

"Oh, Taeyong..."

"You were sleeping, weren't you? Oh God, I'm so sorry, I know it's late, but calling you was the only thing I could think of, I'm really sorry..."

"Taeyong?" (Y/N) called him. "Don't worry, I told you that you could call me if you ever needed it. I have no problem helping you, even if it's three in the morning," the girl could hear the soft laugh of the nurse on the other end of the line, and this created a great contrast between the incessant cries of his daughter and the sweet laughter of (Y/N). "What can I do for you?"

"I know it's late, but I can't think of anything else, can you come? Or if you want, I can put Sun Hee in her car seat and drive over there!" Taeyong explained quickly.

"Calm down, I don't think it's the best idea for you to drive stressed and with Sun Hee crying in the back seat. Send me your address, and I'll be there in a moment."

"Thank you, (Y/N), I wouldn't be calling at this hour if I really didn't need it..."

______________________________________________

The door of Taeyong's large apartment was knocked, and this alerted the boy as he carried his baby close to his chest. Lee headed to the entrance of his house, and when he opened it, he found (Y/N) in a very different contrast than he had become accustomed to seeing her. For obvious reasons, she was not in her work clothes, and now she was wearing a black sweatshirt with cute pants covered in puppy drawings all over. Her hair slightly loose and without a drop of makeup.

Even so, she looked pretty.

Taeyong blinked a couple of times and moved aside to let the girl pass while he continued to rock his daughter.

(Y/N) entered the apartment and approached the father and the little girl.

"Can you lay her down somewhere? I'd like to give her a quick check-up,"

Taeyong nodded without hesitation, walked to the room that had been adapted for Sun Hee, and laid her down in her crib. The crib that Johnny had successfully built, opening the fight between who would truly be Sun Hee's godfather... something they would detail later.

Once the little one was in her crib, (Y/N) lifted her clothes slightly to observe Sun Hee's stomach and see a few more things. The boy simply watched in silence, resigned by his daughter's cries and giving a couple of glances to the girl beside him.

I wish the call I made had been for something else and not for this.

Taeyong and (Y/N) hadn't had contact since that time two weeks ago when the former had left the hospital. Taeyong tried to call her a couple of times, to thank her again for everything she had done for them during the time she had been Sun Hee's nurse, but for some reason, he was always busy enough with his daughter and the company, and he didn't allow himself to do it.

He would have liked to invite her for coffee sometime.

He really would have liked that.

"I'm not exactly a doctor," (Y/N) spoke. "But I've worked with many babies to see these consistent behaviors. It seems to me that Sun Hee is suffering from colic; I think it would be best to take her to the pediatrician first thing in the morning just to be sure."

Taeyong nodded without saying a word, maybe because he was too tired to formulate anything or because maybe his mind was no longer processing anything. (Y/N) smiled tenderly, regardless of the little one's whining; after all, it was something she heard daily in maternal care.

"Can I?" she asked, pointing to Sun Hee. Taeyong nodded again, and (Y/N) took the little one in her arms. "Oh Sun Hee, it's been a while since we last saw each other; you look even prettier than two weeks ago, even though you won't stop crying," she murmured, earning a small laugh from Taeyong.

"Try spending three hours listening to her cry," the visibly tired boy replied.

"I work in maternal care, remember? I hear several babies cry at the same time."

"True," Taeyong sighed, "it's just that it's tiring, you know? Particularly today was a heavy day, and it seems that Sunnie has no intention of letting me sleep tonight."

"We'll try to fix it then," (Y/N) gave him a smile, glanced around the room, and when she found a rocking chair, she went there to sit down.

She placed Sun Hee on her lap face down and began to pat her back gently, then used her fingers to give her a little massage, delicate enough for her. For a moment, the crying didn't stop, but after a few minutes, the father found himself really surprised to notice that his daughter had managed to calm down.

From the doorway of the room, with his arms crossed over his chest... Taeyong smiled.

But what a sight. (Y/N) tried not to be distracted by this and continued to massage while clearing her throat.

"The nursery is very nice," she commented, trying to look anywhere but at the boy's figure.

Taeyong nodded and approached her slightly.

If you don't see him, you won't be distracted... if you're not distracted by him, you won't think anything impure...

"Yes, we set it up the first week Sun Hee was here. The guys and I went through a moment-" Taeyong laughed as he remembered the day- "Do you remember, Doyoung? He was the one who accompanied me on the last day at the hospital," (Y/N) nodded, "Doyoung, Johnny, and Jaehyun helped me, it was chaos, but we managed to set everything up... still, Sun Hee doesn't sleep here yet."

"Really?"

"Mhmm, Sunnie sleeps with me. In a way, it's easier for her to sleep if I'm by her side; I just put some pillows around her, and she sleeps in my bed," he commented, feeling his cheeks blush. In reality, it wasn't so much that Sun Hee had gotten used to him, but rather that Taeyong rested more peacefully knowing that his daughter was by his side, so he would know that, if something happened, he could respond immediately.

"That's very sweet," she commented, "how has everything been? It's been three weeks since I heard anything from you," she continued massaging the little one's back.

"Uh, it's been good, I guess. Sometimes a bit chaotic, but I have my parents' help and Sun Hee's uncles," he replied, "... my friends, they say they're Sunnie's uncles, and I agree with them, they're like my brothers."

"It's nice to know you have someone to lean on; it would be much harder if you were alone," she took the baby in her arms and rocked her as she saw her sleepy face.

Taeyong, surprised by the immense ability of the nurse, watched the scene with tenderness, which looked too domestic. Too much for Taeyong's liking.

"Yes, it's been hard, but they've been a great help. I've been working from here, so I have to take care of the company and Sun Hee at the same time. Sometimes it gets stressful, but I have to keep doing it, at least until Sunnie gets bigger and I can get a nanny... or take her to the company. I don't know which of the two options is worse."

"You'll surely find a good nanny or daycare," (Y/N) encouraged, "you know? We have a daycare at the hospital... well, not exactly in maternal care or in the hospital itself, it's affiliated. Sometimes I cover shifts there; maybe you should consider it."

"Yes, maybe," Taeyong smiled.

Both remained silent for a few seconds, (Y/N) still gently rocking the little one to not wake her from the sleep she had fallen into, and Taeyong discreetly looking at the nurse.

Never in his life did he think he would find himself in such a situation.

But he wasn't complaining; he liked the scene. It was nice to see.

(Y/N) also discreetly contemplated the scene and thought to herself: How is it possible for Lee Taeyong to look so attractive at three in the morning? Even with dark circles under his eyes?

It wasn't news that the man seemed attractive to her, but after three weeks without hearing from him, she thought she wouldn't think of him that way. Of course, Taeyong and Sun Hee were constantly on her mind; she wanted to know about them on many occasions, but she had no way to contact with him, and the hospital, for good reasons, wouldn't give her the Lee family's private information; after all, it's the hospital's policies, and she would respect them.

However, she was grateful that Taeyong had called her, even though it had been at three in the morning on a Tuesday, to deal with Sun Hee's irritated problem.

She just hoped that if they met again, it would be in a different situation...

______________________________________________

An hour and a half later, with a deeply sleeping Sun Hee in Taeyong's bed surrounded by pillows, and the clock showing four forty-five in the morning. Lee Taeyong and Kang (Y/N) were in the living room of the apartment, not saying much.

"I think I should go," the girl commented. "I start my shift in a few hours."

Two hours and fifteen minutes to be exact.

"Oh my God, (T/N), you should have told me you had an early shift; I wouldn't have made you come here if I had known," Taeyong exclaimed alarmed.

"Don't worry, really. I told you that you could call me if you ever needed anything, and I meant it. You and Sun Hee would never be a problem. I'm glad to help," she smiled.

"Thank you very much, it means a lot to me that you did this," the boy commented. For a moment, he thought about taking the girl's hands and giving them a slight squeeze, but he held back his thoughts. "I promise to repay you soon... maybe with a coffee?" the brunette asked, feeling a surge of hope in his chest.

He saw the girl's smile widen, causing him to smile as well, and he lowered his gaze shyly.

"Rest assured that I'll say yes," she replied. "I'll be waiting for your call, even if it takes three weeks again," she joked.

"I won't take that long this time, I promise you."

"We'll see about that... in the meantime, don't forget to take Sun Hee to the pediatrician tomorrow; anything you need, you can call me, Lee Taeyong. I'd like to know how things are going with Sun Hee afterward."

"I'll let you know if anything comes up."

"Goodnight, Lee Taeyong."

"Goodnight, (Y/N)."

And so, at five in the morning, each went to bed with a small smile decorating their faces.

____________________________________________

For (Y/N), life was something she appreciated.

Perhaps that's why she chose to work in the healthcare field.

She grew up in a middle-class family. Nothing extravagant, but with everything necessary to live comfortably. Her family wasn't large either; it was just her, her two siblings, and her parents. A typical family with its ups and downs.

She was never demanding and instead tried to help with whatever she could. She liked making people feel good and enjoyed contributing whenever possible, something that made her parents proud.

She grew up as a normal girl, at least until she reached high school, where her parents' divorce took place. She never knew when it happened or what led them to make that decision, which left a scar on her heart.

Or maybe she always knew but never wanted to acknowledge it.

She must have noticed it when her parents started arguing over every little thing. She must have noticed it when her father was less present at home. Surely, she noticed it when her mother cried all day in her room when her husband spent the entire night away. Perhaps the times when her older sister was irritated and left home to hang out with people of dubious reputation were a sign of how her family was gradually falling apart.

However, she hoped it wouldn't be like that.

Still, despite how much that decision affected her, she continued with her life as best as she could, being a support to her mother and becoming the older sister when her brother failed in that task.

She became an independent woman. She didn't like relying on others for money, which is why she managed to work since she entered high school. It was a part-time job, enough for her to have her own money, and it was the job that allowed her to find her vocation and passion.

Her job wasn't complicated – or at least, it didn't feel that way because it was something she genuinely enjoyed. Every day, after finishing her last high school class, (Y/N) rushed to the Dongjak area, where on a small street, she found the daycare center that allowed her to find her path. At that time, she didn't fully interact with the children, as she lacked the experience needed and was still young for that, but she was the assistant to the caregivers there, and seeing them work excited her every day.

She didn't know if she had developed an emotional attachment there, after the conflicts that had arisen at home due to her parents' arguments.

But she enjoyed being there, she really did.

Then her sister, in an attempt to leave home and go with who she swore was the love of her life, got pregnant at a young age. It was a difficult pregnancy, and (Y/N) took part in taking care of her sister throughout the process. She appreciated everything she had learned at the daycare center, which allowed her to put it into practice once her nephew was born.

Her nephew was the apple of her eye and would always be.

She didn't blame her sister, she really didn't want to, but there were times when it seemed like she was the mother of her nephew herself. There were many occasions when she had to take care of Jisung. Her sister had to leave high school behind and get a job to cover her and her son's needs, especially after the man who swore to always be by her side had cowardly fled two months before giving birth, making the childbirth process even more difficult than it already was.

So, her nephew saw her as a pillar. Someone who took care of him, fed him, changed him, and cared for him. (Y/N) even witnessed his "firsts" before his own mother. His first steps, his first words, she even accompanied him on his first day of preschool, continuing until she had to go to university.

Having found her vocation early on made everything easier. She entered the Academy of Health and Pediatric Nursing in Seoul. Where she always got good grades and became an exemplary student, graduating with all the honors her academy could give her almost three years ago.

It wasn't difficult for her to find a job immediately, thanks to the recommendations some of her teachers had, she was able to find a nice position in the maternity and pediatric care area at Seoul General Hospital, where she couldn't feel more comfortable.

Where she was right now.

" Nurse (Y/N)!" a soft voice called from behind her, causing her to turn around and smile emotionally.

"Hello, little one," she greeted, approaching the bed of one of her patients. "How are you feeling today?"

"Very well, they told Mom that I can go home today, they say the treatment worked," the boy told her with a huge smile on his face.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that! You'll soon be back to see your friends at school," she encouraged him.

"Yes, but I'll miss you a lot, so I made this for you," he said, pointing to the piece of paper in his hands. "It's you and me."

(Y/N) smiled tenderly and looked at the drawing Kaeyoon had made for her.

"It's very nice, Yoonie, thank you very much for your gift, I'll hang it on my fridge," she said as she high-fived the boy. Then she looked at the drawing and looked doubtful. "And who is he? Is he your dad?" she asked, pointing to another figure in the drawing.

"No, that's Doctor Yuta, and he has hearts in his eyes because he's your boyfriend!" he exclaimed happily, causing (Y/N) to widen her eyes and then release a smile.

"But Yoonie~, Doctor Yuta is not my boyfriend," she replied, still laughing.

"Then can I be your boyfriend?” he asked skillfully.

"Oh, honey, I'm afraid you're too young for me," she replied with a smile.

"And when I get bigger?"

"Maybe when you're big," (T/N) continued. "But by then, you'll surely have found another girlfriend that will have your age."

"But you're the prettiest! Besides, I have to beat Doctor Yuta," he muttered.

"What do you have to beat me in?" another voice chimed in, and (Y/N)'s body reacted to it.

"In nothing."

"In being (Y/N)'s boyfriend," Kaeyoon and (T/N) replied in unison.

Yuta opened his mouth and pretended to be surprised. "So it's a competition?"

"Yoonie's just kidding," (T/N) said with a nervous smile. "You know how kids are, doctor."

"Look, doctor! I've made a drawing for you too," Kaeyoon exclaimed, changing the subject drastically, and it was the perfect opportunity for (Y/N) to awkwardly step away from there.

She wrapped the drawing in the paper and put it in the pocket of her pants before starting to check the checklist and see which child she should attend to. She stood at the desk for a few seconds, checking and arranging things until she felt a presence beside her, one that she could easily identify.

"So you have little kids falling for you," Yuta commented with a mocking smile.

(T/N) smiled nervously. "That's how kids are. Two weeks ago, he was in love with Nurse Mina."

"But he was right to fall for you," Dr. Yuta continued, and (T/N) let out a laugh followed by him. "Would you like to go for a coffee in your next break at the hospital cafeteria? I mean, it's not the most elegant thing, but I'd like to spend some more time with you."

(Y/N)'s cheeks turned crimson, and she nodded, smiling. "Oh yes, of course. I would love to."

"Maybe I might win you over Kaeyoon," Yuta said as he walked away from the desk.

_______________________________________________

Second month.

Week one, Thursday.

(Y/N) had been right two weeks ago. Sun Hee was suffering from colic, and according to the pediatrician, it was due to the formula Taeyong had been feeding her.

Taeyong instinctively felt like a bad father; he had been feeding his daughter something her little stomach seemed unable to tolerate. But how could he have known? He had to completely discard those formula cans from his pantry and replace them with the new formula the pediatrician had recommended, and soon, Sun Hee's discomfort was diminishing.

Even now, he could sleep a little more at night.

Along with the massages he had learned the night (Y/N) had helped him and a couple of other routines, Sun Hee's colic decreased.

(Y/N)…

Although Taeyong had assured not to take three weeks again to contact her, it seemed that Taeyong really wanted to leave her waiting. Not to misinterpret, it wasn't that he didn't want to call her and invite her for a coffee, but his life was busy, and his priority was his daughter instead of throwing flirty glances around.

Although he knew that a coffee was the least Taeyong could offer her in gratitude for that time at three in the morning, he simply couldn't muster the courage to pick up his damn phone and dial a few numbers. Besides, he didn't want to misread the signs; who would want to date a dad?

"You should just call her," Johnny advised as he watched his friend from the other side of the couch.

Sun Hee rested on her father's chest as he stared at his phone incessantly.

"I don't know, John," Taeyong replied with a sigh.

"How long has it been? Two weeks? You should have called her the next day."

"I don't want to pressure anything... maybe she's not interested."

"The girl came at three in the morning on a Tuesday, do you really think she wouldn't be even slightly interested?" Johnny asked incredulously.

"It was for Sun Hee, nothing else. She said she wouldn't mind helping with Sun Hee whenever she could," the younger one confessed, stroking his daughter's back.

"You should give yourself more credit, Lee Taeyong. You're a coveted and handsome man; being a dad now doesn't change how attractive you are."

"I was hoping she would be interested, not you," he joked, and Johnny contemplated throwing a pillow at him for a moment, but after seeing his niece on his friend's chest, he stopped.

"You'll never know if she has even a little interest if you don't call her. Plus, for the favor she did you, it's the least you can do."

Taeyong fell silent and sighed.

"I know, I'm aware of that," he replied, closing his eyes momentarily. "I'll keep considering it."

"You're stubborn," Johnny commented, rolling his eyes.

"Alright, alright. Get your ass up and come with me to the supermarket; Sun Hee finished her formula, and she needs more."

"Anything for my niece."

______________________________________________

“What do you think of this?” Johnny asked as he showed Taeyong a jar of baby food.

Taeyong turned around and snorted.

“Sun Hee still can't eat those things; besides, the doctor recommended that once Sunnie started trying food, I should prepare her purees myself. It's more natural,” the father shrugged, glancing at his daughter strapped to his chest in a baby carrier.

“Wow.”

“Wow what?”

“I never in my life imagined you playing the role of a dad,” Johnny commented with a half-smile.

His friend sighed and placed a can of formula in the shopping cart before sighing again.

“I didn't either, but Sun Hee came, and I'll try to be the best father she could have,“ he replied, smiling as he looked at his daughter. “ Everything happened very quickly, but Sunnie is a ray of sunshine.”

“She is!” Johnny agreed, then cleared his throat. “When are you going back to work? At the company, I mean.”

“John, this isn't the place to talk about that,” Taeyong said, pushing the cart.

“Taeyong, you know it has to happen. At some point in your life, you have to return to your usual routine. You can't work from home your whole life. Even the day will come when you have to go out and have fun too!”

“Johnny, stop”

“You know I'm right, Taeyong.”

The younger one sighed again. "I know, John, but now isn't the time for that. Sunnie is only two months old; the day will come when I can take her to the office without her getting irritated so quickly or the day when she's big enough to leave her in daycare."

“Just promise me you won't put your life completely on hold. I know Sunnie is your priority now, and some things change when you become a father, but please, also give yourself some time. If you ever need it, you can ask your mother to take care of her, I could even be Sun Hee's babysitter for a day!”

“I'd rather leave Sunnie with Doyoung and Jaehyun than with you,” Taeyong joked.

“Hey! How could you prefer to leave my niece with those two clowns? They can't even take care of themselves!”

Taeyong chuckled and continued pushing the shopping cart while considering what groceries to bring home.

“Okay, Johnny, I really appreciate it.”

His friend kept talking beside him, but he wasn't really paying attention. Instead, he was focusing on the items on the shelves and what he should take home, gently rocking Sun Hee to prevent her from crying right there.

He stopped somewhere between the cereal aisle and the canned goods, and upon hearing a child's laughter, he turned to his right, finding a very familiar face. The girl was about twenty steps away from him, with a smile on her face as she listened to what a little boy was saying to her.

Taeyong was confused; his brow furrowed as he looked sideways at the scene. Was that girl (Y/N)? If so, who was the boy next to her? His eyes widened; could he be her son? But what about that time at three in the morning? She wouldn't leave her child alone somewhere to go help another family... What if she had a husband and left him with him? Oh no, no, no, no.

“Taeyong?“ a female voice brought him back to reality, and he focused on the girl coming towards him with a confused expression, then smiling as she recognized him.

“ (Y/N), hi” he greeted, once she and the boy holding her hand were in front of him.

“ Of all the places we could run into each other, it has to be the supermarket” she commented, laughing softly.

Taeyong smiled. "Yes, Sunnie ran out of formula, so I had to come for more," he explained, pointing at his daughter.

“ Oh, I see. How's Sun Hee? I haven't heard from you since about two weeks ago,“ she inquired.

“She's been better; she had colics because her stomach couldn't handle the formula she was drinking. Now everything's fine.”

“I'm glad to hear that,“ (Y/N) noticed how Taeyong discreetly observed Jisung and spoke, “ Oh, yes, he's Jisung*. He's my nephew; I brought him to buy his favorite cereal, and he's staying over tonight.”

The guy felt the blood rushing back through his body and smiled warmly as he leaned slightly to look at the little boy.

“Hey, hi champ. I'm Taeyong, and she” he momentarily uncovered his daughter's face “ is Sun Hee.”

“Hi, Mr. I'm Jisung, and I'm this many,“ he held up his right hand, raising five fingers and showing them to Taeyong, who smiled tenderly.

“Oh, that's a lot. You're almost catching up to me.”

“Yeah, he’s almost your age” she laughed off.

In that brief moment, Taeyong and (Y/N) exchanged a few more words. The guy was distracted by her, now seeing her in a different light. He had seen her in her work clothes, then in pajamas when he called her at three in the morning, and now he saw her in a floral dress and a thin sweater covering her, with her hair loose and slightly wavy, and a bit of gloss on her lips.

She looked phenomenal. Actually, she looked phenomenal no matter what.

In nurse's attire, in pajamas, he was sure she would even look spectacular in a sack of potatoes because she just shone in every way.

However, his little and discreet admiration was interrupted when Johnny's voice called him abruptly.

“Hey, Taeyong. Look what I found; this would look cute on my niece” Johnny spoke, lightly tapping his back as he reached his side. Then he realized the situation and smiled sideways, “Oh, I didn't know you had found someone. I'm Johnny Suh, pleased to meet you” the blonde commented, extending his hand to the girl and giving a high-five to the little boy.

“She's (Y/N),” Taeyong said, fearing the worst.

“Oh.”

“ Nice to meet you, Johnny. I'm (Y/N). I was Sun Hee's nurse while she was in the hospital” she spoke kindly.

Johnny smiled playfully and turned to look at his friend, who was looking at him barely shaking his head.

Taeyong could expect anything from his friend, and that was what he feared the most.

“Oh, so you're the nurse Yong wanted to invite for coffee?“ he innocently asked.

“Johnny.”

“Hmm, I don't know” she responded with a little laugh, “Am I?”

“Excuse my friend; he's a very busy and absent-minded man” Johnny explained, receiving a small punch in his ribs from Taeyong, who smiled falsely and continued talking to the girl, “Isn't that right, Taeyong?”

“Yes, sorry for not calling you back after that night; I've just been taking care of Sun Hee and working at the company, so I didn't find the right moment to call you” Taeyong spoke with his head slightly bowed, feeling embarrassed.

“Oh, don't worry. I figured you'd be busy. No need to apologize; I completely understand” she assured him with a smile.

“But what a lovely girl! You better invite her for coffee; otherwise, I'll do it myself” Johnny encouraged while still smiling, causing (Y/N) to laugh.

“Johnny...”

“I was just kidding,“ he raised his arms in a sign of innocence, “but I'll leave you two alone; I heard there's a sale on floral detergent. I can't miss it!“ he exclaimed so that, without further ado, he walked away from the aisle and left both guys with both children, alone.

“I'm sorry, really. Sometimes Johnny can be... extra,” Taeyong apologized quickly, shaking his head with a smile, “but what he said is true; I wanted to invite you for coffee, but I couldn't find the right moment to call you. I'm sorry for taking so long.”

She smiled sideways and nodded slightly as she placed her hand on the guy's shoulder.

“It's okay. I waited for your call after you said you wouldn't take three weeks to call me this time,” she said, laughing, “but I figured you'd be busy, so no hard feelings.

“Is it still time for me to invite you?” he asked, his big eyes shining. (Y/N) nodded with her cheeks turning red, “How about Saturday afternoon? I know of a café not far from here, and they sell amazing muffins. I'm sure you'll like the place.”

“You've convinced me with the muffins.”

“Of course” Taeyong laughed. “I'll send you the location by text... this time, I'll do it.”

“I'll wait for your message then,” she said, nodding, then staying silent for a few seconds.

Should they say goodbye now? Should he wave his hand? Or leave a kiss on her cheek? They still didn't have the confidence for that, did they? Would it be weird if he did? How complicated everything is!

“Auntie, I want to go now,” the voice of a little boy took them out of their trance, and they changed their view to the kid.

“Oh, of course, my love. Have you had your cereal?” the girl asked, and Jisung nodded, “Okay, then we’ll go,” she assured him, then turned her gaze back to the boy and the little one on his chest, “it's been nice seeing you; give Sun Hee a kiss from me, have a good night.”

“See you on Saturday.”

“See you on Saturday, Taeyong.”

______________________________________________

The boy approached his car where Johnny was leaning against it, waiting for him. Taeyong gave him a dirty look, and the blond raised his arms as he opened the back door.

“Don't look at me like that! “ he pleaded with a smile “I did you a favor, dude!”

“Just don't say anything and put the stuff in the trunk” Taeyong ordered as he placed Sunnie in her car seat.

Johnny obeyed his friend's orders and began to put everything inside the car. After a few minutes, he returned to Taeyong's side, who had already settled Sun Hee comfortably and asleep in her car seat.

“Come on, help me get rid of this thing, it's stuck,” the brunette said as he tried to open one of the zippers of his baby carrier, struggling with it.

His friend approached him even closer and tried to help in a failed attempt; the zipper was stuck, and it didn't seem to want to open even with all the force in the universe.

“Let me try, don't move,” Johnny requested as he held his friend by the back and put one of his hands on the zipper of the carrier, “why won't it come out?”

“What a beautiful family!“ the exclamation of an older lady was heard, causing both boys to look at her. She was looking at them with a tender smile as she waved at them. Then they looked at each other and at their current position, prompting Taeyong to quickly push him away with his hands, and Johnny cleared his throat as he turned around.

“You get rid of that by yourself”

I’m sorry I took too long for posting this!! 😭

Taglist is open, just lemme know if u want to be added! You can ask me something if you want here!

Taglist: @geminiml95 @zooana @cathamada

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yongility · 8 months ago

Text

NEO TV # ROCKABYE (taeyong x reader, slightly yuta x reader) 3/?.

genre: single dad au, ceo au, fluff, slightly angst, smut. nurse au.

warnings: adult language, death mentions,taeyong's mom is kinda mean. idk there's not a lot of warning for this one.

word count: 8k (not proofread!!!)

a/n: if you want to be in the taglist, just lemme know;) enjoy!

Second month.

Week one, Saturday.

(Y/N)'s gaze lifted momentarily after hearing the notification from her phone, she stretched her arm to grab the device in her hands and smiled slightly as she read the text content, biting her lip softly, amused.

Taeyong.

"Well, so has Mr. Daddy finally deigned to send you a message?" a voice interrupted her trance, and she turned her head to see the person who had just sat beside her.

"Ew, Ten. What do you mean by Mr. Daddy?" she asked with a laugh.

"What's wrong with that? The guy is totally a DILF*, I saw him the week he was coming by, I mean, guy in his twenties, attractive, with more than triple the money we can earn in a year... single and with a daughter," the guy recounted, counting off on his fingers the descriptions of Taeyong. "Sweetheart, if that's not your weakness, it's definitely mine," he finished, taking a sip of his coffee and giving her a playful smile.

"Oh my god, Chittaphon. At least, make your daddy issues a bit more discreet," she said, lightly hitting his arm while shaking her head and laughing.

Ten burst into laughter, throwing his head back as he stroked his own arm, then said, "Well, the point is, he's sent you a text, right? Has he asked you out?" he asked.

"Hmm, yes. I ran into him on Thursday at the supermarket and he invited me for coffee," the nurse replied, looking at the food in front of her, and her friend noticed how her cheeks turned crimson.

"It's about time you had a date."

"Who's having a date?"

A voice in front of them made both of them turn their gaze in that direction, finding Dr. Yuta walking towards their table with a mischievous smile and holding his coffee in one hand.

"No one."

"(Y/N)” Ten and the brunette replied in unison, and upon hearing the guy's response, she widened her eyes and looked at him, shaking her head.

"Oh, so did I lost?" Yuta asked playfully. (Y/N) shook her head again, this time quickly, and cleared her throat.

"No. It's not a date," she turned to her friend and then to the doctor in front of them, "it's just someone thanking another person for a favor they did. That's all," she replied, glancing at her own hands, feeling embarrassed.

"Hmm, okay," the Japanese muttered, "but I still feel offended that someone else managed to take you out before me. I'm quite competitive, especially when it comes to someone as beautiful as you," with a flirtatious smile, Yuta took a sip of his coffee, and (Y/N) choked on her own drink.

"Oh, I better go. I don't want to be involved in any love triangles," Ten spoke, getting up from his seat, "good luck with your date," the guy added, laughing quietly and walking out of the hospital cafeteria.

"Chittaphon!" (Y/N) exclaimed, watching her friend walk away and covering her face slightly with her hands, feeling embarrassed by the words that had come out of his mouth.

"So... if that date doesn't work out... can I take you out?"

Yuta Nakamoto had recently arrived in Seoul. After graduating from one of the top universities in Tokyo and being one of the top students in his class, it wasn't difficult for him to immediately find a job thanks to the recommendations from his close teachers and doctors.

The trip to Korea had been a bit chaotic for the guy. Firstly, because of the abrupt weather he had encountered that day, which caused his flight to be delayed for a couple of hours, then upon arrival, with his minimal experience with Hangul, it was initially difficult for him to communicate. However, after many books, hundreds of YouTube channels, and a tutor, Yuta began to master the language a little more.

The Japanese still remembered his first day as the new pediatrician at Seoul General Hospital; as soon as he set foot in the large hallway of the maternity care area, all eyes turned to him. And how could they not? With his handsomeness, he stole glances as soon as he arrived. He was the new talk among all the nurses and interns. Yuta stood out among all the other doctors, perhaps because of his good looks or his youth, perhaps because he was a foreigner or because he was very flirtatious. However, Yuta's gaze was fixed on one person from day one, and it was the nurse in front of him, and no matter how much he wanted to find the reasons why... he couldn't.

But there he was, hoping that someday he could properly ask her out.

"Yuta... I won't have a date," the girl clarified with a small smile, "and I've been waiting for that coffee from this café you talked about since the day Kaeyoon was discharged," she finished with a giggle and could see the big smile spreading on the doctor's face.

"I'll take you to a place better than this café, I promise," he winked.

The girl sighed in mock surprise and opened her mouth, "A better place than the break room café? Is that possible?" she joked, earning a laugh from the doctor, who nodded happily and reached his hand to caress hers, an action that caused the nurse's breath to catch for a few seconds as she looked into his eyes.

"You'll be surprised."

______________________________________________

With one last look at his daughter in his arms and a small kiss on her forehead, Taeyong handed Sun Hee over to Johnny, who carefully held and gently rocked her after the baby let out a small whimper, not feeling her father's warmth.

"If my mother weren't busy, believe me, I wouldn't leave my daughter with you guys," Taeyong clarified, looking at the three guys in front of him and sighing lightly.

May the universe take care of your daughter, because your friends...

"You have no faith in us, Taeyong," Jaehyun muttered with furrowed brows. "We're the best uncles Sun Hee has!"

"You're the only uncles Sun Hee has," the father specified, shaking his head. "Just take good care of Sun Hee, it shouldn't be a problem; I've given her formula before you arrived and I've prepared another one that just needs to be warmed up if you need it. She'll probably sleep for the rest of the afternoon, but if she wakes up crying, give her a bottle or her pacifier," he explained, taking his jacket and putting it on, grabbing his keys, phone, and wallet to put them in his pants and jacket pockets, then looking at his friends. "Don't make too much noise, I know how you guys get when you're together, if you let her sleep in the bed, put pillows around her, but not too close to her that she could suffocate!" Listing things with his hand, the three guys watched him attentively. "Sun Hee likes to be held if she's about to wake up, so do it and cuddle her. If she wakes up and cries, you can play lullabies in the background, apparently they calm her down somehow," he paused for a second to think. "Oh! And if..."

"Taeyong, calm down," Doyoung stopped him. "You're leaving for a few hours, not for a year. Sun Hee will be fine. We'll take good care of her. It's us."

"That's what I'm afraid of," the guy confessed, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Oh, come on! As if we don't know the basics of taking care of a baby, I remind you that Doyoung has been an uncle before," Jaehyun explained, sitting on the couch and leaning back on it.

"Alright... just... if anything happens, call me right away, and I'll come as soon as possible, okay?"

"Yes, Taeyong! We'll call you, now go and enjoy your date," Johnny spoke while continuing to rock little Sun Hee and giving his friend a warm smile.

"It's not a date," Taeyong clarified as he turned around to walk towards the door of his apartment.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."

_____________________________________________

With a slight tilt of her head, the girl's gaze fell on the window next to her, admiring the complete panorama. Snow was falling lightly on the streets of Seoul, decorating what were once cherry blossom trees and covering them with a thin layer of ice. Then, she could see a couple of families walking together. Some couples. Someone accompanied by their pet. Some children running excitedly as they scooped up some snow from the sidewalk to play with and enjoy a great time.

A melancholic smile spread across her face. Remembering the time when she was still a child and she and her siblings would get excited as soon as the snow season arrived in the city, when her family was complete. When her father was still with them and when no responsibility weighed on her shoulders. It was simply about enjoying the moment, and now, longing for it with all her might.

With a sigh, she dispelled those memories, taking her gaze away from the window and turning to the package on the table. She ran her hand over it and nodded with a half-smile, then the door of the café made a small ding, causing the girl's gaze to focus on that point and staying in place as she saw how handsome Taeyong looked that afternoon.

It was impossible for him to look so good every time they met.

Especially when his teeth showed through his smile as he approached the table where the girl was sitting. The girl got up from her seat and both bowed their heads in a slight bow, silently, they sat each in their respective place and looked at each other shyly.

"Haven't you forgotten something?" the girl asked slightly confused, which also confused Taeyong, who frowned.

"Something?"

"Yes. A small one," she replied and Taeyong slightly opened his mouth.

"Oh, are you talking about Sun Hee?" he questioned and she nodded slightly. "Oh, I thought... I thought it would be good if we went out alone... Sun Hee... is at my apartment with Johnny, Jaehyun, and Doyoung. I'm sorry," he muttered.

"Oh no! No, no. I'm completely fine with that, it's just that... I've brought this for Sun Hee," the girl commented, stretching out the package from the guy to hand it over. "It's just a small gift, not much, but I thought of Sun Hee when I saw it," she explained with a smile. "You can open it if you want, it's not like Sun Hee can do it," they both laughed and the guy with the package in his hands began to open it carefully, then he took out a onesie with rose and heart prints and letters printed that said "daddy's girl" right in the middle.

"Since that time in the hospital, I knew Sun Hee would be a daddy's girl, for some reason, sometimes parents take longer to make a connection with their children... I've seen it a lot in maternity care, but with you... I don't know. It seems like you connected as soon as you had her in your arms, I'm really glad Sunnie has someone like you as a father. I know you'll give her the best," she confessed as her cheeks turned crimson and she shrunk in her seat slightly, shyly.

Taeyong's throat threatened to knot and he swallowed hard to avoid it because whenever someone talked about his fatherhood or whenever he remembered the day he had truly experienced love, his heart shrank because he never thought that something as unexpected as Sunnie would fill his heart and soul completely.

"Thank you... really thank you. You didn't have to do this," he sincerely thanked.

"But I wanted to. I bet Sun Hee will look great in it," she affirmed with a smile, which was followed by Taeyong's.

"It will be the clothing she wears the most," they both chuckled softly, "would you like to order something?"

Talking between them seemed natural. As if they had gone out together before. Although there was a bit of shyness at first from both sides... it vanished as the conversation progressed. Taeyong liked listening to her and hearing her talk about growing up as the middle sister, how those afternoons of her childhood turned into countless adventures with her brothers. He liked hearing her talk about how she became interested in her career and how she developed a love for the pediatric area while growing up working at a small daycare a few blocks away from that same café.

And (Y/N) liked hearing about how passionate Taeyong was about his work, even when at first in his life he didn't know that was what he wanted for himself. She liked hearing him talk about his incredible travels around the world and all the things he managed to learn before he was 26, earning a little admiration from the girl, who found herself smiling throughout.

And in the eyes of anyone in that café, Taeyong and (Y/N)'s table seemed like a table of two young people deeply interested in each other, because it only took the wise eyes of one person to see it in the gaze of each and what they expressed.

But being able to genuinely and properly notice it always took time.

"I swear you should have seen his face. Johnny had never changed a diaper in his life," the guy finished telling the story as he let out a laugh.

"Oh, and what about you, mister who looks up tutorials on YouTube on how to change his own daughter's diaper?" she defended jokingly, earning a fake offended expression from the guy.

"For your information, I like to do my own research."

"Yeah, sure," she replied, rolling her eyes slightly before ending with a smile.

"It's been really nice this afternoon," Taeyong confessed with a small sparkle in his eyes. "I think it's the most relaxed I've felt in a while, I mean, with all this parenthood stuff, it's sometimes hard for me to take a break... I think it's the first time I've been away from Sun Hee for so long and even though she's with the guys, I don't feel pressured to come back so soon, I think I can start to step out of my comfort zone," he admitted. "Don't take it the wrong way, spending time with Sun Hee is one of the things I enjoy the most, but the time for me has been so reduced that I...," he sighed, "I just appreciate that you accepted my invitation."

The guy's words touched something inside the nurse, who with a warm smile, dared to place her hand on his, which rested on the table, and give it a little squeeze, as a show of support.

"I'm glad I accepted. You're a great guy, Taeyong, and I'm sure you'll be a great dad. Sun Hee is very lucky."

At the precise moment Taeyong would respond to that comment, the sound of his phone interrupted him. Moving his hand away from the girl's and immediately feeling an absence of warmth; Taeyong took the phone in his hands to answer the call: "Doyoung? Is something wrong? Is everything okay?" he asked quickly, catching the girl's attention.

"Yes... no... well, I don't know," Doyoung quickly replied, "Sun Hee has been awake and crying for a while... we've tried everything, lullabies... even Jaehyun tried singing to her," the guy continued, "but I think Sunnie has a fever, she's a little irritable."

Taeyong closed his eyes for a moment and got up from his seat, which was followed by the girl.

"I'm sorry, Taeyong, I wouldn't interrupt your date if it wasn't necessary, but we don't know what to do anymore," the guy apologized.

"No, it's okay, Doyo. Don't worry, I... I'll be right there. I'll be there in fifteen minutes," he affirmed, ending the call and turning his gaze to the girl, who was slightly worried.

"What's wrong? Did something happen to Sun Hee?" she asked with concern.

"Umh, I... I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, it seems like Sunnie has a fever... I should go... I'm so sorry. Aish, I knew it wasn't good to leave her alone..."

"No, no, no, don't worry, Taeyong. It's probably just a little cold, the weather is cold. Do you want me to come with you? I'd like to help if I can."

"I don't want to bother..."

"You're not bothering, neither you nor Sun Hee. I thought I had already clarified that," she said firmly.

"Thank you, really thank you."

The way to the apartment was a bit silent, with Taeyong driving impatiently and (Y/N) reminding him to calm down from time to time and by the time both were in front of the apartment; Taeyong entered hastily upon hearing his daughter's cries. The nurse followed him, earning a couple of glances from the guys in the apartment.

The guy immediately took the little one from Johnny's arms and brought his hand to the baby's forehead, where he could feel a slight warmth emanating from her. He turned to (T/N) with concern, who approached them and imitated the guy's action.

"I can call someone, I have a friend who is a pediatrician, maybe he can come. Sun Hee surely has a cold, but it would be better if someone gives her a check-up to know how to take care of her," she commented, receiving an immediate nod from Taeyong. Moving away from the guys, (Y/N) took her phone to continue her call and after a couple of tones, she could hear a familiar voice: "Yuta? I'm sorry to call you right now, but you're not on duty, right? Do you think you can come to this address?" After explaining the situation a bit, Yuta agreed and assured her that they would meet there in a few minutes.

____________________________________________

A couple of minutes flew by for Johnny, Jaehyun, Doyoung, and (T/N), but it felt like an eternity before the apartment doorbell rang, and the girl approached to open it, finding Yuta standing in front of her, already smiling warmly.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your Saturday, Yuta," the girl immediately apologized as she stepped aside to let him in.

"Oh, don't worry about that. You know I'd do anything for you, love," he assured her, and Taeyong was greatly surprised when he managed to hear those words over his daughter's whimpering, who was still trying to calm her down.

And he couldn't help but notice the blush on the girl's cheeks when she turned to him.

Clearing her throat, (Y/N) approached the doctor and spoke: "Taeyong, this is Yuta. He's a pediatrician at the hospital I work at: Yuta, this is Taeyong, a friend, and this is Sun Hee, she's two months old. As I told you on the phone, she seems to have a common cold, but Taeyong is a first-time dad, and I think he would feel more at ease hearing the verdict from a professional," she said as they introduced themselves.

"Of course, nice to meet you. I'm Doctor Nakamoto, there's no need to worry. I'll do a quick check-up on the little one and see what's causing this cutie's fever."

Starting the procedure, Sun Hee was placed in her crib where Yuta could easily take all her vitals and properly examine her. Starting with his stethoscope and her lungs, carefully checking the baby's ears, not letting any detail slip. With Taeyong and (Y/N) at the door, the former feeling nervous as he watched his little one fuss in her crib, resisting the urge to go and pick her up.

Taeyong had heard from his mother and aunts that seeing their own children with a doctor was always difficult, and right now he could experience it firsthand. He knew that a little cold couldn't be serious, however, it hurt to think that somehow his little one wasn't feeling comfortable and that there was something bothering her inside, so he was tense.

Something that didn't go unnoticed by the girl, who dared to place a hand on the guy's shoulder in support and managed to receive a small smile from him. With Yuta glancing at them out of the corner of his eye, he shook his head and straightened up.

"It is indeed a cold what Sun Hee has," Yuta announced, turning to look at them and fixing his gaze for a couple of seconds on the touch that both guys in front of him had, "it's nothing serious, don't worry. Her lungs sound good, so it shouldn't escalate to anything else. The only thing I can recommend, considering that Sun Hee is only two months old, is to feed her formula constantly, the fever will pass on its own, it's just a reflex of her system. You can buy a nasal bulb to help with her nasal congestion and use a humidifier in the room where she sleeps to keep her breathing normal and prevent congestion," he explained, "Sun Hee will be fine, colds in babies are more common than they seem, especially with this cold weather and considering the baby's age, her system is just starting to develop the necessary defenses to protect her. The cold should go away in about a week, but if you see any difficulty breathing or she has trouble sleeping at night, you can take her to the hospital or call me, I'll tell (Y/N) to give you my work number so you can contact me."

"Thank you very much, Dr. Nakamoto. I feel more relieved after you checked her."

"It's nothing," he replied with a sly smile.

"Do I owe you anything?" Taeyong asked, reaching for his wallet in his pants but was interrupted by Yuta.

"No. Don't worry. (Y/N) was the one that called and anything she needs, I'll take care of it without a problem," the Japanese man winked at the girl, who averted her gaze to anywhere in the room except for the two guys who were there.

Where was she?

A farewell to the doctor later and a sleeping Sun Hee in her rocker, Taeyong could feel a small weight lifted from his shoulders. His friends, after making sure everything was okay, said their goodbyes one by one, assuring the father that when Sun Hee was feeling a little better, they would come to visit her, as they preferred not to disturb her for the moment.

Leaving Taeyong and (Y/N) alone... well, with a sleeping Sunnie a few meters away from them.

"I think... it's best if I go. It's getting late, and I think you should take advantage of her sleeping so that you can rest too. She might wake up in the middle of the night, and you might not be able to do it," she commented, getting up from the couch and facing Taeyong.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," he admitted, stretching his body slightly and letting out a yawn.

They made their way to the door, where they stopped to look at each other once more and smile at each other. "Thank you for today, I had a good time even though our outing had to be interrupted," Taeyong confessed, "and thank you for caring for Sunnie the way you do. I'm glad to have someone besides the guys I could lean on and support Sunnie."

"Of course, Taeyong. I'm delighted to be with you guys, how could I not?"

With a glance into his eyes, she could notice the sparkle in them; something she found beautiful. And at that moment, they knew there were no necessary words to say, nor actions to perform, just silently thanking each other for their companionship.

"I hope we can see each other again."

And as if their relationship thrived on interruptions, hurried knocks on the door stopped (Y/N) from replying to the guy, who, with a furrowed brow, turned completely to the door and opened it, feeling and seeing his mother rushing toward him and exclaiming dramatically.

"Oh! What happened? Doyoung told me they had been taking care of Sun Hee because you had gone out and she got sick? How is Grandma's little sugar cube doing? Huh?" she asked fluently, separating from her son upon feeling a third presence in the room. "Oh, isn't she the nurse who took care of Sunnie at the hospital? How nice of you to call her to help you with the baby! But I think you should have called a pediatrician instead."

"Mom..." he called her to stop, "a pediatrician has already come, and Sun Hee is fine. Yes, she's the nurse, but her name is (Y/N), and I didn't call her to take care of Sunnie, I went out with her in the afternoon."

His mother's gaze went directly to the girl, and she looked her up and down, causing the brunette to feel small in her place and swallow slightly. "Good evening, Mrs. Lee. Um, I'm (Y/N). Nice to meet you," she offered her hand, which the lady observed for a few seconds before taking it and shaking it. "Taeyong, I think it's best if I go... it was nice seeing you today, I hope Sunnie gets better, give her a kiss from me. Good night," she said goodbye and moved from her spot to leave, with Taeyong wanting to follow her properly but being stopped by his mother.

"Mom, you didn't have to act like that."

"Have you had a date with her?" she questioned, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Mom, we've just been out today. Don't make a big deal out of it," Taeyong sighed, closing the door and walking to the living room to slump onto the couch.

"I'm just saying, be careful, son. Look, you're a very handsome and young man with money. Anyone could take the opportunity, and you have to be aware that you can't go around like a teenager when you're not one anymore. Now you're a dad, and you shouldn't only look out for yourself, you should also look out for Sunnie and what's best for her," his mother continued, making a slight pause and taking her son's hands after sitting next to him, "I've talked to Mrs. Park, and she told me Joy is back in town, maybe you and her..."

"Mom, don't start with that," he interrupted, taking his hands away from hers and bringing them to his face.

"I'm not starting with anything, Taeyong. You should consider it, Joy is an incredible girl, with good status, and she would surely come back to you if you asked her to."

"I'm not twenty years old for you to try to choose my relationships again, mom," he snapped, getting up from his seat and walking to the kitchen.

"Look, Taeyong, you're not twenty years old anymore, but you have a daughter, you should think twice before going around like a teenager."

"I don't have time for this, mom. I'm tired. So if you've just come for that... I'd prefer you leave. I'd like to rest now that Sunnie is asleep."

His mother got up from her seat and silently walked to the door, grabbing the doorknob and pausing before opening it. "If you change your mind, Joy's number is the same... I'm just telling you that it's hard for a young girl like her to look for a serious relationship with someone who's already committed to fatherhood."

She left the apartment, leaving Taeyong leaning his arms on the kitchen island and with a bunch of things running through his head, one of them being the image of Yuta and (Y/N) smiling at each other.

Would it be so hard?

_____________________________________________

Second month.

Week three, Friday.

With Sun Hee finishing her cold phase, Taeyong feels a little relieved.

Nights that felt endless, waking up at three in the morning after hearing his daughter's soft whimpers, which later turned into muffled cries. Nights trying to control the little fever his daughter experienced and where he couldn't feel at peace until the little baby fell asleep as needed, Taeyong truly knew what fatherhood was.

He didn't care how much his schedules had changed, the little rest he was getting, Sun Hee would always come first in every sense. As long as she was well, nothing else mattered.

Working from home these past two weeks had been difficult. The office he had set up at the end of the hallway was a mess, just like the rest of his apartment.

He didn't understand how, after all, Taeyong was someone who cared a lot about order, and it drove him crazy not to see things in their place... he supposed all of that came with the stage of becoming a dad overnight, the only organized place was the corner of his room where Sun Hee's crib was installed and the room he had been setting up right next to his for his little daughter's space.

He hadn't seen his friends frequently these weeks, despite receiving their calls and attending to them when time allowed, he hadn't wanted to receive just any visit, since, according to him, Sun Hee got irritated quickly.

He promised to see them as soon as Sunnie's cold disappeared.

His mother appeared a couple of times in the apartment, either to bring him some food or see how her granddaughter was doing, but he didn't know if his mother's visits were beneficial or not. After all, every time she came, she brought up the topic of him getting back with Joy Park and trying to start a life with her again because, according to his mother's words, a decent family man needed a good woman by his side. One who could stay at home and help him with Sunnie.

He disagreed.

He was too much in disagreement.

He could be the only responsible, and more.

Taeyong couldn't believe he was just over a week away from Sun Hee's three-month mark. He couldn't get over how much his little one had grown since that moment when he wrapped her tiny hand around his big pinkie. It really all still felt like a dream.

Sunnie was starting to outgrow her clothes from a couple of weeks ago, and Taeyong knew her small wardrobe would have to be replaced frequently.

Three months filled with emotions and different feelings. Three months in which he had been present for the development of a new life as he never thought he would experience it. Sunnie was starting to babble more, sometimes it seemed like she really wanted to have a conversation with him, and that seemed funny to him. She often brought her little hand to her mouth and loved being face down on her dad's big bed.

What was this? Why did he feel sentimental about believing his daughter was growing up fast?

Today they had gone to her appointment with the pediatrician.

Not with Doctor Nakamoto. Clearly.

But Taeyong decided to look for another pediatrician privately, one he was sure he could take his little daughter to during her childhood and part of adolescence.

Oh, but he wouldn't think about her adolescence right now, because he'd surely burst into tears right there.

The time they spent in Doctor Moon's office was a roller coaster. That morning before leaving home, he had showered and made sure to look presentable, he had shaved the little beard that was starting to grow, and had combed his hair decently. For her part, he had put a cute reddish bow in Sunnie's hair and put on her the gift that (Y/N) had given him two weeks ago.

She was right, Sunnie looked very cute in that outfit, and Sunnie was definitely daddy's girl.

During the short trip from his building to the doctor's office, Sunnie spent her time babbling in the back of the car, while the speakers played farm songs, which were of great help when it came to trying to calm the little one. Although Taeyong was sure that Sunnie loved those songs more when his uncle Jaehyun played them through his phone.

In the waiting room of the doctor's office, Taeyong felt weird. The stares of the mothers carrying their children were fixed on him and only him. Making him feel a little uncomfortable and unable to wait any longer for his turn. For a moment, Sunnie let out a sob that didn't stop until Taeyong stood up and rocked her in his arms.

He was grateful when her name was mentioned by the doctor's assistant, announcing that it was time for her appointment.

He felt proud of his little one and how healthy she had been growing, according to Doctor Moon, her cold was over, and everything sounded perfect. Sunnie was at the right weight, and the colic she had had during her first month would not be a bother right now. The doctor explained to Taeyong what this new stage of his daughter's life would be like entering her third month of life and the new habits the little one could develop. He recommended a new formula for her feeding, some motor activities he could try with her to strengthen her little bones.

With a couple more check-ups later, thanking and saying goodbye to the pediatrician, Taeyong and Sunnie returned home. This time, Sun Hee managed to fall asleep on the way back to the building, something Taeyong totally thanked internally. Arriving at his apartment and placing Sunnie's seat on the couch, taking off his shoes to change them for slippers and taking off the dress coat he was wearing... Taeyong let out a long, heavy sigh.

He watched his daughter peacefully asleep and couldn't believe all the work it took him to get there: all the nights where he barely slept for thirty minutes, all those shirts stained after Sunnie had taken her formula and repeated on him. The cries, the babbling, the whimpers. The times it took him to properly place a diaper, the few lullabies he had to learn to be able to calm his little one, and all those nights full of doubts about the work he was doing regarding his fatherhood, hit him coldly.

Still, Taeyong knew there was nothing else he wanted and would do well than to take care of that little human being with all his might.

He approached her and lifted her carefully from her car seat. Placing her gently in his arms and admiring her as she slept peacefully. Her reddish bow was slightly askew, and its color matched her rosy cheeks. Because if something characterized little Sunnie, it was that most of the time her cheeks were rosy, almost like Taeyong's when a drop of alcohol entered his system. Johnny, Jaehyun, and Doyoung thought this was funny and at the same time cute.

Then he brought his nose to Sunnie's crown, inhaling the particular baby lotion scent and feeling the softness of his daughter's thin brown hair. Sun Hee made small movements and babbling in her dreams, managing to draw a smile from him. He closed his eyes, leaned his forehead against hers, just as he had done the first week he held her in his arms, and experienced that feeling in his chest again, he realized that a small tear threatened to come out, and he sighed.

"I love you," he murmured. Sunnie babbled again— "you're my little ray of sunshine."

One more babble that turned into a little hiccup, and Taeyong let out a low laugh, finally letting the tear fall on his cheek.

You're doing well.

"Daddy loves you so much, I want you to always remember that."

_______________________________________________

Taeyong didn't know if "brave" was the correct adjective to describe what he was doing right now.

He knew it was something he eventually had to do, and it was time to start doing it, even if it was by taking baby steps.

He checked that everything in Sunnie's diaper bag was all set: her bottle, enough diapers, changes of clothes, baby wipes, her pacifier, and anything else his daughter might need during the couple of hours he would have to spend in his company.

Finally, after almost three months of working from home, he had to attend a meeting with some of his partners that he couldn't reschedule. If he wanted to maintain the international relationships he had fought so hard for his company, he had to responsibly take charge of his role as CEO, and hopefully, Doyoung and Johnny would help him with their parenting duties while Jaehyun and he attended the meeting.

At first, although the company employees tried to hide their glances when Taeyong finally showed up at the big building, this time, accompanied by a little human being with him, they couldn't go unnoticed by the CEO. Until that day, no employee knew about the possible new heiress of the company, and it's not like Taeyong had to make his private life public, but the news caused a stir in the hallways.

When he entered his office, he felt relieved not to perceive all the vibes his employees were transmitting and to have stopped hearing the murmurs they made as he took one step further.

He placed Sunnie's car seat on the couch in his large office and took a quick look around the place that three months ago was more his home than his own home, and everything really seemed to be in the exact place he had left it. After the observation, he decided to send a message to Doyoung, letting him know about his arrival so they could come and take care of Sunnie temporarily while he waited for the meeting to start.

Luckily, Sunnie was asleep, and he was sure she would stay that way for a while longer, so it shouldn't be a problem for her temporary babysitters.

Soft knocks on his door pulled him out of his thoughts, and he frowned, believing that Doyoung and Johnny had arrived too quickly at his office; but still, careful not to make noise and wake up Sun Hee, Taeyong opened the door only to be taken aback when he realized who was standing in front of him.

He didn't know if his surprise had been evident, but he really felt his blood disappear from his system and cleared his throat when he finally noticed that the person was indeed in front of him.

"Taeyong!" the feminine voice exclaimed as she threw herself into his arms.

"Joy?"

The mentioned woman let go of him and offered him a big smile as she nodded. Perplexed, he observed the girl, who was wearing a white button-up blouse and a pencil skirt. She hadn't changed at all; she was still the same as a few years ago when they had decided to end their relationship.

"Your mother told me you would come to your office today, and I thought it would be a good idea to visit you like old times," the girl commented as she walked through the office and stopped right in front of the couch, cautiously looking at the little one who was there—"Oh! So, this is the little one your mother was talking about," by the tone she used in her voice, Taeyong couldn't tell if she had said it in a good way or not—"such a cute little thing," the girl commented as she approached to get a better look.

And Taeyong still couldn't recognize the tone of her voice.

"Joy?" he asked again, confused.

"Yes, Taeyong. It's me, aren't you glad to see me?"

The brunette thought for a moment and, clearing his throat, he replied—"Uh, yes! Wow, it's been a long time since the last time we saw each other, three years?"

"Oh, yes. After our breakup, I went abroad, I was in Europe, but it was time to come back, and what a surprise I got when your mother told me you're a dad now!" the girl looked at Sun Hee and quickly returned her gaze to Taeyong.

"Hmm, yes. A couple of things have happened since you left," the guy confessed, making Joy let out a little laugh and approach him.

Taeyong was sure that physically Joy was still the same, but there was something in the tone of her voice that he didn't like. Had her attitude changed in those three years?

He wasn't sure.

But Taeyong was someone who usually offered the benefit of the doubt easily.

"It was a pity our breakup, wasn't it?" Joy said "I know we weren't in the right moment back then, but what if you invite me to dinner later?"

That comment caught Taeyong even more by surprise, and he immediately didn't know what to say. Simply mentally praying that Doyoung and Johnny would appear right away.

He couldn't help but think that all of this was his mother's doing, who had insisted too much that he should get in touch with Joy Park. However, the guy had been avoiding this precise encounter as much as possible.

And he didn't know if he would be able to go through the same thing he had gone through three years ago. He didn't want to feel pressured again, and again, his only priority at that moment was Sun Hee.

And he knew Joy wouldn't understand that.

"Joy, I don't know. I've been a little busy lately, and I don't think..."

"If your worry is your daughter," Taeyong interrupted.

"Her name is Sun Hee," he explained firmly—"and of course, my concern is my daughter, my life isn't like it was three years ago, Joy. Things are different, and..."

"Your mother told me you would be excited to see me again," Joy commented with a slight pout—"doesn't seem like it."

They looked each other straight in the eyes and shared glances for a couple of seconds.

Why did his mother have to get him into such big trouble?

Although through her eyes, he wasn't sure if he saw Joy, who had once been his partner. Maybe being out of the country changed her because if he remembered the look she used to give him a few years ago, the current one transmitted something completely different.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Joy," Taeyong spoke quickly—"it' difficult. Sunnie comes first, and I don't know if..."

"A dinner, Taeyong, just a dinner, and we'll see how things go. Even if..." she paused and turned to look at the baby behind her—"if Sun Hee, um, is there , is not a problem."

Why did it have to happen right now?

_______________________________________________

It had been an exhausting day.

Returning to what used to be his daily routine, now accompanied by a little human being by his side, had tired him out.

Nevertheless, the meeting had been a success. Jaehyun and he had managed to improve relations with their partners, and he was sure good things were coming for his company. Amidst paperwork, signatures, and discussions, Taeyong received countless congratulations for his new life and fatherhood.

But he didn't appreciate being asked about his love life.

Why did it seem like nobody could understand that he could be a great father even if he didn't have a partner by his side?

Now wasn't the time to think about that. He repeated to himself as he opened the door to his apartment.

Sunnie had fallen asleep on the way home, and he was deeply grateful that she hadn't caused any trouble during her time at the company. Doyoung and Johnny had taken care of her too well, so much so that when Jaehyun and he returned to their office, both of them were asleep with Sunnie in between them, fast asleep, and the big TV on the wall in front of them playing Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

But the fact that Sunnie could be comfortable in what was his workplace opened up the possibility of him returning to it, maybe not on a full-time basis, but a couple of times a week, and the rest... working from home.

He picked up Sunnie in his arms and placed her in her crib carefully. He knew she would wake up in at least an hour to ask for her bottle. He put away the things he had brought from the little one in their place. He took off his tie and dress coat. He unbuttoned his cuffs and, opening his shirt a little, sank into the couch in the living room, his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

And with the door to his room slightly open.

His eyes closed for a few seconds as he leaned his head against the back of the couch. His body was screaming for him to rest, to sleep, but he knew he needed to shower first, wait for Sunnie to ask for her bottle, and then, finally, he could rest.

He opened his eyes for a moment, seeing that his watch already read ten o'clock at night, his stomach grumbled for a moment, and he remembered he had only had some breakfast on the way to work.

Apparently, it was time to order some food.

Because lately, his diet had been based on takeout.

He should do the groceries and start eating healthy again.

When his eyes closed for the second time... the doorbell of his apartment rang throughout the place, and with a grunt, he got up from the couch. He ran his hand through his hair, possibly messing it up; but he didn't care, after all, he was in the comfort of his own home.

Walking with his bare feet to the entrance of his apartment, he sighed before opening the door, and after a few seconds; a smile formed on his face.

Wait... were his cheeks red?

“ I hope I'm not bothering” the person's voice in front of him sounded, and he quickly shook his head.

“Of course not” Taeyong said. “Hi, (Y/N).

She laughed softly and then smiled at him.

“Hi, Taeyong” she greeted, then raising the bags she was carrying to face level. “I…uh... my mom prepared a little too much” she laughedactually, too much food and... it's been a while since we last saw each other, I thought it would be a good idea if we shared some”

“That... that would be great” the smell of homemade food reached the boy's nose, causing his stomach to rumble for a second, and making both of them laugh. “Oh! Sorry, come in, how rude of me.

(Y/N) took a few steps until she was in front of the couch where Taeyong had been moments ago. She left the bags with the food on the coffee table.

“My mom made some bulgogi and bibimbap, hope you like it” she said

“My favorites” Taeyong replied, approaching her— would you like something to drink? Maybe a glass of wine?”

She nodded, and the chestnut-haired man immediately walked to his kitchen, took out his favorite wine from his cellar, and poured it into two glasses. As he did, he glanced at the girl out of the corner of his eye, who was starting to take the containers out of the bags and open them carefully. The outfit the brunette was wearing was casual, white cargo pants, and a baby blue cardigan. Her hair was slightly wavy, and she seemed to have lip gloss on, looking absolutely cute.

He smiled to himself and took the glasses in his hands.

“How is Sunnie? Has she recovered from her cold?”(Y/N) asked when Taeyong handed her the glass, and both sat on the floor. Their bodies at table height.

“She's doing great, just yesterday we went to the pediatrician, and...”

“Oh, you've visited Doctor Nakamoto” she interrupted him, and Taeyong took a sip of his glass.

“Um, no. No, we're seeing a private pediatrician... Doctor Moon Taeil” Taeyong replied so that the girl's mouth formed an "O," and let him continue “Sunnie is growing well, her cold is gone, and... everything seems to be going smoothly, next week she'll be three months old, and oh, God. You don't know how sentimental it makes me to talk about that.”

Both laughed lightly, and with the chopsticks offered by the girl, they proceeded to have lunch while continuing their conversation.

“The gift you gave her turned out perfect; I even took a picture of her before leaving” Taeyong commented as he brought a piece of food to his mouth.

(Y/N)'s eyes lit up, and she bit her lip: "Can I see the picture?"

The boy nodded and stretched in his place to take his phone out of his pants pocket, giving the brunette a perfect view of Taeyong's discreetly exposed torso, causing her to swallow hard and move her gaze anywhere but at him.

Don't look. Don't look. Don't look.

Unlocking his phone and checking his gallery, Taeyong showed her the picture of Sunnie asleep in her car seat in the back of his car. With the rose jumpsuit and the reddish bow, which made her look absolutely adorable.

“Ow! I'm going to die of cuteness!” (Y/N) exclaimed as she focused on the phone. Lucky for her, that would distract her “she's so precious! She looks like a little angel”

Taeyong smiled at the compliments the girl gave him tonsmall ray of sunshine. He noticed the proximity they were in, very close, and the warmth emanating from the girl's body was enough to make him feel at peace.

“With that picture, I feel like giving her kisses all over her face, she's so adorable” she murmured, and Taeyong couldn't help but think of a mental image after the girl's words.

How beautiful it would be to see that.

Although there had been few times he had spent alone time with the girl; Taeyong enjoyed her company. There was something about her that made him feel comfortable and confident, especially knowing that she was someone he could trust to be with Sunnie.

But sometimes he wished their moments together wouldn't be interrupted, like right at that moment when Sunnie's cry echoed throughout the apartment. (Y/N) stopped looking at the phone and changed her view to the boy, now realizing how close they were.

“I'm sure she woke up just to eat” Taeyong murmured.

“Can I... can I feed her formula?” the girl asked timidly, to which Taeyong nodded without hesitation and with a smile on his face.

“Of course, we just need to prepare it” both got up from their place and walked to the kitchen, where Taeyong had a thermos that kept Sunnie's formula water warm all the time. He poured it into the bottle that best suited the little one, dropped a scoop of formula into it, and closing the bottle, shook it with a little force to mix it well. Every little action being watched by the girl, who didn't know exactly what to pay attention to, every tiny thing Taeyong did was enough for her to get lost in her thoughts.

Leaving the bottle on the kitchen island, Taeyong spoke: “ I'll go get Sunnie.”

The boy disappeared but immediately returned, trying to calm his little one in his arms. (Y/N) smiled and extended her arms while Taeyong placed Sunnie in them.

“ Hi, little one” the girl whispered as she rocked her gently “you're so beautiful, you're such a cutie... yes, you are” her voice had risen about two tones in pitch, the typical baby voice she used when talking to her kids at the hospital. She took the bottle in her hands and brought it to Sunnie's mouth, who immediately accepted it.

A very beautiful image in Taeyong's eyes.

Sunnie kept her eyes open while (Y/N) talked to her softly. He was sure Sun Hee still didn't recognize people well, according to Doctor Moon, Sunnie's sight would still see slight shadows until she developed her sight better, but he knew she would recognize the nurse's voice since she seemed too comfortable in her arms.

It was definitely a beautiful picture.

But he cleared his throat when he heard himself in his thoughts.

“Um, I, uh, today I went back to the company, and Sunnie kept me company” Taeyong suddenly let out, causing (Y/N) to finally take her eyes off the little one and change her gaze to the boy.

“Taeyong!” she exclaimed “I'm glad to hear that, I'm sure this little one behaved incredibly well. I'm glad to hear you're starting to adapt again to your old life”

“Sunnie behaved phenomenally. Doyo and Johnny took care of her while I was in a meeting, and she didn't cause any trouble. Still, it was quite a surprise for everyone to see me arrive with a baby after being absent for so long” he chuckled, infecting the girl.

“It must have been. Seeing your boss arrive and seeing this beauty by his side” the girl booped Sunnie's nose. must be quite a surprise... I hope it was a good day.”

“ Well, it was. Apparently, and seeing that Sun Hee has behaved so well, I'll be able to go back to the office from time to time and work there while it's not necessary to find a babysitter.”

“ You know that anytime you need me to take care of Sunnie, I can do it, as long as I'm not on duty” she offered sincerely, receiving a sincere smile from the boy.

“(y/N), I mean it when I thank you for being here, you were a great help when we were in the hospital, and... I don't think anyone else would have wanted to stay in touch with a patient after being discharged. I really appreciate your... friendship.”

The brunette brought the little one a little closer to her chest, who babbled for a moment, as if she were also talking to her, which made (Y/N) melt with tenderness right there.

“I think Sunnie also thanks you for being here.”

“Sunnie stole my heart when she arrived in the maternity ward, I think it would be impossible for me not to know more about her after you left. I also thank you for trusting me; I know as a first-time father it's hard to do, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me part of it.”

He wanted to know exactly what it was that ran through his body when he was close to her. He seemed like a teenager rather than an adult... why couldn't he behave like an adult? To be able to make decisions without so much thought behind them? His blood seemed to run faster through his body, and he hated himself when he remembered that alcohol made him blush quickly and, putting together how he felt next to her... he must look like a tomato right now.

Something inside Taeyong screamed at him to approach her and envelop her in a hug... maybe because of her words or because of the cozy scene it felt like to see her there with his little one in her arms, but just as that, there was another part that screamed at him not to do it, to stay there and not lift a finger.

He knew he had to hold himself back, it wasn't appropriate. His trust was just beginning to grow. Would it look bad to skip all that just for a hug?

Maybe not... maybe yes...

Maybe he should enjoy her company as he was doing until today, without crossing the boundaries of what was just forming.

Oh, Taeyong. You don't even know what you want.

What did he want?

And another interruption came at the worst moment.

Both of their views quickly changed to the hallway entrance when the door opened abruptly, heels were heard walking towards them, and both frowned not knowing who it could be.

Although Taeyong could imagine who it might be.

“ Honey! You have no idea how happy I was to hear that you're going to meet Joy in a few days!” his mother exclaimed, making herself present in the kitchen.

And then, the boy cursed under his breath.

His mother stopped when she noticed the two guys and her gaze fell on the girl, who felt like she was being silently judged.

“Oh, Taeyong, has Sunnie gotten sick again?” his mother asked, causing the boy to furrow his brow.

“ No, mom. Sun Hee is fine.”

“I see, it's just that I saw the nurse here, and I thought maybe Sunnie's cold had returned” Mrs. Lee commented, still looking at the girl.

“Mom…”

“Good evening, Mrs. Lee” the girl greeted kindly, still holding the little one in her arms.

“Mom, I remind you that (Y/N) stopped being Sun Hee's nurse when she was discharged. She's here because she's my friend, and she's part of all this just like Doyo, Jae, and Johnny are.”

His mother let out a heavy sigh and turned to the girl.

“I'm sorry, dear.”

(Y/N) just nodded without saying anything and continued her task of feeding the little one, trying not to listen to the conversation that Taeyong and Mrs. Lee were having... which was impossible for her.

“Mom, what's the reason for your visit? I would appreciate it if next time, you rang the doorbell before entering, please.”

“Son, since when do I have to do that? I remind you that I have the keys to the apartment” she commented, still not taking her eyes off the girl, and then smiled and addressed her son “I heard that Joy is coming to visit you, you have no idea how happy it makes me to see our children together again.”

“Mom, this is not the time to talk....”

“No, son, of course it is” his mother continued “Joy's mother called me, and you have no idea how happy we are, seeing our children together again...”

(Y/N) raised her gaze quickly and looked at the two silhouettes in front of her. Together?

She could see they were still talking, but her ears were no longer receiving any words. She didn't know why she had blocked herself, was it because she thought maybe she shouldn't be there at that moment? Or thinking that Taeyong might be with someone? But why would she feel that way if it happened? Shouldn't she be glad to know he could have company for himself and Sunnie?

“Mom, mom. Joy and I are not together “the boy denied.

“For now, Yong. Are you going to dinner, aren't you? It's just a matter of time, honey.”

“Ummh, excuse me “(Y/N)'s voice surprised both of them, and they turned to look at her “I think... I think I should go. It's getting late, Sunnie has already fallen asleep” she commented, and Taeyong briefly closed his eyes.

“ Are you sure? Don't you want to finish dinner?”

“Don't worry, Taeyong” the girl smiled “I have a shift tomorrow morning and... I should rest. It was nice to see you... to see Sunnie... I'll leave you the food; I hope you enjoy it.”

“(Y/N)....”

“I'll come by later” she assured him, approaching Taeyong to leave the little one on his arms “rest, well pretty baby” she murmured, leaning to Sunnie's forehead and placing a soft kiss on it. Taeyong stared at her intently, watched her lips touch the baby's soft skin, and move away to look at him for a few seconds in his eyes, smiling slightly “have a good night” this time, she addressed both adults.

“Goodnight, dear” Mrs. Lee quickly said goodbye.

The girl looked at the lady and nodded. She stroked Sunnie's hair and gently moved away.

And for the first time, Sunnie moved uncomfortably in her father's arms.

His mother, for the second time, had arrived at the wrong time, and once again, had caused the girl to leave.

Would it be like this every time she wanted to meet her?

I'm sorry I took too long for posting this!!

Taglist is open, just lemme know if u want to be added! You can ask me something if you want here!

Taglist: @geminiml95 @zooana @cathamada

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