"Shhhh! You're going to wake her up!" Taehyung whisper-shouted as I chuckled at his oh so cautious attempt to carry Aeri's small figure on his arms.

I fought the urge to giggle more by pursing my lips together, and I adjusted sleeping Aeri so Taehyung could carry her.

The look on his face gave it away that he felt like she was going to break, and he seemed to be terrified at the thought.

How cute.

"She's not going to wake up. She's a heavy sleeper at this time of the day."

Taehyung's attempt had been satisfied and Aeri was now in his embrace, still sleeping. After so, he started to ignore everything around him and focused on Aeri, staring at the child as he rocked his arms a bit.

Aeri's lips popped into a smile, one showing the slightest of her gums while still in slumber. She repeated it for a few times and Taehyung snapped his head to me with a did-you-see-that? kind of look, then dropped his gaze again at Aeri.

He looks like a proud father, what is this?

Well, okay... I guess it was time to start unpacking.

"I think you're better with Aeri here. We'll unpack."

He sat on the couch steadily and played with Aeri's cheek, poking his finger lightly on it.

"Just leave the heavy ones to me." I heard him say as I walked away, Somi-ajumma trailing behind me.

Two hours had passed since we had gotten to Taehyung's apartment. Despite that, it still hadn't fully sunk in that Aeri and I would be living here for who knew 'til when.

"I still feel uneasy to leave you and Aeri alone here on weekdays." I gave Somi a knowing look and started to rip off the brown tape securing the boxes that contained our things from my old apartment.

I didn't bring everything with me though. It wasn't like this arrangement was for forever, and some time in the future, Aeri and I would go back to our old home.

"We'll be fine, don't worry about us," assured Somi as she helped me unload the boxes.

Taehyung's apartment was twice the size of mine. And my apartment wasn't even small, maybe jut average. The thought suddenly made me question since when had Taehyung been back. Didn't he feel lonely living alone here?

More so, I worried about the size of the new room Aeri and I would stay in. It was bigger than the one back in my apartment, obviously. Even the bed. Well... I don't know. The unnecessary space just made me feel somehow... alone.

But then, Aeri is with me so I'll be fine. I'll always be fine as long as she's with me, right?

"So he's the guy you've been telling me before, I see?" Somi smiled at me meaningfully while carrying Aeri's bolster pillows.

Pushing the door open, I replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, that one."

"I can sense he's going to be a good father."

I glanced at her and hummed, giving it a thought. "Well, as long as Aeri is with me and she's surrounded with love, then everything's fine."

"Aeri's very lucky to have you." She smiled warmly, dropping the pillows on the wide bed and arranging them.

"Nah." I shook my head. "I think I'm luckier to have her."

Somi knew the real thing about Taehyung and I—the fact that this was all an arrangement—and she understood where I was coming from. Aside from Somi and Taehyung's friend, the lawyer named Kim Namjoon who would be taking over my case—as per Taehyung's suggestion, no one else knew about our situation.

And that too, was our agreement. I wouldn't want to risk making things difficult for me and Aeri. Who knew if we could get in trouble for this? Though Namjoon assured that it wouldn't be anything grave against me but my custody case might be affected.

A loud cry echoed from the living room, snapping me out from my thoughts and I immediately dropped the bottles back on the box. Without missing a beat, I rushed to the living room.

Taehyung must be panicking by now.

But much to my assumptions, Aeri's cry toned down, and there I saw Taehyung making funny faces at Aeri, lying on her back on the sofa, raising her hands and feet in the air.

One minute he was being such a worry-wart over carrying the child, now he was being an expert at stopping Aeri from crying. Guess Taehyung wasn't bad with kids.

Though I wonder what in the world could he have done to wake Aeri up. Aeri was a heavy sleeper, especially during nap time in the afternoon.

"Oh, she woke up." Taehyung grinned when he saw me.

"I could see that." I scooted closer, leaning on the back of the couch and reached for Aeri's nose to pinch it gingerly. A habit I grew with.

"Are you done with the light ones?"

"Almost."

Taehyung whipped his head behind. "Oh, Somi-ajumma, could you look at Aeri? I'll help Kyungmin finish the rest."

Somi happily nodded and Taehyung stood up. He placed his hand on my shoulders and pushed me back to the direction of the rooms.

"I told you, we could've just bought new baby stuff so you didn't have to bring all those here," he said, pointing at the few boxes left outside the doorframe.

"And I also told you that there's no need, and it would be a waste of money to buy when Aeri already has the things she needs," I explained for the umpteenth time. "Besides, she's used to these so it's more comfortable, and it will help incase she finds the new environment strange."

"Then I guess I'm just going to buy her other baby stuff." He beamed.

"Please don't. I mean I appreciate it, but that's really already out of your line. You don't have to." Helping me was enough.

"I can't promise you I won't."

"Taehyung..." I shot him a meaningful look as if to say that I was hoping he wouldn't, but he just walked past me carrying another box to the room.

He even volunteered to pay for Somi-ajumma's babysitting services to which I firmly rejected.

"I have a feeling Aeri's gonna grow spoiled with you, I'm w—Oh, wait!" I exclaimed a little too quickly when I realized what was inside the box.

Taehyung halted and tossed me an inquisitive look over his shoulders.

"That's her crib," I told him, pointing towards the object. "Uh... could we assemble that outside the room?"

He looked at the box with a confused look, then to me. "Wouldn't you be needing this here? There's a lot of space anyway." And then his face lit up, like a thought came in. "Ah! How about we buy one for your room, and one for the living room?"

"What? No need!" I reacted and Taehyung's brow quirked up. I inhaled deeply, calming down myself. "I mean, she doesn't need a crib here in the room. She sleeps beside me anyway."

"Oh well, alright. I'll set this up outside." He walked past the doorframe, and now his back was facing me.

My chest deflated from the breath I had been keeping in.

It's okay. You're not alone, Kyungmin. You have Aeri with you.

~*~

At five in the afternoon, I was done preparing myself. With a simple white dress and a gold thin belt on the middle, plus my hair that Somi-ajumma had fixed for me, I looked pretty decent.

The doorbell rang and I patted my cheeks before heading out of my room, just as the same time Taehyung stepped out of his.

"I guess he's here." He smiled at me with that all too familiar rectangular box smile of his and that was were I somehow lost it.

Wait—what? Kyungmin what do you mean you've lost it? Just because he's wearing a tuxedo and looking all handsome, doesn't mean you have to get all giggly like a stupid teenager.

"You look nice."

Heh. That wasn't helping at all, Kim Taehyung.

"Uhh..." Taehyung trailed off awkwardly when I hadn't responded to anything he said. "I'll go get the door." He placed a hand on the back of his nape as he shifted his heel.

Realizing how silly I stood there doing nothing, I followed behind him.

"Namjoon-hyung!" Taehyung exclaimed as soon as he opened the door.

"Oh? What's this?" Kim Namjoon's deep voice echoed through Taehyung's apartment, and he spread his arms to gesture to both of us. "You guys ready, yeah?"

"Ah this is Kyungmin. Lee Kyungmin."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Kim Namjoon." I bowed my head politely with a small smile and shook hands with Kim Namjoon.

Blinking thoughtfully, he waved his hand in the air. "Just Namjoon is fine."

Then he turned to Taehyung.

All the while, what I had in mind was: Who has a deeper voice between the two? Both depths were different, I couldn't really tell.

Maybe Taehyung did?

"So, she's the friend you always told me about when you were still in college? I didn't think she'd be this pretty when you told me she is." Namjoon let out a laugh.

Curious as to what that was supposed to mean, I glanced at Taehyung who seemed to be somewhat... err, flustered. He shot Namjoon a meaningful gaze.

But hold on, that meant he remembered me all those time. Why didn't he contact me then? I mean, not even once had he even tried to reach me. Did he do it on purpose?

I pushed the thought aside, taking note that now was not the time to dwell on it.

"I heard you're also very hardworking and responsible. Are you sure you're marrying this guy?" joked Namjoon and pointed at Taehyung beside him.

I sent another polite smile as I didn't know what to say. Or maybe I did. Like I wanted to tell him I was out of my mind or something. But instead, I confined myself from doing so.

"Hyung, stop hitting on her," hissed Taehyung.

I rolled my eyes, preventing myself from hitting Taehyung. Like the literal way.

"I'm not hitting on her, idiot," Namjoon retorted. I snickered and Taehyung scowled at me. "Don't be jealous."

Just then, my snicker sort of turned into coughs as I almost choked myself. I had to give up on air just so I could block the noise about to come off my mouth.

Taehyung's lips parted, about to reason out when Namjoon spoke up again.

"Oh, is that the little angel?"

I snapped my head to where Namjoon's attention was directed. There stood Somi-ajumma and Aeri.

Aeri's eyes wandered for a moment before it landed on me, and when I smiled at her, she squirmed in Somi's grasp letting out an almost inaudible squeak and the movement of her hand caused the rattle to shake. Amazed at the sound, she lifted her arm and with all the baby force she could muster, she shook the rattle again.

"You better watch out for Taehyung. He's a sucker for kids, and I doubt he'd be able to resist himself with that cute little one."

True to his words, Taehyung was already in front of Aeri, patting her. His hands cupped the crown of her head and brushed it against Aeri's hair.

"Anyway, let's go. We need to be there at six," said Namjoon.

Taehyung kissed Aeri on the forehead and whirled around to face me.

"Shall we?" Taehyung gave me an expectant look and joined Namjoon, both of them ready to head out.

"We'll be going now. I'll see you both later," I told Somi-ajumma and crouched down a little meeting Aeri's lively eyes. "Bye bye, mommy's going to be back later." I squeezed her hand lightly and gave her a peck on the forehead.

"Bro, are you sure you're not yet married?"

I turned to the two guys, wondering why Taehyung had a wide grin on his face and Namjoon's dimple was popping out.

Did I miss anything?

I blinked, perplexed, and Taehyung only responded by making his way to my side. Then, he linked his arms with me.

"Uh... what are you doing?" I questioned, finding his gesture weird.

He grinned, eyes squinted. "I'm practicing for later."

— ✿ —
a/n: I'm really trying not to have a note at every end of my chapters, but I couldn't miss an opportunity to thank everyone for the warm acceptance and cute feedback I've been getting on this book lately.

They keep me motivated so much and I enjoy writing Downpour more because of y'all.

I love love love those comments, thank you so much ♡ and also for the votes! I appreciate them all. I seriously want to hug you all and cOME HERE LET ME GIVE U COOKIES AND MILK AAAH