Minho finally lifted his head and looked at Hauen. His breathing had steadied now. Then his gaze shifted back to Suho.
"Actually… we…" He swallowed hard. "Yes," he said softly. "Four months ago… we welcomed our baby boy. He's four months old now."
The words came out low, laced with guilt and the familiar fear of facing his elder brother.
For a second, Suho just stared at him. Then his lips curved. Slowly. Brightly. Like the sun breaking through clouds.
"Really?" he blurted out, disbelief and joy colliding. "Then why didn't you tell me, you pabo?"
Before Minho could react, Suho reached out and squeezed his cheeks, eyes shining like an excited kid who'd just received the best surprise of his life.
Minho blinked. Then relaxed. "Our cutie Minho became a father now?" Suho continued, grinning widely. "Woah. What a great news."
He squeezed his cheeks again.
"Ahh—hyung!" Minho whined, rubbing his face. "It hurts!"
Suho laughed and pulled him into a tight hug. A real one. Warm. Familiar. The kind that erased distance and fear in a heartbeat. Minho smiled at last, relief flooding his face. His brother was back. Soft again.
Hauen watched them, her lips curving into a gentle smile.
Just then, Sora stepped out of the car slowly, the baby cradled carefully in her arms. She approached them with cautious steps. Hauen smiled at her, and Sora returned a small, hesitant smile.
As Sora came closer, Hauen's eyes lit up. Instinctively, she reached out, excitement bubbling over."Can I—"
But Sora stepped back, subtle yet clear. A quiet refusal.
Hauen froze for half a second. A flicker of hurt passed through her eyes, but she masked it immediately. She smiled anyway. Soft. Understanding. Letting it go.
Suho, however, had already locked eyes with the baby. And something inside him melted completely.
"Oh my god," he breathed, eyes widening as the baby blinked up at him. "He's so cute…" It came out almost like a squeal.
Before anyone could stop him, Suho gently took the baby from Sora, cradling the tiny bundle with surprising care. The baby stared at him, curious.
Suho's heart thumped wildly. His entire face softened as he looked down at the baby in his arms, voice dropping into the gentlest register he owned.
"Ohhh, my love…" he murmured, rocking slightly without even realizing it. "How are you, baby… This is your uncle, Suho Samchon. Annyeong…"
The baby stared at him for a second. Then giggled.
Suho froze. His heart practically liquefied. "And this," he continued proudly, tilting the baby just a little, "is your imo… Hauenie imo. Say hi to her."
The baby responded with another bright, bubbling giggle, tiny hands moving excitedly.
Hauen smiled, something warm blooming in her chest at the sight of that small creature smiling so freely. For a moment, the world felt light again.
Sora and Minho exchanged a quick look. A silent one. Heavy. Then both of them glanced at Hauen.
She felt it. The weight. The hesitation. But she didn't react. She simply slipped her fingers around Suho's arm, grounding herself there, choosing calm.
Suho finally looked up from the baby. His smile faded just a notch. Not anger. Authority.
"Why didn't you tell me about this, Minho?" he asked quietly. "Why did you hide it from me?"
Minho stiffened instantly. The nervousness crept back into his shoulders. He glanced at Sora.
Suho's gaze sharpened. "Why, Minho?" he asked again.
Minho swallowed, guilt written plainly across his face. "I'm sorry, hyung…" he said. "But we didn't inform anyone in the family about this."
Suho frowned. "Why?"
Minho hesitated, then looked at Sora once more before answering, voice low.
"Omma… told us not to inform anyone until the baby was born."
The words settled into the air, quiet but heavy, carrying implications that made the warmth of the moment tremble slightly at the edges.
"What?" Suho froze, disbelief crashing straight into his face. "Are you crazy?" His voice rose despite himself. "Why would you do that, Minho? This is family. Your family. Why would you hide something like this even if imo told you to?" He shook his head, unable to mask the shock. "Do you even realize how Haraboji will react when he finds out?"
Minho's shoulders slumped. He stared at the ground, fingers curling nervously. Then, hesitating, he spoke again.
"Actually…" His voice wavered. "Omma asked us to hide it… for the baby's safety."
Suho's breath hitched. "What?"
Minho nodded slowly. "Yes. After what happened with you…" His eyes flickered to Hauen, then back to Suho. "When someone tried to stop you from having a baby. The pregnancy control pills. And then later, when Haraboji found out about you two expecting a child and suddenly… your accident happened."
His voice dropped further, thick with fear. "All of it scared us, hyung. It made us cautious. Paranoid, maybe. Omma said it was better to stay quiet until the baby was born safe and healthy."
The words fell heavy between them. Suho's grip around the baby tightened just a little. Not enough to scare the child, but enough to ground himself.
"Minho," he said again, slower now, measured. Each word is carefully chosen. "You seriously believed someone from our family would harm your child?" His gaze softened for a second before turning heavy. "And our accident… it was an accident. A coincidence. It was painful, tragic, yes. But not some plotted thing."
He exhaled. "I understand being cautious. I really do. But hiding a child for more than a year from family because of fear that has no proof…" His jaw clenched. "It hurts, Minho. It hurts to hear that you hid such a beautiful truth for more than a year because of baseless fear."
He exhaled slowly. "It means you stopped trusting your family. The people who would have protected that baby with their lives."
Minho's head dipped lower, shame written across his posture.
Before Suho could continue, Sora finally spoke.
"Then what about the pregnancy control tablets that were given to Hauen back then, oppa?" Her voice was quiet, but sharp in its own way.
The air shifted. Suho turned his head toward her, eyes narrowing slightly."Everything is not always as clear as it looks," Sora continued, her fingers tightening around her bag strap. "And we can't trust everyone… even if they are close family."
Her gaze flickered, brief but unmistakable, toward Hauen. That single glance was enough.
Hauen's heart clenched painfully. Not because she was surprised. But because she understood what that look carried. Doubt. Suspicion. A shadow she thought had finally faded.
Before she could even process it, Suho reacted.
"Why are you hinting at Hauen in your trust issues, Sora?" His voice was calm, but there was steel beneath it. No hesitation. No politeness masking discomfort.
Sora flinched. "I… I didn't—" Her words tangled. She hadn't expected him to catch it so instantly.
"You did," Suho cut in gently but firmly. "Your words and your eyes said enough."
Hauen tightened her grip around Suho's hand, a silent plea for him to stop. But he didn't.
"Hauen is innocent." His voice steadied, grounded. "If you're still living inside old allegations and bubble news, then it's time to update yourself. I cleared everything in today's press conference. Tomorrow, the final verdict will come, and Hauen will receive her official clean chit."
He paused, letting the weight of truth settle.
"And about being harmed by family," he continued, eyes shifting briefly to Minho, "if there were fears, they should have been discussed with Haraboji earlier. Doing this only creates unnecessary wounds and trust issues."
Sora's shoulders stiffened.
Suho looked at the baby again, his expression finally softening. "Anyway," he said, calmer now, "we are happy for you. Truly. A child is a blessing. A beautiful soul choosing you."
His eyes lifted back to them. "Take good care of him. And don't hide something this precious thing from the family for too long."
Sora lowered her gaze, his words sinking deep, uncomfortable but honest.
Minho swallowed hard and looked at Suho. "We're sorry, hyung… we didn't mean to hurt anyone. Omma told us to—"
"You're grown now, Minho," Suho interrupted, not harsh, but unyielding. "Married. A father." His authority remained. "Listening to your parents is not wrong. But thinking independently before obeying them is just as important."
Minho nodded slowly, chastened.
To be continued....