The train back to Seoul felt different.
They weren't coming home tired — they were coming home lighter, more grounded. HyunBok slept peacefully with his head in YoungBok's lap, while Youngjin snuggled against Sherri, his small fingers holding onto the necklace Hyunjin had given her.
YoungBok looked out the window at the fading coastline. "It feels like we brought part of him back with us."
Sherri smiled, brushing a strand of hair from Youngjin's face. "We did. He's in every shell, every photo, every laugh."
They had taken dozens of pictures — sunlit kisses, sandy footprints, silly poses by the boardwalk. Every memory was a promise: We waited for you. We never stopped loving you.
Now, it was time to prepare for his return.
Back in Seoul, life returned to routine — but with a spark.
Sherri's mornings began earlier now. She worked from home temporarily, balancing promotional schedules for Slay Kids' next comeback while watching the boys. YoungBok often helped cook, sometimes burning toast, but making it fun every time.
One afternoon, as they folded laundry together, YoungBok glanced up. "What if we planned something big? Like… a homecoming surprise."
Sherri perked up. "Like the rooftop night he always dreamed of?"
YoungBok's eyes lit up. "Yes! The one with fairy lights, music, dinner, and all the members there."
"I'll handle décor and music," Sherri grinned. "You handle food and the guest list."
YoungBok smirked. "Deal. This'll blow him away."
They called a meeting at their dorm.
Chris, Changbin, Jisung, Seungmin, Jeongin, and Minho joined them on a cozy Sunday night. The room buzzed with warmth.
YoungBok stood with a small clipboard, completely in organizer mode. "Alright, team. We have exactly six weeks. The theme is gold and black — Hyunjin's favorites."
Seungmin snorted. "You mean drama and glitter?"
"Exactly," Sherri laughed.
Chris smiled, arms crossed. "He'll cry like a baby."
"Good," YoungBok replied with a soft look. "He deserves to cry from happiness."
A week later, preparations were in full swing.
Sherri went shopping for lights, candles, and fabrics — things that reminded her of Hyunjin's softness and elegance.
YoungBok tagged along, holding Youngjin in one arm and pushing a cart filled with décor with the other. HyunBok skipped beside them.
They stopped for bubble tea in Myeongdong and were laughing over YoungBok's order when it happened.
A camera click.
Then another.
Neither of them noticed.
But somewhere behind a pillar, someone zoomed in.
A foreigner. A child. YoungBok. Laughter. Close proximity.
Click.
The photo was posted before the hour ended.
"YoungBok seen with female fan. Is he cheating on Hyunjin?"
---
By evening, it had gone viral.
Anonymous accounts shared photos of Sherri and YoungBok holding hands (while crossing the street with two kids), laughing together, shopping with the boys.
Some fans panicked.
Others attacked.
The kinder ones said, "It's probably family."
The crueler ones said, "That's the fan girl he married off years ago? Disgusting."
YoungBok sat on the couch, silent, phone in hand, eyes wide.
Sherri stood frozen beside the kitchen counter.
"I… I didn't realize…" he whispered. "They saw us."
She walked over, heart aching, and gently took the phone away.
"This isn't our fault."
"But they'll tear you apart. Again."
"I don't care," Sherri said fiercely, eyes shimmering. "I'll take every word if it means we still get to love him. Still get to wait for him."
YoungBok's voice cracked. "I just don't want him to worry."
She knelt before him and wrapped her arms around him. "Then we stay strong. We stay together."
That night, when the kids were asleep, they sat on the balcony, side by side, watching the city lights flicker.
"Do you think Hyunjin saw it?" YoungBok asked, tears quietly slipping down.
"I don't know," Sherri whispered. "But if he did… he'd trust us. He'd know."
YoungBok leaned against her shoulder, breaking down. "I need him."
"I know," she said, holding him tighter. "We both do."
But beneath the love they shared, beneath the beautiful plans and unshaken loyalty — the rumors had been planted.
And they were growing.