Isabella leaned against the counter, her eyes following Tae as he stood beside Ariana, helping her with the large bag of flour she was struggling to lift. The bakery had become a work in progress, and Ariana had been putting her heart and soul into bringing it back to life. Tae had stepped in without hesitation, offering his strength and support, and Isabella couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction watching them interact.

Tae’s presence had made a noticeable difference in Ariana’s mood. She seemed lighter, more at ease, and though her trauma hadn’t completely vanished, it was clear that Tae’s patience and kindness were helping her heal. Isabella smiled to herself as she watched them, then decided to give Tae a little nudge.

"Hey, Tae," she called out, breaking his focus as he helped Ariana unpack some supplies.

He turned to her, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Yeah?"

Isabella shot him a knowing look, a playful smirk on her face. "Why don’t you stay a little longer and help Ariana with the rest of the setup? I’m sure she could use an extra pair of hands."

Tae glanced at Ariana, who was busy organizing the ingredients on the shelf, and then back at Isabella. He caught the mischievous glint in her eyes and realized what she was doing. It wasn’t just about helping Ariana with the bakery—Isabella was giving him a chance to spend more time with her sister, to strengthen their bond.

With a grateful smile, Tae nodded. "Of course. I’d be happy to help."

Isabella winked at him, her expression softening as she turned away, leaving the two of them to their work. Tae’s heart warmed at the subtle encouragement, and he felt a renewed sense of determination to support Ariana in any way he could. He looked over at her, noticing how focused she was on her task, and he admired her quiet strength. Ariana had been through so much, yet she was still fighting to rebuild her life, piece by piece.

As Tae and Ariana continued working together, they chatted about the bakery’s future—what kinds of pastries Ariana wanted to make, how she was planning to design the space, and the excitement of opening day. Tae’s easygoing nature made the conversation flow effortlessly, and every now and then, Ariana would flash him a shy smile, making his heart skip a beat.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Jungkook had just walked in. His eyes immediately found Isabella, who was sprawled out on the sofa with her feet propped up, looking completely relaxed. He smiled at the sight of her, admiring how beautiful she looked even when she wasn’t doing anything special. There was something about the way she carried herself, so confident and yet so approachable, that never failed to captivate him.

Without a word, Jungkook walked over to her and gently leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Isabella opened her eyes, surprised by the sudden affection, but a smile quickly spread across her face as she reached up to pull him closer.

"What’s this for?" she asked, her voice teasing as she looked up at him.

Jungkook grinned, his eyes full of mischief. "Just because. You looked too comfortable over here without me."

Before she could respond, Jungkook leaned down again, this time pressing his lips to hers in a slow, lingering kiss. Isabella melted into the kiss, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pulled him closer. The room around them seemed to disappear as they got lost in each other, and neither of them noticed the soft chuckle from Tae and Ariana, who had witnessed the entire scene.

Ariana blushed, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink as she glanced away, embarrassed to be watching such an intimate moment. Tae, on the other hand, smirked, nudging her playfully.

"I guess that’s our cue to leave them to their ‘important work,’" he whispered, quoting the phrase Jungkook had just used as he lifted Isabella into his arms and started carrying her toward the stairs.

Ariana giggled softly, nodding in agreement as they turned their attention back to the bakery. But even as she tried to focus, her mind kept drifting back to Tae. There was something about the way he made her feel—safe, understood, and maybe even a little giddy. She wasn’t sure what was happening between them, but for the first time in a long while, she felt hopeful about the future.

Upstairs, Jungkook carried Isabella into their bedroom, the door clicking shut behind them. He set her down gently on the bed, his eyes dark with desire as he looked at her. Isabella raised an eyebrow, smirking up at him.

"Important work, huh?" she teased, her voice low.

Jungkook chuckled, leaning down to kiss her again. "Very important."

Meanwhile, across town at Namjoon and Hana’s house, the new parents were having a much more peaceful evening. Their baby girl, Yuna, was now two months old, and life had changed drastically for both of them since her arrival. Parenthood had brought its challenges—sleepless nights, endless diaper changes, and the constant worry that they were doing everything right—but it had also brought a kind of joy they had never known before.

Namjoon sat on the couch, gently rocking Yuna in his arms as Hana sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. The little girl had just fallen asleep after a particularly fussy day, and the peaceful moment between the three of them felt like a breath of fresh air.

"You’re so good with her," Hana whispered, watching Namjoon cradle their daughter with such tenderness. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."

Namjoon smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to Hana’s forehead. "You’d do just fine, trust me. But I’m glad I’m here. I love being a dad."

Hana smiled, her heart swelling with affection for him. Namjoon had been her rock throughout the entire pregnancy and the first few months of Yuna’s life. He was always there, supporting her in every way—whether it was taking over when she needed a break, staying up late to soothe their daughter, or surprising her with little moments of romance in between the chaos of parenthood.

"You’ve been such a good partner," Hana said softly, her eyes filled with gratitude. "I couldn’t have asked for more."

Namjoon chuckled, his gaze soft as he looked at her. "Well, I could say the same about you. You’re an amazing mom, Hana."

She blushed, feeling the warmth of his words wash over her. Even though parenthood had consumed most of their time and energy, moments like these reminded her of how much she loved Namjoon, and how lucky she was to have him by her side.

As Yuna slept soundly in Namjoon’s arms, he gently transferred her to the bassinet nearby, making sure she was comfortable before turning his attention back to Hana. He took her hand, his thumb brushing softly over her knuckles.

"I’ve missed spending time with you," Namjoon admitted, his voice low.

Hana smiled softly, leaning into him. "Me too. It’s been... a lot lately."

Namjoon nodded in agreement, then leaned in to kiss her gently. It wasn’t the passionate, sweeping kiss they used to share before Yuna came into their lives, but it was full of love and reassurance. And that was enough for both of them.

"We’ll get through it together," Namjoon murmured against her lips. "We always do."

Hana smiled, resting her head against his chest as they sat in comfortable silence, the sound of their baby’s soft breathing filling the room. Even in the midst of all the changes and challenges, they had each other. And that made everything worth it.

As the night went on, Namjoon and Hana found small moments of romance in the quiet of their home, while upstairs, Jungkook and Isabella were lost in their own world of love and passion. And somewhere across town, Tae and Ariana were slowly but surely building something new—something that had the potential to become just as beautiful.