Strawberry

For @repaprie ; Seung Ho + Lauren/kids ( + Gyuri )

I actually wanted to write a Seung Ho - Lauren or Seung Ho x Gyuri story for awhile, so you can imagine me smiling while writing this! Had an idea for a long and dramatic plot, but to make sure this will be finished properly - I'll keep that for another time.


*I wanted to use appa and omma instead of dad and mom for it to be more relatable, but it got pretty weird when I typed it too often - so you're welcome to change them while you read!

& thank you Sejin for filling me in about SeungHoxGyuri details! :D

Italicized words are Seung Ho's thoughts.

"Hey, this is Seung Ho. Yang Seung Ho."

It all started with that call. Or perhaps it started with Hello Baby - Seung Ho could never really tell. Ever since he had lovingly declared Lauren as his daughter, he had spent many nights fantasizing (yes, not even imagining anymore - it was a full-blown fantasy with sound effects and logical reasoning) about his very own family.

Him as the young father, a gorgeous wife, a son, and a daughter. Before Hello Baby, he had only wanted sons. After meeting Lauren, he considered the alternative of having a daughter in the family, too. It was easy replacing the faceless kids in his fantasies with the ever-adorable faces of Lauren, Dayoung and Leo - but the mom, his wife - now that was a problem.

Lying in bed at night, he would organize his own Imaginary Wife Pageant. The contestants would be his crushes - previous or current, some pretty faces he knew, and then he would also include the girls he was rumored to be interested in.

Tonight, he was feeling scandalous. The finalists were: Soyeon and Gyuri. It amused him that he had known them both before his debut, that they both shared the same surname, and - that he had considered dating them at different points in his life.

Tonight, he felt like going for a more realistic scenario - a mature mother for his children. He crowed Gyuri the winner and brought her over to his cozy abode. "Meet my children." He introduced them proudly. The kids were ecstatic to have a gorgeous mom, Gyuri was in love with the adorable toddlers. Seung Ho smiled. Yes, Gyuri would make a lovely mother.

With that thought in mind, he dialed her number during the recording, only realizing what he was doing when she picked up. "Hello?" Her familiar voice was heard.

Being spontaneous was not one of Seung Ho's plus points - but in the end, he thought the call went well. At least, the boys were happy - he thought, looking at Mir's excited figure flailing on the floor. "Is this a proposal?" Gyuri giggled on the other end of the line, and Seung Ho's heart did a little flip.

Yes, this is a proposal. "Let's get married!" He suggested, laughing.

The outburst from the other three members were expected, but their screams did not drown out Seung Ho's pounding heartbeat. He had expected Gyuri to know that they were filming, and she did - much to his relief. Running out of words to say, he decided to let Lauren join in the conversation.

The image of Lauren shyly waving to the phone, and Gyuri's exclamation of how adorable Lauren sounded over the phone had been forever stuck in his mind. He wanted more. He wanted to see if he could complete the puzzle of his perfect family.

Every night since the call, he had prayed and hoped for her to drop by the recording. He hinted to the writers and even to the kids about how lovely it would be to have Gyuri over. Although he would say KARA instead of specifically mentioning her when the other members around. They seemed to enjoy the idea more than he thought they would.

When he found out that the kids' moms would be other women instead, he hid his disappointment well. At least, he comforted himself by telling his sore heart that they would have a mother.

The comforting did not really work all the way, as he found himself thinking of Gyuri more than before. How comfortable she would be around the kids, how she could bring Lauren shopping for pretty dresses and cute little things to tie her hair up with. How lovely it would be to stroll through a park with the two of them: Lauren would reach up to hold Gyuri's hand, Gyuri would pack a lovely lunch in a picnic basket, he would pull both of them into an embrace and placing a kiss on thei-

Wait.

Backtracking, Seung Ho contemplated about his feelings for Gyuri.
Yes he had a crush on her in highschool.
Yes she was a goddess, even after he himself had become a notable leader of an idol group.
Yes he thought she would make a lovely mother, but he had not really though of her as a wife.

A wife.

After his little revelation, Seung Ho had a hard time imagining Gyuri as the mother to his imaginary-family. They would have to be married first, at least a fake one - she would have to wear a wedding gown.

She would look gorgeous in one, he smiled at the blurry image.

{ * }

Seung Ho never hated the times he had to spend in the hospital.

It was not that he was happy about it - he wanted to perform, wanted to see his fans, wanted to be the responsible leader he is - but he appreciated the time of rest that came with being hospitalized.

Lying on the simple white bed, he stared at the boring ceiling - wondering if the kids missed him. How was Lauren doing? What would she do today? He did not want to miss her darling antics, and for a split second, he felt immensely regretful for not being able to attend the recording.

When his phone rang, he answered hurriedly - not knowing why. "Hey Seung Ho? How're you feeling?" It was the manager.

{ * }

Amongst the members, Seung Ho acted the most mature - not only because he lacked the ability to spontaneously pull of aegyo, but because he felt obliged to. Yet while he lay waiting for the crew to arrive, he wriggled around like an impatient child.

The manager had called to tell him they were going to visit him at the hospital. He did not specify who exactly, but Lauren would be one of the visitors. Even though they had given him a personal room this time around, Seung Ho doubted that the hospital would allow filming to take place in a patient's room.

He smiled at the thought of daughter and hoped that the make-up artists would arrive sooner. Even though he was a patient, he did not want to look sickly in front of Lauren.

{ * }

"Come in." Seung Ho called out in anticipation when a knock was heard on the door. There was already cameras set up around the room - and the make-up artist had worked her magic - he looked as healthy - as, well before he became the leader of MBLAQ.

"Dad!" Lauren called out as she skipped through the door enthusiastically. Seung Ho resisted the urge to slide out of bed and pull her into a dramatic embrace. "Dad!" The little angel called again, "Look who I brought with me!" She stood beside his bed, hopping in excitement.

"Who?" Seung Ho pat her head lovingly, wondering which of the boys was responsible for bringing her here.

"How are you, oppa?"

No. You must be kidding.

It was like watching his fantasies transition into reality. Gyuri stood by the door, looking a little shy despite the confident air he knew she always upheld. "Dad, why are you staring at mom?" Lauren tilted her petite little head.

"M-mom?" Dang it, Yang Seung Ho. Stop stuttering and be a man!

Lauren nodded, and skipped over to Gyuri, tugging her hand and inviting her in. "Mom, say hi to Dad!" She urged, earning herself a grin from both her makeshift parents. "Dad, this is mom." The petite child looked pleased with herself for being able to introduce her guardians to each other. Seung Ho pondered if she was taught to. Lauren was never quiet, but never one to be overly spontaneous - unless it was singing and dancing.

"Hi, Seung Ho." Gyuri waved, her other hand holding onto Lauren's. "How're you holding up?"

Pinching his thigh under the blanket to make sure this was not a dream, Seung Ho said he was feeling much better. "If I wasn't, they wouldn't let me film." He added. "How are you?"

How are you? Yang Seung Ho, you need better ways to keep a conversation going.

"I'm good." Seung Ho noticed she did not mention her recent vocal cord surgery. As happy as he was that she was here - he wondered if she had already recovered well. Gyuri moved on to inform him that the writers had called her up, asking her to be a guest this episode. "I dropped by the Baby House first, since they recommended that I get acquainted with the children first."

The children. Seung Ho could not resist smiling at how she said it.

"How's Lauren?" Do you like her? Do you like her enough to want to be her mom?
Meanwhile, the mentioned girl had wandered around the room, peering through the windows and looking into cupboards.

"She's a darling!" Seung Ho wondered if it was his imagination that Gyuri did a little bounce as she exclaimed. "It feels like I've only spent half an hour with her even though they say it's already been three hours! Oh and, we also packed lunch for you."

Calling Lauren over, Gyuri handed her a tiny bundle Seung Ho had not noticed before. Upon receiving the bundle, Lauren's face lit up even brighter. "Dad, we..." She sounded unsure, and looked to her mom for some form of assurance. As Gyuri bent to whisper in Lauren's ear, Seung Ho subconsciously leaned closer, trying to catch a word or two.

"Dad, Mom and I made lunch for you. We hope you will get well very soon after eating." She spoke slowly, taking her time and mouthing word by word carefully - as if she was reciting from memory. Quickly finishing her last word, Lauren handed the bundle to Seung Ho. Taking it, Seung Ho also reached to lift his daughter onto the bed, giving her a gracious hug. How much more adorable could she become?

"Thank you Lauren." She smiled in response, and his heart melted at the sight. Then, not forgetting the other gorgeous lady, he turned to look at Gyuri. "Thanks, Mom."

Seung Ho loved how Gyuri's eyes widened by the slightest bit, and how her lips parted into a lovely shape of surprise. "You're welcome, oppa, uh, I mean, Dad." Regaining her composure, she flashed him a gorgeous smile. Lauren giggled at her parent's recognition of each other.

A goddess, indeed.

{ * }

"Okay, it's a wrap!" Someone announced, Seung Ho did not bother figuring out who he was as he was too mesmerized looking at Gyuri - who in turn was gazing lovingly at Lauren whom she was carrying. It was almost evening, and the pair had spent more than half the day accompanying him - much to his joy.

They had moved from his room to the gardens, and Lauren had spent a good amount of time playing hide-and-seek with her parents. Or more like, just Gyuri. Due to his injury, Seung Ho was only permitted to sit on a bench as he watched Gyuri chase Lauren around the garden.

He had never seen this carefree side of Gyuri before, and it surprised him that she was so much like him. He was mostly a quiet man, never speaking unless he needed to (or if it was something he found extremely amusing), he had to uphold a responsible image as a leader -->- and he found Gyuri to be his exact image. Well, only that she was a girl. A very gorgeous one, at that.

Her exotic features had always captivated him, as he recalled the many times he spent in high school trying to catch a glimpse of her. When she debuted, he had looped KARA's music videos over and over, buying their albums in hopes of getting one signed one day. He suddenly felt like Mir.

Shaking those thoughts aside, he wondered what Gyuri thought of him. She mentioned in their first radio show together that she liked guys who liked her. How much exactly did she mean it? Before he could ponder upon it further, he caught sight of them heading over to his direction.

"Mom, I'm sleepy." Lauren complained, yawning and leaning her precious little head on Gyuri's shoulder. Tapping Lauren's nose with a smile, Gyuri mentioned that they were already done filming. "We're going home now, then you can sleep all you want."

Lauren nodded, closing her eyes and snuggling deeper into Gyuri's embrace - much to Seung Ho's amusement. "Do you want to put her down?" He offered. "Or I could carry her." Gyuri whispered that it was alright, that she wanted to let Lauren rest. "I'll carry her."

"Mr.Lunde's here." A staff walked by to inform, motioning to the direction Lauren's actual father was standing at. "That's Lauren's father." Seung Ho informed when he saw Gyuri's clueless look.

"Oh! I guess it's time to say goodbye to Lauren then." Softly calling the girl's name, Gyuri informed her that it was time to leave. Rubbing her eyes, Lauren's face lit up upon seeing her father.

When Gyuri made her way over to where Mr.Lunde was, it occurred to Seung Ho that that his little family would soon go their separate ways. Introducing herself to Mr.Lunde, Gyuri bent to let Lauren stand.

Goodbyes were then exchanged, and soon it was just Seung Ho and Gyuri, without a darling daughter to dote over. "How're you going back?" Seung Ho asked, trying to hide his disappointment of his broken family.

Perhaps he was being overly dramatic, but the time he spent as a family with the two seemed rather short. He missed Lauren already.

"Someone from the company is picking me up. I'm supposed to go for practice after filming."

"Can I buy you a drink?" Seung Ho blurted out. He would definitely see Lauren again soon, but Gyuri - he had no idea if she was going to be a long-term mom. They never mentioned if she was going to guest for the show again, she never mentioned if she wanted to visit again either.

"Sure." He could never get tired looking at her smile. "I have some time to spare before they arrive."

{ * }

"Here you go." Seung Ho passed a bottle of apple juice to Gyuri's. "Sorry I couldn't get you coffee, it was the only vending machine I could find."

Telling him it was fine, Gyuri uncapped the drink, took a sip and sighed.

"What's wrong?" He took a seat beside her, resisting the urge to pat her back - like a good husband would when his wife sighed.

"Stressed!" She sighed again.

"You don't like kids?" Seung Ho asked, feeling guilty she had to be a part of the show, feeling bad that he could not do anything for her.

Gyuri laughed, saying it was otherwise. "I like kids, I'm stressed because of work, oppa."

Oppa.

Seung Ho yearned to hear her say more. He wanted to just stop talking, and have her give a speech. However, logic knew it would not happen - so he sighed in relief.

After all, whatever would he do if his wife did not like children?

"Do you like our daughter?"

She laughed again, not used to calling someone her daughter. "Yes, I do." She took another sip. "She's so sweet. And pretty."

"Like you."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, you know - she likes you."

"Ah, really?" Gyuri twirled a strand of hair between her fingers. "I do hope so! I wonder if I'm trying too hard." She whispered.

I'm glad you're trying hard to be a good mom. "Yes, I think she does like you. Very much." He said with much confidence and assurance.

"Thank you." She whispered, suddenly shy, suddenly avoiding his gaze. "What about you? How doe-"

"Me? I like you, too."

It was only after Seung Ho had enthusiastically admitted his still-present crush on Gyuri that he realized she might have meant to ask something else.

Way to go, daddy.

The surprise on Gyuri's face only lasted a few seconds. Her lips curved into a smile. "You still do?"

Since there was no one around, Seung Ho did not really mind going along with the conversation. "Of course. Why did you think I called you and asked you to drop by?"

"I thought you just needed a willing babysitter."

"Did you come willingly?"

"My company sent me, actually." Then, upon seeing his hopeful expression falter, she giggled and added. "Of course, I came because I wanted to."

"Just this once? Will you be filming with us again?"

"Do you want me to?" She looked at him, her beautiful brown eyes asking him for an earnest answer.

"Of course I do. I already proposed to you, didn't I?" He breathed. There was no chuckle, even though he had planned to - to make it seem like a joke, to make it seem less serious.

"I haven't agreed to it just yet." Gyuri pointed out.

"But you're here, aren't you?"

Biting her lower lip to suppress a smile, she nodded. "After all, you do know that I like guys who like me."

In fact, Seung Ho had momentarily forgotten that very delightful piece of information. Yet it mattered no more, because with Gyuri's words, his imaginary family became less imaginary - and more real.

The image of him, Gyuri and Lauren still stayed in his mind when her phone rang. It was time to leave.

"Thanks for the juice, oppa!" She got up, bowing goodbye to him. "I've got to go now. I hope you recover really soon! I miss seeing you on stage."

You do?

As Gyuri turned to leave, Seung Ho felt a buzzing in his heart. Calling her name, he stood up abruptly - a bit too abruptly that a sharp pain was felt at his hip again.

She was back at his side in the blink of an eye, asking him if he was alright, holding onto him. "I'm alright." He assured her. "Should've stood up more carefully." Noticing her slender fingers that held onto his shoulder, he took them into his hand.

"Would you like to hang out sometime? When we're not filming?"

"Is this a proposal?"

"It's working towards one."

There was no hesitation, nothing to consider. "Sure. Call me."

Saying her goodbyes all over again, and stressing that Seung Ho take care of himself, Gyuri took her leave. Seung Ho sat where he was, letting the day's events replay in his mind.

A ding from his phone caught his attention. Scrolling through his applications, he opened twitter to see a photo of a familiar bottle of apple juice tweeted onto his timeline.

"Thanks for the juice, oppa?" He smiled. If she was not going to be discreet, neither would he. Going through his photo gallery, he uploaded a photo he took with Lauren and Gyuri earlier in the day.

A recovering father, a precious daughter - and their goddess.

{ * }

I'm really happy to have finally written a story in a third-person perspective!
Since this is a one-shot, I am pretty happy with how it went - despite me having this horrible paranoia today.
Still want to write a longer one with the three of them, so - if you're not anti-Gyuri (and why would you be? She's so gorgeous!) do look forward to that too :D