HCs for what happens after to the IOTNBO characters, especially the trio, just keep piling up in my head 😳
I keep imagining things like:
• Gangtae and Munyeong not coming back until after Sangtae's second storybook illustration is published. The two, of course, were so thrilled to see Sangtae, and vice versa, that they all kind of just stayed up late just talking and listening to each other.
• Munyeong actually finding inspiration for new stories while they were on the road, as Gangtae has said. Because of that, she and Sangtae collaborate again, and they produce two more stories together.
• The trio celebrating the success of the second Munyeong + Sangtae book by going to the Serengeti
• WHICH MEANS THE MOON BROTHERS GETTING THEIR PICTURES TAKEN FOR THE PASSPORTS(!!)
• Munyeong just happily watching as her boys enjoy the travel and the tours. They take lots of pictures, of course. Gangtae, who Jaesu has talked into making an IG account, posts the pictures for their friends and family to see.
• Dr. Oh's son being the first to like the picture (which, really, was Dr. Oh hitting the heart when his son showed the pictures to him)
• GANGTAE FINISHING SCHOOL AND HAVING A BIG GRADUATION PARTY WITH HIS GIRL, HIS OLDER BROTHER, AND THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY THAT LOVES HIM SO MUCH
• Gangtae finding out at the aforementioned grad party that Sangin and Juri have actually been dating for a while now??? Without telling them??
• Munyeong pretending she doesn't care when she's a little bit, so little that it's technically not even there, just a little bit upset that Juri didn't even bother to text her to let her know that she's now dating her loser publisher (she can't really call him loser anymore bc Gangtae said it's not nice)
• The trio moving out of the house, because Juri's mom found them a really nice mansion closer to everybody. It's got a nice ocean view, beautiful garden, and a master bedroom that Munyeong lowkey highkey loves
• Munyeong having nightmares again for a few nights after they moved into the new house. Her mom tried to contact her and threaten her again, making her feel guilty for the decisions she's making, which triggered the bad dreams.
Gangtae is usually there to calm her, but one night, while he was away, a really bad one came.
Sangtae hears her, so he comes and comforts her. He tells her that he will protect her and stay by her side all night, and that they will have delicious breakfast the next day so she won't be upset.
Gangtae comes home the following morning with Munyeong back to sleep and his brother sleeping on the floor right next to the bed.
• Gangtae casually asking Munyeong to marry him while they're sitting out in the garden. He tells her that since they love each other and since she likes their family anyway, it'd be nice if they just get married
• Munyeong says no - because "What kind of man asks a woman to marry him while they're sitting out in the garden?"
"But... that's how it's usually - "
"I don't like usual. I don't like traditional. I want surprises and balloons and flowers and everything."
"You hate being surprised."
"And you hate balloons. You pop them whenever you see them."
"You popped one just last week. And there was a kid attached to it!"
"Proposing this way is lame. Do it again."
Munyeong walks out while Gangtae only watches her, more confused than ever
• The trio finding out one day that Sangin and Juri are getting married when they came over for a family dinner. Munyeong, of course, is stark raving mad - because how can Juri get proposed to before she can??
• Gangtae stressing over how to propose because Munyeong's getting crankier every day that passes that she doesn't get her proposal redux
• Jaesu and Sangtae helping Gangtae figure out how to pop the question on Munyeong
• Gangtae coaxing Munyeong to come with him and Sangtae to walk on the beach one night - only for her to find a private candlelight dinner by the ocean with rose petals and a violinist playing songs in the bg.
She pretends not to like it, of course, but a smile keeps coming to her face.
(Although, there was at least three times that she wanted to take the bow from the violinist and smack her with it so she'd stop showing off with those unnecessarily sustended high notes.
She and Sangtae argued once, too, because he wants the violinist to keep playing that one song over and over again - but it's all good)
• GANGTAE POPPING THE QUESTION BEFORE DINNER ENDS WITH A BLACK SAPPHIRE RING (because of course - it's Munyeong)
• Munyeong smirking. "Oppa, what do you think?" she asks Sangtae. "Should I say yes?"
Munyeong's smile grows as she looks at (a very nervous) Gangtae. "I think so too," she says, looking into Gangtae's eyes.
She then slips on the ring, leans over, and then kisses Gangtae. "You might regret it," she whispers to him.
Gangtae smiles. "I might not," he whispers back.
Munyeong smiles. "Okay. Let's get married"
• Gangtae and Munyeong realize during the wedding prep months that Sangtae might be a little confused as to how things will work out now that they're going to be husband and wife. Sangtae doesn’t know if he needs to move out now. Does he need to spend less time talking to Gangtae?
So they plan a whole weekend with him, just the three of them. They take him to Seoul, to the Korean Manhwa Museum in Bucheon, which he absolutely loved. Then they go to lunch and dinner and more sightseeing.
By the end, the newlyweds-to-be talk to Sangtae to see what he wants to do. Sangtae tells them that one of the writers he's currently working with said it's best if the couple are by themselves for a while.
"Do you want that, hyung?" Gangtae asks. "Do you want to move out?"
Sangtae fidgets. "Gangtae... Gangtae belongs to Gangtae."
"Yes, hyung. You're right. I belong to myself." Gangtae touches his hand, smiles warmly at him, and says, "But, I can belong to myself while you're with me."
"We're family, oppa. The three of us," Munyeong adds. "Families can live together."
Gangtae waits patiently. Meanwhile, Munyeong just smiles - while planning to give that writer a piece of her mind later.
"Families... Families live together," Sangtae says.
"Families live together." Sangtae thinks about it. "We can live together?"
"Yes," Munyeong says. "It will be you, Gangtae, and me, and maybe a baby one day."
"Can - Can the baby and I watch Dooly together? I think the baby will like it."
"Of course," Gangtae says, tearing up. "You can even introduce him or her to Teary."
Sangtae thinks about it a moment. He nods and resumes eating. "I think Teary will like the baby."
"So you'll live with us?"
Overwhelmed by excitement and happiness, the two come over to Sangtae and hug him tightly
• Sangin and Juri getting married, then Gangtae and Munyeong getting married about two months afterward
• Juri being pregnant, and Munyeong being weirdly fascinated with the whole thing
• Sangin and Juri having a baby boy. Munyeong tells Gangtae she really likes the baby. He tells her she can't kidnap him.
