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Before the babies came along, Sungwoon and Daniel were that weird married couple who loved to go to the club. Part of the pleasure was relieving work stress while the other was role playing as strangers (because they were into that for a time.) No one could forget how crazy they could get in college when they were both drunk together. Years later it was still a sight to see. Daniel, being the bigger husband with a bigger tolerance, always made himself stop drinking when Sungwoon was too far gone. It didn’t always happen but there was this one time.
“You’re really cute but don’t tell anyone.” Sungwoon slurred, finger poking Daniel’s chest. He held the neck of a beer bottle in the tight grasp of his right hand.
Daniel smiled, face warm, gazing down at his flirtatiously unaware husband. He lifted his hand to sweep his fingers through his hair and that’s when Sungwoon saw the wedding ring.
The shorter man gasped, almost choking in the process and clutched at his own hair. “You’re married?!” Sungwoon flattened his left hand against Daniel’s pec and gazed up at him sadly before seeing the glimmer of white gold on his own finger. “I’m married?!” He facepalmed in panic.
“To me.” Daniel clarified because the distress in Sungwoon’s eyes was real and Daniel felt bad if he let it go on further.
“What?”
“You’re married to me. We’re married.” Daniel took Sungwoon’s hand and put their matching rings together.
Sungwoon pressed the pads of his fingertips to his forehead in relief. “Oh thank god.” Daniel giggled as Sungwoon downed a rather large sip of the beer and yelled over the music. “Everyone, I married this hottie!”
♡
Sungwoon’s face twisted into one of sharp pain as he clutched his stomach and squeezed his eyes shut. At that moment he vowed to never go through this again.
“Oh my god! Babe! Tell me what to do! Should I get you something? Should I call someone? Oh my-”
“I’m fine, Daniel.” Sungwoon gritted through his teeth.
Daniel was frantic. As frantic as a dog during a thunderstorm; running here and there, bumping into things and ultimately not helping Sungwoon get to where he needed to be which was the hospital.
“Daniel?! Not baby? Oh man. This is serious.” Daniel panicked, pressing his hand to his mouth, going into “I’m about to be a dad” hysterics.
“Stop freaking out...” Sungwoon breathed shakily. “Take me to the hospital.”
“Oh my god. Oh my god. Okay. I’m coming. Let’s go. Do you need anything? Change of clothes? Where’s your bag? Did we pack it? Oh my god! Does the baby need a change of clothes?!”
“Daniel!” Sungwoon all but screeched at his manic husband. “Just do that later! Take me NOW!”
Daniel nearly jumped out of his own skin and scrambled for the car keys, belatedly remembering to bring his wallet. “Okay, okay.”
It was the longest car drive Sungwoon had ever endured. Longer than the time they decided to drive to Busan. He was ready to burst and their son was ready to say hi to the world. Sungwoon, unlike Daniel, was not nervous. He’d done his reading and studied articles on babies, babysat Jaeni when Jaehwan was in need. He was good. What was not good was how terrible he felt.
“Go around this car, Daniel.” He growled.
“That’s a police car! You’ll have the baby in jail!” Daniel’s knuckles were almost white, clutching the wheel with such an intensity.
Sungwoon tossed his head back into the seat rest as another wave of contractions hit him. Daniel kept nervously glancing at him as he politely passed the cop car.
“We’re almost there.” He whispered and grabbed Sungwoon’s hand.
Daniel burst inside the emergency room with a boisterous yell of “My baby’s having a husband! Give me a wheel chair!” to which Sungwoon, who was supported in Daniel’s arms, hissed “Goddammit Daniel. Lower your voice.”
Sungwoon’s condition took immediate priority and soon he was propped up in a hospital bed with his legs bare and his feet covered.
“Doctor, drug me up. The highest dosage. I don’t want to feel a thing. I don’t even want to feel my legs. When I wake up again our bundle of joy will be in my arms and then we can go home and have ramen.”
The doctor and surrounding nurses chuckled at Sungwoon’s rambling while Daniel chewed his nails nervously. “Is this normal for him to be saying stuff like this?”
“It’s fine, Mr. Kang. The “drugs” are starting to kick in already.” The doctor explained, checking Sungwoon’s IV.
Daniel leaned over the bed and grasped Sungwoon’s hand. “Babe, before I lose you to the other world-”
“Daniel, I’m not entering the twilight zone.”
“I want you to know that I love you so much and Little Cloud too. I’ll be with you the whole time. Right here next to you. Like always.” He smiled softly and Sungwoon didn’t say anything snappy back. He just smiled back sleepily and gazed at Daniel until the anesthesia took him under.
“Thank you. I love you too.”
Just as he said, when Sungwoon woke up after the surgery, their bundle of joy had arrived. The only difference was that the baby boy was not in his arms but Daniel’s. Daniel hadn’t realized Sungwoon had come to so Sungwoon watched as Daniel held their son close to his chest as the baby held onto Daniel’s finger. Sungwoon flexed his legs and that’s when Daniel realized Sungwoon was awake.
“Hey.” He whispered in his borrowed scrubs. “Welcome back.”
Sungwoon smiled and beckoned Daniel to his side. “Hey. We’re dads.”
Daniel’s eyes lit up as if his whole being had powered up. Looking at the little human that was now theirs he breathed out a soft laugh. “We are.”
♡
When Woojoo was ready to come into the world, the Kang household was much more prepared. Daniel was calmer and Sungwoon wasted no time notifying Daniel when he started to feel pain so they could rush to the hospital and stick him with the epidural quickly. This ride to the hospital was different because in the back seat was Haneul happily singing his version of the Abc’s. He didn’t really know what was going on. Daniel had told him that they needed to stop playing because his little brother was coming soon so Haneul figured they were just going to the store to buy him. He didn’t know what the big place with the white walls and crazy people were. He sucked on his pacifier as his little eyes studied the new environment from within his Dad’s arms. It was instinct for him to reach out to Sungwoon when the nurses started to wheel him away. His eyes filled with tears as his Daddy waved goodbye.
“We’ll see Daddy soon, Haneul.” Daniel told him and kissed his head.
Because the doctors needed to remove the baby from Sungwoon’s stomach, Haneul was not allowed inside which meant neither was Daniel because Haneul put up a fight when Daniel tried to hand him over to the nurse. So they waited outside together with Daniel telling Haneul how scared he was when he was born. It made Haneul giggle seeing Daniel make scared expressions as he recounted the story. Eventually, the two year old fell asleep in Daniel’s lap, cuddled by his favorite blanket that they didn’t forget to pack. Daniel anxiously gnawed at his bottom lip waiting for the doctor or nurse to come tell him he could see Sungwoon. It took longer than the first time, maybe because he wasn’t in there to personally experience everything, but it made him worry so he held Haneul closer to him.
Daniel eventually got the greenlight and in his haste to hustle to the room he woke Haneul up.
“We can see Daddy now!”
The painkillers hadn’t made Sungwoon so loopy that time so he was holding Woojoo when Daniel and Haneul came in.
“Daddy!”
“Be gentle, Haneul. Daddy still hurts.” Daniel advised sitting on the edge of the bed with Haneul two inches away from leaping onto Sungwoon.
“Daddy ow?”
Sungwoon chuckled. “Just a little bit. Look. Meet your brother.”
Haneul looked at Woojoo with as much passion as he looked at a baked potato when they had it for dinner. Questioning and partially bored.
Daniel snickered to himself. “He’s so excited.”
Sungwoon side-eyed him and tried to sit up a little more. “Haneul, aren’t you happy? Woojoo is part of the family now.”
Haneul stared at Sungwoon and then turned around to look at Daniel blankly. Daniel raised his eyebrows. “Dad go home now?”
Sungwoon and Daniel burst into laughter. The disinterest in the new baby was astonishing to them. This was the same kid who wanted to sing to Sungwoon’s belly every day.
“We can’t go home now, silly. Woojoo is sleeping and Daddy needs to rest too.”
Haneul sighed, which Sungwoon and Daniel found so comical, and then he crawled closer to his new little brother. “Joojoo,” he whispered. “No sweep long time. Wanna go home.” Then he tucked himself into Sungwoon’s side and fingered the material of Sungwoon’s shirt until they turned the TV on for him.
Later, when Sungwoon and Daniel were taking a leisurely stroll around the hospital wing Sungwoon wondered aloud if the boys would get along when they were older. If Haneul would remain this aloof with his little brother forever.
“He won’t.” Daniel assured. “We’ll show them endless amounts of love until its pouring out of their eyes and the only thing they’ll know how to do properly is love everyone.”
Sungwoon smiled as his gaze landed on two older boys playing inside one of the hospital rooms. “Okay. I won’t worry. You’ll handle it, right?”
Daniel peered down at his husband and kissed his forehead. “We’ll handle it. Together.”
♡
When Sungwoon and Daniel decided to have another kid they didn’t consider how taxing it would be to juggle both babies. They had to make sure each one had enough attention knowing that the newborn was going to need most of it. Haneul went from being the center of their worlds to being slightly pushed away. Unintentionally of course but it was just that Haneul was used to getting everything his way exactly when he wanted it. If he wanted to be held his little arms would go in the air and he would be lifted. If he wanted a snack it appeared in his hands instantly. It had been that way for 2 years but now with the addition of Little Universe things had changed. There were two parents with four arms total but none available for Haneul. It stressed him out more than Sungwoon and Daniel could imagine. Not to mention how stressed the parents were. They were on the brink of insanity and it showed.
“Can you put that down and get the laundry?”
“The laundry isn’t ready yet. There’s a few minutes left.”
“Daniel, Woojoo needs a diaper change.”
“Okay so change him.”
“Hyung, the pasta is burning. Are you not paying attention?”
“Obviously I’m trying to situate the kids. You make dinner then.”
It went on like this for a few weeks. It was the minor side comments that drove each other crazy besides the fact that they couldn’t agree on anything anymore. No longer were they in their perpetual honeymoon phase that had lasted about 8 years.
“I have to go take a walk.” Daniel surrendered, throwing his arms up after yet another fight. He snatched his jacket by the coat rack and slipped on a random pair of shoes at the door.
“Oh yeah of course! Just leave me to take care of everything as always!” Sungwoon rarely raised his voice but in the heat of another argument, with Haneul whining to be picked up and Woojoo crying, he couldn’t hold back.
Daniel felt bad, he really did, but one of them had to escape the madness and he was the closest to the door. He was gone approximately thirty minutes in which he picked up some snacks from the convenience store in hopes to make peace with his irritated husband. All for naught however because after he removed his shoes and entered the empty living room he saw a blanket and pillow on the couch. He placed the convenience store bag down by his feet and moved to the bedroom which he found out had been locked.
“Babe, really?” He called through the door but of course there was no response. All it did was fuel his anger so he moved to the babies’ room and sunk into the rocking chair in the corner. He’d hoped they would be awake so he could have someone to talk to but both Haneul and Woojoo were fast asleep much to Daniel’s disappointment. He stayed in there for a while, letting his mind drift to happier times and then he made himself comfortable on the couch, falling asleep with a frown on his handsome face.
Around 6 in the morning, Daniel was bothered out of his sleep and greeted with a mouthful of his husband’s hair. He squinted his tired eyes and watched as a grumpy Sungwoon fit himself into the small space between Daniel and the back of the couch. He grumbled something Daniel couldn’t understand and threw the blanket over them. Daniel stared at him sourly for a few moments before resigning for a few more hours of sleep.
When they woke up for real it was to the soft cries of their newborn. Sungwoon pressed his fists to his tired eyes and sat up.
“I got it.” Daniel said, Busan accent making a sudden sleepy appearance.
“I’ll go.”
Daniel shook his head and planted his feet on the ground. His back cracked and he rolled his shoulders as he made his way to Woojoo. He put the baby against his shoulder and walked out of the room, rubbing his tiny back. Most of the time a soothing hug did the trick for Woojoo.
“Babe, can we talk?” Sungwoon was at the kitchen island with his fluffy hair sticking up in all directions. “I don’t like fighting with you.” He said once Daniel was next to him.
“Neither do I.”
Sungwoon stared at the counter top. “I’m sorry but you really pissed me off last night.”
“Well, you don’t make me all that cheerful right now either.” Daniel said in return. “That’s why I’ve been staying later at the academy honestly.”
“Don’t you see how that would make me mad though? I have to stay here with the kids by myself while you get to do whatever you want?” Sungwoon stared at Woojoo who had quietly gone back to sleep instead of directly facing Daniel. His shoulders slouched as he continued. “I feel like your neglected housewife that just had a baby. A little unsexy and a little overweight.”
That pitiful comment seemed to snap some sense back into Daniel. His eyes immediately softened at Sungwoon’s sad face and he stepped closer. “I don’t want you to feel that way, hyung. You’re still the sexiest guy I know. I’m sorry. Don’t give up on me yet.”
“I’m not giving up on you. I would never do that.” Sungwoon took in Daniel’s tired eyes and the frown that always seemed to be on his face lately. Woojoo was so small in his hold. “You’re a great dad, baby. I just want you to be here for me too.”
“I can do that.” Daniel said earnestly. He gazed at Sungwoon until a smile appeared on the elder’s face and he leaned in to kiss him. “I think we need to be better to Haneul too.”
“I agree. I think I forget that he’s still a baby too.” Sungwoon sighed. “Are we bad parents?” He questioned aloud and where Daniel usually filled the silence with objections there were none today.
“No parent is perfect.” Daniel piped up quietly. “Trial and error.”
In Sungwoon’s world, he would be the perfect parent who knew all the answers and had everything under control. What he realized was that of all the things that came so easily to him, parenting was the one that didn’t but as Daniel assured him, it was okay.
“They’re healthy and happy babies. And we’re happy.” Daniel said grabbing Sungwoon’s chin between his thumb and index finger. “Cheer up, kid.”
“Who are you calling kid, kid?” Sungwoon swatted at Daniel’s thigh and they laughed because that’s what they did best with each other. Laugh and love and reassure each other that everything was going to be alright.
♡
Sunday morning and the rain was not falling. At last a break in the miserable weather of the rainy season. Sungwoon and Daniel woke up to the beautiful chirping of the birds just outside their window and the sun shining right into Sungwoon’s eyes.
“Close the curtains.” Sungwoon croaked, nudging his husband with his foot.
Daniel rolled further into his pillow with a grunt causing Sungwoon to sigh deeply. Instead of fixing the problem Sungwoon hid his face behind Daniel’s broad back.
On Sundays they got to sleep in because they didn’t have to go to work and usually they’d tired out the kids the night before enough to have them wake up late too. It was an unwritten rule that Sundays were for laziness.
As Daniel pushed his behind towards Sungwoon’s front, Sungwoon felt a rumble against his thigh and was soon hit with a rancid smell.
“Don’t fart on me, you animal.” Sungwoon said, smacking Daniel’s back.
“Good morning, babe.” The reckless smile could be heard through the younger’s husky voice. “Sleep well?” He asked and started stretching his limbs beneath their shared blanket.
“Like the dead.”
“That’s great.”
Daniel’s long arms reached towards the ceiling before dropping around Sungwoon with his body following after to lay on top of the elder. Daniel rubbed their cheeks together and exhaled into Sungwoon’s neck drowsily.
“I don’t want to get up. Like, ever.”
Sungwoon let himself sink further into the cozy mattress trapped beneath Daniel’s warmth. “Me neither.”
They spent the next five minutes in silence, in and out of dreamland until they forced themselves up because it wasn’t just the two of them in the house anymore like it used to be.
After washing their faces and brushing their teeth, Daniel poked his head into the babies’ room quietly and peeked at his sons. Haneul’s messy head was visible just above his blanket, peacefully still sleeping while Woojoo was awake in his crib. Daniel crept over to him and rubbed his belly.
“Hey, little guy.” He smiled at his still kind of bald five month old and brought him to the kitchen. “Do you want to wake Haneul up, babe?”
Switching places, Sungwoon entered the room now and perched at the edge of Haneul’s bed.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. It’s time for breakfast.” He spoke softly as he caressed the two year old’s hair.
Fortunately, Haneul wasn’t hard to wake. A feature that Sungwoon hoped carried way into his teenage years.
Haneul’s small fists went right into his eyes as his sight adjusted and then he laid still against his pillow. Sungwoon picked him up and he automatically curled into Sungwoon’s neck. Even as babies, Sungwoon and Daniel pushed the importance of proper dental hygiene and always showed Haneul how to brush his few teeth with his special Paw Patrol toothbrush. It helped in waking the little one up who happily walked into the kitchen first to Peach who greeted him by pressing her snout to his nose, and then to Daniel and his little brother.
“Good morning, sunshine.” Daniel said as he ruffled Haneul’s hair.
Haneul threw his hands up excitedly. “Pa’cakes!”
Sunday was also pancake day. It started a few months back when Sungwoon craved strawberry pancakes for him and the baby in his stomach. By the third week when they had bagels instead, Haneul pushed the plate away questioningly and pointed at it with incomprehensible mumbles until Sungwoon realized he was asking for pancakes instead. Thus, the start of Haneul’s new temporary addiction.
“You bet we’re having pancakes!” Daniel pointed at Haneul with his spatula and the little boy cheered. “Play with your brother until they’re ready, okay?”
It didn’t take long for the pancakes to be made but there was enough time to read the kids a book or play a game with them so Sungwoon chose a classic.
“Haneul, the floor is lava!”
The two year old began to panic, whining as he hopped from foot to foot. Thinking quickly, he ran to the couch and rolled on next to Sungwoon.
“Woojoo is still down there. You’re going to let your brother melt in the lava?”
Haneul gasped and jumped down again to rescue the five month old who had just learned how to roll over onto his stomach. Haneul was on his knees with his hands beneath Woojoo’s armpits trying to lift him up but he found that his brother had jelly legs.
“I can’t…” He turned back to his Daddy with a helpless frown.
“I can’t help you, little man. I’m already up here. Don’t give up. What would the Paw Patrol do?”
Bating him with his favorite show seemed to put things in perspective for Haneul. First he tried to pull Woojoo by his feet but Woojoo was not having it. Then he decided to roll Woojoo onto his stomach and take his hands, dragging him across the floor mat to the couch. Haneul got on the couch and dangled his hands over the edge, pulling the baby up to him. Sungwoon stepped in then, placing a hand beneath Woojoo’s diaper and pushed him onto the couch.
“I did it!”
“You did! I’m so proud of you. You’re a hero, Haneul.” Sungwoon situated Woojoo in his lap and gave his oldest son a high five.
“Pancakes are done!”
As Sungwoon and Daniel set the table they gave Haneul the task of shaking the orange juice. The toddler shook the carton with such vigor he bumped his head on it and had to crouch down to clutch at his forehead. The bump on his head was long forgotten once he saw the scoop of ice cream on his plate.
“Daddy.”
“Yes?”
Haneul mumbled a sentence and pointed at the orange juice.
“You want me to open this? What do you say?”
“Cheese!”
Sungwoon and Daniel laughed at their son’s misuse of the word and gazed at him lovingly.
“Please not cheese.” Sungwoon corrected and poured a little bit of juice into Haneul’s sippy cup. “What do you say now?”
The little boy nursed his sippy cup with both hands. “Denk yu.”
“Can you get the syrup please, babe?” Daniel asked as he mashed up a tiny piece of pancake for Woojoo.
Sungwoon nodded and left the table to go into the pantry. While he was away, Haneul played with the mouth of his sippy cup. Sticking his thick lips out again and again as if he were kissing it. Daniel reached over playfully and grabbed Haneul’s lips.
“I took your lips. You can’t kiss Daddy anymore.”
What was supposed to be a joke turned serious quickly with Haneul bursting into tears. Daniel’s eyes widened in surprise. Dumbfounded, he wrapped his arms around Haneul and pretended to give back his lips, trying to calm him down before Sungwoon came back.
“What did you do this time?” Sungwoon grinned, spotting his husband cuddling their oldest baby.
Daniel grimaced. “I took his lips.”
Sungwoon poured syrup on everyone’s pancakes. “Did you give them back?”
“Yes.”
“Did you say sorry?”
Daniel looked at Haneul who’s little face was still red. “Dad is sorry, Haneul.”
Haneul sniffled. “I kiss Daddy?”
“Yes, of course. Give him a kiss now.”
Sungwoon leaned over and Haneul kissed his cheek. The toddler seemed to relax and started to eat his pancake. Daniel visibly exhaled and Sungwoon laughed.
“This two year old controls you, huh?” He joked.
Daniel slouched over in his seat and weakly chewed his pancake. “I think I’ll give myself a time out after this.”
♡
“Whoa, babe. What are those?”
Sungwoon glanced at his pants that Daniel was pointing at and eyed his husband wearily. “My khakis…?”
Daniel shook his head with a severe look of disapproval and took his phone from his pocket. “Well I’m calling Jisung hyung.”
“For what?” Sungwoon asked as Haneul ran by chasing after their Samoyed.
Daniel grabbed Sungwoon’s shoulder and gave it a sympathetic squeeze. “You’re wearing dad pants. You need an intervention.”
“Shut up! There’s nothing wrong with these pants!” Sungwoon tucked his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels. He hadn’t felt self-conscious before but now he did. “Just because my jeans don’t squeeze my testicles doesn’t mean these are dad pants!”
Daniel eyed Sungwoon’s pants in distaste again. “Jisung hyung wants to know if you’re wearing a belt.”
Sungwoon lifted his shirt to reveal that he was indeed wearing a belt. Daniel groaned and sat on the couch to report back to Jisung. In a few seconds his phone was ringing announcing a video call.
“Sungwoon. Khakis are for old men. Even I don’t wear them!”
“You guys are ridiculous. There are bigger problems out in the world!” Sungwoon flailed his arms. “People are homeless and starving but you’re worried about my pants?”
Woojoo rolled his red car into Sungwoon’s foot at his sudden exclamations and plopped down onto his behind, raising his arms at his Daddy. Sungwoon picked him up.
“Yeah, yeah. First world problems. But really those pants have got to go. Daniel, burn them!”
“Daniel, no!” Sungwoon argued as Daniel nodded. “Hyung, I’m not even going out with these pants. Just staying inside.” He dumped himself onto the couch next to Daniel and let Woojoo play with the strings of his hoodie.
“I should take them when he’s not looking right, hyung? Or else they’ll multiply.” Daniel said with a hand to his chin. Sungwoon tiredly pinched Daniel’s ear. “Oh man. What’s that smell? Smells like- oh boy.”
Babies were cute until they had little accidents like this.
“Woojoo!”
Sungwoon lifted the one year old and lo and behold, smeared over the lap of his controversial khakis was: poop.
“The baby has spoken!” Daniel announced, angling the phone so Jisung could see the mess his nephew created.
“Woojoo,” Sungwoon spoke brokenheartedly. “I thought you were on my team. If you didn’t like my pants you could have said so.”
The baby babbled, making noises that probably made sense to him but did not translate to real talk.
“I’ll give him a quick bath.” Daniel reached over and carefully scooped Woojoo up leaving Jisung face up on the couch.
“Well that takes care of the pants, doesn’t it?”
Sungwoon glared at his best friend through the phone and mercilessly jammed his finger into the end call button.
♡
When Haneul was 3 he went through a brief period of calling Sungwoon and Daniel by their first names. As much as they referred to themselves as Dad and Daddy, it was easy for Haneul to pick up on his parents’ names (besides teaching both children their names and phone numbers in case of emergency.) The first time it happened only Daniel heard it which of course meant Haneul wasted no time making Daniel look crazy.
“Haneul, put your shoes on. We’re going to the store. I don’t want to go alone.” Daniel announced as if the little boy was his friend instead of his son. He placed Haneul’s Velcro light up sneakers in front of him.
The three year crawled over and unstrapped the shoes. “Okay, Niel.”
Daniel stared at him for a few seconds before realizing. “What did you call me?” He crouched down lower to better hear him.
Haneul giggled. “Niel.”
“Dad.” Daniel corrected sternly. Being addressed by his name was weird coming from his kid but Haneul continued to tease him.
“Niel.”
“Dad.”
“Niel.”
“Sungwoon!”
Sungwoon appeared from the bathroom with Woojoo in his arms. “What?”
Daniel turned to Haneul who had finished putting his shoes on. “What did you call me, Haneul?”
The three year old angel looked at Sungwoon with a tiny confused expression. “Dad.”
Daniel gasped and really, he felt betrayed.
“What’s the problem?” Sungwoon deadpanned.
“He called me Niel! When I told him to call me Dad he just kept saying Niel. Babe, you have to believe me.”
Sungwoon looked between both boys- his husband with desperation on his face and his oldest son who was busying stomping his feet to make his shoes light up. “I believe you.” He said disbelievingly, turning away to continue what he was doing.
It was only when Haneul called him Woon Daddy days later that Sungwoon finally believed his poor husband.
♡
“Okay Jaeni. Behave for Uncle Daniel and Uncle Sungwoon. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“Okay Daddy!” The little girl answered enthusiastically. Jaehwan caressed his daughter’s bobbed hair.
Intrigued by the use of the word “daddy” Haneul rode over on his miniature red car. He planted his feet on the ground solidly to stop it from moving and peered up at the adults. “Daddy? Uncle Jae is Daddy?”
Haneul’s confusion elicited a laugh from everyone.
“Uncle Jae is Jaeni’s Daddy. Not yours.” Sungwoon explained with a mild smile on his face.
Haneul nodded his head adorably. “I don’t have three dads, right?”
“No,” Daniel chuckled. “Just two.”
“Can I play with your car, Haneul?” Jaeni asked as she gripped the steering wheel with her left hand. Haneul seemed to think about it for a second, sitting frozen on the seat until he stood and toddled off into the living room.
“It’ll be nice for her to play with other kids.” Jaehwan commented making his way towards the front door. “Her teacher tells me she loves to play house and be the mom.”
“And here she has two small children with no mother.” Daniel scratched the side of his face. “Sungwoon hyung has the size but no boobs.”
Sungwoon’s lips dropped into an unamused pout. “Just wait until you start to gain more weight. Then you’ll be the one with manboobs.”
Jaehwan snorted and slipped his shoes on. “As interesting as male pregnancy is, I’ll be leaving. My precious, amazing daughter is in your hands. Please take care of her.”
“Of course! It’ll be practice for our own baby girl.” Daniel smiled brightly and with their last goodbye to Jaehwan they turned to the living room.
Haneul was zooming his cars through the roads of his racetrack rug while Jaeni rode the red car around him. Woojoo was comfortably sat in his baby chair reaching for the squeaky toys on the mobile hanging above him.
“This is our future.” Sungwoon said crossing his arms.
“I look forward to it, partner.” Daniel bumped his shoulder into Sungwoon’s until a grin appeared on the elder’s features.
“Dad, I’m hungwy!”
For lunch, Daniel made everyone toasted ham and cheese sandwiches. They settled all the kids at the table and Sungwoon sat with them to give Woojoo a mashed fruit mix and some pieces of bread.
“This is like what I eat at school!” Jaeni exclaimed, holding the sandwich in both her small hands.
“You hear that, babe? You can be a lunch man when you retire.” Sungwoon joked.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Daniel said from the counter and took a big bite out of his sandwich. “My goal is to still be dancing when I’m 80.”
“80?” Jaeni’s loud giggles startled Haneul. The little girl had adopted her dad’s laughter. Sungwoon and Daniel felt kind of bad for her. “That’s so old!”
“Dad is not old!” Haneul told her, quick to defend his parent.
“Not now but 80 is a big number so that means it’s old.”
“What else do you learn in school, Jaeni?” Sungwoon asked. He made Woojoo’s spoon into an airplane and flew it all around his face making the baby smile.
“Everything!” Jaeni threw her hands up sprinkling crumbs all over. “I learn colors and numbers and how to tie my shoes and fish and we play house. House is my favorite! I’m always the mommy!”
Daniel’s eyes widened at Jaeni‘s burst of talkative energy. Sungwoon looked at him too. Both were so used to carrying most of the conversation with their boys so listening to Jaeni give so many details left them in awe. Amazing that a five year old had so much to say about the world.
“Why do you like to be the mommy? Haneul, don’t play with your food.”
Haneul wrinkled his nose at Sungwoon and continued eating.
“Because I don’t have brothers or sisters so I’m lonely.”
It was said in such a way that if one weren’t paying attention to her you wouldn’t hear the sad undertone of her voice.
“Would you like a brother or sister?”
Jaeni nodded enthusiastically and swiped at the hair that fell into her eyes. “I always want a little brother or sister so I can play with them. I ask Santa for one every Christmas but Santa is too busy to give me one.”
“Well at least for today you have two little brothers to play with.” Sungwoon stroked Jaeni’s hair with a soft smile.
“Maybe if I’m good I can take one home?” She asked with her hands clasped beneath her chin.
“Um. We can talk about that later.” Sungwoon told her with a hesitant laugh. “Let’s finish our lunch so we can keep playing, okay?”
After lunch, Sungwoon and Daniel left the kids in their room to continue housework and office work, also allowing them to get to know each other better. Since Haneul and Woojoo spent every second of the day surrounded by males they figured it would do them some good to have a female in their presence.
Woojoo cried out in frustration when Haneul took the Buzz Lightyear toy right out of his hands. The one year old slowly walked after him to take it back but his little legs were useless to Haneul’s turbo speed. His eyes watered up and his lower lip jutted out quivering but before he could let out any cries, Jaeni was by his side with a Ninja Turtle.
“Here, Woojoo! Take this instead!”
However, the baby still had his eyes on Buzz so Jaeni had to take another action.
“Woojoo, look at me!”
Jaeni started making silly faces and noises until Woojoo cracked a smile and eventually adorable laughs sounded throughout the house.
“Who’s the happy baby?” Daniel asked, walking in with a wide grin.
“Uncle Niel! Look!” Jaeni stuck her tongue out at him and Woojoo continued to giggle.
“Oh, so it’s you who’s full of gags? Just like your dad.”
Daniel stayed for a while and played with Jaeni at her request to play house with a real baby. Haneul stayed to himself mostly, making conversation with his Buzz Lightyear and dinosaur collection. It was when Jaeni sat in Daniel’s lap and Woojoo followed her that Haneul’s little eyebrows began to furrow.
“I can read this story to you, Uncle Niel!”
“You can read, Jaeni? Wow that’s amazing. You’re so smart.”
Hearing the words “You’re so smart” and having them not directed at him irked Haneul. All the attention was on the new girl but he was the king of the house. So, Haneul stomped over, dropping his toys carelessly, and was going to give Jaeni a piece of his mind when the little girl’s face brightened.
“Haneul, come here! Sit with us so I can read you a story!”
Haneul paused feeling conflicted with his emotions suddenly. Daniel swept him into his embrace though so he had no time decide if he was still mad.
Sitting cross-legged by the bed with all three kids sitting in his lap, Daniel felt so content. Especially when Jaeni reached behind to rub his barely there stomach.
“Daddy said you’re having another baby and that it’s a girl like me. She’s gonna love you, Uncle Niel.”
That innocent and heartfelt sentence got Daniel choked up. If this was what it was like to have a daughter he was all for it.
Jaehwan returned to the house a little after dinner when the kids were sitting in front of the tv watching Peter Pan and munching on fruit snacks.
“How was she? Did she cry at all?” Jaehwan asked peering into the living room.
“Not at all. She was an angel.” Daniel answered still in awe at how sweet the little girl was.
“She did say something though.” Sungwoon commented making Jaehwan curious. “She’s lonely.”
Jaehwan sighed in acknowledgment and nodded slowly.
“Give her a sibling, you jerk.”
“Hey! Not everyone are baby machines like you two!”
Daniel chuckled loudly and caught Woojoo’s attention. The one year old toddled over and peered up at Jaehwan until he picked him up. Woojoo’s first instinct was to tap Jaehwan’s chubby cheeks.
“What do you say I take this little guy home with me and you guys keep Haneul and the new baby?”
Sungwoon and Daniel glanced at each other comically. “Jaeni asked us earlier if she could keep one of them if she was good.”
Jaehwan laughed. “Did she really? What did you tell her? Yes?”
“No, actually. We’re quite fond of our children. Thanks.” Sungwoon replied with a grin. “But really, on a serious note, she’s great with kids. Give her a little sister.”
Jaehwan nodded and promised to speak to his wife about it. Anything for his little girl and Daniel and Sungwoon understood completely.
“I’m glad our baby girl will have a friend like Jaeni when she gets older. Even if the age gap is big, Jaeni will be a good role model.” Daniel said later that night when they were in bed and he was rubbing his stomach.
Sungwoon agreed with him and offered a change in conversation. “Babe, what are we going to name her?”
Daniel’s mouth open and shut. He stared at the wall in concentration. “Well. We have a cloud, a sky, a universe… What about sun?”
“Taeyang? So she can sing Eyes, Nose, Lips to us?” Sungwoon joked rubbing his forehead sleepily. Daniel chuckled. “We can give her an English name like yours?”
“Daniela.”
“Might as well call her Daniel Jr.” Sungwoon said continuing to make his husband laugh.
“Woonsung?” Daniel attempted lazily.
Sungwoon grinned. “Woon… Hmm, Moon?”
There was a moment of pensive silence and then,
“Dal?” They said simultaneously and faced each other. A contagious smile grew on Sungwoon’s face.
“Add ‘ie’ to make it more feminine.” Daniel concluded.
“Dalie...” Sungwoon said, nodding his head and reaching for Daniel’s hand. “Kang Dalie.”