Archive of Our Own ^beta

Today is family day with Daddy.

“Where’s Daddy?” Suji asked, her little legs swinging and dangling under her chair. Before Jeonghan could even answer, small but excited knocks are heard from the door. Suji smiles in delight as she jumps to get it before her father could even react. Huh, kids and their energy...

Not long after, the blond could hear excited squeals and giggles from two kids. Suji has always been quieter compared to kids her age but when her brother is around, she’ll be excited as a child getting her candies. For real. Jeonghan thinks it’s adorable, but at the same time, he feels guilty... if only his son and daughter could be together in a house without waiting for this day in a week, then they could play all day long.

“Papa!”

Jeonghan almost dropped the lunchboxes he’s holding if not of another pair of hands catching them before they spill on the floor.

“Papa! Are you okay?” his son, Sebong, asked him as he looked up with big eyes full of wonder and worry. Jeonghan drops down to kiss the boy’s forehead. “Of course. Papa is happy because Sebong is here!” he cheers, feeling his cheeks contract from smiling too much. He's happy. So happy.

Before any of them could prepare for it, Suji already said her thoughts out loud. “And daddy is here, too!”

Indeed, Seungcheol is on Jeonghan’s side, dangerously close, already clutching the lunchboxes Jeonghan almost dropped earlier. The blond didn’t even notice when Seungcheol took the lunchboxes from him, but he has a hunch it was when he gave Sebong a kiss. Seungcheol has always been considerate to others.

That’s one of the reasons why he fell for him, anyway.

Suji once again shrieks in adorable giggles and Jeonghan turned to see their princess getting held up high by Seungcheol. He can’t help a smile form on his lips. They look so happy, so perfect, so complete like a family.

He hopes they are.

“So, Suji’s at Seungcheol-hyung’s today?” Seungkwan asks. Jeonghan cringes upon seeing a piece of pasta slides out of his mouth. “Kwannie, don’t talk when you’re eating.”

Jihoon laughs loudly while Seungkwan desperately tries to smack the laughing hyung, swallow his pasta and not choke, and wave dismissively at his nagging hyung. He can also hear clicks of camera probably from Jisoo’s phone and Seokmin pushing away his water out of his grasp. Seungkwan just wanted to survive. It was a tough job, to say the least.

“I swear to heavens, anyone who tells you guys are fluffs, angels, rainbows and sunshines are immensely blind,” he splatters once he recovered. “Anyway, let’s go back to Suji.”

“She’s with Seungcheol,” Jeonghan answers like it is the most obvious thing. Well, it should be! This day is scheduled. It’s even marked on their calendar and to his phone’s personal one. Not that Jeonghan needs them, though. He knows their arrangement by heart. Put that in a quiz show and he'll snatch the gold medal.

Jisoo clanks his glass to get his friends’ attention. His face is already morphed into something — maybe a mix of curiosity, amusement and slight disappointment. “Why didn’t you go with them? You know our schedules are free until next week,” he says. Of course, Jeonghan knows. The very reason why they did this schedule in the first place is to accommodate their needs to go to work and spend time with their children. Both Jeonghan and Seungcheol are respectable figures in their field and while they want to devote time with their babies most of the time, real life can sometimes — always — be a bitch.

That gives more credits though that yeah, Jisoo’s right. They got the whole week free for themselves, so why didn’t he use it to spend time with his family?

“It’s Seungcheol’s turn today. I don’t want to get in the way,” he says, voice just above a whisper. Why does he suddenly feel so small? His friends are just asking, right? No big deal.

Right?

Jihoon throws him an, expected, unimpressed look. "Hyung, you know that the big puppy wouldn’t mind if you join them, right?” and Jeonghan tried to ignore the fact that all of his friends nodded and hummed in agreement. Jihoon might be younger than him and Seungcheol but he has never been scared calling them out if he feels like he needs to. And while Jeonghan appreciates that, he thinks he’s better today with the topic left off.

Seokmin sighs. “We won’t force you into anything, hyung. We just don’t want you being hard on yourself,” he trails off and the heavy air surrounding them feels tenser when everyone waits for Seokmin’s next words. Not one to disappoint, the smiling ball of sunshine hugged Jeonghan. “It wasn’t all your fault.”

Jeonghan smiles, a silent thanks.

Was it really not his fault?

He tries to get Seokmin’s words inside his head but every time he spares a glance at the picture frame resting on his bedside table, he feels his heart constricts. Everything just... flips.

They look so happy in the photo; the four of them. Sebong is seated on Seungcheol’s shoulders while Jeonghan is carrying Suji in his arms. All of them are smiling. Sebong is tightly clutching his father’s raven hair that resulted into Seungcheol’s messy head. Suji and Jeonghan are both laughing merrily as they watch the chaotic father and son. When his eyes follow Seungcheol’s left arm wrapped around his waist, he feels his breathing tightens. Huh, his friends might be right about him being hard on himself because he then marvels to the looks of love the couple on the photo gave each other; fond, tender, patient and warm.

When did it become cold?

Jeonghan had jumped a little upon hearing his bell ringing from the door. He hastily wipes the tears off his cheeks. He hopes he does not look that obvious. Can't afford to look awful in front of a visitor.

“Hey, Jeonghan – ” Seungcheol stops midway, smile dropping upon seeing the blond’s face. Not having any moment to say anything, Jeonghan has started getting the sleeping Suji from his arms. Seungcheol knows the younger male is avoiding his eyes.

He cried. Seungcheol knows.

Jeonghan tries to look behind the man in his doorway before asking, “Where’s Sebong?”

Seungcheol, on the other hand, attempts so hard to get his eyes on him but all Jeonghan did was bury his face on Suji’s shoulders. Oh. He feels his chest stiffens painfully. “Uh, he’s sleeping in the car with his nanny. Do you want me to get him?” he carefully asks, afraid that any incorrect tone or choice of words might do something. That something, he does not know.

But Jeonghan shakes his head, a small smile blooming on his face; not enough to convince Seungcheol to forget the pained look he saw earlier, though.

“It’s fine. Just tell him I said good night and Papa loves him.”

Of course, of course. Seungcheol will. Even if Jeonghan does not tell him, he will not stop reminding Sebong that Jeonghan loves him so much. Jeonghan is one, if not the most, loving person Seungcheol has met in his entire existence. He deserves every love he could get from their children in return. Jeonghan deserves Sebong as his child and it pricks sorely at Seungcheol’s heart that he took that away from the blond. If only their houses are not separated, if only they are still living together, if only there are still together…

“Seungcheol, it’s getting late,” Jeonghan cuts Seungcheol off his trance.

The older male blinks, “Oh, um – yeah.” Did he just stutter? Embarrassing. However, Jeonghan lets out a small laugh, but it still does not reach his ears. Seungcheol could see the sincerity in it, though. That’s more than enough for him to have a smile of his own.

Jeonghan still has that effect on him.

“Thank you for dropping Suji here, even though you have an early meeting tomorrow,” the blond says and Seungcheol might've been enthralled once again. “You remember…” he intended to say that only to himself, but the flustered look that blossomed in Jeonghan’s face told him that he might have said it a little bit louder than intended. To add to that, their distance isn’t exactly huge. If Seungcheol would just lean closer, he could probably feel the dampness of Jeonghan’s cheeks. He does not need to feel to know, however. His eyes can clearly see the moisture on Jeonghan’s soft skin. They're close. So close.

“Hannie,” Seungcheol absentmindedly blurts out.

Jeonghan looked down on his feet, hoping that Suji would not wake up if he hugs her a little too tight. It’s been so long since he heard that name from his voice. It’s been so long and he feels so frustrated to himself that maybe, he’s still longing for it after all.

“Sebong might wake up and and get upset if he’ll not see you down there, Cheol,” the younger male murmurs, calling him by his nickname, too.

And boy, was the older male charmed.

Seungcheol took it as a permission. He leans down to Suji’s head to give his daughter a soft kiss and wish her a good night, although from the looks of it, she’s already pretty much having a peaceful slumber. That, Seungcheol did not take permission from. He turns to Jeonghan, which is not so much work considering his position from where he kissed his daughter’s head, and gave the one carrying his daughter a kiss as gentle as hers on his forehead. His brain quickly started a hurried session of judging himself. What is he doing? What gets into him? What the hell, Choi? Seungcheol does not know if the silent clearance he assumed is in effect, but he feels Jeonghan breathing in his scent and leaning to his touch. Okay, right. Maybe he should calm his panicking brain now.

“Good night, Hannie,” he whispers, thumb rubbing Jeonghan’s dried tears. He feels his heart break. He thought his heart breaking everyday would teach him to get numb about it but this, feeling and witnessing Jeonghan’s pain right before his eyes, feels like a whole new pang of agony again.

The older male did say good night, a seemingly end line for a conversation, but Seungcheol and Jeonghan stayed there for another couple of minutes; just the two of them in the silent hallways, outside of the blond’s apartment, Seungcheol’s hands caressing Jeonghan’s jaw. No words are spoken, not a conversation is heard. Seungcheol was content with the silence talking for them. His eyes roam around the younger male’s face, like he’s trying to see every nook, every part, every feature and he feels like laughing at himself because no matter how many times he tries to forget, Jeonghan’s every cranny is still engraved in his mind. Seungcheol pretends to learn it again by letting his eyes wander, only to ridicule himself in the end. What a joke. He knew that he still has it memorized like the back of his hand. After all these months, years, he still has the angelic face marked inside his brain.

With one last look, Seungcheol gave himself another chance to drop a kiss on Jeonghan’s lower forehead, the space between his eyebrows. “Good night,” Seungcheol says and tries not to melt when Jeonghan tilts his head to one of his palms cradling his jaw and plants a kiss of his own. Gods, Jeonghan's lips was still as soft as he can remember.

Seungcheol shakes his head as he walks down the hallway and tries not to think that maybe, if Jeonghan isn’t holding Suji in his arms, the younger male would’ve held him, too.

Jeonghan sighs as he watches Seungcheol’s back retreat because he knows that if he’s not carrying Suji, his arms, definitely, will be around the older male as well.

“I know I should’ve not helped you with that divorce,” Wonwoo grumbles.

Seungcheol threw a random thing he could get his hand on, which turns out to be a paper clip, to the man seated on his couch’s office. “I was just saying!” Wonwoo had the nerve to add after ducking away from the assault. Seungcheol only snorts. Every lunch break with these idiots is always eventful.

To add to his headache, Hansol chose to side with Wonwoo. Well, Seungcheol is honestly not surprised. While Hansol follows him attentively, the younger Choi is pretty defiant against him when it comes to — this  — topic.

“I should’ve really listened to them when they told me to drug your drink that day and burn the papers, Wonwoo-hyung," Hansol slowly drags his words out. Wonwoo widened his eyes while he watches Hansol nods his head with fingers rubbing his chin, like he’s contemplating something, including the fact that he should have really drugged Wonwoo less than two years ago, which Wonwoo didn’t shut up about for about a minute or two. It's about a murder against him. No one could blame him.

“Exact reasons why I don't want dealing with papers in this family,” Mingyu murmurs to further mock Wonwoo. When the older male continued pestering Hansol about his possible death, Mingyu turned to Seungcheol.

“Why don’t you just get back together?”

The question made the room silent, all three heads turned to the oldest person in the huge office. It was a long silence, younger males silently observing the CEO examining the view from their floor in the skyscraper, seemingly lost in thoughts. Hansol tried to make eye contact from the other two person in the room to know if they should just leave it and talk about other things before Seungcheol breathes out an especially heavy breath that sounds like it’s heavily clogging his lungs, but still not all of what he wants to let out. Hansol flinches inwardly. That sounds so heavy. He’s not Seungcheol himself but he can feel his ache for some reason. Maybe because they’re running the same blood or Seungcheol’s feelings are just intense and weighty in particular.

“What if I hurt him again?”

It took them a whole minute of staring mindlessly on air before Wonwoo had spoken.

Bravely, may they say.

“Aren’t you going to hurt him again with what you’re doing right now, hyung?”

“Ouch,” Seungcheol jokes, but somehow, he's sincere about it. Wonwoo knows this and mutters an apology which Seungcheol dismisses away. “No. I understand your point, Won,” he quickly says. When Wonwoo stayed silent, he knew that the younger male is once again blaming himself. Wonwoo has always been guilty about his fallen marriage when all he did was sort out the papers he and Jeonghan had needed that time. The man literally just did his work. In one way or another, however, Wonwoo thinks that it sends a mass of responsibility to him that he has done something to really end the relationship. It saddens the young CEO. For Wonwoo to blame himself is making him down as well.

Seungcheol squeezes his shoulder, “Won, don’t blame yourself with my failed marriage.”

“Don’t blame yourself, too, then,” Wonwoo answers back, eyes determined as they stare back at Seungcheol. Wonwoo’s not wrong. He’s been blaming himself all this time, too. Who could he put the blame on aside from him? He couldn’t possibly put it on Jeonghan. All Jeonghan did was love him and he does not want to put any negativity to that. Among all the pain they had, the only thing that would make him feel better is the fact that he was loved by Yoon Jeonghan. All Jeonghan did was make him feel loved and cared for and anyone who will blame Jeonghan for their divorce might need to square up and face him.

Jeonghan did nothing wrong.

Seungcheol blinks when he felt soft taps on his back. He looks up to see the three younger friends who never left his side, even at the lowest point of his life. He smiles in silent gratitude.

His chest still hurts, though.

“BongBong!” Suji’s voice rings around the apartment from the doorway.

Jeonghan can’t help but smile, quickly padding his way to the door to greet his son with a lunch box in hand. Sebong untangled himself from Suji to attack his father with an excited squeal.

“Papa! Sebong misses you!” he blabbers, looking up from where he's hugging Jeonghan’s thighs. The blond thinks he could hear his heart exploding. “Does my baby miss me? Because Papa misses Sebong so much too!” he says as he crouches down to shower Sebong’s chubby face with lots of kisses. “Suji-yah! We need to attack Sebong with lots of love!” he calls and soon after, Suji is dropping kisses to her brother’s cheeks as well.

The nanny standing on the doorway giggles in delight. “Sebong misses you a lot, Jeonghan,” she informs. Upon looking up, Jeonghan smiles happily. “Why don’t the two of you go in Suji’s room to play? Wait for Papa there,” he instructs the two kids.

After the children’s departure, Jeonghan walks towards Sebong’s nanny to hug her tightly. “How’s everything going, Nana?” he asks. The old woman has been taking care of Seungcheol from when he’s still a child. It goes without saying that Nana has been a witness of how the youngest of Choi fell in love with a long haired male then in high school. The old woman became an important someone to Jeonghan’s life.

“Sebong is getting more energetic. I don’t think I could keep up anymore,” Nana says, her wrinkled eyes turning into crescent moons. Although she wanted to say it as a joke, Jeonghan knew better. He bends down a bit and hugs her again – as Nana is a lot shorter than him with her top head only reaching below his shoulders – and gently pats her back. He hopes the old nanny could understand his small gesture of support and gratitude. “You’re doing so well, Nana. Seungcheol is so lucky to have you.”

“And have you as well, Jeonghan.”

Jeonghan tried not to think of anything concerning Nana's giggles while he blushes uncontrollably in front of her. “Aigoo, these kids,” he hears her say. So it's clearly not working.

“Uh, well… it’ll be Seungcheol’s lunch break soon, right?” he stammers, eyes shaking while he holds the lunch box securely in his hands. Nana wears a knowing smile as she waits for the male to continue. “I made lunch for the three of us and I think I made too much, so, um… I thought I could give some to Seungcheol… so, yeah, I packed some for him…” he trails off and Nana giggly wonders every time Jeonghan’s words become more silent when he’s becoming shy.

Before getting the box from his hands, Jeonghan watches as Nana pulls a box of her own from her tote bag.

“Then — I think it’s safe to give this to you, then,” she says with a meaningful expression in her eyes. Jeonghan blinks before accepting the nicely wrapped rectangular box, slightly larger than what his hand could grasp, and it's adorned with a purple ribbon. This is Jeonghan’s favorite ribbon! He looks up with a shy smile, “Nana, you didn’t have to.”

“I wish I could take credit but it’s not me. It’s Seungcheol.”

Nana shamelessly laughs as Jeonghan opens and closes his mouth like a fish. In the midst of his stunned stance, Nana took her time to carefully accept the lunch box from Jeonghan’s hand with a significant smile on her lips. The male is too shocked and it'll be a waste if the lunchbox slipped off his hand and spilled on the floor. Nana knew Jeonghan worked hard on this. “These kids are still kids,” she mumbles with a silent chuckle. She suddenly remembers how Seungcheol also panicked earlier that morning when the young CEO asked her if she could hand Jeonghan the gift after dropping Sebong on the blond’s doorstep.

Honestly, Nana could almost forget that these two are actually divorced and not some kind of teenagers pining over each other. Someone had to remind her to remember.

“Jeonghan-ah, I’ll be going.”

Jeonghan suddenly wakes up from his trance. “I’ll walk you there!”

“No need, child. The driver’s waiting at the end of the hallway,” Nana informs while pointing at the direction. Jeonghan peers his head out of the doorway to give a wave to the Choi’s designated and trusted driver. He knows almost all of them. It gives a feeling of satisfaction for some reason.

“Papa really loved the gift, Daddy.”

Seungcheol tried so hard to look nonchalant about it but the teasing smile worn by his son while looking at him proved him otherwise. He can also feel his own cheeks hurting from grinning, if that’s anything to go by. As for his playful son, he probably got that from his other father. Jeonghan has always been keen on giving him soft mischievous smiles and Sebong has always been a companion because Suji is too precious to make fun of his Daddy. Bless her.

“How’d you say so?” the raven haired asks, just to get more information from his son.

Sebong had put down his rubber duckies to let them float on the tub’s water before leaning on the bathtub’s rim. Seungcheol openly coos as his son’s cheeks were delightfully squished over his small arms resting on the tub. “Papa’s looking at it… always,” he starts, trying to find the right words. Seungcheol patiently waits as his adorable son lightly sways his head while he tries to remember what he can recall from his day today at his other father’s home. As if a light bulb had perk up above his head, Sebong grins, all tiny teeth in display and proudly announces, “Dduji takes pictures! Papa’s looking at your choco, smiling and red!”

Seungcheol is openly grinning like a goof, “Was Papa really red?”

Sebong nods with a serious and determined face, “Yesh. Really, really red.”

The father and son are soon giggling together. Seungcheol probably because of the fact that Jeonghan’s simple ‘thank you for the chocolates’ message earlier that noon does not equate to what his son is telling him and what Nana told him as well. The fact that Jeonghan had texted him a ‘don’t forget to eat your lunch, Cheollie’ after the simple message has also effectively sent him into a buzzing frenzy of warmth and tenderness all day. On the other hand, Sebong is more so probably cheery because he sees his father laughing, or maybe because both of his fathers are happy? Either way, these are positive things to cheer for.

The father of the two reaches for the shower head with a smile on his face. He's happy, but he can't afford to let his baby catch a cold. “Okay, young man, let’s get you clean up now. We don’t want to miss school tomorrow, do we?” he asks, prompting Sebong to pick his toys in a pile. The child complies well, putting his toys back in a small baby blue pale.

As Seungcheol's washing Sebong’s hair, the child unexpectedly said something that made the former flinched inside.

“Daddy, do you love Papa?”

Maybe he was too caught up on the bubbles hiding behind Sebong’s ears, or the droplets not reached by the child’s baby blue towel, or his fear that his son might trip because of the hyper activeness the four year old possesses while he waddles out of the bathroom, or maybe, maybe, he’s just too overwhelmed by his son’s question that it took him only until Sebong is tucked on his bed before he gave his son an answer.

Dropping a gentle kiss on the child’s sleeping head, Seungcheol nods with a soft smile.

“Yeah. Daddy loves Papa… very much.”

“I’m really, really sorry! I know it’s not Suji’s schedule today but this meeting suddenly came up and Shua and Jihoon and Seokmin and Kwannie need to be there as well and I just don’t have anyone to leave Suji with today and I'm really sorry I – ”

Seungcheol holds Jeonghan on his shoulders, staring directly at the blond’s eyes. He ignores his employees, not so silently, squealing on the side.

“Hannie, breathe,” he instructs and Jeonghan obliges. He drew several breaths, the colour of his face thankfully turning into a lighter shade of red. Unknowingly to Jeonghan, he lulled the raven haired CEO with every breath he takes. The blond looks like he's really not aware. Too bad. Seungcheol even thinks that Jeonghan did not notice him staring a bit too much at his face, but his employees are different cases. The brats are openly rejoicing from the corner of his eyes. Why did he train them to be so observant?! And could they at least be subtle in cheering for him?!

“Okay,” Jeonghan starts. He looks up to stare back at Seungcheol’s warm orbs. “I’m good.”

The CEO nods at that. “Okay, I’m glad,” he murmurs, his hands naturally slipping from Jeonghan’s shoulders to his arms. He holds him there. Let his employees be damned. “Where’s Suji?” he asked and immediately cursed himself for asking because the remorse in Jeonghan’s eyes came back. Way to go, Seungcheol!

“I’m really sorry,” Jeonghan apologizes again, but at least he’s not catching his breath now like a horse is on his trail. “You just had Suji not long ago and this is completely out of schedule and all…” he continues.

Seungcheol uncomplainingly listens to him. Of course, he just had Suji the other day. Mondays are meant to be for Daddy, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are regular days with Suji on Jeonghan’s side and Sebong on Seungcheol’s, Fridays are meant to be for Papa, Saturdays are another regular day and Sundays are family days with the four of them together. However, due to work’s demand, Seungcheol and Jeonghan agreed that either of them, in case the other is not free due to work, could still take the children out on Sundays. Needless to say, complete family days rarely happened but once it does, they gave their all to make the siblings have the best days.

Before Jeonghan could even get and pick Suji up, he already saw Seungcheol staring at his behind with so much fondness, making him turn to look as well.

“I pick the Choi princess up. I hope that’s okay?” a tall and lean male asks while carrying Suji in his arms. Jeonghan dismisses him with a gentle smile and shake of his head.

“And before you scold me, sir, I’m on my break. In fact, I still have 45 minutes left,” Minghao, one of the company’s choreographers, quickly defended as he made his way to the undeniably good looking couple. Seungcheol snorts in return. “Brave of you to assume I could scold you while you’re holding my daughter,” he says as a matter-of-fact.

It escalated quickly, but the employees supposedly doing their works on their own tables are already snickering after their CEO got hit by Jeonghan. “Seungcheol, we do not teach the kids having favourites!” he hisses and it didn’t even take another word before the CEO is seen pouting like a kicked puppy and witnessed tugging loosely at the blond’s sleeves. “I’m just joking… I’m sorry, Hannie-yah… please forgive me,” he mumbles and if it’s not because of the fact that Seungcheol is a damn CEO, all of them might’ve been openly cooing at him now. That's their boss! Right there! Getting scolded by a handsome angel! Well, would they look at that! Eh, Seungcheol has always been cute, anyway.

“Wait, I need to go,” Jeonghan announces after reading a message from Jisoo, asking for his presence in the office. Seungcheol has quickly stood firmly with a nod. “Yeah, I’ll walk you down there.”

Maybe it’s the fact that Jeonghan did not turn down the invitation and the both of them are comfortably walking together to Jeonghan’s car in the parking lot that Seungcheol felt extremely nice.

“Do well,” the raven haired male said with a smile.

Jeonghan returned a sweet kind of his own. “I’m really sorry for bothering you. I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” he adds. The older male bravely cupped Jeonghan’s face and when the latter visibly relaxes, he beams, “I told you it’s fine, Han. Suji is my daughter as well. She can stay in my office with Sebong and the company’s not that busy these days. I heard Mom and Dad are dropping by later and they’ll be more than delighted to spend time with our princess as well." Seungcheol grins widely, effectively defeating every negative vibe in the atmosphere. "You’ll go to that meeting without stressing yourself over the kids, okay? I’ll handle them today. Focus on what you need to do later. Our kids are safe with me.”

It was only the two of them in the parking lot. No children watching how Papa and Daddy act together. Just them, but Seungcheol still tells him words that he finds incredibly fluttering. These past few months, he can’t reason with himself that the man is only doing this because the children are with them.

Jeonghan wouldn’t complain about it at all.

Charmed, Seungcheol watches as Jeonghan taps his hand holding the angelic face. “Okay. I know they’ll be safe with their Daddy,” the blond grins.

There’s a bit of hesitation, but Seungcheol leaned in nonetheless to kiss Jeonghan softly on the cheek. Hesitation defeated. “Do well, angel,” he whispers that got Jeonghan shivering under his breath. The younger male in return brushes Seungcheol’s bangs out of his face. “I will.”

“I know you’ll do. You always do.”

“I know you’ll do well too but, take care of the babies, okay?”

Seungcheol smiles, “Our babies.”

Jeonghan nods, “Our babies.”

“How’s my favourite nephew doing?!”

“That’s not true. Dduji is not your favourite!”

Minghao and Junhui laughed at Soonyoung pouting after getting straight up rejected by the princess of the Chois. Meanwhile, Chan is openly cooing at how Suji spoke in third person. Don’t blame him. He’s too soft for the Choi siblings.

“But Dduji-yah, Uncle Soonie loves you a lot!” Soonyoung tries, but Suji only hops off from the couch to run to her father. “No, Uncle. No favourites! Love BongBong, too!” she dictates as she climbs on her father’s lap and casually pulls and wraps Seungcheol's arms around her. She stares blankly at Soonyoung and Seungcheol’s heartstrings inevitably tug at how similar she and Jeonghan look. If he had not known the orphanage the girl came from, had not been a part of the adoption process and had not known Jeonghan, he’ll probably think they’re biologically related. They also share the habit of wrapping Seungcheol's arms around themselves on their own. That's endearing.

From the corner of the room, Sebong emerges with a questioning look on his face. The boy just woke up from a nap, all hair in frizz but still adorable, nonetheless.

“Sebong-yah, Uncle Soonie loves you so much!” Soonyoung coos and Sebong only tilted his head to the side. “I know?” he replied and it’s another episode of the dancers laughing at their leader. “BongBongie, won’t you say you love Uncle Soonyoung back?” Soonyoung asks, lower lip incredibly trembling that Seungcheol felt Suji tensed on his lap, probably feeling guilty and contemplating if she should go to Uncle Soonyoung and shower him with kisses.

Suji does the good deed. Bless her.

The Choi princess hopped off her father’s lap with a huff and help from her Daddy. "Careful, princess." Slowly making her way to Soonyoung, she puts her hands on his lap. “Dduji loves you, Uncle Soonie…” she murmurs and it’s enough for Soonyoung to pick the child up and swing her in the air, resulting to a lot of giggling and squealing.

Seungcheol hasn’t been able to register anything but all he hears is Soonyoung taking the kids in one of their practice rooms with Chan. That means he’s left with his Chinese friends and Seungcheol could already feel their eyes bore on his skull.

With a sigh, he relents, “Okay, what is it?”

“You’ve been smiling while reading your phone,” Junhui answers, a confident smile on his lips. Minghao raises his hand to add something juicier. “I saw Jeonghan-hyung’s name. You’re texting each other, aren’t you?”

It’s pointless to argue when Minghao saw something and Seungcheol knew better than to deny when there’s a witness. “Yeah, what about it?” he trails off, once again trying to be nonchalant about it. However, he can feel the warmth creeping up on his neck and ears and Junhui’s laugh isn’t really helping to tone down the situation. Damn it. In defeat, Seungcheol heaved a deep breath, his own hands exasperatedly wiping his face. “He did not just ask how the kids are doing… he asked about me, too. How do you expect me to not smile at that?!”

“You are so fucking whipped and you know it,” Minghao sneers.

Seungcheol only leans on his deluxe office chair with a smile, “Damn I do.”

The tables have turned.

“Papa!” Sebong squeals and Jeonghan wraps his arms around the boy. “How’s my baby’s day? Was school fun?” he asks, planting kisses all over Sebong’s face. He smells like baby powder and Jeonghan relishes in his baby's scent. It feels home. “Did not finish all classes, Papa. Daddy picked me up early so no art,” the child answers.

Of course, Jeonghan knew that already. He knows it the moment Seungcheol had called him with an apologetic but urgent request to let Sebong spend the night at his place. Apparently, Seungcheol will be heading to China for promotional activities. It shouldn’t be a problem, really, if only Nana is present. However, Nana went to a vacation back in her — and Seungcheol’s, Jeonghan naturally notes — hometown in Daegu. To add to that, their driver could only drop Sebong at noon and not until he finishes his classes so here he is, telling Jeonghan how he did not get to draw his fathers and sister in art class.

“But you know that Daddy’s working hard for you, right?” Jeonghan says with a smile as he combs Sebong’s hair out of his face. The child leans his cheek on his father’s shoulder. “Wrong, Papa. It’s for ‘us’.”

Jeonghan thanked that Suji finally pulls Sebong to play in their room. That’s a crisis averted for his heart.

“The child does speak the truth, huh.”

Or maybe not.

The blond stands up from where he’s crouched down on the floor to stare pointedly at Soonyoung and Chan. The older dancer had the audacity to snicker at him when Jeonghan can clearly remember how Soonyoung freezes like a statue every time he and Seungcheol fights back then. Ah, yes, they fought like married couples when they’re just in their college years and Soonyoung looks like a child in between of his arguing parents and…

“He’s spacing out,” Chan murmurs directly on Jeonghan’s ears that got the blond jumping a little. “What the hell, Channie!”

“Language, Dad,” Chan snorts, using his Jeonghan’s baby card to advantage. After rolling his eyes at the young dancer, he absentmindedly asks, “When will Cheol-ah’s flight be?”

Soonyoung whistles. “So, it’s Cheol-ah now, huh. Got you,” he murmurs. Soonyoung ignores how Jeonghan flushes deep shades of red as he continues his attack. “I don’t think they’d be this fast, Channie. I was betting they’d be getting it only, at least, maybe until next year! But I bet Wonnie’s prophetic tendencies won again this time.”

“I told you to not bet against him. Who even does that? That hyung has some vision or something,” Chan adds. Jeonghan wanted the both of them strangled as for how they are purposely ignoring him blushing like a tomato. But, that should be a good thing, right? It's better they don't make a big deal of his blushes, right? But they ignored his question! But still, his flushed face is saved, right?

“To set you at ease…” Chan starts. “Hyung’s flight will be an hour from now and I am 100% sure that he’ll be calling you any second from now on – ”

And Jeonghan’s phone is ringing at exactly 12:30. Chan has this look of ‘I told you so’ that Jeonghan wanted to wipe off his face if not of his heart telling him, or controlling him whatsoever, to answer the damn phone not even on its second ring. The blond once again ignores Soonyoung openly complaining on why the heck he has a customized ringtone for Seungcheol. Die with that sole information, Kwon Soonyoung. Jeonghan makes his way to the living room.

“Am I disturbing you?” Seungcheol asks from the other line. Jeonghan smiles as he watches his kids playing on the carpet. “No, this is fine. You’re at the airport?” he asks as Soonyoung and Chan plops on the couch beside him, signaling him to have the phone in speaker mode.

No way.

Jeonghan signs the two adults to look out for the kids for the meantime. A few widened threatening eyes, pointed finger and some slashing on the neck and the two dancers got the message. With that, the blond makes his way for his room.

“Han?” Seungcheol asks when Jeonghan got silent. The blond had just closed the door of his room before he answered. “Sorry. So you’re at the airport right now?” he asks again, throwing himself on his fluffy bed. Jeonghan could hear some white noise and a plane’s engine from the other line. “I’m assuming Soon and Chan dropped Sebong there already? And yeah. Flight’s earlier by more than half an hour, I guess,” Seungcheol says.

Chuckling, Jeonghan laid down on his stomach while he twirls a strand of his hair hanging on his forehead. “Hm, they need you that much?”

He can’t see Seungcheol, but he knows the older male’s face when he snorts. Seungcheol is probably rolling his eyes right now as he speaks. It's an adorable sight. “I hope they don’t fucking disturb me when we celebrate the twin’s birthday. Wait, you know what? I’ll prepare and file a leave out of this shit right now. I’ll just let Beomju-hyung handle work or something. I’ll make my secretary prepare my letter of evacuation from this shithole.”

“Yah, language,” Jeonghan tries to reprimand but he is chuckling and Seungcheol is too so he knew it wasn’t effective. “Sorry, angel,” Seungcheol still says, though. That got Jeonghan blushing.

Amidst of the heat on his cheeks, Jeonghan pushes himself up off his bed, all the while trying to not have his voice shuddering. “Hey, you want to Facetime the kids before you take off?” he proposes but he’s already padding his way out of his room to get his children to talk to their Daddy.

He knew Seungcheol’s answer, anyway.

“Daddy!” the twins simultaneously said. There's only so much space his phone's camera could grasp that he's sure Seungcheol could only see halves of Sebong and Suji's faces. The twins had their cheeks pressed together, trying to get closer to the screen as much as possible. They probably look funny on Seungcheol's screen, like fishes sticking their faces close to a camera. Adorable.

"Daddy! Daddy! Are planes birds?!" The twins continued to babble that got all of the adults softly laughing. Jeonghan could hear Seungcheol chuckling from the speakers of his phone. Watching the father and children interact, Jeonghan can’t help but feel this sense of tenderness in his chest that swallows him up with warmth and love and an extreme need to see it every day. He could wish for this, but maybe not all things are meant to be obtained easily as that. For now, Jeonghan is contented to what he’s seeing and witnessing.

The blond blinked out of his stupor when he hears his name.

“Jeonghan-ah won’t let me see his face,” Seungcheol whines that Jeonghan knew has a pout on it. “So my two babies, BongBong and Dduji-yah, while Daddy is away, take care of angel for me, okay?”

“We will!” the twins answered that got Soonyoung and Chan grinning. Jeonghan has the brightest smile that day.

“What the fuck!”

“Chan, language!”

“Jeonghan-hyung, the kids are sleeping. They won’t probably hear me,” Chan slurs, looking absolutely smashed. Jeonghan thinks it’s brave of him to invite everyone for drinks when he’s clearly wasted with just, what, five shots?

Well, to give Chan credit, he’s not wrong as well. Sebong and Suji are both asleep in their rooms. The twins were so hyper in their birthday party, playing all sort of games, laughing loudly and getting flustered by gifts and kisses but once the clock strikes at 7 o’clock earlier that night, the two are sleeping peacefully in their rooms. Of course, not without a good bathe from their parents and sweet kisses as they tuck them in and wished them a happy birthday.

In result, it is only understandable that Chan would invite the adults for some drinks that obviously put them to where they are right now. "Come on, hyung! Adults should loosen up, too! It'll be fun!" In Seungcheol’s wide living room, there are drinks on the table, wasted people around, more than half of them knocked out.

“I’m so glad Sebong and Suji are asleep because we look extremely fucking disappointing,” Wonwoo deadpans while shaking his head. Some of them are sprawled on the couch like random starfishes, some have their heads down on the coffee table, some are accepting their fate on the carpet and people like Wonwoo, good people, sit up straight with a drink in hand.

Soonyoung, from where he’s lying on the carpet which is under Wonwoo’s legs, may I say, nudges his best friend’s foot with his head. “I’m still their favorite uncle,” he says, his hair sticking to Wonwoo’s cat print socks. He adds with a giggle, “All time fave uncle.”

“I have a video of Suji rejecting you, hyung. Please shut up,” Seungkwan’s muffled voice said. Soonyoung stuck his tongue out but Seungkwan has his head down on the table so Wonwoo is forced to watch his best friend mock another person and ultimately looking dumb and failing. Wonwoo just thinks of the times he and Soonyoung are together in hardships to keep their friendship in check.

In the midst of the silent chaos, Jeonghan felt Seungcheol softly bumping his shoulder with his. “Yes?” he turned to ask, only receiving a nod to the balcony upstairs.

The duo leaves their friends in their own misery of dream and drunken land to get to the balcony of Seungcheol’s house. His house has always been impressive. Jeonghan always liked it. He’s not sure if it’s because of the design of the house or the seemingly signature of the owner in every parts of the house. It screams Seungcheol, Seungcheol, Seungcheol, and Jeonghan won’t have it any other way.

“Hey, it’s not my birthday,” Jeonghan mumbles when Seungcheol gave him a box in purple wrapper with a purple rose. Seungcheol leans his elbows on the railings with a shrug. “Does that matter? I want to congratulate you for making another year successful for the kids,” he explains, a soft smile tugged at his full lips. Seungcheol’s balcony has a great night view. It catches the view of the city at night with its lights and sense of serenity, the night sky is clear and the glow from the metropolitan illuminates Seungcheol’s features so well. Yes, Jeonghan loves the view.

Silence.

Seungcheol started counting his good deeds as he stares at Jeonghan’s face. Just how many times did he help someone to have heaven let him meet a Yoon Jeonghan? If he makes up for it, will he be able to have him again? If he does more good deeds than the amount of times he did before, will he have Jeonghan back in his arms again?

Maybe it’s the atmosphere or the erotic beating of his heart that Seungcheol did not hear anything because the next thing he knows, he’s tucking a hair behind Jeonghan’s ear.

“You did so well, Jeonghan-ah,” he congratulates him again and when Jeonghan leans in his touch, Seungcheol’s heart soars.

Who leaned in first? The both of them don’t remember. Maybe they met in the middle by an invisible magnetic force, they did not know. Jeonghan could taste the alcohol in Seungcheol’s, but he knew he’s not drunk. Seungcheol had seen the flush on Jeonghan’s cheeks as well, but he knows it’s not because of the drinks.

They both knew. They both knew that this is not alcohol taking over, just feelings blowing up from being concealed for damn knows how long.

“Seungcheol-ah…” Jeonghan whined when they pull apart. Seungcheol can feel Jeonghan’s fingers, wrapped tightly around his hands cradling the younger’s face, tug lightly. With their faces so close and the cold air suddenly nonexistent as their warm breaths ghost each other’s skin, Seungcheol thinks alcohol needs to work harder to be as nearly as intoxicating as Jeonghan, in a good way. The blond has always been goodly intoxicating and enthralling that sends the older man’s everything to malfunction in a way.

With another searing kiss shared by the two, Jeonghan’s nod is all it takes for Seungcheol to be freely swept away.

“Daddy!”

Seungcheol, now clad in a white cotton shirt and sweatpants, opens the door for his prince and princess.

“Daddy – huh, Papa?” Suji jumps in excitement, only to see a mop a blond hair on her Daddy’s bed. Sebong had also poked his head in to confirm that it is indeed his Papa on Daddy’s bed. “Papa slept here?” he asked as they look up to Seungcheol. The adult crouched down to pick them up and sat on the couch inside the room.

“Yeah. Papa slept in here and he’s still sleeping,” he confirms as he smells both of his children’s hair and hugs them from where they are settled on each of his thighs. “We don’t want to wake Papa up, do we?”

Sebong and Suji shake their head with a smile. “We just want to thank Daddy and Papa for big teddy,” Sebong explains with Suji excitedly nodding. The children had saw a huge teddy bear when they woke up that early morning in their room. Turns out, the gifts they received from their parents on their actual birthday are not the only things they would be getting from them.

Leaning her head on Seungcheol’s chest, Suji sighs, “I just wanna thank Papa, too.” 

“You can now.”

The trio all turned to see Jeonghan, now lying on his side with thick blankets draped over his soft skin, staring at his family with a gentle smile on his own gentle features.

“Papa!” the two squealed as they bounced on Jeonghan. The blond accessibly opened his arms to accept his children in his embrace. Seungcheol only hoped that the two won’t ask about the marks on Jeonghan’s skin because he’s not a good liar on telling them that it’s probably bugs attacking their handsome Papa. If he’s going to make advantage of wishing now, then he might’ve added that neither Sebong or Suji would ask as to why their Papa is naked under the covers. They can’t say it’s hot. It’s winter.

The raven haired male faintly registered the twins thanking their father and in relief, did not ask about the marks painted – beautifully, Seungcheol might say – before they’re out running to get breakfast with their uncles. "Go downstairs for breakfast! Uncle Jisoo made eggs! Eggs! Omeleggs!" Seungcheol could only watch with fondness as he softly corrects them, "Omelettes, sweethearts." The twins are quickly out of the door screaming omelettes, the right way, and their parents are left laughing at their cuteness.

“How are you feeling?”

Jeonghan watches as Seungcheol makes his way to the bed. “I’m going to sleep forever,” he answers, lying on his stomach to bury his face on the soft pillows that smells extremely like Seungcheol’s shampoo. Almost two years had passed and he still hadn’t changed his shampoo. Almost two years had passed and he still hadn't forgotten the smell of Seungcheol's shampoo. Damn.

A hand is suddenly massaging the blond’s lower back. Jeonghan had to fight back a sigh from his lips.

“Out of practice, yeah?” Seungcheol jests. He wanted it to come out as a joke but he did not expect Jeonghan to actually turn to the side with his cheek lying on the pillow.

“Shut up. It’s been so long…”

The way Jeonghan had said it pulled at Seungcheol’s every heartstrings. There's sadness, longing, yearning but at the same time, a sense of achievement that finally, finally, it happened. All of these are clear in Seungcheol’s ears; every word, every tone, every feeling, it’s vibrant in his senses, awakening the fire in his chest. Seungcheol would willingly let himself get swallowed up by that heat and that, he allows. He leans down to give a soft kiss on Jeonghan’s head, his eyelashes curling and tangling with the blond strands. “Of course, angel, it’s been so long…” Seungcheol says. They’re connected. They know.

It wasn’t lengthy until Jeonghan is again lying on his back, head pushed against the softness of Seungcheol’s pillows as kisses from his head went down to his alluring neck, soft gasps out of his lips.

“The kids, Cheol…” Jeonghan sighs, finger nonetheless knotting with the raven hair. Seungcheol’s kisses flicker on the marks the older male himself left on Jeonghan’s skin that made the blond squirming in sensitivity. “Breakfast, Cheol-ah…” he gasps with a smile when Seungcheol’s lips stopped his mesmerizing kisses to turn them into small tickles. Seungcheol is smiling against his skin, Jeonghan could feel it, and the blond’s heart swells as he wraps his arms around the older male’s neck.

It took them a couple of minutes with just Seungcheol burying his nose to Jeonghan’s jaw at where it could reach and the blond softly brushing the raven hair before Seungcheol pulled back to gaze down at Jeonghan with a kind and soothing smile. “You want me to bring breakfast here?” he asks before dropping butterfly kisses all over Jeonghan’s face. It made Jeonghan giggle and that results to Seungcheol smiling against his cheek.

“I told you. I’m going to sleep here forever,” Jeonghan answered soon, eyes drooping low again. His body is still extremely sore and he honestly does not want to get up. He faintly remembers Seungcheol kissing his head saying he did well.

Jeonghan bathes in that compliment and had the best slumber, albeit a little sore.

“Something happened? But you’re divorced!”

Jeonghan groans, “I know!”

He half-heartedly turns to a disappointed Jisoo but all he met was a grinning devil-like Jisoo. Jeonghan narrows his eyes. “Hey, your concept is to be good. Stop smiling like a devil,” he mumbles as he continues to pointedly stare at the man. Why the hell is Jisoo smiling like this? “Shouldn’t you be disappointed of me or something?”

A scoff. “Jeonghan, you’re an adult who experienced marriage and you're raising children. Do you really think I still have control over you?” Jisoo says as he munches on his fries. “The both of you are adults. You know what you’re doing. You have your own decisions to make.”

Of course, Jeonghan knew. Jeonghan knows the moment they made it in bed. He knows what he’s getting himself into. The moment was special, heartwarming and moving and Jeonghan loves every feeling of it. The dread after the day however, not so much… It’s like the both of them lived in this happy bubble for a while and after that bubble pops, then what would happen? What will they do? Jeonghan starts to think if they’re really acting like adults. They’re like children basking in the temporary happiness, neglecting the real world and letting themselves be showered with joy. At this point, are they really adults?

“Have you guys talked about it?”

Jeonghan looks down with a shake of his head. “I think the both of us don’t know how to talk about it…?” he speaks as he fiddles with his fingers. “You know how we’ve been before it happened. We’re already acting like something we’re not before it happened and that just kind of continues when we made it out of the bedroom, so I really don’t know where to begin with. Do I just, like, continue from where we left off? Or maybe, stopped before anything gets deeper…”

There it is. The fear.

“You know what you should do? Talk.”

Of course, Jisoo is the one who’ll put a sense in Jeonghan’s chaotic mind. The blond smiles gratefully at the man. “I’ll see what I can do, Shua,” he says. Jisoo nods, understanding that it’ll take time.

“You guys had…”

“Yeah.”

“Did you say it…?” Jihoon dragged his words slowly with a curious look. The question once again triggered Seungcheol’s mind to replay the images of Jeonghan inside his bedroom, underneath him looking gorgeous as hell and he remembers the way he stops himself from the hypnotizing blond, biting his tongue multiple times to not blurt out things that may break whoever gets to be broken. Seungcheol has a hunch it’ll probably be him.

Jihoon once again pressed, “Did you say it, hyung?”

“Almost,” he sighs. “Has always been at the edge of my tongue.”

Jihoon leans back on his swivel chair, slowly spinning himself. “Well, you’re really into deep shit, Choi Seungcheol,” he says but not unkindly. Seungcheol knew that it’s a translation of ‘I understand’ in Jihoon’s language. The sentences are no way similar, but yeah. They’re best friends after all.

“Why didn’t you say it, though? If it’s been in your tongue for a while now, then that means you’ve been meaning to say it for quite some time,” the producer trails off. Jihoon watches as Seungcheol taps his fingers from where they're rested on the couch’s arm. The look in his eyes tells Jihoon that he knows what he’s talking about. Seungcheol knows it without his best friend telling him about it. That only raises more questions in Jihoon’s head. Then why didn’t Seungcheol say it?

“Wouldn’t it break everything?”

Jihoon nods, patiently waiting for Seungcheol to continue.

“I mean…” Seungcheol trails off. He has a heart-wrenching smile on his face as he speaks. “Wouldn’t it break what we have now – what we all have now? The setup, the way things work, how the situation flows, how our life runs, how he functions without me… us?”

Jihoon gets where his best friend is coming from, but maybe there’s something that Seungcheol can’t see as well.

The younger male encouragingly taps the raven haired on the shoulder. “I understand your point, hyung, but before we put an ending to things, maybe we should clear what we have in the current time? Clear things out first with Jeonghan-hyung, I think. Please talk.”

Seungcheol nods, “I understand.”

“Is Seungcheol-ssi picking you up today, Jeonghan-ssi?”

Jeonghan looks up with a blush. Does everyone in this building know about Seungcheol dropping him off and picking him up from work?

There's this one time Jisoo even told him that Seungcheol's visits in their building have been getting more frequent and Sebong is nowhere near his side when he does.

"Oh, Seungcheol dropped you off?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"But I don't see Little BongBong with you guys, though?"

Damn Jisoo and his teasing and evil grin.

“Uh, no… he has to do something today so I’ll be on my own,” he stammers. His short female coworker sighs in disappointment. “Too bad. I’m looking forward to see his car’s model. It looks dope,” Wheein says that got Jeonghan chuckling. “I’ll ask him for you, Wheein-ssi.”

Wheein had grinned with her dimples and Jeonghan find himself thinking about Seungcheol’s dimple as well. “Oh, wait, you’re heading to him today?” Wheein asked upon realizing.

The blond visibly tenses as another wave of heat flushes on his face. Before he could nod his head shyly, Seokmin has already hollered from the corner of the room. “Yes! He’ll be giving lunchbox to Cheol-hyung!” Jeonghan throws a crumpled paper at Seokmin’s face. The boy is too fucking loud, he beats a microphone by a hundred points. “Can I have a bit of that, hyung?!” Seokmin adds. The man is very much undeterred. He even has the guts to ask for a bite.

Maybe Jeonghan should’ve just really given Seokmin a bite because what he saw made him feel regret.

He clutches the lunchbox tightly in his hand as he tried to forget the image of a woman, a beautiful woman, leaning in to give Seungcheol a kiss on his cheek. He knew it’s Seungcheol. He knows that back anywhere.

Gods, he feels so miserable. It feels like something slapped him so hard in the face. It stings. It fucking stings directly inside his heart and the tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes are making him feel a lot worse. Why did he even think of living in that happy bubble? Why did he even think of making a bubble in the first place? Why did he expect more, anyway? Jeonghan feels so dumb and very much conflicted as he weighs what he feels for himself; pity or anger. Either way is like punching him in the guts. He feels awful.

A hand suddenly yanks at his arm and before he could register anything, his back is soon pressed against a warm chest Jeonghan found so welcoming, so inviting, even if it shakes a bit. They stayed there for a while, not caring one bit that someone might saw them in the middle of a parking lot, caught in whatever drama they’re in.

“Angel – ”

Seungcheol hears his heart dropping and breaking on the ground when Jeonghan peels himself away from his hold. He wants to reach for him, gather him again in his embrace, but Jeonghan had turned to him, tears glistening and arms wrapping around himself, like he’s trying to protect his everything from Seungcheol. The older male had never felt this terrible.

It feels oddly familiar and his chest tightens with the familiar scene.

“No, it’s okay,” Jeonghan quickly says, stopping Seungcheol from speaking any further. He knew he’ll break with a call from the older male. He’s too fragile for him, anyway. Another word from Seungcheol and Jeonghan would be back in his arms. No, Jeonghan wouldn’t let that happen. He would win this again. He made it the night before their divorce – not listening to Seungcheol saying his name softly – and he would do that again. If he did it once, he can do it again.

Jeonghan knew he’s being a coward. He’s scared.

“Jeonghan, please,” Seungcheol pleads, a sob already tinged in his voice. Jeonghan ruthlessly shakes his head, lips tightly sealed. He hums in disapproval, not catching how Seungcheol’s face fell.

Seungcheol watches as Jeonghan pushes the lunchbox in his hands, hurriedly retracting and moving away like being close to him would burn the blond. Seungcheol felt the recognizable feeling at the back of his head that he tries so hard to fight. It’s suddenly flashing at his very eyes, spreading into his every being, flowing in his blood.

He feels so worthless.

And before he wallows more into the same feeling he felt the night of their huge argument, Jeonghan is already driving his car out of the parking lot.

Seungcheol stares down at the lunchbox in his hand. It feels heavy. Seungcheol felt tears drop... what he’s holding right now probably has more value than his whole being. It has weight, has something in it, maybe a certain someone's hard work and love, while he’s just an empty, hollow of a failure husband he has always been.

Jeonghan has been bawling his eyes out. The argument he put at the back of his memory made its way as the front liner of his recollections; the silent night disturbed by a lot of screaming, fighting, frustration, painful words and tired tears.

“Let’s divorce,” Jeonghan had said that night and he could clearly remember how Seungcheol’s face fell and how his eyes widened in shock. “Jeonghan, no – let’s talk this out,” he called out that night but all Jeonghan did was push him away and block his ears from anymore pleading. “Baby, angel – please, Hannie-yah…” Seungcheol continued to call that night but Jeonghan stayed firm.

It’s not long until they both found themselves signing papers prior to that night.

“Papa?”

Aggressively wiping his tears with his sleeves, Jeonghan tried to even his breathing. “Yes?” he hopes Suji wouldn’t notice the rasp of his voice from too much crying – he hopes his daughter hadn’t heard him sobbing altogether. In any other day, Jeonghan would immediately open his door for his daughter when she goes into his room, but Jeonghan looks so awful with his puffed face and red eyes that he wouldn’t want to show his face to his princess.

There’s silence for a moment before Suji spoke in her small voice. “Call uncles to talk if you want, okay?”

Jeonghan chokes a sob bubbling in his throat. What did he do to deserve a daughter like her?

“Dduji can’t help Papa… but I can call uncles for you, if you want,” Suji continues and Jeonghan has fresh tears freely falling on his still damped cheeks. Suji is only five, but she’s already so smart. It pains Jeonghan that Suji remembers the nights where she saw her uncles consoling him after the divorce and she had already caught an idea that it’s something adults had to talk among themselves. She might've picked up the kind gesture, but the fact that Suji knows his Papa is in pain hurts Jeonghan as well.

Sniffling, Jeonghan laughs a little in between his constrained cry. “Papa will do that, Dduji-yah. Thank you.”

There was silence again and the next exchange got Jeonghan sobbing.

“Papa?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

That night, when Suji is sleeping in her room, Jeonghan gave her his late night kisses. He kisses her on the forehead, on her cheek, on her nose, on her small palms and Jeonghan felt that he’s not deserving of this angel under his care.

“Papa loves you, too, Suji. I’m sorry Papa’s like this again. I’m sorry…”

“Hyung, you love him.”

Of course, Seungcheol does. Papers had only put an end to their marriage but Seungcheol’s love for him has never been on break.

“And you’re scared, but you’re not worthless, hyung.”

Seungcheol looks up. Samuel is really a grown up now. Just several years back, he’s like a baby cuddled by him but now, he’s a grown man and is already lecturing Seungcheol. The older male felt bad that Samuel had to hear about his problem, but he’s also one of the people who got to witness Seungcheol and Jeonghan’s love blooming in a way. He’s there when it started and he hasn’t been far when somehow, it ended. Samuel knows more than enough things about it.

“It’s Sunday today, right? So, family day?” Samuel asks after a moment. Seungcheol nods his head, checking his watch to pick his family up and get them to an ocean aquarium. He knows Jeonghan didn’t have work today but he won’t be surprised if the blond would not go with the children after all that happened.

But he’s wrong.

Seungcheol mocks himself. How dare he to think that Jeonghan would neglect his father duties just because of damned emotions? Or maybe Jeonghan hasn’t been affected like what he’s trying to think? Maybe he’s the only one hurting, after all.

“Daddy!” the twins said as Seungcheol picks the both of them up. After giving them kisses, he watches as Jeonghan locks the door in his apartment.

Jeonghan smiles at him and he smiles back. Of course, Jeonghan has always been strong for the children. He wouldn’t let his feelings get the better of him even when the blond has dark circles around his eyes. Still beautiful, though. Seungcheol is awed and at the same time, pained. Are they back in square one? This is exactly how they were after their divorce had been finalized. This is how they smile after they had officially separated. Seungcheol feels his chest tightens. Are they smiling now only because the children are watching? Are they back to acting like this because of the children involved and not because they’re genuinely happy? Are they only going to exchange smiles when the children are around? Gods, he hopes his children wouldn’t hear his heart breaking from where they are leaning on his chest.

As he watches his children run to his car, he hears Jeonghan say from his side.

“For the children, Seungcheol.”

Okay. They’re back in square one.

When Jeonghan dropped Suji off at Seungcheol’s house, he sees the woman again.

Everyone says he looked like an angel and he knew he does, but when the woman came into view, maybe he looked like a bitch ready to kill that even Nana had noticed. Jeonghan tried to smile, but it only made him more scary and sarcastic.

Nana coughs, “Seungcheol is not yet here, but his parents are.”

Upon the mention of it, Suji quickly looks up to Jeonghan to ask for permission to finally enter the house. As she watches the scene, Nana approvingly nods at the two’s parenting skills. Suji and Sebong are technically permitted to enter Jeonghan or Seungcheol’s houses, but the two children hadn’t ever missed to ask if they could get inside. It saddens Nana in a way, too. Is it the result of the couple's separation? Did it make the twins uncertain about what they can do and can't do around their fathers even though they are their children? Nana would just think it teaches the children to know the concept of consent, then. Yeah, the nanny will just think of that as she watches the young girl in front of her. Soon enough, Suji is looking at Nana with a shy smile, “Can I see grandma and grandpa?”

As Suji runs towards her grandparents, Nana takes her time to examine the male. “Haven’t been sleeping well?”

Had never slept well, Jeonghan liked to answer. However, he only smiled, “Work kinda got hectic.” His eyes once again flicker to the woman in the Chois yard and Nana catches the silent question. “Don’t mind her. She's just here for papers. She’s a daughter from a company Seungcheol’s father has a partnership with. Seungcheol has never been interested in her.”

Oh? Jeonghan begs to differ.

Nana saw doubt painted on the blond’s features as he continues to stare at the woman. More doubt on the woman, though, not on Seungcheol. With a soft tap on his back, she smiles, “If you see her pursuing Seungcheol, it’s only her. Seungcheol had already rejected her the moment she showed interest in him.”

“But I saw her kissing Seungcheol on the cheek…”

“You probably didn’t see him pushing her away, then,” Nana answers softly. True to her words, Jeonghan had been so hurt that he immediately turned around without witnessing the whole scene. Maybe Seungcheol did push her away – and Seungcheol really did – he thought of that, but Jeonghan found that moment as a waking call instead to get to his senses that he and Seungcheol are divorced. Whatever happening between them shall be stopped. They are divorced. They should act like it.

Right?

Nana watches how Jeonghan’s face turns to angry, sad, defeated and determined. She can’t help but make a comment. “You want to have a talk with your in-laws?”

And that’s how Jeonghan found himself weeping in front of his, well, former in-laws. “Oh, darling… I’m so sorry you had to feel that way…” Seungcheol’s mother coos at him as she held him in her arms. Seungcheol’s father is on his other side, rubbing his back. Jeonghan did not know when he started but the moment his in-laws asked how he is, he broke down and just mumbled a series of ‘I’m scared’, ‘I’m tired’, ‘I’m sorry’ and things he just wants to let out these past weeks.

“Jeonghan-ah, look at me.”

Jeonghan pulls his face away from his mother-in-law’s shoulder to look at his father-in-law. Seungcheol’s father smiles softly at him, “I know you love my son and he loves you, too. You’re scared not just for yourself but for my son as well, right? You’re scared that the both of you will get too deep again and you’ll hurt him again?”

Is he that easy to read?

“Jeonghan,” Seungcheol’s father says, holding his hand. “Whatever decision you make, we’re going to support you, okay? Let me ask you, do you want to hurt Seungcheol?”

Jeonghan shakes his head, firmly.

“Then you’ll do things to not hurt him intentionally,” Seungcheol’s mother says. Jeonghan felt both of his in-laws hands wrapped around his own. “Think about that, sweetie.”

“I think we’re like children.”

Seungcheol absentmindedly nods at Jeonghan’s words. The first thing he said after calling him to meet him at his house to talk is to tell Seungcheol that they’re like children. Okay.

“We don’t have integrity,” Jeonghan continues. “Are we doing things right? When we’re married, we’re a mess. When we’re not, we’re acting like we are.” Seungcheol has no idea where this is going to, but he found himself listening to every word Jeonghan would say. “When we’re married, you did not put this much time in taking care of the children. We hardly see you. You’re always working.”

Nodding, Seungcheol smiles wistfully. Is Jeonghan going to list the mistakes he did that led them to divorce?

“And when I needed to be strong for the children to fill up for your absence, I doubted myself,” Jeonghan says instead, causing Seungcheol to stare at him. This is not the route the latter was expecting. “I.. I thought lowly of myself as their parent. I blamed everything on you leaving me alone to nurture them well and have them grow up nice and kind. I kept on thinking I was alone, and myself would not be enough for them. I thought I don’t deserve taking care of them. I thought I’m not capable enough of looking out for them and love them… but I can…”

Seungcheol smiled softly at Jeonghan, “You do. You deserve them.”

“And you do, too.”

Seungcheol was taken aback as the younger male stares back at him. Jeonghan breathes, tears already glistening. “You deserve them too, Cheol. You’re more than just a figure providing for a family. You’re their father, their Dad. They love you so much. You’re not just part of this family because you have the responsibility to feed us well and give us a good life. You deserve to love them too and experienced receiving love as well. You’re valuable, Cheol.”

He didn’t know when he started shedding tears, but the time Jeonghan had crouched down in front of him, the angel’s thumb wiping his tears despite weeping as well, Seungcheol has been sobbing along with him.

“But I failed as your husband, too, Hannie…”

“Stop putting all the blame on yourself, Seungcheol,” Jeonghan hushes, looking straight at the older male’s orbs. “I have my own demons, you have yours and we both let them got into our heads. If you think you failed as a parent, then I did, too. If you think you failed as a husband, then what that makes me? I’m your husband.”

“But Hannie, you’re doing so well as their parent. You never let emotions control your role as their father while I… I always just get carried away…”

Jeonghan’s eyes hardened, “No, don’t say that. I’m not perfect, Cheol. As much as I don’t want Suji to worry about me, I did. I made her worried because of problems I should be taking care of on my own. And you proposing a schedule after our divorce? Cheol, that’s a brave thing to do. If you let your emotions get into you, you had probably fly all the way to Los Angeles with Sebong.” He then smiles softly, his thumb gentle on caressing Seungcheol’s wet cheeks. “But I know you won’t do that because never did you think only of yourself. You wouldn’t let me get hurt by being far away from our BongBong. You’ll choose to have yourself hurt than to take BongBong far away from me.”

“But what if I hurt you?”

“Do you want to hurt me?” Jeonghan asked with a smile. Seungcheol quickly shakes his head. “I know,” the blond whispers. He breathes in then. “We have our own demons, Cheol. I need you…”

Seungcheol holds Jeonghan’s hands cradling his face. He holds him like a lifeline and Seungcheol knew he’s not far from that.

“I know we’re malfunctioning adults…” Seungcheol mumbles that got Jeonghan giggling. He catches the blond’s eyes as he leans their foreheads’ together. Breathe ghosting each other, he sighs, “Can you try this with me again, Han?”

“Of course. Of course,” Jeonghan sobs.

“Love is sweeter the second time around,” Seungkwan singsongs. Mingyu snorts. “That’s just Kwannie’s way of saying that our hyungs finally got their shit together.”

Ignoring the two as they started to bicker, Junhui leaned on the table with a smile, “Suji and Sebong is at Seungcheol-hyung’s today?” Jeonghan nods with a soft smile of his own that didn’t escape from Junhui’s sight. Jeonghan looks so happy and blooming that even his coworkers noticed. They are in awe that Mr. Yoon, with his toptier visuals, could still be a lot more attractive. How is that even possible? They thought Jeonghan reached his visual peak already but here he is, radiating every sweet and lovely vibes all over the café they’re in.

Seungkwan raises his hand in question, catching the older male’s attention. “That reminds me, you still didn’t get rid of your schedule, hyung? I mean, you’re technically dating now…”

All three heads are turned to Jeonghan, waiting for his answer.

“We don’t want to rush things,” he says. They’ve been dating for months now, yes, but the both of them agreed to take things slow to not get the children overwhelmed. Well, as for the children, they look like they’re taking it well... Too well, if they’re going to be honest…

“Huh, but you did rush to put that woman in place when you finally started going out,” Mingyu gushes. He can remember well how Jeonghan practically told the woman to fuck off and sit the fuck down rather than flirt with the young CEO. The whole company building is cheering for him then. Well, they love the angel too much! And they’re glad he’s back in their CEO’s arms again. The company fell to a depressed state when they got divorced.

Snorting, Jeonghan shrugs. “Cheol is too kind to put her in place. He rejects her kindly and that woman’s taking advantage of his kindness.”

This time, Junhui barked a laugh. “Are you sure? Did you see Cheol-hyung’s face when those two men gave you bouquet of flowers then? And you guys aren’t even dating that time!” he tells. Seungkwan also adds his own story. “Or when this dumb person tried coming for the twins for having two fathers. Seungcheol-hyung isn’t having any of their shit.”

Jeonghan smiles. He feels his heart so full and so loved and he’s so, so contented.

“Daddy said I look good in yellow because I’m a sunshine,” Suji grins. Sebong also bounces happily on the side. “And Daddy said I look cool with my cap!”

Jeonghan relishes in his son and daughter’s laughter as he hugs them tightly. “Well, Daddy is not wrong! You two look awesome,” he gushes, breathing in their baby scent.

The two kids excitedly tap their small hands on Jeonghan’s lap. “How about you, Papa?! What did Daddy say about you?! How do you look awesome?!” Sebong asks, eyes wide and curious and grin totally cute and blinding. Suji copies the same question, smiling until her eyes turned into crescent moons. Gods, Jeonghan loves his family so much.

He wanted to say that he’s not sure of the answer but then the soft cushion of the bed is dipping behind him and he can feel arms snaking around his waist. Jeonghan leans on the warmth.

“Your Papa always looks good,” Seungcheol says, his chin tucked on Jeonghan’s shoulders. The twins giggle in delight while Jeonghan had a palm on his face. He can feel Seungcheol dumbly grinning at him from the corner of his eyes before the older nuzzles his cheek with his nose. “Yah!” he laughs. Jeonghan could hear their children squealing while covering the eyes of the other when they could just cover their own. Why are their children so adorable?!

When Jeonghan’s apartment’s bell rings, the family of four soon found themselves in the doorway, the parents waving their children off to be with Hansol for the meantime.

“Be good for uncle Hansol and aunt Sofia,” Seungcheol says, eyes the same level as the two kids. Seungcheol might be too soft most of the time but when it comes to these matters, Jeonghan lets him handle things.

The two kids nodded seriously in return. “Good, now give Daddy his kisses.” There it is. Soft Seungcheol.

After exchanging kisses and goodbye, the children are finally out of the door to meet Sofia at the end of the hallway, leaving Hansol with the couple. “I’ll take care of them, don’t worry,” Hansol promises. The couple trusts him well. “Thank you, Hansol-ah,” Jeonghan says before entering the apartment but not without giving a soft peck on Seungcheol’s cheek.

“Have fun, hyung,” Hansol hums with wriggling brows and teasing smile. The older Choi could only lightly laugh because everytime Hansol tries to be as mischievous-looking as Jeonghan and Jisoo, he still looks adorably lost sometimes. “Tell me if I’ll be having another nephew, okay? I mean, impossible but you know what I mean. I need to prepare to be the favorite uncle.” Seungcheol lightly smacked the back of his head with a laugh. “Yah, you rascal. Go! My babies are handful. I feel bad for Sofia. Take care, Vern.”

As Seungcheol makes his way back to Jeonghan’s dining, he laughs a little. “Did I make the right decision to leave my babies there? Well, Sofia’s there,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

Seungcheol looks up to see Jeonghan on his seat, a fine table in front of him, candles and roses decorating its top. He feels his heart swells as the candle lights illuminate Jeonghan’s face in the dimmed lit of the room. He smiles.

“No, nothing’s wrong. Everything’s perfect, in fact.”

Indeed, their dinner home date was perfect.

Seungcheol gave his lover a bouquet of flowers, they talked about random things, exchanging flirts here and there and Seungcheol marvels every time Jeonghan blushes despite his expertise at throwing snide remarks.

Jeonghan sips his wine to hide another blush when Seungcheol told him how pretty his eyes are. “You cheesy oaf,” he mumbles, releasing a laugh from the older male himself. At an outsider’s point of view, they probably looked dumb, getting enthralled by each other’s presence because Jeonghan watches his lover laugh and feels his heart beating love and adoration for the man. Yeah, he’s pretty much whipped especially when Seungcheol reaches out for his hand on the table, softly caressing it.

Was it magic? Probably is. Most likely it is because an invisible ribbon connecting them seemingly drew them closer and before any of them could calculate things, their mind is already bugged and fazed as they share a kiss in the middle of the room.

“Yah!”

Seungcheol laughs as Jeonghan hits his chest. "Yah! Yah!" The blond lets out another yelp that soon dissolved into giggles when the raven haired had finally carried him, legs wrapped around the latter’s waist. Jeonghan continued giggling as he’s settled on the counter and Seungcheol attacks his face with kisses. They continued like that for a while, softly laughing as they cuddle each other.

“Your lashes are tickling me,” the blond whispers, brushing his fingers on the hair at Seungcheol’s nape. The older male pulled back enough to see his lover’s face, but not enough to be out on where he's standing in between of Jeonghan’s legs. He flashes a smile that Jeonghan openly coos at. What can he do? He loves Seungcheol’s gummy smile so much.

With a grin, the older claims, “But you love them.”

“I do,” Jeonghan nods.

As they stare at each other’s orbs, they both felt overwhelmed with emotions, but in a good way. Jeonghan was so lost in Seungcheol's eyes and Seungcheol can’t seem to look at anything other than the male’s pair of optics... the windows of his soul. He stares at them, feeling Jeonghan's soul connecting with his. When the feeling became too much, the blond pulled his lover for a kiss, hands gripping Seungcheol’s collar tightly. Unlike their earlier kisses, the one they’re sharing at the moment is eager and desperate in pouring every sentiment they feel that words could not describe. Seungcheol’s hands are rubbing against his lover’s clothed thighs and waist, seemingly making Jeonghan feel his heart through his touches. Jeonghan gasps. They are both so lost in the sensation; keen on pulling each other closer, if it’s even more possible.

Soon enough, Jeonghan’s head is thrown back with his hands on his side, roughly rested against the countertop he’s sitting at. Seungcheol’s kisses are sending wonders on his skin. The feeling of his chest freed from his top but worshiped with Seungcheol’s lips squeezes wanton moans out of his mouth.

They need more. Jeonghan needs more. Seungcheol needs more. They need more.

With a final kiss on Jeonghan’s lips, Seungcheol makes an action of picking him up again to continue their activity in the bedroom, but the former’s hand squeezed his shoulders tightly. Seungcheol wishes he did not look up to see Jeonghan’s eyes because he feels his breathing hitched. The younger male’s orbs flicker with something that definitely made the temperature in the room a top notch higher.

Jeonghan, slowly and sinfully wrapping his arms around his lover’s neck, breathes, “Can we do it here?”

Seungcheol once again roams his eyes over the beautiful creature sitting prettily in front of him. How did he get so lucky to stand between this gorgeous angel’s thighs, with the said angel heavily panting, soft and silky skin flushed, white top unbuttoned and hanging loosely on his equally smooth arms? What did he do to have a view of his blond hair tangled in an elegant mess, lips swollen exquisitely, cheeks dazzlingly red with eyes attractively hooded low?

And when Seungcheol wants to question himself more, Jeonghan once again leaned in, lips only centimeters apart as they breathe each other’s space. The younger male smiles, eyes glinting with mischief.

“No, forget what I asked. Just do me here, Seungcheol-ah...”

Seungcheol is in awe.

The sunlight gleams on Jeonghan and Seungcheol chuckles softly as he watches the blond squirm. Jeonghan whines, wiggling to hide his face away from the sun to Seungcheol’s strong shoulder.

But the light made Jeonghan even more ethereal. His skin glows like golden flowers in the peak of spring and his cheeks glimmer like sparkles. The halo above his head matched with his peaceful sleeping face had once again caught Seungcheol’s heart in a loving daze. Man, is he so in love. The sun is warm, but Seungcheol knows Jeonghan’s homeliness is what he yearns for the most.

Still with an elbow propped, his cheek on his palm and now with a mop of blond head tucked in the corner of his shoulder, Seungcheol used his other hand to ghost his fingers over Jeonghan’s cheeks. He tucks a blond strand behind the angel’s ear and the space presented was planted by a soft kiss. Seungcheol kisses him more times until Jeonghan scrunches his nose. The older male watches in wonderment as Jeonghan slowly opens his eyes. The lights sipping from the blinds reflected his wake. It's like witnessing the sun rising from the east. It was amazing.

“How long have you been awake?”

“I’m not sure,” Seungcheol answers truthfully because in all honestly, he didn’t know the time when he started watching his lover in his sleep. He did remember seeing the stars slowly getting swallowed by colors of pink and orange from the window, though, but he won’t tell Jeonghan that. They finished at almost dawn and the blond’s going to nag at him for sure.

“Enough about me. How are you?” Seungcheol asks, ignoring Jeonghan’s narrowed eyes on him. The pointed look was quickly melted when Seungcheol massages his pelvic bone, with their blankets draped over it, enveloped over Jeonghan’s skin. The blond sighs in relief.

“I’m not sure about you, but I’d like to sleep like, forever.”

“That’s what you said the last time, too.”

Jeonghan giggles, “Well, what can we say? It’s been months since our twins’ birthday.”

They stayed like that for quite some time. Just Seungcheol with his propped elbow watching Jeonghan down with a fond look in his eyes and his other hand now resolved to soft taps on the younger male’s hips. Jeonghan is peacefully tucked on the older male’s shoulder, breathing in his scent. He remembers the sweet memories of intimacy last night. It amazes him that despite of the soreness that probably shoots in Jeonghan’s body, the blond still looked extremely magnificent. While the angel looked enthralling as he pants on the counter and screams for Seungcheol’s name, the older male knew better than to have his lover’s body extremely aching the next day, so after a semi-clothed round, he brought him in the bedroom.

Maybe the soft mattress of the bed made them more lost into the next rounds of intimacy that Seungcheol forgot to give what he intends to give last night.

He really tried not to disturb Jeonghan in his nap but he sighs in defeat anyway because the moment his free hand left Jeonghan’s hips, the younger looks up at him.

“Well, you’re awake now…” Seungcheol trails off, reaching out for something inside his discarded pants’ pockets lying on the floor. Jeonghan finally sits up. He leans his back on the headboard, pulls the blankets closer to him and watches as Seungcheol puts a sweatpants on. He shamelessly bites his lip, loving the view of his lover’s muscles contracting right in front of his eyes. He smiles with a blush on his cheeks, running his tongue over his lower lip. Yeah. He got to plant kisses over those muscles last night. What a treat.

“You’re staring too much, Hannie.”

“And what about it?”

Seungcheol barked a laugh as he sits back on the bed. “Sorry, you only get to see my torso for now because you keep on pulling the blankets for yourself and my legs are honestly freezing,” he adds and laughs again when the blond nods admittedly to his crime.

But his laugh died down. Jeonghan watches as Seungcheol turns silent, eyes darting anywhere but him. “Cheol, what’s wrong?” he asks, dread already in his voice. Is this happening again?

His lover might’ve noticed the panic in his face because Seungcheol quickly cupped his cheeks and kissed him an assurance. “No, baby, we’re fine. I’m sorry for making you worry, okay? We’re perfect, babe. I’m here, angel,” he tells and Jeonghan nods with a breath of relief. “Okay. Then what’s wrong? Do you need to leave for work? I’ll be fine here, don’t worry.”

“No. I won’t go to work until tomorrow morning.”

“Then what is it, Cheol?”

“Tell me if I’m too fast, Jeonghan. Tell me your true feelings about this, okay? I’ll accept it,” Seungcheol only says and Jeonghan can’t register anything well… not until a purple velvet box is presented and opened in front of him. He looks up expectantly at Seungcheol’s face, only to find the older male shyly scratching his nape. It’s endearing to watch. Jeonghan would’ve cooed if he didn’t feel tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

“I know we’ve only been dating for months and we came from a hard situation but I'm also aware on how much I love you, Han,” Seungcheol starts, now determined to look straight at Jeonghan’s orbs. “If I’m going too fast, please tell me.”

And Jeonghan is crying.

“Baby, did I shock you? I’m sorry…” Seungcheol’s eyes are panicking but his voice remained composed. Jeonghan knew better, of course. He can feel his hands trembling as he wipes the blond’s tears away. Jeonghan doesn’t want to look crazy, but he started laughing after crying in joy, pushing Seungcheol to lean back on the headboard, straddling his clothed lap with his naked form and just went on kissing the older male senselessly.

Really, Jeonghan perched without any clothes on and blankets pooled around his lower back is totally arousing but the grin he’s wearing while Seungcheol slips the ring on his finger screams softness and yells for an extreme need for cuddles.

“I talked to your parents about this, too,” Seungcheol starts. Jeonghan patiently waits for him to continue. “It was nerve-wracking, I almost shit on my pants, but my love for you prevails... hell that was too cheesy." The blond giggles. "So yeah. It was odd though. Like, more pressure since it’s the second time I’m asking for your hand in marriage, and I'm just rambling right now, I'm so sorry. I’m just glad your parents still love me enough to give me their blessings again.”

Jeonghan snorts as he leans his head on Seungcheol’s shoulder. “Are you kidding me? They love you so much,” he speaks and another set of tears flows on his cheeks. With Seungcheol being topless, the droplets from his eyes directly reached the skin he’s leaning on to.

“Hey, my tears are salty!” Jeonghan laughs, trying to get Seungcheol away from kissing his tears. “Who cares? I love every part of you, Hannie-yah.”

This time, Jeonghan presses his palms against his face and Seungcheol does not panic anymore. He only chuckles lightly, love and adoration in his eyes as he watches Jeonghan cry again. Gathering him in his arms, Seungcheol pushes Jeonghan’s head down back to his shoulder before dropping kisses at the top of his hair. “I love you,” he whispers and feels the younger sobs softly. He feels his heart pounds loudly as well, even though they’ve exchanged those sweet words, panted them, whispered them and chanted them like music to each other’s ears last night. Finally, Seungcheol thinks. It has been freed from where it’s been constrained from his tongue.

Seungcheol lets Jeonghan shed tears of happiness. He gathers the blankets around them to cover his lover's frame as they watch the sun rise outside the window. The younger male stretches his hand up, the ring glistening against the sunlight. He nuzzles his cheek deeper on Seungcheol’s neck as the older male catches his hand from where it’s up in the air, holding his palm, intertwining their fingers, Seungcheol’s own ring shining with the morning sun.

“I love you,” Jeonghan whispers as well.

“Man, you did this before. Calm down!” Jihoon says, failing not to laugh at Seungcheol’s nervous ass.

The older male glared at his best man. “You better have the best speech of your life later in the reception, Jihoonie,” he hisses. The younger male only dismisses him with a wave, “I’ll probably just diss you and praise Jeonghan-hyung but yeah, whatever.” He pauses for a moment before smiling at Seungcheol. “But seriously, man. Congrats. You guys made it.”

Seungcheol nods. Yeah, they really made it.

It’s mostly the same people, just a minor addition of persons they met the time they are – not so much – apart. Seungcheol thanks Jeonghan’s parents every chance he gets, expressing his deepest gratitude for trusting their son to him again. Jeonghan’s mother had hugged him tightly as she cried tears of happiness and Jeonghan’s father had even tried to get him out of his nerviness by joking here and there. He sometimes can't get the jokes. It made him more nervous.

Seungcheol, of course, had hugged his parents tightly, too. He knew they played a big role to his and Jeonghan’s relationship. “Value this chance, Seungcheol,” his father told him and Seungcheol had never nodded that seriously in his entire life.

Their friends are loud and Seungcheol is not surprised. They’ve always been loud. Of course, what’s with 11 boys gathered together; a chaos. But when the doors of the room opened, he might’ve laughed as he witnessed them quickly shut up in awe or cry silently if he’s not truly and madly head-over-heels a hundred times more than any of the persons present around the area.

He tears up as he watches Jeonghan walks down the aisle towards him, to go to him, but now with the addition of their children carrying their rings and throwing flowers, steps ahead from their Papa. The last time it happened mostly came with the feeling that he was going to be with Jeonghan until the rest of his life. But now, as it happens again, Seungcheol holds a feeling of importance in his heart. The feeling that once upon a time, he once let go of this picture, once let it be out of his grasp and now, as Jeonghan smiles at him, Seungcheol had the prospect of cherishing this forever. This moment, this chance, this man... he’ll treasure endlessly.

Jeonghan had felt tears already in his eyes and he grins tearfully meeting Seungcheol’s glistening orbs. “Hi.”

“Hello,” Seungcheol whispers back. Jeonghan bites his lip as his hand is gently gathered by the man’s warm ones. “You’re looking so fine, angel. Want to go out on a date?”

Jeonghan chokes on a laugh as he lightly hits his once husband and soon-to-be husband, cutting off their whispered flirting to focus on the ceremony. He loves his Seungcheol so much and he’ll know he’ll be able to show him how much more later.

So when he got asked of the most awaited question, Jeonghan had eagerly said, “I do.”

The cheers from the audience are loud in their ears but as they kissed, it was only them and it felt magical.

“Ugh! School!” Suji whines. Sebong silently watches on the couch as he hugs his bag on his lap. He was too focused on the anime playing on the television.

Jeonghan and Suji both looked up upon hearing footsteps and sees Seungcheol heading down the stairs, first two buttons of his shirt undone and tie hanging open across his chest. The young girl quickly ran towards her father to hug his thighs tightly. Suji did not need to wait long because not more than five seconds in and she’s already carried and peppered with kisses.

“Don’t forget to eat your lunch,” Jeonghan reminds his husband after he settled his daughter back on the floor. Seungcheol presses a kiss at the corner of Jeonghan’s lips, a mix of good morning, okay, and thank you as the younger male buttons his shirt and does his tie.

Then, Seungcheol stops behind the couch to press a kiss on Sebong’s head, catching the child’s attention. The boy looks up and grinned seeing his father watching over him. “Daddy!” he calls, arms already up for Seungcheol to take.

Jeonghan smiled as he watches the scene. He would bask in this scene with every chance he gets. The kids will soon grow up and Jeonghan will probably find it hard to cope when they reach puberty. They’ll probably be adamant to getting carried and kissed when they become teenagers and Jeonghan only hopes time wouldn’t be so fast. He needs to memorize first the image of his husband carrying their children in his arms.

“BongBong-yah, come here. Papa will do your tie,” he calls after being lost in his thoughts. The child quickly made his way to Jeonghan already sitting down at his level. Sebong watches intently and whispers, “Papa, can you show me again how to do it after school? I want to do it tomorrow.”

Jeonghan grins as he softly pats his son’s cheek. “Of course! We’re going to practice together, okay?”

“And we have Daddy still letting Papa do his tie! Yikes!” Suji shrieks. Seungcheol acted offended before attacking his daughter with tickles, making the child squeal in giggles. Jeonghan just snorts as he and Sebong, hand-it-hand, makes their way to the father and daughter. It’s an early morning but they are already so loud. He’ll probably going to be handling Suji’s tantrums later when she got tired of laughing too much. He just wishes she won't throw one at school.

“Suji is not lying, though,” Sebong had the audacity to comment once they made it beside the mess. Seungcheol, champion at being an actor for his children, dropped to the floor while clutching his heart.

“I am in pain. I need my babies’ kisses to heal me.”

Jeonghan once again giggles as Suji and Sebong quickly jumped on their father with sloppy kisses. He only stopped when the trio all looked at him, faces looking expectant. Their expressions look extremely similar and he might’ve taken a picture if he’s not being weirdly stared at.

“What?” he blinks.

Seungcheol clicks his tongue, trying to look disappointed as he turns back at his kids. His children and husband are suddenly caught in what seems like a hushed conversation that, he's sure, involves him. Jeonghan wants to smack the smirk off his spouse's face. If anything, Jeonghan should be disappointed at him for being an adult with his office attire, sitting carelessly on the carpet! But of course Jeonghan wouldn’t be. He loves his Seungcheol very much, including this side of his goofy husband.

After seconds of all three of them shaking their heads, Sebong speaks for his father. “Papa, you should be kissing Daddy, too.”

The blond raises his brows, “He said kisses from his babies.”

Suji sighs, “Papa, you’re Daddy’s baby, too!”

Seungcheol bites his lip as Jeonghan started going red. It was nonsense, though, since he laughed so loud when the red faced blond started hitting him on the chest. “Goofy, goofy!” Jeonghan hisses, gritting his teeth. Seungcheol catches his wrists and pulled him on the floor, specifically on his lap. What a show. The couple could hear both of their children squealing. Whether it's in disgust or joy, they weren't really sure.

Teasingly looking back to stare at his children, Jeonghan’s eyes glint with mischief. “What? I thought you want Papa to kiss Daddy?” he jests.

Sebong sighs dramatically before calmly covering his sister’s eyes. “Okay. Make it quick.”

Seungcheol barks a laugh – that, before his sweet and pretty husband had shut him off with pecks on his lips. They are smiling between the kisses, Jeonghan straddling his husband while sitting on his lap, a giggling mess and all that but do they care? Probably no. Their happiness is what reigns in this morning.

And Jeonghan could see it in Seungcheol’s eyes as they stare at each other.

“I love you, Seungcheol-ah.”

“I love you, angel.”

“Daddy, Papa, we love you two, and we’re going to be late.”

“Can we just not go to school?”

Today is family day, as well as tomorrow, and the next days after that.