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Joshua lays on his bed with closed eyes and listening to the sound of water running from the bathroom. He just came home from a company dinner to celebrate a finished project.
New year means more projects to come, new year means invitations to parties, new year means less time with —
“I cleared your schedule until next week.”
Joshua was lost in thought and didn’t realize Seungcheol had just finished his shower.
Joshua sits up and stares at his mate, who’s doing his night routine, “Did you? But hyung — ”
“I’ve told him that I’d tell you by myself. Relax, all sorted well.”
Seungcheol gives him a smile and stares Joshua back from the mirror.
“I planned it from last month though.”
Joshua sighs, he shouldn’t worry about anything then.
“Okay. Any occasion?”
“Tomorrow is weekend, so family time, isn’t?”
“Yes.” Joshua pauses, “For a week.”
Seungcheol stands to sit beside Joshua and cups his cheeks.
It’s hard to convince his mate to rest just for a little while.
“A week that you deserve to rest and spend with the girls and me, don’t you love that? My girls miss their dad, you know.” Seungcheol rubs their nose for a second and feel his mate’s breath warm against his skin.
“Our girls.” Seungcheol can feel Joshua’s smile on his lips.
“Right, our girls.” Seungcheol giggles.
Joshua leans to kiss Seungcheol, but Seungcheol gently pushes him.
“Later. Now shower, please. You stink.”
Seungcheol runs outside the room to avoid Joshua’s revenge.
***
After a warm shower, Joshua eats Seungcheol’s newfound recipe from youtube as a snack. Then he does some dishes while Seungcheol clung onto him and scents him. He ushers Seungcheol to their bedroom first when finished and go to their daughter’s room to fix their blanket or just to see their innocent face. He really misses his daughters. His pups. Their pups.
***
Snow is falling. Mostly ground already covered white.
Joshua stretches his right hand to catch the snow.
“Dad.”
A small voice pulls Joshua from his dream.
“Dad~” Joshua scrunchs his face when a finger pokes his right cheek. Eyes stil closed.
“Jiyeon-ah, touch dad’s cheek too. Like this.” Seunghee gently pats his own cheek as an example for his sister.
“DAD!”
Joshua jolts up from his sleep and widens his eyes.
“Jiyeon! Why did you slap dad?!!”
“Eonni told me to touch dad’s cheek.” Jiyeon stares at his sister innocently.
“Yes, but GENTLY. You hurt dad!”
“NO.”
Then Jiyeon starts crying.
Joshua immediately sits up and lifts the crying girl.
“Hey, hey, dad’s fine, dad’s fine.”
Joshua clears his throat to get rid of his hoarse voice and rub Jiyeon’s back to calm her.
“Hong Seunghee.” He turns to Seunghee who looks almost crying too.
“Come here.”
Joshua pats his lap, then Seunghee climbs the bed and settles on Joshua’s lap.
“Did you see dad in pain?”
Seunghee shakes her head.
“Then do you see dad has any scars here?”
Joshua pointed his left cheek.
“No.” Seunghee answered with a small voice.
“Then you shouldn’t say Jiyeon hurt me right?”
“Yes.” Seunghee reached Jiyeon’s hand that clutched on Joshua shirt, “I’m sorry, Jiyeonie.”
Jiyeon sniffles and holds Seunghee’s hand back but still not looking at her.
“I heard someone’s scream. Is everything okay?”
Seungcheol comes to the bedroom a few seconds later and is already dressed up.
“Appa~” Seunghee lets go of Jiyeon’s hand and runs to Seungcheol and hugs his legs.
“What is it?” Seungcheol squat down to hold his first daughter.
“Is Jiyeon hates me now?” Seunghee whispers, sounds almost crying.
Seungcheol frowns, “No… Why should she?”
“I said she hurt dad but dad’s not hurt, and she’s crying. I apologized but Jiyeonie doesn’t look at me, Appa.”
“Seunghee-ya”
Before Seungcheol could talk, Joshua called Seunghee.
“Jiyeonie is sleeping.”
“Huh?” Seunghee look at Joshua then to Jiyeon who’s already in dreamland with her puffy eyes.
Seungcheol giggles and turn Seunghee to look at him, “See? She doesn’t hate you, she just sleeps.”
Seungcheol kisses Seunghee’s forehead, “Did I wake you too early? Are you still sleepy too?”
“No, Appa! I slept early last night because Appa told me to! I’m not sleepy, Appa!”
“That’s good! Now, can you wait in your room? Then Appa will do your hair.”
Seunghee smiles widely, “Yes, Appa! See you later, Dad!” Then he leaves the room after waves at his dad.
“Let me have her. You should shower.”
Joshua gently passes Jiyeon to Seungcheol’s hold.
“Are we going somewhere?”
“Of course we are.”
“Where?”
“Zoo.”
“In winter?” Joshua frowns.
“Yes. Winter means less visitor, and we can enjoy our time more comfortably outside.”
“Okay.”
Joshua gets up to shower while Seungcheol helps Seunghee to get ready and put Jiyeon to get more sleep.
With Joshua’s job as a model, sometimes they can’t spend time outside together peacefully. Some people always recognize Joshua when he doesn’t wear a mask, or dress up normally. So Seungcheol thinks winter is the best option to visit places that some people may not think about.
***
Almost 30 minutes passed, and Joshua had already finished dressing up and joining Seunghee to eat breakfast.
“Where’s Appa, Seunghee-ya?”
“With Jiyeonie.” She mumbles with stuffed cheek.
“Eat slowly, Seunghee-ya.” Joshua wipes Seunghee corner’s lip.
Such a messy eater, like her Appa.
“Why don’t you eat your breakfast?” Seungcheol asks while approaching his mate and his daughter with running Jiyeon ahead him.
“Dad!”
“Slow down, Jiyeon.” Joshua says when Jiyeon almost trips her feet, then help her settle on his lap.
Seungcheol kissed Joshua forehead before sitting next to him
“Have you?”
Seungcheol shakes his head, “No.”
“Let me feed you then.”
“What? No.” Seungcheol already blushes.
He is too embarrassed when Joshua does such a cheesy thing (which he likes tho) in front of his daughters, and Joshua knows he likes it too, even embarrassed.
“Jiyeon-ah, let dad put you on your chair and eat your breakfast like your sister, okay?”
“Okay!”
Seunghee starts telling Jiyeon about how good the soup is and how she helps Seungcheol to cook while Jiyeon sleeps. Then Jiyeon also tells her sister about Seungcheol doing her hair and putting pretty daisy on her hair. The kids were already lost in their conversation.
“I can eat by myself.”
Joshua takes Seungcheol’s hand, which tries to snatch the spoon, then hold it while he feeds Seungcheol.
“I know, love. I can feed you too, now open your mouth.”
Seungcheol opens his mouth, a little bit flustered.
“Appa is a baby!” Seunghee teases his Appa.
Joshua giggles, “Big baby. Isn’t he, Seunghee-ya?”
Seunghee nods, “Big baby~”
“Appa is a big baby~” Then Jiyeon imitates her sister.
Seungcheol already turns to cherry. Joshua stops Seungcheol when he tries to escape.
“One last spoon.” Joshua said before kiss Seungcheol’s hand on his hold and give him a smile.
After finishing breakfast, Joshua gathers the dirty dishes and wash them. He coaxed Seungcheol to sit and have some good time with the girls. Seungcheol spends it by scenting them and kissing their cheecks until they try to run away.
“Ready to go?” Joshua asks when Seungcheol is already left alone on his chair.
Seungcheol nods, then approaches Joshua and starts scenting him. Joshua also does the same.
***
They arrive at the zoo after an hour drive. Like Seungcheol expected, the zoo has fewer visitors and almost no one recognizes Joshua there. Almost no one because one staff member at the ticketing gate is the one who recognizes Joshua. Seungcheol is relieved when the staff is just excited and keeps to his job, not asking Joshua to take photos with him or else. He even gives Seunghee and Jiyeon stamps as a gift.
They really enjoy exploring the zoo, with much time to linger in every spot. Joshua explains every detail of some animals to their pups while carrying Jiyeon all the time. Seungcheol feels content seeing how excited and absorbed Seunghee and Jiyeon are, spending time with Joshua.
After some good time, hot chocolate and snacks, they decide to go home before dinner time.
***
When they arrive, Seunghee and Jiyeon run excitedly into their apartment.
“Uncle Mingooo!”
They hear Jiyeon’s scream when Seungcheol helped Joshua take off his coat.
They must find the surprise first.
“Mingyu is here?”
Seungcheol just smiled at him and walk into the apartment first.
“Sorry, hyung. Jiyeon found me hide behind your couch.”
Seungcheol just laughs at him, “That’s okay, Mingyu-ya. Jiyeon is an expert at finding things Right, Jiyeonie?”
Jiyeon nods excitedly and hugs his Appa.
“Where’s the other?”
“At the kitchen, I think Seunghee already with them.”
“Of course she is.” Seungcheol laughs.
“What is it?”
Joshua stares dumbly at Seungcheol and Mingyu. Instead of answering, Seungcheol passes Jiyeon to Mingyu.
“Before the surprise fully ruined, can you take Jiyeon with you, Mingyu-ya?”
“Aye, Captain!” Mingyu salute at him and left with Jiyeon to the kitchen.
“Now can I close your eyes, honey?” Seungcheol approaches Joshua with a blindfold from his pocket.
“What? Why?”
“Shh, just follow my steps.” Seungcheol pecks Joshua’s lips before ties the blindfold and guide his mate to the kitchen.
Seungcheol lets go of Joshua when they are already in the kitchen and stepping away.
“You can take it off, honey.”
When the blindfold is taken off, Joshua’s sight greeted by confetti pops and his group friend shout happy birthday at him.
Today is his birthday and he almost forgot it.
“DAD! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”
Jiyeon and Seunghee rush to Joshua and hug his legs from both sides and giggling happily.
“Blow the candle, Joshuji!” Jeonghan shouts at him and gestures him to get close.
“Pups, let go of your dad’s legs.”
Seunghee and Jiyeon obediently let go of Joshua’s legs and running back to Seungcheol.
“Make a wish, dad.” Seunghee says when Joshua already in front of the cake.
A cheese cake with a clear blue layer and a few decorations on top of it.
So beautiful.
After he blows the candles, his friends cheer and hug him, saying another happy birthday.
“Finally! Can we eat now?”
Hansol is the first one to break the moment. They laugh at him but not deny if they feel hungry too. Seungcheol asks them to eat in the living room where it fits all of them and serves them some good food that already he prepared.
And night passes just like that, with laughter and food fill their stomach.
When the pup’s bed time come, they decide to end the small party and go home after helping Seungcheol and Joshua clean up the mess they made.
***
After helping the pups do their night routine and tuck their blanket, Joshua approaches Seungcheol, who stands on the balcony, watching stars light the night.
He kiss Seungcheol’s cheeks till it doesn’t feel cold anymore.
“Thank you, love.” He mumbles again Seungcheol’s exposed shoulder.
“Are you happy?”
Joshua hums, “So happy.”
Seungcheol turns to Joshua and cups his cheeks.
“There’s a surprise that I haven’t given.”
Joshua smiles back at him, “Really? What is it?”
Seungcheol leads him to sit on the bed and reach his bag to find an envelope. Then he gives it to Joshua.
There’s a hospital logo on it, Joshua can’t hide his smile when opens the envelope.
They’ll have other pups.
He can feel it since a few weeks ago every time he scent Seungcheol. He can’t feel anything rather than happiness blooming in his chest.
“Thank you, love. Thank you.”
Joshua starts leaving kisses on every spot on Seungcheol’s face. He feels so grateful.
Seungcheol giggles and cups Joshua’s cheeks to stop him. Then he put a soft kiss on his lips, slowly.
“I love you to the moon and back, my love.”
Seungcheol says when they parted, with their forehead against each other.
“I love you further.”
Joshua smiles against his lips and starts kissing him again, deep and slow.