Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

That's where he was.

Soft whines pulled Seonghwa out of his daze, the sweet sounds making his heart melt into a puddle. Immediately his eyes dove down to the bundle situated on his lap, sock-clad hands barely reaching above his head as he stretched. Wide, boba eyes opened, curiosity pooling in those deep brown eclipses.

Intrigued, Seonghwa caressed his little chin with the pad of his finger, just to hear the little protesting "huh ah" the baby had developed at birth. It always amused him just how silly he was.

"Hi baby... are you awake?" The tone of his voice rose a few octaves, sounding like a squeaky rubber ducky in the bathtub.

The baby tilted his head, mouth opening in search of something. Seonghwa already knew what he wanted. "Do you want milkies?" The mother didn't need to wait for a response he'll never get. The shirt he was wearing had zips on the side for easy access to his chest.

He unzipped the right side—Hanuel's favourite side—and carefully brought him up, being as gentle as he can be with his wobbly neck. It was like a Bluetooth connection, a magnetic instinct—if you may say—the moment he came close. Lips latched on to nourish himself.

The sight always fascinated Seonghwa. It made him fall deeper in love with the baby. This little human being was his, his to care for, his to love and to help grow into a wonderful person. Thinking about it made him really emotional...

Snapping out of his sentimental train of thoughts, Seonghwa redirected his gaze towards the window, staring hopefully into the night sky. It was time for a new beginning. His previous chapter had been closed, and now it was about time to write the next part.

It had been a few days, and Seonghwa couldn't get those words out of his head. Yeah. You put your baby and yourself first. That's the most beautiful thing a person can do. Those words repeated over and over in his head like a broken record. It made him feel so validated, like the decision he made was the correct one. Haneul was just a baby. The world out there was too cruel and fast-paced. Coming back home was the right thing to do.

Here Seonghwa would thrive once more; all his doubts and fears would wash away with the tides.

Today he was finally moving into his new home. Yes, home. The place was ready, and moving day was officially decided. Seonghwa was so excited to get everything in place. He wanted to make the place feel like home, so he worked to get money and buy new furniture.

He was a seamstress, making lovely little garments and selling them online—for a generous amount—but recently thoughts have plagued his mind, deciding whether to set up a shop in the village. That would take some time, but he was really considering it. For now he worked with what he had and used the savings he had available in his account—which was more than enough to go by.

Since going to that little bakery, Seonghwa had been seeing more of Hongjoong and San, but not often enough to become buddies just yet. Haneul was very friendly with those two alphas, mostly fond of the dimpled man behind the desk.

San announced that his mate was pregnant and that Haneul might've sensed that he was preparing for fatherhood, so it made sense why the baby was so clingy. The mother begrudgingly nodded along and acted as if it were true.

Hongjoong was also very fond of him, always coming out to greet him whenever Seonghwa stopped by for a sweet treat.

It made Seonghwa feel wanted. These two alphas gave him so much more than his alpha ever did...

Once the mother and baby duo were set in the house, Seonghwa made his way upstairs to place the bedside crib in place. Haneul would be sleeping with him for the time being while he prepared his nursery.

Of course the nursery would be the first to get his personal homey touch. So he got to work with some basic things like the wallpaper—delighted to find out the room had beautiful wainscotting which would make the room pop even more. That was as far as he got that day, but he made sure to order some more things beforehand.

Later that night the mother busied himself by washing the dishes—a small cane and wicker crib beside him with the wide-awake baby—carefully going into the crevices of his new floral plates he bought at an antique store on Mary Lune Avenue.

The avenue Seonghwa moved into was named Bisou Avenue, which was the only avenue that didn't have much going on, like Seafoam, Mary Lune, Roseate, Moonlight, Hydrangea, Kismet, Caliginous, Reverie and Poppy Avenues. Seafoam Avenue was where the harbour was, so mostly fishermen or rental stores. Mary Lune Avenue was the market area where many shop owners lived above their stores. Roseate Avenue was the village square with the ancient wishing fountain that had been there since 1897. Moonlight Avenue was where the local church and cemetery were, so it was a bit more gloomy in that avenue.

Hydrangea Avenue was the oceanside neighbourhood, where it was colder and more coastal in style—also home to the only school in the entire village. Kismet Avenue was the mountainous side with homes climbing onto the mountain. Caliginous Avenue was the oldest, most historic part of the village with a small museum. Reverie Avenue was the west-facing, cliffside neighbourhood just by the ocean, and Poppy Avenue was the farthest neighbourhood, home to the farmers on the grassy land.

So Bisou Avenue was the simplest, most similar to that of a neighbourhood in a town.

Haneul let out tiny burps as if he swallowed some flies, his attention-seeking hands reaching out in search of his mama. "Mama's busy, sweetheart. I'll pick you up in a second, ok, Hannie." That little face of his was impossible to resist, so he turned away quickly.

The dishes were becoming cleaner, the view outside darker. It was past six, the soft wind from the window tickling his nose, leaves rustling as the evening settled into night. The marvellous pink and orange sky settled into a deep blue before descending into darkness.

A few working street lamps were lighting up the streets, but it wasn't even needed. The stars have never been so bright and beautiful before. Seonghwa could see every freckle, even little imperfections like pores on his face.

"Amazing..." He muttered in awe as he put away some homemade marmalade and freshly baked bread.

Discarding a dish cloth, Seonghwa finally made his way to his baby, who was already dozing off on his own.

It made him feel guilty for taking so long to clean up 

Slowly lifting the baby out of the crib, Seonghwa held him against his inviting chest, feeling the way the baby molded into him like putty. This was the one feeling he never wanted to lose. Cuddling and kissing this little one was all he ever needed to feel content, and he'd treasure this for as long as he could.

Just as he was about to take his little one upstairs, something outside caught his attention.

A pink and white pickup truck with two excited golden retrievers poking their heads out from the front, barking joyfully into the night air before their owner shushed them.

Before he knew it, out came none other than Kim Hongjoong.

Chapter Text

The mother was too stunned to speak.

Kim Hongjoong—the owner of Aliferous Bakery—was his neighbour! What a coincidence. This meant... they'd be seeing a lot more of each other.

Seonghwa eagerly nibbled his bottom lip and decided to retire for the night.

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The morning came around in the blink of an eye. Small sparrows and wheels on asphalt roused him from his sleep as the morning sun filtered through the curtains. Morning had its tendencies to show up unexpectedly even when you eagerly waited for it. Sitting up in bed, Seonghwa stretched his tired limbs and let out a long yawn.

Haneul was sleeping peacefully in his bedside crib, his little mouth open for flies to enter. The morning failed to wake him up from his dreamland. A quirk formed on the side of Seonghwa's lip at the sight. Carefully, he got out of bed to pee.

He'd wake Haneul up after he was done with his business and start the day.

Upon entering the bathroom, Seonghwa quickly emptied his bladder and brushed his teeth. A bath would take too long, so he headed straight to his son instead.

A few hours went by. Seonghwa fed Haneul, bathed with the baby and changed them into matching crocheted sweaters, and then he fed himself. He made marmalade bread with orange juice since it was the easiest thing to make at the moment.

After breakfast Seonghwa spotted Hongjoong leaving for work, and his heart definitely should not have been running a marathon. It was unfair how worked up he got from the sight of that man. He just got out of a relationship, yet his heart wanted to replace the emptiness his ex had left.

Whines brought him back to reality.

"Yes, I'm here." He reassured the baby gently, rocking him in his warm arms, ready to put him down for a nap.

It was an hour later when he finally got back to work on the nursery. The mother prepared as much as he could while the little one slept. A baby monitor was perched on the windowsill in case he failed to hear Haneul once he woke up. Hoping to get at least two hours to finish up in here. Well, finish up as much as he could.

There was a door leading out to a small balcony in Hanuel's nursery, so he bought some curtain rods—because whoever lived in this house previously didn't seem to install them—so he got out his trusty tools and manually installed them himself like a pro. These things weren't hard for an omega like him. In fact it was child's play since a certain deadbeat alpha was incompetent and a lazy bum.

Once he installed the curtain rods, he picked out the curtains he wanted to use. He could go vibrant, but none of the colourful selections he bought matched the wall or the furniture he'd place in eventually. So he chose a simple beige one for the time being. Happy with the new installment, Seonghwa drilled a few holes in the walls to hang some floating shelves. He figured he might as well do all the handiwork now that he was at it.

So he drilled some nails onto the other wall to hang picture frames. Finally he managed to add some things, like a dresser he had already built and a chair, before Hanuel woke up.

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Their morning was fresh, spent cozily together, before afternoon fell. The birds crooned love melodies to one another, bees buzzed around in search of the juiciest flowers, and an occasional car or horse cart would come by, the soft clicking and hum breaking the silence. It was very peaceful.

Seonghwa was seated in the living room, crocheting a pink and cream granny square bag. The patterns alternated between a cute yellow chick on a pink background and soft pastel flowers on a cream background. Haneul was quietly relaxing in his cane and wicker crib, staring intently at the plush toys dangling delicately from the canopy his mother installed for him.

The crib was a cream, milk-coffee colour, with a soft, cushioned mattress. A cloth was tied around it to add an extra touch. Strawberry-printed ruffles were glued on the top and bottom of the crib—Seonghwa's doings in his free time.

He was always extra.

Just as he was about to work on the next square, his phone rang. The soft, melodic tune of his ringtone filled the room, soothing the aches in his bones. Setting aside his crochet hook and yarn, Seonghwa reached out and grabbed it off the coffee table.

Incoming call from Jinwoo |

He immediately blocked the call and got back to crocheting. Pests shouldn't be allowed into the house. They should never be allowed into the warmth of a loving home.

For the duration of the afternoon, Seonghwa spent it in the house, finding time to arrange some furniture whenever Haneul slept or sat alone in peace. The living room had the couches in place, so that was one load off his shoulders. Then a sudden thought popped into his head like an uncalled-for text message. Kim Hongjoong was his neighbour.

He wasn't saying that jokingly. That man was actually his neighbour, and he didn't even have the decency to go and greet him—when he was at home. It felt surreal to him. The man who he harboured unknown feelings for was living right next to him.

What if he has a mate?

Seonghwa's entire world came crashing down on him like weights too heavy for him to lift. It was possible... the man was roughly the same age as him—the age for childbearing—so who knew what went on within his personal life.

Unlike San, Hongjoong was more reserved and barely revealed anything about himself. It made sense since Seonghwa was still considered a stranger, a newbie. The owner wouldn't immediately go off about himself to someone he just met and saw a handful of times.

It was so obvious, but Seonghwa could not stop the thoughts from corrupting his mind. There was a strong possibility that the alpha had a mate. Someone he was bound to for life. These thoughts plagued his mind in unhealthy doses, and he wondered why. It wasn't fair for either him or Haneul to consider an alpha—the people who hurt him—as something more. It was too soon to be having such thoughts.

The reason he came back to Ainstine was to get away from all the pain inflicted by power-hungry alphas and unwarranted insomnia. The greed of the city was like a balloon being inflated until it could no longer hold the air trapped inside. One pop, one small scrape of a nail against the rubbery material, was enough to burst that greed, unleashing the wrath he wished to keep trapped inside.

Nothing made sense anymore, and all he could say about it was he was glad he left. Glad that Haneul would never experience the constant shame and torment from society.

It was the right thing... moving away. It was the perfect choice... right...?

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Going home that day felt ten times different than it felt earlier. His encounter with Tanaka-ssi was so sweet; she even invited him inside for some biscuits—that she made herself—and tea. That afternoon was one of the best afternoons he's had since moving here.

Setting Haneul down for a nap, Seonghwa waited patiently for Hongjoong—he offered to help—to come over so that they could build the crib together.

It didn't take long before he knocked on his door like a jolly kid on Christmas morning. Seonghwa took note of his excitement whenever he was close by. He felt genuine happiness whenever he was in Seonghwa's presence.

He couldn't remember the last time someone actually greeted him with at least 2% warmth.

Opening the door with a matching smile, Seonghwa allowed him entry.

"Perfect timing. Haneul finally went off to sleep, so we have a few hours to ourselves."

"Sounds romantic."

"Hongjoong-ssi!"

The colour of his cheeks turned red at his teasing. Alphas were always obnoxiously flirty, and it grated on his nerves... but Hongjoong was an exception.

Raising his hands in defence, Hongjoong stepped back, an impish grin colouring his face. "I'm just playing, I promise." A small chuckle rumbled his chest.

"You better be. Now please help me. I want Haneul's room to be perfect, ok. I won't accept any sloppy work."

"I'm hurt, Seonghwa-ssi."

The two dove headfirst into it, and as he expected... Hongjoong was hopeless.

Putting the pieces in the wrong holes, reading the manual in the wrong order, using the wrong tools and screws.

He looked like a baby fawn trying to walk. So wobbly and obnoxiously cute. Seonghwa couldn't be mad at him even if he wanted to—not like he would be because he was the gentlest person.

A lot of sighs, questioning and second-guessing plagued the mother, but he remained patient for the alpha's sake.

"This piece goes here. See, they fit in just right, just like in the manual. No, Hongjoong, that's part B and part E. They're incompatible." He explained, getting more and more exasperated by the minute.

"I swear these two fit well."

"Hongjoong, that is a wheel. Wait, where did you even get that?"

"Dunno." He casually tosses it aside and continues forcing marriage upon those unfortunate pieces.

Snorting in exasperated amusement Seonghwa spoke up once more. "Hongjoong, you're like a baby fawn."

"I'm— I'm not!" He feigned offence, dropping the pieces so that he could fold his arms like some gangster.

"Listen to me carefully. There are—"

Carefully, Seonghwa began explaining everything in fine detail, leaving no crumbs left uneaten.

Finally Hongjoong gained some well-earned knowledge, and together they worked in perfect silence—they listened to some of Seonghwa's ASMR—and watched the crib slowly come together.

The afternoon was spent like that. Even when Haneul woke up, they set him in his cane and wicker crib and continued working, periodically checking on him. It went smoothly even though it felt tedious. Their backs were already giving in, so they took a break to get something to eat.

Hongjoong made toast with avocado and egg, and it tasted amazing. The perks of owning a bakery—he could bake and cook.

"I despise how good your food tastes."

"I admire you saying so. I'll have to work even harder next time."

Seonghwa couldn't bite back his grin. The way the alpha looked as he stood there, speaking utter nonsense to Haneul—while making sassy comebacks to him—just felt right.

I'm getting weak...

"I bet Haneul would love my food once he's older. Maybe even more than his mama's~" The alpha playfully raised his brows while simultaneously tickling the baby's tummy.

The thought made Seonghwa tense up, a defensive pout forming on his face at the nightmarish thought. His son would love his cooking the best!

"As if, Hongjoong!" He crossed his arms all defensively, feeling almost childish.

"You know, Seonghwa-ssi, you've been calling me Hongjoong for a while now~" The alpha beamed with a mischievous glow. "Don't like formalities, I see. Could've said so, Seonghwa."

Yeah, Seonghwa officially died.

Chapter Text

The nursery was finally done.

After what felt like years it was done at last.

"It's incredible. You really are a supermom." Hongjoong's soothing tone filled the air.

Seonghwa turned around, spotting the alpha casually leaning against the threshold with folded arms. He looked so handsome in the afternoon light, his hair messy from being swiped away one too many times, his cobalt blue button-up sitting comfortably on his body—two buttons may or may not be undone—feet bare on the wooden flooring.

Everything about him right now screamed comfortable. He was comfortable in his presence. An omega's presence.

"You could say that... I'm just glad it's finally done."

"Didn't take as long as I expected."

"Yeah, I'm actually surprised with how efficient I was. Well... I wouldn't have been able to do it all without your help." Seonghwa timidly admitted.

Hongjoong waved him off. "Nonsense, you got so much done before I offered my sloppy, half-assed assistance."

"Language."

"Sorry..."

Both men laughed softly to themselves at this new dynamic they shared. It was cosy. Like two men sharing a familial bond…

Soft cries pulled them back from their moment of contentment.

"I'll get him." Hongjoong announced and sped off to the bedroom.

The alpha had grown attached to Haneul. Playing with the baby and telling him all sorts of nonsense that got him scolded by Seonghwa. It was like he didn't know how to handle babies, but he tried, and he was off to a good start.

With a sigh, Seonghwa seated himself down on the plush armchair and peered out of the balcony door. Sunny and bright once again. The forecasts have been accurate as of late; no sudden downpours. Just the beaming rays of sunlight over the village. It was perfect.

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Fresh cinnamon and strawberry jam filled the bakery. It smelled so fresh and yummy; Seonghwa could feel his stomach growl in anticipation. Sunday passed with not much going on, and now it was Monday. The weekend was mostly filled with home renovations. Now it was time to get back to work, though firstly he'd need to get a sweet treat to help him focus.

"Another slow morning?" Seonghwa asked as he patted Haneul's back to ease his little whines.

"Wouldn't say so. The store is waking up around this hour, and I wouldn't expect anything less." San and his dimpled smile made Seonghwa smile unconsciously.

"Ah, I see. You'll be pretty busy soon then."

"Yeah... I'll hardly catch my breath, but it's worth it. I love my people." The way he spoke with such genuine love in his tone made Seonghwa stutter for a second. That was a bold thing to say, but considering what he meant... it wouldn't sound right to say no.

"Everyone here is wonderful... I haven't met a single person who... wasn't anything short of kind."

"It'll be hard to find any person who holds hatred in the forefront of their lives. Unless you're Pran. He is a part of the church, and... kindly speaking, he shouldn't even be allowed in there."

That perked Seonghwa's interest. A new name.

"What's he like?"

"Egotistical. The kind that makes you want to throw a teacup at him." San rubbed his temple at the thought of that man.

That made Seonghwa feel conflicted. A man to avoid. Well, he couldn't expect the entirety of Ainstine to be free of those sorts of people, but the thought of running into him was scary. Dealing with them just wasn't something on his bucket list.

"Any way to avoid him?" The mother asked, gently coaxing Haneul back to sleep.

"Just stay away from Moonlight Avenue. He usually doesn't go around much, but if you happen to see a lanky man with white streaks in his hair, don't approach." San was already equipped with knowledge on how to avoid this man.

He definitely had an encounter or two.

Ding ding ding

"Order for Seonghwa~" Hongjoong came out of the kitchen with a takeout box of freshly made cinnamon rolls.

They smelled so good!

"Thank you, Hongjoong." The mother smiled sweetly, taking his order from the alpha.

Hongjoong reciprocated his gesture, grinning wide—almost like a kid proudly showing off their gap tooth.

"I rolled the dough early this morning, knowing a certain mother would want his favourite cinnamon rolls as soon as possible." The alpha shared a kind smile—a faint blush colouring his cheeks that Seonghwa obviously missed.

A blush spread across his own cheeks—one he prayed Hongjoong wouldn't notice.

Just then Bibble came waltzing over, his nose buried in Seonghwa's shoe as he sniffed curiously. His big floppy ears twitched slightly as he sat down once more.

"Sorry, I almost forgot to greet you, Bibble." Seonghwa snickered softly, reaching down to pat the dog's head lovingly.

Bibble was an attention seeker, always curious and... loved sniffing weird things, while his girlfriend Dizzle was the opposite. Lazy, sleepy 24/7 and calm. She was sleeping at the moment.

"Seonghwa." Hongjoong's soft call of his name pulled his attention back to him.

"Yes?"

"San wanted to ask you something." He grinned widely, directing his gaze to said man.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget?" The dimpled cashier smiled at his own forgetfulness.

Curiosity pooled in Seonghwa's wide baby-brown eyes. "Yeah?"

San nodded in response, setting aside a paper straw he was stress fidgeting. "I wanted to ask if you'd be free this Wednesday. I want to introduce you to my mate and some of our friends. Neighbours, if you'd call them that, but well... our houses are attached. It was Wooyoung's idea."

Seonghwa felt even more curious now. "I'd love to!" He beamed, cradling Haneul closer just because he could. "I'm technically self-employed, so I get to give myself little breaks if I have no deadlines." He shrugged with a grin.

"Sounds totally unlike boss man over there." San pointed at Hongjoong, who feigned exasperation.

"I can take breaks." The alpha protested with folded arms.

"Your off days are just you testing out new recipes at home."

"That's not..."

The mother couldn't contain a snort at their back-and-forth banter. They really brought some colour back into his world, and he couldn't thank them enough for this blessing he's been denied all these years.

"Ok, ok, you two. You are supposed to be working." With a sigh, Seonghwa finally—begrudgingly—put an end to their quarrel. It was funny to see, a real eye-opener into the world of normal companionship.

"We weren't doing anything." Hongjoong pouted, hands flying every which way as he explained himself. "We were having a friendly exchange as usual."

"I am delighted to have witnessed it, Mr. Kim, but you have customers." Just as he said that, more people began filing into the quaint store.

This conversation would continue on another day.

"San, text me the deets. I'll be heading back now." Seonghwa set the takeout box in his other hand as he searched for his car keys in his pocket—Haneul was sleeping in the baby carrier.

"Will do!" San gave a thumbs up, his iconic dimpled smile greeting him once more.

"See you later, Seonghwa." Hongjoong waved, his twinkling eyes bringing back those dead butterflies Seonghwa swore he extinguished.

"See you."

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"I swear that thing crawled out from the mountain or something. It looks so buff, Hongjoong-ah~" The mother whined, phone pressed between his shoulder and his ear as he stood atop a wooden stool. "I don't like insects, OK! Please come and kill it. You're supposed to be the alpha! You can't be scared of it too. The audacity to be scared!" He nearly rolled his eyes.

"What am I supposed to do?" Hongjoong fretted—hand probably slicking through his locks. "Wrestle with it?"

"Be of some use and come over and give me moral support, yeah?" Seonghwa felt a strong urge to strangle him.

The alpha sounded stressed, but he couldn't deny the omega even if he wanted to. So he did the only thing he could. He came over.

"Holy mother of sin! I've never seen such a thing before. Park Seonghwa, why'd you force me to come?! I hate bugs! It literally looks like a bodybuilder on steroids." The alpha's current whereabouts were unknown to the mother—who had shoved himself into a storage closet.

"Is it dead?!" He shouted out, trying to gauge how far the alpha was in the house.

"Come out and see for yourself!" Hongjoong yelled back, then screamed, followed by a loud thud and some shuffling.

It definitely flew at him. Seonghwa felt cruel for laughing because that was him just moments ago. By the sound of it, he was probably in the living room, now running towards the kitchen. Pots and pans were being grabbed; he presumed—the clanking noises were loud.

Kim Hongjoong, please do not kill it using my appliances!

Clang~

"Ahhhhhh!"

Of course. Seonghwa wanted to shake his head. This alpha truly was helpless, and all this noise would wake Haneul. He might already be awake by now.

Sighing harshly, Seonghwa pushed the door open and stepped out. This would be a two-man job. So no dilly-dallying; this wasn't something to mess with. That thing truly was huge.

Approaching the kitchen, Seonghwa sauntered in with an air of nonchalance—that he didn't have—and spotted the alpha immediately. The bug was flying above him. Its tentacle-like legs disturbed Seonghwa, its wings making him gag. It was ugly and oh so terrifying.

The two worked side by side to get rid of it. The whole ordeal felt like a fever dream. An actual fever dream. They ran from the kitchen to the living room, then scrambled over to the staircase where Hongjoong was nearly abducted by the creature. Their screams were pitiful as they held onto each other as if these were their final moments.

"Seonghwa, we're going to die!" Hongjoong hid his face in the crook of his neck.

"Don't think like that! We'll make it out of here alive." Seonghwa didn't have much faith in his words. The bug was somewhere in the house right now. They could only wait until it came back; the sound of its flapping wings gave them PTSD at this point.

"You seriously dragged me here!" The alpha complained, tightening his hold on Seonghwa's dainty waist. Rough, calloused hands grazed the small of his back...

Warmth spread through the mother like an untamed fire about to burn him alive. It had come to his attention that THE KIM HONGJOONG was holding him so... intimately, and so was he.

Wrapped up together, seeking comfort.

His face was dyed a vibrant pink that would make Barbie jealous... that was until the flapping came back...

It could've been an hour later—they weren't sure—when they finally got it out. They were forced to confront their fears when all the screaming woke Haneul.

Seonghwa felt the sweat dripping down his face as if he were an icy cold soda left on the counter. Their shared fear would linger, but relief was at the forefront. A job done successfully at last. Hongjoong held the baby in his arms after the mother decided to die on the floor.

"This could've been avoided easily; you know that?" Hongjoong puffed out a sigh as he struggled to keep Haneul on his hip.

"He's too small to be on the hip, Hongjoong, and no, it could not." The mother groaned into the carpet. He would appreciate some peace right now, but his heart was too alive from the adrenaline rush. Raising his head, he gave the alpha a blank glance.

Brown whisky eyes were staring down at him, and... wow, it was captivating. It drew him into an embrace of warm velvety sheets, whisky on ice as they sat in a fancy hotel room. Hongjoong was far from classy, but that look in his eyes was so... hypnotic. That gaze held power, and it entranced him. It was unfair how much he affected him.

"Seonghwa? Hello, earth to Seonghwa." Hongjoong waved a hand in front of his face.

"Wahh." Haneul shared his two cents as well.

Snapping out of his reverie, Seonghwa stared up at him once more, eyes flickering with something... different. "Oh, sorry, I'm just reminiscing about that thing... I wonder what it was..." Awkwardly scratching his neck, Seonghwa managed to sit upright, looking anywhere beside those eyes of pure gold. He felt greedy... he couldn't help but want more...

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It felt like fall all the way on Kismet Avenue. The seasons were confused. It was the middle of summer, yet the leaves on the trees were opaque shades of brown, red, yellow and orange. Well, on certain trees. This was a phenomenon unique to Ainstine. The seasons were confused.

Walking down the road, Haneul tucked snugly in his stroller, the mother eyed each and every one of the villagers he passed by. Women wearing beautiful frill dresses, kids playing happily down the road without a care in the world, men passing occasionally to get to work or a horse cart heading up the mountain.

It was so peaceful, just like the rest of Ainstine.

"Waahh." Haneul babbled, his tiny socked toes—Winnie the Pooh themed—stuck out from the stroller, tapping lightly on the side. He was very active for a two-month-old, but that was a healthy sign.

Shifting his gaze to the baby for just a tiny moment, the mother was rewarded with the sight of Haneul in his cute, clary-green sling romper with a cute duck embroidered on it. The weather was warm that day, but even so, the mother made sure he was covered properly to prevent him from getting sick.

"Are you excited?" Seonghwa's tone turned squeaky like his favourite rubber ducky. "We're meeting new friends. I can't wait, Hannie!" His smile was like a shining star that burnt with happiness. Life in Ainstine just got better and better with each passing day. Filled with cinnamon buns, floral designs and Hongjoong...

"Good morning!" A hyperactive teen greeted him joyfully as he ran down the road with his chicken. Yes, a real chicken. A sight he learnt to accept as common. Raising a hand, Seonghwa waved in return, his smile charming like the moon at night.

Turning back to the front, Seonghwa pulled up his phone and eyed the house numbers. 150 on Kismet Avenue.

That was just two stops away. Quickly speeding up, Seonghwa found the house immediately, and... indeed, it was connected as San said.

I'm guessing his mate, Wooyoung, is close with the neighbours...

He suddenly felt uncertain which one he was meant to enter, but San came out at that exact moment. Speak about perfect timing.

"Seonghwa Hyung!" He greeted him with an excited wave of his hand. "You made it just on time." The dimpled man swiftly made his way over to him to share formalities and to give him a warm hug. San's hugs were like encompassing tides, keeping him trapped in place, but the allure of seclusion and comfort kept him there. This man was too warm and bubbly for Seonghwa's heart. He felt an urge to adopt him.

"I was afraid I'd be late." They pulled away from the hug shortly after.

"No, no, no, you're just in time!" San waved his hands and smiled wider. "Sangie and Jongho just got home, and we were chatting over lemonade." He announced with a hop in his voice.

Wildly, he gestured for him to follow him, eyes glued to Haneul for a moment before looking back up at Seonghwa.

"Wooyoung is excited to meet you."

So they entered the lovely home.

It had a rugged charm that Seonghwa was obsessed with. It felt so organic.

"You have a beautiful home." He complimented as his eyes wandered over the expanse of the new area—unstrapping Haneul from his stroller at the same time.

"Thank you so much! Wooyoung and I put in extra work when we got this place and built the connecting seating area out front with Sangie and Jongho." San explained as he held out his arms eagerly to take Haneul.

The mother handed the baby over without second-guessing. San was a friend he cared for after all. "What's the story behind that?" Curiosity won over as he reached down to grab some things from the basket at the bottom of the stroller.

San squealed lightly as Haneul relaxed in his arms, those tiny hands gripping his fleece jacket—he enjoyed the new texture—and his little legs tapping against his abdomen. The baby was content in his embrace just like his mama always was.

"Wooyoung and Yeosang have been best friends since middle school and made a promise to live together one day." The man chuckled to himself. "They both found their fated mates, and that promise was seemingly broken. But of course they wouldn't have that, so we got houses next to each other and built a connecting seating area to please them. Jongho and I don't really care, but we love seeing them smile, you know." He carefully bounced the baby, making sure he was safe and content on his broad chest.

The way his eyes glowed like a million fireflies in the night sky made Seonghwa stop and stare in wonderment. To be loved like that... to have a man stare wistfully in the distance while reminiscing joyful moments with nothing but love in those caramel pools. It slapped him in the face. Love was so much more than he'd ever thought was true. What he had was never love but obsession. The man who gave him the baby he would risk his life for was never truly in love with him.

Resisting the ache in his bones, the mother mustered up a genuine, albeit gut-wrenching, smile. "You make love sound so beautiful." He muttered as he gripped the basket tighter. "I can't wait to meet the man who put hearts in your eyes."

The dimpled man snapped out of his stupor and bashfully scratched his nape. "Ah, yeah, love is crazy sometimes. But let's go. Wooyoung will end me if I keep you all to myself. He was so excited when I told him about you. So be careful; he might be pregnant, but he loves hugging." San warned as he cradled the baby close, nuzzling into his neck to get a whiff of that sweet baby scent.

"I love hugs too." The mother cheered as he clapped his hands, the basket slinging from his arm—along with Haneul's diaper bag on his other arm.

They made their way over to the living room, and Seonghwa beamed at the sight of new faces. Friendly faces. Wooyoung—roughly five months pregnant from what Seonghwa could smell; yes, he can smell it—immediately hopped up and ran towards them.

San wanted to protest as he dreadfully witnessed the love of his life—obviously pregnant—sprint over like an NBA player about to shoot a hoop. Seonghwa didn't question the eager omega, instead carefully dropping his things and opening his arms in a welcoming gesture as the man bounced into his embrace—as if they were long-time friends. It surely felt like it deep within his soul.

He smelled like a field of roses dipped in rich golden honey. Welcoming and sweet. Seonghwa held him gently, feeling safe and cared for even though he hadn't heard him speak a single word yet.

"Ahhh, Sannie~ he smells like vanilla and almonds." Wooyoung nuzzled into him, enjoying the comfort as much as Seonghwa.

His smile had never been wider.

"Thanks, I guess." Seonghwa chuckled, rubbing his cheek against the pregnant omega's head. He felt so small in his arms...

Yeosang and Jongho shook their heads fondly at Wooyoung's antics, already knowing just how affectionate he could be even with a complete stranger.

"Sorry, I can't help it. I was so excited to meet you, Seonghwa Hyung." Wooyoung raised his head, eyes locking onto Seonghwa's. They were so soft and pure. The world had not tainted his innocence. It made the mother smile wider.

This man was the love of San's life, and Seonghwa would do anything in his power to protect him.

"The same applies to me. I've been so eager to finally meet you all. I'll be in your care from now on." He pulled back from Wooyoung and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

The pregnant omega was stunned to see the formality and quickly told him it was ok. "You don't need to bow. We are family from today onwards, ok?" He stated it as if it were the real deal, as if they had adopted him.

It made him feel oddly vulnerable. He came all this way to Ainstine to start a new life for his baby, and he was already being welcomed into a warm home. It was too much; he'd question if he deserved this life sooner or later.

"I'd be happy to have you all..." He declared.

Wooyoung clapped his hands happily, then quickly pulled him over—while his mate lovingly took Seonghwa's discarded things on the ground—to the living room to introduce him to the other couple.

"This is Yeosang." He gestured to the blonde-haired man who had features hand-sculpted by the gods. "He's my best friend and the prettiest person I know." Wooyoung bragged, turning the blonde into a cherry.

He pointed towards the handsome-looking man beside him. "This is Jongho. He's Yeosang's mate who is San's brother in disguise." The pregnant omega teased.

"Don't compare me to that twink you call a mate." Jongho rolled his eyes in mock annoyance.

Wooyoung gasped dramatically while Yeosang facepalmed. "Don't you go calling my mate a twink just because you're built like a bus." Wooyoung barked out, taking Seonghwa heavily off guard.

Everyone in the room laughed, even Yeosang laughed—though it sounded pained.

"Yah. Enough, we're giving Seonghwa Hyung a bad first impression." Yeosang cut in as San sat down with the baby now cosily on his lap.

"Seonghwa sees enough of Hongjoong Hyung and I bantering, so I don't think he minds." The dimpled man shrugged a muscled shoulder.

Seonghwa couldn't argue. They tended to argue a lot. Playfully, that is.

"Yeah, I don't mind it. It... feels more authentic. I like it." Seonghwa admitted, feeling the heaviness in his chest wash away like a seashell on the shore.

Wooyoung nibbled his lower lip, eyes following him carefully.

Jongho nodded, understanding the need to be their true self.

Yeosang thought carefully to himself, hand on his chin as he stared at Wooyoung's poor choice of shoes.

"Sounds good to me. I never liked putting up a front anyway." Jongho added, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes held wisdom and care that Seonghwa found comfort in. He felt like a woodland creature, if that made sense.

"I mean, I am known for causing trouble." Wooyoung started.

"I'm sure you are known for everything bad at this point." Yeosang interrupted with a sassy hand gesture.

"Hush you." Wooyoung pointed a finger in his direction. "Well anyways." His eyes finally made their way to the baby, and he melted into sludge.

"Can I hold him...?"

"Go crazy."

That was all the encouragement he needed before he swooped down—careful of the growing miracle inside him—to the baby's level, who lounged like a little boss on his mate's lap.

"Oh my god~ he has your eyes, Seonghwa Hyung." He tried not to shout—even though it was hard.

Hearing those words sent a rush of satisfaction through him. He loved hearing people compliment the features he worked nine months to create.

Carefully the couple worked to exchange the baby while Yeosang and Jongho playfully argued about Wooyoung's earlier comment.

The connection that brewed beneath the surface felt like a spark of light as Haneul touched his chest... This would be him in a few months with his own baby.

Having them pressed up against his chest like this, feeling their warmth, inhaling their milky scent...

Seonghwa watched as bliss cascaded over his features, the anticipation growing in his excited spasms. He was full of vigour, full of everything positive. "This feels good. He's so small and adorable." The pregnant omega sighed happily.

San's eyes held those same fireflies as he stared up at his mate, no one beside him dancing in those pools. "I told you he was adorable. Holding him feels like a dream, baby." The tone of his voice was soft and breathy, as if Wooyoung took his breath away—he did take his breath away.

Admiring couples helplessly in love was never on Seonghwa's bingo card, but this was it. It... filled his heart to the brink. I'm jealous but... I'm happy for them.

And he meant it.

"You two are being icky again." The blonde rolled his eyes as he grabbed his lemonade from the coffee table. It was obviously spoken in a joking way because Seonghwa could see the happiness in Yeosang's eyes as he too witnessed the love between them.

"Put a sock in it, Choi." He pointed a threatening—yet not so threatening—finger at Yeosang.

"Reverse it and stick it up your behind, Choi." Yeosang graciously returned the gesture with a smile.

This is how Seonghwa found out they all shared the same last name.

"Anyways, I made a cake!" Seonghwa announced as he took his basket from the side table—placed there by San, bless his heart—and checked inside to see if the cake was still in one piece. Thankfully it was.

It was a Black Forest gateau with white—purposely messy—frosting topped with a handful of cherries and powdered sugar. Oh, and little flowers.

Wooyoung and Jongho were immediately by his side, like toddlers who found out their mother had stashed away candy in her purse.

"Wow! It looks amazing." Wooyoung gasped out, smoothing Haneul's hair as he observed the beauty before him.

"This looks like something Hongjoong Hyung would make at the bakery." Jongho observed with a thoughtful nod of his head.

The mention of Hongjoong made him smile wide. "Actually, Hongjoong gave me the recipe! I begged for it because the last time he came over he made it for us, and it tasted really good." Seonghwa recounted as he stared dreamily into space.

Everyone gave each other subtle glances at that little display of his, devilish grins plastered all over their faces like little menaces.

"You two have gotten close, yeah?" San lazed on the couch, tapping his knuckles against the armrest with a childish gleam shadowing over him.

Seonghwa pondered his question.

"Yes, he comes over sometimes to eat dinner with us and even helped me finish Haneul's nursery. He even offered to help me renovate my house." Seonghwa smiled wider, thinking back to those lovely moments.

He didn't even notice the way everyone was looking at him.

"It's nice having such a lovely neighbour. Haneul loves him too, and I love those doggos! It's so refreshing, you know." Realising how excited he was getting, Seonghwa slid a nervous hand through his curly locks, wondering if he said too much.

"You're right." Wooyoung grinned, rocking back and forth with Haneul staring up at him curiously. "Hongjoong is a very kind person. Hard not to love him even if he's a pain in the ass sometimes."

"Language." Seonghwa scolded lightly.

Everyone chuckled at that.

"It'll take more than that to get him to stop cussing. He has a potty mouth, I tell you." Yeosang revealed with a huge grin on his face. "One time in high school he called our teacher a fat grizzly bear because she wanted to put him in detention for beating a boy."

"That's because it's true, and that boy in question called you ugly." Wooyoung defended himself.

"Never said it was wrong, but well, you called her a fat grizzly bear. Be glad you didn't get suspended, moron."

"I wouldn't have cared if I did. You would be an angel and share the school work I missed anyways, darl~" Wooyoung blew a kiss at him, and the blonde pretended to gag.

Their dynamic was like an icy glass of water on a hot summery day. Seonghwa could only watch with his lips sucked in to prevent bursting out into a fit of laughter.

"You're giving me a headache, jeez. Let's just have cake." Jongho exasperated, hand clutching his head to indicate a headache. He was just excited for cake.

"You're always hungry." Wooyoung rolled his eyes sassily.

"Because I'm a healthy boy with a healthy relationship with food." Jongho retorted easily.

San wanted to disappear into the couch cushions. "I'll cut the cake, ok. Now stop fighting, and let's get along well with Seonghwa Hyung." The dimpled man sprang from the sofa and took the basket; a crease formed between his brows.

"I'd appreciate a large slice." Jongho added, arms resting behind his back as if he were some saint.

"Just watch me give you the smallest slice." The dimpled man grinned like a thief about to get away with robbery.

Jongho shot him a glare, but San had already left, so he chased after him. The mother could only stare, not sure whether to laugh or cry.

Turning his gaze back towards the two omegas, Seonghwa noticed that Yeosang had magically gravitated towards Wooyoung. They were both held hostage by the little baby who tried grabbing their hands.

This truly was the acceptance Seonghwa prayed for every day... the love he never had...

ㅤ
"You really outdid yourself, Hyung." Jongho praised him after devouring the cake like a bear. Seonghwa loved that he could satisfy his taste buds.

"True that." Wooyoung added as he lay limp on the sofa, head draped on San's shoulder. "The baby really loved it." He gave his stomach a little pat to enforce that point.

San and Yeosang laughed in sync.

"I'm happy you all enjoyed it. I put in a lot of effort to please you." Seonghwa responded with a serene air flowing out of him. The nerves were eaten by hungry caterpillars, leaving behind those familiar butterflies he learnt to embrace.

The day was filled with so much joy, it managed to pacify an ache within him that always left him feeling void. Just enjoying the company of others had a deep everlasting mark on him that not even a mating mark could fulfil.

"Being here is enough to please us." Wooyoung spoke up, resting a hand on the mother's thigh—who was feeding his baby—to show him the sincerity behind each word he spoke.

It made him gulp, feeling the emotions trapped within his throat almost painfully.

Don't be a baby, Seonghwa... they're just being nice. They're just being nice... Please don't cry... You don't need to cry anymore...

Biting his lip, Seonghwa couldn't contain the way his heart clenched at those words.

"You don't need to say that..."

"What do you mean?" Wooyoung asked curiously.

"I just... I... I don't..." There it was... a whimper. The first sign of vulnerability began to slip through his façade.

He felt the waterworks immediately, and he barely had the strength to hold it back, but Wooyoung didn't question it, nor did the rest.

Soon he felt arms wrapping around him, and he cried for the first time since Haneul was conceived.

Chapter Text

✩°𓏲⋆🤎. ⋆⸜ 🐣✮˚🌾ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

This is the overall aesthetic of the story, I guess. You've all already seen it; it's pretty generic, but I like it.

₊ ⊹🧸✧ ˚.🍼٠࣪⭑ ᵎᵎ 🌻 ‧₊

This is Haneul's room (I worked really hard on this; you'll never understand the torture ʕಥ‿ಥʔ like it was so much effort), but I love it anyways~

ᥫ᭡.🍥⋆🐇་༘🌷.ೃ࿔

This is Seonghwa's house. I... may have gone a little overboard with pink ʕ  •̯́ ₃ •̯̀ʔ but I couldn't help myself! I'm just a girl 💅🎀

‧₊˚ ⛲️ ‧₊𓏲 ๋🪺 ࣪ ˖🎐

This is Hongjoong's house. I honestly just realised that all their houses are so fancy-looking. Well, as a person who used to live in a village, the houses can be pretty fancy, and if the population were a little bigger, it could've passed for a small town.

𐙚🥥⭑.ᐟ🍂⊹ ࣪ ˖💛⋆˚꩜｡

This is Woosan's house, as you may have seen in the last chapter. I am honestly in love with this, like LITERALLY! It's such a cosy home; I want to live here~

౨ৎ🕯𖧷₊˚🐚˖✧˚🦢ᝰ.ᐟ

This is Jongsang's house. It has a cleaner edge to it, I suppose. But I do enjoy how cosy it is, more modern in a way, and the outside seating ʕ ∩´͈ ᐜ `͈∩ʔ My gosh, I am obsessed!

༘⋆🐬ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִִֶֶָ🪸⋆.˚🧊‪‪<𝟑 .ᐟ

They haven't been introduced yet, but this is Yungi's house. Very coastal (they live on the beach, ofc). I still haven't thought of how I'd introduce them yet, but I am planning a beach chapter next, so... maybe ʕ๑>◡<๑ʔ

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

‧₊˚ ☁️⋆.ೃ🌷࿔*:･

Seonghwa's aesthetic.

. ݁₊ ⊹ ☕˙ . ꒷🍪. 𖦹˙—

Hongjoong's aesthetic.

𖦹 ׂ 𓈒🤍 ೀ🐬˚⋆

Haneul's aesthetic.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖🧺𐙚🐶 ₊ ⊹

Heck, even the dogs have an aesthetic.

‧₊˚🥨꒷꒦🌥️˚꒱

Lastly, Ainstine (This moodboard is sorta old but it still fits in a way).

Chapter Text

The salty ocean breeze caressed his face like a lover in the early morning. The sharp scent wasn't bothersome, more like an accomplishment. It was beachtime.

Draconis Cove was known for its brilliance that brought in a mass of tourists. The beach held legends about mermaids and all sorts of things. Seonghwa never took that into account. Hardly ever came to this beach as a child because the harbour was much more fun. Kerriling Harbour would forever hold a piece of his heart even if he no longer had a reason to go there anymore. But he didn't need a reason now. He wasn't 6 anymore.

Hongjoong parked his pickup truck in the small parking area on the beach.

"Ok, we're here." The alpha turned to him with a small smile grazing his face.

Wooyoung had snitched to Hongjoong about what happened the other day. As embarrassing as it was, Hongjoong trod around the situation lightly, making sure he was truly ok, and somehow they planned an outing together.

So here they were, all because Seonghwa cried a little bit. He felt embarrassed now that Hongjoong knew about that incident, but he couldn't change the past, unfortunately.

Averting his gaze, Seonghwa glanced outside at the scenery. The ocean looked so peaceful, glittering and gleaming under the sun's radiance.

"I haven't been to the beach in ages. I forgot how breathtaking it was." He adjusted the baby in his strap as he reached for the door.

"Well... if I'm being completely honest, me too." Hongjoong admitted as he got out and helped the dogs out from the back of the truck. "Before you came, I had been too deep in work. Yes, I know it's not healthy, but I'm a perfectionist, ok." The alpha didn't bother to put leashes on the dogs. They didn't need it since they were familiar with the entire village by now, so they could run around and still come back to their owner.

The mother let out a mock exasperated sigh. "You have such a beautiful village here, and all you do is focus on work? Hongjoong-ah, please, for my sake, go out more. Or better yet, go out with me..." A blush immediately spread across his cheeks. That came out wrong! "I-I... not like that! I worded it wrong; you know what I mean."

His chest felt too hot to tame.

The alpha met his gaze, mildly stunned as he took out his beach bag. A faint, barely noticeable blush crept up his cheeks. He was caught off guard there. "Oh, I mean, yeah, that's... that's what I thought. I didn't think of it any other way. What other way could it possibly be?" He chuckled awkwardly, scratching his nape as he locked the truck—simply to distract himself.

The mother wanted to combust, but for his son's sake he laughed it off. "It's silly, I know... anyways, we should find somewhere to set up."

"Yeah, we should. I brought an umbrella so Haneul doesn't need to be in the sun." The alpha pulled out an umbrella alongside the beach bag.

Seonghwa couldn't stop the smile that lit up his face. Bringing an umbrella was a beach essential, but it still warmed his heart at the alpha's consideration towards his baby. He felt like a fa–

Seonghwa stopped himself midway through that thought, mentally berating himself. That was not something he should've been thinking about. Not towards Hongjoong. Loving, silly, borderline idiotic Hongjoong.

Snap out of it, Seonghwa.

"That's perfect; I brought sunscreen and some snacks. I didn't make much since I knew you'd bring some too." Seonghwa adjusted the baby strap around himself so that he could carry things too—already holding a little box in his right arm.

"Appreciate the thought, sweetheart, but this guy's got food settled always." The alpha pointed to himself with his thumb, a cocky smirk painting his face. "And you don't need to worry about anything, Hwa. I am the alpha; I will carry the things, and all you worry about is Haneul and finding the perfect spot." The umbrella was thrown over his shoulder, and the bags were hooked in the bends of his elbows.

Well, suit yourself.

Facing forward, Seonghwa walked down the stairs and onto the beach. Sand entered his sandals immediately, and for once he couldn't get himself to complain. It felt refreshing, like a fresh start.

They began walking around, watching the dogs happily run around on the beach—Bibble dragging Dizzle around.

Once he found the perfect spot, he halted and turned around, meeting a panting Hongjoong behind him. He was not carrying the weight well. It made him chuckle secretly to himself.

Quickly straightening up, Hongjoong glanced at the dogs as if he wasn't just bearing the pain of his own doing.

"This spot is perfect." Seonghwa chuckled as he set down the box he held in his hand and patted the baby's back when he whined because they stopped walking.

"Ok. Yeah, perfect." Hongjoong was relieved. Finally setting their things down and pulling out a blanket from his bag. Seonghwa could see the sweat on his brow, and he was tempted to wipe it away.

Kneeling down, the mother helped to tuck the blanket into the sand so it wouldn't fly away. That simple thing made Hongjoong gawk in awe, as if the thought had never crossed his mind.

"Wow, that works. I didn't think of that." Hongjoong mused as he wiped away some grains of sand on his hands.

"My mother taught me this."

"Does she still live here?"

"Not anymore apparently." Seonghwa took the small box and opened it. "I checked the other day, and the new tenants told me she moved two years ago. I have no way of contacting her again." Despite the nonchalance in his tone, Seonghwa felt a sting in his chest. It's not like he wanted to see her, but she was his mother after all.

The alpha was silent for a moment before he reached out to hold his arm. "I'm sure she's not too far. No one can leave Ainstine completely after all. This place carries a mystique beauty, happy families and… peace. No one leaves Ainstine completely."

"You're one hundred percent correct. I came back after all."

"Yes, you came back."

After their little heart-to-heart, Hongjoong opened the umbrella and stuck it into the sand. It was a big umbrella so they could all get an adequate amount of shade. Seonghwa handed the baby to Hongjoong once he was done so that he could assemble the little rocker for Haneul. Not the over-the-top ones; this one was an easy-to-store-away type, so he gathered the pieces and assembled it with ease. Taking the mattress pieces, he set in his bag—approximately two mattress pieces he folded tightly like a cinnamon roll—and put a blanket over it.

Hongjoong lay down on the blanket with Haneul on his chest, his gaze drawn to the mother as he worked in silence.

Something about the way his arms flexed and the way his hair fell over his eyes captivated Hongjoong. Now that was definitely not something he would tell Seonghwa personally.

Satisfied with his work, Seonghwa set it down on the blanket with a triumphant hum. "I didn't mess it up, thankfully." The mother sighed happily.

"There's no way you'd mess it up. You didn't even need a guidebook."

"That's what I was worried about."

The alpha shook his head fondly at the mother's worries. To him, Seonghwa was the most capable person in the world. Stronger than most, and even if he was pushed down, he always got back up.

That strength held beauty within the hidden crevices of his mind. He knew Seonghwa would never admit it. Maybe he didn't even know it.

"I think it's really good, Seonghwa. You did a good job." Sitting up, the alpha held the baby close, hand unintentionally playing with his toe beans. His little toes were the softest, and they never smelled. Seonghwa refused to let his baby smell like anything but a newborn baby.

The thought made Hongjoong smile widely.

They sat together, eating cake Hongjoong made for today. Strawberry shortcake. Seonghwa's favourite dessert.

"Your cakes are always the best, Hongjoong-ah~" The mother practically moaned in satisfaction. The way the taste danced across his taste buds was like a selfish waltz across the icy grounds of a frozen lake.

"I wouldn't expect anything less. My reputation requires it to be the best of the best."

"I praised you too soon."

"Hey!"

Seonghwa giggled into his palm, trying to keep himself in check before he started blushing like a school girl all over again. Moments like these felt so soft. Everything about it was like a sweet kiss to an aching wound. Hongjoong was his bandage, the only thing stopping the blood from flowing all over the place.

No need to spiral when he had someone who truly cared for him more than what his body could offer.

"Where are the dogs?" Seonghwa asked, taking another spoonful of cake into his mouth.

"I saw them chasing a seagull just a moment ago." The alpha glanced over the beach to see if he could spot the two hyperactive—well, let's be honest, only one was hyper and the other was begrudgingly following along—goldies.

"I think they went to Yunho and Mingi' place." The tone in which he spoke was as if he thought Seonghwa knew these people, which he quickly realised. "They are a couple who live on this beach. Lovely people, truly. Yunho owns a thrift store down by the coast, and Mingi works by the harbour, fixing up boats. They are such wonderful people. I should introduce you to them." A wide smile gradually formed on his face, his straight white teeth on full display.

He has such beautiful teeth...

"I'd love to meet them!" Clapping his hands in joy, the mother couldn't contain the smile that naturally came to him. He was always eager to meet new people if that meant he could delve deeper into the world of his new friends.

Before Hongjoong could say anything in response Haneul sneezed, his whole body jerking forward with the motion and causing him to cry.

Hongjoong snickered quietly to himself. "He started himself." Reaching down, he gently lifted him up from the rocker.

Seonghwa let out a soft breath, shaking his head a little at the absurdity that was so normal to him now. Babies were babies. They processed things differently from adults. It was sweet how innocent they were at this stage.

"Poor thing. That was a big sneeze." Moving closer, the mother placed a gentle hand on his baby's back to soothe his cries. Hongjoong kept his gaze on him as he cradled the baby to his chest, observing the way he naturally gravitated towards him at the sign of distress.

A normal motherly reaction like this shouldn't have been so attractive.

"I'm starting to learn that babies are stupid." Hongjoong announced, earning a small smack on the arm by the surprised mother.

"Hongjoong-ah!"

"I'm not lying, though." He gave a shit-eating grin that secretly sent tingles through Seonghwa's body. In full honesty, there were no lies within his bold statement, but babies were fresh out of the oven. They couldn't possibly understand things immediately after being pushed out into this world after being cooked for nine months inside a human being.

He fretted to himself, pouting as he stared down at his baby. The comment annoyed him just a little bit even though he knew Hongjoong was just pulling his leg to get a reaction out of him. His baby wasn't dumb; he was just small and lacked knowledge that you gain with age.

"It's mean to say that."

"Ok. I apologise for what I said. Babies aren't dumb; they just aren't smart."

Seonghwa wanted to shove his face into the shortcake.

ㅤ
The dogs came running back after Seonghwa set Hanuel back in his rocker. The two goldies were exhausted from their little adventure on the beach, so Hongjoong got their water bowls and poured some water for them to enjoy.

While they drank—aggressively—Seonghwa took the time to apply some sunscreen to his upper body. Over his chest, down his arms, and around his neck and collarbone. It went on smoothly but he soon ran into a problem. He couldn't apply it on his back.

A rush of heat crept up his cheeks as he realised what he had to do now.

"Hongjoong..."

Eyes pierced him immediately. "Yeah? Something you need, Seonghwa?"

"I need help~"

His whine made Hongjoong bubble up with delighted giggles. "I'll be of service to you then." He turned his body in his direction, handing Haneul a rattle to entertain himself with. "What do you need?"

"Can you... apply sunscreen on my back? I can't reach."

A beat of silence ensued, both men turning a dark shade of red.

"Oh... oh yeah. I can help you if you need, yeah... totally ok." Hongjoong stammered like a rapper about to drop a diss track.

Crawling over, Hongjoong grabbed the sunscreen bottle and poured some onto his palm, making a little ice cream drizzle.

"Can you... turn around for me?" His voice was soft, eyes filled with warmth and trepidation.

Seonghwa complied easily, turning his back to him—all while screaming internally. This was just a kind act of service, something done between friends, but this man was an alpha. An alpha! And he was an omega. An omega, for crying out loud!

Calm down. He might smell your distress. Just act like a normal human being who loves and appreciates his friend for doing this for him.

The moment his hand grazed over Seonghwa's sensitive back, he flinched. The cold sensation of the sunscreen on his back startled him for a mere fraction of a second before he registered the small but calloused hand placed firmly on the centre of his back.

An odd sense of desire pooled low in his gut before he smothered it back into the depths of hell where it came from. What was that reaction? Truly disgusting for an omega who just got out of a relationship.

Cursing himself over and over, he failed to notice the way Hongjoong's breath hitched as his hands glided over the broad expanse of his back. The sensations were pleasing: the gentle touch and the hands that lingered but moved way too quickly. No one said it was forbidden to enjoy anothers touch, but Seonghwa couldn't bring himself to enjoy it like that. It wasn't fair to Hongjoong. The man held no romantic feelings for him, so he had to stomach the hard truth.

Stop seeking validation. You got yourself into this mess because you wanted the validation of an alpha.

With that being said, he relaxed into the touch, finally taking hold of his emotions. It wasn't ok to harbour anything other than friendly affection for Hongjoong. This man was too precious to be ruined by an omega like him.

He was someone else's play toy once upon a time. No alpha would want a used omega.

"Your back is surprisingly broad."

That took Seonghwa off guard, derailing his negative train of thoughts and making him laugh. The tension left his body immediately because he forgot one thing. Hongjoong was Hongjoong. Weird and random was his middle name.

"Is that a compliment, or am I supposed to be offended?" Seonghwa enquired, looking back at him over his shoulder with a teasing raise of his eyebrow.

The alpha grinned once more—the mother was learning how much he loved it—massaging the sunscreen into his skin.

"Oh, come on. When would I ever say anything hurtful to you, sweetheart?"

Seonghwa rolled his eyes but couldn't bite back a grin that mirrored Hongjoong's.

"I can list down a few things." He held up a finger—ready to list off a few unsatisfactory events.

"Those weren't real. I'm just a jokester, Hwa." With a grumpy huff, the alpha tickled his sides, making him laugh unexpectedly.

"Hey, don't get handsy with me now. I've got two hands too!" Even with his protests, Hongjoong continued tickling him, leaving some smug comments here and there that had Seonghwa biting at his fingers.

Haneul sat back and watched the two adults play, his little hands curling around the rattle he held close to his chest. For now he didn't know what they were doing; for now he could only observe, but the baby knew enough to just not worry and continue playing with his toy. In simple terms, he got bored of watching the loud adults and entertained himself.

Even the dogs watched them, tails wagging excitedly. Happy barks left their throats as they approached—wanting to play too. Seonghwa laughed as Dizzle nuzzled into his side, her fur tickling him to no end. Bibble got in on the action too, going for Hongjoong instead, which had the alpha dying of laughter.

At the end of the day laughter was the best medicine, and Seonghwa was starting to realise that.

Not everything had to be looked at from a traditional viewpoint. He didn't need to worry about his weird feelings. Part of him knew he liked the alpha in a strange sort of way, but another part knew that he simply wanted this level of affection and understanding that Hongjoong gave him. He knew he gravitated towards him for the things he seeked in an alpha.

He also knew he needed to focus on himself, but... Hongjoong felt special. Made him feel special and safe. Maybe one day. But today he sat on the beach with his baby, ignoring their little noisy game, the two lovely dogs playing along, and Hongjoong, who lovingly reached a hand out to him in an attempt to save him from the dogs relentless game.

This was all he needed to feel content.