Chapter Text
James Chao was only 18 years old when he discovered he was pregnant with twins.
He was one of those omegas who seemed to carry music in his very being. He was always dancing through the university hallways, humming softly while organizing his materials, or making his friends laugh with an unexpected joke. He had a lighthearted outlook on life and dreamed of becoming a renowned dancer, performing on the country's biggest stages. Those who knew him said it was impossible to spend a day by his side without smiling at least once.
That same quality had charmed the alpha he’d dated since he was fifteen; yet, it didn't stop that alpha from vanishing within minutes of learning about the pregnancy, no explanation, he simply disappeared off the face of the earth, leaving the omega to fend for himself.
James called dozens of times.
His messages went unanswered.
When he tried going to the alpha's apartment, he discovered he had already moved out.
There was no wedding, not even a proposal or an engagement; and luckily for him, there was no permanent bonding mark, otherwise, the situation would have been even more painful than it already was. There were only broken promises and a silence that forced James to grow up faster than he had expected.
He wasn't weak, not by a long shot.
He had the support of his parents, who wanted to strangle that moronic alpha more than criticize their son; they had always been there for him, and now they were there for the grandchildren to come.
He gave it his all. First, he made a point of continuing his studies at the dance college he had dreamed of attending, managing to complete a full term. He attended every class despite the nausea, dizziness, ravenous hunger, and constant need to use the restroom; he pushed himself as far as he could, supported by classmates and professors who were fond of him.
James cried often during the pregnancy. He felt fear and missed the life he had planned, and there were nights when he simply didn't know how he would make it all work. Even so, every morning he got out of bed, made coffee, grabbed his backpack, and headed to the university. Not because it was easy, but because two lives were now depending on him.
When his belly grew too big for him to perform the dance moves that had once come easily, he had to do something heartbreaking, but he would do anything for his children. On the day James went to put his enrollment on hold, his classmates cried as they said goodbye, and even some professors were saddened; yet, he promised he would return, even if he couldn't finish the program and graduate alongside them.
Everyone arranged a farewell gathering for him, but when he arrived at the venue, he found a surprise baby shower waiting for him. Tears welled up in his eyes as he entered the room and saw the array of gifts, diapers, toys, and more. He cherished the atmosphere and was overjoyed to be surrounded by such affection; it made the burden of his situation feel a little lighter and motivated him to keep doing his best.
He truly enjoyed the party; he allowed himself to be the James he had always been over the years, whether in school or college, he remained that radiant beam of sunshine that captivated everyone around him.
At the end of the party, a teacher, James’s favorite, who had often remarked on his talent, approached and held out a box. James opened it to find two pairs of tiny white crocheted booties, each featuring a musical note symbol on the side. Tears welled up in his eyes as he heard his teacher speak:
“They might choose a different path, but I hope that when they grow up, they know their father never stopped dreaming. And I hope that one day you’ll come back, too; your genius deserves to be seen, the world still deserves to watch you dance.” The gray-haired man smiled warmly at the young man and then gave him a tight hug.
The teacher lingered for a few moments, watching James clutch the small box to his chest as if holding his own future.
That night, before going to sleep, the omega placed the two pairs of white booties on the dresser next to the newly assembled crib.
He ran his fingers over the tiny musical notes stitched into the crochet and smiled through his tears.
“I promise I’ll come back…” he whispered to himself, not knowing when that day might arrive.
In that moment, however, there was a dream that had to wait so that two others could begin.
And for the first time, James realized he didn’t regret that choice for even a second, because from then on, his entire life would fit within two tiny hearts.
Four years later…
“Keonho! Seonghyeon! If you two keep running around the house, you’re going to arrive at school with absolutely no energy left for your first day of class!” James called out, glancing through the rooms in search of the pair.
Two childish laughs echoed through the house before a couple of little hurricanes tore down the hallway in opposite directions, moving at a speed James envied, as he certainly wouldn't have that kind of velocity or energy at this hour of the morning. James simply sighed, running a hand through his now-short blonde hair and adjusting his glasses; he was balancing two lunchboxes, two water bottles, and two tiny backpacks on the kitchen counter.
"I swear, you two wake up with the mission to test omma's patience today..." James said, leaning against the counter and waiting for the children to stop. He didn't have the energy to chase after two high-spirited kids who would dart in different directions whenever they were about to be caught, a trick that had fooled him plenty of times before.
“That’s not true!” Keonho replied indignantly, stopping mid-run and appearing in the kitchen to face James. He crossed his arms and stared; those large, dark, jabuticaba-like eyes were fixed intently on James, who couldn't bring himself to scold the boy—he could only smile at just how adorable his son was.
“It’s a little bit true… But only a little bit,” Seonghyeon murmured behind his brother as he adjusted his shoe. Surprisingly, Seonghyeon was the calmer one and the easiest to catch; was he as fast as Keonho? Yes, but he’d feel sorry for the chaser and stop, so he was the more easygoing of the two. With his brown eyes, he looked more like the omega.
It took James a few seconds to stifle a laugh; then, he set the children's things on the counter and walked over to the table, where the breakfast he’d prepared for the little ones was waiting. He pulled out the two chairs, fitted with custom booster seats so the kids could reach the table, and tapped lightly on the wood.
“Let’s eat; made your favorite pancakes.” James beamed as both children came running to his side, excited about the food. First, he seated Keonho in the chair featuring a shark print—a design the boy had chosen himself, then placed Seonghyeon in the chair decorated with açaí berries. Yes, açaí; James hadn't even tried to question it, simply giving them what they wanted.
“Pancakes with crispy edges, butter, and honey for Sean,” James said, handing the plate to his calmer son, who smiled and gave a quick nod of thanks. “Perfectly cooked pancakes with Nutella for Keo.” James handed the other plate to his second son, who did the same as his brother, offering thanks before both boys fell quiet to focus on eating.
James sat across from them, eating his own pancakes, which, ironically, were nothing like his sons’. He preferred his pancakes a bit softer, served with fruit like strawberries or blackberries. He watched his children with a wide smile; he was happy with the three of them together.
Four years ago, he had believed he would never laugh like that again. Now... he couldn't imagine a silent morning in that house; every day, he heard laughter echoing through the rooms. He couldn't picture his life without two tiny alphas who were always up to some mischief. Perhaps he hadn't returned to the stage yet. Perhaps college was still on hold.
But whenever he saw those two smiling at him, he had the strange feeling that life had found a new way to make him dance, in a more chaotic fashion, certainly, but he couldn't complain about it at all.
“Omma, we’re done!” the two children said in unison, raising their hands. It snapped James out of his thoughts; he finished his own breakfast and briefly smoothed down his hair with his hands.
“Did you eat without making a huge mess? That makes Omma proud, you might even deserve a treat after school.” James smiled as he lifted each of them from their chairs. He grabbed the cloth he always kept on the table for mealtimes and wiped their small hands clean; this time, they’d only gotten their hands dirty, a major victory.
“Can’t you give it to us now? I want my treat!” Keonho pouted, gazing up at him with pleading, dark, round eyes.
“I want one too.” Seonghyeon glanced at his brother, then turned to James and made the same face.
“You two are terrible.” James laughed, looking at the children as they tried to win him over by playing the cute card. He reached out to fix their hair, smoothing down the stray strands that insisted on staying messy no matter how often he combed them. “Great strategy, but the treat is on the way to school, so Omma doesn't have it with him right now.”
“But you can't forget, okay, Omma? You have to pinky-swear!” Keonho was already waving his pinky finger in the air before James could even answer; Seonghyeon watched his brother and followed suit, raising his own pinky.
“Yes, little ones, Omma pinky-swears.” James stifled a laugh as he looked at their serious expressions; he then crouched down to their eye level and hooked his pinky fingers with theirs, leaving the children looking completely satisfied.
James stood up and checked for the third time that both backpacks were zipped, lunchboxes packed, and water bottles filled with ice-cold water; he straightened Keonho’s crooked beanie, wiped a smudge of honey from the corner of Seonghyeon’s mouth, and held out his hands.
“Ready?” James asked after opening the door and waiting for the twins to step out; once they were outside, he locked the door and reached out to his sons.
“Ready!” They both grabbed his hands at the same time, one on each side.
James smiled.
Perhaps life had turned out completely different from what he had imagined at eighteen. Perhaps it still hurt to look at the dream he had put on hold. But as he walked between the two boys toward their first day of school, he realized that some dreams simply change shape.
And, unbeknownst to any of the three, that would be the first day of a story that would change their lives forever. It would also mark the beginning of a new chapter, for somewhere in the city, someone was starting an ordinary morning, never imagining that their paths were about to cross.