Their friendship was easy. Dating was easy. Proposing proved to be an anxious nightmare, and marriage was a bit stressful, but they've had years of practice since then and have settled into familiar, comfortable routines. Lu Han and Jongin agree that it's time for the Next Big Step together.

"I know you've had experience..."

Jongin snorts and sidesteps a lady pushing a stroller down the sidewalk. The baby returns Jongin's wave before shyly slouching in her seat.

Lu Han keeps talking while trying to keep Jongin on track. "But that was when you were single and just a student. Now, you have classes and work and practice—"

"And you," Jongin interrupts with a crooked smile that earns him a pinch to his side.

"This is a huge responsibility!"

"You sound like my mom." Feels like it, too. He rubs his sore side with a grimace.

"At least one of us does! It's not all fun and games, Jongin." He doesn't usually nag, but this is a huge decision, and he doesn't want to rush into it just to realise they're not ready.

"I know! I know, but none of our plants have died, yet, and we agreed that this would be the next step." He grins while they wait at a crosswalk and squeezes Lu Han's hand. "Plus, I have you, Han, so I feel confident I can handle anything." He kisses Lu Han's cheek as they start walking again.

Lu Han grins at his feet and shakes his head, opening the corner store door for Jongin and following him into the cool air conditioning. Immediately, their ears are assaulted by excited and curious yipping, puppies falling over themselves to stand on hind legs and try and see over the barriers keeping them off the main floor.

A shop employee smiles at them and says to just holler if they need anything, returning to the glamourous task of cleaning up puppy pen messes.

Jongin kneels beside a pen of wriggling puppies, already halfway in love with a caramel-coloured poodle by the time Lu Han crouches down beside him and is enthusiastically greeted by wet kisses and Jongin's enamoured smile, and they both know their family's going to get bigger.