"Where are we going appa?" Jongin said as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"We're going to the park with Mr Zhang and his dog Lei." Jongdae said as he buttoned up Jongin's coat.

That seemed to wake Jongin up. "Mr Zhang has a dog!" He bounced up and down with excitement.

Jongdae smiled at his son's antics before moving on to button up Sehun's coat. "Yes he does."

"I like him even more now!"

Jongdae laughed and went to put his coat on. He was in the midst of searching for the keys when he felt a tug on his coat.

He looked down to see Sehun with a frown on his face. "What is it Sehunah?"

"Appa you always say that we shouldn't talk to strangers." he said quietly.

Jongdae kneeled down to Sehun's height. "That's true you shouldn't. Why? Did a stranger come up to you?"

Sehun shook his head. "No but Mr Zhang is a stranger so why are we going to the park with him?"

"Mr Zhang is hardly a stranger Sehun, plus I'll be there with you guys so it's fine."

Sehun chose not to reply.

"Hello Jongin, hello Sehun." Yixing greeted them enthusiastically.

"Oh my gosh that's a poodle, that's a poodle appa!" Jongin said excitedly as he pulled on Jongdae's sleeves.

Jongdae threw his head back and laughed. "Yes it is. Now, let's be polite and greet Mr Zhang properly."

"Hello Mr Zhang!" Jongin said enthusiastically as he bowed. "Can I pet your dog?"

Yixing laughed. "Hello Jongin." He bowed and then handed the leash over to Jongin. "Of course you can."

"Sehunnie." Jongdae prompted but the boy just hid behind his father. "Sehun you're being rude."

Yixing shook his head. "It's ok." He bowed to Sehun. "Hello Sehun, I'm Mr Zhang."

Sehun tentatively peaked out from behind his father. "Why do you have such a girly dog?"

Yixing burst out into laughter at the comment.

"Sehun!" Jongdae scolded.

"It's ok." Yixing reassured him once he had calmed down. "My friend works at an animal shelter so he looks after a lot of strays and he rescues them too. One night he was coming back from work and he rescued a poodle that was freezing to death in the snow. The shelter was closed for the night so he dropped him off at my place. Once we made sure he was healthy and he wasn't a lost dog, I decided to keep him because I was already attached to him. Also there's no such thing as a manly or a girly dog, there's just dogs."

Sehun looked at him sceptically and hid behind his father again.

The duration of their date, Sehun refused to leave Jongdae's side and even started crying if someone so much as mentioned it. Soon Jongdae made a decision to leave their date early as Sehun was being difficult. This however, made Jongin cry as he had gotten attached to Lei and now didn't want to leave the poodle.

"Jongin please," Jongdae begged. "I'll take you to a dog cafe soon, baby stop crying."

Yixing knelt down to help out. "Jongin, I promise that you can play with Lei again the next time we see each other, ok?"

They eventually managed to calm him down and get home in relative peace. Thankfully it was the boys nap time but the time they got home. Jongdae helped change the kids into their pyjamas before tucking them into bed. Jongin fell asleep immediately, he was worn out from playing with the dog and crying. Jongdae chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to his head.

Jongdae was about to give Sehun his kiss when the boy whispered."Appa, I don't like Mr Zhang."

"What?" Jongdae asked in shock.

"I don't like him. I don't want to spend time with him and I don't want you to spend time with him." he said stubbornly.

Jongdae's face fell. His children were his everything, if Sehun didn't like Yixing it meant that Yixing wasn't the one. He really liked Yixing but if his kids didn't, he'd have to break things off.

"Ok Sehun, we won't be seeing anymore of Mr Zhang." He pressed a soft kiss to Sehun's forehead before leaving.

"Minseok hyung." Jongdae hiccupped over the phone.

"Jongdae, what's wrong?" Minseok asked in panic.

"Can you come over please?"

Minseok was at work and he really shouldn't leave in the middle of the day but he could hear his brother's desperation. "I'll be there in 30 minutes."

He left the office, mumbling something about a family emergency, and drove as fast as legally possible to Jongdae's house. He walked in using the spare key, they all had spare keys in case of emergency, and saw Jongdae crying in the living room hugging a half empty bottle of wine.

"No Jongdae." Minseok said as he prised the bottle away from him. "I am not going to let you become one of those parents that drink in the day."

"It's the afternoon." Jongdae slurred.

"You're a father responsible for 2 kids, you are not a teenager anymore." Minseok said sternly.

"I know but I'm sad hyung." Jongdae pouted at him with watery eyes.

Minseok sighed. "Why are you sad?"

"Because I have to break up with Yixing." Jongdae said before wailing into Minseok's suit.

Minseok winced at the thought of the dry cleaning bill. "Why are you breaking up with Yixing? I thought things were going well between you two."

"It was but Sehun doesn't like him." He said in between sobs.

"Why?"

"I don't know. But if Sehun doesn't like him then I can't either. I want my kids and my partner to get along, you know. But they don't so breaking up with Yixing is the only option. I mean Jongin likes him but I don't know. My kids will always come first hyung, always."

"Have you tried talking to Sehun about it? You know he just needs time to get used to new people."

"No but-"

"No buts. God you're so stupid." Minseok scolded. "You're scared of what this relationship could become so you're taking the easy way out so you don't have to get hurt and you're blaming this on Sehun." Jongdae stared at him with rounded eyes, feeling firmly chastised. "Tell me you haven't told Yixing yet?"

"I haven't."

"Good. I'll talk to Sehun and make him understand, you get some sleep. Hangover soup and painkillers will be here when you wake up."

"Thanks Minseok hyung, you're the best, I love you." He said as he made his way to bed.

"Flipping punk." Minseok mumbled as he made his way to the kitchen. "Drinking alcohol like he's some sort of goddamn teen. Irresponsible mother-"

"Uncle Minnie." Minseok jumped and turned around to find Sehun standing at the doorway to the kitchen, clutching his teddy bear Pinku Pinku.

"Oh hey Sehunnie." Minseok said casually. "I thought you were sleeping, isn't it your nap time?"

"I woke up because I thought I heard appa crying." Sehun bit his bottom lip. "Was he crying because of me?"

"No he was crying because he's an idiot." Minseok walked over to Sehun and then knelt down to his height. "Sehun, do you dislike Mr Zhang because he's spending time with your appa?" Sehun turned his head away and looked pointedly at the floor. "Sehun."

Sehun grudgingly nodded. "I want appa to all his spend time with us!"

"Hunnie, your appa loves you guys more than Jongin loves chicken or you love Pinku Pinku." Sehun gasped. "Yeah you loves you kids that much. But your appa also needs someone else to love him too."

"We do love him!" Sehun stomped his foot to emphasis his love.

"I know but he needs someone his age. You know how your uncle Joonmyun has uncle Minho, and you know how happy they are together?" Sehun nodded. "Don't you want your appa to be happy like that with someone too?" Sehun nodded hesitantly. "And is Mr Zhang really that bad of a guy?"

"No." he said in defeat.

"So why don't you give him another chance? Ok?"

"Ok."

"Good." Minseok smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "Make sure to tell your appa that when he wake up." Sehun nodded. "Now, do you want to help me cook?"

An hour and a half later, Jongdae walked into the kitchen rubbing his head.

"I'm surprised you're awake." Minseok shouted.

Jongdae flinched and whacked his arm. "I have 2 kids to take care of. Plus I only had a glass or two, that bottle was already opened ages ago."

Sehun came up to him and hugged his legs. "Appa I helped make the soup."

Jongdae smiled down at his son. "Did you? I'm sure it's going to be delicious then."

"Also." Sehun fidgeted on the spot. "I don't mind giving Mr Zhang another try. I'll much more friendlier and polite next time, I promise. I just want you to be happy appa."

Jongdae teared up at how mature his son was being. He bent down to pick up Sehun and hug him close to his chest. "Thank you Hunnie. I love you so much."

"I love you too appa."