One Year Later

“Please Minnie, have pity on your poor father. Please go to the hospital this time,” Yunho wraps his right arm around his heavily pregnant daughter-in-law who continues to empty out the bag and put the items back in the drawer. Jinki wordlessly takes them out again and arranges them neatly in the same bag. Jaejoong paces around the room pulling his own hair in frustration. Changmin plays with Junsu on the bed, uncaring of the drama around them both.

Minjung shakes her head firmly in denial, “No, Papa Yun. I don’t want to waste Jinki’s training. He makes a good midwife.”

Jaejoong stops pacing and back hugs his daughter, “Baby, please. Just once let us enjoy the birth of our grandchild. I don’t want to boil water and clean up the blood. Oh god! Not again please! We just got a new couch last year.”

Minjung pats his hands and talks to him as if to her three-year-old son, “Dad, come on, be a sweetheart. I will deliver in the bedroom this time. You can have coffee with Papa Yun in the living room. Bed is all ready, this time. Not much mess for clean-up. No furniture will need to be thrown out. You can do it. You are my brave dad. What’s one more home birth for you? It will be a piece of cake. Ask Jinki.”

Jaejoong shakes his head in silent refusal. Jinki throws his father-in-law a defeated look with sagging shoulders. He takes the bag away from his wife and quickly puts away her belongings in the dresser drawers. The items for the new baby are left in the bag. Then he sits down on the bed and gently pulls Minjung to sit beside him.

“Have you called Gwiboon?” Jinki asks and at her nod, he fires the next question, “What about Tae?”

Minjung nods and clarifies, “Both said they are only a few minutes away. They will be arriving any time now. Jongin’s parents are also coming. They want to see their grandson as soon as possible. Jongin said they can’t wait till the baby goes home with Tae and him after a few days.”

Jinki nods his understanding and kisses her forehead, “Thank you, love, for this precious gift to Tae. I know it’s not easy for you.”

Minjung touches her head to his and smiles, “It’s for Tae. Our baby will be in good hands. So what if we will be uncle and aunt instead of father and mother. We already have two beautiful boys.” She pecks Jinki on his cheek and grins, “I want a girl next and Tae can’t have her. She will be ours.”

Yunho and Jaejoong groan in unison. They pick up Changmin and Junsu before making their way to the kitchen to put water for boiling and gather towels along with clean sheets. Doorbell rings but no one bothers to attend to it. Gwiboon and Jonghyun enter with their parents in tow. Hee and Eunha take over the kitchen and herd all men into the living room. Gwiboon carefully climbs up the stairs and Eunha’s loud advice follows her, “Be careful, Gwiboonie. Don’t forget you are five months pregnant yourself.”

Gwiboon waves dismissively, but Jonghyun assures his mother, “Don’t worry mom, I will take care of her.”

Hee negates his declaration, “You won’t, dino boy. Eunha and I are here this time. You men wait downstairs.”

“Lady Hee, my son is very handsome. Don’t keep calling him dino boy. Remember you will soon be grandmother of dino grandbabies,” Donghae speaks in his son’s defence.

Siwon looks at his childhood friend and punches his shoulder, “How could your son give Gwiboonie twins? Hee had such difficult time during delivery. Twins!” He shakes his head in an attempt to put out all negative thoughts.

Ringing of the doorbell announces the arrival of Taemin and Jongin. Jaejoong and Yunho welcome Jongin’s parents and make them comfortable in the living room. Jaejoong goes to the kitchen and quickly serves tea and coffee to everyone with some light eatables. Then he helps the ladies by carrying the hot water up the stairs to Minjung’s room. Hee and Eunha immediately start hovering over Gwiboon. When Gwiboon asks for a pair of gloves, Hee immediately takes off her kitchen gloves and offers them to her. Gwiboon throws them back at her and Jinki searches for them in her medical bag and hands them to the irritated doctor. Jaejoong smiles and leaves the room. He finds Taemin and Jongin pacing outside the room. He pats their shoulders, goes down to the living room and sends Jonghyun upstairs to assist his wife.

Jonghyun opens the bedroom door to find his wife scowling at her mother and denunciating her help, “You are absolutely useless as my assistant. Where is Jonghyun? I need him, not you both. He knows what I need at this time. He long ago learned the contents of my medical bag. If you want to help me, please go and boil two more pots of water. One is not enough.”

Hee and Eunha quietly nod and scurry downstairs to heat more water. Jaejoong simply raises a brow at their actions but remains silent. He understands Gwiboon’s diplomacy in getting rid of her mother and mother-in-law without offending either of them. She had never asked for more than one pot of hot water before. He invites the ladies to join Jongin’s mother in the living room, while the water heats up.

About five minutes later Jonghyun comes out of the bedroom to present their new son to Taemin and Jongin. He asks his mother and mother-in-law to come up. Through the slightly open door, he sees Jinki carry Minjung into the bathroom and smiles. They really had this home delivery routine all set up. Gwiboon comes out of the room with a huge grin gracing her face. She motions towards the room to Jaejoong who has followed Hee and Eunha. Jaejoong nods and takes the two ladies for clean-up duty. Gwiboon takes Tae and Jongin into the children’s bathroom to wash up their son. Jonghyun follows them.

Jongin’s parents, Yunho, Donghae and Siwon sensibly decide to wait in the living room. Yunho tells them to stay put as the ones upstairs know exactly what they are doing and their presence will only be a hindrance. He is right as they have to wait for no more than ten minutes when the radiant new fathers present the baby to Jongin’s parents. Yunho smiles at Taemin in understanding when he gives his father an apologetic look. He bounces Junsu on his knees.

Changmin has no such compunctions and approaches the new grandparents. He looks at the new baby and tilts his head to one side before throwing his question, “What will you call him?”

Jongin’s father who is holding the newborn looks at his wife. She touches her finger tip to baby’s rosy lips as he stares at her trying to focus his eyes. With her eyes tearing up, she clears before whispering, “We will call him Sehun.”

“Will Sehun go home with you?” Changmin is more curious.

“He will, but not today.” Jongin’s mother looks at Changmin and smiles at him. “Do you want to hold him?” When he nods, she takes his hands and puts them under her husband’s arms. Jongin’s father leans forward making it appear to the little boy as if he is holding his newest brother.

Changmin beams happily at both of them, “He is so cute. As pretty as Susu.”

Taemin and Jongin stand behind the couch, with their arms around each other, too emotional to say anything. They cannot stop gazing at their son. When they can’t hold back their tears, they embrace each other tightly in silent support. Yunho gives Junsu to Donghae and goes to calm down his son and son-in-law. Siwon gets a bottle of champagne and glasses. When everyone except Jinki and Minjung gather in the living room, Siwon opens the champagne and they have a small celebration.

In their bedroom, Jinki is hugging Minjung and rubbing her back. He rocks her gently for a few minutes before kissing her hair and whispering, “We’ll be okay, love. We’ll see him daily at dinner time. Don’t forget neither Tae nor Jongin can cook and they still have dinner with us. We will get to spend some time with the baby.”

Minjung nods and buries her face deeper into Jinki’s neck, “Yes, we will be alright. They are wonderful uncles and they will be good fathers to the baby. I don’t want to be sad. I don’t even know why I am sad. I am sorry.”

“He was a part of your body for nine months. Don’t apologize for your feelings. I will miss him too. It’s okay, we will miss him together,” Jinki tries to hide his tears from her.

“Yes, that’s it. I am missing him already. And, I saw him only for a few minutes. How will I let go off him after three days?” Minjung whimpers.

“Don’t, baby, please don’t. Do you want me to tell them they cannot have him? We can help them adopt another baby,” Jinki holds her tighter to him.

Minjung shakes her head and chokes out, “No! I will be strong. We promised them. We cannot break their hearts by refusing now. Just do me a favor.”

“Anything, baby, anything. I will do anything to make you smile again,” Jinki is certain he will even get her the stars from the sky if she asks for them.

Minjung breathes in deeply and exhales sadly, “Can they take him with them today? Taemin knows how to care for newborns. He helped with Ming and Sui.” Her tears fall unbidden, to wet Jinki’s neck and soak into his shirt’s collar.

Jinki silently nods and rocks her more. He doesn’t know who is consoling whom now. Both are hurting too much to care. Faint sounds of celebrations reach them, making their hearts clench even more at their inability to share their family’s joy. “We will ask Dad and Papa Jae to go with them to help.”

Minjung sniffles loudly, “Yes, we will take care of Ming and Sui.”

Jinki hums in agreement then lifts Minjung’s head from his neck and places a soft kiss on her lips. Minjung clings to him tightly and deepens the kiss, seeking comfort, their tears mingling together. Jinki kisses her for a long time before parting their lips and placing kisses all over her face. He promises her before kissing her again, “We will be alright love. We will be best uncle and aunt in the world.”

Minjung closes her eyes and repeats his words to comfort him.