*

Jeonghan was anxiously drumming his fingers on his lap, eyes focused on the two mothers who were busy singing their hearts out to the tune of a popular old song from their time, but his mind was not really with them. His mind was filled with so much thoughts and wary it was hard for him to relax.

Well, who wouldn’t be?

He and his husband were surprised when one of the mothers challenged them into a ‘duet competition’ wherein he and Seungcheol were teamed up against the two.

It’s not that he did not have any confidence in his husband, but rather, he had no confidence in himself. He knew his voice was not that bad, but it was not that good either. In other words, he’s just an average singer. And compared to Seungcheol and the mothers, his ‘average’ singing skills were nothing against their superb singing skills.

And why was he that nervous, if you may ask?

Well, it was not just a simple challenge, because the mothers made sure they’d take it seriously so they placed a bet.

If they win, the mothers would cut their stay for only a night instead of two, thus giving them more privacy. While on the other hand, if the mothers win, Seungcheol had to piggyback ride him all throughout the house. And that added more to his worry. And guilt.

Because in his mind, he so desperately wanted to lose the challenge, because he had to admit that the prize was really tempting. The moment he heard about the catch, he had already imagined himself positioned at the back of Seungcheol while wrapping his arms on his neck, bodies too close while exchanging body heat. And who knows if…  

He blushed.

Was he being a ert? It’s not like he was desperate for the skinship, anyway. It’s just that… he was already offered a chance to be closer with Seungcheol, and who in their right minds would let that pass? Not him, definitely! So imagine the burden he was feeling at that moment. He was torn between wanting to win because it’s a challenge and he wanted to impress Seungcheol, but a larger part of him (like, 99.99 percent of him) just wanted to lose because the punishment was much more tempting than the winning prize. It also didn’t help the way their mothers look at them as if saying ‘See this? You can’t beat us!’ while singing. They were a great duo, honest.

And Seungcheol was just a few centimeters away from him, all relaxed and confident and calm unlike him.

He bit his lip and lowered his head unconsciously.

“Hey, we can beat them. Don’t be anxious because you have to trust me, like I trust you, alright?”

Jeonghan flinched when he felt Seungcheol’s hand wrap around his, gently massaging his palm with his thumb in soothing circles in an attempt to make him feel relaxed.

Was he that obvious? But Seungcheol got it wrong—he actually did not want to beat the mothers, anyway. He had another agenda.

He lifted his gaze and met Seungcheol’s eyes. “Y-You trust me?” As in really, really, really trust me?

Seungcheol chuckled. “Of course! Your mom has an amazing voice, it’s not hard to guess you also have the same,” he said with cocked eyebrows.

Jeonghan did not know why but he was unhappy with his answer.

“Hey, it’s your turn now. Beat our score or lose, our little babies!” Upon hearing one of the mother’s voice, Seungcheol immediately released his hand and they both turned towards the TV screen.

Flashing in the screen was a big and bright ‘93’, and the butterflies inside Jeonghan’s stomach went havoc. The confident smiles on the oldies’ lips added more pressure to what Jeonghan was feeling.

Should he… or should he not?

If he were to write an essay about what he was currently feeling, the paper would surely just be filled with erasures and punctuation marks and ugly scratching(s). Why, he just did not know what to do anymore!

“Nice try, mom,” Seungcheol spoke with a smirk. He finally stood up and offered him a hand in which he reluctantly accepted and finally stood up. The moment his hand touched his, it was as if all the hesitations and worries in his system all flew away; the warmth his hand emitted and the confidence in his eyes were all enough for him to finally calm down and function properly.

With a smile, he stared at his husband who surprisingly smiled back at him, his cute gums and dimples showing. He felt butterflies in his stomach. But because of that, he finally know what to do. He had decided.

Seconds later, an old, romantic music finally filled the room.

Ready? Seungcheol mouthed and Jeonghan nodded his head, face filled with confidence and determination while tightly holding the microphone, eyes focused on the TV screen.

***

“Hah, we already told you to prepare your feelings—”

“—and also Seungcheol’s back.”

“Yes, because he’s going to give our Jeonghannie the sweetest piggyback ride all throughout the house!”

Seungcheol’s lips curled into an amused smile. Were they really this childish, more childish than their sons who were a lot younger? That day really was a surprising day for discovering new things about their moms, especially his mom. He never knew she was capable of being that way, forgetting her poise and all just to be a diva.

Bemused, he turned his way towards the long-haired male who was quietly sitting beside him.

He was expecting for him to look all guilty and such, with his personality it was not hard to guess it’s what he would feel, but he was more than surprised to find out he seemed to be so… calm? If you can call smiling to himself calm, that’s it.

Jeonghan’s aura was somewhat off for someone who had just lost a bet, for someone who was so worried and anxious before the bet began. He also seemed to be lost in his own world, ignoring his mother who was initiating a conversation until she gave him a weird look and finally gave up and just chatted with Seungcheol’s mom instead when she got no reaction from her own son.

Something’s not right here.

Seungcheol scrunched his nose and scooted closer to Jeonghan, tapping his leg lightly to get his attention. Jeonghan looked up to him in surprise. “Hey, out of all the people who lost, it’s just you who looks so calm and happy. I wonder why?” he managed to ask, stifling the urge to smirk when Jeonghan’s plump lips formed a tiny ‘O’ and he suddenly looked alarmed.

The playfulness in Seungcheol arose more when Jeonghan’s face gradually turned pink, and the suspicion in his mind got bigger. Aha! “Well...?”

“W-What are you saying? Of course I am sad that we l-lost!” Jeonghan stuttered with a defensive expression on his face., his eyes were looking at everywhere but him.

His eyebrow raised. “Really? I just saw you smiling to yourself a while ago, as if you were imag