“Mommy make me look pretty like a princess!”

Minjung looked down at her adorable toddler, heart heavy in her chest at the hopeful look on Eunsook’s upturned face. Her Frozen tiara was perched precariously on top of her head, the matching lipstick and eye shadow clutched in her chubby hands.

Leaning down so they were at the same level, Minjung Eunsook’s bright, smiling face kissing her on both cheeks before giving the girl a small smile and a tentative nod.

Eunsook squealed in delight, rushing to the large island in the middle of the kitchen where she attempted to climb up the tall stool by herself. Minjung hurried over, grasping the toddler under her arms and hoisting her up. Eunsook began chattering excitedly, telling her mother all about the type of princess she wanted to be and each adorable word made Minjung feel like the most horrible mother on earth.

Instead of enjoying this moment with her daughter, Minjung couldn’t help but remember all those fights she had had with her parents about how she should be wearing a dress instead of shorts or playing tea inside instead of running around playing soccer outside. She had never been the girl that society had expected and even though she had eventually learned how to do all of the things demanded of her, she couldn’t help but feel like a bit of her soul was being stripped away every time she complied.

“Mommy, look at this color, isn’t it pretty?” Eunsook asked, eyes eagerly waiting for her mother’s approval. Minjung nodded slowly, the hesitation missed by the eager toddler who started arranging all of her make-up out before her.

Before the two could get started, the familiar sound of the garage door opening made them break out into identical smiles.

“I wonder who that could be,” Minjung mused, raising her eyebrows in question.

“Daddy!” Eunsook giggled, beginning to jump down off of the stool only to be caught by her mother. Minjung set her down gently onto the floor and soon Eunsook was off, tiny legs causing her to wobble cutely down the hallway where she waited impatiently for her father to enter.

“I’m home!” Kibum’s deep voice announced as he opened the door, a surprised laugh reaching Minjung in the kitchen as Eunsook no doubt tackled him.

“I’m in the kitchen!” she called out, moving to meet the pair in the hallway. She leaned against the wall, watching as Kibum cuddled Eunsook close to his chest, the deep love he felt for the little girl making Minjung fall in love with him all over again. Kibum had always been amazing with children, but she couldn’t help but think that he was a perfect father.

Kibum rained kisses on Eunsook’s face, asking about her day and cooing over how cute she was. Blushing, Eunsook hid her face in his neck causing her to mumble out her answers and melting both of their hearts.

“Where’s my kiss?” Minjung whined teasingly. Eunsook’s back to show her that he was still listening, Kibum strode forward, leaning down to kiss Minjung’s cheek before his lips brushed against hers.

“Sorry for the delay,” he winked, a slight twinkle in his eye.

“And here you told me you didn’t have another woman in your life,” she looked pointedly at their daughter who was now squirming to be let down. Kibum set her down onto the floor and Eunsook was off, waddling around them before running back down the hallway to her room, no doubt to grab more princess supplies.

“Nah, I’ve just got the three,” Kibum replied, pulling Minjung to him so he could her protruding belly and kiss her lovingly.

“Daddy, daddy! Mommy’s going to make me a princess!”

The excited words broke them from their kiss, Kibum leaning his head against Minjung’s forehead before turning to look at their daughter.

“My what pretty colors you’ve got there, Sookie.”

Minjung watched happily as Kibum once again picked up Eunsook, cradling her to his chest as he let her explain what kind of princess she wanted to be, “-and I want, I want to be just like Elsa, with powers and ice, and and, glitter!”

Laughing at her enthusiasm, Kibum set the girl down at the island and took the make-up from her chubby hands. Setting it all out before them on the counter, he glanced up to see that Minjung had kept her distance. His eyes squinted the tiniest bit, indicating that he knew just what was up, and she couldn’t help but feel even guiltier.

“Sook-ah, can Daddy help you be a princess? I think mommy’s tired…” he let the suggestion trail off, the little girl’s eyes widening with worry as she turned to Minjung.

“But I want mommy to be a princess too?”

Minjung’s heart broke at the words and she could feel tears pooling behind her eyes.

“Sook-ah, mommy’s already a princess, see?” Kibum asked her, walking over to Minjung and bowing lowly as if she really were royalty.

“But…but she’s not wearing any make-up,” Eunsook pouted cutely.

“That’s okay sweetie, princesses don’t have to wear make-up if they don’t want to. And mommy looks perfect just the way she is, doesn’t she?” Kibum’s words reverberated in the silent kitchen for a few minutes, both parents waiting patiently for the toddler to process everything.

“Of course! Mommy’s the most beautiful princess ever!” Eunsook finally announced, giggling as if her father was being silly.

“That she is,” Kibum smiled, kissing Minjung on the lips briefly before returning to their daughter.

“Now, what do you want Daddy to do?” Kibum asked, shrugging off his suit jacket and laying it on the counter beside them so that he could roll up his sleeves.

Eunsook looked back at her mother before returning her gaze to the pile of make-up on the counter. Biting her lip cutely, Eunsook looked up at her father with determination on her little face “Daddy,” she said rather seriously. “Sookie is a pretty princess, just like mommy, right?”

Kibum returned his daughter’s serious look with one of his own, all traces of teasing gone. “Of course, Eunsook-ah. Daddy thinks you’re perfect just the way you are.”

“Good.” The toddler nodded her head; causing her parents to quietly coo at how adorable was. “Then can Sookie make Daddy into a pretty princess just like Elsa?”

Minjung couldn’t hold back as a loud bark of laughter left her, a shaky hand covering before she could make any more noise. Kibum chose to ignore her, instead leaning down to cup Eunsook’s chubby cheeks in his large hands.

“Of course, baby. Daddy can be anything you want.”

Eunsook squealed with happiness, leaning up to kiss her father before she sat back down and grabbed the bright pink lipstick she had been eyeing all afternoon. Uncapping it, she motioned for Kibum to come closer before she was applying the sticky pink to his bow-shaped lips.

Minjung left the two alone, needing to find her camera so that she could document the cute, determined look on Eunsook’s face paired with the doting, do-what-you-wish look on Kibum’s.

She returned a few minutes minutes later, her tiny bladder having demanded a potty break. Minjung opened the camera app on her phone, moving first to get a good shot of the toddler who was smiling brightly up at her appa as if he had hung the stars in the sky. Next, she moved to get a good shot of Kibum, who had bright purple eye shadow around his sleek eyes, coupled with snowflake stickers and glitter smeared over his cheeks, all set off with that bright pink lipstick. Zooming in on his face, Minjung couldn’t help but notice how normal he looked like this, just sitting at the kitchen counter with their daughter, content to do whatever made her happy.

~

“Appa, look at this drag queen that Tae found. Her name is Kim Chi and her make-up is dope!” Eunsook her phone under her father’s nose. Grabbing it from her hand, he gazed down at the image of a drag queen whose make-up made her look like an anime character.

“Wow, that is pretty cool.” He handed the phone back to the teenager and readjusted his glasses, waiting patiently for the inevitable question.

“Appa, can I try this look on you?” she asked, her expression turning hopeful as she waited for his response.

“Of course, Sookie, let me go prime my face.”

“Ugh, yes! You’re the best!” she squealed, running down the hall to get her make-up kit and yelling at her younger sister that he had said yes. Kibum felt a loving arm wrap around him and he brought Minjung closer to him as they walked down the hallway to their bedroom so that he could get himself ready for what looked like a long night.

~

Kibum stared across the dining room table, silently observing the anxious young man sitting across from him. Minjung and Eunsook, who were in the kitchen, could be heard making final preparations for dinner and the two had been left alone.

Taeyeon eventually came down the hallway, the teen glued to her phone as usual. “Appa, you’re going to make Eunsook-noona mad if you scare him,” was all she said when she saw the two sitting across from each other silently. Kibum scoffed lightly and the young man – Jonghyun – quickly made eye contact before bowing his head again.  Taeyeon rolled her eyes at the pair before making her way into the kitchen to help.

Kibum leaned forward, a slight shine to Jonghyun’s lips catching his attention.

“Are you wearing lip gloss?” Kibum asked, the question not meant to be rude but visibly making the younger man more nervous.

“E-eunsook-noona picked it out? I…um,” Jonghyun looked like a lost puppy, unsure of what to say.

“It’s a good color,” was all Kibum said, leaning back in his seat before he asked Jonghyun what his major was. The two settled into a comfortable conversation and Minjung couldn’t help but smile as she watched the two over Eunsook’s and Taeyeon’s heads from the hallway where they had been anxiously waiting for something to happen.

“Of course it’s a good color, I have excellent taste,” Eunsook said under her breath before rushing back to grab some plates and making her grand entrance into the dining room. Taeyeon followed shortly after, Minjung calling out to Kibum to come help her bring the food.

Kibum joined his wife, the two sharing a brief, knowing smile before tiptoeing back to the hallway to observe the couple. Eunsook had sat next to Jonghyun, playing idly with his bright pink hair while he and Taeyeon talked about some anime they had both seen recently. Minjung admired the way that Eunsook and Jonghyun seemed so in-sync with each other while Kibum couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief that he didn’t actually hate his daughter’s boyfriend.

“He’s kind of pretty, don’t you think?” Minjung asked Kibum as they stepped back into the safety of the kitchen.

“I suppose,” Kibum agreed, a slight frown on his face. “Definitely not as pretty as our princess though.”

Minjung slapped him on the arm, “Oh my gosh. Get out.”

A/N: yep, there ya have it! also...jong is like genderfluid in this but like not actually in this little cameo but like in college he later discovers this about himself and Eunsook is just like "bae you are perfect no matter what" becuase she knows to love people for who they are not what society expects them to be (yay for A++ parenting minkey) and Junghee/Eunsook is just !!!! and jongtae are nerds and minkey are just happy that their lil princess is happy. and even though Eunsook loves putting make-up on other peopel she doesn't really wear it that often

but yes. comments are bae. :))))))))