Lou woke them up bright and early Saturday morning by jumping on the bed. “Daddy! Jinny! Time to go.”

Mark grumbled sleepily. He knew they'd been planning to get an early start, but this early? He was about ready to go back to sleep when Jinyoung pinched his nose hard, his surefire wake-up trick. Mark sat up to glare at him, and Lou took advantage of his sudden burst of energy to start pulling him out of bed.

The last thing Mark wanted was to get out of his covers, but today was a special day. That Monday, Jinyoung would be entering into the his final student teaching assignment, where he'd be serving as a Kindergarten class's primary teacher while under observation. His busy schedule would keep them from any big outings together until May, so this was their last big hurrah for awhile. They were taking Lou to the newly opened Children's Museum downtown, somewhere he'd been wanting to go ever since the colorful Grand Opening commercials started appearing on TV.

Jinyoung helped Lou into his winter clothes while Mark threw together a breakfast of toast, eggs, and orange juice for everyone. Lou was practically bouncing in his seat in excitement, but just managed to get his breakfast down before running to the closet to get his winter coat for Mark to help him into so they could be on their way.

“I love winter,” Jinyoung sighed, taking a deep breath of the late February air as they packed into the car. “So many amazing things happen in winter. Snow. Christmas. Valentine's Day. Anniversaries with the best boyfriend ever. Lots of pie for dessert.”

“Hope you weren't expecting any tonight,” Mark said. He was planning on getting them takeout when they made it back home, since he'd probably be too tired to actually cook anything.

“I'll live. I know you have some apple crumb cake somewhere in that house. I read your grocery receipts.”

“Apple crumb cake!” Lou squealed in delight. “Daddy, I want some, too.”

“In that case, let's all be on our best behavior at the museum and earn some, okay? That includes you, Jinyoung.” Jinyoung stuck out his tongue cutely.

The museum was already busy when they arrived—that was the downside of being a weekend parent: they could never go anywhere on the quiet days. Still, Lou seemed delighted by all the prospective friends he would be making. He hadn't inherited Mark's shyness, and had somehow managed to become the universal best friend of everyone in his Kindergarten class. Mark had to constantly fend off a wave of playdate invites on the weekend so he and Jinyoung could actually spend time with Lou. Jinyoung was also slightly concerned by the amount of playdate invites originating from the single mothers of the Kindergarten class—“Let's avoid another Lucy incident, shall we?” he suggested tactfully, whenever one of them called.

Sure enough, by time they had paid their entry free and gone into the museum's first room, an exhibit dedicated to developments in travel from steam engines to Model T Fords, Lou had already befriended a curly haired little boy named Kit and was now intensely discussing racecars with him.

“We really have such mature dates,” Jinyoung joked, elbowing Mark in the ribs. “Please tell me there's a play area.”

“I'm planning on saving that for last.”

“Something to look forward to, then!” Jinyoung grinned. “Actually, you know me, I love this stuff. Things for children interest me even more than things for adults sometimes. Well, some things for adults.”

“One day, you might even be taking kindergartners for a field trip here.”

“I wish it was sooner rather than later. I really got a rough assignment for my observing teacher. You always think of Kindergarten teachers as being warm and gooey, but this one's a tough. She melts for children, but she's kind of icy with everyone else.”

“I'm sure you'll be fine. You've always been great with Lou, and didn't get really good marks on your undergraduate student teaching?”

“Well, I'm hoping for the best.” Jinyoung glanced at the pocket of Mark's parka. “Your coat is vibrating. I'm hoping that's your cell phone.”

Mark rolled his eyes, and grabbed his phone from his pocket. It was a text message from Jackson: SHE SAID YES!!!!

“Who said yes to what?” Jinyoung asked, peering over Mark's shoulder. “Did he need to ask Allison's permission to get a motorcycle, or something?”

Mark glanced forward to make sure Lou was still occupied playing on the locomotion simulation with Kit. “He asked Allison to marry him,” Mark said softly.

Jinyoung's eyes widened. “He did? They're getting married?” He processed this for a moment, then immediately looked at Mark in concern. “That's 100% fine with you?”

Mark lifted an eyebrow. “Kind of weird to hear my boyfriend questioning if I want my ex-wife to get remarried. You don't think I'm having second thoughts about you, are you?”

Jinyoung darted his eyes to the left, flushing. “No...I was just worried that it might be weird for you, that's all.”

Mark patted him on the shoulder. “It's 100% fine with me. You know I get along great with Jackson, so I've got no complaints about that. I think this could be a good next step for Allison. I just want her to be happy, right?”

Jinyoung's eyes shifted back, and he opened his mouth as if to say something further when Lou and Kit charged up to them. “Daddy, I'm ready to go to the next room,” Lou announced. “Can Kit come with us?”

“Let's make sure that's fine with Kit's parents first,” Mark said.

“I'll ask!” Kit said. He ran a few feet to a long-legged guy who was glancing at his cell phone and tapped him on his back. The guy turned around.

“BamBam?” Jinyoung asked, sounding shocked.

“Jinyoung, is that you?” The guy in question was young looking—about Jinyoung's age, if Mark had to guess—and had a really attention grabbing air about him. For one, he was dressed as if he was attending a runway show rather than visiting a children's museum in his black skinny jeans, handsomely decorated military jacket, and clunky black boots. On top of that, his hair was dyed a shade of cotton candy pink.

“You two know each other?” Mark asked, trying to process all of this unexpected information.

“Yeah, BamBam's one of my classmates. We've known each about four years now?” Jinyoung glanced down at Kit, who was poking BamBam's knee caps. “I didn't know you had a kid, though.”

“Little brother,” BamBam corrected him. “Very little brother. It's my last day with this hair before I have to dye it back for student teaching, so I thought I'd have one last outing with it. I'm assuming that's not your kid either?” he asked, nodding at Lou.

“Lou would be mine,” Mark answered.

“I used to babysit for him,” Jinyoung explained. “This is Lou's Dad, Mark Tuan.”

“Nice to meet you,” BamBam said.

“Baaaammmiiieee,” Kit groaned, thrashing his body. “Lou and I want to go to the next room.”

“So I guess we're all going together, then?” BamBam asked with a shrug. “Fine by me. Lead the way.”

They entered into a dinosaur exhibit, where the kids were immediately shepherded over to a guy who looked like he was decked out for a safari vacation. “Paleontologist Pete” had several fossils and replica dinosaur bones to show them, and the kids were all eyes and ears. Who didn't like dinosaurs when they were five?

“I'm going crazy over this student teaching business,” BamBam was saying to Jinyoung. “I've heard your performance can really effect your placement after graduation. The people who do well can generally get placed at the higher salary places, or else get with really prestigious schools.”

“Great,” Jinyoung said glumly. “I really think my observing teacher doesn't like me.”

“Seriously? Everyone likes you. You'll be fine. You at least look like a teacher, unlike me.”

“Come on, you've had several years of experience already just helping to raise your little brother. You're a natural with kids. You also have a really good mindset when working on your lesson plans. I mean, you can think the same ways little kids do.”

“I don't know if you're actually complimenting me or not, but thanks, man.”

Mark studied the two of them as they talked. Now that he thought of it, he rarely saw Jinyoung like this. He'd only ever seen Jinyoung in terms of being a childcare helper, and then a lover later on. He didn't really get to see him around young adults his age, talking and acting like a college student. In a way, it was refreshing. This was what Jinyoung did when he wasn't with Mark—he got together with his friends and talked about his lessons, ate Student Union food, chugged coffee, and groused about teachers. He was twenty-three, and while he was becoming an adult about to be fully launched into society, he had different responsibilities than Mark did. Mark was glad to finally get to see this side of him up close.

On the other hand, it was unsettling. Being young meant Jinyoung and his friends had one foot still lingering in the world they'd started leaving behind as teens. They were still trendy and fashionable and up on whatever mainstream culture was going on for the year. Mark glanced down at his own boring clothes. He was an office worker, and he dressed like it off-hours, too. Rather than form fitting jeans and stylish shirts, he wore khakis with button downs. He was pretty sure he hadn't followed fashion trends from after he got married. When put up against someone like BamBam, who practically radiated coolness, Mark felt even older and lamer than usual next to Jinyoung. He felt the gap between them a little more this way than he did before.

BamBam and Jinyoung continued to go over their classes together, so when Kit and Lou bounded back and said they wanted to go closer to the animatronic T-REX on the other side of the room, Mark offered to guide them through the crowds huddled around the king of dinosaurs.

“Are you Lou's brother?” Kit asked Mark. Having such a big with his own brother probably made it seem more likely, but Mark was flattered at least someone around thought he was young.

“That's my Daddy,” Lou said, sounding baffled. “I don't have a brother.”

“Maybe you'll have one someday,” Kit said sagely.

It occurred to Mark then that now that Jackson and Allison were going to get married, Lou could possibly end up with another sibling further down the line. Which also made him think that while said sibling would be Lou's brother or sister, the kid would not be directly related to him. He wouldn't be a step-father or an uncle, he'd just be...what did they even call it? “That guy”? For some reason, that was weirder to him than Allison getting remarried in the first place.

He glanced back at Jinyoung and BamBam as the T-REX roared away in front of him. When he was their age, he was already just married, and really had no idea what else was ahead of him. At 23, there was no way he would have guessed he'd be a divorced father dating a college age male at 30 and reflecting on whether his ex-wife would have another kid. It made him wonder what would be changing for Jinyoung in the next few years. But Mark would be there to see all the things that changed. Wouldn't he?

The reminder of how uncertain the future could be unsettled him for a moment before he turned back and rejoined their group, smiling as if he'd never had such thoughts at all.

Around lunch time, their group of five trooped over to the cafeteria area and grabbed a table. They didn't really have much available for adults, so they all just got a huge tray of dinosaur chicken nuggets to go around, and the mandatory “healthy choice” foods—celery sticks, grapes, and yogurt.

“So how old are you, Kit?” Jinyoung asked after he'd finished passing out juice boxes for everyone.

Kit lifted up six sticky fingers. “I'm in first grade.”

“I'm five,” Lou said, sounding a bit disheartened. Like most little boys, he considered most things to be a competition and hated losing.

“I think they actually go to the same school,” BamBam said, pointing to the school logo on the little backpack Lou had brought with him. “Just a grade apart.” He smiled at Mark. “If Lou ever wants a new friend to hang out with, our doors are always open.”

“Daddy, Daddy, I want to go to Kit's house,” Lou said, waving one of his celery sticks.

“We'll see about having a playdate some time, then,” Mark said, ruffling his son's hair. A few seconds later, and Lou and Kit were wrapped up in a conversation about all the cool stuff Kit apparently had in his room.

“By the way,” BamBam said, once the kids were distracted. “Are you two together?”

Jinyoung looked at him anxiously. “Um...”

“Don't worry, I'm cool with it,” BamBam said quickly. “I just thought you kind of had vibes coming from each other. Besides, you said you used to babysit Lou, so I assumed that wasn't what you were doing now.”

“Yeah, we're together,” Jinyoung said, looking relieved. “Two years, now.”

“Wow, that's pretty impressive,” BamBam said, whistling. “Honestly, though, Jinyoung's probably the best person on the planet to date if you have a kid. He's just so good at what he does. But you probably already know that.”

Mark nodded. Whenever someone praised Jinyoung, it made him feel like he'd won the double jackpot and was quite possibly the most blessed man on the planet.

“Makes me wish I had some arm candy to help me watch Kit,” BamBam sighed tragically.

“And which one of us is supposed to be the arm candy here?” Jinyoung asked.

“For Mark, you're the arm candy, and for you, Mark's the arm candy. Isn't that how it works? Although taking age into consideration, wouldn't you be the trophy boyfriend, Jinyoung?”

Jinyoung frowned. “Oh come on. I'm just seven years younger, I'm not .”

“Bammie, what's jailbat?” Kit asked, butting back into their conversation.

“Uhhhhhh, you know what, kiddo, I don't actually know. And you know what Mommy says about words we don't know? We should never repeat them without understanding what they mean. So let's not say that word again, okay, Kit?”

Kit gave BamBam a look. “You never know what any words mean.”

“Yeah, I feel like I shouldn't even be paying for college considering what they don't teach me.” BamBam chuckled and scooped Kit up. “Sorry, guys, but we've gotta bounce. Mom's waiting for us to pick her up from work. Nice to meet you, Mark. And Lou, be sure to come over and visit Kit some time! Jinyoung has our contact info.”

“Okay.” Lou got a little sniffly at the prospect of having to say goodbye to his new friend already, but cheered up a little when Mark announced that they'd hit the play room next in their exploration of the museum.

“So that's what student-Jinyoung-Park is like,” Mark commented as they took their seat at the designated area for parents to sit and monitor their kids. “Interesting.”

“Interesting? What's that supposed to mean?”

“You're just different from how I'm used to seeing you. It reminds me that even though you're mature, you're still so young.”

Jinyoung frowned a little. “I'm always going to be younger than you. At what point does that mean I'm actually an adult?”

“I don't know. I wouldn't be in such a hurry. There are beautiful parts about being young.” He leaned into Jinyoung's arm, squeezing it gently. “I really think you're so impressive, how hard you're working.”

“And the hard work is only just beginning.” Jinyoung rested his chin on Mark's shoulder. “Ah, I want to reach the finish point faster, but I'll miss doing fun things like this over the next few months. You're going to have a lot on your mind, too. Lou's graduating, Allison's getting married...”

“You'll be on my mind, even if you're busy,” Mark reminded him. “If you'll miss this, I'll miss it ten times more.”

“Now you sound like Lou. It's not a competition.” Still, Jinyoung smiled. “But no way. Don't forget who fell in love with who first. You can't win over me. If it's a competition, it's one I'm always going to win.”

Lou was tired out from his day at the museum, and fell asleep in the car on the way back. Mark and Jinyoung tucked him into bed, and had their portion of the takeout Mark had picked up on the way home. They took turns taking short, ten minutes showers, then collapsed on the master bed, pretty tired out themselves.

“Mmm,” Jinyoung hummed. “I can't believe this is my last worry free weekend for a long time.”

“Says Jinyoung, in a worried voice,” Mark teased. “I know you're going to be fine. If this is supposed to be a worry-free weekend, don't worry about it anymore.”

Jinyoung smiled. “I'll try. Has Allison or Jackson sent you anything since this morning?”

Mark checked his phone. Allison had sent him a text asking him to come over in a few days for brunch with her and Jackson so they could talk breaking the news to Lou. He showed it to Jinyoung.

“You all get along so well,” Jinyoung said in a soft voice. “That's really special. But doesn't it hurt a little?”

“Hmm?”

“Being able to talk about those things so easily.” He rested his head against Mark's chest. “When you were twenty-three, my age, she was already married to you. Won't it bring back memories?”

“Yeah, probably,” Mark said, Jinyoung's hair. “But does that have to be a bad thing?”

Jinyoung didn't answer. When Mark glanced down at him, he'd already fallen asleep, peaceful and unquestioning.