[word count : 1196] [post] 

Prompt : Married KD are having a dinner with their daughters of 14 and 3. The oldest asks them how they met, how they started dating and who proposed the other.

Being a stay-at-home dad never crossed his mind - until the day he carried their eldest child in his arms, and he wept uncontrollable tears of joy and happiness. He remembered every detail of that pivotal moment clearly, even after fourteen years of parenthood and sixteen years of marriage. Now a loving father to two precious girls and a loyal husband to a wonderful man, Kyungsoo never regretted his decision to leave the glitz and glamour of his corporate success, to be fully focused on building his own family.

His reminiscing and dreamy thoughts were suddenly interrupted by firm hands creeping slowly around his waist, pulling him back to a comforting back hug and a tender kiss on his right cheek. Twenty years of being together, Kyungsoo still feels the excitement of being constantly showered with affection and pampered with love by Jongin. They have come so far together since they first met - being constantly pulled apart by corporate obligations, family expectations and public exploitations. They had good and bad times, throwing them into extreme ends of the emotional rollercoaster rides and at one point, they both thought that they will never be able to share a life together.

“I love you more today than yesterday, Soo. I just wanted you to know that and I will never get sick of whispering that in your ears every day. Thank you for taking care of Maia, Raina and me.”

Kyungsoo felt warmth in his cheeks and stirring in his loins, as he turned himself around to face the love of his life, who looked as dashing as he was the first time they met. The proximity between them, was never close enough and as they shared a long comforting embrace by the unromantic kitchen sink, Soo softly replied “With you by my side, I have no fear and no regrets. I love you too” and as usual, like a daily routine each time Jongin comes home from work, they pressed their luscious lips together and shared a lingering passionate kiss.

“OH EM GEE. Papa! Dad! Can you two please go to your room or something? We are about to have dinner here, I am hungry and I do not want to lose my appetite. Let me set the table now and stop kissing already!”

Being parents of a teenager is a new challenge and both Kyungsoo and Jongin knew that they have to be mindful of their words and actions, yet at the same time, they believe in open communications with their children because they have experienced how harsh the world can be, and how easily influenced young minds can be too. As much as they want to protect their children, they both agreed that parenting also involves the process of letting go and letting their beloved daughters learn on their own.

“Maia, thank you for helping us set the table for dinner, honey. Papa was just thanking Daddy for the wonderful and delicious meals he always prepares for us, and I think you should thank Daddy too, hmmm?” Jongin raised an eyebrow to his beloved daughter as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

In a flash, the angsty teenage girl, suddenly smiled so widely until her eyes closed, and in her sweetest voice said, “Thank you Dad, for always feeding my tum-tum with yum-yums!” and she scoots off to the dining table, with a little hop in her steps, after blowing a kiss towards Kyungsoo.

It was small moments like these, that gave Kyungsoo and Jongin the boost of assurance that they can handle parenthood the best way they know how, and as a team too.

As the family quickly settles around the dining table, with Raina comfortably seated in her new child seat, and Jongin watching an online video documentary of how animals hunt with Maia, Kyungsoo tossed the salad quickly and brought it over to the table. He made seafood paella because Maia had requested for Spanish food ever since she started her Spanish classes in school.

After giving thanks for the food on the table, Jongin started to feed Raina while Kyungsoo enjoyed his glass of chilled homemade sangria, while watching Maia devour her food and at the same time, secretly gazing at the sight of his gorgeous husband being the doting father that he has always been, to their children.

Memories came flooding back to Kyungsoo’s mind as he recalled the day when they first met.

Kyungsoo was a new transfer student, looking to start afresh after going through a messy break-up and he started the year with one resolution he intended to keep – focus on positivity and achieving excellent results. But when he accidentally ran into Jongin, who was one of the hottest guys in college, and one-half of the most popular couple in school, he never expected his life will never turn out the way he had planned or hoped for. In fact, it went in every direction except the one he was supposed to stay on.

That fateful night where Kyungsoo had forgotten about the faulty lock, Jongin had barged into his dorm room and caught him being chummy with his muscled member. Three seconds of awkward silence seemed to be longer, as they both froze in their positions. Without taking his eyes off Kyungsoo’s lower body, Jongin muttered “I came here to tell you that I fixed your broken c0ck, I mean … CLOCK, that fell to the ground the other time when I was here. Let me put it on the table so that you can continue with your solo activity.”

Both acknowledged, even many years later, that if that incident did not happen, things between them may have been different. Jongin would have gone on to be a successful tycoon in the real estate business, living in a huge house, with a trophy wife and children who are expected to overachieve, while Kyungsoo will remain in the college, pursuing post-graduate studies in economics and finance, probably made CEO after five years and maybe be comfortable in an open relationship if possible.

While Kyungsoo decided to reject the offer to become CEO of one of the fastest-growing company, Jongin remained in real estate industry, doing extremely well.

“Dad? Why are you smiling to yourself? Were you thinking of happy times, like you always told me to do whenever I am sad? Are you sad now?” Kyungsoo chuckled and reached out to hold his daughter’s hand and gently said “I am not sad, honey. In fact, I am very happy now, to be here with you, with your sister and Papa too. I was thinking about how I first met your Papa and …”

“WAIT! I know the story – Papa told me you had a broken clock and he went over to fix it for you. And for the past twenty years, Papa have been fixing your clock often to make sure the hands are moving well and all the parts are lubricated well too. Is that right, Papa?”

Jongin and Kyungsoo were taken aback by her sudden response but they broke into a hearty laughter, letting the joy resonate into their happy household.