“This is where your Mama and Papa is…” Jongin was carrying Daehan in front of the top shelf where the cremated urns of his parents were kept. A picture of both Soojung and Taemin is placed in the shelf and Minzy is dusting the space beside it so she could place the fresh flowers they brought.

They decided to visit Soojung and Taemin before going to LOTTE World as they originally promised Daehan for their “family day.” Daehan looked intensely at the picture of his parents, Minzy touched his small hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

“Always remember that your parents love you very much…and they may not be here with you but they’re always watching over you from heaven okay?” Minzy murmured to the serious looking Daehan.

“I know that they love me Mommy…” Daehan finally looked at Minzy with determined eyes. “…They always tell me that they love me when they were still alive…they also tell me stories and give me lots of kisses and hugs…Papa always tells me that I always have to be thankful and always make the people important to me feel how much I love them…” He looked at the cremated urns solemnly.

“I love you Mama and Papa.” Daehan uttered sincerely at the picture of his parents and then he turned to Jongin and surprised him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He did the same thing to Minzy.

“I love you Mommy and Daddy.” Jongin and Minzy looked at each other, both feeling the warmth and love of Daehan but not knowing exactly what to do with it.  “Can we go to LOTTE World now?” Daehan asked impatiently.

“You just had to give him chocolates and ice cream…now he’s too hyper I can’t keep up with him…” Minzy scolded Jongin. Daehan was running around, calling Minzy to catch him so she could wipe his sweaty face.

“I couldn’t refuse him…his face looked like the world will melt if I didn’t give him what he wanted.” Jongin looked at her innocently and batted his lashes while adding a little pout. Minzy looked away, desperately trying to hide her flustered blushing face.

“I wonder who he got that from!? I’m kicking myself in the head for not finding out the obvious truth that you and Taemin are indeed brothers. You, Taemin and Daehan are so alike I’m getting a head ache!” Minzy muttered and walked away to run after Daehan.

“Why are you mad at me? What did I do? I didn’t do anything!” Jongin called out, laughing a little at Minzy’s angry expression when she looked over her shoulder to glare at him.

“Nothing! You didn’t have to do anything! You just have to look that way!” Minzy’s frustration grew upon hearing Jongin’s amused laughter echoing through her ears while she ran after the hyper Daehan.

After eating their lunch, they asked Daehan on what he wanted to do next. To their surprise, he told them that they should go to the photo booth so they could take lots of pictures for him to post in his room.

The three cramped inside the small photo booth with Daehan sitting on Jongin’s lap. Daehan ordered Minzy to come closer so they could all fit in. Minzy reluctantly scooted closer, feeling her cheeks flame knowing that Jongin was just as aware of her as she is of him. Daehan chanted with the count down and gave a toothy smile for the first picture. He never ran out of funny faces that he got both Jongin and Minzy to copy him willingly.

Jongin leaned in and to give a kiss on Daehan’s cheek and Minzy did the same for the other cheek on the last second.

“Again! Again! Again! Again!” Daehan ordered them to do the same thing for the next shot, hiding the mischievous snicker from the two unknowing adults.

When Jongin and Minzy leaned in to aim a kiss on his cheeks, Daehan quickly ducked down, covering his giggles while looking up at the two, frozen in a kiss.

“Daddy you’re gonna have cooties now! Mommy just gave you one!” Daehan lost himself in a fit of giggles.

As if in a suspended daze, Jongin instinctively reached for Minzy’s jaw and moved his lips closer to Minzy’s. He felt like all his years of imposed isolated darkness came to an abrupt end upon feeling Minzy’s lips on his. They were both sharing a current that’s inevitable and unrelenting and they couldn’t help but give in and surrender.

*****

Daehan fell asleep as soon as they secured him in his car seat inside the car on their way home. Awkward silence filled the air with no one to fill it with playful child chatters.

Minzy couldn’t look at Jongin in the eyes. She wanted the ground to swallow her whole upon realizing how much she loved and longed for the kiss they shared like a wanton. She cleared and turned the radio on.

They caught each other’s gaze as the radio played a love song with the male singer singing his longing for his lover’s kiss. Minzy abruptly changed the station but to no avail, each radio station seemed to have connived to play a love song in that moment. Eventually, she gave up and turned radio off.

Jongin felt like his heart was about to burst with feelings that he locked up for years. He wanted their kiss to last forever and yet he also wanted to fight his feelings. The thought that he didn’t deserve Minzy firmly niggled in his mind.

“Hmmm…Minzy…” Jongin called her attention. They had a lot of things to talk about and yet they haven’t done anything because they both didn’t know where to start.

“Yes?” Minzy asked him throatily. She stole a glance at him driving and she couldn’t help but admire his profile. The years have been good to him. His maturity and solemn brooding added appeal to his looks. Gone was his boyish charm and is now replaced by an alpha male. His sharp jaw, piercing eyes and demanding lips were more defined than it had ever been.

“Have you looked through the two-unit apartments the real estate agent sent us?” Jongin asked her reluctantly. Minzy kept quiet.

“Before Taemin died…he told me that you were dating Yunho sunbae and that it seemed that you two were going serious…” There was an obvious nervousness in his voice.

Minzy bit her lip and stole a glance at Jongin. She hid her smile and turned her gaze towards the window.

He’s jealous.

She remembered all those times Taemin was teasing her because Jongin was overly protective of her when it came to guys that were interested in her. She recalled the time when he almost punched Sehun for always doing skinship with her…and also the time when he invited himself in her coffee date with a famous choreographer from Houston because Jongin wanted to “discuss dance steps” with them…there was also the time when he demanded Minzy to stay and finish a choreography with him instead of going on a date with a famous K-pop idol.

Taemin used to that Jongin always acted like a jealous boyfriend whenever guys would approach her but Minzy never took it too seriously. She always assumed that Jongin is just looking after her like any guy best friend would. But now, she’s starting to believe Taemin.

She was interrupted in her daze when she heard him clear his throat. The car stopped at an intersection and Jongin turned his gaze on her as if expecting her to answer.

“You don’t have to worry about Yunho sunbae.” Minzy hedged but Jongin’s expression didn’t falter. He was pressing for more information.

“We just went out on a couple of dates. It never really worked out. We both decided that we’re better off as friends…” Minzy trailed off and she wasn’t sure if it was a small smile in Jongin’s lips that she saw before he turned towards the road.

Daehan was so tired that he immediately went to sleep without insisting on a bedtime story. Minzy and Jongin were in the kitchen. She wanted to drink tea before going to sleep and she found Jongin on his laptop while drinking coffee.

“It’s getting late. Aren’t you tired?” Minzy asked while she rummaged through the kitchen to make her tea. Jongin rolled his head to clear the kink off his neck, he then stretched and yawned tiredly.

“I have to finish this tonight this is due tomorrow.” Jongin answered, his gaze still on his laptop.

Minzy smiled. Even though he is so busy with work, he always made time for Daehan. He’d rather suffer alone than break his promise to the kid.

“Can I help you with anything?” Minzy offered even though she had no idea what he was working on. Jongin grinned.

“If you’d help, we’d both be guilty of Insider Trading. A big family corporation is going public tomorrow morning and I have to finish this report a.s.a.p.” Minzy missed the playfulness in Jongin and throughout the day she witnessed it.

“Minzy, have you looked over the apartments sent by the real estate agent? We can schedule with the agent once you decide on it.” Jongin murmured.

Minzy recalled that time he mentioned about getting a quaint house by the suburbs. It wasn’t the first time he said that and it suddenly dawned on her when she first heard him about it. It was during the time she was rushed to the hospital due to her motorcycle accident. They were in the ambulance and Jongin was holding her hand. Although she was awake at that time, she no longer felt alive…she knew deep in her heart that their baby was gone even before they reached the hospital. She could vaguely hear him whisper…all she caught were snippets of words like married…family…house…which barely made sense to her at that time. But now, it all made sense to her. He wanted them to get married, have a family and get a house...he didn’t dream of getting a mansion