Autumn wasn’t used to all the attention she was getting. She liked Aileen because she was motherly and kind. She had kind eyes and since her mother and Aileen were friends growing up, Autumn knew she could trust whole heartily. What she wasn’t used to were Chen, Kris and Lay. She never really had to encounter the male species but she figured if they lived with Aileen they were all right. She found herself liking Kris the most. He was subtle with his affections to her even though she just met him. He seemed like a serious person but she could tell he was making an effort. Chen was the total opposite. He made sure his presence was known. He made sure he was the first to get her everything and Lay was somewhere in the middle. He wouldn’t stop staring at her but not in a creepy way. She chuckled as she caught him looking at her for the 6^th time since she woke up from her nap.

“Do you like the chicken?” asked Aileen

“Yes,” she said quietly as she slowly put the chicken in . She looked at Kris who was not really eating it, “Something wrong?” she looked dead at him. Kris was startled as he looked at her.

“Hmmm?”

“Do you not like chicken?” she took a sip of her milk

“Well it’s not my favorite thing in the world,” he half smiled at her

“Well why are you eating it?” she took another bit

“I don’t know; trying something new I guess,” he smiled at her as he gulped. She returned the smile as she picked up her chicken but didn’t bite into it until Kris picked up his chicken. He chuckled and followed her lead. He took a bite. It wasn’t bad after all. Aileen watched in complete fascination as she saw Autumn tame the big dragon. It amazed her that Autumn had Kris wrapped around her ting finger. It was the cutest thing she ever saw.

“Kris I can’t wait till you have kids,” she said smiling

“What the hel…” his eyes got big as he was about to say a bad word in front of the child. Lay and Chen laughed, “I mean, why wait. We can start now,” he chuckled but Chen instantly frowned as Aileen playfully rolled her eyes

“Oh man. Autumn do you want to try my curry rice. I made it just for you,” said Lay

“Yes please,”

“Omg,” he pinched her cheeks as he put the rice on her plate, “She is so polite and cute. What do you want to do tomorrow Autumn? We can show you around the city,”

“Ok,”

“Do you like the aquarium?”

“Yes I like penguins,” she smiled brightly

“Well penguins it is,” said Lay

“I can’t go tomorrow. I have a photo-shoot,” said Chen

“And I have to meet with the Barons to finalize their wedding venue,” said Aileen

“I can go with Lay. If that’s ok with Autumn,” said Kris

“Yes I want you to go,” she smiled brightly at Kris who blushed

“Like I said. It’s stiff competition,” Aileen said to herself as she started the dishes

“No you rest and help Autumn with bath time. I’ll do the dishes,” smiled Chen

“You never help with domestic chores. What gives?”

“What? I can’t help my beautiful roommate who has become a mom overnight. Remember changes are coming. This is me being a better man for myself and for you,”

“A better man?” she smirked

“I thought you like that sort of thing in a man. A man who is willing to accept change and do well,”

“So doing the dishes is your way of changing and doing good,”

“I also gave you a leg massage which I haven’t finished yet,” he looked down at her y legs and she smiled

“I’ll let you finish that but this…” she moved her hands around as to include the boys in a circle, “…sudden change in behavior from the three of you is absolutely refreshing but also very weird. Just be yourselves. Don’t make me privately puke in the toilet because you guys have suddenly become sweet and caring men. Not that you weren’t already in your weird way; it’s just I’m not used to seeing it portrayed this way,”

“Change is coming,” sang Chen

“You said that already,” said Lay as he wiped Autumn’s mouth

“Embrace the change Aileen and stop being a baby about it,” said Kris as he handed her his plate

“All right,” she gave Chen the plate and took Autumn by the hand to give her a bath leaving the boys alone. As soon as she left, Lay turned swiftly to Chen and Kris.

“Ok what the hell is going on with you Chen?”

“What are you talking about?” he didn’t look at Lay as he continued doing dishes

“You NEVER do dishes and you’re NEVER that affectionate with Aileen. Rubbing her legs, flirting with her…”

“If that’s what you call flirting,” said Kris as Chen glared at him

“If you need to ask anyone what they are doing you should ask Kris. When I came home he was tickling her. Why were you putting your hands on Aileen all of sudden. You’re not the tickling cutesy type Kris,”

Lay quickly looked at a not amused Kris. Lay has known Kris since diapers. Kris has always been a serious kid. He never liked the norm like taking pictures or being silly or flirting with girls. The only way a person even knew Kris liked them was if he teased them; if he didn’t tease, he didn’t like you. And the opposite was no different. Kris wasn’t really popular with the ladies till he got older and even then he didn’t give them much attention. At one point Lay even thought Kris was gay. So hearing this from Chen was news to him.

“You were tickling?” asked Lay

“You make it sound like I committed a sin,”

“If I hadn’t come home when I did, you probably would have,” said Chen. Kris burst out laughing

“Do you want to be the one to commit that sin with Aileen?”

“Maybe I do,” said Chen

“Hey we made a rule from the very beginning. No hooking up with roommate, remember. And we’ve kept that promise. No going back on it,” said Lay

“I’m only being human and a man. Aileen is hot and now that I’ve noticed that I don’t see why I can’t act on my feelings,”

“She just became a mom. Give her time to adjust, will ya,” said Lay

“I can help her adjust,” Kris laughed harder, “Is something funny?” asked Chen

“Yes you are Chen. You honestly think you’re the kind of man Aileen needs and can depend on? Are you ready to raise a child with her because if Autumn’s poor grandmother passes that could be your future. Are you ready for that kind of commitment?”

“You make me sound like a child?”

“Sometimes you act like one,”

“So if I’m not the right kind of man then who is? You?”

“Maybe,” Lay and Chen’s eyes bulged from Kris’ confession

“Well she’s been cleaned and now is in the bed asking someone to read her a bedtime story,” Aileen came out to find the boys in a serious conversation. What about she did not know, “What did I miss?” she looked at the boys

“I’ll read her the story. I just bought Brown Bear at Target,” said Lay as he hurried and got the book out of the bag and went to Autumn’s room

“Thanks Lay. I love that book,” Aileen smiled as Lay went to her room, “Is everything ok?”

Chen shook his head and smiled at Aileen. He didn’t believe Kris liked Aileen. He was probably trying to get a rise out of him.

“Are you ready for the rest of your massage?” Chen ignored Kris’ face as he grabbed Aileen’s hands and pulled her on the couch.

“Make me feel good Chen,” she giggled at him and then looked at Kris, “Are you ok? You look tired,”

“Yeah I need a hard drink. I’ll be back,” he grabbed his jacket and left the apartment

“What happened? What were you guys talking about?”

“Nothing, men talk,” Chen continued massaging her legs

“Where did you learn this?” she laid back on the couch and closed her eyes

“I have connections,” he smiled at her

“You also have good hands. That feels so good,”

“Next time you’ll have to let me do your whole body with oils and everything,”

Aileen looked at him with excitement in her eyes, “Like the professionals. You can do that?”

“You’ll have to take your clothes off,” he smirked at her

“Yeah I bet you will like that. Well it’s not like you haven’t seen me before. Well that time was a mistake,” she closed her eyes again

“Aileen can I ask you a question?”

“Yeah,”

“If you had to choose between one of us to date who would you choose?”

“What kind of a question is that? We have a no dating roommate policy, remember?”

“I know but I’m just curious. If you had to factor in everything about me, Kris and Lay, who would be a good candidate for husband and daddy material?”

“That’s a real easy answer…Lay,”

Lay heard his name as he came out of Autumn’s room.

“If I had to choose between you, Kris or Lay to date; it would be Lay,”

Lay’s eyes widen as he heard Aileen say she would date him.