I should clean the sheets…

 

Chanyeol thought out of the blue as he stood next to the bed, contemplating on how to get the sheets off when Kris was on top of it sleeping like a log. He decided to just pull them from under, sending Kris rolling to the side a bit, but miraculously didn’t wake him up. He collected the dirty sheets into his arms and tucked Kris further into the blankets, making him look like a thick rolled omelet.

 

The thought of going to meet Kris’ big family made him restless.

 

Hence, after being unusually active around the house, doing a day’s worth of laundry, ironing, watering their potted fake plants and re-arranging plates by its sizes on the drying rack like an OCD, Chanyeol sensibly concluded he should bring something to the gathering.

 

Should he buy a cake? A bucket of chickens? Drinks? Chanyeol looked at the time and was surprised that it was still very early and most shops are probably still closed at this hour. He paced about in the kitchen, browsing through the cupboards and fridge, until he came up with an idea.

 

I should make puddings! Everyone likes puddings! Right?...

 

Getting the many gelatin packages out of the fridge, he thought hopefully that the Wu Family might like them too. Making easy desserts was one of the things Chanyeol was confident at. So, he went creative and mixed milk and a bit of honey into the chocolate mixture as he stirred the pan, and planned to put in some biscuit bits later on. As for the yellow-colored mango one, he opened packets of squared coconut jellies, and poured them into the mixture so they looked like ice cubes in a sea of bright, summer yellow. While waiting for the two big plate-sized puddings to cool and harden in the fridge, he also prepared to bring the chocolate and strawberry syrups they always had stocked, imagining how the kids would probably love drowning them in their plates.

 

Cooking helped keeping him distracted for the meantime, and so did the little kids’ Saturday morning shows he watched while waiting. Almost an hour later, Chanyeol dunked crushed oreos into the half-cooled, big chocolatey honey mold, then let it sit back into the cooler until they’re about to go out later in the afternoon… his mind back to its restless state. Wandering around the house, itching to find something else to do, he went into the master bathroom and found himself for some reason, looking into the mirror.

 

What should I wear later on?... Damn, I’m getting fatter…

 

Chanyeol pinched the pudgy side of his tummy that got thicker, he supposed those maternity milks he’d been drinking really had kept him excessively nutritious…

 

Is my hair too long already? Does Kris’ family like long-haired chubby guys?...

 

My bangs look weird…

 

Why do I look so dumb?...

 

, my black roots are starting to show!...

 

Chanyeol rummaged through the toilet drawers, finding his hair dye. Thinking he still had time, he washed his hands, put on the plastic gloves that came with the box, and dragged a small chair in front of the full-length mirror after taking his top off. Sitting himself down, he mixed the cream and colorant on a plate with a brush, combed portions of his hair to the side at a time, and started re-coloring his neck-length golden strands into black,. Once he'd got his whole hair smothered in chemical, he walked out of the bathroom, unmuted the TV and went back watching cartoons while waiting for approximately two hours for the dye to seep in, before taking a shower.

 

He was mildly satisfied at the new mop of wet black hair on his head once he stepped out of and looked at himself in the mirror. But somehow, he couldn't stop assessing his appearance as he dried himself with a towel. With his hair damp, it looked slightly a little longer, and his side bangs that used to frame his face now had to be tucked to the back of his ear because of its length. Chanyeol was unsure Kris' family would like an effeminate look like that. Without much of a thought, he took the small silver scissor by the sink and brushed his hair.

 

I'm just going to cut my hair a bit...

 

"Chanyeol, my mother just texted saying dad couldn't come today because..." Kris barged in, taken aback at the sight of Chanyeol with a scissor at the ends of his hair.

 

"Baby, you're awake! Did you eat the cereals?" Chanyeol cheered, and snipped.

 

"What are you doing?!!" Kris quickly walked in and snatched the scissors from his hand.

 

"Whaat? I'm just trying to trim my hair a bit- what were you saying again?"

 

"Oh, so you think you're a hair stylist now?!" Kris glared at him, Chanyeol tried to get his scissors back, but Kris kept it behind his back. "And you colored your hair!" Kris sounded concerned more than angry, searching Chanyeol’s expression.

 

"Don't you like it?" Chanyeol only grinned half-heartedly, one eye creasing smaller.

This was disturbingly sudden, and Chanyeol's trying exceptionally, ridiculously too hard, but Kris couldn't bring himself to bring him down either.

 

"I like it.” He started, “but you... shouldn't try to cut your own hair!” Kris' voice came out strained.

 

"I once watched a tutorial of it on the internet, it’s not that hard really, I think I can-"

 

“Chanyeol, stop.”

 

And Kris hated that scolded look on Chanyeol’s face so he turned, to put away the scissors safe from his lover’s grasp. "Look, if you really don’t feel comfortable going to my house, I’m seriously not forcing you to.”

 

“But I do want to go!” Chanyeol protested. “I just…” Chanyeol tried to find reasoning within himself, not wanting his boyfriend to think he was crazy, and looked down, “I just… want to look good to your family…”

 

“You look fine.”

 

“You always say that!” Chanyeol whined. Kris exhaled exasperatedly, grabbing the slightly smaller boy and pulled him out the bathroom, towards their bedroom.

 

“Very well if you want to impress my family that much…” Kris took the towel off Chanyeol’s waist and hooked it on their dresser’s doorknob, opening his closet and taking something out of it.

 

“Here.” Kris held out his sleek-black, ridiculously expensive branded briefs over to Chanyeol.

 

“What-“ Chanyeol didn’t have time to protest before Kris went back to the endless rows of clothes, leafing through them, before pulling something else out.

 

“I rarely wear these, but I think you’ll look good in them…” Kris held up a skinny-cut pair of beige chinos and looked over to him with a playful smirk.

 

“Kris, they’re yours…” Chanyeol still held the underwear in his hands like a confused man that he is.

 

“Who the cares, your body’s not that much different from mine. And put those on already, are you trying to get me hard?”

 

Chanyeol quickly puts on the pricey briefs up his legs. “But-“

 

“Try these first, I’m not sure whether they can close up on the… thing though…” Kris handed him the expensive-looking piece of sartorial work, and Chanyeol meekly entered his legs through the pant holes. Turned out the pants were pretty much a perfect fit everywhere, except that it wouldn’t zip up because of his big belly. Chanyeol blushed in embarrassment.

 

“Maybe you can wear my sweatpants,” Kris said.

 

“Kris, I don’t think this is a good idea…” Chanyeol muttered, his self-esteem close to non-existent.

 

“Why? ah, these are Tao’s presents, they’d def-“

 

“NO.” Chanyeol snapped instantly.

 

“Okaaay.”

 

“This is lame. I’ll just wear my own clothes...” Chanyeol said, pouting as he pulls the nice trousers off mournfully.

 

“Why lame? Come on, I thought you wanted to look good? Think my stuff could help?” Kris offered, opening his closet extra wide for him.

 

“Yeah… but this is- wait that one’s nice.” Chanyeol grabbed a particularly comfy-looking pair of light jeans, and the older tried not to laugh as they explored through the fantastic wardrobe like over-grown little kiddies.

..

.

 

Being primped up from head to toe in mostly Kris’ belongings had multiplied Chanyeol’s confidence a hundredfold. Turned out the light blue jeans he had grabbed earlier really did fit him on the waistband (by sliding it slightly down his hips), and Chanyeol was looking at his reflection in the mirror, sporting the navy blue, low-button cardigan and white large-collared shirt Kris had convinced had ‘never worn before and probably never will so don’t worry about it’. He couldn’t help but to bounce excitedly at the sight, it’s not everyday he get to see himself looking like at least more than ten thousand won.

 

The sight of Kris just getting out of the shower with a towel around his waist appeared, and Chanyeol grinned at him from the mirror.

 

“Kris, thank you, thank you thank you sooo much, I promise I’ll try not to spill anything over these.”

 

“It’s fiine.” Kris smiled, looking just slightly wary of Chanyeol’s repeated words of gratitude.

 

The sight of his hot boyfriend, incredibly fresh and dripping water down his chiseled torso made Chanyeol walk quickly over, and hug him possessively around the waist. Kris smirked and turned around from the dresser, pulling Chanyeol’s head into a kiss, in which was returned eagerly. The water droplets seeped in through the material of his sleeves, but Chanyeol couldn’t care less because Kris’ tongue was poking at his lips. Chanyeol purred contently as he could taste the mint mingling in their mouths as his back was swiftly pressed up against the wall.

 

“What are you gonna wear?” Chanyeol breathed, tangling his fingers in Kris’ short glistening hair.

 

Kris just shrugged.

 

“I think you need to wear high-collars…” Chanyeol guiltily rubbed on the hickeys on the other’s collarbones with the pad of his fingers. Kris has always liked that pout so he just ‘yeah’-ed and delved back into Chanyeol’s red mouth.

 

They had to stop after one of them had enough sense to ‘look at the time’ so, they went back preparing to go out, and finally managed to get out of the house not long after. They occupied the middle-seats with plates, two large pudding molds, syrups and other favorite teeth-rotting confections they brought.

 

Nothing can ever bring him down today, geared-up to the fullest with Kris like this…

 

Or so Chanyeol had thought…

 

…

..

.

 

 

Wu’s mansion.

 

“My son! Chanyeeoooool!~ Omo your hair is black now!” Mrs. Wu’s familiarly loud voice and her warm hug made the up pull of Chanyeol’s lips a lot more easy as they stood in front of the Wu’s mansion, bowing politely with arms full of food.

 

“Awww, what’s this? You shouldn’t have bothered you know~ Did you make these yourself?” She took the chocolate pudding from Chanyeol’s hands. Chanyeol nodded with his toothy smile, and she pinched him on the cheek approvingly.

 

“Come in! just make yourself at home honey, For God’s sake Yifan, you’re so skinny!” Mrs. Wu scowled as she looked over at her son, and Chanyeol’s smile faltered as he looked worriedly over his boyfriend’s frame.

 

“I’m not skinny, maa!” Kris protested, “You’re just comparing me to Chanyeol now,” Kris jokingly said, beaming mischievously at Chanyeol, who went surprised then sent him a death glare.

 

They walked inside whilst Mrs. Wu ushered the maids to come and help her with the other mango pudding on her son’s hands and other food they brought.

 

Chanyeol noticed the amount of footwears by the front porch and took a double take at their average sizes. If Kris and Chanyeol's feet were big, imagine them purposely displaying their big shoe collections out... That's what it looked like. He reassured himself that everything was going to be okay, but the walk across the hallway was shorter than it looked, and as soon as they reached into a brightly-lit living room, some heads of very tall people turned, and a loud, intimidating "Yeeeaaaaahhh!!!" roared at Kris' arrival.

 

Chanyeol looked at the middle-aged, very sophisticated man (despite the loud greeting) who almost instantly grabbed Kris into a bro hug, and froze with a grin.

 

"Uncle Woobin! How have you been?!" Kris cheerfully greeted.

 

"Good! How’s you? And this is?..." Uncle Woobin eyed Chanyeol’s way.

 

"Hahaha same, Great! This is Chanyeol! My fiancé I told you about," Kris casually informed as he pulled Chanyeol slightly closer to his side.

 

“It’s nice to meet you!” Chanyeol gave him his million-watt smile and bowed.

 

"Oh..." Uncle Woobin recalled, his mouth forming an ‘O’, subtly assessing Chanyeol up and down, but then offered a friendly handshake. “Woo Bin.”

 

" Drinks?" The man cocked one thick eyebrow, and held up the glass he held in his hand.

 

"Yeah, I'll get a glass myself, what time did you land here?"

 

"I was here since yesterday! Sorry I borrowed your stuff. Chanyeol?" The man regarded Chanyeol next.

 

"Oh, ah, I-I don't drink," Chanyeol grinned awkwardly.

 

"Oh? Great!" His eyes landed on Chanyeol's stomach. "Good for the baby," He said as he patted it. “We’ve got a lot to catch up, Kris, Let’s chat later!” the tall older man said before going back to the woman he’d been talking with when they entered. Kris gave him a thumbs-up before taking Chanyeol’s hand and drag him somewhere. Chanyeol tried not to think too much of the curious stares directed his way (and most probably his stomach) as they cut through the room and only focused on not tripping over his own foot.

 

“I want you to meet my grandma first, you’ve never met her before, have you?” Kris looked at him with an excited smile, and Chanyeol could only nod. “She’s a little uh… bad at hearing though, and she might forget your name once in a while… but she’s cool.”

 

They finally came to a carpeted room with a few children playing on the pillows and fur rugs that scattered, and spotted the old lady with a smiley face sitting in the corner on her rocking chair.

 

“GRANMAAA!” Kris’s voice thundered as he held out his arms wide and hovered down to hug her, who seemed to try and get up at seeing her grandson.

 

“Ooohh Yifan deear~ you’ve gotten so big!” Her small, creaky voice shook slightly but the pride was evident and she seemed to be so happy she could cry as she held Kris’ biceps under her wrinkly grip.

 

“What are you talking about granmaa? I’ve stopped growing since years ago!” Kris snickered in her arms.

 

“You what, dear…?”

“I’ve stopped growing since years ago!” Kris repeated a little loudly.

 

“Aah…?” She just turned her head to the side to hear better.

 

“Nevermind, Granma, this is Chanyeol! My Fiance!” Kris motioned Chanyeol to come and Chanyeol grinned nervously as he hugged her the way he saw Kris did, not sure how a conservative will react to him.

 

“Aaaah… Cha-Chansung?” She fixed her tiny chained spectacles further up her nose, squinting to see him.

 

“It’s Chanyeol, granma,” Chanyeol corrected, grinning.

 

“Aah… Cheondong?”

 

“Uh… no it’s-” Chanyeol was unsure how to talk louder to an elderly.

 

“CHAN-YEOL, Granma, it’s CHAN-YEOL,” Kris’ loud voice startled Chanyeol and he smacked Kris, glaring ‘rude’ his way, as the grandson just ‘whaat?’

 

“Aaah…! Chonyal! Dear, you are so beautiful~!” She cooed as she pinched both of Chanyeol’s cheeks. Chanyeol nodded thanks bashfully, but looked at his lover confusedly as he doubted the old lady knew of his gender despite the low-rumbling of his voice. She must really be unable to hear properly. Kris just chuckled and shrugged in resign ‘Close enough’ Kris mouthed out.

 

Suddenly a shriek was heard and the both of them turned around to see a little boy looking horrified. Chanyeol, standing straight back up consciously, looked at him wide-eyed... ‘Did I freak this little guy out?...’

 

“YOU KILLED MR. RED!!” The little boy cried out hysterically.

 

“YooGeun, be quiet! Chanyeol, your foot…” Kris told off the boy and whispered to Chanyeol. Chanyeol looked down, and there goes, a soft silicon, red larva toy flattened underneath his foot.

 

“Oh! Oh My God! I’m so sorry!!” Chanyeol hurriedly bent to pick it up, and the toy went perfectly back into its shape as he returned it to him.

 

“Yifan Ahjusshi, come play GTA with me.” He asked Kris, pulling his leg demandingly, quick to quiet down once his toy was back in hand.

 

“I will but hey, you haven’t met Chanyeol ahjusshi have you?” Kris asked, unlatching the small fists off his thighs. YooGeun shook his head. Chanyeol waved with both hands.

 

“Well, Yoogeun, this is Chanyeol Ahjusshi, Chanyeol Ahjusshi, this is YooGeun, he’s 7 years old.” Kris squatted down and introduced them. The boy meekly ‘hey’-ed, but went back to pull Kris’ arms.

 

“Can he come play with us too?” Kris asked. Chanyeol’s heart beat in anticipation as the little boy looked at him up and down. YooGeun shook his head… and Chanyeol would’ve bawled his eyes out right there and then if it weren’t for the fact that he was a 24 year old man…

 

“Why??” Kris was surprised at the reply. “He apologized already, didn’t he?”

 

Yoogeun looked uncertain before he covered Kris’ ear and whispered something to the slightly offended Kris. Kris’s stern face turned exaggeratedly shocked.

 

“WHAT?? Chanyeol ahjusshi’s too fat to play playstation??“ “IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRETT!!” Yoogeun seethed, face as red as tomatoes as he went mad at his uncle’s betrayal. Chanyeol laughed, and squatted down… then curled himself onto the carpet as if in misery.

 

“Could you boys keep it DOWN? MAMA, TIME TO CHANGE OKAY?” Mrs. Wu barged in despite her own voice that could shake the walls, walking towards granma. The old lady on the chair seemed reluctant, but lets herself be propped up by her daughter and a maid.

 

“Chanyeol, why don’t you eat first? Yifan, go and eat with Chanyeol, he needs to be strong for the baby!” Mrs. Wu reminded as she had one of Granma’s arm over her shoulder, her hand supporting the old lady’s fragile form by the waist.

 

“Yes aunty, aigoo, do you need help?” Chanyeol asked, rushing to her side.

 

“Oh please don’t worry, Granma will get shy if you do,” She waved her hand. “Yifan!” She nodded at him and tilted her chin towards the dining room, before disappearing to one of the rooms.

 

“Okaay, Chanyeol, let’s eat.” Kris stood back up, his hand searched for Chanyeol’s hand until a much smaller one snatched it.

 

“No! No! you said you’re playing with me so let’s play!” Yoogeun protested, squeezing Kris’ long fingers with both hands.

 

“I will, but let me and Chanyeol ahjusshi eat first!” Kris finally held Chanyeol’s hand with the other one, dragging two babies to the dining room. ‘Wait… make that three’ he thought adding the one inside Chanyeol. YooGeun stubbornly tailed Kris when he took a plate and browsed the food, hands tight on his back pocket, sometimes his shirt, so Kris finally gave in and excused himself once he got his plate filled, fearing his pants getting pulled down or shirt ripped to shreds.

 

“Sorry, I’ll be back, you okay?” Kris asked. Chanyeol blankly nodded.

 

Since Yoogeun didn’t want him to join, Chanyeol was left to nibble on his food alone asb gazes burnt from all sides of the room. He awkwardly started to look for a place to sit, and found one chair unoccupied next to a very beautiful girl in a bling-bling dress. Chanyeol hoped his grin didn’t look too creepy as he walked her way, the girl taking the bag off the unoccupied chair and put it on her lap.

 

“Hello, I’m Park Chanyeol…” Chanyeol balanced the plate on one hand to hold out his other. The girl with short bob hair gave a crescent-eyed smile and replied short; “Dasom.” Her movements very controlled and elegant, the very little amount of food on her plate a far cry to Chanyeol’s portion, and Chanyeol felt eating while standing up might’ve perhaps been a wiser choice… what if his slob shows? What if he spills something?

 

“Is oppa really a boy?” She suddenly asked.

 

“… Last time I checked, yeah…” Chanyeol mentally patted himself on the back for remembering to swallow first before answering. The boy who sat beside her shook, and laughed. Chanyeol noticed, so he laughed along.

 

“How come you can get pregnant?” the girl named Dasom asked curiously.

 

“You sure you want to hear it while eating?” Chanyeol smiled.

 

“Oh GOD NO, please.” The boy beside her interrupted, now that Chanyeol can see his face under the fancy cap like the ones Sehun wears, he didn’t look more than 16. Dasom giggled, and Chanyeol just smiled as he continued eating.

 

“So, what do you do?” She asked, forking a green bean and popped it into .

 

“I work in SM advertising… and I’m a junior art director,” Chanyeol replied. “What about Dasom?”

 

“Aah… Junior Art Director?” She disregarded his question and nodded. “Junior…” She muttered. Chanyeol refrained from adding ‘art director’ to that.

 

“Can I see the ring?” She asked. Chanyeol, his mouth still full, smiled and nodded, showing her his white gold engagement ring. She examined it, rolling the simple white band 360 degrees around his finger.

 

“Ooh… Yifan oppa’s not bad… but no diamonds?” She giggled.

 

“I like it.” Chanyeol had no idea why he suddenly had the need to state it, but he did. Diamonds might be a girl’s best friend… but he guessed he wasn’t a girl after all.

 

“Sure you do.” Dasom let go. Chanyeol wasn’t sure whether his eyes played tricks on him or did she really roll her eyes and smirked, looking over at the boy on her right knowingly.

 

“What about you?” Chanyeol tried asking again.

 

“I make clothes… I made this.” She finally answered proudly, sitting up straight and brushed invisible dust off her dress.

 

“Wow, that’s really nice!” Chanyeol grinned earnestly.

 

“I know, right.” She said. “Can I ask you something, though?” Dasom leaned closer.

 

Chanyeol shrugged, “Sure,” ‘Haven’t you been doing just that?...’

 

“Why do you always smile…? like this,” Dasom froze and mimicked him, her teeth all bared and stiff, and her one eye scrunching more than the other. The boy beside her shook again. Chanyeol was dumbfounded… how do you answer a question like that?... Chanyeol just laughed and clapped his hands.

 

“Hahahaha… I don’t know? I just smile…?”

 

Dasom and the boy now full-out burst into laughter.

 

“It’s weird…” She finally said, clutching her stomach, the boy got up to get a glass of water because he choked on his own food.

 

Does it really look that weird…? Is that why people are staring…?. He went for optimistic and kept his smile up, but his throat felt tight. Her non-existant food finally was finished, and she eyed Chanyeol’s plate who still had some scoops of rice and food left.

 

“You really like rice, don’t you?” She asked again amusedly, eyes crescent with that smile, but not waiting for a reply as she got up and left, bringing her plate with her wordlessly. Chanyeol finished his food with a numb tongue, embarrassment eating away all the flavors from the meal. ‘Did I take too much rice?...’ he pondered mournfully, feeling sick, swallowing the feeling of his height being probably the only thing that made him fit in Kris’ family, if he were able to fit at all.

 

Kris found him later in the kitchen, his fiancé hanging around just a little too comfortably in the bustling, clanking kitchen atmosphere, sitting by a stool beside an eating maid, mindlessly playing with his phone.

 

“Why are you back here? Come on,” Kris grabbed Chanyeol’s wrist.

 

“You done with Yoogeun? Wait, Kris,” Chanyeol stopped him. Kris looked at him questioningly. “Is it better that I smile like this...” Chanyeol showed him his million-watt smile, “Or like this…” then he showed him his thousand-watt smile. “Or like-“

 

“First. ing. World Problem ever, Chanyeol, let’s get out of here! We’ve already come all the way!” Kris brought them out to the crowd, and Chanyeol tried to push the bile that’s creeping up his throat back down his stomach.

 

They were back to talking to Uncle Woobin after some rounds of small chit-chats with the other family members spreading throughout the mansion. Toning down the size of his grin, Chanyeol was happy to be able to decently join conversations with some of the Wu’s when Kris stood by his side.

 

Some were nice, some were a little colder with the subtle stare-downs while talking, but Chanyeol just nodded when Kris nodded, laughed when he laughed, and did his best to understand most of their dialogues, and it worked. Though, sometimes it got quite difficult when Kris would talk in mandarin or fast english when spoken to in the language.

 

Yet his contentment was short-lived, as he hadn’t missed the way people were happily munching on a plate of his pudding yet froze and brought their tissues up their mouths once Mrs. Wu answered them that Chanyeol was the one who made them. That was painful, and Chanyeol instantly regretted himself for not just bringing a store-bought bucket of chickens, but, Uncle Woobin also asked about their plans on the marriage, and the sensitive topic once again came back along doubling Chanyeol’s misery.

 

“But same- marriage isn’t legal here.” He said with certainty like most of the others had, though with less hostility.

 

“I’d thought so, but my friend told me there’s been a revision lately, honestly, we’ll see how it goes,” Kris could only explain that much, fortunately, his uncle that had once taken care of him for years, nodded in understanding.

 

“Well, I really hope it works out well for the both of you … it’s just that this is very…” Uncle Woobin contemplated on which word would best describe his feelings of wanting to see his precious boy be happy, but not quite expecting things to turn out this way, his eyes a little glassy but he quickly looked down and sipped on his drink “Overwhelming for me.” The middle-aged man chuckled, and Kris pulled him into a hug. Chanyeol, who stood right beside them, felt like an outsider who stole Kris out of everyone’s grasp, and he discreetly stepped away after murmuring a barely coherent ‘Excuse me, I’m just gonna… bathroom’

 

The guilt curling in his gut had his nausea reaching its breaking point, and he just hoped the sound of the toilet flush would drown enough the little gag and puking sound he makes as he throws up on the running water closet. Chanyeol supposed maybe he wasn’t supposed to stand at hearing or seeing range of anybody if he didn’t want to get hurt. So, after rinsing his mouth out and flushing the toilet down the last time, he dragged heavy steps out of the bathroom to try find the least crowded area that isn’t the kitchen (since Kris disapproved), and perhaps just stay there.

 

Chanyeol settled on sitting at the corner of the carpeted room they visited earlier where Granma, all freshly changed, was quietly sewing on a pink sock. There were now little children slightly younger than Yoogeun playing with shape blocks, and a little girl who quietly drew with crayons, but they didn’t seem to mind him there at least.

 

The little girl sat back to admire her work on the a4 sized drawing book on the carpet.

 

“Is it good?” She asked Chanyeol suddenly, her big foreign-looking hazel-colored eyes twinkling at him expectantly. Chanyeol looked at the blobs of colorful crayon on the page, and asked;

 

“Wow, it’s nicely colorful! What is it a picture of?” Chanyeol wasn’t sure she could understand Korean, but turned out she did, and her face lit up instantly as she answered;

 

“Jelly beans!” She cheerfully said. Chanyeol’s lips turned up in a grin on its own.

 

“You like jelly beans?” Chanyeol asked.

 

“I LOVE JELLY BEANS!” She held up her crayon triumphantly.

 

“I love jelly beans too!” Chanyeol cheered excitedly.

 

“But mom wouldn’t let me eat jelly beans all the time…” She pouted mournfully.

 

“Oh… is that why you’re drawing them instead?” Chanyeol sympathized.

 

She nodded her head, then looked up at him.

 

“Do you want to draw too?” She asked.

 

“Uhm…”

 

“Draw here!” She patted her chubby hands onto the empty page beside her occupied one. Chanyeol looked at the colorful crayons longingly, and decided why not.

He considered the limited range of colors available scattered, and took a neutral crème colored one into his hand. It’s been a while since he last drew something on real paper rather than on his tablet looking at the screen. His eyes landed on the curly auburn locks of the little girl’s head, still concentrating on perfecting her piece, and hovered slightly down to begin drawing her head.

 

He lightly drew her curly locks, laying out the main points of her concentrated face’s shape, and blocked in the skin with the light color, smudging it even with his thumb. He took the white crayon, and pressed the blunt tip to the side of her face, adding shine on the cheek, and on her nose, deciding the lighting to be from the upper right side. Moving on to slightly darker tones, he smeared a bit of redness to the plump of her cheeks and the pout of her lips, and reached for the green and blue crayons to carefully dot on her eyes, coloring her hazel irises. The bold nature of crayons making it really fast to achieve the colors he want and before he knew it, he was already coloring in the darkest shades of her springy rolls of hair. A little gasp was heard and Chanyeol quickly dropped his crayon.

 

“Who is that?” She asked in anticipation, looking like she knew already with a big wide grin on her plump face. Chanyeol was relieved to see the excitement on her face.

 

“I tried drawing you!” He replied, loving rounding into an ‘Oh’ as she held up the drawing paper in the air, jumping to her feet and bouncing up and down with it.

 

“It’s soooo nice! IT’S SO NICE IT’S SO NICE IT’S SOOOO NIICE!” She clutched on it tightly to her body, Chanyeol laughed at the joyful sight. She was too sweet.

 

“GRANMA LOOK IT’S ME!!” She suddenly sprung Granma’s way and Chanyeol quickly held her from crashing straight at her fragile form. Granma ‘Aaah…’-ed and delightfully chuckled, saying ‘What a lovely drawing!’ before she sprinted to the boys playing with the shape blocks, doing the same. Then she sprung back up to her little feet, and rushed out the room, screaming “Unniiiiieeeeeee!!!” as Mrs. Wu yelled ‘KEEP IT DOWN!’ in the background.

 

Chanyeol’s heart fluttered and warmed, picking up the crayons to put them back into its case, a foolish grin etched on his face at the thought of her reaction. And then, granma spoke up.

“Chonyal-ah, Can you draw me?” She put down her knitting and asked lightly. Chanyeol, so happy to please, quickly nodded and replied her,

 

“Of Course!”

 

…

..

.

 

Chanyeol wasn’t sure how it all came down to this.

 

But somehow, he had the room crowded with family members around him as he drew his fourth sketch that day. This time, he was drawing Mrs. Wu. She was sitting cross-legged across from him with her big toothy smile as Chanyeol focused on touching up her distinguishing features on the paper with the crayon. Kris had sat behind him with an oblivious Yoogeun on his lap for the past twenty minutes babbling things like “No. After this, he’s done.” and “No, you, if you wanna get drawn, pay the up.” To the noisy crowd whispering not so subtly about getting their pictures drawn near them, receiving ‘Watch your mouth, Yifan, mind the kids’ and the likes back from them. Chanyeol was a little embarrassed, but this feeling of being noticed not in a bad way, certainly felt more positive than moments ago.

 

After writing Mrs. Wu on the corner top of the finished drawing, he turned the book around and held it out to her. Kris’ mother quickly ogled the finished result, and chuckled delightfully with a joyful expression on her face, showing it off to the curious people gathered around.

 

“You are so good at this! Since when can you draw this way?”

 

“I told you Chanyeol can draw!” Kris interrupted.

 

“Yifan, I didn’t ask you.” She glared at him. Chanyeol’s face was burning from all the excessive attention and he carefully answered; “I love drawing since I was little, aunty…” She ‘Aaah…’-ed, and ask again “Why don’t you try doing this for business?”

 

“I am actually still drawing… in a way, I mean. Difference is, in the ad firm, I tend to draw storyboards a lot more often with a tablet.”

 

“Storyboards? Tablet?” a curious tone came behind him, and he looked back to see one of the people who had acted cold towards him earlier, was now looking at him with a different, more fascinated lilt in his eyes.

 

“Yeah… it’s like, drawing comic strips of ideas for upcoming advertisement productions, it’s really fun, really. And tablets are those pen and board you use to draw digitally on the computer,” Chanyeol grinned, passionately talking about his job.

 

“THAT”S MY FUTURE SON IN LAW!” Mrs. Wu suddenly clapped proudly, and the whole room somehow applauded along with crisp laughter. Chanyeol was at a total loss of words and actions at this whole new scene, and just stuttered incoherent ‘No, please it’s nothing,’s before bowing down resignedly. Looking back at his fiancé, who just smiled at him that confident smile, and he felt his cheeks grow impossibly hotter.

 

Dasom and the teenage boy just stood glued among the crowd expressionlessly.

 

…

..

.

 

 In the car on their way home.

 

“What’s that?” Kris asked, inside the car jam-packed with leftover foods Mrs. Wu insisted them to bring home.

 

“Sarah’s drawing of me,” Chanyeol had been stupidly grinning for so long Kris wondered whether his dimply cheeks hurt or not. Sarah was the little girl who had first showed off her drawing to her stepsister, unnie Dasom, and had the whole Wu’s family turn 180 degree towards him. Though Chanyeol wouldn’t dare say he was slowly getting accepted, he liked the thought of finally given the chance to show a tiny side of him that isn’t just about his pregnancy and ual orientation, but rather, his passion, and what he does as a living.

 

Kris smiled, and squeezed his fiance’s hand lovingly. “Looks weird,” Kris said mischievously.

 

“I am weird…” Chanyeol said resignedly, feeling the words not hurting him as much as before.

 

“I meant the drawing.” Kris said, but had a pretty clear idea on how Chanyeol might’ve come to say that.

 

“But I like weird.” Kris added simply.

 

Chanyeol looked up from the childish, colorful portrait of him, and looked into Kris’ eyes.

 

“Jjinja?” Chanyeol asked, smiling with one eyebrow raised.

 

“Jjinja.” Kris answered with all the sureness Chanyeol could ever ask for.

 

So, Chanyeol thought being weird isn’t so bad after all…

 

…

..

.

 

A.N// FINALLY AN UPDATE! next chapter will be titled 'Check-up', and will start to get serious lol OTL. Thank you for reading up to this chapter, I love you guys so much i can crei, comments are really appreciated <3