Baby Zelo Learns To Speak

“Say ‘appa’, Junhongie!”

Zelo regards the silver rabbit pendant hanging down from Himchan’s necklace with keen interest.

“Say ‘papa’! Pa. Pa. Papapa! Papa!”

It is very pretty, the pendant. Zelo grabs it with a tiny, chubby hand. Zelo loves shiny things. Himchan always has something sparkly and shiny to offer, much to Zelo’s delight.

“Is ‘umma’ easier for my li’l baby Junhongie?” Himchan croons, gently tickling his baby boy’s stomach. “Say ‘umma’! Uuuu-mmmaaa!”

Zelo giggles happily as Himchan drawls out the word and his eyes are full of love as he looks at Himchan and shoves the pendant into his mouth.

“No, no, sweetie, you can’t put it into your mouth!”

Himchan tugs his pendant out of Zelo’s mouth, wiping the drool off it with the bed sheet. He pouts his lips at Zelo.

“Junhong-ah, we already celebrated your first birthday last week. Won’t you call me ‘appa’? Or ‘umma’? Whichever my baby likes is fine,” Himchan sighs, nuzzling Zelo’s stomach and the toddler laughs and pats Himchan’s cheek. He loves this pretty, soft person who talks to him every waking moment he can. Zelo doesn’t know but Himchan talks to him a lot of times when he is asleep, too.

“Appa! Appa! Appa! Aaaa-pppaaaa!” Himchan is pleased by the sound of Zelo’s burbling laughter and tickles him some more. “Aaa-pppaaa!”

“Hey, baby,” Yongguk’s amused voice interrupts Himchan’s attempts at getting Zelo to say those first magical words. “Bothering the little one again?”

He smacks Himchan’s boxer-clad before stretching out on his back on the bed next to him. He has just finished showering after a long hard day. But nothing cheers him up more than to watch Himchan play with Zelo. Himchan is lying on his stomach with Zelo seated contently in front of him. Till Yongguk arrives, that is.

Zelo cheers up even more when he notices Yongguk and instantly abandons Himchan, pendant and all, and leans forward, trying to reach Yongguk.

“Ah! Junhongie! Channie-appa loves you more!” Himchan whines as Zelo climbs over his head and onto Yongguk’s chest. “Go away, Bbang! I was having a happy time with Junhongie!”

Yongguk laughs and ruffles Himchan’s hair, who immediately snuggles up to him, watching the baby excitedly thump his small hands on Yongguk’s chest as he rocks to and fro.

“Get him to say ‘appa’, Bbang! He will listen to you! Junhongie, say ‘appa’!”

Zelo gurgles giddily and kicks Himchan’s face.

Yongguk takes his small feet in his hands, draw