“What time can you get here?” Joonmyeon asked breathily into the phone, as he picked up the last of the bags from the cars boot and handed them to a smiling Kyungsoo. All the kids were back from school, and they had just gone to the supermarket when he got a call from an unknown caller. When he answered, the boy from the shop, that Joonmyeon met a few weeks ago – Lay, called to let Joonmyeon know that he was available for babysitting. Joonmyeon had let Lay know about where he lived, but called him again after shopping, to specify times.

“Is there a time you’d like?” Lay asked, hanging his work jacket up onto the hanger and sliding into his own green parker. He held the phone between his shoulder and his ear, as he locked up the corner store where he worked, and unlocked his bicycle from the cycle rack.

“Five would be perfect.” Joonmyeon smiled, shutting the boot of the car close before locking his car.

“Okay, see yo-”

“Wait; come around now so we can go over their routines…” Joonmyeon interrupted, holding onto Sehun’s hand as they walked into the house.

“…their routines?” Lay repeated; furrowing his eyebrows, he thought he agreed to babysit in its singular form, assuming that Chanyeol was Joonmyeon’s only child.

“Oh crap, Chanyeol just dropped his berry juice on the floor…I’m so sorry, but I’ll talk to you later, thanks Lay.” Joonmyeon apologised, putting his phone into his pocket as he rushed over to Chanyeol with a box of cleaning wipes.

Lay stared at the red end-call sign on his phone, realising that Joonmyeon forgot to turn his phone off. He placed his earphones into his phone, and then in his ears, before hopping onto his bicycle and riding out onto the street.

In the call, Lay could hear giggling and laughter in the background, so he curiously listened in on the phone call – because why the hell not, pocket dialling is always fun.

Hey, maybe he could figure out how many kids he was going to look after too? It was a longshot, but it was worth a shot.

In Call:                       
“Chanyeol, not again…”

One

“I’m sorry appa, Baekhyun made me drop it – he was tickling me!”

Two

“I saw it all – Baekhyun was tickling Chanyeol!”

“Kyunggie, that’s not fair! Chanyeol tickled Baekhunnie first appa!”

Three

“Jongin sweetie, I don’t mind if Baekhyun and Chanyeol were having fun, but who is going to clean up this mess?”

Four

Lay nearly swerved into a lamp-post.

“Sehun honey, not now.”

“…but appa your pocket ith glowing…ith it magic?”

That made it five children altogether.

Lay stopped riding and sat on his bike, wiping the sweat off of his forehead without realising it. He quickly tapped end call on his touchscreen phone, and held onto the bars of his bike, a little out of breath.

Five, he thought, as he bit his bottom lip and looked above at the pitch black sky. He covered his eyes with his hand as he looked up.

Lay was going to babysit, five, probably hyper-active, hungry, noisy goddamn children – of whom had never met before.

Yes Lay, you’re in some deep .

Let’s hope Joonmyeon pay’s well.

Lay looked at his phone again to check the time, 4.00PM he should probably make his way now. He took a small street map out of his over shoulder bag, and marked the location, before riding ahead, the map clutched in his hand.

Joonmyeon checked his back pocket and got his phone out to see what Sehun was talking about, to find the screen completely blank.

“Sehunnie, my phone’s not glowing.” He said softly, crouching down to Sehun’s level.

“But, but it-”

“Maybe we should cut down on the sweets okay?” Joonmyeon asked a little worriedly, “It’s making you see things…” he said as he checked Sehun’s eyes for anything.

“I’ll have to book an appointment for a check-up soon – for all of you.” Joonmyeon said with concern, rubbing his chin as he got up from crouching and held Sehun’s hand.

The rest of the kids groaned at the word check-up.

Their last check-up consisted of Jongin vomiting all over the floor of the children’s surgery after him and Baekhyun stole a few – well, a few is an understatement – after stealing the whole confectionary basket that doctors keeps in the waiting room for patients, when Joonmyeon was busy tying Kyungsoo’s shoe laces. Sehun and Chanyeol were left to their own devices, terrorising the other kids, by joining forces and overtaking the Lego station.

Joonmyeon had to find another surgery after being banned at their previous one.

He didn’t realise doctors were so serious about child behaviour.

Come on, in his defence they were only children.

In the nurse’s defence, Baekhyun really shouldn’t have tried to inject Kyungsoo with a needle.

But that’s another story.

After managing to mop up the remaining of the red colorant, from the kitchen’s marble floor, and – with the help of Kyungsoo, put all the shopping away, Joonmyeon stepped into the living room. Only to be welcomed with the sight of toy cars, books, crayons and dangerously wet paint brushes left lying bombarded across the floor. Joonmyeon looked up at the clock, 4.15PM Lay should be here soon.

“Kids…” Joonmyeon shouted, clapping his hands together to get their attention.

“Appa’s going out to visit a few friends tonight, so you’ll have a babysitter to look after you.” Joonmyeon started.

Baekhyun dropped all of the crayons he had in his hand and ran towards his room.

“No, Appa! Thay with uth!” Sehun cried, holding onto Joonmyeon’s arm tightly. Jongin followed too, grabbing onto Joonmyeon’s other arm, whilst crying a series of ‘don’t go’s.

“Boys, I have to go, it’s a school reunion…I’ll be back soon, I promise.” Joonmyeon said, holding out his little finger out in front of the clingy duo. Jongin and Sehun both looked up, teary eyed, but promised despite not wanting their appa to leave them.

“Pinkie promise?” Jongin sniffled, as Sehun looked up at Joonmyeon, his eyes pleading for appa to stay. 

“Pinkie promise.” Joonmyeon smiled, wrapping his little finger around Jongin’s. He then bent down to hug both of them tightly, kissing the top of their heads before getting up.

“Okay, let’s get this all clean for the babysitter!” Joonmyeon said, rushing over to the toys and books and placing them onto shelves and the toy’s into the kid’s drawers. Chanyeol helped by picking up a few crayons with Kyungsoo’s help, and Sehun and Jongin continued sulking on the sofa. Joonmyeon turned the channel over to their favourite cartoon, but noticed Baekhyun wasn’t there.

With the room fairly spotless, Joonmyeon went to look for Baekhyun.

“Baekhyun?” he called out from the hallway.

Joonmyeon could hear a few weeping sounds coming from Baekhyun’s room, and ran towards it, busting the door open.

“Baekhyun, what’s wrong?” Joonmyeon asked, kneeling down to face a crying Baekhyun, beside the bed. Joonmyeon wiped a few tears from Baekhyun’s face, as he looked tenderly at the younger.

“You’re leaving us.” Baekhyun whined, sobbing into Joonmyeon’s shirt as he hugged his father firmly.

“It’s only for a few hours, Baekkie…” Joonmyeon tried negotiating, feeling his heart break a little. His kid’s weren’t usually like this, but it was the first time Joonmyeon tried leaving them to go somewhere. He would take them along, but this was a college reunion. It was a building with rooms, many rooms – which meant more space for the kids to get lost in, or wreak more havoc in.

Beside they have to get used to being away from appa, well, that’s what Joonmyeon told himself to feel a little less guilty of leaving them.

“Do you have to go, appa?” Baekhyun hiccupped, still gripping onto Joonmyeon shirt.

“I do, sweetheart.” Joonmyeon whispered rubbing Baekhyun’s back in circular motions as he felt Baekhyun’s grip loosening. Soon, a few soft snores could be heard from the younger, and Joonmyeon placed the boy into his bed and covered him with his bed sheets. With a kiss on his cheek, Baekhyun was fully asleep.

I guess a day out shopping took its toll on both of us, huh.

Joonmyeon yawned as he closed the door behind him, and stretched his arms out.

He then made his way to the living room, where he could hear Sehun screaming in frustration at losing Jongin at Dance Battle 3, and told the pair to keep it down because Baekhyun was sleeping.

Seriously, where was their energy coming from?

Joonmyeon then looked at the couch, and saw Kyungsoo and Chanyeol both sitting on it with their eyes closed. Kyungsoo’s head rested on Chanyeol’s shoulder, as Chanyeol held Kyungsoo’s hand loosely. They were both breathing slowly, and it looked like they fell asleep after watching Jongin and Sehun battle it out on their Wii game.

Joonmyeon considered tucking them into their beds, but the doorbell rang before he could do so. He checked the clock, it was exactly 4.30PM.

Jongin and Sehun quickly stopped dancing, and froze on the spot.

The babysitter was here.  

BECUZ I FEEL LIKE TEESING U GUISE - HEEHEE 

aw. 

here, have a little minho 

PS: The bold writing basically is whenever the characters are in a conversation during a phonecall.