*

“Don’t be nervous.”

“I’m not.”

Kai stared at his stiffened wife who walked next to him, their fingers entangled in between. In the weekend of their fourth month as husband and wife, Kai brought Luhan to his hometown to see the man’s family. Luhan was excited and in the same time, horrified with the idea. He anticipated greeting Kai’s parents directly but he’s also scared if they didn’t like him.

“Why would they dislike you?” Kai chuckled lightly, “you’re so lovely and cute, and my family is weak with cute things.” He tried to cheer his wife by leaning in to give a small kiss on Luhan cheek, “relax, my family just normal, nothing ordinary.”

“But-…” Luhan breathed and shuddered into his touch, “I’m not from normal family, I don’t know what to behave around one…” he mewled, rising the blood pressure in Kai’s veins and made the man grunted under his breath at the sudden urge to push Luhan to the nearest wall so they can make out. Snap it out! He scolded himself. He’s a father for the God sakes, not a teenager!

He stared at Luhan’s swollen belly, couldn’t help but smile in joy at seeing Luhan struggled to be the best mother ever. The boy was young but that didn’t lessen his love and affection for their baby. Didn’t feel burdened to learn from pregnancy book, videos, even eagerly consulting with their doctor. Seeing his effort, Kai taught Luhan how to bathe baby, change diapers, as he had some experienced in taking care of his brother’s daughter.

“Just be yourself, Umma.” Kai stopped walking as they finally arrived at a decent house, “it’s not like my family breathe fire or coming from the cannibal tribe.” He tried to joke to ease away the tense in Luhan expression.

“Appa that’s not funny!” Luhan snapped.

Kai laughed. He led Luhan into the front yard and onto the foyer to knock the front door. Next to him, Luhan stilled into statue when the door swung opened.

“Ma, I’m home.” Kai whispered softly to the figure of black haired woman, “and I’ve brought someone over.”

 

*

 

There’s a boy sitting across Luhan seat on the train. He looked so young, with short and spiky black hair and doll like face. Once upon ago, that’s how he looked alike. Tiny, frail, and innocent. It made Luhan looked down at himself, pouting. Not that he disregarded the little one inside his belly, but to admit it, he was fat. His arms, his , and his thighs getting fat and fatter, he had trouble moving his limbs and he often screamed in frustration. He wanted to complain to Kai about almost everything in his life, his dropped grade, his expensive drawing canvases, his stupid annoying lecturer and his never ending fatigue.

 However, every time Kai appeared at the door and kissed him gently, no matter how hard the man had to work for this little family, it melted his grudge and cured his exhausted body and mind. The difficulty was still there, but he simply forgot about it when Kai was near. There’s a sudden energy and excitement which made him capable to cook dinner for both of them or massage Kai’s back or playing around in the bed. At the end of the day, they will cuddle and talked, usually he would mourn and Kai would kissed him all over until he stopped or drifted to sleep.

‘I don’t want to put burden on you with my problem.’ He often said, ‘I just want to share, just so you know, you’re not fighting along in this battle. I’m struggling along with you.’

And Kai would say in between the kisses, ‘and I’m happy you tell me, although I can’t help you aside being here and listen. You’ll do the same to me.’

Luhan took a deep breath and calmed the jealous beat in his heart. He blinked and stared at the boy again, and when the boy looked back at him, he smiled.

The boy returned him with a confused smile, judging him in instant and eyeing his belly with amazement.

“Whoa.” The boy even gasped, “Are you pregnant?”

“Yes.” Luhan was never been this proud in his life before as he brushed his stomach and giggled when the baby kicked in response to his touch. Yes, little one, this is mommy who loved you. “It’s already month six.”

“How it feels?” The boy asked again, “You know, bringing baby everywhere.”

“It’s exciting.” Luhan answered with a soft laugh, “of course dealing with mood swings is hard, but as long as I’m happy and my husband’s happy, it became a loving experience.”

The train reached his destination, and apparently, the boy’s too. They both stand and walked together to the exit door.

“Where are you heading?” Luhan asked.

“Oh, my friend’s office was around here, I’m gonna met him at a café for lunch.” The boy chirped, “how about you?”

“Well, I’m going to have lunch with my husband. He’s also working in this district.”

They’d still walked next to each other until they reached the gate. Luhan looked around and spotted Kai, waiting for him at a pillar while staring at the wall clock.

 

“ah, App-…”

 

“Kai!”

 

Luhan froze.

 

How’s this feeling again? How to name it? Jealousy? Yes, a while ago, he was jealous to this boy for reminding him of his old self, if he’s two years younger and didn’t dye his hair. Now he was blown with fury for completely different reason. It’s because this boy called his husband name in such familiarity and approaching his husband with light step and beaming laugh.

That’s supposed to be me, he groaned mentally, Kai supposed to be my ONLY husband.

He didn’t see Kai recognized him and took a step at him. His eyes blinded with anger and hatred until a kiss broke him out to the reality. He blinked and suddenly realized he was inside Kai’s arms, dazedly looking at his too gorgeous husband who proudly introducing him,

“This is my beautiful wife, Soo, the one I want you to meet.”

Luhan blushed. Why oh why Kai always knew where to pinch the right button and made him embarrassed. He pouted at the boy who happened to be Do Kyungsoo, one of Kai’s childhood friend. Kyungsoo was so cute, didn’t look like 24 at all, just like Kai who looked younger than he should. “I don’t know you’re in the same age with my husband. Hence I don’t know you’re his friend at all. I’m sorry for addressing you informally before.” Luhan stretched his hand at Kyungsoo.

“Never mind.” Kyungsoo shook his hand while snickering, “you don’t have to be formal with me. Just call me Soo.”

 Luhan really wanted to hide his face into Kai warm chest all day so he didn’t have to stop this jealousy and being fond of Soo presence. Seriously, he can’t hate someone with such shy, innocent smile and honest gaze. He felt like ugly villain in his own love life while he should be the main heroine. It’s not fair. He should meet Kyungsoo when he’s still blond and slim and y. Then he won’t felt so worthless. Again, no offense to his baby.

“Okay.” he replied with a small smile, before his husband told Soo that the Byun couple already waited in their usual cafe, the Horoscope. Luhan realized, it’s also his usual lunch place with Kai and slowly, he was calmed again, knowing that he’ll be surrounded in familiar surrounding (and delicious smell of seasoned chicken) although he’s meeting with new people.

“I’ve met Byun Baekyun before.” Luhan said to Kai, “He was the one who delivered the flower bucket.” His face reddened again at reminder of the white rose and the beautiful bucket, his gaze found Soo who smiled warmly at him.

“You’re lucky.” The boy giggled, “our Zitao made the best flower arrangement in Seoul.”

“Zitao?” Luhan repeated the name as question.

“My other best friend, Huang Zitao, remember? He’s working as florist and married the son of the Byun flower shop.” Kai whispered into the tip of his head, “I’m sorry for not telling you before, Umma, but we’re meeting with my close friends since they kept bugging me to introduce you to them.” the man winked as if it would make up to the frown of confusion and disappointment in his face.

“It’s a bit too late to apology.” Luhan said but he indeed squealed happily while pinching Kai’s chest. Kai winced in pain, but Luhan was sure it’s a fake. His husband was always that cheesy.

 

“… and so the gooses chase him, can’t you imagine?! Six feet tall grown up scared of a bunch of cute white goose!” A choke of laughter bubbled out of Luhan, alongside with Baekhyun and Kyungsoo while Kai scoffed with red face. He muttered something like, ‘I’m not bringing you guys here to tell my wife my dumbness…’ gaining a light tap of reassuring from Tao, although the man was giggling mercilessly too.

“No, it’s not dumb.” Luhan shook his head while smiling at Kai, “Appa, I’m scared of goose too, so I think we matched well to each other.”

 

Kai rewarded him with a thankful peck on his temple, making him squealed in happiness.

 

“Then you should know more.” Tao snickered at Luhan. Just as handsome and cute he was, he’s also a devil, said Baekhyun.

“Yeah.” Kai stared at Tao with boredom, apparently didn’t want to suffer alone, “like your fright with ghost?” his sly comment turning Tao face into blue, “remember when we’re in first grade and we come to this haunted house?”

“Whoah even I freaked out in there,” Kyungsoo added with giggle, “cause it’s really scary, but Tao was the only one who kicked the ghosts and broke the set. It turned hilarious instead.”

   “He’s afraid, but that didn’t make him less strong.” Baekki brushed Tao arm with proud smile on his face, somehow Luhan understand, the role of wife was always stayed by his husband side, no matter how bad the husband wounded. It tickled fire of joy in his heart as he eyed laughing Kai, honored to have such important role in Kai’s life.

“I really envy you guys…” He turned at Kyungsoo who sighed at seeing Baekki and Tao, “now Kai was married too, I felt lonely.”

“Oh you feel it now? Good then.” Baekki words came out as sarcasm, but it sounded kind and loving, “maybe you should stop chasing ‘sugar daddy’ and find average man, I mean, you’re not getting younger Soo.” Kyungsoo eyes were unreadable, but the boy laughed in protest.

“I’m not chasing sugar daddy. I love older man.”

“Far older.” Tao added grimly. “Like when you come to my house and fall in love with my uncle. My Uncle, Soo…”

“He looked alike Wang Lee Hom!” Soo protested.

“He’s forty!”

 

“But seriously, I really want to say this from the first time I met your wife, Kai.” Baekki let Tao and Kyungsoo have their harmless argument in his side and staring at Luhan and Kai, “isn’t he too young for you?”

Kai smirked, “why? You have problem with that?”

“I always knew you’re a e.” Baekki gave Luhan a fake pity look. Somehow it made his judging words turned into joking material. Luhan bet he’s really this kind of person, who used their sarcasm to make people laugh. It reminded him of Lay and he laughed in wonder what will happen if Lay and Baekki met. Things will be double hilarious.

“Is that supposed to make me feel guilty, or what?” Kai asked back cluelessly.

“No, it’s too late.” Baekki shook his head mournfully, and Luhan couldn’t help but laughed.

 

*

 

After the lunch, they went separately. Baekki and Tao went back to their shop (which was across the café) and Kai was back to his office with grief on his face and an urge to kiss Luhan wherever he stand, so Kyungsoo grabbed him from Kai and promised Kai to him home safely. So here they were, sitting next to each other on the same train track while chatting animatedly, mostly about food.

“I didn’t know you’re an architect, Soo.”

“Also Kai and Tao. However, we all agreed we only loved it in art form, not as job, so I took patisserie course after we graduated while Tao, you know, he became florist, and Kai, he became engineer.” Luhan heard him talking about how he took patisserie exam just because the examiner is a foreign older man with ‘handsome beard’ and ‘silvery blond hair’.

“I’ve heard you’re an Art student.” Soo watched his entwined hands, “and I kind of understand why Kai loved you like crazy. We’re who had love towards art and creativity usually found solace in partner in similar industry. Do you know Kai loved to sketch?” Luhan nodded, recalled a memory of his visit to Kai home and found more love from his husband addressed to him. He smiled. It’s also the first time he had a real family dinner. Kai said as ‘normal’ but for him it’s very special since the only family dinner his family had contains stern faces and business talks. He couldn’t even expect to hear praises from his own mother for any great achievement in his life. She only adores herself.

 

“I hope we can meet again, you know, as friend.”

 

In front of his apartment, Luhan let Kyungsoo hugged him, felt a bit awkward but he indeed returned the taste, realizing that Kyungsoo acted less like Korean and more like foreigner. When they separated with Baekki and Tao, Kyungsoo also hugged Baekki and even kissed the mother on each side of cheek. Even with his close friends and cousins, Luhan never kissed in the cheeks so he felt so groggy when Kyungsoo leaned to peck him.

 

“Sure.” Luhan didn’t want to be impolite so he titled his head and smile. “I would love too.”

 

“Okay.” Kyungsoo released him, “See ya!”

 

When the boy waved at him, Luhan waved back with happy smile. Just then, he received a text and when he looked at it, Baekki number was flashed along with, ‘have Soo kissed you yet?’

Luhan couldn’t help but laughed thinking Baekki voice and accent said it right to him. So he texted back, ‘Is Kyungsoo a foreigner?’ while entering his apartment building, ‘he hugged and kissed goodbye.’

‘He lived in France for two years. When he got home he smooched me. Nearly breaking my marriage into .’ Luhan didn’t know if he should feel wary or pity. He only giggled more at how hilarious it will look, ‘He’s better now. Only kiss me on the cheek, normal greet.’

Luhan unlocked the front door and opened his shoes, ‘Is it supposed to be a disease?’

‘Lips ? Yes. But it’s harmless.’ Lips . He read the words sent by Baekki and smiled widely. It sounded so naughty.

When he’s about to reply, his husband called. Luhan immediately picked it up and squealed at hearing how Kai was worried and how he should text his husband when he’s arrived home, “Can’t help it.” He answered, “I’m texting with Baekki, talking about Soo’s lips .” He laughed at the way its words smoothly past his lips and how it made his husband groaned in displease.

 

“He kissed you, that bastard?! I already told him not to! I said ‘my wife is off the limit.’”

 

“On cheeks only, Appa…”

 

“Those cheeks are mine!”

 

Luhan blushed. He always thought, Kai calmness and maturity will be his weak point, but to hear his husband got so possessive over him, it made the warmth crept on his face. He was loved, he was loved and he will never less than be loved, that’s what he chanted in his mind, that was he believed in his heart, as he listened to his husband’s never ending rant like it was the greatest love vow he’d ever know.

 

*

 

So this is normal family dinner, Luhan thought dazedly as he sat next to Kai in this round, dining table. In front of him there are foods with less decoration and more piled on the plate. Mostly chicken, because Kai can’t stop trying to snatch the spicy wings, followed by his cute nephew, Eunhee, and gained playful slap on their hand by Kai’s mother. But all was in good term. Kai’s brother, Key, took his daughter to his lap while nagging Kai for set a ‘bad example’ to a princess. Kai snorted, said a princess indeed having a witch as mother and gained a pinch in his cheek for his slyness.

“If you kept trying to ruin the dinner, you’re welcome eating with the boys.” She glanced at their dogs, Monggu, Jjanggu, Jjangah, who running around the table, almost tripping Kai’s dad somehow and made the man sighed in defeat. But Kai was right, his family was weak with cute things. In no time, the dad sat on the floor and feeding treats to the poodles.

Luhan felt like fireworks set in his body, bursting under every surface of his skin, making his heart swelled with feelings he didn’t aware he would have it. When everyone sat on the table and began eating, Kai tugged his cheek with a finger, and when he turned to ask what’s matter, the man smooched his lips.

 

“Oh my God! Kai!” Key immediately covered Eunhee eyes.

 

“What?” Kai laughed while taking Luhan into his chest. “It’s not like you’re not doing the same. It’s just my payback to accidentally see you and your husband ‘making love’ everywhere in this house.”

 

 “What is making love?” Eunhee asked her dad.

Her dad choked, and groaned lowly in embarrassment.

 

Luhan was embarrassed too, but he smiled apologetically at Kai’s family. Somehow he knew, this kind of affection was often happened in this house. Like how close Kai’s dad whispered to the mom, the man was practically kissing the ear and how delighted the woman sounded. Or how Eunhee’s dad brushed his fingers on Key’s cheek, silently reminded Key to unleash his frustration over Kai when dinner is over.

“So this is a normal family dinner?” Luhan looked up at his husband and rewarded by another smooch on his lips as answer. No, for Luhan this isn’t normal. This is the loveliest dinner time he would never forget.

 

“So this is where we would sleep.”

 

When Kai opened the bedroom door, Luhan breath hitched and his body slightly trembled at the attack of Kai’s scent all over. He almost cried in bliss cause he already felt like home, surrounded by the smell. He walked in and sat on the single bed. Kai’s mom asked if they needed spare bed, but Key snickered and said, “Mom, a newlywed only need people pretend to be deaf about their life. No offense, Luhan.” although it still made Luhan face burned in shame.

“Your brother, he’s really an interesting person.” Luhan whispered as he changed into PJs. Kai said something about ‘y bro’ and Luhan watched his husband with clenched heart. Kai was very comfortable wearing only boxer while wandering around the bedroom, Luhan felt like he get more addicted to the man than ever. His heart also thumped harder, wondering if they would do ‘it’ here, in Kai’s house. Usually it’s only two of them, so Luhan never hold back any of his laugher and moan. But now, there are other people in the house, and the dogs, he might had to gag his own mouth to stifle any sound from leaking out.

 

He groaned lowly. Just by thinking about it made him hard.

 

“Eh?” Luhan stopped by Kai’s drafting table and saw a sketch on the wall. It’s a boy with closing eyes, leaning to a silhouette of shoulder, with the train as the background. In another second, he realized the boy was similar to him, “Appa, is that me?”

 “No.” Luhan yelped when Kai back-hugged him, and he blushed when the man kissed his ears, “that’s a boy I had crush with months ago. Have you heard the story?” Luhan giggled as the man sauntering him to the bed until they lied together, side by side, “I thought he was someone’s sweetheart, and it gave me heart break. I tried to forget, but I couldn’t. Each day passed with endless hope and longing, praying that I can see him in different lifetime, in a better place.”

“Turns out he was you.” Kai whispered on his lips, kissing up his wide-smile, “Turns out he was my precious wife.”

 

*

 

Hehe, how was it?