Eunhyuk looked out the window, there was still no sign of him. Eunhyuk put his weight on his left leg before switching to his right. He kept bouncing up and down waiting for the other to arrive. 

"Finally" breathed out Eunhyuk as he hurried and gave the living room a once over to make sure that everything was clean and in its place before he hurried to the kitchen to get his dinner ready. 

Eunhyuk could hear the car door slam and steps getting closer, he knew it was only seconds before he walked into his home and spotted Eunhyuk in the kitchen like a good "housewife", with his dinner all cooked and ready for him to eat. 

Eunhyuk tried to hide his smile when he thought of what he would think when he saw him there in the kitchen in an apron. Blush crept up to his face when he heard the front door open and a man call out in a sing song voice, "Honey I'm home~" 

Eunhyuk giggled before he turned around and answered, "Welcome home....dear" said Eunhyuk shyly before heading over to the front door. 

"Wow, you cleaned the place" said Donghae as he took off his jacket.

"The kids helped" said Eunhyuk as he took Donghae's jacket and hung it up for him. And Eunhyuk followed Donghae closely behind as he walked through the living room and into the kitchen.

"The place looks great Hyukkie, are you sure it was my kids that helped clean?" asked Donghae mockingly, "Because my kids are just like their mother and they don't know a mop from a sponge" he laughed.

"Hey~" said Eunhyuk as he faked being offended. "No really, they were a big help today, I even got them to do their homework, though I haven't heard a pep out of them in a while," said Eunhyuk as he looked to the staircase, maybe he should go check on them.

"They probably passed out from all the mental and physical wear. I can't believe you got them to do their homework and clean" said Donghae as he sat down at the kitchen table. 

"Probably, would you like to eat now?" asked Eunhyuk as he suddenly remembered that Donghae hadn't eaten yet and was most likely starving. 

"You cooked too?" asked Donghae in a surprised tone teasing Eunhyuk. 

"Of course I did, I'm not totally useless" said Eunhyuk as he fixed Donghae a plate. 

"I didn't say that" said Donghae. 

"It's a housewife's basic duties to cook, clean, and to be able to take care of the children" he said as he presented Donghae with his dinner. 

"Wow, looks great" said Donghae as he sincerely admired the plate of food that was put in front of him. "And is that what you've been up to, playing housewife?" asked Donghae as he took his first bite into his meal.

Eunhyuk looked on at him eagerly, waiting to see if the latter liked it. 

"Mmmm~" said Donghae as he quickly went to get another bite.

"Good?" asked Eunhyuk hopeful.

"Delicious, really Hyukkie what would I do without you here today" said Donghae as he continued to eat his food and missed the tint of pink shading the others cheeks. 

"It was nothing really" said Eunhyuk as he sat next to Donghae to join him while he ate. "So, how was work?"

 

And the two adults continued to talk while Donghae ate his delicious meal. Donghae thought it was nice change of pace having Eunhyuk there. 

Donghae finished telling Eunhyuk about his day right as he finished his last bite. He didn't think it was all that interesting, but he looked over at Eunhyuk and if anyone else had come walking through the room they would have expected Donghae to be telling some wonderful scary story, the way Eunhyuk was hanging on to his very word. 

"But it's nothing you know, just another day, right" said Donghae as he got up and cleared his own plate. 

Eunhyuk quickly got up too and helped the latter clear the table and taking the dirty dishes to the sink. 
"Don't say that Donghae, from what you're telling me it sounds like you are the reason the company is doing so well. You should be proud Donghae, I am, I'm very proud of you" said Eunhyuk

"Thank you Hyukkie" said Donghae as he the tap. Donghae smiled, he knew that he was the reason why the company he worked for was doing so well lately, he didn't need anyone pointing that out to him but it was nice hearing that someone was proud of him. But Eunhyuk's voice quickly interrupted his thoughts. 

"No Donghae, I'll wash the dishes, you go take a rest, you must be tired" said Eunhyuk as he tried to move Donghae over so that he could start washing the dishes. 

"Let me do the dishes Hyukkie, it's the least I can do since you've been with the kids all day and  cooked" said Donghae as he flashed his charming smile that he used whenever he wanted to get his way.

"Oh ok, thank you, but I want to dry" said Eunhyuk as he picked up a dish towel and waited for Donghae to hand him the first dish so that he could dry. 

"So this is what marriage is like" said Eunhyuk with a shy smile. 

Donghae chuckled, "Like what?" 

"Like coming home and having dinner with your significant other and talking about your day, its nice, " said Eunhyuk dreamily

"Yeah?" asked Donghae as he handed Eunhyuk the first dish

"Yeah, it's a lot better than coming home to an empty apartment and cooking for one, I like it" 

"You like playing housewife now, but-"

"But what?" interrupted Eunhyuk, his round big eyes piercing Donghae.

"Nothing" said Donghae as he turned off the tap and went to the cabinet and to get a container to put the left over’s in. "This really was the best pot-roast I've ever had" said Donghae as he put the container in the fridge and took the now empty pot to the sink to wash it. 

"Really?" asked Eunhyuk happily

"Yeah, but don't tell your brother that, you know how Sungmin is" laughed Donghae. 

'Sungmin' thought Eunhyuk sadly. Sungmin, Donghae's "wife" and Eunhyuk's only brother. 

"Yeah" said Eunhyuk, "Have you talked to him today?"

"No, no I haven't" said Donghae avoiding Eunhyuks eyes.

"Do you know how long he's going to be?" asked Eunhyuk softly

"No, I'm not sure" said Donghae with a very blank face. 

"Because my darling brother entrusted me with you and the kids so I guess I'm just going to have to pick up the slack around here while he's out, so your just going to have to put up with me for a while" said Eunhyuk as he tried to lighten the mood, but it didn’t seem to work. 

The two continued to finish washing the dishes in silence. 

"Do you want a drink?" asked Donghae as they put the last dish away. 

"Sure" said Eunhyuk as he sat down at the table and Donghae came back with a bottle of who knows what and two glasses. Eunhyuk didn't ask what it was nor did he care. 

"So... are you still dating that what’s his face, Yensang, or whatever?" asked Donghae as he sat across from Eunhyuk. 

"Yesung, his name was Yesung" said Eunhyuk as Donghae drank his drink in one go and poured them both another.

"Yeah him, you’re not seeing him anymore?"

"Nope. I'm kind of seeing this new guy named Yunho" said Eunhyuk as they drank.

"Really, so how's that going?" asked Donghae emptying his glass.

"Ok, I guess...I don't know" said Eunhyuk honestly, he was never one that did well in relationships,

"What's the matter with him?" asked Donghae

"Well, nothing really, there are just these little things" 

"Like what?" asked Donghae

"Like, he never calls when he says he's going to, or he'd rather be at home playing his game then want to be with me and he's always busy all the time or so he says" said Eunhyuk. 

"Oh... I don't like him" said Donghae

"You don't know him" retorted Eunhyuk

"But he's dating you and he's not taking advantage of how lucky he is to have you" said Donghae and Eunhyuk tried not to blush, "I really don't get why you always settle Hyukkie, you can do so much better than the guys you date" 

Eunhyuk tried not to turn bright red at Donghae words again. Eunhyuk never thought that Donghae cared about who he was dating or what kind of guy he was dating. Eunhyuk had always just thought that Donghae saw him as his wife's little brother and nothing more. A brother-in-law, annoying, and pestering, the kind of person who it didn't matter if he were there or not, as long as he didn't ask to borrow money. 

"You’re a good guy Donghae" thought Eunhyuk out loud.

"Yeah?" asked Donghae

"Yeah, of course, you’re a good husband, a good provider and a great dad, now if only I could find a guy like that" said Eunhyuk

"Yea well I don't know if you can, you know there’s only one Lee Donghae" teased Donghae boastfully.

Eunhyuk chuckled at him, "True. I should have just claimed you for myself first, but I being the good, kind brother that I am, ignored all of my brewing teenage passion and let my brother have you" he said dramatically, the alcohol was starting to affect Eunhyuk.

"What? What are you talking about?" asked Donghae confused.

"I had the biggest crush on you when we were in high school" said Eunhyuk blushing

"Really?" asked Donghae and Eunhyuk nodded. "Actually I thought you were pretty cute in high school, I mean you are still cute" 

"Oh shut up," said Eunhyuk he thought that Donghae was teasing him, "You thought I was annoying, you hated me"

"I didn't hate you" retorted Donghae

"You thought I was annoying though" said Eunhyuk

"Ok yea, but I still thought that you were really cute" said Donghae

As if Eunhyuk hadn't heard him he continued, "I bet you don't remember the first time we met" stated Eunhyuk.

"Ummm"  said Donghae as he thought about it.

"See, I knew it, I had the biggest crush on you and you didn't even notice me" said Eunhyuk with a bitter smile. "Actually I remember the night you met Sungmin, this is after I'd seen you around a couple of times, in case you don't remember, I was going to go up to you and try to talk to you, maybe even ask you out" said Eunhyuk downing his nth drink.

"Really?" asked Donghae, he was surprised to hear this, he had no idea that Eunhyuk was ever interested in him. "Why didn't you?" 

"Well, when I got to the party I brought Sungmin along with me, you know moral support, and I looked around for you but couldn't spot you, I didn't tell Sungmin your name or anything about you, and you know Sungmin, he got impatient and bored and went to mingle, so I kept looking and the next thing I knew I look over and Sungmin was chatting with you, and the rest is history, as they say" finished Eunhyuk as he looked down, he didn't dare look at Donghae. 

"You know that night I met Sungmin and he told me he was your brother, all I could think about was you, how he and you were so much different. He was bold and said anything that came to mind, and you know your brother, he gets anything he wants and doesn’t take no for an answer, in fact that’s how he got me. But you, you were quiet and shy, the only thing I thought that really connected you two was that you were both cute, though the way you are cute is different, I liked your less obvious cuteness than Sumgmin's out there in your face aren't I cute thing he had going on" Donghae laughed. 

'Did I just hear him say that all he could think about was me when he met Sungmin, wow' thought Eunhyuk. That was a first for him, usually whenever anyone met Eunhyuk and found out that his brother was Sungmin they would ask and compare him to his brother, always wondering why he couldn't be more like Sungmin, but it never happened the other way around. No one ever looked or paid attention to Eunhyuk if Sungmin was around. 

A sudden ring cut the silence in the room and brought both men out of their thoughts. 

Donghae got up and answered the phone, "Hello" said Donghae into the receiver and Eunhyuk looked over to him.

"Hello baby" said Donghae with a smile

'Sungmin' thought Eunhyuk, he had almost forgotten that Sungmin was Donghae's wife, and that he was there just to be a stand in until the other got back, that he didn't really belong there. 

"Yeah, he's here actually, yeah, he made dinner and even got the kids to do their homework," Donghae laughed at something Sungmin said, " Yeah, I know, so baby, how much longer do you plan to stay, you know we don't want to take advantage of your brother" Chuckled Donghae as he looked at Eunhyuk, "No, no, I know it's not funny, I understand that, I'm sorry, I know, you don't have to, fine, but it seems like you've been having to go away every other week now, I doubt there’s really all that wrong with Kyuhyun that you have to-"

'Kyuhyun' at his name Eunhyuk promptly turned around and stopped listening to Donghae. All Eunhyuk could think about was how stupid his brother was being and how Donghae didn't deserve it. 

"Ok, yea I lo-" said Donghae as he hung up the dead phone.

"He says to tell you thank you, and that he'll call you tomorrow, and he doesn't know how long he will be, I guess that all depends on how long Kyuhyun's recovery time takes this time" said Donghae as he drank all the contents in his glass. 

A silence crept into the room, there was an elephant in the room and neither wanted to bring it up.

"Yeah, well I better get going," said Eunhyuk as he got up quickly and went to the living room, he was almost at the door when Donghae  realized his sudden departure. 

"You’re leaving?" asked Donghae as he got up and joined Eunhyuk in the living room. 

"Yeah," said Eunhyuk as he got his coat and put it on, "Gotta go get some sleep so I can come here tomorrow, and fix your kids breakfast and get them off to school, you know, so I can keep playing housewife" said Eunhyuk as he gave an awkward laugh. 

"Thanks for today, you really were a big help" said Donghae

"Yeah, don’t mention it," said Eunhyuk as he got a grip on the door handle.

"Wait, Hyukkie" said Donghae and he waited for Eunhyuk to turn around and face him before he continued, "It was in the spring, It was the second week of March, and it was a little over an hour after school let out and you were in the park next to the campus. You were with Junsu, his hair was jet black and was parted 2:8 and he was a good couple of inches shorter than you at the time. I remember thinking how different you two looked side by side. You had your hair blonde back then, but you had it styled the same way Junsu did, you were wearing a yellow hoodie, a batman t-shirt, baggy pants, and your dancing shoes"

"You remembered" said Eunhyuk in a whispered tone, it was all that his throat would let him because it was quickly closing on him and tears threatened to fall. 

"I also remember how you two would battle each other then, I thought you were both so good, but you had a little something extra when you danced, I watched you, for a couple of weeks actually, until I finally showed myself and met you that day" Eunhyuk looked at him with big eyes, not believing it, "Why do you think I challenged Junsu and not you, I wanted to impress you and beat him, maybe get a glimpse of that gummy smile that you use to hate and covered up back then. I always loved seeing you smile that gummy smile of yours." 

Eunhyuk didn't know what to say, a thousand different emotions and revelations were running through his head. He needed to get out of there before something happened, well before something more happened, he told himself. 

"Thank you" was all Eunhyuk said with a smile as he opened the door to leave, he more than anything in that moment felt gratitude and happiness knowing that Donghae did notice a nobody like him, it made him feel special, even if it was years ago.

"Hyukkie" called out Donghae again, but this time Eunhyuk didn't turn around, he didn't want to let Donghae see him crying, so he just turned his head slightly to let the other know that he was listening. "Do you ever think or wonder what might have happened if..." 

Donghae didn't finish his sentence but Eunhyuk knew what he meant.

"I...I-" started Eunhyuk but was cut off.

"Daddy~!" yelled out a cute little girl, the pure image of Donghae with a hint of Sungmin.

"Hello sweet heart, did you miss daddy?" asked Donghae as he picked up his youngest girl, hugging her and as the door slammed close. 

On the other side of the door was Eunhyuk, weeping, he could hear Donghae and his daughter talking fondly. Eunhyuk cried harder and covered his mouth with his hand as he tried not to inform the two that he was just out there. 

He had thought about it, he had thought about it so many times. Lately he had thought about it more, especially when he had to come and help out his brother when he left to go "help" his "sick friend" Kyuhyun.

Eunhyuk got up and listened again, he couldn't hear anything anymore, he assumed that Donghae had taken the little girl upstairs to tuck her back in. 

'I...I' thought Eunhyuk again, he had no idea how he was about to answer Donghae a minute ago, he should have answered truthfully, but he knew he couldn't do that, no matter how much he would have wanted to. 

"I've thought about it everyday since you met him" sighed Eunhyuk and he left his brother's house, wondering that if he had never brought his brother along it might have been him inside now, helping Donghae to tuck in their children, and not having to play housewife, because he would be one for real. 

"A good one too" said Eunhyuk as he thought of Donghae and how he could never be his housewife, only his brother-in-law, and nothing more.