"I really should call back the florist," Key said on the drive to the hospital. He had his eyes on the road but Jonghyun could tell that he was a million miles off the road. "I want to make sure that she understood I want the white lilies. And I have to call our supplier. He has to deliver it all the day before the event latest. I don't want him pulling that sketchy crap he did way back when we ordered the samples of the first formulas. Oh, I need to check if Jaehwa answered my email..." Key reached for his phone, taking his eyes off the road.  

It was long enough for him to swerve out of his lane and get someone to honk at them.  

"Key!" Jonghyun shouted, grabbing the wheel with one hand as he tried to get them back on track. He knocked the phone out of his huband's hand and put it out of his reach, shooting him a glare while he was at it. "Eyes on the road. Your organizing can wait. Maybe you should have let me drive."  

Key glared right back, and Jonghyun felt the beginning of an argument bubbling. "What? You think I'm a bad driver now?"  

"No, I think you're a distracted driver. Your mind isn't all there."  

"So, you're calling me crazy?" Key asked, looking Jonghyun straight on. 

"Key! Eyes on the road!" Jonghyun shouted, having to reach out to steady the steering wheel again.  

"You know, I've been busting my , first with the wedding preparations, and now with my launch. You could try to be a little more supportive of me, okay?" Key asked, accelerating slightly in his rage.  

"Whose idea was it to make these two extremely important events at the same time, huh?"  

"I thought you would help me at least!"  

"I have been helping but you're being a real control freak; especially with your launch!"  

"Because we've only invested 3 years' worth of time and countless amounts of money to this project, Jonghyun! This isn't just my life investment, it has my face and my brand on it. I'm taking a huge risk, okay? This could seriously back fire on me if it doesn't go right!"  

"Key! Jesus Christ! Watch out!"  

Key swerved just in time to miss the car that had been trying to merge into their lane. The person behind them honked and Key, panicking, pulled through two lanes to get to the side of the road, parking sloppily on the curb so he could catch his breath. Jonghyun too, was shook up from the event. That could have been a bad accident had Jonghyun not been keeping his eyes on the road. They idled on the side while the cars passed them like nothing had happened. Both their hearts beat fast and hard against their rib cages. Key had his two hands clutching the wheel so hard that his knuckles were white, eyes wide in shock at what had just happened.  

A pregnant pause hung between them. Neither of them knew what to say. They had their fights, but this was their first fight as a married couple and for some reason it felt different.  

It was Jonghyun, in the end, who spoke first, reaching up to drag his fingers through his hair. "Listen, I know you're under a lot of pressure... I feel it too, y'know? We live in the same house... We share the same bed. I've been feeling your stress every day and the closer we get to the launch the more intense you get. But you need to talk to me in those moments. Let me know what I can do. Let me help you. We're married now, and I married you for better or for worse."  

Key nodded silently, taking in a couple deep breaths. He put the car in park, stopping the edging and handing the keys to Jonghyun. "I know... I'm sorry... I'm just... Stressed out."  

"I get it baby," Jonghyun forgave. He took the keys, but not before leaning over to Key, using a hand to gently turn his face towards him so they could kiss. "Now get out so I can drive," he whispered.  

It was the comedic relief they needed to diffuse the tension. Key laughed and shoved at Jonghyun's shoulder, shaking his head. "You're still a stupid dinosaur," he snorted, opening his door and sliding out so they could switch places.  

"You married this!"  

---- 

"This is Taemin," Jonghyun introduced to Key's mom, holding his nephew up so that they could all look at his cute and squishy face. The small drumstick was six months old today and Onew and Hyunjae finally trusted him enough to babysit. That or they were just desperate for a break. Between Onew running his business and Hyunjae saying something about her s being dry and cracky that Jonghyun had preferred to block out of his memory, they both needed a break. And he had been all too happy to volunteer as the nanny. Even on his day off.  

Key was in the kitchen helping prepare lunch for his mother. He had shown up earlier to do groceries with her. It was their tradition to come every Sunday to do this exact thing. Now they just had a baby to tag along with them, which is part of the reason that Jonghyun had tagged along later. Apparently taking Taemin out had required a whole handbook of information which Jonghyun had ultimately tossed into his backseat with the kid.  

"He's gorgeous! Look at that... He has Onew's eyes," Key's mother gushed, the baby's thin locks on his soft baby head. She was completely infatuated, as was nearly everyone that met him.  

He was a baby that lived up to his name sake. Jonghyun hadn't been the only one close to Taemin. Hyunjae had grown up with him as well. So, when she had asked Taemin's mother and Jonghyun if she could use Taemin to name their son, they had both cried. It fit. A life taken away, a life given. This kid had 4 families now. It was set in stone.  

Taemin gurgled his delight at being doted on and Key rounded the corner while wiping his hands on a cloth. "Aww, he's so cute. Look at you," he cooed, tickling Taemin's belly to hear more of those delightful little laughs. "Aren't you the cutest? Yes! You are. You're good looking just like your uncle Key. Hello handsome little man... Hello, I'll teach you so much in life."  

Jonghyun smiled at the image of his husband coddling a baby, with his mother-in-law doting on both as if they were both still infants. He let Key pry the baby out of his arms and hold him to his chest, taking over the kitchen preparation in his stead. There was chicken in the oven, vegetables steaming on the counter and a salad that wasn't done being cut up and tossed. Jonghyun picked up the knife and began chopping the vegetables that they would need to add to their little American meal. Key would never admit it but he was bad at cooking Korean style. So, they had all settled into eating the way Key ate.  

Their night was full of idle chatter, cooing over Taemin as they fed him his bottle of milk, laughing at old jokes, talking about plans and Key's line which had launched extremely well and was progressing steadily daily, especially within their Seoul shops.  

"We're in talks to pair up with bigger businesses," Key beamed, explaining to his mom all the details of the business meetings and phone calls he'd been engaged in for weeks now. Jonghyun loved seeing him so happy.  

He had happily taken over most of Key's work as managers of both store locations since his brand meant that he had to spend more time away from the store in favour of more behind the scenes work. Neither he nor Onew minded. Though Onew was less hands on with the stores now that he was a father, and Jonghyun had no qualms. He had to admit that he was sleeping a little less – y'know, going to bed later, waking up earlier – so that he could open whatever store he was working at that day. There was a lot of traveling to and fro, across town, in taxis, by bus, by car if he was lucky enough to have it.  

But it was all worth it. And the days off were still his favourites, because it meant he got to be with Key and his family. His life was good.  

"You done eating, babe?" Key asked, having let his mother take over Taemin's burping so he could begin cleaning the table.  

Snapped out of his amorous daze, Jonghyun nodded, lifting up his plate for Key to take. "Yeah, here," he said, smiling.  

Key smiled back and he felt his stomach flutter like they were falling in love all over again.  

---- 

It was a rainy day and Jonghyun was running late. He was wrestling with his umbrella, trying to get it to cooperate when he spotted Daniel outside in the rain. "I'm so sorry Dan!" Jonghyun shouted, immediately jogging up to him. He had had to take the bus that day, since Key needed the car to get to one of his business meetings. He hadn't complained in the moment – after all, it was because of him that they had procrastinated on getting a second vehicle – but now that he was stuck out in the rain, late, with an employee waiting on him, he was liking it less and less.  

He gave his umbrella to the boy, not giving him a chance to object to the offer as he fumbled for his keys, struggling to open up the place. He was surprised Onew hadn't gone down to open it himself, but he knew with Taemin being one in a week or so that they'd had no time. Hyunjae had gone back to work and was working crazy hours leaving Onew to handle both the child and his business. Considering everything Onew had done for Jonghyun way back when he had been struggling, the least he could do for him now was take on the workload that he couldn't handle.  

Fatherhood was much more important in Jonghyun's books. Key had started talking about adoption and starting a family and it had become one of the things they argued about more and more.  

"Why don't you want to have a baby with me?!" Key had shouted over dinner, Jonghyun trying to focus on finishing their financial report with his plate of food mostly untouched.  

"It's not that I don't want to have a baby with you, Key. I really want a family, especially with you but with where we are in our careers and where Onew hyung is with the store right now we don't have time to properly parent. We need to buy a second car first, we need to find a bigger place to live. I can barely manage to get my Sunday's off anymore Key, how do you expect us to raise a baby? Especially when you're always taking trips for work and -" Jonghyun had tried to explain, pulling off his glasses so he could rub at his tired eyes but it was impossible to talk with Key when he was on one of these tangents.  

"I get it, Jjong, it's my fault that we can't have kids," he had huffed, angrily beginning the dishes.  

"No, that's not it!"  

And on and on and on... The same argument. Over and over again. He had argued with Key again the night before, having asked for some help with just opening up the store they had in Hongdae the following morning because his assistant manager for that branch was sick with the stomach flu and he had no one to replace her, but Key had said he couldn't take off this meeting and Jonghyun may or may not have snapped. When he'd woken up at 5am the following day Key hadn't been in bed with him.  

He was thinking of the hot words they had exchanged the night before as he wrestled the key into the lock, cursing under his breath. "Can this door freaking open?" He grumbled, yanking on the handle as if that would make it magically unlock.  

"Um, Jonghyun-nim?" Daniel interrupted quietly, putting a hand on his arm.  

The elder jumped, startled as he'd forgotten his employee to be there. He let the younger take the keys from him, accepting the umbrella as an exchange, and watched in bewilderment as Daniel easily unlocked the door, holding it open for him to walk through.  

He cleared his throat, nodding his appreciation. "Thank you," he murmured, walking in. A gust of wind blew just on time to knock over the postcard stand. How was it, ten years later, they still had no moved the thing? Every time someone said they needed to move it or they were going to move it, they didn't, and then they found themselves at the beginning of the vicious cycle. Well, at least it was the one constant in all of their lives. Even when things were falling apart, that post card stand remained unchanged, except for the display on it.  

Jonghyun sighed, rubbing the fog off of his glasses as he lights, traipsing through the store to get to the back where they put their wet clothes.  

"I'm so sorry for making you wait Daniel. I got a slow start to my day and missed the bus. I totally forgot that I asked you to come in for opening. We got a new order last night, I didn't have time to put it away and I kind of need it for the sale we're having today. I need help to put it on the shelves and label all the things for the sale. Kelly got sick yesterday and had to leave early so we couldn't finish it and then I had to finish the pays for this week," Jonghyun explained, buzzing to the store. He let Daniel log in to the cash register, opening up there, while he moved to the back where he had left the order on the ground. Two boxes side by side full of notebooks – glittery of course – and sticker sheets, note pads, cute plushies. The beginning of the midsummer sale they always had.  

With the luck he was having, though, he should have guessed that this wasn't going to be a dream come true. The rain from last night that was carrying over today had flooded the entire room. Everything that was on the ground was soaked through.  

"No," Jonghyun began cautiously, staring wide eyed at the mess. "No, oh no, no, no." He grabbed the box that he had stupidly left on the ground and ripped it open to see exactly what he had feared. "No!" Now he was mad. Sleep deprived, exhausted, wet, stressed out, and mad! "God damn it, can anything go right today? What is with this week?!" He yanked out a droopy, damp notebook and threw it on the floor, glaring at the splashes of water it kicked up. "I don't have time to deal with this!" 

Daniel poked his head through the doorway, looking like a deer in headlights. "Ah, Jonghyun-nim? What's wrong?" he dared ask.  

Jonghyun pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as he breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth a few times.  

"Nothing Daniel. I'm going to have to go across town to the other shop to get some material from their store. We don't have enough stuff to cover the shelves here and it's important with the sale starting soon. I've already lost money with this order," he sighed the last breath under his breath, too quiet for Daniel to hear, but the important things had been understood. "I'll be back before noon, promise." He grabbed the keys off the wall and the umbrella leaning by the door and headed out, forgetting his cell and briefcase back in the store, unbeknownst to him. "Call me if there's anything." And with that, he slipped out the door.  

---- 

It was raining harder and Jonghyun had to walk all the way to the train so that he could get across town. It was only when he reached the station and went to call the other location that he had realized he had left his phone back there and that had made him curse mentally even more.  

Can't even remember my stupid phone anymore, Jonghyun grumbled, hating that he would have to lose time to go back and retrieve it.  

Meanwhile, Key was in the airport lobby, cellphone pressed to his ear after a conversation with Onew.  

"What's up hyung? I don't have much time before I have to board the plane," Key had answered upon seeing the name on screen.  

"Listen, Key, I have a favour to ask you," Onew had started, knowing with Key that he had to cut straight to the point or risk a tongue lashing for wasting his time. "Taemin has an ear infection and I have to take him to the doctor. I was supposed to open the main store but Jjong is covering me. But, the store in Hongdae called and the assistant manager is out and there's a problem with the cash register. I tried calling Jjong but I know he's alone with Daniel today at the Seoul store and the other Seoul shop isn't answering. I have no clue where Leeteuk is but he's one step away from being put to the door."  

There was the faint sound of wailing from a struggling child in the back of Onew's phone and Key's brow furrowed.  

"You mean Jjong's alone for all three stores today? Is that why he hasn't been answering my calls?"  

"If his phone is blowing up half as much as mine has been this morning, then I would say yes. The point is that Jonghyun's been breaking his back trying to handle everything without me and I can see him hitting his limit. I need you to go in and help him and I know you're busy but I'm desperate, okay? Hyunjae has a huge presentation at work today and I can't leave Taemin, the babysitter bailed, daycare won't take him when he's sick and I can't get to work. With the sale event starting soon we need as many people on deck as possible and he can't do it alone."  

"Hyung, I have my own important meetings to tend to, too, y'know?"  

"Key, he fell asleep in the stock room last week."  

"Last Wednesday? No, he didn't, he went out drinking and got too drunk to come home."  

Onew groaned louder than his son, who was screaming pretty loudly and refusing all attempts to be calmed, even when his dad offered the drumstick plush he had had since he was a child. "Are you that blind, Key? I swear, you're the only one who can't tell when Jonghyun is lying. I'm still your boss, you're still under contract with me and I will pull the boss card if I have to. I'm proud of your success but I need you on the floor today; your husband needs you too."  

Key had taken a moment to consider it, glancing at his watch to see how last minute his cancellation on his meeting would be. One last glance to the departure and arrival board at the airport and Key caved, sighing. "Fine, I'll be there as soon as possible."  

"Thank you," Onew said, ending their call.  

The things I do for you, Kim Jonghyun, Key thought a little bitterly, though he knew the bitterness was more from the fact that he hadn't been able to see how exhausted his own husband was. It went to show how attention that he was. They shared a bed every night and he couldn't even tell when he wasn't sleeping? Meanwhile, he was off in his own bliss, only adding to Jonghyun's load when he was silently screaming for help.  

He hiked up his carry on and pulled out his cellphone to begin the calls he would need to make to clear his schedule for the day, heading out to the rainy day and hailing a valet to go get his vehicle.  

The traffic was bad for this time of the day and Key was feeling his frustrations increase. Every time he called Jonghyun he hit the voice mail which pissed him off. How dare he not answer? He had called the store but it had only been Daniel and he had said that Jonghyun had left earlier that morning to get some stock from the other store but hadn't come back. It was twelve now, though and if Jonghyun had left that morning then he should have been back by now, bus or not.  

Every time the windshield wipers moved back and forth on his windshield and the traffic didn't magically disappear, Key got antsier. He was only four blocks away from the store now so he pulled off into a smaller street, parking poorly and heading out. The rain was more like a drizzle now, but still annoying enough to bother him into using his umbrella. He held it above his head, shoes hitting the pavement briskly and carrying him to the store. On his way there he realized why there was so much traffic in the area.  

Two police cruisers were blocking off part of the road, caution tape surrounding the area. A car was off to the side, wheel missing. On the ground there were skid marks from tires and some sort of substance that he knew they used to absorb blood from the concrete. A pair of broken glasses lay near the sidewalk, next to one of the sandy piles and Key shook his head, staring at the man talking to the police who he assumed had been the cause of the accident. 

Careless drivers, would they ever learn? Key wondered, passing judgment like usual.  

He trotted the rest of the way to the store, nearly four hours after Onew had called him to help and looked around at the mess.  

"What the hell happened here?" He asked Daniel, having never seen the store in such an array. "Why didn't you clean up the postcards?"