“Appa, don’t tell me that is what you are wearing?” Kara sighed dramatically. She sat up on the couch as her father walked into the living room and shook her head.

    “What’s wrong with it this time?” Kris asked with an annoyed look on his face. “You never like any of my outfits anyway!”

    “You just look so... disheveled.” Kara retorted, crossing her arms.

    “Woah, look at you! I don’t even know what ‘disheveled’ means.” Kris joked with his daughter, who in return huffed at his lack of seriousness.

    “Appa, this is serious!” Kara replied. “How are you supposed to impress her when you look so… so… ughh!!” She plunged her face into her hands and shook her head. Apparently to his eleven year old daughter, there were no words to describe just how awful her father’s lack of fashion sense truly was.

    “Ok, ok.” Kris replied as he walked over to Kara and grabbed her hand. “What do you think I should wear?”

    “Something more… date-appropriate.” Kara quipped back as she started to drag him into his bedroom. “Anything but,” she gestured to her dad’s entire body, “that.”

    “What’s wrong with this??” Kris questioned. He personally really liked his checkered parachute pants and he thought they matched perfectly with the white tank top he wore underneath and the skull patterned sweater he wore over it all.

    “What’s not wrong with it??” Kara huffed. “Those pants make you look like you were just rejected from a casting call for Step Up 4, and your shirt looks like you’re just trying too hard. And don’t get me started on that hat. Appa, bucket hats were in style, like, never-ago.”

    “When did you become such a high-fashion connoisseur?” Kris rebuttled as he sat down on his bed and Kara tore into his closet.

    “Someone needs to keep this family looking presentable!” Kara called from somewhere between his dress shirts. “And it wasn’t going to be Ace!”

    As if on cue, the boy in question stumbled into his father’s bedroom.

    “Noonaaa, noona noona noona!” Ace called for Kara.

    “I’m a little busy, Ace!” She replied from the closet. Ace looked into the closet, slightly confused before he opened his mouth to cry out again.

    “Appaaa! Appa Appa Appa!” The boy called for his Dad, who was sitting just in front of him on the edge of the bed.

    “What is it, Ace?” Kris asked his eight-year-old son. His little boy wasn’t so little anymore. For one, he towered over the rest of his third grade class by at least a head and he had taken a liking to spiking his hair up as high as it would stay. But besides his bold hairstyle, he was still more reserved and quieter than his outgoing older sister and he clung to her like lint on a sweater.

    “I’m hungry! And Power Rangers aren’t on TV yet! And the fan is too cold in the living room! And your shirt is really ugly!” Ace sputtered a long string of complaints. Kris sighed.

    “Tao Hyung is making dinner for you guys, Power Rangers is on at 8, not 7, you’ll just say the living room is too hot if I turn the fan off, and my shirt is NOT ugly!!” Kris replied quickly.

    “You should let Noona pick out better clothes for you.” Ace inquired. “That way Appa’s lady-friends won’t giggle about his clothes when he leaves the room.”

    “Hey, when do my friends do that??” Kris asked.

    “Yisoo-Noona was saying it just the other day-!” Ace replied just as Kara came out of the closet with piles of clothes in her arms. She dumped the mountain of fabric onto her father’s bed and began ruffling through it all. Soon, she picked out a nice pair of navy slacks and a simple white button-down.

    “Ace! You’re not supposed to tell Appa about that!” Kara hushed her little brother. “And go get me one of Appa’s belts. The black on with the silver buckle. Not that one the other black one!”

    Ace hopelessly shuffled through a drawer filled with belts as his dad went over to help him.

    “How about this one, Kara?” Kris held out a personal favorite of his. Purple with a skull shaped buckle. Edgy. Just his style.

    “Appa! That’s hideous!” Kara shrouded her eyes with the sleeve of a sweater, as if just looking at the belt was burden enough.

    “What? No, it’s cool. Skulls are cool.” Kris defended.

    “If you’re Ace, maybe…” Kara muttered as she stomped over the the belt drawer to pick one out herself. “I have to do everything, don’t I…”

    “Here.” She handed her Dad a simple black belt. “Go try this on with the clothes I gave you earlier.”

    “But can’t I just try the belt-”

    “No!”

    “But what if-”

    “No!!”

    “But-”

    “NO!!” Kara ordered.

    “Ah. Fine.” Kris gave in to his daughter and trudged into the closet to change. “Ace, go open the front door for Tao. He should be here soon.”

    Ace left the bedroom and ran towards the front door to open it. Just as he swung the door open, he saw Cool-Hyung (or at least, that’s what Tao insisted Ace call him) making his way down the apartment hall.

    “Hyung!” Ace beamed as Tao saw the little boy open the door and wave.

    “Ace!” Tao grinned back, hurrying towards the apartment. “Love the hair, little man.”

    Ace laughed. “Thanks, Hyung! I tried to make it look like yours, but it’s not as good.”

    “Ahh, don’t worry.” Tao consoled as he entered the apartment and took off his shoes. “It takes many years of practice to perfect a hairstyle. Trust me, I know.”

    “I can’t wait to be as good at it as you.” Ace replied, looking up to his Hyung in admiration. Tao ruffled his hair affectionately, Ace was becoming his protege in the world of fashion and style, a trend he was extremely pleased about.

    “Your time will come. Just as long as you take all of your fashion advice from me. Or your sister. Definitely not your Dad. Speaking of fashion-disasters, where is your Dad?” Tao mused.

    “Kara is making him try on clothes because his first choice was so bad.” Ace said as he lead Tao to the bedroom.

    “Thank goodness for your sister.” Tao sighed dramatically. “This house would literally fall to pieces without her.”

    “Hey I heard that!” A muffled voice came from the closed closet as Tao and Ace entered the clothes-ridden bedroom.

    “Oppa!” Kara greeted as she ran over to Tao to give him a hug. Tao picked her up and tried to twirl her around.

    “Woah!” Tao stumbled. “You’re getting much too big for this! Not a little girl anymore, but turning into a very classy young lady.” He winked.

    Kara giggled at Tao’s cheesy compliments.

    “Oppa, where is Nabi? I thought she was going to come play with us!” Kara asked.

    “Ahh, she’s at Sehun-Oppa’s house for the night. Her and Hyein went over for a sleepover.” Tao explained. His daughter and her two best friends had sleepovers at least once a week. They had recently started first grade together and were absolutely inseparable.

    “I’m sure Yisoo and Jongin are happy about that.” Kris added as he came out of the closet in a very put together look.

    “Mhmm.” Tao agreed as he began speculating Kris’ ensemble. “Hoin is at Junmyeon’s house tonight too. Giving them a bit of a night off.” Tao continued slowly as he circled critically around Kris, eyeing him up and down.

    “Why Junmyeon’s?” Kris flinched as Tao picked something off of his shoulder.

    “Not sure.” Tao replied. “But I have a theory.”

    “What is it?” Kris asked, but Tao ignored him and went in search of something in the bedroom.

    “Hyung, where do you keep your socks?” The younger boy asked.

    “Top drawer.” Kris replied. “What is your theory?”

    “Kara, come here.” Tao called, ignoring Kris once again. “Your choices were good, but it’s just missing one thing.”

    Kara ran over to Tao, eager to learn.

    “What is it??” She asked.

    “His ensemble is very put together, but it could use a element of fun. Something that shows he’s not a complete stick in the mud.”

Kara giggled and Kris snorted.

“A fun pair of socks would help lighten it up.” Tao continued, happy to share his wisdom. “Kris, roll up the bottoms of your pants and put these on.”

“Hey, it’s Kris-Hyung!” Kris rebuttled as he caught the pair of polka-dotted socks Tao had tossed at him.

“Sorry, sorry.” Tao replied nonchalantly.

“Now what was your theory?” Kris asked again as he put on the socks and a pair of black shoes.

“Oh, about Junmyeon-Hyung?”

“Sure, Junmyeon gets called Hyung…” Kris muttered darkly which earned him an evil eye from Tao.

“Do you want to hear or not?”

“I do. I’m sorry. Continue.”

“Well,” Tao started, a glitter forming in his eyes as the gossip came rolling out. “Yisoo said that Baekhyun said that Yewon had told Minseok that Jikyung had been talking to Junmyeon about possibly having another kid.”

“What?” Kris said more out of confusion towards Tao’s logic than the actual statement itself.

    “Like, him and Jikyung? Having a kid?” Tao explained again, thinking that Kris hadn’t understood.

    “No, I get that. It’s just… that went through so many people.” Kris replied. “How do you know it’s true?”

    “Well, I don’t know if it’s true exactly, that’s the point of gossip.” Tao pointed out. “But if you think about it, it makes sense. Or at least explains why they offered to babysit tonight. It’s been awhile since Junmyeon’s taken care of a little baby. It’s like a test trial.”

    “I guess that makes sense.”

    “Plus,” Tao added. “I’ve heard that Jikyung has been wanting kids of her own for quite sometime now. I mean, she loves Jihye and Dahye to bits, but you can’t blame her.”

    “I guess.” Kris added. “Gosh, I could not imagine having another kid right now.”

    “Well, you would kinda need a wife for that to happen, or at the very least a girlfriend…” Tao pointed out with a smirk.

    “Hey!” Kris retorted. “Why do you think I’m going on all these dates? To dress up for fun?”

    “No!” Tao laughed. “I’m just messing with you. I understand.”

    Kris scoffed. “You don’t understand, not really,” The older boy continued as he went over to a mirror to fix his hair. “You’re perfectly happy staying single.”

    “Hey, it’s not like I’m not dating at all!”

    “I know, but you aren’t as… as…”

    “As what?”

    “Concerned.” Kris’ voice dropped to just above a whisper so that Kara and Ace wouldn’t hear.

    “Kara, Ace, why don’t you guys go look in the pantry and find something for dinner. I’ll come help in a sec.” Tao ordered the kids as they left the bedroom.

    “Ok. Talk. What are you concerned about?” Tao interrogated.

    “It’s nothing I just…” Kris paused. “Kara is getting older. Soon she’s going to want a woman in her life who she can talk to about girl stuff and make-up and boys and… I’m just not cut out for that.”

    “So?” Tao huffed. “You don’t think there are any possible female characters in her life? What about Yisoo? Or Jikyung or Miyeon?”

    “It’s different.” Kris explained. “They’re nice, but they can’t be her mother. That’s a special role.”

    “Ahh, I see I see.” Tao sighed. “Well, I’m sure you will find someone. And if not, just remember it’s not the end of the world. There are tons of strong, smart, capable women who are already in Kara’s life. And she has a very smart, helpful, clueless- in a good way! - Dad.”

    Kris sighed. He hated it when his friend was right.

    “Maybe tonight will go well.” Kris said. “It is a second date, after all.”

    “Really?!” Tao exclaimed. “You didn’t mention this was a second date! That’s fantastic! That means you did something right!”

    “Hey!” Kris argued.

    “Oh hush, you know I mean that as a compliment.” Tao rolled his eyes. “Do you like her?”

    “I guess so, I mean- yes.” Kris replied. “The first date went pretty well. We have some things in common, she loves art, hates dancing, and she seemed interested in meeting Kara and Ace.”

    “That’s amazing!” Tao exclaimed. “When are you meeting her?”

    Kris checked his watch. “Oh shoot, in like 5.” Kris checked his reflection once more before rushing out of the bedroom, Tao not trailing far behind.

    “Cool-Hyung! We want cheeseburgers!” Ace called as the older men entered the kitchen.

    “Appa!” Kara yelled. “Hurry and go! You’re gonna be late!”
 

    Tao went into the kitchen to help prepare dinner with Ace as Kara and Kris went over to the front door.

    “Ok, remember the rules. Be nice to Tao, no dessert unless you finish your vegetables, no snacks after 8, and in bed no later than 9. And make sure Ace flosses, he always forgets. Oh and reme-”

    “I got it I got it!” Kara cut off her Dad. “Trust me, you have nothing to worry about here.”  She gave her Dad a big smile and jumped into his arms for a hug.

    “Just have fun and be nice to her!” Kara instructed. “Open the door for her, pull out her chair, tell her how pretty she looks.”

    “Yes Ma’am. I’ll be a perfect gentleman.” Kris teased as he planted a kiss on his daughter’s forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night!”

    “Night, Appa!”

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Hey guys ^.^ hope you enjoyed this drabble! I'm thinking something with the twins next... :P we'll see!