29. TEASING FRIENDS

A call from the kids woke us up in the morning. We cuddled as we talked to them. In contrast to us, they were really hyper.

“Appa I can’t believe you are still in bed. It’s six already.” Minx was the first to admonish us.

“Hmmm baby girl what are you doing up so early?” Jjong lazily asked her, kissing my nose and smiling at me. “You kids always wake up so early when on holiday. Not fair to us oldies.”

“We are leaving straight after breakfast. Key umma said anyone who is late won’t get to hold a possum. Oooh I am so excited.” Minx yelled.

“Take care of Byong and see that he does not poke any animal. We don’t want any animal to get injured. We’ll get sued by their caretakers.” Puppy knew our son well.

“Appppaaa I am not a baby anymore. Kai hyung pokes more than me. Hee umma has told me to look after Duckie because I am a big boy now and we don’t want her carried away by any kangaroo. And Duckie is upset with him for making me responsible for her. She says she is as big as me. But I am older to her appa.” Byong took the phone from Minx. We heard the note of pride in his voice.

“Where is she Byong? Can you call her?” I asked.

“She is right here ummappa.” Byong handed her the phone. “Here Duckie, ummappa wants to talk to you.”

“Hello sweetie pie. How are you?” I cooed to her.

“Good morning ummappa. I don’t want to talk to umma. You can’t make me.” Duckie responded petulantly.

“Come on baby girl. It’s such a nice morning and you are going to pet very pretty animals. They will like to see your beautiful smiling face.” Puppy sweet talked her.

“Why can’t I look after Byong oppa? I am as big as him. And strong. There is as much chance of Kangaroo carrying him away.” She told us her peeve.

“That is true.” Puppy and I grinned at each other. “Byong are you listening?”

“Yes appa. I am here.” Byong answered.

“Why don’t both of you hold hands and look after each other. You know a job gets easier when two people are doing it.” Puppy mediated.

“You mean like noona and Sehun hyung?” Byong confirmed.

“Yes. They hold hands to look after each other.” Puppy gave him a simple logic.

“Then can I also kiss Duckie like Sehun hyung?” We heard Duckie giggle at Byong’s question.

I face palmed and Puppy laughed. Our kids always were a step ahead of us. We knew how happy Heechul and Siwon would be with this turn of events.

“How about just her hand? That’s all Sehun was allowed when he was your age.” I reasoned with him.

“Oh yes Byong. You must wait for the cheeks. Also you have to grow older. You both are tiny babies now.” Sehun teased Byong and Duckie.

“Sehun oppa I am going to be big like you very soon.” Duckie tried to convince Sehun. “Appa says I grow very fast. And I am not tiny. I am bigger than other girls in my class. I am bigger than boys also.”

“You are a giant baby Duckie.” Minx joined the teasing. “Awww don’t pout. You are a cute and sweet giant baby. You are our giant baby. Right, Hunnie?”

We listened in amazement as the older kids first teased and then babied the younger ones.

“Yes Minnie.” Sehun agreed with Minx and we heard Duckie squeal and laugh. “See I can whirl you around in my arms.” He must have whirled her in a circle by holding her hands. The young ones loved it when he did that.

“Hyung, me too. Give me more turns.” Byong left our conversation to get his turn.

“Minx can you give the phone to Hee umma? And take care of each other. We love you.” Puppy wanted to speak to Heechul.

“We love you too appa. Hold on.” Minx went in search of Heechul. “Hee umma, appa wants to talk to you. Get dressed quickly or you’ll miss breakfast.” She handed the phone to Heechul a few moments later.

“Thank you Minx.” We heard Heechul speak and knew the phone was handed over to him. “Good morning Jjong. How is your honeymoon proceeding?”

“Good morning to you too, hyung. It’s wonderful. Thanks for taking care of the kids. Is Super around?” Puppy smirked.

“Yes I am here Jjong. What’s up?” Siwon joined the conversation.

“Congratulations!” We screamed in unison.

“Huh! What for?” Siwon was puzzled while Heechul was self satisfied with a “Thank you.”

“Byong asked if he could kiss Duckie like Sehun and Minx.” I tried to sound upset.

“Stop faking it Jinx. I know you are just as happy as I am about it. Didn’t I tell you they are perfect for each other?” Heechul gloated.

I laughed, “One day does not make a lifetime Cinder. Stop dreaming. Siwon pinch him to wake him up.”

“One day does mark the beginning of a lifetime Jinki.” Siwon quipped.

“May be we should allow Byong to kiss Duckie on her lips.” Puppy teased them.

“What?” “No way.” Both of them protested immediately.

“How does it matter? They will marry soon anyway.” I joined Puppy in pulling their legs.

“Jinx your evil mind has corrupted Puppy also.” Heechul sounded a little panicked. “Puppy you keep your son away from my daughter.”

“Jjong you can’t be serious about this. I don’t believe that you gave your permission for this.” Siwon was calmer as he remembered my conning them years ago and was a little more hesitant in believing us.

We cracked up in laughter. It was a really good morning. “Calm down Hee hyung. Super is right. We are just teasing both of you. They will just hold hands. No lips involved anywhere.” Puppy clarified.

“Cinder if you want her to continue talking to you, then you better treat her as equal to Byong. She won’t take kindly to being submissive to Byong. They are best friends after all.” I spelled it out for my thick-headed friend. “And they are just holding hands. Don’t make a big deal of it. Uncle will get really upset with us if you do. I don’t think he can tolerate so much PDA from our kids. He is already on the verge of explosion regarding Sehun and Minx.”

“Yes hyung, Uncle is at least half a generation older than you. Maybe he’ll go back to his normal self once things about Ji get into a balance. But as long as he is on edge regarding Ji, we’d better play it safe.” Puppy agreed with me.

Heechul became serious, “No wonder he is whacking Tae more often now for his PDA with Key. It’s as if he is a different person on this trip. His easy going personality seems to have disappeared.”

Siwon voiced his observation, “It’s obvious he is worried about Ji and that boy Chan Yeol, Cinder. It must be hurting him that she preferred to stay back to spend time with the boy rather go on a holiday with her parents.”

“Simba, from what I could see in a day, that boy is good. Young, but he pairs well with Ji. Have you seen the divorce rate recently? Almost half the marriages are ending in divorce. To find a keeper for lifetime is getting difficult. Jinx and Puppy did well in pairing Soo and Teukkie. I think Hyukkie and Hae hyung will also spend their life together. Before that Jinx paired TaeKey.” Heechul had his own version of Ji’s lovelife.

Puppy pecked my lips and we smiled broadly on getting approval for our pairings. Honestly, time and again Heechul and Siwon showed why we were best friends with the couple.

“I know Cinder. I agree with you. It’s good that Minx and Sehun are together. Sehun is growing to be a fine young man. He is perfect for our Minx. I wish I was equally certain about Kai and Amber.” Siwon had his doubts and when we all agreed with him he continued, “Jjong and Jinki have found a good match for Ji also. He is young but that can’t be helped. But imo will go ballistic if they talk of getting married. You do remember how difficult it was to make her agree to Soo’s quick wedding with Leeteuk?”

“Simba, who knows we might also be like that when it’s Duckie’s turn. Even with Byong, I don’t think I want to part from her.” Heechul sounded sad at the thought. “Let’s ask them to live with us after the wedding.”

“Yes. Jjong can ask Sehun and Minx to live with them. Sehun has an elder brother after all.” Siwon and Heechul began making wild schemes for a future that was uncertain at best.

Puppy and I kissed as our way of high fiving. The effect on Siwon and Heechul was exactly as we’d expected. We knew that Heechul would be even naming the imagined grandchildren by the time they returned to Canberra. Teasing them was so much fun. It was worth it to tell the kids to hold hands, which was not at all needed for them to take care of each other.

“Cinder, Siwon take care. We’ve got to go or Puppy will get late. Have fun during the day. Bye!” I called out to the couple busy planning a non-existent future.

 “You too,” Heechul distractedly bid us a farewell.

The day certainly brightens when you have friends to tease. Dumb and Dumber in Canberra. Siwon and Heechul on phone. We looked forward to teasing TaeKey and HyukHae once we were back in Korea.