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84. FLAPPERS

I would like to say that passage of time had made no effect on Puppy and I, but that would be incorrect. By the time we celebrated twenty years of our marriage and thirty blissful years of togetherness, I had seen 61 winters and Puppy 53 summers. Though our nightly loving remained the same, during the day we met for lunch usually. A quick romp on his or my office couch still happened, but not every day. Puppy had opened up office for Dragon Security in the building next to JinHee Hagwon headquarters. Within a year, rather as soon as he joined as a full partner, he had purchased the entire building and settled into expanding the business.

It took Puppy and ChanYeol three years, but by the time DongHae joined them, Dragon Security ranked in the top three security companies nationally and foremost internationally. It was the only private and corporate security company offering global solutions in almost every continent. Client and profit sharing was an intricate and complex business module, but it worked for its partners who were happy with the continuous increase in Dragon Security’s client base.

Kiwoo’s law firm was also well established and flourishing. Hyemi noona was constantly pressuring him to marry his long-time, live-in girlfriend Suzy. But neither Kiwoo nor Suzy showed any inclination towards marriage. They were well suited because both stated they were married to their work and their spouse would always come second in their priority list. Suzy had her fill of family life by attending our gatherings with Kiwoo.

The Fearsome Four – Kai, Amber, Minx and Sehun, were all in their thirties and matured with growing children of their own. The troubling teen duo of Junsu and Jaejoong were a different case altogether. Junsu was studying medicine to join his father’s hospital. Jaejoong was planning to study culinary arts to become a chef and open a chain of specialty restaurants. Yunho was complimenting Jaejoong’s ambition by studying restaurant management. Yoochun initially undecided about his career, decided to major in music and join his father’s music shop which sold both music and instruments. Changmin had joined music industry by debuting as member of a boy band in Seoul.

Yixing had still to complete 18 years of age, but was already beginning to sell his music compositions. Most evenings young Irene would go to Jiyeon’s house and spend her time singing to Yixing’s music playing. Soon, Chen and Ren began following her and Beagle’s house would resound with music and singing. Yixing would patiently mentor the young ones. However, Chen would quickly lose interest in singing and tail Baekhyun looking for new mischiefs to perform. Both chattered non-stop and wrecked constant havoc.

At the age of seven, Ren was still dressed as a girl by Kibum. Amber refused to treat Ren as a girl and wanted him to behave like a boy. She tried to teach both her boys how to use a gun. Chen learnt quickly, but Ren refused to even touch a gun. During our weekly gatherings, we almost always heard Amber grumbling about Kibum and Donghae. We wondered why they did not resolve the matter during weekdays but finally we understood the reason. Both Kibum and Donghae were stubborn and Amber hoped Puppy and I would exert our authority as family head and direct the two of them to stop Ren from having a gender crisis.

When we finally intervened during Jaejoong’s nineteenth birthday celebrations, Kibum used his patented pout at us, “What gender crisis are you yapping about? He wears boy’s uniform to school.”

“And at home he prefers to wear girl clothes. If that is not a gender crisis in making, I want to know what is then,” I was equally firm with Kibum.

“But hyung, it is not me who is dressing him at home. He picks his own clothes,” Kibum pointed out.

“Clothes that are bought by you,” Amber pitched in, highly annoyed with Kibum.

“Why are you rounding on me? Umma, Aunt Hee Young and Donghae hyung gave me permission to dress him as I wanted,” Kibum began his whining.

Puppy joined in to reason, “But Key hyung, Ren is 7 years old now. Don’t you think you have had ample time to dress him as a girl and get over not having a granddaughter?” Kibum quickly shook his head.

“Just look at him? He not only looks like a girl with his long hair, he also acts like one,” Amber made everyone focus their attention at Ren who paused in the middle of putting a spoonful of rice in his mouth. Finding everyone staring at him, he blushed and hid his face with his shoulder-length hair that he wore loose with a pretty bow over one ear.

There was a collective sigh of agreement with Amber’s observation. It was Hyukjae who decided for all, “Amber, you dressed as a girl till your teens and then discovered boy clothes. I supported your wish to dress as you desired. Why don’t you give Ren the same freedom? Let him wear whatever he wants, for now. When he grows up, let it be his decision how he wants to dress – as a girl or a boy. He knows he is a boy, but still does not want to dress as one.”

Amber grumbled some more but gave in to her step-father’s advice with a harsh glare at her father who shrugged it off. Kibum smiled in happiness for getting his way for some more time. Taemin was not bothered by any of it and continued to eat through the debate.

Jaejoong began pestering Soo to allow Yunho to sleepover and spend the weekend with them. Our usually gentle Leeteuk turned into a grizzly bear, “If I find either of you entering or leaving each other’s bedroom, I will shoot to kill. Yunho will stay in the guest room.”

“That is so unfair, appa. We want to spend the night watching movies or playing games. Stop being a dictator,” Jaejoong frowned at his father.

“Do so in the family room, with the door open. But, sleep in separate beds.” Leeteuk’s voice made it clear that he would not relent.

“I am nineteen, not nine. Don’t treat me like a kid,” Joongie was not one to back down either.

Yunho nodded at Soo and Teukkie, “Why are you arguing, Joongie? We never do anything more than kiss. We planned to play games and talk through the night. Stop being a drama queen.”

Joongie leaned into Yunho and kissed his lips for sufficient time so as to make most of us squirm and itch to separate the two. When he lifted his mouth away, Joongie smirked in triumph at his parents. Heechul was the first to comment, “He is so like Duckie! Soo, Teukkie, ignore his antics. They are only for show to get a reaction out of you.” He then wagged a finger at Jaejoong, “Young man, wait till you have kids and they give you a hard time like you are giving your parents. You will be grateful for your parents’ patience with you.”

“I will trust my children more than they do me,” Jaejoong scowled at his father.

“Ha! Famous words from all kids to their parents,” Donghae snorted, “Take it from me, you will be worse than your parents. They will be your kids, after all. You will not have a moment’s peace once they enter their teens.”

Junsu squeaked, “Are you cursing Joongie?”

We laughed on hearing Junsu, Taemin and Kibum the loudest. Sehun teased his brother-in-law, “We don’t have to curse him, Junsu. His genes are enough to create little monsters like him.”

Minho smirked, “Talking of genes, Joongie’s kids could be more like Teukkie and may never give him a moment’s trouble.”

“That will be so unfair. Baekkie is unlike either of his parents,” Jiyeon grumbled. “It looks like he has taken the crown of mischief mastermind, now that Byongie and Joongie have grown up.”

Byong looked at Duckie and smiled. He cleared his throat and waited for silence to descend on the table. Taking Duckie’s hands in his, he stood up and pulled her up with him. Smiling, he quickly came to the point, “We came to know today that we will be having twins – one girl and one boy.”

Their announcement made everyone erupt in cheers and smiles. The beaming young couple was hugged by everyone in turn. Leeteuk his chin thoughtfully and turned to Soo, “Make a note to research which hormone cocktails are leading to multiple births in the children.”

Soo took time to respond to him, “The problem is that no other child has reproduced yet. But, you are right. All four children of our family have given birth to twins or triplets.”

Minho added his suggestion, “My brothers are twins. Minx could have been affected by that as well. Jinki does say that she is a lot like my mother in physical aspect.”

Leeteuk was not convinced, “It’s not only Minx, but Kai, Duckie and Byong also. We did not want to test them as children, but it is necessary to do so now. I think all generations will need to be tested, sooner or later, to find out why multiple births are happening. Are the more fertile or multiple ova being released? Maybe a combination of both. We will have to run some tests.”

Beagle joined them and thumped Leeteuk’s back, “So, tonight you will be sleeping with your door open?”

“Why?” Teukkie was bewildered at ChanYeol’s sudden question.

Jiyeon joined her husband in teasing her brother-in-law, “It is simple, Teukkie oppa. Joongie and Yunho staying up all night. Who knows what mischief they will get up to? Like, making out?” She rolled her eyes in mischievously and grinned at Soo’s mouth falling open.

Amber put an arm around Soo’s neck and rubbed their cheeks together, “I still cannot understand why all of you live in the dinosaur age. Why do you insist on torturing all kids who are dating? So what if Joongie and Yunho have ? It is not going to cause apocalypse.”

“What is wrong in their learning patience?” Soo gently flicked Amber’s forehead.

“Patience is over-rated. And they are already living in each other’s pocket,” Amber turned Soo to face the couple in question who were talking animatedly to Byong and had one hand in each other’s back pocket. Soo squawked and made to get up, but Amber didn’t let her move. “Do you know I learned a new secret from Minho Uncle today?”

Minho gave an unmanly squeak of protest and violently shook his head motioning Amber to remain silent. Amber grinned like a kid and stage whispered, “I learned that Ummappa and Minho Uncle lived together for three years during their university days.”

There were loud exclamations of shock from all our kids who had managed to overhear Amber. While Puppy just wrapped his arm more securely around me, Kibum was the first to react, “Amber! When will you learn that some things are not meant to be discussed in front of children? Have you heard of the words ‘caution’ and ‘privacy’?”

Kibum’s rebuke caused a dam of protests to burst from our kids. Minx was really loud, “Ummappa, how could you do that to me and Hunnie? Do you know how much of a torture you put us through?” She was beaten in loudness only by Jaejoong, “You make us live like monks while you shacked together for years during university? How is that fair, Ummappa?”

When I opened my mouth to defend my rules, Donghae put his hand, palm up, to silence me. He looked Joongie square in the eyes and asked very softly, “Are they still together?” Jaejoong shook his head but continued to glower. Donghae was unaffected by it, “Do you want to repeat the mistakes of your elders or do you want us to guide you towards a problem-free life? Do you see how strong the bonds are between Kai and Amber, or Sehun and Minx, or even Byong and Duckie?” Amber opened to say something but a stern glare from Hyukkie made her close it again, without saying whatever she had meant to.

“You also have a strong bond without years of dating?” Joongie was not one to back down easily. “How long did you date before you married?”

Hyukkie blushed at the memory of their escapades within a few days of meeting Donghae for the first time. But, Donghae kept his poker face, “I was financially well established before I dated Amber’s mother. Both Hyukkie and I had steady careers when we met each other. Tell me Joongie, can you say the same for yourself or your boyfriend?”

“Are you saying all the people who have before marriage are wrong? That they don’t love their partners? Or they will stop loving their partners after some time?” Joongie continued to argue.

“I am not saying that, Joongie. But, is it really so bad to be totally sure about your feelings and future before indulging in the physical aspects of love? Is your love really so insecure that you need to prove it?” Donghae continued to speak in a soft voice.

“We are certain of our love,” Joongie unconsciously stepped closer to Yunho as he answered Donghae. “What I am talking about is unfairness of your rules. Why are your principles different for yourselves and different for us?”

“If it is unfair, why did you get ‘the promises’ from the older kids?” Puppy stepped in to settle the issue. “If they suffered so much, why did they sit you down to make you the promises? Go ahead, ask them.”

ChanYeol spoke up before Joongie could actually ask any of them, “I will tell you why. I don’t want any boy to make a fool of my SooYoung in the name of love. If Yunho does not have the patience to wait for a few years out of respect for your elders’ wishes, how can we hope to have him respect you? muddles the brain and clouds the feelings. If you cannot remain faithful to each other now, how can it be expected later? Do you know enough about love to differentiate the emotion from feelings of lust?”

Jaejoong opened his mouth to retort but Sehun threw another question at him, “Joongie, why are you protesting so much? We don’t hear Junsu saying a word.”

“Oh! Ummm, oh!” Junsu struggled for words when his name came up suddenly. He was so engrossed in listening to everything, he had to look at Yoochun for help. Yoochun held his hand before answering for both of them, “We are happy with the status quo. We promised you and that’s it. We are okay with just kissing for now and don’t worry about more. We’ve lasted five years like this, we can bear a few more.”

“Hah!” Joongie snorted at the engaged couple. “I bet my brother thinks of having with you every day. Only, he is too much of a mouse to say anything about it.”

Junsu mumbled a protest, “Its better in my head only. I am not ready for the real thing.” Yoochun smiled reassuringly at him.

“But, I am!” Jaejoong brought everyone’s attention back to himself. “And your stupid reasons are not going to stop me.”

“Then, may be this will,” Amber pointed her gun at Yunho again, in a repeat of the morning five years ago, when all the youngsters had made their first promises to the Yunho and Yoochun. “Yunho, you have something to contribute to our conversation? Before saying anything do consider the future too. Think what you’ll want for your children. Think from his parents’ point of view.”

Yunho looked at us then at his boyfriend and finally at the gun pointed towards him. He shrugged and kissed Joongie’s cheek and then wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling Joongie flush against his side. He winked at Joongie, “Let’s just enjoy the anticipation for now. I love to tease you and you like to leave me burning for you. We cannot recapture these days and feelings once we have .” Then he bent a little and whispered in Joongie’s ear making the younger boy blush.

“Break it up, you two,” Byong tried to push Yunho away from Joongie. “You are making me hot and bothered, and doctor has told us to go easy in bed because of the twins.”

“Byong, I can still turn your bottom red!” Siwon yelled in protest. “Mind your language!”

Duckie poked her tongue out at her father and sat down in Heechul’s lap, “Umma, you a terrible cook but your grandbabies want to eat your tofu stew. Just leave the seafood out of it, they still have to acquire a taste for it.”

Minx grimaced on hearing Duckie’s request, “Yuck! You want to eat his cooking when pregnant? Do you want to poison your babies? Your babies are weird.”

Byong jumped into the conversation to defend his unborn ones, “Don’t call our kids weird, you will give them a complex.”

“What complex are you talking about, Byongie? They would anyway be confused about which animal trait to inherit,” Sehun teased the father-to-be. “I think I know what to call your little ones – Flappers!” Noticing our confused faces, Sehun explained, “Remember the story of Ugly Duckling? Swan babies are called flappers. Get it now?”

We nodded mutely and Junsu and Joongie began to laugh hysterically. If we thought we had strange naming habits, it appeared that the next generation had even weirder one.