Hello

Minseok paces nervously around Luhan’s office, wondering for the millionth time if the teddy bear he bought from the gift store is enough. He knows he can’t actually buy Jongin’s affections but a gift or two can’t hurt, can it?

“I’m sorry it took me so–“

“Is the teddy ok?” Minseok interrupts Luhan before he gets a chance to finish his sentence. He had had to see to an incoming ambulance right after their meeting with Junmyeon, thus ruining their lunch date but making it possible for Minseok to buy the stuffed animal.

Luhan smiles exasperatedly at Minseok. The doctor moves closer to his husband and places a hand on his cheek. “It’s perfect,” he says before placing a tender kiss on his lips. “Junmyeon is expecting us upstairs.”

Minseok gulps as he nods. He clutches the teddy on his hand as they walk up to the Pediatrics floor. There’s a knot in his stomach that makes him want to run in the opposite direction, but he tries to shove the feeling aside and think about how much they have wanted this for so long.

“Relax, Min,” Luhan whispers to him as he massages the back of Minseok’s neck with his hand. “It’ll be alright.”

“Yes,” Minseok says, half trying to convince himself and half actually believing it. “Yes, it will.”

Junmyeon is expecting them outside Jongin’s door with a smile on his face. He carries with him a large file and several forms they have yet to sign. The outcome of the first meeting will seal their future as a family. If anything goes wrong… best to think about it if it comes to that.

“He’s awake,” Junmyeon says when they stop in front of the door. “He seems to not like to sleep from what the nurses have gathered. They think he’s afraid or wary, so tread carefully.”

Minseok and Luhan nod before entering the room.

The lights are dim but they can see a small body hiding under the hospital blanket. They make soft noises as they approach the boy in case he hasn’t heard them. Minseok doesn’t want to scare him and Luhan knows how to act near nervous patients.

“Jongin?” Minseok says when he’s standing by the bed. “Hey, kiddo.”

He sees the boy pull down the blanket and look at them curiously. Minseok thinks Jongin recognizes from last week but he can’t be sure.

“Hey, little man. How are you feeling?” Luhan asks him. He looks like he’s about to sit on the bed before thinking better about it and just standing.

Jongin doesn’t say a word but his wariness seems to have receded somewhat, making his eyes sparkle with curiosity.

“We got you this,” Minseok tells him. “I hope you like teddy bears.” He leaves the stuffed bear next to Jongin and the boy surprises both of them by grabbing the animal and clutching it tight.

Minseok is about to ruffle Jongin’s hair when he notices the boy flinching away. His heart hurts from the gesture but, before he’s able to retreat his hand, Jongin comes closer to him and let’s Minseok continue the motion. The professor feels a lump in his throat but fights hard to keep any and every tear that threatens to fall from doing so.

Luhan is not as successful. The second Minseok turns to look at his husband he sees the man attempting to hide his red, puffy eyes. The doctor clears his throat loudly and struggles to compose himself.

“Allergies,” Luhan excuses himself. “Y’know.”

Minseok smiles widely and nods. Tears aren’t manly, my , Minseok thinks.

They spend the remaining of the hour they are allotted watching crappy TV and coloring a book Junmyeon manages to acquire for them.

When the time is up, they are both sitting on Jongin’s bed as they finish drawing a landscape with purple skies and blue grass. Jongin has not uttered a single word but Minseok caught at least two smiles during their time together.

“Hey, buddy,” Junmyeon greets the boy. “Did you have fun?”

Jongin nods shyly as he finishes coloring the red sun.

“How do you feel about us doing this again sometime soon?” Luhan asks the little boy.

Jongin looks at Luhan with his big brown eyes and smiles a tiny, barely noticeable smile that warms Minseok’s heart like Jinri’s smiles do.

Junmyeon seems happy when they exit the room after saying goodbye and promising a visit the next day.

“I’ll get the psychologist to evaluate him today and if she approves then we can sign everything tomorrow,” the social worker tells them.

Minseok goes back home feeling giddy and so happy he could explode. Luhan can't stop smiling even as they catch almost every single red light on their way home. Jinri gets dropped off from Soojung's at the same time they arrive and they both decide to explain everything to her that night. 

After they finish having dinner, Minseok leaves the dishes in the sink and goes to Jinri’s room where Luhan is tucking her in.

Minseok sits on her bed when Luhan starts explaining. “Remember how you’re always asking about having a little brother or sister?” Jinri nods eagerly. “How do you feel about welcoming a little brother to our home?”

Jinri gapes at Luhan before jumping into his arms and hugging him tight. “Are you serious?”

“Very,” Minseok tells her. “He might be coming home tomorrow.”

Jinri releases Luhan and starts jumping up and down in her bed. Minseok holds back from scolding her because he’s so happy Jinri’s happy that he could jump up and down with her.

When they go back to the hospital in the morning, after dropping Jinri off at Soojung’s for the day since it's Saturday, Minseok is almost all nerves. He barely slept last night and he can tell Luhan is as restless as he is.

Junmyeon is waiting for them in his office with a stack of papers ready to sign. “She approves wholeheartedly,” he tells them as they enter the small room. “Now, this is a temporary arrangement with hopes of being permanent. However, I believe, after studying Jongin’s files, you’ll have no problem requesting the adoption when the time comes.”

Minseok can’t help a couple of stray tears from falling as he signs the forms but he manages to compose himself before entering Jongin’s room and greeting the little boy nervously.

Jongin smiles one of his shy smiles when he sees them and grabs the coloring book and pencils and offers them to Minseok and Luhan.

The boy is sitting on his bed wearing the clothes he arrived in, hospital gown long gone. Junmyeon stands next to him, probably having explained what’s about to happen next earlier.

“Hey, bud,” Luhan greets him.

“Hey, kiddo,” Minseok adds.

“Remember what we talked about, buddy? You’re gonna go stay with Mr. Kim and Dr. Lu for a while,” Junmyeon reminds him.

Minseok approaches the bed slowly, hoping Jongin understands what Junmyeon is telling him and that he agrees. He doesn’t want to drag the boy to a place he doesn’t want to go. However, he doesn’t have much of a choice, anyway. Junmyeon had explained the lack of accommodations for foster kids. He’s up to his head in cases and few actual homes available to place them.

When he reaches the gurney, he extends his hands to see if the four-year-old wants to be picked up. Jongin, considering the offer for a few seconds, apparently decides to brave it and moves towards Minseok. He tenses at first, like he isn’t used to being in someone’s arms, but eventually he relents and sags his body on Minseok’s arms. Holding on tightly, he looks at Junmyeon. “Ok,” he whispers.

The feeling inside Minseok’s chest is something he’d relate to the first time he had seen Jinri, bundled up in the hospital’s blankets, that newborn smell emitting from her and those dark eyes looking up at him; he felt he could explode from happiness and fear and love. Seeing Luhan’s face as he fixes Jongin’s hair and the boy leans into his touch, he knows his husband is feeling the same.

“I took the liberty to bring some of the twins’ old clothes,” Junmyeon says as he gives them a small bag.

“Thank you, Junmyeon,” Luhan tells him with a pat on the back and a wide smile.

He leaves after that, making them promise to call him if anything happens and saying goodbye to Jongin.

“I got someone to cover for me today,” Luhan tells him when they head to the entrance.

“Maybe we can go to the mall to pick up a few toys, would you like that Jongin?” Jongin just lays his head on Minseok’s shoulder and blinks a couple of times as if not knowing if they were joking or not. 

A few seconds pass before Jongin looks up. “Ok,” the boy whispers again.

“Ok,” Luhan emulates.

“Ok,” Minseok adds.