After you

Yunho brought a shaky hand and wiped the damp forehead. His husband was out cold after the caesarean delivery and Yunho thinks he deserves the rest after the intense labour.

Jaejoong deserved it for making Yunho the happiest man on earth… from loving him, to being a perfect wife for a dorky man like him, and going through a tough pregnancy at 29… well, 30 since he and Yunho just turned 30 recently and it overjoyed Yunho to no end that their child was born in the same month as them. February was going to be a triple celebration for Jungs from now on.

“Mr Jung, we’ll be taking your wife to his room now.” Yunho looked at the nurse, only a suspicious shimmer in his eyes could be seen because his face was covered by the mask and cap. Yunho nodded and pulled the mask down before placing a quick kiss on his wife’s pink, dry lips.

Yunho stood up and watched as Jaejoong was wheeled out of the OR. The nurse from earlier came back to Yunho. “The infant care is on the third floor. Your wife will be in the rooms on the same floor. You can see him in 30 minutes.”

Yunho nodded and headed out. He was beginning to realise how silent he was since he heard the cries in that dark OR. Jaejoong was right when he said how overwhelming the experience would be.

Yunho found himself in front of the glass partition overlooking the rows of babies. He tried to find his newborn baby among the ones closest to the window to no avail.

For one, they were all baby girls. The three boys he could see weren’t his. Somehow, they didn’t have that aura of being his and Jaejoong’s baby.

Yunho could feel rushing footsteps of what could only be a stampede, but a small one. And he knows those people won’t cause any damage. But he couldn’t care any less about that brood heading towards him as he saw a nurse heading to door of the room with a white bundle.

Yunho turned in the same spot, so he’s facing in the direction of the door creaking open. He knows that excited brood is reaching closer behind him but he doesn’t even tilt his head to look behind.

“Mr Jung…” He’s here….

The elderly nurse walks to him and Yunho bounces like an excited child while he stretches his arms out. The sweet nurse places the bundle in his arms and smiles at the large grin on the new father’s face.

Yunho fumbles opening the blanket to see the tiny face clearer and he feels those tears from earlier returning. His finger traces the sharp nose and cute pout. The eyes never open but the little human is awake as his slight squirming shows. The warm hand tracing his features are caught by the stray hand and Yunho chuckles through his tears.

At this very moment, with the small hand clutching his ring finger where his wedding band was, Yunho truly realised that he’s a father and a husband- a man responsible for two lives and those two lives give his existence meaning.

“Yunho…” the tall man turns around, face to face with his family. On any other day, he wouldn’t let his tears show. But he doesn’t care about anything anymore as he looks at all of them through a blur of tears.

The two grandmothers are crying tears of joy, the grandfathers are congratulating each other.

Yunho looks at his elder brother Jihoon smiling at him. Yunho now understands how he feels when his daughter was born.

“Beh-bee~!” a small squeal from behind Jihoon makes the adults giggle. Being carried by her mother, Hana could see the rows of babies through the window. Who would bother with one little baby with her uncle when there’s an army of dongsaengs she wants to take home. Hyori tries to hold her two year old before she throws herself on the window and tries to get Hana to look at her cousin instead.

Yunho doesn’t look directly but he knows Yonghwa is there in the crowd, bouncing on his heels waiting for the moment he’s crowned godfather just like Yunho became to Jihoon’s daughter.

On the side, Jaejoong’s younger brother Junsu tries to look into the bundle but too scared to come close. Married two weeks ago to Yunho’s best friend, Yoochun, he’s both excited and scared about stepping up to motherhood. “It won’t be long before he’ll get used to the baby and hog all his attention.” Jaejoong would say when Junsu looked longingly at everyone touching Jaejoong’s bump without inhibitions and feeling the kicks from the hyper kid.  

Yoochun steps closer to peek into the blanket but makes no move to touch the child. Mostly because he’s holding Junsu’s hand in silent support. Yunho was the same with Jaejoong when Hyori gave birth. It’s the husband’s way of communicating ‘we can do this together’. They’ll have some practice with their godchild now since Yoochun is godfather. Yunho would have to disappoint Yonghwa but he’s only 15, too young to be his child’s guardian.  

“who is it? Jiyool or Changmin?” Yoochun uses the names t