On Monday the following week you, Jonghyun and your mother squeezed the three kids and yourselves in Jonghyun’s car.

“I told you we should’ve taken the other one,” Jonghyun said to the driver through clenched teeth as he tried to loosen your sister’s grip of his hair. “Drive.”

After only ten minutes of cramped chaos you had reached the day care and you all climbed out of the car. The owner came to greet you. As she opened the gate the twins disappeared with the wind to explore the garden. Your sister, on the hand, got shy and tugged your arm. You lifted her up and held her in your arms.

“You want to be with omma? You don’t have to be afraid.” The woman started to coddle with your sister. Your mother cleared .

“I’m the mother,” she declared. The woman blushed madly.

“Oh, but I thought…” She laughed nervously and looked at you and Jonghyun. “Please, feel free to follow your sons and have a look at the garden,” she changed the subject and guided you through the open gate.

Your sister got dragged away by the hand by a girl with almost no hair and you stood and watched them play. Jonghyun came up to you and put an arm around your waist. You felt uncomfortable but you neither protested against it nor pulled away from him.

“I have some news that might cheer you up,” he said.

“Really, what is it?” You tried not to sound indifferent or cols, but you weren’t sure of the result.

“There’s a bastard at one of my father’s restaurants who’s just about to get fired. Hence, the restaurant will be in need of a new local manager, and I think your mother would be perfect for this job.” He smiled brightly while looking at the playing girls in front of him while waiting for your reaction.

“That’s fantastic,” you said sincerely. Jonghyun looked at you from the corner of his eyes and you glanced up at him. “…Unless, this bastard is getting fired just so you can give her an occupation…”

“I’m not, he really is a bastard! In reality he deserves more than just getting fired.”

“If that’s the case… we can’t accept it anyway. She can find something else.” You turned your gaze back to your sister and her new, nearly bald, friend. Jonghyun groaned. He let go of your waist and went to stand in front of you.

“Why? Why can’t you just accept it?” he asked.

“We owe you enough already. I don’t want the debt to grow any larger,” you said without looking at his face. Jonghyun put his hands on your cheeks.

“~~~~~-ah, there is no debt. I’m just trying to be a good boyfriend. I’m trying to make you realize that I would do anything for you, I’d do anything in order to make you happy. I just want you to see me, and start to like me… again.” He looked you in the eyes as he said this and his gaze was seeking something in there. Something you couldn’t give him. But you forced a smile and kept his gaze.

“I do like you. And my mother will be thrilled over the job.” That was true, you did like him. Just not the way he wanted you to. “I’ll go and see if I can find the twins.” You left Jonghyun alone on the lawn.

There was one thought that refused to leave your mind as you escaped from Jonghyun. The owner had really thought that you and Jonghyun were the parents to the twins and the little one. The thought scared you. Firstly, you were too young to have such old kids… Second, maybe some day you’d come here with your own children. Would Jonghyun really be the father then?

The following days Jonghyun spent every afternoon after school at your house. He had told you to take the week off from work and spend a few days with your family. Apparently ‘the family’ included him. You and Jonghyun were playing with the twins in the kitchen. Taeyeon sat down by the table. She looked troubled.

“Is everything okay, Taeyeon-ah?” you asked.

“Things are just fine, I’m visiting Yoseob in a while,” she answered.

“Oh, tell him I said hi.”

“Actually, he wants to see you. Do you think you could come?” Taeyeon asked and glanced at Jonghyun.

“Who is he?” Jonghyun asked while wrestling the twins.

“He’s my boyfriend,” Taeyeon said. Jonghyun ogled at her.

“Why does your boyfriend see your sister?”

“He’s a friend of hers, can’t she see her friend?” Taeyeon asked hot headedly.

“Of course she can, we’ll come with you,” he said. We?

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea…” you began.

“You can’t come,” Taeyeon said fiercely to Jonghyun.

“Why not?” Jonghyun looked annoyed.

“What if Gikwang is there.” Taeyeon turned to you.

“Why would he be there? Aren’t we visiting this Yoseob-guy?” Jonghyun asked with an irritated look.

“They are friends, Gikwang is always there,” Taeyeon said angrily.

“Then I’ll have to come with, let’s go.” Jonghyun stood up and walked out in the hallway.

“I guess that’s it, end of discussion…” you said quietly.

“Does he really have to come with us?”

“I’ll ask him wait outside…”

“He such a pain! It’s like you are carrying around an extra ,” Taeyeon muttered.

“Taeyeon-ah,” Yoseob chirped when she entered his room.

“Look who’s here,” Taeyeon said and pulled you in front of her.

“Noona!” Yoseob squealed and held his arms out. “Give me a hug!” You obliged. You glanced back at the door and noted that Jonghyun had stayed outside, like you had asked him to. But he had only agreed when he was positive that Gikwang wasn’t inside.

“Noona, what are you looking at? Is there someone else here?” Yoseob tried to look out through the door run. “I see blonde hair! Who is it? Come in!” he called happily. You and Taeyeon violently shook your heads but he ignored you. “Come in!” he repeated and Jonghyun hesitantly entered the room. He scratched the back of his head and glanced at you. Yoseob’s eyes grew wide as he connected the facts. A guy, with expensive shoes and classy clothes, accompanying you.

“Jonghyun?” he asked. You couldn’t read his facial expression or the tone in his voice.

“Yes?”

“Come here. Come closer so I can have a good look at you,” Yoseob commanded and Jonghyun walked up to the bed. “I can’t reach you, get over here!”

Jonghyun stood beside Yoseob and Yoseob stretched out a hand and ruffled Jonghyun’s hair.  

“What the…” Jonghyun frantically fixed his hair. Yoseob smiled contently.

“Just like I thought. No ones bangs can stand out like that naturally.” He laughed. “Have a seat everyone, I’m getting tired just from watching you stand there.”

“There aren’t enough chairs,” Jonghyun said as he held out the only chair for you.

“No, I asked the nurses to remove them so I could use it as an excuse to have people sitting in the bed. Smart, huh?” Yoseob beamed. Taeyeon laughed and curled up next to Yoseob while you sat down by his feet leaving Jonghyun with the chair.

Yoseob turned to you and smiled brightly.

“It was long ago since we last had a talk,” he said. “How long have you been?”

“Me? I’m just fine,” you said and returned his smile.

“Are you happy?” The smile was still on his face but his eyes were dead serious. You glanced at Jonghyun. Your eyes met briefly before both of you fluttered your gaze elsewhere.

“I’m very happy,” you said without looking Yoseob straight in the eyes. He shot a glance at Jonghyun.

“Good.”

After that Yoseob turned back to his normal, not serious at all, self and you caught yourself laughing, the first time since the day your life collapsed. For a moment you allowed yourself to forget your worries.

“Yoseobie,” Taeyeon squealed and pinched his cheeks.

“Yah, Taeyeon-ah, why don’t you call me oppa?” Yoseob pouted.

“I could never call you oppa, you look too young,” Taeyeon teased and Yoseob threw himself over her and started tickling her. You watched them quietly. You envied them, so much. Your chest ached at the thought what you were missing, you averted your gaze and ended up looking at Jonghyun. He was also watching the two lovebirds. He had on a sad face. He looked down at his hands and heaved a deep sigh. You sighed too and looked back at the couple in front of you, wishing you some time would get the chance to act just as silly as they were right now.