“Arf! Arf! Arf!”

Another day, it is, and the three kids are merrily barking and biting on the ends of their parents’ duvet, pulling altogether to reveal two tangled bodies on the mattress. Jjanggu, being the most hyper among the three, successfully throws himself up the bed to run and stomp over his parents who, by now, are dazedly stirring awake.

Kyungsoo, still on his side facing the younger, was first to open his eyes fully, feeling the middle child’s soft paws all over his sides, sharp claws scratching over the thin cloth of his shirt. He looks up to the sleeping man beside him, pulling away his arm that was draped comfortably over the younger’s tan chest.

Jongin stirs and grumbles, unwelcoming to the sudden interruption of his good night sleep after a long night with Kyungsoo. “Mmh.. Five more minutes..” He whispers, throwing himself groggily over Kyungsoo, nestling his head at the hollow of the older’s neck.

“Arf!” Jjangah starts to yelp, this time, her turn to jump up to the bed to help his oppa. She quickly stomps her cute little paws all over her appa’s torso, Kyungsoo sleepily watching, but still amused.

“Argh!” Jongin suddenly sits up, surprising the two, making them halt completely, tails straight up, a sign that they were alert and watchful. “Jjangah~” He suddenly sings, taking his princess with his hands and lifts her up as he lies back down again. Jjangah’s tail starts wagging in circles, not able to contain her excitement, as she was lifted up in the air, with Jongin’s fingers discreetly rubbing on her curls. Jjanggu also continues on running over Kyungsoo.

Somehow between Jongin’s soft giggles, Kyungsoo realizes that the eldest kid was not playing with them. He sits up gently, and leans down to the bed side, reaching for the brown poodle that was quietly sitting on his hind legs, watching the four. Kyungsoo lifts him up and to the bed, settling the eldest between him and Jongin. Monggu immediately lays himself down to the soft sheets, rolling over, finding a comfortable position as he squeezes himself further up where he can nestle his muzzle on Kyungsoo’s arm.

It was like that almost every morning since Kyungsoo came to live with them. Jongin was quite persistent in sharing his room with Kyungsoo, and the room Baekhyun emptied was used as storage room, also the three kids’ make-shift bedroom.

Kyungsoo have gone full-time on babysitting, when actually it was Jongin asking him to live with him, and not let the older work at all. He’d rather have Kyungsoo stay at home with the kids than settle for another time arrangement if the older gets a job of his own. Jongin promised his boyfriend he won’t leave him starving, and that the money he makes is enough for them.

“Just take care of the kids, Soo. I can provide for our family.” Jongin said one night, making Kyungsoo laugh his heart out because of the cheesy line, realizing that yes, unconventional as it is, they’re a family of five, and though he knows by heart that their three kids are just annoyingly cute poodles, he is now considered a mom.

“Are you mocking me?” Jongin hesitantly asked when Kyungsoo’s laughter died down, in which the older furiously shakes his head trying to hide the smile on his face.

“No way! It just that it’s really shocking how you treat the three. They’re like real actual children, you know, when you talk about them. I’m getting past the stage of considering them as mine, but not to the point like yours where it’s like you actually bore them and gave birth to them.” Kyungsoo explains.

“That’s how much I love them, Soo. You know that. That’s why I want you here and focused on taking care of them. Don’t worry about anything else.” The younger insisted, and Kyungsoo can’t help but give in. Taking care of the three has been something he really grew loving, add to that, there’s no need for him to work since he got himself a well-off boyfriend, the father of his kids.

The unusual set-up of a family that Jongin built became a norm to Kyungsoo, and no matter how much he denies it, he loves the life Jongin opened for him.

Kyungsoo starts to prepare breakfast in the kitchen as Jongin gives the three kids their much needed bath, as the house suddenly smells too musky and salty, compliments of Jjangah who just finished her cycle and left blood stains on the carpet, and Jjanggu with his constant running and jumping, his curls shedding and falling all over the floor, making Kyungsoo sneeze every now and then.

As soon as Kyungsoo was setting up the table for breakfast, Jjanggu was running towards him and then behind him, followed by Jongin whose shirt was wet, towel and hairdryer in his hands. Panting, he points the appliance to the poodle behind Soo, “Get that kid!” he screams, running again to catch the very active Jjanggu.

After the whole ordeal of chasing after Jjangu, the two flops down their couch, full from breakfast and tired from the three’s playfulness.

“I swear these kids are hyper lately.” Kyungsoo murmurs as he stretches himself over the cushion, resting his head on Jongin’s thighs.

“I told you they like you very much.” Jongin chuckles. “I’ve never seen them as active as this. Jjanggu listens to you very well. You even trained Jjangah. It makes sense that they’re happy that you’re here.”

It was quiet for a few moments; the two watching the three kids play in the corner of the living room. Jongin, contemplating on what to do for the day, suddenly thought of a bright idea. “Soo, why don’t we go out today?” He suggests. Kyungsoo quickly sits up, excited with the idea, remembering that Jongin has never had taken him out for a date since he and Jongin became official.

“Yeah, you should take me out sometime. I’m your boyfriend.” Kyungsoo murmurs, teasing.

“Okay, I’ll ready the kids, okay? We’ll take them for a walk.”

Wait, what? Kyungsoo thought. A frown forms on his lips, realizing that he’s not going to have his eyecandy of a boyfriend strolling with him hand-in-hand though the cold breeze of the city. It’s still for the kids, after all, like always.

Kyungsoo, hesitant and disappointed for Jongin’s unfair priorities, drags himself to their room to change into a much more comfortable and acceptable walking clothes. He pulls out his sneakers, and a set of new clothes, changing into them as he waits for Jongin.

Suddenly, his phone rings, breaking the silence in the room. Kyungsoo hurriedly answers the call, hearing the sassy voice of his friend from the other line.

“Hi, Soo~” Bakehyun greets. “You busy today? Chanyeol left for work and I’m alone right now. Can we meet up?”

“Jongin and I are actually going out.” Kyungsoo replies.

“I know you’re going out, duh. Who doesn’t want to be boy-

“I mean leaving the house, stupid.” Kyungsoo mutters, realizing that his friend understood his sentence in a different context.

“Ahhhh! You mean heading out? Oh~ Going on a date, that’s new. Where are you guys leaving the kids?” Baekhyun asks. Kyungsoo grunts at this, confirming how it is normal to think that Jongin was actually wanting to have an actual date with him, not taking the kids for a walk, like what just happened.

 “Actually, we’re taking the kids for a walk.” He explains. Baekhyun suddenly bursts into laughter, confusing Kyungsoo.

“Oh my God, Jongin’s gonna break up with you.” Baekhyun screams from the other line, loud enough for Kyungsoo to momentarily pull away the phone from his ear.

“What the hell, Baek?” He murmurs, ear ringing from the volume. “What do you mean breaking up? Who’s breaking up with who?”

“I swear Kyungsoo, abort that date. Today will be the last day you get to see Jongin ever again!” Baekyun screams again, further annoying the younger. “The three kids turn into little devils when they get out the house. You might want to kill them, but don’t tell Jongin because he’s so gonna defend the three. You’re going to break up after, oh my God!”

Kyungsoo found it funny how Baekhyun knows a lot about the kids, living with them for years, but then he somehow thinks that it’s only by experience that he can actually learn of how his now own kids behave. He can’t help but get worried because of Baekhyun’s sudden episode, but then only if he tries will he confirm if the older actually tells the truth.

“Soo, I have something.” Jongin interrupts, making his way inside. Kyungsoo looks at him, all the while listening to Baekhyun in the other line rambling about his onetime experience of walking the kids.

“What is it?” Kyungsoo asks, covering his phone’s receiver.

“I need to go to the University for a quick panel for the recitals. Sorry, just take the kids with you and I’ll meet you by the Han River, okay?” He was jumping as he puts on his skinny jeans over his boxers, moving too fast. In no time he was out the house, the door closing loudly waking Kyungsoo up from his shock.

“Ya Kyungsoo—yaaaaa!” Baekhyun screams again from the other line when he realized that Kyungsoo wasn’t responding to him.

“Baekhyun, Jongin left!” Kyungsoo panics.

“Don’t leave the house, I tell you. Leaving with the three little devils will ruin you.” Baekhyun suggests.

“I’ll just call him and tell him I’ll wait for him. Now you’re scaring me.” Kyungsoo mumbles.

“Tsh. If Jongin woo you to leave with the three, I’ll just meet you somewhere along Han River so you have someone to cry on when your boyfriend breaks up with you. Bye, Soo! Good luck!”

The line was dead after and the call was dropped, and all that ran in Kyungsoo’s mind was how he will get through Jongin’s plans for that day.

Walking three kids in the park will not be too hard, right? Kyungsoo thinks. You can do it, Soo. The kids love you, and they’re going to behave.

That was what he thought until the nightmare began.

He called to Jongin’s phone but he was directed to voicemail, meaning he might have turned it off when he left. Left with no choice, Kyungsoo steps out to the living room, collecting all the leashes and other stuff that Jongin prepared for the three. Monggu, Jjanggu and Jjangah were sitting by the couch, silent and behaved, as if seeing the leashes on the top actually means torture for them.

“Just get on with it.” Kyungsoo mumbles to himself. He flops down to the couch, taking the leashes one by one, guessing which one is for who. It was a pretty easy task, since the leash corresponds to the poodles’ corresponding color. The dark brown is for Monggu, the lighter is for Jjanggu. There was also a white leash for Jjangah, but it was tied securely around a belt of a bag, a baby carrier to be exact.

Sighing, Kyungsoo starts to fix the carrier to his body, like a backpack, setting it in front of his body. Once he was satisfied, he calls in the two male poodles to come to him. Jjangu, as usual, is very excited, running in circles as his omma tries to fasten the leash’s lock to his collar. When Jjangu was already secured, Kyungsoo turns to Monggu who was lazily slumped down on the carpet, making it easier to fix the leash onto his collar. With one last check around the house, Kyungsoo made way to the foyer to fix his shoes, before carrying Jjangah up and place her into the carrier, and grabbing a leash with both his hands.

“Let’s go kids. Behave, alright?”

The cold wind welcomed the family of four, as they step out the apartment. The weather was perfect for a stroll in the park, and luckily, traffic isn’t that packed in their area. It was a rather quiet neighborhood, and is considered safe for the kids to run and play around.

He takes a deep breath and feels the cold wind enter his lungs, releasing it one go as he takes the first step.

The Han River is about four blocks from their apartment, and Kyungsoo makes his way to their meeting place along with Jongin’s children. With a leash on each hand and a well-behaved Jjangah against his chest, Kyungsoo ventures out the dreadful pits of hell, not that he’s actually aware of it.

The first few minutes were quite enjoyable for Soo, somehow relieved and believing that his friend was just making fun of him and was making him worry for nothing. Silently cursing the unaware friend for making him worry, his strides become more energetic. He even skips sometimes, watching closely the two male poodles that are walking side by side on his right.

But then, like Baekhyun has warned him, the three little angels started to become devils one by one.

First block.

“Arf! Arf! Arf!”

Jjangu suddenly barks, tail wagging furiously behind him. He stood still as he stares at the direction by the corner of the street where a line of cars were parked. Kyungsoo, totally surprised, was dragged by Jjanggu to the the cars.

“Ya. Jjangu!” Kyungsoo screams, trying to stop the over-excited poodle that was almost jumping and hanging from his leash because of Kyungsoo’s constant pulling.

“Arf!” JJanggu continues to bark, getting louder and louder, attracting the attention of bypassers that totally had Kyungsoo embarrassed.

“Jjanggu! Stop!” Kyungsoo commands, calm than the