As the seasons were changing rapidly, that meant that the weather was getting warm.  Very warm, according to five young boys.  Now that school was out for the brief summer break, they had full intentions of spending all the time they could outside playing in the summer sun.  They also, apparently, had full intentions of complaining about the heat while they played.

They had become fond of running around in the backyard.  Jungkook spent most of his time following ants and other bug as they crawled across the ground.  The twins, Taehyung and Jimin, had a three-day-long game of tag going, only stopping for naps and snacks.  The oldest boys, Hoseok and Yoongi, were using tiny watering cans to dump on each other so that they could be plants. 

Seokjin was perched in a lawn chair with a book in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other while Namjoon was busy becoming a plant with his eldest sons.  Jungkook walked over to show Seokjin a bug that he had caught, putting it on his father’s leg.  Seokjin thanked his lucky stars that it was a ladybug this time instead of another bug that bites.  He smiled fondly at his son who in turn climbed up to sit in his lap.  He ruffled the young boy’s sweaty hair.

“Daddy Jin, it’s hot,” the youngest said nonchalantly as he watched the ladybug crawl across his father’s leg. 

“It is,” Seokjin nodded.  “Should I get out the pool?”

“Yes!” Jungkook took off running to tell his brothers about the pool, almost face planting into the ground three times along the way.

-

With help from Namjoon, Seokjin was able to fill up the tiny kiddie pool with water from the hose while Namjoon got them dressed in their bathing suits.  They boys came running out of the house at full speed but stopped in their tracks. 

The pool was bright pink and small, with only enough room for Jungkook and maybe Jimin to splash in.  There was no way it was going to fit all five boys inside.  They looked at Seokjin like their dreams had been crushed.  He shrugged at them like that was the best he could do.

“Babe,” Namjoon said, moving closer to Seokjin to look at the pool, “how long have we had this pool?”

“Since Yoongi was a baby,” Seokjin nodded.

Namjoon chuckled softly before sighing heavily.  “He’s ten now.  This pool is a decade old.”  Namjoon scoffed at it.

“It was so cute, back when baby Yoongi and Hoseok would swim in their birthday suits,” Seokjin said wistfully while Hoseok and Yoongi made retching sounds in the background.

“Is a birthday suit like a bathing suit?” Jungkook asked with his head titled to the side.

Taehyung shook his head.  “No, no. A birthday suit is when you’re .”

“?” Jungkook repeated.

Seokjin nodded and really hoped no one was about to get into their birthday suit unless it was Namjoon later on. “That’s right.”

Jungkook nodded as if he were considering the weight of the word ‘’.  Namjoon decided to quickly jump in with a suggestion because he caught that glimmer of mischief in his youngest son’s eyes.

“Hey boys.  How about we go to the city pool instead? It’s way bigger and no one has to squish inside to fit.”  Seokjin sighed in relief as all five boys nodded and clapped their hands in enthusiasm.  The two fathers smiled as they went back into the house to get ready for the pool, this time all five boys almost face-planting along the way.

-

It took almost no time to get the boys loaded up into the car because they were so excited. They rushed their fathers to get dressed and ready to go.  Five boys aged from four to ten years could be really impatient when they wanted to be.

After getting to the pool, the boys filed out of the van and waited in the parking lot.  They waited as patiently as possible for their swim floaties and sunscreen to be placed on each of them.  Once they were properly ready, Seokjin led them in a single file line to the pool with Namjoon at the rear to make sure no one fell out of line or tried to sneak away like Jimin often did.  They ignored the normal stares that two grown men with five children were usually targets of, and instead helped their boys into the pool.  Yoongi and Hoseok jumped straight in, as they were expert swimmers.  The twins kind of waded in the shallow end and splashed each other while Jungkook needed his fathers’ help to get used to the water.

Seokjin had to admit that this was a good idea on Namjoon’s part.  The cool water felt good on his skin, plus it was fun to watch his boys play together in the water, splashing around and making friends with the other kids.  He was glad that they were all so close and got along well as brothers but he was also glad to see them branch out.  Hoseok had met a girl with green goggles and they were both diving to the bottom to the pool.  Yoongi and Taehyung were playing with a boy and his dolphin toy while Jimin and Jungkook had found a whole group of kids to splash around with.

Namjoon floated on his back over to Seokjin and pinched him on the , bringing him out of his reverie and proud dad moment.  He turned to glare at his man, giving him those we are in public eyes.  Namjoon just gave him a shrug and pinched him again.  Seokjin gasped and splashed him, causing Namjoon to return the splash.  While they were in their splash war, they didn’t notice their kids swimming over to sneak up to splash them as well.  Pretty soon, it turned into an all-out battle that lasted until the lifeguard blew his whistle as a warning.

-

They ended up staying until the pool had closed.  The boys were all pretty tired after a day of swimming, but they were also hungry as they had informed their fathers several times.  Seokjin and Namjoon decided it would be easiest to go through to get some quick food and get them home.  Plus, all kids liked Happy Meals.

After they had gotten their food, they made the short trip home.  Seokjin glanced back at the boys to make sure they were eating properly and had found Jimin already passed out in his chicken nuggets.  He laughed too loud and covered his mouth so as not to wake the boy and pulled out his phone to snap a picture.  He was totally going to post that one on the Gram.

Once the ride was over, most of the boys were asleep already or almost asleep.  Namjoon and Seokjin carefully unloaded the kids and carried them into their rooms, dodging fries and toys in the process.  After the boys were asleep and tucked in, their dads curled up on the couch with the leftover Happy Meals.

“This is my favorite part, eating the leftover chicken nuggets,” Namjoon chuckled and took a drink of something sugary. 

“Honestly, same,” Seokjin laughed in agreeance as he snuggled in for nuggets and late night television.  Seokjin wondered how he found himself in this situation, with five children in a small apartment with a man he met in college.  He never thought he would be happy sharing half-eaten chicken nuggets and fries with the one he loved.  But there he was, perfectly content and feeling happier than he’d ever been.  Life wasn’t perfect but he like the little imperfections, the ones that made life worth living.  He wouldn’t have chosen this life for himself ten years ago, but now, he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

a/n:

next chapter will the details of the contest!