Jinyoung was on top of Shinwoo. He wished that that meant they were having , but lamentably, that just couldn’t be. Not with the kids in the house. They still made love, of course, but just late at night, when they were sure their babies wouldn’t open the door. Never in the early morning, like how they liked to, that was a shame.

But Jinyoung was on top of Shinwoo and that still meant something. It meant they were kissing, and that their chests were touching and that he could feel his heart pounding under his ribcage. It didn’t even matter they were wearing pyjamas, it didn’t matter, either, that they were sleepy and drowsy, Jinyoung loved to feel the warmth of Shinwoo’s lips in the morning. Loved how he refused to open his eyes, longing for some more minutes of sleep, but still always find the energy to love him, like he was dreaming with him, like they were sharing.

“You still kiss like a teenager” Shinwoo told him when they made a pause to breathe. His eyes were still closed.

“Are you saying that I do it badly?”

“I’m saying that you’re full of energy”

Jinyoung laughed “Compared to you, everything’s full of energy”

Shinwoo opened his mouth to say something, but Jinyoung peeked a kiss and shushed him. They heard little footsteps coming from outside. Shinwoo sighed.

“Prepare to have our kids all over us in 3… 2… “

Someone knocked on the door, they didn’t wait for an answer before opening it. The kids ran into the room and climbed into the bed.

“You didn’t wake us up!” Junghwan wined, sitting over his dad belly “You said you were going to wake us up!”

Jinyoung looked at Shinwoo confusedly, he always knew what the kids were talking about, but this time he seemed as clueless as he felt.

“Did we say that?”

Junghwan puffed his cheeks in desperation. Gongchan frowned.

“You forgot” Baro said, crossing his arms, disappointed.

“Okay, you already made us feel bad” Shinwoo told them, hugging their youngest baby from the back “Tell us what we forgot”

“We were going to buy a Christmas tree” his son told them, giving them a death glare “And you forgot”

“Didn’t we have a Christmas tree?” Jinyoung asked his husband “How did we even celebrate Christmas before?”

“We did, but we left it behind when we moved”

“Oh”

“Then? Are we going or not?” Sunwoo kept insisting. Gongchan had his eyes fixed on them.

“Yes, BUT…” Jinyoung said before the kids could burst in cheering “you have to clean your room first”

Kids’ face fell down “Why?”

“Our room is okay”

“Because Jung Grandma and Grandpa and coming here for your break, and they’re arriving on Tuesday and your room has to be clean and no, Junhgwan, your room is not okay”

“But they’re not staying at our room so what’s the problem?” Baro asked, defiant.

Shinwoo smiled, amused “You’re going to clean your room, or we’re not going to get the tree, understood?”

***

“Appa” Junghwan said at the door of his bedroom “I want to go back to the kitchen”

The place was a disaster. Sunwoo’s caps were piled up in an unordered hill in a corner, there were a bunch of shoes here and there on the floor, surrounded by toys and opened books and some hoodies. It added to the chaos that the beds were still unmade, with all their pillows resting on the floor too. The only neat corner in the whole room was David’s pool, that was full of clean water and food, near the window so he could get sunlight.

“You can go back to the kitchen when you finish here”

“But it’s going to take hours!”

“You just had breakfast, Hwannie”

“But this is making me anxious”

Jinyoung laughed “Nice try, kid”

Shinwoo and the two other kids came from the cupboards with a duster and the vacuum. Sunwoo’s and Gongchan’s face fell when they saw the inside of their room, like they hadn’t notice before how much of a mess it was.

“Okay kids, begin”

Shiwnoo was doing the dishes, he was feeling reckless –was beat boxing in his own kitchen a sign of feeling reckless?- and relaxed, it was a good Sunday morning, a quiet one, which was weird. The only thing he could hear was his husband singing in their bedroom, probably making bed.

He remembered when they met. Jinyoung was playing the guitar in the campus lawn, he played for a while and then wrote some things down, then played again, humming a melody that went along with the notes he played with his instrument. Shinwoo observed him for a while as he studied, he glanced once, and then twice, and then he stared shamelessly. It didn’t matter, he could’ve been sitting right next to Jinyoung and he wouldn’t have noticed, as he was so immerse in his music.

Shinwoo decided that if he wanted to focus on his studies, he needed to get the hell out of there.

He was walking pass him when he heard him sing. Like really sing, not hum, not mutter, but his real voice. It was heavenly. He stood still, not even thinking about if it was weird to listen like that.

“Your voice is amazing” he told the boy when he was finished.

He was a skinny boy, tall and apparently fragile, and he looked surprised when Shinwoo addressed him, as he couldn’t believe he was talking to him. “Thank you, I guess”

Shinwoo flustered immediately.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you”

“No, no” he hurried “Hey, do you like music?”

“Yeah, a lot, I mean, I enjoy it lots”

“Come here then, would you? I need an opinion”

Shin Dongwoo couldn’t believe how lucky he was.

Later that day, they kissed. It was fast, maybe, but Jinyoung understood music. And Shinwoo understood him.

Someone was tapping his shoulder.

“Shinwoo” Jinyoung was almost yelling in his ear “EARTH CALLING MY SHINWOO”

“Ouch, you didn’t have to yell”

“I’ve been trying to talk to you for like five minutes” he smiled and forced himself into the space that was between his spouse and the sink “What were you even thinking about, to have you so absent minded?” he asked, murmuring into his lips.

“That day at university, like a hundred years ago” Shinwoo said soflty.

“Yeah?”

“When you kissed me the same day we met, like wow”

“You were cute, I liked taking risks” Jinyoung laughed and the laugh became a kiss.

Shinwoo smiled, breaking the kiss “It was me who took the risk, you liar” he kissed his hand “Don’t you think we should help the kids? Their room was a real, real disaster”

“Yeah, probably, but on the other hand… we could keep kissing” Jinyoung tried.

“Nope” Shinwoo peeked a small kiss on his lips “The kids, now”

Junghwan, Sunwoo and Gongchan were putting their toys in boxes, the floor was now cleared, the shoes stocked in the closet. Sunwoo’s caps were nowhere to be seen, and that worried Jinyoung a little, but he didn’t push.

“This looks a lot better now, good job babies” Shinwoo congratulate them. The kids seemed happy to hear that, a little tired, but proud.

“Go brush your teeth, we’re leaving in a moment” Jinyoung told them

“But appa” Gongchan said “We haven’t made our beds yet”

“Don’t worry about that” he spoke again, and the kids looked at each other surprised “Just go”

The kids ran out of the bedroom, and Shinwoo patted Gongchan’s in their way out, making the kid giggle.

“What’s with you being so nice huh?” he asked his husband.

“They did a good job here so… I don’t know, am I really that bad for you to ask me this?” he laughed.

“Nah, you just like to discipline your kids”

“That makes me look bad” he heard a sound coming from under the mattress, like plastic or paper. He lifted it. “Hey, Shinwoo, look at this”

There were a bunch of candy envelopes under Junghwan’s bed. Well hidden from everybody’s sight.

Shinwoo didn’t know if get mad or smile. “Well, that explains the missing food”

“This kid, seriously… what are we going to do with him?”

“I say let it pass” said Shinwoo “take the envelopes to the trash and when we wants to add another he’ll see there’s nothing there and he’ll know we know”

Jinyoung sighed “Okay, but only this time”

“You’re especially soft today” Shinwoo smiled “Why is it?”

“Maybe because my parents are coming this week, and I’m still not used to the idea of them being nice” he admitted “I guess my dad still makes me a little nervous and I don’t want to bother the kids”

“He was okay that last day at the airport, so I wouldn’t worry”

“Yeah, you’re probably right, should I nag Junghwan then?” Jinyoung joked.

“Let him live”

***

“LET’S BUY THIS ONE!” Junghwan exclaimed in front of a Christmas Tree that was taller than his own Eomma and wider than their breakfast table “THIS IS THE ONE”

“This is clearly not the one” Shinwoo said to Jinyoung under his breath

“I like this one too!” Sunwoo agreed “It has a lot of space for presents!”

There were still three weeks left for Christmas, but the holiday spirit was everywhere and his kids were excited, so at the entrance of the shopping center, their eomma had bought them Christmas themed headbands, reindeers for the twins and a Santa Claus hat for Gongchan. They looked perfectly adorable, but that didn’t mean they were asking for the wrong tree.

“I like it too” said Gongchan “but I think it’s too big”

“It is, yes, Channie” Jinyoung smiled “It’s bigger than your Eomma”

“Eomma is not that fat” Sandeul said, confused.

“Unlike you” Baro didn’t waste any opportunity.

“Yah! You ugly squirrel”

“Kids…” Shinwoo said without even looking at them, instead, he leaded them to another tree “What about this one? It’s big but it’s not absurdly huge and it’s a nice light green”

“Like David” Gongchan seemed contempt

“Yes! It’s just like David!”

“I like this one, too” Jinyoung told the kids “I say let’s buy this one and some plushie ornaments, who’s in?”

“ME!” his three kids agreed in unison.

***

Assemble the Christmas tree was a lot more work what Shinwoo thought at first. They had such a nice, little tree back in their old country house… and even if this one wasn’t big, really, it wasn’t an easy task to finish the job with all three kids wanting to help.

They made it in the end (more like Jinyoung distracted the kids with the lower branches and he finished the job), and ended up with a cute tree all ornamented in miniaturized plush toys. It felt really nice, to be all together like that.

“I want to put the star on top, eomma” Gongchan was pulling his sweater “Can I?”

“Sure baby, come here” he said, lifting his kid to the top of the tree “Place it carefully so it won’t fall”

“There” Gongchannie said “How does it look hyungs?”

“It’s great Channie!” Junghwan cheered on him “Santa will love it!”

“We’ll get a lot of presents with this tree” Sunwoo pointed out.

“Who wants to help with dinner?” Shinwoo asked

“REALLY EOMMA?”

“Really, eomma?” Jinyoung asked, rising an eyebrow.

“Why not? Just today won’t hurt”

“Appa”

Jinyoung ignored the little voice, and he continued on chopping vegetables on the table. He felt a tug in his shirt.

“Appa”

His brothers were washing rice with Shinwoo, and he should be doing the same, but of course he would get distracted if he was in a kitchen.

“What do you want Junghwan?”

“I’m hungry”

“We’re making dinner” Jinyoung pointed out, kindly.

“But I’m super hungry, appa”

“Why is it always the same with you baby?” Jinyoung sighed, he couldn’t just ignore him if he was hungry. He lifted him and put him in a chair “Kids, who wants cookies?”

“Me!” Baro said leaving the rice in the sink “Let them be chocolate, appa”

“Can I go eomma?” Gongchan asked Shinwoo “Do you need more help?”

“No baby” he said, and carried Gongchan to his seat.

Jinyoung poured cookies in a bowl, and the kids attacked, clearly, it wasn’t only Junghwan who had a predilection for sweets. He asked Shinwoo to bring milk, but he didn’t move, he was just spazzing out.

“Shinwoo” Jinyoung called, slapping him softly “Shinwooo”

“Uh, sorry, what is it?”

“What were you thinking about?”

The man smiled “It’s just that now that I’ve been lifting Channie, I couldn’t stop thinking about the first time I got him in my arms”

“Awww, baby that’s so sweet” Jinyoung kissed his cheek “I remember that day like it was yesterday, too”

“Me too” Junghwan said.

“We were babies, you can’t remember it” Baro told him “Stop lying”

Gongchan got curious “Eomma, can you tell us the story?”

“Oh, yes please! I want to know about baby Gongchannie”

“Okay, if you really want to hear it…” Shinwoo said, but he was already sitting on a chair, because he really felt like talking about it.

Jinyoung and Shinwoo were young, just in their twenties, but they have already moved in together and they already had two babies. Originally, they were going to adopt just one, they weren’t prepared for more, but when they went to the orphanage and saw the twins, they fell in love. They were new borns, just a few weeks old, and they needed a family. Jinyoung and Shinwoo wanted a family. They were the perfect match. After a year, they decided that they wanted another.

“It’s really uncommon for young families to adopt so many children” the woman at the orphanage was saying and they could almost hear the sound of their dreams crush “It takes a lot of work to look after children”

“We are aware of that” Shinwoo told her, one of the babies moving impatiently on his lap, playing with the buttons of his shirt “But we know what we are capable of, and we’d like to have another child”

“It’s better for one of those kids to be with a family” Jinyoung was feeding the other baby apple juice from a baby bottle “and we’re willing to take care of one more child”

“We’ll let you know” the woman said, and concluded the issue with a movement of her hand, indicating them that they could, must, leave.

Two weeks later, they were feeding their kids and the kitchen was a mess. Sunwoo was very playful with food, he always wanted to touch everything before he ate it, and so he stained his clothes and his chair and everything that his little hands could reach.

“Say ‘AAAH’ Sunwoo” Shinwoo played with his kid “Open”

“You’ll have to tie his hands” Jinyoung joked, as he fed Junghwan, the baby ate happily, his fat cheeks completely dirty by the food.

“Things like that are the reason why they don’t want to let us adopt another baby” Shinwoo said, sighing.

“Oh, c’mon, she’s not here, also I’m joking, we can change if you want, Junghwannie’s easier”

“Okay” he said, sitting on the other chair “Do you think they’ll call us?”

“I don’t know, they haven’t yet… Sunwoo, say ‘AHHH’. Sunwoo don’t hit the spoon”

“You were right, Hwannie is way easier” Shinwoo said happily, watching how his son got his husband all dirty

“Right, because he loves to eat”

A phone rang. Shinwoo and Jinyoung looked at each other, almost afraid.

“You think it could be…”

“Answer”

“Hello?” said Jinyoung, getting his mobile all sticky with baby food “It’s Jung Jinyoung, uhu, yes, yes ma’am. Yes, we’ll be there in an hour. Thank you, thank you.”

Shinwoo was expectant.

“We gotta prepare the twins” he said when he hung up “They might have a baby for us”

“Baro hyung, you were a troublemaker even as a baby” Gongchan laughed as he dunked a cookie in his milk “You were such a disaster!”

“I wasn’t a disaster!” the boy defended himself, but he was really laughing a lot.

“And you, Deullie hyung, you were a glutton even then”

“Who says I’m a glutton?”

“I say it!” Jinyoung said, as he finished washing the rice.

Sandeul puffed his cheeks “I bet you were a horrible baby”

“In reality, he was such a nice baby” Jinyoung spoke again, just to tease his kid.

“Yes, he was” Shinwoo said, all honesty “We went to the orphanage and the woman told us they had a new born baby and we just… we fell in love with Gongchannie. He was so cute, you kids even giggled when you saw him, so we knew he had to be your brother”

“He was just a quiet baby” Jinyoung remembered “Almost never cried, except when Sunwoo hit him”

“Hyung! You hit me?”

“I don’t remember that!”

Shinwoo laughed “Yes, Sunwoo did that a lot, but he stopped when Gongchan learned how to walk”

“And now I only hit Deullie” Baro said proudly. Sandeul smacked him.

“Your eomma cried when we put you all to sleep that first night” Jinyoung said, now teasing his spouse. He was in a teasing mood “He was so overwhelmed”

“I recall that you cried, too. Hidden in the bathroom so I wouldn’t notice”

The kids laughed at that.

“Okay, maybe I cried a little. But you were so cute, and you were all ours”

“Aren’t we cute now?” Sandeul asked, full-mouthed.

“You’re not” Sunwoo told him “Me and Channie are”

“You’re not cute, you have squirrel teeth”

“And you’re-“

“Kids” Shiwnoo sushed him, knowing what was coming “Go and set the table, instead of fighting, would you?”

***

“Would you believe me if I tell you that my back just cracked?” Shinwoo asked his husband while putting his pyjamas on.

“You’re old and lazy, so yes”

“I’m not old, we’re the same age”

“You’re right then, you’re not old” Jinyoung corrected himself.

“It’s just that carrying that tree had an effect on me”

Jinyoung peeked a kiss “So weak”

“Remember when I could carry both Sunwoo and Hwannie at the same time?”

“Oh yes, those times when they were little and you were young and strong”

“I still can carry you” Shinwoo told him with a smirk

“Princess style to the bed?”

“Yeah” Shinwoo put his arms under his husband, who wrapped his around his neck. He kissed him, instead of walking him carefully to the mattress, Shinwoo left himself fall over the bed with his man still in his arms, which made him laugh.

“This could be the last time we have until the Christmas break it’s over” Jinyoung said “With my parents coming here on Tuesday…”

“We still have tomorrow” Shinwoo offered “And today, of course, ‘cause I’m not going to miss it”

“How lustful” Jinyoung bit his lip, and right after he proceeded on taking off the pyjamas his husband had just put on, much less carefully this time.