Jongdae was exhausted. He was tired, in a bad mood and all he wanted to was to curl up in his bed and sleep.

 

He really wanted to; really wanted the to take the time Kyungsoo was not home to sleep and regain some strength but he couldn’t. Not when Baekhyun was there, deserving all his attention.

 

Unlike there older child, Kyungsoo did not take the baby news well; not at all. After breaking the baby news to their kids, their youngster broke into tears. He didn’t want a baby sibling and where Chanyeol still was sure Kyungsoo would get used to the thought of a baby soon moving into their home, Jongdae had given up.

 

Six months had passed since they had found out about their third child and Jongdae had the feeling the trouble with Kyungsoo was getting worse and worse with each day passing. By now it was more than visible that there was a baby on the way and Kyungsoo was fully aware that his unwanted sibling was in there, inside his Papa’s belly, always somehow being close.

 

Kyungsoo had always been clingy and Jongdae was still surprised the boy could become even more clingy. When the boy was home we was constantly with him, following him to the bathroom, sitting in the laundry room by the washer when Jongdae sorted their clothes and even at night he wanted to be close.

 

They tried to be firm, tried to not give into Kyungsoo’s sobbing and whining but it was tugging at their nerves. A child that screamed out its lungs in the middle of the night was not only exhausting, it also was irritating. Sometimes Jongdae was so grumpy, he couldn’t control his temper and unfortunately it often was Baekhyun who had to endure his outbursts.

 

Baekhyun was an angel and Jongdae sometimes wanted to burst into tears by just looking at his older son. The elementary schooler was not only very excited to become a big brother again, he was also a great help. He was always there to ask if Jongdae needed something or if he was feeling well and the expecting sometimes couldn’t believe that he was blessed with such an angelic child.

 

“Papa, can we eat cookies?”

 

Baekhyun was snuggled up against his side, tapping his little fingers against the side of his Papa’s baby bump and Jongdae smiled at him, him over the head. “Of course,” he said. “Shall I make us a hot cocoa with marshmallows?”

 

“Yes!”

 

While Jongdae stirred in a pot, adding cocoa powder to the slowly heating milk, Baekhyun was dropping a handful of colorful mini marshmallows into two big mugs. “Papa, can we go and watch the fishies, soon?”

 

“You want to go to the aquarium?”

 

“Yes,” the boy nodded, smiling. “I want to see sharks and dolphins!”

 

Jongdae smiled to himself, turning his head towards the calendar that hung on the wall. “Well, let me ask Daddy first, okay?”

 

“Okie,” Baek chirped. “When’s Daddy coming home?”

 

“I’m not sure. I think in about two hours?”

 

Baekhyun hummed. “Papa, can we watch a movie?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Heading back to the living room father and son settled down and enjoyed the movie Baekhyun had picked out. Jongdae desperately tried to stay awake but eventually gave up and closed his eyes. Baekhyun’s little body was giving him warmth and the hand that was every now and then rubbed the side of his round belly was so soothing, it was able to lure him into a deep slumber.

 

Baekhyun gazed at his Papa but decided to not wake him. He continued watching his movie and quickly but carefully slid off the couch when he heard the front door opening. “Daddy!”

 

Chanyeol quickly raised his finger and put it onto his lips. “Shh,” he hushed his son. “Kyungsoo is sleeping,” he whispered, nodding at the sleeping boy in his arms.

 

“Oh, Papa too.”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“Yep,” Baek said. “We were watching a movie and Papa fell asleep.”

 

Chanyeol hummed. “Well, lately he’s been really tired.”

 

“Daddy, can we play?”

 

“Sure,” the father smiled. “Just let me bring Kyungsoo to bed, okay?”

 

Baekhyun nodded and headed off to grab a game from his room. He then made his way to the kitchen and prepared everything so he and Chanyeol could start right away.

 

When Chanyeol came to the kitchen he first poured him and his son a glass of juice and then sat down at the table with him. “Oh, Uno?”

 

Baekhyun grinned. “Yes! We can start right away.”

 

Playing a couple rounds of the car game, Baekhyun in the end lost against his father. Pursing his lips into a pout he muttered. “Next time, I’ll win!”

 

Chanyeol chuckled, getting up from his seat. “Do you want to help me preparing dinner? I thought of making some some Kimbap and Saewoo Bokumbap.”

 

“Yay,” Baek cheered. “Can I make the Kimbap?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Baekhyun was excited to help and happily spread the rice onto the dried laver, topping it with everything his Daddy had finely chopped for him. “Daddy, I don’t want cucumber!”

 

“You can make one for you without cucumber.”

 

“Okie!”

 

Chanyeol chuckled to himself as Baekhyun wiggled in joy and continued topping and rolling the Kimbap. He turned back to the stove and added a cup full of cocktail shrimps into the fried rice, mixing it. “Tomorrow is Sunday, shall we go somewhere?”

 

Baekhyun beamed. “Yes! I wanna see the fishies! I already asked Papa but he said we have to ask you first.”

 

The father hummed. “Well, if you like we can go tomorrow.”

 

“Oh yay!” The boy cheered. “But can we go alone?”

 

“Alone?” Chanyeol asked. “Just you and me?”

 

“No, you, me and Papa.”

“Ah, so you don’t want Kyungsoo to come with us?”

 

Baek shook his head. “No,” he said. “He’s screaming all the time. I don’t like that.”

 

A soft sigh escaped Chanyeol. He could understand. Kyungsoo still being in this weird phase where he wasn’t accepting the changes in the family were tiring. Especially for Baekhyun. “Okay,” he spoke up. “I’ll call grandma and ask if she’d take Soo. But if she has no time he has to come with us.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Chanyeol really could understand that Baekhyun wanted to spend some time with Jongdae and him alone, without his little brother and so Chanyeol really tried to convince his mother-in-law to take her younger granchild but she refused. “Don’t take me wrong but I really don’t have the nerve to take him again,” Jongdae’s mother said. “Kyungsoo is extremely difficult to handle lately and I need some distance. I’m sorry.”

 

“Y-yeah,” Chanyeol brought out, clearing his throat. “It’s fine. Thank you anyways.”

 

Ending the phone call, the man loudly exhaled. He put his phone away and made his way to the back to the kitchen where Baekhyun was busily setting the dinner table. “Did you call Nana?”

 

“I did, yes. But unfortunately she’s very busy tomorrow and can’t take Soo.”

 

The boy deeply sighed. “Okay.”

 

“I’m sorry, honey.”

 

“It’s fine,” Baekhyun said but Chanyeol could tell that he was a little upset about it. He reached out and ruffled his son’s hair, giving him a smile. “We still gonna have a good time tomorrow.”

 

Baek hummed a little. “Sure.”

 

The father softly sighed. “Hey, come here,” he said and crouched down, opening his arms to invite his son for a hug. He embrace Baekhyun's little frame and pulled him close. “I know it's not easy at the moment,” he said, pressing a kiss to the boy’s temple. “But it’ll get better again soon, I’m sure. And tomorrow we gonna have a lot of fun at the aquarium, I promise.”

 

Baekhyun hummed again but this time it was no sound of displease.

 

Chanyeol kissed his son again and eventually let go of him. “It’s almost dinner time, do you want to play another round of Uno?”

 

“No,” the boy shook his head.   

 

“Well, would you then go ahead and take a shower?”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Thanks, honey.”

 

As Baekhyun left to get ready for shower, Chanyeol made his way to the living room. A soft chuckle slipped past his lips at the view of Jongdae laying all sprawled out on the couch.

 

He stepped to the couch and carefully sat down next to the expecting. He brought a hand to Jongdae’s head and ran his fingers through his soft hair. “Babe.”

 

The expecting stirred a little and sighed, rolling to his side. “Babe, hey. Wake up.”

 

A whine escaped Jongdae. “W-what?”

 

“It’s almost time for dinner. Baek and I prepared Saewoo Bokumbap and Kimbap.”

 

A frown formed on Jongdae’s forehead and he finally blinked his eyes open. “Is it so late already?”

 

“Yes, it’s almost half past six.”

 

Slowly sitting up, the expecting rubbed one of his sleeping eyes. “Where are the boys?”

 

“Baek is taking a shower and Soo is napping at the moment.”

 

“He’s napping?”

 

“Yeah, I came home a little over an hour ago and he fell asleep right before we arrived and I thought I give him the moment to sleep. He was a little grumpy on the way home.”

 

Jongdae sighed. “I’m not surprised.”

 

“Baek told me about his wish to go to the aquarium tomorrow.”

 

“And? What did you say?”

 

“I told him we can go. He’s expressed the wish of only us three going there but your mom doesn’t want to take Soo. She said she needs some time to herself.”

 

The expecting let out let another sigh. “It’s so frustrating. I knew he would not be so fond of soon having to share us with another sibling but I wouldn’t have thought it’s this extreme and I have the feeling it gets worse with each day passing.”

 

Chanyeol only breathed out, not knowing what to say. It truly was exhausting and by now with Kyungsoo acting up every day he also was close on giving up the hope that he soon would accept the unborn baby. “Maybe,” he said, sighing softly. “Maybe we should consult a doctor. You’re right, it seems to get worse and I have absolutely no explanation for why?”

 

Jongdae hummed, nodding his head. “Yeah, maybe we should do that. I’ll call the pediatrician on Monday.”

 

Almost as if Kyungsoo could sense that he was his parents topic of conversation the boy woke up and announced his waking state with a loud cry. “Papa!”

 

Jongdae let out a deep sigh and slowly stood up. “Pray he won’t be crying the whole night again.”

 

♥

 

The promised trip to the aquarium was supposed to be fun and giving Baekhyun the conformation and attention he needed but it ended in Kyungsoo throwing a tantrum after the other and Baekhyun eventually breaking into tears because his little brother was ruining his day.

 

Chanyeol and Jongdae were incredibly sorry and more than glad when the weekend was over and they could bring Kyungsoo to the nursery for a couple of hours. Chanyeol had taken a day off, deciding to directly drive to the nearby children hospital for some consultation.

 

“Do you think we’ll be able to talk to a doctor without an appointment?”

 

“Hopefully,” Chanyeol answered his spouses question. “And even if not, we at least can gather some info material and make an actual appointment.”

 

Fortunately the parents of two were able to meet a doctor and soon found themselves sitting in a doctor’s office, facing an elderly lady with a rather funny updo. “How can I help you?”

 

Chanyeol cleared his throat. “Well, we’re here because we’ve got a problem with our younger son,” he started. “Ever since we’ve told him that my husband is expecting he’s throwing tantrums every day, is screaming when my spouse isn’t close and he wants to sleep in his bed.”

 

“Oh, and not to forget he daily voices out that he hates the baby,” Jongdae added.

 

The medic nodded her head a little. “Does he sleep in your bed? Did you give in?”

 

“Unfortunately yes,” Jongdae sighed. “We really tried to stay firm but he’s screaming and crying and just won’t stop. He keeps not only us up the whole night but our older son as well. It’s exhausting and-” He laughed out a little. “Yeah, we just gave up and gave in, giving him what he wants.”

 

“We know it’s wrong but he just won’t stop screaming,” Chanyeol said, fumbling his phone out of his pocket. “We tried to sleep with him in his room but it’s not working.” He opened the gallery of his smartphone and selected a video he had taken, handing the doctor the phone.

 

The woman looked at the clip, letting out a hum. “This video is 36 minutes long.”

 

“He actually screams longer than that but nobody was believing us so I just recorded it,” Chanyeol said, taking his phone back when the doctor handed it to him. “We just don’t know what to do.”

 

“Well,” the medic said, leaning back into her chair. “It’s not unusual that children react negatively to baby news and become clingy and attention demanding but I can tell that your son is going beyond the scope here. How did he react when you first told him about the pregnancy?”

 

“At first he was quiet but then he suddenly burst into tears, saying he hates the baby.”

 

“Has he ever been in contact with babies before?”

 

Chanyeol nodded. “My sister has a seven months old daughter. He loves her and wants to play with her all the time when we visit.”

 

“I assume he’s in nursery or kindergarten?”

 

“He’s in nursery, yes,” Jongdae said. “Every day for four hours. He’s doing well there, has no problem with other kids and plays well.”

 

The couple watched as the woman nodded her heads, taking notes. “How are things going at home? How do you handle the kids when they’re both at home?”

 

“Baekhyun, that’s our older older boy, gets up by seven, Kyungsoo around eight. Kyungsoo has me all to himself from around quarter past eight, when Baekhyun leaves for school, to nine when I bring him down the street to the nursery,” Jongdae started.

 

“I pick him back up by twelves and we play and prepare lunch before Baekhyun comes back home by one. We then have lunch and Kyungsoo takes his nap from about quarter to two to three in the afternoon. In this time I spent time with Baekhyun, doing homework and playing. When Kyungsoo by three then wakes up we all play together or only the boys play something, depending on whether Baekhyun his home during the afternoon or if he’s meeting with friends. Sometimes I also have a friend of Kyungsoo over. In the evening we have dinner by the time my husband comes home, then Kyungsoo has another hour to play, then we get him ready for bed and yeah, then Baekhyun has his quality time again until it’s time for bed for him too.”

 

“So, you do have a regular routine in which both boys have their quality time with both of you.”

 

“Yes,” the couple said in unison, nodding their heads.

 

“Are the boys the same in behavior?”

 

“Oh no, absolutely not,” Chanyeol said. “Kyungsoo is much more clingy. He rather stay by our side than going and exploring new things. We have to go with him, almost as if we have to break the ice for him.”

 

“What you’ve just said is actually exactly what I needed to know,” the doctor smiled.

 

“U-uh, pardon?”

 

“Your son doesn’t really hate his unborn sibling, he just doesn’t know how to think of it as it’s not something he can see, touch or experience face to face,” she said. “As you’ve said he gets along well with his cousin but his cousin is something present, your baby is not. At least not for him.”

 

Jongdae nodded his head a little. “O-okay and what should we do then?”

 

“You need to break the ice for him. Include him into everything that is related to the baby. Take him baby shopping, let him choose something for his sibling or craft something for the baby in which he can participate. He needs to learn that even though the baby is not there yet, it is present and he can be friends with it.”

 

“B-but we tried to do that already,” Chanyeol said. “He doesn’t want to do anything.”

 

“But you give into him then, right? He starts crying and you eventually stop what you’re doing, right?”

 

“Well, yeah-”

 

The woman chuckled a little. “Try to do all those things at home first. Get some catalogues and flip through them, craft or draw something and announce that you’re doing it for the baby, then invite him to help you. If he does not want to and acts up, he’s not allowed to be in the room with you. But you have to make that clear to him.”

 

“So, if he doesn’t want to help he has to leave?”

 

“Only if he’s crying or screaming. If he’s quietly doing something else, he’s of course allowed to be in the room. But only if he’s nice and quiet. You’ll see, eventually his curiosity will take over and he’ll start wanting to help you. And if he asks you about the baby, talk to him. Answer all his questions, make suggestions, show him ultrasound images, let him touch your belly. You just have to be consequent.”

 

“What about the nights?” Jongdae asked. “I’m really tired of having him there every night.”

 

“Same method. He’s allowed to sleep with you but only if he’s nice and quiet. Do that for a couple of nights and then slowly start bringing him back to his own bed when he’s asleep, so he sees that he wakes up in his own bed in morning. Keep doing that until he’s not complaining about it anymore and then start bringing him to his bed when he’s on the verge of falling asleep. Then stay there with him until he’s asleep so he starts sleeping in his own bed again for the entire night.”

 

A breathy chuckle escaped Chanyeol. “That’s going to be a lot of work.”

 

“For sure,” the doctor nodded. “But he’s a child. You have to do it slowly but steady and firmly, otherwise he’ll never go back to sleep in his own bed. Children are more drawn to habits than adults and it’s hard to break their habits but once you’ve done it, you can easily guide them into new routines.”

 

The parents nodded their heads. “Alright. We’ll try to do that.”

 

Chanyeol and Jongdae left the doctor’s office hopeful but also a little helpless. What the doctor had told them made totally sense to them and they were motivated to start right away but they knew how stubborn Kyungsoo was and that breaking his habits would be a tough task that required strong nerves and endless patience.

 

Already in the car on their way back home they planned out on how to start and Jongdae was fast to agree when his husband suggested to craft a baby-mobile for their unborn. “I like that, let’s do that.”

 

“Alright,” Chanyeol smiled. “Then I’ll go to the store and pick Baek up on the way back home.”

 

“Great.”

 

Baekhyun was also very keen on Chanyeol’s idea of crafting the unborn a baby mobile and couldn’t wait to actually start the project. He was literally devouring his lunch, being all excited.

 

“Baek, easy,” Chanyeol laughed. “We can start right after we’ve all finished.”

 

“What we do?” Kyungsoo curiously asked, tilting his head a little.

 

“We gonna make the baby a toy.”

 

Almost instantly the little boy’s face darkened. “No,” he scowled.

 

“But it’s fun,” Baekhyun said, looking at his little brother. “We gonna make it super pretty.”

 

“No!”

 

Jongdae gazed at his husband, waiting for Chanyeol to speak up. “Kyungsoo, honey, listen,” the man said, leaning a little over to the boy. “Papa, Baek and I are going make a nice toy for the baby and you can help us but only if you’re nice.”

 

“No!”

 

“Well, if you don’t want to help us, you don’t have to.”

 

“No!” Kyungsoo’s scream was loud and shrill an Baekhyun covered his ears, ducking his head a little. The boy’s ears were getting bright red and soon he was loudly crying.

 

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol firmly spoke. “You have no reason to cry right now. I just told you, you don’t have to help us if you don’t want to.”

 

Kyungsoo only cried louder, balling his little hands into fists.

 

Chanyeol rose up from his chair and rachd for Kyungsoo to lift him out of his chair. “Well, if you don’t behave you have to go to your room.”

 

Jongdae quietly watched as his husband carried their younger son out of the kitchen, in a deep breath when Kyungsoo started to call out for him. “Papa! Papa!”

 

Baekhyun looked at his father, blinking his eyes a little. He noticed the sudden change in his parents behavior and was curious. “Papa?

 

“Yes, honey?”

 

“You never brought Soo away before.”

 

Jongdae smiled a little. “You know,” he started. “Daddy and I visited a doctor today in the morning.”

 

“Yes? Why?”

 

“Because of Kyungsoo,” the expecting answered. “His behavior in the past months worried us and we wanted to know what we could do to make the whole situation less stressful for all of us.”

 

“And what did the doctor say?”

 

“She said that we have to slowly but steady bring the baby closer to Kyungsoo. She suggested on doing a lot of things we could include Kyungsoo into, just as crafting, shopping and such.”

 

“B-but Soo doesn’t want helping to craft,” Baek said, pouting a little. “If he doesn’t want to help how is it working?”

 

“That’s why Daddy has brought him away. He can help us if he wants to but doesn’t have to and if he’s not behaving nicely he’s not allowed to be with us.”

 

Baekhyun hummed as if he had understood what his father had explained but Jongdae doubt it. “Can I help you?”

 

“H-help us?”

 

“Yes!” Baekhyun brightly smiled. “I want to help! I want Soo to like the baby just as much as I do!”

 

Jongdae’s lips curled into a smile. “Of course,” he said. “We need all the help we can get. Thank you, honey.”

 

‘ ㅅ ‘

 

Kyungsoo was a tough nut to crack. He was so stubborn Jongdae broke down into tears almost daily, ready to give up. Everytime he thought they had made a step forwards, they took two steps back the following day.

 

He knew the doctor said it would take some time to break Kyungsoo’s habits after two months of literllay achieving nothing, Jongdae was at the verge of breaking. He just couldn’t take it anymore and was doing miserable.

 

As his spouse was not doing well, Chanyeol tired to get as many home-office days as possible to be there for the expecting. Eight months into the pregnancy, Jongdae wasn’t as agile anymore as before and so Chanyeol tired to give him as much time to rest as somewhat possible.

 

Walking past the living room with a large basket full of laundry in his arms, Chanyeol gazed to the couch Jongdae was napping at. A sigh slipped past his lips at the sight of the expectings pale face. The lack of sleep and constant stress with Kyungsoo was taking its toll on him, causing Jongdae to have troubles with his blood pressure.

 

Deciding to let the laundry be laundry for a second, Chanyeol set the basket to the ground and silently walked into the living room. Approaching the couch, he knelt down in front of it and gently Jongdae over the cheek. The other almost immediately woke up. “Is it time to pick up Kyungsoo?”

 

“No,” Yeol answered. “Babe, I’ve thought about something.”

 

“Y-yeah? And what have you thought about?”

 

“I’d like you to leave home for a while.”

 

Jongdae eyes widened, then he frowned. “What? Why? And where do you want me to go?”

 

“Babe, you’re in a miserable state and I just can’t take this anymore. This is not healthy, neither for you nor the baby.”

 

“I know but-”

 

“What would you think of spending a week by the sea? You’d get plenty of fresh air and finally could get some proper sleep.”

 

“I can’t do that.”

 

“And why not?”

 

“Well, the kids have kindergarten and school and you have to work and we still need so many things for the baby. I can’t just leave.”

 

“You can,” Chanyeol smiled. “I’ll take a week off or just work from home in the time the boys are gone. Come one, babe. You need it. You need a time out.”

 

Jongdae stayed quiet, just looked at his husband. Chanyeol was right, he needed a time out but leaving just like that was something he couldn’t make up with his mind. The boys needed him after all. Just leaving for a week would make him feel selfish.

 

“I won’t accept a no,” Chanyeol firmly said. “I’ll book you a trip to the sea and you’ll stay there until you get some color back into that pretty face of yours.”

 

The comment caused the expecting to laugh. He let his eyes flutter close when Chanyeol leaned down and hummed into the sweet kiss he was given. “Thank you.”

 

“You’re most welcome,” Chanyeol said. “You desperately need it. It pains me to see you like this.”

 

Jongdae sighed softly. “Will you be okay, all alone with the boys?”

 

“Of course.”

 

To get Jongdae away from home and all the stress, Chanyeol in the late evening right away booked Jongdae a room in nice spa hotel by the sea and the expecting was able to leave for his trip the two days later.

 

Baekhyun was rather sad that his Papa would not be home for a whole week but wished Jongdae a good time and asked for a nice present. “Anything that’s cute,” he cutely smiled.

 

“Of course,” Jongdae nodded, returning the smile. “I’ll bring you something nice.”

 

“I’ll miss you!”

 

“I’ll miss you too, honey.” Embracing his older son, Jongdae pressed a kiss to Baekhyun’s forehead. “Be a good boy and try to help Daddy a little, okay?”

 

“Okay! I promise!”

 

“Babe, come on. The cab his here.” Reaching for his husbands bag, Chanyeol opened the front door and stepped outside. He brought the bag to the car and handed it to the taxi driver that would bring Jongdae to the train station. “Babe!”

 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Jongdae called back, giving his son one last bear hug and a kiss.

 

Kyungsoo was clueless, not knowing that Jongdae would leave for a trip and to keep his departure a secret from the boy they scheduled his leaving around Kyungsoo’s naptime.

 

“Have a good time and don’t hesitate to do whatever you like.”

 

Jongdae chuckled. “Whatever I like? That’s going to be an expensive trip then.”

 

“That’s fine, you deserve it.” Chanyeol smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to the smaller’s rosy lips. His one of his hands found its way to the round of his spouses baby bump and gave the belly a good rub. “Take good care of the mucky pup.”

 

“Always,” Jongdae smiled.

A few more kisses were exchanged until Jongdae finally got into the cart and drove off, heading into his well deserved week of relaxation and quietness.

 

Chanyeol was already sure Kyungsoo would break into tears, throwing a fit when he’d find out about his Papa’s absence and to spare Baekhyun the screaming he allowed the boy to spend the day at a friends out. As soon as Baek had left, heading down the street to meet his friend who lived at the other end of the quiet street, Kyungsoo woke up, calling out for his Papa to get him.

 

When Chanyeol entered the room, Kyungsoo blinked his big eyes at him. “Where Papa?”

 

Lifting his son out of his cot, Chanyeol brought him to the living room and sat down the couch. “Honey, I’ve got to tell you something,” he said, balancing the boy on his legs. “Papa won’t be home for a week.”

 

“W-why?”

 

“Papa is not feeling good and needs some time to himself. He’ll be back next week. Until then it’s only you, Baek and me at home.”

 

“Papa gone?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“N-no,” Kyungsoo pouted, eyes filling with tears. “No! I don’t like! No! I want Papa!”

 

Chanyeol set his son to his feet when he started wiggling in his hold. “Papa will be back in a week, nothing will change that.”

 

“No!”

 

Kyungsoo’s entire face turned red when he started screaming, balling his hands into tight ifsts and kicking out his tiny legs. Chanyeol let him be and went to the kitchen to prepare a snack for them. It took awhile for Kyungsoo to calm down but when he eventually did it was hard for Chanyeol to keep up his firm, consequent stance as his son looked fairly sad with his eyes being still glassy and pouty lips pursed.

 

The father squatted down. “Calmed down?”

 

Kyungsoo nodded his head and waddled towards his father.

 

Chanyeol cupped the boy’s little face and wiped his damp chubby cheeks with his thumbs. “Honey, I know you miss Papa and you want him here but Papa will only come back next week.”

 

The toddler’s bottom lips quivered a little. “Papa gone because of Kyungie?”

 

Chanyeol’s breath hitched for a second but he quickly shook his head. “No, honey. Papa is gone because he needs some time away from all of us.”

 

“W-why?”

 

“You know, the baby is getting bigger and bigger and soon will be there and it’s very tiring for Papa. And when you, baek or I want Papa to do something it makes him even more sleepy. And that’s why I sent Papa away for some time so he can sleep as long as he likes and we don’t bother him.”

 

Chanyeol wasn’t entirely sure with his son got what he had told him but Kyungsoo hummed and nodded his head.

 

“You know, we can draw Papa pictures and we can call him everyday.”

 

“Ya! I want!”

 

Chanyeol smiled. “And when Papa is back you need to promise to be a very good boy.”

 

“Ya! Good boy! Big boy!”

 

The father laughed out, embracing his son. “You are a big boy.”

 

The first day and evening without Jongdae at home was much more quiet than Chanyeol had anticipated. Kyungsoo was extremely clingy but after his one outburst not whiney at all and fairly relaxed. He was excited to help preparing dinner and happily announced his big brother that they would have spaghetti with tomato sauce when Baekhyun came home from his playdate.

 

“Super yummy! I help!”

 

“Really?” Baekhyun skeptical asked, gazing at the pasta dish. “Daddy, what did Soo do?”

 

“Oh, he helped making the sauce,” Chanyeol answered, pouring his son a cup of apple juice. “He was a great help.”

 

Kyungsoo proudly grinned and Baekhyun eyes his little brother, smiling at him. “Soo, do you want to take a bath with me after dinner?”

 

“Ya! Ya!”

 

“You want to take a bath together?”

 

“Yes,” Baek smiled. “A bubble bath, please!”

 

“Many bubbles,” Kyungsoo added, excitedly throwing his arms into the air. “Many!”

 

Chanyeol chuckled. “Alright, then let’s eat and then you can go and bathe.”

 

♥

 

Chanyeol wasn’t sure whether it was because Kyungsoo dearly missed Jongdae or because the baby wasn’t in constant presence but three days into being home alone with the kids, Kyungsoo was back to normal, behaving just as he did before Jongdae’s pregnancy.

 

Everything was going so smoothly that Chanyeol decided to take a step towards the boy and ask if he wanted to paint the nursery walls with him. Approaching the boy, Chanyeol sat down next to him on the living room carpet. “What are you doing there?”

 

“Making pretty picture for Papa.”

 

“Oh, it really is pretty,” Chanyeol praised. “Wow.”

 

Kyungsoo gave a proud grin and wiggled in joy. “This is butterfly.”

 

“I can see. It is truly beautiful.” The father smiled to himself and his son over the head, messing up his black locks. “Honey, I’d like to ask you something.”

 

“What’s it?”

 

“You know, just like you and Baek, the baby will get its own bedroom and I still need to paint the nursery walls and I wondered if you’d like to help me.”

 

Kyungsoo kept quiet for a moment and Chanyeol was almost sure the boy would get angry at him and reject but he didn’t. “I want,” he brightly smiled, nodding his head. “Can I paint?”

 

“Yes, you can get your own brush and paint.”

 

Kyungsoo fastly jumped to his feet and skipped out of the living room. “Hurry, Daddy! Hurry!”

 

Chanyeol had not expected Kyungsoo to be that excited to help painting his unborn siblings room walls but he was glad Kyungsoo finally was warming up and accepting it when the baby was mentioned or something was done for it.

 

While Chanyeol tried to get one of the four walls done until Baekhyun would come home from his school field trip, Kyungsoo happily humming sat in one corner of the room, running his in color dipped brush along the wall.

 

Having to transform Chanyeol’s former office into the nursery, the couple decided to go for a mint and light gray color combination for the walls and white furniture. They still hadn't bought any furniture and Chanyeol wanted to get the nursery done before Jongdae would come back home from his trip to the sea so he didn’t have to worry about this anymore.

 

By the time the older of his son’s came home, Chanyeol had painted two walls and Kyungsoo was proud to have helped. The boy was covered in paint, having blue speckles everywhere.

 

“Why is Soo looking like this?” Baekhyun curiously asked.

 

“He helped me painting the walls of the nursery.”

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

Chanyeol could see the tiredness in Baekhyun’s eyes and embraced him. “Did you have a good day?”

 

“Yes,” the boy answered. “We did a lot. I’m so hungry and sleepy.”

 

“Well, the let’s hurry and take a shower and then we can order some pizza if you like.”

 

“Oh yes!”

 

As Kyungsoo needed help washing himself and Baekhyun needed supervision as he was extremely tired, Chanyeol had both boys with him in the shower. It was a fast task and soon they were all done and ready to order a pizza.

 

“Many, many cheese,” Kyungsoo chirped, spreading his arms as wide as he could to signal how much cheese he wanted to have on the meal.

 

“That much cheese?” The father chuckled. “Okay, key see if they can do that.”

 

Wanting to treat his sons as Kyungsoo had behaved exemplary and Baekhyun had an exhausting day, Chanyeol ordered a container of vanilla strawberry ice-cream as well.

 

The pizza arrived in no time and was pleasingly hot. Settling down on the floor in front of the coffee table, the boys started to eat. “Yummy!”

 

“Yeah? That’s good,” Chanyeol smiled. Just as he was about to reach for his own slice of pizza, his phone started to ring. “Of course,” he sighed softly and got up from the floor. “I’ll be right back.”

 

“Okie,” Baek nodded, skin around his mouth already covered in tomato sauce and grease.

 

Heading to the kitchen where Chanyeol had left his phone, he picked it up. A little surprised as Jongdae was the one who called him, he raised his brows. “Babe,” he spoke into the phone when he answered the call. “Why are you calling so early?”

 

“To give you the chance to come over here -”

 

The heavy breathing of his spouses had the father alarmed right away. “What? No! Really?”

 

“Y-yeah,” Jongdae brought out, deeply exhaling. “I thought they were braxton hicks but they are strong and they come in constant interwalls.”

 

“How far are they apart?” Chanyeol asked, already making his way upstairs to the nursery.

 

“Every 30 minutes.”

 

“Oh, okay. Well, that gives me a little bit of time. Have you informed the hospital yet?”

 

“I did,” the expecting said. “I told them that it’s way too early as it was supposed to come in May and they send someone to pick me up.”

 

Chanyeol nodded to himself. “Okay. Uh, please send me the address of the hospital. I’ll throw the boys into the car then then we’re coming!”

 

“But for god’s sake drive carefully!”

 

“Always!”

 

A chuckle came from the other end of the line. “Alright,” Jongdae said. “See you in the hospital then.”

 

“Yes,” Chanyeol responded. “See you.”

 

As soon as the call had ended, Chanyeol stuffed his phone into the pocket of his sweatpants and rushed to get a back to pack some baby necessities. Grabbing a bunch of diapers, rompers and other things, the father then rushed down the stairs to his son.

 

“Please go and put on your shoes, we need to go!”

 

“To go? Where?”

 

“To Papa. Papa’s in labor!”

 

Both boys tilted their heads at the words. “Labor?” Baek asked, munching on his pizza.

 

“The baby is coming.”

 

“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Baekhyun jumped to his feet. “Really?!”

 

Chanyeol nodded his head, tighten his grip on the handle of the blue sports bag. “Yes, and that’s why we have to leave now.”

 

“We’re going to the sea?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“But-” Baek pouted. “We’re not done eating.”

 

“Ya,” Kyungsoo chirped, agreeing with his older brother.

 

“Don’t worry,” Chanyeol said. “We’re taking the pizza with us. You can eat it in the car.”

 

“Okie!”

 

“Alright,” Chanyeol said, dropping the bag. “Baek, you please go and pee before we leave and Soo, I’m sorry but you need to put on a diaper.”

 

The boy instantly frowned and puffed his cheeks. “No! Don’t wanna!”

 

“Honey, we won’t be able to stop somewhere in case you need to pee. Please, just for tonight. We really have to hurry.”

 

The little boy furiously shook his head.

 

“Okay, then let me tell you that you gonna have to pee your pants if you have to.”

 

Chanyeol knew he was being mean to Kyungsoo but it was the only way to put on a diaper. Of course Kyungsoo was not fond of putting on a diaper. He was out of his diaper phase, didn’t need one at all anymore and yet they still had some left for emergency situations and Chanyeol counted this as an emergency.

 

Even though Jongdae had contractions that were still 30 minutes apart, Chanyeol knew it could quickly change. Especially as their baby was planning on coming five weeks early. He had to hurry.

 

“Kyungsoo, honey, please.”

 

Kyungsoo still had his cheeks puffed and was deeply frowning. Baekhyun approached his little brother. “Soo,” he called out. “We have to go to Papa very, very quickly. But we have to drive there for quite some time and we really can’t stop.”

 

Chanyeol was sure Baekhyun didn’t understand the importance behind them having to hurry but he was glad his eldest tried to persuade the younger to put on a diaper.

 

“Okay,” Kyungsoo eventually said.

 

“Thanks baby,” Chanyeol said, deeply sighing inwardly. He held out his hand for Kyungsoo and waited for him to take it. “I promise, we take it off as soon as we arrive at the hospital.”

 

“Okie.”

 

While Chanyeol took Kyungsoo upstairs to put a diaper on, Baekhyun went to the bathroom and then put on his sneakers and jacket, waiting for his father and brother coming back down.

 

When Kyungsoo finally was in his diaper, Chanyeol brought him back down and told him to put on his shoes and while Baekhyun helped his little brother to do so, Yeol went to grab the pizza box, a couple of Capri-Sun’s and the baby bag.

 

Making sure he had locked the front door of the house and that he had his wallet with him, Chanyeol strapped Kyungsoo into his car seat and placed the pizza box between the boys and gave the drink pouches to them.

 

“Daddy?”

 

“Yeah?” Chanyeol asked, gazing at Baekhyun through the rearview mirror.

 

“Don’t we need the baby’s carseat, too?”

 

A gasp escaped the father. “Oh my god, you’re right! Thanks for reminding me!”

 

Rushing back inside the house, Chanyeol got the baby car seat and stored it in the truck. Getting back into the car he briefly paused to think if he might have forgotten about something else but when he couldn’t think of anything, he eventually started the engine.

 

♥

 

It was still early into the evening but the maternity ward was extremely quiet. Only a few nurses wandered over the wards corridors and there was no cries of infants to be heard whatsoever. Jongdae sat in front of one the examinations rooms, holding onto a cup of tea. He was waiting for someone to get him and take him to a room where he could lay down.

 

“How are you feeling?” He was asked by a passing by nurse.

 

“Good,” he answered, gifting her a smile. “My back hurts, tough.”

 

“I apologize for the waiting. I’m sure the room will be ready soon.”

 

“It’s fine, don’t worry.”

 

“Maybe would like to see a doctor first, if you like?”

 

“Oh yeah, sure. Why not,” Jongdae said. Everything was better than just sitting around.

 

The nurse smiled softly. “Alright, then please follow me. Or would you like me to get you a wheelchair?”

 

“Oh no, I don’t need one,” the expecting said, slowly getting up from the chair he sat in.

 

He followed the woman all the way down the long hallway and then sat down on a way more comfortable chair in the treatment room when the nurse mentioned him to sit down. “I’ll go and get the doctor.”

 

Nodding at her words, Jongdae leaned back and sighed. He set his cup away on the doctor’s desk and brought both hands to his round belly, giving it a rub. He knew another contraction was about to come up and he mentally prepared for it, already taking some deep breaths.

 

Just as the contraction was hitting him, the doctor entered the room. “Oh, right on time, huh?”

 

“Yeah,” Dae laughed out, knitting his brows together at the pain.

 

“Why don’t you lie down,” the doctor said, pointing at the treatment table. “This way I could perform a quick ultrasound as well. I’ve been informed you’re five weeks early.”

 

“Yes,” Jongdae nodded. “My two others were also early but only by two weeks.”

 

The doctor helped him to his feet and carefully guided him to the table and helped him laying down. “Oh, you already have two? How old are they?”

 

“Our big boy is turning seven in May and the younger one is almost two and a half.”

 

“Oh, seven already. Is he already in school?”

 

“Yes, he’s gotten into 2nd grade last month.”

 

“I have a first grader at home right now and she is so bored of school, I don’t know what to do with her.”

 

Jongdae laughed out. “That sounds familiar,” he snickered. “When mine got into school he was so excited but after about three weeks he started complaining that everything they’d do there would be so boring. I guess it was because he already knew all these basic math things and writing and spelling. He liked going there when they’d go on field trips and now he’s doing much better. He now likes going there as he learns new things.”

 

“Oh, then hopefully it’s getting better with mine once she gets into 2nd grade,” the doctor said. “I’ve got to be honest, when she brings home homework I’m a little confused. It’s exactly what she’s had in preschool.”

 

“Right, and I think the kids are a little irritated by that. Baekhyun was complaining daily about his homeworks. I’m glad it’s over for now but I’m sure he’ll start complaining again in a few years. I remember having troubles with homework in middle school.”

 

“Oh, I don't want to think of that yet,” the medic said, laughing. “I’m glad she’s in school now and knows how to properly address people and be polite.”

 

“You’ve only got one child?”

 

“So far, yes. We’ve thought of having another one but our daughter does not seem very fond of it.”

 

A deep sigh slipped past Jongdae’s lips. “Oh, I know that too well. My younger son did not take the baby news well, we’ve got some serious troubles with him at the moment. This is why I’m here. My husband thought it’s a good idea for me to come here and try to relax a bit.”

 

Humming the doctor moved the head of the sonography over the expectations swollen belly. “I guess it didn’t work?”

 

“Not really. I really tried to relax and enjoy the time here but I can’t stop thinking of the trouble we have with him. It’s so exhausting and nerve-racking, I just can’t push it aside; not even for a moment.”

 

“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that the stress you’re under could be the reason for your premature labor.”

 

Jongdae gave a nod and sighed. “Yes, I know.”

 

“Have you called your husband or shall we inform him?”

 

“No, he already knows. He’s on his way.”

 

The medic gave a nod and kept quiet for a moment, having his eyes focused on the screen of the sonography monitor. “Everything looks good so far but I can clearly see the clamping of the muscles, the baby will come tonight. When did the first contraction occurred?”

 

“About three hours ago,” Jongdae answered. “By now they come every fifteen minutes.”

 

“That’s good. If everything keeps going so smoothly I’m sure the water will break in about an hour. How long does your husband to come here?”

 

“Two if he’s driving according to the speed limit.”

 

The doctor chuckled. “Well, if he’s already on the road, I’m sure he’ll be on time. Is he bringing the kids along?”

 

“I think so, yes. And if my boys don’t need to pee every twenty minutes, they might make it on time, yeah.

 

♥

 

Chanyeol was close losing it. They were only six kilometers away from the hospital but they were not moving at all. An accident a few kilometers ahead caused a traffic jam and of course Chanyeol had to be stuck right in it.

 

“Oh my ing god, move!”

 

“Daddy,” Baekhyun gasped. “Don’t say bad words!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Chanyeol apologized. He gazed into the rearview mirror, sighing as he found Kyungsoo fast asleep in his car seat. “I’m sorry, honey.”

 

“Are we late?”

 

“Yes,” the father deeply sighed.

 

Already as he they rolled into the traffic jam Chanyeol had tried to call Jongdae on his phone but the other was not answering. Trying to call the hospital led to nothing as well as the nurse at the other end of the line, apparently, was not allowed to give out any informations.

 

Chanyeol was close to bursting and he was almost sure he was about to miss the birth of his third child. “God, finally!”

 

Impatiently waiting for the the cars in front of him starting to drive, Chanyeol carefully stepped onto the accelerator pedal to get his SUV into motion again. Looking out for the next exit the father cheered when he was finally able to leave the expressway.

 

Driving down the street towards the hospital, Chanyeol tightly gripped onto the steering wheel. His heart was thumping in his chest and all he was hoping was that he wasn’t too late.

 

Parking the car in the absolute no-parking zone directly in front of the hospital, Chanyeol unbuckled and lifted the sleeping Kyungsoo out of his car seat, grabbed Baekhyun by the hand and rushed inside the hospital.

 

“Where is the maternity ward,” he almost yelled at the nurse behind the reception counter.

 

“U-uh, third floor,” she stuttered and pointed to the elevator.

 

“Thanks! Baek, come, Hurry!”

 

Baekhyun had great trouble to follow his father as his little legs were not able to keep up with the longs strides his father was making to reach the elevator as fast as possible.

 

Arrived at the ward Chanyeol nearly bumped into a pregnant woman. “Oh god, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t see you.”

 

“Excuse me sir, may I help you?”

 

Spinning around Chanyeol looked at a rather short and chubby nurse with thick framed glasses. “Y-yes,” he voiced out after taking in her appearance. “My husband is here, in premature labor.”

 

“Oh, then you’re the one we’re waiting for. Your spouse is doing amazing at holding it back but he’s more than ready to finally give it a go.”

 

Chanyeol swallowed and nodded his head. “Uh, where can I put him?”

 

The nurse looked at Kyungsoo. “Oh, you can lay him down in your husbands room. And you, little man? Do you want to take a rest too or shall we see if we can arrange a movie for you?”

 

“No,” Baekhyun said. “I want to see Papa, too!”

 

“Oh Sweetheart, that won’t be possible. But you can go and see him and the baby once it’s there, I promise.”

 

“Okay,” Baek said, looking a little sad. “Then I want to watch a movie.”

 

With both children being looked after by a nurse, Chanyeol was finally able to made his way to the delivery room. Jongdae was there, bathed in sweat and he let out a breathy chuckle when Chanyeol stepped into the room. “That took you long.”

 

“Traffic jam,” Yeol said, pressing a kiss to his spouses temple. “How are you?”

 

“I’m ready to give it all. I can’t take it anymore.”

 

As their baby was premature, five weeks early, two additionally nurses and a pediatrician were on alert.

 

Just as the two times before, Jongdae did a great job and Chanyeol felt his immense pride in his chest for his spouse as he watched him helping their little, unplanned bundle of joy to earth.

 

Everything was a little different this time. Chanyeol still was able to cut the cord but they didn’t give the baby to Jongdae. Instead they brought it right over to another room. “W-what?”

 

“It’s fine,” Jongdae said. “They told me they’d have to bring it over for examination first.”

 

“O-oh, I see,” Chanyeol said. He looked at his husband, scanning his features.

 

Jongdae looked exhausted, yet he had his lips curled into his beautiful kitten smile. His cheeks were flushed and his bangs stuck to his sweaty forehead. Chanyeol leaned over and kissed his rosy lips. “Thank you, my love.”

 

“Thank you, too.”

 

Their quiet intimate moment was interrupted by a nurse bringing them back their baby. It was wrapped into a thick blanket and had a ventilation hose in its tiny nose. Chanyeol in a deep breath at the sight of the delicate infant.

 

“Don’t worry,” the nurse said, giving a smile. “He’s healthy and absolutely fine. Premature babies tend to have some breathing problems in the first days, so the tube is there to help him breathing properly.”

 

“Does he have to be put into an incubator?” Chanyeol carefully asked, watching as the woman gave their newborn to Jongdae.

 

“Yes, to keep his body temperature up and monitor his breathing but as healthy as he is, he won’t be in there for too long.” She paused for a moment and smiled. “I’ll leave you alone now. If you need something, let me know.”

 

“Oh, would you be so good and get our son from the room? He desperately wants to meet his new sibling.”

 

“Of course.”

 

As the nurse left to get Baekhyun, Chanyeol sat down next to bed Jongdae lay in and leaned close. “A boy again, who would’ve thought.”

 

Jongdae chuckled softly, the baby over the head. “You hoped for a girl, didn’t you?”

 

“First and foremost I wished for a healthy baby but yeah, a girl would have been nice,” Chanyeol said. He liked the idea of having a daughter but that, of course, didn’t mean that he loved his third boy any less. “We still need a name for him.”

 

“I actually thought of names and there’s one I’ve quite fallen for.”

 

“Oh yeah? Which one have you fallen for?”

 

“Sehun.”

 

“Oh,” Chanyeol hummed. “It does sound nice. It just randomly crossed your mind?”

 

“Well, no. I was thinking of names and was watching this drama and one of the characters was named Sehun. I don’t know, I just really like it.”

 

“Well, then we should name him Sehun.”

 

“Are you okay with it?” Jongdae asked, gazing at his spouse. “We don’t have to give him that name.”

 

“No, it’s absolutely fine with me. It does sound nice,” Chanyeol smiled.  “Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Sehun sounds nice all together.”

 

“Okay, if yo-” Jongdae paused mid-sentence when the door the room opened and Baekhyun stuck his head through the gap. “Hey, honey.”

 

“Hey,” the boy quietly said. He pushed the door a little further open, revealing a sleep drunk Kyungsoo. The younger was holding onto his big brother's hand and rubbed his eye with the other.

 

Chanyeol moved over to the boys and picked Kyungsoo up, carrying him over the bed. With sleepy eyes Kyungsoo gazed at his newborn brother. “Is baby hurt?”

 

“No, he’s not. He just needs the tube to breathe. It’ll be removed in a few days,” Chanyeol explained.

 

Baekhyun, who had climbed into the bed to Jongdae’s left leaned over to take a proper look at his sibling as well. “It’s a boy?”

 

“Yes,” Jongdae said, smiling softly. “His name is Sehun.”

 

“Ohh, I like,” Baek beamed. “Hello Sehunnie. You’re so cute.”

 

The parents chuckled.

 

Kyungsoo leaned against Chanyeol’s chest, eyes still focused on Sehun. “Daddy, Sehunnie has no bed,” he commented. “We need getting Sehunnie a bed.”

 

Chanyeol let out a breathy chuckle. “Yeah, I know. We gonna pick it up tomorrow.”

 

“But we need coloring the walls!”

 

“You starting painting the walls?” Jongdae asked, looking at his spouse.

 

Chanyeol nodded. “Yes, we did. Kyungsoo helped me. We managed to get two full walls done already. I’ll just paint the rest tomorrow and then pick up the furniture.”

 

“Oh wow,” Jongdae hummed. “And you really helped?”

 

Kyungsoo nodded his head, giving a proud grin. “So much!”

 

“Thank you, honey. That’s so nice of you.”

 

“I made lot pretty pictures for Sehunnie. Hyunnie too!”

 

“Yes,” Baek chirped. “We drew and crafted a lot!”

 

“Oh, I can’t wait to see it,” Jongdae said.

 

“When we go home?” Kyungsoo asked. “I wanna go home.”

 

“We’ll leave soon,” Chanyeol said. He stood up and set Kyungsoo down onto the mattress next to Jongdae. “I’ll just go and have a word with the doctor,” he sa and then left the room.

 

Jongdae took the moment in which his husband was gone to have a word with his son’s. “How are you doing?” He asked. “Have you been good boys?”

 

Kyungsoo immediately nodded and so did Baekhyun. “Yes!”

 

“That’s good to hear. I missed you very much.”

 

“Me too,” Baek said, gently leaning against his Papa’s side. “When are you coming back home?”

 

“I don’t know yet. I guess that’s what Daddy is asking the doctor right now. Sehun needs some help with his breathing and I can’t tell you for how long he’ll need the support.”

 

“Is it bad?” Baekhyun wanted to know.

 

“No, it’s not. It’s just because he’s born too early.” Jongdae smiled at the way Baekhyun looked at his baby brother. “Do you want to hold him?”

 

“Can I?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Giving the infant to Baekhyun once the boy had shifted into a steady, sitting position, Jongdae wrapped an arm around Kyungsoo and pulled him close. “Are you sleepy?”

 

Kyungsoo nodded, letting out a hum when he was given kiss. “So sleepy.”

 

“You smell a little funny. Did you have hot dog for dinner?”

 

“No, pizza,” Baek answered. “Daddy ordered it.”

 

“Oh, I see. Was it yummy?”

 

“Super yummy!”

 

“Did it have a lot of cheese?”

 

“So many,” Kyungsoo chirped. “Many, many!”

 

“We ate it in the car.”

 

“Because Daddy hurried you to leave?”

 

“Yes,” Baekhyun nodded.

 

“Daddy make me put on diaper.”

 

Jongdae turned his head to Kyungsoo. “He did? Really? Aw, I guess he had a good reason for that.”           

 

“Yeah, because we couldn’t stop,” Baekhyun said.

 

Kyungsoo pouted and puffed his cheeks. “I don’t like!”

 

Jongdae raised a brow. Leaning away a little he reached for Kyungsoo’s pajama pants and pulled the waistband aside. “Oh, you’re still wearing it. Come, let’s take them off.”

 

As Kyungsoo stood up sp Jongdae could pull down his pants to take the diaper off, Chanyeol came back to the room. Instantly reaching for the diaper as Jongdae held it out to him, he stepped to the trash can to dispose it.

 

“What did the doctor say?” Jongdae asked. “You asked about our stay here, right?”

 

Chanyeol nodded and took seat. “They say you’ll have to stay at least another two days until his breath as regulated itself.”

 

“That’s not bad.”

 

“No, and it gives me enough time to finish his room,” Chanyeol said, smiling as he looked over to Baekhyun holding his baby brother in his little arms.

 

“I help,” Kyungsoo loudly announced, grinning from ear to ear.

 

“Me too!”

 

♥

 

Kyungsoo was patiently sitting in front of the front door, wiggling his little feet, He held onto a bunch of colored papers he all had drawn in the past two days of Jongdae’s and Sehun’s stay at the hospital.

 

As both boys had kindergarten and school, Chanyeol had some work do to and still had finish Sehun’s nursery they weren’t able to invest the time to visit them.

 

The kids were okay with it as they knew their beloved Papa and their baby brother would soon be there but nevertheless, they still dearly missed them.

 

Passing by the hall with a basket full of laundry tucked under his arm, Chanyeol laughed out. “Soo, honey. What are you doing there?”

 

“Waiting!”

 

“But Papa and Sehun won’t be there for another hour.”

 

“Hour?”

 

“Yes. I’m sorry, honey.”

 

The toddler puffed his cheeks. “So long!”

 

“I know, but you know what? We could bake a cake in the remaining time. Let’s make Papa the fluffy cheesecake he likes so much.”

 

“Okay!” Kyungsoo almost instantly got onto his little feet. “Hyunnie too!”

 

Toddling off to inform his big brother that they would make a cake for Jongdae and Sehun, Kyungsoo loudly called out for Baekhyun.

 

Chanyeol took the moment to load the washer and then went to the kitchen to gather together the ingredients they needed for the cake.

 

His son entered the kitchen only moments later and Baekhyun helped Kyungsoo climbing onto one of the chairs before he also climbed onto one. “Can we make a big cake?”

 

“Sure,” Chanyeol smiled. “Shall we add strawberries, too?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Distracting his kids from the time worked not only on them but on Chanyeol as well. He totally lost focus on time and nearly jumped in shock when he spotted Jongdae standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a baby carrier in his hand. “Oh gosh, babe,” he harshly exhaled. “I didn’t hear you coming.”

 

Jongdae let out an adorable chuckle. “Well, I can tell.” He took a step further into the kitchen. “It smells nice, is that cheesecake?”

 

“It is,” Chanyeol nodded, leaning in for a kiss. “Kyungsoo was getting impatient and I needed to distract them. So, what better to do than making your favorite cake.”

 

“Aw, that’s cute. Thank you. Where are the boys?”

 

“They went to wash their hands and the I believe I heard baek saying something about coloring yet another picture for you.”

 

“Yet another?”

 

“They have drawn and painted so much in the last two days and week you weren’t there, we’d plaster a whole wall with their pictures.”

 

“Oh well, then I guess I’ll go and take a look at it,” Jongdae smiled. He set the baby carried to the ground and gazed at the snoozing baby. “I’m sure he’ll wake up in a bit. It’s time for his bottle.”

 

Chanyeol gave a nod. “Leave it to me,” he said. “Where did you put the bogs?”

 

“Oh, I just left them in the hallway.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Going to get the baby bag in which Sehun’s bottles and a open can of formula were stored, Chanyeol came back to the kitchen to the infant already whining. Putting the bag aside, he crouched down to pick the small baby up and adjusted him in his arms. “Hey there, beautiful,” he quietly voiced out. “Are you hungry?”

 

As Kyungsoo wasn’t that old yet and he not long ago also still was bottle fed, Chanyeol was still had the flow of balancing a whiny baby and making a bottle at the same time going on. In no time the bottle was ready and Sehun was peacefully on it, having his meal.

 

Chanyeol sat down the kitchen chair and leaned back, admiring his baby. In all the hustle at the hospital when Sehun was born he didn’t have a chance to properly hold his newborn and take a good look at him.

 

Despite the fact that Sehun was born five weeks premature he was not a lot smaller than Baekhyun and Kyungsoo when they were born and it almost made Chanyeol sure that Sehun would take after him in height.

 

He was a beautiful baby with a shack of pitch black hair and a pale, almost milky white skin. His eyes were blinked open a little and Chanyeol smiled when Sehun let out a soft sigh. Leaning down he brushed his lips against the infant's forehead, fazing up to the door when Kyungsoo’s little figure appeared.

 

“Hey,” he called out. “Why are you not with Papa and Baekhyun?”

 

“I wanna Hunnie.”

 

“Oh, the come here.”

 

Chanyeol carefully moved and sat down the floor in front of the kitchen table. As the floor heating was still running the ground was pleasantly warm. Kyungsoo walked up to his side and dropped to his knees.

 

“Is Hunnie hungry?”

 

“Yes. But look he’s almost done.”

 

Kyungsoo quietly watched as Sehun finished his bottle and Chanyeol then brought him up to his shoulder to make him burp. Once the infant had puffed out some air with a faint sound, Chanyeol brought him back down, cradling him.

 

“You know what, let’s move to the living room. You can look at him there.”

 

Kyungsoo toddled after his father and then settled down the shaggy carpet in front of the couch, watching asd his father first grabbed a huge pillow they had bought at the baby shop and then laid his baby brother down on it.

 

“I’ll just go and get his blanket, okay?”

 

Kyungsoo nodded, chirping a quiet. “Okie.”

 

Moving to the kitchen to grab the soft baby blankie from Sehun’s carrier he moved back to the living room but not entered it. Standing in the doorway he watched Kyungsoo carefully inspecting his brother.

 

A rustling sound next to him had the man looked to his left. He smiled when his gaze met Jongdae’s. “Hey,” he whispered and wrapped an arm around him.

 

“Hey,” his spouse whispered back, leaning against his side.

 

“Where is Baek?”

 

“Hanig up all the pictures. I allowed him to put them on the wall by the changing table,” Jongdae answered. “The nursery is beautiful, thank you.”

 

“Just don’t look to closely, they walls are a mess,” Chanyeol softly chuckled.

 

“It’s nice nevertheless.” Jongdae looked over to Kyungsoo. “That’s not the child I’ve left behind a week ago,” he commented. “What have you done to him?”

 

“ I honestly can’t tell you what happened. The day you left he broke into tears and threw a tantrum but after that he went back to normal,” Yeol said. “I’m not sure if he really realized that you, more or less, left because of him but he’s asked me if you’d be gone because of him.”

 

A gasp left Jongdae. “H-he did?”

 

“Yeah, I was shocked, too. I told him that you’re gone because you just need some time to yourself and he, actually, quite quickly adapted to it. The day after you’re gone he even slept in his own bed again.”

 

“Wow-” Jongdae paused when Kyungsoo turned his head to them. He smiled at the boy. “What are you doing?” He asked him, stepping towards him and the baby together with Chanyeol.

 

“Watching Hunnie.”

 

“Watching Hunnie? Oh, okay and what does Hunnie do?”

 

“Nothing,” Kyungsoo shrugged. “Sleeping.”

 

“Sleeping. But that’s good. He has to sleep a lot so he can quickly grow and you can play with him.”

 

“Yes,” Soo beamed. “I want that!”

 

“Alright”, Chanyeol said and covered the sleeping infant with his blankie. “Then why don’t we let him sleep, call Baek down and have some cake and hot choco?”

 

Nodding his head, KYungsoo got up from the floor. “I go and get Hyunnie!”

 

Jongdae let out a sigh when Kyungsoo was out of sight. “I was so worried it wouldn’t change at all. I was so afraid of him not liking Sehun, I wasn’t able to sleep.”

 

“Yeah, I feel you,” Chanyeol said.  “Maybe he was just afraid to get less attention.”

 

“Mh, maybe you’re right. Maybe it had something to do with that clingy phase he was in and it muddled up his mind.”

 

“Properly,” the younger said. “Well, in case this kind of behavior occurs again when the next child is coming, we know what to do.”

 

“The next child?” Jongdae laughed out. “Sehun is less than a week old and you’re talking about the next child again?”

 

Grinning, Chanyeol shrugged. “Well, we’re still young and you know, I’ve always wanted a daughter as well.”

 

“Okay, you know what. We can talk about this again when Sehun is out of the woods.”

 

Chuckling Chanyeol grabbed Jongdae by the chin and pulled him into a deep kiss. “I remind you of that.”

 

Chuckling against the taller’s lips, Jongdae shifted and slung his arms around his husbands neck. “I know you will.”