“Appa!”

Hyunwoo turns, his mind in an outright chaos, and sees one of his youngest, Jooheon, running up to him with a panicked expression. Hyunwoo finds himself gulping anxiously, wondering just what could’ve gone wrong now…

“Wonnie-hyung says something’s wrong with the card! We need more paper!” Hyunwoo hums thoughtfully, the deep sound thrumming about in his throat.

“Hoseok-ah can get you more,” Hyunwoo tells him. “Just go to the office and ask him for some paper from the printer.” Jooheon nods dutifully, and hurries from the kitchen to do as he’s told. Hyunwoo turns his attention back to one of his other sons, Minhyuk. It seems in the five seconds his father had looked away, Minhyuk had taken it upon himself to begin teaching his youngest brother, Changkyun, the most efficient ways to make a mess.

“Moongie…” Hyunwoo sighs in exasperation, grabbing for a paper towel and patting at Minhyuk’s face. “We have to have this cake done before your eomma gets back, preferably without a mess he’d feel the need to clean up.” Minhyuk giggles, flashing his father a cheeky grin.

“Sorry, Appa~” he apologizes sweetly. “I just wanted to show Kkungie a new way to mix the batter.” Hyunwoo can’t help but chuckle at his cheery son. He pats him on the top of the head, telling him he’s forgiven, and continues his own work on the cake.

Kihyun pushes out a breath through his pursed lips, his arms weighed down by bags. He doesn’t even know why his husband had suddenly decided they needed all these groceries, but it’d taken him almost two hours to track down everything. It probably wouldn’t have taken so long if any of his family had bothered coming with him, but that’s beside the point.

Not even Changkyun, his angelic, perfect Changkyun, had been willing to join him on the excursion. It’s the first time the boy had ever said no to going shopping with the man, and Kihyun can’t help but feel as if it’s a sign for the years to come. Each of the boys before had gone through the stage of not wanting to have anything to do with their parents. He’d hoped Changkyun would be spared from such a stage, but, unfortunately, it seems as if it’s starting early…

“I’m back~!” Kihyun announces after he’s closed the door. He pauses to take off his shoes at the shoe rack, glad to at least see someone had bothered cleaning up the area while he was gone. He glances up, expecting to see his whole family on the couch, but frowns in confusion at finding the living room of the apartment empty.

With shaking arms, he shrugs it off, thinking they must all be off in the game room playing around, and goes to the kitchen to begin putting away the groceries.

As soon as he enters the tiled room, confetti fills his vision, and the lights flicker on and off repeatedly.

“Happy birthday, Eomma~~!!!!”

Kihyun gasps sharply, blinking repeatedly at the sight before him. His children are crowded around in a semicircle, almost as if they’d been waiting for him, with empty party poppers in their hands. His husband, his sweet, loving, perfect Hyunwoo, is staring at him with his angelic Buddha-like grin, his eyes mere crescents. There’s a messily iced cake in his hands. It seems a bit lopsided, the top layer a bit askew from the bottom.

“What’s all this?” Kihyun asks, dumbfounded. Changkyun rushes towards him, the five year-old reaching up at him with his pudgy fists. The man instinctively bends down to pick him up, and soon enough the others are swarming around him. They’re all blabbering in their high-pitched tones about something, though Kihyun can’t quite tell what. Suddenly Hyungwon’s handing him a card, and he takes it and opens it.

His heart swells at the crudely drawn family inside. All the members seem to be holding the one with an apron and a broom up on their shoulders. Kihyun chuckles under his breath, and glances over to the other side.

Happy birthday, Eomma!!! We all love you sosososososososososososososo sooooooooooooooooo much~! We’re so happy you’re our eomma, even if we don’t always show it!!!!

<3 Hyungwonnie~

…..Plus everyone else…..

Kihyun gasps sharply. He’d honestly forgotten what day it was. Between his kids’ usual antics and having to go to the store and all the chores he still has to do around the apartment, his own birthday had completely slipped his mind…

“Eomma?” Changkyun asks, poking at his cheek in concern. It’s then Kihyun realizes a single tear slipping down from his left eye, and he quickly sniffs in a breath to compose himself. He bends down, and sets Changkyun free before pulling all his sons into a grateful hug. They all giggle around him, and nuzzle as close as they can.

“Alright, alright,” Kihyun sighs after a moment, releasing them. “Go on to the living room. We’ll cut the cake and bring it to you.” The boys excitedly nod, and rush to comply. Hyunwoo sets the cake on the counter for a moment, eagerly taking his dear husband into his arms.

“Happy birthday, yeobo,” he murmurs. The younger sighs into his shirt, his grip around the older’s waist tightening.

“Thank you, Hyunwoo,” he says. Kihyun pulls back enough to stare into the older’s eyes, his own gaze shining gratefully. Hyunwoo leans his head down, and presses a gentle kiss against his love’s lips. Kihyun chuckles airily, and can’t help but glance at the cake. His smile grows, thinking it to be the most beautiful cake he’s ever seen.

It resembles their family, in a way. Despite it being unbalanced and hastily-made, it fits so well, and Kihyun wouldn’t change it for anything.