"Yah... Kim Mingyu..." Jihoon's voice was softer than usual. He was wrapped in padding and a scarf to keep him warm. 

 

"What..." Mingyu felt on edge, he felt a bit nervous. The snow felt like stingers on his skin but with Jihoon on his side, he felt that the cold was bearable. The two stood together in the playground as the snow fell. He really thought that the two of them were going crazy. How can they go to the same place every winter just to fool around in the swings?

 

"Are you cold?" Jihoon asked, his nose was red as can be.

 

"What do you think?" Mingyu clicked his tongue, sometimes he thought that Jihoon would ask such questions just to annoy him. He looked to his side to find Jihoon giving him that familiar cheshire smile. Mingyu couldn't help but smile as well, there was something about Jihoon that makes him smile all the time.

 

Jihoon immediately stood in front of the taller man, pulled him by the scarf and just like second nature, he gave him a tight hug. Although a bit taken aback, Mingyu let himself be melted in Jihoon's touch. It was always the surprise affection the older man gave that made his heart flutter.  Mingyu gave a small smile and enveloped his long arms around Jihoon's small stature. 

 

"It's not every day that I'm gracing you with a warm hug." Jihoon quipped.

 

"What do you mean, hyung?" Mingyu chuckled, prolonging the hug by tightening his hold on Jihoon, "You always hug me, especially when we have se-"

 

"OKAY." Jihoon raised his voice. His voice echoed for a bit, being in the secluded neighborhood made the atmosphere more romantic, he felt safer and he felt their privacy was a well kept secret between the two of them and the snowflakes landing on their heads. Mingyu slowly let go of Jihoon and placed a chaste kiss on the older man's forehead.

 

The warm kiss left a lingering feeling on Jihoon's forehead. It made him feel giddy and warm inside. Jihoon looked up to meet Mingyu's eyes. Although he might die from the overly affectionate gesture, Jihoon learned through the years to just accept Mingyu's love, after all, he loved him too much. He wanted to give him a kiss right then and there, Jihoon didn't know what he would do if they weren't together.

 

But something caught Jihoon's eyes. Although familiar, it felt strange. Just by the corner of the orange street light he sees a boy with a red scarf. Jihoon gulped down and anxiety filled his guts. It was the same boy since five years ago.

 

"Mingyu." Jihoon sounded scared for a minute, "That kid is there again."

 

Mingyu's eyes widened, they always saw the kid every time they go to the playground during winter. At first they ignored him, maybe he was a fan? But as five years flew by he just stood there all the damn time whenever they were there to hang out. It bothered them but no tto the point that they had to confront the mysterious boy. 

 

"Maybe he lives around the neighborhood?" Mingyu gulped.

 

"I guess, but it's pretty late... " Jihoon's voice was sturdier than before. Mingyu's words eased him a bit.

 

"That's true." Mingyu agreed, "Then could he be...... a ghost?" The very thought of a supernatural being haunting them turned Mingyu's tan skin pale.

 

"Yah if he was a ghost then why are the snowflakes landing on his head?" Jihoon had to slap Mingyu's arm on how ridiculous his statement was. He huffed and placed his hands back to the warm pockets of his coat.

 

"......Okay, he's not a ghost... then maybe a stalker?" Mingyu quirked his brows together.

 

"How can a kid be a stalker?" Jihoon scoffed, "Isn't he too young to even know what that means?"

 

"Then why don't we just ask him?" Mingyu was itching with curiosity anyway. He wanted to know why the kid is there whenever they were there. He turned around, wanting to have a look at the boy a few feet away from him when suddenly, the said boy ran. Jihoon and Mingyu looked at each othe rimmediately before putting their legs to the test and started to go after the kid.

 

The boy ran as fast as he could, his red scarf is the only thing that's bright enough to see in between streetlights. Mingyu's long legs were always an asset as he quickly caught up to the said boy. Jihoon was fast as well, but not as fast as the tall man running in front of him. Mingyu reached out to grab the red scarf from the boy, hoping it will stop him and he did. The mysterious boy tumbled over the snow on the road, his black hair in a mess and his small stature left a mark on the blanket of white fluff.

 

"We...We don't want... to hurt you." Jihoon tried to regain as much air as he can. He panted as he fell right beside the boy to calm his beating heart down.

 

"We just ... ha... we just wanna ask you something..." Mingyu followed up. but the boy remained silent.

 

"We've seen you .... since five years ago..." Jihoon started the conforntation as he looked to his right to see the small boy still lying down. "Why are you always looking at us? Is it weird that two guys are hugging each other?"

 

Mingyu and Jihoon looked at the boy for his response, it took a while before the mysterious kid showed any form of communication but the boy eventually shook his head in response.

 

"Then why are you being a creepy lil kid?" Mingyu was wary of the boy, but he seemed harmless in his eyes.

 

"..........."

 

"No response, huh.." Jihoon sighed.

 

"...Dads..."

 

Finally the mysterious boy made use of his voice. Which Jihoon sprang up from the cold road, taken aback and finally having progress.

 

"Dads? Are you lost?" Jihoon asked.

 

"You..." The said boy pulled himself up, sitting on the road as he pointed his finger towards Mingyu. Jihoon felt his blood boiling at the very thought of Mingyu being a father without him knowing. Mingyu could sense the evil crawling inside Jihoon's stomach as he frantically waved his hands together and shaking his head at the same time.

 

"I only ever dated Jihoonie hyun-"

 

"And you." The boy pointed at Jihoon next which Jihoon's anger simmered down at this point, since the situation seemed a little bit off.

 

Now that the red scarf was off from the kid, Jihoon could see his features well now. His eyes were small, his lips were like his and as the boy blew his breath towards his small gloved hands, Jihoon could see the small canines from the boy's mouth. Somehow he was already staring to believe the kid even though it was absurd.

 

"If you're trying to fool us at least give us your name or something." Mingyu sighed exasperatedly.

 

"Maru... Kim Maru." The boy took out something from his pocket, it was his wallet. He shyly gave it to the taller man for proof. Mingyu inspected the wallet, it looked normal, he thought. But as soon as he opened the wallet, his eyes were immediately fixed on the family photo. Mingyu nervously gulped as he let himself fall down on the snow, nearing Jihoon and showing the picture to him.

 

Jihoon's eyes widened in shock. It was him... and Mingyu.... and Maru.... but they looked older...

 

"What kind of prank is this..." Jihoon just couldn't believe what was happening. He looked further into the wallet to find a small card that said, "Hi, I am Kim Maru! I am the son of Lee Jihoon and Kim Mingyu! Please if I am lost, return me to either of them. Phone number +17-XXX-XXX-XX" 

 

"I don't think this kid is pranking us, hyung..." Mingyu was starting be convinced, the longer he looks at Maru the stronger his feelings for him grew. Like there was something about the kid that made him feel like family. 

 

"Sorry." Maru said, gathering his knees to his chest, his little cheeks turning red from the cold, in which Mingyu immediately wrapped the red scarf around the boy. "I just wanted to see the two of you when you were younger..."

 

"Younger?" Mingyu and Jihoon said in unison.

 

"Papa and Daddy said not to play with the time machine... they said that it's only for special ocassions..." Maru explained, "But whenever Papa and Daddy talked about their past, the more I wanted to see the younger Papa and Daddy.... Sorry."

 

"H-How exactly... did we have you......" Jihoon asked.

 

"You gave birth to me..." Maru shyly answered.

 

"T-That's impossible-"

 

"B-But it's not." Maru looked frazzled, he desperately wanted to convince the two of them. "Papa Hoon said he gave birth to me, so i believe him." 

 

"So I guess... I'm Papa.." Jihoon looked at Mingyu.

 

"And I'm Daddy..." Mingyu bashfully rubbed the back of his neck.

 

"Papa and Daddy are working right now, they are having their concert." Maru talked, "They won't find out as long as I go home on time.."

 

"Y-Yah." Jihoon's cheeks turned red that resembled Maru's, "We caught you here using....using a time machine so you should go back and say sorry to us."

 

"But.. I want to see Papa and Daddy again..." Maru's small eyes started to well up tears in which Mingyu immediately took hold of the small boy and hugged him tightly, "You'll see us as soon as you go back, you'll see us."

 

"But you're busy." Maru tried to act tough as he tried to fight back his tears.

 

"We're never too busy for you." Jihoon chuckled, "As long as you tell us what you feel, we'll make sure to spend more time with you."

 

 

Maru's small face softened. He looked a little more relieved than usual. He guessed that there was nothing better than to meet his dads. He looked at Jihoon and then he looked at Mingyu, he could tell that the two men felt awkward but at the same time confused but Maru knew that he was well-loved by these two in the future. Maru gave a small smile and hugged Mingyu tightly, he let go and walked towards Jihoon and hugged him tightly as well.

 

"Don't worry, kid." Jihoon hugged the little boy, "I'm sure everything will be alright."

 

As soon as Maru parted from the hug, he looked at Jihoon in awe. The jihoon now was really his Papa. His Papa would always say things coolly and it made his small heart flutter in glee.

 

"So I guess, we won't be seeing you around?" Mingyu asked, he was feeling a bit sad at the thought.

 

"You will. " Maru smiled, "See you in four years." With that, Maru brought out a glowing orb, it look iridescent as it glowed pink, blue and lavander. The glow intensified as the glitters around the orb kissed Maru's being, slowly letting him travel back to his own time.

 

"...."

 

The two were speechless. They never would have guessed time travel was a thing and they never thought that their own son would actually come and speak to them.

 

"That was...."

 

"..... something you never see everyday." Jihoon nonchalantly finished Mingyu's sentence in hopes to lighten up the mood.

 

"A son huh..." Mingyu had a silly smile on his face.

 

"Yeah..." Jihoon sighed, "I never thought I'd last that long with you."

 

"Hyung!" Mingyu whined.

 

"Kidding." Jihoon had a sly smile on his face as he pulled Mingyu in for a deep kiss. Jihoon smiled against the kiss as their warm lips collided, Mingyu's breath reached inside Jihoon's mouth and Jihoon's hands made their way towards Mingyu's hair. It was a long and deep kiss that made the both of them warm enough to last longer in the snow.

 

"Merry Christmas, Minggu." Jihoon slowly parts away from Mingyu's lips.

 

"Merry Christmas too, hyung." Mingyu gave a canine like smile before dipping back in to kiss Jihoon.

 

---

 

"I can't believe we finished our 17th year anniversary concert today." A much older looking Soonyoung came inside the hall from the stage they stood on a few minutes ago.

 

"My back hurts." Seungcheol, who looked matured tried to pound on his back, his hair dyed red as if it was like their younger years.

 

"Minggu, we should check on Maru once we go to the fitting room." A sweat drenched Jihoon joined the rest of the members in the hallway.

 

"Ah, hyung." Seungkwan looked to the farthest part of the hall, "I don't think you have to." Seungkwan, who looked a lot older pointed at the very end of the hall to find Maru in full on padding along with his red scarf running all the way towards Jihoon.

 

"Papa!" Maru gleefully smiled. Jihoon caught his son and immediately hoisted him up. "Maru! Why are you covered in snow?!"

 

"Papa, I missed you!" Maru held on to his father like velcro. Jihoon didn't know what happened but he nontheless accepted his son's embrace.

 

"I heard Maru's voic-"

 

"Daddy!" Maru shouted as he saw Mingyu over Jihoon's shoulder.

 

"Why are you here?" Mingyu asked, delicately getting his son from his partner's arms.

 

"I missed you and Papa!" Maru held his father close.

 

"We miss you too." Jihoon smiled. 

 

"Merry Christmas, Papa and Daddy." Maru gave a bright smile.

 

"Christmas?" Jihoon and Mingyu looked at each other in confusion. "It's summer, Maru.." Mingyu pointed it out. Maru looked a bit surprised, like he wasn't supposed to say anything of that sort in front of his parents. He could feel Jihoon's gaze as well as Mingyu's, oh no, he slipped.

 

"Kim Maru, did you time travel again?" Jihoon gave a stern look.