The next morning, Minhyun opened the door to Guan Lin's room, hoping to find his three boys together. Dark circles are present under his eyes, evidence that he hasn’t been sleeping lately. His arguments with his husband these days are getting ridiculous, to the point where he can't even remember who started the fight.

It starts from something small, something about his mistake days ago when he can't remember where he put his husband's watch, the next thing he knows it's getting bigger. The way his husband is acting frustrates him too much, it’s as if he’s not doing anything good at all when these past few months, all he’s ever tried to do was get on his good side and mend their broken relationship.

"Lin?" He whispers quietly before entering the room. When he saw his three boys huddled together on the bed, it gives him reason to stay and not to leave.

The fights didn't just start suddenly. It's been ongoing for quite some time already. Everything's just blowing off, now that his husband apparently found someone else to be with. His friends think he’s stupid, well, he knows that it is stupid to stay because his husband is cheating on him but his kids wanted a perfect family, the one that stays together.

It scares him to think about Hyunbin leaving. They both love the kids and Hyunbin was willing to fight for his right to take care of them but Minhyun won't back down either, they would have to fight for the custody of the kids.

He’s trying his hardest to keep up with Hyunbin, but nothing’s the same anymore. The promises they made to each other are nothing but trash left in the bin. They sleep in a different bed nowadays and they don’t talk to each other for a whole day. Maybe that’s why the fights has been going on a lot lately. Minhyun wanted Hyunbin to notice him again, to see him as his partner. He wanted him to come back to his arms at night, need him to be there during the rough times and happy times.

Before seeing hope in his memories, he hears the front door close and everything is shut out again.

This is the reality though. Hyunbin will never love him back, will never come back to him because he loves someone else. If he can’t be a good partner, at least he should be a good father to his kids.

“Dad, what are you doing there” A small voice breaks him off his trance and he quickly puts on a front. His kids didn’t have to know what’s happening between them.

“I was going to wake you up, you have school remember?” A chorus of groans echoed through the room and that immediately made him feel a lot better. There was nothing else he could wish for as long as he had his kids.

“I don’t even want to go to school, I just want to stay in bed with Guan Lin and Jinyoung” Jihoon whines as he squeezes himself closer to his youngest brother. Guan Lin and Jihoon had always been close, maybe it’s the personality but Jinyoung tends to act older than he is. He always liked to follow Minhyun wherever he goes and tries to cut off adults whenever they’re having a conversation. Jinyoung wanted to grow older and be like his dad but it only makes Minhyun want Jinyoung to stay younger and enjoy his childhood.

“Nope. No one’s going to look after you, I have work today”

“Dad, you always have work” Jinyoung points out before hopping off the bed to take a shower.

“Good point. I’ll make breakfast you better be ready by the time I finish cooking” Minhyun warns them but there’s no real bite to his words. Before leaving the room, he peppered his kids with kisses, leaving Guan lin laughing and Jihoon fake vomiting (He says he’s too old for kisses but still acts cute whenever he doesn’t receive one)

When Minhyun finishes cooking breakfast for the children, they’re all ready and good to go. Despite the protests that he hears everyday, they always follow him in the end. They were really good kids and Minhyun wants nothing but to protect that.

After finishing breakfast, they head off to school with Minhyun dropping them in front of the school gate. Originally, they weren’t supposed to be in the same school, Jihoon and Jinyoung were already enrolled and they opted to send Guan Lin to a Chinese school because they wanted him to learn more about himself. The youngest insisted that he wanted to be in the same school as his brothers so Minhyun was left with no choice but to enroll him.

“Be good in school. No fighting, no shouting, don’t be rude to your teachers” Minhyun reminds them and they all nodded before hopping off the car. “I’ll come by later”

“Ok dad!”

Once Minhyun left the three kids together, they quickly went inside the school. Jihoon was holding Guan Lin’s hands as they walked towards his classroom while Jinyoung excused himself to meet up with his friend Daehwi. Jihoon met Daehwi a few times now, he didn’t know if he liked or disliked the boy, maybe he was just simply neutral. He’s the son of their uncle, Dongho and he frequently visits their house, usually he’s inside Jinyoung’s room though. Even when you’re not with them, you’ll feel like you are because of his loud laugh. If there’s one thing he liked about him, it's that Daehwi treats Guan Lin like a younger brother, too. Often gives him candies or little presents whenever he visits. Jihoon receives some candies, too but he always gives them to Guan Lin. As much as he loved food, he could never deny his younger brother.

“Jihoonie~” With the sound of a new voice, Jihoon jumps in surprise. He’s been too immersed in his thoughts that he forgot he’s in school.

“Oh, Woojin, don’t you have dance practice this morning?” He raises a brow at the newcomer who simply gave him a smile.

“I do, I was waiting for you to arrive in school, last time you said you wanted to join!”

“I-Is it ok?” Jihoon has admired those people dancing during events. He wanted to try it for himself but he didn’t know if it’s ok, out of all his friends, he’s the only one who hasn’t joined the dancing classes their school had offered.

“I asked teacher and he said people are still free to come! You should check it out, I know how much you admire Teacher Daniel’s skills in dancing!”

“Hyung, I could walk by myself, you should go dance classes!” Guan Lin said and before Jihoon could answer, he already sprinted away from the two towards his classroom.

“Even Guan Lin agrees! Let’s go!”

"I can't believe you're this stupid for Hyunbin, Min"

Minhyun thought he could finally get some peace after arriving at his workplace but he forgot he had best friends working there. He didn't even want to think about what they have to say but every time Minki opens his damn mouth, there's like a thousand arrows coming for him because he only speaks the damn truth. Minki is currently behind him, ranting about his husband while Dongho and Jonghyun only listened. Aron was out getting food which was a bad thing because he should be stopping Minki from word vomiting. 

"Minki, I know everything you're saying can you please stop now and actually proceed to actual work?" Minhyun butts in as he massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming from all of that rant. Inside the studio, Seongwoo was practicing a demo song, completely oblivious to everything happening outside. 

"Look, even Seongwoo is curious" 

"Don't you dare try to change the subject" Minki glares at him before finally settling down on the couch beside Jonghyun. He seemed like he wanted to say something but was hesitating against it.

"You know I can't leave him, he may not be a good husband but at least he's a good father to the kids. You know how much Guan Lin wants a complete family" Minhyun chews his lip, looking over the lyrics to read the same stanza over again. 

Before you let me go,  
Just tonight let me know, 
That I am yours for today, 
And tomorrow I'll walk away 

"You know I can't let Hyunbin go for the kids..."

"Minhyun, I know you're worried about the kids but we're also worried about you. Daehwi says Jinyoung is not how he used to be. He's keeping secrets and you knows how much Daehwi knows Jinyoung" Dongho finally speaks up as he pat Minhyun on the shoulder. "What if the kids know about your fights? You can't hide this forever. They'll grow up at some point"

Like Daehwi and Jinyoung, they've been friends for as long as he can remember. They may not have been together until college, but they are a special part of him. His friends made him stand up when he felt like he couldn't do it anymore, they're supportive of each other and he couldn't be more thankful for that. Building their company proved how deep their bond is.

"Min, we're here for you. Whatever your decision is, we will respect it" Jonghyun follows up, smiling at his friend. Minhyun knows, he's truly lucky to have them.

"Hey guys, don't you want to tell me why you're like having a sappy romantic drama there?" 

"Oh right, Seongwoo's still here" Minhyun quickly turns around, apologizing right away to him. Before anything personal, he had to fix work first, so Minhyun drowns himself in his work, it's what makes him forget that he has a husband that didn't want him anymore.