Jonghyun looked up with a bright smile when the bell over the door rang softly. “Good evening. How may I help you?”

         The young man seemed nervous with how his fingers were fidgeting in front of him, bottom lip pulled through his teeth as he avoided Jonghyun’s gaze. “Does Choi Minho live here?”

         He leaned a little more in his chair, left-hand curling around his staff leaning against the desk out of view. “That depends on who is asking, Young man.”

         “My name is Kim Junmyeon. I used to live with him at the orphanage… I helped him escape.” Jonghyun could see him swallowing thickly as he continued. “I know it’s been years, but I just needed to know if he’s alright. He never came back to the orphanage and I’ve been worried.”

         “He’s here.” Jonghyun relaxed slightly, but his staff remained gripped in his hand as he stood. He looked down at the young man’s form, trying to sense if there was something on him that could harm their son before sighing, stepping toward the back room where Jinki and Minho were busy starting prepping for dinner in a few hours when the shop closed. Minho was at the left end of the large table, feeding Woosten bits of carrots each time he finished chopping one.

           Jinki found him first, smiling warmly as he continued to move the knife through the onion he was cutting, eyes drifting back to his hands as he asked, “Everything alright, Dear One?”

         “There’s someone that claims to be an old friend of yours son.” Jonghyun softly gazed at him, watching the way his hand stopped moving and his eyes widened almost comically.

         “But I don’t have old friends, Pa.”

         “Says he knew you from the orphanage. Helped you find us.” Jonghyun added and he saw the flicker of recognition over the young boy’s features.

         “Junmyeon!” The knife was dropped against the wood of the table as he flew around it and through the space between his Father and the doorframe.

         Jinki slipped around the table slowly and with a lot more grace, curling his arm around Jonghyun’s waist as they both stepped through the door into the main area of the shop. Minho had the young man wrapped in a tight embrace, finally putting his feet back on the ground through the loud volume of his exclamations. “I guess they do know each other.”

         Jonghyun hummed at the almost whispered words against his ear. “Should we let them be?”

         “I don’t sense any ill intentions. I suppose he’ll talk to us about it when he’s ready.”

         He softly whistled, smiling when Woosten looked up from his spot sitting at Minho’s feet. Jinki waved his hand and after a moment the owl griffin came lumbering over and hopping into Jonghyun’s arms. “We’ll let Min have some time without you butting your little head in it.”

         The soft pecking against his hand for a moment told him Woosten did not like that assumption at all.

----

         Jinki had gone into his last reading for the day almost an hour ago and should be done fairly soon. Minho had disappeared up the stairs to his room with Junmyeon, voice loud and excited, hands moving rapidly as he talked to his friend shortly after. A young couple had come in asking for help with fertility tonics and one of their regulars came in looking for a new supply of empty potion jars for them to practice their craft. By the time he had turned the lock and the closed sign, Jinki was stepping from the side room. He was leaning a little heavy on his staff, but otherwise, the bright smile on his face and warm words showed no evidence the reading had taken anything out of him.

         “I’ll see you next month, Sungkyu.”

         “Thank you for everything.”

         “It was nothing. I hope it helps.” The moment the door shut behind the woman Jinki’s smile fell, tired eyes finding Jonghyun’s as he slipped closer. “How’s my beautiful Dear One doing?”

         “I don’t think my wellbeing is the one we should be worried about here. How bad is it?”

         “Reading her fortune had a lot of sorrow mixed it. She’s been pregnant three times in the last year and lost each of them. She hopes coming here that I can tell her one will stick but-”

         “Fortune telling doesn’t work like that.”

         “I did what I could. The emotional pushback just got to me. I’ll be okay.” He flashed a little smile before glancing around the shop. “Where is our son?”

         “Junmyeon and he went upstairs just after you went into your session.”

         “Do you want to get him or do you want to finish dinner?”

         Jonghyun hummed before pushing up to kiss Jinki’s cheek, hand sliding over his tummy. “I got him.”

         “I’ll put another setting out for our guest.”

------

         Jonghyun smiled warmly as Jinki and Minho placed the bowls of stew onto the table. It fell slightly when everyone at the table took their spoon and begun to eat other than their guest, Junmyeon. “Aren't you hungry?”

         Minho slowly put his spoon down, mouth full as he tried to chew and swallow quickly as he looked between his Pa and his friend. “I am sir, but you didn’t have to do this.”

         Jinki barked a quiet laugh before bowing his head in apology when everyone at the table looked at him bewildered. “I just mean, we weren’t going to eat in front of you and not offer you some. We have plenty. Besides, from what I understand we have a lot to thank you for Young man.”

         “I’m not sure I follow sir.”

         “You helped Minho escape the orphanage, did you not?” When he nodded, Jinki smiled warmly, reaching over to squeeze the young man’s hand. “Without you, Minho never would have found me, never would have found a teacher or a family. A meal is the least we can do.”

         Junmyeon looked between Jinki and Minho, mouth slightly open before he quietly commented to Minho. “You weren’t kidding about them.”

         Minho just grinned. “Never would.”

         Jinki playfully scowled. “And what have you been saying about us?”

         “All good things Dad I promise.”

         “It’s true. All good things.” Junmyeon softly mumbled as he looked at his stew, moving it around with his spoon.

         Jinki was softly smiling when Jonghyun caught his gaze, fingers intertwining gently on the corner of the table as Jonghyun turned toward their son. “Well, then you should also tell your friend Minho that he’s welcome to stay here as long as he wishes.”

         “Really Pa?!” Jonghyun reached over gently after putting his spoon down to squeeze Minho’s knee in reply.

         “I also tried to adopt you when I finally got Minho’s papers, but she refused.” Junmyeon’s head snapped up quickly, pain flashed in his eyes as well as fear as he focused on Jinki.

         “How did you-”

         Minho barely stopped shoving food in his mouth to quip, “He reads people like books.”

         “I apologize, I forget how rude it can be.” Jinki laid his spoon down against the edge of the bowl, wiping his fingers on the cloth in his lap. “You may have aged out of the orphanage, but you were Minho’s family before my partner and I were. You don’t need to decide now, but if you wish to stay we can discuss living arrangements.”

         “I.. I don’t know what to say.”

         Minho grinned, a piece of pulled chicken hanging from his lips before he lapped it up with his tongue. “Thanks usually works for me.”