Kihyun chuckles under his breath, brushing his pink hair behind his ears as he watches Hyunwoo play with the boys circling him.

“Come play with hyung~” Hyunwoo invites the children, causing Kihyun to yelp out in laughter.

“Songsaengnim,” he gently reminds the older, a fond light in his eyes. The black-haired man tosses a ball up for the boys to catch, their innocent little giggles surrounding him. Kihyun finds himself staring a bit too long, forcing himself to tear his eyes away. Minhyuk’s looking at him with a knowing gaze, hugging the girl in his lap close, and Kihyun merely shakes his head, giving him a bemused smirk as he stands to get to know some of the other kids.

He can’t let anyone get the wrong idea, especially not with so many cameras around. He has to keep a handle on himself.

“Ah,” one of the teachers calls, getting Hyunwoo’s atentin easily as she leans over him, “it’s good that you play with the children, but please sit up even if you’re tired… We don’t want the children thinking they can lie down.”

“Oh, of course,” Hyunwoo says, immediately sitting up with a slight blush painting his tan cheeks. He quickly glances around, not even realizing he’s looking for Kihyun’s supportive eyes until after he figures out the younger is no longer looking at him… Hyunwoo turns to continue playing with the children, his demeanor slightly subdued now in disappointment, though it doesn’t show to the untrained eye.

The day passes by much quicker to the boygroup members than they’d have thought when they found out what they’d be doing to film the day’s episode. Before they know it, lunch has been served and it’s time to gather the kids together for the afternoon activity.

A magician has been invited to the school, an older woman with short dark hair and enough energy to more than keep up with the kids. Kihyun sits among the children, as do his fellow members, and he watches with rapt attention as the woman starts her explanation of what she’s doing. She says she’ll be playing with balloons… but she’d forgotten them! Kihyun gasps along, helping the kids get involved in the scenario.

“Let’s ask for help from the MONSTA X teachers!!!” the woman suggests. Kihyun feels his heart stop, absolutely not wanting to get called up… He looks at the kids, smiling brightly as he suggests the one person he knows he won’t get crap from later for doing this.

“Shownu-songaengnim!!” Kihyun calls playfully. He hears Minhyuk’s raspy laugh behind him, and some kids even begin to clap along with each other. He looks over to Hyunwoo, an apologetic look to his eyes. Better you than me , he silently says with a half shrug. Hyunwoo chuckles, clearly embarrassed at the unexpected turn of events, and he slowly stands and lumbers over to the woman.

The woman holds out the bag behind the man, saying he needs to fart into it. Hyunwoo hikes his shoulders up as if pretending to fart, even shaking a little to really play along for the kids. He doesn’t want to ruin their fun, after all…

The magician cheers, signifying Hyunwoo’s done enough. He quickly goes back to his seat, ducking his head despite his size like am embarrassed student who’d been called to answer a problem on the board for the class. His ears and neck are dusted an adorable pink, and Kihyun finds it hard to tear his eyes away. It’s rare for him to see the strong, silent leader so sheepish, and it makes him all the more endearing to the main vocalist.

Before they know it, it’s time to say goodbye to the kids. There’s tears, laughter, and broken hearts as they depart from the daycare center and return to their dorm. The van is oddly quiet, some boys sleeping while others just stare out the window, replaying all the day’s events in their mind. Kihyun finds himself staring at his new wallpaper, for now, a selfie he’d taken with some of the kids.

“They were sweet,” Hyunwoo comments, his breath ghosting over Kihyun’s ear. The vocalist looks over, his heart beating a bit faster, and he smiles so easily looking at Hyunwoo. He nods his agreement, giving a soft hum.

“I hope we see them again someday…” he sighs, leaning towards Hyunwoo instinctively. Hyunwoo nods once, shifting in his seat to accomadate for Kihyun. He even goes so far as to gently raise his arm, placing it along the back of the seat.

Kihyun chuckles, glancing to make sure the manager isn’t watching before resting his head in the nook of Hyunwoo’s neck. Heat pours off the older, like Kihyun’s own personal heater, and he finds he doesn’t want to pull away, even after they pull up to their home.

“You were really great with them, hyung,” Kihyun compliments, his voice soft and just between them. Hyunwoo physically ripples at this, sitting up a bit straighter as if proud of the compliment. Kihyun snickers breathily, liking when his humble hyung shows confidence. Kihyun feels himself fall even harder, thinking of how that one kid had even given him a kiss while everyone was cleaning up from naptime. He finds it easy to envision Hyunwoo as a father, seemingly distant but all warm and fuzzy inside for his kids.

Kihyun gulps thickly, trying to push the domestic thought from his mind.

“It was… nice,” Hyunwoo says, earning a curious look from the younger.

“What was?”

A sweet, perfect Buddha smile comes to Hyunwoo, his eyes turning to crescents.

“Seeing you with the kids.”

Kihyun’s eyes go wide, in all honesty not thinking he’d done that great of a job with them. He’d let his own nerves get in the way for a while, after all. His ears flame red at the compliment, but he plays it off as amusement, pushing a breath through his teeth.

“Of course I was good with them,” he says, puffing out his chest in faux confidence. “After living with you all, I think I could handle thirty kids for a day.” Hyunwoo laughs so genuinely, breathy and high. He hugs Kihyun round the shoulders, giving him a small kiss to the temple. He keep shis head pressed against Kihyun’s hair, as if he’s intending to rest there for the rest of the ride.

Kihyun, on the other hand, is inwardly freaking out. All this skinship all at once, unprompted… He tries not to read too much into it, but he can’t think of how else he’s supposed to be interpreting this.

“It reminded me of why I care for you so much.”

Kihyun almost chokes on his own spit, umable to believe Hyunwoo could just come out and say it like that, so factually, as if it were obvious. He glances at Hyunwoo from the corner of his eye, the older’s smile remaining on his plump lips and showing no sign of falling. Kihyun finds himself smiling, too, eased by that smile…

“Same here, hyung,” Kihyun agrees, snuggling a bit closer affectionately. “Same here~”