Four

“It was the only way,” Yoona cries, wiping away her tears that fall with haste. “Taecyeon.  Our parents, they threatened and some girl said that she was pregnant with your heir. I I I just… I wasn’t thinking - I… I’m sorry.”

“You need to call him now,” Chanyeol growls and his frustration is lost when Sehun whines in his sleep.  The boy had knocked out on the couch, silly children’s show still playing on the screen. “At least him. He needs to know that you lied about already having a child with me.”

“No!” Yoona yells, hands slamming onto the dining table. “The farther he is away from this mess, the better.”

“Then what?  We live unhappy together?  Yoona, they’re making us sign this contract by the end of the week!” Chanyeol retorts back just as strongly. “DNA tests by tomorrow night!”

Yoona loses all of her strength again and falls by into the chair, looking anywhere but at the towering man. “Did Namjoon message you back?”

At the question Chanyeol slumps down as well, pulling up his phone before nodding weakly. “Yeah, he says that he’ll fake some documents up.  I’ve have to mail in some DNA from Sehun.”

At that Yoona lets out a deep sigh, before grumbling, “What have I gotten us into, Chanyeol-ah?”

Chanyeol gives her a forced smile, shrugging just as weakly, saying, “We’ll have to figure out something.  Do you want some tea?”

Yoona snorts, brushing away the last of her tears before returning, “You and your tea.  Sure, I guess. But if it’s bad, I’ll never let you live it down.”

“Baekhyunnie taught me how to make it.”

“Well… If Baekhyunnie made it, I suppose it won’t be bad.”

 

---

 

Life is a mess.

Chanyeol’s married to someone who’s not Baekhyun.  He wonders what the smaller would say if they were to find each other now.  Probably cry, beat Chanyeol up, and then laugh until he cries again when Chanyeol tells him the truth.

Yoona’s pregnant with Taecyeon’s child.  Not much of a surprise, but it works in their favor.  It keeps everyone off of their backs, and away from their new home.

Junmyeon’s heavily pregnant too - triplets from what the doctors tell them.  Luhan’s not a happy camper, but the child never is unless Sehun’s around. Two girls and a boy.

Sehun has officially moved in with them, fake birth certificate and all.  It wasn’t too hard, with his own mother died not long after Chanyeol’s and Yoona’s ‘marriage’.  The child has lost all of his joy and childish actions. His stoic face is now the norm, often going on for days without talking.  Fake smiles are painful and his eyes never become crescents, dim and drowned in darkness.

“ ‘Ma was looking for my father too,” Sehun claims, voice rough and scratchy from disuse.  The boy has crashed on Chanyeol’s chest, most likely as lifeless as he feels - and Chanyeol feels useless. “He said that he hopes you find your happiness because he couldn’t get his.”

“Did… Did your mother ever find him?” Chanyeol whispers and Sehun nods, sniffing before wiping his nose with his sleeve.

“Yeah, he got a new family and everything,” Sehun answers nonchalantly. “He’ll be doing well from now on.  He’s not happy yet, but he will be soon.”

At the new information, Chanyeol holds onto Sehun tighter out of unconscious fear of the boy leaving too.  However, the boy seems more than content than he has been in months. In the dark, lights dim, laying on Chanyeol’s chest on their place on the couch.

“Anyway,” Sehun sighs before hiccuping. “I was really surprised when I saw a picture of him.  I was really hoping to meet him with ‘Ma and then… ”

“You know, Omma Yoona’s got people overseas that can help if you have a picture,” Chanyeol says with a quirk of the corner of his mouth.

Sehun huffs, eyes finally showing a hint of emotion that’s not sadness.  It’s amusement, barely there but it is and Chanyeol’s spirits lift up. It’s as if a ship has been on his shoulders far too long and it has finally moved.

“Thanks, but I’ve met him,” Sehun returns before fixing his head so he’s looking right at Chanyeol, chin digging into the man’s chest. “He’s nice.”

Threatened, the only thing Chanyeol feels about the statement.  And Sehun must have sensed it because the eight year old continues, “I am here, Abeoji, and I’m not leaving anytime soon.  ‘Ma told me to serve you well, so I’m staying.”

Chanyeol bends his head down, face buried into Sehun’s hair as he had used to do with Baekhyun.  It still provides the same comfort as it had did then.

It’s a while before he hears Sehun mutter, “My dad’s real dense too.”

“I’m better, right?” Chanyeol chuckles, throat tightened and his eyes sting.

“Yeah, sure,” Sehun murmurs, eyes slowly drifting off as it should have done hours before. “I like you, ‘Ma did a lot too.  He’s really thankful.”

“I’m glad,” Chanyeol whispers but Sehun is already fast asleep.