...

"Hey, sweetie. We're going to Donghwa hyung's house, would you like to come with us?" Hyukjae looked up from the phone in his hand and raised his eyebrow at his mother in confusion. "Umma, it'll be boring~"

"Ah, no it won't. Donghwa has a younger sister your age and your nieces and nephew are going too. So, do you want to come as well?" she sighed and Hyukjae's eyes rounded in disbelief, "Donghwa hyung has a sister?!"

"Of course, you silly boy. She didn't come to the wedding because she was studying abroad while you were in the hospital. Where were you when Donghwa was explaining this, huh?" his mother shook her head in disbelief and Hyukjae simply shrugged.

"Yeah, anyway, are you coming with us?" she asked and Hyukjae didn't hesitate to agree this time. He hurriedly threw few necessities in his backpack and rushed down the staircase to find his father looking through the mail. "Ah, Hyukkie, you're here! Come on, they're all waiting for us."

"Neh, appa," Hyukjae responded cheerfully and followed his father out and waited for him to lock the door before they went to the minivan parked nearby. He climbed in the back beside his niece and immediately slumped against the window and into heavy slumber.

"Samcheonie! We're here!" Hyukjae grunted at the sharp jab delivered to his lower abdomen and turned the other way to sleep but an unfamiliar giggle had his eyes opening in confusion. "Uh?"

His eyes rounded as he came face-to-face with his niece but sitting behind her in the middle seats was a very familiar face tilting her head and grinning adorably. "Uh? Donghae-ssi?" Hyukjae wondered with wide eyes and the younger laughed sheepishly and waved at him, "annyeong, Hyukjae-ssi!"

"Wh-what? How come you're here? I mean- where is everyone?" he asked awkwardly and lightly glared at his giggling niece. Donghae smiled cheekily at him and pointed at the house they were parked in front of. "Everyone already went in."

"Ya, wait... are you Donghwa hyung's sister?" Hyukjae gasped as it soon made sense why Donghae was there when she lightly nodded and laughed softly. "I was surprised too when Donghwa oppa told me you were Sora unnie's brother."

"Ah, really? Uh, woah, this is so surprising. I never expected you to be Donghwa hyung's dongsaeng. I mean- aha... this..." Hyukjae trailed off awkwardly and Donghae blushed while shaking her head, "it's okay, I understand."

"Hey, imo, samcheon! Don't ignore me! Let's go inside!" Hyukjae's and apparently Donghae's niece broke the awkward silence while tugging at both their sleeves to get their attention. Donghae immediately swooned and nodded happily at the request, "okay, come on, baby. Let's go in!"

As Donghae helped Sohee down out of the minivan, she looked at Hyukjae expectantly and gestured to the house with her head. "You coming?" Hyukjae quickly nodded and followed Donghae.

The trio entered the house and almost crashed into someone else. "Ah, Hae, there you are! Come here, gotta make tea!"

"Oh, okay, daddy. Let me take Sohee to Sora unnie first," Donghae responded to the old man who happily nodded and let Donghae pass before his eyes landed on Hyukjae and they widened.

"Oh, you must be Hyukjae! It's nice meeting you! I'm Donghwa's and Donghae's dad," the man introduced to Hyukjae with a bright smile. Hyukjae smiled gummily at his happiness and bowed respectfully.

"Annyeonghaseyo, sir. Actually, I'm in Donghae-ssi's year at Hanguk University. I study in business, though," he shyly greeted and nervously scratched his neck as the man complimented him.

"Hey, dad, I'm done. Let's make tea and then- oh, you're with Hyukjae. Um, sorry, Hyukjae-ssi," Donghae blushed shyly and Hyukjae chuckled while shrugging, "no problem. Do you need any help?"

"Of course, please come with us!" Donghae's dad agreed seeing Donghae ready to reject. Hyukjae grinned cheekily at Donghae and followed the lightly blushing girl and her father to the kitchen.

Hyukjae and Donghae made her father sit on the chair and prepared everything themselves while passing comments to each other. When they both heard soft chuckles as they were setting up the trays and sheepishly blushing at each other, they exchanged a confused glance and looked to the table.

"Ah- umma! Appa!" Hyukjae exclaimed and his cheeks heated up as they gave him a knowing look and then looked at the suddenly shy Donghae who, surprisingly, hid behind Hyukjae.

"Who's your friend over there, Hyukkie? You both are just so compatible, you know?" Hyukjae's mother joked which was followed by Donghae's dad boisterously laughing and Hyukjae's own nodding along.

"Ah, umma! Stop saying that," Hyukjae laughed nervously, though he was practically beaming, and lightly tugged Donghae's hand so she was stood beside him, "this is Donghwa hyung's dongsaeng. She and I are also in the same year in university. Donghae, they're my umma and appa."

"Aww, Hyukjae, you're so sweet with my princess! Donghae, I like him!" Donghae's dad announced and Hyukjae sheepishly scratched the back of his head while Donghae blushed and lightly scolded him for saying that. Hyukjae smirked at her reaction and feeling a little daring, winked at her father, "well, she is a princess, isn't she?"

"Omo, omo, omo! Hyukjae, you can act this adorable for Donghae, but not for your own mother?!" Hyukjae's mother joked and caused Donghae to shyly hide behind Hyukjae again when the adults once again burst into laughter.

"Look at this, my princess never acts shy with any boy. Hyukjae, you've tamed a tiger!" Donghae's dad exclaimed, causing another wave of laughter in the kitchen. Donghae pouted at her dad and hid her face in Hyukjae's arm when Hyukjae's dad made a comment about the adorable gesture.

"We're sorry we don't have enough rooms to accommodate for you. Um, if Hyukjae's parents take Donghae's room then Hyukjae and Donghae can sleep in the living room with the kids," Donghae's mother bowed apologetically at Hyukjae's parents but the two immediately shrugged it off, "no problem. Besides, Donghae and Hyukjae seem like they needed a little privacy today."

"Umma, stop it!" Hyukjae blushed and exchanged a shy look with Donghae. The latter twirled a loose strand of hair between her fingers and averted her eyes to look at her nephew trying to get her attention.

"Yes, what is it, Dongsoo-ah?" she asked gently and Hyukjae's heart filled with warmth as the girl pinched Dongsoo's cheeks and attentively listened to whatever he had to say. When he closed his mouth, Donghae kissed his forehead and lightly giggled as Dongsoo pouted and hugged her lightly.

"I'm telling you, Hyukjae is smitten," Hyukjae's mum told Donghae's with a pleased smirk on her face and Hyukjae hid his own behind his hands and groaned softly. Donghae shyly giggled when Hyukjae's mother cheekily winked at her and then innocently whistled when Hyukjae threw her an exasperated look.

"Anyway, since that's settled... let's leave the two lovebirds alone," Donghae's dad joked and smirked at Hyukjae, "make sure you look after the kids. We're going up then."

"Ah, neh, goodnight," both students bowed politely to their parents and then turned to the three kids already tucked into makeshift beds. Sohee and Soohee were asleep and for quite a while already, but Dongsoo was awake and staring at them both expectantly.

"Samcheonie, sleep with Dongsoo!" the toddler demanded adorably and Hyukjae lightly laughed as he maneuvered around the three bodies on the floor to lie beside the boy. Donghae lay down on the side of Sohee and stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to overtake her.

"Hey, Donghae? Are you awake?" she heard whispered a while later once Dongsoo had fallen asleep and she lazily opened her eyes, "hm? Yeah, what's up?"

"I've been curious about this for a while. Did you really study abroad when Donghwa hyung and Sora noona got married?" he wondered and a short laugh passed Donghae's lips, "you're quick. No, I wasn't. Donghwa oppa didn't want us to meet because, quote