“Why is my son wearing a dress?”

“You literally wore a dress for the Gucci photoshoot last year,” Kyungsoo took a sip from his coffee, eyes not moving away from his article. “I don’t think you’re in the position to be asking that right now.”

“Fair enough.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes traced the rest of the sentence, scanning it for mistakes. Then, as if on cue, he felt the couch dipping beside him. He turned to see Jongin sitting down. A sigh slipped past his parted lips as his eyebrows shot up momentarily. He looked so tired.

Kyungsoo just leaned closer to him, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of his husband’s lips, before laying his hand on his thigh. He sensed Jongin’s eyes flicking to the corner of the room where their children were bickering again.

“They’re playing dress up,” Kyungsoo finally gave in. Jongin nodded slowly, eyes still pinned on the kids. Kyungsoo could see how exhausted his husband was, he could see the dark circles under his eyes. Yet, there was something shining bright within them the moment they pinned on Jia and Jisu laughing together. Something so warm and loving. Kyungsoo’s own lips stretched into a smile.

“Green dress with a pink belt? I have failed as a father.”

A little chuckle slipped past Kyungsoo’s lips as he leaned forward again, placing another kiss to Jongin’s cheek impulsively. It just felt right. Then, he tapped his leg.

“There’s leftovers from last night. Should I heat them up for you?”

Jongin’s smile was just as tired as his eyes were, but the gratitude was evident on his face. He didn’t even need to say anything. Kyungsoo just stood up solemnly, something tugging at his heart. Jongin had been incredibly busy these last few weeks. What with the fashion shows coming up, the office had been warmed with hundreds of feature requests, with hundreds of new collections, new faces, new items.  A pile of invitations to new shows was covering Jongin’s desk when he’d went to drop off articles for the mock-up earlier today.

Kyungsoo was worried, mostly because he could see all that work taking its physical toll on Jongin. He could see the dark circles under his eyes growing a little more prominent, he could see his cheeks getting slightly hollower. All minor details, nothing anyone else would notice. But Jongin was his husband, and Kyungsoo could see every slight change, every little sign of him struggling.

He put the plate with the leftovers in the microwave and turned around. He hadn’t heard Jongin walking behind him, but there he was – sitting at the kitchen island, fingers rubbing his temples. His eyes were closed, as if for the first time today, and Kyungsoo’s lips twisted into a sympathetic smile.

“I finished reviewing the articles for the next issue,” he said, almost as if letting him in on a secret. “I can help you with the interviews later, if you need me.”

Jongin moved then, the sound of their children bickering in the living room over a stupid hat becoming background noise. His eyes were shining with love, and Kyungsoo could practically feel the appreciation oozing off Jongin’s entire being.

“I do need you,” he said then, and raised his arm just slightly. An invitation. Kyungsoo immediately got the hint and walked closer, straight into Jongin’s embrace. He rested his chin on his husband’s shoulder, eyes closing as he felt that familiar scent engulfing his senses.  Jongin wrapped his arms loosely around him. “I need you right here, just like this.”

Kyungsoo felt his eyebrows knitting together as Jongin’s embrace tightened around him. He felt the editor in chief nuzzling his face into his neck, feeling his warm breath on his skin.

Vaguely he heard the loud ping of the microwave counter going off, but he ignored it. Jongin needed this now more than he needed the leftovers from last night that undoubtedly tasted like wet cardboard by now.

“You’re a treasure, you know that?” Jongin sighed, and Kyungsoo pressed his lips together. He felt Jongin’s embrace finally loosening a little, just enough for Kyungsoo to step back and get hold of his hands. When their eyes met, Kyungsoo felt a shiver at how sincere Jongin seemed. “You’ve already done your job. You’ve finished everything you needed to. Junmyeon told me you even covered his section since he called in sick. I can’t possibly ask you to do anything else.”

“You didn’t ask, I offered. There’s a difference.”

Jongin smiled then, and before Kyungsoo knew it, he’d pulled him forward. His lips were soft against his, the perfect mixture of inviting and demanding. A kiss deep enough to leave him hungry for more, shallow enough to remind him now was not the time.

“Just do what you’ve always done. Be my Kyungsoo,” Jongin kissed the tip of his nose, and Kyungsoo scrunched his face, trying to contain the smile. Then, Jongin pressed his forehead against his, and Kyungsoo let out a sigh. “That’s all I need.”

Kyungsoo slipped his hand out of Jongin’s and ran it down his husband’s cheek instead. His fingertips lingered Jongin’s lips.

“Easy enough.”

Kyungsoo smiled at the ghostly kiss Jongin pressed against his fingers.

“Thank you.”

There was, however, a certain heave in his heart despite the feathery embrace of love. Even when he pressed one last kiss to Jongin’s lips, before moving back to grab the plate from the microwave. Even when they both laughed after his warning about the food tasting worse than Jongdae’s attempt to cook lasagne.

There was a heave that weighed down on his heart, because he knew that Jongin was trying to do everything on his own again. In his own enigmatic way, he was trying to give Kyungsoo more time with the children, he was trying to give Kyungsoo more of what he himself couldn’t have. While Kyungsoo appreciated that, he felt the sigh building up in his chest.

But when Jia and Jisu came running, innocent eyes and oblivious smiles, all of that was forgotten. Jongin’s exhaustion evaporated when Jia started presenting the combination of clothes she had chosen for her brother. He laughed along with the children when Jisu did a little spin.

And Kyungsoo? He just leaned on the counter, eyes pinned on Jongin as he felt a tidal wave crashing inside him. An overwhelming and almost unbearable amount of love, washing over him and drowning all of his worries.

“Dad! Oh my god, dad!”

Kyungsoo whipped his head around at the sound of the chirping voice. Jia had just barged into Jongin’s office. Her wide eyes scanned the room, and a look of delight filled her features when she saw both of them there, behind the desk.

“Where is-“

“I’m sorry, Mr. Kim!” NingNing barged in after that, holding on to Jisu’s arm. She seemed a little dishevelled, like she had been running. “She just ran up here, I tried to-“

“I got the part!” Jia interrupted again, and Kyungsoo blinked. He straightened up a little. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Jongin slowly lowering the papers he was holding. “I got the part! I’m dancing the solo in the ballet recital!”

Kyungsoo needed a few moments to register the words and the fact that his daughter was standing in the middle of Jongin’s office, the eyes of several editors pinner on her. She was practically vibrating, her smile only growing wider by the second as she waited for their reaction.

“The so-....you got the solo part?!” Jongin was the first to regain his ability to speak. Kyungsoo finally moved then, the words setting into his mind just as he watched Jongin letting go of the papers and pushing his chair back. “That is amazing news, princess! What did I tell you?”

Kyungsoo felt a surge of pride filling him up, obviously aware of the wide grin stretching his lips, as Jia let out a cute shriek and did a little jump in her spot. He laughed at how excited she was. Hell, he was just as excited, but it probably wouldn’t be the best idea to start jumping around in front of Baekhyun. Or goodness gracious, in front of Krystal.

Jongin didn’t seem to care, because he just rounded his desk and picked up Jia to spin her around. Her hair was still gathered in a tight bun, as she clung to Jongin. Her bell-like chuckles filled the office, and Kyungsoo let out yet another laugh. He stood up too, rounding the desk and giving a slight nod to NingNing. The poor girl let out a desperate smile before finally letting go of Jisu’s hand. Kyungsoo’s arm instinctively wrapped around his son who cling to his side, as they walked closer to Jongin and Jia. Kyungsoo reached out to pat Jia’s head, pulling her forward to press a quick kiss to her forehead. A kiss that had her squirming away while laughing cheerfully.

“I’m proud of you, princess,” he whispered, and she beamed at him.

Then, as if remembering that they were in the middle of a meeting, Jongin straightened up a little. He set Jia down, and his eyes scanned the room. There was a challenge on his face, almost daring anybody to speak up. The only person who usually had something to say was busy furiously typing something on his phone. Kyungsoo made a mental note to himself to later ask Baekhyun what was going on. Surely, there was something, since the man hadn’t made fun of them yet.

“Well? You heard the girl,” Jongin said, his loving gaze turning ice cold the moment he looked away from his family. “Everybody get to work, I want everything done quickly. We better finish early today.”

Then, he looked back to Jia. Back to Kyungsoo and Jisu. His eyes shone brightly, and the smile on his face was the warmest thing Kyungsoo had seen all day.

“I have to celebrate with my family tonight.”

“Okay, what did you do?”

“What?”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow and just looked at his friend. Chanyeol was standing tall, ready for his next photoshoot. He had a dumb look on his face, blinking at him stupidly.

“What did you do?” Kyungsoo repeated, accentuating every single word. Chanyeol only blinked again. “Baekhyun. He’s been acting weird all week and every time I try to talk to him, he avoids me.”

“So you automatically assumed I did something?”

“It’s either that or he’s going through his mid-life crisis,” Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes. “Something’s up with him and he won’t talk to me. So you tell me what happened.”

Chanyeol’s face twisted then, into something akin to a mix of a pout and frown. His eyebrows knitted together, eyes avoiding him as Kyungsoo just stared at him.

“He’s...he’s sort of angry with me right now.”

“I knew it,” Kyungsoo let out a sigh, ignoring the look of betrayal Chanyeol shot towards him. “Brings me back to my first question. What did you do?”

Chanyeol seemed to struggle finding the right words. Quite frankly, he seemed like he wanted to run away. But when Kyungsoo just crossed his arms and stared him down (or up), he just let out a dramatic sigh, his wide shoulders dropping in defeat.

“I told him I’m quitting and he didn’t take it very well.”

“You’re....you’re what, now?”

“Quitting,” Chanyeol repeated, spitting out the word almost as if it was poisonous.

Kyungsoo measured his friend with a look. He held his breath.

“Quitting what exactly?”

“This,” Chanyeol just waved his hands around vaguely, eyes shooting around the set. “Modelling.”

Oh, Kyungsoo thought, almost letting out a sigh of relief. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to sort out his thoughts. If Chanyeol had said Baekhyun, then he could have personally broken his legs.

But then, those two simple words registered, and he looked up again. Chanyeol seemed almost regretful.

“You’re quitting modelling? Why?” Kyungsoo blinked. He needed some context here. Why would Chanyeol want to quit this? He was famous, he was making a ton of money. He had a load of sponsorships and contracts. So why-

“Because it’s not who I am, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol let out a breath. He seemed almost desperate. “I started doing this when I was young, just because the opportunity came. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun. I met amazing people, the money is also great. But it’s just not something I ever intended on doing my entire life.”

“Okay, so-“

“I studied music, Kyungsoo. I love music. That’s what I want to do, that’s what I’ve always wanted to do. You know that,” Chanyeol added, an almost accusing tone to his voice, and Kyungsoo deflated a little. He did, in fact, know that. For as long as he had known Chanyeol, he did not remember ever seeing him still. He was always drumming along to the rhythm, tapping his legs. Moving, enjoying the music. He always had calluses on his fingers from playing his guitar. But with how successful he had gotten with his modelling career, all of that had turned into a background. To Kyungsoo at least, who could not pay as much attention to him anymore. Not now when he had his children, his husband, his responsibilities. A flash of guilt ripped through his chest, and he felt like the tiest friend on earth. Chanyeol just let out a breath, before straightening up and nodding. “I’ve met people, Kyungsoo. People, who can help me do what I want to do. And I have the means to do it now. I just...I want to pursue my dreams.”

“Of course,” Kyungsoo nodded, the words leaving him in a whisper. “Yes, of course. Of course you should.”

“Baekhyun didn’t think so. When I told him, he just...” Chanyeol raised his hands to rub his face. Kyungsoo almost hissed at the make up artist who was about to approach and scold him. “When I told him about all this, he just...I don’t know, I don’t even understand it myself. He just...freaked out. That’s it. He didn’t even tell me why he’s upset.”

Kyungsoo felt a little helpless, as he watched Chanyeol breathing in so deeply he started shaking a little. His eyes were shooting around, like he was trying to contain his emotions.

“I thought he’d support me. Of all people, I thought he would be the most open to this, that he would help me even. But...”

Kyungsoo pursed his lips. The Baekhyun he knew would have supported the hell out of this. The Baekhyun he knew, loving and gentle and sweet, despite all the sarcastic comments, would have been the first on board. The loudest cheerleader in the bunch. Especially for Chanyeol.

It made no sense. Unless-

“Have you considered he might feel insecure?” Kyungsoo suggested, a hand climbing to squeeze Chanyeol’s shoulder reassuringly. His friend just gave him a look of doubt.

“Baekhyun? Insecure? Byun Baekhyun?”

“Yes,” Kyungsoo nodded. “You’re his husband, you should know him better than anyone. He’s...an important man with an important job. Every decision he makes has an impact, he has to be confident all the time. But have you considered the toll this has on him? That he’s also the most insecure of us all?”

Chanyeol shook his head.

“He’s never been insecure around me. If anything, he’s always been there for me. He’s been the most secure thing in my entire life.”

“Well maybe it’s your turn to show him you’re the most secure thing in his,” Kyungsoo shrugged. “Maybe he’s just afraid you’re going to vanish. That once you stop working together, he will see you less, that you won’t be there-“

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Kyungsoo sighed. That explained the abundance of lollipop wrappers on Baekhyun’s desk the other day. That explained his distance, his silence. It was the first time he was seeing Baekhyun so detached. So worried. “Just talk to him. He loves you more than anything else in this world. I cannot imagine a scenario in which Baekhyun would not support you in your decisions.”

Chanyeol was looking at him with doubt, but judging by the curve of his lips, Kyungsoo could tell he was considering this.

“And you don’t think he’s just overreacting?”

Kyungsoo scoffed.

“You know what, you go dig your own grave. I’ll write a eulogy.”

“I’m joking!” Chanyeol grinned, and Kyungsoo just narrowed his eyes at him. “So what? I should....do something, then? Something...special?”

“I suppose. Yeah.”

Kyungsoo lingered for a few seconds, as he watched Chanyeol’s expression shifting, he could practically hear the tires of Chanyeol’s brain shifting.

Alright, he nodded to himself, as he stood up, eyes shooting around the set. There, in the distance, he saw Jisu eyeing the statives of Minseok’s cameras.

One crisis averted, another crisis arising. He threw one last look towards Chanyeol, making sure he was alright, before diving across the room to stop his son from raising hell.

“Did you wash your hands?!” Kyungsoo’s eyes pinned the little boy before he could grab the slice of toast. Jisu just looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, and Kyungsoo sighed. “I thought to. Go wash your hands.”

Kyungsoo kept staring at Jisu across the kitchen, even when his son threw a look back towards him. He giggled when he found Kyungsoo staring at him, and continued washing his hands clumsily for a few more seconds.

“Where’s your sister?” Kyungsoo asked, already pulling out three plates from the cupboard.

“I don’t know,” Jisu shrugged, more interested in the toast than Kyungsoo’s question. “Probably dancing again.”

“Go tell her it’s time for dinner.”

Kyungsoo just shook his head, setting the three plates on the table. Another day, another dinner prepared in a rush. He’d bought cake on the way back though, from that one bakery their children loved. Maybe it would be redemption for the pathetic spaghetti with store-bought sauce he’d just cooked.

Jia was bickering with Jisu about the Nintendo Switch. Not important enough for Kyungsoo to actually in, but loud enough for the dulled headache in the depths of his brain to awaken.

“So, how was school today?”

“It was fine,” Jia shrugged. She didn’t seem excited enough to tell him anything else, and Kyungsoo supposed he had to push on. Ask further. You know, be a responsible parent. However, he was tired and irritated, and he felt like that conversation could only go wrong if he pushed it.

“What about you?” he turned to Jisu. The boy was completely ignoring the spaghetti and was nibbling on the toast instead.

“We were reading today,” his son said nonchalantly. “I already know how to read, so why are they making me do it in front of everybody?”

“Because that’s how school works, baby,” Ky