On the fifth of February, Sungchan and Shotaro's baby boy arrived full-term, completely healthy, and absolutely gorgeous, and they gave him the name Jisung. Shotaro had left it up to Sungchan to choose a name, not being too familiar with Korean names himself, and Sungchan picked the perfect name. Jisung was their entire world already and even through the trials of parenthood while simultaneously figuring out their relationship and living situation, they were truly happy. Things were going well for them and neither could think of any better outcome. 

And today was a very special day. Shotaro was returning to the studio after three months of maternity leave. Three months was standard and Yuta had offered a longer leave if he so desired but Shotaro was going insane staying at home with the baby. He loved that little boy with all of his heart but Shotaro needed human interaction with someone other than Jisung and he needed to dance. Oh, how he missed dancing. It had been far too long since he'd done a proper routine and he was itching to dance again. 

Shotaro missed teaching terribly and he figured seeing his students and heading a class was just the thing that would cure his restlessness. He hadn't known he would miss it so much but a week into maternity leave he had been so antsy that he just needed to dance, but he had been so big and uncomfortable at that point that it was nearly impossible. He hadn't danced since many weeks before giving birth, and even then it was simple and more a collection of side stepping and shuffling, but truly being unable to dance and being out of the classroom had him bored and uneasy. Shotaro was more than excited to start dancing the way he wanted to again in a classroom setting, and he was more than excited to see his students. 

And he was bringing Jisung with him. Sungchan had volunteered to stay home for Shotaro's first day back so he wouldn't be distracted but Shotaro was seizing the opportunity to take his son to the academy. In the years to come, Jisung would be growing up around the area and Shotaro figured the sooner he hung around the sooner he would be familiar with the place. This had been his reasoning but Sungchan could see through his lie. The separation anxiety was really getting to Shotaro after months of not being without Jisung and Sungchan was willing to humor him. Jisung was an easy baby anyway, even at three months old, and Shotaro would have Yuta and friends there to help if it was needed. It was one day after all, and one day at the studio couldn't hurt. 

Shotaro strut confidently through the front entrance of the studio with the biggest smile on his face, Jisung's car seat carrier clutched tight in his hand and the baby bag tossed over his opposite shoulder along with his dance bag. He looked like a proper pack mule but it was something he had gotten used to anytime he left the apartment (which wasn't often). While he was excited to be back at the studio, he was even more excited to show off his son to all his coworkers and all the students. Shotaro's students had been the closest to him near the end of his pregnancy and he knew for a fact they were going to be ecstatic that he brought the baby. They knew he was coming in today, but Jisung had not been a part of the plan. There was going to be an eruption in his practice room once they laid eyes on him and Shotaro was so looking forward to it. 

Not surprisingly, Yuta was the first to greet Shotaro at the door, standing in his usual spot at the front desk where he greeted everyone who walked into his studio. The only difference from today apart from any other day was that he was holding Renjun in his arms who seemed very occupied with playing with Yuta’s untied and long hair. Seeing his younger friend enter through the front door, Yuta flashed him the brightest smile he could muster and pointed out his entrance to Renjun so he could do the same. Upon laying eyes on Shotaro, Renjun flashed his gorgeous smile that looked so much like Sicheng’s it was scary and kicked his legs excitedly, wiggling a little too much for Yuta to handle. He had to tighten his grip in order to not drop his son, “Look! It’s uncle Shotaro,” Yuta pointed out as if Renjun hadn’t seen him in the first place. Renjun giggled with excitement, so ready to see his favorite uncle.

“Toto!” Renjun shouted, clapping his hands in front of him as Shotaro walked closer. Shotaro was a difficult name for Renjun to pronounce at almost 20 months old, and when he first started learning Shotaro’s name he had been much younger. With no advanced language skills to even attempt to pronounce his full name, Renjun had shortened Shotaro to Toto, and so it stuck. Shotaro was Uncle Toto and every time he heard it it made Shotaro’s heart flutter happily. Renjun was the sweetest little thing and Shotaro was so happy to see him. 

“Good morning, Renjunie! I brought Jisungie with me today,” he lifted the car seat carrier higher so the toddler could get a better look at the baby inside. Jisung was fast asleep and bundled in a thin blanket wrapped tight around his little body, and even though he wasn’t much fun being so small and asleep, Renjun’s excitement was unbridled as he tried to reach out to touch the baby, “Would you like to say hello?” Shotaro asked even when he already knew the answer. He didn’t wait for another second as he gently set the car seat carrier on the lobby floor so Renjun could see him better and give a very welcomed greeting. 

Renjun was obviously enthusiastic about greeting the baby and Yuta quickly set him on the floor with a squat but continued to hold him back with a hand on his chest and the other holding a leg in place so he couldn't step forward. Renjun would probably pummel Jisung if he wasn’t held back, still clumsy with his movements and unaware of his strength, “Remember to be gentle, Junnie. Be soft; he’s sleeping,” Yuta reminded his son, carefully guiding the toddler towards the car seat carrier so he could see better. 

Even in his toddler mind, Renjun was determined to be as gentle as possible. Both Yuta and Sicheng had taught him many times how to be gentle with babies and he was such a good listener even when he was so young. Approaching the sleeping Jisung, Renjun cooed quietly and stuck out a finger so he could poke one of Jisung’s chubby cheeks. His finger sunk into Jisung's round face and his finger sprung back when he pulled away. It was indeed gentle and didn’t even stir Jisung from his slumber and Renjun looked so proud of himself. Yuta praised his good work and Renjun returned to admiring Jisung, smile still so happy. 

“My Sungie,” Renjun called, hoping Jisung would respond. Renjun just about never called Jisung by his full name and usually settled on calling him Sungie, which could be confusing when Sungchan was around since he called him by the same nickname. Both were Sungie when Renjun was around and he had never attempted to say their full names. On the more rare occasion, Renjun would coo and use the sweetest voice to call Jisung ‘My Sungie’ and that was Shotaro’s favorite. He learned it from Sicheng who called his son ‘My Renjun’ in Mandarin and Renjun only saw it appropriate to call the baby by the same name as well. With his big and kind heart, Renjun only ever used it for Jisung and no one else, “My Sungie.” 

Speaking of his mother, the one who started it all, Sicheng was entering the wide foyer now after exiting the bathroom. He quickly absorbed the scene in front of him, eyes darting between Yuta and Shotaro before settling on his son who was being incredibly gentle with a tiny and sleeping Jisung. He felt his heart sing in adoration for his little boy and pride swelled in his chest, “Are you being soft, My Renjun?” Sicheng questioned affectionately as he walked up to wrap an arm around Yuta’s waist with a wide smile, knowing his son was nothing but gentle with Jisung. He wouldn't dare be anything else. 

“Yes Mama!” Renjun exclaimed, continuing his staring at Jisung and taking in everything about him. He was being so gentle, even now as he felt the soft blanket on his fingertips, doing his best not to disturb Jisung. 

“You’re here!” Shotaro chirped, happy to see Sicheng after so long. It had been maybe two weeks since he last saw the older man and that had been brief since he had stopped by his apartment to drop off a gift and left shortly after with other errands to attend to. Sicheng knew how difficult it was being a new mother and being alone during the day while Sungchan was at work, and gifts were always a nice way to cheer people up. Shotaro had greatly appreciated the gesture and the homemade cookies he had gifted him had been delicious. 

“I am!” Sicheng confirmed with an amused giggle, “I thought it was a good day to spend the day at the studio, and Renjun just loves it so much I knew he wouldn't mind the visit,” visiting the studio was one of Renjun’s favorite things and it was a bonus that his father was always there as the owner. If Sicheng was being honest, it was both their favorite place to go, “And I heard today is your first day back and thought it would be nice to see you in action,” his eyes flitted down to the carseat carrier still on the floor, watching as his son continued to stare at Jisung. Jisung was fast asleep and no noise passing by was going to wake him up, “And while I’m here I might as well watch your son while you have classes so you won’t have to worry about him.”

“You don’t have to do that if it’s too much trouble,” Shotaro shook his head with a nervous waver. The original plan was for Yuta to take Jisung since he had no classes most of the day and when Shotaro had his breaks he would of course keep his son. To ask Sicheng to watch over both a toddler and an infant at the same time seemed like asking too much. Sicheng was very capable of doing it, he believed that, but it was still a wide load of work and Shotaro did not want to be a burden. 

“Oh please it's no trouble at all! I would love to spend some alone time with your precious little angel,” Jisung truly was an angel. He was so laid back and didn’t often cry, and this made him the easiest baby either man has dealt with. Watching Jisung would be no chore, “I need more one-on-one with my nephew. So if you don't let me watch him I'll be upset," Sicheng pouted ridiculously and Shotaro had never seen the older like this. Maybe he should just let him.

"Okay, if you're so sure," Shotaro knew Sicheng would take good care of his son. There were no worries there, "My first class starts soon and I'll have to get going," he needed to stretch and warm-up before teaching, and he needed to do so more than he usually would. It had been too long since he danced and he would need to practice a routine or two before attempting to get in front of his students. Shotaro would rather not embarrass himself, especially when he had such talented students, "Are you ready to take him now?" 

"Gimme that baby," Sicheng demanded with a bright smile as he reached out for the car seat carrier, gently picking it up and holding the handle tight, "I'll be in the office so he's away from all the noise," Shotaro appreciated that kind gesture. Jisung would get used to all the noise soon but for now Shotaro didn't want him exposed to too much loud music and the sound of excited students yelling, "So when you get a break and need to see him you'll know exactly where to find us."

"Thank you so much. Everything you'll ever need is in the baby bag and if something goes wrong or he's too fussy do not hesitate to fetch me from class," Shotaro handed the bag over and Sicheng took it in his free hand so he could sling it over his shoulder. Seeing Sicheng with Jisung and his belongings suddenly made it all real and Shotaro suddenly wasn't ready, "I really don't want to leave him," he pouted, already growing anxious at Jisung not being right by his side. He wanted nothing more than to hold his son tight to his chest and place kisses all over his wispy hair, "But I have to, don't I?" he gave a shaky and nervous chuckle, trying in vain to preserve what little composure he had remaining. He felt ready to cry at not having his baby within arm's reach. 

Yuta smiled and stepped closer so he could place a hand on Shotaro's shoulder, thumb rubbing the muscle there comfortingly, "You do, but everything will be okay. You'll be so preoccupied with your students and time will go so fast you won't even realize how long you've been away from Jisung. You're going to have an amazing first day back and you're going to kill it on those dance floors like you usually do. I promise," Yuta sounded so confident in the younger and it was kind of amazing. It was hard not to believe him. 

Shotaro still wasn't entirely sure but he was going to try to have a good day knowing his son was in more than capable hands, "I'll try my best. I'm just hoping I can still dance like I used to," it had been a huge worry of his since he gave birth. His body had changed so much in such a short amount of time and it had taken time to heal after the trauma and strain of childbirth. He didn't think it was overly ridiculous to have worries about his performance skills, no matter his skill prior to, "I might have forgotten how to dance entirely." 

"Are you kidding? You were born to dance! I don't think anything can stop you from moving the way you usually do," Sicheng chimed in, brows furrowed as he wondered if Shotaro was being genuine or not, "The only thing that could stop you is your own self. Give yourself some credit, Taro. And the kids will be so excited to see you're back. They've been asking Yuta when you'll be back for weeks," to the point where a sign had to be posted on Shotaro's dance room door sharing his return date, "You're going to have some full classes today. Make sure you take attendance because you'll have students in your class who aren't supposed to be there." 

And while that was a nice sentiment to hear, it worried Shotaro even more. He really needed to get ready for the day if he wanted to keep up with his students and live up to their expectations, "Then I really need to warm up properly. You're still okay with watching Jisung?" he asked Sicheng once more just to be on the safe side. 

"Go to class," Sicheng laughed with a shake of his head, amused by Shotaro's maternal antics, "We'll be fine," Shotaro was still so anxious, but then his eyes traveled back to look at Jisung in his car seat and was met with a very smiley Renjun staring at him. He watched as Renjun very gently held Jisung's foot in his palm and giggle when the baby kicked his legs. Shotaro could feel his heart bursting in his chest, and he was suddenly feeling significantly better about leaving his son with Sicheng. 

"Okay. When he wakes up tell him I love him and that I miss him already," Shotaro was itching to hug and kiss his son goodbye but that would require taking Jisung out of his car seat and waking him up and Shotaro was not going to interrupt his sleep. He gets very upset when he gets woken up from a nap when he's not ready and Shotaro did not want to leave Sicheng with an upset baby. They wouldn't be apart for long, "And that I'll see him soon."

"I will. Now get going or you'll never leave at this rate," Yuta smiled wide next to Sicheng. Both of the parents saw themselves in Shotaro, so hesitant to leave their young babies so soon. With time came more confidence being away from them, but they remembered being in his shoes. There were days when they still felt the way Shotaro was feeling now.

And with that, Shotaro gave a quick nod before he was walking off to his practice room, getting more excited the more he closed that distance. Everything would be fine, Jisung would be fine, he would be fine, his classes would be fine. Shotaro tried to shake that last bit of doubt before he was in class, ready to do what he loved after so long. That was really something to look forward to and it made it easier to separate himself from his son even for a moment. He was excited and he would be okay.

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Luckily the elevator was up and running that day and Shotaro was so thankful that someone had taken the time to fix it. Shotaro had thought the trek up the steps was difficult after a long day of dancing and then he got pregnant while still being a dance teacher. He was hoping the elevator would stay in service long enough so he didn't have to carry a heavy car seat up the stairs after a long day of dancing. Fingers crossed he wouldn't have to experience that soon, at least while he was still out of shape. 

"We're home, Jisungie," Shotaro singsonged as he fished his keys out of his front pocket, happy he was seconds away from relaxing and spending the evening with his family off of his feet. Sungchan was still at work and would be for another hour or so before his return and Shotaro was going to be counting down the minutes. Still, Shotaro was taking advantage of his boyfriend's time away since it gave some time for him and Jisung to be alone after being apart for most of the day. Shotaro had to admit it was nice being his own person and being able to socialize with his students without a baby needing his attention, but he still missed his baby so terribly. Jisung had become such a big, important part of his life and Shotaro was not ever upset about it. Jisung was everything to him, "Then we can wait for daddy to get home and cuddle. How does that sound?" Shotaro swore he heard Jisung coo in response and it about made his heart burst, singing loud and proud for his baby boy. 

Shotaro unlocked and opened his apartment door with vigor and was immediately greeted with the sound of clattering pots and soft music. Confused, Shotaro sounded off as he closed the door behind him, "Hello?" he quickly toed off his shoes, skillfully lifting them with his feet to line them neatly against the wall before speed stepping to see who was in the kitchen, "Sungchan?" of course that was the only person it could be but he wasn't supposed to be home yet. Sungchan had moved into Shotaro's apartment five months prior after figuring out contracts with his shared apartment with Jungwoo. It worked out in the end and their new set up worked amazingly for them. With Sungchan being home now, Shotaro was surprised but was already very delighted. 

Rounding the corner of the front entrance so he could turn into the kitchen, Shotaro was met with the sight of Sungchan standing at the kitchen counter working diligently with a bamboo roller in hand. Shotaro thought maybe Sungchan had been too focused to notice he was no longer alone, but with another step closer to the younger man, Sungchan tore his eyes away from his task to face Shotaro with a smile already on his face. His eyes were curved into crescents as he made eye contact with his boyfriend, "Welcome home, Taro hyung!" 

“You’re home early!” Now much closer than before, Shotaro could see that Sungchan had made hand-rolled sushi, one of their favorite meals and a skill he had acquired over the course of his and Shotaro's leaves from work. Looking behind Sungchan, Shotaro could see a plate topped with raw and breaded shrimp by the stove top and a pot of what he assumed to be oil. Sushi and tempura seemed a grand meal for just another Monday evening, "What's all this for?" Shotaro asked as he set Jisung's car seat carrier on the dining room table, unbuckling his son from the safety of his seat so he could hold him. He cradled his baby tight to his chest, all of his unease from the day finally melting away now that he was with his family. Jisung cooed in his arms, looking up at Shotaro with such innocence, admiration, and pouty lips. He looked so much like Sungchan and it never failed to make Shotaro swoon at this precious little person he had made.

"I made you dinner as a celebration of your first day back at the studio!" Sungchan easily explained, abandoning his uncut sushi roll to head towards the sink and wash his hands. He needed to properly greet his boyfriend and son now that they were home, "You deserve an amazing meal following all that hard work you did today." 

"I wouldn't say hard work," Shotaro disagreed, waiting patiently for a hello kiss from Sungchan, "And you're making me look bad right now by making me a 'special dinner'. I didn't do that for you when you went back to work," he pouted with a quivering lip. Sungchan had been given three weeks of paternity leave and had spent it wisely. He was lucky enough that the office he worked for allowed him to start his leave the day Shotaro went into labor, and he had spent the next 21 days at home figuring out how to be a parent along with Shotaro. Sungchan's first day back had been lack luster and he had come home to do exactly what he had done for the prior three weeks, nothing different in the slightest. Seeing all of his efforts in front of him, Shotaro was feeling guilty he hadn't done more for his boyfriend at the time.

But hearing Shotaro's words, Sungchan shook his head with a scoff and an amused grin, "When I went back to work we were both exhausted; running on fumes and pure instinct. I hadn't even considered something like this, not that I even deserved it. I'm not the one who birthed our perfect little boy," Sungchan shook off his wet hands before drying them on a dish towel hanging on the oven handle. And now that he was totally free from his task, Sungchan was able to greet Shotaro and Jisung as he pleased with excitement buzzing along his skin, "You're the one I credit for all the joy in my life, you know." 

Sungchan walked up to Shotaro, placing his left hand on his hip to guide him closer while his right hand ever so gently lifted to cup the older's jaw, quickly ushering him into a kiss. Shotaro easil