Today is a sunny day. The sun shines so brightly, the sky is clear, and the bird is singing.

What a perfect day to ask for a blessing for marriage!

***

Donghyun and Joochan were high school sweethearts. Despite their hobby of bickering since day one, Donghyun and Joochan’s relationship has been going strong. Of course there are arguments here and there, but Donghyun and Joochan believe each other so much that they always go back to one another.

Donghyun is a really shy and reserved person that Joochan has to work really hard to win his heart. Yes, Joochan was the one who chased Donghyun from the very start. Donghyun is so nonchalant that Joochan used to have a suspicion that Donghyun can’t love someone romantically.

At first, Donghyun felt overwhelmed by Joochan’s loud, confident, and bubbly nature. But their polar opposite personalities weirdly make them gravitate toward each other, mostly by bickering. Joochan, who sent a challenge to Donghyun to meet him on the rooftop on their first meeting in their sophomore year, declared that he fell in love with Donghyun at first sight. Donghyun, flabbergasted and kinda flattered, thought Joochan was not serious. Since then, Joochan pledged to win Donghyun’s heart and had been chasing Donghyun day and night.

Donghyun never thought that Joochan was serious. But he liked their dynamic and they have been inseparable ever since. Until Joochan asked for Donghyun’s answer six months after his confession.

Donghyun, who genuinely thought Joochan’s confession was not serious, answered that he always viewed Joochan as his best friend. Joochan, broken-hearted, kept a distance between him and Donghyun and stopped chasing him day and night.

Of course their strained relationship was noticed by the entire school because Joochan was their school’s famous choir leader. He actually had a fanclub among the students. The news of the broken relationship between Joochan and his pursuit of Donghyun, bred an army of students who confessed to Joochan in hope of winning his heart.

Donghyun, already feeling devastated by the absence of Joochan in his life, finally realized his feeling when he heard Joochan being confessed to left and right. When he saw some girl about to confess to Joochan in the school yard, he immediately approached them and told the girl that Joochan was his. Since then, they are officially exclusive. Dramatic much, eh?

For how dramatic their get together story is, their proposal was definitely anti-climatic.

Joochan already planned his proposal over a romantic dinner in his apartment. He invited Donghyun to cook pasta together and it turned out to be a disaster. Their pasta caught fire and both of them couldn't understand how that was even possible. Donghyun immediately turned off the stove and Joochan threw a bucket of water towards the stove and Donghyun who stood in front of the stove. Donghyun, shocked and drenched in water, can’t help but find the whole situation hilarious. He nagged and laughed and cried (because of laughing) at the same time and Joochan couldn’t afford to lose him.

He asked Donghyun to marry him then and there, in the middle of his kitchen with Donghyun still drenched from head to toe. Donghyun, kinda used to Joochan’s spontaneous behaviour, smiled and accepted his proposal with a kiss. He genuinely looked forward to living with Joochan and being surprised by Joochan’s antics for the rest of his life.

 ***

And we are back to the beginning of the story.

Today is the day Joochan will ask Donghyun’s parents for their blessing.

Joochan always thought that Jangjun and Daeyeol are such cool parents. Jangjun is a jokester and he is really outgoing while Daeyeol is calm and reserved. They act like a friend to Donghyun but still being loving and doting parents. Joochan feels like their dynamic is similar to his own with Donghyun. And he never feels worried for one bit for this day, because Jangjun and Daeyeol love him, and vice versa. He shares a lot of similarities with Jangjun and they often hang out together, just Joochan and Jangjun. Until today happened.

“No!” Jangjun says sternly.

“What? Papa, you promised me you will let me marry the one I choose for myself!” Donghyun stands out dramatically.

“No, Donghyun, you are still so young! Marriage?? As if, you can’t even drink alcohol!” Jangjun crosses his arms stubbornly.

“That’s a different matter! And I inherit your alcohol tolerance!”

“Hah! I can drink a whole cup, while you get drunk from a sip! A sip!”

“That’s not fair! And it has nothing to do with marriage!”

“Yeah yeah yeah, how could I let my Adeol get married when you are just like, what? Twelve?”

“Dad, I’m twenty seven! And I know you keep on track! I know you wrote a whole essay about my birthday on your Facebook page!”

“It’s not about numbers!”

“You just said it is! You marry Daddy when you two are just twenty two though!”

“Well, we live in a different era! People nowadays marry in their late thirties!”

“That’s just a celebrity, Papa! Joochan and I already have a job, we can fend for ourselves!”

“Celebrities are people too! How could I let my son marry when he has a childish mindset like this!” 

Daeyeol and Joochan watch the two of them bickering back and forth. Joochan forgot how protective Jangjun can be, and he starts to feel nervous. What if Jangjun won’t give them his blessing. He always thought he was close with Jangjun. But maybe that’s not the case.

Daeyeol touches Joochan’s hand and Joochan looks at him and smiles nervously. Daeyeol smiles kindly and gesturing to Joochan to give him his ear.

“You know Jangjun doesn’t mean it, right?” Daeyeol says.

“But… he just said… no?” Joochan asks curiously.

“He is just not ready to let go of our Adeol. He tells me if he has to let Donghyun marry, you are the only one he will give his blessing to.” Daeyeol chuckles, eyeing his stubborn husband and son bickering beside them.

“Really?” Joochan widened his eyes, his heart felt warm and elated by Daeyeol’s words.

“Really, just give him some time, okay? I know what hardship you are going through to win my son’s trust and love. So I believe nothing can stop you to eventually win Jangjun’s.” Daeyeol winks at his son in law (to be). 

***

After that eventful disagreement, Donghyun sleeps over at his parents house after bidding Joochan goodbye for the night. Daeyeol ended their argument by sternly telling him and his Papa off for making Joochan uncomfortable. Jangjun actually acted like his usual self and even hugged Joochan when Joochan was about to go home like his heated argument with Donghyun never happened.

Donghyun knows how protective his parents can be over him, especially his Papa. He also knows it’s due to their parents' hardship to conceive him. 

His Daddy had miscarriage once before Donghyun. The doctor told his parents that it will be very difficult for them to conceive again because Daeyeol’s womb has been weaken greatly after the miscarriage. Daeyeol had to be on full bed rest for the first four months of his pregnancy when he finally got pregnant with Donghyun, and he had to be extra careful for the remainder of it. Donghyun’s arrival is considered a miracle and his parents always feel grateful for his existence.  

Later that day, Daeyeol asks Donghyun to deliver Jangjun’s coffee to his study room. Donghyun opens the door quietly. He can see Jangjun’s back from the door. Jangjun stands in front of the big window and stares at the night sky outside. 

Donghyun puts the coffee on the table and walks toward his Papa. He hugs him from behind and he leans his head on Jangjun’s shoulder.

“Papa, I am sorry for earlier.” Donghyun whispers quietly.

“Hmm…”

Jangjun never acts this quiet and Donghyun wants to cry. 

“Papa, I am sorry if I hurt you, but I really love Joochan. I don’t want to lose him. There are a lot of people who love Joochan. But I… I don’t think I can love anyone aside from him.” Donghyun starts to sob in Jangjun’s shoulder.

“Adeol, yah, why are you crying?” Jangjun turns and holds Donghyun’s face with both of his hands.

“Look at me Donghyun-ah,” Jangjun coaxes Donghyun to look straight into his eyes. 

“Joochan loves you to the moon and back, you know. That brat can’t stop talking about you when he hangs out with me. Sometimes I think he has it just as bad as I am to your Daddy. You can’t lose him when he is the one who can’t leave you. He is a good kid,” Jangjun assures his son.

“But then, why did you say no, Papa?” Donghyun stares right at Jangjun’s eyes with teary eyes.

“It’s not about Joochan, Adeol. I… I just… I am not ready to let you go.” Jangjun admits while chuckling softly.

“But I will still be here Papa, I am not going anywhere,” Donghyun holds Jangjun’s hand on his face.

“Right? I know… Your Daddy always reminds me that this day will come. Ahh… why is your Daddy always right?” Jangjun chuckles and gets teary eyes himself.

Jangjun hugs Donghyun tightly and Donghyun hugs him back just as tight.

“Our Adeol… you have to promise me you will be the happiest person on earth, okay? No, make it the happiest person in the entire universe!” Donghyun chuckles hearing that.

“What are you talking about, Papa? You make Daddy the happiest person in the entire universe. How can I beat Daddy?”

“Your happiness is your Daddy’s happiness so it’s all the same!” They laugh together with tears while still hugging.

“I promise, Papa. I promise I will be the happiest person in the entire universe with Joochan.”

***

“Daaaaad!” Little Sohee runs happily to hug his Dad’s leg.

Donghyun and Joochan just came back from their routine check up from the hospital.

“How’s the baby Donghyun ah?” Daeyeol comes out from inside the house. Sohee is being fetched by Daeyeol and Jangjun from her kindergarten while Donghyun and Joochan go to the hospital.

“He is very healthy, actually he is dancing right about now.” Donghyun grimaces a little, rubbing his eight months pregnant belly. They all go inside to the living room. Joochan carries Sohee while kissing her face and Sohee shrieks in delight.

Donghyun sits on the sofa and Sohee immediately asks his Appa to put her beside his Dad. Sohee loves to touch his Dad’s belly, and she always loves to feel his brother move in his Dad’s belly.

“Wooow, brother moves a lot today! He must be happy because we are playing together right now!”

The adults are all gushing at Sohee. Whenever her family gathers, she always says that they all are playing together.

“Our Sohee is so smart!” Jangjun comes up behind her and tickles her playfully. Sohee squirms in Jangjun’s hug while flailing her arms, laughing. Donghyun takes a glimpse of the candy ring on Sohee’s ring finger.

“Sohee, where do you get this candy ring? Papa, did you buy it for her?” Donghyun asks curiously. Sohee is not a fan of candy, so it’s kinda weird if Jangjun or Daeyeol buy it for her.

“No, Dad, this is from Changuk. Changuk said he wants to marry Sohee so he gave Sohee this candy ring!” Sohee answers happily. Joochan and Daeyeol giggle at the revelation. They are quite sure Sohee doesn’t understand what she is talking about, she is just happy that his friend gave her a present.

Donghyun and Jangjun’s faces turn into horror at Sohee’s answer. They look at each other and then they look at Sohee and they say at the same time: 

“NO MARRIAGE BEFORE YOU ARE FIFTY, SOHEE!”

 Oh well, like father like son indeed.