Natural light illuminated the kitchen in the mid-morning as Youngae worked hard to prepare breakfast for a few and dinner for a lot. Her husband was following her around, doing his best to help where he could. Truthfully, he was more in the way than anything else. Though Youngae didn't seem to mind at all as she worked around him, handing him small tasks to keep him occupied for minutes at a time.

Their youngest child, Jaehyun, sat in the nook of the kitchen with his feet up on his seat and his long legs pulled up against his chest. There were a few drops of strawberry milk left in the small can on the table in front of him, and his eyes were focused on the phone in his hand. The sounds of a mobile game were drowning out the quiet of the kitchen until a new presence stepped into the kitchen.

Wondae offered a smile to no one in particular as he greeted them. "Good morning, family." All eyes met his, and the smiles he received in return were pleasant and warm. Mornings like these weren't available to Wondae for five long years, and he appreciated every second he spent in this home.

He took a seat next to his cousin and ruffled the boy's hair, much to Jaehyun's dismay. Youngae was quick to place food in front of her nephew, and she even ruffled his hair, just as he'd done to her son. However, Wondae was much more accepting of the gesture. Noticing all of the extra food, Wondae swallowed hard. "Nobody told my mom or any of my siblings about me coming home, right?" The question was intended to sound casual, but there was a slight hint of concern that none of the others could miss.

Jaejoon was quick to assure his nephew, placing a hand on his shoulder. "None of us told anybody about you coming home. We didn't want word to spread to Jihye noona. Don't worry."

Jaehyun scoffed loudly, pausing his game to down the rest of his strawberry milk. "Not true! I heard Mom telling Jae hyung that you're here the day you came back."

The woman left her cutting board full of vegetables to swat at her son with a wooden spoon, but Wondae simply laughed. "Auntie, don't hurt him! I kinda figured when Jae came down the day after with a new phone for me. Where is he, anyway?"

"He's picking up Sebin and Kira from the airport," Jaejoon answered, checking his watch as if making sure his son was on time.

With a frown, Youngae looked over at Jaejoon from the kitchen island. "And Saemna. Oh! And Kira's boyfriend! We finally get to meet him."

The frown on Jaejoon's face and the low grunt he let out was enough to let everyone else drop the conversation. Knowing looks were exchanged before Jaehyun returned his attention to his phone and Wondae continued eating.

Focusing his lens in and out on the different people reuniting and saying their goodbyes at Gimhae International Airport, Youngjae waited patiently for his older siblings to arrive. Both of their flights came in around the same time, and he was sent by his parents to pick them up. Though Youngjae didn't mind. He hadn't seen either in months, since his last excursion around the world.

Somehow, Sebin was able to sneak up on his younger brother from the side. He grabbed hold of both shoulders and jumped on Youngjae's back, messing up his fluffy blonde hair before jumping down with a laugh. The brothers didn't even bother greeting each other properly, light-heartedly hitting and pushing at each other. 

If Kira didn't know any better, she would have sworn she was ten years in the past, right in their living room. "I thought these were my brothers, but I obviously made a mistake. These are some weirdos."

Both men shouted at hearing their sister's voice, nearly tackling her to the ground as they swallowed her up in their arms. Kira's boyfriend, Seungchan, stood beside the commotion, looking on with an awkward smile. Youngjae broke away first to take Sebin's and Kira's bags and place them in the trunk of his car. When he came back to collect Seungchan's bag as well is when Sebin finally noticed the other man.

The change in his stance was obvious as he sized up the stranger, eyes dragging from the man's feet up to his hair. "So, you're the man who has been shacking up with my little sister? Seungchan, is it?" There was a teasing glint in his eye that his siblings noticed but Seungchan didn't.

He looked from Sebin to Kira to Youngjae and right back to Sebin, bowing immediately. He didn't quite catch the dialect that Sebin used, but he realized that he was being put on the spot. "Well, yes!"

Kira and Youngjae burst into laughter at the blunt direct answer, and she couldn't help but slap at Youngjae's arm as she tried to conceal her laughter. Youngjae shook his head as he pat Seungchan on the shoulder. "I really don't recommend you saying that to our father, Chan."

As the four of them got into the car, Seungchan couldn't help but ask, "Is he really that bad?"

"Yes," was Youngjae's instant reply.

"No!" Sebin pulled at his seatbelt so he could turn towards the backseat, where Kira and Seungchan sat. Youngjae pulled away from the airport as the eldest began to explain. "He's just a little strict, but we had it easy compared to our cousins."

"The Moons," Kira reminded him. On the plane ride, she'd given him a small breakdown of the family dynamics, but she could tell that it was a lot for him to remember.

Sebin nodded quickly before continuing, "Our Aunt Jihye was the most stern of the parents. Our father was the most likely to punish us when we got in trouble. And our Uncle Jaebeom was the...friendliest."

Seungchan had actually tried making sense of the family in his head several times since knowing they were going to Kira's childhood home. She'd told him about her family before, but the sheer amount of people was enough to confuse him. "I remember Jaebeom from his visits to Laos. And your twin cousins who were with him."

"And that's his second set of twins!" Youngjae added, glancing at the reflection in his rearview mirror. "He's got an older set coming in from New York today. Altogether, there's 21 of us."

"Plus our parents, aunt, and uncle," Kira added.

"Plus our cousins' six babies," Sebin continued. "Oh! And then the extra people, like you. The husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends that anyone wants to bring."

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Seungchan let out a small sigh before chuckling. "Wow! And you guys are sure there's enough room for everyone?"

"There's room," all three of the siblings confirmed without a second of hesitation.

A few hours north, Yejun stood with his back leaned against his car at Gimpo International Airport. Originally, he'd been offered a ride down to Gyeongju with Jaebeom, Chulsoo, and Chaerin. Thankfully, Aunt Youngae had asked him to pick up some of his other half-siblings, and he had an excuse to decline the offer.

In actuality, Yejun didn't even want to be going down to Gyeongju for Chuseok. He hadn't been down for the holidays since he was an adult and could refuse to go with Jaebeom. However, he would have felt bad to say no when his uncle had earnestly asked each and every one of them to return this year for a special surprise. And still, he would rather travel with Juda and the older twins.

Right on cue, the three of them showed up with their luggage, looking just as excited as Yejun was. "You guys look great," he told them, sarcasm dripping especially off of the last word.

Charlotte held her middle finger up at her younger brother before placing her bags in the trunk he'd opened for them. Yejun gave Juda a hug before taking her bag and setting it down beside Charlotte's. The two women got into the car as Chris walked up to fit his bags in the leftover space.

"Ready for this, hyung?" Yejun asked as he closed the back of the car and started walking around to the driver's seat.

Unlike the others, Chris was somewhat intrigued by this holiday. He hadn't seen the entire family in years, and he was ready to catch up with all of his favorite cousins. "I'm ready," he admitted before getting into the seat next to his twin. "Aren't you ready to be back, Juda?" Chris asked in English, leaning forward to hear her answer from the backseat.

To be fair, Juda was actually looking forward to returning to Hwan Village. She was saddened at the thought of being there without her grandmother's presence, but she didn't seem to hate the idea as her younger siblings did. However, the messages she'd received before boarding the plane had taken her mind elsewhere. "Yes." Trying to take her mind off of the messages that would soon change everything between her and her fiancé, she pulled a cigarette from her purse and lit it quickly. She inhaled deeply before asking, "Hasn't it been some time since you guys have seen Dad anyway?"

"You're not missing anything," Yejun told the twins before they could answer.

Charlotte grinned at Yejun's snark, rolling her window down to avoid the smell of Juda's cigarette. "I don't mind seeing Dad, but I don't know if I'm ready for the whole family. Why did they even need us? Isn't Jungeun their favorite?"

"Rang unnie isn't coming today."

Yejun gaped at Juda. "What?" He turned his head back to the road, brows coming in to furrow as he seethed in his seat. "Not coming was an option?"

"Well, I think it's just for today. She'll be there tomorrow." Juda shrugged, tapping lightly at her cigarette to release some ashes from the end to fly out of the window with the wind. Hanjae oppa, Mirae, and Lily won't be there until tomorrow, too."

As Juda named three more siblings, Yejun huffed quietly to himself. "I could have been at home today."

Juda tossed the last little bit of her cigarette out of the window when she finished smoking and rolled her window up, which prompted Charlotte to do the same in the backseat. The car went quiet, except for the soft sounds of the radio playing on low, until Juda decided to ask, "Jun-ah, are we driving down there or taking the train?"

"Driving," Yejun and Charlotte replied at the same time. "It takes more time to get down there if we drive," Yejun further explained. Chris sighed so quietly it almost didn't make any noise, and Juda simply pulled her phone out to stare at the same messages she'd been staring at since leaving New York.

As morning turned to afternoon, the quiet of Hwan Village faded as family members emerged from the front gates and into the main hanok. Jaejoon and Youngae were awaiting their family members with open arms and a clean home, smells of fresh linen and homecooked food filling the entryway.

Jihye had arrived with her two eldest daughters and Wonjae, as well as their accompanying families. They'd all taken the train together from Seoul and had drivers take them from the train station to the village. Before they even came inside the house, Jihye had encouraged each of them to pay their respects and bow to her parents' shrine that Jaejoon and Youngae put up each year for Chuseok.

Everyone was engaging in their own little conversations, hugging and taking off sweaters and jackets. The little ones were embraced as soon as they were comfortable. Eunho found comfort in his great-aunt Youngae's arms, as he usually did when they saw each other. Meanwhile, Jaejoon was holding Minhee as Minjun clung to one of his legs. 

"Ah, we missed you little ones! Come into the kitchen, so we can get you lunch. Are you hungry from the train?" Youngae filled her housewife duties, unable to break it even with only one of her children still living at home. The rest of the family followed them into the kitchen, making themselves comfortable wherever space allowed.

"Your grandchildren are growing just as fast as these kids did," Jaejoon told Jihye, pointing to Dasol, Dabin, and Wonjae.

Jihye looked at her grandchildren being doted on by her sister-in-law, smiling proudly at the sight. "They are, but they need some cousins to play with. When will your children give you some grandchildren?"

Jaehyun, who had started walking into the kitchen to welcome his family, backed right back up until Dabin caught him and pulled him into a hug.

Laughing at Jaehyun's antics, Jaejoon merely shook his head. "They shouldn't be having any until they're married." Several eyes rolled, which he didn't notice. "So, not any time soon, unfortunately." Locking in on one of his oldest nieces, Jaejoon asked, "What about you, Dasol-ah? When are you going to give Eunho a little brother or sister?"

Dasol didn't even have time to answer before Eunho perked up at the question. "Mommy, I want a little sister like Minjun has!" The family begins laughing as Eunho repeated himself, this time tugging at his mother's pants.

The laughter ceased when a large THUD came from the other side of the hanok. Everyone, except Jaejoon, Youngae, and Jaehyun, looked around to make sure everyone was still in the kitchen. Jihye glanced at her brother and questioned, "Did someone else already arrive?"

"Yeah! The fun!" To Jaejoon's relief, the question was answered by his twin brother, who'd popped up right on time, his younger set of twins following him in. A second round of greetings took place for the newcomers, and Jaebeom beamed at his family. "I'm not the latest this time."

Chaerin scoffed, plopping down on the very seat Chulsoo had found for himself. "Yeah, Dad. That's only because I was the one who got you and Chul up on time to catch the train."

"Good job, Rin-ah," Jihye praised her niece. "You're much more punctual than my two youngest children." The annoyance in her voice was evident, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Dasol-ah, find out where they are."

"Apparently, Mom's pissed cause we're late," Seol said with a chuckle after reading a text from her oldest sister. She was on her second train for the day, having stopped at the station in Daejeon so she could ride the rest of the way with Dongkyu. When she looked up from her phone, he was struggling with his bag, the baby bag, and the baby. "Dude, whose kid is that even?"

Dongkyu was trying to stuff the diaper back into the baby bag after promptly giving up on trying to change Yerim's diaper when she started crying. After almost dropping it, he merely set it on his lap and sat back in his seat, letting out a sigh. Usually his best friend and roommate would have helped him out by now, but Myungjin had his own family to visit. So, Dongkyu was left to care for his own daughter. "I told you already. I'm babysitting for a friend."

Seol gave the man an incredulous look. "What friend?"

"A friend!" Yerim's lip quivered at the sudden yell, and Dongkyu bounced her gently before glaring at Seol. "Just a friend who needed some help looking after her," he finished in a quieter tone. This still didn't stop Yerim from looking at Seol and reaching her little arms out for her instead.

Giving into the cuteness, Seol grabbed Yerim from her brother and watched in awe as the baby nestled herself into Seol's arms. "So, you have a friend dumb enough to trust you with a baby? And they let you take said baby two and a half hours away...on Chuseok?"

Dongkyu took the opportunity to stuff the diaper back into the bag and pull out his phone. "Oh sh— sugar! Mom is pissed. She's gonna beat us as soon as we step foot into the gate."

"You better hope she falls prey to this random baby's cuteness."

"You forget, little sister. We have very successful, very accomplished older siblings to fall back on. They will be too busy getting praise for her to notice how little we do."

Dongkyu seemed very proud of his thought process, but Seol shut it down right away. "That's until Uncle Jaejoon starts asking how our big brother and big sisters encouraged us to do what we do." 

The two of them went quiet to think. Dongkyu started biting at his nails, and Seol's right leg shook, partially to bounce Yerim and partially to ease her nerves. After a couple of false starts, only to immediately give up on whatever idea they were about to say, Seol snapped her fingers.

"I got it. We won't seem like such a big deal if we drop the W-bomb."

Dongkyu frowned in confusion. "The what?"

Seol leaned in to whisper, despite none of the rest of their family actually being anywhere near them. "You know, we mention Wondae—"

She hadn't even gotten his name fully out of before Dongkyu cut her off. "Nope! Absolutely not. It's one thing to get the attention off of us, but even saying Wondae's name is a bad idea. Trust me."

"Down that road is where our high school is. Jaehyun goes there now. Ooh! Down there is the food market I would go to with our mom when I was younger. And... Wait." Kira looked around to make sure she was remembering their town correctly. "Jae Jae, where are you going? Hwan Village is the other way."

Youngjae chuckled and wondered if he should keep their last stop a surprise any longer. "Yeah, but we have to pick Saemna noona up from the bus station."

"Saemna?" Kira and Sebin yelled at the same time, making Seungchan jump slightly.

Sebin stared at Youngjae in disbelief. "Saemna hasn't been home since Dad ran her away..."

Once the car pulled to a stop in front of the station, Kira and Sebin both rushed out of the car to get to Saemna. Sebin was the first, and Saemna accepted his hug with a warm one of her one. Youngjae, who had seen her more recently than the others, stole the second embrace from Kira in a playful manner. Kira is quick to introduce her older sister to her boyfriend.

"I'm so happy to see you," Kira sighed.

"Thank Jae Jae. I was thinking about not coming, but he got my neighbor to harass me until I changed my mind," Saemna admitted as she finally pulled her sister in for a hug.

However, the hold on Kira was shortened as she pulled away and gasped at the shock she felt. Sebin stepped forward to hold onto Saemna's arm, and Youngjae stared with widened eyes. "What's wrong?" They asked her, but she never once pulled her eyes away from Kira.

After a moment, Saemna seemed to snap out of it, giving the others a shaky smile. "Sorry, I just think I'm nervous about seeing Dad again..." She waved them back into the car, squeezing in beside Kira and Seungchan. Yet her eyes kept drifting back to Kira, still seeing the same image over and over again in her head as she did when their arms touched.