The moment my kids closed the door of our room, a lot of things ran in my brain. I feel like, they’re all in a marathon and there’s no finish line. I feel so guilty, not just because I wasn’t able to attend my kids’ party but because I ALMOST cheated on my wife. I’m really a stupid guy for being so comfortable to that girl and what’s worst is, I even brought her home. If ________ learns about this, I’m gonna be totally screwed.

This is my first time of sleeping on the couch and outside our room. It’s also the first time that my wife kicked me out of our room and it’s just crazy for she’s really mad at me and I can’t even last a second of it. The way she acted awhile ago is really childish especially when I tried explaining to her, she was really out of her mind and even though I know that she’s listening to me and she’s got all of my words in her head, the mere fact that she’s acting so cold and narrow is enough to bring me to insanity. I will not even be shocked if she will treat me like a ghost later this morning.

“Dad”

“Dad”

“Dad” I forced my eyes to open and saw DK standing in front of me.

“OH! Why are you still awake?” I sat up to give her space on the couch.

“Dad…you can sleep in our room…or if you want…in the guest room…the couch is not really comfortable” she hugged me and I smiled at her.

“So the reason why you’re here is to tell dad to transfer?” I asked and she nods.

“I just want you to be comfortable dad…and…I don’t want you and mum to fight” she said and I sighed.

“Baby girl…I’m sorry for what I did awhile ago…I know that a simple apology isn’t enough…but…yeah…dad is really wrong in breaking his promise to you guys…can you still forgive me?” I asked and she looked at me with the sweetest eyes that I’ve ever seen.

“Of course dad…the unnies and I have forgiven you already…we have talked about it while you and mum are talking awhile ago…you just have to make it up with the twins coz they’re really affected about what you did” she said like a grown adult and once again, I was left speechless for I still can’t figure out where she got her words.

“Are you hanging out with mum and the Aunts once again? Seriously DK…you talk like an adult” I raised her chin up and she blinked her eyes cutely.

“Dad…there’s nothing wrong with that…Aunt Railey and Aunt Daryl are my favorite friends…wait…include Tabitha as well” she said and I pinched her nose.

Well, what more can I do? It seems like my daughter is really absorbing the adult world this early, but the thing that’s worrying me the most is Daryl. I love Daryl coz she has helped me a lot with _________ and I treat her like my real sister already but my daughter hanging out with her is going to be a little dangerous for I know that Daryl do simple things in extraordinary ways and even Youngbae can back me up with that.

“Go to sleep now” I looked down at DK who is resting her head on my thighs.

“Dad…how much do you love mum?” she looked up at me and waited for my reply.

“She’s my life…you guys are…no words can explain how much I love your mum...she’s a wish come true baby girl” I answered and she smiled at me.

“That’s really deep…I can’t understand it” she said and I chuckled.

“You’ll understand it in the right time” I told her and kissed her forehead.

DK and I fell asleep on the couch together, sharing one blanket and with my arm as her pillow. It’s a good thing that our couch is big and we were able to twist our bodies a little.

Morning came and I was awakened by my kids poking my arm and climbing up on the couch. I know that seeing me sleeping on the couch is all new to them and that little exchange of words between me and their mum is going to be a big thing to them. I don’t know, but I feel like shrinking whenever I remember the reason as to why I wasn’t able to make it to the party yesterday.

“DAD! WAKE UP!” Russelle shouted while shaking me by the arm.

“Why isn’t he waking up?” I heard Danny asked while continuously poking my arm.

“DK noona slept here with dad” Gabrielle told his brothers.

“No…she’s beside mum and the noonas last night” Russelle countered.

“Believe me! I saw DK noona get up awhile ago” Gabrielle said and I can’t help myself from smiling because of my sons’ cute conversation.

The twins were arguing whether DK slept in the room with them or here in the living with me. I am wide awake by their noise and is just pretending to be asleep.

“Let’s ask her!” Russelle shouted in annoyance.

“NOONA!” Danny called out to his sister.

“NOONA!” Gabrielle followed.

“NOOOOOONAAAAA!” Russelle called out impatiently.

“Shhh…why are you kids so loud?” Isabella asked and I felt her sit on the arm rest of the couch.

“We want to ask DK noona if she slept here with dad” Russelle answered.

“She slept here to accompany dad last night coz mum is worrying about him” my daughter said and the moment I heard that, my heart started to melt.

“I was thinking of sleeping here with dad as well…but mum told us not to go out of the room” Russelle said in disappointment.

The four kids went on and on and on with their conversation while I was still pretending to be asleep. They even talked about the heated conversation that _________ and I had last night. Hearing them talk about it is a bit painful for they should’ve not seen it and it really is not healthy for them to see their parents almost fighting.

“Kids…mum doesn’t hate dad…OK?” I heard Isabella say.

“What’s this all about?” Gabby asked and sat on the couch as well.

The girls are sitting on the couch like I wasn’t there. They’re squeezing their tiny bodies in the empty spaces and next thing I know it, the three girls are already on the couch with me.

“Dad loves mum so much…I asked dad about it last night and he told me that mum is a wish come true” DK told her siblings proudly.

“I know that…mum says the same thing as well” Isabella said and a small smile appeared on my face.

“Do we have to wish too when we grow up?” Danny asked.

“I think so…in that way we can marry someone like mum or dad” Gabby answered and the moment I heard them talking about marriage, got me surprised.

“Mum said that we can’t get married yet” Gabrielle spoke out.

“Of course we can’t! We’re just kids” Gabby countered.

“But dad told us that he will not let you noonas get married…we’re the only boys that can get near you…that also applies with Karielle” Russelle said and the girls went silent.

“It’s good with me” Gabby said and I smiled upon hearing that.

“Isabella unnie…that just means that you can’t go near Aiden anymore” DK told her sister and my mind just can’t process what I heard.

Is my daughter already in that level of meeting boys and having crushes? OMO! That can’t be! She’s still too young and I’m not even ready to see her crushing over some boy in school.

“Who’s Aiden?” I asked with my eyes still shut and with a husky voice.

“Dad?” Gabby pinched my cheek and I opened my eyes and sat up.

“Who’s Aiden…huh…Isabella?” I looked at my eldest daughter intently and she seemed to be a little nervous.

“No one…he’s just a kid in school” Isabella answered nervously and I can see her eyes watering.

Is my approach that scary? I’m just asking actually and I will not even scold my daughter or anything. I just want to know who this Aiden is and what relationship does he have with my daughter.

“Dad…Aiden and Unnie are just friends…they’re dancing partners” Gabby answered in behalf of Isabella who is already on the verge of crying because of fear.

“He’s a ballet dancer?” I asked and the two girls nod.

“Come here baby girl” I gestured Isabella to go near me which she did and I pulled her for a hug.

“Why are you crying?” I asked while wiping her tears.

“Because you might scold me” she answered in between hiccups.

Isabella is really like her mum whenever she cries. They both make these funny noises whenever they cry and their noses are also so red. In all my kids, Isabella is the only one who got that same exact thing from her mum.

“Why would dad scold you? I’m just asking who Aiden is” I told her and she hugged me by the neck.

“Maybe Aiden is noona’s boyfriend” Danny said and I shook my head.

“Where did you guys know about these things…huh?” I asked curiously.

“We’re a bit aware of those things dad…Aunt Dami always tease us if we already have boyfriends” DK answered and I sighed.

How can my sister do this to me? She knows so well that I’m a bit sensitive whenever I think about my kids having relationships and dating and worst is, getting married. I don’t even know if I’m ready to let them go out of my sight once they stepped in college.

“Yah! You guys are still so young…you’re still babies…I don’t want to hear you talk about boyfriends and girlfriends ever again…OK? You have to wait till you’re….uhmm….”

“Thirty” Gabby continued and I chuckled.

“Yeah…thirty” I agreed and they all looked at me weirdly.

“Isn’t that a little old dad? I mean…mum is thirty years old now and she’s married to you and even have seven kids now” Isabella looked at me intently while waiting for my answer.

“Let’s not talk about this now…OK? What I need you guys to do is…enjoy your childhood…we will talk about this again once you hit the age of sixteen or eighteen” I told them and they all nod.

That talk about dating really made me uncomfortable and I’ve realized that I’m really one heck of a protective father coz even my boys are not allowed to court a girl, not unless they’re already in their twenties. You can’t blame me, in my eyes these kids will forever be babies and I have a feeling that this will be an issue for us in the near future.

“I have gifts for you guys” I stood up from the couch and went to get the twins’ gifts in my car.

It’s actually a good thing that I was able