chapter twenty-two; nostalgia.

It was about two weeks after Ren's birthday party and Minki was finally sleeping normally. There was less fussing and he sleep for longer periods of time. Chanyeol thought that his son was finally getting used to being outside the womb. 

Chanyeol was having a lazy day the house was clean, Minki was sleep and Kris had taken Ren to go see Tangled in 3D. He had the house to himself. Chanyeol the TV but nothing was on so he decided he would open his laptop and transfer some of old pictures onto the new camera that Tao had bought for him. 

Chanyeol opened the file with his memory card and began to scroll through the photos. He smiled seeing that some of the photos were blurry. Those photos were taken by the budding photographer Ren Wu. Chanyeol plugged his laptop into the TV's screen because it was growing wearisome to stare at the details of the photos on his laptop. As it turns out they had a lot of videos on the camera. Chanyeol clicked on one of them. Kris was holding the camera so all Chanyeol saw was himself in a cat costume. It was from a little less than two years ago when he was still pregnant with Ren. Chanyeol gasped.

"Wow Ren made me look super fat." He laughed and clicked another video.

This video was a video of him and Kris filmed by Xiumin at Chen's Spring picnic. They were sitting down with Ren in between their legs, she barely could even hold her little head up. Kris was making faces at her but she wouldn't laugh. Kris was failing miserable but Chanyeol was laughing, he was laughing hysterically trying not to move too much because Ren was leaning against his leg. 

"You are definitely your appa's daughter." Xiumin said as the camera zoomed in to showed a 4 month old Ren starting stoically at Kris's failed attempts at humor.

Chanyeol starting laughing and clapping his hands together, "Like father like daughter." He said as he wiped the tears away. As his laugh died down he clicked another video. This video was when he was about 8 months pregnant at he and Kris's engagement party. Chanyeol was yelling at Kris while all of their friends looked on laughing.

"What the hell Yifan I look beautiful today? TODAY? How was I looking every other day? Hideous? Just okay?" Chanyeol shouted. 

"Chanyeol you know I didn't mean it like that. Don't be so--"

"So what Yifan? So WHAT? What were you gonna say? Don't be so ugly? Because obviously that's what I've been everyday to you. I can't believe you would say something like that. What is wrong you? You look beautiful today. Hmph. I look beautiful everyday you better recognize. You should be lucky you get to be married to all of this. I'm beautiful everyday you idiot. That's why you're marrying me isn't it?" Chanyeol didn't wait for answer. "You're damn right it is!" He nodded and all their friends started laughing. 

Chanyeol covered his mouth. He couldn't believe he was actually like that. "Aigoo~," He said, "Why you have to record this?" He asked to nobody in particular. Chanyeol began to scroll through the videos looking for something that would not embarrass him but without fall he found one that would embarrass him the most. "Oh my goddddddddddd!" Chanyeol exclaimed cringing at the sight before him.

Kris had the camera peering around the corner showing a 39 week pregnant Chanyeol in the kitchen cleaning, dancing with the music blasting. 

"She got me speeendingg. Oh spending all his money on me and spending time on me." Chanyeol sang. The camera moved at Kris tried to hold back his laughter then the camera returned to Chanyeol singing the Black Eyed Peas My Humps. Chanyeol was rubbing his stomach and wobbling around the kitchen scrubbing the counters undulating his voice to be both Will.I.Am and Fergie's voice.

"My humps my humps my humps. My lovely lady lumps in the back and in the front~"

The scene ended with Kris nearly bitting through his finger to keep he laugh in.

Chanyeol hung his head in shame. "I can't believe I did that." He laughed quickly trying find another video and expecting to be embarrassed again. Instead he found a video of when Ren was still in his stomach having on of her infamous fiestas.

"Chanyeol?" Kris called walking towards the dark kitchen with the camera, "What's wrong?" Chanyeol was leaning again the counter drinking water and rubbing his stomach. His shirt was pulled up so Kris could see that Ren was kicking.

"Ren won't stop kicking~" Chanyeol whined. Kris came up to rub Chanyeol's stomach.

"She'll calm down soon," Kris said.

"I want her to calm down now! I'm sleepy~" Chanyeol whined drowsily. Kris tilted the camera up from Chanyeol's stomach just to find him sleeping while standing up.

"Aigoo~" Kris cooed quietly rubblng Ren until he could no longer see her kicking as much.

Chanyeol rubbed his arm and set his head on his upturned hand. He sighed, "Rennie, you were so much work. I don't know how I did it…"  Kris had captured so many embarrassing shots when Chanyeol was pregnant. Chanyeol hoped that the videos wouldn't get more embarrassing. The next video he clicked on was actually adorable. Chanyeol was waddling out of the car with Ren in a blanket.

"Chanyeol wave to the camera," Kris said. Chanyeol looked up blankly trying to find the camera and waved. As he got closer to the camera he said, "Yifan get the baby bag." Kris quickly went the get the baby bag and then the scene jump cut to Chanyeol cradling a yawning Ren on the couch. 

"This is Rennie's first day home, say hi Ren." Kris called. Chanyeol smiled and manually waved Ren's little arm herself. Ren yawned again and nuzzled he face towards Chanyeol's chest. Kris and Chanyeol both cooed. "She looks just like me. It's so weird." Chanyeol said.

"I know, it must be like looking in a mirror huh?" Kris asked.

"A little mirror." Chanyeol laughed.

"Welcome to the world Ren~" Kris cooed.

Chanyeol smiled and pat his cheeks. A lot of time had past. He remembered when he first brought Ren home and now he had Minki and Ren was a year old. Chanyeol looked for a video that would include Minki.

"Yifan are you recording?" Chanyeol asked.

"Yeah yeah, I'm recorded right now go." Kris replied. Chanyeol was sitting his and Kris's bed with his shirt pulled up. Chanyeol rubbed his stomach again and then said, "Ok Yifan watch this." On Chanyeol's stomach you could see Minki kicking from inside. Chanyeol winced a little and poked Minki's feet back just for Minki's foot to bounce out again kicking his stomach. Kris laughed. 

"Did you see that?" Chanyeol asked amazed. He pushed Minki's foot down again and Minki kicked his hand away.

"Aigoo~ my little man is strong." Kris said pushing Minki's foot back for himself and laughing when Minki kicked him away.

Chanyeol watched as that continued for another 2 minutes. Minki sure was a strong kicker. He was strong and as active as Ren was. Chanyeol get a was getting a warm and fuzzy feeling. He missed Ren and Kris now. Chanyeol got up and went to check on Minki who was sleeping cozily. He smiled and walked back to the living room. Chanyeol sat back down and let the next video play in the sequence. This video was of Ren walking. It was a recently video but it was before Minki was born.

Chanyeol was sitting at the table eating a salad and feeding bits to Ren who was walking unstably back and forth around the table.

"Are you ready for you brother?" Chanyeol asked Ren.

Ren jumped up and down, "I'm ready. I'm ready!" 

Chanyeol gave her another bite from his salad and Minki kicked him. Ren looked troubled then walked over to place he face against Chanyeol's stomach.

"It's okay Minki. It's okay." Ren said rubbing Chanyeol's stomach. Chanyeol looked up at Kris holding the the camera and smiled. Ren placed her ear to Chanyeol's bellybutton and began whispering.

"Dongsaeng~ You come out healthy okay? Don't hurt umma. You can play with me. When you born. I love you.

Chanyeol started tearing up.

Ren was being so cute. Chanyeol could tell she wanted a sibling even though she never asked for one. He was glad that Ren got to share her life with a sibling. Being an only child was a lonely life. Chanyeol clicked on a video that was actually labeled as, 'Ren and Minki: Day One.'

"Umma he is so cute~" Ren squealed grabbing Minki's cheeks. Minki looked irritated. He wasn't crying but he was squirming to get away from Ren. Ren didn't catch the hint.  Ren put her palms against the side of Minki's face and kissed his nose. Minki whimpered and Chanyeol laughed. He could already tell that Minki didn't like being touched.  Ren kept poking his cheeks until he started whining. 

"Alright Tokki that's enough." Chanyeol said looking into the camera and smiling. Ren pouted.

"Umma he's my brother too."

"He doesn't want to be bother right now Rennie."

"But he's just so cute and pretty and tiny. I just want to squeeze him and love him forever." Ren squealed hugging her chest. Kris laughed. Ren tried to sneakily reach for Minki's cheeks again just for him to look at her with his huge eyes and give her a death glare. Ren her hand back squealing again at how cute his threat was.

Chanyeol clutched his chest as he watched his memories play across the screen. He couldn't believe how much his family had grown so fast. Chanyeol scrolled down to the most recent video which was of Minki two days ago.

"Babe look at this." Kris said. The camera was bouncing around as Two Moons played, trying to focus on Minki. Chanyeol stepped into the frame laughing at Ren dancing near Minki's crib. 

"What am I supposed to be looking at Yifan?" Chanyeol asked. Kris stopped the music and Ren paused her dancing like she was frozen and Minki started crying. Chanyeol rushed over to him and Kris stopped him.

"Hold up, hold up, hold up babe. Just watch." Kris unpaused the track and Minki instantly quieted down. Ren continued her dancing. Ren paused again when the music stopped again and Minki started screaming again. Chanyeol laughed and unpaused the music again.

"Stop teasing my baby!" Chanyeol said. 

"He only likes the sound of your voice. I think we can keep him asleep by playing this what do you think?" Kris asked. 

"I think I won't be able to sleep with this song blasting, idiot." Chanyeol said with a giggle.

Chanyeol was thankful for his family and every member in it. With everyday, they kept making more memories. Chanyeol selected all the photos and videos moving them over to the new camera's memory and saved them.

---

Kris and Ren returned home, and Ren was tired from the movie. 

"Hi babe, how was it?"

Kris laughed,  "Ren was talking about how she wanted to be Rapunzel the whole ride back."

Chanyeol giggled, "Of course."

Kris smiled, looking around the house. "What did you do?"

Chanyeol smiled widely, "I looked at all our videos. Yifan, you record everything, don't you?"

Kris let out a soft laugh, not wanting to awaken his sleeping children who were in their rooms. "Yes, I know." Kris rolled his eyes, "…What did you find?"

Chanyeol took his husband's hand, as he guided him to the couch.  "I found a lot, but I want to share this with you." Chanyeol picked up his new camera and pressed play on the 'Play' button.  Chanyeol and Kris watched as they waltz on the dance floor. Chanyeol looked over, and Kris had tears in his eyes. It wasn't that long ago, but this felt so.. Refreshing. That day changed them for life. Chanyeol turned the camera off, and put his arm around his husband,  "Are you crying?"

Kris blushed and wiped the tears, "No!! God no!!"

Chanyeol chuckled, "It's okay to cry. I cried too."

"Chanyeol, I love you."   

"I love you too, Yifannie."

♕