“Appa! Omma!”

Minho opened his eyes slowly, the sun glaring through the bedroom window making the room bright. He glanced around and noticed his son standing in the doorway. His son stood there, his pajamas wrinkled, his hair tousled from sleep, his eyes bright and awake. The sight made him smile. Minho waved him in with a gesture to be quiet as he pointed to his wife.

She was still fast asleep, her curls splayed across her pillow like golden silk, her dark lashes whispering kisses against her cheeks, her lips pouting as she continued to dream. They’d been married nearly four years and Minho cherished every memory they had shared to this day. He reached out and smoothed her hair back from her face as Tae Joon climbed on the bed and snuggled into his lap.

“Omma sleeping?”

He nodded at his son as he repeated his action and smoothed his son’s hair from his face. “She is. She must be really sleepy, huh? Do you think we should wake her up?”

Minho stifled a chuckle as Tae Joon launched himself out of his lap to attack his sleeping mother only to earn a muffled groan as she buried her face into her pillow and tried to fight waking up. After several minutes of muffled grumbling from his wife and giggles from Tae Joon Destiny finally opened her eyes and blinked.

A smile spread across her face as she rolled over and caught Tae Joon in her arms snuggling him close as his giggles continued and he tried to squirm away. Destiny held tight to her wiggling son as he tried in vain to reach his dad who was chuckling at their early morning antics. She finally let them go just as the sound of footsteps grew loud as many feet padded down the hallway towards them.

Destiny groaned and tried to bury her face in back into her pillow, but Key entered the room and snatched it out from under her. “I don’t think so. It’s morning and so that means it’s time to get up.” He turned to the nodding little boy. “Isn’t that right Tae Joonie?”

“Get up Omma!”

“See he knew I was right.”

Destiny gave Key a mock glare and studied the others that had entered the bedroom and climbed onto her bed, as her eyes swept over the little gathering she noticed someone was missing. “Where’s Onew?”

Key chuckled. “Well…haha…he’s still asleep.”

Shaking her head she sighed and stretched. She should have known Onew was still asleep, the guy slept more than anyone she knew. She giggled as Taemin plopped down on the bed causing Tae Joon to giggle and wiggle into his lap. “Good morning Tae Joonie. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes. Sleep well.”

Jonghyun entered the room and sat near Destiny’s feet before plucking Tae Joon out of Taemin’s lap. Destiny shook her head and giggled at the gathering of people invading her and Minho’s room. It was always like this. She could always count on the others to be bright and cheerful first thing in the morning…well everyone except Onew who she figured would sleep the day away if allowed.

Tae Joon had just recently turned four and for once so young she thought he was the most spoiled boy there ever was, it was impossible not to be when your uncles and father were members of Shinee. They never missed out on a chance to give Tae Joon anything and everything he wanted, but even so it was surprising that he was such a sweet natured and loving child. She knew her son would never want for anything as long as he had his family at his side and for that she was thankful.

She pushed away the covers and stood. “Since pretty much everyone is awake I’ll go and fix breakfast. I figure Onew will wake up when he spells food cooking.” She turned to Key. “Want to help me?”

Key gave her a doubtful look and wandered closer to Tae Joon. “When I have this little guy to play with? No thanks.”

With a smile she shook her head and left the room. When she walked into the kitchen she stared. The table was already set, juice poured and breakfast laid out. Key, Taemin and Jonghyun walked in, Minho behind them carrying Tae Joon. She turned to them. “You already made breakfast?”

Key shrugged. “We can’t have you taking care of us all the time.” He ruffled Tae Joon’s hair as Minho let him down and he hugged his legs. “Tae Joonie helped us. Didn’t you buddy?”

Tae Joon’s little head bobbed up and down, his eyes bright as he smiled at his mother. “I help. Like Omma?”

Bending down Destiny swept her son into her arms and hugged him, kissing the top of his head and inhaling the unique scent he always carried. “Yes Tae Joonie, Omma likes it a lot. Thank you.” She lifted her gaze to the others. “And thank you to you three as well.”

Minho watched the interactions with a smile. He was proud of those he called family, happy with how they had grown closer and closer over the last few years, how they had bonded and created something strong and unbreakable. His son had the best family a kid could ever want and he knew that if his son could vocalize clearly what his heart felt he would tell them that, but even if he didn’t they all knew anyway by the way he always smiled, the way his eyes lit up with an inner light, by the way his small, little arms would wrap around them all.

He felt truly blessed to have his son, his wife, his friends that were more like brothers. Minho felt his heart warm at the thought as he sat down beside his son at the table and began eating the breakfast Key and the others had fixed. It was then that Onew walked in, picked Tae Joon up and sat down in his seat with him in his lap. The sight made Minho smile. He remembered clearly how Onew had been with Yoogeun when they had appeared on “Hello Baby.” His leader had come a long way since then. It wasn’t often that Onew could be seen not playing with Tae Joon when he had the free time.

Free time…that’s what Minho was looking forward to most, something that the members of Shinee hadn’t had in a long while. He cleared his throat and glanced around the table as all eyes turned to him. “I was just thinking since we have this Saturday free why don’t we go out and do something as a family. It’s been awhile since our last family outing and I bet Tae Joonie would love the chance to get out and do something fun.”

Destiny gazed at her husband. She liked the idea of getting out and having some fun time. “What did you have in mind Minho?”

He was about to respond when Taemin cut in with an apologetic glance at Minho. “Why don’t we take Tae Joonie to the zoo? It’s not too cold out yet and he might enjoy seeing all the animals.”

Minho nodded. “I was thinking a day at the park, but that sounds like a better idea.” He turned to his son who was busy feeding Onew his breakfast, or well at least trying to as it seemed that more was making it on Onew’s shirt than in his mouth. “Tae Joonie would you like to go see some animals today?”

Tae Joon’s squeal of delight was answer enough for all of them. Chuckles erupted from around the table as the little boy bounced happily in Onew’s lap while the leader looked on through still sleep-dazed eyes.

 

 

The Shinee family arrived at the zoo, the youngest pulling on the hands of his father and Uncle Taemin, the latter of which bounced along with him like the kid he sometimes could still be. Destiny walked behind them, Onew, the leader and the oldest of them watching their antics with a smile. She knew he enjoyed these little moments when they could all be normal, be the family they were beneath the fame of being idols.

Destiny knew that each one of them missed their families, had a hard time seeing them, knew that sometimes the others would be envious of the little family that Minho had, but she also knew that they knew that they were just a much a part of that little family as she and Minho were. Tae Joon loved each and every one of them in ways they would probably never understand, but in the end what mattered was not understanding Tae Joon, but knowing that he did indeed love them.

Tae Joon smiled over his shoulder at his mouth as his father and Uncle Taemin reached for his hands and began lifting him up every few steps. His squeals of delight made the others smile as they began to peruse the animals. Key took Tae Joon from the grasps of the others and led him over to where there were monkeys swinging from branches and tire swings, while others lazed around and eyes them with disinterest.

Key bent down to his level and pointed at the brown, furry creatures. “Tae Joonie, do you know what those are?”

He scrunched up his tiny face, his face thoughtful a moment before his eyes lit up and he pointed at the animals within their cage. “Monkeys!”

“That’s right Tae Joonie.”

Tae Joon watched the monkeys a moment longer before grabbing Key’s hand and dragging him towards a path that led to where they could ride a trolley to show them some of the bigger animals. Destiny followed, her hand now held firmly in Minho’s as they made up the tail of the group as they begin climbing into the trolley.

Onew sat in the back, Tae Joon perched in his lap, Key settled in the seat beside him. Taemin and Jonghyun took seats on opposites of the trolley and Destiny and Minho decided to take the seats beside, her beside Taemin and him beside his hyung. The kept their hands clasped across the aisle as the vehicle began to move. Tae Joon’s happy squeals and delighted babble music to their ears as they examined the animals that yawn and stretched, pranced and preened outside the safety of their windows.

 

 

It was nearing midday when Taemin began blushing as his stomach rumbled loudly. The other’s laughed as he looked sheepishly at them. “It’s been awhile since breakfast, I can’t help it if I’m hungry.”

Tae Joon pulled on Onew’s hand and stared up at him with his big brown eyes and a little pout on his lips. “Uncle Onew I’m hungry.”

“What would you like to eat Tae Joonie?” Minho asked his son. “We can eat whatever you want.”

Tae Joon looked as if he thought about it a minute before he lifted his eyes back to Onew and smiled. Destiny watched as Onew’s eyes lit up and she knew the answer even before Tae Joon answered. “Chicken!”

Taemin, Key and Jonghyun groaned and Destiny would have thought the answer was obvious. Tae Joon always decided on chicken when he got to pick what was to eat. Shaking her head she followed Minho as he led them from the zoo. Climbing into the van, that Destiny had become more and more thankful for throughout the years, she let the driver know to head to some place that sound chicken much to the happy cheers of Onew and her son and the continued groaning of Key and the others.

The driver pulled out into traffic and managed to wade through cars and trucks and soon had them at one of Onew’s favorite places. Shinee’s leader was more than satisfied with the driver’s choice of restaurants. He climbed from the van and helped Tae Joon out before carrying him in with him ahead of everyone else.

Jonghyun chuckled. “Onew condition strikes again it seems. We better hurry in before he orders and he and Tae Joon eat it all.”

Destiny inwardly laughed at Jonghyun’s comment. She remembered the first time she had learned about what the other’s called the Onew Condition…or well one of them anyway. Shinee’s leader definitely had a weak spot for chicken. She cast her eyes over to the man in question as he stood at the counter with her son and ordered for them all. She thought that Onew made an amazing leader and it showed in how he cared for the others of Shinee, even how he cared for her and Tae Joon. She had definitely come to love him like an older brother, even in those clumsy moments he seems so prone to, she would look at him with love in her eyes like any younger sister would.

She let her eyes stray from Onew to Key. Now Key was quite the character as she came to learn, he seemed tough, harsh sometimes, but beneath all of that was the heart of a warm and loving man and she had seen evidence of that as she had watched him throughout the years. Key was also a diva and she knew he knew it and was very proud of the fact.

Her eyes moved on, settling on Jonghyun. Destiny studied him as he sat quietly with the others as they waited for their order. He was definitely the shyest of the five Shinee members and didn’t say much unless he needed to, but once you got to know him, the mask of shyness fell away to reveal the great person he was beneath. He had been rather quiet when she had first arrived, but it hadn’t taken long for him to open up to her. Jonghyun was probably her best friend out of the five.

Taemin’s laughter drew her attention to the maknae of Shinee. He was the youngest, but still a man now, even if he was so much still a kid at heart. In the last several years she had seen the young man she had met grow into someone she was proud to claim as her little brother. She loved his silliness and his easy abilities to communicate with Tae Joon. It was often that Taemin could be found on the floor playing any number of games or childishly knocking over block towers as her son giggled happily at the destruction.

She was quite content with the oddness of her little family, but she wouldn’t change a thing about them. She was pulled from her thoughts as Minho handed her a chicken and a bottle of soda. Destiny smiled in thanks and dug in, her thoughts once again consumed by thoughts of the people gathered around her.

 

 

Bedded down for the night, Tae Joon snuggled between them, the house quiet save for the muffled snores of the others, Minho rolled to his side and studied his wife as she their son’s hair away from his face, a slight smile lighting her face. “What were you so deep in thought about during lunch? You seemed to be in a world all of your own.”

Destiny lifted her face to beam her smile at him. She let her eyes roam over the face that was forever etched into her heart. She loved the softness of the skin she so often touched, the love that always shone for her and their son in his beautiful eyes. She loved the way he hold her, the strength she felt in his arms, the warmth she knew would always be there. Destiny loved everything about Minho. Every day she felt more and more thankful for being allowed to have him in her life, for being luck enough to meet him and fall in love with him, to receive his love in return, to have created the beautiful child sleeping soundly between them.

“I was just thinking back over the years, thinking about how much everyone had come to mean to me and about thankful I was to know each and every one of you. I found it amazing how different everyone is, but at the same time so similar, especially when it comes to loving Tae Joon.” She smiled down at her son before looking back up at her husband. “I couldn’t think of any child as lucky as our Tae Joon. He’s surrounded by so much love every day. I’m happy to know that he receives the kinds love he does, that he never has to want for anything, that he always has someone there to be with him. Tae Joon is going to grow into a fine person because of the family he has. I can’t help but be thankful for something like that.”

Minho made an affirmative noise of agreement as he snuggled closer to his son and draped one of his long arms across Destiny’s waist. He listened to the quiet breathing of his son as he roamed the land of dreams, the steady breathing of his wife as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber. Minho was thankful as well, he knew exactly what his wife had meant and he fully agreed with her. Tae Joon was definitely a lucky boy, he had more love than any one person could ever hope to have, he had a family that Minho knew would stand beside him and would guide him throughout his life. He couldn’t ask for anything better for his son.

Sighing in content he closed his eyes and felt sleep tug at him. It had been another long day for the Shinee family, but it had only just be a day in their lives, he knew they still had many more to look forward to, other days to smile and laugh together. It was with this thought that he left sleep claim him. With a smile toying with his lips he joined his wife and son in the world of dreams.