Happy & Baby (Side Story)
The Three Cupcakes
Junhyung looked forward to waking up and walking to Yoseob’s white crib every morning. The baby woke bright and early every time, as all babies do. For Junhyung’s convenience, Yoseob habitually opened his pea eyes around the good time of eight or nine in the morning, after having him rise from slumber all hours of the night. Junhyung would be shaken from sleep by gurgling and cries, loud or soft, but those sounds were all the more beautiful that day…
Appa had been gone for a two-week long assignment in Singapore and Thailand for work. He was coming home today. That fact energized Junhyung.
It started with Yoseob’s morning jabbers, letting umma Jun know he, too, was ready.
Junhyung, snug in bed, heard the beckoning calls of his little one in his dreamless sleep. He peeled back his eyelids and peeked at the flickering lights on the face of the yellow baby monitor on the lamp stand. The lights fluctuated from green to orange to red, indicating the baby’s change in pitch. It wallowed in the orange range. Yep, Seob was awake. Time to get up.
Junhyung inched out of the sheets and threw his legs over the mattress till the soles of his feet touched the carpet below. He pulled a shirt over his head, shifted into his house slippers and shuffled to Yoseob’s dwelling. He could hear him carrying on a whole conversation of gibberish from the corridor. It was a short walk.
He entered the yellow nursery, straight ahead a curtained window, fending away the sunlight. Then, there was the white-barred crib, housing and protecting the most precious thing Junhyung had ever known. Grinning, he encroached the crib and hovered over it, peering down inside.
“Heeeeey.”
Yoseob was lying on his back, his tiny legs and arms fidgeting like a wee roach’s would on its back, clothed in his yellow onesie. (That was a disgusting analogy for something so dear, but it was an action umma thought all too familiar to the insect’s, and all too cute.) Yoseob’s brown orbs locked onto Junhyung’s once in his view. Spit bubbles leaked from the edge of his teeny mouth as more indecipherable sentences left it. Umma Jun chuckled at his mannerisms; he reached down with both hands and gingerly scooped up the little bundle. Yoseob was laid and sweetly held against Junhyung’s chest, but juuust enough so that they could search one another with their eyes. Junhyung held Yoseob in one arm and cradled his small, fuzzy head with his free hand, bouncing some. He served him a kiss to his rosy cheek.
“You were just chattin’ it up in here, weren’t you? Who were you talking to?” Junhyung’s lips pecked Yoseob’s soft cheek, “Hm? Were you talking to someone? Or were you just waking me up?”
Yoseob drooled and filled his googly gaze with his umma, and was awarded three additional kisses.
“Hungry?”
Using the hand from Yoseob’s head, Junhyung teased the baby’s lips with the knuckle of his index finger. Yoseob created suction around it.
“Of course you are. Umma feels those teeth coming up in there… Let’s get you changed and bathed first before you eat.”
Junhyung carried his son to the changing table across the room. He cleaned him up, then made his way to the kitchen sink for this bath time, propping him on top of the counter. Yoseob stared at the water. He knew what was coming. Yoseob’s small mouth produced bubbles; he was about to muster up a fuss.
“Nnnnn…”
“I know, I know,” Junhyung swept the onesie up and over the baby’s head. He lifted him, holding him above the water, and the instance Yoseob’s chubby legs were submerged in the warm, bubbly water, cries liken to acute sirens worked at Junhyung’s eardrums. Nothing sated a raging Yoseob when he was in that little “tub”, no matter if the bath was a meager three-minute wipe down, and no matter if Junhyung added all the toys and a cute puppet disguised cleverly as a washcloth. He didn’t even care if there were bubbles present. Reason? He’d always preferred Doojoon bathing him. Why, Junhyung did not know, but there are things he only wants Junhyung to do, and the same went for Doojoon. He was a particular baby, but with appa absent, Yoseob had to settle with umma giving him sudsy rubdowns.
“Why don’t you like me bathing you, Seobie? I’m doing the same things appa does,” Junhyung said to the boy... “You just like being difficult, huh?”
Yoseob was wailing and red-faced the whole bath, splashing destructively in the water. He was lucky the soap and bubbles were from a formula that didn’t sting his little eyes. Junhyung absolutely loathed hearing him cry for anything, but it had to be done. He didn’t keep Seobie there long.
“Alright, alright. All done. We’re all done,” Junhyung cooed, then covered his own chest with a little towel and plucked the shrieking baby from the sink. He placed him on top of the towel before bundling him up and drying him off limb by limb. Junhyung already laid out the boy’s fresh clothes on the couch. Yoseob was quiet now that he was out of the water. He was humming again, and rambling fragments and drooling.
“Quiet once again… You are just a character, Yoseob.”
Junhyung dressed the baby in his new diaper and a onesie riddled with giraffes. He set Yoseob on his tush on the couch cushion.
“There. All clean,” Junhyung looked down to his dampened clothes as a result from wrestling with Yoseob in the sink, “Ah, but now look at what you did. Umma is all wet…”
Yoseob was distracted with his right sock bootie, the last of the articles he was to be clothed with. He investigated it for a bit of time, then put the bootie in his mouth, chewing. Junhyung applied the left bootie, then took the right one from Yoseob’s trap.
“Seobie, no. These go on your feet, baby. Remember?” Junhyung picked up his little, socked foot and wiggled it, “Foot. I know you know this.”
Yoseob reached for the bootie in Junhyung’s hand, whining.
“No, Yoseob. Foot.”
And Junhyung slipped it on his barefoot. Yoseob tried to take it off, but couldn’t, finding it very difficult. He erupted in frustration, kicking his legs and turning pink.
“Those teeth have been making you so fussy lately.”
Junhyung picked Yoseob from the couch, settling him down in his high chair and bibbing him. He fished around in the silverware drawer and pulled out Yoseob’s plastic, eating spoon. Yoseob liked holding his spoon. He hustled over to the high chair and waved the red spoon like a wand. It had a green star at the end.
“Look at what I got, Seobie. It’s your spoon. Seobie spoon.”
There was a fast decline in Yoseob’s crying. The circular motion that umma used to captivate his attention did its job in doing so; his eyes followed. Yoseob un-bunched his chubby face and slowly took the spoon into his little hands. “Seobie spoon” meant it was time to eat, and Seobie loved eating. Anticipating breakfast, the spoon succumbed to the onslaught of Yoseob’s gums. It was large enough, so there was no choking hazard.
“Ohh. You’re gonna hold the spoon while umma gets your food?” Junhyung wiped the baby’s watering eyes and nose with his bib, “Thaaank you.”
Yoseob chewed on his plastic spoon for a while; it was some relief for his agitated gums. Though umma could not see them yet, his baby teeth were starting to push through on the bottom row. Yoseob was around seven months, so it was time for teeth to start pushing up. Junhyung bought the baby a chewing ring and more solid foods for him to eat in hopes that this period in Yoseob’s life would not be a painful one. Oftentimes Yoseob woke the both of them up in the middle of the night, fussing, not wanting a bottle or to be cradled… He just fussed and fussed, and Junhyung didn’t know why, until he saw a well-hidden, white chip surrounded by pink on the lower row of Yoseob’s gums. The parents knew they had to be ready for what as to come.
For breakfast, Junhyung put together a baby-fingers-friendly bottle of milk and grabbed a baby food jar of mushy, semi-solid apples. When Yoseob saw umma coming back with the food, he banged on the white tray in front of him with his utensil, grinning and shrieking. Junhyung pulled a chair from the table and angled it towards baby.
“Umma bought apples and cinnamon for you this time. Something sweet. You probably got sick of those vegetables. I don’t know why he bought you so many,” he said, referring to Doojoon, unscrewing the cap on the jar. He set the bottle of milk down on the tray, and Yoseob’s small hands snatched it right up, ling. He abandoned his spoon. The sweet milk did not hold his limited attention for too long of a time. His nostrils picked up the spicy, new aroma of cinnamon when the cap was removed. Yoseob released his bottle onto the tray. Pudgy little arms reached and reached for the jar. “Me. Me-me-me-me-me-me-me.”
Seobie had a few words in his growing vocabulary bank. He just “learned” his name, meaning when he was called, he would turn his head as an answer. He knew “me”, and would chant this to get things that he wanted. He understood “no”, although he did not really follow that command… He was learning and learning quickly.
“Yes, you-you-you,” Junhyung took up the spoon and dove into the jar of baby food. He spooned a small bite into Yoseob’s mouth. Yoseob accepted the sample, scrunching his lips into a tight, fish-like purse. He chewed -- the excess was caught by his bib -- and Junhyung prepared more. “Yeaaaah, it’s sweeeeet. It’s good?” Seemed so. He didn’t stop eating it. Yoseob kicked in happiness and made more fishy faces as he ate his mushy breakfast.
Feedings were one of the best times of the day. They were intimate, intimate times with umma Junhyung and baby Yoseob. It was the moment -- since Day One of meeting each other -- that the two bonded and grew close. Junhyung earned Yoseob’s trust through feeding time, bite by bite. Having those big brown eyes beam at you -- eyes that returned the love a hundredfold -- was the greatest reward of all.
Junhyung smiled with warmth, “Appa’s coming home today.”
“Ba,” Yoseob chirped, his uttered form of “Appa”.
“Yes, that’s right. Appa. Appa’s coming home,” Junhyung repeated to those enlarged chocolate eyes, spooning more into his mouth.
“Ba-ba-ba,” chanted Yoseob in repetitive chains, only stopping when Junhyung was feeding him. It was not easy for Doojoon to leave for assignments, especially with Yoseob entering the clingy stages of babyhood. Before leaving for Singapore, Yoseob cried for an hour. He was broken up. Junhyung didn’t know what to do but hold him to his chest and comfort him with touches. Inevitably, the little thing cried himself out and fell asleep. Junhyung pleaded with Doojoon to stop going away so much, but he also understood that it was for income… Junhyung had to stay home with the baby, so he couldn’t work at the shop… They would have to find someway…
The phone started ringing minutes later; Yoseob was almost done with his apple bites.
“Who is that?” Junhyung asked the baby, then presented him with the red spoon, “Here. Can you hold Seobie spoon for me?”
Yoseob clutched the spoon, then took it into his mouth to see what he could off.
Junhyung got up from his chair to retrieve the phone. He knew it was Doojoon calling. Doojoon called before he boarded the plane to go back home always. Junhyung answered…
“Hello?”
“Hey!” Doojoon greeted with liveliness, “Good morning.”
Junhyung smirked into the phone, “Good morning. Are you getting ready to leave?”
“Yep. I board in a few. It’s been a loooong two weeks, I can tell ya that. I got everything accomplished, though.”
“That’s good. Now you can come home.”
“I can’t wait to… Is Seobie up? Where’s my baby?”
And speak of the devil, Yoseob made his presence known.
Yoseob dropped his jar of food on the floor, the remnants splashing all over. It crashed loudly for it being a plastic jar.
Junhyung turned. He saw the spilled, mushy apples on his floor and a Yoseob grinning with gums. The baby laughed and released a high-noted shriek. There were not only apple bits on the floor, but all on his high chair’s tray, and little splotches on his face.
“Yoon Yoseob,” Junhyung addressed.
“Was that him?” Doojoon asked, hearing the happy scream.
“Yeah, that was him. He just threw his breakfast on the floor. All over it. I think he tried feeding himself ’cause I stepped away… and I made the mistake of giving him his spoon. I swear I turn my back for seven seconds and he’ll find some way to destroy something.”
Doojoon hooted.
“Yep. You definitely have to watch him. I know it’s been a while since I’d called. Sorry.”
“It’s cool, Joon.”
“I’ve just been busy over here, trying to get this to that person, then eating and writing at the same time, then turning stuff in. Not as easy as it seems… So, since Seobie wants some attention, how’s he been? Has his teething gotten real bad yet?”
“Not too bad… Occasionally he’ll come to a point where he’ll just cry, but I give him something to chew on. Usually they bother him whenever he’s hungry, so I give him food instead of the toy. I’m feeding him those semi-solid foods you got before you left.”
“Ohhh for real? Does he like them? They’re much chunkier than the pureed.”
“Seobie likes anything. I’ve been giving him the mixed vegetables kind, but now he just got through eating -- well -- the majority of the apple cinnamon one I bought. The rest is on the floor. But it’s chunkier like you said, yet soft. So if his gums ache, it’ll give him some relief.”
“Okay, okay. As long as he’s still a happy baby, that’s all that matters to me. Ah… I miss my boy. Would you please put him on the phone for me?”
“Gladly.”
Junhyung, avoiding the mess, walked back to Yoseob and pressed the “Speaker” button on the phone. He held it in front of the baby, “Alright, talk, Doojoon.”
“Seobiiiie~ Seobie it’s appa! Appa is inside the phone!”
Yoseob narrowed his eyes at the device. He looked up at Junhyung, seemingly with unspoken questions. He reached for the phone, silent and wondering.
“Appa wants to talk to you, Seobie. Talk,” umma gave the phone to the baby and pointed to the little pinholes, “Talk to Ba right there. You know this. Umma showed you before.”
Yoseob held the phone, his little eyebrows still bent intelligently.
“Babyyyy. Where are you? Why aren’t you talking with appa? What’s he doing, Jun?”
“He’s looking at the phone like he doesn’t know what to do. I was just telling him that you were coming home soon, so I think he’s wondering why you’re still in the phone and not here yet.”
“Ohhhh… usually he’s babbling away and you can’t stop ’im. Well then, appa’s coming home soon, baby. Appa can’t wait to see you. I miss yooou… Oh. Jun, I gotta go. The flight’s ready. A coworker’ll be dropping me off at the house, so you and Seob can stay put this time.”
“Gotcha.”
“Alright. See you in a few hours, baby,” Doojoon uttered in a way that went deep, deep under Junhyung’s skin, and in the good, feely way.
“Me too. See you soon. G’bye.”
“Bye.”
Junhyung exited the conversation with a button, but that did not stop the feelings poking him all over… He was grinning stupidly. Doojoon made it so easy and dreamy to fall in love with him. Junhyung scolded himself in the beginning how he let the slick man scoop up his heart with such little effort, but the guy was good. Junhyung felt comfortable in this relationship… well, yes. His unfortunate relationships of the past he’d rather forget were consistent reminders of what could be and what had happened to him could very easily happen again, but Doojoon promised with his heart that he wouldn’t dream of dropping Junhyung’s. And so Junhyung, with all the shattered shards of trust remaining, took the final pieces and put them all into this new man. Because he really loved him. He really loved Yoseob, too. They were a happy little family… and he was Doojoon’s “Baby”.
He was so in love.
Yoseob sipped from his milk bottle now, all sticky and apple-y. He lifted his shiny eyes to Junhyung, who was hanging over him from above.
“Look at you, Seobie. Did you try feeding yourself?”
Junhyung assembled a wet cloth and wiped down Yoseob’s face and plump legs till he was free of the sticky apple mush. Most clung to the bib. None spilled onto his onesie somehow.
“At least I won’t have to clean you all over again. Neither of us’ll like that. Umma needs to give you something to do before you go around throwing things. That makes more work for me.”
Junhyung ed the bib and picked up Yoseob, who held onto his bottle and continued to drink. They went back into the boy’s nursery, umma pulling out his large blue-and-white-striped play blanket. He went to the closet to grab a few toys, too. Yoseob’s rounded eyes saw the colorful bag of blocks and light up toys and immediately leaned for them, dropping his bottle.
“Meeee…”
“Yes, Seobie, yes. Umma’s getting your toys. Just wait.”
Yoseob didn’t like the word “wait” -- never did -- and started his shrilling.
Junhyung, sighing at drumsticks pounding his eardrums, hustled into the main room with all that he scrounged up from the closet. He spread the blanket about the carpet. Softly did Junhyung plop the hollering infant down onto it, placing around him all the toys. Yoseob hushed, attracted to his favorites: the huge blocks. He loved building and making things, and ever since he’d started teething, he loved biting them, too.
Junhyung noticed, and went to the fridge to seize his chew ring. It was several colors and had ridges and grooves made for relaxing little gums. It’d be nice and cold for the aching things. Junhyung also got the bottle that Yoseob had dropped as well, adding some more milk, before returning to him.
“No, no. Don’t chew that, baby. Here,” Junhyung took the block from his mouth and introduced the ring to his small lips. Yoseob gnawed into it, holding it on both sides. With baby being occupied and constructive -- and not creating further messes -- umma got to work in cleaning the mush on the floor and in the high chair. And when that was all done, alas, he fixed himself a simple bowl of cereal and a side bowl of mixed fruit and sat on the couch in the main room with Yoseob.
Yoseob was getting to the age where he could stand and take four or five wobbly, uneven steps before falling on his . He proceeded to just crawl from there. On the blanket, Yoseob walked some to get to most of the rainbow blocks. They were hollow, therefore lightweight and easy to carry for him. He could never produce a high “skyscraper-sized” tower, however. Whenever he felt it was high enough, Yoseob would give his creation a good, wrecking slap, then flail, giggle and kick with joy when they tumbled to the ground with him. His eyes made stars appear dull. It made great fun and entertainment.
Yoseob piled on several blocks before umma came to sit. He watched umma sit down in front of him, and became very interested in what he had to munch on in his bowls. Yoseob crawled up to Junhyung and brought himself onto his feet using the couch and umma’s knees as leverage. A tiny claw began stretching for either bowl.
“Me-me-me-me.”
Junhyung lifted his bowls higher, “Noooooo. This is umma’s food, Seobie. You already had yours,” and he pointed with the spoon to the boy’s bottle, “There’s milk. I got you s’more milk. You see it?”
Hardheaded baby Yoseob persistently chanted “me”, reaching for the out-of-reach bowls and appearing distressed. And the last thing Junhyung wanted was him screaming again.
Junhyung huffed and peered down into his bowl to see what he could offer. Grapes, strawberries, pears, banana slices…
“Fine,” Junhyung mushed up a slice of banana, and spooned it into the baby’s always-gaping mouth. Yoseob chewed and smacked in content, sitting back on his bottom. Watching him chew and fix his face was entertaining. He wasn’t used to such a paste-y type food.
“There, that’s all I’m giving you. Now go play.”
Yoseob crawled to his blocks again to go and construct a new tower, but he was back. The baby knew how to charm and sway his umma -- with his little grabbing hands and his peeps of “me” and his round, distressed eyes -- and won two more small slices. As a result, Junhyung finished his breakfast with the pint-sized help he had. He always got his way.
So, umma got on his hands and knees to start playing with the boy. He had some chores he needed to tackle, but Yoseob was having so much fun on that blanket and summoning much ruckus. Plus they always played together!
“Can I help you build?” Junhyung asked. Seobie stared wide-eyed and slapped his hand on top of the yellow block. He smiled and sputtered jibberish, so Junhyung took it as a “yes, you may”.
Junhyung built a skyscraper with the blocks, probably twice the boy’s height. Yoseob kept wanting to knock it down, but umma constantly told him “one minute” and kept him busy by asking him to give him certain things. He didn’t listen, but distracting him was the main point.
When Junhyung gave the signal, Seob rose to his feet with some of Junhyung’s assistance, and hobbled through the “building” like a human wrecking ball, shrieking and falling to the ground with the blocks. They did that five times or so, till Seobie’s focus turned to a new challenge! The baby made Junhyung chase him on his fours and his fours only, all around the house. It was a goose chase, and it was absolutely hilarious for Yoseob to see his umma crawling like a baby behind him. He often looked back to check on where he was, and would laugh and crawl faster or slower in regards to his closeness. Umma made noises as he chased him all over the house. He tried to trick Seobie, too, by hiding around corners, but Seobie knew all of his hiding spots by now. Junhyung only managed to capture him three times in the span of ten minutes. So the third time, he decided it was time to take a break. He scooped the baby up again.
“Alright, let’s settle down a little. You just had breakfast, and I am not in the mood for cleaning any throw up.”
They reentered the living room, Junhyung taking place on the couch. Yoseob seemed to have agreed with the settling down. He was full and well-fed, and tired. Junhyung had baby fully laid out on his torso, Yoseob’s head laying on his chest, Junhyung’s heart located right underneath his pink ear, inches away. He bounced him lullingly while the baby’s thin wisps of hair. Yoseob on his fingers, an indicator that he would be napping soon. His little heart was felt pumping against Junhyung’s chest...
These transpiring moments were when Junhyung believed he was in a parallel universe. Because there was this beautiful, warm baby on his torso and on his way to sleep. He did not think -- ever, ever, ever -- that he’d be associated in any way with an infant child. But there he was, plump and happy, and Junhyung was happy, too. Happier than any other time in his life. This baby loved him, and Junhyung loved him as his mother would have if she hadn’t perished. Junhyung personally took it upon himself to be this child’s umma. Yoseob was so lovely and precious and was unquestionably worthy of a mother’s love, and he would not go without it. It was a happy day when he accepted Doojoon’s request of him being the completing puzzle piece to he and Yoseobs’s lives.
Well, almost.
Junhyung told Kikwang about this, and he had to, because Doojoon and Yoseob would be living with him. Kikwang was thwarted by his best friend’s hastiness.
Junhyung had saved he and his friend’s short conversation and shooed it beneath other prominent thoughts, like sweeping trash under a rug. But that trash always has a way of resurfacing. He remembered the conversation they had once Junhyung told him about Doojoon and Yoseob moving in…
“…I just think you reacted so fast to everything. It’s like every time I see you, you’ve got a new story to tell about this guy. Don’t you think you’re going too fast with this, Jun? Did he talk you into doing all this?”
“No. I want to be there for Seobie. He needs me.”
“Seobie needs you, or does Doojoon need you? You can take care of that baby without having him move in with you.”
“……”
“Jun… I know what you’re trying to do… What if you get hurt again? What then? What if he hurts you like all the others--”
“Doojoon’s not like all the others. He’s different. He’s better for me.”
“But you don’t really know him, and you obviously don’t know what’s good for you.”
“But you do?”
Kikwang was silent.
“I thought you’d be happy, or proud of me, Kikwang. I’m being a parent to a child who needs one. A beautiful child. And you would see that if you came over and saw him, or held him, or played with him--”
“--And that’s fine, Junhyung. And yes, I’m proud of you. All I’m worried about is Doojoon.”
“Then don’t be. He’s a good man.”
“Just because he has a baby doesn’t automatically make him a ‘good man’, Junhyung. I’m just warning you, if he turns out to be like--”
“--Would you quit saying that!? This ‘What if he turns out like this or that’ ? You say that every damn time I get into a new relationship with somebody, and it seems every time you ‘warned’ me, the guy ended up doing the exact same thing! You’re doing nothing but jinxing me and making me feel… inadequate! I don’t need that right now. I love Doojoon, and I love Yoseob, and we’re all gonna be together under this roof, whether you approve or not.”
…They hadn’t spoken since.
Junhyung was -- circumstantially -- not able to work at his shop because he had to be home with Yoseob, but they had cell phones. Kikwang did not call him once after that, and it had been at least two weeks. It didn’t feel right. Not at all. Junhyung did not want this to be the new reality of their friendship. If only Kikwang could see Yoseob when he smiled toothlessly. Or when he hollered with happiness with that drool-rich mouth. Or when he crawled and took his baby steps and learned new things when he played… Only then would he understand. Only then would he see why Junhyung dropped everything just to be with them.
Yoseob stopped mumbling on Junhyung’s chest. Junhyung craned his head to look at the boy’s face.
“Yah,” he whispered, “…Seobie? You asleep?”
Yoseob was indeed sleeping, his fingers getting soggy in his mouth. Junhyung caressed his head as tentatively as he could.
“I love you,” he whispered, the words carrying a gentle honesty. Umma Jun pursed his lips and bent his neck down, pecking the crown of the baby’s head. The man rose from the couch, leisurely, as to not wake his son. They entered the nursery. He lowered Yoseob into his crib and watched him stir for a moment to see whether or not Yoseob would change his mind on sleeping. Nope, he returned easefully to his dreams. Junhyung left him with a light touch to the bootie on his foot and escaped the room noiselessly, shutting the door.
Chore time. Junhyung didn’t have an extraordinary amount to accomplish. It simply was him and Yoseob in the house. A few washes here and there was all that needed doing. He neatened Yoseob’s play area -- stacking blocks for later playtime.
Progressively, daydreams of Doojoon melded into the cauldron of his everyday thoughts… Doojoon would be home in a few hours… home, and wanting something to fill his stomach for sure. There was nothing better than a meal after flying.
Junhyung prepared a generous dish with his mate in mind… Some hours later, Junhyung’s ears identified that firm, familiar rap at his door. Upon pulling back the barrier, Junhyung became face to face with his missed Doojoon.
“I have returned~” Doojoon stepped inside with his luggage, shuffling on the floor behind him until he and it were all the way inside their warm house. Junhyung moved aside to let his partner have space to enter. He closed the door when everything made it inside the house.
“Welcome home,” said Junhyung.
“Thank you… C’mere.”
The reunited couple embraced deeply, Junhyung’s arms strapped around Doojoon, and Doojoon’s limbs fastened irremovably about Jun. They remained locked like that for ten heartbeats… Ten very long ones. Junhyung inhaled, filling himself with Doojoon’s scent… my, had he missed this man. He thought about what Kikwang had said, about Doojoon potentially being rotten… He clutched him tighter, only to where he could tell. Doojoon leaned out of the hug, piercing into Junhyung’s gaze just seconds before kissing him. And he kissed him just right, because Junhyung voluntarily submitted to the second kiss, and the third, and the fourth.
It was some time before they gave each other’s mouths back.
“I’ve been thinking about finally doing that all week,” Doojoon confessed.
Junhyung laughed, “You’re hopeless.”
“Ahhh, but you missed me,” Doojoon kissed him again, a lingering peck, “didn’t you?”
“………Yeah.”
Doojoon clasped Junhyung’s hands with his own, and his eyes started scanning the floor.
“Where’s Yoseob? I thought he’d be scrambling all over my legs by now.”
“He’s taking a nap.”
Doojoon lowered his voice, “How long has he been asleep?”
“A couple of hours… Two-and-a-half. He might of heard you come in. Maybe he woke up.”
“Let’s go see.”
The parents traveled together to the baby’s room. Junhyung makes it in first, and Doojoon filed after him, staying close. They towered over the crib, Doojoon behind Junhyung, yet leaning over to look into the crib. Yoseob was on his back with his hands at either side of his head. His eyes were closed angelically, and he was still sleeping.
Doojoon reached down inside and delivered a to Yoseob’s petite, open palm with his finger. “Well… I wouldn’t wanna wake him up,” he muttered.
“I’m surprised he’s even slept this long… I chased him around the house for a bit. That might’ve tired him. He’ll probably be up in a few more minutes, whining for something,” Junhyung peered behind him, seeking Doojoon’s face, “Want something to eat? I made a small lunch for you.”
Doojoon entered Junhyung’s view, looking him over as if he were honey in his eyes.
“You’re always thinkin’ about me…”
“Someone’s got to.”
He and Junhyung sat down together at the table. Doojoon puts the food away as if he didn’t need to breathe.
“I know it’s not as good as some of the stuff you’ve eaten for the past two weeks, and you’ve eaten some delicious things, no doubt.”
Doojoon cleared his throat of food, then chuckled, “Phenomenal; I’ll have to share them with you. But I’d prefer your cooking over everything else.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not lying, babe~ I’m just being sweet,” Doojoon touched his hand, “I can’t be sweet?”
Junhyung shied away from Doojoon’s grinning eyes…
As they were eating, a wailing infant demanded the parents’ attention a few dozen moments later. Junhyung started to get up, “There he goes.”
“I wonder if he heard me,” said Doojoon, speaking quieter.
“Or he smelled food. He’s awake either way. I’ll go get him.”
“I’ve got an idea. While you’re getting Seob, I’ll hide behind the plant in the living room, and we’ll see if he can find me.”
Junhyung liked this plan. “Alright.” He skipped made for the nursery for his whining baby while appa took his stance behind the towering bamboo stalks.
“Yoseooooooob,” umma clamored to the crib, forking the child up and securing his frame in a close embrace. After doing a bit of trial and error, Junhyung found that Seobie’s diaper needed changing. He was not in the mood for food. Though even after changing him out, Yoseob’s crying did not die down. The man assumed his gums were pestering him.
“Okay okay. I get it. Let’s go get your toy.”
Doojoon could not contain his smile when he saw Yoseob’s tremoring little frame through the leaves. He wanted to jump out from behind the stalks and run up to him and hold him so close so, so badly. Junhyung had the baby at his hip. They were before the fridge, umma getting the promised chew ring for the little one. He softly pressed it to Seobie’s mouth; Seobie sensed the coolness of his comfort wheel and wrapped his finger stubs and little lips about it, pacified.
“Better?”
Yoseob’s wet, beady eyes showed umma thanks and contentment. Junhyung wiped them away, “You want to play some more? You want to play with blocks?”
Junhyung and Yoseob spread themselves out on the play blanket, just like earlier, but Junhyung made sure the baby’s backside was turned away from the “human” bamboo tree. He and Yoseob were just getting started on a new tower...
“Seobiiiiiiie~” called the “tree”.
Yoseob’s eyes flashed up at Junhyung and dropped his blue block; they stretched into circles at the voice. Appa’s voice. He babbled to his umma questioningly.
“It wasn’t me. Listen again.”
“Seobie! Over here!” appa called again, peeking at the wee one.
Yoseob was looking around in all directions. He knew it was appa. His little face expressed the mixed emotions of confusion and excitement. This charade was beginning to upset him since he couldn’t see him. And he wanted to see his appa...
“Aaaaaa...” Yoseob crawled about on the blanket for a little bit before trucking for the door. He always remembered appa coming through there, so his logic and observations told him to check that place out first.
Doojoon finally jumped out.
“YAH.”
Yoseob turned his body around. His glassy eyes absorbed the image of his appa and an adoring, toothless smile overtook the entire lower half of his face. He crawl-hobbled to the man at his fastest, record speed. Doojoon was kneeling down on the floor; when the boy became close enough, he scraped him up and held him as dear as a father could. He spoiled Yoseob with kiss after kiss after kiss, getting slob on his cheeks, but it didn’t bother him. He missed it. Junhyung’s heart warmed at the reunion. His baby was glowing with happiness from the inside-out.
“Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba.” Yoseob was touching his eyes and nose and trying to probe his mouth with his fingers.
Doojoon smoothed down his hair, chomping at the digits that tried to pry his lips apart, “Yesssssss, I missed you, too, Seobie.”
He sat on the couch with him, offering to feed him for a bit. Yoseob had some milk, was burped, and then sent off to play with his toys. Junhyung watched, while thinking of some things...
“What’s up?” asked Doojoon.
“What?”
“What’s up? Why’re you looking like that?”
“Looking like what?”
“Like you’re lost in thought. Like you want to tell me something.”
“And how did you know?”
Doojoon tapped underneath Jun’s chin, “I just know. What is it?”
Junhyung’s pupils swept to his open hands. His emotions scuttled onto his visage, it seemed.
“……Kikwang hasn’t called me in a while.”
“And why do you think that is?”
“We had a disagreement.”
“About what?”
“…About you.”
Doojoon beamed, “Really? Hmm, let me guess… He doesn’t like me. I’m right, aren’t I? That man gives me glares like I’ve never seen before.”
“It’s not that he doesn’t like you, it’s because of what I told you before. I’ve… I’ve been through some things with others and he doesn’t want me to get hurt again.”
“Jun, Jun, Juuuun,” Doojoon swiped up one of Junhyung’s open hands -- the left one -- and carried it in his, “…How many times do we have to go over this? I’ve told you over and over that I’d never do to you what the others have done… I won’t even think on it. Look at me.”
Junhyung looked.
“Never,” uttered Doojoon, one-hundred percent, “I’ll never put you through that again. I’m going to give you what you’ve deserved, and make Kikwang eat his own words. Believe me when I say that. I love you.”
Junhyung felt like he could breathe again… With Kikwang putting all that doubt in his head, it led him to begin questioning the choices that he’s made. Was he indeed being too risky, too nonchalant? Was he making the right moves with this man by letting him into his home as well as his heart? Would he later regret it?
"Don't hurt me, Doojoon," Junhyung gently passed through his lips. It was a vulnerable plea. Doojoon squeezed his lover's hand.
"I won't."
Doojoon’s eyes and words terminated all internal speculation. All that lingered behind was reassurance, and a big, happy heart. Junhyung’s lips spread for a smile; he shared that smile with Doojoon when they kissed. They kissed more and more and more, Doojoon’s arms helping to pull more of Junhyung into his chest.
Yoseob saw what was unfolding. He stopped playing with his little car, crawled to the couch and brought his body up with the chair cushion. A high shriek caused the parents to separate, jolting apart from one another. Doojoon and Junhyung swiftly peered down. There Yoseob was, blinking sensibly at them both.
Doojoon grasped his mate’s hands as if to stop their automatic motions to reach for the child, “Don’t bring him up here…”
“But Seobie wants to come up, too,” Junhyung shook away the hands, cut the kiss and reached down to pluck the little one from the floor, propping him up in his lap. Now the whole family was accounted for.
Doojoon and Junhyung weren’t finished. Their kisses persisted, and with greatening desire. Yoseob wiggled in Junhyung’s arms, and Junhyung wanted to know why, because it made it more difficult to kiss Doojoon, but oh, he found out why.
“S-Seob,” Doojoon sputtered in between kisses, “Seobie, stop.”
Junhyung was curious. He held off the kissing to look at his son. Yoseob was patting Doojoon’s face with his hand.
“This is why I told you not to bring him up here. You know he gets jealous,” Doojoon said, leaning away from Junhyung’s lips totally to illustrate. Yoseob didn’t smack at him anymore when they separated. The baby stared openly at his appa with intent, on his fingers as he carefully eyed him. It got Junhyung rolling.
Yoseob always got jealous when Doojoon would be all over his umma, or playing with him, or hugging him, or kissing him. According to Seobie’s handbook, Junhyung could play, hug and kiss only him. Because that was his umma, and no one else’s. It was a good thing he was an only child. He blatantly did not like to share.
“Awww, that’s right. We can’t be cuddly around Yoseob.”
Doojoon takes his chances with another kiss, but Yoseob’s slobbered palm stained Doojoon’s cheek. The only thing different was that he pushed against his face. Junhyung threw his head back and laughed. He turned Yoseob around so they would be face to face.
“Seobie that’s not nice.”
Doojoon poked Seobie's cheek. “You are a selfish baby, Seob. Selfish, selfish.”
Yoseob blinked at appa, not able to recognize or recall the word “selfish”. He wasn’t kissing his umma; that was good enough for him.
Doojoon put on a pout...
“This is my umma, too. I can’t kiss umma, too~?”
Yoseob screamed and hit Doojoon whenever he endeavored to press his lips upon his umma in any way.
It was a “no”.
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