"UMMA!!! APPA!!!"

 

With a jump and a quick, startled glance at each other, ______ and Hyukjae quickly rushed into the child's bedroom from the living room. Their seven-year-old son, Lee Youngjae, was sprawled out on the floor looking under his bed frantically for something. _____ exhaled in relief, seeing that he or his brothers weren't hurt.

 

"Jae," she said, kneeling down next to him, "what are you looking for?" 

 

The child pouted looking up at his mother. "My soccer ball. The one that Santa got me for Christmas this year. It isn't outside and it isn't in the playroom and-" 

 

Hyukjae cleared his throat, holding up the dark blue and black soccer ball he had uncovered from a large pile of clothes on the floor. "Is this what you're looking for, kiddo?" 

 

Youngjae snapped his head up and widened his eyes happily. "Appa!! You found it!!" He jumped up and grabbed the ball from his dad's hands, shooting him the gummy smile that had passed down from father to son. "Kamsahamnida!!" He ran out of his room before his parents could say anything, eager to go outside. _____ sighed looking down at the clothes on Jae's floor but smiled, looking back up at Hyuk. 

 

"That kid is more crazy about soccer than you are, you know that?"

 

Hyukjae smiled proudly, nodding and wrapping his arm around her waist. "You say that like it's a bad thing." He chuckled softly and kissed her forehead, then started moving his lips down her forehead and nose to reach her lips. But before he could get there, a loud cry sounded from one of the bedrooms. He stopped and mumbled, "So close." _____ laughed softly, giving her husband a quick peck before rushing into their youngest son's room.

 

"Junior! What's wrong, baby?" She scooped up the crying two-year-old who had just woken up from his nap. He looked at her and Hyukjae with misery as he continued wailing, tears rolling down his tiny face. She bounced him gently, patting his back. "Are you hungry, sweetie? You want your bottle??" He paused his crying, sniffling and frowning slightly as if thinking it over. Hyukjae chuckled and took him from _____'s arms. "Of course he does. His stomach is a bottomless pit, just like his appa's." He poked the infant's belly and gave him a goofy smile, slowly wiping his tears away with his thumb. _____ smiled as their son slowly started to smile, his hands waving excitedly. "Mik!! Mik!!" he screamed, looking at Hyukjae hopefully. He smiled and walked with _____ to the kitchen to prepare the baby's bottle.

 

"Hey babe, we should take the kids to the beach one of these days. I think they're old enough to handle it." Hyukjae looked over at his wife as he twisted the lid shut on Junior's bottle. She smiled thoughtfully, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Jae and Hero would have so much fun." She looked down at the youngest, who was drinking hungrily from his bottle, occasionally stopping to giggle from happiness. "And this one would be getting all the ladies." She raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that right, baby?" Junior blinked and laughed, looking excited. "Getting all the ladies!" he repeated, nodding happily. Hyukjae laughed, smiling fondly at their son. He was talking nonstop these days. He was like a parrot; he picked up phrases that people said and would remember them for future reference, whether they made sense or not. Hyuk remembered when Junior had once called Donghae "a chocolate masterpiece" after having watched some cooking show that had been on TV. Although he was a lot of work, Hyuk loved him and the other boys a lot. He cocked his head looking at _____. "Where is Hero, anyways?" She nodded towards the playroom. "He's still playing with that racecar set that Leeteuk oppa got for him." Hyukjae chuckled and ruffled Junior's wispy, black hair before walking into the playroom.

 

"Yah! Hero! Have you been sitting here all morning?!" Hyuk scooped up the five-year-old before he could answer, lifting him up in the air. Hero laughed loudly, squirming trying to get back down. "Appa!! Put me down appa!!" he yelled, giggling and trying to hit Hyuk playfully. Hyuk smirked and tossed him down onto the couch playfully but lightly. _____ laughed as she watched from the doorway. Youngjae and Hero loved wrestling with Hyukjae. Even Junior did, but he was a bit too small to participate as much as his older brothers. Hero laughed, immediately getting back up and stood on the couch. He was about to pounce at his father, but Hyuk just scooped him up again and put him over his shoulder laughing. "No fair, appa!!" Hero whined, hitting Hyuk's back repeatedly but still grinning widely. His dark bangs were hanging in his eyes; _____ had to remember to get a haircut for him soon. Hyuk laughed and let Hero wriggle his way back to the front of his body. Junior suddenly ran in, grabbing Hyuk's leg. "Bad appa!!" he screamed, laughing almost maniacally. Hyuk blinked and looked down at him surprised, then laughed too. Hero jumped down from Hyuk's arms. "Hold him there, Junior!" he called, nodding approvingly to the two-year-old. Junior looked at him happily, pleased with himself and clung on to his appa's leg as tight as he could. Hyuk could easily lift his leg up, but he pretended to be constrained. "Junior! When did you get so strong?!" he exclaimed, gritting his teeth and pretending to struggle. _____ laughed, smiling fondly at her husband and children. She heard the front door open and looked over. Youngjae walked in, holding his soccer ball. He shook out his slightly wet hair, trying to dry it. "It started to rain," he said to her, making a face. She laughed softly and gestured towards the boys wrestling. "Then maybe you can help your brothers beat up your dad." Youngjae immediately perked up. He was the strongest, mostly because he was the oldest, and he was proud of it. He rushed in and jumped on Hyuk's back. "YAAHHH!!!" he screamed, clinging onto him and using both fists to punch his back. Hyuk yelled in surprise then laughed, twisting his body. "Yah! No surprise attacks allowed!" Hero laughed excitedly and grabbed his dad's arms, so he couldn't attack back. Youngjae tried pressing his body weight against him so he could push him down into the couch, but it didn't work. Hyuk wiggled his arms free from Hero and scooped him up, ignoring his protests. He held him in one arm before leaning down and scooping up Junior with the other. He turned around slowly to face _____, laughing. Youngjae was still on his back, but he was laughing too. _____ giggled and grabbed her phone, quickly taking a picture for Twitter; ELF would love this. Suddenly, Hyuk let all the kids down onto the floor. He grabbed _____'s hips and pulled her onto the couch with him, sighing loudly. "Appa and umma need some sleep, you boys are exhausting," he said playfully. Youngjae and Hero laughed before jumping on top of both of them. _____ squealed and laughed, hiding into Hyuk's body. "Yah, is this how you should treat your parents?!" Junior immediately crawled on top of all of them seeing his brothers did so. "Yes!!" he screamed obliviously, giggling and squirming in between his brothers. _____ laughed and looked up at Hyuk, making eye contact. He smiled down at her and pulled her close, kissing her head whispering softly while the kids laughed loudly and squirmed on top of them. 

 

"I love you." 

 

She smiled happily and kissed his cheek, whispering back.

 

"I love you, too."