Seungho’s POV

Junhyung and I decided to keep up with our plan to take care of the kids and the household. We would take turns, day and night, to take care of them. When he has to be at work at the day, I would stay at home for the babies, and then he would pick Ji Eun and Tae Hyun back in the evening. If I have to be at work in the day, the routine would switch. If we both happen to have to be at work, we would come up with a solution then.

“Hyung, you sure you’ll be okay?” Junhyung asked.

I nodded as I washed the plates.

“I’ll be back in the afternoon, hang on till then!” He grinned.

“Just go already! The kids will be late for school if you don’t leave now.” I said.

“Yes, wifey~” He teased me.

“YAH!!” I shouted, throwing a rag at him in which he successfully dodged.

“I’m the man here.” I grumbled to myself.

“NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” I jumped when I heard Minki scream.

I rushed out to find her throwing her shoes at Junhyung.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“She refuses to go to school.” Junhyung said with a sigh.

“Minki, what’s wrong?” I asked.

She said nothing except threw out everything in her bag.

“Stop it, Minki.” I said.

“NO!” She shouted, throwing her entire bag to the side.

“Yang Minki, I said to stop it.” I warned her.

“Hyung~” Junhyung shook his head at me.

“You’re going to school and you don’t have a choice, okay?” I said to her as I put on her shoes for her.

She kept screaming and kicking.

“YANG MINKI!” I grabbed her legs and shouted at her.

“I’m warning you, girl. You better behave yourself.” I said.

“Hyung, hyung~ You’re hurting her.” Junhyung said.

She burst into tears, but I knew I cannot hush her now.

“Deedee don’t love Minki!!!!” She screamed into my face, pushed me away and ran out of the house.

“MINKI!!” Junhyung grabbed her stuff and ran after her.

My heart ached as I watch her. Minji, where are you when I need you the most?

To add to that, Seol Chan and Seul Ki were not being the nicest babies ever. The both of them refused to drink their milk and could not stop crying no matter how I hushed them.

“What’s wrong with the both of you?” I asked, feeling defeated.

“Stop crying already eh?” I said.

When they finally stopped, I never felt so much peace in my life.

“Ahhh~ My ears~” I muttered to myself as I lied down on the bed beside them.

“Be good babies until your mummies come home, would you, hmm?” I said to their sleeping self.

Just as I was about to doze off, I jumped up remembering that I have yet to cook for Minki. I took a glance at the clock. It was 11.30AM. Her school had just ended and judging from the distance from her school to our house, she would be home in fifteen minutes. I had asked for the school bus service to send her home during this period of time since I could not possibly leave home with the two babies.

I kept watching the time as I hurried to cook her a meal. I expected her to be back any minute but half an hour had passed and still no sight of her. Just as I was about to give the school a call, my phone rang.

“Is this Yang Seungho sshi?” The caller asked.

“Yes, may I know who is this?” I asked.

“I’m Minki’s teacher.” She said.

“Ahh~ Did something happen? Minki is supposed to be home already but she’s still not. I asked for the school bus service…” She cut me off before I could finish.

“Yes, Seungho sshi~ But your daughter is throwing a tantrum and refused to board the bus no matter how we coax her. I supposed she is afraid since she has never been on the school bus before.” She said.

“Oh. But…” I muttered.

I could hear Minki crying in the background.

“Would you pass her the phone and I’ll try talk to her?” I asked.

“A moment please.” She said.

“Sweetheart?” I called out when I heard her sniffing.

“Minki darling, Deedee cannot go pick you up in school because I have to be here for Seol Chan and Seul Ki. Would you be a good girl and let the bus ahjusshi take you home? Deedee will be waiting for you at home.” I said.

“I don’t want to! I don’t want!!!” She cried.

“Minki, please. You’ve always been a good girl. What has gotten into you now? Do Deedee a favour, please?” I said.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” She cried.

“Yang Minki.” I called out in a stern voice.

I did not want to use this on her, but she left me with no choice.

“Seungho sshi~” The teacher called out.

“Yes? I’m so sorry.” I apologized.

“We cannot hold the bus any longer because the other kids need to go home too.” She said.

“I understand. Alright, I’ll get someone she is familiar with to go pick her up. I’m so sorry.” I said.

“No, don’t be. It’s normal for kids of her age to be afraid in an unfamiliar surrounding.” She said.

“I’m sorry.” I apologized anyway and ended the call.

Minki has never been ‘afraid in an unfamiliar surrounding’. She gets along with almost everyone so well we were more afraid of her easily following someone else away than being too afraid to approach people.

“Hyung, what’s up?” Junhyung answered when I called him.

“Minki. She refuses to get on the school bus.” I said.

“Oh no. Tell you what, I’ll go pick her up.” He said.

“Would it disrupt your schedule?” I asked.

“Nope. I’m just doing some composing now. No worries I can go get her.” He said.

“Thanks, Junhyung. Thank you so much.” I said.

“You sound tired. Did the babies give you a headache?” He asked.

“They can’t stop crying and wouldn’t drink their milk. When they finally fell asleep, Minki goes crazy.” I groaned.

“Ahhh hyung~ Hang in there. I’ll go pick her up. Use this time to get some rest.” He said.

“Alright, thanks.” I muttered.

When Junhyung came back with Minki, he looked at me with a ‘this is bad’ look.

“Minki ah~” I called out, but she ignored me.

“Minki~” I called out again.

She turned to me with a frown on her face.

“Remove your shoes.” I said.

“You need to talk to her.” Junhyung said.

“I will. Have you eaten? I’ve cooked lunch.” I said.

“I need to get back.” He said.

“Sorry for the trouble.” I said.

“Don’t be, hyung. If we don’t support each other now, who will?” He smiled.

“I’ll see you tonight then.” I said.

“Fighting, hyung!” He grinned before rushing out again.

“Minki, I cooked you lunch.” I said.

She was sitting in the corner, not saying anything.

“Deedee is hungry. Do you want to eat with me?” I asked.

“Please?” I pleaded, reaching out my hand to her.

She let out a small smile and grabbed my hand, letting me lead her to the table. I carried her up to the seat before going to heat up the food. While we ate, she was just quietly poking her food.

“Sweetheart, Deedee didn’t mean to scold you this morning.” I said.

She pouted and stopped eating.

“Minki is a good girl, right? Now that there’s only Junhyung ahjusshi and I left to take care of the five of you, would you do us a favour by being nice?” I carried her to sit on my lap.

She played with my fingers, not saying anything.

“Please be a good girl? Please? Please? Please?” I tickled her, causing her to laugh.

“Be a good girl, okay?” I said, kissing her on her cheek.

She refused to eat on her own, so I had to feed her. We were enjoying our little moment together when Seul Ki started crying. Afraid that her cries would wake Seol Chan up, I hurried to go hush her.

“Minki, be good.” I said when Minki grabbed onto my leg, not letting me go.

Seul Ki’s cries were getting louder and with Minki behaving like that, I was lost.

“Nooooo!” She whined.

“Minki, please. We agreed, didn’t we?” I said.

She kept shaking her head and grabbing onto me tighter. Seul Ki’s cries were filling the house, causing me to panic even more.

“Minki ah, one last time, let go of me.” I said sternly.

“NO!” She insisted, hugging onto me tighter.

I was left with no choice but to prey her hands off me.

“Can’t you do me a simple favour by being good just for a little while, huh!?” I yelled at her.

Her lips trembled as she let out soft sobs. Later, Minki. Later Deedee will make it up to you.

“What’s wrong with you, hmm?” I carried the crying Seul Ki out of the room. Thankfully Seol Chan was still deep asleep in dreamland.

Turned out that Seul Ki needed a change of diaper.

“Smiling already?” I asked as she grinned at me while I put on her clothes properly for her.

“Want some milky milk?” I asked, shaking her bottle at her.

I cradle her in my arms as I fed her. She was drinking really slowly, but at least she was drinking.

“Aigoo~ You drink so well~” I said as I burped her after she finished.

I played with her for a while before she started yawning.

“Sleepy already?” I asked, poking her chubby cheeks.

“What a good life, eh? Eat and sleep~” I said as I rocked her gently in my arms.

She was about to fall asleep when the door opened.

“Deedee~” Minki called out.

“Later, Minki. Deedee is busy now. Please.” I said, trying to keep Seul Ki down since she was struggling in curiosity to see who was talking.

“Deedeee~” Minki called out again.

“Minki, I said later.” I said.

I let out a sigh when I heard Minki sniffle softly, and then the door shut.

“Sleep already, baby~ I have to go humor your unnie.” I said to Seul Ki who stared back at me with her huge eyes.

She reminded me of Minki when she was still a baby. Always looking at me with such eyes, but back then Minki’s eyes held nothing but coldness.

It took me an hour or so before Seul Ki decided that she was tired enough to fall asleep. I put her down and just as I was about to go down, Seol Chan woke up, wailing for milk.

“Hungry already, little monster?” I cooed as I prepared his milk for him.

I took a glance at the time while I fed him.

“Your Appa would be back soon.” I said.

“Ahh~ Speak of the devil~” I said when I heard the front door open.

I heard Junhyung instructing Ji Eun and Tae Hyun to go wash up.

“Look who is home~” I carried Seol Chan in a way he could see his father when he entered the room.

“Hey, my little monstar~ You’re in the midst of drinking?” Junhyung said as he poke Seol Chan’s nose.

I smiled and handed Seol Chan to him.

“Hyung, did you hurt yourself somewhere?” He asked me as he took over feeding Seol Chan.

“No.” I said, checking my hands and legs for injuries.

“That’s strange. There’s droplets of blood downstairs.” He said.

“Blood?” I asked, feeling weird.

“Did you see Minki downstairs?” I asked again, remembering that I need to go humor the girl.

“No. Is she in her room?” He asked.

“Maybe~” I muttered as I went to check Minki’s room.

Empty.

“She’s not there.” I said.

“Check the other rooms.” Junhyung said.

I did as I was told, but they were all empty.

“No?” Junhyung asked when I came back.

I shook my head.

“You said there was blood downstairs?” I asked.

Junhyung and I looked at each other, then as if on cue, we both raced downstairs.

Minki darling, where are you? Please don’t scare Deedee like that.