Tae Hyun’s POV

I opened my eyes when I heard sounds around me. I almost screamed when I saw who it was trying to cover a blanket over me.

“Shhhh~” Umma put her finger over her lips, and then pointed to around me.

Everyone was asleep.

“Umma~” I muttered.

“Come here.” She said softly, taking my hand into hers.

“How have you been?” She asked, kissing me on my cheek.

“I miss you, Umma.” I threw my arms around her, hugging her tightly.

“I miss you too~” She laughed, kissing me all over my face.

“Don’t go off without us again, please.” I pouted.

She smiled and let me sit on her lap.

“You don’t like alone times with Appa?” She asked.

“I like it, but I like it more when we’re together as a family.” I said, playing with Umma’s fingers.

“Alright, I wouldn’t leave you guys alone again, okay? In future, wherever I may want to go, I’ll bring you guys along.” She said.

“Promise?” I asked, raising my pinky.

“Yes.” She said, hooking her pinky over mine.

“Did you buy me anything?” I asked.

“Was I supposed to buy you anything?” Umma asked.

“No.” I said softly.

She laughed and squeezed me tightly.

“Did you seriously think I could go off for three weeks and come back with absolutely nothing for my baby boy?” She asked.

“I’m not a baby. He is.” I said, pointing at Seol Chan.

“You are and will always be my baby boy, just like how Seol Chan, Ji Eun and… and… Loki. All of you would always be my babies.” She said.

“And you’ll always be our Umma, no matter how much you nag or scold us.” I said.

“I nag?” Her eyes widened.

“No, no. You don’t. But Appa does.” I said.

“You’re a cheeky boy, aren’t you? And, talking bad about your Appa? I’ll tell it to him later.” She said.

“Hurrr~ Please don’t.” I pleaded.

“When are you ever afraid of your Appa?” She asked.

“When Appa gets angry.” I said.

“Have your Appa ever get angry at you?” She asked.

I shook my head.

“Then what are you scared of?” She asked.

“He’s still Appa~” I said.

“Your Appa loves all of you so much he’ll let you guys step all over him.” She said.

“Umma, are you jealous?” I asked.

“Me? Jealous? I sure am.” She smiled.

“You can step over Appa too~” I said.

“If I step over him as well, who would clean him up?” She asked.

“We could step over him first and then clean him up together.” I said.

She looked at me with a surprised face.

“That’s a brilliant idea. Why didn’t I think of that?” She asked, laughing.

“Umma? Is it you?” A voice asked. Ji Eun.

“Shhhh~” Umma stopped Ji Eun from yelling and gestured her over.

“Owwww~” I winced in pain when Ji Eun ran over, pushed me off Umma’s lap and threw herself into her arms.

“Umma, I miss, miss, miss you!” Ji Eun said with a pout on her face.

“I miss, miss, miss you toooooo~” Umma squeezed Ji Eun tightly.

“I miss, miss, miss you more.” Ji Eun said.

“And I’m in so much pain, pain, pain, pain, pain.” I grumbled.

“How could you push your brother down?” Umma laughed as she pulled me up.

“I didn’t see him there.” Ji Eun said, blinking at me.

“Both of you~” Umma smiled.

“Umma, did you buy me anything?” Ji Eun asked.

“Did you ask me to buy you anything?” Umma asked.

I giggled at the upset look on Ji Eun’s face.

“Is it funny?” Ji Eun glared at me.

She looked exactly like how Umma would glare at Appa. It is scary.

“Hey, hey~ Both of you, stop it. Your stuff are over there. Open my luggage and take it on your own. I’ve separated them into different bags. But don’t mess stuff up and don’t make loud sounds. You don’t want to wake them up.” Umma said.

Ji Eun grabbed my hand and ran without warning, causing me to almost fall flat on my face. Why is it that she can never slow down? Or rather, why is it that I always allow her to pull me around like that?

All of us turned over when Seol Chan let out a loud cry. Appa and Seungho ahjusshi sat up almost immediately. Minji noona and Umma rushed over, not to Seol Chan, but to Appa and Seungho ahjusshi to push them back down, patting them back to sleep. I laughed at that sight. I liked it when they treat them like babies. It is so cute~

“Seol Chan ah~ What’s wrong? Shhh~ You’ll wake everyone.” Umma said as she cradled Seol Chan in her arms.

Seol Chan made small noises and kicked wildly, perhaps happy to see Umma.

“You miss me, little one? Aigoo~ I miss you too.” Umma said, kissing Seol Chan.

“Lionny~ Is… that you?” I turned over when I heard Appa’s voice.

“Sorry~” Minji noona said, still patting Seungho ahjusshi’s chest.

Hi, Junroro~ I’m home.” Umma smiled.

I have no idea why Umma calls Appa Junroro and Appa calls Umma Lionny. What is Junroro and what is Lionny? Jun is part of Appa’s name, I understand, but what is Roro? Is it Pororo? Or some sort of roll that we never knew of? And Lionny, I understand lion as in ‘rawr! I’m a scary lion, I’ll eat you’, but how about ‘nny’? Is Lionny another way to call a baby lion? Why are Appa and Umma so weird?

“When did you come back? Why didn’t you tell me? Do you know how much I miss you? How can you do this to me? Is it very funny? Why are you laughing? Stop laughing!” Appa blabbered.

Umma covered Appa’s mouth, muffling his words.

“Shhhh~!! You noisy fella~ You’ll wake everyone up.” Umma said.

“But I miss you.” Appa pouted.

Sometimes I wonder if Appa is really Appa. How can he behave like that? I know it would sound weird if I say this, but how can he be cuter than me, Ji Eun, Loki and Seol Chan add together? How? At times I would envy Loki and Seol Chan. They have Appa's genes in them, therefore they are both so cute even without having to try. I wish to be like that too. 

“It’s called a surprise, stupid.” Umma said, poking Appa’s nose.

“So surprising indeed.” Appa continued pouting.

“Awww~ Stop pouting.” Umma said, pinching Appa’s lips.

“I miss you.” Appa said, leaning in closer to Umma.

“Don’t~ The kids are here.” I heard Umma whispered, looking at Ji Eun and I.

“No, we’re not here.” I announced, turning Ji Eun’s head over before turning my back to face them.

“See~ Our baby boy is so sensible.” Appa said.

“Tsk~” I heard Umma respond, but I could see a smile on her face without having to turn over.

They were quiet for awhile. I think they are kissing.

“I miss you.” Appa said again, sounding a little breathless this time.

“Me too.” Umma said.

And then they went quiet again. Are they kissing again? Actually, it is not anything embarrassing anymore seeing Appa and Umma kiss. They kiss all the time. In the morning before Appa leaves for work, they have to kiss at least three times. On weekends if Appa is around, they have to kiss again. And then in the evening, and at night. Appa and Umma kiss more than the amount of times the meals ate by all of us in a day add together. The Beast and MBLAQ ahjusshis always say that Appa and Umma can just live their life by kissing each other. But I do not see any wrong in it. Is it not sweet; to kiss someone you love?

“Did they torture you a lot?” Umma asked Appa.

“No.” I answered for Appa.

“She is asking me.” Appa said.

“I’m answering for you.” I said.

“And why did you have to do that?” He asked.

“Because you looked like you don’t know the answer.” I said.

Appa opened his mouth, as though wanting to say something, but closed it.

“We were very, very good kids! Appa is the naughty one.” Ji Eun said, pointing an accusing finger at Appa.

“I was the naughty one?!” Appa asked, eyes widened.

Ji Eun and I nodded. Seol Chan made a sound.

“Even Seol Chan agrees!” Ji Eun said.

“Wahhhh~ All of you~ Betrayers~ I was so nice to you guys for three weeks. You tortured me non-stop and I didn’t even say anything. Wahhh~ So ungrateful~ Omo~ I’m going to faint~” Appa said, holding the back of his neck.

“Noooooooo!! Don’t faint!!!” Ji Eun yelled, grabbing my arm, again, as she dragged me towards Appa.

We hugged Appa tightly.

“Was I good or not?” Appa asked.

“You’re the best!” I grinned.

“Appa is number one!” Ji Eun said excitedly.

“Look! You got yourself a freaking fan club!” Umma said.

Appa kept grinning. I was afraid his mouth might tear and he will really become the Joker. 

“WAHH~” Seol Chan made sounds again.

“You want a part in everything?” Umma asked Seol Chan.

I cannot help but wonder if Loki was here, what would he say? Would he say random words during the conversation? Would he giggle non-stop? Or would he imitate Seol Chan and try to keep his place as the baby of the family? Loki ah, Hyung misses you. Are you doing well?

“Where’s Yongie?” Appa asked.

“Minki is using him as a pillow.” Umma giggled, pointing to Yongie.

Minki was still in a deep sleep but Yongie was awake. He looked like he wanted to run over but he did not dare move, except whimper softly. He must have not want to wake Minki up. How cute and thoughtful of him~

“Carry him. He’s heavy.” Umma said, handing Seol Chan to Appa.

“I fed him well. Didn’t I feed you well? Hmm?” Appa asked Seol Chan, carrying him high in the air.

Seol Chan responded by giving Appa a kick in his nose.

“Owww~” Appa whined, pouting at Umma who could not stop laughing.

When Appa did not look pleased, Umma switched straight away.

“Aigoo~ Naughty baby. How can you kick Appa like that? You know how expensive your Appa’s nose is?” Umma said to Seol Chan.

“Wh… what!? What!? My nose is real! It’s real!” Appa exclaimed.

Umma was a laughing mess. I like how Umma can be so sweet and teasing at the same time, and Appa, despite being teased, never fail to smile at Umma’s laughter. I remember what Jace Daddy said during Appa and Umma’s wedding. I never understood what he was saying, but now I do. He said:  “Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, 'You owe Me.' Look what happens with a love like that, it lights the whole Sky.” Jace Daddy had a play on words there. When he said sky, he actually meant Skye, because that is Umma’s English name.

Umma may have done a lot of things to upset Appa. Like this trip, Umma just abruptly left, using Appa’s money without letting him know and leaving for three weeks to go enjoy herself. Appa has all the rights in the world to get angry and cancel the trip since it is his card to start with, but he never did that. Although he knew we were going to torture the life out of him without Umma, he still let her go.

I once asked Appa what would make him happy. He said that seeing us happy would make him happy. But I think behind his words, he actually meant to say seeing Umma happy would make him happy. I am not being jealous or anything, or maybe I am, but I wish Appa would smile at me like how he smiles at Umma. I know Appa loves me, but the love he has for Umma is different. In the past, although Umma was smiling, but there was always a hint of subtle sadness behind her smile, but after Appa came, it was like his love for her really lighted up the whole Skye. 

***
Tae Hyun: How can he be cuter than me, Ji Eun, Loki and Seol Chan add together?

Junhyung: Wahhhh~ All of you~ Betrayers~ I was so nice to you guys for three weeks. You tortured me non-stop and I didn’t even say anything. Wahhh~ So ungrateful~ Omo~ I’m going to faint~

Tae Hyun: You’re the best!

Ji Eun: Appa is number one!