When Heechul and Sungmin returned, they were surprised to find their father wide awake and making dinner.

“Where have you two been?” He asked, looking at them confused.

“Where's Hangeng's mom?” Heechul asked, not answering.

“I sent her home. I've had enough of people taking care of you guys. I should be doing things instead of playing dead on the couch.” His father replied with a smile.

Sungmin's eyes widened. What happened? Had Youngwoon already come by already?

“That's great.” Heechul said uneasily giving Sungmin a confused glance. He then grabbed a bag of crackers. “I'll be in my room.”

“Hangeng is still here and he's up there.”

“Okay!” Heechul called from up the stairs.

“Dad...?”

“Hm?” Sungmin's father was back at cooking.

“Um...”

He couldn't just ask!

What if Youngwoon hadn't come?

Would his father get sad again?

“What are you making?”

“I'm making lobster stew.” His father smiled.

Sungmin walked over and grabbed his pink apron that was hanging on a nearby rack. “I want to help.”

“Alright honey.” His father gave his hair a ruffle.

Sungmin managed a smile. He's back...

But for how long...?

Jungsoo was tired.

After cooking dinner he crawled up the stairs and collapsed in the nearest room.

“Hi Dad.” Yesung smiled, from Jungsoo's view he looked upside down.

“Hey Yesung.”

“Dad, you look really tired.” He commented.

“I've had a long day.”

“All you did was get up and cook.” Yesung raised an eyebrow.

Jungsoo gave him a look.

“Sorry, I guess cooking while being love sick is harder.”

“Love sick?” Jungsoo sat up and turned to his second oldest. “Who said I was love sick?”

“Everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“Yup, even Kangta.” Yesung smiled.

“Kim Jongwoon, I'll have you know I'm not love sick in the slightest.”

“But you were before Dad.” Yesung reminded him.

“Well that was before. I'm better now...” Jungsoo trailed off and laid back down.

The boy watched as his father fell asleep on his bed then placed a blanket over his shoulders before leaving downstairs. “Sure, Dad, sure.”

After a week, Heechul accepted his father was really better.

There was no way someone suffering of “love sickness” could have pulled the happy look for so long. His father was back to normal and everyone was relishing in it.

“Fatherrrr!!!!” Kyuhyun screeched from the front door.

Heechul, Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, Yesung, Sungmin, and Kibum were waiting to be dropped off at school.

“I’m coming, I'm coming!” Heechul's father rushed down the stairs dressed in old jeans and a T-shirt.

He took all his time to come like that? Heechul thought disapprovingly. Oh well...

His father grabbed the keys, his jacket, then opened the door.

Standing there was Youngwoon.

Heechul and the others gaped.

None may have been more surprised than their father.

“What are you doing here?”

Jungsoo knew his voice sounded weak and child-like. He struggled to control it.

“I came to talk...wow. Are these all your kids?” Youngwoon looked at the children with amazement.

“No there's five more, but Ry—Kangta is driving them.” Jungsoo said.

“So you have 12?!” Youngwoon's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

“Can we talk somewhere else? I have to take them to school...”

Youngwoon agreed. “I'll just wait for you to get back.”

“No. Come with us!” Sungmin said. “You can see my school!”

Youngwoon smiled at him. “Hello again.”

Sungmin smiled back shyly then avoided his father's questioning look.

Again? When did they meet?

“Can I come along?”

“Fine, but you're going in the back.” Jungsoo replied coolly then walked off to the car.

“What's going on? I though you said your father was dying without me and having wet dreams and what not?” Youngwoon whispered furiously to Heechul as they got in the car.

Heechul shrugged.

“I guess we exaggerated.”

Youngwoon sighed. Now he felt stupid. It seemed Jungsoo didn't need him as much as he needed Jungsoo.

Being apart from him was killing him. Even though the man had lied, Youngwoon wanted nothing more than to forgive him. Hold him, kiss him, even sniff him. He really missed Jungsoo.

He sat in the back of the car feeling like an outsider as he watched Jungsoo and his kids interact.

“So who's going to stay after school today?”

“I am!”

“Me too!”

“Alright, Kibum, Kyuhyun. Does everyone have their lunch?”

“Yessss.” The kids chorused together.

“Hey.”

Youngwoon turned to the boy sitting next to him. He looked to be to be at least 11.

“Hello.”

“I'm Yesung.” He stuck out his hand.

Youngwoon stuck his out expecting a handshake but let out a yelp when he felt the spot between his lip and nose rubbed.

“Yesung!” Sungmin, who was sitting beside him slapped the boy's arm away. He then looked at Youngwoon apologetically. “I'm sorry, hyung does that to everyone.”

“I see...” Youngwoon managed a smile. He then caught Jungsoo's gaze through the rear view mirror he seemed almost amused, the man then looked away before Youngwoon could decipher anything.

“Are you the one Dad was having ual with?” A small kid turned in his booster seat in the front to ask.

“Eh...” Youngwoon blushed. “I don't think that's...”

“Did you use a ?” The kid cocked his head. “Safety first?”

“Er...”

“If not I suggest you get tested for HIV and STI's.”

“You mean STD's, Kibum.” Heechul corrected.

“No they changed it, it's called STI's now.”

“Huh.” Heechul said thoughtful. He then put earphones on and began bopping his head to a rhythm.

“Kibum is a genius.” Sungmin explained to Youngwoon. “When he was a year old he already was reading his baby books to me!”

“Oh wow. That's amazing.” Kangin glanced at the small kid as he read a book quietly.

“The one next to him is my little brother Ryeowook. He's really shy.” Yesung spoke up. “Wookie say hi to Youngwoon!”

Ryeowook turned around and let out a squeal, ducking his head.

“The other kid next to him is the devil incarnate.” Yesung then said solemnly. “The only one he listens to is our dad, he calls him 'Father' but other than him he basically kicks everyone else around.”

“Kyuhyun.” Sungmin said. “He's the second youngest. He's...” The boy trailed off, not quite sure how to describe him.

“He looks sweet, but he has this vibe that if you go up against him you won't wake up in the morning.” Yesung whispered.

Youngwoon gave him a look then turned to glance at Kyuhyun. One little boy couldn't be that bad.

As he thought that, Kyuhyun was flicking Ryeowook ear and when Ryeowook slapped his hand away Kyuhyun glared at him with a very sinister look.

Ryeowook smiled nervously. “Just kidding Kyu!”

Kyuhyun then smiled and went back to flicking the poor boy's ear.

“Okay...” Youngwoon turned back to Yesung and Sungmin. Maybe he was that bad...

“Have a good day!” Jungsoo called as his kids unboarded the minivan.

“Bye!” The kids all called and waved.

“Bye Youngwoon!” Sungmin waved.

“Bye Sungmin.” Youngwoon waved back.

As Jungsoo drove off he looked at Youngwoon from the rear view mirror. “Sungmin seems to like you.”

“Yeah.” The man smiled.

“When did you meet him?”

“Actually...um...hey! This explains why you have a minivan. I always wondered why you had such a spacious car for one person.” Youngwoon looked around in the back.

“How do you know Sungmin?” Jungsoo asked again, not letting himself be distracted.

“He and Heechul came to my apartments begging me to take you back.”

Jungsoo gaped. His kids did that? Why would they do that?

Had he really been that bad?

That was really kind of them...

He then closed his mouth before Youngwoon could see his expression.

“Well...I'm fine now.”

“I can see that.”

“You didn't need to come and take me back just because my kids begged.” Jungsoo said coldly.

Youngwoon raised his eyebrows. “Is that what you think?”

“Well what else could be the reason?”

Youngwoon let out a sigh and shifted. “Hey could I come up front...”

“Do whatever you want.” Jungsoo shrugged as he made a turn.

Youngwoon squatted up to the passenger seat and turned to face Jungsoo. At that moment the man decided to make another turn and Youngwoon leaned forward almost colliding with Jungsoo's head. He grabbed on the armrest and held back.

Jungsoo turned his head. “Are you okay...?”

He noticed how close Youngwoon’s lips were. He could almost feel them pressed against his own.

“Yeah.” Youngwoon's voice came out like a whisper. His breath was so close to Jungsoo's.

He could almost taste...

Jungsoo let out a sharp breath then turned back to his driving. “You should be more careful.” He remarked.

Concentrate...I can't lose my cool...

They were by his house, but Youngwoon wanted to talk, so Jungsoo decided to go to a nearby park.

“Sorry.” Was all Youngwoon said then took his seat.

Jungsoo said nothing letting them sit in silence until they reached the park.

“My wife and I had Heechul at a really young age. We were in high school and we were foolish. After Heechul...two years later Jongwoon—Yesung – popped out and then...all the others.” Jungsoo smiled fondly, recalling how each birth had made him so happy. Sora, too.

Even when they had adopted. Bringing home Henry and Zhou Mi had been a wonderful dream.

“So you never had any daughters? Pure sons?” Youngwoon asked as he and Jungsoo sat on a bench.

“Nope. Sora would complain how it was unfair to be the only woman. And who was she going to teach sewing and cooking, not that she was actually good at that. Sungmin actually stepped right up for that.”

Youngwoon smiled at the fond look on Jungsoo's face. The children were his world. It must have hurt to keep them from him.

“So how do you pay for the house?”

“Sora's father bought it for us. He was this rich corporation guy...I think he worked at Samsung...” Jungsoo shrugged. “Who knows. We only saw him a couple of times. She and her family weren't close after the first pregnancy and the fact that I was from a lower status.”

“Wait how do you pay for food then?”

Jungsoo played with a leaf. He twirled it in his fingers. “Sora's father sends money. It was decided at the funeral that I would stay home and take care of his beloved grandchildren.” He then laughed. “It's ridiculous he said 'beloved' when he hasn't even seen them once. He doesn't even know their names.”

“He sounds a little ruthless.”

Jungsoo shrugged. “He's never bothered me. Just as long as he keeps the money coming.”

Youngwoon nodded.

“Why did you come all of a sudden?” Jungsoo changed the subject abruptly.

The man looked him over. “You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“I missed you.” Youngwoon said honestly. “A lot, Jungsoo.”

“I missed you too.” Jungsoo admitted. He felt his heart begin to ache. He remembered the way he had felt when Youngwoon had first left him. That horrible feeling...he wanted it to go away so badly.

“When your kids came they told me you apologized to me even in your sleep.”

Jungsoo blushed. “They said that?”

“Yeah, but, I thought a lot about forgiving you...and I want to I really do...” Youngwoon trailed off.

“You don't have to Youngwoon, I did a horrible thing. How could I ever think of keeping my kids away from you. I just...I didn't want to scare you off.” Jungsoo said sadly, his eyes growing wet. “I was selfish. ..I would leave my kids every weekend...I kept lying to you...”

“Jungsoo it's okay. I know you're really sorry.” Youngwoon grabbed Jungsoo's hand. “I know why you did what you did.”

“I don't want to lie to you anymore.” The older man said sincerely.

“Then I don't want to stay away from you anymore.” Youngwoon smiled the same smile he had when they had first met. That grocery store incident that changed everything. “Let's try this again.”

“Okay.” Jungsoo nodded meekly.

“Hi, my name is Kim Youngwoon, I live in a crappy apartment full of old ladies. I don't know how to cook for myself and I always end up eating out. I love to watch melodramas on the weekends. Oh and fishing—I like that too.”

Jungsoo laughed. “Are we really doing this?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, my name is Park Jungsoo, I live in a big house that my ex-wife's father bought. I know how to cook, but I also love going out to eat even though with all my kids it's always really expensive. I love to watch melodramas with my son Ryeowook. And I love talking.”

“And?” Youngwoon raised his eyebrows.

“Oh and I have 12 kids. Heechul, Yesung, Sungmin, Shindong, Siwon, Zhou Mi, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Ryeowook, Kibum, Kyuhyun, and Henry.”

“Whoa 12 kids!” Youngwoon gasped dramatically. “You're lucky I'm already in love with you or I would have ended this conversation.”

Jungsoo raised an eyebrow.

“I'm just kidding.” He added, his eyes shining with amusement.

“Speaking of that. You're going to have to meet them, officially.” Jungsoo said with a worried frown.

“When?”

“How about today? You can come for dinner.” Jungsoo suggested. “Dress semi-casually.”

“Geez, it feels like I'm meeting your parents.” Youngwoon muttered.

“They'll like you. I'm sure of it.” Jungsoo promised.