"appa, are we there yet?" is minsol's favourite line. they suppose it's normal. he's young, he's lively and he has too much energy pent up to let out in the back of daehyun's civic. yukwon only shakes his head with a small smile and he continues to drive, glancing back at his boyfriend and their son in the rear view mirror.

he sees minsol climbing into daehyun's lap when he checks again and he can hear them behind him, with daehyun teaching their son how to play 'i spy'. this time the trip is different. this time they're not so young, but they're not old either. this time they've made plans and they know where they're going.

this time they have minsol with them.

this time they've decided to head to busan, and to stop at a few towns in between. they've decided to visit daehyun's parents and really, they could've taken the train and the train would've been faster, but where's the fun in that? minsol complains and misbehaves along the way but they understand that he's young and bored which only means they can play more games, sing more songs and tell more stories.

daehyun sits in the back seat this time, keeping their son company while yukwon drives. he still sits sideways, his legs up and across the seat, his back pressed against the locked door and then there's minsol in his lap either sleeping, eating or playing games with daehyun.

they still stop on the side of the road when it's not so busy, getting out to stretch their legs. this time yukwon doesn't seek daehyun instantly, but he stands by them while his boyfriend holds their child, pointing out the cows, the horses, the sheep, whatever animal they see, if they see any. otherwise daehyun makes up stories about the area they're standing in and the couple enjoy seeing the wonder and awe on minsol's face. eventually yukwon's arms find their place around daehyun's waist, his head resting on his boyfriend's shoulder and everything feels complete.

they take the time to tour the towns they're in when they arrive and check in, visiting little shops, stocking up on their (minsol's) favourite snacks and drinks and tasting local delicacies. they take photos, make memories and listen to people compliment minsol. he becomes shy after a while, hiding his face in yukwon's neck and his parents laugh while thanking them. they end up spending a little too much every time because minsol likes this or maybe your parents will like that or this would look great at home, don't you think and the feeling is different from the first trip.

they were once young adults looking to have fun. now they're parents with responsibilities they can't ignore.

they sleep in motels instead of sleeping in the back seat and minsol is always the first to fall asleep. when he does, there's time for yukwon and daehyun to cuddle and to not wake minsol up, yukwon sits in the ty chair that's already in the room with daehyun on top of him and the television plays softly in the background, but no one's paying attention to it anyway. their lips meet in slow kisses and words are exchanged in hushed whispers. quiet laughter is muffled by each other's skin when they press their faces into each other and they wouldn't have it any other way.

(they can't have much like they did last time because they don't want to wake up their son, but they decide that it's okay since gagging and ing daehyun up against the bathroom wall is y enough.)

sometimes yukwon lets minsol sit in his lap when he's driving and when daehyun's sitting in the front, letting minsol put his hands on the wheel too while he drives. he always looks so excited, so happy and he always asks his parents if he'll be able to drive on my own when i'm a big boy and it's at times like these when daehyun can tell that minsol really is yukwon's son, but in the end, daehyun doesn't like the idea of yukwon driving with their son in his lap because what if he suddenly hurts himself, but it's just him over thinking because minsol is harmless and he's curious and he always ends up in the safe circle of daehyun's arms again no matter what.

(he forgets, sometimes, that yukwon is a mechanic who keeps a set of tools in both of their cars, and that he'd never put minsol in a dangerous situation.)

daehyun has a busan accent that only comes out when he's stressed or angry and yukwon is often the one he's directing his anger at. as usual they fight over the small things and like always, yukwon has to pull over for his boyfriend to cool down, but every time minsol runs over to him with outstretched arms, always saying daddy, daddy, speak in that funny voice again! and daehyun smiles. this time yukwon doesn't go over to him, but watches them from their car instead, smiling only when he sees his boys laugh, hearing the sound echo across the empty field towards him. this time he only takes daehyun into his arms when he comes back, murmuring apologies into his ear only then and daehyun feels so spoiled because its always like this.

they fight, yukwon apologises despite it not being his fault and daehyun forgives him no matter what.

he thinks it's not fair, really, because it's impossible to stay mad at kim yukwon.

"minsol's asleep?" daehyun asks softly, peering around the corner to check. yukwon nods and turns his head to look back at him, leaning so that their noses brush. "we'll be in busan tomorrow." he mumbles.

"are you nervous?" yukwon hears in dialect. he chuckles and looks up from daehyun's lips, letting their gazes meet. "maybe."

"they'll love you," the younger reassures, tilting his head back to brush their lips together. he's still speaking in dialect, has been since minsol asked him to, and he's almost murmuring his words now, but yukwon loves hearing him speak in his dialect because it's actually incredibly hot; especially with daehyun's voice. he hums, bringing a hand up to caress his boyfriend's cheek. "just as much as i do."

"and how much do you love me?"

"to the moon and back." is daehyun's reply. he smiles and his eyes curve into pretty crescents and yukwon can only mumble a unimpressed is that all? which makes his boyfriend laugh and he silences him with a kiss because that's what he was supposed to do from the very beginning.

they reach busan the next day just before lunch and because minsol refuses to leave yukwon's arms when they stand at the door of daehyun's old home, they leave their luggage in the car and they decide to bring it in later. daehyun's parents greet them warmly, hugging daehyun and then introducing themselves to yukwon, who does the same. they gush over minsol who becomes shy again and they invite them in for lunch.

he lets them talk while he takes care of minsol, trying to get him to open up to his grandparents, but he only whines and shakes his head, pressing closer to yukwon and eating the food he's fed. the mechanic supposes he can't blame him. it's an unfamiliar place for the both of them and he had only ever spoken to his grandparents by phone. when the attention is turned to him, yukwon admits that he's no where near as amazing as daehyun's described and his boyfriend only drowns his modesty in a wave of compliments.

that night yukwon wakes up to daehyun sitting by the window on his phone, taking in hushed tones to whom he assumes is a colleague at the hospital. he doesn't say anything and lets him finish his conversation, checking that minsol is still asleep before slipping out of bed. it turns out they want him back in the hospital to assist with a surgery that's supposed to happen tomorrow morning, but there's no trains running now and he won't make it in time if he drives back up to seoul. yukwon manages to coax him back to bed, to get him to fall asleep again and he wonders if there's any other way to relieve the guilt daehyun feels for not being at work.

there is.

this time they don't wander around aimlessly and daehyun is their guide, showing them amazing restaurants, famous tourist spots and showing them unique little shops tucked away in the back streets. minsol has the time of his life riding on yukwon's shoulders, always telling his parents excitedly that they all sound like daddy!. they take minsol to the fish market where he can see all sorts of seafood and he stares with wide eyes and asks why the fish aren't in the sea.

"it's because they want to go into your tummy and become friends with you." daehyun says, patting their son's stomach.

minsol's brow suddenly furrows. "so they can't go home?" yukwon smiles at the innocent question and looks at daehyun for an answer. his boyfriend shakes his head. "they're going to make a new home inside your tummy."

he watches as the boy looks down at his stomach and then back at the fish and then at daehyun. "they'll make a new home here?" he asks, pointing at his stomach, and it takes daehyun his all to not laugh while he nods. "they'll swim in here?"

yukwon snorts and daehyun laughs while minsol looks very very confused.

(he also looks incredibly scared of a live octopus but is intrigued all the same because it's so big!)

they spend just under a week in busan and by then minsol has gotten closer to his grandparents. he'll greet them in the morning and he allows them to carry him, loving all the little gifts he gets from them and all the food they make him because they make all his favourite foods. by the time they leave, minsol asks again and again if daehyun's parents will visit them at 'his house', daehyun is reluctant to go and yukwon lets them take their time saying their goodbyes. but he's pulled over by daehyun anyway and he receives hugs from both parents who tell him to look after their son and he smiles, glancing at daehyun who has minsol in his arms, and promising them that he's in good hands.

the drive back is long and minsol falls asleep fast in daehyun's lap. they decide to drive as far as they possibly can to reach the closest rest stop to seoul, but eventually minsol wakes up and complains about being hungry, so they stop at the next one they see.

while yukwon goes to buy food, daehyun goes around with their son, letting him stretch his legs and explore the area before he him up to go and eat. yukwon's bought all sorts of food for them, specifically corn dogs, street food and noodles and minsol's eyes are twinkling in excitement because appa! daddy! i want a corn dog!.

minsol eats well, humming happily beside daehyun as he chews on his corn dog, looking around and pointing and asking questions because its his second time at a rest stop and its not a familiar sight for him. they answer all his questions, continue feed him and when minsol says he's full, yukwon teases him with the promise of ice cream if he eats a little bit more.

of course, minsol doesn't hesitate.

they eat ice cream before they leave, watching a band perform their songs by the playground and minsol sits in daehyun's lap, animatedly bobbing his head to the music and when the crowd cheers, he covers his ears. "its noisy."

his parents laugh.

they give him another fifteen minutes to play at the playground while daehyun and yukwon sit together, their fingers laced together in yukwon's lap, his thumb brushing daehyun's knuckles. "i'm glad went to busan." daehyun says, his eyes watching their son play with the other kids.

"yeah?" yukwon chuckles, squeezing his hand. "it was good meeting your parents. they're lovely."

"i wish i could see them more often.. but with them being in busan and work.." the younger's voice trails off anyukwon can feel him slump a little. he missed his parents, yukwon knew. of course he would, even more so now that he's a parent, but instead of giving him a hug and reassuring him they'll go down more often, yukwon kisses his temple. "i'll bring them up to seoul for you one day."

this time, daehyun chuckles. "will you?"

"yeah. we can all live together, if you'd like. we probably have to look into getting a bigger place anyway, minsol is growing up." yukwon shrugs, watching the smile slowly spread across his husband's face. yukwon smiles too.

"i'd like that." they sit in silence for a little while after that, until minsol comes running back to them, happy and tired after running around for a bit, resting his head against yukwon's stomach. "appa, i'm thirsty."

"lets go and get something to drink then, and then we'll head home." yukwon says, picking up minsol and standing up. daehyun follows suit, using a tissue to wipe their son's face. "and no jellies for the ride home, you had too many sweets today." daehyun adds.

minsol whines and yukwon laughs and daehyun decides that he's already home.