^ sort of, kind of, relevant ^

warning(s): bit of weirdness. there's four kids here. there's bomi. also a bit of namgrease.

so i'm never going to make promises again. i will only disappoint you, our readers. ;n; also, for the most part, i've been working on this chapter and the next few chapters alone with little help and it's a bit of a strain. brain sister is busy with her studies and other fandoms so i've been running on my weak thought processes. she did help me with the second part of this chapter. and at least, as of now, i've got 300 words on the next chapter and several days to complete it while also studying for my own exam. huehuehue. please don't kill me. unu

anyway. please do enjoy the chapter! i tried to make it as lengthy and full of content as i possibly could! ;u;

“If you think you're going to wear that, then I'm going to have to disown you as my brother.”

Howon a brow at the older man; his brother sends him a rather sweet and innocent smile, but Howon knows that the reality behind it is brutal. Jinki's eyes may sparkle beautifully to other people, particularly his partner Minho, but Howon just knows. Howon knows that Jinki would most likely body slam him into the floor if he dares say yes. Howon sighs in defeat, putting his perfectly prepared outfit down with no little disappointment in his movements. Jinki's smile turns genuine.

“Buzz-kill,” Howon grumbles.

“No I'm not. I'm just thinking about what's best for you,” Jinki says with a cute pout, “It's your first date since you and Mijoo separated, so it's a big deal! And I'm not going to let you ruin it by showing up at your date's place like a woolen Barney—or worse yet, a grumpy-looking Tinky Winky.”

“So you're mad about my clothes?” Howon snorts and rolls his eyes, “Jinki hyung, please. I think I can dress myself just fine.”

“Definitely not! You were planning to wear a purple sweater with purple trousers and purple socks to go out. Do you only see one colour, Howon?” Jinki is clicking his tongue and shaking his head. Howon huffs and twists his lips in displeasure, clearly against his brother's criticism. Jinki flicks his younger brother's forehead lightly, “I don't know the guy you're going out with but, if I were him, I'd quickly make up some excuse to get out of the date if you show up at my doorstep like that.”

“That's your opinion,” Howon folds his arms over his chest.

Jinki giggles, “That's the world's opinion, actually.”

“Whatever,” Howon dismisses, “Fine. I'm not wearing them. I don't care.”

“You should care about what you're going to put on,” Jinki eyes him oddly “If you're dressed nice, it's like you're gaining points before anything even happens! You've got to pick out good clothes that say lots about you and what you can bring into a relationship.”

“You obviously know a lot about what to wear on dates,” Howon snickers.

“Of course I do. I have a fiancé,” Jinki frowns, “Lee Howon, be serious.”

“Okay,” the younger man sighs, “What am I supposed to wear then? Because I apparently can't pick out my own clothes.”

“Hey, you punk! Don't you sass your older brother!” Jinki booms with his usual wide and bright smile on his face, “Just leave it to me! I know how to dress for dates. I still go on dates, after all.”

“Don't,” Howon groans, “Just don't. I don't want to hear about you and Choi, alright?”

“I bet you don't,” Jinki says happily as he raids his brother's closet for clothes he could wear.

“Appa's going on a date! Appa's going on a date!”

Howon smiles and watches his youngest son through the mirror in front of him, the little boy jumping up and down on his dad's bed with his arms thrown up in celebration. Sungyeol is doing something quite similar, in that he's bouncing on the balls of his feet on the floor, screaming and squeaking incoherently from apparent excitement. Howon chuckles at his kids' antics and shakes his head before leaning in to fix his hair.

“Appa, you're going to be a gentleman, right? You're not going to be like creepy Mr. Nam and look at people's butts, right?” Howon a brow and turns to look at his son. Sungyeol has stopped running around and screaming, his eldest son now standing there with a serious look on his face and his arms crossed tightly against his chest. A strange sight, considering the boy has already been put into his pajamas. It's not better, for Sungjong's case, because the younger boy is mimicking his brother's movements; the difference is that Sungjong's tinier than his brother and is wearing an adorable bunny onesie, “You should treat dinosaur hyung right and not look at his ! Open the door for him. Pull out his chair for him. Give him pretty flowers and talk about what he likes. And if the ex-boyfriend comes along, you have to fight for dinosaur hyung's honour.”

“You... You've watched one too many dramas, Sungyeol,” Howon sighs but smiles anyway. He turns to face the mirror once more to make sure his clothes are on right; his white dress shirt is tucked into his trousers and the buttons are done up right, and his trousers are neither up too high nor hanging low. Howon looks his face over, his thick fingers trailing down a sharp jawline and then up into his soft hair. A smile quirks onto his thin lips as realization kicks in: He looks great.

“Wow, Uncle Howon! You look all nice and fancy!” Howon turns to face the entrance of his room to see his brother's little boy, Taemin. Howon looks up and Jinki's right behind his son with his arms crossed over his chest and a proud smile on his face. Howon just arches a brow, “Are you going somewhere special, Uncle Howon?”

“Taeminnie! Appa's going on a date,” Sungjong squeals and hops off of his dad's bed. The little boy runs straight over to where his cousin is, tugging at his arm and pulling hem into the room, “My Appa and our Teacher Dino are going to go out and talk and eat really yummy food together, and then they'll be special friends forever and get married.”

Howon chokes and Jinki pulls a scandalized face.

“Sungjongie!” Sungyeol gasps and leaps over to where his brother's standing, slapping a hand over his mouth with a panicked expression on his face, “Shh! Appa doesn't know about the plan!” Then Sungyeol's eyes are widening and he's slapping his other hand over his own mouth, “Appa doesn't know we have a plan!”

“Should I ignore this?” Howon looks up at Jinki, who holds an equally puzzled expression, “I think I'll just ignore whatever this is.”

“...Right. You have things to prepare for, after all,” Jinki nods a little and leads Howon out of his own bedroom and down the stairs. The kids are tailing after them, gossiping. Or, rather, Sungjong and Taemin are turning to the eldest boy to ask him what a date actually was and Sungyeol answering as if he's some tiny, experienced Casanova. It almost makes Howon laugh out loud, but Jinki's giving him a look, “You don't even have anything to give him. Hurry up and run by the flower shop. Get him some roses. It's not enough to know where you're taking him if you can't even start the date properly.”

“When did you become like this, hyung?” Howon looks at Jinki sourly, “You never used to nag.”

“Ever since I realized how pitiful my dongsaeng is,” Jinki shakes his head.

“No! Appa got mean because Mr. Minho is a bad influence!” Taemin almost screams, and Howon nods in understanding. Jinki frowns and dismisses his son's words.

“Where is that husband of yours?” Howon asks.

“MY PRETTY APPA AND MR. MINHO ARE NOT MARRIED!” Taemin cries.

“Of course not, honey! Minho and I aren't married. We're engaged,” Jinki's smiling down at Taemin, but the boy's eyes are threatening to flood with tears. Jinki pays him no mind, thinking that his son is being too emotional for a five year old boy. He faces his younger brother, “And I'll have you know that he's working right now, and he's sorry he can't be here to help you. But that's okay because I am. I'll take care of the kids and you—you can go do your thing. And, hopefully, you do your thing right.”

“Hyung, you're not going to feed my kids just fried chicken, are you?” Howon looks him in the eye.

“No, silly,” Jinki giggles, “We're having bulgogi!”

“Really, Appa?” Taemin asks, and he sounds almost hopeful. When Jinki nods at him, Taemin almost cries tears of joy.

“Ooh! I bet it's going to be tasty!” Sungjong claps.

Sungyeol pouts a little, “But I like Uncle Jinki's fried chicken...”

Sungjong and Taemin slowly turn to face their hyung with a look of horror. They walk up to him and all but slap their hands against Sungyeol's mouth, covering his lips and whatever word may escape from them. Sungjong and Taemin shake their heads, “Sungyeol Hyung always says nice and smart things... But not today.”

Sungyeol lets out a muffled chuckle that sounds almost intentionally evil.

Howon shrugs and nods, “Alright. Whatever. As long as the kids are fed and in bed on time,” Howon tells his brother and Jinki's nodding. “Bed time is at nine, so make sure you've got my boys all tucked in for the night by then.”

“BUT APPA! MY DRAMA IS AT NINE THIRTY!” Sungyeol cries desperately.

“Not tonight, Sungyeol-ah. They canceled tonight's episode to air foreign movies,” Howon tells his eldest son solemnly, and Sungyeol just nods. Having done that, he pats his brother on the shoulder and shakes his hand, “Right. I'm off to pick up the flowers I ordered and then pick up my date.”

“Okay. Just go,” Jinki laughs at him and practically shoves the younger man out of his own house, “Don't forget the chocolates!” Jinki calls out. Howon nods and then he's gone.

“Don't wear green on the first date,” Bomi tells him, her finger pointing right at his face.

“But it's okay to make out with him?” Nicole a brow at Bomi, her hands retreating from where they were to cross her arms, and Dongwoo chokes on his own breath.

Bomi nods, “You've got to leave some mystery, y'know?”

Sohyun deadpans, “You're worried about the green, and not that?” She gets up from where she's seated in front of Dongwoo, heading over to Bomi to quickly slap her upside