"Mama! Look what I found!"

Jungah smiles, watching as her three year old son Kyungsoo wiggles out from the Exclusive Boys Club tent he'd built in the backyard with his cousin. She's perched on the back porch stairs, the back of her calves scraping lightly against the wood as she shifts to stretch her legs out. It's a warm spring Saturday and with her brother's family out of town for the weekend and all the errands completed, Jungah has nothing to do but watch her son play in the backyard. It's a well deserved break from everything, even if just for a couple days.

"Mama, come look!" Kyungsoo is excitedly bouncing on his heels, waving over to the tent. With her brother Jongdae's help, the tent had been decently structured and had so far lasted a week's worth of playing in it. Though it was really small for Jungah, it was the perfect size for Kyungsoo and his cousin Baekhyun to spend hours playing Spies and Space Rangers in.

Jungah finally stands up, dusts off the dirt on the back of her shorts, and walks over to the tent, but Kyungsoo is so eager for her to see whatever it is that he meets her halfway and grabs her hand to tug her the rest of the way. She ends up laughing as Kyungsoo grows impatient to show her, still gently tugging at her hand to pull her down to the entrance.

"It just appeared like magic!" Kyungsoo exclaims, holding back the curtain entrance of the tent.

Jungah is expecting a bug at most, not that the fear bubbling in her chest makes her any more eager to see any type of bug that her son might be thrilled with. It could be a book and this could just be a ploy for Kyungsoo to get her to read him a story in the tiny tent; this wouldn't be the first time he's tried.

Though what she isn't expecting is an excited, chocolate brown poodle puppy to bark at her. She manages to sit back despite her surprise, the puppy eagerly bounding out of the tent and hopping into her lap.

"Kyungsoo, where did you find this puppy?" she asks. Kyungsoo plops down next to her, holding a shy hand out for the puppy to . He giggles as the puppy's tongue swipes over his palm, trying to hold out as best as he can.

"I don't know," he mumbles, completely fascinated by the small dog. "I just found it in the tent while I was playing."

Jungah purses her lips, gathering the puppy in her hands. The puppy doesn't seem shy at all, tail wagging happily as Jungah lifts the puppy up to eye level. Big, round, brown eyes gaze back at her inquisitively, the puppy's head cocked to one side before its tongue lolls out of its mouth and it barks at her.

Kyungsoo smiles and gently pets the dog. "Since we found it, don't we get to keep it? That's what Baekhyun always says."

The puppy barks excitedly, tail wagging frantically that it hits the back of Jungah's hands- as if to ask them to play.

She sighs, and Kyungsoo's face has already fallen. "You know we can't keep the puppy." Jungah tilts Kyungsoo's sullen face up to look at her. "I'm sure the puppy's owner misses their dog a lot."

Kyungsoo seems to get sadder, his hand petting the puppy stilling over its back, and Jungah's heart breaks a little. Even if it's something small, she hates seeing her son sad. So she leads Kyungsoo into her lap and helps him hold on to the dog. The puppy paws at his legs and jumps about eagerly, and the smile is back on Kyungsoo's face almost instantly.

Jungah ruffles Kyungsoo's hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head. "We'll go ask the neighbors in a bit," she says, though she has her suspicions as to whose dog it is. The neighbors next door had moved out awhile ago and someone else had been moving in over the past week, though she's never seen the new neighbors. Not that she particularly wants to. She hadn't liked the last neighbors that lived there before- a loud, obnoxious couple that argued all the time and their huge dog barked at all hours and threatened to bust through the gate that separated the two yards.

Just then, she hears the sound of a door opening from next door and looks over the fence at the source. A man is looking around his yard, his brown hair messy around his round face. His cheeks are flushed, bangs damp on his forehead as he peeks behind the bushes in his yard. Jungah watches, feeling her own cheeks starting to burn with every flex of the man's arms as he picks up boxes strewn around his backyard.

"Sunja!" the man calls out, lifting up another moving box. The puppy in Kyungsoo's lap immediately responds, barking and trying to wiggle out of Kyungsoo's hold. He looks up at Jungah, eyes sad as he cradles the puppy a little bit tighter. All Jungah can do is ruffle Kyungsoo's hair and manage a meek smile.

She ushers Kyungsoo off her lap, taking the puppy from his reluctant hands. "I think this puppy must belong to you?" she shouts over the fence, standing up from the ground. She manages to hold the puppy in one hand and brushes the dirt off her shorts with the other.

The man glances over the fence, elation crossing over his features as soon as he catches sight of his dog. Jungah swears that fireworks are going off behind him in that moment. "Thank god," he exhales, pushing his bangs back off his face. He's by the fence in an instant, hands reaching out to take the puppy from Jungah. "This wouldn't be the first time she's run off to go exploring, and I was scared it had happened again."

Jungah smiles, shyly messing with her ponytail. Up close, her neighbor is really cute. Though shorter than herself, his face is young, eyes curved prettily as he smiles. His lips are the pink of roses and his eyes shine when he looks up at her. Jungah tries her best to swallow down her rapid pulse.

She feels a sudden tug on her shorts. Glancing down at Kyungsoo, he ducks behind her leg with his bottom lip caught between his teeth. Jungah smiles reassuringly, resting her hand on top of Kyungsoo's head.

"She probably was just looking for adventure in the cool Exclusive Boys Tent next door," Jungah says, nodding in the direction of the tent. Just as the words come out of , she feels suddenly self conscious. Had that been a weird thing to say?

The man still smiles in response, and damn all the butterflies in her stomach take off in flight.

He shifts Sunja in his arms, letting her at his slim fingers. "Unlike normal dogs, she's not scared of new places and has already managed to get into every corner in the house." The puppy barks, and the man pets the puppy gently between her ears. "I imagine we will be getting to know each other a lot because of Sunja."

Jungah swallows thickly. She's not as opposed to that as she'd imagined.

"I'm Jungah," she says, and then picks up a reluctant Kyungsoo in her arms. Kyungsoo buries shyly in her chest, arms wrapped tight around her neck. "And this is Kyungsoo." She tries to tip Kyungsoo's head up, but her son seems adamant about hiding.

"I'm Minseok," he replies, managing a shy wave. He lifts up Sunja, waving her little paw. "And I suppose you know Sunja already."

Jungah laughs, hiking Kyungsoo up her hip. "She's cute for sure."

Minseok nods, shifting her once more in his arms. He looks up at Jungah, eyes bright as he says, "I’ve still got a lot of boxes to unpack and it’s about time for Sunja to eat, but I guess I'll see you around, right?"

She nods. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too," he says, his lips curving up into a cute, lopsided smile as he sets Sunja down on the ground. "And it was nice to meet you too, Kyungsoo."

Kyungsoo turns around at the call of his name, smiling shyly at Minseok before he buries back into Jungah's neck again. Minseok ends up chuckling before he calls Sunja into the house and shuts the door behind him.

Jungah sighs, letting Kyungsoo back down. Her son ends up taking her hand and leads her back to the porch. Oddly enough, he seems quite serious and he waits until she has taken her seat on the deck before he plops in her lap, facing her, and mindlessly takes her long hair from her ponytail and plays with it.

"Hey, mama," he murmurs, flicking Jungah's hair off her shoulder, then putting the ponytail back on her shoulder.

Jungah hums, gently pushing Kyungsoo's bangs off his forehead just to watch them flop back down over his eyes. He'll need a haircut soon, but Junhee, her sister-in-law, is better at it than she is.

"Do you feel okay?" he asks, genuine in his concern. His tiny hands clutch onto the ends of her shirt, and Jungah's not sure what's on his mind.

"I feel fine, Kyungsoo. Why would you think otherwise?"

Kyungsoo bites down on his bottom lip, eyes wide as his fingers fidget at the hem of her shirt. "Your heart was beating really fast just now," he whispers. "Didn't it hurt?"

Jungah's cheeks heat up instantly and she prays Kyungsoo can't see her turning red. Her breath catches in - and she thinks back to Minseok for a moment- and suddenly it's a lot harder just to get anything out.

"It was nothing," she finally manages, stuttering over her words but she's thankful that when she gets it out, Kyungsoo seems instantly relieved. "I'm fine. Honestly."

It's enough to settle Kyungsoo's fears and he's quick to bound off her lap, run back into his tent, and grab a story book for her to read out loud. As she rereads stories out of the Winnie the Pooh story book, she tries to calm the heat in her cheeks and the butterflies that have seem to begun fluttering anxiously in her stomach again.

Unfortunately, it takes most of the evening and a cold shower to finally calm the heat in her face and the fluttering in her chest.

 

 

 

To Kyungsoo, Sunja is a welcomed presence in the backyard. Jungah has her suspicions that Kyungsoo has been doing everything to bring Sunja into the yard- everything from deepening the hole under the fence to taking the sliced fruit he didn't finish during the day to lure Sunja over. All subtlety is gone once Kyungsoo recruits Baekhyun to build a small awning over the hole, held up by sticks shoved into the ground and duct tape. They proudly stick a sign in the ground next to it, labeling it as the “Puppy Portal”.

However, Minseok never seems to mind. He comes home even later than Jungah does- which is a surprise because her nurse shifts keep her at the hospital until seven- and often spends some time watching Kyungsoo play with Sunja over the fence. He sometimes hands Kyungsoo dog treats over the fence, smiling as Kyungsoo's face lights up and he starts making Sunja do tricks. If Minseok has time, he'll even toss a ball back and forth with Kyungsoo (not that Kyungsoo has the dexterity yet to catch the ball or throw it far) and watch as Sunja chases the three year old and attempts to tackle him to the ground.

Jungah just enjoys watching. As much as she loves dogs, her eyes end up glancing back to Minseok. He seems so enamored with Kyungsoo that it's quite heartwarming to watch. He listens eagerly over the fence when Kyungsoo talks about his day, or rewards Kyungsoo with a huge smile when he runs up to show him a drawing of Sunja he made during preschool. Once, when Jungah was helping Junhee clean the dinner dishes, Kyungsoo burst into the kitchen, shouting, "Mama! Mama! Look what Mr. Kim drew for me!"

It's a picture of Kyungsoo and Sunja playing, drawn like they were anime characters. Upon Kyungsoo's persistence, it now takes center place on the fridge where Kyungsoo can see it every time he sits down to eat.

Jungah loves it, honestly. She loves seeing her son so happy, and there's not a day that passes where she doesn't see his baby teeth gleaming in a big smile. She loves just hearing Kyungsoo talk (at least not when it's time for her to sleep) and now he's got endless stories he's made up about adventures with Sunja. Today, Sunja was a fire breathing dragon and Kyungsoo was the knight who rescued Prince Baekhyun. Tomorrow, Sunja is going to be the space alien who fights alongside Space Ranger Kyungsoo to defeat Alien King Baekhyun. Jungah's heart feels so full seeing the sparkle in Kyungsoo's eyes just before he drifts off to sleep.

However, she thinks that now it has gotten a little out of hand.

She'd spent half the night lying awake in bed, trying her hardest to fall back asleep after waking out of a nightmare. It's midnight when she glances at her phone, and she groans because she'd switched shifts tomorrow and she'll have to be up early. So she decides to get out of bed, searching for a blanket to take out to the couch with her, and watch television until she falls back asleep again.

When she passes the kitchen, her curiosity gets the better of her and she ends up tiptoeing to the room Kyungsoo shares with Baekhyun. The door opens with a slight creak, and she peeks inside to find Kyungsoo awake and fidgeting with something under the covers.

"Sunja," he whispers, trying to grab the puppy who scrambles out of his tiny hands. "We have to go to bed or mama will--"

Kyungsoo looks up at the door and his jaw drops. His eyes are wide as he processes what's going on. And then he shoves the covers over his head and pretends to snore.

She knows she should be more upset, but she's tired. And it's kind of cute that Kyungsoo just wanted to sleep with Sunja, maybe thinking he could take her into his dreams. She ends up sighing, kneeling down next to Kyungsoo's bed and gently pulling the covers away from his face.

He looks worried, brows furrowed and lips in a pout as he grips onto the covers tightly. Sunja wiggles next to him, at his elbow as if to calm him down. Jungah cards through Kyungsoo's hair and whispers, "I know you just wanted to sleep with Sunja, but she's not your dog. Mr. Kim will be sad if he doesn't see Sunja at home. He might be really worried for her."

Kyungsoo's frown deepens, eyes becoming watery. Jungah's thumb brushes over his cheek. "I'm not upset with you," she whispers, leaning down and kissing Kyungsoo's cheek, "but you'll have to apologize to Mr. Kim tomorrow, okay?"

Kyungsoo nods, tugging the covers up to his chin. "I'm sorry, mama," he whispers. Sunja wiggles up to his chest and his cheek. "I'm sorry, Sunja. You should be sleeping in bed with Mr. Kim."

Jungah chuckles, collecting the squirmy pup in her arms and kissing Kyungsoo's forehead. "You need to go to bed, mister. It's far too late for you to be up."

Kyungsoo shyly wiggles under the cover until only his eyes are above the bed covers. He nods subtly before screwing his eyes shut and pretending to sleep. Jungah, content, kisses Kyungsoo goodnight and shuts the door behind her after she leaves.

Then leaves the problem of what to do with Sunja.

She's not sure if Minseok's awake, though she supposes peeking her head out the front door to look if the lights are on would be worth a shot. She lets Sunja down long enough to slip into a big shirt over the tank top she'd slept in. Sunja seems content to sleep in her bed, pawing at her comforter and curling up to sleep, but Jungah's worried Minseok's looking for her and finally picks up the puppy and heads outside.

She reaches the entryway and quietly slips on her black flats, petting Sunja in hopes the puppy doesn't bark to wake the whole house up. She's still trying to slip into her flats once she opens the door, but she nearly jumps out of her skin in surprise when she looks up to find Minseok standing on her front porch.

Minseok looks more visibly surprised as she opens the door, his eyes wide as he freezes in his pacing. He looks like a few years have been shaved off his lifespan. He's dressed in shorts and a tank and his hair messy around his face like he'd been tossing and turning all night.

Jungah holds out Sunja, a tired smile tugging at her lips. "I believe she's yours," she exhales, shifting shyly on the balls of her feet. Sunja just pants, tongue out of in an attempt to at her hands.

Minseok visibly relaxes, smiling as he takes hold of his puppy. Sunja nestles her head in the crook of Minseok's arm and closes her eyes instantly.

"I figured she was here," he chuckles, petting Sunja between her floppy ears. "I wanted to be sure but I didn't want to wake anyone up."

Jungah smiles, shaking her head. "I wasn't really sleeping anyway. It's a good thing I caught Kyungsoo in the middle of trying to puppy smuggle."

Minseok laughs at that, the sound musical to Jungah and even though it's the middle of the night, her stomach still flops.

"He's a really cute kid," Minseok murmurs, looking up at a her with a gentle smile.

Jungah sighs, twirling her hair in her nervousness. "I think he was trying to take Sunja into his dreams too." She's almost sure Minseok's eyes light up, and they remind her of Kyungsoo's. "Soon enough they'll be inseparable and you'll have to live here just to see Sunja at all."

Her heart stops. Had she really just said that? Her face is starting to burn and she curses her unfiltered mouth and how hot Minseok looks in his pajamas and damn her sleepiness too. She feels totally frozen, and Minseok looks the same, face frozen in a puzzled look, until he ends up laughing, albeit a little nervously.

"I think I should ask you out on a date first before I move in," Minseok says, laughter hanging off his words. His smile is shy, and Jungah can see the blush taking over his cheeks, and he's doing his best not to make this situation any more awkward than it is.

But Jungah can't get words out of anymore, still mortified. Her laughter is awkward, nervous, and she almost wishes the ground could just open up and swallow her.

Minseok sighs, adjusting Sunja in his arms. "I don't want you to get cold or hold you up from getting sleep, so I'll just head back home," he says, looking up from the pup. He smiles up at Jungah, reaching up for the blanket around her shoulders and tugging it so the blanket covers her arms. Jungah's breath stills with his hands so close, his gaze just on her and his smile so warm. She swallows thickly, again trying to fill the embarrassing silence she'd created but she's drowning under a flood of emotions.

She manages a whisper, fists clutching the blanket around her. "Goodnight, Minseok."

Minseok turns around and smiles at her, standing halfway to the sidewalk. "Goodnight, Jungah," he says. "And thank you for the puppy."

Just that tugs her lips up into a smile. She's still smiling even after she closes the door, kicking off her shoes and shuffling over to the couch. She doesn't even bother flicking on the television, instead sinking under her blanket and trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.

There's a lot floating in her mind. She's not sure how long she stays awake afterwards, but she falls asleep to Minseok's flushed face and shy smile and wakes up by the sound of her brother fiddling frustratedly with the coffee pot. Jongdae's thankful, a grateful smile on his face as she rolls off the couch to help him. But Jungah's mind is still hooked on another smile she can't seem to shake from her head, even as she makes herself a warm cup of milk tea to ease the fluttering in her stomach.

 

 

 

Jungah already feels the heat of embarrassment when she sees Minseok the day after, but he doesn't bring that night back up after Kyungsoo had apologized for the dog kidnapping. He ruffles Kyungsoo's hair and accepts his apology, and then instead, he starts up conversations about other things and manages to make Jungah feel so comfortable around him. He works in an accounting office and his days are painfully slow so he spends most of his time doodling (Jungah argues that it’s art). The last movie he’d watched had been Tangled because when drunk, his best friends are absolute saps and he had to hold their hands as they cried. Jungah has seen the movie a thousand times because Baekhyun and Kyungsoo absolutely love it. In addition, Minseok’s a coffee drinker and Jungah has to deduct points on the hotness scale for that.

It's easy to talk with him, even when his simple smiles make Jungah's heart thud against her ribcage so hard that her mind blanks.

Jongdae's the first to notice the blush she gets after talking with Minseok, and he doesn't say anything aloud. But, like the annoying older brother he is, he simultaneously teases her about it with wiggly eyebrows and suggestive hip bumps and he takes on a glare and stares Minseok down when their eyes catch. No one is going to play with his baby sister's feelings while he's around to protect her.

But other than attempting to burn lasers through Minseok's forehead, Jongdae hasn't said anything. Jungah wonders whether that means he secretly approves of Minseok.

The next Saturday, they all end up walking a few blocks down to the park. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun are eager to go, and Baekhyun immediately races down the sidewalk as soon as he's out the door. Junhee has to run to catch up with him and clamps a firm hand on his arm, chastising him not to run off. Baekhyun looks upset for a moment, but only until Junhee swings him up into her arms and presses kisses all over his face until he's giggling.

Kyungsoo just looks up at Jungah and takes her hand before he even takes a step out of the house.

It's a short walk there, and Jungah ends up carrying Kyungsoo halfway there. His small hands are clutched at the back of her shirt, watching Baekhyun jump in front him in an attempt to reach him. Jungah's arms are tired when they reach the park, and she's about to let him down when there's a tiny puppy rubbing up against her ankles and pawing her legs.

"Sunja!" Kyungsoo exclaims, immediately wiggling to be put down. As soon as his feet are on the ground, his hands are on the puppy, giggling as Sunja at his palm. Baekhyun is instantly by his side, gently petting the poodle between her ears.

Jungah looks up to find Minseok jogging towards them, a soccer ball tucked under his arm and a leash dangling helplessly from his wrist. He's dressed in a simple pair of light sweats, pushing up his bangs from the sweat as he approaches. And he looks incredibly happy to see her.

"Hi," he says, pushing his hair back again so that it sticks up at odd angles. His smile is so bright and Jungah's sure her heartbeat is loud enough for Minseok to hear.

"Hi, Mr. Kim!" Baekhyun yells, jumping around his feet.

"Can we play with you and Sunja?" Kyungsoo asks, tugging down on Minseok's pant leg. Baekhyun joins as well, pouting. "Please, please, please, Mr. Kim?"

Minseok smiles nervously, still messing with his hair. "I'm sure your parents won't mind, right?"

Jungah shakes her head. "Please tire them out," Junhee says, laughter to her voice. "I'm hoping they'll take a nap after this."

Minseok laughs as Kyungsoo and Baekhyun cheer. He hands them the soccer ball and they immediately take off into the field behind the playground. Jungah watches as Kyungsoo runs off, shyly tugging on the sleeves of her white sweater.

Minseok is still hanging close to her, a sudden blush taking over his cheeks as he clears his throat. "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to come join me too? Unless you wanted to sit with the adults."

Jungah glances over her shoulder to find Jongdae and Junhee perched on the bench, Junhee essentially sitting in Jongdae's lap. Her brother has his arm curled around Junhee's waist, lips pressed to her neck as he teases her with kisses. She whines and smacks his arms, but there's a heavy blush on her face, up to the tips of her ears.

She loves her brother and her sister-in-law, but she's not sure she could survive sitting next to them while they're like that.

"I think I'd prefer to kick your in soccer, thanks," she says, quickly taking off for the field. Her heart is beating fast. Minseok's eyes are bright, smile so incredibly endearing when he finally catches up to her.

Jungah is not fantastic at soccer, despite her boasts about being the star defender on her elementary school soccer team. But Minseok laughs and pays it no mind, and it's soon obvious he could have easily been at national club soccer level. It's a three against one game, technically three against two since Sunja is an effective distraction to Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, and Minseok’s skills are unmatched to all three of them. He easily weaves between them, teasing them with the ball before he swipes it from their feet and easily evades all attacks. Jungah ends up watching Baekhyun and Kyungsoo more than actually trying; their laughter is so contagious and they're so happy that it's hard not to catch the sentiment herself. She ends up laughing aloud when Kyungsoo manages to take the ball from Minseok once, and the surprised look he gives is worth a photo to keep forever.

"Come on, you'll have to try harder," he teases. Baekhyun and Kyungsoo are distracted by Sunja and he's facing off with Jungah. "I thought your pro soccer skills would serve you better."

Jungah huffs, hands on her hips in defiance. "Just try me."

And so Minseok does, dribbling the ball straight for her. She's quick, and for once her long legs come in handy, and she kicks out, aiming for the ball. However, Minseok is faster and he quickly sidesteps around her. But Jungah can't find her balance and she's teetering unsteadily forward, and suddenly there's a warm presence around her waist. Minseok's small hands are fitted at her hips, holding her steady, and the touch has all her nerves firing like fireworks on her skin. But the touch is fleeting as soon as she's steady, and the place where his hands had been feels suddenly cold.

"Careful," Minseok teases, dribbling the ball around her. He rolls the ball under his foot and kicks it up to his waiting hands. "You've still got your entire soccer career ahead of you."

Jungah pouts. Her sides still burn with the imprint of Minseok's hands and damn he looks even more gorgeous after enjoying himself so thoroughly. She's about ready to retort back when she sees Junhee and Jongdae approaching them. Her heart falls a little, because she knows where this is going to lead to.

"I think we should head home," Junhee says, and it's the exact words Jungah is dreading. But she glances over at Kyungsoo and Baekhyun and it's obvious why. The kids look almost ready to sleep on their feet.

"That's okay. I think I need to tire out my pup some more so that she'll sleep tonight," Minseok jokes. Sunja, as if knowing the conversation has turned to her, escapes the two children and trots over happily to Minseok's side.

"Mommy, can't we play just a little bit more?" comes Baekhyun's pleads. He's his Maximum Puppy Look by deepening his pout as far as he can and making his eyes as big and wet as possible. Kyungsoo joins in, and if this were Jungah alone, she wouldn't be able to withstand it. However, Junhee has much stronger defenses and Baekhyun's pouty face hasn't even broken the surface of her defenses.

She sighs, scooping Baekhyun up into her arms. "We have ice cream at home. If you're good while we go home and take a nap, you can have ice cream after dinner."

"Me too?" Kyungsoo asks. Jungah scoops her son into her arms, balancing him on her hip as she kisses his cheek.

"You too, Kyungsoo."

And with that, both boys are completely pliant to be picked up and tired out. Baekhyun's eyes are slowly drooping shut and Kyungsoo snuggles closer to Jungah.

"I guess we'll be going then," Jungah says, looking up at Minseok. He looks a little sad, or maybe she's just imagining it.

"I'll see you around." He holds up Sunja and waves her tiny paw, the puppy twisting around and trying to clamber up to his face. She comes up short and Sunja ends up where his shirt has dropped down to expose his collarbones. It's still cute, even if Jungah's insides feel scrambled at the sight of his chest.

She waves goodbye, and Kyungsoo manages a sleepy goodbye and promises to play with Sunja lots after his nap. Minseok laughs and makes a quick pinky promise with him. It leaves Jungah's chest warm, even when they finally reach their house and she tucks Kyungsoo into bed. Both him and Baekhyun are out as soon as they hit the mattress, and Jungah and Junhee do their best to tiptoe out of the room.

Jungah breathes a sigh of relief as soon as the door shuts behind her. Her heart is still erratic in her chest, her cheeks still burn with thoughts of the afternoon still swirling in her head. And Junhee has a look on her face like she's noticed, smile smug as she follows Jongdae into their bedroom and shuts the door quietly behind her.

Alone, Jungah trudges to her room and ends up flopping on her bed with her phone in hand. She glances through articles, songs, mindless things because she's not going to fall asleep anyway. However, Junhee's smile is still imprinted behind her eyes, puzzling her, until her thoughts drift back to playing soccer with Minseok once more and his warm hands on her waist.

She tugs off her shirt and presses her hands against the cool spots in her bed. Suddenly, it feels like the middle of summer instead of the beginning of spring.

 

 

 

While Jongdae had been the first to notice the blush that has now become semipermanent on Jungah's face, Junhee is the first to formally confront her about Minseok.

"You've got more than just a crush on him," she says, leading Jungah to sit on the couch next to her. Jongdae had taken the boys out for ice cream, and the two girls had the house to themselves. Jungah had been in the middle of doing laundry when Junhee took her hands and sat her down on the couch.

Jungah sputters because No, why would you say that? Minseok is cute but he's not that cute. Well maybe a little cute. It's not like her heart is beating double time and her head is spinning every time Minseok's hand brushes against hers. No, that would be silly.

But, then again... yes. To all those things. However, Jungah doesn't know what to do about the mess of emotions inside of her. She sinks down into the couch, tugging the ends of her sweater sleeves over her hands.

"What am I going to do?" she murmurs, twirling her hair between her fingers. Jungah can only think of one option and that's to push Minseok away before he gets too close because she's not sure she could even handle another heartbreak. She has all the people she needs around her- her brother and his family and her son. They couldn't ever break her heart.

But she watches Jongdae and Junhee in a love she's dreamed of and it burns in her chest. As much as she wants to protect her heart, she wants a love like that too. Jongdae is never short of affections for his wife, kissing her as soon as he gets home and holding her hand when Junhee is nervous. And the love in his eyes is so genuine and sincere- like Junhee is the center of his entire world- and there's no way Jungah couldn't be a little jealous being around them all the time to witness it.

But she's so terrified of another heartbreak.

Junhee can sense her distress by the tenseness in her body and lets her lean on her shoulder, running gentle fingers through her long hair. Jungah manages a weak sigh. It feels like it takes her far too long to relax in Junhee's arms, and Junhee doesn't say anything to fill the silence until Jungah's closed her eyes.

"You've got your life ahead of you," Junhee whispers, brushing through Jungah's bangs like she does with Baekhyun when she's trying to get him to sleep. "If you're not ready to date again, then don't. Throwing yourself into something that scares you won't make it any easier. However, don't think about how anyone else feels except yourself; Kyungsoo loves you no matter what and you always have us supporting you. Minseok is a wonderful guy- he loves playing with the kids and he looks at you like you've got a red string tied around your finger that lines up perfectly with the string around his."

Jungah bites down on her lips and fidgets with her sweater. A warm heat is swirling in her chest, and for once, it's a comfortable kind of warmth.

Junhee smiles softly. "If you like him, don't hold yourself back. Date him. And even if it doesn't work out, then you'll never have to guess what could have happened. And if it works out--"

The dryer beeps, a grating sound in the silence. Jungah looks up at her sister-in-law, smiling sheepishly before she rolls off her lap and shuffles into the laundry room.

If she acts on her feelings and lets herself fall in love with Minseok, maybe she'll have the kind of love she's always dreamed about.

 

 

 

Frustrated, Jungah kicks off her bed covers. She's burning up, her pajamas feel glued to her skin, nothing feels comfortable, and her mind is a whirring mess. It's a rare bout of sleeplessness hitting, and even though Jungah has a long day of work tomorrow, she knows she's not going to get much sleep tonight.

She figures it's better to get out of bed and do anything other than let herself swim around in her thoughts, so she climbs out of bed and searches blindly in the dark for the spare blanket she keeps for movie nights on the couch. Then she tiptoes out of her bedroom, trying not to wake up Junhee and Jongdae next door, and into the kitchen. She flicks on the light switch by the wall, squinting at the sudden light that blinds her for a moment. A glass of cold water is what she needs just to calm the anxiety still fluttering in her chest, and the cool water sliding down is instant relief to the heat still swimming in her veins.

There's a lot on her mind, but it's nothing she wants to bother with. She's long since closed the door to many of the things in her past, what's keeping her up now, but she doesn't plan on letting herself delve into it. Jungah knows how to deal with sleepless nights, and tonight is no different.

She leaves the cup on the counter when she's finished and ends up wandering to the room Kyungsoo shares with Baekhyun. The house is eerily silent, and Jungah ends up wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders. She's quiet as she opens the bedroom door slightly, hand tight over the doorknob as she peeks into the room.

However, Kyungsoo's sleeping form on the bed has been replaced by a trembling lump under the covers. Jungah's heart already aches.

She's quiet as she tiptoes over, careful not to wake up Baekhyun when she pulls the covers away. Kyungsoo is curled around his stuffed dog, face pressed into his knees to hide the tears streaming down his face. His chest is heaving, trying to control the volume of his sobs, and his bangs are glued by sweat to his forehead. Just the sight drives the ache deeper into Jungah's chest.

She carefully scoops up Kyungsoo in her arms, trying not to spook her son any more than he already is. Kyungsoo is complaint and he eagerly scrambles into her hold, dropping his stuffed puppy in favor of wrapping his arms around her neck, tiny hands clutching at the blanket around her and teary face buried into her shoulder. She hoists Kyungsoo up, balancing him on her hip as she tiptoes back out of the room and shuts the door behind her. The dam keeping Kyungsoo strong breaks and suddenly she can feel his tears soaking up in the fabric of her night shirt.

Jungah gently runs her palm over Kyungsoo's back, shushing him quietly and pacing around in circles around the living room. But tonight, his cries don't subside easily and the anxiety comes whirring back into her chest. As his hold tightens around her, his sobs get louder, and Jungah has to walk outside in fear of disturbing anyone in the house.

It's cool outside, a cold breeze rustling through the bushes in the backyard. It would be refreshing to Jungah if she weren't quite so panicked. Though it helps ease some of the heat making her pajamas cling tight to her skin and her hair stick to her back.

Bouncing Kyungsoo on her hip, she slips into a pair of flip flops and ends up pacing around the backyard. It's peaceful like this, with the moonlight and the stars bright in the sky. It brings back the nostalgia of doing this before, pacing outside to calm Kyungsoo down from a nightmare. Just like herself, his nights of nightmares are rare, but they pain her all the same when they happen. She's not Superwoman, and she can't protect Kyungsoo in his nightmare battles- and it's disheartening to think so. But calming Kyungsoo afterwards is enough, assuring him that she's always with him and that his nightmares can't haunt him again is enough to ease him back to sleep.

"Mama," he hiccups, hands wrung tighter in her night shirt. Jungah pats his back, pressing a kiss to his damp cheek. Kyungsoo bites down on his bottom lip, finally lifting up his head to stop his tears, and Jungah gently wipes off the tear streaks on his face.

When his tears finally begin to subside, he manages to finally speak again. It's in a soft murmur, barely audible, that he says, "I didn't mean to wake you up, mama. I'm sorry."

Jungah shakes her head, carding through Kyungsoo's hair. "You should have woken me up if you had a nightmare. I don't ever want you to hold it in if you're sad."

A few more tears drip down Kyungsoo's face, but he nods. Jungah manages a smile and kisses her son's cheek. It's times like these that make her realize just how much her son is the center of her entire world. It's nights like these that reaffirm in her heart that she always has Kyungsoo by her side, despite what else in their surroundings may change.

Suddenly, there's a loud puppy bark in the silence. Jungah's glance flits across the fence to find Minseok frantically scrambling for Sunja. She feels kind of exposed like this but her gaze drifts over to the book and the cup on the porch and she figures Minseok's been outside for a while.

"Shush, Sunja!" Minseok chastises, scooping up the puppy and gently bopping her nose. However, Sunja seems to think it's a game and ends up biting down onto Minseok's fingers, puppy teeth bared and strong.

Jungah bites down on her lips to stop from laughing out loud as Minseok curses under his breath, trying to keep Sunja under control. Kyungsoo turns around, despite his swollen, red eyes and the tear tracks stained on his cheeks. Even in these circumstances, his excitement for Sunja is endless.

Kyungsoo's hand reaches out, whining under his breath for the puppy. Despite the fact that it's the middle of the night, Kyungsoo's shyness still persists and he's caught between wanting the puppy, curling up in Jungah's chest, and falling asleep. Jungah feels really embarrassed to even be approaching Minseok at this hour, the uneasiness heating up her chest again, but Minseok shyly waves them over to the fence and it reassures her that this is okay.

"Sunja," Kyungsoo murmurs, reaching out his tiny hand for the puppy once Minseok approaches the fence. Jungah smiles shyly, feeling the embarrassment burning at the back of her neck, but Minseok doesn't comment on the fact that they're both standing outside in their pajamas, both unable to sleep. He simply smiles and holds Sunja out for Kyungsoo to pet her easier.

"I was hoping she'd help me sleep," Minseok sighs, running rough fingers through his sweaty bangs. "Turns out she is the last calming thing on this planet. I swear she never sleeps."

Kyungsoo giggles, pushing his palm out and letting Sunja it. He's no longer wary of the puppy at all. "I've tried sleeping with Sunja before," he whispers, one hand still clutched tightly in Jungah's shirt, "but she never settled down. Mama got mad about it too."

Minseok raises his eyebrow, eyes brightly reflecting the moonlight. Jungah swallows thickly, letting her bangs drop over her face.

"So what has you up now, Kyungsoo?" Minseok asks, gently ruffling Kyungsoo's hair. The three year old falls silent, hand stilled over Sunja's back. He's sleepy, Jungah can see it in the droop of his eyes, but he recoils for a moment, pressing closer into her chest.

"A nightmare," he murmurs, twisting his hands in the blanket around Jungah's shoulder. It's more of a sleepy habit he’s always had than a nervous one. "Baekhyun told me a scary story before bedtime and I dreamt that a three-eyed monster was going to eat me up."

Minseok hums, lips pursed as though he's been deeply intrigued by the tale. Jungah chuckles, hiking Kyungsoo up her hip and hiding her smile in her son's hair. Her arms are starting to feel sore now, but Kyungsoo seems like he'll drift back to sleep soon.

"Don't you know about the Nightmare Chaser?"

Kyungsoo shakes his head, curling against Jungah. He fiddles nervously with her shirt, eyes wide as he listens intently.

Minseok clears his throat and continues. "The Nightmare Chaser is dressed like a knight, bright sword gleaming in the moonlight as he rides his midnight black horse. If you think of him before you fall asleep, then he will chase all your monsters away as soon as they appear in your dreams."

Jungah watches as Kyungsoo's lips press together, eyes drooping sleepily as he listens. The trick seems to work, and she can feel Kyungsoo relax in her arms.

"And then what, Mr. Kim?"

Jungah doesn't want to push on, fearing that they might be disturbing Minseok, but he seems happy to continue. "The Nightmare Chaser can visit everyone. His horse is so fast, it could gallop to the moon and back before the sun even comes up."

Kyungsoo yawns, arms reaching back around Jungah's neck. "Can the Nightmare Chaser visit mama too?"

Jungah's breath hitches, feeling the dull thrum of restlessness in her veins as her eyes meet Minseok's. His cheeks are flushed, his hands fidget in his grip on Sunja, but his eyes are bright and he's nothing but sincere as he whispers, "Of course. There's a knight out there to protect mama too."

Jungah's heart flutters, any anxiety still in her washed away. Minseok's smile is gentle, all his focus set on her. He looks at her like she's the only star in the sky, and Jungah feels so flustered that she's sure the blush on her cheeks can be seen in the darkness.

Kyungsoo, though, seems satisfied with the answer and finally closes his eyes. Jungah gently rocks him to distract herself, and finally sighs when she's sure Kyungsoo has fallen asleep.

"You should probably take him back to bed," Minseok whispers. He sighs in relief that Sunja is also asleep in his arms and won't bark to wake Kyungsoo up. Jungah nods, turning around to walk back into the house. She's halfway back when Minseok's words ring in her head again and she turns around.

"Minseok!"

He turns around, surprised, but his smile is still there on his face. Jungah's heart skips a few beats.

"Goodnight. Sleep, if you can," she says, feeling the heat back on her cheeks soon after. Minseok's smile widens and he simply waves back at her before he collects his book and his cup and steps back into his house.

Jungah has a lot less on her mind after she puts Kyungsoo to sleep. She curls up on the couch, trying to avoid the time on the clock as she lies down. She's staring up at the ceiling but all she can see is Minseok. Her stomach is still fluttering, the words ringing over and over again in her head.

And she can't shake the thought of how nice it would be to have a knight protect her too. For years now, she's talked herself into being strong. She's fought her own battles in raising Kyungsoo on her own, more so before she came to live with Jongdae. But every day she's still stronger yet for pushing through the insecurities that are a dull hum under her skin. Kyungsoo is an amazing son, more than she ever could have asked for, and she's been so strong just to bring them to this point.

But a knight to look after her would mean something different. It would mean an extra hand of support when she struggles, an extra hand in hers to hold when she's nervous, or another heart to seek for comfort when she can't sleep.

The thought of Minseok offering that to her scares her a little, but Minseok has been nothing but kind, sincere, and honest. He'd won Kyungsoo's heart, becoming the older brother Kyungsoo wanted. He had no reservations when it came to approaching Kyungsoo. He loved kids, and that was so easy to see as he played with Kyungsoo and connected with him on another level. And Minseok had done what no one else had and looked at Jungah like she was any other girl and had looked at Kyungsoo like he was the brightest moon in a universe.

Jungah's stomach flutters at the realization Minseok had won over her heart too. Minseok had taken her heart entirely, without resistance, and Jungah was no longer afraid. Her heart is already free from the prison she's kept it locked up in, so she closes her eyes and prays Minseok won't break her heart.

 

 

 

Nowadays, Minseok has become bashful around her. He blushes more often, stutters over his words, and wrings his hands nervously where he thinks Jungah can't see it. Even when he comes over and they sit on the front porch and watch Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, and Sunja play, Jungah can tell that Minseok is nervous by the tremble of his hands.

"I don't understand how they seem to have so much energy," Minseok sighs. He looks tired just from watching the kids run around for what's felt like hours outside. The sun is already beginning to set, and soon Jungah will have to take them inside for a bath and get them into bed.

"Beats me," she says. "Junhee and I don't keep desserts around for them to get a sugar rush. Though I wouldn't put it past my brother to have a "boys only" candy stash"

Minseok laughs, running rough fingers through his hair. They're spending another evening sitting out on Jungah's porch, thighs just barely brushing against each other. However, Minseok seems more fidgety than usual today and even ends up sitting on his hands to get them to stop shaking.

The silence that follows afterwards is awkward, and Jungah's not sure what to do about it.

"Are you nervous about something?" she finally works up the courage to ask after it's been silent for a while. She looks up at Minseok, but he seems to avoid her gaze.

And, oh. Now Jungah's sure she understands what has Minseok so nervous.

"Must be obvious," he sighs, removing his trembling hands from underneath him only to sandwich them between his knees.

Jungah nods. Now, she's sure she's ready for this moment- at least, only if Minseok is.

He clears his throat, ruffles his bangs, and chews on his lip until it's bleeding in the brewing silence. He looks like he's struggling so hard for the right words, even though there's a kind of confidence in the lines of his body, and Jungah wishes she could just kiss him and ease the tension in his shoulders.

"Actually, I was wondering if--"

"Mr. Kim!" Baekhyun yells loudly enough to make Minseok jump. "Sunja pooped!"

Minseok groans, burying his head in his hands. "I'll take care of it later, Baekhyun. Just don't step in it!"

Jungah laughs, clutching the sides of her stomach. Minseok looks even more flustered now that Baekhyun had interrupted him. "You were saying?" she gets out as soon as the laughter dies down.

Minseok sighs, clenching his fist before he suddenly takes Jungah's hands in his and looks into her eyes. His gaze is sincere and genuine in the love that's there and Jungah swallows thickly.

He exhales, "Jungah, I was wondering if you--"

"Mr. Kim!" This time, it's Kyungsoo who interrupts. "I found a cool looking bug!"

Once again, Minseok bites down on his lip and groans in an attempt to curb his frustration. "Cool," he manages to grit out, attempting a smile that looks more like a grimace. Kyungsoo doesn't notice it in his excitement and is soon back to digging in the dirt.

Jungah can't help but laugh again. Minseok looks so defeated. So, with the courage swirling in her, she leans over and presses a chaste kiss to his cheek. It's effect is instant, and Minseok is blushing to the tips of his ears.

"I think that's what you were getting at," she says, squeezing Minseok's hands. "And yes, I'd love to go out on a date."

Minseok's relief is instant, all the tenseness vanished from his body as he holds Jungah's hands tighter. His eyes are lit up like stars, and even in the sunset Jungah can see them shine. Maybe Junhee had been right and there was an invisible red string tied to their fingers because nothing feels more right than this.

"This went a lot smoother than I had in mind," Miniseok sighs. "Well, despite the interruptions."

Jungah smiles. Her chest is so full with her heart, and she feels so incredibly happy. She's got a moment to savor it all before Sunja bounds up to Minseok and tackles him back to the ground with her tongue lapping at his face. He groans and tries to push her off, but with no luck.

Kyungsoo is by their side in a flash, picking Sunja off Minseok. His smile is so wide that his baby teeth flash and Jungah ruffles her son's hair affectionately.

"Hey, Kyungsoo," Minseok says, tugging the three year old close to him. "How about next weekend I take you and your mom to the amusement park?"

His eyes light up instantly and he has to set Sunja down before he can jump in place. "Are you serious, Mr. Kim?! Mama, are we going? Please, please, pleeeeease?!"

Jungah nods, laughing as Kyungsoo jumps off the steps. She looks over at Minseok and smiles.

"It's a date."