"... And Kim Yunho, class 1a!" the principal said waving the little boy on the stage. Yunho was one of the best in his year and got a price for his good grades. The shy boy walked up to the principal and bowed before receiving his price. He stood next to the other students on the stage and a applause filled the hall. A muffled "Yunho!" coming from a spesific little crowd on the side. When Yunho's eyes followed the cheers, he saw his brothers waving wild at him, his parents giving him a proud smile. All happiness pooled in the boy when he looked at the camera and gave it the biggest smile he had. He felt so much better now. He wasn't afraid to be seen by so many people anymore, a couple weeks ago he wouldn't dare to stand on that stage. But now he loved it, he enjoyed the cheers and congrats. He was proud of himself.
"Yunnie is so smart!" Mingi said after his brother had finally left the stage and was now standing with his family.
"We're so proud of you, Yunho!" Seonghwa bent down to his son's level and hugged him, pecking his forehead.
Yunho's face graced pure light, pure happiness. He didn't fight back his father's kiss, instead wrapped his arms around him. "Look, Daddy! I'm much smarter than you!" he mocked Hongjoong showing him his price.
"My son is the smartest, of course!" Hongjoong ruffled his hair laughing.
"Soo... Can we go eat now?" Yeosang asked in-between the praising. He looked up, from Seonghwa to Hongjoong, back to his Papa.
San giggled. "Let me guess, chicken?"
Yeosang's cheeks caught a red tint, San was right but he wasn't going to admit that. "Spicy tteokbokki are okay too!"
"Uuyoung wants tteowwokki!" Wooyoung spat lifting his hands to be seen. He was quite short in between the others.
"It's settled then" Hongjoong said leading the way out while pushing Jongho in his stroller. The others lined up behind him in age order, young to old, Seonghwa finishing the line. It was quite a challenge to keep them all together in crowded areas. Once they had lost Wooyoung at the mall. The boy had freshly started walking and was off to adventures immediately. Seonghwa thought he was going to die due to heart failure on that day. Since then they had agreed to this lineup whenever they visited crowded places.
The parents checked a last time if everyone was buckled up properly before starting the van and driving off. They had a favorite restaurant that they visited for special occasions. The restaurant was pretty small and nothing fancy, it was run by an old couple. Hongjoong and Seonghwa stickied to that restaurant because a lot of happy memories where created there. The couple's first date for example. Or the celebration for Hongjoong's first album, his first win. They were close to the owner's too, pretty close actually. The old woman, Mrs. Choi, was the one to help deliver Yunho. A quite unforgettable story. Ah yes, it's true. Mr. and Mrs. Choi had seen them grow up and become the person they were now. It was a heartwarming thought Seonghwa had.
When they arrived at the restaurant, the kids rushed in first. They were quite familiar with that place. "Boys, slowly! We have time", Seonghwa yelled behind them as he took Jongho out of his seat. But they were already inside, getting greeted by Mrs. Choi's warm hugs. Maybe it's relevant to mention that the elderly couple never had kids and saw the six boys as their grandchildren. They did grow up in their arms at some point.
"Ah Hongjoong, Seonghwa!" Mr. Choi greeted when the couple and Jongho entered the restaurant. "It's been a while!"
"Yes, yes" Hongjoong agreed, getting involved into a small talk with the elder.
Seonghwa's eyes searched for his kids as they where nowhere to be seen. Then, Mrs. Choi came up to him with open arms. He hugged her with only one arm and a bright smile, the other arm was holding Jongho in place. "The boys are already in the back, third room" she said also smiling. Her eyes found Jongho, who was hiding his face in Seonghwa's neck. "Little Jongho is so big already!" she pinched his cheek and helped the couple to their table. She took their orders before leaving them by their selves.
The family settled in the room just big enough for them. Hongjoong sat on the one head of the table, Seonghwa and Jongho on the opposite side. The twins and Wooyoung made themselves comfortable on the left side, while Yunho and Mingi enjoyed a little more space on the right side. Their food came and they started their meal in silence, before Hongjoong decided to break it. "Summer break has officially started and I think it's time we do a family vacation again" he announced.
"Oh, oh! Let's go to the beach!" Mingi suggested making wave gestures with his arms.
"Or the mountains! Hiking or camping, I want to do that" Yunho said.
"What if a bear eats us!" San responded with a terrified look in his eyes.
"Can't we just visit Grandma and Grandpa?" yeosang proposed, not happy with both options his brothers had suggested.
"Uuyoung loves Grandpa!"
Seonghwa looked up in Hongjoong's debating face. His husband liked to avoid visiting the older's parents. That wasn't because he didn't like them, it's just he wasn't that comfortable with his in-laws lifestyle. You have to know Seonghwa's parents moved back to the countryside after their son moved out. They were back at their little farm living their best life. You see, Seonghwa and the kids had no problem integrating to the life on the farm but Hongjoong was a whole other story. His in-laws loved teasing the city-boy by making him help with quite difficult tasks. He couldn't say no of course. Who could say no to their in-laws?
"Oh yes! Let's visit Grandma and Grandpa! I missed Byeol!"
"Yes! Please, Daddy!"
Seonghwa chuckled. "Yes, please, please Daddy. Let's visit my parents!"
Hongjoong gave his husband a look, that could be interpreted like; How could you betray me like that?
Hongjoong sighed deeply. "I guess we're visiting Papa's parents for a while..."
~
"Yah! Junho! Come out, they're here!"
"I'm coming!"
The big van drove down the little hill, stopping in front of the big house. "Grandma!" Yeosang yelled and run up to her.
Jiyoung enclosed him in a welcoming hug and ruffled his hair. Soon all her grandchildren were surrounding her and her husband. Seonghwa and Hongjoong were the last to catch up with them. As soon as Jiyoung saw Seonghwa coming up with baby Jongho leaning on his shoulder, her eyes went big. The elder couple didn't have the chance to see the baby after he was born. They had visited them for two days while Seonghwa as in the hospital to take care of the kids. Junho and his wife only had a glimpse of Jongho after he had left the hospital. It would be their first time really meeting Jongho. Little tears of happiness pooled in Jiyoung's eyes as Seonghwa came closer to them. She greeted her son and then was all over the little bundle of fluff on his shoulder. Carefully she took him in her arms, mesmerized by his big eyes and tiny nose. "Junho look, the little angel!"
After a little while, filled with the elders being head over heels for Jongho, they finally made it inside the house. "Tell me Hongjoong, how's it going?" Junho asked him when they sat down in the living room. His wife and Seonghwa were off to get the kids settled in.
Hongjoong smiled politely. "Everything is just fine. I hope you are too? I heard you were at the hospital a couple weeks ago because of your back"
The elder laughed it off. "Ah just a little over stretch" he answered. "Now, my strong son-in-law is here to help, ah?" he joked.
"Of course!" Hongjoong responded, internally losing it. The last time they had visited them, he had to help a cow deliver its baby. No, he wasn't up to something like that again. "I would love to help you out!"
"Dinner is ready!" Seonghwa called from the hallway. Everyone came together in the dining room, seating themselves. The kids had their own little table on the side, Jongho being the only one on the 'adult' table. Seonghwa and his Mother served the food and were the last to get settled. Dinner went by pretty peaceful. In comparison to any other dinner they had. You see, the boys could get pretty loud and chaotic at times and somehow they managed to be just that at the table. Maybe they just needed a few days to get comfortable.
Soon night fell and the kids were tucked in. Jiyoung insisted on helping and Seonghwa couldn't really say no, as his husband was blocked. Junho seemed to have a lot to talk about with him. "Your dad likes him a lot" Jiyoung said, closing the door of the children's room behind her.
"We're together since high school. It would be sad if he didn't by now" the black haired male responded and chuckled lightly. In the beginning, his father really didn't approve of their relationship because of several reasons but now he seemed to like his son-in-law more than his actual son. "I guess he just likes seeing him struggle but not admit"
"Ah, that's just your dad being your dad. His way of showing affection"
"Ah, really? Hongjoong had nightmares from the cow incident" he laughed, remembering his husband waking him at night because of it. "What did he expect form someone that fell unconscious three times while I was in labor"
"Three times?"
"Oh, yes. Three times"
~
Dimmed light filled the small room. A little window was open, letting in the fresh air of the night. Seonghwa let his eyes wander through the room, while he was waiting for his husband. It was his old room from back then, before they had moved. The little farm was passed down from generation to generation. His older brother would be next to own it. The room was actually way bigger but it was divided into two by a thin slideable wall. On the other side the kids were sleeping, lined up on the futon. Jongho too was on the other side, he insisted. It was his first time not sleeping in the same room as his parents and Seonghwa couldn't but worry. It wasn't the thought that his older brothers could just crush him while sleeping but the thought of him not hearing him cry if he wakes up at night. Nowadays Jongho liked to wake up at random times and just wouldn't fall asleep again.
Finally the door opened and Hongjoong stepped in, ready to change in his pajamas. You could see he was tired by his walking. He was taking heavy and slow steps. "Next time, you should let me drive" Seonghwa suggested, handing his husband his pajamas.
"It's okay. It's not like we take a eight hour ride everyday" he responded and started getting rid of his clothes to change. "But there is one thing I need you to do for me though..." he added and sat on the futon, next to Seonghwa. The older's eyes lit up immediately in curiosity. "I'm really in need of some cuddles and kisses" he said, making grabby hands and gave his husband puppy eyes.
Seonghwa rolled his eyes, playfully slapping Hongjoong's chest. "You're such a baby sometimes" he laughed and laid down comfortably, opening his arms. "Come here you big baby"
With cute giggles coming softly out of his mouth, Hongjoong got himself comfortable under the covers. "You think your dad is going to put me in the middle of a cow giving birth scene again?" he mumbled
Seonghwa chuckled. "I will personally stop him from that, promise"
"Does he still hate me?"
"He? Hating you? Oh no. That's him showing affection I guess. Dad always had his own ways of showing affection"
"He left me in the middle of nowhere a year after we got mar-"
"That was years ago"
"Last year he abandoned me in the woods too-"
"Maybe a little"
--
Hey! Soo... I would like to ask you something!
How is the length of the chapters?
And, the teasers for inception and thanxx just got released, what are your opinions?
I fell in love with inception! A couple hours ago I saw a tweet saying it sounds like utopia and dazzling light had a baby and now it's going through puberty and that... Yes. Indeed.
Please stay healthy and safe
-gulkurusubb