Chapter Seventeen (1/1)
Jeonghan sighed happily as the last box was placed inside the kitchen. They didn't have too many possessions to their name, but things were still heavy. The crib was one of them. Seungcheol watched as Joshua ran around the house with laughs. "Oh boy! Which room is mine? Can I have the one next to yours?" He asked as he ran up to Jeonghan's legs, holding the jeans lightly with sparkles in his eyes. "Of course, Joshua." Jeonghan knelt and held Joshua's shoulders. "Go unpack your things while daddy-Cheol and I set up the crib for your siblings." He instructed. Joshua was off like a bolt of lightning with his bag. Jeonghan looked back at Seungcheol, both of them were holding their backs. They laugh and approach each other. "He really likes it here," Jeonghan commented, "thank you, Cheol." He hugged Seungcheol's arm. Seungcheol smiled and sat them down at the island. "I hope the others will too." He said, keeping his arm around Jeonghan. "Oh, there are only five bedrooms.. what do we do when they grow up and don't want to share rooms?" Jeonghan muttered as he realized they have more children. "Don't worry about that," Seungcheol said, "I found out what our neighbor Dongwoo does. He's a construction manager. He said that building extra rooms on this land would be relatively cheap as long as we do it in stages." He explained. Jeonghan nodded. "Wow.. you already thought things through, huh?" Jeonghan commented. "It's what I've been doing during my breaks at work." Seungcheol said, holding Jeonghan's hand and massaging his knuckles. "The next thing to do is make sure we keep saving up for food, their school enrollment, and a vehicle for you." Jeonghan held his chin with his other hand as his knuckles were still getting spoiled. "I'll talk around the town and see if there are any jobs I can take that are either close by or at home. I want to contribute too." He said in a bit of a mutter. "Don't stress yourself. Taking care of the kids is already pretty tough. In my opinion, anyway." Seungcheol chuckled. Jeonghan laughed and nodded. "True.. let's put the crib upstairs and play with Josh. We can think more about this later, okay?" He suggested. "I want the rest of the day to be all fun, no more work talk." He kissed Seungcheol on the lips. "Yes, Sir!" Seungcheol obeyed and stood up with the younger. They laugh as Seungcheol chases Jeonghan to the front room. They run around the boxes and tag each other. Seungcheol opens the box and takes out some components and runs up the stairs quickly. Jeonghan copies and runs close behind him. "Got you!" Jeonghan held Seungcheol's arm when they put the parts to the crib on the floor. Jeonghan then pulls Seungcheol toward himself with too much force. They fall backward and onto the bed there. Laughing, they begin a small tickle fight. "Cheol!" Jeonghan giggled when he felt kisses on his neck and tickles up and down his sides. They then felt a third set of hands on them. They rolled together on the bed and Joshua was between them. Both parents had their arms around Joshua. "We haven't gotten any work done on that crib.." Jeonghan laughed. "Oh.. They're probably crawling all over the seating room anyway." Seungcheol said, imagining the three babies crawling around. "Jun's walking around," Joshua commented. "He started walking?" Seungcheol asked with surprise. Jeonghan sat up. "Oh yeah.. the other day.." He remembered. "He might get into trouble. Let's go back down." He suggested. Joshua followed slowly behind them, taking his time with the stairs like his parents told him to. It was normal to have stairs going down the apartment to the parking lot, but it wasn't normal to have them indoors. Joshua likes to have fun indoors, but he also was taught to have caution with them. Seungcheol entered the seating room first and saw Junhui up on the couch, walking along the cushions. "No, no, Juni." Seungcheol picked him up. "Couches are for sitting." He showed. Jeonghan smiled as he watched the adult play with Junhui's arms, putting them up and down and giving the baby kisses on the nose and cheeks. He picked up some more parts to the crib silently and brought them upstairs. Joshua helped too. Pretty soon, the box was light enough for Jeonghan to bring the rest of the crib up with it. "While daddy-Cheol is playing with Juni, why don't you help me assemble this." He gave the instructions to Joshua. "Can you read the instructions?" He asked with a smile. "I'll try!" Joshua said. Jeonghan smiled as the child looked at the words. "Just sound out each letter and I'll help with the word if you don't know it." He insisted. Joshua gave an excited smile. "Okay!" He sat down and started reading. Jeonghan picked up the screwdriver as he helped Joshua with some of the more advanced words. After all, Joshua is pretty young still, even for a stork baby. He knew basic words like a, and, and the. He knew how to sound out most symbols but some of them were trickier to remember for him. "You're doing fantastic, Josh." Jeonghan said when he noticed Joshua biting his lip while glancing at the paper. The short sentence encouraged Joshua, his bright smile was a clear sign for that. Pretty soon, the crib was put together. "Oh, then separators are downstairs still. Could you go get me them?" Jeonghan requested. "Okay!" Joshua said before leaving the room. He made it down the steps and paused when he heard Seungcheol talking to the other siblings. "What am I going to do?" Seungcheol whispered as he held Hoshi close to his chest in a hug as he sat back against the couch. "No, I didn't lie to Jeonghan, we have money for this place.. but I'm scared, Hoshi.. "What if I never get to see you guys? What if you guys get hurt while I'm out?" He spoke as he stroked up and down Hoshi's back while Junhui was crawling over his lap. "I already miss seeing you guys, and I've only been on overtime for a week." He muttered. Joshua stayed silent as he furrowed his eyebrows. He turned to the other room and silently took the separators from another box. He turned to the stairs again. "I love you guys to no end," Seungcheol whispered, kissing up on the clueless Hoshi, "will any of you even remember me while you're growing up?"
Joshua put the separators down and silently walked into the room. "Of course, Daddy." He said in a small voice. "We love you." Seungcheol looked up from Junhui and looked at Joshua in shock. "Josh-" "You work hard for us, we'll wake up early to see you come home." Joshua said with a big smile. "Don't worry us," He clung to Seungcheol's leg. Seungcheol moved his hand to stroke Joshua's soft hair. His attention went to Jeonghan who walked in. "Josh, what are-" He stopped when he saw the moment. He raised his eyebrows and walked slowly to Seungcheol. "Is everything okay?" He asked as he noticed three kids on Seungcheol and Wonwoo watching on the floor. Joshua turned back with a smile. "Group hug~" He called. Seungcheol looked at Jeonghan, having the same smile Joshua has. Jeonghan nodded and picked the silent baby from the floor and sat down with Seungcheol. "The crib is almost finished." He said as he played with the tiny hairs on Wonwoo's head. The older nodded. "Sorry that I didn't help much.." "Little Joshu-ji helped me. He did such a good job, didn't he?" He leaned down to kiss Joshua's cheek. Joshua giggled and jumped onto the couch to be between Jeonghan and Seungcheol. He snuggled into their arms and closed his eyes. They hear a stomach rumble. They all turn toward Seungcheol. "Dinner time, huh?" Jeonghan said, clapping his hands. "I'll make dinner," Seungcheol volunteered, "even the formulas." Jeonghan looked at Joshua who nodded and held Jeonghan's arm. "Okay, go on." He gave permission. "Do you wanna help Joshua? Be daddy-Cheol's helper now?" He asked. "Yes!" Joshua sprung up and held Seungcheol's hand. Jeonghan laughed as the two exited to the kitchen. He put Hoshi and Wonwoo on the floor and brought Junhui upstairs with the separators. He sectioned off the crib how the kids like it and cracked his neck. "Don't fall Juni. I need to use the bathroom." He laughed as he closed the bedroom door.
*** A few months pass by. Making it the second week of October, Seungcheol gets word that he has been promoted to his own office. He's been working nonstop and providing well for the company. With a new office, Joshua had a wonderful idea. He suggested that they surprise Seungcheol at work and decorate his office. Even though he was the owner of that idea, he still had school to go to. Jeonghan took Jun to the office while the other two were sleeping well at home. Seungcheol put the phone down. He cracked his neck as he pursed his lips, looking at some documents. He lifted his head when the door to the office opened up. He sat up straight, thinking it was his boss or secretary. However, he was surprised to see Jeonghan's bright blonde hair and Jun's playful smirk. "Jeonghan?" He stood up. "Hey there, Honey." He greeted as he closed the door behind him. "Don't mind us, we're just gonna do a little decorating~" He said with happiness. Seungcheol laughed a bit and nodded. "Okay, have fun." He sat back down as he saw Jun running around the small office. There was a small couch and a coffee pot at the small counter. Jeonghan put the bag he brought down and Junhui took things out. Things included were stickers and little drawings that Joshua made. Meanwhile, Jeonghan took out a picture frame and put it on Seungcheol's desk. The two make eye contact and Jeonghan smirks. "You bleached your hair," Seungcheol commented, "it looks nice." He winked. Jeonghan smiled sweetly and sat on the corner of the desk. "Your office is mighty roomy, Mr. Choi." He whispered with an attempted wink. Seungcheol dropped his pen before clearing his throat. About to say something, his phone started ringing. Jeonghan stood up properly and walked away from the desk to give the man some space. Jeonghan sat down on the couch as Junhui was playing with a small toy truck on the low table at the couches. Jeonghan smiled as the younger seemed to be enjoying the office. He looked around and saw some of the kids' drawings taped to the plain walls. Some drawings were Joshua's while others were Hoshi's and Junhui's drawings. Hoshi's were unique with them having tigers while Joshua's were mostly about family. "I said no!" Seungcheol slightly yelled at the phone and put it down.
Jeonghan looked over with concern. The man sighed and looked at the paperwork on his desk again. "Everything alright?" Jeonghan asked. Seungcheol looked up. "Y-yeah, for now. Sorry about that." He said, looking at the sitting area of the office. "Woah." He stood up. He looked at the drawings and smiled at the group drawing. It said things like, "Welcome to your office!" and "You can do it~" He traced the words and his eyes wandered to other drawings. The phone then started to ring again. "Keep putting them up, Juni." Seungcheol encouraged while patting Junhui's head. He made it to the phone and started talking on it. Jeonghan turned back to the excited Jun. He watched in amusement as the child ran to the bag to take out more drawings that the three were working on. Wonwoo's not much of an artist right now. "What did I tell you?" Seungcheol's voice stopped the smiling moment. "I said put the envelope in the desk and lock it!" He stood up from his seat. "What do you mean you put it-what the hell?!" He asked, enraged. "Why did you-"
Jeonghan covered Junhui's ears as Seungcheol cursed at the other person on the phone. Junhui looked up at Jeonghan with shock, his eyes asking Jeonghan what's going on. Jeonghan bit his lip and closed his eyes as Seungcheol got louder at the other person. "How the fuck can you be so.. ugh!" Seungcheol gripped the phone angrily. Other bad things were said to the other employee. Jeonghan silently walked Junhui out of the office. "Juni," Jeonghan knelt, "why don't you go with secretary Kang downstairs to look at the fishes?" He suggested. The woman at the desk stood up and bowed before putting her hand out for Junhui to hold. The child pouted and looked up at Jeonghan. He jumped when Seungcheol threw more aggravated words the employee's way. "I'll talk to daddy, okay?" Jeonghan whispered and kissed Junhui's cheek. Junhui nodded and held the woman's hand. Jeonghan stood up straight when the woman and Junhui went into the elevator. He heard the phone being slammed down and he turned to the door. He opened it and closed it behind him.
"I think.. you need to take Jun home." Seungcheol put his hand through his hair. "What was that about?" He asked as he put Junhui's toy in the bag and a few other things casually. Seungcheol sighed and held his forehead. "Just.. it doesn't matter." Jeonghan stood up and went in front of the desk. "Tell me what's wrong." He said, folding his arms. Seungcheol grunted angrily as the phone started ringing again. He stood up and threw the phone to the wall, past Jeonghan, breaking the the device. Jeonghan looked back at it with shock before looking over at Seungcheol. "I think you should go home." Seungcheol said through gritted teeth. Jeonghan breathed in and out. "You tell me what's going on." He commanded. "Or else I'm not leaving." He stood his ground. Seungcheol looked at his confident stance and nodded. He let out his breath as he tried to cool himself. "An employee downstairs.. he.. is willingly giving out company information." He started. "It's not his first time doing this, but it'll be his last. I hope.." Jeonghan nodded and silently walked closer to the desk. "Well how about this, Mr. Choi." He started, getting Seungcheol's eyes back on him. "I don't want you breaking anything else in this office. Get your stress out on me later tonight." He instructed. Seungcheol was about to argue when he saw Jeonghan's hand go up. "I have some stress too. Let's work together to get rid of it." He said seriously. "I'm taking Junhui back home now, but I better not hear that you've broken anything else." Seungcheol nodded with an inaudible sigh. "I'll be home a bit late tonight." "I figured," Jeonghan said, picking up his bag, "get home safely." He bowed and left the office. He went down to the lobby and saw Junhui poking at the fish in the tank. "Come on, Juni. Dad said we need to go home." He said, taking the child's hand. "Awe.. I wasn't done putting things up." Junhui pouted. "We can come back another day," Jeonghan stroked Junhui's hair, "we need to be home in time to get Joshua from school. Come on." He instructed.
The secretary bowed as they left.
The family has moved into the house and Seungcheol got his own office~
But looks like another employee is really bugging Seungcheol XD
<3