Chapter Thirty-four (1/1)

Some older kids come by from the forest, looking at the younger kids.  Jeonghan was one of the younger kids, visiting his friends because it's that friend's mother's birthday.  The kids' mothers are in the house celebrating while the kids are outside playing.  Jeonghan's thirteen while the kids who came by were fourteen and fifteen.  "Hey,"  One of them said, "we'd like to play with you." The other kids looked at Jeonghan to see his opinion.  "Who said you could come here, Jaebum?"  He asked, putting his hands on his hips. The said male stepped closer to Jeonghan.  "My mom was Jinyoung's mom's best friend in high school.  Why wouldn't my mom be here?"  He asked with a smirk.  "We just want to play, no trouble."  He put his hands up. Jeonghan looked up and down at the boy and nodded.  "Let's play then."  He backed up.  "We were just gearing up for hide and seek."  He looked back at his friends. "Whose turn is it to seek?"  Jaebum asked. "Jeonghannie did it last time,"  Junmyeon brought up, "I call on Jeongsu to do it this time."  He looked over at the male.

Once Jeongsu started counting, the kids were off in seconds.  However, Jaebum took Jeonghan by the wrist, running him off of the property. "Jaebum, what are you doing?"  Jeonghan asked quietly as Jaebum put them in a shed. "You wanna win, right?  He’ll never come this way."  Jaebum chuckled. Jeonghan narrowed his eyes.  "That's because we're supposed to be hiding on Mrs. Park's property.."  Jaebum laughed and put his arm around Jeonghan's waist.  "Aye, don't be such a grouch."  He turned Jeonghan's chin toward him.  "Why don't we do something to pass the time?"  "Do something?  Like what?"  Jeonghan asked in confusion. Jaebum huffed.  "Come on, I see you at school.  You can't get your eyes off of my body.  This is your chance to do something with me."  He spoke against Jeonghan's lips.

Jeonghan looked at him in the eyes before feeling their bodies come together against the wall.  He moaned and then reached to put his hand in Jaebum's shirt.  "Fine.. what do you want?  Do you want me to suck your dick or do you wanna fuck me?"  Jeonghan made space between them.  "Because honestly?  I could go for both right now."  Jaebum was surprised with the younger pulling his shirt toward him.  "You got condoms?  Come on, let's not waste time."  Jeonghan grumbled. "Someone's horny.."  Jaebum chuckled as he pushed Jeonghan onto the floor of the shed.

Jeonghan sat up abruptly.  He breathed in and out, trying to make out anything in the dark room. "Jeonghan?"  Seungcheol sat up and held the boy's bare shoulders.  "Is there something wrong?"  He asked. "No.. just.. a nightmare.."  Jeonghan lay back down with a sigh.

Seungcheol frowned and put his arms around Jeonghan once more, pulling him close gently and protectively.  "Do you want to talk about it?"  He asked, feeling tears on his chest. "Why do I have to be so stupid, Seungcheol..?"  Jeonghan muttered.  "Why couldn't I have been so smart like you?"  He asked, pushing his face into the man's chest, suffocating himself. Seungcheol sighed and let the younger talk more.  He never interrupted, he just let the boy get out his thoughts.  His thoughts on how low of a person he is; how he doesn't matter; how he can never be the person he wants to be for the children. "Why did you marry me?"  Jeonghan took his face out of the man's chest to look at him with the little light the curtains aren't covering up. "Because I'm imperfect too."  Seungcheol replied.  "And a negative times a negative equals a positive, Jeonghan."  He kissed Jeonghan's lips.  "You're perfect to me, and that's what counts, right?" "Right.."  Jeonghan replied, wiping his eyes from the tears.  "I'm sorry for this, Cheol.."

Seungcheol shook his head.  "It's been awhile since you've broken down like this.. what was your dream about?"  He asked, putting his hand through the younger's hair. "My first boyfriend.. if you wanna call him that.."  Jeonghan said sadly.  "He didn't do anything wrong, I did.  I told him I wanted sex because my body wanted it.  And he obeyed me until he found someone he fell in love with."  He continued. The older closed his eyes.  "You never told me that you had sexual relationships before.." "I'm sorry, Seungcheol.."  Jeonghan sighed.  "I was selfish, wasn't I?  I wasn't afraid to give up my purity for my hormones, but there you were.  I took your virginity without even thinking."  Seungcheol pouted his lips for a moment.  "If I had a problem with it, I would have stopped you."  He said.  "There was my girlfriend in high school who wanted to go more than just kissing, but I refused.  I could have refused you too." Jeonghan sighed.  "Why didn't you?" "Because I was in love; I was ready; I was.. You suggested we do something, and seeing your eyes, I knew it wasn't because you wanted to get back at Minhyuk.  I knew it wasn't because you were horny."  Seungcheol tried to answer.  "And I'm glad I chose to accept your suggestion, otherwise we wouldn't have Joshua. "We wouldn't have Juni or Hoshi or any of the others.  You telling me that you had sex with three other guys doesn't change anything.  Because when we make love, it's totally different."  Seungcheol ended with a kiss. Jeonghan giggled.  "Only two other guys.. Jaebum and Minhyuk.. I didn't let Doyoung get far.."  "Why not?"  Seungcheol asked. "One, he was a horse farmer... sorry.  Nothing against animals, but the thought of him cleaning the horse barn before getting into bed with me did not turn my engines on."  Jeonghan chuckled.  "The other reason is because by the time he suggested us going that far, I was thinking about cutting my hair.  And then he got mad and broke up with me.  So.." "Kinda worked itself out, huh?"  Seungcheol commented. Jeonghan hummed.  "Just because you're number four doesn't mean you're not number one in my heart."  He kissed the man.  "I just wish you were number one.." "Me too, we would have been so happy together.. we would have had Joshua earlier though."  Seungcheol chuckled. Jeonghan laughed and got comfortable in the older's arms once again.  "Thank you for listening to me, Cheol.. I must annoy you with these outbursts.." "Not at all, Love.  Even if you cried every night, I would be here to hold you."  He kissed Jeonghan.  Jeonghan smiled sadly and sighed.  "I love you.." "I love you too."  Seungcheol whispered back.  "Get some more sleep."

*** Time passes by and it's the beginning of November.  Seungcheol's parents wanted the kids to come over for Minghao's birthday.  The Chinese boy was excited to see the grandparents as he hasn't ever met them like some of the other kids have.  The kids go around the house automatically when the grandparents permit them to.  That's when Mrs. Choi clears her throat.  "Dears, wasn't it around this time you two started dating?"  She asked, walking them into the kitchen. "Yeah.. I remember.."  Jeonghan accepted the cup of tea the woman handed him. "And if calculations are correct.. you were making Joshua around this time?"  Mr. Choi asked with a faint chuckle.  Seungcheol looked at them with blushed cheeks while Jeonghan choked on the tea.  "Dad.."  Seungcheol furrowed his eyebrows. "And with the spirit of that in mind, why don't you two have some fun tonight?"  The mother suggested.  "We're having the kids camping outside anyway, so you'll have all the house to yourself."  She continued, showing all of the advantages. Jeonghan looked at Seungcheol for a moment.  "Mom.."  He muttered.  "It's Minghao's birthday and it's his first time camping. Shouldn't we stay out there with them?"  Jeonghan said, looking at the children setting up the tents together. "You do what you want, you two.  Just know that we already have your room ready for you to stay in."  She said while patting their shoulders.

The four walk out of the house and watch the kids having fun.  Even Seungkwan and Vernon are stumbling around to play with the tent material.  Seungcheol walked up to Minghao and picked the boy up. "You wanna go see the pond I used to see turtles at?"  He asked the boy who put his arms around Seungcheol's neck. "Yes!"  The Chinese boy said eagerly. Seungcheol hummed a small tune as he walked the boy through the tall grasses and trees until they made it to a small pond.  "I found this place when I was a little older than you,"  Seungcheol sat down on a familiar log, "I would come here to relax after helping dad with his tomato garden." Minghao looked at the shells on the water followed by little heads popping up.  "Grandpa Choi had a farm?"  Minghao asked, watching the turtles swim lazily. "He said he wanted to be like his grandfather.  He grew tomatoes and herbs in his garden with his wife.  He wanted a little bit of family in his life."  Seungcheol said.  "His grandpa didn't come back from the war.." "The war?" Seungcheol nodded.  "You'll learn more about it when you grow older.  Jeonghan would scold me if I taught you about it now."  He chuckled.  "I buried something under that tree when I was younger, do you think it'll still be there?" Minghao looked at the old tree before looking back at Seungcheol.  "Can we see?" Seungcheol just smiled, making the child know he's allowed to go over to the tree.  Minghao picked up a flat stone and started digging at the tree.  The adult silently went behind him and watched. "A box!"  Minghao said excitedly.  "What's in it?"  He wondered, looking around the black and gold box. "Why don't you open it?"  Seungcheol suggested, sitting down next to him.  Minghao opened the box and marveled at what was before him.  "A picture.." "That's me and my brother with grandpa Choi,"  He pointed, "my grandpa, not my father.  He came by to give us lessons about taking care of the wildlife. "He and Grandma Kim used to tell us stories about how they would protect their town with happiness and food."  He chuckled.  "Ever since grandpa passed away, a sense of responsibility came over me."  He said, earning Minghao's attention. "What do you mean?"  He asked, carefully putting the picture back in the box. Seungcheol smiled and patted the boy's head.  "Grandpa always told me that he didn't get what he wanted through money or anger; rather, he got what he wanted through the joy of the town and his family.  What he wanted was happiness and love.  And so when grandpa left, it felt like his responsibility of happiness went to me. "Even if I was only eleven, I felt like I was the man of the house.  Except for when my brother told me he was older.  Then I smartly came back and said that one day I would be older than him."  Seungcheol laughed as he recalled his younger self. Minghao laughed and looked down in the box.  "And this?" Seungcheol looked at the item.  "Oh, that's my grandma's old whistle.  She would use it whenever she wanted to go out on a date with grandpa.  It was a little thing they had special to them during their courting years."  He said, looking at the old whistle.

Minghao put the whistle back in the box and closed it.  "I learned a lot today, Daddy."  Minghao looked up at Seungcheol.  "Thank you,"  He put his arms around the adult. "We need to get back to the campsite before they send a search party."  Seungcheol suggested after the five-minute hug. Minghao looked at the box and stood up with it.  "Can I keep it in my room, Daddy?"  Minghao asked. "It's yours now."  Seungcheol leaned down to kiss the young boy's head.  "Let's go."  He instructed.

They walked back to the backyard to see the tents put up.  The grandfather called Minghao over to help him start the fire.  Minghao put the box safely in his tent before helping with the fire.  Jeonghan looked at Seungcheol with one raised eyebrow. "What was that?"  He asked, taking his place in Seungcheol's arm. "Memories.."  Seungcheol whispered.

The day progresses and it's finally time for the food and birthday presents.  Mrs. Choi didn't hesitate making a feast for the family, making them all eat more than what they needed. Minghao opened the first present from the grandparents.  "Woah!  Paint brushes!"  He held them.  "I wanna make art!  Can I?!"  He looked at the parents. Jeonghan laughed.  "You don't have to ask, Minghao."  He kissed the boy's cheek. Joshua noticed that all of the presents were themed.  Even Jun picked out a few canvases for Minghao.  Joshua looked around and remembered he came empty handed.  He silently went into his tent to take his camera out.  He thumbed the shiny device before coming out of the tent.  Minghao looked back at him.  "Cheese!"  He said, making a pose. Joshua chuckled and took a picture.  "Hyung, can we take a picture together?"  Minghao asked.

Joshua sat down beside the boy and handed the camera to Hoshi.  The tiger stepped back and took a picture of the siblings hugging closely.  "I love you, Minghao.  I'm sorry for not getting anything for you.."  He said honestly. "You can print out that picture and frame it for me when we get home."  Minghao said sassily. Joshua laughed and nodded.  "You got a deal."  He kissed Minghao's cheek. The parents look at each other when the two start playing together, rolling on the grass while tickling each other.  "What have you been teaching that child?"  Jeonghan whispered with a laugh.  "How to love,"  Seungcheol shrugged, "is it bad?" Jeonghan looked back at the children and shook his head.  "It's really heart warming, Cheol.."  He sighed.  "Let's try tonight." Seungcheol looked at the younger with shock.  "Didn't you want to stay out here with Minghao?" "I do.. but.."  He looked back at Seungcheol.  "Something's calling to me, and I don't think it's my hormones."  He confessed. The older nodded and kissed Jeonghan's neck.  "We've been trying all year, you know."  Seungcheol commented.  "Maybe the stork is waiting for the best time." "Tonight, it'll be tonight."  Jeonghan held both of the man's cheeks.  "Please?" Seungcheol smiled at those big eyes.  The darkness of the sky mixed with the fire from beside them made his eyes sparkle.  "Yes.. when the kids are ready to go to bed."  He agreed. Joshua looked at the parents to see them smiling at each other.  "Minghao, let's go inside and get some more cake."  He suggested. Hoshi and Seokmin trail behind those two to get some more cake.  Seungcheol watched his parents walk up to them.  "It's going to be bed time soon."  The father said. "You'll keep them company tonight?"  Jeonghan asked. "Of course, Dear."  She put her hand on the young male's shoulder.  "Enjoy yourselves."  She winked.

The couple make eye contact and blush only a second later.   

However, every time he thinks about it, he feels lowly about himself.

Thankfully Seungcheol's there to pick him back up.

Meanwhile, Minghao enjoys his creative birthday!

Let's see if JeongCheol can make another baby heheh

<3