Archive of Our Own ^beta

Yeonjun pats over his daughter's dress and then takes a good look at her hair, making sure she hasn't managed to snap one of the rubber bands holding her hair in a ponytail like she requested while he was fixing the bow in her dress.

“Do I look pretty, mommy?” She asks, not even looking at her reflection in the mirror when Yeonjun shifts to stoop next to her, hands on her shoulders so she can admire herself but she's looking at him for validation.

“You're always pretty, Haerin,” he confirms with a smile and kisses her cheek. She giggles in response and then she's suddenly turned around so she's facing Yeonjun’s slightly stern face. “Okay, Haerin, we have some guests coming over for dinner so please be nice.”

She nods rapidly which ensures Yeonjun that his words have been taken to the heart. “Who is coming, mommy?”

“Kai and Taehyun,” Yeonjun says as he stands up and walks them out of the room.

“Yay! Mommy, I love uncle Kai! He’s my favorite uncle now,” Haerin raps on behind him as they reach Yeonjun and Soobin's room where he stops to pick up his phone and check his face in the mirror.

“Not Tae? He’s gonna be hurt hearing that,” Yeonjun grins through the mirror at a now cheeky looking Haerin who is going through a few emotions at the same time judging by the expressions on her face.

“I won’t tell him. Mommy, keep that a secret please,” she clasps both hands and juts out her lower lip in a plea.

Yeonjun laughs as he brushes past her, stopping to pay her head. She frowns and whines lowly about him messing up her hair as she pats down the lifted strands.

“I will. Now do you want to keep Hanbin company before they come?”

“Yes yes!” She jumps up and down behind him as they leave the room towards the living room where Hanbin is seated next to Soobin as they watch the news.

“Good girl,” Yeonjun ushers her into the space and he heads to where Soobin is.

He wraps his arms around his shoulders over the headrest of the couch and presses his lips to his ear. “Come help?”

Soobin lifts his eyes from the screen and his dimples appear as he smiles up at Yeonjun and then tilts his head to kiss the omega's lips.

“Okay,”

They finish cooking the food — Yeonjun does everything while Soobin sits and watches him with a dopey smile on his face and tells him a story of what happened with Hanbin just earlier in the bathroom; “He gnawed on the bar of soap. I had to wash it out of his mouth countless times to ensure it was all out.” Which had sent Yeonjun erupting into a fit of laughter, curling over himself while he checks on the rice in the rice cooker and Soobin sends him a dissatisfied look — just in time for the sound of their doorbell that rings through the house and then Haerin comes running saying there's someone at the door.

Yeonjun tells Soobin to turn off the cooker while he ushers their guests into their home.

He opens the door with a jittery Haerin by his feet and Hanbin closely waiting behind them while he swings side to side with a rattling toy in hand.

The door peels open to reveal Huening Kai, Taehyun next to him and Beomgyu — the omega photographer that Kai, and now Taehyun, are dating courtesy of Yeonjun actually since Taehyun met him at a shoot. Even if they didn't meet then, Beomgyu is generally a well known photographer in their profession so he and Taehyun would've met each other in some other way along the lines, fated to be.

Haerin squeals and sidelines Yeonjun to hug Kai at the knees. The alpha pats her hair carefully while smiling softly. “Uncle Kai!” She looks up at Taehyun. “Uncle Tae!” And her now confused eyes and tilted head land on Beomgyu who stares down at her with large curious eyes as well. “And a pretty girl.”

Everyone bursts into laughter, Soobin joining them, exchanging pleasantries with Taehyun and Kai by the side while Beomgyu and Haerin have a stare down.

“He’s a boy, Haerin,” Yeonjun says, moving Haerin forward with a gentle push. “That’s uncle Gyu. Say hi.”

Meanwhile behind them, Hanbin is walking up to Taehyun, arms spread while he babbles something that's supposed to sound like his name.

“Tata!”

“Oh you’re trying to say Tae? You’re so cute!” Taehyun picks him off the ground and blows a raspberry into his cheek.

Hanbin giggles and presses his rattle toy to Taehyun's shoulder.

“Hey do you have a permit to carry that weapon, sir?” Kai jokes, squishing Hanbin's arm.

“POW! Tata!” Hanbin hits the toy with some force that might've seemed powerful on his side but he barely even hits Taehyun with it.

And after a series of turned heads and hiding behind Yeonjun's legs, Beomgyu offers to be the bigger person that he is and waves at Haerin, squatting down to be eye to eye with her. 

“Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Beomgyu. What’s your name?”

“Choi Haerin,”

Beomgyu gasps. “No way! I’m Choi Beomgyu! That means I’m truly your uncle!” He points out with a cheeky smile. Haerin doesn't smile back though, too focused on shifting closer to smell the omega.

He smells just fine to everyone else so Yeonjun is also confused as is the omega being sniffed when Haerin moves closer to him, takes a sniff and shifts back to being hidden by Yeonjun's legs.

“Are you married to uncle Kai?” She asks with a deep frown, picking at her thumbnail worriedly.

“What? Why’d you ask?” Beomgyu blinks with a chuckle.

“You smell like him,” she explains.

“Oh. Do you not like it?”

“I like uncle Kai!” She says in a rather loud confession then she gasps, realizing what she has said, covers her mouth then runs away to her room, the door closing with a bang.

The adults look at each other with barely concealed smiles but everyone waits for yeonjun to say something. He breaks into a smile and shakes his head.

“That was supposed to be a secret,” Yeonjun explains then points towards the room. “I’ll go get her. You guys should sit down. Soobin will get you something to drink.”

It takes a bit of convincing that no one is going to tease her about her confession or comment on it and a little scenting before Haerin agrees to step out of the room, Yeonjun in front of her while she follows silently behind.

The chatter dies down when they arrive at the living room and Yeonjun moves for his daughter to appear.

“I apologize for my behavior.” She says silently with a small bow of her head.

Beomgyu is the first to speak. “Oh you’re so sweet, it’s alright Haerin,” he pats the space next to him. “Come sit.”

As she approaches him, she points to his other side where Huening Kai is. “Uncle, can I sit with uncle Kai?”

“Of course. I don’t mind.” Beomgyu shifts so she can fit between them and start telling Kai a story about something that he apparently knows the first part of.

“Why do kids love you?” Beomgyu asks as he watches the way Kai shrugs and then says something to Haerin then looks up at his boyfriend.

“I really don’t know,” he grins and then shrugs.

“It’s because he knows how to make really good Lego houses,” Haerin answers confidently, like she's staring a fact.

Everyone laughs silently but they all nod in response.

“That must be it! Why didn’t I think of that? You’re so smart Haerin,” Beomgyu praises, poking her cheek where her dimples appear.

“Thank you,” she blushes, shrinking in on herself. Yeonjun watches from next to Soobin and shakes his head. She’s a sucker for praise.

They finish talking about work, Haerin telling them all the storyline of the cartoon they've put on and head to the dining table that Soobin had excused himself earlier to set up.

They all settle around the table with the use of extra chairs since they barely have guests coming everytime. Haerin is once again seated next to Kai and Beomgyu is on his other side, Taehyun next to Yeonjun and Soobin with Hanbin on the other side.

They make small talk as they eat, most of which is just Hanbin babbling something as Soobin tries to feed him.

“Unnie, this rice is really good,” Kai says, pointing to his almost empty plate with his spoon.

“Thank you, Kai. It's a recipe someone gave me some time ago,” Yeonjun has not had time to cook as much as he used to so it's good to know he's still got it.

“This chicken though, is a bit—” Beomgyu starts and Yeonjun knows from the frown on his face that he's about to say something negative.

“Soobin cooked the chicken,” Yeonjun hurriedly announces as a way to get Beomgyu to shut up and covers it with a smile.

“No wonder it's so—” Beomgyu starts again but Huening Kai cuts him off with a friendly smile, all teeth.

“Oh, it’s perfect is what he meant,”

“We’d love to take some back home.” Taehyun adds to sweeten it up and Yeonjun glances over at him with relief in his eyes and a grateful smile.

“Of course! I’ll package some for you before you go,” Soobin beams, pleased pheromones emanating from him as he stops trying to feed Hanbin a spoon of rice seeing as the boy is just flicking off each rice granule off the table.

He'd asked to help Yeonjun with the chicken as they prepped for their guests and try as he might've to say no, Yeonjun just couldn't reject Soobin's sweet smile and the kids he bribed him with.

Once they're done eating, Taehyun offers to do the dishes, Haerin bringing him the plates from the table and Huening Kai cleans up the mess while Soobin gets Hanbin changed into something that's not soaked with oil from the food or his own spit.

And in the living room, Beomgyu is nursing a drink, a hand on his hip while he goes on and on about why Yeonjun shouldn't let Soobin in the kitchen.

“Why do you ever let Soobin cook? I told you he’s gonna burn the house down one day,”

Yeonjun rolls his eyes with a laugh. He shrugs at the other omega.

“Then we’ll move. I can’t say no to his pouting, I’m sorry.” And he really couldn't. It was a struggle to fight against the sweet way Soobin had asked to help.

“The chicken was raw on the inside.” Beomgyu deadpans.

“It wasn’t that bad, Gyu,”

It was quite bad. Yeonjun just didn't have more time to recook the chicken.

“You didn't even have any, I saw you. I couldn’t even cut through it!” Beomgyu points an accusing finger to Yeonjun's chest.

“I saw your photos made the front cover of that magazine,” he diverts the conversation to the recent pictures he spotted some days ago.

“Did you like them?” Beomgyu beams, always one for praise, much like Haerin.

“Of course. Your photos are always lovely,” and he means it not just because Beomgyu is standing in front him but because he's actually that good. The industry recognizes that too because shots by new photographers don't just make front page unless you've managed to wow the reviewers. And Beomgyu has.

“Just for the flattery, your next shoot is free,” he says.

Yeonjun thanks him even though they both know Yeonjun will pay for it. It's time for a new family picture anyway, he'll make arrangements.

Kai walks up to Taehyun in the sink as he's done clearing up the table and there's just a bowl he left Haerin to bring over.

“Let me help you dry the plates,” he says as he scoots up next to the beta.

“Thanks, baby,” Taehyun leans close and presses a kiss to Kai's puckered up lips.

Just then, Haerin walks into the kitchen and sees them, her gasp shocking them both and she drops the bowl that makes a sound on the floor. Thankfully it's plastic so it doesn't break as she keeps staring at the two people in front of her.

“Uncle Kai. How could you?” Her voice sounds so disappointed and Huening Kai is quick to get her to understand.

He waves his hands around in denial to what she was accusing him of. “It’s not like that, Haerin, I’m also dating Taehyun.”

She looks at Kai with squinted eyes and a disbelieving tone. “Does uncle Beomgyu know?”

Taehyun responds now, shifting Haerin's glare towards himself. “Of course he does.”

“Do I know what?” Beomgyu enters the kitchen to drop his cup, sneakily wrapping an arm around Taehyun's waist afterwards. “Hi guys.” He also leans closer to kiss the side of Taehyun's mouth.

“See?” Kai says, showing Haerin the interaction.

She still isn't convinced, giving them all a side look as she places the bowl in the sink.

“Is that possible? I need to ask mommy,” and she runs out of the kitchen to Yeonjun, making her curiosity known with pauses between her question to point at the ménage á trois heading out of the kitchen.

“Yes, Haerin it’s possible for three people to be in a relationship,” Yeonjun convinces her.

“Why?” 

“Because they have so much love to give between them.” He shrugs because that's the easiest way to make her understand.

“Okay. I’m sorry for misunderstanding,” she says to all three of them.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Haerin,” Kai assures her, the other two nodding along.

Taehyun leaves Beomgyu’s side to carry Hanbin from Soobin's hands, rocking him to sleep since the boy was already beginning to blink slowly, body lax from the warm bath he was probably given.

Then as if he just remembered, Beomgyu gasps and goes to the bag they'd come with and pulls out a box.

He hands it to Haerin. “Here’s chocolates for you and Hanbin.”

“What do you say?”

Haerin is so in awe of how large the box is that she even forgets to speak entirely, just amazed by the sheer size of it.

“Thank you uncles! Come back again please,” she jumps in her spot, her smile almost larger than her face.

“Of course. Even if you only like us for chocolate,” Beomgyu chuckles and pretends to huff.

“I like uncle Kai even without chocolate,” she states, reminding Beomgyu.

He scoffs but just shakes his head and pats Kai's shoulder. “Look at that, you have your first fan.”

Taehyun informs them it's getting late as he drops a sleeping Hanbin on the couch so they can start packing to leave.

Soobin packages the chicken they asked for and Kai assures Beomgyu with a whisper that he'll recook it before they eat it. Taehyun says goodbye to Haerin who hugs his legs and thanks him for the chocolate.

Soobin also waves his goodbye from the couch because Hanbin tends to toss and turn like he knows he's not in a secured sleeping cot while Haerin shows off the large box of chocolates and begs him for one. He tells her to wait for her mother and manages to get her to sit still next to him.

“Bring them to the show next month?” Kai asks as they're walked to the door by Yeonjun.

He’s in this wellknown band as a guitarist and main singer and Yeonjun has always wanted to watch him play live. Since their Asia tour just started and they’ll start here, it’ll be the perfect opportunity to go see them.

“I'll see what I can do. Not sure Soobin will agree.” he looks back at his little family settled on the couch watching TV.

“Oh come on, convince him. Don't be a bore,” Beomgyu says. Then he raises his voice. “Hey, Soobin! Don't be a bore.”

Soobin looks up at him with a weird expression but he nods. “Um.. okay?”

“We'll see. Thanks for coming guys. Thank you for the chocolate too,” Yeonjun waves as they walk out the door. “See you tomorrow Tae.” They have a few things to go over.

“Of course. Goodnight, Yeonjun.”

Yeonjun closes the door and walks back to the living room to plop down next to Haerin who is now resting on Soobin's thighs, her eyes slowly closing.

He runs a finger under the rubber band holding her hair and undoes it to let her locks flow freely. He ruffles her hair.

“What was that about?” Soobin grins, making a sound that gets Yeonjun to turn so he can kiss the omega.

“You know how Beomgyu is. He likes the back and forth,”

“He also invited me to play some computer games.” Soobin recalls.

“Are you gonna play?”

“Of course, I'm gonna finish him.”

“You like the back and forth too apparently,” Yeonjun laughs. “Well, Kai said we should come to his show with the kids. Is that even possible? Hanbin's ears are still developing,” He glances at the baby sleeping peacefully on his tummy on the opposite side of Soobin. “Haerin is already a mess without the music.”

“Do you want to go?” Is all Soobin asks.

“Yeah,” He nods.

“There's noise cancelling headphones for kids, we'll get him one and one for her to reduce the music. We'll make it work, baby.”

Yeonjun smiles, relieved. He leans in and kisses Soobin on his cheek and then another on his mouth.

“Okay,” he taps Haerin on her shoulder and moves her a little to get her to rouse. “Alright Haerin, honey, it's time to go to bed.”

“Okay.” She mumbles, yawns and then sits up to stretch. She stands up on both of her feet and starts walking wobbly towards her room.

“Don't wanna be carried today?” Yeonjun asks as he walks behind her.

“I can walk,”

“Alright,” Yeonjun turns back to Soobin who is holding Hanbin, ready to take him to his cot too.

Yeonjun looks like he's going to cry. His little girl is growing up right in front of his eyes and he's suddenly struck with a feeling of pride.

He always thought he'd done a bad job with Haerin with how rowdy she can be but moments like this remind him of how alike he really is with the little girl and that he's done far better than he expected even just from how she behaved today; independent, knowing how to take accountability and apologize when she does something wrong and also asking of things she doesn't know about.

It brings tears to one's eyes and comfort to his heart knowing he’s doing his best and it’s working just fine.