Archive of Our Own

After a long week in the US, everyone was back in Korea. Everyone left satisfied and pleased with their stay, especially Dan and Jaekyung. After that night, they could not stay away from each other. On the flight home, they had to go discreetly—no touching, no kissing. It was very hard for them to keep their composure; something that night made their souls unite to be one, and now they could not be without each other. Discreetly, they looked at each other, trying to hide the looks of love that came out of their eyes.

And so they kept things discreet for a while. Since Jaekyung became quite popular in the US for his brilliant presentation and was trending for weeks on social media, they both decided to keep things as private as possible. Jaekyung was starting to become a more recognized public figure, and more than once he had been caught by the paparazzi. Jaekyung didn't want to expose Dan or Kenji. So they kept everything low-profile, yet they remained a pair of foolish lovers, giving each other discreet, pious smiles at work. And in privacy, they gave each other tender caresses and kisses, pleasant nights of sex, and words of love.

The sex is better and more delicious than it once was, but despite all this, what Dan loves most about being with Jaekyung is that he now takes him into account, is tender with him, and always listens to him in those moments. Yes, sex is great, but that Jaekyung listen to him and being attentive to him is better than anything.

Like two teenagers experiencing their first love, Yosep thinks as, from a distance, he looks at Jaekyung and Dan; both are having a quiet conversation, but Yosep knows they are dying to touch and kiss each other. He shakes his head and resumes his walk, discreet, my ass. He grumbles when he sees how “discreet” the boxer and the physiotherapist are. Probably everyone on the black team already knows about it, but they prefer not to say anything, and both Dan and Jaekyung appreciate it.

Dan is quietly arranging the towels in the office, humming a song as he tidys up the place. His back is to the door, and he's so focused that he doesn't feel when someone opens the door. It's stealthy the way Jaekyung's hands wrap around Dan's small body, and even though Dan is used to this by now, he can't help but jump, and his heart skips a beat.

“Idiot, you scared me,” he says, and then looks to his side.

Jaekyung has his chin resting on his shoulder; he looks at him with a smile and then leaves a kiss on Dan's neck. Dan feels tickled at Jaekyung's touch caressing his skin, and gently, he turns around to face Jaekyung. The athlete never lets go, so Dan is cornered against Jaekyung's body and the closet behind him. Dan smiles at Jaekyung and then hugs him, also wrapping Jaekyung around his waist. The athlete wastes no time and, in a gentle way, takes Dan's lips. It's a tender kiss, but with some passion. Jaekyung wants to have more of Dan. And Dan knows it; he wants the same thing too, but they are at work, and Dan has set boundaries—no sex at work. Barely pulling Jaekyung away, he gives him a warm glance as he rocks his nose next to Jaekyung's. It's a soft and tender gesture; that's how they treat each other now.

“We have a rule.”Dan reminds his partner of what he already knows and then gently steps aside. He walks around the room, still having things to rearrange.

“It's just a kiss,” Jaekyung protests.

“Someone can come in and see us.”

“That won't happen; I locked the door,” says Jaekyung with a mischievous grin.

Then, quickly, he grabs Dan and pulls him with him. Jaekyung sits on the stretcher, spreads his legs, and tucks Dan between them. He hugs him once more around the waist and kisses him again. Dan gladly accepts the kisses, hugs Jaekyung by the neck, and reciprocates every touch and kiss. But when the kisses become more intense and he feels Jaekyung tuck his hands under his uniform, Dan stops the kisses. Jaekyung doesn't protest this time; he knows Dan just wants them to remain discreet, even though no one is around. Jaekyung leaves with a quick kiss, and that's it. He doesn't push Dan away from his arms, though; he wants to keep him as close as he can.

“Do you want to come to my house this Saturday?”

“I'd love to, but I can't,” he says, giving Jaekyung a small apologetic smile. “Kenji has to go to a birthday party that day. I'll spend the morning looking for a gift for his friend, and then we'll go to the party.”

Jaekyung grimaces but doesn't express his disappointment because he reminds himself that even though the two are a couple now, Dan still has a responsibility as a father and must be with his son first. Jaekyung would never fight for that; he knows that for Dan, Kenji will always be his first choice.

However, Dan knows him so well that he knows when Jaekyung is not comfortable with something, and right now, he is. Dan smiles slightly and then reaches over to leave a small kiss on the athlete's lips, standing on tiptoe to reach his lips. Jaekyung smiles at the gesture, and soon his discomfort is gone.

“I may not be able to see you on Saturday, but would you like to go to my house tonight? I don't feel like cooking today, so I'll go get pizzas."

It's a tempting idea, and Jaekyung knows he's going to go for it no matter if his nutritionist scolds him again for eating pizza and ruining his strict diet.

“We pick Kenji up from school, and then go get pizzas, and then go home, maybe watch movies. It sounds like a fantastic idea.”

Dan smiles at that and approaches Jaekyung to kiss him, but as expected, Jaekyung takes control, and the kiss that had started out feeling tender turns desirous and full of passion. Dan leaves him for a few seconds, also enjoying the kiss. It is only at the end, when he seductively bites Jaekyung's lower lip, that he pulls away, taking Jaekyung's hands that had fallen on his butt.

“Be careful,” he says in a whisper, sexy enough to make Jaekyung's crotch quiver.

Dan is happy about the result of his actions, and with a little smile, he walks away from Jaekyung. It is time to go back to work, and although he feels Jaekyung's gaze, he ignores it, not because he is rude, but because he knows that if he looks at Jaekyung any longer, he will fall for his charms.

Work continues smoothly and normally, as usual. After a long day's work, they pick up Kenji from school. Jaekyung waits for father and son inside the car. Later, they go buy pizza. Dan goes to order them while Jaekyung and Kenji wait for him at one of the tables in the place. Kenji is happily drinking his soda, and Jaekyung just looks at him silently.

Finally, they arrive at Dan's apartment, and the warmth of the place envelops them. It is already starting to get cold in the streets; the warmth of the building invades them and makes them sigh. They are climbing the stairs; Jaekyung holds the pizzas, and Dan carries his son in his arms, who said he is too tired to walk.

“Jaekyung Hyung, look at my scab; it's falling off. Touch it,” Kenji expresses happily as he shows Jaekyung his knee. The scrape on his knee has already healed, and the welt begins to fall off to reveal healthy skin.

Jaekyung looks up at Kenji and lets out a grimace. “I'm not touching that nasty thing,” he mutters in disgust, and he feels like he's going to throw up if he keeps looking.

Dan and Kenji laugh at him as they walk up the stairs.

Dan's house is already familiar to Jaekyung; it's funny and almost ironic how he adapted so quickly to this place and how comfortable he feels being here, to such an extent that he prefers this place before the solitude of his huge penthouse. The place he used to despise, which disgusted him so much, became his favorite place. He always gets a chuckle when he remembers himself months ago and the way he looked at this apartment; now everything has changed. It's amazing how this house has become his home.

They eat a lot of pizza and watch movies on the couch. It's a simple night that Jaekyung never experienced in the past, but now it has become one of his favorite activities. After eating, he helps Dan with the dirty dishes. It is their home routine that they have implemented as if they have been doing it all their lives. After helping, Jaekyung sits on one of the stools, listening to the children's songs coming out of the TV. A low humming is heard coming from Kenji, and Jaekyung can only smile. It's lovely to listen to the children's programs, to see the cartoons full of colors so outrageous that they could blind him, and to see Kenji watching them with too much excitement. It's those little things that make Jaekyung happy.

He looks at Dan, who is turning his back on him, before his eyes notice a couple of brochures on the counter. He curiously picks one up and opens it. He frowns a little when he sees that they are brochures for houses for sale.

“Are you moving?”

Dan turns around to see Jaekyung holding one of the leaflets. He is not surprised that he has seen them, given that they are in plain sight, so he cannot deny his question.

“Yeah, I hope I can do that soon. I was only still here because of my grandmother, and well, she's gone now,” he mumbles, pauses for a second, and remembers that this place was always his grandmother's, and he was looking forward to her coming home. Quickly, he shakes his head so as not to let nostalgia drown him. “It's time for a change of venue, and besides, Kenji deserves to have his own room,” he says before turning away to continue putting away the leftovers from dinner.

“Why didn't you tell me anything? I could help you look for options.”Not that he is scolding, but he would have loved for Dan to tell him about these things; they are supposed to be a couple, and Jaekyung wants to support him in everything.

“You've been busy lately; I didn't want to bother you.” Dan turns around and smiles at Jaekyung. “I already have some options that I'll go look at in a couple of days; I want to pick the best place for Kenji.”

Jaekyung smiles towards Dan, and then an idea crosses his mind. He knows it's something crazy, and Dan will probably refuse, but he will lose nothing by trying to. “move in with me.” Without much thought, he let out those simple words.

Dan looks at him as if he's crazy, and it's as if time has stopped because Dan stands still without saying or doing anything; he just looks at Jaekyung as if he just confessed to him that he committed a crime. “What are you saying?” is all that comes out of his lips after a few seconds of silence.

And Jaekyung doesn't want to back out of his idea, so he stands up and walks towards Dan, grabbing him by the shoulders so that the physiotherapist's eyes only focus on him. “Move in with me; let's live together.”

Dan lets out a sigh and averts his gaze. He knows Jaekyung is being serious and doesn't know how to respond; it's too much to think about; it's too many things to consider. “Jaekyung, I think it would be too hasty. You and I are just dating; we should take it slow."

“I know, but we already know each other well enough. I know there won't be any problems. I love you, and that's why I know we're ready for this."

He's pretty convinced. Dan thinks and can't help but wonder if this is something Jaekyung has been thinking about for a while, but he knows Jaekyung usually has these urges, so he's probably just getting caught up in the emotion of the moment. And Dan has to bring him back down to earth because love isn't enough to make a decision like this.

“Jae, it's not a decision I can make that easy because it wouldn't just be me moving in with you; it would also be my son, and I have to think about Kenji first and what's best for him. Besides, living with a child is not easy; he is noisy and messy; there will be days when he is naughty and doesn't want to pay attention; sometimes it's complicated, and you have to be very patient.”

At the moment when Dan is talking, Kenji, who has no idea of the conversation between the two adults, shouts that he will go to the bathroom before rushing out like a whirlwind, slamming the door shut with a loud bang; it is so loud as if the two adults present could not hear him. Dan lets out a laugh because his son has made a demonstration of what he wants to make Jaekyung understand.

“See what I'm talking about?”Dan turns his attention back to Jaekyung “It's exhausting, and I don't want to bring that into your home. I don't want to get Kenji's hopes up about moving to a nice place only to have him have to leave because you realized that living with a child is annoying, and that's not what you want for your life."

“Dan” Jaekyung brings his hands up to Dan's face, holds his cheeks, and leaves soft caresses with his thumbs. “I want all that; I want the mess and the deafening noise. I would never regret having Kenji in my home. I know what living with a child entails and I'm willing to have him because that's what I want.”

Dan sighs once again; it's a big decision and a huge step for their relationship. He bites his lip, thinking about what to say. But at that, Kenji shouts again, this time from the bathroom.

“Dad, I'm done.”

Dan lets out another sigh. “I'll be there in a second, sweetie,” he says in a slightly lower voice, knowing his son will hear him. He then looks at Jaekyung not knowing what to say. He has to think about this more calmly; he doesn't want to give an answer just because of the pressure he feels now. “Just…let me think about it.”

Jaekyung nods, and before Dan leaves, he leaves a kiss on his forehead. Dan looks at him and smiles softly before leaving with his son.

***

They don't talk about the moving issue again; they leave it on the table for the next few days. Dan wants to think about it clearly and not get carried away by his feelings. And Jaekyung understands that; that's why he decides not to mention anything else; however, he wants to, and he is desperate to ask Dan if he has already made up his mind. But he knows that his physical therapist needs some time.

It's Saturday, and Dan is at the birthday party with his son. While his little boy is having fun with his friends, playing games, and running all over the place, he is having a nice conversation with the other dads who are here for their kids. Dan eats snacks and drinks refreshments. Talks and tells jokes while laughing along with the other adults. It's quite fun to spend the afternoon just sitting and talking to other people just like him. Lately, work has been exhausting him quite a bit, and having a quiet day is a relief.

He was having a conversation when his phone rang. He apologizes for having to interrupt the talk and, then, pulls out his phone. It's a message from Jaekyung; from the notification bar, he can see the message and can't help but chuckle under his breath as he reads it.

Jaekyung: I miss you already.

Dan smiles and shakes his head as he unlocks his phone to answer. Jaekyung has taken the task of being extremely intense very seriously, expressing all his feelings, even in simple messages.

Dan: We saw each other yesterday, silly...

Dan: But I miss you too.

He knows he has a blush on his face and is grinning like a fool in love as he rereads the message. Jaekyung still doesn't reply, but Dan doesn't care. It's only when he feels the stares and hears the slight giggles that he lifts his head and realizes that the mothers he was talking with are now looking at him with smiles and flirtatious glances.

"Who are you talking to, Dan? Is he your boyfriend? "

Dan blushes some more, and soon the attention of all the mothers is on him. Dan knows they are just curious, so he just answers the basics, trying to keep Jaekyung's identity as private as possible. The two are still starting their relationship; everything is new to both of them. Dan doesn't want to reveal too much because he barely knows where everything is going. Sure, they're boyfriends and all, and just saying it out loud and talking about it with other people makes Dan feel happy. However, it's just the beginning, and he doesn't want to live in a fantasy and believe that the two of them are going to live happily ever after. Dan wants to stay in reality, in the present.

The party is over after several hours of fun, Dan says goodbye to the birthday boy and his parents and then waits for Kenji to say goodbye. Jaekyung calls him at that very moment and Dan moves a little away for privacy. The conversation is quick and over in less than a minute. Dan uses his phone for a few seconds as he heads back to where he left his son.

"Dad, I'm tired" Kenji complains, standing still so he doesn't have to walk.

Dan lets out a sigh, settles his son's backpack behind his back and then lifts Kenji up and settles him in his arms. "Come on, Jaekyung is waiting for us."

"Hyung!?"Kenji expresses with amazement and excitement.

Dan nods, and then, at Kenji's insistence that he be put down, Dan, so confused by his son's actions, does what he wants, "Weren't you tired? "

"I'm not tired!"Kenji snorts and pouts. "Quick, Hyung is waiting for us."Kenji takes his father's hand and starts running.

Dan laughs at his son's behavior; he knows he is excited to see Jaekyung. But if they keep running, they might trip, so Dan has to slow down and ask his son to stay calm. They now walk down the street leisurely in the direction of where Jaekyung's car is parked.

"Hyung!” Kenji lets go of his father's hand and runs to where Jaekyung is.

The athlete is leaning against his car, wearing sunglasses and his cap. But when he looks at Kenji, he smiles and crouches down to be at his height, opening his arms to receive Kenji, who hugs him as tightly as if they haven't seen each other in years. Such are Kenji's hugs, euphoric and full of happiness.

"Hi, buddy," Jaekyung says while pushing Kenji aside so he can see him better, "I heard you were at a party."

"Yes, and look, they gave me a beanie" Kenji touches the birthday cone placed on his head and then grins from ear to ear.

"Yes, I can see it, it's very pretty" Jaekyung smiles and then stands up to look at Dan.

The brown-haired man has been watching the scene silently and with a faint smile. They both simply look at each other and give each other a low greeting; it's the little they can do in front of Kenji and although Jaekyung is dying to kiss Dan, he respects his boyfriend's decision to keep discretion around his son.

On the way to Dan's house, Kenji kept the car full of life, talking and talking about every single thing he did at the party. Of course, Kenji wanted to keep Jaekyung up to date with everything he did, and as usual, Jaekyung listened to him attentively.

At Dan's apartment, Kenji wants to continue the party, far from the tiredness he had said he had. Now he was full of energy for wanting to be with Jaekyung. And when Jaekyung said he was going to sleep over, Kenji got so excited about the idea that, without warning, he threw an impromptu sleepover in his living room. They spend the night watching movies and eating all the junk food they can get their hands on in the pantry. And since it was a worthy sleepover, Dan brought out the sofa bed so the three of them could be comfortable and the three of them could sleep together after Kenji stressed that at a sleepover they should all sleep together.

Jaekyung was in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water. From the kitchen, he could see over to the sofa bed, where Kenji was fast asleep. The little boy was the first to fall into a deep sleep. After several movies and a lot of food, exhaustion consumed the little boy. And now he slept with his arms and legs open, almost as if he were a starfish. With his hand, he gently held his stuffed tiger, the one that Jaekyung brought him from the United States and which is now his favorite.

"How is it that a six-year-old can grab the whole bed to himself?”

Dan laughs at that; he's also looking at his son, who claimed the entire mattress all to himself. "Believe me, I wonder the same thing too. More than once he's pushed me out of bed while he's sleeping."

Jaekyung lets out a soft laugh and then shakes his head.

“I'll take him to the room,” Dan mumbles as he walks without making much noise.

His movements are slow and careful so as not to wake his son. Quietly, he moves and withdraws from the room. Only a few seconds pass when Dan returns to the living room, closing the door to his room slowly so as not to wake Kenji who now sleeps curled up and tucked in his bed. Dan approaches Jaekyung and accepts the hug he gives him.

“You know, you don't have to stay over; you can leave, and I'll tell Kenji you left early in the morning.”

"No, I want to stay." Jaekyung takes Dan by the face and looks at him sweetly. "The more time I spend with you, the better."

Dan smiles softly, "I just don't want you to sleep on an old, worn out mattress" he murmurs somewhat ruefully as, out of the corner of his eye, he glances towards the sofa bed. Not that the mattress is that old, but it clearly doesn't compare to the bed Jaekyung has at home.

"I don't care; I'm happy to sleep on an old mattress full of bread crumbs."

"Oh, yes, I'll change the sheets," says the physical therapist while blushing. Kenji left the bed a mess, full of food crumbs everywhere. Dan returns a few seconds later with clean sheets, which he leaves on a chair so he can remove the old ones covering the sofa bed.

Jaekyung simply stares at him from the kitchen, sitting on a stool. It's clear that he's not going to lift a finger to help him, and Dan can't help but joke about it.

"You've never arranged a bed, have you?" Dan asks as he moves around the place.

"No, I've always had people do that for me."

Of course it is, Dan thinks, and then he looks at Jaekyung with a little smile. “Well, today is your lucky day,” he says, and then tosses the clean sheet to Jaekyung, who catches it quickly but with slight confusion and looks at Dan with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to explain his actions. “You're going to help me. Come on, it's faster if we both do it.”

Jaekyung grimaces as he gets up from the stool; he wants to complain but doesn't because it would look very silly of him to protest for doing something so simple. Dan pulls the sheet off him and then spreads it across the mattress.

"Just take the end of the sheet, lift the mattress, and tuck it under. We'll do it together."Dan explains to Jaekyung what to do, and although the athlete feels out of place, not knowing what he is doing, he follows Dan's every step. At all times, he keeps his eyebrows furrowed, but he is not annoyed, just confused. He does his best to arrange the bed, and then he lets Dan do the rest.

"Not bad for your first time," says the chestnut as he finishes and then taps Jaekyung's shoulder. The athlete knows he is toying with him, so he just snorts, expressing mock annoyance.

Jaekyung is the first to lie down and waits for Dan. A few seconds later, Dan lies down next to him. The physical therapist collapses on the mattress and lets out a soft sigh. A lamp illuminates the room, just enough for both of them to see each other. Dan settles onto the bed, positioning himself on his side so that he can see Jaekyung. Jaekyung looks at him softly as he leaves caresses on the physiotherapist's face and combs the hair that falls across Dan's forehead.

"Have you thought about the subject of moving in with me yet?” He asks quietly and calmly. He wants to know what Dan thinks, but he doesn't want to upset him either, so he'll go slowly on the subject, asking small questions.

"I've thought about that," Dan answers and remains silent, but when he sees Jaekyung waiting to know more, Dan lets out a sigh and continues speaking. "It's complicated, Jaekyung. I want to live with you, but I also have to think about what's best for my son."

"I know that, and I respect that. But I know my house is a great place for your son; he'll have everything he needs. Or if not, we can look for another place, one that suits for what you want. I just want to be with you, so I don't mind selling my apartment; any place where I'm with you, that's good enough"

"No, no," Dan says quickly, standing up a little and propping himself up on his elbows. He's face down with a pillow propped on his chest. "I know you worked hard to get to live in a place like that; I don't want you to leave it just because of me. Besides, you can't lie to me; I know you really like where you live; I don't want to change that."

"And I know Kenji likes where I live too; he said himself that he wanted to live in a place like that; why deny him that?”

Dan raises an eyebrow at that. How does Jaekyung know that? He looks at the athlete curiously and waits for him to answer his doubt.

"I may have eavesdropped on a conversation between you and your son when you stayed at my house."

Dan laughs; he can't believe Jaekyung heard them, but it's okay, it doesn't bother him. "Yeah, he loves that place; he's always asking me when we'll go to Hyung's place." Then he smiles and looks at Jaekyung, who also has a soft smile on his face. "Let me think about it just a little bit more, okay?”

"Of course," Jaekyung says, and then reaches over to leave a kiss for Dan.

It's the first kiss they've given each other since they saw each other, and Jaekyung wants to savor and enjoy it properly, it's a slow and simple kiss but loaded with a lot of emotions. The smack of their lips echoes in the room when they part; they both look at each other and smile tenderly.

Then they settle better on the bed, snuggling next to each other to be as close together as possible. Dan lets out a yawn and closes his eyes slightly before opening them again. He doesn't want to fall asleep yet; he wants to keep talking to Jaekyung. But the athlete can sense his tiredness and chuckles softly as he watches Dan fight sleep.

“Go to sleep, Dan.”

Dan shakes his head. “No, I want to keep talking to you.”

Jaekyung smiles and hugs Dan more, then leaves a tender kiss on his brown hair. “Tomorrow we can continue talking; now let's go to sleep.”

After one last kiss, they both fell asleep, cuddling in each other's arms.

***

And it is only a few days later when Dan sits down with Kenji to talk about it. He's given it a lot of thought and although he's already made up his mind, he wants his son to know first and see what he thinks before breaking the news to Jaekyung.

“The cookies are ready, honey.” Dan moves around the room and sets the plate with the cookies on the table. Kenji stops coloring and looks at the cookies excitedly. “But they are warm, so we have to wait, and while we wait, I'd like to talk about something”

Kenji simply nods; he knows he should wait for the cookies, as he doesn't like to burn his tongue. Dan looks at him with a soft smile and then sits down next to his son. He doesn't know how to start talking; he wants to be careful about what he is going to say.

“There's something I want to talk to you about, honey,” he says slowly. His son just looks at him, full of curiosity. “Daddy has decided it's time for both of us to move out.

“Move out?” Kenji tilts his head in confusion.

“Yes, honey. Moving means we have to leave this place and go somewhere else.”.

“But what about our things?”His son's tone of voice sounds alarmed. Dan bites his lip to keep from laughing at his son's innocence.

“We'll take them with us, of course,” he says, and then strokes his son's head to take the worry off his face. But now Kenji is curious, and Dan knows there are endless questions coming, which he patiently waits for.

“Why do you want to leave this place? This is our home.”A slight pout shows on Kenji's lips, and his eyes fill with sadness.

Dan's heart ached a little at the sight of that expression, and he had to swallow saliva because he felt a lump forming in his throat.

“Your home is more than this apartment, honey. I am your home, and you are my home, and wherever we go, we will take our home.”. Delicately, he leaves a caress on his son's cheek while he gives him a smile. “I know this place is special for you and for me too, but all the memories go with us, and we will always carry them in our hearts. And now, it's time for others to make memories in this place. Won't you like another child to live here and have happy moments like the ones you had?“

Kenji looks away from his father and remains silent. Dan is fine with that, and he's not going to scold his son if he says no; he's not going to scold him if he's selfish and doesn't want to leave here; after all, this has always been his home; his whole short life he's been here. Dan waits patiently for Kenji to respond, and when he raises his head, Dan looks at him gently.

“If we leave this place, where are we going to live now?” He asks in a soft murmur; it almost seems like he is asking reluctantly, and Dan knows he is not happy with the idea of leaving.

“Well,” Dan hopes that after saying this, his son's sad face will change. “Jaekyung wants us to live with him.”

“Live with Jaekyung Hyung!?” Kenji exclaims in happiness, and soon his sadness is gone and he is smiling, so much so that it rubs off on Dan.

“Yes, he said he's fine with us living with him. I wanted to ask you if you like the idea.”

Kenji is still smiling, and his eyes almost shine like stars because of the excitement he feels. He is so euphoric that he has completely forgotten what is around him and can only jump up and down.

“Jaekyung Hyung is our best friend; of course I want to live with him.”

Dan grimaces slightly when he hears the word best friend. Of course, Kenji doesn't know that he and Jaekyung are in a relationship. It's something he hasn't wanted to tell his son because he doesn't want to give him false hope that they are going to be a couple forever. Kenji thinks they are best friends because they spend a lot of time together. Dan has to figure out how to tell him it's the opposite now that the three of them are going to live together.

Dan looks at Kenji, who is now jumping up and down and singing that he is going to live with his Hyung, and Dan can't help but smile because Kenji has grown too fond of Jaekyung, to the point that the idea of living with him is the greatest thing in the world. Dan calls out to him softly and then takes him by the shoulders to calm him down a bit.

“So, now what do you think about the idea of moving out and having someone else live here?”

Kenji doesn't take long to respond, and this time there is no annoyance or hesitation in his voice. “It's okay; another child can live here now.”

That's all Dan needed to hear to feel relieved. He lets out a small smile and then hugs his son. Internally, he sighs. This is a big step, but he knows things are going to be okay.

After that, they eat the cookies that are already a bit cold, but Kenji is still so excited about the news that he doesn't care. He keeps chanting that the three of them—Jaekyung, his dad, and him—are going to live together forever. And when Dan calls Jaekyung to tell him the news, Kenji jumps into the conversation, and the three of them end up talking via video call.

“We're going to be in our pajamas all day and eat ice cream, and, oh, we won't sleep until it's too late!” Kenji is telling Jaekyung everything he will do, as if moving in with him is just a long sleepover.

Dan, as much as he loves his son to be so excited about the idea, has to remind him that they are still going to continue to have their rules. Kenji grimaces as he listens to him, but that doesn't stop him from still talking excitedly. Jaekyung, all he does is laugh in the screen.

***

The next few days passed quickly for Dan; between moving and looking for a new owner for his apartment, time slipped by so fast that by the time he realized it, he was already packing his bags. He still feels some anxiety when he remembers that he is about to move in with Jaekyung. Jaekyung, who is now his boyfriend. The label still sounds weird in his mind, and saying it out loud makes his mouth taste funny, but he's getting used to it, and every time he looks at Jaekyung, he can only smile because this man is no longer the shadow of what he used to be. And that's why Dan knows that the two of them will be able to live together without any problems.

He comes out of his room with a box and leaves it on the kitchen counter. Jaekyung is with him, helping him pack. The room is a mess, with boxes and things packed, ready to leave for their new home. Dan looks at Jaekyung, who is standing in front of his grandmother's closet. Dan walks over and stands next to him.

“What do you want to do with this?” asks Jaekyung without taking his eyes off the cabinet.

“Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to take it with me.” He had planned to leave it in storage, but that would be spending money, and he refuses to sell his grandmother's closet; it was his wedding gift, and he knows she would have liked him to keep it.

“Of course.” Jaekyung nods.

Dan smiles at him and then opens the closet to check what he's going to throw away. There's not much, just some of his clothes, his grandmother's, and some of her belongings that he hasn't thrown away yet because he doesn't have the courage to get rid of them completely. But he knows it's time to do it, so he grabs a box and starts taking out his grandmother's things. Jaekyung helps him so they can finish faster.

Soon the closet is completely empty, and only his things and some of his son's things remain. Dan looks inside the closet with some melancholy before pulling out the last of his grandmother's things. It's her wedding dress, and he can't help but smile.

“It's the dress my grandmother wore to her wedding many years ago,” he starts to say, and Jaekyung listens to him carefully. “She kept it thinking that someday my mother would wear it, but she never wanted anything like that; still, my grandmother kept it in case she changed her mind.”Dan pauses for a second as he looks at the suit and can't help but feel some helplessness at the thought of his real mother, but he doesn't cry and swallows saliva as he feels the lump in his throat. “But my mother wanted to be free, so as soon as she had the freedom she wanted so much, she left us.”Dan knows it's time to finish talking because he doesn't want to bore Jaekyung with his problems. He carefully puts the dress in one of the many boxes surrounding them and then closes it, taping it shut.

It is at that moment that he feels a kiss on his temple and an arm around him, giving him support. Dan smiles slightly and looks at Jaekyung, who softly tells him with his eyes that he doesn't have to be sad anymore. That makes Dan's heart fill with warmth, and he closes his eyes as Jaekyung leaves a kiss on his forehead. It is these tender and small gestures that make Dan fall more and more in love with the athlete every day.

They don't speak after that and silently finish closing the boxes with the tape; it's only a few minutes later when Jaekyung speaks. “Hey, what's this?”

Dan glances over to where he is and almost pops his eyes out when he sees what he is holding. He quickly runs over to Jaekyung and stands next to him to try to take the photo album from him.

“Give me that, Jaekyung.”

Jaekyung, with a pious smile, looks up at Dan and then away from him; he's taller, so all he has to do is lift the book towards the ceiling. It's funny to watch as Dan jumps up and down to try to snatch the photo album from him, and he can't help but let out light guffaws.

“Come on, give it back to me,” Dan expresses in frustration, and a small pout escapes his lips.

But Jaekyung loves to tease his boyfriend, so he just shakes his head and moves around the small room. Dan follows, and when he finally gains some strength, he pushes Jaekyung against the sofa, climbs on his lap, and corners him. But Jaekyung is more agile and hugs the photo album against his chest.

“Jae, please.” Dan tries to pull Jaekyung's arms, but the athlete is stronger.

“Come on, let me see your pictures; I promise not to tease.” However, his pious smile gives him away, and Dan doesn't believe him, so Jaekyung tries again with another method: “I promise I'll show you pictures of me as a kid, and you can tease me.”

That gets Dan's attention, and he stops struggling with Jaekyung. That promise convinces him, and for that alone, he allows Jaekyung to see his embarrassing photo album. Dan gets off Jaekyung's lap and sits next to him. The athlete maintains his smile as he excitedly opens the album. There is no shortage of laughter as Jaekyung turns the pages, and all Dan can do is cover his face as he blushes. In his mind, he regrets and wonders why his grandmother took so many pictures of him as a baby.

"I can't believe you were the tree in the school shows; that's the dumbest thing in the world," Jaekyung comments while choking with laughter.

Dan simply ignores him, enduring the humiliation. But when Jaekyung stops laughing, Dan removes his hands from his face and looks at the athlete, who now wears a calm countenance and takes his time to look at the photos. Dan decides to join him and smiles when he sees himself in the photos; he is younger and smaller, with eyes full of hope and dreams. Next to him is his grandmother, always smiling at him and looking at him as if he were her greatest pride, just as he looks at his son.

"Your whole life has been in this place, huh?" asks Jaekyung as he pauses at a photo of him and his grandmother celebrating his sixth birthday. A small cake is on the table.

"Yes," Dan answers quietly. He remembers that day; it was just the two of them and a simple cake, but with what little they had, Dan was happy.

Jaekyung keeps turning the pages, contemplating the photos, and smiling softly at the sight of a ten-year-old Dan in a baseball uniform. And although he already knew that Kenji was the exact copy of Dan, seeing the photos of his physical therapist as a child confirms it; Kenji was Dan when he was little; it's as if Dan has cloned himself.

He keeps turning the pages, stopping at one that catches his attention; it's Dan in overalls and a nice pregnancy belly. Dan smiles in the photo, and with his hands, he holds his belly. He looks radiant, his eyes so full of life, and his smile so bright that it could give light to a whole neighborhood. Jaekyung stares at it longer than he should; it's the first time he sees Dan with his pregnant belly, and it's beautiful.

"I think I was about 6 months pregnant when my grandma took that picture," Dan tells, looking at himself and remembering the past. "We already knew that the baby would be a boy, so my grandma decided to have a little babyshower. It's like a little party to celebrate the pregnancy," Dan explains, and when Jaekyung nods, the brown-haired man continues talking. "I had no friends, so grandma invited all her friends, lots of old ladies. You'll be surprised how much of a party animal old people are."

They both laugh at that comment and then fall silent. Jaekyung contemplates the image for another second before looking at Dan. "You look very pretty being pregnant," he murmurs, and he doesn't know why he is nervous to say it. He doesn't want Dan to misunderstand his words, but he couldn't leave them in his mind; he wanted Dan to know that he was beautiful always.

Dan blushes at those words and averts his gaze for a second. He knows it's just a compliment, but he can't stop his mind from thinking about other things, things he shouldn't be thinking about because he and Jaekyung have barely been in a relationship for a month. He shakes his head to push those thoughts away and raises his head once again to look at Jaekyung. The athlete is once again focused on the album, but Dan knows he's not upset by his lack of response.

The pages in the album begin to end right around the time his grandmother stopped showing up. Once cancer consumed her and she moved permanently to the hospital, the photos stopped. The last photos are of Dan and Kenji. Jaekyung looks at them and treasures them.

"That was after 24 hours of labor," he comments, looking at his photo in the hospital with his newborn baby in his arms. Little Kenji was sleeping peacefully, while Dan smiled at the camera with tired eyes and messy hair, but was happy to have his baby in his arms.

Jaekyung changes his expression to a shocked one, but keeps his smile and now looks more sweetly at the photo. In his mind, he wonders if Dan wants to go through that again now with him. Before, the idea of having a child and a family was not in his plans; it seemed like a horrendous idea to him, but now, living with Kenji and Dan, Jaekyung has come to imagine that someday Dan and he can form their own baby and, together with Kenji, form a beautiful family. But it's something he won't say out loud, at least not for now. It's too early to talk about engagement, and considering that things are going very well between them, Jaekyung is not going to ruin it with something like a pregnancy.

“It must have been pretty hard for you,” he says, and he continues to turn the remaining pages, a little tour of Kenji's early life and Dan's early years as a father.

“It was, but it was worth all the pain to finally hold my son in my arms.”

Once they had finished looking through the photo album, they resumed with the move. Now they had more work to do after taking that little break. However, now they had an extra hand. Once Kenji came home from school (Maya took him home), the little boy wanted to help the adults by putting his things away. And Dan couldn't say no to him, so he gave him a couple of boxes and let him put away his toys.

“Don't forget any toys, buddy,” commented Jaekyung, taking the huge bear he had won at the fair out of the room, setting it down on the couch, and then looking at Kenji.

“Can I bring my DVDs too?” the little boy asks as he looks at Jaekyung with hopeful eyes. He wants him to say yes.

Jaekyung can't deny him anything, and even though what he want was to throw those DVDs in the trash the most, he doesn't. With a grimace, he smiles and nods. “Of course, you can take them,” then shakes Kenji's hair, who laughs. “But we're definitely not going to wear that geezer,” he mutters under his breath as he watches towards the TV.

Dan, who is in the kitchen putting away dishes that were his grandmother's, laughs softly. “My grandmother bought that TV for me when I was eight years old. My friends at school always talked about how great it was to have TVs and watch cartoons, and I wanted to have one of those too. I was always enthralled when I saw the huge TV that people had in the house where my grandmother worked. So she worked overtime to earn enough money to buy it,” Dan watches at the TV with nostalgia. “I guess that's why I didn't want to buy another one, because it was a gift from her.”

And while Dan has his minute of melancholy, Jaekyung looks at him with love. In the past, he would have made fun of him for being so silly and clinging to the past, but now he understands how important the little things are to Dan, and even though he still thinks Dan is a sentimental fool, he wouldn't make fun of him again. That's just the way Dan is, and he's not going to change it at all.

“Anyway, it's time for me to give it to someone else who needs it.”

That's his Dan, gentle and kind, the most humble and good person he has ever met, willing to give his own to others and help those who cannot. His way of being so simple is beautiful to Jaekyung.

***

It only took a couple more days, and moving day had finally arrived. All the boxes were stacked in the living room; that's all that was left. Things had already been moved out of the apartment; now there was a huge space waiting to be occupied by someone else.

Dan looked at the place that had once been his home; he remembered all the times he lived, good and bad. He remembered his grandmother and how she always made this place look like home to him. A wistful smile escapes him, and he tightly holds the sleeves of his backpack. It's time to leave this place, he thinks.

But he is not sad; he had a good life in this apartment, and it is those moments he will take with him. He looks around once more, distracted, as the moving crew Jaekyung hired brings out his things. He lets out a sigh and looks over to the space where his grandmother's closet used to be, which is now in a moving truck waiting to be taken to her new home.

New home, Dan is still trying to adjust to that change. It may look very dramatic on his part, but letting go of a place he's been his whole life will take time. It is Jaekyung who brings him out of his thoughts when he approaches him and drops a hand on his shoulder. Dan gets a little scared from being lost in his mind, but smiles softly when he sees Jaekyung.

“Sorry, I'm being dramatic,” he says, wiping his eyes that have been inadvertently filled with tears.

“I love that you're a sentimental fool.” Jaekyung pulls him to him and kisses his temple. Dan laughs at his comment and snuggles for a second in Jaekyung's arms. “Are you ready to go?” the athlete asks a few seconds later. It's soft and slow, leaving a kiss in Dan's hair.

The time has come. Dan looks around and realizes that everything is empty. The boxes were removed while he was deep in thought. He nods slightly. “Yeah, let's go before Kenji gets on the moving truck.”He laughs at his comment and then walks to the counter to grab the last boxes.

Jaekyung has grabbed one and is the first to leave the apartment. Dan looks at the place one last time before grabbing the keys and leaving the apartment. He locks up and stares at the door, saying a silent goodbye. When he hears his son's voice, he knows it is time to move and take a step forward. He picks up the box he left on the floor and walks towards Jaekyung and Kenji, who were waiting for him on the stairs. As they walk down the stairs, they hear Kenji singing excitedly. The little boy sings about how happy he is to move in with his Hyung. Dan also catches the joy radiating from his son, and that is what makes him stop feeling homesick about having to leave the home he lived in for 29 years.

“Do you think these boxes will fit in your car?”

“Don't worry, I brought the van.”

Of course, he has more than one car, Dan thinks as they walk out to the parking lot and see the white van waiting for them. The moving truck has already left and only they are left to put away the last boxes. Kenji is quick to mention how great Jaekyung's car is, and shouting in excitement, he asks to get in. Both adults laugh as they stow the boxes in the trunk.

Once they are ready, Dan hands the keys to the landlady of the building. They both take a minute to say goodbye and hug each other. Jaekyung watches everything from inside the car and smiles slightly at the sight of such a scene. It's easy for people to get attached to Kenji and Dan, so he's not surprised to see that the landlady is taking her time to say goodbye to both brown-haired. Kenji gets lots of cheek kisses and hugs, and Dan smiles sweetly. When the goodbyes are over, Kenji runs to Jaekyung's car and, from outside, calls him to open the door.

It's only when everyone is wearing a seat belt that Jaekyung starts driving, finally leaving the apartment. And nothing changes on the drive home; Kenji always talks, and the adults listen to him; it's a habit they have already established, and it makes them happy.

When they arrive at Jaekyung's house, the moving truck is already waiting for them. The next few minutes pass quickly, between moving things up to Jaekyung's apartment and having an elated little boy wanting to get his things out. It's only at the end that Dan can finally breathe, and when he enters the penthouse, the realization hits: This is now his house, his home.

“Okay, before we start unpacking, I have a gift for Kenji”.

“For me?”Kenji exclaims with excitement and looks at Jaekyung with too much joy, one that could erase the sadness of the world.

“Yes, for you. Come on, I'll show you."Jaekyung extends his hand towards the boy, and once Kenji takes it, they start walking towards the stairs.

Dan doesn't know what Jaekyung is up to; he didn't tell him anything about there being a gift for his son. So he follows them stealthily, goes after them, and silently tries to find out what that gift could be. But nothing he imagined ends up being the gift.

Dan was expecting a toy, but no, here he is in the middle of a room, seeing how it is decorated for a child to live in. The room, which used to be a guest room, has changed completely; now it has blue and white colors and white furniture with decorations of stars and moons. The armchairs, which used to be elegant, are now childish, surrounded by stuffed animals and patterned cushions. And a single bed, with blue sheets that match the walls. It's the perfect room for a child. Dan can't help but stare at it in awe and swallow saliva when he realizes that Jaekyung made all this for his son.

“Is this room for me?” asks Kenji shyly, he is looking at the place with the same expression his father has.

Jaekyung leans down so that the little boy can see him and gives him a smile when his green eyes look up at him. “Yes, now you'll have your own room; don't you like the idea?

“I love it, Hyung, thank you!” Kenji smiles and hugs Jaekyung by the neck. The athlete laughs at the euphoria of the little boy and returns the hug with the same emotion. When they move away from the hug, Kenji withdraws to walk around the place. “May I?” he asks, pointing to the stuffed animals piled on the couch.

“Of course, buddy, everything here is yours now.”

Kenji exclaims at that, quickly forgets everything and begins to take the stuffed animals, shouting with excitement when he sees that they are all the cartoons he likes. The little boy starts playing and singing with happiness. Jaekyung smiles at the sight of him because he knows he did a great job on his gift. Then he stands up and looks over to Dan; the physical therapist is playing with his fingers and with his head down. Jaekyung doesn't have to ask to know that he is somewhat self-conscious about all this; however, he walks over and quietly asks if everything is okay.

But all Dan does is retreat from the room. Jaekyung could notice in his escape; his face flushed and his eyes filled with tears. That surprises him quite a bit, and he quickly follows him. Before Dan goes down the stairs, Jaekyung grabs his arm to stop him.

“Dan, why are you crying?” he asks, but the physiotherapist doesn't give him an answer, "Is it because of Kenji's room? I didn't want to tell you anything because I wanted it to be a surprise for both of you. I'm sorry...

“It's not that; it's just... " Dan swallows saliva to clear the lump in his throat, in the process scolding himself for being so childish. He wipes his tears roughly: "It's just that seeing that room made me realize that my son lived all this time in an ugly place, just because I was a sentimental fool who couldn't leave his house because I lived in the hope that my grandmother would come back. I had enough money to move to a better place. I could give Kenji better things, but I only thought about myself. What kind of father does that? I was living a lie, and that's why my son didn't have nice things. And now you come along and give him this...Am I such a bad father?”

Jaekyung can't bear to hear Dan say such things. What do you mean, bad father? That's impossible. It breaks Jaekyung's heart to think that Dan feels that way. And he knows he has to do something to get those thoughts out of his boyfriend's mind.

“Dan, no. What the hell are you saying?”Jaekyung grabs his face and wipes his cheeks. “You're the best father I've ever known; Kenji is too lucky to have you. Just because I give him a nice room doesn't mean you haven't given him anything good. You always make sure your son has the best; that's why we are here now, isn't it? You're a good father, Dan;don't believe otherwise.”

Then he hugs him and lets Dan release all the worries in his tears that spill onto his shirt.

“Dad, why are you crying?”

They part as Kenji runs to them, and Dan lets his son hug him around the waist while discreetly wiping away tears.

“Dad, are you okay?”

“Yes, I was just excited to see how nice your new room is,” he says, smiling at his son as he strokes his hair.

“It's very pretty, isn't it? Maybe you can ask Jaekyung Hyung to give you one too.”

Both adults laugh at that comment, and Dan gradually relaxes. He looks at Jaekyung and gives him a smile, thanking him for his words. It's true, he is a great father; he just got overwhelmed by the situation.

Dan gradually calms down; the crying is gone, and the lump in his throat stops bothering him. He is now with a smile on his face and helps Jaekyung carry the boxes with Kenji's toys upstairs.

The little boy now doesn't want to leave his new room and is desperate to start playing in it. Once Jaekyung turns on the TV, Kenji is captivated by the huge screen showing his favorite cartoons. Dan and Jaekyung retire afterward, knowing that the boy will be distracted until it's time to eat.

They still have a lot of unpacking to do, so the next room they go to is Jaekyung's room. Dan blushes a little when he realizes that he will be sharing a room with Jaekyung from now on. He knows it's a silly thing for him to do, as they have already slept together countless times. But it's different now; they're not going to share a bed just for sex; they're also going to sleep together on any given day; they're going to wake up together on a Sunday morning, just like any couple living together would. It's nice, and Dan understands that his blush is more about the feeling he gets from realizing that fact.

He enters Jaekyung's room (now also his) with his suitcase and sets the suitcase on one of the armchairs. “Where can I keep my things?” he asks while he opens the suitcase.

“Wherever you want, this room is now yours,” Jaekyung replies, and he hugs Dan around the waist, leaving a soft kiss on his neck. Dan reciprocates the embrace, letting Jaekyung press him against his warm body. There is a smile as he turns around to hug Jaekyung by the neck. It's amazing that they can be like this now, wrapped in this comfort and trust, in this love.

“It's amazing that we are going to live together now,” Dan confesses, as if he is a college student going to live with his first boyfriend. He feels like it is young love, and he doesn't know if that's good or bad; all he knows is that he likes the feeling he feels being with Jaekyung. Who'd say? But here they were, having pure and sincere love after a relationship of abuse and pain.

“Yes, now we can be together every night and whenever we want,” he says, and with a quick movement, he lifts Dan up and takes him in his arms. Dan gasps and clings to Jaekyung, wrapping his legs around him. The athlete ignores him when he asks to be put down and instead starts leaving kisses on his neck, only dropping him when they reach the bed, depositing Dan as if he were a porcelain doll and climbing on him with extreme care. Dan now giggles and accepts the kisses Jaekyung gives him, pulling away only when his lungs run out of air and he needs to breathe. Jaekyung kisses him one last time before pulling away.

“We need to be more discreet now, silly,” he playfully claims to him, but laughs again when Jaekyung leaves kisses on his neck for the sole purpose of tickling him.

“The only one who has to be discreet is you; you moan so loudly that anyone can hear you,” Jaekyung murmurs against his ear before continuing with his kisses.

Dan knows he's just playing, so he plays along, pretending to be annoyed. Between laughs, he hits him, starting with a tug-of-war game that turns into kissing and caressing. But Dan knows they have to stop soon because Kenji is only a few steps away from them and may appear at the door at any moment. So he pushes Jaekyung away and gets up from the bed. The athlete pouts when Dan pulls away, but it only takes one kiss to erase his frown.

“Come on, help me unpack,” he says in a sweet and warm voice as he held out his hand for Jaekyung to take.

Those words felt like the most beautiful command Jaekyung could hear. And delightedly, he followed, took Dan's hand, and let him lead him to the suitcases. The simple action of unpacking became the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. And with smiles and laughter, they made way for this new chapter in their relationship.