Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dalawang guhit.

“Oh, my God…”

Nanghihinang napaupo si Junhui sa sahig ng banyo habang nakatitig sa pregnancy test strip na nagpapakita ng positibong resulta.

His mind wanders to the incident that led to this.

💙💜

Junhui could not catch a break. He just got broken up over a text message earlier that day. Ngayon naman ay nasabon siya ng boss niya. The former might have caused the latter. Mahigit isang taon na siya sa trabaho pero ngayon lang siya napagalitan nang malala ng amo.

“Ready ka na?”

Dumungaw ang mukha ni Soonyoung sa cubicle niya.

“Oh, Junnie.” Sabi ni Soonyoung nang makita ang mukha niya. Lumapit ito at niyakap siya. “Tara na, mag-walwal na tayo. Kalimutan mo muna ‘yang boss at ex mong pangit.”

Junhui would smile if he could. He hugged his friend back. He badly needs this after the day he had.

Soonyoung pulls back at hinawakan ang mukha niya nang marahan. “We can cancel if you don’t feel like it. Sabihan ko sina Kwannie.”

Junhui shook his head. Bukas na siya iiyak. Tonight, he wants to forget.

Little did Junhui know that decision would change his life.

💙💜

Hindi na mabilang ni Junhui kung nakailang shots na siya. Bahagya nang umiikot ang paningin niya ngunit pinapanood pa rin niya ang mga kaibigan na sumasayaw sa dance floor. Soonyoung, Seungkwan and Seokmin have attracted quite the crowd with their silly moves. Nagsisimula na ring sumakit ang panga niya katatawa sa mga ito.

“Sir, for you.” Sabi ng waiter matapos ilapag ang baso ng sunrise sa harap niya. “From that guy in black wearing glasses.” Itinuro nito ang isang lalaki na nakatingin sa kanya standing a few tables away from him bago umalis. May mga kasama rin ito sa lamesa, who were all looking down on the phone one of the guys is holding. Iyong lalaking naka-itim lang ang nasa iba ang atensyon. Sa kanya.

“Thank you.” Junhui mouths with a smile and raises the glass of drink towards the guy who nods and smiles back. Hindi masyadong maaninag ni Junhui ang mukha nito dahil sa distansya nila at katiting na ilaw sa loob ng club.

The man started to walk towards him. As he came nearer and nearer, Junhui realized that the guy is a handsome one. Very, in fact. Junhui could use a confident boost.

“Hope you like tequila.”

Deep, sexy voice, too.

“I do.”

“I’m Wonwoo.”

“Jun.”

They talked for a bit before moving to the dance floor. Next thing Junhui knew, he’s pressed up against the door of a bathroom stall, Wonwoo’s lips latched onto his neck.

Junhui isn’t one for one-night-stands. He didn’t know if it’s life stress or the alcohol that made him ask the next question.

“S-so, my place or yours?”

Wonwoo pulls back and looks at him, keeping their bodies close and his hands on his hips. He pecks his lips before speaking.

“Are you sure?  Nakainom ka na.”

Shit, he’s hot and sweet.

Junhui unconsciously pouts. “Hindi pa ko lasing.”

“‘Yan sinasabi ng mga lasing e.”

Hinampas ni Junhui ng mahina ang dibdib nito.

“Ayaw mo? Hanap na lang ako ng iba.” Junhui moves to remove Wonwoo’s hands on him but the latter tightens them.

“No. Sa’kin ka.”

Junhui felt a shiver run down his spine hearing those words in Wonwoo’s deep voice.

And that’s how he found himself being pounded into Wonwoo’s mattress, all thoughts of crappy exes and bosses forgotten. Wonwoo gave him an orgasm so good he was immediately knocked out right after.

Nagising na lang siya sa tawag ng Kuya Jeonghan niya. May emergency daw sa bahay nila at kailangan niyang umuwi agad. Dali-dali siyang nagbihis at umalis, ignoring the soreness of his body and his pounding head.

💙💜

That night was nearly two months ago. Maraming nangyari sa buhay ni Junhui sa loob ng maikling panahong iyon. That morning that he left Wonwoo’s place, na-diagnose ang ama nila ng isang bihirang karamdaman. They needed to go to the US immediately to get him treated. Nauna ang kuya niya bilang doon rin naman ito naka-base at nagtatrabaho, nagbakasyon lang ito sa Pilipinas ng panahong iyon. Sumunod siya matapos ang isang buwan. Masuwerte naman at nakahanap siya ng trabaho agad dahil na rin sa connections ng kuya niya. Kaya ngayon ay doon sila naninirahan upang tuloy-tuloy ang gamutan ng kanyang ama. Hindi naman nahirapang mag-adjust si Junhui dahil mayroon na rin silang mga kamag-anak na doon nakatira.

Junhui has not even thought of that night since sa dami ng kaganapan sa buhay niya. Not until today.

There is no doubt in Junhui’s mind that Wonwoo is the other father. His ex-boyfriend had not touched him for months before their breakup.

Junhui is absolutely sure they used a condom. Wonwoo was adamant about it–despite the haze of lust ruling over them both–insisted it was for their protection. So Junhui is confused about how this happened. Alam niyang hindi 100% assurance ang paggamit ng condom but the teeny tiny chance of it failing and it happening to him blows his mind.

Napukaw ang pagmumuni niya nang may kumatok sa pinto ng banyo.

“Jun? Are you OK?”

He heard his Kuya Jeonghan ask.

With shaky legs, Junhui slowly got up from the floor and walked towards the door. Dahan-dahan niya itong binuksan.

Concern filled Jeonghan’s face upon seeing him. Pumasok ito sa loob ng banyo.

“Kuya…”

“What’s the matter?”

Junhui slowly reveals the pregnancy test strip he has been holding behind his back.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ng nakatatandang kapatid ng makita ito.

“What’s that?”

Jeonghan takes the strip from his hand nang hindi siya umimik.

“Baka naman false positive lang ‘to?”

Umiling si Junhui.

“That’s the third one, Kuya.” Junhui said, voice shaking slightly.

Muling bumaling ang tingin ni Jeonghan sa positibong resulta na ipinapakita ng pregnancy test. Pagkuwa’y inilapag nito iyon sa lababo at kinabig ang kapatid upang yakapin.

“I’m here, okay? I will support you whatever you decide to do.”

And that’s what broke the dam for Junhui. He hugs his older brother tightly. Sobbing into his neck.

“Shh… it’ll all be okay, baby.” Jeonghan said while rubbing his back soothingly.

And Junhui wants to believe that so badly. The past few months have been really rough. Now, on top of everything that has happened, he has to make yet another decision. Probably the biggest one yet in his young life.

Chapter Text

5 years later…

Junhui stares at the peaceful sleeping faces of the twins as the three of them fly over the Pacific Ocean. Even as they are on their way to the Philippines, he still could not quite believe he is coming back after half a decade. His 23-year-old self wouldn't have imagined him having two kids at the age of 28, raising them on his own no less.

Well, technically he was not completely on his own. He always has his older brother by his side as well as his husband, Joshua and other friends he made in his five years in the US. They have been incredibly helpful and supportive with raising the twins and made Junhui’s life as a single father a little easier, especially Jeonghan. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya pupulutin kasama ang mga kambal kung wala sa eksena ang kuya niya. Still, it's not the same as having a partner by his side.

Sunoo stirs in his sleep and mumbled something unintelligible. Masuyong sinuklay ni Junhui ang buhok ng anak palayo sa mukha nito. He glances at the other twin who is sleeping soundly. Junhui chuckles softly as he sees Jongseong – or Jay as Joshua likes to call him (masyado raw mahaba ang Jeongseong) – has his mouth and his big eyes slightly open while sleeping. Gaya ng sabi ni Jeonghan, manang-mana ito sa kanya. Between the two, it was Jay who got his looks. Sunoo took after his other father.

Over the last five years, Wonwoo has crossed Junhui's mind lots of times, especially during his pregnancy, and decreasingly as the years go by. He argued with himself and sought advice from his brother and friends whether he should let Wonwoo know about their sons or not. In the end, he decided not to. After all, he was building his life in the US then. Wonwoo was on the other side of the world. It wouldn't make sense. In his mind, it was unlikely that Wonwoo would uproot his life just for the kids. Besides, it's not like he planned to have them. Junhui had no way of knowing if he even wanted to have kids. The twins were a result of a reckless night. Sounds harsh, but that's the truth.

Hindi magsisinungaling si Junhui, early in his pregnancy he had thought of losing the twins. At the tender age of 23, he was not ready to be a parent to a kid, let alone two. And a single one at that. He was in an entirely new country, barely a month into his job, caring for his sick father. Pero naisip niya, gusto niya rin namang mag-anak. Hindi nga lang ganito kaaga. There is no assurance that he would have the same opportunity in the future though, Junhui thinks. So he decided to keep them.

He has not regretted making that decision and he's certain he never will. The twins bring a kind of joy that he does not find in other aspects of his life.

After five years, Junhui is starting anew once again. Jeonghan and Joshua are running a startup in the Philippines, and they want Junhui to head the finance department. The business is doing extremely well, in just a little over a year of operations, halos nabawi na ng mag-asawa ang kapital nila. Noong una pa lang ay gusto nang sumama ni Junhui sa kapatid at bayaw ngunit hindi sumang-ayon si Jeonghan. He wanted to make sure the business would do well first, bago sumunod si Junhui. After all, hindi lang sarili niya ang magsa-suffer kung sakaling hindi mag-click ang negosyo, pati na rin ang mga anak niya. Junhui is entirely grateful that he has a wise brother. So now here he is, about to step foot in his home country again after five long years.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have just landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the fasten seat belt sign has been switched off. We would like to thank you for flying with us. It was a pleasure to have you on board. We hope to see you again soon on one of your future flights. Once again, welcome to Manila.”

💙💜

“Junhuiiiii!!!!!”

Junhui’s mouth automatically stretches into a wide smile as soon as he hears the voices of his friends. They kept in contact while he was in the US but video calls do not compare to seeing them in person.

“Junnie! Oh my gooood!”

Si Seungkwan ang unang lumapit at yumakap sa leeg niya. He couldn't hug back as both his hands were holding onto his kids but he let Seungkwan sway their bodies for a bit.

“Oh my gosh, mas cute ang mga junakis mo in person!” Sabi ni Seungkwan matapos itong bumitaw sa kanya and Seokmin and Soonyoung took their turns embracing him.

Nang humiwalay ang mga kaibigan sa kanya ay agad kumapit ang mga anak sa hita niya.

“Sunoo, Jay, say hi to your titos.” Pinakilala niya isa-isa ang mga kaibigan.

“Hello po.” Jay says, shyly. Burying his head into his thigh matapos bumati.

“Hi po!” Sunoo says brightly and pouts his lips, offering kisses to his father's friends.

“What a cutie!” Soonyoung says at saka kinarga ang bata, who immediately kisses him on the cheek. Inilapit ni Soonyoung si Sunoo sa dalawa pang kaibigan.

“Look, Jay oh, we have something for you!” Seokmin says excitedly.

Marahang bumaling ang mukha nito kay Seokmin, his big eyes expectant.

Seokmin kneels down to Jay’s level and presents him with corn.

“My favowite!” Nagniningning ang mga mata na sabi nito, making grabby hands at Seokmin.

“Kiss muna sa mga tito.”

Jay immediately obeys.

Naghalakhakan ang magkakaibigan.

So nice to be home. Junhui thought as he looked at the smiling faces around him, wearing one of his own.

💙💜

Laking pasasalamat ni Junhui na nakahanap siya agad ng babysitter within two weeks. Nai-enroll na rin niya ang mga bata sa isang daycare center. “Ber” months na kaya papalapit na ang peak season para sa business nina Jeonghan, who is involved in selling IT equipment and peripherals. Ayaw man nitong madaliin ang nakababatang kapatid na sumabak sa trabaho pero alam ni Junhui na malaking tulong sa kapatid if he can get acquainted with the business sooner rather than later.

“Good morning, Kuya Josh!” masiglang bati ni Junhui sa kanyang brother-in-law. Unang araw niya sa trabaho at dumaan muna siya sa opisina nito. Nasa meeting daw with an important client ang kuya niya.

“Junnie!” Joshua greets him with a smile. “Pasok ka.”

Junhui enters the room and sits down on one of the chairs in front of Joshua’s desk.

“Ang aga mo. Where are the twins?”

“I dropped them off sa daycare, Kuya.”

“Oh, good. Buti nakahanap ka agad.”

“Yeah, there's one less than a kilometer away from the condo.”

Joshua nodded. “Nag-breakfast ka na ba?”

“Hindi pa nga, Kuya, eh. Medyo late na kasi ako nagising kaya ‘yung mga bata na lang napakain ko.”

“There's a cafe on the ground floor. Kain muna tayo. Then I’ll show you around.”

Matapos kumain ay inilibot siya ni Joshua sa opisina na katamtaman ang laki. Wala pa sa dalawampu ang mga staff na nasa opisina. Joshua told him they're around 30 in total including him and Jeonghan, nasa field ang iba.

Finally, Joshua shows him to his office. Sa tabi ito ng opisina ni Jeonghan.

Kumunot ang noo ni Junhui. “Bakit nasa magkabilang side office niyo ni Kuya?”

Joshua smirks. “We wouldn't get any work done otherwise.”

“Kuya!” Junhui exclaimed, eyes widening, a little scandalized. Natawa si Junhui at umiling-iling.

“Well, I’ll let you settle in. Jeonghan should be back in less than an hour. He’ll be the one to orient you on your responsibilities. Don't hesitate to call or drop by my office if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Kuya. See you later!”

💜💙

Junhui found out over lunch that Jeonghan and Joshua are planning to expand to software and IT services. He was amazed.

“I know it sounds like it's too soon. But Junnie, we ran the numbers and the demand and the market is there. That's why we wanted you to step in.”

“That sounds exciting, Kuya. I’m so happy for you both! Grabe, you were able to pull this off in just a year! Wow. I’m honored to be a part of this.”

“Alam mo naman ‘yang kuya mo, Jun, napaka-workaholic.” Joshua chimes in. “Sabi ko nga pa’no kami magkakaro’n ng sariling Sunny at Jay kung puro trabaho at pagpapayaman ang inaatupag niya.”

Natawa si Junhui.

Umirap naman si Jeonghan. “Magkasya ka na lang muna sa panghihiram sa kambal.”

Joshua pouts jokingly.

The rest of their lunch was filled with business talk. Pagbalik nila sa opisina, ipinatawag ni Jeonghan ang finance team at muling ipinakilala si Junhui. Minghao, the finance manager, showed him how to access the reports and the software he will be using. Junhui gets to work.

Pagsapit ng 3:45 PM ay tumunog ang alarm ni Junhui sa phone. Uwian na ng mga bata mula sa daycare. Kailangan niyang sunduin ang mga ito dahil bukas pa magsisimula ang babysitter na nakuha niya.

“How was your day, babies?” Tanong ni Junhui sa mga anak matapos nilang makasakay ng kotse.

Jay immediately launched into stories of playing, songs and sharing snacks with the other kids. Mahiyain man ito sa harap ng ibang tao ay napakadaldal nito sa mga taong komportable itong kasama. He’s more talkative than Sunoo who only chimes in from time to time with his own bits of stories. He’s happy to find out the twins had a good first day at the daycare. He knows the transfer is not easy for them.

Kinabukasan, pagdating niya sa kanyang opisina ay naghihintay na doon ang kapatid.

“Jun, sorry for dropping by so early. May kailangan lang akong financial reports before lunch. Nasabihan ko na si Hao but I want your insights on them. We're meeting a potential partner for the software and services expansion in the afternoon. Also, I want you to be at the meeting. I know it's literally your second day but this is a very promising partner. He’s at the top of our list.”

“No need to apologize, Kuya. What do you need?”

Sinabi ni Jeonghan ang mga report na kailangan nito.

“Okay, no problem. I’ll work with Hao. We can go over them before the meeting.”

“Thanks, Junnie.”

Pagdating ng alas diyes y medya ay pumipintig na ang ulo ni Junhui. It's all too much information to absorb in 2 hours. But he's grateful for Minghao who patiently walked him through the reports. He took a break for 30 minutes bago magtungo sa opisina ng kapatid.

💙💜

“Sorry, I’m late.”

Napasarap ang kain ng tanghalian ni Junhui kasama ang mga miyembro ng finance team pero hindi naman siya masyadong late. It's only 1:05 PM. Pasado alas dose na rin kasi siya nakapag-lunch. Limang minuto lang naman siyang nahuli, but he felt the need to apologize knowing how important this meeting is.

“It's alright, Junnie. Come here.” Jeonghan gestures for him to stand on his left while Joshua is on his right.

As soon as his eyes landed on the face of the man in front of him, Junhui’s heart sank. He feels as if the ground was pulled beneath him.

“Junhui, meet Wonwoo Jeon.”

Chapter Text

“Junhui, meet Wonwoo Jeon. He owns one of the leading IT service start-ups here in the Philippines. Mr. Jeon, this is Junhui Yoon, our finance head and my brother.”

While Junhui couldn't recall what Wonwoo looked like exactly five years ago, he is also not unfamiliar with his face. It's a face he sees on one of his sons on the daily, after all. But Junhui could tell he didn't use to wear his hair this long. He also doesn't remember him looking this big.

Really, Junhui, this isn't the time.

“Nice to meet you, Junhui. Please, call me Wonwoo.” Wonwoo extends a hand to shake.

Junhui must have been unresponsive for a bit too long as he felt Jeonghan elbow him.

Tumikhim si Junhui and shakes Wowoo’s hand. “N-nice to meet you.”

If Wonwoo recognizes Junhui, he didn’t show it. Not that Junhui is expecting him to. Five years is a long time. Plus they only met once. Nakainom pa sila. It was probably just an ordinary night for Wonwoo, nothing memorable. He had no idea it was the complete opposite for Junhui.

In all honesty, Junhui didn’t expect to run into Wonwoo. Ever. Nasa ibang syudad ang opisina nila ngayon, not in the same city as his old workplace kung saan nakatayo ang bar where he met Wonwoo. Never sumagi sa isipan niya na magku-krus muli ang kanilang mga landas. Junhui doesn't know how to react to his development.

He found it hard to concentrate on the meeting not only because of Wonwoo's presence, but also because masyadong teknikal ang pinag-uusapan ng tatlo. Junhui is grateful that Jeonghan doesn't seem to need his inputs at this time dahil wala siyang maibibigay.

The meeting ended with another one scheduled for next week, both parties finding each other's business promising.

Jeonghan and Joshua needs to run to another meeting kaya nauna na ang mga itong lumabas ng conference room, leaving Junhui to walk Wonwoo to the door.

“You know, you look familiar. Have we met before?”

Junhui froze. “D-do I?” He counters with a strained smile. “I just have one of those faces I guess.”

Wonwoo stares at him and tilts his head a little, para bang iniisip pa rin nito kung saan siya nakita. “Nah.” He said after a while but didn't elaborate.

Junhui breathes a sigh of relief when they reach the reception.

“It was a pleasure meeting you and getting to know your business, Wonwoo. I look forward to working with you.” Junhui is proud na hindi nanginig ang boses niya.

“Same here. See you next week, Junhui.”

As soon as Wonwoo is out of sight, Junhui shoots a message to his chat group with Soonyoung, Seokmin and Seungkwan.

SOS. You guys free tonight?

💙💜

“You know the last time the four of us drank together, Junhui ended up being knocked up.”

Binato ni Junhui ng tissue si Soonyoung.

“Well, there's absolutely no chance of that happening tonight.”

“‘Di mo sure.”

“Gago!”

So condo unit ni Junhui lamang sila umiinom dahil responsable siyang magulang at hindi niya iiwanan ang mga anak niyang natutulog na.

“So, anong meron? Bakit napa-SOS ka?” Seungkwan inquires bago sumubo ng sisig.

Junhui brushes a hand through his hair at humugot ng malalim na hininga.

“Lalim nu’n ah,” Seokmin remarks.

“I met the twins’ other father today.”

“WHAT???!!!!” Sabay-sabay na bulalas ng tatlo.

“Shhhh, baka magising ‘yung kambal.”

Bagama’t ikinuwento ni Junhui sa mga kaibigan ang nangyari ng gabing iyon, hindi niya sinabi sa mga ito ang pangalan ni Wonwoo. Iniiwasan niya lang na ma-curious ang mga ito at hanapin ang lalaki, which he didn't want to happen. Apparently they didn't need to. Fate found a way to have them meet again.

So now he didn't have any reason to conceal Wonwoo's identity from them. Ikinuwento niya sa mga ito ang sitwasyon sa trabaho.

Junhui takes a gulp of his beer before proceeding.

“So now, hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko o kung may dapat ba akong gawin. Wala talaga akong balak na hanapin si Wonwoo. I can raise the twins on my own. On the other hand, I think he has the right to know about them. I mean they are his kids, too. Wouldn't it be fair to give him a chance to decide whether he wants to be a father to them or not? Either way naman is fine with me. Pero iniisip ko rin ‘yung business nina Kuya, in case this gets messy, I don't want this to get in the way of that.”

There was a few seconds of silence before Soonyoung spoke.

“Kung ako tatanungin mo, ipakilala mo ‘yung kambal. Mayaman pala ‘yang si sharpshooter, sayang naman kung ‘di mapapakinabangan ng mga anak mo.”

The four of them laughed at Soonyoung’s remark.

“Seryoso kasi, Nyong.” Junhui says after his laughter dies down.

“Bakit, sino ba nagsabing ‘di ako seryoso?”

“Ang hirap makipag-argue sa katwiran ni Nyong,” saad ni Seungkwan.

Junhui rolled his eyes and turned to Seokmin. “Ikaw, Min, ano sa tingin mo? Ikaw na lang pag-asa ko. Wala talaga akong maaasahang matino sa dalawang ‘to.”

“I agree with Nyong.”

“See–” sabad ni Soonyoung.

“But not for the same reason.” Seokmin cuts him off. “Hindi pa siguro sa ngayon, but the kids will ask eventually, kung sino at nasaan ‘yung other parent nila. Do you have a plan for when that time comes?”

Junhui grimaces. It's one of the things he has been putting off in his mind. “I haven't thought that far ahead, to be honest.”

“I mean I would understand kung hindi na talaga kayo nag-meet ulit ni–what’s his name again?”

“Wonwoo.”

“Ni Wonwoo, yeah. But he's here now. You mentioned being fair to Wonwoo, but I think you also need to consider whether you're being fair to your kids. May opportunity ka na ipakilala sa kanila ang ama nila. Don't deprive them of that.”

Tumango-tango si Junhui.

“That’s such a sensible advice. Thanks, Minnie. It's just that I can't predict how he will react. What if he doesn't want the kids and then he cuts ties with my Kuyas’ business just to avoid drama?”

“I’m sure Kuya Jeonghan and Kuya Joshua will understand. It's not like si sharpshooter lang ang may gano’ng business sa buong Pilipinas.”

“Oh my God, Kwannie, stop calling him that.”

“Totoo naman kasi, Junnie. Imagine, ONS lang kayo tapos gumamit pa kayo ng protection. Despite all that nakabuo pa rin kayo ng kambal. Anong tawag mo dun?” Soonyoung butts in.

Natatawang umiling-iling na lang si Junhui. He can feel his face heating up. Binalik niya na lang sa topic ang usapan.

“So, pa’no ba, should I tell kina Kuya muna bago ko kausapin si Wonwoo?”

“I think that would make sense. Para ma-heads up-an din sila in case–kung sakali lang naman–the business deal falls through,” sagot ni Seokmin.

“Yeah.” Junhui agrees. “Thanks, guys. This definitely helped. Hindi talaga ako makakatulog kung hindi ko ‘to ma-resolve that's why I wanted to meet.”

“Of course, we’re always here for you, Junnie,” Soonyoung says at marahan na pinisil ang braso niya.

Seungkwan asks to see what Wonwoo looks like. Junhui doesn't have a personal photo but it was easy enough to look up Wonwoo’s LinkedIn profile.

“My gosh, kamukhang-kamukha ni Sunoo! Pogi na, mayaman pa. I say umisa ka pa, Jun.”

This time, Cracklings naman ang ipinambato ni Junhui sa kaibigan.

💙💜

Junhui waited until the weekend to talk to Jeonghan and Joshua. Ayaw niyang dumagdag pa sa alalahanin ng mag-asawa sa trabaho on the weekdays kaya napagpasyahan niyang i-delay ng ilang araw ang pagsasabi sa mga ito. Tutal sa Lunes pa naman ang susunod na meeting nila with Wonwoo.

The conversation went easier than Junhui expected. Of course, nagulat ang mga ito but were immediately supportive of him telling Wonwoo.

“So that's why he looked familiar. I was trying so hard to place him. Si Sunny pala ang kamukha.” Joshua said, amused.

“Don’t worry about the business deal, okay?” Jeonghan holds his hand. “We can find other prospective partners. You and the twins always come first.”

Junhui hugs his brother. “Thank you, mga Kuya. Baon na baon na ko sa utang-na-loob sa inyo.”

“Don’t mention it.”

💙💜

The next time Junhui sees Wonwoo, he's way more relaxed. He has a plan.

The business meeting went smoothly. They're in the final stages of coming to an agreement.

Jeonghan and Joshua excused themselves para maiwan muling mag-isa si Junhui at Wonwoo. The couple threw him reassuring looks before leaving the room.

Wonwoo was just getting ready to leave when Junhui spoke. “Uhm, Wonwoo.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have time to spare? I need to talk to you about something.”

Kumunot ang noo ni Wonwoo. He looks at his watch and then back at Junhui.

“Sure, I can spare a few. What's up?”

“You might wanna sit down for this.”

Wonwoo sets his briefcase back down on the table. “Oh-kay. You're weirding me out.”

You have no idea.

Akala ni Junhui hindi na siya kakabahan. But he found himself wringing his hands to ease his nerves.

“Remember when you asked if we’ve met before?”

“Uh-huh.”

“We actually have.”

“Oh?” Wonwoo crossed his arms over his chest. “When?”

“Five years ago.”

“Huh. Where?”

Junhui mentions the name of the pub.

Lumalim ang kunot sa noo ni Wonwoo.

Junhui is starting to feel a little insulted. Is he that forgettable? Pangit ba 'ko? Kalimot-limot ba ‘ko?

“Wait, I remember you. Jun.”

Dahan-dahang tumango si Junhui.

Wonwoo smacks his lips. “Well, this is awkward.”

“Yeah, mej. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What, don’t tell me you're going to say we have a child together?” Wonwoo says with a laugh.

Junhui didn't laugh but smiled sheepishly. “Well, technically it's children. They're twins.”

The smile slowly faded from Wonwoo’s lips. “Wait, you’re serious.”

“Yup.”

Wonwoo stood up from his seat. “You're not kidding?”

“Why would I be?”

Wonwoo stared at Junhui's face for a few seconds, na para bang tinatantiya niya kung gaano kaseryoso si Junhui. Then he pulled out his phone from his pocket.

“Chan, cancel my appointments for the rest of the day. I have an urgent matter to attend to.”

Chapter Text

Junhui follows Wonwoo with his eyes as the other man paces the length of the conference room table.

“Look, Wonwoo,” it doesn't escape Junhui the irony of the name of the other father of his kids feeling foreign on his tongue, “there’s no pressure at all. You can be involved as much or as little as you want. Or not at all. I just thought you had the right to know.”

Wonwoo stops in front of Junhui, who is still seated on the other side of the table. Wonwoo runs a hand through his hair.

“You can't just drop a bomb like this and think there would be ‘no pressure at all.’”

Natameme si Junhui.

“That’s fair,” Junhui says after a few beats, “I’m just saying… if you don't want to get involved, that's perfectly fine.”

Wonwoo keeps looking at him but does not speak.

“I’ve also talked to Kuya Jeonghan and Kuya Joshua about this, if this is all too much for you, they understand if you want to back out of the negotiations.”

Hindi pa rin nagsalita si Wonwoo. Namulsa ito, pagkuwa’y humalukipkip. Maya-maya ay sinuklay muli ang buhok gamit ang mga daliri. He looks restless. The other man has been calm and collected all through the two business meetings they’ve had. Junhui is a little taken aback seeing him in this state. He feels a bit guilty being the cause of it.

“Why now?” Wonwoo asks in a low voice.

“Huh?”

“Why now? I mean, it's been five years. Why tell me now?”

Junhui explains the situation.

Wonwoo nods, pursing his lips together.

“So, if we didn't meet again, you never would have told me?”

“No.” Junhui tells him straight. “I thought there was no point, we were on the other side of the world. But since we did meet and we’re settling here now, I figured this is the right thing to do.”

Wonwoo nods again, but Junhui isn’t sure he truly agrees or understands.

Wonwoo heaves a deep sigh then says, “I need time to think.”

Junhui nods. “Okay, that’s understandable.”

“This isn’t a ‘no,”” Wonwoo said softly. “I just… I need time to process.”

“Of course.”

Wonwoo gathers his things. They walk to the front door together side by side, heavy silence hanging over them.

Junhui walks him to the elevator this time.

“Can I get your personal number? So I can reach you?” Wonwoo hands Junhui his phone.

“Sure.” Junhui types in his number.

“I’ll let you know, okay? I promise.” Wonwoo says as Junhui hands his phone back.

Junhui nods. “Take care.”

💙💜

Si Junhui ang sumundo sa mga anak niya ng hapon na iyon. He just needs to be with his kids after a very stressful day.

“Papa, papa! We met a new fwend today!” Sunoo says excitedly as Junhui settles the twins in their car seats.

“Really, Sunny? What’s his name?”

“Jakey! He speaks funny English!”

Natawa si Junhui. “What do you mean, anak?”

“He’s from Streya.”

“Australia?”

“Yes! He’s kind. He helped Jay nung nadapa siya.” Junhui is glad the twins are picking up a few Tagalog words.

Junhui frowns and cups Jay’s face. “Are you okay, anak? May masakit ba sa’yo?” Junhui asks as he inspects Jay’s arms and legs for any scratches and wounds.

“I’m okay, Papa. I fell on the damo.”

“Did you thank Jakey when he helped you up?”

“Yes, Papa. I shared my corn with him but he said he liked ham better so I gave him that.”

“Very good, Jay-ah.” Junhui kisses the top of Jay’s head and ruffles Sunoo’s hair. “Tomorrow we’ll pack an extra ham sandwich for Jakey, hmm?”

Junhui rounds the car and gets seated behind the wheel.

“Tell you what, kids, we’re going to Jollibee!”

“Yayyyy!”

Napangiti si Junhui sa excitement ng mga bata. Pero sa totoo lang, he might need it more than the kids. It’s his comfort fast food, after all.

💙💜

Nang mga sumunod na araw, abalang-abala si Junhui sa trabaho that he almost forgot he’s waiting to hear back from Wonwoo. Almost.

That Friday afternoon, his phone pinged, signaling a new message. Saktong nag-coffee break si Junhui, kung hindi malamang ay hindi niya pinansin ang mensahe. He almost did, nang makitang number lang ang nakalagay na sender, meaning hindi saved contact sa phone niya. He was about to swipe the notification away thinking it was a spam message when Wonwoo’s name jumped out at him.

Hi Junhui, this is Wonwoo. Can we meet here tonight at 7? [Link]

Chapter Text

Knowing Junhui as the “Jun” Wonwoo hooked up with 5 years ago got him thinking back to that time of his life.

Wonwoo had a bit of a hoe phase in his early twenties, hence the night with Junhui. But it lasted so short it might not even qualify as a “phase.” Hence why he can remember hooking up with Jun. Hindi niya man naalala ito sa una nilang pagkikita, but after Junhui called it out, the hazy memory came back to him.

Wonwoo didn’t think of that night as anything but ordinary. That’s not a knock on Junhui, Junhui was incredibly hot (still is). But he’d hooked up with other people after that night and so he thought nothing of it.

The last four years he’s been occupied with building and growing his business that there’s no time to date. The opportunity fell on his lap when his father offered to finance his business idea. It’s not an exaggeration when Wonwoo says he loathes that he made so little money for the amount of work he’s doing two years into the work force. Kaya naman nang mag-alok ang kaniyang ama na magpahiram ng paunang puhunan, he grabbed it without hesitation. In hindsight, that was naive of him dahil dadalawang taon pa lang siyang nasa propesyon, what the fuck did he know? But he’s had great luck surrounding himself with people that do know and even some of the best in their respective fields.

Wala sa plano ni Wonwoo na magkaanak, let alone at this stage of his life. The business is doing well, but it’s not even close to where he wants to take it. Yes, he finds kids cute, but to have his own? Wonwoo isn’t sure. He hasn’t had time to think about it. And since he hasn’t dated in a while, he didn’t have to think about it. And right now Wonwoo wishes that’s still the case, because thinking about it is giving him a massive headache that is not all physical.

Junhui said there is no pressure on him at all. He can be as hands-on or hands-off as he wants. But Wonwoo knows once he’s introduced to the children, there’s no looking back. He will have responsibility for the kids financially, mentally, emotionally, and everything in between. It just wouldn’t be right to not be there for them once they get to know about him as their other father. Wonwoo seriously doubts it’s the financial aspect Junhui is after, he looks like he’s doing well. Not to mention his brother’s business is booming. Wonwoo doubts Junhui is after anything at all, it feels like he really is just doing it out of his conscience.

After marinating on his thoughts for days and still being stuck, he decides to talk to Cheol, one of his closest friends and his CTO, who is also a father of a 2-year-old.

“Sorry, ‘tol, baka magalit sa’yo si Jihoon.”

Cheol scoffs. “He practically pushed me out the door nung nalaman niyang ikaw nag-aya. Said you wouldn’t ask kung ‘di importante.”

Ngumiti lang nang matipid si Wonwoo.

Nagsalita ulit si Cheol nang hindi umimik si Wonwoo. “Tangina, ‘tol, kinakabahan ako sa’yo. I have never seen you this serious since you told me magre-resign ka sa dati nating trabaho at magtatayo ng sariling kumpanya.”

Wonwoo took a gulp of his beer. “Well, this is within the same magnitude in a sense.”

“Ano bang meron, bro?” Sabi ni Cheol saka sumubo ng samgyupsal.

“I found out I have kids.”

Cheol chokes. Wonwoo hands him a glass of water while Cheol is coughing.

“What the fuck, man? A little warning would have been nice.”

Wonwoo shrugs.

“Kids? Plural?”

“Yeah. Twins, apparently.”

“How did you find out?”

Wonwoo tells Cheol how he met Junhui again and how their conversation went.

“Damn, small world.”

“I know.”

Both were silent for a moment. Wonwoo kind of finds it amusing that Cheol seems to be dumbfounded, which is rare.

“So, your dilemma is whether you want the kids or not?”

“Yeah,” Wonwoo says with a sigh. “I’m so unprepared for this. I haven’t even thought of dating in a while let alone this.”

“Okay, just before I tell you my thoughts–you will be confirming this, right? With tests, and all?”

“Of course. But I’m almost certain they’re mine. Junhui just doesn’t seem to be that kind of guy.”

“You never know. There are crazy people out there.”

Cheol sets his chopsticks down. “Well, from my perspective as a father, it’s a big commitment of course, you’ll have to be committed literally your whole life. They come first at everything now, even before yourself. And it's not something you can back out of. It’s a lot of hard work in all aspects but during the first year–man it was rough physically. You’re lucky you missed that, in a way.” Cheol chuckles. ”But. I’ve never known of a greater joy than Haeun. I’ve had a lot of highs in life–graduating with colors, achieving what we have so far in our company, marrying Jihoon–but nothing compares to when I hold Haeun in my arms.”

Wonwoo appreciates seeing this side of Cheol which he rarely shows.

“Sounds corny, I know, but it is what it is. It’s worth it for me, is what I’m trying to say. But you know, I understand it’s not for everyone. Some people get their highs from different things. And that’s okay. People just work differently.”

Wonwoo nods. “Thanks, Cheol. This will definitely help my decision process.”

“Of course, balitaan mo ‘ko, ha. Hindi pwedeng hindi,” sabi ni Cheol na may kasama pang panduduro gamit ang chopsticks nito.

“Oo naman, ‘tol.”

The conversation changes topics after that but at the back of Wonwoo’s mind, a decision is slowly being formed.

💙💜

Wonwoo chose a Japanese restaurant that has private dining rooms as the meeting place for him and Junhui. Either of their own places would be too intimate, he thought.

“I hope Japanese is fine?”

He says after Junhui entered the room and greeted him.

“Sure, I’m not picky pagdating sa pagkain.”

It strikes him how he knows practically nothing about the man who bore his children.

“Is it okay if we eat first?” Wonwoo asks.

“Yeah, gutom na rin ako.”

After ordering, they attempt to make small talk. It's quite painful seeing as they barely have anything to talk about. Wonwoo wishes the food would come faster.

Eventually, the food arrived. They ate in silence, both a little too tense anticipating the conversation that's coming after they've eaten.

“So.” Junhui breaks the silence once they've cleared most of the dishes.

“So,” tumikhim si Wonwoo. “I’ve decided I want to meet the twins.”

Nakita ni Wonwoo na lumunok si Junhui.

“Okay…” Junhui nods slowly.

“You don't look too happy.”

Mabilis na umiling si Junhui. “No, no. It’s just that I didn't expect you to actually say yes. I mean, your reaction when I told you was one hundred percent understandable, but still. I’m surprised. Can I ask why?”

“Aside from it being the right thing to do, I just feel like it's something I’ll always wonder about if I stay away. To be honest, hindi talaga ako ready and I might not even be right for it. But I will do my best to be a father to them. Besides, a friend–who’s also a parent–told me I might miss out on the greatest joy of my life. I wanna see what that's about.” Wonwoo tries to lighten up the mood.

“Oh, they are. They really are. I mean, I know they were… unplanned and I had them really young but I wouldn't trade them for the world.” Junhui says earnestly.

Wonwoo reached for Junhui’s hand on the table and gave it a light squeeze. Junhui gives him a small but sincere smile which he returns.

“So, when do you want to meet them?”

“Tomorrow, if you guys are available?”

“Yeah, sure. We can do tomorrow. Oh! Do you wanna see their pictures?” Junhui asks excitedly.

“Absolutely.”

Junhui sends him a link to a shared folder.

Wonwoo clicks on the first picture, and an image of two boys pops up.

“They're both boys?” Wonwoo asks without looking up.

“Yup.”

His eyes focused on the boy on the left first, who was holding a stick put through a slice of corn. Wonwoo couldn't help but smile as the boy was mid-bite when the photo was taken. The other boy was holding a fox plushie. He was smiling brightly, his eyes turned into crescents. His short hair was haphazardly tied into cute pigtails.

Warmth filled Wonwoo's chest while looking at the photo. Ito na yata yung sinasabi nilang lukso ng dugo. There's no doubt in his mind they are his and Junhui’s sons.

“Cute, aren't they?”

Napukaw ang atensyon ni Wonwoo nang marinig niya ang boses ni Junhui.

Junhui leaned over to look at the picture, he pointed at the boy holding the corn. “This is Jongseong–we call him Jay for short. He is obsessed with corn.” Junhui says fondly. “And this one’s Sunoo. He likes all things foxes.”

“Thanks for sharing these with me. I’ll probably be looking through these all night tonight.”

“Of course! Everything should be in there right from when they were barely minutes old.” Junhui chuckles.

They parted ways after deciding the time and place of their meetup the next day.

True enough, Wonwoo spent hours in bed looking at the photos Junhui shared. He sent one to Cheol.

“Pucha, tol. Ignore what I said earlier. Hindi na kailangan ng DNA test, mini-Wonwoo yung isa. I’m guessing the other twin took after their other father?”

Junhui did a great job of documenting the kids' milestones–from their first words, their first steps, everything. Nakaabot na si Wonwoo sa bandang dulo nang abutin siya ng antok. He fell asleep looking at the image of Junhui having just given birth, holding both babies in his arms.

💙💜

Wonwoo couldn’t remember the last time he felt this nervous. He and Junhui arranged to meet after lunch at Junhui’s place. They figured the kids would feel safer and more comfortable there. He’s spent all morning looking for gifts to bring to the kids. He found a corn plushie and a fox plushie wearing glasses with peculiar colors–white and purple. He found it unique and hopes Sunoo will like it.

Wonwoo took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell to Junhui’s unit. Junhui opened the door, wearing a smile. Bahagyang nanibago si Wonwoo dahil sa mga nakaraang pagkikita nila ay naka-work clothes si Junhui. Ngayon ay nakasuot ito ng soft brown na sweatshirt at sweatpants. His hair, always brushed away every time he saw him in the office, is falling over his forehead, looking so soft. He looks cozy. Cute.

“Pasok ka.”

“Thank you.”

Habang tinatanggal ni Wonwoo ang sapatos niya ay nakarinig siya ng ingay mula sa ibang parte ng condo. He’s guessing it’s the kids. Lalong lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ni Wonwoo. Junhui seems to notice.

“Relax.” Junhui says with a gentle smile. “Ready?”

Wonwoo nods once, too nervous to speak. Junhui took that as a sign to lead them further inside the house.

“Hey, lovebugs!”

Junhui calls the attention of the kids sitting on the floor, toys scattered around them.

Wonwoo’s heart skipped a beat when the kids turned to them.

“Papa? You brought a friend?” Jay asks.

Junhui walks closer to them while Wonwoo stays rooted in his spot.

“Remember when I told you you will be meeting Daddy?”

Both kids nod adorably, their hairs bouncing from the movement.

“Well, there he is.”

Sunoo walks slowly towards him. Humigpit ang hawak ni Wonwoo sa paperbag na nasa kamay niya.

Sunoo looks up at him. “Are you really our Daddy?”

Wonwoo kneels down to Sunoo’s level. Wonwoo nods, his throat tightening up as he takes in Sunoo’s face, overcome with emotion. “Y-yes. Yes, I am.”

Sunoo’s lips break into a wide smile. “Daddy!” Sunoo jumps then puts his arms around his nape. Wonwoo lets go of the bags he’s been holding to return the embrace. He can feel his eyes filling up with tears.

Sunoo pulls back and cradles his face with tiny hands. “Oh, Daddy, don’t cry. What’s your name, Daddy?”

“Wonwoo.”

“Oh, sounds like my name! Sunoo!”

“Yes. Hi, baby.” Wonwoo smiles. “I have something for you.”

Inilabas ni Wonwoo ang fox plushie mula sa bag nito at iprinisinta kay Sunoo.

“Thank you, Daddy!” Sunoo kisses him on the cheek and Wonwoo feels like tearing up all over again.

“Jay, say hi to Daddy.” He hears Junhui say. Bumaling ang atensyon niya sa dalawa.

“Is he really my Daddy, Papa? Why don’t I look like him? Only Sunny?”

“Sweetie,” Junhui brushes a hand through his hair. “Sunny doesn’t look like me but I’m still his Papa, right?”

Jay seems to consider that, his lips form a line, showing his dimples. Then he nods. Lumapit ito sa kanila ni Sunny, who he is still holding in one arm.

“Daddy?”

“Hi, Jay.” Wonwoo ruffles his hair. “I have a gift for you, too. Papa told me you like corn?”

Jay nods enthusiastically. “I love corn! It’s my most favorite thing in the world!”

Wonwoo laughs, amused at the boy’s enthusiasm. “I got this for you!” He showed him the corn plushie.

Jay’s big eyes got even bigger. “I love it! Thank you, Daddy Wonu!” Then Jay hugs him, which prompts Sunoo to do the same. 

So this is what Cheol was talking about.

Wonwoo sees Junhui wipe a tear away discreetly. Junhui gave him a thumbs up when he saw him looking at him as if to say I’m ok.

“Papa, group hug!” Sunoo waves him over.

Junhui joins them.

Wonwoo thought he knew the feeling of being home. But he has never felt this way. This moment–right here and right now–he never wants to leave.

Chapter Text

Between running his own company and the joint venture with the Yoon’s, free time is a rarity for Wonwoo nowadays. But he really wants to spend time with the kids. And so he and Junhui arranged to meet the Saturday after his first meeting with the twins. They talked about it and they concluded that it would be better to have Junhui tag along during their first few outings as the kids are still getting to know Wonwoo.

They took Junhui’s car as it already has the car seats for the twins. Sa kotse pa lang ay aliw na aliw na si Wonwoo sa mga kuwento ng dalawang bata. While Junhui drives, Wonwoo is occupied with listening and responding to the kids’ stories about what they did in daycare that week.

“Daddy! We sang ‘Ako ay May Lobo’”! Do you know it?”

Wonwoo responded by starting the nursery rhyme, “Ako ay may lobo…”

And that set the kids off singing while doing the gestures and Junhui joined in.

After the song finished, Wonwoo turned to Junhui. “Naiintindihan ba nila ‘yun?”

Junhui chuckled. “I highly doubt it. But baby steps, right?”

The rest of the car ride was filled with both Tagalog and English nursery rhymes until they arrived at the restaurant where they had their breakfast. After eating, they drive off to the zoo.

“Waaaah! Tito Hoshi’s favorite!” Jay says and then runs to the enclosure where the tigers are. He sticks his hands and face onto the glass barrier.

Umiling-iling si Junhui. Mabuti na lang at maaga pa at wala pang masyadong tao. 

“Tito Hoshi?” Tanong ni Wonwoo.

“Oh, he’s one of my friends. Owns a ton of tiger-print items.” Junhui answers with an eye roll.

Wonwoo nods.

Junhui turns to Sunoo who is sticking to Wonwoo’s side.

“Do you wanna see the tigers too, Sunny?” Tanong ni Junhui.

Umiling ito at kumapit sa hita ni Wonwoo. “No, they’re big and scary.”

Wonwoo kneels down. “Hey, sweetheart, if you wanna peek at them, Daddy and Papa and Jay will protect you. Look at Jay, he isn't scared. But if you really don’t want to, it’s okay, we can go see other animals. What do you think?”

Sunoo bites his lip while glancing at his brother who is still sticking to the glass wall, big eyes gaping at the tigers.

“Will Daddy and Papa hold my hands?”

“Of course, baby.” Junhui then held out his hand to Sunoo who took it. Wonwoo took his son’s other hand.

Nag-ikot-ikot sila sa zoo hanggang nagtanghali. Wonwoo noticed the kids are very independent, hindi nagpapakarga ang mga ito kahit na mahaba-haba na rin ang nilakad nila sa loob ng ilang oras. He also noticed that Junhui makes sure to pay equal attention to both twins, even though Sunoo is mostly sticking to Wonwoo while Jay roams around freely albeit never goes too far away from them. Wonwoo wonders how Junhui used to handle outings like these alone. Looking after two toddlers, he finds out, is no joke. He poses the question to Junhui once they’re seated for lunch.

“Well,” Junhui answers while fixing the table napkin on Sunoo’s lap who is seated beside him, ”madalas sinasamahan ako nina Kuya Jeonghan at Kuya Joshua or my friends kapag hindi sila available. Kapag wala talagang makakasama, I hold on to both of them and don’t let go. As you can see, may pagkamalikot ang isang ‘yan.” Inginuso ni .Junhui si Jay na nakaupo tabi ni Wonwoo sa kabilang side ng kuwadradong lamesa.

Jay pouts. “I’m not malikot.”

Natawa si Wonwoo. He pats Jay’s hair playfully.

“Must have been difficult.”

“It was. Especially noong mas bata pa sila at nagpapakarga pa. Hindi ako magkandatuto kapag sabay silang nagpapabuhat. I had to explain to them na kailangan nilang magsalitan. I developed arm muscles even though I didn’t go to the gym at the time.” Junhui laughs.

Matapos kumain ng tanghalian ay naglibot ulit sila sa zoo. They pretty much covered everything except the reptiles as the kids wanted out as soon as they saw the crocodiles.

It only took a few minutes after they’re seated in the backseat of the car for the kids to fall asleep, hugging their stuffed animal souvenirs to their chests. In all honesty, Wonwoo wanted to do the same. He’s completely worn out. Nahihiya lang siya kay Junhui na nasa likod ng manibela.

“You know, you can take a nap if you want to. I don’t mind.” Junhui says after the fourth time Wonwoo yawned.

“It’s alright.” Wonwoo replies. He fiddles with the car audio until he finds a song he likes, just to give himself something to do.

“So, you have your own company, huh? That’s pretty sweet.” Junhui attempts small talk.

“Yeah, I’ve been really lucky so far. Hopefully, tuloy-tuloy lang.”

“Oh come on, don’t discount yourself. It must have taken a hell of a lot of hard work, too.”

Wonwoo smiles. “It has. Not gonna lie, I’m pretty proud of what I’ve built.”

“As you should.” Junhui remarks. “So, habang nagpupuyat ako magpatulog at magpadede sa kambal four years ago, ‘yung kumpanya mo naman pinagpupuyatan mo.” Junhui chuckles.

Wonwoo joins him. He finds that he likes Junhui’s sense of humor.

“Yeah, sorry I wasn’t there with you.”

“Oh, none of that. You didn’t know. Feeling ko nga ako ang dapat mag-sorry sa’yo.”

“Nah. It’s all water under the bridge. What’s important is that we’re here now, right?”

“Right,” Junhui says with a nod. “O, nandito na pala tayo. ‘Di ko namalayan.”

Nagtig-isa sila sa pagbuhat sa kambal paakyat sa unit nina Junhui.

Junhui tells him to put Jay on the couch while he gives Sunoo a sponge bath first. Wonwoo insisted on staying and helping. They dressed the kids in pajamas after the sponge bath and put them to bed.

“Love you Papa, love you Daddy.”

It’s enough to make a 28-year-old Wonwoo feel warm inside.

He gives both twins forehead kisses.

Inalok siya ni Junhui ng kape. Tinanggap naman ito ni Wonwoo.

“So, how did you find your first full day with the twins?”

Wonwoo takes a sip of his coffee before answering. “It was fun. Tiring–but fun. It’s nice to spend time with the kids and get to know what they’re like. I must say, they’re pretty well-behaved. I see my cousins’ kids from time to time and ang masasabi ko lang, they’re a far cry from Sunoo and Jay. You’re doing a great job.”

Junhui smiles behind his coffee cup. “Yeah, I get the same compliments from other people.”

“You deserve all of them.”

“Thank you.”

Wonwoo sets his mug down and clears his throat. “So, I actually wanted to talk to you about finances and logistics and stuff.”

Junhui sits a little bit straighter. “Sure.”

“I know you’re more than capable of providing for them financially. But I want to be able to take care of them, too. Since you’ve provided for everything the past four years, I think it’s only fair I shoulder more of their financial needs now. I can pay for their daycare fees, food, supplies, whatever they need–or want. Just let me know the amount.”

“Yay, more money for me.” Junhui laughs.

“I think you should decide how we split time with the kids.”

“Hmm, I think after you spend a few more outings with them with me tagging along, we can alternate the weekends. Two or three more times with me  should be enough. I mean, they love you already.” Junhui smiles. “After a few months we can talk about the weekdays.”

“Sounds good.”

There’s another nagging question at the back of Wonwoo’s mind that he doesn’t dare to ask yet–the kids’ last names. He figures it’s a question for another time–he doesn’t want to ruin the great day he’s had.

Because of this thought occupying Wonwoo’s mind, hindi niya namalayan na hindi niya pala nailapag nang maayos sa lamesa iyong tasa ng kape. By the time he realized it, it was too late. Nabuhusan na ang kandungan niya ng likido. Mabuti na lang at hindi na mainit ito. Naagapan niya rin na hindi mahulog ang tasa at mabasag.

Junhui rushes to get kitchen towels and before he knows it, he is kneeling in front of him patting his wet jeans with the paper towels. Before he pats at the wrong place, Wonwoo speaks up.

“Uhm, Jun…”

Agad-agad namang tumayo si Junhui.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I’m just so used to doing it to the kids.”

“It’s fine.”

“Uhm, you can use the bathroom to wash up. I can lend you some pants. Mukhang pareho naman tayo ng size.”

Pagkatapos magbihis ni Wonwoo ay nagpaalam na rin siya kay Junhui. He peeks at the twins’ bedrooms one last time before heading out.

“Thanks, Jun, for allowing me to spend time with the kids. And you as well. I had a really great time.”

“I did not allow you,” Junhui rolls his eyes playfully. “They’re your kids, too. It’s your right.”

“Nevertheless, I’m thankful.”

“Salamat din. The kids were really happy today. Take care on your way home.”

Then Junhui goes in for a hug.

It took a few beats for Wonwoo to respond as it caught him off guard, but he returns it. How Junhui could still smell good after a full day out in the sun, he doesn’t know.

Junhui separates himself from Wonwoo. “Oh, gosh, sorry! Did I make you uncomfortable? These muscle memories of mine are embarrassing me.”

“Not at all.”

“Oh, good. Ingat ka pauwi.”

Wonwoo waves him goodbye as the elevator opens.

After getting into the taxi, he pulls out his phone. He was planning to look at the pictures they'd taken that day when a text message came in.

I had a great time, too. Text me when you get home. Goodnight, Wonwoo.