Arrival at Minjae's House
Before Jiho could compose himself, the front door burst open.
"HYUNGGG!!" Eunsu came charging out like a bullet in socks, arms wide open.
Minjae swooped him up mid-run. "Woah, slow down, buddy!"
Eunsu squirmed in his arms. "Put me down! I wanna hug Jiho-hyungie!!"
Jiho blinked as Eunsu latched onto his leg like a determined koala. "Hi… uh... Eunsu."
"You look like bunny!" Eunsu announced proudly, tilting his head to study Jiho's face. "Are you weally my hyung now? Will you live with us fowever? Do you like dino-saurs? I have... um..." He counted on his fingers seriously. "Many dino-saurs upstairs!"
"Many?" Jiho asked, genuinely curious despite his nervousness.
"Yeah! Like... ten and seven! But T-wex lost his arm in the gweat battle of... um... yesterday? Or maybe tomowow?"
The house was impressive—large and pristine, with expensive furnishings that spoke of wealth. But it felt oddly quiet, almost empty despite its size.
"Mom and Dad are at another business dinner," Minjae said, noticing Jiho's curious glance around.
There was something wistful in his voice that made Jiho's chest tighten. It was strange seeing this vulnerable side of Minjae—the same boy who had half the school swooning over his perfect grades and devastating smile.
Eunsu puffed out his chest importantly. "Ahem. Welcome to our fam-lee, Jiho-hyungie!
Wule number one: No being sad.
Wule number two: Always share ice cweam. Wule number thwee: Bedtime stowies are... um... you have to tell them!"
"That's quite a speech," Jiho said gently.
"I pwacticed!" Eunsu beamed. "Minjae-hyung helped me!"
Eunsu grabbing Jiho's hand like it was his life mission. "Come on! I'll show you everything!"
---
House Tour with Eunsu
"This is the living woom where we watch cawtoons!" Eunsu announced, dragging Jiho through the spacious room. "And that's Minjae-hyung's corner where he pwetends to study but actually plays games."
"I can hear you!" Minjae called from the kitchen.
Eunsu's room was enormous—filled with expensive toys and many plastic dinosaurs arranged in an epic battle scene. Despite all the luxury, there was something lonely about the pristine space.
"The Twi-cewa-tops is the king," Eunsu explained seriously, showing off his collection. "But the Velo-ci-waptors are pwanning a wevo-lution."
"That's... actually really creative," Jiho said, impressed.
Eunsu beamed. "Cool! Now you can be the human am-bass-ador to dino-saur land!"
Dinner and Bedtime
Dinner was just the three of them at the large dining table. Minjae had ordered takeout, and Eunsu was in full chatter mode.
"Mom and Dad are always at work," Eunsu said cheerfully. "But it's okay! All the girls at school want to marry Minjae-hyung anyway!"
"Eunsu-ah!" Minjae's face flushed red.
"I like Jiho-hyungie better," Eunsu declared. "He listened to all my dino-saur stowies!"
Later, for bedtime stories, Jiho found himself telling an improvised tale about a shy bunny who made friends with a mischievous fox and his little brother dinosaur.
"Best stowy ever!" Eunsu declared sleepily. "Will you tell me another one tomowow?"
"If... if I'm here tomorrow," Jiho said softly.
"You will be," Eunsu said with absolute certainty. "Wight, Minjae-hyung?"
Minjae's eyes met Jiho's over Eunsu's head. "Right."
---
Rooftop Kiss
The stars shimmered above the rooftop like scattered diamonds. Minjae appeared with two sodas and a blanket.
"You survived," he said, settling beside Jiho.
"Your brother's wonderful... but I was terrified I'd say something wrong."
"He likes you. He usually just tolerates my other friends." Minjae's hand found his under the blanket. "I still can't believe you brought me here," Jiho said quietly. "You could have anyone. Everyone at school..."
"Everyone at school sees what they want to see," Minjae interrupted softly. "Perfect grades, perfect smile. But you see me. The real me."
Before Jiho could respond, Minjae's voice dropped to a whisper. "You're so beautiful in the starlight."
"Can I kiss you?" he whispered.
Jiho's answer was barely a breath. "Yes."
The kiss was soft at first, then deepened into something that made the stars seem dim. When they broke apart, both were breathing hard.
"I've wanted to do that for so long," Minjae murmured.
"How long?"
"Since we arrived here"
Before Jiho could respond, a sleepy voice interrupted them.
"Are you guys being womantic up there?"
They sprang apart to find Eunsu standing at the rooftop door in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes with one hand and clutching his dinosaur plushie with the other.
"Eunsu!" Minjae yelped. "What are you doing up?"
"I had a bad dweam about the Velo-ci-waptors," Eunsu said matter-of-factly. "But then I heard voices and came to investi-gate." He studied them with surprising wisdom for a four-year-old, then suddenly his eyes went HUGE. "OHHHHH! I know what this is!"
"What?" both boys asked nervously.
"You were doing KISSY FACE!" Eunsu shrieked at the top of his lungs, pointing dramatically. "KISSY KISSY KISSY!"
"EUNSU-AH!" Minjae dove toward him but the four-year-old was surprisingly quick.
"MINJAE-HYUNG AND JIHO-HYUNG SITTING IN A TWEE!" Eunsu began singing at maximum volume while running in circles around the rooftop. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
"He doesn't even know how to spell!" Jiho hissed in mortification.
"FIRST COMES LOVE!" Eunsu continued his chaotic serenade, now doing some kind of interpretive dance. "THEN COMES MAWWAGE!"
"OH MY GOD MAKE HIM STOP!" Jiho buried his face in his hands.
"THEN COMES BABY IN A BABY CAWWAGE!" Eunsu finished with a flourish, then paused mid-spin. His eyes went impossibly wider. "WAIT! JIHO-HYUNG IS THE BABY!"
"WHAT?!" Jiho's voice cracked.
"YOU'RE MINJAE-HYUNG'S BABY!" Eunsu screamed with pure four-year-old delight. "BABY JIHO! BABY JIHO! BABY BABY BABY!"
"Eunsu, no!" Minjae finally managed to catch him, but Eunsu was in full chaos mode now.
"I HAVE TO TELL EVERYONE!" Eunsu wriggled free again and started running toward the door. "MOM! DAD! THE NANNY! THE MAILMAN!"
"THE MAILMAN?!" Jiho shrieked.
"BABY JIHO-HYUNG!" Eunsu was now doing victory laps around the rooftop. "BABY BABY BABY! Minjae-hyung's wittle baby!"
"I'm older than you!" Jiho protested weakly.
"But you're still THE BABY!" Eunsu cackled with maniacal glee. "The love baby! The kissy baby! The wooftop baby!"
"The WHAT baby?!" Minjae looked horrified.
"WOOFTOP BABY JIHO!" Eunsu sang, now incorporating jazz hands. "Found on the wooftop doing kissy face with his boyfwiend!"
"WHERE DID YOU LEARN THAT WORD?!" both older boys yelled simultaneously.
"The nanny watches K-dwamas!" Eunsu announced proudly. "And boyfwiends always call each other baby! So Jiho-hyung is Baby-Jiho-boyfwiend-hyung!"
"That's not even—that doesn't make sense!" Jiho sputtered.
"NOTHING HAS TO MAKE SENSE WHEN YOU'RE THE BABY!" Eunsu declared with the confidence of someone who had clearly thought this through. "BABY JIHO! BABY JIHO! Cutest baby in the whole wide world!"
"Eunsu, please," Minjae tried desperately. "If you stop calling him baby, I'll... I'll let you stay up an extra hour tomorrow."
Eunsu stopped mid-dance and considered this offer seriously. "Hmmmm... no deal!"
"WHAT?!"
"Because," Eunsu grinned mischievously, "calling him Baby is too fun! Look!" He pointed at Jiho, who was indeed bright red and making strangled noises. "He turns all wed and squeaky! It's like having a pet hamster!"
"I AM NOT A HAMSTER!" Jiho protested.
"You're wight," Eunsu nodded solemnly. "You're a BABY HAMSTER! A baby bunny-hamster!"
"THAT'S WORSE!"
"Baby bunny-hamster-Jiho-hyung!" Eunsu was practically vibrating with excitement. "With soft ears and cute cheeks!"
"My ears are not soft!" Jiho touched his ears self-consciously.
"They are!" Minjae said without thinking, then immediately clapped his hands over his mouth as both Jiho and Eunsu stared at him.
"MINJAE-HYUNG THINKS BABY-JIHO'S EARS ARE SOFT!" Eunsu screamed with renewed energy. "SOFT BABY EARS! SOFT BABY EARS!"
"I hate everyone," Jiho groaned, sliding down to sit on the rooftop floor in defeat.
"Awww, don't be sad, Baby-Jiho!" Eunsu immediately rushed over and patted his head like he was consoling a real pet. "It's okay! Being the baby is the best job ever!"
"How is it the best job?" Jiho asked weakly.
"Because!" Eunsu settled cross-legged in front of him, suddenly very serious. "Babies get all the love and all the hugs and all the protection! And Minjae-hyung loves you SO MUCH that he kisses you on the wooftop under the stars like in the movies!"
Jiho blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected sweetness.
"And," Eunsu continued importantly, "if you're our baby, that means you're family fowever and ever! Right, Minjae-hyung?"
Minjae sat down beside them, looking fond despite the chaos. "Right."
"So can I call you Baby-Jiho-family-hyung?" Eunsu asked hopefully.
"Please just pick ONE nickname," Jiho begged.
"Okay!" Eunsu brightened. "Baby it is!"
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"
"BABY BABY BABY!" Eunsu started his victory dance again. "I have a baby hyung! The best baby hyung in the whole wide universe!"
"Can I sleep with you guys tonight?" Eunsu asked, suddenly switching gears completely. "I'm scared the Velo-ci-waptors will attack in my dweams again. And I wanna cuddle with my new baby-hyung!"
"Fine," Jiho sighed in defeat. "But if you call me baby in front of your parents tomorrow, I'm telling them about your secret cookie stash."
Eunsu gasped dramatically. "You wouldn't!"
"Try me."
"Okay, okay! I'll only call you baby when we're alone!" Eunsu paused. "Or when it's really funny!"
"EUNSU-AH!"
"Or when you're being extra cute!"
"I give up," Jiho announced, flopping backward onto the rooftop.
"Don't give up, Baby!" Eunsu patted his cheek. "That's not the family spirit!"
"I'm going to die of embarrassment," Jiho muttered.
"No dying dying allowed!" Eunsu declared firmly. "Babies aren't allowed to die! It's against the wules!"
Minjae was trying very hard not to laugh. "Come on, let's get you both inside before Eunsu wakes up the entire neighborhood with his victory celebration."
"VICTORY CELEBRATION!" Eunsu jumped up. "Yes! We need snacks for the victory celebration! And juice boxes! And—"
"Absolutely not," Minjae said quickly. "It's way past your bedtime."
"But we have to celebrate Baby-Jiho joining our family!"
"We can celebrate tomorrow," Minjae promised. "With breakfast and no screaming."
"Can we have pancakes shaped like dinosaurs?"
"Sure."
"And can Baby-Jiho help make them?"
Jiho groaned. "I'm never escaping this, am I?"
"Nope!" Eunsu said cheerfully, grabbing both their hands. "Come on, family! Let's go cuddle!"
As they headed inside, Eunsu skipping between them and humming his "Baby Jiho" song under his breath, Jiho couldn't help but think that despite the complete mortification, this was probably the most chaotic, ridiculous, and perfect family moment he'd ever experienced.
Even if he was apparently going to be called "Baby" for the rest of his natural life.
Minjae and Jiho exchanged glances. Jiho's embarrassment was warring with affection for the little boy who looked so small and vulnerable in his dinosaur pajamas.
"Of course," Jiho said gently. "Come here."
---
All Night Cuddles
They ended up in Minjae's room, Eunsu between them like a tiny, chattering barrier. But somehow, it felt perfect. Eunsu regaled them with more dinosaur facts until his voice grew sleepy and his words started slurring together even more than usual.
"Jiho-hyungie?" Eunsu mumbled, already half-asleep, but with a mischievous glint still in his eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Will you be my bwother too? For weal? My baby-bwother-hyungie?"
Jiho's heart clenched, even as he groaned softly at the nickname. He looked over Eunsu's head at Minjae, who was trying not to laugh.
"I'd like that," Jiho whispered. "But maybe just... brother-hyung?"
"Okay," Eunsu said with a satisfied sigh. "Baby-bwother-hyungie it is!"
"That's not what I said," Jiho protested weakly, but Eunsu was already drifting off.
"Now we're a fam-lee," the little boy mumbled. "With a baby."
Minjae snorted with suppressed laughter, earning him a glare from Jiho over Eunsu's head.
Soon, Eunsu was fast asleep, sprawled across both of them with the absolute trust of a child who felt completely safe. Minjae reached across to take Jiho's hand again.
"Sorry our kiss got interrupted by a four-year-old calling you baby for ten minutes straight," he whispered.
"I'm never living this down, am I?" Jiho whispered back.
"Probably not. He's got a good memory for the important stuff."
"This is not important stuff!"
"I don't know," Minjae grinned in the darkness. "Baby-brother-hyung has a nice ring to it."
"Don't you start too," Jiho warned, but there was no real heat in it.
Minjae's smile was radiant in the darkness. "This is perfect," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Jiho's forehead.
"Even with your little brother using us as human pillows?" Jiho whispered back with a fond smile.
"Especially then," Minjae said softly. "You fit so perfectly into our little family."
They lay there in the darkness, hands linked over Eunsu's sleeping form, and Jiho thought that this—this warmth, this belonging, this feeling of being exactly where he was meant to be—might be what home actually felt like.
"Sweet dreams, baby," Minjae whispered.
"Sweet dreams," Jiho whispered back, and for once, he didn't protest the endearment.
In the morning, Mrs. Kang found all three of them still tangled together, Eunsu using Jiho's arm as a pillow and Minjae's protective arm draped over both of them. She smiled, took a photo for posterity, and quietly closed the door.
Some families, she thought, weren't born—they were chosen. And watching her sons with the boy who'd clearly chosen them back—and who they'd chosen over all the other admirers who constantly vied for Minjae's attention—she couldn't be happier with their choice.
---