Archive of Our Own ^beta

“I still don’t get why you have to move from your old apartment.” Minseok murmured while his hands were busy unpacking the second box with ‘books’ written on it. “When you suddenly told us that you are moving this weekend, I really don’t expect that you’ll move here, so far from the office.”

Junmyeon was silent for a while. Should he answer truthfully that he bought this house impulsively? Junmyeon himself was not sure why would he bought this house in the first place. He was driving around last Sunday and somehow made it to this area (which is 50 minutes far from the office), saw this house on sale, and after checking that he had enough money, made the call to the realtor office on Monday.

And the next Sunday, after some house shopping in the Saturday, he moved out from his old apartment that was only 15 minutes from where he worked.

Junmyeon finally resorted to “This house is quite big.”

Minseok snorted. “Really? All you want to do after work is sleeping. Not driving 50 minutes to get home, an hour and a half if you take the bus.”

Junmyeon made a defeated face, imagining the impending torturous long drive home from the office. He knew what’s coming when he bought this house, yet he still signed the buying contract.

“I figured I just need a change in scenery. I’ve always been living in an apartment since I was born.” Junmyeon said. “And this house is affordable for me. If I picked houses near the office, I will probably have to take extra hours every day for a decade or two.” He added.

Minseok, thankfully, didn’t say anything. He made his way to Junmyeon’s bedroom. The door was slightly open and Junmyeon could see Sehun lounging on his new bed with face glued on his phone.

“Sehun what are you doing? We are supposed to help Junmyeon unpacking, not testing his new bed.”Minseok chided.

Sehun looked up from his phone and looked at them seriously. “ I think Junmyeon buy this new house and this new bed because he is catering to his needs in an alternate reality.”

Junmyeon would’ve laughed if he didn’t remember that Sehun took everything seriously. Even when the matter is as ridiculous as people having hidden super powers. “Huh? Sehun are you drunk?” Minseok said.

Sehun looks offended and gave them the pout that always won Junmyeon's heart (well, Minseok too, but he liked to seem unaffected). “I’ve been reading this article about alternate reality. Do you know that there are other realities out there? I might be a graphic designer here. Somewhere, in other reality, there is this sexy and awesome dancer Sehun.”

Minseok looked at Sehun as if he just grew another head. Junmyeon had spent almost all his life with Sehun, so he indulged him. Knowing that other reactions would only make them have to deal with sulky Sehun.

“What makes you believe that? And why do other Junmyeon will need a bigger house and bigger bed?” Junmyeon questioned half-heartedly. Sehun seemed to notice that but answered it nevertheless, happy that at least someone was listening to him, “One, it’s the only explanation why you’ve been acting out of characters lately. You bought this 3 bedroom house, a new bed even when your old bed is perfectly comfortable, that new guitar and keyboard in the living room even though you don't play. For the second question, I don’t know. It could be because you’re getting married, or need more space to roll around...”

“Okay.” Minseok cut in. “That’s enough theory for a day now get up and help me clean things up or you have to walk back to your apartment.”

Apparently, that was enough to make Sehun jumped out of the bed and whined while following Minseok outside. Junmyeon stared at his big bed for a while. His bed, along with the guitar and keyboard, were the product of impulsive shopping on Saturday. When this bed caught his eye, he didn’t even think about anything else and bought it. This bed was enough for three or maybe four people and all his life Junmyeon had been content with a single bed. The guitar and the keyboard were also questionable now that he thought about it. He couldn't play guitar and the only song he could play in the keyboard was the Do Re Mi . A bed that was too big and musical instruments that would probably go unused were definitely a waste of money. What he had been thinking?

Junmyeon pondered for a while before Sehun called him, whined that Minseok was a meanie.

Junmyeon fell asleep immediately after his friends left his new home. He didn’t even bother to change his dirty and sticky-with-sweat clothes. That was probably why he was half naked now. He was too uncomfortable that he took off his clothes while sleeping.

His eyes were still closed, but his hand was wandering here and there on the bed, looking for a blanket that he swore he told Sehun to put on the bed just before he left. He gave up after several minutes of vain searching and decided to just hug himself to alleviate the cold. He cursed his impulsiveness to buy such large bed. If only he had a smaller bed, it would be less cold.

He was half conscious when he felt warmth draped over his body. Apparently, the air was much less cool than before now. He smiled and buried his face deeper onto the pillow, feeling content and comfortable.

Before he fell into deep sleep, he was sure he heard someone chuckling.

Junmyeon woke up because he smelled something. Coffee? Yes, there was definitely coffee and also something was being grilled. He rolled to the other side of the bed and stretched like a cat while letting out a satisfied groan. He then turned, lying on his stomach while covering himself with the blanket up to the head. It was morning already, he knew. But he didn’t know that his bed smell so good? He could smell cedarwood, citrus, and a bit sweet smell of baby powder.

He was about to go back to sleep before realizing that he never bought any perfume, soap or shampoo with this kind of scent. And the blanket was here. Wasn’t he failed to find it last night?

He sat up on his bed, looking at it with confusion. He didn’t remember putting bed sheet with this color last night.. or did he?

Junmyeon went the other side of the bed, remembering that he was half naked and must have thrown his shirt somewhere there. He did find his shirt, but it was nowhere on the floor. It was on the rocking chair on the side of the bed.

Wait, a rocking chair? When did he buy a rocking chair?

Junmyeon stayed still in the middle of the room. He looked around and began to see that his room was not really his room. Everything was familiar, Junmyeon knew everything inside the room was his, but at the same time, they were so foreign.

Thinking about it, his room was not as messy as last night. The room looked a lot fuller with many things, but the difference he felt the most was that his room was lived. It definitely didn’t look like a bedroom that had just been used for a night.

Junmyeon was still trying to digest everything when he heard humming from outside his room. He froze on his spot. Mind still whirring when he assumed the worst: did someone broke in?

Junmyeon grabbed his shirt and put it in while walking outside his room towards the source of the hum. The kitchen. On his way there, he reached for one of the golf clubs which he was sure he haven't unpacked yet yesterday. He was only one step into the kitchen when he saw a man with his back to him. A man he was sure he never saw before. Clearly not one of his friends. They loved to barge into his apartment at anytime and anyday, but most definitely in clothes . This man, he was naked.

A naked man is cooking in his kitchen. A naked man that he didn’t recognize. A naked man with... a pair of sturdy shoulders, also a nice lean back with a bow from the apron on the lower back –oh, he is not completely naked, thank God-, and even nonexistent but still a nice butt to grasp. Junmyeon gulped and grasped his golf club harder. He needed to confront this stranger, not ogling on his nice body.

Just when he was about to enter the room, the stranger turned. His eyes widen when he saw Junmyeon, but then he smiled widely. “Hello there. Didn't expect you to rise this early..” The man said while turning off the stove. Junmyeon was distracted by the deep dimples on his cheek before shaking his head, trying to focus on the more important matter right now. But then his sight moved into the man’s chest. An amazing built chest and he could only say, ”You are naked.”

The man blushed red and he became a lot more adorable than before. So Junmyeon quickly added, “and you are cooking.” He really needed to stop being so adorable right now because he was really distracting Junmyeon.

“ Yes, I am.” The man answered in quiet voice. Face still blushing.

And then silence. Junmyeon expected the man to explain himself because the man was the one who at the weird end right now. Yet, the man stayed still while looking at the ground. After a while, Junmyeon decided to break the silence.

“But.. why?”

The man immediately raised his head. He frowned and with his hand folded, he tapped his feet in anger. Junmyeon recognized that look, it meant the man was angry because of another of Junmyeon's stupidity.

Junmyeon was stunned. Wait, how come he could know the meaning of that look the man wore right now?

“Oh do I really have to say this?” The man said, annoyed. “I’m only in an apron and I’m cooking you a nice breakfast..”

“In my kitchen.” Junmyeon cut in.

The man looked at him in disbelief. “In our kitchen.”

“What?” Did he had to share the house with someone else? Was that why the price was slightly cheaper than usual? But he didn’t remember signing any kind of house-sharing agreement...

“Do I really have to explain this? I know you are always slow in the morning. But this slow? Today is the 11th, Jun.”

Junmyeon knew today is the eleventh but how did it explain this man's behavior? Also, the man knew his name! “Yes, it is the eleventh of January. So what day is it? The day you showed up naked in some stranger’s house?”

“What? it's not some strangers house, it's our house! Well, technically it's yours but then I moved in.” Now, Junmyeon was frowning. Did he really not signing a house-sharing agreement yesterday?

The man didn’t look pleased, so Junmyeon put his most polite voice he always used with his clients in the office. “I just bought the house yesterday. There is no part of the contract that said the house came with a housemate.” He explained. The man sighed.

“Are you trying to fool me? Is this some kind of anniversary prank or something?”

Junmyeon was now astounded. Anniversary? What anniversary? Was he in some kind of pranking show right now? Were his friends really upset because he was moving and tried to prank him?

The man was now looked worried. “Oh no. You are serious. Are you sick?” The man began to walk across the kitchen towards him. Junmyeon raised his golf club. “No, I'm not. Stop moving, stranger!” The man stopped in the middle of the kitchen. But Junmyeon was sure it wasn’t because of the golf club. The man’s eyes didn’t show fear, just hurt .

The man started to say with a quivering voice that broke Junmyeon’s heart.

“I’m not a stranger, love. I’m your husband.”

Junmyeon was sitting on the chair by the kitchen counter. He was still clutching his golf club even though he was not sure why. The man, the stranger who apparently was his husband, was busy moving here and there, trying to prepare a decent breakfast in a little time. The man was wearing a white bathrobe now and Junmyeon was oddly disappointed. He liked that man’s body.

Junmyeon shook his head again. No, no time for thinking about the man right now. If anything, he had to think why the man claimed to be his husband and why Junmyeon, in the very back of his head, agreed that the man was his husband.

But he didn’t know the man at all. He didn’t know his name, he didn’t know how they met, he didn’t know why the man was naked.

Junmyeon looked around his kitchen. There were so many things there that Junmyeon was sure he didn’t need. He had been lived by instant food anyway. The farthest he would be using the kitchen is for cooking some ramyun or drinking water. Junmyeon knew it was the same kitchen he had on his new house, with a different color on the wall. But just like his room, it was very strange and unfamiliar yet at the same time, Junmyeon knew those are his. Or theirs now.

Junmyeon reached for a kitchen decor he saw on the end of the counter. It was a compilation of jokes in a frame.

What did the baby corn say to its mom? Where is my popcorn! .

Junmyeon scoffed, he liked this kind of joke. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the man jumped when he heard him scoffed. But when he saw Junmyeon was perusing that decor, he smiled and resumed cooking.

“It was your choice.” The man said without looking at Junmyeon. “You really hate home shopping but of course you would choose that decor to be put on our..” The man stopped. “Your kitchen.”

Junmyeon wanted to say that it was okay for him to address the kitchen as theirs. He could see how it was paining him to address it that way. But Junmyeon didn’t want to acknowledge that they were a spouse and led to more confusion. So he stayed silent and read the jokes again.

What if soy milk is actually a Spanish milk?

Junmyeon laughed quite openly now before immediately stopped. Realizing that he suddenly remembered buying this in a store, struggling to take it from the top shelves while his husband, this man, chuckling near him. “The effort you’ll do to get things that you like..”

Junmyeon shivered. He remembered buying this decor with the man.

His pondering was disrupted by the man placing plates of food and a jug of orange juice on the counter. He came back later with two glass and sat across him. The man dug in while Junmyeon was too stunned to move even a bit. This kind of scene was so familiar.

“Eat first, talk later.” The man said while gesturing to his plate. Junmyeon nodded and began eating. But he couldn’t stop thinking about how eating together with the man feels very normal and heartwarming when he even disliked eating together with his friends.

“What’s your name?” Junmyeon knew this might hurt the man. But he couldn’t stand having that handsome face nameless.

The man drunk his juice before answering with a quiet voice. “Yixing.”

“Yixing” Junmyeon parroted. It felt so familiar and nice to say his name. “And we.. are married.”

“Yes, we do.”

“Am I still working on the same office?” Junmyeon asked. “What about my friends?” He added, trying to test Yixing.

“Yes. Minseok often comes on the weekends. Sehun visits almost every day.”

So Yixing knew them and Today is Sunday, Junmyeon noted. Minseok will come today. He figured he’d just ask him about everything later.

“How did we met?”

“You live in the front of my aunt’s house.” That was interesting. Junmyeon remembered the front house was vacant when he moved in.

They continued eating silently with occasional questions and answers before Yixing was finished and brought his plates to the sink. He then looked at Junmyeon and said “You are responsible for washing the dishes, so don’t forget to wash those too. Feel free to look around, it was your house anyway. And maybe you’ll remember.” The last part was almost inaudible. Yixing then scurried away, Junmyeon could hear the sound of bedroom door slammed. His heart clenched. It must be hurting for Yixing in a way to have Junmyeon not remembering everything.

After washing the dishes, Junmyeon walked around the house. He couldn’t deny their relationship when their photos were hung everywhere. Most of them were only him and Yixing, but there were also Minseok and Sehun on it. Even his parents and who he assumed must be Yixing’s parents. Everything around the house was definitely his, but the number was doubled. Junmyeon noticed two toothbrush in the bathroom, two blankets on the sofa, more chairs, more pillow on the sofa, more movie collections, more clothes in the dryer.

He never thought that he would have this kind of life. Junmyeon was only thinking of work and saving money. Living together with his other half was simply.. out of his reach. It wasn’t like Junmyeon was looking for someone.

But then suddenly a thought popped up on his mind. It might be just Sehun feeding his brain with nonsense. But what if this was the other world? The alternate reality Sehun mentioned. What if he was switched with the Junmyeon from the other world, the Junmyeon from this alternate reality.

Junmyeon shook his head while chuckling at his imagination. But then this would make sense too because it explained why he had impulsively bought the house in his own reality.

Junmyeon instinctively entered the room on his left. This room was vacant before, he remembered putting guitar and keyboard in this room along with several unopened boxes. What greeted him when he opened the door was different.

One of the walls was replaced with glass, giving the room a view of their backyard. Across the wall, a sofa was placed comfortably. The musical instruments he recognized as his was put on the other side, along with other strange looking instruments that Junmyeon sure was also equipped to make music. Those were Yixing’s. He was totally sure.

On the sofa was a black tablet with superhero stickers on the back. Junmyeon wasn’t someone who like to pry, but he was curious. Weighing the tablet in his hand, he felt the sense of familiarity. This must belong to him.

He entered the pattern lock code, he also wasn’t sure how he knew, that made him more sure that this tablet was his. The home screen popped up and he gasped, almost dropping the tablet in shock. It was his photo with Yixing. He saw a lot of them before but what stunned him was the little boy with wide ears between squished between his face and Yixing's.

They had a son? But that seemed.. impossible. Junmyeon was never a fatherly type. Sure he liked dad jokes and all but even Sehun deals with little children better than him. He always had this awkwardness around children because he was too afraid he was going to break them...

“DAAAD!”

Junmyeon jumped on his seat and he was greeted by a squished face on the wall-length window. He was dirty from head to toe with mud. Took a while for Junmyeon to recognize that he was the young boy in the picture!

“Dad!” he cried again while tapping the glass. Junmyeon was frozen in his seat. Not getting a response, the boy smushed his face against the glass, making weird faces. “daad whyyy yowre look lwike thwaaat..” The boy said.

Didn’t know what to do, Junmyeon resorted to his best defense: running away. He ran to the direction of his room, closed the door and leaned on it. He didn’t realize Yixing was sitting on the bed. “Jun?” Yixing stood up and approached him slowly. “Are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost...” Yixing added a smile at the end of his words because panicked Junmyeon’s face is always funny. “I.. I just.. I was sitting and I saw..”

“DAAADDYYY WHY ARE YOU RUNNING AWAAAAY”

Junmyeon flinched and Yixing’s smile turned into a grimace. “I guess you don’t remember him either?” Junmyeon shook his head. “I... everything seems familiar and I feel comfortable. But at the same time... I don’t know.”

Yixing looked at him sadly. Feeling guilty, Junmyeon quickly added, “I’m sorry.”

Yixing took a deep breath. “Just... just try to act like Chanyeol is your son, okay?”

Junmyeon just nodded in answer although he was not sure how he supposed to act now. He moved from the door while Yixing got out of the room and closed the door behind him. Junmyeon sat on his bed but he could hear Yixing greeted the boy outside.

"You're already home? How was the sleepover?" Yixing asked. “Dad is always weird but just now he is really weird.” He heard Chanyeol answered. “Is he?”

“Yes! He was running away from me. I just want to introduce Potato to him!”

“Potato?” Yixing asked in confusion.

“The worm I found in the backyard. He likes to wriggle around like Dad when he is sleeping.” Junmyeon shuddered. Of course, he would have a son who liked animals and picked on his sleeping habit.

He could hear Yixing chucking fondly. “Well, maybe we can show him later.”

Just in time, a sound of a car was approaching. Junmyeon looked out the window to see an unfamiliar car stopping on his driveway and the sight of familiar faces on the seat brought a small smile on his lips. He heard Chanyeol and Yixing exclaimed at the same time,

“Oh do you hear that?”

“It’s Uncle Hun!”

Yixing entered the bedroom without Chanyeol. The boy must have been running outside. “They have arrived,” Junmyeon stated when Yixing just stayed there, thinking.

“Yes. Do you want to see them? I can tell them you’re feeling sick so you’re sleeping.”

Well, seeing the faces he sure knew in this strange unfamiliar world would certainly be a breather. But what if meeting them will bring more confusion or they took him as simply weird?

“No, there’s no need.” Junmyeon decided. He should face what happened now, it’s his reality. And if Yixing said he was sick, the two would be worried and he hated to deal with over concerned Minseok and possibly Sehun barged into his room to have healing cuddles.

Yixing sent him a small smile. “Okay, I’ll give you several minutes to prepare yourself then.” He said before leaving the room. Junmyeon was thankful for Yixing’s thoughtfulness. He could see why he would fall in love with him.

The room was lively when he entered. Everyone except Sehun was seated, listening to Chanyeol chirping about Potato in between chewing his food. He stopped and called for Junmyeon happily when he saw Junmyeon standing there.

“Yixing tells us you’re feeling a bit sick,” Minseok said as Junmyeon took his seat beside Chanyeol. “Yeah, just a bit dizzy.” Junmyeon made sure he caught Yixing’s sight before giving him a thankful smile.

“I told you to quit working late.” Minseok began his nag. “You always wore yourself out by working then you have to drive yourself home for quite long.” Minseok from this world seemed to enjoy chiding him too.

“Daddy Xing told me Dad works really hard because he wants to buy me a new bicycle and a microscope and a telescope and a pet! So many things for me!” Chanyeol said proudly. Suddenly, he wrapped his arm around Junmyeon’s torso, hugging him.“If you keep getting sick, you don’t have to, Daddy!”

Junmyeon stayed still. It felt so weirdly warm to be hugged by his son, yet he didn’t know what to do. Pat him on the head?

So he did. Then he saw Minseok looking at him weirdly. He panicked. What did he do wrong? He caught Yixing mouthed hug him back and he just did while Yixing facepalmed and decided to save the day by exclaiming loudly: “CAKE!”

Just in time, Sehun came into the room with a cake. He too looked just like Sehun in his other life. “Now, let’s cut the cake Sehun bought,” Yixing said while Chanyeol let him go and looked at the cake expectantly. “Come on Yeol, Uncle Hun said you can cut it.”

Stupidly, Junmyeon blurted out. “Whose birthday is it today?”

Minseok gaped at him while Sehun from his side cried a “Seriously, you don’t remember?”

Junmyeon didn’t answer. Not because he didn’t know the answer, but because he just realized Sehun and Minseok were sitting beside each other. Very closely.

Half of Sehun was pressed closely to Minseok’s side, ridiculously curling to make himself slightly smaller. While Minseok’s arm draped around Sehun’s shoulder.

And they were holding hands.

“You guys are together.” Junmyeon uttered in disbelief.

Both of them looked at each other before looked at Junmyeon oddly. “Yes?”

“But.. since when..”

“Since forever? You were the first person who knows, Jun. Why are you asking?”

“No you guys didnt..”

“Yeol give the first cut to Uncle Min and Uncle Sehun. They brought the cake today.” Yixing cut in. This time though, Junmyeon couldn’t even give him a thank you because he was too busy digesting everything.

“This is for you Uncle. Please, when you already got Jongin home let me play with him.”

“Of course, Yeol. You’ll be his favorite cousin.”

“I will! I will teach him soccer, and hunt worms..”

Junmyeon didn’t know who this Jongin was. But he was probably Minseok and Sehun’s son. He tried to let that sunk in. His best friends were together. Something that Junmyeon would never consider possible.

They all chatted happily while Junmyeon listened quietly as he caught Minseok giving him worried looks sometimes. From their conversation, Junmyeon got more revelation on some things. Jongin was the baby Sehun and Minseok were going to adopt and Chanyeol had been too excited about it. Sehun had been coming to their house every day to learn about baby 101 from Yixing.

When everyone was finished eating, Junmyeon quickly gathered the dirty plates and brought them to sink. He needed some time alone. But of course, Minseok had to follow him and silently helped him.

“So, what with the question before?” Minseok began. “You don’t talk. You don’t know today is your anniversary. You didn’t even hug Chanyeol back. You adored him Junmyeon, you'll give him more than just a hug.” Minseok added after a while, “ you okay?”

Junmyeon looked at the running water. Should he tell Minseok? He would probably only got his head knocked, though. Minseok was the most skeptical person Junmyeon ever met.

Thankfully, for so many times that day, Yixing saved his life.

“Hey, baby it’s okay.”Yixing took the plate from his hand. “I’ll take care of the dishes. Go rest. I think you need it more than we thought.”

Junmyeon gave him small thanks and a nod to Minseok before quickly went to his bedroom. He lay on the bed and staring at nothing.

He didn’t know how long he was there. At some point, he heard the car driving away from his home, probably Minseok and Sehun going home. Yixing peeped in to check on him several times, sometimes with Chanyeol in tow. All of that times Junmyeon faked sleeping. He really didn’t know what to do.

Yixing was beside him after a while. The mattress dipped in when he lied beside him. They stayed like that for sometime before Junmyeon heard sniffles and choked sobs. Was Yixing crying?

Of course, he should’ve realized it. It might be hard for him, but Yixing had it harder. The man he so loved was suddenly gone, replaced by a doppelganger that didn’t know him at all.

Junmyeon turned to face Yixing and opened his eyes. Yixing was shocked and turned back to hide his tears. “Hey, Yixing. I’m sorry.” Junmyeon said. “It must be hard for you..”

“It is,” Yixing said between sniffles. “You know, you never turned your back on me. Even when you are angry, we still hold each other while we are sleeping.”

Junmyeon didn’t know what to say so he just put his hand on Yixing’s arm, patted him quietly. “Last night..” Yixing started. “We were fighting because of a small thing. But you were tired, and me too. It became worse than what it should be.”

Yixing’s tears were still running down his face. “And I get so mean, and stupid. I.. I said I hoped I didn’t meet you back then.”

Junmyeon frowned. What did this Junmyeon do to make an angel like Yixing said mean things?

“I think I made you really mad so you sleep on Chanyeol’s room. But then you came back at night and just hold me tightly. This morning..” Junmyeon caught Yixing blushed a bit and he knew red also crept to his cheek remembering the state Yixing was in when he saw him first this morning. “It was supposed to be a makeup se... I mean reconciliation, also celebrating our anniversary. I even sent Chanyeol to stay with my Aunt for the morning.” Yixing then let out a self-deprecating laugh between tears. “I was so stupid. I shouldn’t have wished that. I was so thoughtless. Of course, it will be hard without you.”

Junmyeon’s heart clenched in sadness. Angel like Yixing wasn't supposed to cry. So he gathered him close, letting Yixing cried on his chest. “I’m sorry,” Junmyeon said again because he simply didn’t know what to say other than sorry.

The door was suddenly opened and Chanyeol came in. Junmyeon stiffed and quickly feigned sleep again. He still not sure how he should react around Chanyeol yet.

“Dad, why are you crying?” Chanyeol asked when Yixing looked at him who was standing behind Junmyeon. Yixing quickly wiped his tears and sat up. “No, I’m not, baby. Why are you waking up?” His voice was a bit hoarse. “Can I nap with you?” Chanyeol asked. “Come here.” Yixing moved to made a gap between them him and patted the space. Chanyeol scrambled there, he then looked at sleeping Junmyeon.

“Is Daddy okay?”

“Yes baby, he is. He is just a bit.. tired.”

“Maybe Daddy need a kiss, then? He always becomes happy again when I hug and kiss.”

Yixing quickly said, “No, baby. I think he just needs some sleep.” He seemed to know that Junmyeon still had a hard time around Chanyeol.

But he couldn’t do that forever, could he? This was his reality now, and he should accept everything that came with it. Including a handsome husband and beautiful son. It wouldn’t be fair for them to have someone they loved snatched from them and replaced by the cold version of loving and caring Junmyeon in this world.

So Junmyeon opened his eyes and said,

“Yes, Daddy need a kiss and a hug too. Won’t you hug me and kiss me?”

Chanyeol jolted in surprise, thinking his other Dad was sleeping. He then gave Junmyeon the biggest grin he ever saw.“Sure!” He then moved to hug Junmyeon and kissed his cheek. Junmyeon tried his best to not flinch but at the same time not being stiff, just accepting.

“I love you so much, Daddy." A peck on Junmyeon's forehead. "You too Daddy Xing.” Chanyeol then moved to hug and kiss Yixing too. He then whispered, “So you won’t get jealous.”

Yixing chuckled fondly and Junmyeon couldn’t help to smile. Chanyeol then arranged his parent's arm here and there so he was smothered with both of their hugs. “Now, let’s nap.” He said finally before fell asleep in just a blink.

So Junmyeon closed his eyes to sleep too before Yixing quietly said. “I know it's quite weird but.. thank you.”

His eyes still closed, but Junmyeon gave him a small smile and a squeeze on Yixing’s hand. “Sssh, it's okay. Now let's go sleep.”

He peeked with his left eye and he saw Yixing smiling too while sleeping. Junmyeon thought he could get used to this.

Junmyeon woke up expecting his arm full of sleeping Chanyeol. Yet he was greeted with a sight of his bed void of Chanyeol, or Yixing, or even a decent blanket. He rubbed his eyes, shaking off sleep from his eyes before he realized that his bedroom was empty.

His stuff was there, but he couldn’t feel the warmth he should be feeling.

It couldn’t be, or could it?

Junmyeon was half running to the kitchen. On his way, he stopped at the door that should be the room with full of musical instruments. When he opened the door, his heart was sinking.

There was nothing in the room but unopened boxes, a lonely guitar and a keyboard.

Junmyeon should've known that Yixing and Chanyeol weren’t real. But he kept hoping as he reached his kitchen.

No, there was no Yixing. Not even that stupid kitchen decor.

“Yixing!” He began calling while making his way around the house. The pictures that were supposed to be there was gone, his house was still in disarray just like the first time he moved in.

Junmyeon plopped down on his bed. Staring at the empty space across him. He should be happy, shouldn’t he? He was back to his original reality. He wouldn’t feel awkward around Chanyeol and Yixing anymore. Yixing and Chanyeol would be happy too because if Junmyeon was back, Yixing’s Junmyeon would also be back at the world they lived in.

But he couldn’t be happy. For the first time in forever, Junmyeon let himself cried out of loneliness.

,

Junmyeon had been installing this awesome security camera system Sehun recommended on his house for a while now. It was inexpensive and he could see everything in and outside his house even though he was away in his office. It was so useful many times. Like that time Junmyeon was confused as hell on why there were suddenly so many dug up holes in his backyard. A check on the security feed told him that a neighbor’s dog had been using Junmyeon’s backyard as some sort of excavation site.

Most of the time, the cameras were used for different purpose: watching which neighbors had been visiting his house to satisfy their curiosity on why a handsome bachelor purchased a family home in the middle of the area where only families lived. Some were more daring than others, going as far as approached Junmyeon and asked if he was interested in a blind date with their co-workers, nieces, family friends, or their children’s teacher. After three years, he thought people would just leave him alone. But of course, him rejecting those offers had made him even more interesting. Apparently, according to the latest rumor, Junmyeon killed his wives and the security cameras were installed in case any former in-laws decided to barge in. He made sure to remember those faces caught in his security cameras and avoid having long interactions with them.

These days, an old lady had been persistent on giving him her homemade dishes. It seemed like she was just moved in because Junmyeon hadn’t seen her before. She might have picked up the legend of a handsome single man who lived alone and had his mother instinct triggered. She had made it her mission to make sure Junmyeon was well fed.

Junmyeon was grateful, but he just wanted her to stop. Simply because he couldn’t eat the food she made. Junmyeon wasn’t sure what did the lady put on her dishes but somehow she always able to ruin the food she made. Junmyeon couldn’t refuse because he felt it would be rude but accepting her food would leave him in the hassle of spoilt dishes. So he tried his best to avoid her. So far it worked.

So far his life was just okay.

Today was Sunday, and whoever rang his bell could just do that until the night. Using the blanket to cover himself and a pillow to block his ears, Junmyeon tried to get back to sleep. Junmyeon wouldn’t leave his bed just to greet someone who had the audacity to disturb a hard worker's day off.

Only that the ringing didn’t stop and it began to hurt his ears. Blindly, he booted up his laptop that he put on his bed last night, wanting to check the camera feed. While waiting, his mind began making plans if it turned out that one that at his door is one of his ‘fans’.

But the program was especially slow that day and his guest was ringing his bell like a madman. Junmyeon grumbled and hopped off his bed. Making his way to the front door half asleep. On his way, he kept grumbling as a table corner hurt his hips and his toe was stubbed on a chair. He was cursing his guest now, thinking this was a bad beginning for a bad day.

Now, If only he had seen the image of the man he missed the most appeared on his security camera’s feed..

When Junmyeon opened the door. He was stunned. HIs mind went blank and all curses and anger disappeared.

“Hello! My name is Yixing! I’m the nephew of the lady living in the front of your house. Look, sorry for the bell but I’m just happy you are alive and okay. My aunt is a bit weird with her food. They just didn’t work and just today I found out she’s been giving them to you! I ran like a crazy sheep, you know, I’m really afraid she would accidentally poison you or something. That would make my parents unhappy and scolded me because I didn't take care of her but...”

Truthfully, Junmyeon didn’t hear anything other than the mention of the man’s name in the beginning. Junmyeon just stared at the man, took up details of the man from three years ago that he had been missing the most.

This Yixing was definitely younger than that Yixing but just as beautiful, as adorable and even more. And then it struck him so suddenly, what if it wasn’t the other world he was visiting back then? What if it was the future?

So when Yixing finished his apology rant, Junmyeon blurted out stupidly.

“I won’t mind naming our son Chanyeol.”