ateez family au

131

He wrapped the scarf tightly around his neck and closed up his jacket, put the warm wool-hat on his head, and pinched his cheeks at last. Jongho just looked cute while stuffed in warm wear for a snowy day. Just as awaited, his youngest pouted angrily and turned away with a whine, almost waddling like a penguin. Seonghwa smiled after him before he turned to put on his own long winter coat and scarf. For once they had snow, and of course, the family had to take advantage of it. The parent left the house last, so he made sure the door was locked and they had everything in their bag. He had prepared multiple thermos cans filled with hot chocolate and spare gloves for the case theirs would get fully soaked.

"Maybe we should call auntie Yongsun to accompany us?" Hongjoong asked with a grin as Seonghwa got into the car.

"So she can kick you down the hill again?" was all his husband gave back as he checked if everyone had their seatbelts on.

"I remember that-" Mingi called from his seat, "then we had to get Dad out of that snowman he rolled into"

"Ah... good times," Yeosang sighed contently, while his twin knit his eyebrows rather disturbed.

"The child that built that snowman cried- and dad got sick after that- what kind of good times are you talking about?" San asked concerned.

"The kid cried. That's what I mean-"

Seonghwa rose his brows at the comment his son gave, then decided to just leave it there. Yeosang did have his own kind of humor. "I think she's busy anyway," the elder commented and buckled his own seatbelt. "The other day we were talking. I think she has a date today," he chuckled and gave his husband the o to start the engine.

"Oh~ with our new lyricist, right?" Hongjoong asked and drove out of the driveway. He had a smile on his lips, genuinely happy that his close friend was again so excited about a partner. The last time they had spoken, she had been begging him to go find someone for her.

"Mhm, Moon Byulyi... Well, at least I won't have to tell her anymore that my cousins really aren't interested," Seonghwa laughed, remembering his elder all desperate and a little drunk. "I hope they get along... I don't think we will survive another breakup-"

In the backseats, Jongho leaned over to Mingi with tipped lips. "... isn't Byulyi a girl-name?" he asked shyly and a little embarrassed. The youngest had never given attention to relationships at all. He was just genuinely curious but too shy to ask his parents.

Mingi shrugged his shoulders. "and?" he asked back, not getting what his youngest sibling exactly meant. Only after Jongho's huffing and puffed cheeks that glowed red, he seemed to understand. "You know Jongho, you can be together with whoever you want," he replied simply.

Yunho, who was sitting on the other side of Mingi, overheard the little conversation and turned his face to the youngest of them. In his history-class, they were currently discussing that specific topic and he was eager to use his knowledge. "Since the liberation, you can be with whoever you want, Jongie. You can also be whoever you want," he said, smiling warmly. "Only fifty years ago, the government accepted the new studies about reproduction and since then there was no reason to not legalize every relationship. For example Papa and Dad," he explained and pointed at their parents, "they are legally married, but grandma and grandpa too. And the parents of uncle Jeonghan are both women... or auncle Sora and well, they are single forever," he giggled and hoped to have explained the matter well enough. "Meaning, love who you want, it's your business"

Jongho's mouth fell a little agape as he listened. Then, he looked over to Wooyoung who was sitting between Yeosang and San in the row in front of them. "I think Wooyoungie is going to marry a boy some time," he commented and shrugged his shoulders.