ateez family au

139

Thick snowflakes stuck to the window of the slightly rocking wagon. Looking up at the sky; there were all these white dots falling from grey clouds that hung so low. It was a plain view, yet Mingi was all over it. He couldn't wait to see his grandparents, couldn't wait to build a snowman with his grandfather, couldn't wait to snuggle between his brothers on the makeshift bed on the floor next to the chimney. Visiting their Papa's parents during winter was like entering wonderland; everything was allowed. Well, almost. They weren't allowed to go into the stables alone. Or the attic. And they weren't allowed to walk too far away from their grandparents' house but these were things he wasn't even interested in.

"Are you excited?" Yonghwan put his hand on the boy's head and ruffled through the fluffy hair. The elder followed Mingi's eyes, stunned at the rather peace-bringing view of woods covered in layers of snow. Under his hand, the boy nodded. A wide smile plastered on Mingi's face made Yonghwan's day light up. "I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun, hm?"

"It's always fun with grandpa and grandma," Mingi replied and leaned back into his seat. He looked up at his uncle and tipped his lips. "Why are we going first?" he asked. The question was genuine, he hadn't dared to ask his parents why, neither had he tried asking his siblings. Mingi was aware that they only gave him sugar-coated answers. But his uncle didn't, the man rarely had a filter. It was an honorable trait, Yonghwan didn't lie. Yet the man also was dead on honest in a situation where a white lie wouldn't have hurt anyone. "Is Dad sick again? Or is Papa sick?"

The elder sighed deeply, a little overstrained by the boy. He retracted his hand from the boy's head and scratched his neck a little unsure, uncertain about what to answer the boy. "You see, Mingi, adulthood isn't easy," he then replied and presented his nephew a calm expression. "sometimes we need a break to you know, reload our energy."

"I don't understand why they are shipping us to grandma though," the boy sighed and leaned his head on the cool window. "I wanted to sit in the car together and sing songs the whole ride... and make a stop at every gas station because Woooyung cant hold his pee... Unfair."

"You will understand better when you're a little older, hm?" the elder said and threaded his hand back into the boy's hair. "Your parents just need a couple of days off life, okay? Because life will get a lot harder when you're older. Things get more complicated."

~

The train came to a halt at the station, a large crowd of people waiting outside for their family and friends. Chaewon and Yonghwan gathered the children that were under their responsibility, checked that everyone had their luggage. "Okay before we go out, please hold onto each other; the station is full of people and we may need a while to find your grandparents, understood?" she told the six coconut heads in front of her. Well, three as Yunho and the twins were already grown taller than her. The boys listened well, rowed in a line as they used to when they were little. It was so cute to watch how they stood there like little ducks following Yonghwan; the man embodying Mama-duck here.

Yunho had his eyes fixed on his siblings, made sure that even Wooyoung stayed in line. He liked to joke around and fall out of line while laughing. Now, that the eldest felt like holding the most responsibility for his siblings, he was all ears and eyes for his brother; pushing him in line now and then.

Just as Chaewon had predicted, the station was packed with all kinds of people. Out of instinct, Jongho clenched his grip around his uncle's and Wooyoung's hands, intimidated by the loud noise all around him. With being the youngest, there also came the total lack of height; everything just seemed huge. The people, the tall ceiling of the station.

"We'll find them soon," Wooyoung told him with his warmest and brightest smile, encouraging his younger the best he could. He too felt quite small and unseen in the crowd but less scared of it.

"How about we go sit there and I call uncle Junho?" Yonghwan suggested, looking back at his girlfriend. She first squinted her eyes, not hearing him over the noise. "I said-" the elder yelled loudly, repeating his words, just to earn a rushed nod. He guided the small group to a bench and counted again just to be sure.

Not that he was incompetent enough to lose a child but who knew. He didn't want to find out whatever would happen. Watching Hongjoong limp around the company building whenever he lost one of his kids had him terrified of the imagination of punishment Seonghwa would put him through.

Yonghwan fished his phone out of his pocket, dialed the number of Seonghwa's father. He had had the number saved into his phone for many reasons. It was rather sad yet heartwarming; he was the only family member on Hongjoong's side. After his student's parents had openly admitted their dislike towards the marriage, Yonghwan had taken over the role. So it came that he was in contact with Seonghwa's father for family festivities; he was invited on every single one of them. And since the beginning, he was visiting every single one of them for Hongjoong's sake. He didn't want him to feel small and alone because he wasn't.

"Yonghwan? Are you there already? We're at the station waiting"

"Ah, yes, we just got off the train. We can't find you, though. Should we meet in the parking lot?" he yelled into the phone and looked around in hopes of finding an elderly couple.

"Yes, yes we should- I'm here with my red van, the one with the yellow stripe! You won't miss it!"

"I'll keep my eyes open for it! Thank you, we'll see you in a moment!"

The elder put his phone away and looked back at the kids and took a long breath for a split second.

He loved the bunch of children he came to help raise, of course, he did. And whenever he looked at them, he felt so proud to have been an important part of Hongjoong's story. Yonghwan had never had the desire to have children of his own. Why would he, he had a huge family already? He was the uncle of six, a brother and fatherly figure at the same time. That was why he did it all; take the role of Hongoong's biological family. Because his first and last student made him feel like a part of that beautiful family.

"Let's get going, ah? Grandpa Junho is waiting for us."

~

"I'm sorry."

"For loading everything on you because I can't hold it."

The arms around his bare torso tightened with every word he spoke, with every sorry whisper that left his lips so miserably. "I had no right expected you to endure it all."

Seonghwa lifted his hand, took it from his back, put it on his cold cheek. Again his eyes were filled with this pure adoration Hongjoong couldn't and didn't want to believe. It had always been there, no matter how they stood to each other, his husband had never changed the way he looked at him. It made him... angry, almost insane.

While his feelings always stayed pure and confident, Hongjoong got lost on that path often; corrupted by his own shadow. Jealousy, envy, and anger poisoned his love oh so often and that was what made him so mad. The thought of corrupting this marriage and destroying all they had build.

Because the end of his home also meant the end of everything dear to him.

"... you're not the monster you think you are, love," the elder spoke carefully as his soft thumb gently brushed over the red cheek. "and I will never be tired of showing you that you're indeed the angel I have wished for, Hongjoong."

-
Heya bitches😗✌️

How yall doing?

I have like three exams left before my four finals🌧️👄🌧️

Today a chap that's a little longer again! Today a little more of why Yonghwan loves Joongie hdhdjdjd

Have you watched imitation already??

I haven't yet, I'll probably do after publishing this chapter

Ahhh well I don't have much to tell you today✨

Please stay healthy and safe!

-gulkurusubb