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It's Sunday night and the family of friends gathered, as it was usual for them, at Mark's house. The seven of them had dinner and were currently sitting in the living room, just chilling. Youngjae and Jaebum couldn't stop exchanging glances toward each other. Jinyoung noticed that and after a while asked because he couldn't stand that anymore."What is going on with you two?"They exchanged yet another look and Jaebum spoke."We have an announcement to make.""Oh my god! Are you getting married again?"That made Yugyeom and BamBam laugh a lot. Mark put his hand on Jackson's shoulder since the Chinese were sitting at his feet."Jack, why would they do this just two years after their first marriage?""To repeat the best party ever."The group laughed even more, except for the couple and Jinyoung. Youngjae was nervously fidgeting, Jaebum was serious and Jinyoung just thought of that as dumb talk."Can you all stop with the bullshit and listen to what 2Jae have to say?"They sobered up and Jackson looked a bit embarrassed."I'm sorry." He murmured."It's okay, Jack hyung." Youngjae forgave him.Jaebum cleared his throat, making all of them pay attention to him."Me and Jae..." He looked at his love. "We decided...""We will adopt a baby." Youngjae blurted out after seeing Jaebum stutter.A collective "ooh" was heard."THAT'S AWESOME!" Jackson shouted."I'm so happy for you." Mark said."You'll be incredible parents!" Jinyoung stated."We will have a MASCOT." BamBam spoke excitedly."Our family is growing." Yugyeom said quietly, with a knot on his throat.All of that at the same time, overwhelming the couple. What they could understand was only that their friends were happy for them and that was all that they needed.It took a few more minutes of mess before they could calm down sufficient for Jinyoung to be able to make another question."When is the baby coming? It's a boy or a girl?""The agency said a month or two. We already did all the process and we know who our baby is, but we were afraid it wouldn't work out in the end so we kept the secret.""Understandable, Jae. So we have a nephew or a niece?"Youngjae looked at Jaebum, that was quiet because he was still nervous, excited to have their baby soon, but so nervous about everything."It's a baby girl. Sun Hee."The group cooed together. More minutes were spent with them making a mess around Jaebum and Youngjae. When they calmed down again, Mark took the chance to ask more."Do you need help with anything?""Actually, yes." Jaebum said, more steady now. "We need to buy a lot of things and fix her room, but we barely have time for both, because we want to take vacations as soon as Sun Hee comes home-""So you're overloaded on work as well." Mark completed for him."Yes.""We can divide tasks and help you with everything, right guys?"A collective yes was heard. Jinyoung was already opening his app to take notes."Send me the list of things to buy and I can take care of it." He said."I can help with the shopping part." Jackson was so excited that Youngjae held his hand before speaking."As much as I love you and know that you love shopping, you will probably go a little over the top there so I was thinking you could help with fixing Sun Hee's bedroom? We have the plans and need capable hands to help there too.""Okay...""Think this way, Jack hyung, you have a lifetime to buy her gifts, but fixing her room is just now and, I don't know... When she becomes a teenager.""I want a picture of me doing the hard work on her wall for her to see." Jackson was sulking a bit."We can do that." Youngjae giggled."I will work with Jack on her room.""Thanks, Mark hyung.""What about me?" Yugyeom asked."When Bum-ie said we need to buy a lot of things, he meant we need to buy everything a baby needs so it's really too much.""I will divide lists and you and Bam can help with it or anything else that emerges." Jinyoung concluded."You won't do it alone, of course. Our plan is to use the weekends, since we all work on weekdays, divide tasks and cover everything. Some things are not urgent, we need to focus on what we will need immediately.""I will organize this, don't worry. By the time Sun Hee arrives, everything will be done.""Thank you, guys!" Youngjae said. "Really! You're the best!""Hey?! How old is she?" BamBam asked. "I know she is a baby, but weeks old? Months? A year?""She is 6 months old." Jaebum answered."So she plays already!" Yugyeom got excited."Yes, a bit. You all will adore her, she is the cutest baby ever!" Youngjae said, making all of them coo again.They spent the rest of the night making plans for the next weekends. After everybody left, Jackson stayed with Mark. The older got ready to go to bed, but Jackson was still on the couch, with a pensive expression. Mark sat by his side and caressed his hair."What are you thinking about?""Do I really buy too many meaningless things?"For a minute Mark didn't know what Jackson could mean by that question, but he remembered the talk with their friends earlier."Gaga, you know this is not what Youngjae said or meant. All of us know that you like to show affection in all ways and one of them is buying gifts, but right now our friends or their baby girl don't need gifts, they need the basics and support. And they have a limited budget.""I would buy them with my own money." Jackson murmured."I don't doubt it, but... Why don't you think of another thing to give to Sun Hee? Not a present bought in a shop, I mean. You have some talents, I'm sure you can come up with something special.""I don't know..."Mark looked at his watch."Sleep on it. Rest your brain and maybe tomorrow you will have an answer. Let's sleep, Gaga.""Okay, Yien..."Jackson let Mark guide him to their bedroom and tuck him in.In the morning, Jackson knew what he would do, but he was still a bit uncertain of doing it."They won't mind, right Yien?""No! They will love it!"Jackson nodded and took some notes about what he was going to do. The first weekend, they spent all together at Jaebum and Youngjae's apartment, helping them fix it, taking out the furniture of the baby's future room, so they could redecorate it and later put the right furniture in place. Securing everything else that needed to be secured, because Sun Hee would soon be wandering around and she had to be safe.On the second weekend, the group did tasks separated: Jaebum stayed at home with Jackson and Mark, painting the room and Youngjae went out with the others to buy the new furniture, including the cradle and the baby carriage that he and Jaebum had decided about during the week.On Wednesday, Jinyoung went to Mark's apartment at night to discuss some work-related things - since they worked together. He entered after Mark opened the door and spotted Jackson on the couch. That was usual, even tho the couple had separate apartments (actually, the rest of the group didn't quite understand why they didn't live together already, but they preferred that way and their friends respected that). What wasn't usual, at least for Jinyoung, was to see what the Chinese was doing.The Korean approached Mark and murmured into his ear."Am I seeing it right? Is Jack-""Knitting? Yes." Mark smiled fondly toward his boyfriend. "Don't mind if he doesn't talk to you, he concentrates really hard when doing it. Gaga probably didn't even hear you coming in.""Okay." Jinyoung was curious and wanted to know more, but Mark shut him down every time he tried to go to the mater later. The next weekend came, and they gathered at Sun Hee's bedroom before parting ways."The social worker called yesterday to set the date for us to bring Sun Hee home." Jaebum said. "It will be on Friday this week. Earlier than we expected, and we need to finish everything this weekend, because the agency will send someone to check the house on Thursday, and we will be working overtime from Monday to Wednesday.""I and Jaebum will be on vacation starting on Thursday since both of us want to be here when they come to inspect the house." Youngjae was visibly nervous."Everything will be okay, Jae." Mark tried to reassure him. "You will be great parents.""Yeah! Mark hyung is right! You will do great, hyungs!""I second Gyeom, hyungs, but I think we should hurry if we need to do what was scheduled for 2 weekends in just one.""BamBam is right, but I think we can take some things off the list because they're not that urgent? Or can you two go out with us and we divide into two groups to cover more stores?""We just need to apply the wallpaper here and hang some shelves that you already marked the spot. You go out and I and Jack finish everything here."Youngjae and Jaebum exchanged a look and nodded to each other."Okay. Thank you, guys! Really! Without you, we wouldn't be able to do all this.""This is what family is for, Jae." Jackson said, seriously.Youngjae threw himself on and hugged Jackson tightly, making his friend feel him shaking."Hey... Jae, calm down." The Chinese hugged him back. Jaebum put a hand on his husband's shoulder."We knew the adoption was real, that it was going to happen, but I think now it's really reaching us. By the end of the week, we will have a small person here, depending fully on us to take good care of her. It is... Overwhelming."Jaebum's voice sounded choked and Jinyoung side-hugged him, Mark also gave pats on his back. Yugyeom and BamBam got close to their friends, not exactly embracing them, but almost. They spent some time like that, in a circle of confidence and support, until the couple - soon-to-be-parents - calmed down. Then they parted ways to do the remaining tasks.They were alone for a while, when Mark spoke again, seeing Jackson a bit disturbed."Are you okay, Gaga?""Yeah. Just thinking how much I still have to do to finish my present since I have only one week now and not two.""Do you think you can do it? I don't think it would be a problem if you don't give it exactly when she arrives.""Probably not, but I want to. I will just have to focus more, I think I can do it.""Stay with me this week then, this way I can be sure you're eating and sleeping properly.""Okay, Yien." Jackson smiled at him and gave a peck on Mark's lips.They worked all Saturday, the bigger part of their group spending the day out. On Sunday, they reunited to help the couple organize everything they had bought, washing clothes, putting toys on shelves and baskets, a few books on a small table...At night, they were exhausted, but happy with their accomplishment, and eating together."Do you know exactly at what time you will be with Sun Hee?" BamBam asked."Yeah, I want to know when I can come to meet my niece." Yugyeom said smiling."I don't think we should come right on Friday."BamBam and Yugyeom were ready to protest."I'm with Jinyoung. Jaebum and Jae need time to adjust.""I thought you would team up with us, Jack hyung.""It's not that I don't want to meet her as soon as possible, but I think we would disturb too much an already hectic day.""Jack is right. Not only because of Jae and Jaebum-ie, but Sun Hee will be distressed too if a lot of people keep coming and going here." Mark completed."Yeah, guys." Jaebum finally spoke. "Sorry, but we want a few days for us only.""Maybe on Sunday late afternoon you can come for a while?" Youngjae said, looking at Jaebum. "Your mom will be coming and going anyway since we couldn't convince her otherwise.""True." Jaebum shook his head. "Okay, how about we let settled for you guys to come on Sunday at 4 p.m., but we can cancel if we think it will be too much for Sun Hee, according to how we spend our first days?""Okay!" BamBam shouted."It's a deal!" Yugyeom clapped.The others just nodded. Soon after, they parted ways. Mark and Jackson went to the Chinese's apartment to grab everything he would need for the week at Mark's house. They didn't go meet Sun Hee as soon as she arrived, but Jaebum and Youngjae sent pics and updated them through their group chat when they had time. The plans for Sunday were kept because the new small family was adjusting to each other and their new routine just fine. According to the new parents, Sun Hee was a calm kid, she almost didn't cry and spread smiles all the time for everybody. The friends already had a lot of pictures of the baby on their phones and were excited to meet her personally.Yugyeom and BamBam were the first ones to arrive on Sunday. They got in their friends' house quietly, afraid that they would distress Sun Hee, but she greeted them with a bright smile, directly competing with Youngjae's one, who was holding her. Jinyoung arrived soon after them and was also greeted with bright smiles. They got comfortable and were playing on the floor when, half an hour later, Mark and Jackson arrived."Sorry, we're late." Mark apologized.Jackson was too mesmerized by the baby to speak."It's okay. She only gets sleepy later, you have time." Jaebum said and gestured for them to sit on the floor too.They made a circle around Sun Hee. She could already sit alone, but Youngjae was right behind her, to give support because she couldn't stand still for long. The others shook toys in front of her, making Sun Hee stretch her little arms toward them and giggle. Jaebum sat in front of her and would, from time to time, roll a ball in his daughter's direction, Sun Hee's response was to agitate her legs and kick the ball.After a while, she showed signs of tiredness and Jaebum took her in his arms, going to the kitchen to grab a bottle of formula to feed Sun Hee. The remaining group stood up from the ground and went to the dining table to enjoy the snacks disposed of there.Yugyeom couldn't stop cooing. BamBam was looking back and forth, waiting for Jaebum to come back."She is the cutest baby I've ever met!" Jinyoung said, totally whipped.Mark looked at his watch. "Less than one hour that we met Sun Hee and we would all give up our lives for her already."Youngjae smiled at his friends. He was happy to see all of them falling in love with his little girl, but Jackson was unlikely quiet."Jackson hyung, are you okay?""Yes." He answered too fast. "Yes, I am, I..." Mark held and squeezed his hand, reassuring him. "I have something for Sun Hee.""A gift? Oh, hyung, you didn't need to worry about it. You already helped us so much!"Jaebum was back and a bit lost. Jackson was looking down, his face a little reddened."I wanted to give her something special.""Give it to them, Gaga." Mark spoke it low, but audible.Jackson went to his backpack, that he had left by the door, and came back with a medium-size wrapping. He handed it over to Youngjae. The group was quiet, all of them curious to see what it was. Youngjae received the package and put it on the table, unwrapping the paper. Jaebum got close to him, lulling Sun Hee. A baby blue box decorated with unicorns and rainbows was revealed."This is so cute, Jack hyung!""Open it." Jackson said in a small voice, barely audible. He was glued to Mark, nervous.Youngjae opened the box and carefully took what was inside, unwrapping a good amount of soft lilac fabric. It was visible that it wasn't industrially done, Jinyoung covered his mouth with his hand, in awe. BamBam grabbed a corner of it."Look!"All of them could read "Sun Hee" written there in a slightly darker color."This is really pretty, hyung!""Thanks. I almost didn't finish in time for today.""You did it?" Jaebum asked, shock slipping into his voice."Y-yes.""I didn't know you knew how to do these kinds of things, hyung." Yugyeom said, eyes wide opened."I only know the basics of knitting.""This is really pretty, Jackson hyung." Youngjae said, turning to him and looking straight into his eyes. "And it's not 'only the basics', it's something that took time to be done and a lot of care. Thank you." He hugged Jackson."Yes. We thank you a lot for it, Jackson. We will use it a lot."Mark was smiling proudly and rubbing a hand up and down his boyfriend's arm."He worked really hard on this blanket.""I saw him knitting last week when I went to Mark's apartment and Jack was so focused that he didn't see me there. I was curious about what he was doing, but Mark hyung kept it a secret." Jinyoung told the others, then put his hand on Jackson's shoulder. "This is amazing, Jackson!""I want a scarf, can you do it for me, hyung?" BamBam asked."Yeah, I can." Jackson said, smiling. He was coming back to his bright self after having such a good response from his friends, he was really nervous about showing them his abilities.The volume of talking was rising when all of them heard a little cry and turned toward Sun Hee. Jaebum smiled and breathed down at her neck, tickling her. Youngjae approached them and kissed her cheek."She knew you weren't giving attention to her anymore." Jaebum joked, making the others coo at the baby. "I'll give her a quick bath because she is going to sleep soon." He said to all of them, and then specifically to Youngjae. "I already prepared her bottle but-""She will sleep while being feed. I'll keep it warm."Jaebum nodded and retreated. The friends looked at each other and Jinyoung resolved to talk."We should get going then.""No! Stay! After Sun Hee sleeps we can talk. Please?""Are you sure, Jae-ah?" Jackson asked. "You're probably tired, we don't want to exhaust you.""No. It's okay, it will be good for us. As much as our life is changing, we need adult and friends' time still.""Okay then." Mark said.They got comfy in the living room again and Jaebum came back with Sun Hee dressed in cute pjs. Youngjae went to the kitchen to grab her bottle and took her into his arms, sitting beside Jaebum to feed and lull their baby girl to sleep."It's funny and cute to see you both taking care of her, changing from one to other between tasks without even talking." Yugyeom observed. "You really complete one another."The couple smiled. Everything felt right like that, their daughter in their arms, their friends around. Yugyeom and BamBam making jokes and bickering with Jinyoung, Mark and Jackson sitting close together and laughing because of the bickering while exchanging small touches of fondness. Sure some things would change because having a kid around changes things inevitably. But they would make it work and grow even closer because the love between all of them was enormous.
