Our group's trip to Japan loomed heavily over me, the Hana Kaze release coming up more quickly than I had expected. It seemed like there weren't enough hours in the day anymore now that performances and practices took up my daylight hours and my role in the Mata Hari musical took up my nights.

Splitting my time between Imani, JaeHyun, and my activities with Vixx as well, it was a lucky day if I had an hour to call Imani and Jae to see how they were. It seemed like the family we had started to create together had faded away the busier I'd become. In my absence, Jae had started school like he'd wanted and as he'd proudly told me, had gained a gold star on all his homework assignments.

Imani was just as busy as I was if not more, the construction of her new building set to take place next week. Her contractor needed 'hand-holding' she'd confided in me, which was adding to her already heavy load. Talking about these things with her made me long to be with them, experiencing life together.

So, when a free day finally came up, I knew with certainty that I wouldn't be spending it at the dorm with my members. I headed for Imani's apartment feeling lighter than I had in days, the stresses of work falling away as I thought of all the things that we could do together, and the time that I'd missed while I was away.

The apartment is quiet when I walk inside and I remember belatedly that it's a Saturday, a rare day for Imani to get some extra sleep. And true to her schedule as always, when I peek into her bedroom she's nestled under the covers, her head barely visible amongst all the bedding.

I resist the urge to wake her up just for my own personal pleasure and continue down the opposite hallway to Jae's room. The little boy is already up and changing into his clothes when I walk in. Greeting him with a smile, he leaves the socks he was trying to put on and runs up to me for a hug. The smile on his face settles something in my heart, and I'm unreasonably happy that he's so glad to see me.

"Hyung, Eomma's still sleeping, so I got ready on my own today!" he tells me excitedly.

"You did? Good job, I know your mom's feeling tired lately huh?"

"Yeah, but she still made my favorite fish last night when I asked. Eomma's really great."

Jae is still struggling with his socks and I sit down on the floor to help him put them on. Thinking about how tired Imani must be, I decide to change my plans from a family day to a boy's day out.

"JaeHyun, would you like to come with Hyung today and get a haircut? Your hair's getting kind of long," I say while playfully rumpling the locks and messing up his careful combing.

"Hyung can I get color like yours?" Jae looks hopeful but I think of coming home to Imani with a blonde preschooler and a shudder goes through me.

"No way, your Eomma would destroy me. Plus, when you start school you can't have dyed hair."

The little boy's lips pouted out cutely in dissatisfaction and I almost wanted to let him have his way. But I couldn't do that; I was a father now after all and kids had to have boundaries and be told no. At least that's what my own parents had always said.

"Don't worry JaeHyunnie, hyung will make sure your hair looks really cool. Kaja!"

Jae and I walked into the living room and though I had been positive Imani would still be in bed, she sat waiting on the couch as if she had always been there. Her usually loose curls were piled up into a ponytail, the tight spirals shooting in all directions as it brushed against her shoulders. I gave her my widest smile, my joy at seeing her something that I can't hide, can't control. After being away for so long, I want to run up and hug her in my arms. Unfortunately, JaeHyun beats me to the punch. Slightly put out, I tell Imani of our plans.

"JaeHyun and I had decided to go to the beauty shop. We might see a soccer game too."

Imani raised herself from her sitting position, releasing Jae from his hug. As he ran off to get a light jacket at Imani's request, I took a long look at the woman in front of me. The creamy silk dressing gown she wore hugged all her curves and the bell sleeves fanned out delicately across her wrists, the flashes of golden brown skin peeking through the slits in the fabric making me bite my lip hard. It was such a small thing and I had already seen her wearing less, but my mind and body were acting as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

"You know, I think this is the first time I had a guy tell me they were going to a beauty shop," she tells me with a huge grin. Like usual with Imani, her words seem to embarrass me more than anything, and the way she places her hands on her hips, emphasizing her slim waist, isn't helping me either.

"Yeah, well we both need haircuts and my color is fading..." I say, my words trailing off as I look away from the enticing sight. She giggles cutely and waves her hand at me, beckoning me closer. I step nearer and take her in again, this time taking extra care to look at her face. And the dark circles that linger there make me frown.

"I'm done teasing. Go have fun and don't eat junk food too close to dinner. I'm making galbitang and Jae won't be hungry if he eats too much."

"Don't worry, I can handle it," I tell her confidently. "But hey, are you ok today?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Am I acting weird?"

"No, well not that you're acting weird but you look tired, and you don't seem as happy as usual." Imani's smile is wide and it seems like her whole face lights up. She grabs my hand gently and I flex my own in response, tightening my hold on her.

"Well, I'm sleep deprived and I have cramps, so..." Her smile is daring me to say something but I can only let her go in surprise, my face freezing in a smile.

"Right! Sorry! You get some sleep and I'll take care of Jae, don't worry," I push out, my mouth gone dry as a desert. That's right, girls get that... my face felt like it was burning off and after waving goodbye, I quickly escorted Jae out the door, letting the outside air cool my hot cheeks.

I knew better than most men that girls during that time of the month could be volatile. Growing up with older sisters had taught me that much and I was sort of glad to be out of the house. Bonding time with Jae would be fun and Imani would get some much-needed alone time to sleep and regroup from raising Jae all by herself. And if she had some time to deal with feminine things, all the better.

The beauty salon the I took JaeHyun to was one I had gone to often prior to Vixx's debut, even before we had competed against each other in MyDol. Thinking about it now, I had made some bad hair decisions back then, but the ahjumma who owned the shop had only ever made a slight tsk sound when I asked her for something she didn't like.

The old shop still looked as it always did, a bright pink sign outside boasting that the place had been around for decades. I ushered Jae inside, and the bell above the store door tinkled in response to our entry. Faster than I could think, the store's owner rushed up to me, causing me to jump slightly in surprise.

"TaekWoon-ah, orenmanida! Look at you, you're a world star now."

"Anieyo," I say bowing down to the woman who once cut my hair at a severely discounted rate, saying all the while that I had the voice of an angel and would become a star. Thankfully she hadn't been far off.

"This is JaeHyun," I say, pushing him gently forward. The small boy shakes hands with the ahjumma shyly, his smile small.

"I didn't know you had a son!? You're such a young dad! Pangawayo!"

The ahjumma's already high pitch rises further as she takes Jae's hand in her own and pumps it enthusiastically. She drags the reluctant boy over to a chair and wraps him in a smock, prepping him for his haircut. As she talked on incessantly about how sweet and cute Jae was, I felt pride surge in my chest. She had called him my son and I was surprised at by how much it had meant to me.

I watch with a critical eye as she cuts Jae's hair, his bowl cut transforming into short sides and longish bangs in the front, his fringe floating playfully over his forehead. Satisfied that he looked like a big kid now, Jae waited patiently while my own hair was dyed back to its original black color. Spoiled by the ahjumma and the other ladies who worked in the shop, Jae expressed no boredom as they plied him with cakes and coloring books. When I was finally finished, my hair was cut and styled to perfection and I double-checked my look in the mirror, gratified at the results.

"It's a good as it used to be," I told the ahjumma as I paid the woman waiting at the counter.

"I'm glad you like it. Tell all your friends and bring the baby back too!"

The ahjumma waved us out of her shop happily and JaeHyun and I left looking like new people.

"Ok. The next stop is somewhere great Jae. Have you ever been to a soccer game?"

"Ani, not even once," he said excitedly.

"Joah, then get ready to experience the time of your life!" I grabbed Jae's hand in mine and made ready to put my plan into motion. I was confident JaeHyun would be a soccer fanatic by the end of the day.

The soccer field in Mokdong stadium is filled with screaming fans, all wild for what was predicted to be the best game of the year. The Pohang Steelers and the Suwon Bluewings were playing, both teams as of yet undefeated but determined to break each other's winning streak. And with only five minutes left in the game, people are going crazy. But more than the game, what I'm most pleased to see is the child next to me staring without blinking out onto the field, his gaze unwavering as he takes in the players before him. His half-eaten hotdog lies forgotten on the empty seat next to his and his fists are clenched together as he watches the scene below.

"Hyung," he pulls on my sleeve, "I think the Steelers are going to take it all the way!"

Seeing Jae so excited made me feel warm inside. This type of bonding was what I'd wanted with my children; it was necessary to be the kind of father I'd always dreamed about being. Although my own father had been a good man, he wasn't the sort to spend time with us, to get to know myself and my sisters on a deep level. I had wanted that closeness with my own kids and through this connection I could see a new opening into Jae's world, something that we could do together. And beating Imani in our bet wouldn't hurt either.

When I'd first made our wager, I had meant it as a joke but she had taken it seriously and I had said the first thing that had popped into my head. At the time, I hadn't realized how much I had thought about actually kissing Imani again, but my baser instincts had taken over that day. Since then it seemed like I was in hyper drive; it had been on my mind almost constantly. The way she smiled, her laugh, and the brief touching of our lips during our wedding was burned into my memory. There was no way I could forget that moment, and my eagerness to experience it again made me feel like dancing when Jae told me very seriously that he wanted to be a professional soccer player when he grew up.

Hours had passed since the small meal we'd had at the stadium and like a good parent I had to provide food. We went back to the apartment but Imani was gone, leaving a note that she had left to get groceries. I searched the cabinets for sustenance, but was dismayed when I realized there were no available ingredients for the things I knew how to make. To my utter astonishment, Imani didn't even keep ramen in the house. Thinking quickly, I found the restaurant menus kept in a small junk drawer and begun to order tteokboki and other side dishes. Fifteen minutes later I was setting up the dishes of fast food on the table, the spicy aroma filling the room.

"Hyung! Eomma's going to kill us! She said we couldn't have snacks before dinner," Jae declared, worry making his eyebrows scrunch up.

"Don't worry, your mom won't find out. This hyung is smart, she'll never know. Now dig in, the tteokboki is getting cold."

Jae was hesitant at first, but after his first taste he dug in heartily, his face all smiles. The both of us stuffed ourselves silly full of the rice cakes, and I washed our dishes, making sure to throw away any evidence we might have left behind. So far, so good. Jae and I settled in for a game of soccer on the Play Station, the FIFA game always making me eager to win.

But for some reason my controller's broken and I end up losing all the rounds we play. I'm a little put out, but Jae is running around the room triumphantly and I don't bother thinking too hard about the fact that I lost to a six-year-old, too caught up in his antics. As he takes a victory final lap around the living room, Imani walks in, several bulging bags in her hands.

"Boys I'm home and I brought the galbitang! Sorry I'm late but the market was totally packed today. Those old ladies pack a mean punch, I'm telling you!"

I grab some of the bags from her, and place them in the kitchen while she steps out of her sandals. Imani's in another dress today, this one so long it trails to the floor, covering up her feet as she walks. Her toes peek out and this time they're painted bright orange. I wonder how often she paints her nails; I wonder if I can guess the next color she'll use. Like I'm a blind man seeing the sun for the first time, I can't look away from Imani, and I plant myself by her side in the kitchen, generally getting in the way as she bustles from one bag to another, pulling out ingredients for our dinner.

We talk about nothing and everything while she preps the ribs for the soup, and JaeHyun watches us from the living room, his eyes alternating from the TV to us and back again. Imani is back to her usual bright self, and I'm pleased that some time alone has done wonders for the tiredness she felt earlier. Feeling good that I've done the right thing, I almost don't notice Imani's stare.

"What is it?" I ask quizzically.

"TaekWoon-ah, you've got something in your shirt." She points at the offending stain and the bright red of it makes me curse. Imani leans in closer even though I try and move out of the way.

"Yah! Is that tteokboki sauce?" She asks accusingly.

"Aniya, earlier I had a nose bleed," I say quickly, my hands picking at the cloth in a panic.

Imani is looking back and forth from me and JaeHyun, her expression fierce. She isn't saying a word but beads of sweat break out across my forehead.

Coming out of the living room, JaeHyun lets out a huge breath and his small hand pats mine.

"I told you Hyung; she always knows." He steps forward, his eyes pleading for mercy. "Eomma... it was all Hyung's idea!"

"Yah! Jung JaeHyun!" I yell out, shocked at the betrayal.

"I told him we shouldn't Eomma, but he said you wouldn't know. Mian."

"Oh, did he?" Imani asks in a quiet tone, taking a step toward me.

Somehow, I feel threatened even though her face was impassive. I took a step back as she came closer; my mouth having stopped working all of a sudden.

"Well, since you both knew better, then I guess I have no choice. Punishment is in order..."

I glanced over at Jae noting that his back is to me but our positions are mirror images of each other.

"How are you holding up?" I whisper to him, conscious of Imani in the kitchen only a few feet away.

"My arms are getting tired Hyung. How long do we have to stay like this?"

"Until your mom decides that we've learned our lesson," I say back despondently.

My arms are getting tired too and my left leg has a cramp but I don't dare move to relieve it. I think about my situation, regretting my wrongs as I sit with my legs tucked underneath me and my hands raised high in the air, a position I haven't assumed since grade school.

"Do you think Eomma will ever let us go?"

"She'll definitely let you go, she loves you too much. But your hyung is doomed."

Jae giggles like I meant for him to, but the sound brings Imani into the living room. Immediately both of us resume the position as she looks us over with narrowed eyes.

"So, I guess you guys have reflected enough huh?"

"Uriga jalmothaesso," we mumble in unison, our heads bowed in solemnity.

I sneak a glance at Imani and she's rolling her eyes at the both of us, a smile peeking out from the corners of her mouth.

"Alright, get up. The foods done so go wash up, ok?"

JaeHyun runs quickly to the bathroom but I rise more slowly, knowing my punishment isn't all the way over.

"Mianhe Imani-yah, I should've listened to you."

Imani laughs and the sweet sound of it makes me sigh in relief.

"It's not that big of a deal," she says waving her hands with a small smile. "I guess I forgot since you've been so perfect at everything until now. It's hard, but we've got to be adults with Jae. He's a kid and will ask to do things or have things without thinking of the consequences. Just spoiling him because we can doesn't mean we should. Jae already loves you, but instead of an older brother you've got to be a dad, OK? That means telling him no sometimes even when you don't want to."

I nod my head, thoroughly chastened. It was strange and new, knowing that I now had a son, that I had to teach him things and help him to grow up to be a good man. The idea of it was both exciting and slightly daunting, my feelings warring with each other. But I was determined to do this right; Imani was counting on me.

"Anyways, did you guys have fun today?" At her words, I remembered another reason why I had been extremely happy today.

"We did, and Jae told me he wanted to start training immediately become a soccer professional." My smile curved my lips as Imani's own eyes reflected shock.

"He said what?!" Disbelief colored her tone, more than a little indignation thrown in there as well

"I believe you owe me something, Mrs. Jung," I told her quietly. I advanced on her slowly as she moved backwards, finally cornering her against the wall. I reached out my hand hesitantly to touch her face, giving her plenty of time to move away if she wished. But she stayed still, her eyes closing as I moved in closer. And soon my lips were pressed against hers, the sweet taste of her dragging me under as I deepened our embrace.

Time and space no longer existed; it was just the two of us in our own little bubble. Imani's small gasps of pleasure spurred me on until I was crushing her to me, desperate to get closer, wanting to feel more. And maybe we would've stayed like that forever if a small voice hadn't suddenly asked if we were going to stay stuck together permanently.

Imani and I broke away immediately, my heart pounding and her chest heaving as we sucked in air. Heat filled my face but I fought the embarrassment as Imani jostled JaeHyun into a seat at the table, setting the galbitang out in front of him. As we sat down to our dinner, I couldn't help exchanging looks with Imani, our eyes unable to stop looking at each other for long. I realized that this was what life had to be about; having a woman to love and children to make a family. Everything else seemed to fade away that night and for once in a long time I wasn't Leo of Vixx. I was Jung TaekWoon, husband and father; I couldn't think of anything that could be better.