Thank U | ATEEZ FF

Ch-4: Growing Closer

You went to WooSan's room after giving Seonghwa a reading lesson. You thought of teaching him the hangul first since he spoke Korean upon first meeting. He seemed to be somewhat fluent in Korean too. You always spoke with WooSan in Korean since you and Wooyoung shared the same mother tongue while San was manufactured in Korea.

The geography had changed in the past 800 years or that's what you were taught in school. After World War 4, there were lot of reforms, new countries, some old countries being renamed and some other minor changes.

You currently lived in the ESS where English was the primarily spoken language. Apparently Korea had two parts in the past! Isn't that wild? is what you often thought about. Most countries that knew by today where separated based on language or to manage geographically large areas. Most countries were more or less easy to identify except for ESS. ESS was extremely scattered across the map. There was a mainland ESS and minor states which were scattered all across the Map. The minor state of ESS you lived was a few islands away from mainland. It was close to Japan and Korea. It would snow for around 2 months during December and January. Temperatures would sometimes go to negative degrees Celsius. Summers were hot but not very hot. It wouldn't rise over 40 and wouldn't go under 21. It not arising close to the equator was a blessing. Rainy seasons were fun and gloomy at the same time.

You made many memories last year in the rain with your girlfriend (2942). In your standards you got over her pretty fast. You dated her for almost a year. This year's monsoon was fine. You spent it with Wooyoung, San, Hyunsuk and Yeonjun. You thought the rain would remind you of her but it did not. Funny enough you guys got together in the rain and broke up this Spring. Wooyoung probably knew you needed company to replace her but you didn't! Seonghwa wasn't a replacement for her. He was like you son, your pride, your little ball of sunshine. She could never be on his level. She was once your love, your trusted partner in crime but it changed. Good things never last forever and you feared that.

You weren't ready to lose Seonghwa yet. He was a secret, a being that you weren't supposed to live with but that wouldn't stop you from going lengths for him. You would adopt him if the government needed it to recognise him as a legal citizen but that would be risky. You were a major but Hwa as well would be a major in 2 years. If the government saw a minor become a major in the span of a few months they would definitely come for him and you didn't want that. San wasn't recognised as a legal citizen of ESS for that very reason which made this pregnancy complicated. Wooyoung would definitely be the father but San might be denied the rights as a parent. He might not allowed to give birth at all and that hurt you.

It hurt you so very much. He'd be going through hell and heaven for the next nine months. Men were allowed to do so many things. You were allowed to dress up, wear jewellery and nail polish, get tattoos, wear skirts, frocks (not to campus though, the college campus had a unisex uniform) and everything a woman was allowed but get pregnant.

Pregnancy was something which was considered a womenly thing. M.pregs were only allowed in fanfictions. No published book ever had the mention of a man getting pregnant. Transmen were the only exception to some extent. Being trans was completely normal, in fact 1 out of 6 people were trans in mainland ESS.

San technically was designed as a transman. He had a uterus, a pair of ovaries and no boobs. No offence. He could get away with it if planned well.

You knocked the door then opened it. San was in a frock. This was the first time you saw San like this. He looked beautiful, splendid, untouchable and the reading glasses weren't helping. Maybe you would have dated him if you found him before Wooyoung.

"Hello cutie pie!" San opened his arms waiting for your lil blob of flesh to jump in and he did just that.

"You're in a frock?" You asked wanting to know the reason for his change in styling.

"I read online that these are better for the baby."
"But you don't have a bump yet."
"Better to be safe than sorry."
"So you'll be wearing frocks for the next 9 months?"
"Hngg maybe, maybe not. I'll probably wear jeans and stuff too in the first few months. Gonna be seeing Dr. Mingi in the evening."
"Mingi's a doc?" you asked being a little surprised.

You didn't know he was a doctor. Was he selling ice creams as a part time job? Was the ice cream place rented? He seemed to be an employer than an employee. Did he have a degree? Did he have to work overtime? Do you still have a crush on him?

"Ah I don't know and don't care" you thought out loud.
"But you asked for-"
"Sorry San, just had something in my head."

"Are you overthinking? It's gonna be fine, right cutie?" he said brushing Seonghwa's head.

"What's gonna be alright?" Seonghwa asked startling San.

"Soo this is your voice huh, it's really sweet."

"Thank you!" Seonghwa jumped.

He carefully placed Seonghwa on his lap and brushed his hair. Seonghwa closed his eyes absorbing the soothing feeling. He looked up with his doe eyes when San stopped and placed San's palm on his head at which San chuckled and proceeded to brush his hair again.

"He's a lot like a cat you know" San commented.

"Meow" Seonghwa purred which put both of us in a little laughter.

"Papa, why are you laughing? Did I get the animal wrong?"
"No-no, my lil blob of flesh is smart. He got the animal correct. Uncle and I didn't know our good lil' boy was this smart." I said as I made him go to sleep on San's lap.

"How much language does he know?" he asked after he made sure that hwa was asleep.
"He seems to speak Korean fluently. Seems that Korea must've been the manufacturing area."
"I'm from there too!"
"I know....... Wooyoung must've put a lot of thought into the piece"
"Nah, I recommended the Korean one because we are all speak Korean despite living in ESS because it would be easy for me to interact."
"Oh right, how's your English classes going?"
"I might be able to do my bachelors next year."

"What're you gonna do about the baby?" I asked curious about how the paperwork would go.

"What about the baby?"

"You can't be recognised as a birthgiver? You both could be fathers by law but the law doesn't know that you're.... you know... not fully human.."

"I could get in the register as a transman. I am not letting go of this child."

"I'll come with you as the witness for the paperwork." I patted his back.

"Thanks Joong"
"No probs"

"San let's get going." Wooyoung said coming in and grabbing some files.
"Oh hey there cutie hwa~" he cooed nudging his nose.
"Hello uncle?" He said getting up from his sleep.
"Wooyoung, Jung Wooyoung. But you can just call me uncle Woo."

"Shall I come with hwa too?" I asked Wooyoung.

"Sure" he said.