It was another sunny afternoon when Sunoo walked into the house, instantly met with the familiar chatter from the living room. He smiled at the sound of his family's voices, though he knew the day would come when his little girl would grow up, and he’d have to face it.
As he entered the living room, Minji, now a confident 17-year-old, was lounging on the couch, her phone in hand, and surrounded by her dads. Heeseung, with his signature smile, looked up at Sunoo.
“Babe, she’s growing up way too fast,” Heeseung said with a half-joking, half-serious tone.
Sunoo smiled softly and walked over to kiss Minji’s forehead. “She’ll always be my baby girl.”
Minji, rolling her eyes but with a smile, looked up from her phone. “Oh please, Daddy and Dads, I’m not a kid anymore.”
The members, each taking their turn to glance at her, were clearly a little more anxious.
“She’s getting so much attention now,” Jake added with exaggerated worry. “You know, she already has, like, three admirers texting her today, right?”
Minji just shrugged and smirked. “And none of them are a threat, Dad. Trust me, they won’t be around long enough to get a real chance.”
While Minji had a confident exterior, there was still that softness in her eyes when she looked at Sunoo. He was her protector, and she wouldn’t dare stray too far from his side.
Sunghoon, the most protective of them all, crossed his arms and gave Minji an intense look. “Admirers or not, you’re still my daughter. No one gets to get close to you that easily.”
“Ice Dad, chill out,” Minji teased. “I can handle myself. And I’m pretty sure I’ve had to fend off your admirers a few times.”
“Hey, don’t remind me,” Sunghoon muttered with a grin, shaking his head.
Jungwon, ever the calm presence, smiled at the interaction. “It’s good to see she’s got a sense of humor. But still, we’re all a little worried about the attention she’s getting.”
Minji just let out a playful sigh, knowing they meant well but also knowing they were overthinking things. “I get it, Dad. I’ll be fine.”
And then came the clingier ones—Niki, who couldn’t help but be dramatic about everything, pouted as he sat next to Sunoo, leaning his head on his shoulder.
“Sunshine,” Niki said, his voice almost a whisper. “How are you so calm about all this? I would be a wreck if I were you.”
Sunoo chuckled softly, brushing Niki’s hair away from his face. “She’s still my baby, and I trust her. She knows who she can come to for advice.”
“But Daddy,” Minji said, catching her dad's eye. “I’m still your girl, aren’t I? You know I’ll always come to you, no matter how many admirers I get.”
Sunoo’s heart swelled at her words, a tender smile on his lips. “Of course, Minji. You’re my first priority.”
As Minji spoke with her dads, the husbands couldn’t help but give Sunoo affectionate looks. They were never too far from Sunoo, their love for him obvious in their every action.
“You really are something else, you know that?” Niki murmured, his voice low and teasing. “How do you stay so composed, even when your baby girl is growing up so fast?”
Sunoo smirked, ruffling Niki’s hair again. “Years of practice, I guess.”
Jay, leaning casually against the wall with a slight smile, added, “You’re the calm one, Baby. We’re just a bunch of worried messes.”
