Just When I Thought

12: "Only You"

Appa! Wake up!"

Jinyoung scrunched his nose as he tried to open his eyes.

He stayed up too late last night because he needed to finish proofreading one of their writer's draft. It took him six hours to finish it.

He wanted so much to stay on his bed, maybe just for at least another hour. But he knows very well that his son won't let him.

"Appa! Come on! Wake up! Pleeeeaaaassseee???"

Jinyoung woke up to see a pouting Jio. He's on the side of his bed, dragging the blanket off his appa's face.

With a long sigh, Jinyoung finally decided to give up on sleep.

"Alright. Alright, I'm awake now, hon."

A cute little smile crossed the boy's puffy face. "You know what day is it today, appa?"

Jinyoung sat up and stared at his son whose eyes were filled with hope and delight.

"Hmmm... beats me. What day is it, actually?" Jinyoung chose to tease his son a bit. But he regretted it as soon as he saw how his son's face turned into a frown. He can't possibly bear to see his baby sad. "Isn't it my one and only baby Jio's birthday?"

His son's round eyes turned into eye smiles, as the kid beamed with joy and started to bounce up and down on his bed.

Jinyoung finds it real cute but he's worried Jio might fall over so he stopped the kid from bouncing.

"Okay, you need to stop, baby. You're gonna hurt yourself." Jio did as he was told so. Jinyoung smiled and patted his head. "I can very well see that you're excited but, did you wake your dad up yet?"

Last night, Jio slept beside him. It's been a schedule. Kind of in an alternate order. Jion will sleep in Mark's then Jinyoung's. Jio is happy with it since he can sleep with the both of them.

"I'll go wake him up now, appa!"

Then Jio set off to a run outside their room and probably towards his dad's.

Jinyoung could only shake his head in amusement.

Today is Jio's fifth birthday. And the kid is obviously excited. He can't blame him though. Mark has promised him a lot of things. And Jinyoung knows Mark will keep all those.

Funny as it is, well, it happened as how Youngjae suggested it. Mark did prepare everything regarding their son's birthday party.

The older involved him of course in all the planning. Jinyoung was the one who had the final say on the party's menu. He approved of the candy corner because Jio really wants that. And also, much to Jackson and Bambam's frequent insisting.

He also pushed through his plan on making it a pikachu themed party, only he modified it into a pokemon themed party. He figured it will give the guests a wider variety of choices when it comes to picking costumes.

Of course, the whole gang is invited. But because Mark is quite a celebrity now, more guests were added in the list. And Mark's manager requested for the party to be publicized.

Jinyoung agreed to it, since he realized it's also going to be a chance for Mark to introduce his son to the public. And it'll be a good thing, he thinks. No more hiding.

"Hey?" Mark's head popped inside his room, snapping Jinyoung from his own thoughts. "Good morning."

"Yeah. Good morning. Where's Jio?"