The silence at the table was overwhelming. Apart from the noise the children were making with their cutleries, it was clearly uncomfortable at least for the adults. Jeonghan was beginning to think that this was a very bad idea. Seungcheol just sat opposite him clearly ignoring him as he dabbed at Chan's leaking mouth with a napkin. The silence was strangling Jeonghan. He had barely finished his food when he stood up.

"em....i think I'll be going now"

Seungcheol didn't even look up. Jeonghan cringed. He really was an asshole but he was still so handsome.

"You haven't even touched your food" Mrs Choi said.

"I'm full really, I'm okay" He said with a forced smile.

Mrs Choi frowned. "No you aren't. Sit down Jeonghan"

The blonde remained standing. The elderly woman sighed looking really pissed.

"Jeonghan sit down!" She said with a harder time. Jeonghan was quite scared of that harsh tone and sat back down.

Mrs Choi took a deep breath.

"You!" she pointed at her son who looked at her with round eyes.

"Come with me" She said and stood up first leaving the table. Seungcheol gave him a rather cold look before he left to join his mother in the kitchen.

As soon as he was with her,  he felt a painful knock on the top of his head.

"Aish, Eomma what was that for?"

"You really are a jerk. I can't believe I raised a son like you"

Seungcheol frowned. "Yah eomma, that's harsh"

Mrs Choi scoffed "You think that's harsh? What's harsh is your attitude towards Jeonghan at the table"

Seungcheol rolled his eyes "You were the one who wanted a housekeeper"

"What is wrong with you? Why are you so against anything that is good?"

Seungcheol laughed "You think I don't know that you are trying to match make us? I've told you mother, I'm never remarrying. I can't even imagine myself falling for anyone else"

"That's because you won't even give anyone the chance to get close to you"

She put an arm around her waist "What are you really afraid of Choi Seungcheol?"

The man grew silent. Mrs Choi seemed tired. She had had this type of conversation with Seungcheol plenty times. It was really draining her.

"Please Cheol ah, for my sake. Just this once. I'm not telling you to fall in love with him, just let him care for the kids"

Seungcheol nodded, a glint in his eyes "Alright"

Mrs Choi looked surprised "Really?"

Seungcheol smiled strangely. "Yes, but he's only a housekeeper okay?"

Mrs Choi smiled "Of course... Just a housekeeper"

"But there's a condition"

Her heart fell. "What condition?"

Seungcheol folded his arms "I will fire him if after two months, I am not satisfied with his work"

Mrs Choi stared at him in disbelief "Really? Are you serious? Two months?"

Seungcheol looked at his mother with a devious smile.

"If you don't like it, you can just tell him to go back to wherever it is he came from"

Mrs Choi shook her head "You are pure evil"

Seungcheol faked a shocked expression on his face "Now mother, is that something you should be saying to your only son?"

Mrs Choi sighed. "All right fine. I'll tell him about this weird arrangement"

She saw his twisted smile and she knew Seungcheol was hoping that Jeonghan would give up and go. She only hoped that Jeonghan would agree to this weird condition. She looked at Seungcheol. This had to work or she would give up herself.

Jeonghan wondered what was keeping the two adults. He sat awkwardly looking at the kids. They looked back at him, silence hovering around them. Jeonghan took a bite from his food as he looked at them.

The oldest stared at him. "Are you marrying our dad?"

Jeonghan spat out his food In shock. He grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped his mouth.

"What?" He said.

"Are you going to be our second daddy?"

He shook his head rapidly. "No...No"

He noticed that all their expressions changed even the littlest one. They started hitting their plates wearing a downcast look in their eyes.

"Wait wait, you want me to marry your Dad?" He asked in disbelief.

They looked at eachother before the older spoke.

"We feel sorry for Appa. He is no longer like before. We used to have so much fun before second daddy died. Our father has a very wonderful smile but he doesn't smile anymore and..." he paused and gulped. "it's so difficult for him to take care of us all by himself"

Jeonghan was shocked. He couldn't believe that this was what they had in mind.

The oldest looked at him tears almost clouding his eyes.

"Can you make him happy again? Please?"

Jeonghan looked at them and just then, he knew that this children had already stolen a big part of his heart. He hadn't realized tears were already falling down his eyes, when he did, he wiped it off quickly.

He nodded. "I'll try"

Their faces brightened. "Really?" the half American one said with a blinding smile. Jeonghan didn't know what he was doing or how he said yes.

The boys cheered loudly that Jeonghan couldn't help but laugh. In the midst of it all, the youngest fell his cup of milk and it spilled over his body. His face set into instant crying mood but Jeonghan was fast enough as he grabbed a napkin and ran to him dabbing at the milk stain.

He chuckled "Angel!" he said. The others laughed. Jeonghan nearly cried. He couldn't believe how sweet they were. He wiped out the stains and wrapping his arms around the Youngest chair, he started

"You haven't told me your names yet"

The oldest raised his hand "I'm Seokmin and I'm thirteen years old"

"I'm Minghao and I'm twelve years old" the Chinese looking one said with a smirk.

The American one puckered up. "Hansol but call me Vernon. I'm going to be a celebrity when I grow up"

He received a hit to the arm from the sassy looking one. "yeah right, I'm going to be the first celebrity from this family" he rolled his eyes and looked pointedly at Jeonghan.

"Hi, I'm Seungkwan but you can call me boo boo. I'm nine and this jock here is ten years old"

Vernon grabbed his neck. "Who you calling a jock!"

Seungkwan smiled mischeviously. "you want to be a rapper"

"Yeah, what about it"

"Looser!"

Vernon twisted his neck harder so Seungkwan coughed violently. Jeonghan pulled Vernon away from his brother.

"Stop fighting" He said sternly and they quietened. He turned to the youngest with a smile. He was especially fond of him.

"And you?"

The boy blushed "I'm Chan. I am five years old"

That was cute. He just wanted to squeeze him into his pocket and take him home.

"What is your name?" Minghao asked.

"I'm Yoon Jeonghan" He answered.

"You really look like a girl" Seungkwan said.

Jeonghan laughed "Really? Can a woman be this strong?"

He rolled up his sleeves and exposed his arm forcing the muscles to puff out. When it didn't, he used his hand to bring it out and the children burst into laughter. The laughter died down as the kids looked up to find their father staring at them especially Jeonghan and Chan. His face was blank but his eyes were deep and hard.

Jeonghan stood up abruptly. "em something fell on Chan....he..."

He was stuttering. He felt really strange.

"Kids, you are through with dinner aren't you?" Seungcheol interrupted as if he wasn't even there.

They only nodded. "You can go upstairs now. Leave the grown ups alone to talk" He said. Seokmin carried Chan and they all left the table and climbed upstairs.

Jeonghan suddenly felt heat rise up on his face. Come to think of it, what did he even do wrong? Why was he making him feel guilty.

"Come with me" He said in a soft voice. Jeonghan sighed and followed him. Mrs Choi was waiting at the living room. Seungcheol sat at a separate couch while Jeonghan sat with Mrs Choi. There was silence for a while.

"We have a deal" Mrs Choi began. Jeonghan looked at her curiously while Seungcheol sat with his legs crossed.

"Seungcheol wants you to work for two months. If he's satisfied with your work then you can stay or...."

Jeonghan clenched his fist. He was really loosing his patience with this ass hole.

"You're going to fire me?" He directed his question to Seungcheol. The man looked back at him. Jeonghan stood up. The last thread of his patience had been thorn.

"Did you think I wanted to be here? Your mother practically begged me. I'm only agreeing to this arrangement because of those lovely children. Even if you paid me, I wouldn't be interested in a grumpy boring man like you" he yelled. Immediately he said that, he regretted it. How could he say that to a single father who lost his spouse and is alone taking care of five kids.

"I'm sorry..."

Seungcheol stood up facing his mother. "is this the person you wanted to look after my home?"

Mrs Choi scoffed. "is any of what he said wrong?" She barked

Seungcheol stood there transfixed as his mother went on. "You really are grumpy and uninteresting" She laughed.

"Whether you like it or not, Jeonghan is going to work in this house and he is going to be paid fifty thousand won monthly.

Seungcheol glared at her. Jeonghan cleared his throat "Mother, I don't think that is necessary"

Mrs Choi gave him a scary look that made him shake. He kept quiet.

Seungcheol sighed "Do whatever you want!" He said and stormed towards the stairs. When he was gone, Mrs Choi went to Jeonghan.

"I'm sorry for talking like that to your son. I really didn't mean it"

Mrs Choi smiled "it's alright, someone needed to say the truth to that hard headed man"

She hugged him. "Thank you Jeonghan....i saw how you were with the kids. It was sweet"

Jeonghan smiled "They are adorable"

Mrs Choi scoffed "Don't be blinded by all that cuteness. They can also be devils"

Jeonghan laughed. "you'll be starting work next week so prepare yourself"

Jeonghan nodded. "Greet the kids for me"

"I will"

Jeonghan left that house with mixed feelings. He was going to experience a new kind of adventure with those kids but with their father, he didn't know what to think. However, he was going to put in his best and leave when the right time comes.

Seungcheol tossed and turned on his bed. That scene of Jeonghan with his children reminded him of Jihoon. Even the way, he had shouted at him minutes ago. It was a lot like Jihoon. He shook his head. He wasn't going to think of anyone else other than his late husband but the blonde scared him. If he was going to be working for him, it would be best to draw a line between them. Yes totally best. With that resolve, he closed his eyes and allowed the warm hands of sleep embrace him.

Thanks for reading. I took quite a lot of time writing this very chapter but I think I tried. Thanks to all my silent readers!