Seonghwa once more stood at the door the next morning after everything that had happened the day before, holding his dishes in his hands and worrying his bottom chapped lip between his teeth. He has been standing there for what seems like a while now holding these dishes, listening to what was happening on the other side of the door. Different range of voices and volumes, the plates clinking together as they're being either washed or served, laughter.

Laughter, the last time he heard this much was at the facility before he was transferred.

He would sit the plate in his hands down and walk away, only to come back a few seconds later with a gut full of brewing courage, only to repeat his actions. About the fourth time of him sitting down on his bed and looking at the bassinet containing his napping son, he takes a deep breath and places his head in his hands. He imagined Seoho being here, trying to think of what his brother would say if he were here with him right now.

Would he encourage him to go out there and face the strangers? Or would he tell him to stay back with his child and protect him. Either way, he would be right about one thing about this household: everyone is a stranger.

A gentle knock rings through the room and before Seonghwa can respond the door pushes open to reveal the blonde omega. His eyebrows raise slightly as he catches Seonghwa's eyes, before a kind smile takes over his face, "I didn't expect you to be awake, or to be here."

"I know, I'm usually in the shower or asleep," Seonghwa quietly spoke, picking at his nails, "I was going to come bring the dishes..."

The omega waited for him to continue, however when he realizes Seonghwa wasn't going to continue with that statement he hums and nods, "It's okay, we would've came and retrieved them."

"I know..." Seonghwa sighs, looking away from the Omega to his child, watching as his baby slept peacefully as if there is no worry in the world. His little, small world that's not so small at all.

The omega was quietly watching Seonghwa in the doorway before clearing his throat, "I'm Wooyoung, by the way. I uh... I was caring for your baby when you were first brought here." Seonghwa perks up at the name, he remembers Hongjoong and Yeosang mentioning the omega a few times, mainly remembering him as the Omega who nursed his baby when he wasn't present to do so. He looks to Wooyoung once more, the Omega was nervously picking at his long sweater and black pants, "I know you don't like the sound of me saying that, especially your wolf, but I was trying to do what was best for your baby and I'm the only one supplying still..."

"It's okay," Seonghwa whispers, smiling slightly, "I appreciate what you did for him, and me. Without you, he wouldn't have made it."

Wooyoung bites his lip before taking a deep breath, "Actually, without Mingi, neither one of you would have made it."

Seonghwa flinches at the name, looking away from Wooyoung to his son once more, and the Omega sighs, "I know that subject is touchy too, but I hope one of these days that the realization of what had happened comes across and you will see that he isn't horrible. Yes, taking your child wasn't exactly smart right then and there, he should have honestly let you hold your child and carried you both. But he was worried about the baby's health and the fact it was raining and cold-"

"I-I understand," Seonghwa nods, swallowing the harsh lump forming in his throat, "I just wasn't expecting someone to come in and take my baby away. Before I got pregnant that's what I've been told..." Seonghwa chokes on his words, a son threatening to tear through his throat and tears well over his eyelids and roll down his cheeks.

Wooyoung frowns, grabbing the dishes and then the doorknob, "I'll take these to the kitchen for you. And if you ever want to come out of here and see more than just these four walls, please do so. You are very safe here, and we will never hurt you nor your son."

Seonghwa didn't get a chance to say anything as Wooyoung turns his back and quietly shuts the door behind him. As soon as he did, Seonghwa released those sobs caught in his chest and curls into a ball on the bed. He tried to contain the noise to avoid waking his baby from his peaceful slumber, however in failure to do so his son whimpers and began to whine for his mother.

Seonghwa doesn't hesitate to swoop in and take his baby in his arms, kissing him and loving in him while whispering sweet nothings into his tiny ears. He wanted to forever engrave these words of love into his son's memory, wanted him to remember these kisses and cuddles and to never grow tired of them.

Later that day, Seonghwa thought a lot about what Wooyoung had said and everyone else. He was glad he met the other Omega, at least there was some comfort for him. And looking back at the photographs of the children, he's now realizing that Wooyoung must be a mother to the small baby. The child looked like an almost exact replica of the Omega, and if he were siblings to the girl that would mean that she too must be Wooyoung's child. The only thing he could tell however that Wooyoung was her mother, was that her nose and eye shape seem to be the only thing she inherited from him unlike the baby. She must take more after her father.

He was ready to get out of the room, he just needed to find the courage to do so. He tried imagining his brother here with him, and had a conversation with him in his mind pretending he's here. Seoho would tell him if he were here, to face his fears and face the strangers in the house. He's already met four of them, what could it hurt to meet the other three?

Before he can convince himself not to do it, he stands abruptly from the bed and saunters over to the door. With a flick of his wrist, he twists the knob and pulls the door open. The only sound he could hear was the heartbeat in his ears, his stomach twists in knots as everything screamed for him to shut the door and go back to his baby that is laying on the bed cooing softly.

He had been wide awake since his early morning nap, all gummy smiles and soft happy coos. Seonghwa even though has been preoccupied with thoughts about earlier encounters with the Omega, tried to put on a brave face for his son and coo back to him happily. All he ever wanted is to see his son smile and hear his happy coos, he never wanted to see his child sad. If the day were to come where his child approaches him and states he is sad, Seonghwa would do everything in his power to make his baby boy happy once more.

He turns around and saunters back to the bed, scooping his baby into his arms and holding him close before walking right out of the room. He follows the hallway to the kitchen, where he last met everyone and caught sight of Yeosang at the oven cooking something. It smelt amazing whatever it was, and the Omega was so focused on his task he didn't hear Seonghwa enter the kitchen until Minjun releases a happy coo loud enough to make him jump.

Yeosang's eyes were widen as he faces the Omega, placing a hand over his heart, "Seonghwa! Is everything okay?"

The omega's tongue suddenly was caught in his mouth and he couldn't find the words to speak. Yeosang immediately turns the skillet off he was making something in and rushes over to him, checking over the Omega and Minjun, worried something had happened to either one of them. When he was close enough and realized nothing was wrong, Seonghwa finally responds, "I just wanted to explore a bit. To get Minjun and I out of the room for some fresh scenery."

Yeosang let's out a relieved sigh, smiling slightly, "You scared me, I thought something was terribly wrong."

"What's going on?" A voice behind Seonghwa caused the Omegas to jump and Seonghwa to hold Minjun closer to him. He turns and faces the owner of the voice, only to come face to face with a shorter wolf he had yet met. He had dark brown hair that was neatly styled and soft brown eyes to accompany his face. He looked a little intimidating with his broad torso and the way his hands were held behind his back, but his eyes made Seonghwa relax slightly.

Especially when they softened more after looking at Yeosang.

Yeosang blushes and smiles at the male, "You scared me too you big oaf," he chuckles, wrapping his arms around the strong arms of the wolf. Based on his scent, Seonghwa assumed he was an Alpha. And based on what he is seeing, watching as he scents Yeosang gently with a content purr, he was right. The omega giggles before pulling away to speak to the Alpha, "Everything's fine. Seonghwa just caught me off guard is all."

"That's not hard to do at all with you," The male smirks, and Yeosang slaps his shoulder with a slight glare. The new member looks to Seonghwa and nods his head once in greeting, "Sorry to be rude, my name is Jongho. I am Yeosang's... unofficial mate."

"Unofficial... mate?" Seonghwa frowns, confused by the words.

Jongho frowns too, and Yeosang snorts, "We're courting Jongho. You could've just said 'I'm Jongho, the alpha courting Yeosang.' Not unofficial mate."

"But we are mates, just not official yet," Jongho arches his eyebrow, "According to our wolves at least."

Yeosang rolls his eyes before kissing the Alpha's cheek, "And we will be official the day we agree to mate as one and seal it with our marks."

The vocabulary being used between the two wolves confused Seonghwa, and he adjusts his son in his arms to lay him against his chest as the two wolves stare lovingly into one another's eyes. That is, until a sound of disgust came from the other side of the room, "Ugh, seriously? Go to your room, there are tiny eyes and ears present," Seonghwa turns his gaze to catch Wooyoung's face of disgust before the Omega shakes his head, "Seonghwa doesn't even want to see that."

Jongho rolls his eyes, leading Yeosang over to the oven to where the Omega finishes cooking whatever it was he was preparing for lunch for himself. Wooyoung passes by holding a basket full of laundry, sighing as he adjusts it on his hip, "Come on Seonghwa, follow me so your eyes are protected."

Seonghwa's hand was grabbed gently by one of Wooyoung's and the Omega doesn't hesitate to lead him out of the kitchen and to a different room, one where he sees the other two wolves he had yet to meet and the small baby boy sitting on the floor with one. From what he can sense, both are without a doubt Alpha's. Wooyoung smiles as he lets go of Seonghwa's hand and gestures to the wolf sitting on the couch, "Seonghwa this is Yunho, he is Hongjoong's mate and father to their handsome son, Hanji."

Yunho looks up from the book he is reading and smiles, waving shyly before going back to reading. Wooyoung sets the laundry basket down by the other male wolf and baby on the floor, sitting down beside the wolf and kisses him noisily, "And this is my mate, and the father to my precious pups, San."

"It's nice to meet you both," Seonghwa holds his son closer to him, placing a hand on the back of Minjun's head to assure his son was okay and to shield him if it were needed.

"Come sit," San, the man who he recognizes from the other day sitting with Wooyoung, pats the floor with a large, dimple filled smile, "We're just working on Woobin's identification skills."

Seonghwa frowns and San doesn't process what he said before Wooyoung chimes in, "We're working on having him figure out facial parts. You know, like eyes, lips... nose, cheeks?"

"Ah," Seonghwa nods, walking over calmly and sitting down with enough space for him and Minjun, as well as the other couple and the other baby. He gently lays Minjun down in his arms and the baby looks up curiously at him, trying his best to turn his little head but Seonghwa's arm wasn't making it easy and his muscles weren't quite developed yet.

The child sitting on the floor looks to Seonghwa and Minjun, pointing to Minjun and loudly exclaiming, "Ba!"

"Can you say 'baby?'" San asks the child, smiling at his own son while brushing his hand through the child's long, black, soft locks of shaggy hair.

"Ba!" He repeated, clapping his hands and grinning the identical grin Seonghwa had seen in the photo from the room.

"He's only twelve months old guys," Yunho replies from the couch, "His speech is going to take some time to form."

"He can at least say 'Mama,' 'Dada,' 'ba,' and hum," San replied, focusing on his child who tries to crawl towards Seonghwa and Minjun.

"Binnie no," Wooyoung grabs his child and places him in San's lap, "That baby is tiny and fragile, you will hurt him if you aren't careful."

"Tiny?" San arches his eyebrow, "He seems to have grown after being born what- a week and a half ago? He looks as if he could be four or five weeks old."

Seonghwa's scent became stronger with distress, the need to hide his baby became prominent as he scoots back slightly from the others. Wooyoung immediately sees this and holds a hand out, "It's okay Seonghwa, we don't mean it offensively. It's a good thing he's growing quick and strong! It means you're caring for him and giving him the necessary nutrients he needs."

"Plus, babies grow quickly the first month out of the womb," Yunho states, smiling when he looks away from his book to his companions, "I'm mated to the midwife, that's how I know these things."

"Even if you weren't mated to Hongjoong, you would still know because you read everything you come across," San teases the other, smirking slightly when Yunho blushes.

"Oh hush you two," Wooyoung rolls his eyes, shaking his head fondly before looking to Seonghwa, "You'll grow use to their humor the longer you stay Seonghwa trust me."

Seonghwa took those words and pondered over them as the two Alphas continued to tease one another with Wooyoung occasionally making a teasing comment to one of them in return.

Is he going to stay here?

••••