Exams commenced, work with studying piled and thankfully, days went quickly. The end of the long and event filled year was coming to an end which began the packing frenzy. 

A day before they were due to leave, everyone scrambled to get last minute things ready. Bags were taken out and only their following day's necessities remained.

Jitters went off inside and the long night went by quickly once they finally managed to go to sleep. Not even the duration of the night being able to stop them from waking early to start their long day.

Jaemin was obviously the most excited, unable to stop himself from swinging his boyfriend's arms as they headed to the dock for their hour-long ride.

Loud chatter, fake and real tears, promises for the next year were going around, and through it all, Jeno, Renjun, and Jaemin took a seat on the bow and simply basked in each other's presence.

"We're arriving," Renjun commented.

"Arriving to where we won't be separated," Jeno added, the dock getting closer and closer. "Have I ever told you both how much I love both of you?"

Jaemin's eyes widened, looking at Jeno as he felt his heart melt. Renjun looked like he was about to fall into cardiac arrest and clutched his chest, looking at Jeno in awe.

"Babe-"

"No. Don't say it just because I said it. And if you weren’t, good," Jeno said, looking into the distance with a smile before pressing a peck to each of their foreheads. "Let's get to Junnie’s house and start summer."

Yukhei was waiting in the parking lot, a standard family van waiting as they clambered in. Jungwoo hadn't tagged along so it was only the seven of them that would be stuck together for the duration of the drive.

Yukhei, Kunhang, Dejun, Yangyang, Jaemin, Renjun, and Jeno.

Kunhang took the front seat, his boyfriends taking the two middle seats and the other three were stationed at the very back. All settled in and ready to start the four hour journey home.

Donghyuck and Mark had made their way to their side of the country because surprisingly, they had found out they only lived two towns apart which in their case was a benefit. Mark’s parents were delightfully accepting of Donghyuck, Mark having told them before they left so they wouldn't be surprised when a rather loud and confident male would make his way to their house or when Mark would go out for the day and be back until late.

The only thing with that was the fact that they weren’t used to such rambunctious individuals so Donghyuck's parents agreed to pick them up and drop off Mark along the way, knowing full well their son may overwhelm Mark's parents if they were the ones to pick them up. They could at least handle another loud person if Mark so happened to end up one since they had spent all their lives with one of their very own.

In the van, it was quiet, everyone still loopy from the boat ride and Yukhei just focused on escorting the actual strangers who so happened to be his new brothers. Boy was he overwhelmed by receiving not the standard two but instead, four new family members. Who cares if they weren't actually married? Might as well be because he knew his brothers well enough to know that they were serious about the ones they chose and not just casual flings they managed to pick up.

"Date night?" Renjun suddenly teased, looking at Yukhei through the rearview mirror.

"I swear, Ren, you just got back. The hell are you on about?"

"Your adorable little red spot, that's all."

Yukhei grabbed his neck, pressing along the surface to see if there was any sensitive skin but didn't feel anything, although the spot that he could not see was indeed there.

"No, Jun, there was no date night," Yukhei insisted.

"Weird. All I can say is that there is a perfectly Jungwoo, mouth-shaped mark on you."

A grumble was heard and Renjun snickered, Kunhang poking the spot as Yukhei held himself from fighting both his brothers.

"I swear it was so goddamn peaceful being the only favourite child for so long. The moment I get home I'll beat both of you," Yukhei muttered tiredly.

"Nah. I have Jeno. He'll protect me, right babe?" Renjun asked, eyes hopeful as Jeno awkwardly chuckled. "And even if he doesn't, Mom would never let you touch me."

"Mama's boy."

"Daddy's toy."

"Bratty whore."

"Ass kisser."

"Dick suckers," Kunhang muttered.

"Slut fucker!" Renjun and Yukhei both yelled at the same time, laughing as Kunhang glared at both of them.

The plus four simply watched perplexed at the sibling interaction, coming to the conclusion that that was normal for them.

"Hate both of you," Kunhang snapped.

"Y’know," Yukhei said, ignoring his brother's words. "I’m almost sure you, Renjun, have done the nasty shit so no need to poke at me when you have two boyfriends."

"Surprise. Jokes on you, we haven't done anything."

Yukhei raised an eyebrow, whistling impressively as he nodded.

"Abstinence. Interesting. I didn't last a week before I snapped."

Kunhang did the honours of whacking the elder Huang brother. No one wanted to know that.

By the time the ride was dwindling to the half mark hour, the plus four had managed to get in a decent conversation. Going from getting to know basics like likes and dislikes to views of the Earth. It was an interesting time that passed quickly and distracted them from the fact that the journey was far.

Jaemin didn't even have time to be nervous, simply enjoying himself until Kunhang suddenly announced their arrival.

"WE'RE HERE! FUCKING FINALLY!"

To add to his dramatic behaviour, he leaned over his brother and honked the horn once they made their way up the driveway, Mrs Huang making her way out seconds later.

"MY SONS!"

Oh. That's where they got their spirit.

"MOM!" Renjun yelled, crawling over everyone to hug his Mother before everyone else got the opportunity.

Jaemin felt his heart both swell and break at the sight. Swell because the way he embraced his Mother was so loving and warm and break because never did he feel such enthusiasm when he hugged his own Mother.

Warm? Yes.

Loving? He assumed.

But never with any deep or meaningful emotion.

"Oh, you must be Jaemin!" Mrs Huang gushed, wrapping him in a hug before anyone else managed to tackle her.

He was surprised. Terribly surprised to be exact, but he accepted the embrace. Nearly shedding a tear to feel such Motherly love and warmth flow directly from her into him.

"Yes, Ma'am. That is correct," Jaemin said quietly, not wanting to break the tranquility.

"Oh don't be so formal, love. I promise you that you'll be welcomed into my family with open arms, okay? Kunhang has a big mouth so he told me a little about you, hope you don't mind," she laughed, never once letting go of him.

"I don't mind at all and thank you so much. I really appreciate that," Jaemin whispered, his eyes shutting tight. "No one has ever told me that."

"Aww, I'm sorry, dear. I'll love you like my own son so don't you worry."

"It's almost like she loves him more than me," Renjun muttered, no bite on his face but instead a smile as he held Jeno's hand.

"Greet your other sons, I think they wanna meet you too," Jaemin said upon hearing his boyfriend, pulling away slowly.

"Alright, alright, who's next? Dejun? The one who unknowingly caused a massive war in my home over Yukhei’s white shirt? I like you already, come here."

And as they greeted each other and settled in, their smiles never faded but inside, questions formed.

._._.

A week they were to be there and during that week, they helped Mama Huang at home, tagged along with Papa Huang to work─ where they found out he was a co-owner of a massive factory which surprised them to no end because not one of the Huang brothers had mentioned that─ and ate a lot of good food.

But one thing that nagged at the back of their minds was what Yukhei had said.

They'd had a lot of abstinence. A lot to the point that they honestly only began kissing regularly when Jaemin shyly asked to learn.

They lay together in the basement where a guest room was. One that had a bed big enough to fit all three of them comfortably. Kunhang and his boyfriends managed to find a room to fit them in an extra room and Yukhei had no problem with his relationship quantity or his bed.

It wasn't early, per se, but it wasn't as if it were past midnight or anything, simply late and a time where they could lay in bed and relax. Not one of the three were sleeping, lights off and slowly, tension began rising.

They didn’t know how it happened but it was always said that emotions and feelings rubbed off on someone when you spent a long time with them. That seemed to be happening here and before they knew it, all of them were feeling desperate and with a huge urge to remove clothing.

It wasn't hot but their body temperature was rising and very slowly, they realized what was happening and needed to discuss it.

And discuss it they did.