Eons ago, when the goddess was still very young, different gods ruled the galaxy. One of these gods, Oceanus, the God of water, fell in love with the Goddess of the stars, whose name had long been forgotten.

They were the happiest. He liked snakes, so she would line up the stars to take up the forms of them. She liked the water, so he would move the oceans to her. He was handsome. He had long white hair that was blue at the wavy ends, white skin, blue eyes, and he was tall.

Out of all three thousand gods, they were the only two who loved the new humans.  They loved their clumsy walk, their voices, it was like having new babies everywhere they looked.

Unfortunately, the other Gods didn't agree. They started the first mass extinction of the human race. The goddess never seen so many new stars coming up at once before.

Oceanus and her did try to fight for years. Once the population began to rise, the Gods decided to punish the two. They were going to destroy the Goddess and the stars, but her God offered himself instead.

As punishment for their rebellion, Oceanus was fused to the ocean, unable to go up to see her. She moved the stars to Earth to try to reach him, but it was always slightly too far.

As his last gift to her, he made her a flower, telling her it would help her in the future. A beautiful gold flower that shined throughout the night next to the sea in North Korea. It was the only thing that she had to touch, her tears making it glow brighter than any star. The plant was called Heleusa.

One night, a long, long time ago, a man found it and ate it, thinking it was a gift from God. She made sure the power from the plant was passed every other generation in the family. And now, after all that time, she has her gift in a snakelike man.

----

Marie stared at Beom's raising chest as she slept. Today was their wedding anniversary. Fifty-two years ago, when she was still pregnant with Jo, they had a secret wedding in a friend's backyard with all their little school friends, some of whom who passed in the first war. Both of their parents were upset, though, for different reasons. Her parents didn't want her to marry him. His father was hurt by the fact he wasn't invited.

"Omma, I'm going to class." Étoile stood in the open doorway. It recently cut its hair. It looked more masculine, which it didn't really like.

She opened her arms as she lay in bed. "Give mommy a kiss." When it did, she let go of it. "Do you have your snack? Did you take your pills?"

They took Étoile to get checked, and it does have Autism. It didn't come as a shock, but they were surprised when they found out it also has OCD. It admitted that was partially to do with Jo. He would get furious if it didn't do something right and hit it, and its brain now needs to have everything look correct. Even if it is, it would still check it at least ten times. It counts its footsteps and blinks, and it only uses its left side to wash itself because the right wouldn't feel clean. Another reason to hate Jo.

"Yeah, my friend's driving me to class." It looked so proud to say that. In school, everyone's found out that it's better for it to be unbothered to work. It could do twice the work in only an hour. Someone thought that it was so cool, and now it has its first friend.

She smiled at it. "Bye, Étoile. Be good."

It waved goodbye before heading out. Beom started to wake up, stretching his arms up to the sky. He ran his hand through his thin hair. Him and his wife both had a piece of black hair. Their children discovered they could freeze their ages. So far, both of them, Da, Lily, Valentino, Sarah, Susu, and all the pets in the family will live forever. Étoile wasn't sure yet, and Lloyd didn't do it because him and François wanted to grow old together.

"Morningggg." He gave her three annoying kisses before laying back down in her bed. "Where's the kids?"

She was doing her makeup. "Star went to school and Lily's with the pets. Happy anniversary."

"Ah. Happy anniversary, love." He looked up at her. She still looked young and beautiful to him. "Can you believe it? More than half a century."

She grinned at him. "You're making me sound really old."

He laughed. "What? It's a good thing!"

He was reaching for his pack, but Marie was quick to touch his hand. "Beom, Lloyd doesn't smoke anymore. You don't need to do it either."

He sighed, taking his hand away. "I know, just miss him." He touched her boob with a smirk, making her blush.

She put her mirror away. "Would you like to call Lloyd? He's definitely awake by now."

"Yeah." Despite being a billionaire, Beom still has his flip-phone from the 2000s. She tried getting him a modern phone, but he got so frustrated by it that he gave it to Ho instead. He doesn't even know what TikTok is.

She looked at him clean his glasses before putting them on. He has changed a lot in fifty years. He lost his big curly prim, got a bit fatter and shorter, and had those same skin spots that he used to tease his father about. She found it incredibly adorable how well he aged.

"Good morning, Lloydie." He had the red phone to his hairy ear, yawning.

As they were talking, Marie got up to fix breakfast. Admittedly, she's not the best cook. She could make desserts, such as cookies and cupcakes, but she's terrible at making meals. The one time she tried to cook for Su-Yeong, she burned the rice so terribly that the old man laughed and called on his ancestors for help. It doesn't seem like she improved either. She just burnt the eggs.

As she busy scraping them off the pan, she felt a smack on her behind. She jumped and spun back and saw that cocky face she grew to love. "Really?"

"Hey, hottie." He smelled the eggs. "You tried making breakfast?" He laughed and kissed her cheek as she pouted. "We'll get door dash."

She smirked, playing with his belly. He had a weird body type, like skinny-fat. "Maybe I eat something else."

They looked at each other, grinning. "Okay." Marie is a woman that doesn't show much emotion, mainly because of her upbringing. She doesn't show when she's flustered or aroused, but Beom knows how to get to her. "Neol jeo chimdaee deonjil geoya~"

She started turning pink as he hugged her from behind, his hand still on her ass. "Espèce de salaud effronté.."

He was already red. Her voice is already deep, but it deepens more when she speaks her native language. "Neol bimyeongjileuge mandeul geoya.."

In the heat of the laughter and shuffling, they heard a cough. They both looked with wide eyes, Marie pushed against the dining table. There, absolutely disgusted, was Lily.

"Um..." Her parents quickly fixed themselves, her father turning his back to her in order to hide something. "Are you guys having fun..?"

Beom had to go into the bedroom for a few minutes. "Hello, dear! Were the animals well?"

She kept staring at her feet. "Oh, uh, yeah. They were fine."

"Lily, sweetie, go on a date with Peter. Have your fun."

Didn't have to tell her twice. She was already out the door. Beom returned, normal again.

They were both still blushing. "Breakfast time?"

"Yeah."

--

After a quick meal and a shower together, the two of them were in the living room. Marie, who was usually covered head-to-toe, was wearing a summer dress that boldly showed her shoulders. Her husband loved it. She's so self-conscious, especially as she's aged. Beom's eyes never wondered. He always loved her.

"Do you think now is the time?" She played with his hair. He was so easily flustered.

"Of course."

He sat her on his lap, like he used to do when they were teenagers. She was smiling, her pointy nose up in the air. He started slowly, itching his huge hand under her thigh.

"Good morning!"

They jumped and turned to see Ho floating in. "Little brother, you can't scare us!"

"Sorry." He gave them both boxes of chocolates. "Happy anniversary!"

Marie smiled at him, her shiny French-tip nails on the box. "Thank you, Ho. You're very thoughtful."

"I know." He mindlessly sat down and put on the TV to whatever was on at a high volume, happily tapping his fingers together.

The couple looked at each other, and then Beom wrote a few things down on a paper. He tapped on Ho's shoulder. "Why don't you take photos of trains from all the places I was deployed? I'll put in the album."

The list was full of new places. India, Afghanistan, Jamaica, it would probably take him all day. He flew out, buzzing with excitement.

--

Da was chilling in her apartment. It felt so weird having her own space. It was lonely, but it was also nice to have quiet. Food was sleeping on her lap. She was now fully grown, and she had a black line on her golden fur to show that her age froze.

"Da." Her grandfather spoke to her from above. They made up since that argument. She honestly thought they should've been harder on him. "Do you know what today is?"

She touched her chin, her sliver bracelets moving with her. "Um, Friday?"

He chuckled. "No, my silly girl. It's your parents' anniversary."

She smacked her forehead. "Oh my God, how can I forget?" She put Food in her bed and closed the door. She then got her shoes on. "I'll go buy them something. Thanks for reminding me."

--

"I'm just saying, Byeol. We are twenty years behind on wood."

Étoile's new friend, Stella, was walking it back home. They have an hour for lunch, and they don't live far. It felt so good to finally have someone to talk to, though now it couldn't float and instead had to walk a few blocks.

"I don't know. I just don't think asking China for anything is a good idea. You know how they get." They were in the neighborhood, the trees blowing in the breezes.

She shook her head and gestured with her hands. "So what if they start a war? I could honestly go for another one! I didn't get to fight in the first one, it'll be great!"

It looked down, thinking of Lloyd and his wartime. "...I guess, but I don't think it's a good idea."

She sighed as they stopped at its house. "I'll be a great fighter. I get to kill stupid men." She laughed and walked away. "Meet me at the tree in an hour!"

It floated up the steps. "Okay!"

Inside, Marie was buttering up Beom with kisses, the former soldier turning pink.

He grabbed her wrist. "We're gonna-"

"Hi!" They stopped and innocently waved to Étoile.

"Hello, sweetheart!" She hugged it, fixing its shoes on the mat. "What are you doing back so early?"

It got a water bottle from the freezer. "Omma, it's lunch."

"No." Beom turned to the clock. "Oh, it is! I'm sorry, Byeol. I lost track of time, I'll make you-"

"No, it's okay! I got something for you!" It opened its backpack and pulled out three instant-noodle bowls. "Stella and I got some yesterday, and I thought they were really good."

Its parents happily sat as Étoile snapped its fingers to cook them. It doesn't try new foods. It eats maybe a handful of things at most. The fact that it did and liked it enough to bring it home was a huge deal.

They tried it and instantly gave each other a face. It was too salty, spicy yet dull, and tasted so cheap. Beom almost found it as an insult to his cooking. He makes different soups much better than this, yet his child would rather eat this garbage.

It finished first. "So?"

Marie happily pushed hers to the side. "It's delicious!"

"Yes!"

"That's good!" It got up to throw the trash away. "I'm going to go play on my tablet, I'll be upstairs."

Once it was out of earshot, Beom gagged. "Disgusting. I don't get way it eats so poorly."

She took both of them and threw them out. "We have to be patient, remember? Autism is a little confusing."

"I know, but even Ho wouldn't eat this." He looked out to the hallway. "We can't sex with it around. It hears everything."

She thought for a second, then grinned. "I know what we can do."

Meanwhile, as Étoile was playing a stupid game, it got a text from Da.

"💫, we need to get a gift for Mama and Papa. It's their anniversary."

Its eyes widen as it texted back, "You're right!😢 I forgot!🤭😱"

"Go get 🌼 and get them something. 🐍 and I will meet you there soon."

It rushed out. The couple jumped despite being hidden in the blanket and still clothed. It floated to get Lily, who was at Peter's apartment.

Beom smirked. "Now that we're alone.."

At Peter's apartment, the couple was reading together. She found it interesting that all he had to do was run his fingers on a few dots and understand everything.

"It was well for all that this peaceful time was given them as preparation..." He had his shades off as he ran his finger through the paper, Lily enjoying staring at herself through the two little mirrors. "...for the sad hours to come, for by–and–by, Beth said the needle was 'so heavy', and put it down forever..."

Étoile slammed opened the door, making them both jump. "Lily, we have to get a gift for Appa and Omma!"

"Why? Are they okay?"

"It's their anniversary!"

She quickly stood up, but before she left, she gave Peter a kiss on his fingers. He was a puddle after that.

---

"I can't believe it!" François was holding Lloyd's hands. "That's how it ends for three years?!"

"Oh, I know!" He was teary-eyed, Jr getting to his snacks he left on the ground.

He looked up, his tears big. "Aziraphale left his Crowley..."

He had his claw in his red forest. "But he'll come back! I'm sure of it."

François sniffled, putting down his arms. "I hope." He moved him over on his lap. He felt his long tail around him. "I've noticed you've been a little upset lately. Are you okay?"

Lloyd played with those freckled fingers. They both painted them black and white for the show and recently made bracelets of the family's eye colors. Ocean blue, light blue, three different sets of brown, and a bright red. Beautiful, really.

"I've been having-" He stopped when Da appeared, the couple blushing.

"Um..." She blinked. "It's their anniversary.."

He gasped. "Holy shit!" He flew up, François covering himself with a blanket and looking ever so guilty. "There's stuff in France we can get."

The redhead kissed his hand. "I'll make them a cake, love."

He hugged his head, his hand purposely going on his bulge. The other covered his mouth, nearly as red as his hair. "Thank you, dear boy."

--

Ho was flying around the world. He's been to so many cool places, such as India, Romania, and Australia. He got lots of pictures of the trains and people, though some didn't really like that.

"Ho." His mother spoke to him as he flew all over Greece. "Why don't you get Marie and Beom a few deserts from all those countries you're visiting?"

He snapped a photo of a cat. "That's right, I should! There's Galaktoboureko here."

She chuckled, touching his face through the globe. "My sweet boy."

---

"I can't believe we forgot."

Lily and Étoile were coming back from the house, a large painting in toe. It was of a Korean wedding, just like what their mother had. She did want her Korean style clothes white, though. She looked gorgeous in the photos.

Lily stepped into the house first, her back facing the kitchen. "Let's put it in the living room."

"No use." They both jumped when they heard Da's voice and footsteps. "They're asleep, and you guys are too loud."

Étoile stepped in as Lloyd made the painting float. "What did you get them?"

She blinked her long eyelashes. "Our pretty faces." She then pulled out a high-money suit and dress. "Also these."

Lloyd was staring at the painting. "Very nice." He looked up at the clock his father made. It was a beautiful grandfather's clock, burgundy, and craved with bears. "Let's make them dinner, Appa's always hungry."

"Yeah!" After everyone gave faces to Lily, she whined and sat in a chair.

They started cutting vegetables and adding spices, talking among themselves. Of course, sass had to be involved.

"You smell like the onions, Da."

The oldest turned to her sister and gave her a face. "You look like the onions."

"Stinky."

"Onion face."

"Pookies, please." Lloyd was giving his sister things to set the table with. "You-"

He suddenly hissed and flew up, his thin pupils fixed on the window. The others looked, Étoile laughing first.

"Scared of the fox?" It looked at him as he was floating down, laughing harder. "Crazy."

Without thinking, Lloyd grabbed one of the baguettes and hit it on the head, Da covering her smirk at the sound.

"Hey!" It grabbed another one and hit him with it, the girls laughing. "Don't hit your older sibling!"

He scoffed. "I'll hit whoever I want!" To prove a point, he hit the innocent Lilth.

She got up and grabbed the third one, hitting both of them. "I'll get the fox here. Don't play!" He hissed at her, so she hit him again. "Don't you hiss at me."

There was cursing and bread hitting. Da let it go on until it got annoying. She grabbed the last one and hit all of them, the trio stopping to give her the same angry look.

"Now, as the oldest, that's en-"

It all went out the window when Lily hit her. They started flying around the room, hitting and calling each other names. It went on for nearly five minutes when the worst happened. Étoile tried to throw its piece at Lily, but she moved over. Unfortunately, the bread knocked over a glass vase on the ground, smashing it.

All four of them stared at the broken shards in horror, then at each other, then slowly at the door to the living room. Thank God their parents are heavy sleepers. They got down on the floor.

"It's your fault!" The blue-eyed one pointed to Étoile with her weapon. "You shouldn't have thrown it!"

It put its skinny hand to its beating chest. "It's your fault! You shouldn't have moved!"

"Oh, so I'm supposed to let myself be hit by bread?!"

It stuttered before pointing to Lloyd. "It's your fault, little brother! You started the whole thing!"

"Me?!" He moved around like a dancer. "You were making fun of me when I was terrified for my life!"

"Bitch, you died like a hundred times, you would've came back!"

He didn't let himself laugh at that, instead gesturing to the window. "That fox could've came in and ate all of us!" Lily rolled her eyes. "It would've spat you out, onions!"

She gasped. "Onions?! You probably taste like dead mouse!"

"You sound like one!"

She muttered under her breath, "Tanga."

He held the baguette up. "You're lucky I didn't understand that."

"It's kinda Da's fault just saying."

"How in the world is this my fault?!"

It crossed its arms. "You're the oldest, you should've stopped us!"

The younger followed suit. "Yeah!"

She groaned and held the bread up, the babies hiding behind Étoile. "Well, whoever fault it is, we can just snap our fingers and fix it."

She tried that, but nothing. Lloyd also tried, still nothing.

"Grandpa's fucking with us, isn't he!" Although it couldn't hear it, Su-Yeong was laughing hysterically.

Lily swept it up. "I'm sure they won't notice anyway, they have old eyes."

Before anyone could , they heard shuffling. They hid in different places before the door opened.

"I brought desserts!" Of course Ho noticed the vase. "Alright, who broke it!"

Being a father, he knew exactly where to look. He didn't have to search far either, someone's foot was sticking from underneath the table. He pulled it, Da's guilty face showing.

Although he wasn't good at tones, he knew all he had to do was raise his thick eyebrow and press his lips together. "Da."

"Hiiii." Her voice was high. "We made dinner."

He looked over to the made table, pieces of bread everywhere. "Next time put the bread in the bowl."

They all slowly came out as Ho was showing them all the desserts. The food was done, just a stir-fry, bread, and vegetables.

Lloyd and Lily went outside for a bit. He really craved a cigarette, so she made him take a break in the garden. It was nice seeing the sun begin to set. He grabbed his forehead and groaned.

"What's wrong?" She was always hyperaware of his health. It made her cry when she had to witness his seizures or coughing fits and could do nothing to help him.

He rubbed his beating head. "Headache again." He looked up and saw a few stars poking out from behind the sun.

She helped him sit down and snapped a water bottle for him. She hates seeing him in pain. It's funny. She can't stand being babied yet does the same thing to him.

"They've been so loud lately." He tried not to let the rest slip. It'll worry her sick. "The stars are whining."

"Is there a way to make them stop?"

"The best I could do is just try to stay away from them." He changed the water to juice.

She held his hand as they walked towards the door. "Let's go inside then. Besides, maybe food could help the pain."

In the living room, Marie woke up first. She looked around for a bit, not knowing what year it was for a second.

"Beom." She shook him slightly, making him groan and opened his eyes slightly. "We fell asleep."

He sat up. "Man! We-" he wrinkled his nose. "Do you smell that?"

She sniffed. "Yeah, I do. The kitchen light is on."

They went in, still rubbing their eyes. It was a delightful surprise to see all the kids there.

They all greeted them in different languages. "Happy anniversary!"

"Aw, kids!" He patted Ho's head. "And brother. Thank you! Did you make all this by yourself?"

"Yeah, we did! And we got you presents!"

Marie noticed the clothes first, then the painting. "It's wonderful, guys! You shouldn't have!"

She looked at the spot where the vase was. The four felt their hearts drop. It must've been luck, because all she did was move past the spot to hang up the picture.

"Lovely." She looked to see her husband already with something in his mouth, looking at her with the most guilty eyes. "You big back."

Lloyd laughed the hardest, thinking about the time on their honeymoon when François ate all the food off his plate before he himself could even pick up his fork.

"Thank you, kids." Beom kissed his and Étoile's head. "We're happy to have you all here this time."

---

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