The night air was quiet, unusually so for a city that never really slept. In their shared apartment, nestled high above the buzzing streets, the warm light from the living room spilled out onto the balcony. Inside, the sound of soft baby laughter echoed — Youngjin babbling happily in his walker, while HyunBok chased a small plush lion around the carpet.
YoungBok sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes sparkling gently as he watched them. His hand held a bottle of warm milk, ready for Youngjin's bedtime. Sherri was nearby, folding freshly washed baby clothes, her delicate hands working with care as her long hair swayed with each movement. The domesticity of it all felt surreal. And yet, it was home.
"YoungBok," she said quietly, placing a tiny sock beside a neatly folded shirt, "He would've laughed so hard seeing HyunBok try to roar like that lion."
YoungBok chuckled softly, his deep voice low and affectionate. "He used to say HyunBok was his 'little lion prince.' I swear he got louder just to make Hyunjin laugh."
Sherri smiled her eyes soft with memory. There was no ache in the way they spoke of Hyunjin. Only warmth, only love — the love that didn't fade, no matter the distance.
They missed him. Of course they did. Every single day. But in this space they built together, they carried him with them — in stories, in shared laughter, in the way they loved and took care of his sons.
Their sons.
Youngjin, only six months old, had Hyunjin's sleepy eyes and YoungBok's pout. He was calm, often observing before reacting. HyunBok, now two, was energetic, dramatic — every bit a performer like his parents, with Sherri's charm and Hyunjin's flair.
"HyunBok," YoungBok called, reaching for the toddler as he made a beeline for the kitchen again. "Not the fridge, baby. That's Appa's Ice-cream."
HyunBok turned around, flashing a cheeky grin. "i-ceam!"
"Nope," YoungBok grinned, scooping him up in his arms. "You already had your treat."
Sherri finished folding the last shirt and walked over, gently brushing the little boy's soft hair. "He looks more and more like Hyunjin each day, doesn't he?"
YoungBok nodded, pressing a kiss to HyunBok's temple. "Same smirk. Same little bossy tone when he wants something."
They laughed together, quiet and easy.
Then, the notification buzzed on YoungBok's phone.
[K-Pop Central News] — YoungBok of Slay Kids spotted with a woman on a shopping date, out alone in Seoul. Cheating Hyunjin on his back with a woman?
YoungBok didn't move. His arm tightened slightly around HyunBok.
Sherri tilted her head. "Another article?"
He showed her the screen. Sherri read it with calm eyes, and then reached for the remote to lower the volume of the cartoon playing.
"They caught us when we were shopping for baby clothes," she said quietly. "I remember that day. You were holding Youngjin because he fell asleep in your arms."
"We can't even do shopping together," YoungBok muttered, setting HyunBok down gently before grabbing the milk bottle and walking over to pick up Youngjin. "But of course... they'll twist anything."
Sherri stood behind him and rested her hand on his back. "They don't know us. They only see shadows. We know who we are."
YoungBok looked over his shoulder at her. "Do you think Hyunjin will see it?"
"He probably already has," she said, voice calm. "But he trusts us. That's all that matters."
YoungBok kissed Youngjin's forehead and smiled a little. "Yeah. He trusts us."
---
Later that night, with both boys fast asleep and the lights dimmed low, YoungBok and Sherri sat on the couch together, sharing a soft blanket. The coffee table held two mugs of chamomile tea and a half-eaten slice of strawberry cake they'd baked together earlier — Hyunjin's favorite.
YoungBok took a deep breath, letting his head fall gently against Sherri's shoulder. She reached up and stroked his hair like a sister would — lovingly, without hesitation.
"I miss him the most at night," YoungBok murmured. "When everything's quiet and the world feels... slow."
"Me too," she whispered. "But... I feel him here. Every day."
YoungBok turned to look at her, his voice low. "You think he feels us too? There? In the military?"
Sherri nodded slowly. "I believe he dreams of us. He told me once, even if he couldn't call or write, he'd still sleep holding the thought of us in his heart."
YoungBok smiled softly, his eyes glimmering. "He's so cheesy."
"I love it," Sherri said with a giggle. "He's our romantic fool."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while. YoungBok traced circles on the fabric of the blanket, thoughtful.
"You know, sometimes I feel, I can't spend any more time without him."
"I know," Sherri said. "the way you still write letters to Hyunjin even when he can't reply."
YoungBok's lips quirked. "You keep those letters Hyunjin, don't you?"
She nodded. "Every one. In the red box under our bed."
YoungBok looked at her then, something soft and almost unspoken in his gaze. "You're his wife... but sometimes I forget how much you've given to both of us."
"You're my family too," Sherri said, eyes glistening slightly — but no tears fell. Just love. "Hyunjin is my man. And you're... his man, my brother, my best friend, my son in this strange, beautiful life."
YoungBok gently held her hand. "Thank you. For not running away."
Sherri squeezed his fingers. "For what? Loving both of you? That's the easiest thing I've ever done."
---
That night, before bed, they both stood by the crib watching Youngjin sleep. HyunBok snuggled into the bed beside the stuffed lion, thumb in mouth.
"I recorded a new lullaby," YoungBok whispered. "Want me to send it to Hyunjin?"
"Please," she nodded, smiling. "He'll love it."
They stood close together, watching over the boys — guardians of Hyunjin's legacy and heart. And though Hyunjin wasn't there physically, his presence filled the room: in every picture frame, every laugh, every piece of love they shared.
In the quiet, Sherri leaned her head against YoungBok's shoulder.
"I hope the world sees it one day," she murmured. "What real love looks like?"
YoungBok kissed her hair gently. "They will. Even if they don't… we already have it."
And in the glow of the nightlight, surrounded by the soft rise and fall of their children's breathing, they stood together — not broken by rumors, but bound tighter by love.