love is just a daydream [Epilogue 1]

[darkyulate]

Chapter Directory
Chapter 13

Epilogue 1 Joonmyun looked over his schedule for the coming week. The past month had been packed with activities and meetings that the king took it upon himself to see which causes and events needed his attention. "Your Highness," Minseok called out. His advisor set down his cup of tea before occupying the seat in front of his desk. "Do I really have a flight out to Venocia on the day after Jongdae's prenatal visit?" Joonmyun asked, scrolling up and down the calendar on his tablet. "Yes, you do." Before Joonmyun could say anything else, Minseok continued, "Alpha King Kyuhyun seeks your assistance in the growing rebellion over the passing of the treaty." Joonmyun just barely held back a curse from leaving his lips. This would be Jongdae's first prenatal visit and he wanted to be able to spend the whole of that day and the next with his soon-to-be husband. He took a deep breath and sighed. Venocia needed his help now more than ever and it was important to build a strong foundation in their alliance. He grit his teeth and thought that he and Jongdae would just have to bear with it for now. "I understand. Please confirm my arrival with Sungmin and prepare something that I can gift to the royal family." "Yes, Your Highness." Minseok left the room, phone and tablet in hand, leaving Joonmyun alone in his study. Joonmyun took out his phone and dialed the numbers he'd memorized by heart. "Hey, Joonmyun, wassup?" Joonmyun immediately felt his mood brighten at the sound of Jongdae's voice. "Hello, Jongdae. I was calling about the promise I made you the other day." The line was quiet for a second before Jongdae sighed. "I'm guessing the date's cancelled?" "I'm sorry, Jongdae. I forgot about flying out to Venocia to help them with the backlash they're experiencing." "...Isn't that dangerous? For you to be there?" Joonmyun could hear the fear in Jongdae's voice and it took all of his willpower not to run to where Jongdae was. "I'll be fine. Right now, it's only a small number of middle class Alpha groups. If I join forces with Venocia, it might be easier to apprehend them." Jongdae's intake of breath echoed all the way through his line. "Okay. But be careful just in case. You'll still be able to come with me to my appointment right?" "Yes. I wouldn't miss it for the world." "Good. I'll see you then.” And in the softest of whispers, “I love you." "I love you too." Joonmyun couldn't keep the smile off his face the minute they entered Yesung's office. Jongdae kept glancing at him, smiling whenever he caught the look on Joonmyun's face. "Why are you so happy?" Jongdae asked. He sat down on the bed provided and pulled Joonmyun close, linking their hands together. "I'm a little excited to see our child again," Joonmyun admitted. "A little?" Jongdae said with a chuckle but there was no bite in his voice. He pulled Joonmyun down for a quick kiss on the lips and said, "You're cute." "Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Doctor Kim said. "No you're not, Doctor," Joonmyun was quick to say. "Please proceed with the examination as you would." Jongdae shot him a look, catching on his lover's excitement. He didn't get a chance to tease him as the doctor began his check up. Yesung asked Jongdae his routine questions and then Joonmyun asked his own, mostly concerns about Jongdae and the baby’s health when he wasn’t around. “You’re such a worry wart,” Jongdae teased. “I can assure you, Your Highness, that Jongdae and your baby’s health are in good hands,” Yesung replied. Joonmyun nodded in gratitude, feeling the weight of his shoulders lighten a little. “Now Jongdae, if you’ll lie down and pull up your shirt.” Jongdae did as he was told and Joonmyun stood by his side, watching Yesung prepare the ultrasound. Jongdae flinched at the cold gel and reached for Joonmyun’s hand when Yesung pressed the wand to his stomach. Deep rhythmic thumps echoed around the room. Jongdae turned wide eyes to look at Joonmyun, his mouth almost hanging open in wonder. "Is that the baby's heartbeat?" Joonmyun asked, his heart soaring. Yesung hummed, his eyes trained on the screen. Joonmyun could hear his heartbeat echo almost as loudly as the beats coming from the ultrasound. "Yes," he finally replied, but he had this look that turned Joonmyun’s excitement into worry. "Is there something wrong, Doctor?" "I'm hearing one more heartbeat," Yesung said. He fiddled with the machine, and with a furrow in his brow, the heartbeats grew louder. Both Jongdae and Joonmyun could hear it, another heartbeat. Yesung returned the wand to Jongdae's stomach and swirled it around. "There." Yesung pointed to the ultrasound and they all saw two figures, two small but fully formed bodies. "Is that..." "Are those..." "Congratulations, Your Highness, Sir Jongdae. It would seem that you have twins." Yesung smiled. Joonmyun wrapped his arms around Jongdae in excitement, whispering his thanks and love in Jongdae’s ear. Jongdae couldn’t hold back from tearing up a little, pecking Joonmyun’s cheeks until he’d found his lips. "How soon can we know the genders?" Joonmyun blurted out as soon as he pulled away from their embrace. Yesung chuckled. "It's too early to tell now, but we could probably find out on your next appointment or later." "Woah, there, wait a minute." Jongdae said. "Actually, I was thinking of waiting to find out the gender until after the birth." Joonmyun turned to look at Jongdae so fast that he almost gave himself whiplash. Before Joonmyun could even open his mouth to say anything, Jongdae pulled out his signature puppy dog eyes that had Joonmyun giving up before he could even fight. “Of course, that sounds like a great idea,” he eventually said. "Great! I wanted the gender to be a surprise because we all know they're going to be alphas anyway," Jongdae said with a laugh. "I see. Well, I guess you’re right." “Of course, I am.” Jongdae winked at him before turning to Doctor Kim. “Can we please have a picture?" "Yes, of course." Once Yesung handed them the photos, the doctor finished his check up. “I know that the discovery of twins might worry the both of you, so let me just say this now. Sedocia General is fully equipped to birth Sir Jongdae when the time comes.” Yesung turned to Jongdae and said, “As long as you eat well and take your prescribed vitamins, you and the babies will be just fine. Of course, if there are other questions or concerns you may have, you know where to contact me.” “Thank you so much, Doctor Kim.” Joonmyun shook the doctor’s hand while Jongdae opted for a hug. With their appointment over, Joonmyun brought Jongdae back to the castle. "I'm sorry I can't stay until tomorrow," Joonmyun said once they made their way to the library. Jongdae had agreed to finish watching the rest of Joonmyun's cartoons until he had to leave for Venocia. "Hey, don't worry about it." Jongdae caressed his face, thumbs gently stroking the skin of his cheek. "I know you have a job to do, saving the kingdoms and all." He chuckled before placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Now, let's go make do of the time we have." They fixed the couch with some pillows and blankets and hooked up Joonmyun's laptop to the LCD screen attached to the wall. A maid came in with some snacks and drinks before leaving them alone to enjoy their time together. Jongdae settled in between Joonmyun's legs and the older wrapped his arms around Jongdae's waist. Once comfortable, Jongdae played the video, sighing in the warmth that radiated around them. They stayed like that until the sun bid them goodbye for the day. Joonmyun urged Jongdae to stay for the night, coaxing him with whispers of food and a warm bed. "I'm not hard to convince, you know?" Jongdae whispered on his lips. "Then you're staying?" Jongdae's kiss was all the reply Joonmyun needed. In the morning, Joonmyun woke up to Jongdae's warm body pressed against his, his small bump nudging his side. He turned to pull Jongdae closer, wrapping his arms around Jongdae’s frame. Jongdae smelled of his favorite chocolate, sweet and luscious, addicting. After closing his eyes for a minute more, Joonmyun pushed himself to pull away, gritting his teeth until he was up and off the bed. He dressed as quickly and neatly as he could, wanting to spend a little more time admiring the man still sleeping soundly on his bed. Joonmyun smiled and sat down at the edge of his bed. Jongdae had turned in his sleep and the blanket settled nicely over his bump. Joonmyun smiled as he reached out to feel the soft curve, whispering his own good mornings and goodbyes to the babies. Jongdae squirmed under his touch and his eyes opened just as Joonmyun looked at him. "You leavin'?" Jongdae muttered, eyes blinking before closing again. "Yes," Joonmyun replied, sidling closer so he could stroke Jongdae's hair. "Take care." "Will do." Joonmyun smiled and pressed his lips against Jongdae's cheeks. "I love you." "I love you too." Six months later. Joonmyun's heart pounded in his chest as he clenched his fists. "Are you scared?" Jongdae whispered, eyeing his hands. Joonmyun managed to bark out a soft chuckle. "Yes, a little." "Don't be. It's not like you're the one giving birth." "I know," Joonmyun said. He did. He knew Jongdae was in a condition far worse than him but he couldn't help the erratic beating of his heart or the fear creeping up his chest. He wished he could hold Jongdae's hand somehow to feel better. "It'll be just fine, right Doc?" Yesung appeared then, almost covered from head to toe. The only thing Joonmyun and Jongdae could see were his eyes and nose. "Yes, of course. There have been no signs of any complications so please relax, Your Highnesses." Joonmyun nodded and smiled although it did little to settle his nerves. He opted for caressing Jongdae's face, allowing the bright lights to catch on his golden ring. Jongdae turned to him and smiled. "Relax," he mouthed, the words barely audible. Joonmyun took a deep breath and tried. Everything went by like a blur. As soon as Yesung began the operation, Joonmyun lost himself in keeping up with the doctors and nurses as well as checking on Jongdae's condition. Jongdae stayed quiet throughout the whole thing. Whether it was from the drugs or something else, Joonmyun wasn't quite sure. The smell hit Joonmyun first, a candy like scent that permeated the room, tickling their senses. "What's that?" Jongdae mumbled. The nurses gathered around the doctor, helping him pull the baby out and then Yesung said, "It's an omega." "What?" He met eyes with Jongdae but the other was a little too out of it to entertain Joonmyun's questions. It didn't take long before the doctor successfully extracted the baby but his smile quickly fell away when he began to present the child to the couple. "It's a boy." Yesung sounded unsure but both Joonmyun and Jongdae could see it for themselves. Their first born was a male omega. Before they could question or panic, Yesung put the baby in the arms of a nurse for clean up and prepared to get the next child out. Joonmyun and Jongdae didn't have time to question the circumstances as they waited with bated breath for their youngest. The salty scent of the sea filled the emergency room and the obvious relief of the nurses and doctors could be seen once they confirmed the child was an alpha. "It's a girl," Yesung said, presenting the child before handing it over to another nurse. He quickly stitched up Jongdae, and Joonmyun took the moment to look at their children, wrapped in different colored cloths. "Will you be naming them, Your Highness?" the nurse asked, a clipboard in her hand. Joonmyun's eyes widened at the question. For a moment, he couldn't remember the name combination they'd agreed on but as the seconds ticked by, he started recalling. "Jonghwa for the boy and Joonmi for the girl." The nurse nodded and wheeled the babies out of the emergency room. Joonmyun followed the movement for a second before going back to Jongdae. They'd finished stitching the incision and Yesung was preparing him to be wheeled back to his room. Joonmyun accompanied him all throughout, stayed with Jongdae and listened as the nurse instructed them on what to do when he woke up. "Doctor Kim says he wants to speak to you soon about Baby Jonghwa, but until His Highness, Omega Prince Jongdae is feeling better, he'll save the discussion and come up with some theories for now." Once the nurse finished telling them the feeding schedule for the twins, she left Jongdae and Joonmyun. Joonmyun sat on the edge of Jongdae's bed and held his hand. He paid close attention to their ring fingers, smiling at the way the matching bands slid against each others when he twined their hands. "Do we really have an omega baby boy?" Jongdae's eyes were wide as they looked into Joonmyun's. "Yes. I almost couldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it for myself." "I didn't even think that was possible," Jongdae said with a snort. "Was that possible?" Joonmyun shook his head. "I don't know. This is the first omega born into the family. I always thought our blood was too strong that it couldn't produce any other status aside from alphas." "I guess our Jonghwa's a miracle baby then." Jongdae cracked a smile and Joonmyun shared it, feeling the tension and worry slip away. "It sounds like he is." After a quiet moment, Jongdae's smile faltered and his gaze turned to their clasped hands. "You're okay with that? With your first born being an omega?" The question surprised Joonmyun. It didn't even occur him to think about it like that. He'd been stuck on the fact that they were able to conceive a male omega that he didn't have time to think about an omega inheriting his throne. As the seconds grew, Jongdae began to frown and Joonmyun quickly tried to come up with a coherent reply. "Yes, I'm more than fine with it actually." He tightened his hold on Jongdae's hand. "His status means nothing now other than the fact that he can bear a child." He smiled and turned Jongdae to face him. "Omega King Jonghwa sounds like a fitting title." Jongdae's lips grew into a beautiful smile, and Joonmyun savored it for a second before pressing his lips against that smile. The nurse knocked on their door as soon as they pulled away. Two of them pushed their babies into the room, announcing to the royal couple that it was feeding time. They helped Jonghwa into Jongdae's arms, carefully undoing his hospital gown so he could nurse the baby. The other nurse helped Joonmi into Joonmyun's arms, teaching them the proper way to hold the baby as well as how to assist Jongdae when he fed. Yesung knocked on their door just as Jonghwa latched onto a nipple. The nurse let him in as the couple were both preoccupied with their babies. Yesung threw them a nervous smile. "I've called a few specialists who’ve developed some theories as to how you may have been able to conceive Omega Prince Jonghwa. I thought maybe you would be interested in hearing them." Although Joonmyun didn't really care for how they were able to have a miracle such as Jonghwa, he was a bit curious to find out what theories the doctor might have. He turned to look at Jongdae and the omega seemed to realize Joonmyun was waiting for his approval. Jongdae cleared his throat and nodded in Yesung's direction. "They’re specialists whose study focuses on male omega births as the male omega population is low all over the country. They've theorized that with the omega blood running in the royal family from First Royal Family, and with your ancestors having taken on more male omegas for spouses, the dormant omega gene in Alpha King Joonmyun’s blood could have been passed on to your son. Of course, there is no evidence to prove their theory, but I think it may be the most accurate." Joonmyun peered at his daughter and then at his son. Not only did they look different, but they smelled differently too. In his arms was an alpha and in Jongdae's arms was an omega. Joonmyun turned to Yesung and smiled. "Thank you, Doctor Kim, for that insight, but I don't think Jongdae and I will ever need a definite answer as to why we have Jonghwa. It won't change the fact that he is our son and that he is my heir." Yesung returned the smile and nodded. "I understand." After doing some routine check-ups on Jongdae, Yesung excused himself and left the nurses to accompany the couple. When Jonghwa finished feeding, they gave him to Joonmyun so Jongdae could nurse Joonmi. Joonmyun nestled Jonghwa in his arms and sidled closer to Jongdae. He watched their children in their arms and felt his heart swell. Jongdae looked up from where he was watching Joonmi nurse, locking eyes with Joonmyun. Joonmyun cracked a smile at the way Jongdae looked. His husband looked worn with the stress of labor, his skin a little pallid from all that had happened, but with Joonmi on his chest and that small kittenish smile tugging at the corners of his lips, Joonmyun's heart stuttered. It was like he was falling in love all over again. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you, too."

Epilogue 2