The children were so shocked by what had just happened that they froze completely.

"It is alright. I am not ending things with you, so calm down. But what happened? You always said you wanted children more than anything."

Qiong Xing glanced toward Raon, wondering if perhaps something had changed in Iseul’s feelings, but Raon only shook his head helplessly, looking just as confused.

Even if Iseul suddenly claimed he did not want children anymore, there was not much they could do about it now, but his reaction still left Qiong Xing bewildered.

"B but... can someone like me really become a father?"

"Huh?"

No one could follow what he was trying to say.

What did he mean, could he become one?

If there was a child, then naturally he would become a father.

"But me... can I really be a proper father? I am not big and strong like Joa and the others, and people always tell me I cannot read the mood, and... I always mess up whenever someone gives me a job to do..."

So that was it.

Iseul simply lacked confidence in becoming a father.

Watching Joa and the others act so naturally dependable as parents had probably only made his own insecurities worse.

"...Then do you not want the child anymore? Because you might not become a proper father, are you thinking of giving up on having children?"

Even if he claimed he did not want to become a father because he was scared, that did not mean there would conveniently be another chance once he felt ready someday.

"No. Because it is my child..."

He was scared.

But he also could not bear the thought of giving up.

In that case, all Qiong Xing could do was help him find the resolve to face it.

"That is right. This is your child, Nura. Not Joa’s, not Elias’s, not Leander’s. No one else’s. This child is yours."

Qiong Xing gently lifted Iseul’s lowered face and softly cupped his cheeks with both hands.

"I understand why you are scared. I was very scared too before Lian was born. But Elias was there for me. Joa was there. Leander was there too. This child may be yours, Nuta, but the child also belongs to all of us. So... let us do our best together, alright? Together, as a family. If we all support each other, then I am sure the fears you have now will disappear someday."

If Iseul was going to be the father, then Qiong Xing would be the mother.

Where Iseul felt uncertain, Qiong Xing wanted to support him, and where Qiong Xing felt uncertain, he hoped Iseul would support him in return.

Perhaps life would no longer be as carefree and relaxed as before.

Even so, Qiong Xing wanted Iseul to slowly grow into being a father in his own way.

"I... yeah. I will do my best to become a father."

At last, Iseul finally smiled again, and Qiong Xing let out a relieved sigh.

...

"It is finished! What do you think?"

"What do you mean, what do we think...? What exactly are we supposed to do with this?"

...?

Qiong Xing tilted his head in confusion.

They had gone through the trouble of making it, so naturally they were supposed to use it.

What was so strange about that?

Still, seeing the children staring at it with sparkling eyes full of anticipation, Qiong Xing helped them climb onto it.

"It is a swing. Usually they are made for one person, but this one can easily fit about three."

It even had a backrest, so it was not dangerous.

When Qiong Xing gently pushed it back and forth, the children immediately broke into delighted smiles.

Perhaps it was not exciting enough for Rui and Yue, but if those two were allowed to play however they wanted, they might end up destroying the newly built swing entirely.

"Maybe we should take a nap out here today."

"We will!"

The swing in the garden had only been a spur of the moment idea, but seeing the children’s happy faces made Qiong Xing truly glad they had built it.

After preparing blankets and other things so they would not get cold, he headed back out into the garden again.

"You come too, Nura!"

"Hweh!? Ah... o okay."

Qiong Xing had noticed from the morning onward that Iseul had been hiding nearby while secretly watching him, but since he never actually approached or said anything, Qiong Xing had simply left him alone.

Now that the twins had spotted him, however, they happily grabbed his hands and pulled him along.

The way Iseul kept glancing nervously toward Qiong Xing was probably because he thought he might still be angry.

"Did you finish the work Raon asked you to do?"

"Yeah. Umm... I am sorry."

Qiong Xing had no idea why Iseul was apologizing.

"I... umm... I was just worried, so... it is not like I was spying on you or anything..."

"I see. Thank you for worrying about me. Nura, come have tea with us too."

By now, Qiong Xing was already used to this sort of thing.

When he learned that was conceived with Lian, Elias had stuck to him constantly out of worry.

And when Rui and Yue came along, Joa had done the exact same thing to the point of overprotectiveness.

"How about hot milk for the four of you? Elias and Nura can have some too if you would like."

If he really wanted to, Qiong Xing could have prepared other drinks as well.

But honestly, he was simply too lazy to bother.

However, both of them declined, so everyone ended up raising cups of hot milk together instead.

"Come here, Cari."

After settling the sleepy Lian and the others onto the swing, Qiong Xing lifted Cari onto his lap since he apparently no longer needed afternoon naps. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Slowly now. Like you are gently blowing air."

Qiong Xing asked him to practice by sending wind toward the swing.