Work Text:
It had been ten years since Mikko Alexander Kim-Jeon was born, and it was, by far, the happiest decade of Wonwoo and Mingyu’s lives. Being called “Daddy Won” and “Dada Min” felt so natural, as if those names had belonged to them all along.
Wonwoo was 27, and Mingyu was 26 when Little Mikko Alexander was born. Some people might have said they were too young, while others might have thought they were too old to start a family. But for Wonwoo and Mingyu, it was the perfect time.
Building a family had always been their dream. More than that, it was something they had carefully prepared for–physically, emotionally, financially, and mentally. Having a child wasn’t simply a wish they hoped would come true. It was a commitment they intentionally worked toward. They understood that becoming parents would change their lives completely, and they wanted to be ready for every part of that journey.
Even before Mikko was born, Daddy Won and Dada Min had already agreed that they would raise him on their own. They didn’t want to rely on their parents, nor did they think about hiring a yaya to help them. Because of that, they decided that one of them had to step away from work, and Daddy Won was the one who suggested that Dada Min would stay at home for some time. He knew recovery after pregnancy wasn’t easy, and he didn’t want Dada Min to worry about work while healing and taking care of Mikko. So while Dada Min focused on their son, Daddy Won worked hard to support their growing family. The new parents really took family planning seriously and attended therapy and counseling to ensure they were fully prepared for what was to come. And when Mikko finally came into their lives, every preparation, every sacrifice, and every moment of waiting proved to be worth it.
The first year of having a newborn was the hardest; it was the year that made Daddy Won and Dada min realize just how much their lives had completely shifted. There were sleepless nights as little Mikko cried in the middle of the night or suddenly woke up from his sleep, with both dads taking turns watching over and comforting him. Days blurred together with countless diaper changes, milk bottles to prepare, and endless research on what foods were safe for their little one to eat.
They were there when 11-month-old Mikko said his first word, “Dada”, as Daday Won sulked for a while, kasi bakit hindi daw daddy yung first word ni Mikko, while Dada Min happily recorded everything.
Then came Mikko’s first tooth, bringing days of fussiness and discomfort that left both dads wishing they could take the pain away from him.
Those early years with Mikko were exhausting and at times overwhelming, but they were also the years that shaped them into the family they had always dreamed of becoming. Looking back, neither Daddy Won nor Dada Min would change a thing.
For a long time, the three of them felt complete. Mikko was more than enough–he was the answer to the dream they had spent years preparing for, and a blessing they never took for granted. Daddy Won and Dada Min did not seriously consider having another child, as their small family already felt whole. Their little family was happy and exactly as they had always imagined it would be.
At least, that was what they thought.
Everything shifted on Mikko’s fifth birthday. As he sat in front of his cake, home-baked by Dada Min and taste-tested by his “cake critic”, Daddy won. The 5-year-old was surrounded by his playmates and his parents’ friends, and just before he blew out the candle, Daddy Won and Dada Min asked him to make a wish.
Without hesitation, Mikko proudly said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “I WANT A BABY SISTER PO, PLEASE!”
The room burst into laughter, while Daddy Won and Dada Min could only glance at each other in surprise.
From that year on, it became a tradition. Every birthday, Mikko made the same wish–a little sister. His reason never changed either, whenever his parents asked him why. All of his friends in the village playground had a baby sister, and he wanted one too. Year after year, he said it with the same confidence and excitement, while Daddy Won and Dada Min could only laugh and exchange knowing looks, treating it as a cute childhood phase that would eventually pass.
But it didn’t.
Not until Mikko turned ten.
That year, on Daddy Won’s 37th birthday, the three of them gathered for a simple celebration. Dada Min cooked all of Daddy Won’s favorite dishes and baked a small cake at home. They sat together at the dining table, with Mikko seated beside Daddy Won, eagerly eyeing the cake.
After exchanging a glance, Daddy Won and Dada Min finally decided it was time to tell Mikko that they were expecting a baby.
“Mikko,” Daddy Won said calmly.
“Yes po, Daddy?” the ten-year-old replied.
“You’re going to be a kuya na”, Dada Min said.
For a moment, there was silence, and it made the two of them nervous about how their only son would take the news.
Mikko quietly walked over to where Dada Min was seated. Leaning close to Dada Min’s tummy, he whispered, just loud enough for his dads to hear, “Hello, my little sister, I’m your Kuya Mikko”.
Daddy Won, then walked over to his husband and their firstborn to join the wholesome moment. He leaned in and whispered to Dada Min, “He’ll be a great kuya no matter what,” and gently kissed the top of Dada Min’s head.