Chapter Text
"appa, why's mars red?" seojoong asked his dad as he pointed at his new storybook.
hongjoong gulped as he stared at seojoong's waiting eyes.
he..didn't know why.
hongjoong majored in arts, it is justified if he didn't know the scientific reason behind the question.
hongjoong forced his brain to remember any classes he took during his schooldays, silently ashamed for not able to answer his son's question.
but his mind was very tired for staying this late to think.
and those little eyes couldn't wait any longer.
"i'm just going to ask dad tomorrow," the small boy said as he flip the page.
"hey, i know the answer to that!" hongjoong defended himself to the little boy in his lap.
but the boy didn't even spare him a look, his focus was back to the drawings on the book.
he flipped another page,
the next one,
the one after that,
until it finally reached the last page.
hongjoong just stared at his son, mentally amazed at the amount of focus he got.
"now i know," seojoong mumbled as he brought the page to his face.
"what?"
"the reason why uncle yeosang called dad mars," he answered as he close the book and put it on his lap.
"what do you think?" hongjoong asked as he put the book on the nightstand.
"whenever dad gets mad, his face becomes very red. like mars," seojoong answered and gave a proud face to hongjoong.
thank god seonghwa was already asleep.
hongjoong snorted and he moved seojoong back to the middle spot of the bed.
"what?" challenged seojoong, offended that his discovery was getting laughed at.
"that's a great observation, buddy. let's ask dad about it tomorrow," hongjoong replied as he pulled the duvet.
"cool! after that we have to watch the dvd from the book!" seojoong suddenly got very excited.
seojoong yawned but still had his eyes wide open, hands pulling hongjoong's pajamas to gain his dad's attention.
"can i be an astronaut?"
seojoong was only five.
damn, hongjoong was very proud of his son.
"okay, captain! but first, off to the dreamland we go," hongjoong turned the light off and laid his body to the bed.
he turned to seojoong and pulled him to his arms, nuzzled his nose to seojoong's, and then soft giggles became their lullaby on the silent night.
☆
hongjoong felt something was poking his cheek.
and then something pinched his nose.
and then something was whispered to his ears.
"captain seojoong to captain appa,"
hongjoong turned his back, eyes squinted because of the sudden brightness.
seojoong was sitting on the bed, smiling at him.
"oh, hey there buddy," hongjoong cracked some of his bones and threw a kiss to his son.
seojoong kissed him back with some giggles.
"appa, daddy told me to say something to you,"
that's when hongjoong realized that seonghwa was no longer on the bed.
"what is it?" hongjoong asked, anticipating.
"you're late"
hongjoong instantly threw his head to the digital clock that was mocking him by showing 8.25 am.
and he his work started at 9 sharp.
he needed thirty minutes to reach kq entertainment.
five minutes of preparation...
he usually spent ten to choose his clothes.
he immediately pulled seojoong to his arms and went downstairs to find seonghwa.
seonghwa was preparing his lunchbox in the kitchen, seemed rushed but still as calm as the sky.
hongjoong placed seojoong to the sofa and then ran to the corner of the house to pull his towel for an immediate shower.
as he ran passed seonghwa to the bathroom, intended to ask his husband why didn't he–
"i have tried to woke you up for countless times but you just grunt and whined," seonghwa deadpanned as he laid whatever food into the lunchbox.
hongjoong tsked as he opened the bathroom door and closed it immediately.
☆
during the lunchtime, hongjoong received a facetime from seonghwa.
"appa!"
"when will you go home? let's watch the dvd!" seojoong was practically screaming to the screen.
"i'll be home at 7! wait for me okay!" hongjoong replied to his son cheerily.
"okay!"
"seojoong, where's your dad?" hongjoong asked.
"seojoong, turn the camera to me please," seonghwa spoke softly.
"what?" seonghwa asked without leaving his eyes from his laptop screen, continuing his book, hongjoong guessed.
"thank you for the food, mars," hongjoong said and seonghwa turned his head to the phone screen.
"he learned it from you too, huh?"
"of course. seojoong, don't disturb your dad, understand?"
"aye-aye!"
hongjoong said goodbye to his loved ones and turned off the call.
as he was about to pick his chopsticks, he heard a knock on his doors.
"hongjoong?" hongjoong could tell it was maddox.
"yeah?"
"meeting with the shareholders in ten," maddox said and hongjoong guessed that he left after that.
why did everything happened in a rush today?