Chapter Text
Yeosang is happy and content with his life. He has his four, almost five-year-old daughter, he has his three best friends, he has a job with a good pay; a good enough pay to keep a roof over Yeosang and Haewon's head, food on the table and clothes on their back. And despite Yeosang having a degree in Photography, but working an office job, Yeosang is happy as long as his daughter is happy and healthy.
Haewon is the only thing keeping Yeosang sane and happy at this point.
Yeosang opens Haewon’s wardrobe and looks through it, balancing his phone between his shoulder and ear as he looks for suitable clothes for the mid-November chill.
“You’re still coming to Winter Wonderland with us, right?” He speaks into the phone as he pulls out a pink sweatshirt and some light wash jeans.
The frown is evident in San’s voice as he replies, saying, “Of course. Do you think I’d actually ditch last minute? I’m hurt, Yeosangie.”
As the young father throws the clothes onto the bed, he sits down on the edge. He shakes his head even though his best friend can’t see him. “No, obviously not. I was just making sure. Haewon’s looking forward to see you.”
“No one’s more excited than me. I can’t wait to see my baby. I took off work today just for her.”
Yeosang smiles softly, picking at a loose thread on his daughter’s bed as he takes the phone into his other hand. “Thank you for this, San. I really don’t know what I’d do without you.” He pauses. “Without Seonghwa hyung or Hongjoong hyung, too.”
San senses the underlying meaning and realises that Yeosang isn’t just talking about him taking work off. “You’d be just fine without us, Yeosang. We do help you out, but this is all you.”
The older bites his bottom lip and chews on it, his fingers still playing with the thread. “Not really.”
His best friend’s voice is stern as he speaks, “Yeosangie, I know your life didn’t go to plan. I know you had your whole future planned out and this is nothing like what you hoped, but you made a life for you and your baby. That’s all you, Sangie.”
“But—”
“Yes, we helped. Seonghwa hyung, Hongjoong hyung and I helped you when it got a little too much, but the amazing life you’re giving to your baby?” San cuts him off and then carries on. “No one can take credit for that but you.”
Yeosang sighs as he grips his phone a little tighter. “Is it the best life I can give her though?” He whispers into the phone. “Her mother isn’t here; she only has one parent.”
Yeosang wants everything for his daughter, but he knows he can't always give her that. He knows he's not the best father at times, and that he gets frustrated and angry, more at himself than Haewon.
He can't help but think sometimes that his baby would've had a better life without him. He struggled a lot with money when Haewon was first born. Being a Photography graduate, he couldn't find a good pay job for the first year after graduating.
When Haewon was born less than a year after graduating, the young father had to get a lot of help from his friends and they helped without question. Though now, Yeosang feels indebted to them, even though Yeosang knows they helped out because they love him. He knows they're always behind him.
He's doing everything he can to keep his daughter healthy and happy, but he's not confident he can do that. He's not confident in his abilities. He feels like he has to do better. Yeosang knows he can't give her everything, but he knows he has to give her his best as her father.
“Yeo, listen to me,” the younger boy says seriously through the other end of the line. “Is Haewon happy?”
“As happy as a toddler can be, I guess,” Yeosang replies, hands still fidgeting.
“Does she have a roof over her head? Does she have clothes to keep her warm? Food to keep her full and healthy?”
The father nods, but then speaks up when he realises San can't see him. “Yeah.”
“Exactly. And the most important thing is, she has a dad who loves her so much that it can't be put into words," San says softly. "She doesn't need anything else. Her mother isn’t here, but you are. She only needs you right now.”
“Thank you, Sannie,” Yeosang whispers into the phone.
The younger sighs, but the smile can be heard in his voice. “Always, Yeosangie. Please stop feeling like this.”
They both don’t say anything for a while, the line silent on both sides, only the sounds of their light breathing being heard.
But Yeosang can’t help feeling like this. He became a dad at a young age unexpectedly and without the help of Haewon’s mother, it’s so hard. He just feels so tired sometimes.
Having his friends by his side help him more than words can explain, and he will forever be grateful.
“Hey, I love you,” San finally speaks, not letting Yeosang’s thoughts develop any further. “Get Haewonie ready, I’ll pick you guys up in fifteen, okay? Tell her I love her.”
“Okay,” the older whispers. “Love you, San.”
The two boys hang up and Yeosang doesn’t allow himself to overthink any further, calling his daughter into her bedroom from the living room where he left her watching television.
He hears little footsteps make their way upstairs and into her room.
“Are we going now, Daddy?” Her soft voice asks as she walks over to him.
Yeosang smiles and lifts her up into his arm, kissing her hair. “Uh-huh. Uncle Sannie will be here soon.”
Her eyes widen and she squeals a little. “Forgot Uncle Sannie was coming!”
It’s obvious who her favourite uncle is.
The blond-haired boy kisses his daughter one more time, on the forehead, and lets her down so he can help her get dressed. “I’m gonna tell him you forgot about him.”
Yeosang’s teasing, but Haewon frowns and cries out, “No! Please don’t, Daddy. He’ll think I don’t like him anymore.”
He picks up Haewon’s sweatshirt and pulls her forward to pull of the clothes she wore to Reception earlier. It gets colder in the night, so Yeosang wanted to get her into something warmer.
“Uncle Sannie would never. He knows he’s your favourite,” Yeosang says, smiling as he slips her sweatshirt over her head, next helping her with her jeans. “He always brags to Uncle Hwa and Uncle Joongie.”
“I love Uncle Hwa and Uncle Joongie, too!”
“I know you do, sweetheart.”
“Do they think I don’t like them?” Haewon pouts as she looks down, probably thinking about her uncles being upset with her.
“Of course not, baby. They know you love them with your whole heart.” Yeosang moves up from the bed to get the hairbrush.
He calls Haewon over to where he’s standing and she obliges, standing in front of him with her back facing him.
“Are you sure, Daddy?” The little girl asks as Yeosang pulls her hair into a half up-half down style, securing it in place with black bow.
When the dad is pleased with his work, he puts the brush down and bends to Haewon’s height. He turns her around and faces her towards him, saying, “Of course I’m sure. Daddy knows everything.”
Haewon smiles slightly before grabbing her dad’s face in her hands, kissing his nose, a little sloppily. Yeosang groans, but he’s trying to hide a grin as he does the same thing to her.
Yeosang sends his daughter downstairs back to her television show so he can get dressed. He has his work clothes on so once he’s in his room, he changes into something more casual. When he’s done, he grabs his things such as his phone and wallet before making his way downstairs.
His phone chimes with a message as he’s putting Haewon’s shoes on for her. Yeosang knows it’s San letting him know he’s here so instead of pulling out his phone straight away, he pulls it out of his pocket once he’s finished with putting on his shoes too, and their coats.
choi san
im outside
bring me my baby
kang yeosang
i'm coming :)
choi san
not u
wonnie
kang yeosang
oh really?
i didn’t know that
choi san
yes u did
kang yeosang
yes i did
out in a sec
choi san
<3
Making sure the television and any other appliances are off, Yeosang takes his daughter’s hand into his and walks to the front door, unlocking it and pulling it open. When he’s outside, he spots San’s car straight away with said person standing outside, arms open for Haewon.
“Uncle Sannie!”
“Baby Wonnie!” San mimics, the two using their nicknames for each other.
Haewon literally jumps into San’s arms and Yeosang can’t help but smile. He turns around to lock the front door before he makes his way over to his car. He unlocks it and gets Haewon’s car sear out before he closes the door and locks it again, making his way over to his best friend and daughter.
“Hey, San,” Yeosang greets San and San turns to him, grin wide and eyes crinkled from seeing Haewon.
“Hi, Yeosangie,” he says, pulling open the car’s back door for him. “I’ll buckle her in.”
The older boy nods and puts the car seat into the car before he makes his way around and gets into the passenger seat, putting on his seatbelt.
San is done a few seconds later. He places a kiss onto Haewon’s forehead before he gets back into the driver’s seat.
Yeosang turns around to face his daughter, face stern. “No taking off your seatbelt. If you do, we’ll go straight back home.”
The little girl usually takes off her seatbelt to move closer to her dad while he drives and at this point, Yeosang’s just sick of it. Haewon obviously doesn’t know how to put it back on so while looking for the closest place to pull over and panicking that something might happen to his child in the few minutes she’s not strapped, Yeosang’s sick of her antics at this point.
Haewon pouts. “I like Uncle Sannie more than you.”
The father looks over at his best friend and raises an eyebrow at him, so San turns around too.
“I’m with your dad on this, Wonnie. No Wonderland if you take off your seatbelt.”
The girl widens her eyes before whining and crossing her tiny arms over her chest. “Fine.”
“Good.” Yeosang faces the front again and as does San.
As the younger boy starts the car, he mutters, “You’ve got a really chaotic daughter.”
“Tell me about it.”
They arrive at Winter Wonderland almost half an hour later due to Friday night traffic. It takes another extra fifteen minutes to find a parking space and Haewon’s restless at this point.
“Daddy!”
Yeosang sighs, turning around. “I know, baby. We’re just parking now.”
Once San has parked the car, the older boy gets out of the car and goes around to get Haewon out, but his best friend is already on it.
“Thank you,” Yeosang murmurs tiredly as San places Haewon on the ground and takes her.
San smiles and shakes his head, telling him it’s nothing.
They make their way to the entrance and San insists on paying all of their entrance fees. Yeosang tries to protest, but the younger boy still takes out his card and pays for the three of them.
As they walk into the park, Yeosang mutters, “This is why I don’t like going out with you.”
San looks at him offended, but he’s still grinning. “I’m her uncle, it’s my job.”
The older boy just rolls his eyes, but thanks him nonetheless.
“Where to first, my sweet baby?” San picks Haewon up, resting her on his hip.
Haewon’s eyes are wide as she looks around the park, speechless. The park is lit up in white and blue lights, hanging from trees and lampposts. Yeosang can see a tall Christmas tree set up in the middle of the park, sparkling in the same colour lights, a silver star on the top of the tree.
“Pretty,” Haewon whispers softly, eyes flittering over everything they possibly can.
Yeosang looks on fondly, happy that his daughter is happy.
Haewon’s been begging to go to Winter Wonderland since she saw a poster advertising it on the gates outside of her school. Winter Wonderland opened at the beginning of the month, but Yeosang’s been so busy trying to finish up everything at work as Christmas approaches in a month. He was finally able to make time today.
San presses a kiss to his niece’s cheek. He’s looking at her the same way Yeosang is. “It is, isn’t it?”
Haewon looks on for a few seconds longer before she says, “Can we see the unicorns first?”
The younger boy looks confused until Yeosang clarifies, “Carousel.”
“Ah.” San nods. “Let’s go.”
The small girl's eyes widen when they get to the ‘unicorns’ and she wiggles in San’s grasp, so San puts her down. The small girl takes a step closer to the carousel, warm white lights lighting up the horses in the dark November evening.
“Who do you want to go with, Haewon-ah, Uncle Sannie or your dad?” San asks the awestruck girl.
Haewon turns around and looks between her father and San, contemplating her answer. Her eyes finally stop on Yeosang and she opens her mouth to reply but shuts it again as her gaze drifts to San.
The younger boy lets out a small laugh. “It's okay if you want your dad, Haewonie, I won't mind.”
But Haewon isn't too sure with San’s response so she looks at her dad and then back at him. “Are you sure, Uncle Sannie? Don't wanna make you sad.”
Yeosang looks fondly at his daughter and best friend. And it's in moments like these he feels like the luckiest person in the world having Haewon and San by his side, San and his other two hyungs by his side, supporting him and Haewon nonstop.
“I'm more than happy, my baby,” San assures, bending down to place a kiss on her head.
A small smile plays on Haewon's lips and she nods, pointing at her dad. “Can you come on with me, Daddy?”
“Is that even a question?” Yeosang playfully rolls his eyes as he picks his little girl up. “Let's get in line to get tickets.”
As soon as the words leave his lips, San walks ahead, saying, “I'm buying them.” And when Yeosang opens his mouth to object, he adds, “Just win me a big teddy bear later to repay me.”
Yeosang just smiles as his best friend gets in the line.
It's been almost an hour since the three arrived at the Wonderland and all they've done is ride the carousel, one or two other rides and play a few games at some stalls.
“You still need to win me a teddy bear,” San points out, taking a sip of his drink before handing the cup to Haewon.
Yeosang sighs, taking the cup from her hands as soon as she takes a drink. “San, I told you, it's November and really cold outside, she'll fall sick.”
Haewon pouts at her father, but he just shakes his head.
“Sorry, Haewonie. At least you got a few sips,” San tells the small girl, patting her head softly. He takes the drink back from his best friend's outstretched hand. “My teddy bear, Yeosangie.”
It's Yeosang's turn to pout now.
They've been walking around for a good ten minutes now since they stopped at the last stall, neither of the two boys or Haewon winning anything other than a small stuffed animal. The girl has about five different animals in her backpack now.
“You know I'm bad at those games, San.”
He grins. “I know, that's why I like watching you; I like watching you fail.”
Yeosang raises an eyebrow at his best friend. “Oh, how nice of you.” And San just winks at him.
They end up at a food stall a few minutes later and the dad tells San he’ll treat him to food instead and the younger boy agrees so they line up.
Yeosang reads off the menu hung up above the stall and then turns to his best friend. “What do you want?”
San’s eyes are focused on the menu before he decides. “A hotdog, please.”
The older boy nods before looking down at his daughter. “What about you, sweetheart?”
“Chips,” Haewon decides after a few seconds of pondering.
“Okay,” Yeosang tells her. “You want a hotdog, too?”
The girl shakes her head. “No, thank you, Daddy.”
Yeosang smiles before nodding at her.
It takes a few minutes to get to the front of the queue, the Wonderland being so busy since it’s a Friday. When they’re finally at the front, Yeosang tells his daughter to stay beside him before he tells the person at the stall their order, ordering two hotdogs and a medium portion of chips.
Yeosang pays and the person who took his order tells him to stand at the side while they get the food ready.
“Daddy,” Haewon says urgently, tugging at her dad’s sleeve. “Uncle Sannie.”
Yeosang frowns and looks down at the small girl. “What’s wrong?”
San bends down and picks her up. “What’s up, baby?”
Haewon’s eyes don’t leave what she’s looking at for a second, not even when San picked her up. She points to where she’s focused. “Daddy, Uncle Sannie, the girl, she’s not with her daddy and she’s crying.”
Yeosang and San’s eyes follow to where she points. There’s a small girl, no older than Haewon’s age by the looks of it, standing alone, tears falling down her face. No one stops to help the girl. Some gazes linger on the her, but no one stops, too busy with their own friends and family. The people continue walking, avoiding her if she’s in the way of their path.
The father’s heart clenches.
“You guys get the food,” Yeosang says suddenly. “Let me help her find her parents or take her to security.”
San nods, arms tightening around Haewon almost instinctively.
Yeosang makes his way to the girl who hasn’t moved at all since he noticed her. He weaves between the crowds of people, eyes not leaving the small girl until he’s beside her.
He slowly bends down to her height before talking, “Hey, sweetheart. Where’s your mummy or daddy?”
The girl startles, not expecting someone to talk to her and looks down quickly. She starts crying harder, hiccupping, her small body shaking.
“Hey, hey, it’s alright. I’ll help you find them. Who are we looking for, baby?” The boy makes sure to keep his distance in case the girl gets to frightened and tries to get away, getting lost once again.
She slowly looks up when she hears the hopeful words. Her eyes are full of tears as she whispers shakily, “My daddy.”
Yeosang freezes when her eyes meet his and he doesn’t know what to say. The small girl looks exactly like Haewon’s mother, features identical and he’s at a loss for words. He opens and closes his mouth, no words coming out as tears fill his own eyes.
“Daddy,” the girl cries out softly, looking around, hoping to find her dad and this snaps Yeosang back to reality as he quickly rubs his eyes, wiping away any tears that were brimming.
“Okay, okay.” Yeosang clears his throat as he places his hands on her arms lightly, looking around slightly. “Where were you when you lost your daddy?”
She’s still hiccupping, trying to get her words out and she says, “H-Horsies.”
Yeosang’s mind is blank for a second before he realises; carousel. The carousel is close by and the dad knows that easiest way to find the girl’s dad would be to stay beside the ride. He decides to take her there and stay with her for ten minutes before ultimately taking her to security if they can’t find her dad.
“Let’s go.” Yeosang smiles at the girl softly, holding out his hand.
She looks wary but ends up holding his hand and they go to the carousel.
Almost as soon as they arrive, Yeosang hears a loud shout of, “Sooah!”
This causes the girl to look around frantically, looking for the source of the shout. “Daddy?” There’s a shakiness to her voice.
Suddenly, Yeosang feels himself being pulled back harshly, coming face-to-face with a young man.
“Daddy!” Sooah, Yeosang assumes, cries out as she runs to the man, clinging to his legs.
The man bends down and picks up his daughter, hugging her tightly as he kisses all over her face with murmurs of her name.
Yeosang smiles, but it’s quickly wiped off.
“What the fuck were you doing with my daughter?”
Yeosang’s eyes widen, surprised at the accusation and is unable to form a sentence to explain himself. “W—What? I saw she was alo—”
The boy is cut off by a yell of, “Daddy!”
Yeosang sees his daughter running to him with San behind her, calling her name as he tries to match her speed with all the food in his hands.
The dad automatically bends down and Haewon runs into his arms. She squeals as he kisses her hair before standing back up with her.
Upon seeing this, Sooah’s dad’s eyes soften, the anger in his eyes evaporating completely.
“You found him!” Haewon exclaims when she sees the lost girl in the arms of her dad.
Yeosang nods. “Uh-huh. You did well, baby, telling Daddy when you saw her.”
Haewon flushes at the praise, hiding her face in her dad’s neck.
“Uh...” the man suddenly speaks up, looking between Yeosang and Haewon. “Thank you for finding my daughter. And sorry for, uh, accusing you.”
Sooah looks at Yeosang, her eyes crinkling as she smiles. His heart stops again, images of Haewon’s mother flashing in his head. He blinks a few times to get rid of them.
“Thank you for helping me find Daddy,” she says, softly.
Yeosang wants to ignore the girl’s father, still at a loss for words from the accusation, but he knows he would do the same if he saw a stranger with Haewon.
“It’s no problem, Sooah-yah.” Yeosang, then, looks at her dad, offering a slight smile. “And it’s okay, I would probably act the same.”
Sooah’s dad looks relieved at Yeosang’s words and nods, thanking him again before turning around and disappearing into the crowd, arms tight around his daughter.
Yeosang, San and Haewon are all quiet for a few seconds, neither one of them saying anything, the sounds of the Wonderland in the background.
San is the first one to speak, walking over to stand beside Yeosang. “What was that about?”
Yeosang looks over at his best friend. “He thought I took his daughter.”
“What?” San almost yells, eyes wide. “You should’ve punched him.”
The older boy is about to reply, but his daughter beats him to it. “Hitting is bad,” she says matter-of-factly, tiredness seeping into her voice and Yeosang grins.
The younger boy looks at his niece and then at her dad, before looking back at her. “Of course. Sorry, Wonnie.”
“I would’ve been the same if I saw a stranger with Haewon. The panic of losing her wouldn’t have let me think rationally.”
“That’s true.” San thinks about it, before nodding. His arms are in front of him, still holding the food.
Yeosang takes a hotdog and the chips. “Thanks for getting the food, San-ah.”
The younger boy shakes his head, putting his now free hand down as he takes a bite into his hotdog.
Haewon lifts her head from her father’s shoulder when she sees her chips and reaches out for them with both hands. Yeosang hands her the food before hoisting her higher on his hip.
“You’re coming back to mine, right?” Yeosang asks, adding on, “Or are you just dropping us off?”
“Yeah, I’m coming to yours,” San decides after a few seconds of thinking. “Let’s go back now, it’s almost half seven, and Haewon is sleepy.”
“Am not!” The small girl says urgently, but her eyes are droopy.
Yeosang nods as he bites into his hotdog, moving to make his way to the exit of the park and San follows.
Haewon doesn’t protest.
They get back to Yeosang’s house at almost quarter past eight. San helps Yeosang with a sleepy Haewon as the dad puts Haewon’s car seat back into his car.
When Yeosang gets to the front door and unlocks it, San walks inside with Haewon first, the older boy right behind him.
As Yeosang closes and locks the door behind him, his best friend puts Haewon down on the sofa and starts taking off her shoes, bag and coat, but Haewon whines, not pleased at being disturbed while she tries to sleep.
“Okay, it’s bath time and then bed for you, baby.” Haewon had most of her chips and some of her dad’s hotdog, almost half, so Yeosang decides that’s her dinner done.
This seems to wake the little girl up because her brown eyes widen, and she shakes her head desperately. “No, Daddy, sleepy.”
The dad starts taking of his own coat and shoes as he says, “You’ve been at school and Winter Wonderland today, Won, you need to have a bath.”
Haewon looks over at San for help, her eyes pleading. The latter presses a kiss to her forehead before he turns to the older boy. “You can always bathe her tomorrow morning.”
Yeosang raises an eyebrow at his best friend and tilts his head, sighing.
The younger boy rolls his eyes and looks at his niece again. “Daddy doesn’t listen to me.”
That sets Haewon off and she starts crying loudly, displeased that no one’s listening to her, but Yeosang needs to keep her in her routine, or she’ll get too used to having her way.
San helps Yeosang with bathing the little girl and getting her to bed, which takes double the time because of her tantrum. Haewon’s finally calm when she’s dressed in her pyjamas and in bed. She falls asleep almost instantly.
Yeosang gently runs his fingers through her hair before leaning down to kiss her forehead, telling her he loves her and goodnight. San also presses a kiss to her forehead before both boys make their way downstairs.
“Do you want tea or anything?” San asks, making his way into the kitchen.
Yeosang frowns, following him. “I should be offering you tea, it’s my house.”
San shrugs, busying himself with getting the things he needs out of the cupboards. He turns around. “I basically live here too. So, tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate, please.”
While his best friend is occupied with making their hot drinks, Yeosang sits down at the kitchen table and rests his cheek against his hand as he thinks about the one thought that hasn’t left his mind since he helped the girl, Sooah, find her dad.
Sooah looked so much like Eunkyung, his daughter’s mother and he can’t shake off a weird feeling he has. Her face held almost the exact same soft features of Eunkyung’s face. His own daughter doesn’t even look like her mother or even himself.
The father is snapped out of his thoughts when San places a mug full of warm hot chocolate in front of him. He jumps a little, not expecting it.
As San takes a seat beside Yeosang with his tea, he asks, “What were you thinking about so deeply that you got scared of hot chocolate?”
“Uh.” Yeosang looks at his best friend, pulling his mug closer to him, wrapping his hands around it, the warmth seeping into him. “It’s nothing.”
“You can tell me.” The younger boy frowns. “Is it about the girl’s father being rude?”
He shakes his head, taking a sip of the hot chocolate.
“What is it, Yeo?” There’s concern lacing San’s voice.
“It’s stupid.”
“If it’s bothering you, it’s not stupid. It seems like it’s making you question your whole existence. Tell me.”
Yeosang sighs heavily before placing his mug down. “Um, you know the girl? The one that was lost?”
San nods.
“Uh, she, um...” the older boy pauses as he looks for the words to string together. “She looked so much like Eunkyung and now I feel weird. I don’t know, I just can’t stop thinking about it.”
The younger boy is quiet for a few seconds and Yeosang is about to open his mouth to tell him that he’s just being stupid, and that San should just forget about it, but the latter speaks up before he can.
“You miss Eunkyung, Sangie, that’s normal.” San reaches over to put his hand over the older boy’s. “You loved her so much and she’s Haewon’s mother, it’d be bad if you didn’t feel weird.”
“I still love her, Sannie. I miss her so much.” A tear slips from Yeosang’s eye and San squeezes his hand gently.
“I know, Yeosangie.”