Work Text:
April, 2017.
It's a sunny day.
Summer of 2017, when the happiest moments of Jihoon's life always takes place. Summer was his comfort season, mainly because he met someone whom he knew that he'll love for the rest of this lifetime in the same season, just like how the selfish-sun made its way, Jihoon saw his visuals along with his eyes full of happiness: a man with indescribable beauty. Blonde highlights. Cheeky laughs. Breath-taking get-ups. Dreamy eyes. Comforting smiles. Puffy cheeks. Elegant features. Impeccable body. An idiot—A love.
“Dad?”
Jihoon immediately looked at the small boy beside him, and there he saw how a perplexed 10 year old boy looks at him while pouting. He laughed before patting the boy's head softly. “What is it, Woo?”
Woo, the child, averted his gaze to somewhere but Jihoon. Jihoon looks at the same direction, and there he saw his another reason to live, laughing constantly while playing with their other child.
“I don't want to ask Papa about this, he might get worried again. So, can I ask you a question?” Fidgeting his fingers, Jeongwoo asked his father. Jihoon chuckled on his remarks before ruffling his hair softly as he nodded.
“Go ahead.” The older nodded, smiling at the boy.
Jeongwoo picked the book he was reading earlier while enjoying the picnic both of his father planned since last week. He brought up the book, lips creates a thin line as he raise it for his father to see. Jihoon raised a brow before snatching the book.
Somebody loves you, Mr. Hatch.
“And what about this?”
“Dad, is it really possible for someone to change a person's perspective in life with just written words?”
When he heard his son's question, he cannot help himself but to admire how Jeongwoo loves to read and know things. Jihoon eyed the book, before looking at his son with a beaming smile. “Of course.”
Jihoon pursued his lips, looking at the book. “What was this story about?”
The smaller boy smiled at him before pointing at the illustration where a man can be seen. “It is story of a man named Mr. Hatch, and his predictable antics, lackluster living, painfully living his life with nothing but joyless everyday through working on a shoelace factory.”
His father looked at him in adoration as he smiled at his son. He signaled him to continue telling the story so Jeongwoo gave him a smile as he continued.
“On the valentine's day, somebody delivered a giant candy-filled heart to Mr. Hatch with a note, ‘Somebody loves you.’ With just a few words, he completely changed. I don't know why, but do words like that can really change someone in an instant, Dad? I can't understand.” Jeongwoo unconsciously pouted while scratching the back of his head.
Jihoon laughed at the boy that earned another glare from his son. He ruffles his son's hair, before looking somewhere far. Specifically, someone whose laughs completely filled the whole park as it echos.
“Words are powerful too, Woo.” Jihoon stated, still looking at the man he'll let himself astonish with all his life. “When I say that you look so handsome today, won't you feel so moved? You will, right? That's how words can affect someone's perspective and way of thinking in just a few seconds. So you should be more careful on saying things, Woo.”
Jeongwoo nodded slowly, before turning on the book in Jihoon's grip. “Is that so?”
“I'll tell you a secret, so don't tell your Papa and Dobby about this, okay?” Jihoon gushed then Jeongwoo raised his hand and pretends zipping his mouth shut as a sign of loyalty. Jihoon chuckled on his antics before looking back at the figure he always admire since back in the days.
“If it weren't for your Papa's words, I wouldn't have any of these. Things I've taken for granted, like my happiness.” He started and it made Jeongwoo confuse.
“In highschool, I'm a little cheeky and uhm, quite a bad guy that you probably shouldn't be or you'll give your Papa a hard time like how I did back then.” Jihoon laughed, remembering his husband's reddened and mad face when Jihoon makes fun of his friends. That was the first time he saw his husband glared at him in madness.
“What about Papa?” Head tilted on the side, Jeongwoo asked.
Jihoon pretends to think while his fingers are on his chin. “Well, let's see, hmm... He's annoying, and uptight. But he was the prettiest man back then, as you can see, he still is.”
“And just like Mr. Hatch, I've lived a quite unpleasant life for a highschool student. And your Papa came to rescue me, with his words.”
He can't help but to look at the happy back of his man, admiring every piece of him that he will never grow out from.
“I was in the middle of my self-isolation show that day. He didn't see me for almost a week, I didn't talk to anyone, and I've been avoiding your Papa 'cause I was hurting him. I'm a bad person, aren't I?” Giving a luminous smile, he slightly tickle his son as he earned a laugh from Jeongwoo.
“And you know what?” The purest eye smiles of someone flashed in his mind.
Jeongwoo fixated his eyes on his Dad, as he can see how much his Dad adores their Papa. He can see it, because that's how his Papa observe Jihoon every time he's fast asleep on the study room after a long day at work. They're sparkling.
Jihoon let out a contented sigh. “I've given him so many reasons to live a life without me, but he gave me a thousand of reasons why I should never let myself live a lackluster existence for another couple of years without him. He have given me so much to cherish despite hurting him. Your Papa is cool, you know. He maybe clumsy sometimes, but he is so cool. And don't tell him I told you that, you know how gullible he is and he'll tease your Dad, you don't want that, right?”
Jeongwoo shrugged, “well, I kind want to see you getting teased by Papa though—”
“Ya! I thought we're partners!” Jihoon jokingly sulks, pouting at his son's disgusted face. Jeongwoo laughed at his father before looking at his Papa's approaching figure from the end of the whole park.
“Then Dad, what words from Papa made you realize things?”
He told Jeongwoo everything, and it made Jeongwoo move.
“You two looks so serious from out there. Yah! Hoonie, what are you teaching to Woo?” They heard a soft voice from afar. Two approaching figures are on their way to their place. They were sitting on a mauve colored blanket beside a big tree, appreciating the beauty of the park. It has been 2 weeks since they planned a picnic together because the elders are both busy, and the kids were on their last week of school year.
“I'm just telling him how to eat a chicken in a right way, he should learn from me.” Jihoon winked at Jeongwoo that earned a suspicious look from his husband.
“But Jeongwoo hates fried chick—” Dobby's mouth is now munching fries as Jihoon shoved it in his mouth while smiling at his frowning husband.
Jihoon offered his hand to the guy, before smiling at him widely that his eyes disappears. He knew it's his weakness. He's taking advantage of his husband once again.
“Ah, really.”
He let Jihoon engulf every piece of him in a hug, while looking at their children feeding each other's burgers. As Jihoon caresses his arm softly, the guy secretly smiled. Jihoon's warmth will always make him feel like home, more than anything in the world could offer, he'll never let anyone take Jihoon's warm away from him.
“Suk,” he looked up at Jihoon and he was greeted with the smile he can paint for a duration of a year and set up on a museum with the biggest canvass as it can replace different oeuvre in the national museum.
“Thank you.”
Hyunsuk doesn't know why, but those words from Jihoon made move a little, biting his lips while looking away but Jihoon. He heard a chuckle from the latter, but bit his lips to stop himself from sobbing in front of their children.
“F-For what?” Despite close to breaking down out of happiness, Hyunsuk get to ask and earned another giggle from the love of his life.
“For everything.”
Jihoon was never a showy person, but when it comes to a certain someone, he can be cheesy and express everything, his different states and the reason why he never thinks twice. Hyunsuk is an exception. He always is.
“What's gotten into you, huh?” Hyunsuk pouts as he tries to breathe properly. “Did you get into some kind of trouble again?”
“Nah,” he kissed the top of Hyunsuk's head while looking at Jeongwoo's smiling face and Dobby's sulking expression because Jeongwoo's teasing him.
“I just love you.”
Hyunsuk felt his warmth again, as big arms crushes him—he felt that he's in his own safe haven.
Wherever Jihoon is, that is where his home belongs to.
Jihoon is his safest place. He knew.
“Then Dad, what words from Papa made you realize things?”
Jihoon once again, smiled at Jeongwoo as it shows his crescent eyes.
“You're allowed to change, but please, in every change, please remember me. Remember how sure I am of having you. I'll wait for you to grow for yourself, until then, please don't grow out of me.”
The little boy parted his mouth. Amazed with the words, and as well with his Dad's eyes that sparkles while looking at a figure from somewhere not near them.
“Mr. Hatch found out that the candy was not for him, it broke his heart but the people around him made him feel love more than anyone else. Dad, you thought Papa doesn't deserve you, right? Just like Mr. Hatch, you've hoped for something and got your expectations shattered right in front of you, right? And Papa... Papa showered you assurance and love just like how Mr. Hatch's neighbors did, right?” Waiting for his Dad's answer with anticipation, Jihoon's smile didn't fade as he nodded at his son.
“Woah, what's with love?” Jeongwoo whispered. “Was that a trick or something? Magic? But I don't believe in magic.”
Jihoon laughed at his remarks before pinching his cheeks that earned a snort from his son. “You probably will, Woo. When you found someone that is mysterious and magical enough to transgress your own rules. But for now, let us, Papa and Dobby love you, okay?”
“But Papa, how do you describe love?”
Carefully looking at the nearest beautiful person, mayhap, the most beautiful one. Hyunsuk's hair bounces up and down while melodious laughs can be heard.
“He was a love who always wears black, it's as if he represents the state of being insouciant and abstruse misery in a way, and I was deeply moved. He is that kind of love.”
“You're so cheesy, Dad.”
“What the—Well, you're probably right though.”
Jeongwoo offered a smile, before poking his Dad's cheeks. Before asking—
“Don't get tired on us, okay?”
Jeongwoo, the three of you are Jihoon's rest, how can he get tired of you?
•••
It's a sunny day.
Summer of 2017 when the happiest moments of Jihoon's life always takes place. Summer was his comfort season, mainly because he met someone whom he knew that he'll love for the rest of this lifetime in the same season: A man with indescribable beauty. Blonde highlights. Cheeky laughs. Breath-taking get-ups. Dreamy eyes. Comforting smiles. Puffy cheeks. Elegant features. Impeccable body.
An idiot—
A dream.
His get-through.
The safe place.
A carnival.
His piano keys.
Sun rays.
A captivating view.
Stubborn.
Clumsy.
Fragile sculpture.
A vision of a wedding aisle.
A father to his children.
His reminder.
His joy.
Pain.
An exception.
Home.
And lastly, his idiot—A love.
Jihoon trapped the smaller one in his grip as he whispers.
“I don't think I could ever grow out of you, and I hope you do the same.”
He felt a warm sweater paws that touches grimy fingers, as Jihoon's hand fits in Hyunsuk like it's made just for him to hold. He gradually let out a relieved sigh, more of a sigh full of gratefulness. Jihoon felt a squeeze on his hand, and he turned to Hyunsuk, he's greeted with talking galaxies in the latter's eyes.
“I told you, right? I waited for 2 years just to assure you that you have my entirety to break, or to mend.”
Hyunsuk smiled. “And I wouldn't be here if I'm unsure of you. Yah, we're married for 4 years already and you still have the guts to say that? What are you? Still a hard-headed highschool student?”
“Nah, just hard—”
“Shut up.”
They laughed.
So, this how you fall in love in a summer of 2017, under the egocentric sun rays and on the mauve blanket placed under the tree, with the 3 people Jihoon would cherish until he get to breathe his last.