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For a majority of his life, Jake has always felt out of place. Meant to be a lone wolf, far from those with actual significance in the world. Life was like that for Jake, a constant reminder that there was no space for him. It was a reminder that life won’t suddenly change or adjust for his sake. If he was born alone and grew up alone, he will most probably die alone. Fortunately, that has never stopped his drive to be a good person. Already coming to terms with the idea of being alone forever, he just decided to live as he pleases, so that at the very least he’d be happy and content despite being alone.
People thought he was crazy for choosing to be a regular teacher at a private academy, while volunteering as a teacher for underprivileged children and community colleges on the side, especially after getting his doctorate. Jake was already set to become the youngest tenured professor at a prestigious university, yet somehow he turned his back on all the glory and prestige to pursue what made him “happy”. Everyone who has heard his explanation as to why someone with a doctorate chose to teach at a private academy has either scoffed at the impracticality or chuckled in disbelief—well almost everyone.
Jake was in the middle of cleaning the room before heading to the community college for the night classes he was handling. His schedule involved teaching preschool and elementary students at day and community college students at night. Yes, his schedule is tiring but it is also very fulfilling.
“Mister Jake!” A student calls for his attention. Immediately, he turns away from the blackboard and towards the door frame where the voice came from. Upon looking he sees the class president, Park Jungwon, waving his hand.
“Yes, Jungwon? Did you forget anything?” Jake utters in a soft voice, crouching a little to meet the boy’s adorable gaze. Their classes ended almost an hour ago, so it’s either their driver forgot to pick them up or they went back because they left something.
“No, Mister Jake. I just wanted to give you something.” Jungwon scrambles through his bag before finally reaching the proper paper. He hands the paper over to Jake. “In art class, Mister Riki told us to draw the people we love the most and give the drawing to them. Wonyoung and I drew our family. We decided to give Wonyoung’s drawing to dada, while you have my drawing. That way you both have our family drawings!”
Jake covers his mouth and feels tears start brimming in his eyes. Overwhelmed by the sudden feeling of joy, warmth, and disbelief, he went silent, trying to conceal the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes.
Jungwon worriedly asks his favorite teacher. “Do you not like it?”
“N-no, no, sweetie!” Jake quickly exclaims. “I’m j-just really speechless because it’s so beautiful! I’m very touched, Jungwon. Thank you for including me in your family.”
“Of course, you’re part of the family Mister Jake! You make me happy, you make Wonyoung happy, and you make dada Hoon happy!” An adorable dimpled smile flashes on his face.
After hearing that incredibly heartwarming statement from Jungwon, the tears he tried so hard to conceal just suddenly started flowing uncontrollably. Jungwon pouted sadly, seeing his favorite teacher crying made him want to cry too. The little boy sniffles, making Jake realize that he still had company and had to regain composure.
“Sweetie, oh no. Why are you crying?” Voice still hoarse from crying. “Because you’re sad!” Jake takes Jungwon in his arms and carries him. It was something he noticed Sunghoon doing everytime the boy was sad or disappointed.
“I’m not sad, see?” He flashes a smile. “Those were tears of joy, because I’m happy you’re my family.”
“JUNGWON! DAD IS HERE!” Jungwon’s fraternal twin, Wonyoung, excitedly exclaims from the halls. Although Wonyoung was not yet in the room, her excited screams were heard even from a distance. “He’s picking us up instead of mister driver!”
As if on cue, Park Sunghoon enters with the younger twin in his arms. Wearing his regular formal business attire, it looks like he just finished a meeting and came here as quickly as possible. A worried expression is plastered on his face after seeing Jake and Jungwon in that disheveled state, puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks.
“Hey, are you guys okay?” Sunghoon uses his free hand to caress Jungwon’s cheek and then Jake’s.
“Yeah, I just really loved this drawing Jungwon gave me that I started crying.” A blush starts creeping on Jake’s cheeks, not used to Sunghoon being touchy with him in front of his kids.
“Ooh, I also made a family drawing, Mister Jake! I gave it to dada Hoon and he put it on the refrigerator. I drew you, me, Jungwon, and dada.” Wonyoung proudly exclaims.
“Thank you, sweetie. I love it.” He gives Wonyoung a soft pat on her hair.
“How can you love it if you haven’t seen it yet?” Wonyoung pouts. “You need to see it first!”
“You should go home with us!” Jungwon suggests. “Then, we can show you the drawing on the fridge and you can see our new puppy Maeumi! You said you love puppies, Mister Jake!”
“Yeah, I agree with the kids. You should definitely come home with us.” Sunghoon gives him a playful smile, to which Jake responds with a glare.
Although they’ve been dating for more than a year now, Jake still wants to be as careful as possible. Prioritizing the twin’s feelings before his own. It wouldn’t be fair to the two if he just suddenly barged into their life, especially when they’re already starting to form a closer bond with their dad.
Jake was really thankful he had the courage to bring up the twin’s concerns when he and Sunghoon met for the first time. Now, Sunghoon has become better at balancing his time at work and with his kids.
-
Parent Teacher Conference, Two years ago
“What do you mean he’s not attending?” Jake frowns after receiving the news that Sunghoon’s secretary was sent in his stead. What he was about to discuss was serious and very personal, so he was hoping to have a sincere talk with the twin’s only parental figure.
“I’m sorry, but I will only give the report cards and student evaluations to Park Sunghoon. If he’s too busy to get here, I can make some time and go to his office instead.” He says with finality.
It has not been long since he started teaching in this academy and was assigned to be the adviser of the first grade honors class. One thing he has noticed from his students is the immense amount of pressure put on them at such a young age, well all except two.
The twins, Park Jungwon and Park Wonyoung, both naturally excellent students and fast learners. They aren't burdened by family pressure, but they face difficulties in befriending their peers, working in groups, and participating in school events. After having a sincere talk with the two, Jake was met with the realization that the two felt very alone and out of place. They only depend and rely on each other.
It hurt Jake’s heart even more when they said that they only had their dad, but he was too busy to spend time with them and they didn’t want to burden him by demanding more time and attention.
“Please take me to his office. I don’t care how long I have to wait, as long as I get to talk to him personally.”
The secretary, although hesitant, decided to heed to Jake’s request and brought him to Park Holdings Inc. Main.
“President Park, Jungwon and Wonyoung’s homeroom teacher is here and he wishes to discuss something with you.” The secretary says through the intercom.
“I’m still in a meeting with the board of directors. Can he wait for a while?” Sunghoon replies through the intercom.
“He doesn’t mind waiting, sir.”
“Alright. Send him to the waiting area.” The secretary guides Jake to a spacious area, wherein there appears to be a glass division left between it and Sunghoon’s office. His eyes immediately land on the tall handsome man with snow white skin, raven hair, godly proportions and a generous amount of moles spread on his face, accenting his beauty. The moles reminded him of Wonyoung, while his eyes definitely mirrored that of Jungwon’s.
The man looked strict and stern. Even one glance is enough to feel the power and authority he held. Well, what else do you expect from a man leading one of the most influential companies in Asia?
It took a few hours, but Jake finally got summoned inside Sunghoon’s office. Silence filled the room as Sunghoon took his time observing Jake. It was honestly starting to make Jake feel a tad uneasy.
“You’re Jungwon and Wonyoung’s teacher, right? Jake Sim. I heard you really wanted to talk personally. Is there a problem? Are the twins in trouble? Did they do something bad?” Sunghoon started coming up with his own conclusions as to why Jake was adamant on talking to him.
“Oh not at all, sir- mister-”
“Please, call me Sunghoon. I heard from my staff that we’re the same age.” Sunghoon offers him a kind smile.
“Well, uh, thank you, Sunghoon.” Jake rubs his nape. “Anyway, the reason why I wanted to talk to you was because of the twins, but don’t worry it’s not because they did something bad. They’re the most brilliant students in their grade. There’s just a few concerns I have, especially after observing and talking to them.”
Sunghoon’s attention was all on him now. A mixture of worry and concern was evident on his face. Although Jake had this initial impression that Sunghoon may end up being cold and apathetic, his look right now proves his initial impression wrong. It was the look of a father that genuinely loved his children so much.
“The twins don’t have any friends apart from each other, they also don’t like working in groups, and they absolutely hate school events. It seems that the only things they want to do are go to school and go home. While that isn’t necessarily bad, it may cause a negative effect in their development.” Jake starts the conversation by giving Sunghoon a summary of his observations over the first half of the school year.
Sunghoon shifts uncomfortably in his seat. He nods, urging Jake to continue with what he has to say. “I have done several child behavior research in between my doctoral studies, so I hope you don’t take any offense in what I have to say. You can choose to listen or not. This is my opinion as a professional and as your child’s homeroom teacher…”
Sunghoon nods in understanding. His expressions were stiff and nervous while waiting for what Jake had to say.
“You should spare some time for them. Even eating dinner and talking for an hour every day will help.” Jake takes out some papers and shows them to Sunghoon. “For their English class they had to write down their dreams and both of them answered how they want to work at their dad’s company so that he can rest and spend more time with them.”
Jake starts elaborating more instances where the twins only wanted to go out with their dad, watch movies with their dad, try baking and cooking with him etc. “The twins don’t like making friends, because they get jealous when they talk about their perfect families. They don’t like working in groups because the other kids end up talking and bragging about families, and they don’t like school events because everyone’s families will be there.”
A tear falls from Sunghoon’s eye. Jake notices it and hands him his handkerchief. He feels bad for ambushing Sunghoon like this, but he deserved to know the truth. “They’re smart kids, Sunghoon. They know you’re working hard for them, which is why they don’t throw tantrums or rebel and try to demand for your attention. They just study hard and hide their disappointment, because they know you’re working for them.”
Jake takes Sunghoon’s hand in his, wanting to provide even the slightest bit of comfort to the teary eyed parent. “They deserve to spend time with their dad and you deserve to spend time with them too. You deserve to see your children grow up.”
Being alone is the worst feeling in the world and Jake knows that firsthand. When his parents shoved him aside from the moment he was born, he knew he was destined to be alone. That is why he chose to be a teacher, to make sure that no kid ever grows up feeling alone. Despite people scoffing at his impractical choices, he chose the path that will help him make a difference. The path that will make sure that no one will ever feel out of place.
“Thank you for taking the time to tell me this, Jake. I’m sorry, I don’t usually cry like this. I swear.” Sunghoon tries to hide his sadness by chuckling. “You are indeed a doctor, because you have managed to make me cry.”
Jake tries to joke along. “Parents usually scream at me, so it’s refreshing to see someone cry instead.” The two of them laugh in unison.
“Since you have witnessed the most personal and vulnerable side of me, do you mind if I ask something a bit personal as well?”
“Go ahead, but if it’s about any of the twin’s secrets I already made a solid oath to never tell them.”
“No, nothing about the twins, but something completely random that just crossed my mind while you were offering your advice as a professional.” Sunghoon says while slowly gaining his composure again. “Why take on such a strenuous job of being an elementary teacher where you get complaints from parents non-stop, when you have a doctorate that can take you to better career opportunities?”
Jake lets go of Sunghoon’s hand and shrugs. “Well, rather than staying at some lab trying to observe molecules or go after the origin of the universe, I wanted to do something that can make a strong and lasting impact on the lives of others. I know what it’s like to feel alone, to feel out of place in this world, so I wanted to make sure that no kid ever felt like that.”
Unlike the usual scoff or frown that Jake gets when he shares his reason, Sunghoon looked very touched and fascinated by Jake’s perspective. Like he understood what Jake was feeling.
“You have such a kind heart and great perspective, Jake. I don’t know what it’s like to feel out of place in the world, but I have always felt like something was missing. That is why I desperately work hard in my attempts to fill whatever is missing in our family’s life. But, after listening to what you said today, I think working is not filling that missing piece in our life.”
“The twins are young. You still have plenty of time to make it up to them.” Jake gives Sunghoon a comforting smile and he somehow hears a click when their gazes meet. Who would’ve thought that the missing piece Sunghoon was looking for was right in front of him?
-
After that parent teacher talk, let’s just say their meetings became more frequent. When Sunghoon wasn’t busy with work or preoccupied with hanging out with the kids, he’d always make time for Jake. Despite living in the same area, their tight schedules have left them with no choice but to resort to video calls at lunch or whatever time they could spare, kind of like a long distance relationship. Since Jake was also busy working day and night, meeting face to face was a struggle. Although their talks started about the twins, it would usually end up with them sharing about how their day went, interesting stuff that happened, exchanging playlists, planning “meetings” (dates), and so on.
Finally, after six months of video calls, dates, and hanging around while being as discreet as possible, they decided to put a label on their relationship. They were now officially boyfriends. All that was left was to tell the twins about their relationship. After dating for more than a year now, it’s time to tell them the truth.
“Kids, there’s something Jake and I have to tell you.” Sunghoon opens up the conversation. They were in the middle of having dinner at their house with Jake. Yes, Jake’s strong will was no match for the three’s collective puppy eyes.
Jungwon and Wonyoung tilt their heads in curiosity. The twin’s mannerisms were just so adorable. It is so endearing when they don’t notice how they unintentionally synchronize their actions.
“Jake and I are together.” Sunghoon finally revealed their relationship. Jake squints his eyes in fear of the twin’s reaction. He’s grown quite attached to the two and was afraid to see if they were disappointed by the news.
“Like dating?” Jungwon clarifies.
Sunghoon wipes the sauce on Jungwon’s lips before answering.“Yes, Wonie.”
“I told you so! I knew you guys were meant to be!” Wonyoung proudly exclaims. “Mister Jake, does that mean you’re our dada Jake now? Do we have two dadas now?”
Slowly opening his eyes, Jake finally lets out a sigh of relief after hearing Wonyoung’s excited tone. “Yes, Wonyoung. You can call me whatever you like.”
“When are you getting married? Can I be the best man?” A sparkly eyed Jungwon enthusiastically looks at Jake. The teacher blushes at how quickly the conversation has escalated. Sunghoon and him have yet to talk about getting married.
“We’re not getting married yet, Wonie.” Sunghoon tries to calm Jungwon. “I still haven’t proposed.” Jake’s eyes widen at the mention of a proposal.
“Okay! You should propose, dada. We’ll leave you two alone!” Jungwon grabs his twin’s wrist and they both make their way up the second floor, towards their rooms. “Good luck dada!”
“Wait, I wanted to see him propose.” Wonyoung protests as her brother drags her away.
Once there were no sign of the kids left, Jake hits Sunghoon’s arm. “What do you mean by propose, huh? We literally just got your kids' approval!”
“Exactly, which is why it’s time to fill that missing piece I told you about, babe.” Sunghoon bends down on one knee. “I thought only I could fill that missing piece if I worked hard enough, but in a little over one year I realized that missing piece was not something I can fulfill.”
Sunghoon traces Jake’s ring finger. “I needed someone to fill that missing piece, to fill in the empty space of our family’s puzzle. You were never out of place in this world, Jake. Your place was with us. The missing piece is you Jake.”
“You totally planned this with the twins, didn’t you? The dinner and getting their approval wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, huh?” Jake tries joking around to prevent his tears from falling. Sunghoon shrugs, feigning obliviousness.
Searching through his pocket, he grabs the red velvet box and opens it. Inside was a princess cut diamond ring with a platinum band. “Jake Sim, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”
“Yes.” The boy’s tear ducts finally gave in to the emotional moment. His tears started flowing uncontrollably again, his hands were shaking, and his heart felt like it would burst in happiness. “Yes, Park Sunghoon, I will marry you.”
Hand cupping Jake’s cheek, Sunghoon leans in and presses his lips against his. Jake’s plump and pillowy lips moving together with Sunghoon’s soft full ones. The kiss only lasted for a few seconds as Sunghoon breaks the kiss and rests their foreheads against each other to whisper in between their lips. “I love you, Jake.” Jake’s cheeks redden from the heart fluttering confession.
“I love you too, Sunghoon.” Their lips connect again, courtesy of Jake. Their lips and hand movements become more provocative by the second. Jake wraps his arms around Sunghoon’s nape to deepen the kiss, while Sunghoon grips the boy’s waist to pull him closer, bringing their bodies together. The kiss was becoming so intoxicating, that Jake’s brain was unable to process any more of his surroundings. All he knows is that he finally found his place… in Sunghoon’s arms.