Chapter Text
Sometimes Junghwan wishes he has a complete family. He has a father, a hardworking father who he truly loves but, the boy can't help but gaze enviously at his friends who have both of their parents attending the teachers-parents conference.
"Junghwan is a bright boy, it's just that he doesn't talk much to his other friends a lot. Are daddy and mummy striking conversations with him often at home?"
He's only 8 years old and he still thinks his teacher is a little too nosy. Junghwan looks at his father's tightened jaws, trying to smile at the older woman who sits opposite them. "We are trying our best to make him open up to us and the people around him." The boy stares at his teacher, wondering what other nosy questions is she going to come up with. His tiny hands overlap his father's dry ones, giving him a little bit of strength.
Junghwan knows it's not easy to entertain questions about his partner. The boy doesn't get to properly learn about why is it only his father is present ever since he was little. The 27-years-old man always has his excuse to avoid his son's questions and Junghwan slowly gives up, understanding that his father is not going to answer it any time sooner.
They walk out hand-in-hand, smiling a little at his classmates' mothers who greet him; or his handsome father. Junghwan sits quietly in the passenger seat, waiting for his father to drive him home.
"You hungry, Hwan?" Junghwan turns to his father, seeing his lanyard that has his ID card on it. He doesn't understand what the older man does for a living but he likes the picture on the card. His father is the most handsome man in Junghwan's opinion.
Park Jihoon
Senior Manager
If anyone asked what is Jihoon's most treasured prize, he would reply Junghwan in an instant. The man shields the boy from all the danger in the outside world and would take a bullet for his precious son.
"Hwan?"
Junghwan looks up at his father, smiling at him. "Is daddy going back to work after this?" He questions instead of answering. Jihoon clasps his seatbelt and reverses his car before making his way out of the school's compound.
"No, daddy took an afternoon leave. You wanna go eat?" The boy then nods, feeling a little hungry. Jihoon glances at his son, smiling when he sees his little son swinging his feet front and back, looking out the window. It's not often Junghwan gets to sit in the car after school hours.
Morning has always been rushing, with Jihoon trying to chase the time and Junghwan collecting himself before making his way to get ready for school. The sky wasn't always this bright when he was on his way to school.
Junghwan leans back onto the seat, mesmerised by the bright sky, figuring out what shape the clouds form. He feels excited knowing that the cloud is following their car, secretly wishing Jihoon to speed up so that they couldn't get caught.
"Daddy, that cloud is chasing us! Go faster!" Jihoon laughs, stepping on the accelerator to please his son, switching lane so that it seems that they got further from the cloud. Junghwan shrieks happily turning to face his father, laughing when their eyes meet.
Usually, Junghwan doesn't mind when it's only the two of them, his daddy and him, but the restaurant that Jihoon picked for lunch made him small. The tables all around them had a complete number of family members; a dad, kids, and a mum. Junghwan opens his mouth slowly when Jihoon offers him a bite of his pasta.
"Good?" Jihoon questions, noticing how his son suddenly got quieter. "Why are you not eating your pizza?" he places down his fork, looking at Junghwan who looks up with teary eyes. "I want papa," his lips quiver, and Jihoon immediately runs to his side, hugging the little boy who starts sobbing in his chest. "Hwan misses papa huh?" Jihoon kisses his son's head, hugging the boy tighter.
"Papa is in a better place now, sweetie. He's always looking over you, okay?" Jihoon softly calms the boy, leaning his cheek on the boy's soft hair. His heart breaks at the sight, no kid should feel this way but who is Jihoon to fight God's fate, right?
Yoshinori, his kind husband has always been closer to their son, staying by his side from the minute Junghwan wakes up, to the minute he enters his dreamland.
When Yoshi was announced dead, Junghwan was only 3; still too young to know what was happening. Night time was torture for Jihoon. Little Junghwan whines every night, seeking his Japanese papa who he never sees anymore. Jihoon sometimes shed tears along with his son, clueless about what he should do to make his son understand that his papa is not coming back home, anymore.
He's thankful for his mum and older sister. When Jihoon feels like it's too much for him to handle alone, these 2 ladies will always be by his side, lending him a helping hand which Jihoon gladly accepts.
When Junghwan turns 15, he finally learns that his papa is never coming home. Digging for an answer from his grandma and pretty auntie, Junghwan slowly walks over to the place that holds the memories of his Japanese father.
"Papa, it's me, Junghwan," the boy feels the wind breeze past him, almost as if Yoshi is answering his greetings happily. "I'm sorry that it took long for me to come but, I'm here now."
He sees his grandma standing under the shade meters away from him, nodding, allowing Junghwan to find strength and spend time with the other figure he misses. She felt sorry for not explaining to the boy about the curiosity he had had since young. Instead, all of them left him to wonder; why isn't papa coming home anymore?
Junghwan sits by the grave, telling Yoshi about his own life that the older man misses out on. The boy's heart clenches for the 3rd time, still not accepting that now he's left alone. With Yoshi buried 7ft down into the ground and Jihoon being busy in his office that is 17 floors higher than him, Junghwan finally lets a small cry out.
A hand reaches out to him with a packet of folded tissues and Junghwan gasp. He's at the place where dead bodies are buried so he is allowed to be taken aback when a hand was suddenly extended to him.
"For you," the other person says, taking a seat beside Junghwan uninvited. The smaller boy whispers a thank you before wiping his tears away, sitting in silence while his hand busied themselves in plucking out the weeds that are growing on Yoshi's grave.
"What's your name?" the other boy finally opens his mouth. Junghwan turns to the person beside him who did the same as him.
"Junghwan, Park Junghwan."
Junghwan stares at the hand that is extended to him again, only this time; he's able to see how much bigger the other person's hand is than his. "My name is Park Jeongwoo, you can call me Jeongwoo or Woo, whichever you prefer." Junghwan nods, shaking the other hand as he listens to Jeongwoo's chatters that unconsciously made him feel better.
Just like always, listening to Jeongwoo talk will always make his day better. Junghwan sits opposite his fiance, munching his burger as the older man rambles about his day at the office, complaining about the clients being unreasonable and how his boss doesn't back him up. Once in a while, Junghwan feeds him his food, quietly trying to make the man stop talking but it's Park Jeongwoo—the man never stops talking.
"I have to go back to work tomorrow, can you believe it? On a Sunday?" Jeongwoo shakes his head, biting on Junghwan's fries before leaning back on his chair. Junghwan is not going to lie, the view before him is crazy. The 26 years old man has 2 buttons of his dress shirt unbuttoned, sleeves folded up right below his elbows, accentuating the little muscles that he has been working on recently.
"Babe?" Junghwan blinks his eyes, looking away from the toned arms of his fiance, and hums, now maintaining eye contact with the older man. "You heard me?"
Junghwan nods once again, piercing his fork into his salad. "I can go home by myself, no big deal, Woo." He doesn't show it but the only child of Park Jihoon is excited to meet his dad who is back from his 4 months business trip. In the meantime, Junghwan stays over at his grandparent's house, helping the old couple mend their garden, and developing a hobby over the short time.
"Go after lunch, then. I'll ask Ruto to drop me off after I'm done with my work." Jeongwoo leans closer, wiping off the crumbs that form by Junghwan's lips. The younger boy hums in agreement, continuing devouring his food, missing the small smile of adoration his fiancé is giving him.
"Daddy is coming home from Germany soon," Junghwan's hands are busy plucking out the weeds from Yoshi's grave, a routine the man has developed. "But you're not."
He sits by the tombstone, gazing at the picture of his smiling papa who he recalls hazily. "Daddy said that you're in a better place now," he leans his cheeks on his knees, eyes never leaving Yoshi's face. "You must have liked there better than here, huh?"
He stayed beside his father for a little while more, talking to him about anything. He feels soft wind against his skin and he believes that it was Yoshi answering him, telling him that he is never alone.
Junghwan would be lying if he says that he doesn't feel lonely. Every few months, Jihoon goes overseas for his business trip and Junghwan prefers to stay over at his grandparent's house instead of their own. It's empty when it's only the 2 of them, what more him alone.
Sometimes he wonders if his single dad feels the same loneliness. The distance between them felt far even when they were eating their dinner at the same table.
Junghwan has always loved the white marbled dining table that they owned. His childhood memories are limited but he sometimes smiles to himself when he hazily remembered how he would sit in between Yoshi and Jihoon, laughing while having his dinner.
But now, he hates the table.
He hates how his father's face comes closer to the intruder's, lips almost touching before Junghwan drops his duffle bag loudly on the floor. His memories become cloudy and Junghwan spins around, running up the stairs to his room.
Jihoon flinches away, eyes widened when he meets Junghwan's teary ones. "Junghwan!" the older man chases after his son, rushing up 2 stairs at a time. He knocks repeatedly, begging for his son to open his door with his heart beating loudly.
The first time Jihoon witnessed Junghwan's loud cry was when the doctor passes his small, red body to him. He was a little wrinkly and Junghwan's hair has always been thick since born. Jihoon's heart bursts in happiness when the small baby wails loudly in his arms, making his presence known to both his parents. That's when Jihoon took an oath to always protect his son from everything and anything.
The second time was when Junghwan woke up from a nap one day, crying loudly by his crib when Yoshi couldn't be found beside him. Jihoon woke up, hugging the boy in his arms, crying along in frustration. He had a long day at work and all he wanted was a decent sleep. Jihoon kissed Junghwan's head, lulling his son to sleep, and patting his back in a rhythmic count. He places the boy down, pushing his bangs back to leave a peck on Junghwan's forehead. "Daddy's sorry," was the only thing Jihoon could say.
Like now.
Jihoon doesn't stop knocking, apologising to his son who refuses to unlock his brown door. He turns around to face a smaller man who stands by the stairs, a little afraid to take another step in front. Jihoon likes to plan his day but this was not how he had today planned.
Jeongwoo sprints up the stairs, looking at both Jihoon and the other man before knocking on his fiancé's door.
"Hwan, it's me,"
Jihoon steps back, standing close to the guest he brought home, heart clenching when his son opens his door for someone else instead. He watches Junghwan hugging Jeongwoo, burying his face into the taller man's shoulders, little sobs escaping his mouth.
"It's okay, I'm here," and Junghwan believes it before wiping his tears away. He doesn't spare a look at his father, ignoring the 2 pairs of eyes that are on him.
Jeongwoo pushes the boy's bangs back before peeking into the room, seeing a couple of luggage packed. "Are you okay now? I heard from uncle Suk—"
"Uncle Suk?"