Chapter Text
“Haneul!” Hongjoong called out for his daughter, “Come and get your shoes so we can leave.”
Haneul runs over to where Hongjoong was crouched, holding her shoes in his hands, “coming, appa!”
The angelic smile on her face erases all of the stress Hongjoong was anticipating to face for his work day. Haneul reaches for the shoes and sits on the floor to wear them, tying her shoelaces herself. “You can do it by yourself, now?” Hongjoong asks, surprised at his daughter’s show of independence. “Mhmm,” she replies, “they taught us how to wear our shoes in school.”
“That’s very cool,” Hongjoong responds, patting Haneul on her head lightly, “next time they’ll be teaching you to cook your own food and then you’ll have no use for appa anymore.”
Hongjoong is pouting and sulking playfully, delighted by his daughter’s amused giggles. “Silly appa,” she says as she stands up and fixes her backpack, “you’re appa, of course I’ll need you forever.”
Hongjoong laughs, his heart warming to a thousand degrees. He opens his arms for a hug and Haneul indulges him, falling into his arms freely and giggling as she does so. She hugs him as tightly as her little body can hug him, and he takes the opportunity to lift her up.
“Okay!” Hongjoong excitedly says, “Are you ready for another exciting day in school, Haneul?”
“Mhmm!” Haneul excitedly nods her head up and down, her little pigtails bobbing at the movement.
Hongjoong opens the door and the father-daughter duo walk out of their condo with matching wide smiles on their faces.
—
“Have a good day at work, appa!” Haneul bids him farewell, her eyes forming little moons as she smiles, the intensity of her goodbye wave shaking the pigtails on each side of her head. “Have a great day at school, sweetheart!” Hongjoong waves back.
Hongjoong waits for Haneul to get inside when a familiar voice draws him out of his stupor, “they grow up so fast, don’t they?”
Jaehyun was a dad to a very loud and friendly son in Haneul’s class. Hongjoong found himself gravitating to Jaehyun and his partner, Chanhee, during Parent Teacher Association meetings, sharing the same sentiments against nosy middle-aged women who thought they had a right to police how they raised their children—Jaehyun and Chanhee as a gay couple, Hongjoong as a single parent.
“It seemed like yesterday Sunwoo was just learning how to crawl,” Jaehyun elaborates, “now, he’s asking if he could join the soccer team.” Hongjoong laughs good-naturedly, “I think Sunwoo will be good at soccer.”
Jaehyun raises an eyebrow at him inquisitively. “I used to play,” Hongjoong explains, “call it a hunch, but I think Sunwoo would be a great soccer player.”
Jaehyun laughs and claps Hongjoong’s back lightly, “how’s Haneul?”
“She’s great,” Hongjoong sighs, an inevitable pout forming on his lips, “she knows how to tie her shoes alone now. Next thing you know, she won’t be needing me anymore.”
Jaehyun laughs harder, pinching Hongjoong’s cheeks, “no wonder Haneul is so cute—she got it all from you!”
Hongjoong’s cheeks flush at Jaehyun’s cooing.
Hongjoong’s back suddenly straightens up, remembering something Haneul shared about Sunwoo. “Hey, hyung,” Hongjoong starts, “Haneul actually told me something interesting about Sunwoo the other day.”
“Oh?” Jaehyun asks, “Do you want to walk with me to get some coffee from the shop at the corner while you tell me about what Haneul said? Or are you in a rush to head to work?”
“Let’s grab coffee, hyung,” Hongjoong checks his watch, “I still have an hour before I need to get to work. Is it okay if I take mine to-go, though?”
“I don’t mind,” Jaehyun warmly smiles at him, nodding towards the general direction of the coffee shop, urging Hongjoong to start walking.
“What did Haneul say?” Jaehyun asks, humming nonchalantly as they walk at an even pace.
Hongjoong doesn’t point out that Jaehyun’s worried tone seeps through the notes he’s humming.
“I might be breaking bro code with Sunwoo right now,” Hongjoong sighs, realizing Haneul asked him to promise not to tell a single soul about what Sunwoo told her.
Jaehyun laughs, the tension on his shoulders disappearing. “I think that whatever you’d do, Sunwoo would still think you’re the best uncle ever,” Jaehyun laughs, “Both Sangyeon hyung and Jacob are getting quite jealous of you, you know?”
Hongjoong giggles, “oh, I don’t know about that—if both Sunwoo and Haneul find out I snitched, they’ll be serving my head on a platter for all of Sunwoo’s jealous uncles to laugh at.”
Jaehyun laughs uncontrollably, earning some looks from other people walking past them. Hongjoong doesn’t mind, admiring the other man’s ability to be himself without fear of judgement.
“You’re awfully creative for someone who hasn’t had his fix of caffeine yet,” Jaehyun notes.
“I make a living off of my creativity, hyung,” Hongjoong deadpans, eliciting another round of laughter from Jaehyun.
“For real though,” Hongjoong starts, “you’ve got to promise that you’d be as discreet as possible, hyung.”
“Scout’s honor,” Jaehyun replies, raising his right hand in a very fake oath.
“Sunwoo likes someone,” Hongjoong tells him, earning a raised eyebrow from Jaehyun. “You know who it is?” Jaehyun asks.
“Haneul told me it was someone named Changmin?” Hongjoong tries to recall.
“A transferee, I think. He’s in a class ahead of them, but Sunwoo apparently saved the kid—Haneul’s words, not mine. A bunch of older kids were picking on Changmin, because the kid apparently liked playing with dolls. Chucky dolls, like the one from the horror movies? Haneul even began spewing shit about Anabelle, because Changmin told them so much stuff about the dolls.”
Jaehyun is silent for a moment, but Hongjoong sees a ghost of a smile, so he continues, “Personally, I think Haneul’s fascination with horror scares me because I’m admittedly bad at horror movies, but I also think Changmin is probably a really cool kid. It’s nice that Sunwoo stood up against those bullies and encouraged Haneul and the rest of their class to befriend Changmin.”
“Haneul said Sunwoo has a crush on Changmin?” Jaehyun asks amusedly.
“Not really,” Hongjoong scratches the back of his neck, “she just said that Sunwoo looks at him with a really gross look and that Sunwoo thinks Changmin is really cute because he has a dimple when he smiles.”
“Damn,” Jaehyun lets out a low whistle, “I think Haneul is right with this one.”
“Now I’m wondering if Haneul likes someone,” Hongjoong mumbles to himself, Jaehyun chuckling at his monologue. Jaehyun rubs his back lightly, “I think you’d know.”
“You had an inkling? With Sunwoo, I mean,” Hongjoong asks.
“Chanhee and I knew there was someone new, I guess,” Jaehyun explains, “Chanhee packs some snacks from Haneul too, remember?”
Hongjoong nods and lets Jaehyun continue, “Well, Sunwoo asked Chanhee if he could pack some extra grapes for a friend.”
“Sunwoo didn’t give a name,” Jaehyun laughs, “he couldn’t even look Chanhee in the eye when he was asking for it. If it were a friend, I think Sunwoo would have just dropped the name casually and asked for it confidently.”
Hongjoong, “that’s adorable. Sickening, actually. I can’t believe Sunwoo’s love life is blooming more than mine.”
Jaehyun laughs loudly, opening the door for Hongjoong, “You first, my very hopeless dongsaeng.”
Hongjoong rolls his eyes, but the small smile betrays his facade, showing his true feelings.
—
“Are you sure I can just wait here in his studio? Like, seriously?” Wooyoung asks, looking around the dark recording studio while he converses with his manager on the phone.
“Yes, Wooyoung,” Yeosang replies, “Hongjoong hyung said he asked one of the other producers to unlock his studio so you could get in if you got there earlier.”
“What if he freaks out because there’s a stranger in his studio? You know how creative people get all annoyed with people in their space or whatever, right?” Wooyoung can’t help but worry, feeling like he’s invaded a stranger’s personal space.
“Wooyoung, dude, you’re not some stranger, he’s literally expecting you to be there. Plus, Hongjoong hyung wouldn’t have offered if he wasn’t okay with it,” Yeosang calmly explains.
“Fine,” Wooyoung relents, “I’m good, I think. Thanks, Yeo.”
Wooyoung takes a seat on the very invitingly plush couch in the studio, finding comfort in the pink parrot plushie seated on the contrastingly dark sofa.
Before Wooyoung could start overthinking again, the door clicks open, and a man comes in. Wooyoung shoots up from the couch, immediately bowing in greeting, to which the other man returns instantaneously.
“I’m Wooyoung,” Wooyoung introduces himself with a smile, “I’ll be in your care today.”
“I’m Hongjoong,” the other man replies, extending a hand that Wooyoung takes, “let’s work hard, yeah?”
Wooyoung hopes his hands aren’t sweaty as he shakes Hongjoong’s warm hand. How could his hands not be clammy? He’s faced with an extremely attractive man with split black-and-white wavy hair framing his face in a very attractive slicked-back hairstyle, what was Wooyoung supposed to do? Be calm?
It was impossible to be calm under the gaze of a god amongst men. Hongjoong was wearing a plain black shirt that showed the (very hot!) tattoo on his muscled bicep, tucked into plain black jeans. He was wearing plain black high-top Converses, too. On his hands were various silver rings and on his ears were sets of silver piercings. He looked like he would have been teenage Wooyoung’s gay awakening.
His tone is kind and in no way condescending, a refreshingly different experience from Wooyoung’s past encounters with producers. Most producers in Hongjoong’s scene tended to look down on idols like Wooyoung, only recording with them for the undeniable cash they earn from the royalties of an idol’s song.
“Of course,” Wooyoung smiles at him, hoping to get a look of what Hongjoong looked like with a smile—Wooyoung was willing to bet that Hongjoong could get an army of men to fall at his feet with a small grin.
“Feel free to sit on the couch or on this chair right next to mine,” Hongjoong points out the chair for Wooyoung, “I can start by playing a few tracks, and you can tell me if any of the tracks I have piques your interest. If not, we can start a completely new track and we can spend our time working on it together.”
Wooyoung became a successful idol because he always grabbed any opportunity by the balls, this was no different—he took the seat that Hongjoong offered gratefully, sitting next to him comfortably.
“Can I call you hyung?” Wooyoung asks Hongjoong, while the latter was scrolling through his files, “you are older, right?”
“You can call me whatever you’d like,” Hongjoong replies with a small laugh, “but if you’re the same age as Yeosang, then we’re a year apart.”
“Oh hyung,” Wooyoung giggles, “you’ll regret giving me that much power.”
“Yeah?” Hongjoong hums, his concentration remained unbroken, eyes still fixed on the screen in front of him, “What are you even going to call me that I’d end up eating my words, hmm?”
“Honey,” Wooyoung blurts out before he could even think twice, unsure of whether his flirting would land, or would land him with an HR complaint.
Hongjoong thankfully doesn’t take him all too seriously, “Yuck. Maybe something less sweet and I’d reconsider giving you free reign.”
Before Wooyoung could register the flirty banter between him and Hongjoong, the other already turned his work mode on. “Wooyoung, I need you to be super honest with your thoughts when I play you the tracks, okay? If it’s something you can work with, something you really hate, or something you’re willing to play around with,” Hongjoong tells Wooyoung, looking him straight in the eye.
“Of course,” Wooyoung nods, “I’ll be honest with you, hyung.”
“Hmm,” Hongjoong hums, “good boy.”
Choosing to ignore how the words good boy made Wooyoung feel and he wills himself to accept the caringly authoritative tone of Hongjoong’s voice, lest Wooyoung ends up insane with how badly he was attracted to Hongjoong. He maintains his composure and listens to the first track Hongjoong plays for him.
It was a relatively slow track, Wooyoung can’t visualize himself dancing to the song, even if he tried hard. It would work for a b-side, but Wooyoung thinks the track needed a more powerful vocalist. It wouldn’t play to Wooyoung’s strengths.
“It’s too slow, hyung,” Wooyoung says, “I was trying to imagine if I could dance to it, and I couldn’t imagine moving to it onstage. I think this one would be a good b-side, but I don’t think my voice would suit the song.”
Hongjoong nods, “good, okay—I’ll try to choose a more rhythmic track then.”
Wooyoung hums in affirmation. “Oh, and what do you mean your voice wouldn’t suit the track? I think your voice is lovely, Wooyoungie. It would suit any track.”
Wooyoung’s face flushes a deep red and he’s glad Hongjoong is focused on the computer screen. “Thank you, hyung,” Wooyoung mumbles, “I just mean that it wouldn’t be playing to my strengths—you know, dancing and stuff.”
“I think your voice is also a strength,” Hongjoong offhandedly comments, “but you are really good at dancing.”
“You’ve seen me dance, hyung?” Wooyoung asks, head tilted in curiosity.
“Mhmm,” Hongjoong replies, “Yeo talks a lot about you. Very proud of you. I’ve seen some videos he’s taken.”
“Aww,” Wooyoung squeals, “I knew it! Yeo actually loves me, doesn’t he?”
Hongjoong snorts, “He probably does, if he’s put up with you for the entirety of your career.”
“How about this one?” Hongjoong plays another one of his tracks.
Wooyoung closes his eyes, taking in the song booming through Hongjoong’s undoubtedly expensive speakers. It’s a lot more upbeat than the first one. It’d probably suit a fresher concept, for a younger boy group, maybe. It wasn’t Wooyoung’s style—while Wooyoung was welcome to experimenting with various concepts, he thinks that the song would have suited him if he had been eight years younger than he actually was.
“Pass on this, too, hyung,” Wooyoung says, “it doesn’t exactly scream ‘Wooyoung’ for me.”
“Got that,” Hongjoong nods again, clicking off to find another song, “any comments on the song choice? Do we want to go in a similar direction or not?”
“It’s a bit too fresh for me,” Wooyoung pouts, the admission of his ending ‘youth’ breaking his own heart.
“Ah,” Hongjoong snickers, “kind of glad you didn’t pick it, too. I have it reserved for a younger male idol.”
“Hey!” Wooyoung gasps, “Hyung, are you teasing me?”
“I am,” Hongjoong giggles, “you’re not that old, Wooyoungie. You’d kill a fresh and youthful concept if you wanted to.”
“Is this your way of buttering me up, hyung?” Wooyoung asks with a raised eyebrow, “If it is, then I must say it’s working,”
Hongjoong snorts and rolls his eyes, “Yeah, obviously I’m just fucking with you. I think you’re a hag with a shitty voice and absolutely zero dance skills.”
Wooyoung erupts in boisterous laughter, unable to take Hongjoong’s dry sarcastic remarks, “You’re unlike every producer I’ve ever worked with, hyung, I’ll give you that.”
“Gee, thanks, Wooyoungie,” Hongjoong dryly responds, gaining another round of giggles from Wooyoung.
“Listen to this one,” Hongjoong says, pressing the spacebar of his computer and playing a sensual track. It was slow but rhythmic, powerful bass framing the song. The song utilized anti-drops, the progression much more rhythmic and energizing than the chorus that was sexier and hushed.
“I think your voice would suit it wonderfully,” Hongjoong comments, “I made this with a more unique vocal tone in mind. Sweeter, in a sense, but more sultry when it came to the chorus.”
Wooyoung couldn’t even fully comprehend the gravity of Hongjoong’s comments, too engrossed in the song—his fingers were tapping along to the beat on his own thigh and head bopping along to the rhythm. Wooyoung could see the routine in his head—a choreography with subtle hip thrusts and moves that emphasize his body line. He practically feels the strong urge to stand up and dance to the song in his fingertips, his body unable to contain the excitement to the idea of dancing to such a wonderful track. The styling would prioritize showing off his dancer’s physique, his long legs and small waist. The song has practically seduced Wooyoung to choose it for his next title track.
“I want this one,” Wooyoung says aloud, “I love it. It’s perfect.”
Wooyoung’s eyes show the determination that even seeps through Wooyoung’s voice. Hongjoong is shocked by Wooyoung’s determination, able to see how much the idol wanted to make the song his.
“Then it’s yours, Wooyoung,” Hongjoong smiles, “anything you’d think of changing?”
“Not with the track, no,” Wooyoung shakes his head, “but maybe some melodies I’d have to change to fit my tone better. I’d like to partake in writing the lyrics, too.”
“Of course,” Hongjoong agrees, “I respect you as an artist and we need to work together to ensure that this song becomes yours, alright?”
Wooyoung nods his head excitedly, squealing, “You’re like, the best producer ever!”
Unable to contain his joy, he roughly squeezed Hongjoong in a thankful hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“Uh huh, you’re welcome,” Hongjoong groans, stiff as a board against Wooyoung’s body, “now, get off me.”
“Nope,” Wooyoung nuzzles his face against Hongjoong’s arm, “we need to get close right? I get close through physical affection so you’ll just have to deal with that, hyung.”
Hongjoong groans, “It’s our first meeting, are your self-preservation skills so bad that you don’t feel anxious over hugging strangers?”
“You’re not a stranger,” Wooyoung persists, “you’re my hyung now.”
“Fuck, if Yeosang told me you were so clingy I might have thought twice about working with you.”
“Shut up, hyung,” Wooyoung smiles at him with fond eyes, “you’re going to have to love my hugs, sooner or later.”
The hug lasts a minute more than Wooyoung was expecting, until Hongjoong brings hell on Wooyoung’s arm in the form of light slaps.
—
woo: sannie oh my god i met the hottest dilf ever
sannie: like actual dilf or just dilf vibes
woo: dilf vibes
woo: ik you’re SUUUUPER curious it's my new producer
woo: i call him hyung now. he’s actually so hot i think i might end up insane after having to coop up with him in his recording studio for hours on end working with him to make my album
woo: something very sexy about being creative with each other until it’s like 6 am the next day
sannie: nothing is very sexy about anything you just said but honestly? anything you do with a dilf can be sexy
woo: damn right
sannie: are you trying to get him to fuck you or
woo: HEY don’t be so crass
woo: i might
sannie: yeosang would have your head served on a silver platter
woo: would u save me from yeo if smthn like that happens
sannie: no. i’d get my blowjob privileges revoked if i do
woo: weak
sannie: nah i think you’re just bitchless
woo: ouch
—
“Fuck,” Hongjoong says aloud, alerting Yeosang who was seated on Hongjoong’s studio couch, waiting for Wooyoung and spending some time in relative calmness with Hongjoong.
“Something happened?” Yeosang asks, eyes darting up to look at Hongjoong who was staring at his phone screen with his forehead creased.
“Haneul’s sitter is sick,” Hongjoong mumbles, tapping away at his phone, “both Yunho and Seonghwa are at work. I need to pick her up in 10 minutes and I don’t know where I’ll drop her off.”
“Just bring her here, hyung,” Yeosang excitedly suggests, “I miss Haneul!”
“I’m supposed to work with Wooyoung and Maddox-hyung,” Hongjoong sighs, “we’re on a tight deadline and I fear that Haneul would grow restless.”
“I’ll be here for an hour once Wooyoung arrives, I can keep her busy during that time,” Yeosang suggests, “I won’t mind. And she’s the type to keep quiet with her own toys or her own book, right? I’m pretty sure Maddox-hyung would be excited to see Haneul as well.”
Hongjoong nods, “Yeah, I have no choice. I guess it's an impromptu bring-your-daughter-to-work day.”
Yeosang tries to hide (poorly, might Hongjoong add) his excited squealing at the anticipation of his favorite toddler.
Hongjoong grabs his bag and readies himself to pick his daughter up, stopping himself for a moment before opening the door, “Wooyoung wouldn’t mind?”
“No,” Yeosang firmly says, “He’s good with kids. And if he did mind, he can’t do anything about it, because I want to spend time with Haneul.”
An unconscious pout was forming on Yeosang’s lips, looking at Hongjoong with wide puppy eyes. Hongjoong laughs, “I’m bringing her regardless, Yeo, you don’t have to worry.”
“Be safe, hyung!” Yeosang calls out to him as Hongjoong steps out of the studio with a quick farewell.
—
“Appa!” Haneul greets him with a big smile, easing all the tension in Hongjoong’s shoulders.
Hongjoong opens his arms to a toddler hopping towards him. Haneul engulfs him in a hug, her small arms wrapping around his torso. “You had a good day?” Hongjoong asks her, fixing her hair away from her face.
“Mhmm,” she nods, “I spent the day with Sunwoo and Changmin-oppa! We played with Yeji and Lia, too!”
“That’s so cool!” Hongjoong exclaims, carrying her in his arms as she continues to animatedly tell him of her day.
—
Haneul enters the studio with her tiny hand in Hongjoong’s, skipping happily and chanting for her uncle Yeo and uncle Dox.
“Haneul, honey, appa is working with someone new, okay? Dox-hyung and I really need to focus, so for an hour, you’ll be playing with uncle Yeo, hmm?”
“Okay, appa,” Haneul replies, “can you also fix my braids when we get to your studio? They’re very messy.”
“Of course, honey,” Hongjoong tells her. They arrive at the studio’s door, and Hongjoong has to physically stop Haneul from bouncing off of her feet.
“Haneul!” Both Yeosang and Maddox greet the toddler as soon as she steps foot in Hongjoong’s studio. Haneul’s eyes widens in excitement, quickly turning into crescents with how widely she was smiling. “Uncle Yeo! Uncle Dox!” Haneul excitedly greets them both, hugging them tightly while she greets them.
“You’ve grown so big, Haneul,” Maddox pats her head, “last time I saw you, you were still very tiny!”
“Uncle Dox you’re joking! You saw me a month ago,” Haneul giggles. “Appa, hair?” Haneul looks at Hongjoong for a moment, causing Hongjoong to remember her request. “Oh, yeah—come here, I’ll fix your braids for you.”
Haneul moves to go nearer to Hongjoong, turning back on her dad so Hongjoong could easily braid her hair. Hongjoong redoes her braids gently, careful as to not hurt his daughter.
“Are you excited to play with me, Haneul?” Yeosang asks.
“Of course, uncle Yeo!” Haneul happily claps, “We have to be hush, though, appa said he and uncle Dox have to work.”
Haneul makes an exaggerated move to ‘shh’ Yeosang, a single finger on her lips as she hushes her uncle. Yeosang giggles, repeating Haneul’s gestures.
Hongjoong looks at the both of them fondly, trying to kick the thought of the impending deadlines away from his mind to reduce his stress.
An unsuspecting Wooyoung opens the door to Hongjoong’s studio, met with an absolutely heartwarming site of a young girl kissing Hongjoong on the cheek, with a tiny “thank you, appa!”
“Uh, hey Yeo, hey Hongjoong-hyung, hey Dox-hyung,” Wooyoung greets cautiously.
“Oh, hey Wooyoung!” Hongjoong greets him, “Haneul, honey, come greet Wooyoung.”
“Okay, appa,” the young girl nods, “Hello! I’m Kim Haneul, Kim Hongjoong’s daughter. I’m turning 6 this year and appa says I have a good eye for fashion!”
She bows perfectly and Wooyoung has to physically restrain himself from putting her in his pocket. He returns the polite bow and greets her with an equal amount of enthusiasm, “Hello, Haneul! I’m Jung Wooyoung, 27 years old, and I’m an idol! I work with your dad! You can also call me uncle, if you’d like.”
“Hng,” Haneul agrees, adorably nodding her head once, “uncle Wooyoung you should go start working with appa and uncle Dox! Appa says you have to catch a deadline.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Wooyoung salutes her as she giggles and heads to Yeosang’s spot on the couch.
Maddox greets him warmly and Hongjoong smiles at him, too. As soon as he sits down on the chair next to Hongjoong, Wooyoung is met with the realization that Hongjoong was an actual dilf.