Work Text:
Seok's currently on the phone, one of his student is calling.
“Teacher! I ate carrots kanina!” his student cheerfully stated. Seok release a chuckle, he's soft when it comes to children kaya kahit anong gawin nang mga ito ay natutuwa siya.
“Oh, really? That's great! How did you eat it? What happened next?” he replied with the softest tone he could use. This student of his dislikes veggies, mas malala lang sa carrots dahil napanaginipan nito na hinahabol daw siya at gustong kainin ng higanteng kahel.
“Naka-mix po sa meat! Tapos I said po na hindi na niya ako mae-eat kasi I ate it na!” the student told, Seok could not contain his laugh, tumawa siya nang malakas, nakisabay ang student niya sa kabilang line.
Their Bituin heard him laugh, sumilip si Bituin sa nakaawang na pinto ni Seok at narinig na may kausap.
‘Why is Dada laughing like that?’ Bituin wondered.
Bituin did not came in, he's just at the door, listening as his Dada talk to another child like how the latter talks to him.
Bituin didn't like it, even though he does not show his affection to his Dada like how he show it to his Dadi, gusto niyang sa kaniya lang ang atensyon ng Dada niya.
He pouted, hands crossed, and walked away slowly and sat back at the living room where he was playing kanina. That's when his Dadi, Shu caught him. Shu sat next to him, but did not speak at first because naririnig niyang may sinasabi ang bata, pero it's not crystal clear kaya pinakikingan niya muna.
Shu spoke after a minute or so, catching the attention of the child.
“What's the matter, baby? Why are you sad?” he carefully asked, he even patted the child's back.
At first, the child only shook his head. When Shu was about to speak, the child have a teary eyes.
“Dada,” there was a long pause before Bituin continue,
“Does he love me?” the child asked, raising his head to face Shu, who almost got heart attacked because of Bituin's cuteness. Shu slightly pinched Bituin's cheek,
“Of course he does, who doesn't? You're adorable, baby. Why did you ask? Did something happen ba?” he asked back.
“I heard Dada laughing sa phone, hindi siya natawa like that kapag ako...” the child pouted more, Shu tried to hide his chuckle,
‘Bituin, why are you so cute?’ he thought.
“Let's talk kay Dada later about diyan, mag-play na muna tayo? Para ma-cheer up ka?” Shu said, softness and calmness can be heard, parang hindi pinigilan yung pagtawa kanina.
The child refused by shaking his head,
“Ayaw ko po, baka i-hate niya ako, Dadi eh,” nahimigan ni Shu ang pagtatampo sa boses ng bata. Shu then thought,
‘Bahala ka suyuin anak mo, Seok. Ang lala ng tampo haha.’
Shu secretly messaged his significant other while trying to do anything to cheer the child up.
----
Seok goes outside their house, buying the ice cream his son likes.
After doing so, he came back and found Bituin laying down the carpet. Seok sighed, siya ang napapagod sa pagkakahiga ng bata sa carpet dahil sa pwesto nito. Ang paa ay halos katabi na ng mukha, while ang kamay naman ng bata ay nasa magkabilang gilid. Hindi rin nakatulong na nakatihaya ang bata.
Seok put the ice cream in the freezer and walk to his son para ayusin ang pagkakahiga nito sa kwarto nila.
Habang naglalakad si Seok buhat ang anak, Bituin groaned and opened his eyes a bit. Napanguso ang bata nang makita na ang Dada niya ang may buhat sa kaniya. Seok just smiled seeing the reaction he got.
Seok put Bituin at his bed, the latter immediately turning around to face the other side. Seok let out a silent chuckle.
“Why is my baby nagtatampo, hmm?” he asked, kung tatanungin siya ay mas soft pa ang boses na gamit niya sa anak kaysa sa mga estudyante niya, kaya hindi niya magets kung bakit nagtatampo ito.
Bituin only shook his head, talagang ayaw humarap.
“May I sit on your bed, my Bituin?” Seok asked, hindi na siya nagulat nang tumango ang anak, marupok din yan tulad ng Dadi niya.
“Talk to me, Bituin. Why are you nagtatampo? Para we can fix it as early as we can. What did I say when it comes to this?” Seok asked once again. Bituin finally faced him, still pouting and has a teary eyes again.
“Talk if you feel something to let the others know what I feel about some things,” Bituin whispered, which made Seok smile. He gestured Bituin to sit, and he did kaya naman humarap siya sa anak.
“So, what happened? Bakit ka nagtatampo?”
“Kasi po... I heard you laugh on the phone po, ang lakas ng laugh niyo pero kapag sakin mahina...” Bituin tried to suppress his sob, pero hindi kinaya kaya umiyak siya nang tuluyan.
“Is that so, can you hug Dada?”
Bituin nodded, and obliged. When Bituin hugged him, he responded by hugging the child tighter, just enough to give him a warm hug. He talked while caressing his head.
“I'm sorry if I let you feel that way, baby. Hindi naman kita masisisi kasi your feelings are valid. Pero always remember na I did not intend to hurt you, okay ba?”
Bituin nodded, and tighten his hug. Seok continued,
“Hindi naman sa mahina ang tawa ko kapag sa iyo, baby. Siguro hindi mo lang napapansin kasi mas malakas tumawa ang Dadi mo, pero malakas din ako tumawa when it comes to you. Mahal kita, mahal ko kayo ng Dadi mo, always remember that, okay?” Bituin nodded once again, Seok continued to rub the child's back para pakalmahin, that's when Shu came in.
Shu smiled because of the scene in front of him, before the mood change, he joined.
“Ano yan, kayo lang magha-hug? Let me join!” he said before he embrace them both. Seok let out a small laugh before embracing him as well.
“Are we okay na ba, Bituin?” Seok asked after a while, Bituin wiped his own tears and nodded,
“Opo, sorry po kasi I got tampo kanina,” he added.
“No, don't be sorry for feeling something, hindi naman natin maiiwas yun, okay ba? Let's go sa baba, bumili ako ng favorite ice cream mo!” Seok said, making the child's eye lit up.
“Really? Thank you Dada! And also thank you Dadi! I love you so much!” Bituin said, he even kissed their checks before running down the stairs. Seok and Shu just laughed before following their child.