CHAPTER 1: Seoul Is Where The Heart Is
If Only They Have Given Him The Photo Earlier
Jinyoung has been looking for that particular boy he secretly calls his dream knight. He is usually under the shade of the palm tree nearby the shore, but today it doesn’t look like he even went there. Yesterday was Jinyoung's seventh birthday; it's his first birthday in the orphanage and his first birthday without his parents. He has been looking for that boy because he has to give him something. He isn’t sure if the boy would accept it, but it’s not gonna hurt to try.
Jinyoung had visited the places where the boy usually stays, but still, he's nowhere to be found. So he decides to go back to the orphanage and just give it to him later tonight. On his way there, he finally sees him, but it's in the least way he's expecting. His dream knight is about to get inside a beautiful car with a beautiful man holding his hand. Jinyoung runs towards the car, he's running as much as he can, but his tiny legs can only do much. The boy isn’t even turning to look back at him, not until he is already inside the car.
Jinyoung has snot running through his upper lip and his vision starts getting blurry. The car is moving farther away from him and he couldn't do anything to stop it. With his tears blocking his sight, he doesn’t get to see that the boy now inside the car is looking back at him, crying. That night, Jinyoung cried more than he did when his parents died. He cried holding onto the two copies of the same photo; he cried because his Dream Knight left without something to remind him of Jinyoung. But there could have been, If only they have given him the photo earlier.
Today is the day that Im Jaebum is finally coming back to Korea, after four years of studying in the UK. He graduated with flying colors, blood-red petals on his way with a marching band madly playing their instruments, and the queen’s blessing to his excellence. The latter part is an exaggeration, but Jaebum being extremely intelligent is not.
“Hello? Yes, mum? I have arrived safely; I’ll be home in few minutes… Dad’s already here?” Even though his mum, or rather one of his fathers, is such a worrywart, he must admit that he missed him a lot. Not long after his mum responded, a tall man with brooding eyebrows, but sweet and loving eyes came to his view.
“Paps!” Jaebum shouts and runs towards the man with an excited smile and open arms. Jaebum kisses him on the cheeks just like how he used to.
“Jaebum, my little boy!” The man says as he envelopes the younger, giving him a sweet smooch on the cheek. Jaebum slightly protests with the term of endearment; he won’t admit it out loud, but he missed it a lot too.
“Paps… I’m not a little boy anymore!” Jaebum says, slightly breaking from his father’s hug. The older man laughs and ruffles Jaebum’s hair.
“You should stop treating Jaebum like a small kid, Seunghyun my love.” The father and the son laugh in unison after hearing the not so left out mum on the phone. Jaebum then gave the phone to his father.
“You say it like you are any better, you couldn’t even fall asleep last night because you can’t decide which food to cook for your favorite son. Don’t kid me, Jiyong my sweetheart.” Seunghyun chuckles, the corner of his eyes crinkling slightly. Though his wrinkles are more prominent now, he is still as handsome as he was before. And by the looks of it, he is still very much in love with Jiyong, his mum.
This is just one of the few things Jaebum loves and hates at the same time about his parents. When he was younger, he used to complain that at one moment they would treat him like the best son (baby) in the world and that he is such a priceless kid any parents would kill to have and then at the next second, they would treat him like an awkward third wheel in their high school-like love story.
“Now before your son complains about being a third wheel for the nth time, I will give the phone back to Jaebummie and we will see you in a bit. I love you.” Seunghyun says sending teasing looks to his son before giving back the phone.
“I love you too, mum. See you.” And when Jaebum finally ends the call, his father slings and arm over his shoulder, pulling him closer, walking towards his car.
He didn’t hold himself back when he saw that his father is still using his old car. It looks
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