Kim Jonghyun was beyond sceptical. This is so not what he imagined Taemin’s cousin to be like. And he is supposed to take care of his precious baby daughter. The guy with the dirty blonde hair wearing gangster looking (although Jonghyun himself doesn’t know what gangster’s actually wear) clothes.

“Are you Onew, Taemin’s cousin who is a webtoon artist?” Yup, Jonghyun wanted to confirm really badly that the guy standing at the door is indeed an artist. Not a gangster. Though it never occurred to him that people would actually admit they are gangsters when asked.

Onew nodded instinctively, “Yeah, aren’t you gonna...let me in or something?”

Jonghyun thought about it for a while, he can totally trust Taemin; right? It’s just for a few hours, nothing bad will happen. There isn’t any time to look for a replacement anyway.

“Come on in.”

Onew stepped inside, scanning through the apartment while Jonghyun rushed to his daughter’s room to bring her out.

“Now Hana please listen to uncle Onew alright? I promise I will be right back.” He told his daughter as they walked to the living room hand in hand.

“Okay daddy, I promise.” She pouted, hugging her Pororo doll.

Onew took one look at Hana, and was immediately smitten by her. He crouched down to her height, “Hi Hana, I am uncle Onew.”

Hana looked at her dad, then back at Onew who smiled at her. Jonghyun had to admit that his smile changed his perception about him, a little.

“Hi uncle Onew, nice to meet you.”

Onew stood up, with the smile still on his face; “Don’t worry, I will take good care of her.’’

“Thank you.”

“Are you sure your cousin isn’t a part of the gang? Cause he sure looks like one!” Jonghyun complained as soon as he met Taemin during the meeting for the next EXO’s comeback.

Taemin messed up his hair in frustration, “For the hundredth time hyung, Onew hyung is a very nice guy. He just coincidently likes to dress like a gangster, are you happy now?”

“You don’t even know what gangsters wear, Jonghyun.” Key chipped in, being the fashion designer and all.

“That does not matter!”

“Yes it does, you don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Minho, the reasonable one in the group; commented. Jonghyun doesn’t even know why he’s there, he is a model. Not a composer, a cordi or even a choreographer.

“Okay, I get it. But if he is bad at his job, I am so gonna...”

“Kill him.”

Jonghyun’s jaw dropped, like almost to the floor. Hana was playing cooking with Onew, and she never looked this happy.

Onew was even better at taking care of Hana than him. She didn’t even realise that her own dad came home. Jonghyun doesn’t know what to think.

“Oh, hi Jonghyun. Welcome home.” Onew smiled.

Hana finally caught on, “Daddy, you’re home! I had so much fun with uncle Onew!”

Jonghyun raised his eyebrow, “Right.”

“So, how was the meeting?” Onew asked, heading to the kitchen.

“Uh, it was; fine.” Jonghyun replied awkwardly.

Onew took a sip of water from the glass he had just filled, hand in his pocket like he actually lived there. The nerve of that guy!

“I had fun with Hana, you don’t mind if I babysit her when you’re busy; right?”

Hana perked up, jumping around with joy. “Can he please daddy?”

As much as Jonghyun disliked Onew, he couldn’t bear to break his little daughter’s heart.

“Alright, it’s a deal.”

“Why do you even hate my cousin when you don’t know how is he actually like?”

Taemin and Jonghyun stood side by side at the corridor, waiting for the EXO members to arrive for their rehearsals.

“Do I have to have a valid reason?”

Taemin scoffed, ‘Well yeah, there is a reason for everything.”

Jonghyun sighed, he knew very well that he hated Onew for a reason; and it’s because Hana seemed to enjoy herself more with Onew than her own dad. He was jealous.

“I guess you’re right. Maybe I should get to know him better.”

“You should go out with him.”

Jonghyun instantly freaked out when Taemin suggested that, “What the heck are you talking about? Go out with him? Like as in a date?”

Taemin laughed hysterically as if he just heard the funniest joke in the world.

“God hyung, I thought Key hyung was the dramatic one. What I meant was that you two should hang out, as friends. Besides, you aren’t um; into guys. Why did you assume I was talking about dates all of a sudden?”

Okay, Jonghyun himself didn’t know why either.

“Did anyone say anything about going on a date?” Kai, one of the members of EXO and also Taemin’s best friend; interrupted their conversation with D.O in tow.

“Hey Kai, yeah; we’re talking about my cousin Onew hyung.”

“D.O and I are going on a date too, you can join us Jonghyun hyung; double dates are so much more fun.” (Sorry I couldn’t help it, Kai and D.O is love too haha – author’s note)

“It’s so not a date Kai.” Jonghyun refuted.

“Okay, if you say so. We have to go for practice now, see you around.”

Taemin turned to Jonghyun, patting him on his shoulder.

“I will tell Onew hyung to call you. Just chill and I am sure that you will change your mind about him after hanging out with him.”

“Let’s see about that.”

Jonghyun doesn’t know why but he felt nervous, he couldn’t help but to fiddle the hem of his shirt. It sure didn’t mean much to him, he’s here to make friends with the guy. But it has been a while since he’d went out for dinner with someone other than Hana. Jonghyun felt as if he had forgotten what it was like when he actually had a social life. Sure he had Key, Minho and Taemin as his friends but he isn’t close to anyone apart from them. He’s meeting someone new and now he is freaking out because of it.

“You’re early.”

The familiar voice caught Jonghyun’s attention, it was Onew; still in his gangster attire. His hair now covered up with a beanie.

“You’re on time.” Jonghyun commented.

Onew shrugged, “Let’s go in before I starve to death.”

They stepped inside the restaurant, as recommended by Onew himself; finding a spot in the corner and ordered their food.

“So, I heard from Taemin; he said you hated me for some reason.”

Gosh, can Taemin just keep his mouth shut? Why did he even tell him that?

“I just felt insecure, I mean; you get along so well with Hana. I wasn’t cool with that somehow.” Jonghyun admitted, not being able to look at Onew in the eye.

Onew spoke up, “Kim Jonghyun, look at me.”

He did as he was told, eyes focused on Onew and his beautiful brown orbs.

“You just need to spend more time with Hana. Get to know her better, her likes and dislikes. You are a good dad, Jonghyun, I know you are.”

 “Thanks, you know what; you’re right. I should take Hana out more.”

Onew smiled, eyes crinkling as well. “You’re welcome.”

“What is your story though, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Jonghyun’s heart rate increased a million times faster, he wasn’t expecting for the guy sitting right across him to ask about his wife. But he wanted to believe that he was over it, that he now had the courage to let it all out. So he took a deep breath and began to tell his tale.

“I met Jiyeon when I was in college. She and I fell in love and you know, eventually decided to get married as soon as we graduated. Everything was going well, with Hana on the way; we were a happy family. But when Hana turned three she got into a very bad car accident, she didn’t make it. I was devastated, one day she was there right beside me and the next day she was gone. I couldn’t take it, so I left Hana with my mother and went for a long trip on my own. I only managed to get back up on my own two feet after six months.”

Jonghyun could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, he quickly took a sip of water to calm himself down.

“Oh god, I am so sorry for even asking. Are you okay?”

Jonghyun regained his composure, “Yeah I am fine. I have to move on, right? I still have Hana and my family to take care of.”

“You know what, since you told me your story; it’s only fair if I told you mine. My dad and I weren’t the ‘best of friends’. We used to argue like all the time, even over trivial stuff. Then one day when I was turning 18, he took me to the mall. Bought me some leather jackets, like the ones I wear a lot; telling me that I looked great in them. I felt so happy, you know; it was the only time we actually got along. But two days later, he died. In his sleep. It’s funny, right? He might have figured out he was going to die, so he wanted to spend some time with me. I guess that’s how the outfit stuck to me, it’s a way for me to remember him.”

Onew blinked the tears away, trying to stop himself from crying.

Jonghyun realised that he and Onew had something in common, they both lost someone they loved.

“I guess we can relate to each other now, yeah? You don’t have to hate me anymore.” Onew grinned.

Jonghyun smiled back, “Friends?”

“Friends.”