◐

“Before we go see Sowon, there’s something I need to tell you,” Sehun tells Kai, hands wrenched together nervously.

Kai’s eyes widen more and more as Sehun speaks, shock palpable on his face.

He had left Sehun as soon as he graduated? Sehun spent five years by himself taking care of Sowon?

Kai didn’t know about it even after he’d returned to Korea? Because Sehun was too afraid to tell him? And so Sowon calls him ‘Uncle’.

“I didn’t know If I should tell you.” By this time, Sehun’s voice is trembling, hiccupping as he keeps his gaze on the ground. “I was so scared… that it wouldn’t matter to you, since you had a new lover―that you’d moved on with your life. But my mother told me I should… because you have a right to know, and Sowon deserves to know who his other f―father is…”

Kai takes Sehun into his arms when his shoulders start shaking, heart clenching in his chest. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Sehun. I didn’t know―you went through so much pain…”

“It was hard, but…” A sniffle. “But the thought of you coming back, of seeing you again, helped keep me going. I wanted to see you again… so much…”

Kai bites on his lip as he holds Sehun, trying to soothe the younger man. His head is spinning with all the information…

So he left… right after he graduated?

Does this mean he listened to his father, after all?

Was there something more he’s not remembering? There is no way he’d obey and leave Sehun just because “Sehun isn’t worthy of you, my sole Kim heir”. Did Kai strike some sort of deal with the old man? What exactly happened?

Looks like he’ll have to ask his father about it, at a later time.

⇋

After Sehun has calmed down, making sure his eyes aren’t rimmed red lest Sowon notices, they make their way towards the child’s preschool.

As expected, Sowon runs up to him as soon as he spots him.

“Daddy! You’re early today!”

“Yeah,” Sehun giggles, giving his son a peck. “I didn’t ride the bus, that’s why.”

“You didn’t?”

“No, and you won’t have to either! Someone will give us a ride today.”

“Who―Ah, Uncle Kai!” Sowon perks up as soon as he notices Kai beside Sehun. “You’re here, too!”

“Y―Yeah…” Honestly, Kai looks quite overwhelmed right now, gazing at the kid, and Sehun can’t blame him. It’s not everyday you regressed to having the mind of an eighteen years old and finding out you have a four years old son now. “Hi, Sowon…”

“Uncle Kai, are you feeling better?”

“Hmn?”

“Daddy said you were sick! Are you still sick?”

Kai kneels down to Sowon’s eye-level as the child rummages through his small backpack. “Here!” Sowon takes out a blue lollipop and nudges it to Kai, grinning. “You told me blueberry is your favorite! Sowon will give this to you, so feel better, okay?”

“Oh… Thank you, Sowon…” Kai breathes, voice shaking as he accepts the lollipop from the child’s tiny palm. His eyes are glassy like he’s actually tearing up from being so touched, and Sehun would’ve been surprised, might’ve about it, if he isn’t holding back tears himself.

“Sowon has a sweet-tooth,” Sehun tells Kai when the older looks up at him. “He loves candy, just like you.”

“Yes! Uncle Kai loves candy as much as I do. That’s why Sowon likes Uncle Kai best!” the child announces, on his own lollipop.

Sehun chuckles. “Even more than me?”

“But daddy, you don’t like candy!”

“This is true,” Kai agrees, chiming in. “Your daddy does like milk tea though. So I guess he prefers drinking sweet things instead of eating them.”

Sowon scrunches up his nose. “But candy is the best! lollipops is yummy!”

“I know right?”

Sehun bursts out laughing, lips spread wide in amusement. “Are you two ganging up on me? Sowon, don’t forget I’m the one who buys you your candies.”

“But―”

“It’s alright, Sowon. If your daddy is being a meanie, I’ll buy you allll the candies you want. I have my treasure stash at home. Let me bring it to you later.”

“Treasure stash?” Sowon repeats, stars in his eyes.

“Yup. Like, a treasure box full of the best candies in the wooorld! I love it, and I’m sure you’ll love it, too.”

“Oooh, Sowon wants!” The boy raises his hand excitedly. “Daddy is a meanie but Sowon has you, so I don’t care! You are the best!”

When Sowon tiptoes to press a kiss onto Kai’s cheek, prompting the man to grin and ruffle his hair, Sehun only gazes them quietly with a smile on his face.

It seems, no matter if Kai has forgotten his memories or not, he is still the same person he always is, and will always get along well with Sowon.

It seems Sehun has nothing to worry about, after all.

His mother was right. Sowon deserves to have Kai in his life, too.

Maybe this really is all for the best.

Maybe Sehun got sidetracked somewhere along the way, but he’s found his way back now. This has been the happiness he’s been wishing for, for five long years, hasn’t it?

And now he’s finally gotten it.

Maybe it’s time to stop thinking about the what-ifs, and cherish what he has now.

Maybe he and Jongin just wasn’t meant to be. That the man was simply a lifeboat for Sehun to hold onto before he can reach shore and find true happiness there.

And as he watches Kai continuing to play with Sowon, picking the little boy up to give him a piggyback as they walk out to the car, he thinks, Yes.

Maybe everything will be alright, after all.

◐

TWO DAYS AGO,

Apparently Kai has been renting an apartment ever since he’d arrived in Korea, and was living there prior to his accident.

Which makes sense. Kai can’t see himself living in the Kim house, anyway, no matter how much more spacious and luxurious it is in comparision.

And despite his mother’s plead