DAY 9 - SEEMED LIKE CAT AND DOG

"Do you already have a girlfriend, Park Jinyoung? You look dashing," with folded arms, Mark amusingly plastered a wry smile and eyed the latter from head to toe while leaning his back against the wall.

The two of them were advised to stay at the reception area while waiting for Gom to pack his things. Jinyoung has already decided to keep the child even before the contract would reach its expiration, thinking that there won't be any difference and conflict from prolonging the child's stay at the nursery center and from immediately keeping him under their custody. Besides, he really missed the child, whom he haven't seen for almost a year of not visiting.

"Why does it even matter to you?" he sassed, squinting his eyes with fake annoyance. He could not comprehend if Mark was only teasing him for being single ㅡ like it wasn't even his choice ㅡ or the latter was just being totally sarcastic for the sudden compliment of him looking fashionable, when in fact he was simply dressed with only a shirt on and pants for today.

"Well, I'm just curious if you're already living your life to the fullest," Mark deeply chuckled, slightly grinning.

Trying to ignore the latter's crooked smile, Jinyoung took the chance to confront him about the sudden turn of events that happened inside the office. "Why did you do it? I did not force you to take responsibility but why did you sign the contract?"

Psh. He hasn't changed at all. Mark mentally scoffed, puckering his lips sideways.

"I told you, you're out of this! And you're not supposed to get any responsibility from it! I can think of a way to keep Gom... I can borrow money from my friends for the mean time. So why did you have to sign? No one forced you to take it!"

"I signed it because I am able to sign it. Don't stress yourself, I wasn't forced," he simply said, facing Jinyoung with his hands placed inside his pocket.

"We aren't playing here, Mark!" Jinyoung's voice cracked in despair when Mark couldn't seem to grasp his point. "Signing the contract means you're wholeheartedly willing to keep and raise him, and not only because you are financially suited!"

"Psh. I know what I am doing," Mark muttered from the side of his mouth, slight annoyance was evident from his tone.

"It seems to me that you don't."

"Likewise! How could you take the responsibility without money, Jinyoung? Do you think you can raise a child without enough money? How can you work if you are raising him alone? How can you make such decisions in a short period of time without thinking that much of its outcome?"

"It's not your problem," Jinyoung mumbled under his breath, lips tightened.

"Then, it's not your problem that I signed it either."

"Look, I don't want to bother you anymore. But why are you doing this? Are you showing off that you already changed to a better person just because you donated a million won to this charity? You're still the same. The way you think and speak... You think you can easily have everything because of your money. Responsibility doesn't revolve with only money!"

"W-What? Did I think like that?" Mark scoffed to disapprove. He couldn't believe that Jinyoung still thinks of him as an irresponsible silver-spoon-fed person bragging his money and belittling everyone, who lacks it, because those weren't part of his purest intentions at all. "I was clearly helping to keep the kid since you don't have any chance left and I don't want to be that heartless person in this story to decline it. I am not doing this because of you, nor I'm trying to become a responsible person. I am doing this because I am concerned about that kid," he seriously explained without breathing.

Jinyoung dreadfully remained silent as he took a brief moment to reflect, realizing that he probably became too judgemental and a little bit harsh on Mark, when the latter just wanted to simply help him. Maybe, it was his defensive self that pushed him to cross the line as he had promised himself not to bother someone again for his aggressive decisions. Whereas, he completely forgot the fact that Mark also grew attached to the child's presence even for the short period of time.

He faltered a bit before drawing out a hand for shake hands, "Alright. Since it wasn't forced and you pushed yourself into this pit of responsibility, let's get along and raise the kid well."

"Y-You-" Mark gasped in bewilderment from witnessing Jinyoung's quick change of mood. "D-Do you have a bipolar condition or something?"

"I am not financially suited so I am sincerely grateful that you decided to accept the responsibility, hoping you really meant it this time," with puckered lips, Jinyoung released his breath and forced Mark to firmly shake hands with him. "Gom doesn't have anyone with him, as of the moment. He can only lean with us. He's too young to experience this kind of life so I signed and accepted the responsibility without thinking about the consequences that I'll deal with. I thought that I am already capable and old to do something about it, but Gom is still too young to act on his own. Well... I guess we really need to rely on each other to raise him," he calmly admitted with a soothing voice, and Mark found himself unknowingly admiring the sight of the latter's puppy eyes and pouty lips, which he secretly adored since then.

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Standing in between the corridors of built-in cabinets, Gom silently observed their so-called mother superior, while she was packing his things inside a backpack. Being an obedient yet curious child, he helped her in transferring his clothes from the drawer to his bag without knowing the reason behind it.

"Why are you packing my things, Sister? Am I going somewhere?" the child finally brought himself to ask.

The mother superior sweetly smiled as she gently reached for his bouncy cheeks to caress it. "Gom-ah, starting today you will be living outside this place with your temporary guardians. Are you excited?" she cheerfully asked but the child only blinked as his response, somewhat clueless as to what he should expect from it. She grabbed to squeeze his palm and cooed to give him assurance, "I'm sure you will like your temporary guardians... a lot!"

"Do you think they will like me?" with pouty lips, he seemingly hesitated to ask.

"Of course!!! They won't agree to accept you, if they don't like you. Stop worrying about it, okay?"

Those comforting words were enough to give the child a sense of relief, but somehow, his heart cannot dwell in peace from knowing that he will leave the people inside the nursery center, whom he already considered as part of his family.

"But Sister, won't you come with me?"

Gom inquired and the nun felt a slight twitch of pain from the child's question. It was indeed hard to bid good bye, most especially to these kids, whom she wholeheartedly considered as her very own children. But, of course, time will come and they will be claimed by their biological or adoptive parents, and that no matter how hard it is to let go of these children, just thinking about their happiness and security would definitely result to her own satisfaction.

"I cannot come with you, but you can come and visit us again," she plastered a smile to cheer up the child.

"I will miss you and everyone," Gom stepped forward to hug the mother superior.

"We will miss you too, honey. Now, be good and always follow your guardians. Alright?"

He actively nodded, marching his tiny legs all the way through the connecting room to voluntarily get the other things he needed. "Do I need to bring my pillows, Sister? Do you think they will buy me pillows?" his small voice echoed throughout the room, and later on was seen struggling from carrying the large pillows, which were almost as big as him. "How about my bed and my table, Sister?"

ㅡ

With a meter distance away from each other, Mark and Jinyoung managed to peacefully straighten their mild conflict about the contract signing. Jinyoung conveniently settled himself above the steel bench as the latter remained leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, fingers of his right hand casually tapping his left forearm. Not that any longer, their attention was caught by the mother superior's soothing voice that softly announced, "Mr. Park?" as both of them automatically searched to look for the most awaited presence of a child, who turned out to be adorably dressed in an oversized jumper while holding a familiar toy. 

Jinyoung hastily scooted to greet them, leaving Mark not moving an inch from his place.