4.

 

Minho watches with a frown as Kibum walks into his office.

 

The omega had insisted their talk couldn't wait and while Minho had half a mind of refusing the request, the other half hadn't found the strength to argue his way out of the conversation.

 

Which led to him simply telling Kibum to come to his office.

 

“What's the matter?” He inquires as the older male makes sure the door is closed behind him.

 

Kibum turns around and sighs deeply before going to sit on the couch on the left side of the room.

 

Minho watches him for a few seconds before deciding to join him.

 

“So?” He presses.

 

“I just talked to Taemin,” the omega informs, gauging Minho's expression.

 

It takes him a few seconds to register and understand the words. When he does, he growls in shock, “what?! I thought Jinki told you to leave it alone!”

 

Kibum raises an eyebrow at him in defiance and declares as he crosses his legs, “he's not the boss of me. I do what the hell I want.”

 

At any other time, that attitude from Kibum would’ve made him smile. Now though, it just fills Minho with stomach-curling frustration. He grunts and heaves a long sigh, shaking his head and closing his eyes. Suddenly, the tie around his neck is a little too tight and he pulls at the knot with two fingers, eager to loosen the death grip.

 

“He doesn't have a mate,” Kibum says as the silence stretches. “He's a single dad.”

 

Minho's not sure how that information makes him feel. Relieved? Happy? Bitter that his omega still went and had a kid with someone else?

 

“The boy's name is Lucas.”

 

The alpha's throat clenches painfully against the lump that formed there. Does Kibum really think sharing this information with him will do any good?

 

“He's three,” the omega supplies after a beat.

 

It’s like being electrified and Minho repeats, voice faint, “three?”

 

Taemin left four years ago. Almost day by day. Yet, he has a three-year-old son. The math was simple, which begged the question: did his omega not take their break-up as hard as Minho did? Was it that easy for him to move on so fast?

 

“He said he called you,” Kibum keeps speaking, though, by this point, Minho can barely make sense of his words. “He said that you never answered his calls. That you even had your secretary tell him to stop calling.”

 

“I never had Miyoung to tell him that,” he finds himself arguing feebly.

 

Though he's not sure how much of that is true. He had instructed Miyoung not to transfer him any calls from Taemin.

 

Knowing the beta, she had probably chosen the most effective path to follow his order, which, apparently, meant telling Taemin to stop calling.

 

The fact he never got back to the younger either, despite him calling incessantly was something he wasn’t ready to talk about. The regrets his decision filled him with were too great for him to face. Especially given the recent discoveries he made about his omega’s new life.

 

Still, he wonders bitterly if his radio silence warranted such a low blow on Taemin's part that he went and had a kid with another to get back at him.

 

“Why didn’t you call him back?” Kibum pries, his voice taking on a sharp tone.

 

Minho avoids the elder’s gaze, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

There’s a beat of silence before the omega snorts in disbelief.

 

“Did you know?” the omega inquires dryly.

 

Minho looks up to find Kibum’s gauging gaze turn into a glare as a scowl breaks onto his features.

 

“Know what?” The alpha inquires, suddenly lost as to what they're talking about.

 

He sees the older male’s jaw tensing as he presses his lips together in that tell-tale gesture that shows he is growing impatient.

 

“Did you even listen to his voicemails back then?”

 

Minho gulps and shakes his head, tearing his gaze away from the omega once more.

 

“Why not?”

 

Minho his dry lips and admits weakly, “I was afraid that hearing his voice would make it harder to cope.”

 

Kibum snorts again and declares dryly, “you're a moron.”

 

It's the alpha's turn to clench his jaw. Before he can say anything in his defense though, Kibum speaks again.

 

“He was calling to tell you that was he pregnant. That he was carrying your child.”

 

The words hover Minho's ears without really getting in to be processed. The alpha stares blankly at Kibum.

 

“Lucas is your son, Minho.”

 

As his brain takes in the words, they make little to no sense.

 

Surely, he heard it wrong.

 

“What?” He asks dumbly.

 

Kibum sighs and says, “he told me that he found out he was pregnant when he got to St Petersbourg. That he called to let you know but that you never answered him. Minho, he thinks you know about Lucas. He thinks you simply just don't want anything to do with your son. That it's the reason why you never made a move to get in contact with them.”

 

The omega marks a short pause and finally adds, “I told him you didn't know but he wouldn't listen to me. He's angry at you, says you lost the right to call Lucas your son when you rejected him four years ago.”

 

Minho pulls at his tie again until it’s loose enough so he can pop the first two buttons of his dress shirt.

 

He has a son.

 

Taemin didn't go and have a child with someone else.

 

Taemin had his child.

 

Then why does it all feel so surreal? Why can't Minho fully believe the claims?

 

He heard Kibum just fine and yet, he can't admit to himself that he understood what the elder said.

 

“Are you sure the boy's mine?”

 

Kibum glares at him once again.

 

“Oh! You gotta be kidding me!” He growls as he throws his hands in the air, breathing heavily. “Why would he lie about this?” He goes on. “I saw him, Minho. I spoke to him. The boy is your spitting image. And the timing… you can't pretend it doesn't fit. He could've been very early into the pregnancy when he left.”

 

Kibum sighs and shakes his head as he regains some composure.

 

Minho can’t bring himself to talk. He can’t even think straight at this point.

 

The omega sighs once more and then admits, “I obviously don’t know Taemin as well as you do, but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t pull something like that. And I’m sure you know that too.” He pauses and then adds, “it's at least worth the benefice of the doubt. Go talk to him, make things straight. If not for the sake of your relationship, then at least for the well-being of that adorable little boy who has no fault in this mess.”

 

Minho shifts his gaze down to his hands.

 

A part of him knows Kibum is right. Yet, admitting to it, admitting that Lucas is his son, implies that he abandoned his omega at a crucial time. That, in his haste to make things right by the younger, he actually made them worse.

 

Not only that, but it also implies that he missed the first three or so years of his child's life.

 

The idea is jarring and Minho's not sure how to process it.

 

It feels like an eternity later when he finally finds his voice back.

 

“I have a son?” He inquires softly, feeling dumb for needing any more confirmation.

 

Kibum sighs softly and then reaches out to take the alpha’s hands into his.

 

“A very smart little boy, from what I saw,” he reveals gently. “A little boy who deserves to know his other father.”

 

Minho can’t find it in himself to smile at the information. Not when another jarring thought occurs to him.

 

“Taemin must hate me,” he whispers.

 

There’s a fear gripping at his insides, like a clawed hand trying to squeeze the life out of him.

 

“He’s angry, very angry,” Kibum points out, his tone still soft. “But I think it’s more out of hurt than hatred. He does think you deliberately turned your back on them...”

 

“No,” Minho states, desperation twisting his features as he looks up to Kibum. “I would never… I–” his voice cracks. “I would do anything to be with them. I… I love him, Kibum. I could never...”

 

“I know that,” the omega says, squeezing his hands slightly. “And I’m sure that deep down, so does he. Right now, though… I think he needs to hear it from you.”

 

 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

 

 

As much as he tries, Minho can’t get his mind back into work after Kibum leaves, with a promise of a talk about his choice of ignoring calls.

 

As if the knowledge that he has a son isn’t enough to make him despair his idiotic choices.

 

He stays in his office for a couple more hours, trying to at least finish what he had started before his friend came along to drop the bomb on him. When he finally admits defeat, he dejectedly gathers his things and leaves, instructing his secretary to cancel all of his appointments for the rest of the day and the upcoming week.

 

When he gets to his apartment building, he gets in the elevator in the underground parking lot and stares blankly at the buttons by the doors. He is itching to press the one to the fifth floor, but can’t find the courage to do so.

 

Eventually, the doors close but he still does not budge, too overwhelmed to do anything.

 

The small piece of paper on which Kibum scribbled down Taemin’s apartment number and his contact information weights like lead in his pocket.

 

When he asked Kibum how he got all of that information, the omega shrugged and explained rather blandly that he has a friend who’s very good with computers.

 

Minho didn’t dare investigate further, afraid it would warrant him some incriminating knowledge. Kibum kept contact with quite a few of his jail-bait buddies from high-school and Minho doesn’t want any part of that.

 

However, the point now is that he has all the means necessary to contact Taemin and clear things up between them.

 

All the means necessary but not the guts to go through with it.

 

This is why he is more than taken aback as that chance encounter he had been hoping for almost two weeks finally happens again.

 

The elevator doors slide open once more to reveal Taemin standing right there, holding his– their son's hand and grasping the leash of his beloved dogs, Adam and Eve.

 

It takes several seconds for either of them to react.

 

Adam and Eve are not so patient. Even more so as they instantly recognize Minho and bark excitedly, bouncing over to him, begging for attention.

 

Minho looks down at the dogs and smiles thinly, itching to crouch down and pet them, to show them he too, missed them.

 

Yet, he doesn't move. He isn't sure if he even has the right to, given the recent development his and Taemin's story has taken.

 

One Minho is still struggling to process.

 

“Come on, Daddy!” Lucas exclaims as he pulls his father into the elevator, tiny body encountering great difficulty in moving the larger male.

 

That seems to snap the omega out of his trance and he finally looks down at his– their son – Minho reminds himself once more.

 

“Honey, we should take another elevator,” he says, voice going on an even softer tone than Minho knows him for.

 

“Why, Daddy? There is enough room here for all of us,” Lucas points out with such a perfect diction and ease that Minho can't help but stare in amazement at the child. “I need to use the bathroom!”

 

He wonders whether three-year-olds are supposed to be so good with words.

 

“Adam and Eve are too excited, this might make the gentleman uncomfortable,” Taemin justifies, though Minho suspects his unwillingness to get on the elevator has little to do with making sure the alpha is comfortable.

 

In fact, he can tell it's taking everything from the omega to keep up the composed facade.

 

Lucas stops pulling and looks up at Minho, big round dark eyes, boring into the older male's own identical set.

 

“I am sorry sir,” he apologizes softly, a soft blush sprinkled over his cheeks. Still, he fights through the obvious shyness to speak, “Is it okay if we get in with our puppies? They are nice, I promise.”

 

And had Minho still had any doubts before that this boy is his child, they're quickly drowned out by the striking resemblance their share. He muses that for once, Kibum wasn't exaggerating.

 

It’s not just the eyes, it’s the mouth, the face shape, even his hair-line is like Minho’s.

 

Faced with such a revelation, the alpha struggles to find his voice back before he says, “I don't mind.”

 

Taemin glares at him so heatedly, Minho is sure that if the omega had any kind of heat vision, he would have combusted on the spot.

 

“Thank you, mister!” Lucas chirps, beaming, and for a second, Minho forgets how to breathe.

 

Lucas turns back to look up at Taemin – the omega quickly schools his expression to look at the boy –. The three-year-old says, “did you hear that, Daddy? Mister doesn’t mind. Now, can we go, please?”

 

Minho watches as Taemin forces a smile on his face before nodding at his son’s request.

 

Their son’s request, Minho thinks with frustration. Why can’t that fact just simply sink in once and for all?!

 

As they step onto the elevator, Taemin makes sure to pull Lucas’s tiny body close to him, the boy’s back pressed tightly against the omega’s legs as the raven-head presses the button for the fifth floor.

 

Eve and Adam are bouncing around Minho’s legs, bopping his shins, demanding an attention the alpha wants nothing more than to give them.

 

He remembers how before he and Taemin started dating, he had always defined himself as a cat-person and had never really wanted to have dogs. When he had first met the omega’s two pets – which the younger had since he was a child –, Minho had struggled a little to grow comfortable around them.

 

Up until the moment he found he was the one doting on them instead of his boyfriend.

 

Minho misses those times. He misses the comfort of going home to find Taemin there, to be greeted by their dogs – because at some point through the four years they had been together, Eve and Adam had become his too –. He misses knowing that he always had someone to return to at the end of the day.

 

“Taemin,” the sound of his voice is foreign to his own ears, too deep, too rough with barely contained emotion.

 

The omega tenses and Lucas looks up at them, obviously surprised the stranger knows his father’s name.

 

“We need to talk.”

 

Minho doesn’t know where the courage came from. He doesn’t feel all that brave inside.

 

“We’ve got nothing to talk about,” Taemin retorts coldly.

 

Minho swallows, reminding himself not to cower. He knows it is not going to be easy.

 

So he steels himself and reveals, “Kibum told me everything.”

 

Taemin scowls and points out with his own steely resolve, “nothing you didn’t already know.”

 

Minho clenches his jaw, but before he can say anything, the elevator stops its ascent and the doors slide open.

 

Taemin nudges Lucas forward and takes a step in that direction himself but Minho seizes his arm, his whole body trembling at the idea of losing this chance.

 

“I didn’t know,” he confesses, voice cracking, desperate to be heard. “I didn’t listen to or read anything you left me. I didn’t know.”

 

Taemin takes in a shuddering breath and Minho half expects him to snatch his arm away.

 

He doesn’t. Instead, he looks up at Minho and says, voice barely above a whisper, “don’t play with me. I waited for you long enough, I can’t afford that now. Lucas needs me, more than I ever needed you.”

 

That’s when he does snatch his arm away and follows Lucas out, pulling Adam and Eve along with him.

 

Minho stays there, staring at his back for several seconds until the elevator doors start to close again.

 

This sight is becoming too familiar, he muses. He can’t leave it at that.

 

If he hadn’t been such an idiot four years ago and at least listened to what Taemin had been trying to tell him through the phone, they wouldn’t be here. He would have been there for the omega; he would have been there for Lucas.

 

So he extends an arm to hold the doors and steps out just as they slide back open.

 

“Taemin, please,” he pleads, trying to keep his voice from cracking too much, though he’s not very successful at that. “Let’s talk about this.”

 

The omega’s back stiffens, but it’s Lucas who whirls around to look at Minho, his eyes large with confusion, though a small frown is slowly forming on his face.

 

“Please, mister, leave my Daddy alone,” he requests before grabbing Taemin’s hand to pull him along.

 

Minho is stunned for the umpteenth time. He itches to forego any rationality and use his authority as alpha to command his mate to stay and listen.

 

Yes, his mate. Because Taemin has always been his, no matter how much they fought against that knowledge. Taemin has always been his mate, even after they foolishly put an end to their relationship.

 

The little boy clinging to the omega’s hand, who looks so much like Minho, is proof of that.

 

Still, he opts for the safest option not to bring upon himself any more of Taemin’s resentment. The safest option as not to scare the little boy who’s so obviously trying to put distance between them.

 

“I’ll drop by some other time, so we can talk,” he states, causing Taemin to scowl at him.

 

He’s not asking, though. Even if he doesn’t want to order the omega around, Minho knows that if he leaves him any way to opt-out of that talk, the younger will take it.

 

He looks down at Lucas, forces a smile at the frowning boy and bids him goodbye, deep voice going soft.

 

The child obviously hesitates to answer before whispering a small, “goodbye, mister.”

 

Minho watches them walk to their door and can’t bring himself to tear to his eyes away, even after they have both disappeared into the apartment.

 

It hurts as he swallows around the lump in his throat, his heart is hammering in his chest, longing to see his little family again, to have them to himself once and for all.

 

Yet, he knows there’s a lot he needs to do before he can reclaim his place by their sides again.

 

He promises himself, as he absently makes his way back to the elevator, that he will do the impossible to earn that right back.

 

---

A/N: So, Kibum got his suspicions confirmed that Minho didn't know about Lucas... and Minho found out about his son... Next up, we'll see how Taemin takes in that information and finally, the talk.

As always, I thank you all for the support, the comments, subscriptions and upvotes. It lights a fire in me to have you guys reading this. So, thanks a lot! And I'll look forward to reading more your thoughts ^^

With love,

Joorin<3