Chapter 3

“Daddy daddy daddy! Let’s go!!!”

Zitao tugs impatiently on Yifan’s hands as Yifan fumbles with the keys, locking up the apartment behind them. He chuckles as Zitao skips to the car, one small hand firmly held in his and the panda plushie dangling from his other hand. It’s been a long time since he sent Zitao to school, given that he always had to leave early for work. Thankful that his workload had eased off a fair bit, he has decided to spend more time with his son.

Besides, he wanted to know what made Zitao so excited and eager for school. The little boy was never like this. In his previous schools, he often sulked and went to school reluctantly. He was a quiet and shy boy who didn’t like to interact much with other peers of his age. But this school seemed to cause a significant change in Zitao.

As soon as Yifan stops the car in front of the school, Zitao is already out of the car, shrieking, “Papa!!” Yifan’s shouts of “Be careful!!” goes unheeded by his son as the little boy ignores him and dashes into the school compound. Shaking his head, he smiles to himself as he grabs Zitao’s schoolbag from the back of the car, his mind not registering Zitao’s words from before.

“Yifan??”

“Baekhyun?”

Yifan raises his eyebrows at the shorter male in front of him, puzzled as to why he is in front of his son’s kindergarten. For a moment, he thinks that Baekhyun might have taken it too far, to the extent of stalking him and following him around.

“I’m starting work here,” Baekhyun explains with a sheepish smile, waving a hand at the building behind him. “I just got myself a job as a receptionist” he continues.

All the questions in Yifan’s minds disappear at once and he smiles, relieved that Baekhyun is not a stalker or anything like that. “Oh, I was sending my son to school. He is….” Yifan waves vaguely at the building- “somewhere inside there.”

Baekhyun laughs, then he shifts on one foot, looking at Yifan hesitantly, as though contemplating on doing something. He seems to make up his mind a second later and leans forward to plant a kiss on Yifan’s lips, taking the taller man by complete surprise. “Good morning,” Baekhyun breathes and Yifan feels that this is so, so wrong.

“Mor-morning”, Yifan finally manages to stutter, his mind a whirl as he tries to grasp what has just happened.  Baekhyun blushes and turns, walking into the school first, leaving a bewildered Yifan behind. Yifan is sure that his relationship (is it even a relationship?) with Baekhyun is progressing much too fast for his liking. He has only met the male yesterday and he isn’t sure if he wants to take a serious step into it. And Zitao… he isn’t sure how he is going to break the news to his son. Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair and follows after Baekhyun’s disappearing figure.

Yixing beams widely as he scoops Zitao into his arms, nuzzling the soft hair and inhaling the sweet baby shampoo. Zitao giggles in his arms, his small hands tight around Yixing’s neck. Yixing feels happier than he has in months. He has missed Zitao badly in the time he left, and now being able to hold his son in his arms again, it just seems so surreal. He pulls back a little to look at Zitao. “Who brought you here today hmm??” he asks, laughing when Zitao pushes his panda bear into Yixing’s face.

“Daddy!!” Zitao laughs as he tries to shove his toy into his father’s face, giggling when Yixing dodges. It’s difficult, especially when Yixing is carrying Zitao and the two engage in a mini-wrestling match as Yixing twists to avoid getting the toy stuffed into his face while Zitao screams in delight, kicking his legs happily in the air.

Their moment is cut short when Yixing turns at a gasp from behind them. The smile fades from his face and his arms almost loosen their hold on his son, if not for the fact that Zitao is clinging tightly to him. He takes in the tall figure standing in front of him, equally shocked, blood drained from his face. He is sure the other can hear the loud thumping of his heart because it’s Yifan. It’s the love of his life standing in front of him, hair slicked neatly in position, dressed in his usual office attire, tie always slightly crooked even though Yixing has tried to teach him how to fix it. Yifan has never bothered to learn though, because he says that it’s “Yixing’s job to look after me,” and it’s always convenient to pull the shorter male into a kiss after he is done fixing the older’s tie.

“Hey what’s-” he is startled at the sudden interruption from Luhan as the honey- blonde haired male steps up to stand beside him, a hand on his shoulder. He turns and is surprised to see Luhan scowling at the sight in front of him.

“What is he doing here” Luhan narrows his eyes. And this time it’s Yixing’s turn to be surprised.

“You know Yifan??”

“Why wouldn’t I know him. He was my enemy back in high school,” Luhan replies, the scowl firmly set in place as he glares at the tall male standing in front of them.

Yifan tenses as he watches Luhan casually rest an arm around Yixing, as though mocking him. “Look, Yixing is mine, not yours” He doesn’t even notice when Baekhyun laces his fingers together with his, giving him a reassuring squeeze. He is more concentrated on the pretty male in front of him, with his son, no, their son in his arms. Yifan feels a myriad of emotions run through him, joy, ecstasy, pain, hurt. The overflow of feelings is too much for him to take and he is at a loss at what to do.

So he lets his irrational self take over.

“Well, well, I see how it is now,” he drawls lazily, trying to ignore the pain that accompanies the erratic thrum of his heartbeat.  “You run away so that you can hook up with my enemy. And now you think you can steal my son away from me?” Yixing’s eyes widen in shock and surprise at this sudden accusation. He attempts to defend himself but Yifan cuts him off sharply before he can even begin.

“Don’t even think about it, because I’m not letting you take away my happiness from me. I’m withdrawing Zitao from this school today.” He watches as Yixing’s face falls visibly, his shoulders shaking slightly and he unconsciously clenches his hand, stopping himself from wanting to reach out to pull Yixing into a hug.

“Papa, why is Daddy holding that Uncle’s hand?” Zitao whispers softly, his eyes fixed on Yifan and Baekhyun’s interwined fingers.

.

Yifan totally forgot about Baekhyun. He panics and he tries to separate their joined hands together.

Too late, Yixing has seen it. And so has Zitao.

The said boy twists in Yixing’s arms and struggles to be let down, running towards Yifan when Yixing’s hold loosens and his head drops, hair falling over his eyes, covering his face and the tears that are threatening to fall.

What happens next takes everyone by surprise as Zitao dashes towards Yifan, forcefully cutting in between Yifan and Baekhyun, pushing Baekhyun aside. “Daddy can only be with Papa!! No one else!” he cries. Baekhyun gasps and loses his balance from the sudden push and it’s thanks to Yifan’s quick reflexes that he steadies the shorter male.

Fury fills his mind and Yifan turns to his son and yells at him, causing the small boy to look up at his father with fear. Yifan regrets it almost immediately when Zitao bursts into tears and runs back to Yixing, clinging onto his legs. Yixing is frozen and it takes him a few seconds before he scoops his son into his arms, caressing his hair and consoling him, telling him how “it’s okay, so long Daddy is happy, Papa is happy too.”  Yifan tries to ignore the stinging pain in his heart when Luhan rolls his eyes at him, and turns to usher the father and son duo into the school. And he tries to ignore the stab in his heart, when Yixing looks up at him, eyes shining with tears before he lets himself be led into the building by Luhan, a sobbing Zitao in his arms.

.

;___; cries at this scene. this is so different from the fluff im used to writing OTL. anws, just wanted to apologize for the latelatelate update. just to let you guys know, im officially on a semi-hiatus from writing. school work is taking up too much of my time aslkdnafslkn and i hardly have time to write nowadays :c i'll write whenever i can though, but i cant promise you guys weekly updates anymore. thankyou so much for reading and sticking with me thus far, i really appreciate it. till the next update then! i love you guys <3