"Coffee milk?" I muttered, squinting at the label.

I was in a supermarket close to my apartment, shopping for food. I scratched my head as I stood in front of the refrigerated section, basking in the chilled air wafting from it. Goddamn it was hot in Seoul today.

I carefully pushed aside all the front ones to reach the ones in the back, after I'd seen all the older women do it. 

I grabbed one and stared at the black stamp for a while, trying to absorb the expiry date.

"20th.... July...." I cocked my head to the side for a minute before shrugging. I was sure I could finish it before my birthday, and before the expiry date. It was call, call.

I shuffled along, picking up a box of individual banana milks and chocolate milks to dump into my cart. The contents of my cart were both good and bad. The bad were the chips, the snacks, the instant ramyeon and the chocolate. The good was fruit, kimchi.. And I don't know where soup that is supposed to be reheated is good or bad. Is it good or bad?

I needed cola. ing Joon wasn't here anymore to nag me about not drinking it. I turned me and my cart to the drink section.

"Annyeong."

I felt a tug at my shorts and looked down.

Oh god, a kid.

It was a little boy, big eyes, round face, bowl cut and colourful clothes. His hair was a light soy sauce brown, like when I was younger and my hair didn't go completely black yet. He looked about 4 or 5? Anyway, I was starting to feel a little bit of panic. I didn't know how to talk to kids, and didn't know what this boy wanted. Was he lost? Where was his mother? I looked around in a daze, trying to see who owned this little boy.

"Annyeong haseyo," the little boy insisted, tugging at my shorts again.

"Um..." I warbled. "Annyeong. Uhh.. Are you uhh, lost?"

"My name is Sehun," he said confidently, and I could hear a little lisp.

"Hi Sehun," I said softly. I looked around again, and to my dismay the lady who was looking at the milk was not looking at me. Turn around and take this off my hands, please!

"Hyung, I want to tell you something," he bounced enthusiastically, still pulling at my shorts.

It wasn't that I didn't like children but I wish I could shake him off. Gross little clingy thing, I frowned. 

"What is it?" I asked.

"Down down!" he demanded.

"What?" I said perplexed.

"Downnnn, downnnn," he whined pulling at my hem of my shirt now. 

I crouched down to his level, feeling a bit dumb that I didn't understand what he wanted in the first place.

"Hyung," he said right in my face, boldly putting his arm around my neck. I resisted the urge to grimace as his sticky hand clutched the front of my shirt. "Hyung, you're really pretty."

A surprised laugh bubbled out of me. Okay this kid was sort of cute. 

"Gomawo," I said his hair. "Where is your umma or appa?"

"Hyung," he stated. "Can I have a banana milk?"

"What?" I said, staring at him. He wasn't even smiling. He looked right into my eyes, totally serious. "Um... I don't know..."

"You have banana milk. Can I have a banana milk?"

I couldn't give him one. He was just going to open it and drink it right here and I would get in trouble for stealing. Or he wasn't allowed banana milk. Or his parents would be mad if I did. I was a stranger.

"Why don't you ask your umma or appa," I asked, grossed out as he sniffled. He looked and sounded like he had a cold. "Where are your-"

"Banana milk!" he yelled, stomping his foot. "BANANA MILK!"

"Sehun-ah!" I heard a voice exclaiming and a man running up to us. "Why did you wander away? What are you doing? I'm sorry sir, I'm really sorry," the man blubbered. "Sehun ah, are you asking this hyung to buy you banana milk? I told you you weren't allowed to do that! It's rude! I'm really sorry sir, I hope he didn't bother you too much," the man apologised as he scooped up his son. 

"It's okay," I said lamely. "I'm happy he isn't lost."

"I'm sorry, he's so rude," apologised the man again, bouncing Sehun in his arms. "I tell him he's not allowed and he does it anyway. I'm sorry," he bowed repeatedly. "Say sorry to the hyung Sehun," he scolded.

"Kkaebsong," the boy said, laying his head on his father's shoulder. 

"What?" I said the same time as the man squawked a "Sehun!"

"Sorry," said the man again. "It's something he picked up from me. Say sorry Sehun. Apologise properly."

"Sorry hyung," the boy said, wiping his nose with his hand. Grooooosss. I was so glad I wasn't near him now. His father didn't seem grossed out though.

The man bowed once again as I bowed too, and walked off.

"Appa, banana milk," I heard Sehun lisp out as they walked away.

"Sehun, not until you're better," I heard the man answer.

Shaking my head, I carried on shopping. Little kids. Drippy sticky monsters. Just when I was thinking that little kids could be cute, like Onew's kid, I was reminded that they're drippy sticky little monsters that I didn't really want.

I absentmindedly got in line for the checkout.

"Appa, when can I make my hair like banana milk?"

God, that nasally lispy little voice.

I quickly stole a glance to my right, seeing little Sehun sitting in the chair of the cart, his father leaning forward and absentmindedly kissing Sehun's forehead repeatedly as he waited for their turn.

"When you're 18, Hunnie-yah," responded the father, gently fanning Sehun's fringe.

"When's that again, appa?" asked Sehun against his father's chest, his little arms trying to hug his father to him.

"When you're taller than appa and you graduate from high school," replied the father patiently, kissing his son on the top of his head.

"When do I go to school appa??" asked Sehun.

"Next year baby," said the father. "When it's your birthday."

“Is next year a long time away?”

“It is aegi, it is.”

Sehun looked so content and happy, and his father was so nice, answering all his questions without getting mad. I couldn't stop staring. I liked this man, he seemed familiar. He reminded me of my umma. It was sweet.

All of a sudden Sehun sneezed twice, and I saw spit and all sorts of stuff fly out. I winced. So disgusting! I looked for the father’s reaction. If it was me I would probably be squealing away. 

"Omomomomo, my Sehunnie," cooed the father, pulling out tissues from his pocket and wiping Sehun's face as Sehun squirmed and wrinkled his face.

Sehun then started coughing, and this time it was my turn to wrinkle my face at the sound because it sounded really deep and painful. At this, his father lifted him from his seat, holding him against his chest and patting his back as Sehun coughed, rocking from side to side slowly. The dad’s fingers were so long and elegant, like a girls. Those were the prettiest hands I’d ever seen.

Sehun stopped coughing, and I was surprised. He seemed like a tough cookie, and brushed off his coughing episode with a small hand rubbing his face as he nestled into his father’s shoulder. 

And I was jealous.

Lucky, lucky, lucky little bastard. I wish I had someone who still loved me when I looked like . No one in this world would lovingly wipe my face if I had snot all over it, no one would hold me and coo at me and let me cough into their body. Lucky lucky lucky Sehun. If I had a father like Sehun, I would die happy. He was so lucky.

Sehun peeked out and caught me staring at him, which he stared back. What was I supposed to do? I smiled at him, surprised when his wide eyes curved into crescents, his mouth hidden into his father’s jacket.

I made a face at him and his eyes continued being little crescents, and he lifted his head so I could see a little grin before he hid half of his face again. 

His father moved down the line and it was now my turn to be served. After getting bagged I turned around to get one last look at him and saw that he was right next to me staring over his father who was my height's shoulder and his father had his back to me, also being served.

I bravely reached out a finger and poked at a pink cheek to which Sehun's eyes turned into crescents again, and he waved with a pudgy hand as I walked away.
 

That happened two days ago. And I was paying for it.

“Hyung, it was this kid in the supermarket,” I wailed as I blew my nose into a tissue. “I swear, he-“

I couldn’t go on as I started coughing.

“I can’t believe you got sick in the middle of summer Taeminnie,” said Onew. “And from a kid too. Your immune system must be bad.”

I wiped my nose, knowing that it was going red. But better red than dripping!  I was mortified.

“I’m sorry hyung,” I said miserably. “You better not get close to me or I’ll make you sick too.”

Onew sighed. “And then you’ll get my whole family sick too. Now I can’t work properly.”

“Huh?” I said, not really getting what he was saying.

“Because now I can’t do this-“ he leaned in and quickly pecked my cheek “- whenever I feel like it. And that’s the best part of my job. And hopefully what I’m the best at too. What do you think of my job performance as my client, Taeminnie?”

I laughed and gently pushed him away.

“Go to work Lee Onew, you dirty sleaze,” I said.

I rubbed my eyes as I stared at my computer screen, on a website where I was supposed to order Onew a new laptop charger.

“Goddamnit,” I said, grabbing my tissue and rubbing my nose.

Stupid Sehun!

My eyes were really heavy and I struggled to keep them open, fanning myself and shivering. I could feel my cheeks burning but yet my arms had goosebumps underneath my blazer. It was weird, normally the air conditioning was on point, but today it was way too cold.

my life, I knew I was sick.

I rested my head on my hands for a while, trying to collect myself and blinking forcefully.

Oh wow, closing my eyes really felt nice.

I looked around. The place was empty, the receptionist across from me having gone down to throw away the recycling or something.

I awkwardly put my arms on my desk, my blazer not really liking the way my elbows were bent. I laid my head down.

Wow, that felt awesome.

“ my life,” I whispered to myself as I closed my eyes, and felt myself descend to sleep.

A/N What's up! Long time no write! I'm sorry!

Anyway, I needed to get Taemin out of the office! Can anyone guess who Sehun's appa is supposed to be?

I really like EXO now hahaha!

Sehun and Sehun's appa will be in the story again! So there is a reason for them!

And you guys are so quiet. You don't give me any love when I update :( give me some nice words in exchange for my nice words here plleeaaasseeee!! <3 <3

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