Jungsoo had nearly forgotten about the grocery store incident until his phone vibrated the next day in the afternoon.

He had shoved Henry and Kyuhyun into the bathtub after an hour of hunting them down. They always seemed to sense when it was time for a bath. Today however, Jungsoo had gotten help from the twins in exchange for a second helping of ice cream.

He was kneeling down scrubbing Henry’s back when it happened.

Frowning, he washed his hands with the shower spray, then reached for his phone in his front pocket.

Yo.

What the hell?

Jungsoo checked the number but didn’t recognize it.

He shook his head and ignored the text.

He was then washing Kyuhyun’s hair when his phone vibrated again a couple minutes later.

So you’re playing hard to get.

“What the f--”

“Ooh! Father! You can’t say that!” Kyuhyun said pointing at him.

“Shush Kyu.” Jungsoo made him turn back around to finish his hair.

Again he ignored the text.

Once the two boys were clean he tucked them both under an arm and scurried to their bedroom. They giggled as they were carried like rolled up rugs with their Batman and Dragon Ball Z towels, respectively.

He set them down on the bottom bunk of their bunk beds as his phone vibrated for the third time. Jungsoo pulled his phone out then hit his head as he tried to straighten up.

“Ah Jesus Christ!”

“Daaad!” Siwon who was on Sungmin’s bed with Sungmin whined.

“Yeah yeah don’t use the Lord’s name in vain. Sorry!” Jungsoo muttered rubbing his head.

He then glanced at the message.

Hey. I’m sorry was there supposed to be a three day rule? I thought that only applied to girls.

What?!

LISTEN! I DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUT I JUST HIT MY HEAD WITH A PIECE OF WOOD AND I AM NOT AMUSED! STOP TEXTING ME!!!! Jungsoo furiously replied.

The answer came a minute later.

Omo! :O It’s your Promise Keeper. Are you okay?

Jungsoo gave a sigh. Oh no…

How did he manage to keep embarrassing himself in front of Youngwoon? No wonder all his friends left.

I’m sorry! I forgot to save your number under a name! TT-TT I feel like a fool.

“Dad?”

It’s okay. ^^ At least I caught you at a bad time, now I can make you happy again.

Jungsoo smiled.

“Dad?”

With drinking?

“Dad?”

Exactly.^^ How about tonight? At 9:00?

9:00? P.M.? But it was…Saturday…wait! That made perfect sense what am I thinking? God, I’m turning into an old tight assed ajusshi. 9:00 p.m. wasn’t late! 9:00p.m. was perfect for young people!

What is wrong with me?

“DAD!”

“What?” Jungsoo spun around.

Sungmin pointed at Kyuhyun. The boy had escaped his towel and was swinging on the ladder of the bunk bed like a Tarzan. Henry cheered him on.

“Kyuhyun! Put some clothes on this instant!” Jungsoo warned.

Kyuhyun giggled.

“Dad who are you texting?” Siwon spoke up.

“Huh?” Jungsoo attempted to grab the slippery Kyuhyun.

“Who are you texting?” Siwon repeated.

“A friend why?”

“You looked really happy about it.” Siwon commented.

Jungsoo flustered slightly. Was he really that desperate for human contact with the same age group? Well same generation…I am two years older…

“Is it a girlfriend?” Sungmin joked.

“No!” Jungsoo grabbed Kyuhyun and placed him back on the floor. He then busied himself drying the boy’s hair.

A girlfriend?

Did Sungmin really think I would start dating again by now?

Should I?

Jungsoo didn’t really seem to have an interest in women. None around his old work had seemed to catch his eye.

Maybe I’ll stick with making friends first.

Hellooo…???

Oh right!

How about I treat you to some ramen instead? I owe you for the free beer.

“Dad?”

Alright. What time hyung keke ^^

“Dad?”

7:00. At the ramen shop beside the grocery store.

“Dad?”

Okay. See ya!~~~^^

“Dad?”

Bye ^^~

“DAD! Kyuhyun’s doing it again!”

Jungsoo whirled around. Back to reality.

“PARK KYUHYUN!”

“You’re going out?”

“Yes, Heechul.” Jungsoo answered for the fifth time. He shouldered into his sweater wondering if it made him look foolish.

Should I wear a jacket instead?

Did Youngwoon like jackets?

“Why are you going out?”

“A friend invited me out.”

“What friend?”

“A friend.”

“Sooo...you have a girlfriend now...”

“No. I have a friend. A guy friend.”

“So, is this going to become a usual?”

Jungsoo gave him a look. “What if it does? I take care of you guys every single day. I clean, cook, feed, and bathe you all. Don’t you think I deserve it?”

Heechul put his hands up in surrender and backed away. “Geez, Dad. Calm your !”

“Calm my–what? What is it with you kids and…never mind.”

Heechul gave a smirk and left the Jungsoo’s room, proud he had once again left his father stumped. Jungsoo sighed then changed into a jacket throwing the sweater he had been wearing into a corner.

He made it downstairs where his youngest and most filial sons: Kibum, Siwon, Ryeowook and Henry were waiting.

“Do you really have to go?” Ryeowook asked round eyed.

“You’re going to miss Sungmin and Zhou Mi’s fashion show!” Henry pouted.

Jungsoo patted his head. “It’s okay Henry, I’m pretty sure I can afford to miss that today. Since they hold one like every day.” He muttered the last part to himself.

“Why didn’t you hire a proper babysitter, Dad?” Siwon asked, somewhat outraged.

“Because I don’t have enough money for that. And who wants to babysit a dozen kids? Heechul will treat you just fine. And if not, you’re in charge alright?”

Siwon grinned. “Yes!”

“Oh can I be you’re partner in charge?” Kibum bounced around Siwon.

Siwon folded his arms, contemplating. “Maybe…”

“Alright, I have to go.” Jungsoo glanced at his phone’s screen. 7:03. It was cool to be fashionably late right? “Take care of yourselves.”

“Yes.” The four kids chorused together.

“AND YOU BETTER NOT INVITE ANY KIDS OVER OR SO HELP ME HEECHUL I’LL TAKE AWAY YOUR HAIR STRAIGHTENER AND YOU’LL HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH AN AFRO!” Jungsoo yelled in the direction of the living room until his face grew red.

“Whatever.”

Came the faint reply.

Jungsoo sniffed satisfied with the half assed answer.

“Bye Dad!” Ryeowook waved.

“Bye Dad!”

“Bye Daddy!!”

Jungsoo gave them a thumbs up and left the house.

“What took you so long?”

Jungsoo blushed slightly. “Um…”

“Is it okay that I ordered without you?” Youngwoon motioned to his plate of half eaten noodles.

Jungsoo nodded and slipped into the booth across from him.

He wasn’t about to admit that he had sat in his car contemplating his conversation with Youngwoon for over 10 minutes. He had tried to come up with every possible answer to any question the younger man might have.

No, he wasn’t about to admit that.

“This place is pretty nice. There’s a ramen shop down the street to my house but it’s stupid. There are only flower boys running that shop.” Youngwoon said.

“Oh like in Flower Boy Ramen Shop?” Jungsoo asked, excitedly.

“So you are the soft hearted type.” Youngwoon smirked.

“What?” Jungsoo blushed again. Had he just been tricked?

“I usually say that to people I meet to see what type of person they are.” He explained. “Like if they're soft hearted and like to watch dramas.”

“Well…I mean…it’s not like—like I meant to watch it! Ryeowook, my s--”Jungsoo clamped his mouth shut.

“You’re what?”

I can’t believe I stopped myself from saying son! Jungsoo thought. Well it’s not like I’m ashamed of being a father. I just don’t want to scare him off.

He seems so nice…I just want a friend, is that too much to ask?

Besides, I’ll tell him…later. Maybe…

“My um—neighbor.” Jungsoo lied. “He invited me over to watch it.”

“Sure.” Youngwoon snorted. He then handed Jungsoo a menu. “Hey, it’s okay to watch dramas. I like them too, occasionally.”

“What kind of dramas do you love to watch then?” Jungsoo asked scanning through the menu, even though he came here every weekend and already had a ‘usual’.

“Hmm.” The younger man laid back looking thoughtful. Jungsoo chuckled. Youngwoon shot him a smile and Jungsoo ducked his head to look back at his menu.

“I guess melodramas.” He finally decided. “I like emotional stuff.”

“I like melodramas too.” Jungsoo looked up, with a grin. “They’re so sad yet so…”

“Beautiful?”

Jungsoo nodded.

Youngwoon laughed. “I can’t believe I’m sitting here with another guy talking about melodramas! We’re men for God’s sake!”

“Hey! Don’t say the Lord’s name in vain!” Jungsoo could just imagine his son Siwon saying. I think I miss them already...

Damn I really needed to get out.

“What should we be talking about then?”

Youngwoon shrugged. “Action movies, baseball, girls?”

“None of that really interests me.” Jungsoo said, with a frown.

“You play for the other team?” Youngwoon raised his eyebrows.

“Yes, soccer team.”

Youngwoon laughed. “You’re witty hyung.”

“I try.”

They exchanged grins.

Jungsoo felt as giddy as he had when he had first dated his wife. He couldn’t explain it. Youngwoon seemed so familiar and it was easy to get comfortable with him. Jungsoo felt like they had been friends for years and not just three hours and 57 minutes.

Not that Jungsoo was counting…

After they had eaten, Youngwoon dragged him to a karaoke bar where they drank and sang their hearts out. Jungsoo forgot his obligations until his phone began to ring.

“Hello?” He slurred into the phone.

“Dad?”

Jungsoo took a seat on a fluffy couch, his balance failing. Youngwoon took a seat beside him, curious.

“Siwon, what is it?”

“Heechul brought Hankyung over!”

“Siwon that’s fine.” Jungsoo sighed.

“But you said no kids over!”

“Yeah, but I meant no kids like…like I don’t know them.” Jungsoo mumbled.

“Okay. Dad are you drunk?”

“Huh?”

“You are drunk! Dad! How are you going to go home? You can’t drink and drive!”

Curse the obedience in my son. How did he know?

“Don’t worry. I’ll get home safe. Just go to bed. It’s…” Jungsoo looked over his shoulder at Youngwoon. “What time is it?” He asked.

“11:40.”

Whoa! That was the latest he remembered staying up since his wife’s death.

“Dad? Are you there?”

“I’m here.” Jungsoo burped. “Look, just go to bed. Okay?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye Dad.”

Jungsoo hung up and turned to Youngwoon.

“That was…my…um…”

“Spouse?” He smiled knowingly.

“No. I haven't been with anyone since my wife.” Jungsoo laughed. “Besides,I don’t think angels have phones.”

Youngwoon gave him a sympathetic pat then offered to drive him home. He never even asked who the person on the phone was. Maybe he knew Jungsoo was keeping something and to just go along with it. Whatever it was, Jungsoo was grateful.

I’ll tell him…soon.

Jungsoo promised.

Next time we meet up.