Taehee being in a relationship was not unexpected. Her getting engaged is a whole different story. Even Hyera had been utterly shocked by the statement moments after Jongin was faced with shock as well.

He should keep his distance. Jongin should try to live low. He isn’t supposed to care.

But then… why is his heart aching so? How exactly is he supposed to look after the son only, and not care for the mother? True, Taehee chased him away more than twice, but apparently, Kim Jongin keeps coming back like an unwanted parasite.

Then again, something about that Lee Taemin guy seems fishy. He can’t exactly place his finger on it, but Jongin doesn’t like him very much. And it’s not jealousy, not entirely. It’s just, there… And Jongmin, supposedly, he also shares his father’s beliefs.

And yet, Jongin cannot help but knock on the door of salvation – literally – which has been granted by Taehee. At least his persuasion is not in avail, and he can now spend some time with the younger Jong-Jong. 

The main door slides open, revealing a tall and quite averagely built man in his middle thirties. Dark hair is slightly longer, with bangs covering his forehead and ears, chocolate eyes narrowed and sculpted lips bitten by his teeth. It’s there, the similarity. Still, Jongin cannot yet explain truthfully just what makes the two similar, but it’s there. The feeling of acceptance, despite the unknown.

And also, the ashy brown eyed man encounters a pang of hurt, when realizing just who is opening her door.

“What is it?” Lee Taemin asks him without emotions in his voice, and also an expressionless face.

Jongin, pushing out the pain as much as possible, tries not to seem too affected by this. Why should he care about Taehee? She was the one who chased him out. Yes, he accepted to leave, but… He simply shut his eye, while Taehee locked him out of her heart.

“I’m here to spend some time with Jongmin.” And then adds, upon meeting the other’s frown, “Taehee knows.” And she does.

Though Jongin feels a bit weird, asking for permission to see his own son. Then again, he’s only been a father biologically, as he was never there. But that does not mean that he can’t start from now, does it?

Rustling sounds and quick steps can be heard from inside the apartment and Taemin is shoved to the side by the energetic Jongmin. Upon noticing his father, the boy jumps up and down in joy, and throws his arms around Jongin’s legs.

“Daddy!” he then exclaims with pure happiness, rendering both males wordless.

Jongin notices the change of expression on Taemin’s face, his featured hardening and involuntarily turning to stone. He looks slightly hurt by the scene, but truth to be told, it doesn’t really affect the other two.

Not when they’ve found one another.

“Hello there, Jongmin-ah.” His father says with a smile, as he ruffles up his fluffy obsidian locks.

The boy only clings onto the man’s leg tighter, hiding his face against Jongin’s hip.

“Ready to go?” Jongin asks his son, as he plays with his hair and his child nods vehemently.

The two are about to leave, when Taemin’s voice makes them stop on their tracks.

“Just… Don’t take too long.” And he shuts the door.

Is that concern he hears, or anger masked perfectly? Still, Jongin doesn’t intend to stay for long enough to find out.

✢

The amusement park on a weekday – add to it the fact that it is afternoon – is quite empty. Not that Jongin minds since his son can truly enjoy his self. The other day, when Jongin spoke to Taehee about taking his son out, she was a bit uncertain about the whole ordeal, but ended up agreeing.

Sure, his financial situation doesn’t allow him to move that freely, and even if he were to keep on staying in that rented motel r