By the end of the day, the quality time between father and son comes to an end, and unfortunately, Jongin has to bring his son back. The departure is not without sadness as the little boy seems too attached to his father already. Still, even if he’d want to, Jongin cannot bring the little Jong-Jong to his rundown place to spend the night, although he’d want to.

A parent is a figure to look up to and every child is proud of them. If Jongmin were to see how his father lives and struggles, it’d break the magic for sure.

Thus, the ashy brown eyed man brings his son back to his mother’s apartment with an aching heart. Still, uncertain whether they’ll be allowed to meet again, Jongin feel as if he needs to know a certain thing. And the answer would only make sense coming from his son.

“Him,” the man speaks, right in front of the apartment complex.

The little one looks up to his father with a bright expression and deep inside, Jongin feels guilty for having to ruin it.

“Do you hate me?” He asks as he struggles into kneeling in front of the boy, holding back a grimace from the pain shooting through his leg.

In his letter, it was stated yes and no, but Jongin wants to know for sure. Jongmin is still a child, but he’s human too, he also holds feelings inside, he also encounters pain and joy. Even if he’s an angel on earth, it’d be too unfair for him not to be bothered by it at all.

“I used to.” He nods in approval. “You were dead to the world, but everyone gossiped behind our backs, saying how you threw both Mommy and me away. I was hurt. Mommy was also suffering. But seeing how she never gave up on you, I thought that maybe there was a reason for your disappearance. I don’t hate you for leaving us behind. I hate you for the pain you caused to Mommy. I hate you for her tears and sleepless nights. I also hate the rumors the people made up about us without knowing us.”

Amazing. Such a simple answer, holding so many feelings. It is maybe at that moment, when Jongin realizes that Jongmin, Taehee and even he himself are all spoils of war. A erse game played by people with twisted minds. And they were all pulled in, without a way out.

Instead of answering, Jongin throws his arms around his son’s frail figure, bringing him closer to his chest, and patting his hair.

“My words of ‘sorry’ won’t make up for the pain you two went through, but I will try to make you happy. I was at fault too, for not coming sooner. But I promise you, Jongmin-ah, that I will never ever leave you again.”

The boy nods against his chest as he holds onto his father’s shirt. He believes him, for Jongin speaks the truth. The past is no longer relevant. They live in the present, headed to the future. And even if that future doesn’t involve the three of them together as a family, Jongmin now has both of his parents by his side.

Breaking the embrace, the boy opens the main door of the building and skips inside and then up the stairs, not forgetting to wave at his father. Jongin waves back.

He makes sure to look after him until the boy is no longer visible, not yet ready to go up to the apartment again and face the man who will soon become Taehee’s husband.

Just as Jongin is about to leave, his phone rings and as he takes it out, he cannot help but frown, when reading ‘Chanyeol’.

“Get to the police station at this moment. We’ve got a lead.”

✢

The police station isn’t very different from the usual evening, with the random drunken men making a fuss, the neighborhood pickpockets or shoplifters and a hooker here or there. Jongin, however, he doesn’t have time to follow any of the said activities, as he hurries to Chanyeol’s stand, where he faces a silent and well-known doctor.

“You better speak up now, if you don’t want to be charged of keeping information from the police.” The detective says with a grave but rather bored voice, as he types occasionally on his laptop.

The uncooperative one sits before him, handcuffed and seemingly restless. Dark hair is a mess, he wears deep bags under his eyes and even his dress shirt seems crinkled.

Upon Jongin’s arrival, Chanyeol pulls him to stand before him, while he explains the things quickly.

“Dr. Zhang Yixing here,” nodding at the handcuffed one, “was found yesterday morning while trying to flee from Seoul. Upon adding one and one together, we’ve come to the conclusion that he might be an accomplice to falsely accusing you dead.”

The ashy brown eyed man is rendered speechless, as he glances towards the doctor who helped into bringing Jongmin to life. He feels disgusted.

“How?” Jongin then finds the necessary courage to ask.

It seems as if Chanyeol has expected this question all along, because he clears his throat to begin the explanation.

“The wristwatch which was found on the scene – the one which belonged to you – was handed to me by him; the day Taehee asked me to bring her concrete evidence that you’re dead. We’ve found out that he used a sample from your DNA to fabricate the results from the autopsy of another’s body, to say it was you. He used the excuse that the body was in a too deteriorated state for c