’Dad, you should date.’

’Hyukie! What are you talking about?’ Jaehwan exclaimed, nearly dropping the frying pan he was using to cook dinner with.

’Date, you know, see someone.’ came the deadpan answer from Hyuk who was sitting on the counter.

’Are you really only twelve years old? Where did that even come from?’ Jaehwan asked back incredulously.

‘I watched dramas with grandma during the weekend.’ Hyuk said, giving a grin to his rapidly blinking dad.

‘I knew it was a bad idea to leave you two alone.’ Jaehwan mumbled, tasting his cooking and gave some to Hyuk as well.

‘Good.’ Hyuk nodded and hopped of the counter to get the plates. ‘But really, mom is probably laughing at you from heaven for still being alone.’

‘Hyuk!’ Jaehwan exclaimed as the small figure trotted out of the kitchen. ‘Dad doesn’t need anybody, besides I have you.’

‘Grandma thinks else.’

‘Grandma is being silly.’ Jaehwan sighed as he served the food for the two of them.

‘I will tell her you said that.’ Hyuk said sending a kiss to his mother’s picture, a simple tradition he did in the past six years.

‘Don’t you dare!’ Jaehwan chided, smiling at the picture as well. ‘Look what has become of our son, he is trying to talk me into dating!’

‘Mom would want you to be happy.’ Hyuk smiled and started to eat, not waiting for his dad to finish gaping at his words.

‘You know your mom is the woman I love.’ he sighed.

‘Well it could be a man, then.’

Jaehwan nearly choked on his food when he heard Hyuk’s answer.

‘W-What?’ he coughed out.

‘Hongbin said that his male cousin is dating a guy so...’

‘You can’t talk with Hongbin anymore!’ Jaehwan exclaimed.

‘You said it the last time as well when I asked you about babies…’

‘Enough.’ Jaehwan said, hiding his blushing face from his widely grinning son.

‘Can you believe it? Where did he even get the idea from?’ Jaehwan asked as he had lunch together with two of his co-workers and best friends.

They were merrily laughing at his son’s speech, not feeling sorry for Jaehwan at all.

‘Little Hyukie is growing up fast.’ Hakyeon cooed. ‘So will you bring back a new mom or a new dad for him?’ he asked, laughing out loud at Jaehwan’s scandalized expression.

‘Hyung!’

‘I know you had some boyfriends in the past, Gran told me a lot of stories…’

‘What?!’

‘But Hyukie is right.’ Wonshik cut in before Hakyeon had anything else to add. ‘You didn’t see anyone or nearly anyone in the past six years. Maybe you should start searching again.’

Jaehwan just sighed, looking up at the ceiling. Dear in heaven, ottokaji?  Help me!

‘Hyukie!’

‘You are late dad.’

‘Sorry, you know how Hakyeon-hyung is… ‘

‘Always talking too much.’ they said in chorus and both of them chuckled.

‘Well, let’s go.’ Jaehwan smiled, taking hold of Hyuk’s hand.

They were walking down the street, Hyuk telling his day and Jaehwan making exaggerated reactions to everything he said, a usual sight as they continued their walk home in laughter. Suddenly Hyuk noticed something and let go of his dad’s hand, running into the big park they walked by.

‘Hyuk!’ Jaehwan yelled, panic rising in his voice as he took off after him but when he reached the park Hyuk was nowhere to be seen. He searched for him as dread settled on his heart; he couldn’t bear the feeling of losing someone, of losing someone so precious again.

After the longest twenty minutes of his life he finally spotted him and all worries rolled of his heart as heavy stones and he ran without thinking, collapsing on his knees in front of Hyuk a few tears running down his cheeks.

‘Hyuk… where have you been?’ Jaehwan choked out, as he pulled the boy into his arms.

‘Dad, stop being embarrassing!’ Hyuk mumbled, returning the hug.

‘I was scared you know.’ Jaehwan chuckled shakily.

‘Sorry… I just saw a pretty cat and wanted to catch her… but I lost her and couldn’t see you anywhere…’ Hyuk said and pulled back a bit to wipe the tears of his father’s face. ‘But someone helped me, he took me here and said you would find me if we waited here.’

‘Who?’ Jaehwan asked, wanting to thank whoever took care of his son.

‘He was here a moment ago…’ Hyuk looked around in question. ‘He was really cool, like a super hero!’ he exclaimed with sparkling eyes.

‘Super hero?’ Jaehwan chuckled, standing up and dusting off his knees. ‘I would like to thank this Hero-hyungnim of yours for helping.’

‘Ah, he is not here anymore.’ Hyuk pouted. ‘You must have scared him with the yelling and running.’

‘Cheeky!’ Jaehwan smiled, tickling Hyuk before lifting him up. ‘Ah, you are heavy… shouldn’t give you chocolate for all of your good grades.’

‘Dad, you shouldn’t eat sweets after I go to sleep either.’

Jaehwan really wanted to meet the mystery man, to thank him properly…he felt indebted to the person who helped Hyuk, but neither of them have seen him ever since, even though they went to the park the day after as well… Also Jaehwan was partly curious who had such a big effect on Hyuk, his son was still completely fascinated by his Hero-hyung.

He was thinking about it as well when he went for his usual morning run on a chilly Saturday, so immersed into his thoughts that he didn’t notice the figure in front of him and ran straight into him. They toppled over ungracefully with a loud yelp from Jaehwan.

‘Ow, I’m really sorry!’ he apologized and immediately rolled off the man, bowing his head in complete embarrassment.

The other didn’t say anything just slowly got up, dusted his coat off and reached out his hand for Jaehwan to grab onto.

‘Ah, thank you!’ Jaehwan exclaimed, accepting the offered hand and quickly got back on his feet to bow again in apology. ‘Sorry, I didn’t notice you.’

‘No problem.’ came a soft answer and Jaehwan glanced up, meeting a dark set of eyes that observed him. ‘I think I had a similar encounter a few days ago…’ the man trailed off, tilting his head to the side.

Jaehwan didn’t say anything, partly from shame and partly from taking in the appearance of the stranger.

He looked chic, that was decided immediately.

The silence was broken by the stranger as a soft smile appeared on his lips that were partly hidden by a wide blue scarf.

‘I know you… you are that kid’s father that got lost a few days back… his name is Sanghyuk, right?’ he asked and Jaehwan’s eyes grew wide as saucers.

‘You are the one who found Hyukie?’

The stranger nodded and Jaehwan went back to bowing again.

‘I really wanted to thank you for it… never would have imagined running into you like this. No pun intended.’ Jaehwan chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

The man laughed lightly, clearly amused by his fidgeting.

‘How could I repay you… you helped the most precious person in my life.’ Jaehwan continued, smiling slightly along with the mystery man, he found his laughter quite nice.

‘Taekwoon. I’m Jung Taekwoon, nice to meet you, Hyuk’s dad.’ the man, Taekwoon said and Jaehwan shook his hand.

‘Lee Jaehwan, nice to meet you too Hero-nim.’ Jaehwan said, only to freeze as he realized what he said. Nice job, Jaehwan, really smooth.

‘Hero-nim?’

‘Ah, yeah… my son calls you that.’ Jaehwan smiled with an embarrassed blush.

Taekwoon just rolled his eyes at that with a smile and looked at Jaehwan again.

‘Well Hero-nim would really like to get his morning coffee… If Hyuk’s dad could invite me for one that would be nice.’

‘Coffee… ‘Jaehwan said, processing the information. ‘Right! Coffee!’ he exclaimed, shaking his head slightly.

Taekwoon was waiting silently for him to get his mind together.

‘You can come back home with me and I could make you some coffee… ‘ Jaehwan offered, before noticing how weirdly that sounded. ‘I mean Hyuk really wants to meet you again.’

‘Sure.’ Taekwoon said after a while and Jaehwan’s face lit up from only embarrassing himself nine times out of ten in this short amount of time instead of completely.

‘Great, then follow me Mr.Jung.’ he said and smiled when he saw the mirth in the other’s eyes. He had really pretty ones… Okay, you need a coffee as well Jaehwan, your brain is not working properly. he chided himself in his head.

‘Just call me Taekwoon.’ Taekwoon said as they walked out the park and Jaehwan nodded before blurting out the question that bothered him since his son brought it up.

‘So Taekwoon… Why did you disappear the other day without a word?’

Taekwoon stayed silent for a while before answering, laughter in his voice. ‘Because your son warned me that you would probably throw yourself at me while crying… I decided to stay back when I saw you running towards us.’

‘Hyuk!’ Jaehwan exclaimed with a furious blush and glanced at Taekwoon from the corner of his eyes.

Taekwoon was looking at him with that soft smile again and Jaehwan decided that he was not minding being laughed at, not by this man…

Dear in heaven, are you sending me a sign?

I had this irresistible urge to write Daddy Jaehwan with the sassy maknae as his son... so this is what happened :D

Inspired by the title.