Jongin was stunned when his dad's hand slapped his right cheek. It wasn't hard, but enough to make the boy froze.

Why did he slap me?

Is it because I'm running away?

Is it because I disobey him?

Is it because I choose to live my dreams instead of his?

Jongin felt both pain and anger bubbled up on his chest. He was about to die and yet his dad gonna hate him until the last breath he would exhale.

Jongin turned his head toward his dad and was just about to shout at his dad when those strong arms pulled his body...

...Into a hug.

Jongin's body bounced onto his dad's and for the second time, Jongin froze. The hug was tight, tight enough to block Jongin from moving any single muscle.

Jongin's eyebrows furrowed as confusion hit him harder. A second ago his dad just slapped him, and a seconf after his dad hugged him.

Is this a dream or reality?

"You, naughty kid..."

Jongin was cut off from his thought when he heard his dad's heavy voice.

"Until when you gonna keep your disease as a secret from me?"

The blood that ran through Jongin's vein stopped moving. It slowed down just like the seconds around him, letting him savor the warmthness of his dad after years.

"You..." Jongin choked out. "...You know?"

Mr. Kim didn't answer his son's question. He just tightened his hug even more.

"D-dad..."

"I will pay your operation no matter how much it costs." Mr. Kim said all of sudden. "I will let you do whatever you want to do. I will, Jongin. I will!"

Jongin felt his dad's whole body trembling against his own.

"But promise me you will be healthy again. Promise me you will be happy again. Promise me, Jongin! Promise me!"

A tear rolled down from Jongin's eyes when he heard the determination in his dad's voice. It felt like a dream, to hear his dad talking like that.

Heck, Jongin had never even dreamed about he got a freedom to do what he wanted.

"I love you, Jongin." Mr. Kim whispered lovingly. "So, please. Promise me that you will stay alive. Promise me, promise me!"

Jongin nodded his head as he inhaled the oxygen helplessly.

After years and years, his dad finally talked to him, hugging him, saying that he loves him.

Jongin couldn't be any happier than this.

"Please, please comeback home with me today." Mr. Kim said without releasing his hugs. "I'm letting you do whatever you want afterwards. Please, just... Just go home with me."

Jongin squirmed and pulled away from his dad's hug. He stared into his dad's loving face which he had missed for long long time.

It isn't a dream, right?

Jongin didn't faint when his chest hurting back then and having a sweet dream, right?

"Dad..." Jongin whispered again with broken voice. "I-is this... Is this real? A-are you... Real?"

Mr. Kim broke into tears when he saw distrust in his son's eyes. How could he let his own flesh and blood doubting him?

"This is real, Jongin-ah." Mr. Kim said while placing both of his hands on Jongin's cheeks. "I'm real. This is real."

And that's when Jongin also broke into tears. The heavy weight he felt in his heart being lifted up almost immediately once he heard his dad's words. A tight pain on his chest turned into a sudden joy and his previously numb body strengthened.

Jongin jumped into his dad's hug once again and Mr. Kim gladly accepted him.

"I love you, Jongin." Mr. Kim whispered while securing his hands around his beloved son's body.

"I love you too daddy..."

After years and years passed, that day, finally... Mr. Kim could hear that words again coming out from Jongin's mouth again.

***

Taemin was so surprised when he saw the person his dad coming home with.

After looking around for Jongin, Mrs. Kim called him and asking him to comeback home since it's getting late outside. With heavy heart and heavy steps, the almond haired boy decided to go home then cried his heart out infront of Mrs. Kim. Both him and Mrs. Kim ended up crying together, feeling utterly useless as a family for Jongin.

"D-dad..." Taemin couldn't believe what he saw. "...J-jongin..."

Mr. Kim smiled and pulled the hesitated Jongin into his hug. "Yes. What's wrong Taemin? Ah, has mom cooked yet? Jongin hasn't eaten anything since he's coming back from Japan."

Mrs. Kim who was also watching with both eyes and mouth wide from the kitchen immediately rushed forward. "W-what happened?"

"I'll tell you the stories later." Mr. Kim said while smiling. "So... Can you re-heat the dinner again? I bet all of us haven't eaten anything."

Mrs. Kim was still all confused but when she got a code from his husband to not asking anything, she just moved to the kitchen and did as what her husband told her.

"Jongin-ah, now you can go shower." Mr. Kim said while smiling.

Jongin nodded and wordlessly turned his body. He headed upstair and Taemin immediately followed him.

Mr. Kim watched as the two leaving and then turned his head toward his wife. Mrs. Kim was staring at him with demanding eyes. "Honey, what happened?"

Mr. Kim just smiled and approached his wife.

"Just re-fixing something that I've broken years ago."

***

Taemin followed Jongin's movement toward his bedroom. Nobody's talking to each other and they ended up standing awkwardly around each other.

Jongin gulped down nervously as he busied himself by picking up the clean shirts from wardrobe, particularly avoiding Taemin. On t