“Hey! Lee Hyukjae! Give Nemo back to me!” A five year-old kid named Lee Donghae, which is one of Lee Sungmin’s kindergarten students ran across the school’s garden chasing another student who stole his favourite nemo stuffed toy away from him.

Hyukjae stuck his tongue out, still running, the poor kid’s stuffed toy still in his hand. “Lee Donghae is an idiot~!”

Donghae sniffed as he stopped chasing Hyukjae, feeling helpless, his hand automatically rising up to wipe his tears. He sat on the grass, watching Hyukjae mock him. “Teacher! Teacher!” he cried, his sobs getting louder and louder.

Lee Sungmin was arranging the children’s story books on the shelf as his little students are having their recess and busy playing around the school garden. He came out of the classroom, only to see little Donghae crying while sitting on the warm, grassy ground. “Donghae, why are you crying?” He asked, kneeling down to reach the kid’s level.

Donghae, who was still rubbing his eyes pointed at a spot where Hyukjae was standing, holding the nemo stuffed toy with guilt spread all over his face.

Sungmin heaved a deep breath. So it was Hyukjae again, bullying this gentle and kind hearted Donghae. He was used to this. He was used to crying and bullying kids. He smiled, holding Donghae’s small hand and walked towards Hyukjae’s direction. “Hyukjae?” he looked at the little Hyukjae, smile never leaving his face.

“Sorry, Hae…” Hyukjae walked slowly towards Donghae and hugged him as he returned his toy.

Donghae’s sobbing subsided and hugged his friend back. He didn’t say any word, but he knows, and Hyukjae knows that he forgives him.

Sungmin smiled at the sight. Somehow, choosing his profession is not a bad thing at all.

--

It was five o’clock in the afternoon when his class ended and Sungmin found himself guiding his students out with his fellow teacher, Ryeowook.

“Mr. Lee?” Someone called and Sungmin turned around, and there, a tall man with messy, brown hair and jet black eyes stood, with Hyukjae sleeping in his arms. He bowed, acknowledging the man as Hyukjae’s father. “Are you busy? Can we talk for a while?” The man asked.

Soon, Sungmin and the man whom he knew as Cho Kyuhyun and Hyukjae’s father were sitting on the bench near the school. The sun is already yawning, ready to hide itself from the world under the orange sky’s covers.

Cho Kyuhyun cleared his throat and opted to start a conversation. “Uh… Mr. Lee? How is Hyukjae? Is he good at his studies? Is he having any problems?” he asked, and chuckled when his sleeping son groaned a little.

Sungmin smiled and tilted his head to face his student’s father, shaking his head. “Hyukjae is pretty good at academics, but he always makes fun of this one friend,” he answered and laughed softly.

“Oh…” Kyuhyun answered and a minute of silence followed before he started again. “I heard you are Hyukjae’s favourite teacher. He talks about you a lot,”

“Really?”  The teacher grinned and patted Hyukjae’s head gently. “He always talks about how amazing his father is, too. He always tells me how he misses you a lot, Mr. Cho.” He said, and wasn’t sure whether he saw a sad smile and a glint of regret flashed on the other’s eyes.

Kyuhyun looked down. “I always miss my son, too. I rarely get the time to bond with him.” He said. “Maybe I’m too engrossed with my work that I sometimes forget that I have a son at home, waiting for me.”

Sungmin looked at Kyuhyun with sympathy. Maybe it’s true that Kyuhyun rarely gets a chance to spend some time with his son because Sungmin always sees Mrs. Shin, Hyukjae’s nanny, bringing the kid to school and fetch him at the afternoon right after the class ends. This is actually the first time Sungmin saw Hyukjae’s father coming to go home with him.

“If you don’t mind… Mr. Cho… can I ask you a question?” Sungmin shamelessly asked, though he knows that he isn’t in the right place to do so. When Kyuhyun nodded, he continued. “Where is… where is Hyukjae’s mother?”

“She died,” Kyuhyun answered. “She died after giving birth to Hyukjae.” Lee Eunhee, Hyukjae’s mother and Kyuhyun’s wife died because of complications of giving birth. Kyuhyun married her at a young age, 21 to be exact.

“S-sorry,” The teacher muttered and bowed his head down.

The sky was darker, and the moon was shining a million rays of light, emphasizing everything about Sungmin’s feature. Kyuhyun found it amazingly beautiful and without him knowing it, his cheeks were tinted with a thousand shades of red.

 “It is okay, Mr. Lee.” He said, looking at his wristwatch. He then moved to stand quietly, avoiding waking his son up. “I think we have to go now. Thank you, Mr. Lee.”

Sungmin bowed. “Thank you too, Mr. Cho.” He smiled, and eyed Hyukjae who’s still sleeping. “Please… if you could… spend some more time with him,”

Kyuhyun nodded and shifted his gaze from Sungmin to his son. “I will. Thank you very much.” He walked away, a small smile on his lips.

Somehow… this person has this aura that softens Kyuhyun, and no doubt, he is Hyukjae’s favourite.

The next day, Sungmin was quite surprised when Hyukjae came to school… without his nanny, but with his father instead. He noticed that the smile on Hyukjae’s face was different than the usual smile he wears every day. This day, the kid’s smile was more genuine and contented.

Kyuhyun held his son’s little hands, walking with him until they reached their classroom’s door. “Good morning, Teacher Min!” Hyukjae greeted happily, a clown fish stuffed toy on hand.

Sungmin bowed, noticing Kyuhyun standing at the doorway with a smile on his face, and not to mention, his jet black eyes were set on to Sungmin the moment he caught sight of the other man. “Good morning, Mr. Cho. It’s a nice thing you walked Hyukjae to school,” he greeted.

Kyuhyun grinned. “Kyuhyun.” He said and took a glimpse of his son who seated beside his friend. When Sungmin gave him a confused look, he started again. “Call me Kyuhyun, Sungmin-sshi.”

“Oh… but… isn’t it a bit odd to call you by the first name, Mr… I mean, Kyuhyun-sshi?” Sungmin asked innocently, more of a cute act for Kyuhyun.

“Do I sound odd calling you Sungmin?”

“Err… no…” he answered.

Kyuhyun smiled once again before patting the teacher’s shoulder. “I’ll be back to fetch Hyukjae later. Please take care of him, Sungmin.” He walked off, leaving a confused Sungmin standing there like an idiot.

--

“Good morning Hae!” Hyukjae greeted his friend but got no reply. He pouted, shoving the stuffed toy he’s been holding to Donghae. “I asked Appa to buy this for me yesterday.”

Donghae’s face lit up, taking the toy from Hyukjae. “Is this… is this for me… Hyukkie?” he asked shyly, blushing.

“You… you called me Hyukkie?!” Hyukjae grinned and almost jumped. “Yes, that’s for you, Hae,”

And as if in a blink of an eye, Donghae’s tiny arms were wrapped around Hyukjae’s small body. “Thank you, Hyukkie!” then a peck on the cheek followed after.

--

“Hyung!” Ryeowook’s voice sounded from nowhere causing Sungmin to recover from his confused state. “We’re going to start our classes. You’re so captivated by Mr. Cho, aren’t you?” He teased.

“I’m not!” Sungmin scoffed. “It’s just that… he’s kind of… weird? Whatever!” He walked in the classroom and smiled at his students as if nothing had happened.

TBC! Hehe. XD Comments, please? =))) I know I failed in writing this. Wahuhu. T^T