It was already past five in the afternoon and one of his students, Youngjae, was still in the school’s parents' waiting shed. Their class ended an hour ago, and the seven-year-old kid looked bored and sad. He approached the hunched kid on the bench and sat beside him.

“Youngjae? Why are you still here? Isn’t your mom gonna pick you up?” The kid turned to him with a pout on his face. He sniffed before he spoke, “My mom, she will not pick me up anymore. She went to Canada with his husband.”

Jinyoung did not mean to touch the kid’s wound, but he did and the kid cried in the sting. Jinyoung pulled the kid onto him and made him sit on his lap; hugging him close, gently rubbing his back.

“Then who will pick you up today?” the teacher said as he brushed the kid’s fringes of his forehead, the kid was trying really hard to stop his tears, he was biting lower lip and his chin was trembling.

“Grandma said my father will pick me up, I just have to wait.” Jinyoung knows that Youngjae’s parents were never married; Youngjae was born when his parents were still in college. According to the grapevine of his students’ parents, he found out that Youngjae never met his father as his mother ran away from him.

He could not imagine the fear the kid is experiencing now, he would go home with his father whom he never met. He doesn’t even know if Youngjae has seen his father’s photo before. He was scared for the kid, who was still crying in his arms.

Jinyoung decided to wait for Youngjae’s father, it was already past six, but the father was still nowhere to be seen. The kid stopped crying only minutes ago, but he was still sitting closely to Jinyoung. The teacher’s only twenty-two years old, he’s also young, but it didn’t stop him to try and give the kid faux-parental warmth.

“Are you hungry, Youngjae-ah?” the felt the kid nodded on his chest, he picked him up and carried him towards the convenience store, just a few meters away from the school gate. At least if the father comes, they would see him pass by.

Jinyoung is becoming really anxious now, it was already seven and it’s dark outside, but Youngjae’s father is still out of sight.

“What if my father never comes?” the kid who was trying to get the noodles tangle on his chopsticks mumbled. Jinyoung, who was helping Youngjae to cool down the ramen, abruptly stopped and stared at the kid.

“Where will I go? Grandma left for Jeju this morning.” With his tears rushing from his eyes again, Youngjae said as he tried to eat the still warm noodles.

“Youngjae-ah, you can stay with teacher Jinyoung until your father comes and picks you up, is that okay with you?” Jinyoung comfortingly said, wiping Youngjae’s tears and the ramen soup falling from his chin.

Youngjae nodded proceeded to eat the ramen.

It was already eight when Jinyoung noticed a man wearing a tight ripped jeans and white printed shirt running towards the school gate. He was in horror when he saw the man had piercings on both of his ears; he wished to all the gods in the world that this man is not Youngjae’s father.

The kid is already asleep in his arms; he didn’t bother to wake the kid since he was still not sure if the man, frantically walking around in front of the school gate, is his father. Jinyoung, with Youngjae in his arms, went outside the convenience store and walked towards the man, but still maintaining a good distance.

“Excuse me, um, are you looking for someone?” The teacher asked in a slightly hushed voice.

The man turned to him and damn, even though the man looked like a delinquent he still managed to look super handsome. He’s got sharp eyes like Youngjae, he’s got broad manly shoulders (Jinyoung couldn’t help but notice because his shoulders are his greatest insecurities), and he’s got a really super handsome face.

“Yes, I’m picking up my son, Im– Choi Youngjae. I got lost track of time, I should have picked him up at four but yeah, I kind of forgot it.” Jinyoung fumed with the man’s reason.

“How could you forget you’re picking up your son!? Well, it’s not a surprise, I’m sorry if I’m gonna be judgmental, but with the way you look, I don’t think you can even take care of a child.” The teacher thought that maybe, this was the reason why Youngjae’s mother never bothered to introduce the father to her kid.

The man’s, or Youngjae’s father’s, face darkened after hearing Jinyoung’s reply to him. He walked closer until there’s only a feet away from the two of them. The man smirked before saying,

“I know, I know, I don’t look like a decent person, hell even more like a father. But I suggest you not to pry on things that you don’t know. It would be so much better, don't you think so?” He enunciated with so much conviction and power, Jinyoung almost melted on his spot. If not only Younjae’s in his arms and the man turned to focus on the kid.

“I may not know you, but I know your kid. I’m his teacher and yes, this sleeping boy is your son and he had been waiting for you for hours now. And oh, you should be thankful; I was here to wait with your son, because if not, he would probably be crying alone and very hungry. Can you just imagine the trauma you’re giving your son?” Jinyoung felt Youngjae stirred from his sleep midway to his monolog. The father looked taken aback with what he said and he was happy with the man’s reaction until he heard Youngjae crying.

“Hush, hush, I’m here, Youngjae-ah.” Jinyoung whispered to the kid who was hugging him tighter, he probably heard everything Jinyoung said.

“Youngjae-ah, Appa’s here.” The man said as he tried to walk closer to the crying kid, still weary that Jinyoung will pull the kid away.

Youngjae ever so carefully lifted his face from his teacher’s shoulder and turned to the man in front of him. With only the lamp post giving them light, Youngjae and Jinyoung saw the father tearing up. It’s clear that the man wanted to reach to his son, but he’s afraid he would scare the kid off. He hid his hands on his back and only leaned his face closer to the kid.

“I’m sorry, I’m so late today. Appa didn’t mean to forget the time and appa’s really excited to finally see you. I promise I am, so please forgive appa, okay?” The father’s brows were knitted together as he moved towards the kid closer.

The kid looked hesitant; he suddenly hugged Jinyoung and hid his face on his shoulder. The father was totally pained with how his son responded. He slightly turned his back on them and bit his fist to stop himself from crying.

“Appa.” Youngjae reached his arms towards his father’s figure. The man then turned around moved to fit himself in between Youngjae’s tiny arms, he never held a kid before but somehow his hands worked instinctively.

“Yes?” the kid then wiped his father’s tears and made sure to kiss each eye after doing so. Jinyoung was melting with the kid’s sweetness.

“Can appa get a hug?” Youngjae’s hands which found their way on his father’s cheeks moved to his back, pulled the man and rested his head on his father’s shoulder.

Jinyoung saw the way the man closed his eyes and let his tears fall from Youngjae’s act. The teacher felt that he was no longer needed in the scene so he moved and walked away slowly. It was not until the father reached his hand towards his arm and stopped him from moving away.

Jinyoung was growing anxious; it was already eight thirty and Younjae’s late for their class. Last night he couldn’t sleep at all, he was thinking if he had done the right thing, to leave Youngjae to a man who acts like an angsty hormonal teenager.

He went out from his classroom and went towards the school gate, it didn’t take long though when he saw Youngjae running towards him, he was dressed differently, but it made his heart jump in happiness when he noticed the kid was also wearing a huge toothy smile on his face.

Youngjae turned around after ten steps and made a huge heart sign using his arms, sending it to his father. He was still dressed almost the same like yesterday, but he was wearing a leather jacket and he was also holding two helmets.

The father seemed to notice him too and he gave him a wave and a handsome smile, but he wasn’t sure if it was for him or for his son’s back. And as Youngjae got closer to him, he picked him up and they watched the father left with his Ducati.

“Good morning teacher! I’m sorry I’m late.” The kid said between his breaths, he was dead worried earlier but with the kid’s smile took it all away.

“I was just worried about you, but why are you late?” Jinyoung asked as they walked towards the classroom, Youngjae still in his arms.

“Appa and I slept late last night and he slept through his alarm earlier.”

“And why did you sleep late?” the teacher has to ask, he was curious and still worried a little.

“Appa bought a lot of food and we talked a lot too! Appa’s job is really cool!” the kid replied animatedly but he had to stop walking, they were already reaching the classroom.

“Appa is a photographer and he showed me a lot of photos he took through the years. He also showed me photos of the things he wanted me to see and told me that it would have been better if I were there beside him.” Well, that was unexpected. He thought he was a singer in a ty band who plays in bars every weekend.

Jinyoung also had to notice how the kid was dressed; he never saw the pair of clothes Youngjae was wearing. It was too stylish compared to what the kid usually wears to school. Before they reached the room, Jinyoung put Youngjae down and pretended to fix the kid’s clothes.

“Appa bought this for me.” The kid proudly announced and showed him his watch which apparently came from his father as well. Jinyoung thought how did the father bought all these things when he never met the kid.

Same as usual, the teacher was tired, but he was happy. He was drained, but he was fulfilled. As he was exiting the school gate, he saw Youngjae and his handsome father sitting on the bench in the parents' waiting shed.

“Hi, Youngjae.” He said as he made his way to them.

“Appa! Teacher’s here.” the kid whispered to his father, but it was still loud enough for Jinyoung to hear.

“Oh. Um, H