ATIMY // 7

After three days of staying in the hospital, Sunghoon can finally go back home. The doctor gave his mother some medicine he needed to take and on the process, the little child wouldn't let go of Seungcheol's neck as he hug the adult possessively. I don't want Cheol-appa to disappear. I want appa to stay he reasoned. Seungcheol didn't have any complaints about this and in fact, he likes it very much.

Jihoon on the other hand stayed quiet when they were on the way home and even when they arrived, he didn't utter a single word. The older supposed he was thinking about a way to give him the answers he'd been wanting know so he didn't bother Jihoon and played with Sunghoon instead. He made the child giggle with his failed aegyo and although he was embarrassed at the idea that people could possibly hear him, hearing his favourite toddler's laugh gave him an amazing feeling.

In the course of the past three days when Sunghoon was still in the hospital, Jisoo came to visit on the second day asking Seungcheol to take care of his cousin and his little man. The man was seriously worried but hr had to go back to the city because of work. Seungcheol let put a low laugh, feeling a bit stupid. Jisoo and Jihoon were cousins and he was insane for getting jealous over nothing. He shouldn't have ran away before so he could've knows sooner and Sunghoon wouldn't have gotten into an accident.

"Umma!" Sunghoon jumped out from the man's arms and ran to his mother.

Jihoon picked him up and walked back to the living room where Seungcheol was, "I'm hungry." the toddler pouted.

The pink haired male finally nodded and glanced at the other, "We should had to Jam-jam's for lunch."

After Jihoon had dresses his son, the three of them walked together to the resto. Sunghoon held both their hands and once they arrived, Jihoon chose a table in a corner far from any other customers to see. They were followed by a worker and waited for their order. They chose to order Sunghoon's favourite: jajjangmyeon and sweet and sour pork. Jihoon let his son eat first and he let out a loud sigh.

"What's wrong?" Seungcheol asked ehile mixing his own bowl of black bean noodles.

"You can ask me anything now." Was the only response.

The taller man nodded in understanding as he was waiting for this moment for a long time already. He cleared his throat and commenced, "To be honest, I don't know what to ask in particular but... Sunghoon... He's mine, isn't he?"

Jihoon stayed silent for a moment while looking at Sunghoon who was obliviously eating. As the seconds passed, his hands started to sweat and his heart beat faster than before.

"Yes."

One small answer and time stopped as Seungcheol finally confirmed it. There were millions of other questions forming one after another in his head and he just wanted everything answered all at once. He felt dizzy and happy and sad and disappointed. All these emotions overwhelmed the heck out of him.

"Three days... a-after you left to go to your dad's business trip.. I started craving for weird stuff. I snapped at everyone and anything. I was in a vac mood everyday and a day before you come back, I started feeling sick... especially in the morning even if I haven't eaten anything bad. Of course, those symptoms... I wasn't stupid, I was pregnant."

Seungcheol was quiet but in his mind, he was crossing out questions that had already been answered. Jihoon sighed again, clearly showing his nervousness. The older understood though so he patiently waited until the other was ready to speak again.

"I got scared so I withdrew from school and canceled the lease for my apartment. I stayed with Jisoo until I felt at ease before I come here to my parents."

"Why did you run away then? Why did you leave without telling me anything?" Seungcheol asked again. He was restless.

Jihoon bit his lower lip before answering, "I was scared," he said. "We were young back then. I knew you loved me and I did too. I knew you trusted me but... I didn't trust myself."

"You know I wouldn't leave you Jihoon-ah." The dark haired man answered and held the other's hand on the table.

"I know. I know."

"Umma, don't cry!" little Sunghoon interrupted and stood up to hug his mother.

"I'm not crying, Hoonie."

After convincing the toddler that he was okay, the younger of the two adults continued his summary for the last three years. He had tough times especially when cramps visit him late at night, but those pains were erased by pure happiness when the baby inside his belly moves as he read it stories. That happiness was then multiplied a million times when he gave birth to an adorable little sunshine who looked like his former lover.

Silence filled their table after talking for long minutes with Sunghoon occasionally humming while messily eating his noodles when Seungcheol suddenly blurted out, "Let me be a father."

"What?" Jihoon asked, eyes opened almost as big as a golf ball.

"I want to fill my absence for the past years Jihoon-ah. If you just give me a chance to prove myself, to show you that my feelings for you never changed. We can fix this. We can be a happy family." The taller looked at Jihoon, full of hope.

Jihoon gave out a small smile and responded, "I really appreciate your idea of giving Sunghoon a happy family but I don't think we should do this now... If being a father to Sunghoon is what you want, I will gladly and finally tell him and let you give him the father figure he should have had."

"What do you mean?" Seungcheol asked.

"I'm saying... Maybe it is better if we  don't get back together anymore."

-

"Kids! Lunch time!"

Everyone was outside playing when Wonwoo called. It was a miracle that the shamesless couple also known as Seokmin and Soonyoung were there to play with them and not somewhere... around. Once the kids hear their teacher, they all ran back inside.

"Uh, what are you doing here?"

"Halmeoni asked me to help here today, she said the owner was sick and can't drop by to help." Mingyu responded calmly despite being glared at.

He came in while holding hands with little chan and Myungho. It was already normal for Mingyu to follow the other because Jungah always told him to do so so he could familiarize himself in the province. For lunch, they were having poorly made rice rolls. Wonwoo normally doesn't cook, we knew that from the very start but unfortunately he had to because as Mingyu had put it, Lizzy, the owner of the daycare was sick.

"What kind of kimbap rolls are these?" Mingyu criticized while eyeing the dish on the small kitchen counter."

Wonwoo's lower lip jutted out into a small pout, "they eat these all the time! Lizzy noona always makes them!" he reasoned and pushed the other aside.

"This kimbap looks weird." Myungho mumbled.

"I can make fried rice if you guys want?" Mingyu offered after checking the small fridge out.

"Yes!" the shameless couple agreed simultaneously and high-fived each other like little kids.

Wonwoo watched the other get excited on their own. He stared at the food he made and it was indeed very ugly. Some of them weren't rolled properly which was why they fell apart. The teacher suddenly felt jealous of Mingyu's natural cooking talent.

He stepped outside with the plate of kimbap and sat down the platfrom bench, sulking like a child. He was twenty-one for God's sake! He ate silently wishing he was better at cooking.

"Why'd you leave us and came here like a loner?" Wonwoo glared at the sudden appearance of none other than Kim Mingyu but his gaze softened when he saw Myungho waddling beside the taller male.

When Myungho finally reached his spot, the child hugged him and said, "I like seonsaengnim's kimbap. I didn't mean to call it weird. I like it because you made it."

The teacher's mouth stretched out into a wide smile and hugged the kid back. Myungho was just so cute and sweet that he forgot: he was supposed to be sulking.

"Give me some." the taller  of them attempted to grab a bite of the said lunch but Wonwoo placed it on his other side, successfully preventing Mingyu to have one.

"Seonsaengim said sharing is caring. We should share." Myungho interrupted.

"Yeah, you tell him little guy!" Mingyu nodded, "Now, stop sulking and give me some! You're a teacher, you're not supposed to be this childish," he laughed.

Myungho somehow convinced his teacher to share food. Mingyu popped a piece inside his mouth and it was actually pretty good maybe because he had low expectations or something. Well, it was better than he thought it would be, "This is actually good, Wonwoo."

Wonwoo wasn't expecting anything at all so he was pretty shocked at Mingyu's compliment. The younger then ruffled his hair. It was pretty relaxing and Wonwoo unconciously leaned his head closer to Mingyu's warm palm in which the younger chuckled at.

"Should we go back inside? I think they have trashed the place by now." Wonwoo nodded after being brought back to reality and took Myungho and walked back inside.

True to Mingyu's words, the kids were all dirty from their faces to their hands to their clothes. As soon as Myungho was put down the floor, Wonwoo started nagging the others, "Guys! Why did you let the kids get this dirty?!"

Seokmin immediately sat up after hearing Wonwoo's voice and started cleaning, Soonyoung did too and wiped everyone's mouth clean. They were a lot greater at cleaning than looking after kids. The childish Wonwoo disappeared from Mingyu's sight then appeared the motherly, 'hen-like' Wonwoo caring to each and every kid's needs.

After successfully making the room look presentable, Wonwoo walked towards the playroom-slash-living room but he wasn't paying attention to where he steps that he didn't notice the netal bucket rolling towards him. The city boy's eyes widened when the teacher stepped on the said object and fell ungracefully on the floor. Wonwoo gritted his teeth at the pain to prevent himself from cursing.

"Wonwoo are you alright!?" Mingyu ran to the rescue.

The children's high pitched Oh no's were heard from the background. The teacher bit his lower lip, his eyes watering a bit and whispered, ".. Mingyu, it hurts."

Mingyu blinked in confusion at first. It wasn't everyday that he got to hear the other say '' (He usually says shi-perd's pie). "Can you stand?" He asked.

Wonwoo tried moving but cringed once he felt the pain, "I think so... but I don't think I can walk."

"Let's go home. Get on my back."

The older shook his head, "No! I can't. What about the kids?"

"Seokmin and Soonyoung will manage for a day. Now, get on my back or I'll drag you home." Mingyu demanded with a scolding voice which made Wonwoo nod and agree without anymore questions.

The younger male successfully  got Wonwoo but the teacher was loosely holding onto his shoulders. It was only because he was nervous about Mingyu hearing his heart beat fast.

"Hold on tight or you're gonna sprain both of your ankles!" Mingyu demanded once again.

Wonwoo thought what if he hears my heart? 

"I'm gonna count to three, Wonwoo." Right after he finished his sentence, the teacher held onto him tightly. Don't get him wrong. He did it right away because he didn't want to fight on the road and he certainly didn't want to sprain another ankle.

This obedient Wonwoo made Mingyu smile. Wonwoo really makes his mood better.

-

A/N: Hello hello! Long time, no update huh? I failed my Chemistry exams this second term (I was so disappointed, this is my first ever fail ㅠㅠ But I'm gonna get it back this last term! Fighting!) and I haven't had the motivation to type this up even though I already wrote this on pieces of paper. *laughs*

Anyways, how are you guys? I'm sorry if this seemed boring. I wanted to update ♡ Also, I'm very open for suggestions of what would you guys want to see next! :D

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SEE YOU NEXT TIME!

-ellemoonbin ♡