Baekhyun enjoyed days when he didn’t have new students. Not that getting new students was a problem it was just sometimes easier if he knew exactly where they were and for the first couple months of new students he spent most of the lesson gauging their abilities. Jongsu was eight years old now and had been learning from Baekhyun for a little under two years, so they were well acquainted.

Usually, the lessons lasted an hour and Jongsu’s father or grandmother was never late to pick him up, however, it was now 6:45 and his lesson had ended at 6:00. Baekhyun told Jongsu to play with Jongin’s dogs while he went to the kitchen to call his father and grandmother. Neither answered.

When the rest of the house had sat down for dinner and Jongsu was still there, they set a place for him almost automatically. It wasn’t unusual for Baekhyun’s students to stay for dinner sometimes if their parents worked but this was the first time for Jongsu and everyone could tell the child was trying hard not to cry.

“Hey, buddy it’s okay something probably happened at work.” Baekhyun said reassuringly. Jongsu faked a smile and Baekhyun wasn’t sure what to do. After they ate Jongin played a board game with Jongsu to keep his mind off things while Baekhyun continued to try and reach the child’s family.

“Do they not have another number?” Minseok asked in Baekhyun’s doorway. Baekhyun shook his head.

“Usually, his dad drops him off and his grandma picks him up but I don’t know what to do this time. We can’t just keep him?”

“Wait a little longer something may have happened,” Minseok suggested. Baekhyun clenched his jaw and stood up. He hated the idea of forgetful or unmindful parents. He pushed past Minseok and went to the table to sit next to Jongsu.

“Hey, do you have any other family you hang out with?” He asked.

“Uncle” Jongsu answered.

“Great. Do you know your uncles name? Or a phone number?”

“Dude he is eight. Do you have any phone numbers memorized?” Luhan interjected from the kitchen. Baekhyun ignored him and kept his eyes trained no the child.

“Um. Uncle Jongdae”

“Jong….Jongdae? Like…Kim Jongdae?”

“Yes!” Everyone was silent for a moment, Baekhyun exchanged glances with Jongin before standing up and going to his room.

He picked the post it note up off his nightstand. The one with a scribbled phone number. He quickly dialed and held the phone to his ear.

“Hello?” The voice was tired and strained but definitely Jongdae.

“Hey, Jongdae um its Baekhyun remember you spent the night at my house earlier this week?”

“Oh yeah, Baekhyun. Um. Listen now isn’t a great time can I call you lat-“

“Wait this is important I just have a quick question do you like…have a nephew…who is eight years old…named Kim Jongsu?”

There was silence.

“How did you know that?”

“Oh, are you kidding me? You’re really his uncle?”

“Baekhyun please” Jongdae sounded like…really tired.

“Okay well like, Jongsu is one of my piano students and his lesson ended, three hours ago and no one has picked him up and I couldn’t get a hold of his dad or his grandma.”

“Yeah. I um. Listen Baekhyun I hate to ask this but like there’s been-“ Jongdae broke off for a second, “-something’s come up.”

“What’s wrong? Where are you?”

“Baekhyun I know we aren’t that close”

“Dude what the ”

“Is there any way Jongsu can spend the night with you? I promise I will pick him up in the morning it’s just-“Jongdae took a shaky breath, it sounded like he was on the verge of tears, “I’ll explain tomorrow”

“Jongdae I don’t know you very well but like… I can’t just have him spend the night without knowing what’s going on. What even do I tell him?”

“Can you just tell him his dad and grandma are sick or something? I’ll pick him up at the crack of dawn I promise he is a good kid he won’t like cause trouble”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Baekhyun said firmly.

“Baekhyun…please.” Jongdae choked. Baekhyun’s expression softened as he could practically feel Jongdae break.

“Jongdae what the hell is going on?”

“I know you don’t know me well enough to trust me but I need you to trust me. I…I’ll explain everything in person tomorrow.” Jongdae was a bad actor as Baekhyun was already learning.

“Okay fine but you better have a good explanation as to why that child’s guardians dropped off the face of the earth with no contact. Christ if I didn’t know you personally I would have never been able to even reach anyone.”

“I don’t…I don’t need a lecture right now okay?” Jongdae sounded tired more than anything.

“Okay. We’ll take care of him tonight you take care of what you need to take care of.” Baekhyun hung up and relayed what Jongdae had said to Minseok and Luhan.

“Christ I hope everything is okay,” Luhan said in a rare moment of sincerity.

“I can’t imagine what’s gone so wrong that they didn’t even think to call. I also can’t believe Jongdae asked us to hold on to him what are we a ing bed and breakfast?” Baekhyun was more upset than he wanted to be.

“Well, I don’t know where you’re expecting this kid to sleep.” Minseok said, “Luhan’s ceiling is still broken.”

“Whatever he can sleep with me. That’s fine, right? I’m not gonna leave him alone. He can’t like…feel like he is alone”

“Baekhyun I know that you are upset because these parents like…abandoned their kid but please don’t be too harsh on Jongdae tomorrow. From what you said, he sounded pretty close to snapping so be gentle with him. The last thing Jongsu needs is for his uncle to lose it especially if there is a family emergency.” Minseok had his gentle fatherly tone that Baekhyun hated because every time he used it he was right.

Baekhyun just crossed his arms and sighed, “Fine but he better have a damn good explanation”

**

The next morning Jongdae arrived as expected, but he looked half dead. He obviously hadn’t slept the night before. His hair was matted and his eyes were so puffy Baekhyun could have slept on them. He was in an old sweater and jeans and he looked almost like porcelain. Like he would break if Baekhyun breathed the wrong way.

“Uncle!” Jongsu rushed up and wrapped his arm around Jongdae as soon as he was in the door. Jongdae looked about to cry.

Baekhyun had forgotten how attractive Jongdae was, even in this state. He leaned against a doorway with hard eyes trained on the other man. Jongdae smiled at his nephew and pried away his hands, kneeling down to look at the child.

“Hey, buddy how was your night?”

“Good. Teacher Byun is really cool. He let me play with his Legos and sleep in his bed.” Jongsu said. Jongdae glanced at Baekhyun and sighed.

“That’s awesome. I’m gonna talk to your teacher for a little bit okay so just hold tight and then we can go home.” He kissed Jongsu’s forehead and stood up. Without really looking at Baekhyun he walked past directly to Baekhyun’s room.

Jongdae’s assertiveness surprised Baekhyun. He told Jongin to make sure Jongsu wasn’t eavesdropping and followed Jongdae. He closed the door behind him and turned to look at Jongdae who was awkwardly standing in the middle of his room.

“Well?” Baekhyun tried to demand nicely but he wasn’t ever very good at hiding his emotions.

“Baekhyun-“ Jongdae stopped and looked to the side. He rubbed his face and then snapped forward, staring not at Baekhyun’s face buts somewhere in the middle of Baekhyun’s chest. “-Jongsu’s dad…my brother.” His lip trembled.

Baekhyun softened and stepped closer to Jongdae. He put his hand on Jongdae’s shoulders and forced him to sit on the bed while Baekhyun sat in his desk chair across from him. “Jongdae what happened?”

“Last night my brother and my mom got into a car accident” Jongdae sounded like he was reading. He kept his hands trained on his hands as if they were going to give him the answer, “My mom is unconscious still and no one is really sure whether she will make it. She wasn’t in great health to begin with.”

Baekhyun’s heart fell. He was afraid to ask the next question. “Your brother?” He said quietly. Jongdae just shook his head and angrily wiped away a tear. Baekhyun understood and suddenly he regretted how awful he had been on the phone last night. “Jongdae I-“

“My brother died on impact” It was probably the first time Jongdae had vocalized that and as soon as he did he closed his eyes as more tears fell. Baekhyun was speechless. He moved closer and gently wiped away a tear. He wasn’t sure if they were close enough for that but he figured neither cared.

“Jongdae I’m so sorry,” Baekhyun said. Jongdae pulled back and brought his knees to his chest burying his head in the space between. He didn’t move for a long time and then suddenly he raised his head and wiped his eyes.

“I’m sorry for making you watch Jongsu last night I know you didn’t want to” Jongdae didn’t mean to but those words pierced like daggers.

“Listen I’m sorry I was such an on the phone. I didn’t know” Jongdae just gave a half-assed smile but didn’t push anything. “What’s going to happen to Jongsu?”

“I don’t know. I’m. I’m his last living relative and I can’t even support myself.”

“Did you get your job back? At the school?”

“Yeah but in this city, a part-time choir director isn’t gonna make enough money to support a kid. Also, what the ? I can’t raise a child?” Jongdae’s breathing increased Baekhyun moved so he was next to him on the bed and put his arm around Jongdae.

“Does Yixing know?”

“No. I spent all night at the hospital with my mom.” So that’s why he looked so tired. “I guess I’ll just go back to my brother’s house for now but I don’t know if I’ll be able to afford rent.”

“Well that looks like your best option now and if Jongsu is familiar with the environment it will be easier for him to adjust.”

“I just don’t know if I can like…sleep in his room or like live In his kitchen when I Know he is never gonna get to do that again” Jongdae was almost crying again. Baekhyun didn’t know what to say or do to help. There wasn’t anything he could do, this was just an all-around ty situation.

“Listen dude tell you what. We can take care of Jongsu for a little longer. Like a week or something to give you time to figure out whatever you need to figure out.” Baekhyun wasn’t sure how the others would take to this but he didn’t really care at that moment. Jongdae shook his head.

“I couldn’t do that to you guys or to him.”

“It’s gonna be better for Jongsu to be somewhere sort of consistent instead of having to move back into the house of his dead father and be witness to you trying to cope. I’m not trying to be an but before that kid moves in with you you need to be strong enough to handle it.”

Jongdae didn’t say anything for a long time.

“I’ll visit him every day so he knows that I’m still here.”

“That would be good”

“Baekhyun I don’t know how I can repay you,” Jongdae said sincerely.

“I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Jongsu. Also, since he will be staying here I can give him lessons three days a week instead of two.”

“I can’t afford a private piano tutor for him anymore,” Jongdae said almost awkwardly.

“Don’t worry about it okay I like Jongsu I’m not gonna let him drop this easily and I have enough other students that I don’t need the money just. You figure out your and we’ll take care of him for a bit.”

“Thank you Baekhyun.” Jongdae looked like he was going to start crying again. “But what about the others? Will they mind an 8-year-old living with you for a while?”

“I mean they put up with me so they’re used to it. Seriously don’t worry about Jongsu just worry about making sure you get to a place where you can take care of him.” Baekhyun put a hand on Jongdae’s leg. “And I’m sorry about your brother. I can’t imagine.”

There was a knock on the door and Luhan poked his head in. “You guys okay? Jongsu is beginning to wonder…”

“I guess I have to tell him don’t I?” Jongdae’s eyes suddenly got wide.

“It would be best coming from you” Baekhyun admitted.

“What happened?” Luhan came into the room and closed the door.

“I have to go tell my nephew he will never see his dad again” Jongdae said with a harsh laugh of disbelief. Luhan’s face softened.

“Um. I’d suggest you take him out somewhere like a park or something somewhere he doesn’t usually go.”

“What?”

“I mean if you tell him here, then every time he comes here he will think about how this is where he found out about his dad, same for if you do it at his house or near his school. Kids associate things weirdly.” Luhan said.

“How the do you know that?” Baekhyun asked. Luhan shrugged.

“I took a psychology class in high school.”

“Okay well, I guess I’ll take him to a park?”

“Treat him like an adult too don’t beat around the bush at all. Years from now he will appreciate you being up front.”

“Okay thank you, Luhan.” Jongdae took a deep breath and stood up. Baekhyun stood up also and put a reassuring hand on his back.

“You can do this,” He said

Luhan opened the door and the three of them went down the hall. When he saw Jongsu sitting on the floor with Jongin’s dog’s Jongdae looked like he was about to pass out. He leaned into Baekhyun.

“How about I drive?” Baekhyun suggested, eyeing Jongdae, “Then you don’t have to worry about that. I’ll wait in the car while you guys talk but I don’t know if you should go alone” Jongdae just nodded his eye’s not meeting Baekhyun’s.

“Hey, Jongsu do you want to go for a drive?” Jongdae asked after a second.

“Yeah!!!” Jongsu stood up and began putting on his shoes and coat.

“On the way back we can pick up some clothes for him at his house,” Baekhyun said to Jongdae as they got into the car.

“Where are we going?” Jongsu asked eagerly from the backseat. Baekhyun glanced at Jongdae but didn’t say anything

“You’ll see,” Jongdae said after a moment. His voice was steadier than Baekhyun thought it would be. Maybe Jongdae wasn’t as fragile as he thought.

They sky was getting dark again and none of the trees had leaves as Baekhyun drove out of town and towards a suburb. He went to a park he didn’t think Jongdae or Jongsu would know so they would never have to come here again. He pulled into a clearing in the park and stopped the car. “I’ll be right here,” He said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice to Jongdae.

“Do you want to go for a walk with me?” Jongdae asked Jongsu, who nodded but looked concerned. Kids are good at picking up on things.

They left the car and went a ways away. Baekhyun knew over the hill there was a playground with some swings and a jungle gym. He knew that deep in the woods next to the park there was a bench. He knew that sometimes teenagers went to that bench to smoke or drink or or whatever.

He knew that bench had his initials carved into the wood with a pocket knife. BBH + PCY in a little heart. He knew it was still there even though they hadn’t been there in years. He knew his mom lived only three houses down, he drove past her house to get there.

He made a mental note to call her and his brother when he got home.

For now, though Baekhyun turned up the heater in Luhan’s car and leaned back, the sick feeling in his stomach nowhere near the awful feeling Jongdae and Jongsu must be feeling right now.

It was about three hours before they came back. Baekhyun had fallen asleep a couple times but in the end, he beat his high score on Solitaire on his phone.

They both got into the car wordlessly. Baekhyun stared at Jongdae trying to read his face. It was tired and soft but not tear streaked. Jongsu didn’t look like he had been crying either. “Are we all okay?” Baekhyun asked gently, looking between the two of them. Jongdae nodded.

“Teacher?” Jongsu said softly, Baekhyun looked at him, “thank you for letting me stay with you.” Jongsu looked at his hands and Baekhyun saw his lower lip tremble. He reached back and rubbed the boy’s hair.

“Anytime,” He said, “But let’s get you some clothes first okay?”

Jongdae gave Baekhyun directions and soon they were at Jongdae’s brother’s house.

Baekhyun offered to stay in the car but Jongdae insisted he come in so the three of them went into the dark house that seemed to be too quiet and too dark. Baekhyun lights but it still was like a shadow was over the house.

Jongsu led him to his room and pulled a suitcase out of the closet. Baekhyun helped Jongsu pick out some clothes and a couple books for comfort. Jongsu ran over to his small nightstand and picked up a framed picture Baekhyun hadn’t seen before. Jongsu set it face down in his suitcase and closed the lid, zipping it up with finality.

Baekhyun didn’t have to ask who the picture was of.

They went to the living room and Baekhyun checked the kitchen to make sure Jongdae wasn’t going to starve himself. It was stocked well enough with ramen that he wasn’t going to die.

Jongdae came out of one of the back rooms a few seconds later holding a small stuffed cat. He went to Jongsu and knelt down so they were the same height. “Hey, bud. This was your dad’s when he was your age. Grandma kept it for him but I think he would want you to have it.” Jongdae handed Jongsu the cat and Jongsu clutched onto it and finally started to cry.

He stood in the middle of the room, burying his face in the cat, his small shoulders shaking as quiet sobs racked his little body. Jongdae pulled the child into a hug, enveloping the boy entirely into him and the two of them stood there like that for quite some time.

Baekhyun felt like he was intruding on their lives. He didn’t really know Jongdae enough to even be there and he was just Jongsu’s teacher. He quietly put Jongsu’s stuff in the car to give them some privacy and waited outside for them.