Title: The Coffee Date

“Why didn’t you call me to babysit Soojin?” Soonyoung whined.

“How did you even know I needed a babysitter?” Joshua turned to Jihoon, “Did you tell him?”

Jihoon shrugged, “He overhead me talking to Minghao. He tagged along.”

Joshua rubbed at his temples. “It’s your fault in the first place that I need a babysitter.”

“What?”

Eyeing Soonyoung with death in his eyes, “Who’s the one who told Soojin that I wasn’t getting any or dated anyone in a while? Who’s the one who told Soojin to make sure to get the number of the person who made me blush? Who’s the one who told Soojin that’d I’d be lonely and have lots of cats when she grew up? Hmm?” Who Soonyoung?”

Laughing sheepishly, “Whoops.”

“Yea,” Joshua bit out. “Whoops. So is it a surprise why I didn’t call you to babysit? No.”

Jihoon let out a whistle. “Wow. Way to be a blabber mouth Soonyoung.”

“I take it something happened?” Soonyoung asked, hands in a placating manner.

“Soojin found a new prince at school. Then she said she would find me one to be less lonely citing Uncle Soonyoung’s words about me and my lack of love life. Yea something happened,” Joshua snapped. “I got pushed into accepting a coffee date from the uncle of that boy who stole my princess. He seems to take great pleasure in this whole debacle,” Joshua huffed loudly, nose flaring.

“Well,” Soonyoung said slowly, “at least you got a date out of this.”

“I didn’t want a date Soonyoung!” Joshua felt the urge to wring Soonyoung’s neck right now.

Soojin at that moment came running down the stairs. “Uncle Soonyoung is here? Where’s Uncle Hoonie daddy?”

Joshua glared at Soonyoung before turning to his daughter. “Uncle Hoonie is right here princess. See he came to babysit you.”

“Uncle Hoonie!” Soojin squealed, jumping into his arms. “Are we going to sing today?”

Jihoon nodded. “Whatever you want to do Soojin. Within reason of course.”

“Yay!” She turned to Joshua, “Is Uncle Soonyoung going to baby sit me too?”

Joshua smiled, a thinly veiled smile, “Oh no. He can’t. Not today princess. He just came by to say hello. But Uncle Soonyoung has business elsewhere today.”

“No—“ Soonyoung shut up as soon as Joshua turned his vicious looking eyes towards him. He nodded quickly. “Sorry Soojin. I have a date. With umm…”

“He has a date with Uncle Seokmin. They’re going to a café like daddy.” Joshua looked at Soonyoung, “Right Soonyoung,” he said with gritted teeth.

“Yea. Date. With Uncle Seokmin.” Soonyoung valued his life, because Joshua got angry he ing got angry.

“With Uncle horsey?”

Jihoon snorted, holding onto Soojin. “Yea, Uncle horsey.”

Joshua smiled. “Now princess. It’s Uncle Seokmin. Even if he lets you play horsey with him.”

“Oops. Sorry daddy,” Soojin said covering .

“It’s ok. You might’ve hurt his feelings. So be sure to ask and say you’re sorry if you did.”

She nodded.

“I have to go now Soojin. Be good for Uncle Jihoon and I’ll be back soon.” Joshua said, putting on his shoes. He imagined strangling Soonyoung with his laces for getting him into this mess.

“Bye daddy. Have fun with Haneul’s uncle.” She said full of innocence.

Joshua gave her one last smile before walking out the door with Soonyoung in tow.

Whining Soonyoung stamped his feet, a lot like Soojin when she threw a tantrum, “Why’d you tell her I had a date with Seokmin? Now she’ll ask me and him how it went.”

“Well why did you tell my daughter heinous things? And anyway it’s not like she’ll remember. If she does it’ll be the kick in the pants you need to actually ask him out and not walk around each other like you two do.” Joshua pushed him to his car. “Come on. I’ll drop your off at Seokmin’s place. Go play with him or ask him out on a date. Then I’ll go to my thing.”

“You’re mean sometimes Shua,” Soonyoung said with a pout.

“Too bad,” Joshua answered back, sticking out his tongue. “Now let’s go.”

Joshua laughed as Soonyoung pulled a face as he got out of the car. “It’ll be fine,” he said through the window. “Ask him to play with you. And I don’t know, kiss him or something. It’ll get your point across.”

“Hyung!?”

“Bye Soonyoungie! This is payback!” Joshua shouted as he drove away. Now he had to get to his date. Grimacing he hoped it would be fast, easy date where neither of them would get attached. Joshua wasn’t looking for a lover anyhow.

Parking the car, he got out and walked to the café that the two of them agreed upon. Joshua would’ve ignored Jeonghan the day after that debacle if he hadn’t already promised a date and if Soojin didn’t pester him about it.

What sort of father would he be if he taught his daughter to honor her promises if he didn’t honor his?

Sighing the opened the door of the café looking around for that semi-long hair on that stupid handsome face. He found Jeonghan in the corner looking at the menu.

“Hi,” he said, trying to sound pleasant.

Jeonghan smiled at him, a little bit surprised that he even showed up it seemed. “Well hi there. Have a seat.”

Joshua sat down gingerly, lips pressed together.

Sliding the menu across the medium sized table, Jeonghan said, “Here order what you like. It’s on me.”

“Trying to show your princely manners?” Joshua asked. He couldn’t help but take a jab at the other man. His manners the other day were atrocious, eavesdropping on a private conversation.

“I have to show my best side if I want another date,” he answered. “I’m really not a bad guy Joshua-ssi.”

Joshua pulled a face. “That sounds weird coming from you. Just call me Joshua. I think you might even be older than me.”

“Oh? Am I?” Jeonghan asked.

“Haneul told me that you just had your birthday in October. Mine isn’t until December. So yea you sort of are. By a few months.”

“Hmm,” Jeonghan hummed. “Ready to order?”

Joshua nodded.

The waiter who was waiting by the side came over to them, taking down their order and walked away.

“So can I ask if Soojin’s mom is still in the picture? Otherwise this would be a really awkward date I think,” Jeonghan asked, slightly sheepish.

“Soojin’s mom isn’t in the picture at all.” After all, Soojin’s real parents were dead and Joshua never had a wife.

“I’m glad.”

Joshua nodded tersely.

“Why are you so opposed to be on this date?” Jeonghan was genuinely curious. Most people didn’t look like they were getting teeth extracted on a harmless date. But Joshua, Joshua looked like he wanted Death to take him away.

“I don’t need a partner. I’m focusing my time on Soojin now. She needs my attention,” Joshua explained. “She’s at the age where attention is important.”

Jeonghan nodded. Moving a bit closer he said, “Well with a partner you’d have someone else who’d be able to give Soojin attention and love without having to work yourself to the bone. Isn’t that good?”

Joshua couldn’t fault his logic. It sounded smart, but Joshua was reluctant to introduce someone into Soojin’s life who may not always be there like him. Dating meant having to introduce Soojin to someone new, someone who she would come to love possibly. And if Joshua or the other person wanted to break up, not only would he have to deal with a broken heart but Soojin would possibly cry her little eyes out. Joshua didn’t want to take the risk.

“And have my daughter love them to bits only for them to leave if we were to break up? No,” Joshua replied shaking his head. “I’d not only be risking my own heart but Soojin’s as well. I can’t have that.”

Jeonghan placed his hand on top of Joshua’s. Looking at him gently, he said, “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Staring at Jeonghan’s hand first, a bit affronted that the man took such liberties with him, he looked up, surprised at the complete sincerity in his eyes. He stared for a few minutes, before tearing his eyes away. No, he wouldn’t give in. Joshua had met some very accomplished liars before. Who was to say Jeonghan wasn’t one of them?

“I’ll have to see that to believe it.” He pulled his hand away.

Jeonghan smiled. “That implies you’d be willing to go on more dates with me.”

Joshua sputtered. “Only if this one goes well.” Oh . That was the wrong thing to say. He didn’t even want to go on this one. Why would he say that he’d go on more? Stupid brain.

“I’ll do my best then,” he said with a boyish grin on his face. “Let me show you how princely I can be.”

And to Joshua’s great annoyance, Jeonghan did. When their orders came and Joshua was about to lay the napkin down on his lap, Jeonghan moved and did it for him. When Joshua moved to get a bit of pepper, Jeonghan ground some for him. The bill? Jeonghan paid. When he was about to open the door? Jeonghan opened it for him.

It annoyed Joshua. There wasn’t much to hate so far.

But even to a guy like Joshua prince like manners would get tiring. Jeonghan though seemed to have that mix of prince and devil. The other man would move a little too close, touch a little too much. The perfect balance of flirty and princely with his actions.

And his stories. The man certainly wasn’t a complete angel. The way he’d described the times he tricked his friends. Or the things he got up too when he was in his college years. But then he’d mention how he took Haneul to and from school now that he was temporarily living with his sister since his lease at his old place was up and he had to wait to move into his new place.

He made it hard for Joshua not to want another date. How annoying.

Jeonghan walked Joshua to his car in the underground parking lot. They stood by his car, Joshua hand poised to open it, Jeonghan standing near him. “So,” he said, pausing for effect, “will I get a yes if I ask for a second date? Something like dinner?”

Biting his lip, Joshua shook his head slowly. “No,” he took a deep breath, “it’d be perfectly all right to ask for another date.”

“Will you go out for diiner? This weekend maybe? At 7?”

“Yea. I’d be fine with that.”

“Perfect,” Jeonghan breathed. “Is it too early to ask for a kiss?”

Joshua laughed. This man had guts. He leaned in, “A bit yea.” But placed a kiss on Jeonghan’s cheeks anyhow. “I have to get back to Soojin now. Before my friend gets tired of dealing with my rambunctious daughter.”

Standing stock still, Jeonghan’s eyes were wide with shock.

Joshua got in his car, before closing the door he said, “Call me,” giving Jeonghan a little grin.

Jeonghan watched as Joshua drove away. Looking around he saw no one; he did a little jump and a fist pump into the air. He scored another date. Yes.