3rd Chapter

DUCK UNLEASHED

How was it Monday already? Sunwoo was not pleased. He was trying to swallow his coffee before it’d cool down completely but his mind was too occupied and the cup in his hand hardly moved to meet his lips.

He was tired. Putting a duck-human to sleep wasn’t as easy as putting ducklings to sleep. Sandeul was curious about every object and thing he could catch with his big eyes and he would point at them until Sunwoo demonstrated what they were for. It didn’t help that when Sunwoo tried to leave him alone to the guest room Sandeul would disagree with that. Sunwoo was aware that birds imprint on the person they first see and follow them as their mother like their life depended on how well they were able to keep up with him.

Eventually Sunwoo gathered all objects that he could move out of the room to remove as many distractions as possible, tucked Sandeul in to the small guest bed, pet his head as he sang him to sleep with his horrible raspy singing.

Currently in front of him was sitting a cleaned Sandeul in the most formal clothes he agreed to wear (he liked to be comfortable) all straight from Sunwoo’s closet. Sunwoo had never before have anyone else wearing his clothes and the feeling was weird but not unpleasant although he had to agree that the style didn’t necessarily fit Sandeul’s personality.

The reason he had dressed up Sandeul nicely was that he intended to take Sandeul with him to work since he wanted to keep his precious house and belongings in good condition and Sandeul could not be left alone for an entire work day of eight hours.

Sunwoo considered calling Jinyoung and saying he can’t come to work but there was no way he would believe Sunwoo was being serious—he’d think Sunwoo just wanted to stay at home and play with his new children. Sunwoo was left with no choices than to take his evidence with him and show them.

Sandeul was excited to get outside since they had spent all day inside yesterday because of the rain. Sunwoo had to hold his hand so that he wouldn’t run off by himself and get hit by a car or anything. But of course, Sandeul didn’t mind holding hands. Sunwoo couldn’t help but keep wondering how much Sandeul understood about everything going on.

Sunwoo guessed this was the reason people loved children; the wonder in Sandeul’s eyes when he explored the world just simply warmed Sunwoo’s heart. Sure, he was evident to cause trouble but he was a very cute troublemaker.

Their bus was the first bigger vehicle Sandeul had seen in his life and the loud noises it made scared him. It didn’t help that the bus was shaky—Sandeul squeezed Sunwoo’s hand tightly clinging to his arm. Sunwoo got him inside and even to sit down next to him, but when the bus moved with a loud hiss Sandeul jumped to Sunwoo’s lap and buried his face inside his jacket. Heat of embarrassment colored Sunwoo’s cheeks as people stared at them. He tried to soothe him down by petting his head but Sandeul wouldn’t move for the rest of the journey and Sunwoo just had to accept his fate.

In front of his office building Sunwoo stopped for one last time to take a look at Sandeul and confirm that he looked decent. He wasn’t sure why he was really nervous about showing Sandeul to the hyungs but there was no denying the insecurity he felt inside.

”You look good,” Sunwoo said to Sandeul who gazed at an airplane flying across the cloudy sky as Sunwoo brushed his clothes one more time making sure they were straight and clean. ”It’s gonna be good. Everything’s gonna go well.”

Sandeul looked him in the eyes and although he said nothing—he didn’t talk much—Sunwoo was convinced that he was aware of Sunwoo’s nervousness and was trying to comfort him. ”Thanks, Deullie,” Sunwoo said and led him in not even noticing that he had used his old name.

As usual the hyungs were both immersed into their work and at first didn’t notice them coming in. There was just no way that Sandeul could’ve kept quiet so in the end they weren’t left unnoticed for long.

”Sunwoo?” Shinwoo was the first to look up from his computer.

”Morning, hyung,” Sunwoo said, trying to sound normal. He was holding Sandeul by his arm to stop him from touching anything. As their office was more like a cave for engineers all the tables and shelves were just a big mess of things and Sandeul should not be unleashed there.

Now they had Jinyoung’s attention as well. ”Sunwoo, who’s your friend?”

Sunwoo had difficulties answering that. By his side he heard Sandeul silently repeating ”Sunwoo?” and pointing at him with a puzzled look. Had he not introduced himself to Sandeul?

”Yeah, that’s me. I’m Sunwoo,” he said to Sandeul quietly.

Shinwoo and Jinyoung both got up from their desks and came to take a closer look. ”I didn’t know you have friends,” Jinyoung joked and looked Sandeul from head to toes.

”Yeah, haha, umm this is–”

”Sandeul!” Sandeul chirped proudly. ”I-am-Sandeul.”

Sunwoo stared at him with shock. That was the longest sentence Sandeul had spoken during the whole time he had been with Sunwoo. He didn’t know Sandeul knew how to introduce himself. Did he learn it from watching the TV yesterday?

The hyungs greeted him with smiling faces. It was obvious they found him cute but also somewhat amusing. For some reason Sunwoo felt both embarrassed and defensive.

”Ehh, I’m sorry for bringing him in but I couldn’t leave him home alone,” Sunwoo explained. He wasn’t sure what to tell the hyungs because would they believe him if he told them everything?

”Don’t worry about it,” Jinyoung said and fetched Sandeul a chair to sit on next to Sunwoo by his desk. Sunwoo gave Sandeul an old magazine to flip through as he got to work trying to convince himself that the day would pass just fine.

Well, it didn’t. By lunch time Sunwoo was so exhausted it felt like an entire day had already passed but somehow the clock was still only pointing one in the afternoon. He got done only half of the things that he should have finished by now and it was all because he had to constantly keep an eye on Sandeul and stop him from breaking things or messing up paper files. Even when Sandeul was behaving he distracted Sunwoo by whispering his name over again as if he was eating it like a delicious treat. This might have been Sunwoo’s own mistake for not telling his name to Sandeul sooner. Sunwoo kept sending apologetic looks to Jinyoung who kindly ignored the mess Sandeul was making but when lunch time came the boss had to have a little chat with Sunwoo.

They were watching as Sandeul was eating a sandwich after another from the bread pile on the table of their small meeting room. Jinyoung stood silently and Sunwoo knew what he was seeing—anyone could tell Sandeul wasn’t exactly normal. He just didn’t know how to explain him so he was waiting for Jinyoung’s questions hoping they’d give him some slack.

”How come you’re taking care of him suddenly? I thought you were busy with your ducks,” Jinyoung finally opened the conversation they had to have.

”I think he came with the ducklings,” Sunwoo explained leaving out as much as possible, ”not sure what happened. And now I don’t know what to do with him.”

Jinyoung nodded although it was clear he didn’t quite understand, but Jinyoung was never the type to make others uncomfortable with too many questions. ”You need to take him to a doctor or police or someone. Anyone can see why.”

It was almost as if Jinyoung was scolding Sunwoo for not doing so already. Sunwoo had thought about doing that after he got from work, but when he tried to imagine Sandeul in the care system all alone with strangers, no security of his future, and it just didn’t feel right.

”Someone could be looking for him,” Jinyoung said when Sunwoo stayed quiet. His words weren’t entirely wrong although Sunwoo felt it wasn’t that simple. Would that someone be looking for a duck or a person? But these worries could not be said out loud.

Sunwoo cleared his throat. ”I’ll take care of it.”

Sure he would. He just didn’t know yet how.

-

At the end of his work day Sunwoo felt apologetic towards his hyungs. He bet they hadn’t been able to fully concentrate on work either with Sandeul around. Jinyoung had been casting worried looks not only towards the duck boy, but also to Sunwoo who seemed to cling to Sandeul almost as much as the boy cling onto him.

”I’m sorry about today, I try to leave him home tomorrow,” Sunwoo apologized from them. Sandeul looked tired. It had been a long day for him too.

Shinwoo grinned. ”Sandeul brightens the atmosphere so I don’t mind. As long as he learns some manners.” some scolding was to be heard from his voice.

”We know you will do the right thing,” Jinyoung smiled meaningfully.

Sunwoo knew that Jinyoung was right, but he couldn’t just take Sandeul anywhere and leave him with nothing. Sandeul deserved better than a police station or the caretake center. That’s why he needed to contact Chansik first.

On Sunday he hadn’t had answered his phone but now that it was Monday again, Sunwoo had better luck.

”Hyung, what’s it? Is everything okay with the ducklings?” Chansik’s voice came through the phone.

”Yes and no. Can you come over? I need to figure out something and I hope you could help me.”

”Sure, I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

”Thanks, Chani.”

Sunwoo put the phone away and looked at Sandeul who was happily eating cereals straight from the box while watching TV. It was almost funny how quickly he had learned bad habits from the human world, but Sandeul was someone who couldn’t do anything wrong. To be honest Sunwoo was a bit scared of what he would find out once Chansik would arrive. What if there was something really wrong with Sandeul? If he wasn’t healthy or in any other way not fitted to live in the human world. What would Sunwoo do then?

His heart ached just from the thought. Yes, at first he had been very shocked to find Sandeul in his house, but now he had already grown attached to the boy. What ever it was that Chansik would be able to reveal him about Sandeul, one thing he was sure of; Sandeul was without a doubt innocent. What ever had happened, it wasn’t his fault and he deserved to be loved. That much Sunwoo could tell by simply trusting what his heart told him.

Sandeul turned to look at him, cheeks full of cereals like a hamster, and gave Sunwoo the most innocent and admiring look ever.

Yes. Sunwoo would take care of him no matter what.