Lost in his thoughts, Yunho stood by the wall-length windows of his office, watching absently the winter scenery. The snow fell languishly from the darkened sky. The layers kept growing at each passing hour. The serenity of the surrounding finally allowed him to take a break from everything. 

His gaze remained on the falling snow when the door of his office was pushed open by his assistant. Tiffany settled down the files that he would need for the next morning on his desk neatly next to his laptop.

“Everything is here Yunho,” she said, at which Yunho nodded slightly. When he didn’t hear her steps walking away, he turned around slowly, watching Tiffany hesitantly opened . “Your wife just called in. She wanted to know when you’d be home.”

“What did you answer?”

“Suppertime.” Hearing her words, Yunho gave her a disapproving glare. Tiffany simply shrugged her shoulders. “You told her that you’d have supper together. I just did what every assistant’s supposed to do; transfer your words to people around.”

Yunho nodded without any more complaints and sat back down behind his desk. He continued the case he had been working on for the last few days. When Tiffany remained unmoving from her spot, he looked up.

“Good evening,” he said, prompting her to leave.

“What about you?”

“Me? I still have work to do.”

“But it’s almost six and you have a supper with your wife,” she repeated, emphasizing the word ‘supper’. However, Yunho simply looked back at her, waiting. “Fine, I get it. I’ll call back and say that you’re going to be late.”

He gave her a little guilty smile as she returned to her desk outside his office. She reached for the office phone over the edge of her cubicle. He could hear her gentle and professional voice trying to explain to a probably very frustrated Ara. Suddenly feeling like a jerk for making Tiffany deal with Ara's mood swing, he went to her, took the phone from her hand and pressed it against his ear.

"Sorry dear, I'm on my way. See you in an hour ok?"

From the side, Tiffany could hear Ara scoff on the phone. Sometimes, she wondered why Yunho married her. They clearly weren’t happy with each other. Everyone could see it; everyone but the two of them. She had seen the longing in his eyes, the one that was looking for a way out. Yet, as a good friend, she never brought up the subject, knowing that he would certainly take it in a not-so-good way. 

She simply gathered her bag and coat, tapped lightly on the lawyer's shoulder and tilted her head toward the elevators. He nodded at her, mouthing another ‘good night’ before turning his attention back to the phone.

❖

Jaejoong was heading out rather late again, after working overtime. He was in a hurry to get back to his son. The icy winter wind came crashing against his face as he pulled his scarf tighter to protect himself from the cold. Today, he didn’t bother to take his car to work. With the heavy snow falling since the night before, it would only make the circulation more difficult than usual. Besides, it would be a hassle trying to find a free parking spot outside of the business district. He would rather spend a few dollars for public transportation than having to pay for a parking space.

As he walked in the busy street, his mind drifted back to his latest phone call with JiEun. He saw the desire in his son’s eyes whenever his friends talked about how great their fathers were. More than one occasion, he found himself questioning his decision. But, every time, he came to the same conclusion. It was for the best.

Just before their break-up, he noticed how Yunho’s face would lighten up at the sight of Ara walking toward him. That memory still burned the inside of his mind as acid. It was as if the whole world stopped to exist around them anymore. As if Jaejoong suddenly became the extra wheel within a couple. Once upon a time, he thought that he had the exclusivity of that breathtaking smile, but how wrong was he. He didn’t wish for his precious son to feel what he felt back then. Besides, by now, Yunho probably had kids of his own to take care of.

At the corner of his eyes, he caught the sight of a black sedan. He didn’t know why he never failed to recognize this certain car in the middle of the overloaded streets even when there were thousands of similar ones out there. He refused to acknowledge that the reason behind it was because Yunho owned the car. No, he recognized it because he was guilty for the long paint scratch he left on the rear right bumper. Unintentionally of course, but it felt so deliciously good to ruin something so perfect and expensive.

Getting over his self-satisfaction, Jaejoong was slightly curious about why the lawyer hadn’t got it patched up yet. He knew the man always had an insane love for his cars. Seeing the scratch still lingering there after months, years, was a little disconcerting for Jaejoong. 

Inside the car, Yunho’s gaze trailed on Jaejoong. He saw how the paralegal pulled the scarf tighter around him to keep out the cold wind. He had the urge to pull over and offer him a drive to wherever, just like back then. He could easily remember the breathtaking smile on Jaejoong’s face as he wordlessly climbed on the passenger seat back in college.

A bitter laugh escaped from his lips. After ten years, he seemed to recall every single memory he shared with Jaejoong and yet while the man was away, none of them ever came haunting him until now. Lately, he often caught himself wondering more than once if life would have been different if they stayed together; if he made an effort to stay with Jaejoong.

The sound of Jaejoong’s voice, the curves of his body, and the feel of his skin were still vivid in his head. The mere memories of those warm loving eyes watching him sleep in early mornings brought a fuzzy sensation from the bottom of his heart. Perhaps, just perhaps, he did sincerely love Jaejoong as a boyfriend; as the love of his life. Perhaps, for years, he simply lied to himself, shutting out what could have been the most beautiful relationship in his entire life. Then why did he drift away from Jaejoong? Why did he turn his back to him? Reasons, he could found plenty, but nothing changed the fact that he took Jaejoong’s heart and trust, and crushed all mercilessly.

He took Jaejoong for granted, stripped him of everything only to push him away like a despicable parasite. He blinked away the misery from his eyes and looked one last time out of the window, toward the man, and sped away as the car behind started to get impatient.

He knew he had to work hard to gain Jaejoong’s forgiveness and work even harder to have the chance to be in his life again, even if it was only as an acquaintance. If having Jaejoong the first time was easy, this second time would be challenging.
 

❖

When Jaejoong finally arrived at the hospital, it was already long passed the suppertime. He wanted to blame the public transportation for being slow or the snow for causing a major jam around the city. However, he knew it was mostly his fault. He should have left the company earlier. Then, he would have the time to go home and cook something delicious for Yunhwa. After being stuck in the hospital for weeks, his son was more than sick of the tasteless food.

He went up to the room, but not before stopping for a few minutes at the nurses' desks to get new information about his son's condition.

“You don't have to worry, Mr. Kim,” the nurse said reassuringly. “The doctor could be able to sign the discharge paper in about one week or two maximum. But it may take years for him to fully recover.”

“I know, thank you.” Jaejoong bowed at her before lumbering to the room. The light was off, and JiEun probably already left. For some reasons, he was glad that she wasn't there. After their earlier conversation over the phone, he didn't want to see the disappointment on her face, as she surely knew that he would continue to stand by his decision. 

Yunhwa was sleeping soundlessly in his bed; mouth wide open, arms and legs hugging the blanket instead of using it properly. “Like father, like son…” he mused, a soft smile tugging his lips upward. His movements were slow and careful as he gently untangled the blanket from Yunhwa’s arms and legs and laid it back to cover the small body.

His hand caressed the soft locks before leaving a loving kiss on his forehead. Once he was assured that the boy was still asleep, he moved to the armchair under the window and curled in it, trying to catch some sleep. The moment he found a comfortable position, he was already dozing off. Even his empty stomach wasn’t enough to distract him from his sleep.

“Mom…” a tiny voice called somewhere around him. His eyelids were heavy, refusing to open up. He knew his son was calling him. “Mom.” Hands lightly shook his shoulder, forcing his consciousness back as he hummed, grabbing the disturbing hands and bringing them to his mouth for a kiss.

“Yes, baby?” he blinked the sleepiness away. Slowly, he rotated his neck, getting rid of the soreness from his arching neck.

“Come to the bed, mom,” Yunhwa said, tugging on his mother’s hand, “I sleep better when you’re there...”

‘You will sleep better on the bed’ was what he wanted to say.

Jaejoong gave his son a small squeeze and a faint smile. He stood up from his chair, stretching his back. Wordlessly, he spun Yunhwa around and gently pushed him toward the bed before he shrugged out of his coat and blazer. He hung them neatly on the back of the armchair and climbed in bed beside his son.

“Did you disconnect your heart monitor?” he asked with a deep frown as he reached over to reconnect the wires. The incessant beeping sound was back. “You shouldn’t do that.”

“But I really can’t sleep with them making annoying noises,” Yunhwa ar