my laptop, i don't understand what happened, wasn't able to connect with my wifi. idk, why? it was showing that it was connected but any website wouldn't open. again, idk why? hence the delay.

“Papa,” Jin calls, Jongin replies with a hum, staring down at the two noodle packets in his hands. He doesn't know which one to choose, like the last time. “Can we get this?”

Jongin looks up at that, staring at the bright packet in Jin's hands. It's chocolate. Jongin internally rolls his eyes at his son, he has said no a hundred times already. “No, baby, we decided on healthy food, remember?”

“But there's no wrong in buying a few unhealthy things, is it Papa?” Jongin shakes his head. “Noodles aren't healthy too, Papa!”

The worst thing about his whole ordeal is that Jongin doesn't only have to convince his son for things like these but himself too. Jongin has a sweet tooth, it's hard for him to say no to things like these himself and with Jin bringing these items in front of him almost every moment, makes everything harder.

“Yes, but when Papa is tired and can't cook, this is what we eat, right?” Eating noodles is not a part of their life, it's a rare happening. Jongin wants to make sure that his son learns to eat healthy only, so even when he's tired he would cook something for the both of them. But there are days where he just doesn't want to move a single muscle and during those days noodles help.

“Still, Papa.” Jin pouts, looking gloomy as he places the packet back on the shelf. “It’s okay, Jin can live sad for some time.” The best thing is that Jin listens. He doesn't ignore or start acting like a brat like most of the kids at his age does.

“We will eat ice cream after this, what do you say?”

“Ice cream? Yes, please.”

Jongin ruffles his baby's hair, clasping a hand around his son's tinier one as they walk past various shelves and aisles. Today's Sunday, so Jongin had decided with his son the last night how they will go to the supermarket because they were short on food. Jin had only excitedly nodded his head, of course, he would be excited. Kids always get excited for trivial things.

“Papa, that uncle is staring at us.” Jin points to a man standing a few feet ahead of them and it's not until Jongin looks up to see who it is that he realizes that it's Sehun.

Sehun blinks at them, it's clear that he hadn't expected Jongin or his son to spot him in such a huge market. Jongin colors instantly, wondering what he should do. Sehun breaks his dilemma as the man clears his throat and walks up to them, his basket clasped tightly in his right hand. “Evening, Jongin.”

Jongin bows, looking down at his son and motioning him to do the same. “Good evening, sir. I-I didn't expect to see you hear, I mean…” I mean, you're so rich. Why are you out in the market when your servants could do that for you?

As if Sehun understood what he wants to say, he speaks in one of his weird tones. “I just wanted to go out of the house myself, was getting bored. You know, it’s too lonely when there’s no one.”

“You live alone, uncle?” Jin asks next, staring at Sehun’s tall frame from where he is. It’s a huge height difference and Jongin can’t help but find the sight adorable, with Jin’s five-year-old self looking small between them.

“Yes, I do.” Sehun answers and after a slight hesitation kneels in front of the boy, stretching a hand toward his son. “Your father told me about you yesterday. What’s your name, kid?”

Jin, without any hesitation shakes his small hand with Sehun’s larger one, smiling a bright smile at the man. “I am Seokjin and I am five years old.” He says, pulling his hand back and showing Sehun his right hand. “I don’t know you, uncle. Papa,” he calls, looking up at Jongin, “who is he?”

Jongin clears his throat, watching as Sehun quickly gets up from his spot on the floor to stand next to them so that he doesn’t block the path for other customers. “My boss, I got the job, I told you yesterday, right? He is my boss.”

“Oh,” Jin says, mouth forming a cute 'o’.

“Should we go, Jin, we have to go to buy some vegetables?”

“Can I not stay with Uncle here for some time, Papa?” Jin walks to stand next to Sehun, looking at him with one of his puppy looks. “Can I stay here with you for some time, Uncle, until Papa finishes buying vegetables?”

Sehun looks torn and Jongin is seconds away from apologizing on behalf of his son to the elder when Sehun agrees to Jin's request with a small smile. “O-okay, you can go, Jongin, I will be here with Jin.”

“Are you sure?” Jongin asks, hesitant.

“Yeah,” Sehun hums, clasping his hand around Jin's small one when the kid asks him to. “You don't need to worry, you can trust me with this.”

Jongin flushes. “It's not like that, sir, I didn't mean it in that way.”

Sehun, Jongin decides, is a little hard to understand. Sometimes he behaves as if he disgusts Jongin for being a widow and having a son from his late husband (even though the man hasn't said or done anything to prove Jongin’s point) and sometimes he behaves as if that doesn't really matter. If it did, Jongin doesn't think he would've agreed to stay with Jin for the time being.

With the thought that he wouldn't want to waste his boss's time more than he and his son already did in his mind, he quickly shuffles to the vegetables aisle, quickly working on what he should buy and what he should not. Completely oblivious to what's going in his son's mind.

“Uncle, do you know that Papa and I are the only one who live in Busan and our whole family lives in the US?”

Sehun is taken aback, its clear and he doesn't take long to nod his head to show the kid that he, in fact, knows that. “Your Papa told me yesterday.”

“Then you probably know that my daddy is not here; he is in heaven. Papa says so.”

Sehun hums, tightening his hand around the packet in his hand. “Your Papa told me that too.”

“Uncle, I love my Papa a lot.” The kid says as if trying to start a serious conversation between the two of them, which is funny in some way. Seeing how the five year old looks on a verge of breaking into tears and equally ready to fight with Sehun for something that he did wrong. “Please tell me that you didn't say something mean to Papa yesterday.”

Sehun panics at the first break that he notices in the kid's voice, crouching down at the boy's level and shaking his head. It's not like he's really afraid of hurting Jongin for making his only family cry, Sehun just doesn't want to create a scene in front of so many people. He has a reputation to keep in check. “I didn't, I never said anything.”

Jin wipes his tears on his cheeks before puffing out his chest in a weak attempt to show that he is a strong boy and nothing that one can play with. Sehun mentally decides that Jongin’s upbringing is one fine thing, it's admirable. “Papa was really sad last night. You don't know this but I should tell you a secret. Do you want to know?”

“Uh, sure?”

"Can we go somewhere where Papa doesn't listen us? I don't want to hurt Papa.”

“Oh, okay. Wait a minute.” Kids are tiring, Sehun has always known that, but there are some kids like Jin. Even at this early age they start showing maturity in a way which is equally astonishing and admirable. Sehun loves meeting kids like Jin, it makes him want to have his own.

They go in the farthest corner of the building, a few aisles away from the vegetables one.

“So what is it about?” He asks to break the awkward silence between them. Truth to be told, he has never felt this much intimidated and awkward in a presence of a kid, ever (okay maybe he did feel awkward with kids before because suffering kids is not exactly his forte).

“Papa was really sad last night,” Jin begins, standing close to him, “he thinks that I don't know what he does every night.” The boy frowns, yet Sehun can see the surprising concern in the boy's eyes. “Whenever someone says or does something that reminds Papa of daddy, he always cries at night. With daddy's photo in his hands. He does that when he thinks I am sleeping but really I am not. Most of the time, I stay awake.”

“Last night he was crying again, I saw him with daddy's photo again. I thought that you did or say something to Papa that made him so upset.” The boy then steps ahead a little, taking Sehun’s hand in his own. “Uncle, Papa is really strong, I know he is. But he isn't that strong to not feel the pain. A lot of people say a lot of bad things to us and Papa always try to protect me from them but he can't always be there for me. I know that, I don't tell him how so many students and sometimes even teachers keep asking me about my other father even though they know everything.”

“People are really mean to us, when we came here people were not giving us home to stay. Because they knew that daddy wasn't with us anymore. This isn't Papa's fault, is it? Papa didn't do anything then why people always act mean to him?”

“I hope you're not that type of uncle. I hope you'll be good to Papa.”

When Jongin comes back to look for Jin, he doesn't find him where he left him with Sehun. As much as he believed Sehun, it was hard to not feel scared about leaving his son with a stranger. Even though Sehun was his boss now, they were still strangers to each other.

He runs through various aisles to search for his son, calling out his name again and again. It's not until he comes across the last aisle that he sees them—Sehun and his son. The scene in front of him surprises him more than he can even put into words, seeing Sehun and Jin standing so close. It's almost like as if a father's tending his child—Jongin shoves the thought aside as soon as it came.

“Jin?” He calls, walking toward them and hugging his son to his chest. “Where did you go? I told you to stay there, didn't I?” He looks back at Sehun, eyes furious and a little stern. “Sir, you should've at least informed me that you were bringing him here.”

Sehun opens his mouth to reply something when Jin cuts him off, grabbing Jongin’s face so he's looking at him instead. “I wanted some ice cream, Papa. So I asked uncle to bring me here. You know how much of a brat I am, don't you?”

“Jin, why?” Jongin shakes his head, standing up and holding his son with hold on his small hand. He bows to Sehun, face guilty. “I am sorry, sir, I just got scared.”

“It's okay.” Sehun plays along, avoiding the kid's eyes at any cost. “I should've told you.”

Sehun's apology is unnecessary, Jongin decides, but he doesn't say anything after that. He simply goes to the counter to pay for the items that he bought, Sehun follows, seemingly lost in some thought. It's not until that they step out of the shop that Sehun suddenly and surprisingly asks Jongin if he would like to go to a nearby restaurant with him. It's not far from the supermarket, but it is expensive (something that Jongin can't afford in his current financial state).

Nevertheless, at Sehun’s persistent requests and some curious gazes passed by a few people around, he agrees. He doesn't understand why Sehun is doing this in the first place; they have no relation. Jongin got a job under him just a day ago. They are strangers and really there's no reason for Sehun to do this for them.

He can't help but notice the slight stiffness between his son and his boss throughout the time that they spend in the restaurant. It's awkward, they don't know each other well and have nothing to talk about. Only Sehun pushes the conversation about Jongin’s job at the company here and there, telling him what he should do and shouldn't. Most of the things are repeated just to kill the time.

Sehun drops them at their apartment at exactly nine in the evening, bidding them a quick goodbye as he drives away.

“What happened when I was gone Jin?” Jongin asks when they are in the safety of their home. “Did boss say something to you? Did you say something to him? Why did he bring us for dinner?”

Jin shrugs, placing his shoes where his Papa has taught him before walking toward the bathroom to wash up, just as his father had taught him. “Your boss is weird, Papa. Good weird. I… like him.” The boy says, a bright smile on his face when he hugs his father's leg. “I think he will be good to you Papa and to me too.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes, I think he is a good person.” Then as if something came to his mind suddenly he says in a hushed voice. “He is handsome too, so I like him more.” Jongin only rolls his eyes at his son.

Sehun messages him after ten in the night, something about job. Jongin gets freaked out at first, wondering how his boss got his number until he realizes that the man must've looked through his profile.

Tomorrow's audition at the company.

you can come in casuals if you want

since the whole day will be spend in auditioning the new kids. if not that, you can bring your suit along with you so if you want to change some time, you can.

it's your choice, ive no say in it.

Thank you for informing me, sir.

i will do what's appropriate. i will bring my suit along. if needed i will change into them.

sweet dreams, sir

whatever your choice. no need to thank me, you're new, you need to learn a lot.

I've no problem in guiding you.

sweet dreams to you too

and to Jin too

ag uwuuhf

Jongin scrunches his nose at the last message, silently wondering what that exactly means. Sehun doesn't take long to message back and Jongin can only giggle at his boss's explanation.

i am extremely sorry, I dropped my phone on my face.

its fine now, i am sitting. God, this is so embarrassing

but anyway I was saying thank you for

coming with me to the restaurant.

i had a

good time

its alright sir.

but really welcome to you for bringing us along

Jin really liked whatever he ate there

we had a good time too

i am happy to hear that

i

…

good night

Jongin

good night, sir

A part inside of Jongin tells him that his boss wanted to say something more or at least wanted to message more. But didn't, for some unknown reason. He can only sigh, placing the phone on the bedside table before turning toward his son and hugging him to his chest.

It's so weird.

Monday morning is a rush, not exactly morning but afternoon. Jongin realizes by each passing hour how serious the audition process is, no funny business only seriousness. Sehun, Jongin finds out, does not like delay hence it was almost a part of the audition to hear Sehun snapping either at one of the new kids or at the photographer.

Jongin feels sad for them, seeing them crying and looking all heart broken and dejected after being turned down. He wonders how many times some of them already faced rejection. It's such a ty thing—to be rejected after going through so much difficulty. He silently hopes that they don't lose hope if they really want to do something in this particular field.

It's a snap of a camera that catches his attention and he looks to his right side, capping the bottle before wiping the water droplets on his lower lip and on his chin with the back of his hand. The man, the photographer, is shameless and he clicks another photo of Jongin. Knowing well enough that Jongin caught him in the act and he's doing so without any permission. Such a shameless bastard.

Before he even gets a chance to call the man to give him earful of lecture about importance of permission, the man practically runs away from there, camera clutched tightly in his hand. Jongin rolls his eyes at him, he already met a lot of weird people today. He needs to inform his boss about this so that be could keep his employees at check.

The audition is almost over so Jongin decides that there's no wrong in approaching his boss who's currently on his phone. He walks up to the elder, waiting by his side to end his phone call. His call ends after almost five minutes, Jongin’s impatience is already running thin.

“What happened, Jongin, why are you looking so red?”

Jongin looks up at his boss, taking a deep breath before opening his mouth. “Sorry, sir, but I want to tell you something really important.”

“Uh, okay, what's that?” Sehun asks, confused, now fully turned toward him, his taller frame hovering over Jongin’s comparatively smaller one.

“Your employees, some of them are really weird.” He says, lips pouting at each spoken word. It's a habit of his that he doesn't know and people around him find that adorable (including Sehun). “There's this photographer—”

“Jongin, sorry to cut you off but there's something on your lip.”

Jongin frowns, tracing a finger where Sehun points to on his own bottom lip. It's not until Sehun does that fifth time (and Jongin fails at understanding) that the man gives up on Jongin and brings his own hand to Jongin’s face to wipe whatever there is. It's a gentle touch of Sehun’s thumb on his lower lip, almost fleeting, yet Jongin can't help but remember the time when Kyungsoo had done the same when they were on their first date.

There's a snap of a camera but Jongin doesn't hear it nor Sehun.

“It's gone.” Sehun whispers, bringing his hand back before stepping a little back and clearing his throat. “You were saying?”

“Uh, yeah,” Jongin mumbles, trying to will away the blush that he's sure must be on his face. “There's this photographer of yours who's clicking my photos without my permission. I want you to tell him to stop that. It's irritating.”

Sehun shakes his head after hearing what Jongin had to say, whispering something along the lines of “aish, that Jackson” before looking around the room to find the said man. He spots the man right away and passes him one of his dark stern eyes before calling him to come to them.

The photographer, Jackson, stands next to Jongin instead of Sehun and Jongin decides that it has something to do with the CEO's fisted hands and clenched jaw as he bores his eyes into the photographer's head. “What did I tell you to not do?”

“I didn't mean to,” answers Jackson with a squeak, “but I can't help but click pictures of things or people that I find beautiful. You know that, Sehun.” He adds as if bored of explaining himself to the CEO. With the way he called Sehun’s name earlier, Jongin decides that he must be one of the man's close friends. Seriously, is this whole company filled up with Sehun’s close friends?

Jongin blushes at the indirect compliment Jackson passes him, lowering his eyes to the ground when his boss looks at him with the same strange emotion in his eyes. Sehun clears his throat, stretching his hand toward the photographer. “Give me the camera.”

“Why?”

“Jackson, don't act like a child, you know I don't like that.” The photographer reluctantly gives his camera to Sehun, saying something along the lines of “don't delete any photo, whether you like it or not” before walking away from there. “I am sorry for what he did—do you want me to delete the pictures?”

“That would be great.” Jongin says, slowly as if thinking if it's necessary to delete the photos or not.

“Okay, I will delete them this night; I've to go through them with Baekhyun anyway. Don't worry.”

The thing about working with Sehun, Jongin realizes, is that one cannot even mutter a single word if Sehun doesn't want to hear anything. The man would be diligently involved with his work with curses falling out of his mouth here and there. It's comforting in some way, not being bothered every second and only focusing on task at hand.

It's past eight in the evening, they still have a lot to do. Even though Jongin hasn't done anything particularly remarkable, he still feels stuffy in his suit (he had changed into it after the audition ended, following Sehun). Sehun notices it a lot of time, passing this look to Jongin every now and then before shaking his head as if thinking about something that's bothering him.

It's not until Jongin fans his face for the nth time (he feels hot for some reason, despite being in a fully air conditioned room) that Sehun sets his pen down and crosses his arms over the desk, giving Jongin all of his undivided attention.

“You can, you know, work without your suit jacket.”

Jongin looks up at that, placing his hand by his side again before nodding at his boss. “But that would be unprofessional, sir.”

“Maybe, yes. But we're still in my office, there's no meeting today; its already late. You can, you know, even I did.” He points to his jacket thrown over the couch in one of the corners of the room.

Jongin looks down, biting his lower lip as if contemplating his boss's suggestion and really it's an innocent move but even then Sehun can't help but stare at the spit slicked plush bottom lip of the younger when Jongin releases it, biting his own as if trying to push down the urge of something indecent off his mind.

“Thank you, sir.” Jongin decides at last, shuffling out of his jacket.

Truth be told, the constant shuffling of Jongin just a few feet away from himself was annoying Sehun, more than he could ever describe in words but there was a part inside of him which didn't want to hurt Jongin with his harsh words that he knew would come out of his mouth once he opens it.

There was another part; that ert side of him which wanted to see Jongin in minimal clothing. There was something about Jongin’s figure which captivated him more than he thought anything could ever do. He was tall yet lean and lithe (almost frail), broad shoulders but smaller than his own with a surprising small waist, insanely long legs which Sehun wanted nothing more than to… wrap around his own waist.

Jongin was distracting, more than he was used to. Only Sehun knows how much he'd to control himself to not speak out the words threatening to come out of his mouth.

He cleared his throat catching Jongin’s attention. “Although it completely depends on what father has to say, I still think that you could give me some insights.”

Jongin immediately straightens up, pen clutched tightly in his hand as he stares at Sehun in mild curiosity. “About what, sir?” His fringes fall over his eyes and the photographer inside Sehun catches the delicate view quickly, preserving the image in a part of his mind.

“You were at the audition, weren't you?” Sehun asks even though it's not a question. He places a few papers in front of Jongin and beckons him to come closer to him and stand next to his chair. Jongin follows, walking out of his own side and to Sehun’s (and despite Sehun’s workaholic state of mind, he can't help but fix his gaze on Jongin’s thick thighs, looking as delicious as ever in his blue pants).

When Jongin reaches there, he asks the younger to sit on his chair. Jongin denies at first, saying how it's not appropriate and all (“that's unprofessional, sir,” says he). Sehun quickly hushes him and gently pushes him to sit on the chair whilst he stands next to him, his taller frame hovering over Jongin’s smaller one, almost hiding him.

“I am confused between three people. I want to show the best to my father but I've no idea which one to put a bet on.” He then points to each picture on his laptop, leaning ever so lightly. “There's Lee Taemin, Lee Taeyong and this kid from Thailand, let's say Ten, his real name is quite difficult to pronounce.”

“Did you pay attention to their part?”

“I did.” Jongin nods his head, eyes following the smallest and smallest of details on the said people's faces before quickly going through their profiles. “I cannot decide, sir.” He says after five minutes of silence from both sides. “I mean, I did pay attention to them but them being so talented makes it harder to choose any one out of them.”

Sehun hums in reply, his breath ghost over Jongin’s ear and the younger quickly jerks back, avoiding the elder's eyes. “Well, I will allow you to slip this time. As my PA, it's your job to guide me through these moments.” He leans back against the table, staring down at Jongin. It's on his mind since the first time he saw the younger, but only decides to speak it out now, “I think you should try for modelling.”

“I am not going to,” Jongin answers and it comes out sharp, almost vehement. Jongin eyes widen a second later though, realizing what he did. “I-I am sorry, sir. I didn't mean to—”

“It's okay.” Sehun smiles a tight smile only after getting off of the shock at being talked back in such a rude way. He clenches his jaw before nodding at Jongin’s chair. “Should we go back to work, we still have a lot in our plates?”

Jongin quickly gets up from the chair, bowing apologetically before breaking into a series of “I am really sorry, sir, I didn't mean to.”

Sehun ignores him, trying to focus back on task at hand. It's a little harder than before, he realizes, sharp eyes boring holes into his laptop screen. Jongin stays alert throughout the next hour that they spend in front of each other, ears perking up at every little noise. Under any other circumstance, Sehun would find that funny (maybe cute too with that face) but in the moment, it's anything but funny.

He clenches his jaw, grabs his phone and asks Baekhyun to come at his home with beer. He still has a lot of work to do even now and after what happened barely an hour ago makes the thirst for beer reasonable.

After dropping Jongin off at his apartment (and ignoring the younger's apology, yet again), he drives back to his apartment, Baekhyun already waiting with his own laptop. Despite seeing the cherry smile on the elder's face and Baekhyun’s honest promise of focusing only on work and not on all the girls around them, Sehun still feels down, mostly annoyed and frustrated.

He keeps loosing his focus, Baekhyun pointing that out several times before finally asking “what exactly happened, duh?” He tells him and Baekhyun only replies with a shake of his head before pointing a finger at his laptop, a sign for him to ‘get on with his work before he kicks his sorry excuse of an ’.

“Still,” Baekhyun starts after diligently working on sorting out the profiles and going through various videos for hours. His beer can lies by his side, mouth slurring the words. “Why didn't you him yet?” He asks the inevitable question. But to be completely honest, when you're Sehun who goes around ing nearly every good looking human being that comes to his radar, one expect Sehun to already make a move and his gorgeous of a PA.

Sehun shrugs, scrolling through a profile before gulping down his beer. He feels a little light headed now and the only thing that he wants to do now is sleep. “He's a widow."

“Oh,” says Baekhyun, nodding at him. “That matters? I mean you ed this girl when she was in relationship, you nasty human being.”

“He has a baby.” Sehun thinks back to the two and how he'd found them in the supermarket and just how beautiful it was. “A boy.”

“Oh,” Baekhyun nods before zipping up his mouth and looking back at the papers in front of him. “Why are you so annoying though, why are you bothering the kid so much?” He asks after whole two minutes of silence.

“What do you mean by bothering?”

“Don't you think that there must be a reason that he snapped at you for even suggesting to do modelling?”

“I…” Sehun stops, realizing that he, in fact, never bothered to ask Jongin. “I didn't think anything about that.”

Baekhyun nods, getting up from the sofa before looking down at the watch around his wrist. “It's almost three in the morning, I am going to sleep. You go too.”

When Baekhyun finally leaves him in silence, he stares wide eyed at the ceiling before finally deciding something as he picks up his phone and furiously starts typing on it, anything before he turns into a coward and backs off.

i am fine, Jongin

we're fine

i am not upset

please,

sleep well