"Hansolie, wake up, buddy!" Seungcheol's large built hovered over the sleeping 8 year-old.  He left a kiss on top of his dark hair, very much close to black but it wasn't really it. 

The kid groaned at the contact. He stirred in his sleep. When his dad kissed his head once again, his eyes began to flutter themselves open. 

"Morning, kid. Wake up, it's time for school." Seungcheol shook the small shoulder, but the said boy only gripped on his blanket even tighter, as if he was burying himself underneath. It made him sigh at the sight. He tried to shook the boy even more, despite his clear whining, "come on, you don't want to be late on your first day this semester." 

"Why do I have to go to school..." the boy whined in English. Mixing phrases between English and Korean was still a habit of his, and it worsen when he was upset or sleepy.

Seungcheol had done this thousands of times almost every morning, throughout Hansol's kindergarten years and specifically his first semester of elementary school. "So you'll be smart and you can be rich like those celebrities you like," they were by now playing tug of war with his blanket, "c'mon, you'll meet Seungkwan!"

At the mention of 'Seungkwan', the small hands released the blanket abruptly. His eyes were still closed but he sat up, mumbling, "right. Fine." 

Seungcheol smiled in victory. It worked every time. "That's my good boy, now get ready, I'll be making breakfast." His strong arms scooped the boy off his bed and landed him on the floor, where his bunny slippers waited.

Before he went downstairs, he made sure to lay today's clothes on the bed. Like every other day. He was so much of a dad by now, waking his kid, making breakfast, something that five years ago he did not even expect. 

Hansol, or previously and alternately called Vernon, came abruptly. Well, not really. But basically, his office fling had gone wrong. The caucasian American woman, who work in the same company and went to South Korea for a month, got knocked up, despite using protection, that ; only to discover it three months after she got back to the states. It was pure disaster back then. A whole year full of torture, guilt, to the point of depression. But after several months giving birth to the baby, she decided to just raised him alone. Then why was Hansol in Seungcheol's now? Well, you could say happened (more like rich- dude happened) and the lady just could not let herself having a child for the sake of her new life. She suddenly showed up one afternoon in Seungcheol's front door holding a three year-old Hansol. 

Seungcheol himself could remember how his heart felt like jumping from Tokyo Tower down to the pavement, his face must have looked complete ridiculous. Long story short, he accept Hansol in his hand, not wanting to let his own blood suffer.

He scoffed as he flipped the french toast on the pan, something he made nearly every morning. He was glad Hansol was a very sweet child, he basically loved everything and was not a bit of a brat.

"Appa," the small boy dressed in thick blue jumper jumped around the tall bar stools, wanting to be picked up. And Seungcheol did just that before putting two plates of french toast, one for Hansol and one for himself, not forgetting his child's glass of milk. 'It's so that you'll get tall fast so you could climb the stool yourself.' had he told the kid. 

After breakfast was done, he did not even bother to wash it, he just stacked it in his sink as per usual and hurried to put on the coat and scarf around his son. His eyes scanned everything; his bag, tumblr, shoe laces laced, and mouth wiped. All fine. He fixed his suit and tie before leaving the house with small Hansol on his hand.

"Cold." Hansol whined as he rub his bare hands against each other. 

"Did Appa forget your gloves?" The kid nodded. Seungcheol cursed internally. "Here, tuck your one hand in your pocket, and give me the other to Appa, I'll hold your hand." He reached out to hold his son's hand as they walk from their car to the school main entrance.

"No," Hansol said, "the other would see!" He spoke in a hushed tone, in English, as his head turned right and left to see if any of his friends listening. Oh lord, is it that age already? That was too fast. Now he felt embarrassed to be seen with his dad, last year he was hugging my leg still, Seungcheol got himself taken aback.

"Vernon-ah!" A small boy around his size ran and crashed the small Hansol into a hug. A second later Hansol let out a loud exclamation while hugging the other back. They laughed as they ran just like that into the building, hand in hand.

"Yah! Kids don't run!" A weak shout came from behind, it was the kid's dad, "oh, hello, Hansol's father!" 

Seungcheol grinned, "good morning, Seungkwan's father. He's cheerful as usual." 

The blonde man clicked his tongue. "Too cheerful for my old lazy self." 

Since their children stuck like opposite sides of magnets, they sometimes sat together and exchange conversation whenever they met. But that was not the only reason. The other reason was, they were the outcast of the parents. Seungkwan's dad, Jeonghan, was a gay couple. Though Seungcheol rarely saw his partner, due to his busier work life as a head chef, Mingyu was a similarly cheerful man as his son. Or rather, that could be where Seungkwan had picked the trait from. On the other hand, Seungcheol was a single dad, without even having any marriage involved. So clearly, other parents did not really engage with them. He did not mind at all, unless their sons were involved in this silly avoidance (fortunately they were not, or did they just don't care anyway?).

They walked together, finally reaching the two boys giggling right in front of the entrance. "Come on, boys. Let's get inside." 

First day every semester, it would be a special day. Parents were invited to come, sit in the back of the classroom to have briefings and some activities during the day. So there were Seungcheol and Jeonghan, sitting in the back with other parents as they waited for the teacher to come. Most were moms, who sometimes, despite avoiding them, gossiped about how they look so handsome, way more than their husbands. 

The class room door spun opened and two males got into the classroom. One was Lee Seokmin, the head teacher slash the counsellor, and one was another young teacher he could not recognize. Probably a substitute, since Teacher Jung was said to be on her maternity leave. 

"Good morning, everyone!" Lee Seokmin was a teacher who acted way brighter and cheerful than Seungkwan or even the sun itself. The kids loved him though. Very much. He was young, active, and behave like a child himself.

Seungcheol watched one of the student lead the greeting, his and Jeonghan's sons diligently followed the instruction. He smiled at the sight. Cute kids. 

"Ah! Today, I have brought a new teacher to replace Teacher Jung who is on her leave, kids!" He smiled brightly as he eyed the curious looking kids before pointing to the guy on his left. He was slightly tanned and slender, smaller than Jeonghan, even. His face resembled that of a cat, especially his doe pointed eyes and naturally curved lips. 

"Hello! My name is Hong Jisoo, I will be your new homeroom teacher this semester, let's get along!" His voice was so smooth and gentle, and he had a very good mannerism and was soft-spoken. He bowed to the parents on the back too. Seungcheol absentmindedly bowed his head and smiled.

"Teacher Jisoo! Do you have a girlfriend?" Seungcheol almost snorted loudly at the direct and honest question of a girl. The girl with pigtails on her head waved his hand excitedly as she gaped on her new teacher. Well, Seungcheol admitted, the new teacher was very good-looking. He looked handsome, but somewhat beautiful, and had a demeanor of a gentle prince, perfect for every elementary girls' prince ideal. Or at least way better than the thirty year-old Teacher Jung.

Jisoo blinked a few times before cracking a soft chuckle. "Good question, but no. Anyway, I would appreciate it if you mention your name before asking," he handled the young girl smoothly who looked pretty embarrassed, "may I know your name?"

"Oh, I, my name is Kim Minkyung." She sheepishly said. But soon it did not matter anymore since more kids were raising their hands shouting their names.

It was almost eleven, Seungcheol had only informed his boss that he would be there before twelve. It needed at least 20 minutes to get to his office, so it might be wise to go about now. He could not stay as much as he wished but hey, he needed to make a living for him and his son too, okay? 

After making sure Hansol got his portion of the early lunch and sat neatly beside Seungkwan in his desk, he came over to him and crouched. "Hey, tough guy, it's already lunch time for you." He said. 

Hansol's eyebrows slowly knitted to eaoch other. "Already? Right." He pouted. 

Seungcheol really did wish he could stay, but work had been a bit crazy lately. "Sorry, Appa had told you I need to go, right? Will you be a big boy and let me go to work?" Using another magic word 'big boy' or something of the sort worked like wonder in most cases, like this one, Hansol nodded with determination in his face. 

"That's my boy," then he turned to the slightly older kid, "Seungkwan-ah, you will play with Hansol when I'm gone, right?" Seungkwan immediately sat up straight and answered proudly, "of course, sir! I will be with him! We are best best friends!" Seungcheol smiled in satisfaction as he saw his own son starting to smile once again. He bid goodbye to him, got a high-five from both of the boys, and nodded to Jeonghan as well. 

He was walking to the door when Jisoo came up to him, a bit shuffling. "Are you leaving already, sir?" He asked, again, Seungcheol noted he had a soft voice. 

He smiled politely, "yes, I had to go to work. Please take care of my Hansol, I will be picking him up a bit late today."

Jisoo seemed to tilt his head to the side. He mumbled, 'Hansol', as if thinking which one was the kid again. Seungcheol took the initiative to point the slightly lighter colored hair among the Korean students. He watched Jisoo's lips formed an 'o' before nodding, "I'll keep him in my watch, you don't have to worry sir." He smiled politely.

"Thanks," Seungcheol bowed as he left the classroom.