둘이면 아버지와 아들, 셋이면 가족이다 2/2

I'm sorry, Mr. Kim, but it seems like Taeoh disappeared.

The usual ten minute walk over to the kindergarten only took Jongin five minutes this time. He is in full panic mode, feeling sick to the bone, knowing that Taeoh might be all on his own and helpless somewhere, but he is furious as well. His son is the only reason why he is doing his best at work, otherwise he would have changed the company and gone for a less stable but more interesting job, one that pays better. This company, he had only chosen for their family-friendly policies that allows him to spend time with his son more than any other workplace would.

"What do you mean, you don't know where he is?" Jongin asks the kindergarten teacher who seems just as distressed as he is. He feels bad for raising his voice at her, but he can't help it. It's about his son, the most important person in his life, and just like every other working adult, he expects the people he entrusts his child to do their job properly.

"How can you not know where he is?" Jongin continues, pacing around the room. "It's your job to watch over all kids here. How is it possible for them to disappear? Did you really look for him everywhere?"

"Yes," Ms. Kwon says, her face pale. She must be just as scared and worried as Jongin is. It's a teacher's greatest nightmare to have a child disappear without a trace. Especially since she has just seen all the children peacefully taking a nap.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left the room," the female says, her voice trembling. "I will call the police for help."

Jongin nods, knowing that that is the smartest thing to do now, although he wishes they didn't have to. It just makes this case seem more severe, more serious. As if Taeoh had been kidnapped. But for what reason? Jongin doesn’t make that much money. He doesn’t think that he would make a good target.

"I'll go look around for Taeoh," Jongin says, unable to stay at the kindergarten for much longer. He can't sit idly while his son might be in danger. "Please call me right away when you find some clues."

Ms. Kwon nods and stays back in the office, and for the first time Jongin wonders if choosing this company and sending Taeoh to kindergarten had been a good idea. He could have tried to find some home office job instead to ensure a safe environment for his son 24/7. Taeoh wouldn't have escaped either.

Maybe it's to look after his mom.

The thought comes suddenly, but Jongin is sure that this is the case. Taeoh might not be talking about it, but the boy has probably been thinking about it ever since his birthday night, when he asked Jongin about his mother for the first time. Jongin closes his eyes for a second, feeling a lump in his throat. It's bitter to find out that maybe Taeoh was not okay with this. Maybe, Jongin had never been enough. Maybe, Taeoh needs a second parent.

When Jongin opens his eyes, his sight is blurry. It's hard to look around for Taeoh when his eyes are teary, but Jongin continues walking, searching through the area around the kindergarten. If Taeoh went on his own, he couldn't have gone too far, unless some stranger picked him up. He remembers horror stories of human trafficking that are truer than one would like to admit, even though they are living in a modern society upholding values of liberty and equality.

His phone rings, but Jongin ignores it. He has been ignoring phone calls for a while, his mind only focusing on the matter at hand, that is finding his child.

But as the phone continues buzzing with incoming messages and ringing with more incoming calls, Jongin feels annoyed. He takes out his phone to turn it off, but the screen shows that Sehun is calling, so he decides to receive this call. If there is someone who can help him to keep his sanity, it would be his best friend.

"Sehun," he whispers, his throat dry. He can feel the tears starting to roll over his cheeks as he speaks out what he fears the most. "I think... I lost Taeoh."

"Taeoh is here, with me," Sehun says and for a moment, Jongin doesn't know what to think. His mind is a blank, the words taking a while to sink in, but when they do, he starts screaming into the phone.

"What the hell?!? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Do you know how worried we are? How could you-"

His phone is beeping then; Sehun just ended the call, sending a few text messages instead.

I'll bring Taeoh to the kindergarten.
You better calm down by then.
Don't scream at me or Taeoh. He doesn't need that.





"Taeoh!" Jongin says, relieved when his son is running up to him while Sehun is approaching them slowly.

"Where did you go?" Jongin asks, squatting down and welcoming Taeoh in his arms. He hugs the child tightly and presses a peck to the boy's temple, feeling like he might start crying again soon.

"I was looking for mommy," Taeoh whispers quietly. "Is daddy mad?"

Jongin hums softly, not trusting his voice right now. There's that same lump in the back of his throat, making it hard to speak.

"Don't do that ever again, okay?" Ms. Kwon says, who is joining father and son. She has just finished talking to the officers who had come over to investigate, apologizing for calling them when the child had not gone too far and was found quickly by an acquaintance of the family.

"Next time, remember to tell me or one of the other teachers when you're going, okay?" Ms. Kwon says, her voice gentle, but strict. Taeoh nods, not replying verbally, but Jongin has the feeling that Taeoh has understood, that he is feeling remorse for what he did. Sehun must have talked to him, too.

"Thank you for finding Taeoh and bringing him here," the teacher goes on to chat with Sehun. "You are...?"

"Oh Sehun, I'm Taeoh's godfather. His father's best friend," Sehun introduces himself. "I found him strolling around outside on the streets. Knowing that he is supposed to be in kindergarten, I took him with me to the ice parlor first to find out why he was on his own before calling Jongin. I'm sorry, I should have notified you right away."

"It's fine," Jongin pipes in then, still hugging Taeoh to his chest. He won't let go anytime soon. "At least you brought him back and kept him safe."

"You're welcome," Sehun says quietly, and Jongin can feel inquiring eyes on him, but doesn't look up to meet them. He closes his eyes instead and rocks his son from side to side, letting the feeling of relief continuously wash through him.





"What did Taeoh tell you?" Jongin asks Sehun later when they're on the phone. He had insisted on Sehun having dinner with them, but Sehun refused. Apparently, he had a blind date, set up by his mother, so they could only talk now when Taeoh has been fed dinner and washed. Taeoh is sleeping soundly in his bed with Jongin standing by the door and watching his child while whispering into the phone.

"Not much," Sehun says quietly. "He just felt sad because he doesn't have a mother like all of his friends do. He was trying to find Heejung, but the poor boy had no clue how to look for her. Not that he would be successful, even if he knew where to find her and who she actually is."

Jongin bites on his lip. "Okay, thank you. That's all I wanted to know."

That's a lie. Jongin is dying to know a few other things, too, but he doubts Sehun knows the answer. Sehun doesn't have a child so how would he know how to raise them? Sehun wouldn't know the answer to the question if Jongin alone is enough for Taeoh either, although he has the feeling that Sehun would say yes, simply to support him, and not because he agrees.





After that incident, life just goes on. Jongin pays special attention to Taeoh's needs now, always making sure that even on days he feels too exhausted he still talks to his son. He asks about everything, wanting his child to open up completely, although he tries to be subtle about it and not make Taeoh feel like he is being interrogated. Children are much smarter than they are given credit for, and Taeoh belongs to the group of kids that are more mature than other children their age, so he is more prone to picking up subtle undertones.

They are back into a daily routine that is no different from before, except for the additional father and son talk right before they go to bed. He still reads Taeoh good night stories after that, smiling when his son falls asleep quickly to his voice. Jongin doesn't want this to change. His moments with Taeoh are precious and energizing, and if he were to bring home a woman and marry her, she would demand more of his attention and take away from that time, and Jongin doesn't want that.

Their routine is about to be broken though. Jongin learns of a business trip to Japan he must do. There is one co-worker who has offered to go in Jongin's place, seeing the troubled expression on Jongin's face, but Jongin knew what this business trip meant. If he was the representive for their company and did well, he wouldn't have to compete anymore - his promotion would be secured. Thinking of the raise of wage that comes along with the promotion, Jongin has promptly agreed, only to struggle with deciding what to do about Taeoh now.

There are only two options left for Jongin, either to take Taeoh with him or leave him at home with a babysitter. He would have asked his parents, but luck has it that they are going on vacation during that time themselves, so Jongin doesn't have anyone he can rely on. His sister, too, is busy, so he doesn't want to trouble her, but a babysitter doesn't seem safe for him as well. After the fiasco at the kindergarten, Jongin has trust issues with people he pays to watch over Taeoh. They don't love his son as much as Jongin does, so they wouldn't properly take care of Taeoh like a parent would.

But as much as Jongin wants to bring Taeoh to the business trip, he knows it's impossible, too. Taeoh needs to go to kindergarten and continue learning how to socialize with his peers, and apart from that, Jongin's schedules in Japan are filled with one business meeting after the other. He can't take Taeoh with him to those, and locking his son up in a hotel room is a worse choice than entrusting his son to someone.

"I could watch over Taeoh for you," Sehun says casually during dinner. Lately, Sehun has been coming over frequently on Taeoh's request. Jongin doesn't mind, since they are best friends, and knowing that Sehun is living alone, he knows it's nicer for Sehun to spend his dinners with other people instead of cooking for himself or getting some takeout.

"I don't know," Jongin says and sighs softly, though he trusts Sehun more than a stranger he has never met before.

"Uncle Hun," Taeoh says and grins. "No babysitter. Can I have uncle Hun?"

Jongin looks at his son with wary eyes before turning his gaze towards Sehun, eyeing the other for a while.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Jongin asks. "There's a lot you have to do. It's not easy, and you won't have time for dates or clubbing nights."

"It's fine," Sehun is quick to reassure. "I'm not interested in that anyways. And having Taeoh means my mom can't put me up for blind dates for a while. Which is really good. I'd rather play with Taeoh than having awkward first meetings with strangers."

Jongin nods, but he is not too convinced. He knows that Sehun is good with kids, but he doesn't think Sehun can handle getting up early every day to prepare lunchboxes and remembering to pick Taeoh up every day after work. He doubts that Sehun can prepare proper food either. In those few days of Jongin's absence, he knows that Taeoh will most likely be spoiled with takeout or dinner at the family restaurant.

"I'll write you a list with what to do," Jongin sighs.





Taeoh is a lot more enthusiastic about it than Jongin. He doesn't seem too sad when they are at the airport on Sunday evening to say goodbye to Jongin. It makes the single father frown.

Sehun has picked Taeoh up, carrying him in his arms while Jongin is handling his suitcase. It's just a small one since he is not going to stay away long, but he does need to pack two sets of suits, just in case he gets stains on the one he is wearing for whatever reason.

"Will you miss daddy?" Jongin asks, turning around. He lets go of his trolley for a minute to pick up Taeoh and hold his son close to his chest.

"Of course, daddy," Taeoh says and smiles, too cheerful for Jongin's taste. He is appeased by the multitudes of kisses planted all over his face though and puts Taeoh down on his two feet. His son attaches himself to his leg, hugging his thigh. For a second, Jongin contemplates on ditching the business trip and staying at home, but he knows that he must be a reasonable adult to guarantee Taeoh a wonderful childhood.

"Remember to call me frequently," Jongin says, now looking at Sehun who nods. His best friend doesn't say a word, but his expression tells it all. Sehun is amused, and if he wasn't biting down on his lip, he would probably be laughing at Jongin's difficulties with separating from his son for more than 24 hours. This would be the first time, and Jongin already hates it.





When Jongin is not occupied with work he spends his free time in Tokyo texting or skyping Sehun to make sure that Taeoh is doing okay. It usually ends up with Jongin feeling disappointed because Taeoh is either fast asleep, a peaceful smile on his face, or Taeoh is beaming at him. There are no signs of Taeoh having troubles without Jongin around, and Jongin feels sad about that. He raised Taeoh on his own, so shouldn't his son be more attached?

"You're the only parent in this world who is upset about their child not crying," Sehun tells him and chuckles. "I'm afraid you'll be one of those overly clingy parents who will not allow their kids to move to a different city for work later. You probably wouldn't let Taeoh go study abroad for a semester, too. You won’t let your son move to a place further away, not even for his career or happiness."

"Of course not," Jongin huffs, feeling heat creeping onto his cheeks. "If it helps Taeoh's future, I will support him."

Jongin recognizes Sehun's expression despite the blurriness of the picture on screen as an amused one and scoffs. Sehun knows him well and isn't too far off the truth, but Jongin has his pride. He doesn't want to be stacked together with those overly protective parents that might become an obstacle to their children's career. He doesn't want to think that he could be like that, because he only wants all the best for Taeoh.

"Uh-huh," Sehun snickers. "Whatever helps you sleep better at night."

Jongin glares.

"I hate you, Oh Sehun."

"I know. I love you, too."

It's hard to describe his feelings after hearing those words. For the first time, Jongin wonders how it would be like if they weren't just two bickering best friends. What if they were flirting for real? What if there was someone like Sehun in his life, next to him, supportive and helping out whenever they can? Maybe it's time to find a partner, Jongin thinks, but when the thought of Taeoh comes up, he starts worrying. It's not going to be easy to find someone who would both like Jongin and accept Taeoh, and it would be even harder to have Taeoh liking that person, too. He faintly thinks of the female colleague who he had almost asked out if it weren't for Taeoh not liking her upon first meeting.

"Hey, Jongin, it's late, so I'll end this call, okay?"

"Sure," Jongin mumbles. Sehun just smiles, not showing any reaction to Jongin suddenly turning quiet. He just waves at the camera and then the screen turns black.





It's almost midnight when Jongin lands in Incheon. He has told Sehun not to come and pick him up from the airport at such an hour, knowing that it is not good for Taeoh to stay up, even though it is a Saturday night. Nonetheless, he feels disappointed not to see Sehun and his son right there to greet him. After all, Sehun could have gone against his words and taken Taeoh here for his baby to welcome him. After not seeing each other for almost a week, surely, Taeoh must be dying to see his father again, right?

But then again, it's probably for the best. Taeoh is still a child and needs a regular sleeping pattern to ensure his health, and he can't expect his best friend to pick him up from the airport when Sehun is supposed to look after Taeoh. Even when Taeoh is sleeping, Jongin is too worried to leave his son alone in a house, be it for ten minutes or two hours. Taeoh is still too young. He would cry if he woke up and didn't find anyone he knows around.

Taking the subway would be the cheapest option, but there's not much time left until the last train runs and Jongin is exhausted anyways, choosing the earliest flight to go instead of spending another night in Tokyo and returning home the next morning, so he grabs a taxi. He dozes off on the ride home, only woken by the kind taxi driver who he pays in cash, leaving a generous tip.

At home, he is greeted by silence, but there's a dim light coming from the living room. Jongin puts down his suitcase and takes off shoes and coat, wondering if he should announce his return. Taeoh is probably sleeping though, so he doesn't and opts for quietly sneaking into the living room.

Standing in the doorframe, he can see Sehun asleep on the couch, still dressed in T-shirt and jeans. It's obvious that Sehun must have wanted to wait for Jongin and then go home, not wanting to stay over although there is enough space for him, if not on the same bed, then on the couch. Taeoh is there, too, already wearing pajamas, small body cuddled into Sehun's torso. Sehun is sitting there, with Taeoh on his lap, arms