”Who are you?” Little Loey scowled with his small arms crossed over his chest. He tilted his head upwards, having slight difficulty looking at his father’s face when his left eye was covered with a pirate’s eye patch.

 

Chuckling, Chanyeol rolled his eyes and copied the little boy's intimidating gesture. “That’s hilarious,” he smirked.

 

“I’m your father, Loey…let’s go back home,” he murmured, eyes starting to twitch, trying hard not to get angry at his beloved six-year-old son. It was nearly 9 pm and he didn’t want to burden his kind neighbor anymore. Loey had been staying with him since that afternoon right after his kindergarten class ended.

 

Shaking his head vigorously, Little Loey pouted and took one step back into the house. “No! I'm not finished playing with Mr. Strawberry,”

 

“Park Chan Joon, let’s go home,” Chanyeol groaned while trying to grab his playful son’s shirt but failed when the mischievous boy ran to hide inside the house. Palming his face out of embarrassment, Chanyeol could hear his son’s giggles echoing throughout the house, their neighbor's house to be precise.

 

“Mr. Strawberry, there’s an ugly sea creature lurking at the front door, help!” Loey howled and jumped to take cover behind the couch.

 

“Mr. Park?”

 

Chanyeol flinched when his eyes met with Mr. Strawberry’s that was peeking at him from the kitchen area. The single father didn't realize he was holding his breath the entire time he was looking at Loey’s Mr. Strawberry walking toward him. He silently agreed that everything about him reminded Chanyeol about strawberries, his favorite fruit. Mr. Strawberry's hair was pink, the cotton candy-like locks were a mess but he still looked adorable, ‘A gorgeous mess’ he thought. Mr. Strawberry's mochi-like cheeks would turn dusty pink every time he laughed. Maybe, just maybe the single father had a tiny crush on his neighbor, aka Mr. Strawberry.

 

‘Byun Baekhyun’ Chanyeol remembered his neighbor's name the first time his ex-wife introduced them last month. Chanyeol's ex-wife, Han Soo Jun knew Baekhyun from University. They knew each other for years and some twisted fate ended up with Baekhyun as Chanyeol’s neighbor and Soo Jun was beyond happy with that fact. Through Soo Jun, Chanyeol learned that Baekhyun majored in business management but because of his passion and love for cooking, he managed to open the café of his dreams last year.

 

“Mr. Park?” Baekhyun smiled while waving his hand in front Chanyeol's face.

 

“C-Chanyeol,” Chanyeol corrected. “I told you so many times, just call me Chanyeol,” he stated, smiling sheepishly while scratching the back of his head. “Are you alright?” he asked, index finger pointing at the patch on Baekhyun’s left eye.

 

“Accidentlysqueezedshampoo into my eyes,” Baekhyun murmured breathlessly, cheeks reddened due to embarrassment.

 

“Huh?” Chanyeol frowned. Baekhyun talked so fast, he couldn't understand his words at all. “Are you in pain?”

 

Sighing, Baekhyun looked down at his toes, gripping tightly at the end of his shirt. “Squirt shampoo…into…eye,” he whispered, chewing his bottom lip, avoiding having to look at Chanyeol’s face.

 

Chanyeol chuckled but stopped when he saw Baekhyun pout, tilting his head in a very cute way just to scowl at him. He didn’t mean to laugh at his misery, but Mr. Strawberry looked so attractive when he was flustered. “That explains the pirate time with Loey,”

 

Baekhyun rubbed the eye patch and nodded. “He started bawling terribly when he saw my red eye, I had to come up with something to divert his attention,” he shrugged.

 

“Uouf,” Baekhyun yelped in shocked, stumbling into Chanyeol’s arms. Loey ran from out of nowhere and hugged his back, with his tiny hands wrapped around his waist.

 

Chanyeol loved the way Baekhyun’s pretty slender fingers draped around his forearms with one hand resting on his tattoo. He noticed that Baekhyun had a mole on his thumb. “That mole looks like a chocolate chip,” he squinted, mouth jutting at Baekhyun’s thumb. His heart skipped a beat when Baekhyun unconsciously rubbed the said thumb on his arm.

 

“Nice tattoo,” Baekhyun murmured, eyes staring at Chanyeol’s veiny arms and the interesting tattoo that was hidden under the single father’s right forearm.

 

Chanyeol smiled smugly. “Thank you,”

 

“Papa…Mr. strawberry…are you going to kiss?” Loey interrupted, peeking between the two frozen adults that were busy gazing at each other faces.

 

Bashfully staring at Loey’s big eyes, both of them chorused 'no' and quickly pushed away from each other. Chanyeol whistled, staring everywhere except Baekhyun’s face, hands shoved into his pants pockets while Baekhyun pretended to fix his hair.

 

Loey shrugged. “Mommy always kisses Appa Soo when they stared each other like that,”

 

Rolling his eyes, Chanyeol grumbled. “They can’t really keep their hands away from each other,”

 

Baekhyun patted Loey’s tiny hands that were still circled around his waist. “Good night Loey, be a good boy and listen to your Papa alright?” he cooed and caressed the little boy's hair. Loey softly whimpered, protesting not to part with him. Baekhyun chuckled at the small Park son.

 

Chanyeol crouched down and stretched out his hand towards his whining son. “Come on brave little pirate, let’s go home, I’ll carry you,”

 

Loey’s eyes sparkled when he heard his Papa’s willingness to carry him until they arrived at their house just a few doors from Mr. Strawberry’s apartment. Slowly releasing Mr. Strawberry from his grip, he leaped toward his Papa. He wrapped his arms around his Papa’s neck, snuggling closer. His Papa’s body scent always made him sleepy. He yawned while rubbing his face on his Papa’s shoulder.

 

“Sleepyhead,” Chanyeol teased but yelped in shocked when Loey pinched his . “Stop doing that!” he grumbled while squirming to swat Loey’s crabby hand away.

 

Baekhyun laughed when the father and son duo started bickering, poking each other's ticklish body parts. Loey yelped in horror, clinging desperately on his Papa’s body when Chanyeol pretended to let him fall on the floor.

 

Loey smooched Chanyeol’s cheek and nuzzled his nose on his Papa’s shoulder. “I love you, Papa…I love you so much, now carry me to the house please?” he whispered, peppering light kisses on Chanyeol’s face, making his Papa break out in laughter. Chanyeol decided to tease his son a little more and squeezed his sides. “Stop tickling me, I’m sleepy~~” His son squealed.

 

Chanyeol bowed at Baekhyun, arm securely wrapped around his son’s small body while his other free hand caressed his son’s hair. “Thank you so much for taking care of him,”

 

Baekhyun stepped closer to ruffle Loey’s hair. “You are welcome, Chanyeol,”

 

The way Baekhyun’s small eyes crinkled and the corner of his thin lip twitched, forming a charming smile made Chanyeol awestruck. ‘Chanyeol,’ his way of pronouncing Chanyeol’s name made him flustered. Quickly turning his heels toward his house direction, Chanyeol sighed. He didn’t want his cute neighbor to see the stupid grin on his face just by him innocently saying his name.

 

Chanyeol helped his son to put on his pajamas and waited for him to settle on the bed. He sat beside him, tucking him into the blanket and kissed his forehead. “You really like spending time with Mr. Strawberry don't you?” he asked while pinching his son’s nose.

 

Loey’s eyes lit up when he heard Mr. Strawberry's name being mentioned. He jolted to sit on the bed and placed his palms on his Papa’s cheeks, desperately wanting his father's attention. “Papa…Papa, we did so many fun things today!”

 

“Such as?” Chanyeol squinted, pushing his eager son to lie back on the bed.

 

Whining, Loey snuggled into the blanket and pulled his Papa to lie down beside him. He wrapped his arm and leg around his Papa’s body and giggled when his Papa playfully bit his chubby cheek. Loey grimaced while wiping his Papa’s saliva from his cheeks and beamed. “Mr. Strawberry is really good at cooking, he cooks delicious food! Then we played together in the bathtub. He pretended to be a mermaid and let me be the fearless pirate,” the little boy said while yawning, rubbing his watery eyes on his Papa’s shoulder.

 

Chanyeol frowned. “Mr. Strawberry is a mermaid?”

 

Nodding vigorously, Loey grinned. “Mr. Strawberry is pretty. So I wanted him to be a mermaid, right Papa? He’s pretty right?”

 

“He’s gorgeous, a very handsome prince,” Chanyeol praised, mind picturing how good looking Baekhyun was every time they met. He started to yawn, eyes getting heavier as they spoke.

 

“He is still pretty though,” Loey shrugged.

 

“Then Papa we….Papa?” he frowned when he didn’t hear any response from his father. Glancing to his side, Loey pouted when he saw his father had fallen asleep while listening to his never-ending babbling.

 

“Papa is tired,” he mumbled while caressing his father’s hair.

 

---

 

“Good morning Senior Baekie!” Soo Jun chirped as she entered Baekhyun’s apartment. She threw her handbag on the couch and rushed to sit at the dining table. She tucked her hands under his chin as he watched his senior munching his breakfast with a very serious face.

 

“You’re so handsome; I’m going to be your fangirl forever,”

 

“Morning fangirl,” Baekhyun snorted while shaking his head. Smiling, he placed a cup of hot coffee right in front of Soo Jun and patted her head. “Stop staring at me,”

 

Rolling his eyes, Soo Jun sipped her morning coffee and patted Baekhyun’s cheek. “Senior, I’ve known you for years. There’s definitely something bothering you,”

 

Sighing, Baekhyun stopped eating and tucked his hands under his chin. He stared at Soo Jun’s pretty face. Loey had her beautiful small face, sharp chin, and black hair. The little boy also inherited his father’s big eyes and elfish ears. Baekhyun really thought that Chanyeol’s and Loey’s ears were so adorable. He laughed when his staring act made Soo Jun blush.

 

“Don’t look at me like that! You're making my heart skip a beat,” Soo Jun whined. “You know that I've had a crush on you since our University days, stop playing with my heart,”

 

Baekhyun snickered. “I thought Kyungsoo, that lion tamer made your heart thump like crazy?”

 

Soo Jun snorted. “Soo is not a lion tamer; he’s a hot vet for goodness sake, Baek. Actually, he is Soo Jun’s tamer,” her cheesy joke made her smiled sheepishly.

 

“You’re serious with that lion tamer aren’t you? Did Chanyeol know about this? I mean, he’s your ex-husband, right? Maybe he’s jealous?”

 

“For the 100th time, stop calling my boyfriend the lion tamer,” Soo Jun grumbled. “Chanyeol is cool with it,”

 

“Well not to be rude, but Soo definitely looks like one,” Baekhyun laughed when Soo Jun tried to kick him from under the table. “Oh wow, really? There’s really no love between Chanyeol and you?”

 

Shrugging, Soo Jun flipped her invisible hair back and slowly started munching her food. “You know that our marriage was an arranged marriage right? Both of us had very big dreams, we were young and at the peak of your career. To shut them up, we agreed. We tried our best to love each other but failed miserably. Loey was conceived when both of us were too drunk. I didn’t remember anything about our first time,” she cringed.

 

“But I remembered how awkward it was for us after seeing each other's faces the next morning. We decided to file for divorce but we had to postpone it because of my pregnancy. Chanyeol is a kind person; he has a very big heart. He wanted to help me and cared for me throughout the pregnancy phase. We became best friends during that time,” she smiled. “Do you know what he said to me on the last day of us being husband and wife?”

 

Baekhyun shook his head. He helped Soo Jun cut her pancakes into small pieces and pushed the plate back in front of her again.

 

“Chanyeol pulled me into his arms and patted my head. He said he was sorry for tying me down for too long. When the time is right he promises to let me go. He wanted me to be happy and find my true love. I remembered crying so hard while clinging to him like a koala,” Soo Jun grimaced. “From that moment, I swore to protect that giant baby from any harm, he’s too kind to get hurt,”

 

“C-Chanyeol sounds so cool,” Baekhyun praised.

 

“He is, He’s Loey Super dad,” Soo Jun smirked when Baekhyun wiped her lips with a napkin. “You know what…there is something about the two of you that make you guys really similar."

 

“W-what?”

 

“You guys love babying people, look how at how you guys like to spoil me and Loey,” Soo Jun beamed. “You guys are like soulmates or something!”

 

Pursing his lips, Baekhyun ducked his head, distracting himself with just munching his food. He kept eating in silence, not saying anything back to Soo Jun.

 

“Oh my god!”

 

“W-what again?” Baekhyun stammered. He flinched in shock when Soo Jun slammed her palms on the dining table.

 

“You’re blushing! Oh god! That’s it! I ship both of you so hard,”

 

Flustered, Baekhyun flicked Soo Jun’s brow when she started chanting 'Chanbaek, Chanbaek' with enthusiasm. He quickly rubbed the red spot that he made on her forehead with his thumb when Soo Jun’s eyes started to get watery. “Crybaby, Loey is tougher than his mom,” he teased. “I found termites in my house. The termite’s expert already checked my house and the treatment will start in two days’ time.

 

“You’re changing the subject,” Soo Jun pouted. “but…Termites?” her eyes twinkled.

 

“Yes bug expert, termites,” Baekhyun chuckled, knowing perfectly well that Soo Jun’s love for insects was so big that she dedicated half of her life studying bugs. She was an entomologist, currently working at Seoul's Grand Park Zoo.

 

Rolling her eyes, Soo Jun frowned. “The termination process might take up to three days or more,”

 

“Yes, I’m going to stay at the café for a while,” Baekhyun shrugged.

 

Soo Jun gasped, palms covering . “Loey is not going to like that idea at all!”

 

---

 

“Alright, that’s enough Jun,” Chanyeol snorted when Soo Jun placed a cup of hot chocolate in front of him. “This is the third cup; I know you’re up to something. Spit it out,” he snickered but still sipped the hot chocolate, because it was his favorite. His curious eyes still glued to his ex-wife’s pretty face, patiently waiting for her to speak up. He was glad that their son inherited some of her beautiful features.

 

Soo Jun maybe looked geeky with her big spectacles but she was hiding her beautiful features under the big frames. ‘Those puppy eyes,’ She used sometimes that Chanyeol knew too well. She would make that look to get something. He carefully placed the half-empty cup on the kitchen table and his sticky lips before giving his full attention to his ex-wife.

 

“It’s about Loey’s favorite babysitter,” Soo Jun murmured.

 

“Mr. Strawberry?” Chanyeol asked, cheeks starting to feel hot because calling his attractive neighbor with a cute nickname made his heart flutter.

 

Rolling her eyes, Soo Jun snorted. “Correction, he is Loey’s Mr. Strawberry, not yours,”

 

Shrugging, Chanyeol pursed his lips and rubbed his face with his palms, trying to hide his red tinted cheeks. “What about Baekhyun?”

 

“Can he stay here for a while?” Soo Jun mumbled, chewing her bottom lip nervously as she stared at Chanyeol’s shocked face.

 

“Stay with me?” Chanyeol asked with bulging eyes. His breath hitched when Soo Jun nodded, agreeing with his words. “B-but why?” he stammered.

 

“His house will be going under quarantine for termites, he doesn't have a place to stay except his café’s office. He hurt his back in an accident a few months ago. So how can that man sleep in such an uncomfortable place? He needs to sleep on a proper bed,”

 

“There are only two bedrooms in my house. Loey uses a single bed,” Chanyeol blabbered. He didn’t know why the thought of where would his neighbor sleep was the main issue here. Just imagining it made his heart skip a beat.

 

Soo Jun giggled, arms crossing over her chest. “Just look at your flustered face. You’re so obvious. You really like him don't you Park Chanyeol?”

 

“N-No,” Chanyeol blushed while shaking his head.

 

“If you don’t like him, then sleeping with him in the same bed does not matter right?” Soo Jun scoffed. “Or you can let him use your bed; you sleep on the couch,”

 

“My back is not in a good condition too!” Chanyeol retorted.

 

“Oh really?” Soo Jun squinted. “Chanyeol, he has babysat our son for so many months now. He cared for him liked he was his own son. He helps us a lot and never asks for anything in return,”

 

“I know,” Chanyeol agreed. Baekhyun was always there when they needed him to babysit Loey, he never rejected their request. Sighing, the single father ruffled his hair, making it stick up messily in every direction. “Does he know about this? I mean, inviting him to stay at my house. Is he alright with that?”

 

“I’m asking your permission first before I ask him about it. So, you’re fine with it right?” Soo Jun smiled, grabbing Chanyeol’s empty cup and placing it in the kitchen sink. Chanyeol nodded. “That’s a relief, I’m going home, see you later,”

 

“It’s getting late. Kyungsoo is going to take you home right?” Chanyeol frowned, eyeing his wristwatch.

 

“Of course, he’ll be here soon. Don’t worry,” Soo Jun grinned and patted Chanyeol’s cheeks.

 

---

 

“Loey, don’t run! You’ll fall,” Chanyeol grumbled while trying to catch up with Loey’s fast steps. His little boy giggled as he ran towards the ‘Mochibery’ café that was situated just one block from their apartment building. Soo Jun was busy that week so Chanyeol had to take his son to his kindergarten. Loey refused to eat his cooking so he had no choice other than to follow his son's plan. Tantrum Loey was hard to handle so early in the morning so Chanyeol had to comply with his wish. As long as Loey was happy then he would be happy too.

 

The single father was having a hard time carrying Loey’s backpack, water bottle, and his ironman jacket at the same time as holding his son’s hand. The little boy was dragging him through the crowd, eager to eat Mr. Strawberry delicious breakfast set.

 

“Hurry up Papa!” Loey whined. He pouted when he realized that his father was moving to slow for his liking. “If we arrive first, we can eat with Mr. Strawberry in his special kitchen. I want to eat with him today, hurry up!”

 

“Alright, alright,” Chanyeol groaned. He woke up with a tired body. A mild headache was pounding in his head and he kept on wincing every time the pain hit him.

 

“Papa, you look sick, are you alright?” Loey realized that his Papa’s face was pale and he looked exhausted. Abruptly stopping his steps, he pulled his Papa to crouch down toward his eye level and pressed their foreheads together. “You’re hot,” he mumbled. “Why are you wearing such thin clothes? Wear my jacket,” he suggested while grabbing his small jacket and draping it over Chanyeol’s back. He pouted when the jacket didn’t cover his Papa’s massive back but only a small part of his Papa’s left shoulder. “My jacket can’t fit you, I’m sorry, papa,”

 

Chanyeol chuckled and bumped their foreheads together. “Sorry for what, little pirate?”

 

Loey sniffled, eyes b with tears. He was devastated. Tears of frustration threatened to drip out from his big eyes because he couldn’t do anything to help his sick Papa. “For being too small, I wish I was as big as you,” he whimpered.

 

Chanyeol laughed and wiped Loey’s watery eyes with his thumbs. “I’m alright little champ, don’t worry about me. Let's hurry up so you can eat with Mr. Strawberry alright?” he grinned. The single father sighed in relief when Loey’s gloomy facial expression quickly changed when Baekhyun’s name was mentioned. The little boy’s face lit up and he started beaming again.

 

“Don’t worry, Mr. Strawberry knows how to handle sick people,” Loey smiled and tugged his Papa’s hand toward the café’s again, this time with careful steps while monitoring his Papa’s face. “Give me my backpack, I’ll carry it myself, Papa,”

 

They both entered ‘Mochiberry’ café and Loey started to jump excitedly. He couldn’t contain his happiness. The little boy skipped further into the café, forgetting about his sick Papa that was trying to catch up with him. “Mr. Strawberry! Mr. Strawberry!” he screamed. He didn’t let go of Chanyeol’s hand and kept on pulling him further into the kitchen area.

 

“I-I’m so sorry for barging in like this,” Chanyeol said, gently bowing at the café’s workers that were busy getting ready to start their day. He was glad that they greeted him with a big grin on their faces.

 

One of the café’s workers smiled and pointed towards the main kitchen area. “Boss is in there, a very good morning to you, Mr. Park,”

 

“Loey, do you remember what boss said about running in the kitchen, sweetheart?”

 

Loey halted his steps and shifted his gaze to the two workers that were staring fondly at him. “Mr. Strawberry said it was dangerous to run around the kitchen. I might fall and get hurt. I’m sorry Jongin hyung,” he apologized, eyes cast down at his shoe.

 

“Be careful aright? Just walk slowly inside, Boss is waiting for you,” Jongin smiled while shaking his head. Loey’s cute guilty expression made the blonde hair worker chuckle to himself before continuing his work.

 

Loey peeked inside the kitchen area. “Mr. Strawberry, Mr. Strawberry?” he whispered, tiptoeing as he entered Baekhyun’s kitchen. He squealed when he saw Baekhyun walking towards them with red cheeks. “You look like a strawberry!” the little boy chirped excitedly and ran to hug the café’s owner.

 

Baekhyun laughed and let Loey wrap his arms around his waist. He swayed their bodies together and leaned down to kiss the little boy’s head. “I just finished using the oven, it’s kind of hot in here,”

 

“What are you baking Mr. Strawberry?” Loey pressed his nose on Baekhyun’s tummy. “You smell delicious,”

 

Baekhyun squirmed when Loey kept poking his nose in his stomach. “Hmm, if you guess it right, I’ll let you eat it,” he cooed, hands caressing Loey’s fluffy hair. “Good morning Chanyeol,”

 

Frowning, Loey kept nuzzling his nose on Baekhyun’s shirt. “Let me sniff you, what is this smell?” he whined while grabbing Baekhyun’s cheeks. Sighing in frustration he bit his bottom lip and shifted his gaze toward his Papa. He grabbed Chanyeol’s hand and pulled him to stand beside Baekhyun. “Mr. Strawberry, can Papa guess it too?”

 

Chanyeol froze when Loey mentioned his name. The single father was silently enjoying how good Baekhyun looked in his white color chef uniform with a black apron tied around his small waist. Baekhyun’s cheeks looked so plum and in dusty pink color. He could stare the café’s owner handsome face for the whole day without getting bored. Loey’s small fingers jabbing on his stomach burst his bubbles of thought. “W-what?”

 

Rolling his eyes, Loey tugged his dumbstruck Papa closer to face Baekhyun. “Can you stop your daydreaming Papa? I need you right now!”

 

“I’m not daydreaming,” Chanyeol retorted, shaking his head bashfully.

 

“I’m sorry Mr. Strawberry, Papa is always lost in his own world. You should see when he starts babbling alone,” Loey giggled, wiggling his eyebrows at his Papa. “Mommy always said that Papa was reading his movie script,”

 

“Y-You….,” Chanyeol scowled. The single father pursed his lips to stop himself from giving any response to his mischievous son. Loey liked to a lot. He would make him angry with his witty remark and sooner or later they would start to bicker. Their childish squabbling wouldn’t stop until one of them surrendered after a tiring game of pulling each other's hair and clothes. They not only shared the same elfish ears and big eyes but Loey got his highly competitive spirit too. The little boy never gave up. Chanyeol didn't want to show that embarrassing side of them right now, not in front of Baekhyun.

 

Noticing how red his Papa’s ears were, Loey rushed to pull him into his embrace. “Don’t get upset Papa, you’ll scare Mr. Strawberry with your crook eyebrows,” he whispered, face pressed on his Papa’s tummy with his small hands rubbing his Papa’s back.

 

“I can’t win with him,” Chanyeol mumbled while ruffling his son’s hair.

 

Baekhyun chuckled, shaking his head slowly. “You always let him win,” he whispered, winking his eyes at the single father.

 

“Shh, that’s a secret, he will throw a fit if he loses,” Chanyeol replied, index finger pressed on his lip, winking back playfully at the café’s owner. “Believe me, tantrum Loey is like having a nightmare in real life,”

 

Both of them burst out laughing, startling Loey that was busy giving a comforting hug to his Papa, not aware of their conversation. Releasing Chanyeol from his embrace, Loey grabbed his Papa’s arm and yanked him to properly face Baekhyun.

 

“Move closer, can you guess what Mr. Strawberry is baking?” Loey pursed his lips as he kept kissing Baekhyun’s clothes. “I can’t figure it out, help me, Papa,”

 

“I don’t think your Papa will know this smell,” Baekhyun murmured, cheeks turned dusty pink when Chanyeol stepped closer toward him, entering his personal space.

 

“Is that a challenge Byun Baekhyun?” Chanyeol snorted when he saw a playful glint in Baekhyun’s eyes. “Can I at least try?” he smiled, waiting patiently for an answer. Making the café’s owner uncomfortable because of their close proximity was not on his list. A shy nod from Baekhyun made him giddy and extremely happy inside. They were so close that his lips were hovering on the café’s owner's side profile. He could count all the tiny moles on Baekhyun’s flawless face. There was a little mole on top of Baekhyun’s lip and Chanyeol would love to run his thumb across it. Baekhyun was embarrassed, just like him, their faces were so red. The café’ owner tried to hide his face by looking down at his son.

 

The single father put both of hands securely on his back before leaning closer to smell Baekhyun’s pink bubblegum hair. He gulped when Baekhyun’s strawberry scented shampoo invaded his nose. It was quite strong, overpowering the smell of the mysterious thing that he baked. Not giving up, Chanyeol frowned, nose moving over Baekhyun’s neck and shoulder. “Apple pie,” he murmured, lips accidentally grazing Baekhyun’s ear.

 

Baekhyun flinched away from Chanyeol while holding his hot ear. “T-that's right,”

 

Loey laughed while pointing at Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s blushing faces. “Both of your faces look so funny, so red, like a tomato!”

 

Chanyeol grunted and caressed Loey’s hair. “Yeah, whatever little pirate,” he stepped back from Baekhyun, creating a little gap between them again.

 

“Mr. Strawberry, Papa guessed it right. Can I have that apple pie please?”

 

Baekhyun smiled and patted Loey’s cheek. “Sure, wait for me at our usual table; I’ll come back with breakfast. What would you like to eat for breakfast, Chanyeol?”

 

“Anything is fine,” Chanyeol smiled sheepishly.

 

“Anything except carrot, right Papa? Papa hates that vegetable…a lot,”

 

Groaning in frustration, Chanyeol rubbed his face with his palm. “Thank you for not forgetting that valuable piece of information,”

 

Baekhyun smacked his lips, eyes staring wide at Chanyeol. “Now I know why Loey hates carrots. I’ve been coaxing him to eat it for weeks,” he squinted at the single father as he strode toward the kitchen.

 

Loey shrugged. “Yeah, we both hate carrots. Do you know what kind of game that we play with carrots Mr. Strawberry?” the little boy mumbled as he kept on pulling his Papa toward the small dining table right at the corner of Baekhyun’s private kitchen area.

 

“You sure talk a lot for a boy that refused to wake up this morning. You’re going to bother Mr. Strawberry with your endless chatter,” Chanyeol snickered while taking his seat at the small dining table.

 

“Well, Mr. Strawberry likes to hear my stories. Right, Mr. Strawberry?” Loey shouted. He smirked in satisfaction when he heard a short yes from Baekhyun that came from the kitchen area. “Wait here Papa; I’m going to help Mr. Strawberry to set our table, alright?”

 

“S-set the table?” Chanyeol gawked. He didn’t know that his son was taught to set up the table by Baekhyun. His heart bloomed with pride when he saw Loey’s small hands getting busy arranging the plates and mugs on the dining table perfectly.

 

“Why are you staring at me like that Papa?” Loey muffled, sensing his Papa’s eyes following his every move. “Geesh, alright, I’ll let you use my nick mug. Stop gawking at me,” the little boy pouted and placed the said mug in front of his Papa. He giggled when he saw his Papa’s bulging eyes staring at the dining set that was being used at the table.

 

“It's…It's Zootopia,” Chanyeol grabbed one of the mugs and scanned it with a dumbstruck face. “Woah, where did you get all of this?” he gasped, fingers clutching at the plate and cup, ogling at it with adoration.

 

Smiling smugly, Loey skipped toward the kitchen. “Mr. Strawberry bought it for me,”

 

The fantastic fragrance of greasy bacon and eggs made Chanyeol’s stomach rumble. His eyes were glued to the main plate on Baekhyun’s hands. “That looks delicious,” he praised, smacking his lips in anticipation.

 

Baekhyun joined them at the dining table, sitting opposite Chanyeol and placed the main dish in the center of the table. “Let’s dig in guys. It’s just a quick and simple breakfast, Loey said that you like eating this kind of food,” he smiled, hands busy filling their empty mugs and plates with food and drinks. “Oh, you let your Papa use your favorite mug. That’s so nice of you Loey,” he cooed while helping Loey to cut his bacon’s strips. “You even help me set the table, what a good boy you are, your Papa, and Mommy have raised you well,”

 

“You taught me how to set the table, Mr. Strawberry, I did great right Papa?” Loey chirped and munched his food happily.

 

Chanyeol nodded and wiped Loey’s oily lip with a napkin. “You’re a very clever boy, I’m so proud of you,” he murmured. His eyes glued to Baekhyun that was chatting with Loey while chewing his food. The café owner looked so energized, like a ball of sunshine that shined brightly with his square-shaped smile. He was amazed at how well Baekhyun handled his son. The café’s owner spoiled Loey but still taught him the skills to be independent and caring towards the people in his surroundings.

 

“W-why aren’t you eating Chanyeol?”

 

“Y-You like Zootopia too?” Chanyeol blurted out, pointing at the mug collection on the table.

 

Chuckling, Baekhyun grabbed his ‘Judy’ printed mug and sipped his morning coffee. “Not really. When I first met Loey, he couldn’t stop talking about Zootopia. I start buying this mugs to make Loey happy every time he eats here, and now I have a complete set of them.”

 

“We really love Nick and Judy right Papa?” Loey beamed. “We even have Zootopia bed sheets,”

 

“Wow, you…you have a Zootopia bedsheet?” Baekhyun gasped in shocked. “S-sorry, that sounded so rude,” he blushed and covered his wide-open mouth with his palms. “It’s just, you don’t look like someone that would sleep on that kind of bedsheet,”

 

Chanyeol’s eyebrows knitted and he put his spoon and fork on his nearly empty plate. Loey was not paying attention to their conversation. The little boy was busy eating his food. The single father smirked and tucked his hand underneath his chin, not breaking his eye contact with Baekhyun. “So…what kind of bed sheet did you think I would use, for a man like me, Byun Baekhyun?”

 

“A bedsheet for a man like you?” Baekhyun frowned, copying Chanyeol’s gesture, eyes glued to Chanyeol’s. “Something black, silky and y?” he chuckled, still not tearing his gaze off the single father’s big eyes.

 

“Are we having a staring game right now Papa?” Loey waved his small hand at the center of the table, breaking his Papa and Mr. Strawberry's eye contact. “I finished eating, let’s go to school Papa!” he chirped and jumped off his seat. He rushed toward Baekhyun’s side, enveloping his arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. “I’ll see you later Mr. Strawberry,”

 

“Black, silky and y, I’ll remember that,” Chanyeol murmured and stood up from the table. “Thank you for the lovely breakfast, I’m sorry I can’t help you with the cleaning,”

 

Baekhyun shrugged. “That’s alright. Just be careful on your way there,” he caressed Loey’s hair and helped the little boy put on his backpack.

 

“Wait…wait, Mr. Strawberry, can you check my Papa’s body temperature? I think he is not feeling well today?” Loey mumbled and pushed Baekhyun closer to his Papa.

 

“No wonder you look so pale. Are you alright Chanyeol?”

 

“The problem with low blood pressure people, I’m used to dizziness, don’t worry,” Chanyeol groaned. “After some sleep, I’ll be alright,”

 

“Lean down,”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You’re too tall, give me a break. Duck down so I can check your temperature,” Baekhyun whispered. “Give me your forehead, Chanyeol,”

 

Pursing his lips, Chanyeol followed Baekhyun’s instruction and waited for his next move. He was holding his breath when Baekhyun rested on hands on his shoulders and tiptoed to press their foreheads together. He could feel his face was slowly getting hotter when their breaths mingled together. Both smelled like coffee.

 

He was glad that Baekhyun’s eyes were closed when it happened. His breath hitched when Baekhyun opened his eyes and pulled away from him but his heart started to thump like crazy when their eyes stayed glued to each other. Chanyeol loved to see his reflection in Baekhyun’s brown eyes. He smiled when their noses almost bumped together.

 

“Are you attempting to kiss Mr. Strawberry again, Papa?”

 

“Sorry,” Chanyeol grumbled while backing away from Baekhyun. The café owner's face was so mesmerizing to be seen up close, Chanyeol couldn’t stop himself from at gawking at him. His pink hair looked so soft; how would it felt if he carded it between his fingers. His lips were thin and moist, Chanyeol bets they would be easily turned red and swollen if he nibbled them. Venturing his eyes lower toward the café owner's milky neck, Chanyeol wondered what kind of noises he would make if he kissed him there. Baekhyun always left him puzzled, how could a man be so pretty and manly at the same time? He remembered seeing visible veins raking all over Baekhyun’s arms when he carried Loey. Chanyeol was glad that his son stopped him from going overboard with his erted imagination. ‘I’ve been single for too long,’

 

“Are you alright Chanyeol? Your face is red, are you still dizzy?” Baekhyun asked.

 

“A little bit,” Swallowing his saliva, Chanyeol nodded before giving Baekhyun a reassuring smile. ‘Great, not just dizzy but right now,’

 

Baekhyun glanced at his wristwatch and patted Loey’s head. “There's still time, come and sit with me on the couch Chanyeol,”

 

Chanyeol dazedly followed the café owner's instruction. He sat beside him on the couch, eyeing curiously at Baekhyun.

 

“Give me your hand,” Baekhyun said, offering his palm to Chanyeol.

 

Chanyeol didn’t understand Baekhyun’s confusing act, but he still gave him his hand. Seeing Baekhyun’s happy smile when he held his hand made his heart fluttered.

 

“A friend once told me that applying pressure on the union valley, a point located on the web between your thumb and index finger could help to relieve back pain, headaches even toothache,” He murmured, fingers starting to press at the said point on Chanyeol’s hand. “Hold still, stop jerking your hand away from me,”

 

“Hurts…a bit,” Chanyeol whimpered, unconsciously. His eyes met with Baekhyun’s for a brief moment and he quickly covered his face with his palm. He could hear Baekhyun’s soft giggles, coaxing him with praises, saying that he was doing well when he stopped wriggling. A rain of words like ‘you are doing well, this will be over soon, what a good boy’ making him blush and his heart swell with joy. It warmed his being. The heat that he felt from Baekhyun’s attentive touches shook him to the core. It had been years since he was spoiled and pampered like this and he actually missed it.

 

Closing his eyes, he groaned, embarrassed to sound so whiny and looking childish in front of Baekhyun. Biting his inner cheeks, he endured the pain and discomfort that he felt throbbing in his abused union valley. Baekhyun’s way of massaging his hand was so excruciating, he had to lift up his legs to cope with the agonizing session. Sooner later, he was afraid that he would be kicking Baekhyun down to the floor for his so-called gentle massaging treatment. Though, Chanyeol admitted that he loved to see Baekhyun’s pretty fingers kneading his hands. The café owner looked serious, massaging his hands with knitted eyebrows, lips pressed tightly due to concentration. Baekhyun was giving his best to help him with his headache, he must try to endure this.

 

“Still…hurts,” Chanyeol blurted out, giving a pleading look at his son with tears b in his eyes.

 

Sighing, Loey shook his head. “Mr. Strawberry, I think that’s enough. Papa will start crying. His face has already turned blue. He was holding his breath, fighting with the pain, now he looks like Dory from Finding Nemo,” Loey cooed while rubbing his Papa’s back.

 

“Am I being too harsh? I’m sorry Chanyeol,” Baekhyun flushed and frantically wiped Chanyeol’s watery eyes with his thumb. He brought the single father’s hand toward his mouth, diligently blowing hot air on it, in hope of easing the pain. “Sorry again Chanyeol, I think I’ve done it the wrong way,” he chuckled, pressing his lips on the single father’s hand reflexively.

 

“Wrong way?” Chanyeol gasped in horror. His heart felt like it would burst out from his ribcage when Baekhyun’s mouth still lingered on his hand.

 

Baekhyun nodded, smiling sheepishly at Chanyeol. “I should use massaging oil, to ease the dry friction on your skin when I’m massaging you, I’m dumb, and now your skin is all red, Sorry Chanyeol,”

 

'Oil and Baekhyun, what an sight,' Chanyeol blushed thinking about it. He mentally screamed. Cringing, he shook his head, destroying the image of an oily Baekhyun from his mind. Maybe that was not a good idea. The throbbing feeling would definitely travel to other regions of his body. “Thank you, I think it’s working, the headache is almost gone, I need my hand back please,”

 

Baekhyun gasped when he realized that he was still holding Chanyeol’s hand. Carefully letting him go, he blushed. “You can head straight to your house, I’ll take Loey to school, get some rest Chanyeol,”

 

---

 

Chanyeol smiled as he stepped into ‘Mochiberry’ café. The café usually empties after breakfast time. They only sell cakes and bread during the afternoon. When the café’s doorbell rang, Chanyeol caught the attention of the two café workers that were chatting at the café counter. Jongin, Chanyeol remembered the handsome waiter's name when Loey mentioned his name that morning. The other waiter was tall too, good-looking but not the friendly type, he assumed. Sehun, it read on his nametag. Both had a supermodel look, no wonder the café attracted so many customers.

 

“Mr. Park!” Jongin chirped, welcoming Loey’s father with a big smile on his face.

 

“Just call me Chanyeol,” Chanyeol grinned. “Loey is here with Baekhyun right?”

 

Jongin nodded enthusiastically. “You know the way,”

 

Laughing, the single father walked towards the kitchen and peeked through the half-open door. Loey was standing beside Baekhyun at the preparation table, wearing a matching black color apron. Chanyeol had to cover his mouth from laughing because both of them looked so adorable staring at something on the plate with knitted eyebrows without smiles on their faces. They were behaving liked people in the middle of the world crisis. Gently knocking the door, Chanyeol stepped into the kitchen.

 

“Papa! You’re here!” Loey screamed with joy. He ran towards his father, grabbing his hand and tugging him closer to the table. “Wait here,” He scrambled to push a stool at the end of the kitchen table, wobbling a bit because it was about the same height of his body.

 

“Careful Loey, I can get that myself,” Chanyeol sighed while helping his son to drag the high stool closer towards him.

 

“Sit Papa,” Loey puffed and pulled his Papa to sit on the stool.

 

“He loves pushing me around,” Chanyeol groaned in pain once his met with the hard stool surface with force.

 

“He is a very caring boy, a fine gentleman,” Baekhyun praised. “I guess he learned it from his Papa,”

 

Chanyeol flushed at the compliment, he couldn’t stop smiling while caressing Loey’s hair. His son always made him a proud father. “I’m not a perfect father, but I try my best. No matter what he does, I just want him to grow up to be a good man,”

 

“Just like his Papa,” Baekhyun added.

 

Clearing his throat, Loey smirked. “Mr. Strawberry, I think you should stop praising my Papa, his ears are getting so red they're going to explode soon!” he teased and pinched his Papa’s ears.

 

“Stop doing that!” Chanyeol yelped and swatted Loey’s fingers away that were tapping his ears.

 

Loey giggled and pressed his lips to his Papa’s red cheek. “You better taste this Papa, we created a new dish just for you,” The little boy gleamed and placed an empty plate in front of his Papa.

 

“You guys made…dumplings?” Chanyeol frowned, staring at the delicious looking dumplings on the plates. He could feel his mouth starting to water. “I love dumplings,”

 

Loey laughed and clapped his hands. “See Mr. Strawberry, I told you Papa loves dumplings!”

 

“You do know your Papa well, don't you? Baekhyun smiled, pushing a small dipping sauce plate closer to Chanyeol. “Eat it with this dipping sauce,” he suggested.

 

“Thank you,” Chanyeol said as he picked up one of the dumplings on the plate and dipped it in the thick soya sauce. He shoved all of it into his mouth and closed his eyes when it burst in his mouth. A small bag of goodness burst inside his mouth, filling it with so many fantastic flavors.

 

“Can you guess the filing Papa?” Loey asked.

 

Munching in joy, Chanyeol kept his eyes closed while trying to guess the ingredients. Honestly, it was because he couldn’t stand the way Baekhyun stared at him as he waited for an answer. “Ermm, there’s chicken, green onion, cabbage, a little bit of ginger…,” he paused while continuing to chew the food while frowning deeply. “This dumpling has carrot…right?”

 

“Shredded carrot, are you going to spit out our precious dumplings Chanyeol?” Baekhyun squinted. “We tried so hard to hide the carrot taste, I guess we failed our mission Loey,” he sighed exaggeratedly.

 

“No…no…no, this actually tastes good, I like it,” Chanyeol acclaimed. “Can I have more?” he beamed, picking up his empty plate and giving it to Baekhyun.

 

“Really Papa? See, you’re a great chef Mr. strawberry,”

 

“He is,” Chanyeol agreed, liking at the way Baekhyun’s cheeks turned dusty pink because of his words. “Aren’t both of you going to eat with me?”

 

“Oh no! We already ate too many dumplings for today, my tummy is not going to like it if I eat it again,” Loey chirped. “I’m going to the washroom and then I’m going to play with Jongin hyung for a while, can I do that Papa?”

 

“Sure, we’re not rushing to go anywhere else except home,” Chanyeol smiled.

 

Loey left Chanyeol with Baekhyun in the kitchen. Baekhyun was busy typing something on his phone and Chanyeol, as usual, took the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking view of the very beautiful man sitting in front of him. His hair was quite messy today, his long bangs covering his eyes when he ducked to look at his phone. “There is flour on your chin,” Chanyeol said, pointing at the stain spot.

 

“Flour?” Baekhyun huffed. “I must have got it when we were making the dumplings,” he laughed, blindly wiping his chin area with the back of his hand. “Oh?” he flinched when Chanyeol’s fingers brushed against his chin. “T-thanks,” The single father’s sudden move made him stuttered.

 

“Sure,” Chanyeol murmured but didn’t retreat his hand away. He mentally thanking the god for making his hand this long, so he was able to cross over the table and reached to wipe off the flour stain on Baekhyun’s pretty face. He silently enjoying how Baekhyun’s face turned so red when his thumb brushed his chin. “You really do look like a strawberry,” he whispered, aweing at Baekhyun’s attractive face for a while before retreating his hand away.

 

“T-thank you?” Baekhyun blushed and shifted his gaze to his phone screen. His face was burning and he couldn’t lift his head to face Chanyeol properly.

 

“Come and stay at my house Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said. He felt bad when he looked at the condition of Baekhyun’s small office. There was only two seater leather couch at the corner of his room. He was so sure that Baekhyun’s back would get hurt if he sleeps on it for so many days. He waited for the words to sink into Baekhyun’s mind before he continued. “I know about your termite’s problem,”

 

“Are you sure Chanyeol? I can stay at my office, I don’t want to bother anybody with my problem,” Baekhyun sighed.

 

“We’re neighbors and you always help me babysit Loey. This time, let us help you too,” Chanyeol suggested. “I don’t think Loey will be happy to see you sleep here,”

 

---

 

“Mr. Strawberry? Are you done packing your clothes?” Loey scowled at the backpack in Baekhyun’s hand.

 

Baekhyun smiled and patted Loey’s cheek. “Yes little pirate, I’m staying at your house for a while, I don’t need to bring so many clothes,”

 

Loey nodded and grabbed Baekhyun’s backpack. “I’ll help you to carry this,” he huffed while trying to carry the heavy bag pack on his shoulder and tugging Baekhyun along the hallway towards his house. “Come on, Papa is waiting for us,”

 

Loey rushed into his house and ran to see his Papa in the kitchen. “Papa, Mr. Strawberry is here,” he announced giddily and shoved Baekhyun’s backpack into his Papa’s arms. “I need to pee, entertain our guest properly, alright Papa?” he said before wiggling his way toward the bathroom.

 

Baekhyun kept on fidgeting in front of Chanyeol’s open door, contemplating whether he should walk inside the house or should he wait for the house owner's invitation to come in. Chanyeol’s deep voice calling his name made him flinch.

 

“I’m sorry, Loey left you alone here. He really needed to go to the bathroom,” Chanyeol smiled and ushered Baekhyun into the house.

 

“There’s a lot of car toys,” Baekhyun mumbled as he stepped into the apartment. He yelped in pain when he accidentally stepped on one of the small cars that were scattered all over the floor. The huge toy racing car track that was set at the corner of the living room caught his attention. “Loey really like playing these?” he gasped in amazement when he saw a large transparent display rack that contained many small cars fixed on the wall.

 

“It’s mine,” Chanyeol grinned.

 

“Huh?” Baekhyun frowned, fingers grazing over the small cars collection.

 

“You’re stepping on my babies,” Chanyeol stated and pointed at Baekhyun’s foot.

 

“Sorry!” Baekhyun shrieked and scrambled to pull his leg away.

 

Baekhyun’s comical act to avoid stepping on his toy cars collection made Chanyeol laugh. “I played with them last night, I couldn't get myself to sleep, sorry for the mess,” Chanyeol grumbled and started picking up the scattered toys on the carpet.

 

“That's alright, it’s your hobby and this is your house,” Baekhyun puffed, carefully tiptoeing to get out from Chanyeol’s sacred area and headed towards the kitchen.

 

Chanyeol followed the café owner and both of them sat comfortably at the dining table. “Soo Jun already told you about us sharing room right? Are you alright with that?” Chanyeol asked.

 

Baekhyun shrugged. “I don’t mind sharing a bed, only if you agree with it, I mean, it’s your private place Chanyeol. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable in your own house,”

 

“Great! I don’t mind at all, don’t worry about it, come, let me show you my room,” Chanyeol chirped and ushered Baekhyun towards his room.

 

The interior of Chanyeol’s bachelor room was cozy and warm. The modern minimalist style of the room, cool color palettes such as white, black, and gray were incorporated into the room's furniture, wallpaper, carpet, and curtains. The room was also neatly organized. The whiffs of light rose’s fragrance made Baekhyun’s nose crinkle. The room’s soothing aroma was so romantic and it smelt exactly like Chanyeol.

 

“How can you not be feeling sleepy in a room so cozy like this?” Baekhyun stated. His eyes darted to the bed; the brown color bed sheet made him frown. “Where’s Nick?”

 

Chanyeol snorted. “I’m not sharing Nick with you,”

 

“So stingy,” Baekhyun snickered.

 

The single father laughed and walked further into his room. “You can use this empty space in my wardrobe to keep your clothes,” he opened his massive wardrobe and placed Baekhyun’s backpack inside the said spot.

 

Baekhyun gasped as he stared at Chanyeol’s expensive clothes collection. “You are really an organized person, even the wardrobe is color coordinated,”

 

“I like to keep my bedroom clean, this is my thinking place,” Chanyeol smiled at the compliment.

 

“I'll try to respect that Chanyeol,” Baekhyun grinned. “Oh, you can tell me if you’re taking someone home, you know, I’m cool with that,” he said bashfully.

 

Amused, Chanyeol shook his head. “Other than Loey, no one else has slept in the bed,”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry for invading your personal place,” Baekhyun sighed, fidgeting in front of Chanyeol again.

 

“That’s alright, I said it before, we really want to help you,” Chanyeol smiled. “You want to unpack first? We’ll wait for you in the living room,”

 

---

 

Baekhyun came out the bedroom, hearing the sound of chaos erupting from the living room. Loey’s whiny voice and Chanyeol groaning in pain made him panic. He rushed towards the noisy place and he was shocked to see Chanyeol and Loey were busy wrestling on the carpeted floor. Both of them were scowling hard at each other with messy hair and sweat dripping from their forehead. “Boys?”

 

“I’m winning, you cheated Papa! No fair!” Loey screamed, huffing in annoyance while trying to wiggle away from his Papa’s arms.

 

“No, you lost and you want to put the blame on me,” Chanyeol chided, locking his long legs around Loey’s body.

 

“Boys?”

 

“Mr. Strawberry! Help me,” Loey pleaded, voice muffled against his Papa’s chest. “I know you want me to cry, I’m not going to give up, and I’m not a crybaby!” he yelped and started biting at any part of his Papa’s body that could be reached with his mouth.

 

Chanyeol howled in pain for a second before it turned into an endless laughing fit each time Loey succeeded in biting his body.

 

Baekhyun chuckled while looking at the ridiculous way of them playing with each other and sat facing them with crossed legs on the floor. He tucked his hands under his chin as he stared at the father and son with amusement. “Please stop before one of you get hurt,” He mumbled. Then he realized both of them were holding a small cut of carrots in their hand. “Alright, the loser has to eat the raw carrot right?” he squinted at the bickering duo that was still lying on the floor, panting for air, bodies tangled with each other.

 

“Papa lost in the race, I tried to shove this carrot in his mouth but he didn’t want to eat it!” Loey grunted with frustration.

 

“That’s not fair Chanyeol,” Baekhyun chided.

 

“We agreed earlier only if the winner managed to get it into the losers mouth!” Chanyeol stated. “He forgot to tell you about that, right?”

 

Baekhyun shrugged. “The fight is still not fair,”

 

“Can I tag people to help me? Please, Papa, I’m much smaller than you, you should play fair,” Loey scowled.

 

“You want to tag him?” Chanyeol smirked. “I don’t want to hear one more person crying for mercy if they lose,”

 

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Baekhyun snapped, clearly offended by the strange look that Chanyeol gave him.

 

“So, let the game begin,” Chanyeol said as he released Loey from his grip. He copied Baekhyun’s sitting position and scooted closer until he faced the café owner.

 

“Let me know the rules again,” Baekhyun hissed while puffing away his bangs that were covering his forehead. “I want to play fair,”

 

“You're supposed to shove this small piece of carrot into my mouth, that’s all,” Chanyeol shrugged. “Actually, both of you can gang up to make me eat it, I’m trying to be fair here,”

 

“Really Papa? Can I help Mr. Strawberry? Awesome!” Loey chirped in excitement. “We definitely can win this!”

 

The sight of Baekhyun and his son grinning with big smiles plastered on their faces while giving high fives to each other made Chanyeol’s heart feel fuzzy and warm. Loey looked so happy playing with them. He yelped in shocked when Baekhyun leaped toward him and pinned him on the floor.

 

“I’m going to hold your Papa, quickly shove that carrot inside his mouth!” Baekhyun shouted, hands gripping on Chanyeol’s arms that he pushed above the single father’s head in an attempt to lock him from squirming away.

 

Baekhyun’s playful side charmed Chanyeol instantly. No wonder Loey likes playing with him so much. The cafe owner was loud, his high pitch voice echoed throughout the living room. He was laughing hysterically until his eyes disappeared. The fact that Baekhyun casually sat on his stomach made him flustered. He was too frozen to push him away.

 

The cheeky duo used his dumbfounded moment to shove a small cut of carrot into his gaping mouth. Grimacing, Chanyeol wanted to spit out the orange vegetable from his mouth but he couldn’t, knowing that he would be spluttering his saliva on Baekhyun’s face. The café owner's face was so close; he could easily bump their noses together. He whined pitifully while trying hard to swallow the carrot.

 

“We did it Loey!” Baekhyun shouted, unconsciously grinding his on Chanyeol’s stomach while spreading his arms to welcome Loey for a celebration hug.

 

Chanyeol gasped when Loey jumped into Baekhyun’s embrace. “Careful with your head!” he shrieked and used his arm to pillow Baekhyun’s head from slamming on the floor.

 

“T-thanks,” Baekhyun groaned, blushing as he stared at Chanyeol’s face. “I think you should get ready for bed Loey,” he murmured and patted Loey’s back. The little boy was yawning, rubbing his face on his chest while clinging to him like baby Koala.

 

---

 

Chanyeol was already lying on the bed when Baekhyun walked into the bedroom. Both of them froze on their spot when their eyes met. Clearing his throat, Chanyeol was the first one to blink. “Little pirate finally asleep?” he asked, snuggling his body slowly into the blanket.

 

“Yes, like a baby,” Baekhyun replied, smiling at Chanyeol before heading straight toward the wardrobe area.

 

Chanyeol didn’t know where to look; his curious eyes stubbornly followed Baekhyun’s every move. Having Byun Baekhyun, a fine young man inside his room, getting ready to sleep was something so domestic for him. The café owner's simple existence made him flustered and anxious. His gorgeous crush was going sleep beside him on his bed. Just thinking about it made his heart beat like crazy and his hands turned clammy. ‘How can he survive living like this for a week?’ He mentally screamed.

 

Baekhyun whistled while rummaging through his backpack. He began pulling out his toiletries and pajamas, draping his towel over his shoulder in the process. Chanyeol didn’t realize that he was staring Baekhyun. The café owner stopped what he was doing and turned to look back. Chanyeol’s breath hitched when it happened, he quickly grabbed his sketchbook on the bed stand and started doodling freely. The single father sighed in relief when Baekhyun finally went into the bathroom.

 

Chanyeol gulped, swallowing his saliva when Baekhyun came out from the bathroom looking extremely adorable. His pink hair still wet; he was humming a certain song while striding leisurely toward the wardrobe area. Baekhyun wore a dark blue checkered pajama top that was too big for his skinny body; the hem of the pajama ended just passed his knees. The long sleeves of the pajama swallowed his small hands entirely. Realising that his gawking action was being rude, Chanyeol quickly tore his gaze away and focused on his sketchbook again.

 

“Oh god, we're wearing matching pajamas,” Baekhyun noticed from the end of the bed, amazement written all over his face.

 

Chanyeol stared at his own pajamas and laughed. “You’re right!” he chortled and scooted to the side to give space for Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s weird sock didn’t go unnoticed by Chanyeol’s hawk eyes. “Soccer socks to bed?” he blurted.

 

Shrugging, Baekhyun slumped his body on the bed and pressed his face on the fluffy pillow. “I hate wearing a blanket to sleep, these socks protect me from the cold air,” he huffed. “Can I take a look?” he asked suddenly, mouth jutting toward the sketchbook in Chanyeol’s hold.

 

“Sure,” Chanyeol mumbled and handed his book to Baekhyun. The glint of excitement that he saw in Baekhyun’s eyes made him blush.

 

Baekhyun quickly sat on the bed and flipped the pages of Chanyeol’s sketchbook with a big smile on his face. “This is so beautiful, I’m honored,” he said, fingers tracing gently at the pages’ surfaces.

 

“Hmm? Why is that?” Chanyeol frowned.

 

“I admire your man’s jewelry design, PCY is my favorite man’s accessory brand,” Baekhyun beamed, holding the sketchbook pressed to his chest.

 

“Really?” Chanyeol gasped, astonished. He never met someone gushing about loving his work right in front of his face and on his bed, before.

 

Nodding enthusiastically Baekhyun grinned. “Yeah, PCY’s choker collection is the best,”

 

“C-choker?” Chanyeol stuttered. ‘This is not the right time to talk about chokers, right? Baekhyun would look so hot wearing a choker, his choker design to be precise,’

 

“Your choker collection is so expensive and it's limited edition,” Baekhyun pouted. “I only have one though, the stunning design that you released during Valentine day last year,”

 

“Valentine day last year?” Chanyeol frowned. “A present from someone special?” he asked carefully.

 

“I bought it for myself? Can't a single man own a choker? Does a single man need to have someone special to buy it for him?” Baekhyun groused grumpily.

 

“Sorry for offending you,” Chanyeol chuckled. “I think you’re getting sleepy Byun Baekhyun, you’re mumbling. You should sleep,” he coaxed and patted the empty spot beside him on the bed.

 

Baekhyun snuggled on the bed and hummed once his head touched the pillow. “Y-you are going to continue doing your magic?”

 

“Magic?”

 

Yawning again, Baekhyun pressed his cheek on the pillow and sighed. “Your designs are magic,” he mumbled with closed eyes. “Good night Mr. Magical,”

 

---

 

Chanyeol nearly had a panic attack when he woke up at noon. He gasped, kicking the blanket away from his legs and scooted closer to the bedside. His barely woken up mind dazedly remembered Baekhyun telling him something about sending Loey to school that morning. A blue color water bottle with his favorite cartoon ‘Nick’ that was placed on top of his bedside, attracted his attention. Frowning, he snatched the yellow sticky note that was stuck to the water bottle and began to read.

 

To Mr. Magical, 

You sleep like dead people; your phone alarm is disturbing my sleep; don’t worry I sent Loey to school. Please accept this small gift from me, a thank you present for helping me, you should always drink water to keep your body stay hydrated^^ 

Sincerely 

B 

p/s: I left breakfast for you in the oven, enjoy your day!

 

Chanyeol grinned while staring at Baekhyun’s gift. His cheeks hurt from smiling too much. He grabbed the water bottle, hugging it close to his chest and slumped his tired body back onto his bed. He blindly reached out, searching for his phone. With a burning face, Chanyeol texted Baekhyun. The thought of sending Baekhyun a thank you message made him squeal internally. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, he started typing and quickly pressed the send button before slamming his blushing face on the pillow.

 

[attaching picture of his hand hugging Nick water bottle] - Thank you for sending Loey and giving me this gift, B

 

The single father flinched when he received the fast reply from Baekhyun. The café owner sent him a short ‘you're welcome’ attaching a picture of a colorful muffin inside display glass. Chanyeol chuckled while holding onto his rumbling stomach.

 

---

 

A faint knock on his door startled Chanyeol that was perfecting his drawing design on his working table. Blinking rapidly, he stretched out his body and rubbed his face with his palm. He had been cooping himself inside his workroom for hours. Looking behind himself he saw Baekhyun’s silhouette at the door crack. He smiled. “B, is that you? Come in,”

 

“Y-yes, it’s me,” Baekhyun mumbled, the new endearment made his cheeks turn dusty pink.

 

“I-I can call you B, right?” Chanyeol asked, unsure. He started to regret making the café owner so uncomfortable with the name.

 

“You can call me B, it’s just…no one has called me that name before,” Baekhyun blushed. “Your fridge is empty, I’m going to take Loey grocery shopping, we’ll be back before dinner alright?”

 

“Can I come with you?”

---

 

Chanyeol pushed the shopping cart, walking steadily beside