The 
Photo 

Chanyeol was.. Crying? 
Baekhyun was frozen to the spot with his hand floating in front of the door when he saw the tall and confident man breaking down into tears. 
Would it be appropriate to walk in? 
He carefully knocked on the door and saw Chanyeol quickly wipe away his tears and recollect himself.
"Come in."

"Mr. Park, is everything alright?" Baekhyun asked. 
"Yes, yes. Everything's fine. I'm fine," Chanyeol lied but Baekhyun knew better. 
"Sir- I mean Chanyeol, if you want me to be open with you than you'll need to be open with me as well."
Chanyeol sighed and nodded, though he secretly didn't want to admit that. 
"You're right. God, I'm a bit of a bad husband, aren't I?" Chanyeol sadly smiled. 
"Don't say that! I think you're a bit bad at expressing yourself," Baekhyun said and sat in the chair in front of Chanyeol's desk. 
"What's bothering you?"

Chanyeol sighed and slid a photo towards Baekhyun. 
It was a photo of an ultrasound. 
March 7 2015 

"It's the first ultrasound photo I've ever seen of Jihae, right after Sera got pregnant. While I was excited and happy to the core, she wasn't. And I understood why but weren't we both responsible? She looked.. She looked at Jihae with disgust. And I know that she still thinks of Jihae that way," tears were beginning to form in his eyes again. 
"I felt so happy, Baekhyun. So, so happy. And every day when I look at Jihae, I still feel so happy. Why? Why couldn't I give Jihae the mother she deserves? Why does Jihae have to grow up without knowing her mother? Have I failed as a father?" his voice faltered and the tears were slowly rolling down his cheeks. 
"She doesn't know her mother.. She hardly ever gets to see her father... Haha... I'm such a pathetic man. I can't even be a proper father for my own daughter," he cried. 
Baekhyun's heart wrenched at the sight of his boss breaking down. Even if Jihae didn't know why her dad was gone so often, Chanyeol always suffered under it. 
"I'm so thankful for you. I'm so thankful for you, Baekhyun. You treat my Jihae with such care.. As if she's your own daughter. I feel like an absolute failure that I'm unable to do the same," Chanyeol cried into his palms.

Baekhyun walked over to Chanyeol and crouched down to meet his eyes. 
"You are not a failure," he said sternly. 
"A failure of a father is someone who doesn't even love his child. A failure of a father is someone who doesn't care for his child. A failure of a father is someone who abandons his family. A failure of a father is someone who doesn't try. And I know so well and even Jihae knows and everyone knows that you try so hard. And that you love her so much and care so much for her. You're a great father. And don't you even dare ever forget that," Baekhyun said, suddenly crying as well. 
"I will never be a replacement of you for Jihae. And I am not a substitute for her mother. For as long as you allow me to be, I am her second father."

"Thank you." 

And without a warning, Chanyeol had wrapped his arms around Baekhyun and buried his head in the crook of his neck. 
"Thank you," he repeated and sniffed silently. 

What the am I supposed to do now? Pat his back? "There, there"? 

"No need to say thank you. I'm always here for you," Baekhyun said and returned the hug shyly, not sure what to do in response. 
Chanyeol pulled back a short moment later, wiping away his tears with his fingers and taking in a deep breath. 
"Go home. I'll finish up work by myself tonight. I might be home late," he simply said and returned to his monitor, not saying another word. 
And thus Baekhyun left. 
He had never felt more confused. 

"I don't want to eat my vegetables!" Jihae complained during dinner later that evening. 
"You have to eat them! They make you healthy and strong, Jihae!" Baekhyun tried to coerce her but she firmly folded her tiny arms over eachother and shoved the plate away from her. 
"Park Jihae," Baekhyun said, putting down his utensils. 
"Jihae, look at daddy," he instructed and she gave him an angry look. 
"Why don't you want to eat your vegetables?"
"They don't taste nice!" she whined and kicked her feet against the high chair. 
"Park Jihae! Why are you behaving like this all of a sudden?" Baekhyun said in surprise. 
"I don't want to eat the-hem!" she sobbed and started crying. 
Baekhyun eyed Mrs. Lee desperately who simply shrugged and shook her head. 
"Ms. Park has a strong will. Sometimes she e