"Lighter feeling"

Jinyoung busied himself with the task of cooking dinner for the three of them tonight. A while ago, he asked Mark if he could stay until evening to eat dinner with him and Jio. He felt relieved when Mark didn't show any sign of hesitation and was quick on saying yes to his invitation. Once it was settled that Mark is gonna be eating dinner with them, Jinyoung decided to ask about what the older wants to eat. Mark said nothing in particular but he would like to eat some soup with rice. So right now, he's cooking Galbi Tang and Kimchi Jjigae. There's only the three of them who will eat dinner so Jinyoung thinks his food of choice will be enough and that Mark will find his cooking edible and satisfying at the very least.

He was in the middle of cooking when he heard the sound of footsteps and he immediately recognized it was his son running up to him even without looking back to check. He felt Jio tugging on the hem of his shirt and his son almost pulled on the string of his apron so, Jinyoung needed to put the ladle down to keep his apron on. 

"Appa?" Jio called him in his sweet voice. "I want lemonade. Can I have lemonade?"

His son might be thirsty after playing for about three hours. Jinyoung turned to touch the top of Jio's head. "Alright, baby. Appa will make one for you but-"

"I'll go and make one for him." That would be Mark who is just walking to the kitchen, with Tow Mater in his hand. Their eyes met and the older quirked his brows at him. "I was just putting away his cars because he said he wants to watch cartoons now. When I turned he's already running here."

Jinyoung watched as Mark approached the two of them and ruffled their son's hair. "If you like lemonade, you could've asked me, buddy. Appa is busy with cooking. Let's not bother him, alright?"

Jio nodded and let go of his legs and just held Mark's hand instead. "Okay, appa. Daddy Mark will make lemonade. You can cook again." Jinyoung finds that thin smile on his son's lips adorable.

"Wait for me on the couch?" Mark asked their son and Jio nodded in response, skipping his way back to the living room.

When they were left alone, Mark gave him another smile before pointing at the dish rack. "I probably need to do this fast, for I do not want to make the little guy wait." Jinyoung nods at the older before focusing back at what he's cooking.

It was a minute after and Mark was already stirring the glass of lemonade he made when the older spoke again, getting his attention. "Are you making stew?" 

"Kimchi stew." He added. "Though, I'm not that confident of the taste. I don't think I've mastered cooking, though it's what I was aiming to do." 

There was a light laugh coming from the older, and then Jinyoung sees him standing not too far beside him, leaning his side on the counter, probably trying to see what he is cooking. "It smells nice." Mark said. "Almost delicious."

"How I hope the taste will match its smell, then."

There was another laugh and Jinyoung gets reminded of how it became his favorite sound even way back before. "Let me be the judge, then." Mark told him, eyes directed at him, and a near to playful smile drawing on his lips.

"You sure?"

"Why do you ask like it's a grave situation? I'm just gonna have a taste to see if it really is delicious as it smells."

"Now, you're making me anxious."

This time Mark's laugh seemed more free. "Not my intention, alright?" The older then took a step closer and is pointing his finger to his mouth. "Come on, let me taste it."

Jinyoung was surprised by this type of action from Mark. Sure, the older said he'd just want to taste the stew he's cooking but, he could've just asked for a spoon to taste it himself. But why is he standing there like a kid, waiting to be fed by his mom? Snapping himself out of it and nagging too, for putting too much color on the older's gesture, Jinyoung took a spoonful of the stew and brought it to Mark's mouth.

"I believe I gave enough warning and yet you still want to have a taste, so okay. Suit yourself." That, and he let the older take a sip. He waited for a few seconds before he asked, "Is it okay? I'm okay with just okay. I just want it to be edible and close to how Kimchi stew is supposed to taste like."

The answer came in five seconds later. "I think you're belittling your cooking skills." Mark said. "It tastes just fine, Jinyoung. In fact, it's delicious."

"It's not a good thing to lie at this time, Mark."

"I am not. Taste it yourself. You'll see I'm not lying."

And Jinyoung did. Surprisingly, the stew does taste fine, delicious even. "I am shocked at my own improvement."

Mark was laughing again and Jinyoung enjoys seeing it. That was until their son came back to the kitchen again, with arms crossed and pouting lips. "Daddy, I want my lemonade."

🙤· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·🙦

Dinner time was filled with Jio telling them stories animatedly.

Their son misses school so much and it's obvious by the way he talks about his friends Yuli and Leo. Jio keeps on telling them about how he's excited to see them and play with them again. Jio even mentioned that Leo promised he'd bring his new set of toy cars while Yuli promised she'd bring her new legos, the last time they saw each other. Jinyoung then told Jio that he did talk to Yuli and Leo's parents and informed them about what happened to Jio. He just told Jio that his friends will surely bring their toys once they all see each other again on Monday. That made Jio even more excited in going back to school.

By the time that they were eating desserts- just an apple pie Jaebum has bought a day ago, Jinyoung felt it again. He can't tell if it's right to call it pressure, but maybe just a little push. It's like the snooze that came after ignoring the first alarm. It didn't leave his mind though, that he still needs to do what he has promised Mark of doing. In his mind, he hears Jaebum telling him that he delayed this long enough and that he needs to get on with telling everything to Jio now, in the simplest way possible, of course. And Jinyoung already made peace with himself that delaying this matter won't do him and Mark, nor Jio, any good.

He sits there, silently watching the exchange of chatter between Jio and Mark. Jinyoung loves how Mark looks fondly at his son, their son, while listening to the stories he tell and even hyping them up by reacting positively to each one like they're the most interesting stories he has ever heard. Jinyoung loves that kind of look in the older's eyes. They're the same look Mark always has whenever Jinyoung was telling him something, anything, he'd like to tell the older, regardless if the matter concerns him or not. Right. He's getting reminded of the same fond look Mark always has, or Mark used to have whenever they're together and talking about even the most random things. Jinyoung felt a bit of something in his chest but refuses to acknowledge, for there is no way that he'll let himself get jealous over his own son. That's ridiculous. But then again, maybe he just miss those times- those times when he is the receiver of the warm look those eyes are radiating, of those eyes which hold the most affectionate look he has ever seen.

Jinyoung didn't realize how long has he been staring, and also who is he really staring at until he felt a soft tug on his shirt's sleeve. His son was asking if he can get another slice of pie and Jinyoung sees Mark looking at him too, seeming to be ready to give their son what he's asking the moment he says yes. With a nod, Jinyoung sees Jio smiling his toothy smile before turning to Mark who is already getting another slice of the pie to feed their son with. And that's when Jinyoung decided to start on it. He reached for his glass of water first, took a sip of it to somehow calm his nervous and anxious self. Him being slightly nervous wouldn't help him with all the talking he needs to do. After heaving a deep but quiet sigh, he trails off.

"Baby?" He gets the attention of Jio who is currently having his lips wiped with the smudge of pie off by Mark, who is also staring at him. One look and he knows the older felt what he was about to do. This is it. I'm really doing this. He uttered a silent and short prayer for Jio to understand and accept everything he's going to tell him. He prays that their son would take the truth well.

"Yes, appa?"

Another deep breath, and Jinyoung went on. "Appa needs to tell you something and it is very important that you listen from the start to the very end, okay? I should've to