"Hope"

Morning came and Jinyoung didn't think he'd be waking up with a lighter heart. He could still recall how last night turned out.

Yesterday started off with him being anxious and nervous up until noon, but after their talk over dinner, with him finally being able to let his son Jio know the truth about who Mark really is in his life. Remembering his son's smile as he hugged Mark, calling him dad as how he usually calls him but this time bearing much more love that it usually has... Jinyoung could only smile at that. He also recalled how Mark looked at him after he did what he promised he'd do, and how the older thanked him for that. Remembering all that makes Jinyoung sure that he won't ever regret doing what he did last night. It took him a long time to finally say the truth, but now, he's glad that he finally did.

Jinyoung turned his head towards the window where the ray of sunlight is passing through. The sun has risen high enough. Checking the time he read that it's past 8 o'clock already. He figured he should get up and start moving because it's already time for breakfast. Wearing his slippers, Jinyoung gets up from his bed and headed to check on Mark and their son. 

He reached Jio's bedroom and the knob to peek inside. There he saw his son still cuddled inside his dad's arms. The sight was enough to warm his heart. It truly is the most beautiful view for him. Walking closer, he could see his son's cute little pout as he rests his chubby cheeks against Mark's chest. The older meanwhile has his chin resting on top of their son's head, arms wrapped around Jio's small body as of protecting him with a bear hug. Jinyoung can't help but smile as he realized Mark had not changed and still is a heavy sleeper. 

Just then, he thought he should not let this moment pass by just like that. Carefully, he walks back to his room to get his phone. He must take a picture of that beautiful view. And he will.

Praying that those two are still sleeping soundly, Jinyoung walks his way back to his son's bedroom. He smiles finding the father and son still sleeping. Trying his best not to make a sound which might wake the two up, Jinyoung brings his phone up front and opened the camera. He then snaps a photo of Jio and Mark, and how Jinyoung needed to bite his lips to not make a cooing sound while staring at the photo he just took.

Contentedly, Jinyoung put his phone back to his pajama's pocket. Allowing himself to get one another glance at the view in front of him, Jinyoung smiles before realizing that he still needs to cook breakfast.

------

It was just in time that he already finished cooking breakfast when Mark came to the dining room, holding Jio's hand who is still rubbing his eyes with his free hand. His son looks cute with his Lightning McQueen pajamas. He could very well remember how Jio repeatedly asked him to buy those pajamas for him, only having Jaebum buy them without second thoughts. Like he had said, Jio is spoiled by Jaebum far too much.

"You cooked, appa?" Jio asked him, sounding still very much sleepy. 

Jinyoung faces them both while taking his apron off. "Yes I did, baby. Are you hungry?" He saw his son stop rubbing his eyes to look at what he has prepared for breakfast. Jio nods. "So why don't we take a seat and start eating, yes?"

Mark's eyes crosses his and he greeted the older with a smile, gesturing for him to take a seat. Jinyoung was about to help his son out to sit on the chair but Mark did it himself, smiling at him. "There you go, buddy." Mark says after putting Jio on his chair. "You must really be hungry because I could hear your tummy growling."

Jio laughs at his dad. "Yours too. Growling too." Mark then ruffles their son's hair but as if on cue, Jinyoung's stomach grumbled too. This caught the other two's attention.

Jinyoung only smiles guiltily. "I guess that makes us three. Let's just all eat so our tummies would stop protesting." and that made Jio laugh.

Throughout the breakfast it was Jio who talks most. Jinyoung does enjoy how their son enthusiastically tells his stories so him and Mark were listening to him attentively. Jio did mention about how excited he is about playing with Mark more often.

"We will play a lot more, right daddy?" Mark nods as he puts another spoonful of rice with egg. Jio chews his food before talking again. "We will play more cars, more Lightning McQueen-"

"Are you suggesting that I buy you more Lightning McQueens?" Mark asks their son, arching his brow.

To this, Jio laughs. "You could. I will love that!" Mark laughs with him and Jinyoung only shakes his head while smiling. Knowing how persistent his son is and how soft Mark is for him, he doesn't think it will take long for Jio to get what he's asking for.

"Is that all you're thinking about, buddy? There's nothing else you want to play other than cars?"

Jio put his finger on his chin as if thinking before he answered. "Can we play basketball?"

"Sure, we can."

"And soccer?"

"Yes, of course."

"And biking?" Jio's eyes which were shining then looks at him and the light died down as he bites his finger. "I'm sorry, appa. No, biking. I know."

Jinyoung was only about to speak when Mark gives him a look that say's it's okay and that he got this. Mark then reached for their son's head and tapped it. "It's not a no to biking forever." Mark says, catching Jio's eyes. "We can try doing that again when you're much bigger. We can try biking again, buddy. And this time, your appa might go with us... right?" Then both of them were looking at him, Jio was with these hopeful eyes.

It took him two seconds before he smiled and answered. "Of course." He then reached for Jio's shoulder. "When you're bigger."

And that seem to earn a smile from their son. Him and Mark exchanged glances, smiling before going back to eating.

-------

They were still all eating when the front door opened and Jaebum arrived. Jio was quick on his feet, running to Jaebum and hugging him saying he's very happy. As Jaebum joins them in breakfast, Jio tells the older about what Jinyoung told him last night. Jio was really happy while saying that he has three dads now.

It was at that moment when Jio looks up at Jaebum, while holding the older's hand as he asked, "You're still my papa, right?" And of course Jaebum would not have the heart to say no to that. Hearing Jaebum say yes made Jio smile so big as he hugs the older. Jinyoung did not miss on how Jaebum glances at Mark who was only smiling then.

"I'll go ahead, now." Mark says after they cleared the table. 

Jio was the first one to react. "Too soon?" and that pout his son has is impossible to not notice.

Mark reached for their son's hair and ruffled it. "I'm sorry buddy but, daddy needs to go home too."

"You can't stay?" 

And that question caught them all three off guard. Jaebum was looking at them both but remained quiet, maybe thinking he should not involve himself in the situation. Mark on the other hand has his eyes fixated on him, too as if asking what he should say and what he can say. Jinyoung probably looks lost and helpless. He also doesn't know what Jio needs to hear as answer. Sure, he already knows and has accepted that Mark is his real dad, but saying yes to his question is not that simple.

Slowly, Mark just sat on his knees to bring his face on the same level as Jio. Jinyoung watched as Mark touches Jio's cheek. "Right now, daddy can't. But... don't worry. I will visit again tomorrow. I'll bring new cars. How's that?"

Jinyoung could still see a hint of sadness on those eyes so he decided to walk closer and touch his son's hair too. "You could understand that, right baby? Daddy will go here and see you again tomorrow. That will be okay, right?"

Jio sighs before looking up at him, and then at Mark. "Okay, daddy. I will see you tomorrow."

Mark hugs their son and kissed him on his forehead before saying goodbye again but Jinyoung thought he should walk the older out so he did. When they were out of the house and heading towards the gate, Mark talked.

"I think I might've said this too many times already but... thank you Jinyoung." Mark says, looking at him with his sincere eyes. "It must have been hard, telling Jio all that but I am very glad that you did. Thank you for giving me the chance of being a father to him."

Jinyoung felt it again, the warm feeling wrapping his heart. He smiles first before speaking. "You don't need to thank me for doing what I should've done from the very start, Mark. And I might've said this many times already too but still... I am sorry."

He didn't expect it when Mark reached for his arm and run his thumb over his skin in a soothing manner. "Let's call it quits already. You keep saying that I don't need to thank you and I just want to tell you that you don't need to apologize over and over again, too. Yes, I was hurt because of what you kept from me all this time. I was mad, even. But all those emotions... I couldn't recall them clearly anymore. What I feel right now is just happiness... and hope." For the whole time that he's been staring into Mark's eyes, Jinyoung felt like he could get lost in them. "Let's just stop, alright Jin? I'm good with this. We're good."

It has probably taken him a few seconds before he recollected his self and his thoughts. He almost wondered how long has he been staring and saying nothing? But Mark retained that soft look on him. Not until the older averts his eyes to look at hus car. "I better go."

"Uhm, okay. Drive safe."

Mark nods and was about to walk towards his car when he seemed to have remembered something. Turning back at him, the older spoke. "We still have a few things to talk about, yes?" He heard Mark ask. "About how we're gonna handle this change without causing much to Jio? I mean, I do want to see Jio more often but staying here is not even an option." Jinyoung held his tongue before he could ask why. Mark continues.