Soonyoung wakes up extra early the next day, jumping off his too big bed that feels empty most of the time. He goes straight inside the kitchen and doesn’t even bother turning some lights because he has to be secretive today.

 

The clock barely reads 6am when he hops on a stool and opens the cupboards to look for something he can eat.

 

His father, Seungcheol, had a bad day at work and in general the day before and he thought of preparing him breakfast to lighten up his mood. He doesn’t know how to cook (mainly because Seungcheol doesn’t also so he can’t teach the kid) but he needs to try. Even an apple will make the older happy if he knows Soonyoung prepared it.

 

The 8-year-old is busy munching on his cereal while opening the Tupperware containing wheat breads. He takes two of them, spreading on peanut butter generously and neatly placing it on a small white plate. He peels a banana off the bunch and sets it beside the plate, across where his bowl of cereal is, then pours milk on Seungcheol’s black mug that usually has strong coffee in it.

 

Soonyoung isn’t fond of coffee and it only brings bad memories to him. He hopes his dad stops drinking it as it’s also bad for his health, he figures.

 

He settles on his chair in time Seungcheol opens the bedroom door, hair sticking out in different directions and his eyes still closed. Soonyoung watches him turn the TV on and the house fills in with voices of morning news reporters.

 

He decides to break the silence.

 

“Appa, good morning!”

 

Seungcheol almost falls over the sofa and whips his head back at Soonyoung. It’s too early for him to be grinning like the rising sun, but with pieces of cereal between his bunny teeth.

 

“Good morning...?” He stands straight. “Why are you awake so early? Your classes begin at 8—oh.”

 

“I made you breakfast!”

 

The boy thinks he made the best plating out there but all his dad sees is sandwhich not fitting in the plate, some spilled milk by the side and is that a worm on the banana? It’s not, just some bubble of milk.

 

He loves it to the end of the world.

 

“Is this for me?” Seungcheol can’t help the smile on his face as he takes a seat in front of Soonyoung. He nods enthusiastically, and the older eats in silence but with a racing heart. “Good morning to you too, buddy.”

 

How can he deserve such a great son?

 

He’s almost proud of him when he eyes his black mug thinking coffee is in it. Since when did Soonyoung learn his dad’s coffee and water ratio? He does it without Soonyoung seeing so he doesn’t feel antsy.

 

But when Seungcheol takes a sip he almost chokes because it tastes thick.

 

“Appa, you have a milk mustache on.”

 

Soonyoung giggles while pointing on his own upper lip.

 

—

 

“As per usual, you wait for me here after class, okay? Appa is not going to be late this time.” Seungcheol ruffles his hair.

 

It’s been a full week with him pulling over the school late, sometimes he sees Soonyoung by himself or with three kids here and there as they also wait for their parents.

 

“Promise?”

 

“Of course!” He gives him a peck on the cheek. Soonyoung grins. “It’s just that I have to go to work and my boss doesn’t let me go home until he says so.”

 

“Isn’t he being mean?”

 

Yes, he is.“No he’s not. I have to go okay? Wait for me later!”

 

“Okay! Bye appa!”

 

Soonyoung runs toward the building with a teacher waiting for him at the entrance. Seungcheol bows in exchange then hops in his car, when he sees another parent put their son down and what do you know. It’s the blind man.

 

He doesn’t turn the engine and waits.

 

“Appa, can you get home by yourself?”

 

Jeonghan smiles slightly and almost slips as he squishes Jihoon’s face.

 

“Yep. I memorized the way back when you guided me on the way here.”

 

“Shouldn’t we call Chan hyung so you can go home safely?”

 

What a nice kid, is what Seungcheol thinks as he leans on the car door and  openly stares at them.

 

“I’ll be fine, baby. Don’t you worry. Oh! The bell rang!” Jeonghan stands. Jihoon eyes him as he takes few small steps back, ready to run for it as his teacher calls for his name by the entrance. “Wait for me or Chan hyung later okay?”

 

“Okay! Bye appa! Take care!”

 

“Bye!”

 

When Jihoon leaves, Jeonghan sighs and tries looking around. It’s always Chan or the very nice grandma who drops Jihoon off so he doesn’t quite know the place. He’s growing anxious, he knows, and he also thinks someone is with him when he bumps on something hard and he hisses.

 

“Are you okay?” Seungcheol exits the car and looks at the other’s leg.

 

Jeonghan’s eyes stop moving then he quickly straightens his spine, moving backwards to avoid any possible dangers. Seungcheol walks forwards instead.

 

“I’m fine, I just didn’t—“

 

“Watch out!“

 

Seungcheol sighs, placing a hand on his eyes when the blind man falls on a pile of snow. Jeonghan gasps, trying to stand but he loses his balance and his foot gets stuck in. He feels so embarrassed and the warmth is spreading on his face.

 

“Wow.”

 

“Now are you okay?”

 

He feels a warm hand press on his and pull him up from the snow.

 

“I’m okay now. Thank you.”

 

Jeonghan quickly turns on his heel and walks to wherever his feet might take him, which is probably the worst thing he has ever done his whole 35 years of existence. Seungcheol doesn’t know what to do, should he call after him or walk with him because he’s blind, and he looks unsure of where he’s going as he stops and turns back around.

 

“Um,” It’s already embarrassing to tell his son he knows his way back, more so hitting his leg on a car and falling on the snow. Now he’s asking a total stranger who might be a potential serial killer if he knows where the both of them are. “Do you have a kid going to this school?”

 

“Uh yeah. I think your son knows him. Soonyoung?”

 

Jeonghan’s mouth opens a bit. He walks back to Seungcheol’s direction and stops a few steps away from him, looking far ahead.

 

He feels like trusting him. His son trusts this person’s son so it’s okay, right?

 

“Can I help you on the way back?”

 

“If it’s okay with you, then I’ll be very glad.”

 

—

 

Seungcheol pulls up on the driveway and exits his car, going around it so he can assist Jeonghan out of the vehicle.

 

“You didn’t have to, but thank you.”

 

“No biggie.”

 

They both face a house that looks like it can fit dozens of people in and Seungcheol gapes. His house can’t even compare to this one, it’s not even half of it! He turns to the other fishing out his keys and casually striding toward the gate.

 

“Jeonghan!”

 

Said guy turns his head to the sound, “Oh good morning.”

 

“Where did you go?”

 

“I dropped Jihoon off to school. Do you need help with something?”

 

The grandma looks over Seungcheol awkwardly standing near his car.

 

“Don’t kid me.” Jeonghan laughs. “I was looking for Jihoon to drop him off but saw your gate’s locked.”

 

“Ah, you didn’t need to. I’ll be dropping him off school from now on.”

 

“But how did you come back home?”

 

Seungcheol moves around. He feels like helping the man open the locks because he’s busy talking to the old woman and trying to insert the key. Then there’s also his rudeness for not introducing himself and helping Jeonghan when the keys fall.

 

“Oops.”

 

“I’ll get them.”

 

The grandma looks at Seungcheol.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He opens the gate with ease and widely, telling Jeonghan he can step in. The man smiles to no one in p