“Stop crying you silly girl!”

Jae In covered with both hands to muffle the sobs, and looked out of the window of the bus that was heading to her hometown.

“It’s been hours! Now stop it already. You’re embarrassing me in front of people.

Rubbing her tears off with her shirt sleeve, the girl turned to her mother.

“That money, omma is dying for, are you sure it can make me happy omma?”

“What are you babbling about girl?”

“I was happy with him. I mean... I was happy with him and that baby. They were family to me all this time omma... Not Jongin. They cared for me and kept me happy. Not Jongin. Isn’t that enough?”

“So you want me to give you off to a widower burdened with a child? What kind of life do you want to lead Moon Jae In?’

“A life that makes me happy omma. With someone who can make me feel loved and someone who values me. You don’t know what a great person he is omma!”

“Stop arguing in the bus! This is embarrassing.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Junmyeon woke up late that night, and realized that he had dozed off on the kitchen dining table after sending a ceaselessly nagging Chanyeol off. He woke up hearing faint cries from the bedroom, and hurried there to find his daughter wide awake, crawling on his bed.

“Hungry? Jinkyung-ah?” he sat and the bed and took the little one into his hands, and she continued to sniff with silent sobs in his hands. “Wait... appa will make something for you.”

Carrying the child, he went into the kitchen, and placed her on the table before starting to prepare some baby formula. While taking careful scoopfuls of power to put into the tiny feeding bottle, her words rang in his ears.

“Three I said... Just because you love your daughter, you can’t feed her too much Junmyeon-ssi! What if Jinnie ends up gaining too much weight?”

“Appa...”

The little voice made him break from his flashback, and he hurriedly poured the hot water into the feeding bottle. Some of it spilled, running over his hand yet he shook it away and hastily shook the bottle to mix the beverage before taking it to the eagerly waiting little one. She took it with both hands, and started slowly, yet happily gulping down her meal.

He flopped down on a chair.

The fairly hot water had left a reddened patch over his pale hand, which he stared at, until it got blurred away in his own tears.

“And you, I won’t mind the fact that you’re way older than her if you’re a bachelor with a reliable carrier and a decent income. But here, with that bank clerk salary of yours, you’ll have to take care of an apartment lease that too, an apartment barely enough for a couple to live. And I bet there are even loans to pay. On top of everything, you have a child as well.”

He looked up at the worn off white ceiling, and blinked away the tears. And returning his gaze to his daughter, he watched her drinking the clumsily made beverage as if it was the best meal in the whole world.

Once she was done, they were back in his room, lying down together, as the little one started playing around since she was now happy with a full tummy.

“Go back to sleep Jinkyung-ah...” he muttered, his voice turning groggier by passing seconds. “Appa’s head is aching. So let’s go to sleep now."

The little girl couldn’t understand every single word her dad uttered, but she caught the two words ‘Appa’ and ‘ache’. Little eyes widening in curiosity, she crawled back to him. “Appa...hurt?”

A tiny hand placed itself on his cheek, and she peeked into his face, blinking in confusion. He shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes once again. Puzzled about the glistening eyes of her dad in the semi dark, she lied down beside him, placing her head on his bicep. “Appa...” she continued to pat his cheek with the little palm, muttering the same word over and over again.

Until he lost all the strength, and broke into sobs, hugging the child closer. The confused little one was just happy with the sudden cuddles she was getting, and snuggled closer to the warmth she loved the most.

Unable to understand why she was suddenly held closer her dad’s chest, or why he was crying his heart out.

~ ~ ~ ~

It was Tuesday evening, when Chanyeol had decided to drop off by Junmyeon’s place once again. He entered a living room that was strewn with a child’s toys and had turned a complete mess. He walked across the said room with a sigh, and entered the bedroom where he found the dad and daughter fallen asleep on an unmade messy bed.

Sighing again, he turned to leave, but Junmyeon woke up hearing his footsteps. “Oh, when did you come?” he got up from the bed, adjusting the sheets over the child before exiting the room with his friend.

“You’re sleeping in while having the front door unlocked. Fabulous. How long are you going to live like this hyung?” Chanyeol asked, flopping down on the couch and throwing his brief case aside. “Just look at this house! Does it look like a place where a child should be living?”

“I was about to clean tonight.” Junmyeon rubbed his face, sitting down facing the younger bank clerk. “Plus I’ve applied for a baby sitter on a several websites. I’ll soon get some calls.”

Chanyeol stared at the older male for a moment. “You got your paternity leave approved today. Do you even know that?”

“I saw the email.”

“Hyung for heaven’s sake... please get a good babysitter and return to work! You’re a total wreck when you’re at home alone!”

“Enough nagging...now go home.”

“Did you have lunch?”

“Yeah... Why wouldn’t I?”

“I bet it’s ramyeon again. Yah Junmyeon! Let’s go out for dinner with me.” he stood up and walked up to Junmyeon, and glared down at him. “What’s this ridiculous act seriously? If you can’t get over her just call her! If not just forget her and move on man!”

Junmyeon looked up at him. “Chanyeol-ah do me a favour.”

“What?”

“Stop yelling you’ll wake Jinkyung you punk.” Junmyeon stood up from the couch, and walked up to a corner of the living room where a painting stood leaning on a wall. He lifted it up, and after staring at it for a brief moment, walked up to Chanyeol.

“Find a good buyer and sell this off. And deposit the money to Jae In’s account. I’ll send you the number.”

“Did she draw this?” the younger one took it to his hands, and examined it with widened eyes. “Well my aunt is a curator at a gallery...but hyung, isn’t this you and Jinnie drawn here?” he looked back at Junmyeon with the same widened eyes.

“It is.” Junmyeon replied.

“Then why are you selling it?”

“Just do as I say. And I’ll text you here account details.”

“Whatever... If that makes you get over her, let’s get it done.”

Coming back from dinner with Chanyeol, Junmyeon tucked in the girl who had fallen asleep in his arms on the way. And he entered the kitchen, to start cleaning up the number of dishes that had piled up in the kitchen sink. It took him more than twice the time Jae In usually takes to do the dishes, and finally finishing everything, he walked up to the refrigerator.

The side dishes she had prepared and stored were coming to an end, and there were nothing left in the fridge except for some snacks Chanyeol had brought for Jinkyung, and a few beer cans that had been sitting inside since a long time.

“If you drink at office dinners, make sure to call me to sleep in. What if Jinnie becomes sick at night? What if you fall into a deep sleep and not realize?”

“How absu