Seven Years Ago

"You did it, hon," Jiyong's eyes were watery as he spoke softly to Seungri's ear. "I'm so proud of you."

Gently, Jiyong placed a kiss on his loving wife on the hospital bed.

Seungri was half-unconscious but could feel the lingering touch on his forehead coming from his husband. He could bearly open his eyes but deep inside, Seungri's heart was filled with warmth the moment his ears heard a soft cry. 

"Look at this tiny angel," Jiyong was talking, his voice full of love. "I wonder who you take after? Is it mom or is it dad? Look at your mom over there. Isn't he beautiful?"

The baby responded with a tiny moan with his tiny lips wanting to open and close, his eyes closed. 

A few hours later, Seungri finally woke up and his eyes immediately filled with fresh tears as he held his baby in his arms. Jiyong sat next to Seungri with his arm protectively around Seungri while they stared at their little angel. 

"He's so beautiful," Seungri whispered as he glanced at their baby. 

Jiyong kissed Seungri's hair and hummed a yes, "He takes after you." 

Seungri chuckled, leaning on Jiyong's body, "His eyes look like yours though. His nose too. The lips are the only features I share with him." 

"You're right, he has a heart-shaped lips just like yours," Jiyong smiled, eyes full of admiration.

Seungri turned to his husband. Both exchanged a warm glance before they dove in to exchange a kiss. 

"Mhkaa~" 

The two people kissing stopped and looked at their baby who just emitted a cute sound. 

"Did he just interrupt us?" Jiyong was laughing and shaking his head. 

Seungri responded with a soft laugh, "He did." 

"Baby, why do I feel like I'd be competing with you for mom's attention from now on?" Jiyong said as he jokingly gave the baby a face of bitterness.

Seungri shook his head but couldn't remove the smile on his face, "Daddy is being petty, isn't he, baby?"

Jiyong laughed and stared at his spouse and their fruit of love. A warm smile on his face reflecting that of Seungri's as they moved closer, feeling the love and warmth of the members of their own small family. 

"Thank you for making me the happiest man on earth, hon," Jiyong whispered to Seungri's ear and hugged him. 

Seungri's hand reached his husband's face and caressed it softly, "Thank you for giving me a family." 

Jiyong smiled and quickly pecked Seungri's lips, "I love you." 

Seungri replied in a beat, "I love you." 

Both sighed contentedly with smiles etched on their faces. So this was what it meant to have a family. So this was what unconditional love was. 

"Oh, look at that, hon," Seungri suddenly said, noticing something on the little baby's foot. 

"Hmm? Whoa, our baby has a birthmark on his left ankle. Looking closely, the mark resembles something... Ah! A tail!" Jiyong exclaimed.

"A tail?" Seungri looked closer, "Wow, you're right, hon. It does resemble a tail."

"Like a phoenix's," Jiyong whispered and smiled.

Seungri nodded in agreement, "Yeah."

Jiyong glanced at the mark then to Seungri, "I know what we're going to name him. Bongju."

Seungri's eyes sparkled, full of overflowing love and happiness. "... Bongju. That's a wonderful name. Bongju. Bongju." 

While being called, the baby seemed to have heard and gave out a small giggle from his lips. 

"Bongju-ah, mama and papa love you forever," Jiyong said in glee and sighed contentedly, with his little family in his arms. 

**

Seungri's fingers were cold and slightly trembling as he stared at the little kid sitting on a nearby bench. There were many other kids around, playing and talking, yet the kid remained on one bench, scribbling something on his notebook. 

The moment Seungri and detective Choi arrived at the orphanage, Seungri began to doubt and lose hope. Because he knew there were thousands of times he had done this and deep down, he knew it was almost impossible to find his baby after five long years. 

But then they said the boy had a mark. And the mark was on his left ankle. Seungri's hope had risen. He knew too well that his Bongju had that birthmark on the left ankle. It was the main reason he and Jiyong named their baby Bongju. Because it resembled a phoenix and his name meant that. 

"There's a possibility he's not Bongju," Detective Choi said in a gentle tone, seeming careful not to give too much hope to Seungri.

Seungri shook his head. "No, I have a strong feeling he's my son." Seungri wiped his tears away and took in a long breath. He needed to compose himself before meeting Bongju - or Sky, as the orphanage sisters named him. 

Detective Choi gave a nod, "We'll find out after a week when the results are out." He was referring to the DNA test the orphanage had thankfully agreed to. 

Seungri turned towards Detective Choi and smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Choi. Without you, I, I,..." 

"Don't mention it, Mr. Lee," the detective's smile was gentle yet again. He then cleared his throat and wore his professional cold face, "I'm just doing my job." 

The act made Seungri smile a bit more as he stared back at the kid on the bench, following his movements, eager to find any resemblance of his lost baby. 

Seungri could wait. One week, one month, one year. As long as he could have his child back, Seungri was willing to wait forever. 

ONE WEEK LATER

"Are you ready?" Detective Choi asked the shivering in nervousness man in front of him. 

Seungri gave a look at the detective who, by the way, was his classmate in college as well, and bit his lip. On his hands was an envelope that contained the DNA results of Sky and Seungri. "What if he's not..." 

"That's why we need to know. Weren't you the one who wanted to know the results first before talking to him?" In a way, Seunghyun, the detective who has been helping Seungri from the start of his search, understood well why Seungri didn't want to build a connection to the