oo4 || cat's out of the bag
the pursuit of happiness
04
cat's out of the bag
Jaehyun was restless. Three days had passed after he legally acquired custodies of the two boys as his adopted sons. So far life has been so much brighter with them but there's one thing bugging his mind.
Telling his family.
Ten and Lucas had been pestering him to talk because he really had to go back to Seoul in a few days to settle the adoption process, take care of the kids' birth certificate and also renew his family certificate with their addition. And plus, he still needs to go back to resume his position in the company back in Seoul. He can’t just make Jungwoo handle all of his work there. There's so much to do and he could only stall for this long.
Telling his family.
Ten and Lucas had been pestering him to talk because he really had to go back to Seoul in a few days to settle the adoption process, take care of the kids' birth certificate and also renew his family certificate with their addition. And plus, he still needs to go back to resume his position in the company back in Seoul. He can’t just make Jungwoo handle all of his work there. There's so much to do and he could only stall for this long.
He made sure the kids are asleep, before he went out of the room to call his brother.
"Hello? Hyung?"
"Jungwoo! Are you at home, with appa and eomma?"
"Me? Yeah. We had dinner like an hour ago. Eomma and appa are watching TV and I'm in my room. What's up? Are you going back tomorrow?"
"Um… About that… can you set up the computer? I need to talk to both of them. Preferably through video call. It's a very important news."
"Hyung… you scared me."
"Just… please, Woo? Just call me whenever you guys are ready, okay?"
"Alright, alright. I'll ask them to go to the library then. Call you soon, hyung."
"Yes. Thanks a lot, Woo."
The call got disconnected and Jaehyun sat listlessly on the living room couch, waiting for a call from Jungwoo, his younger brother.
"Hello? Hyung?"
"Jungwoo! Are you at home, with appa and eomma?"
"Me? Yeah. We had dinner like an hour ago. Eomma and appa are watching TV and I'm in my room. What's up? Are you going back tomorrow?"
"Um… About that… can you set up the computer? I need to talk to both of them. Preferably through video call. It's a very important news."
"Hyung… you scared me."
"Just… please, Woo? Just call me whenever you guys are ready, okay?"
"Alright, alright. I'll ask them to go to the library then. Call you soon, hyung."
"Yes. Thanks a lot, Woo."
The call got disconnected and Jaehyun sat listlessly on the living room couch, waiting for a call from Jungwoo, his younger brother.
An incoming call notification surprised him fifteen minutes later. He quickly put on his bluetooth earpiece before turning on his phone.
"Jung Jaehyun… is that you?"
"Yes, ma. It's me."
"Oh, son! We missed you. When are you coming back? I thought everything was already settled in Qingdao?"
"Yes, appa. Everything went well here. I'm coming back this weekend. But about that… I have a confession to make."
"Confession? Are you finally bringing a girl home? That would be nice! I'm dying to have a grandchild soon, son. Ah! This is exciting!"
"About that… I might have just fulfilled your second wish first…"
"What do you mean, hyung?"
"I…. I might have just adopted two kids.."
"You… what? Hyung! Are you crazy?!"
Jungwoo was quick to snap while his parents stare at the screen in utter shock.
"Son, are you joking? Adopting? Two kids?!"
"Eomma… here's the thing. The two kids came to Lucas' house that I stayed at a few weeks ago. He was like…. dirty and soaked with rain, he was injured. He was pitiful, eomma."
"That could be a scam, son."
"No, appa. I brought them to the hospital, and the local police came too. It turned out that they were victims of human trafficking. They were taken from this shady orphanage in Korea, probably from a border island, to Qingdao by boat. This brave kid smuggled himself into a truck before finding his way to the house. I can't just ignore them, appa."
"Son, you should discuss it with us first. Having kids is a very big decision to make. Especially adopted ones. You are not married yet, remember?"
"I know, pa. And for that I'm sorry. But I couldn't just let them be taken by social service to get deported back to Korea. God, I can't bring myself to imagine what would happen to them later. They are angels, trust me. You will like them."
He could see his brother sighing, his mother silently crying, and his father maintaining a strong glare.
"Look son, we'll discuss it again tomorrow. Please call us again tomorrow."
Jaehyun saw his parents left and his brother remained.
"I knew you were the one with the angel heart between us, but look, hyung. I know you meant good things, but ma and pa need time to process this, okay? I'll try talking with them. Just… do you have any pictures of then? Cute ones preferably. Eomma likes cute kids. Maybe I can persuade her first, and then we’ll tackle appa next."
Jaehyun smiled at his younger brother who understood him the best.
"Thank you, Woo. Thank you so much."
"Jung Jaehyun… is that you?"
"Yes, ma. It's me."
"Oh, son! We missed you. When are you coming back? I thought everything was already settled in Qingdao?"
"Yes, appa. Everything went well here. I'm coming back this weekend. But about that… I have a confession to make."
"Confession? Are you finally bringing a girl home? That would be nice! I'm dying to have a grandchild soon, son. Ah! This is exciting!"
"About that… I might have just fulfilled your second wish first…"
"What do you mean, hyung?"
"I…. I might have just adopted two kids.."
"You… what? Hyung! Are you crazy?!"
Jungwoo was quick to snap while his parents stare at the screen in utter shock.
"Son, are you joking? Adopting? Two kids?!"
"Eomma… here's the thing. The two kids came to Lucas' house that I stayed at a few weeks ago. He was like…. dirty and soaked with rain, he was injured. He was pitiful, eomma."
"That could be a scam, son."
"No, appa. I brought them to the hospital, and the local police came too. It turned out that they were victims of human trafficking. They were taken from this shady orphanage in Korea, probably from a border island, to Qingdao by boat. This brave kid smuggled himself into a truck before finding his way to the house. I can't just ignore them, appa."
"Son, you should discuss it with us first. Having kids is a very big decision to make. Especially adopted ones. You are not married yet, remember?"
"I know, pa. And for that I'm sorry. But I couldn't just let them be taken by social service to get deported back to Korea. God, I can't bring myself to imagine what would happen to them later. They are angels, trust me. You will like them."
He could see his brother sighing, his mother silently crying, and his father maintaining a strong glare.
"Look son, we'll discuss it again tomorrow. Please call us again tomorrow."
Jaehyun saw his parents left and his brother remained.
"I knew you were the one with the angel heart between us, but look, hyung. I know you meant good things, but ma and pa need time to process this, okay? I'll try talking with them. Just… do you have any pictures of then? Cute ones preferably. Eomma likes cute kids. Maybe I can persuade her first, and then we’ll tackle appa next."
Jaehyun smiled at his younger brother who understood him the best.
"Thank you, Woo. Thank you so much."
Jungwoo smiled when his phone buzzed and a picture message came from his hyung. He couldn't help but squeal looking at the picture. There are two kids. The youngest one looked like he was only a few months old. His cheeks were so squishy and his smiling face melts Jungwoo's heart immediately. The older one was tiny and thin, and he was clinging into Jaehyun tightly. He has a cute smile and his crescent eyes sparkled as he smiled for the camera.
Another message came in.
Jaehyun Hyung
The older one is Jeno. He's five but he's undernourished so he's too small for his age. The baby is Sungchan. The doctor said he's probably six months old by now. They are all angels, Woo...
Another message came in.
Jaehyun Hyung
The older one is Jeno. He's five but he's undernourished so he's too small for his age. The baby is Sungchan. The doctor said he's probably six months old by now. They are all angels, Woo...
The next morning, Jungwoo was all anxious during breakfast. He wants to tell his parents about his brother's message last night, but he didn’t know how to bring out the topic into the conversation.
"Jungwoo, stop fidgeting and finish your food!" His mother chided and Jungwoo grinned sheepishly.
"Why are you so antsy so early in the morning?" His father asked as he sipped his coffee.
"Um… I asked Jaehyun hyung to send me a picture of his kids last night. And Ma! Pa! They were the cutest! Please don't reprimand hyung! The kids are soooo adorable you're going to love them!" Jungwoo squealed.
"Jung Jungwoo. Your brother made a very rash decision. It's not something to celebrate." His mother said.
"But ma…. Look at the picture first okay? See it yourself," Jungwoo insisted as he took out his phone.
The reaction was immediate and as Jungwoo expected.
His mother couldn't help but smile.
"See? Ah… Jaehyun hyung really suits looking like a father like this, right?"
His mother sighed.
"Okay, I admit the kids are very adorable, but still..."
"Eommaaaa! Look at them! Just look! They are nothing but poor innocent angels! This one, look at his cute little tooth! Hyung said he's five years old and his name is Jeno. He is like sick and malnourished so he's small. Don't you pity him? And this one, this one! This cute fluffy baby is Sungchan. He's only six months old! Eomma, appa! Please just let Jaehyun hyung adopt them. I want to be an uncle!" Jungwoo begged.
"Jungwoo, stop fidgeting and finish your food!" His mother chided and Jungwoo grinned sheepishly.
"Why are you so antsy so early in the morning?" His father asked as he sipped his coffee.
"Um… I asked Jaehyun hyung to send me a picture of his kids last night. And Ma! Pa! They were the cutest! Please don't reprimand hyung! The kids are soooo adorable you're going to love them!" Jungwoo squealed.
"Jung Jungwoo. Your brother made a very rash decision. It's not something to celebrate." His mother said.
"But ma…. Look at the picture first okay? See it yourself," Jungwoo insisted as he took out his phone.
The reaction was immediate and as Jungwoo expected.
His mother couldn't help but smile.
"See? Ah… Jaehyun hyung really suits looking like a father like this, right?"
His mother sighed.
"Okay, I admit the kids are very adorable, but still..."
"Eommaaaa! Look at them! Just look! They are nothing but poor innocent angels! This one, look at his cute little tooth! Hyung said he's five years old and his name is Jeno. He is like sick and malnourished so he's small. Don't you pity him? And this one, this one! This cute fluffy baby is Sungchan. He's only six months old! Eomma, appa! Please just let Jaehyun hyung adopt them. I want to be an uncle!" Jungwoo begged.
His dad sighed.
"I knew your brother had the more angelic side between you two but I never knew it would end up this way."
"But think about it, pa, ma. These kids… if hyung didn't adopt them... how would they end up? Maybe we should hear hyung's full story. Shall I call him again?"
The Jung's parents sighed, finally relenting to their youngest son's request.
"I knew your brother had the more angelic side between you two but I never knew it would end up this way."
"But think about it, pa, ma. These kids… if hyung didn't adopt them... how would they end up? Maybe we should hear hyung's full story. Shall I call him again?"
The Jung's parents sighed, finally relenting to their youngest son's request.
Jaehyun felt his phone vibrating and he saw his brother's name on it.
"Jeno-ya, samchon had to take a call first, okay?"
The said boy nodded and continued eating his breakfast as Jaehyun excused himself.
"Jeno-ya, samchon had to take a call first, okay?"
The said boy nodded and continued eating his breakfast as Jaehyun excused himself.
"Hello? Woo?"
"Hyung, it's me. I the loudspeaker okay? I'm with pa and ma."
"Oh… okay."
"Look, pa and ma wanted to know the whole story. Why you insisted on adopting them, the story behind it, everything. There must've been a reason."
Jaehyun sighed.
"Actually… it's a really painful story for them. Jeno told me he used to live in an orphanage before he was taken away. There he only used to eat once a day. And he eats only like… a few spoonsful of plain white rice. He's so thin and awfully stunted. After being taken away in the boat, he saw a woman smuggling her baby but unable to take him with her. Jeno decided to take the baby with him. He was genuinely scared of going back to the orphanage. That kid is traumatized. Every time I have to leave, he constantly asked me If I was going to sell him. He was shocked every time I give him food because he rarely eats. I…. I just can't bear letting this innocent kid go."
"Alright, son. We understood your concern. But this is a very big decision. You're unmarried and you're the heir to our company. Can you manage everything? And also find yourself a wife in this condition?"
Jaehyun groaned at his father's words, especially the last one.
"Alright appa. I'll try my best. And…. You know what, I'll let you guys set me up with the girl of your choice if that means I can keep my sons," he bargained with a heavy heart.
He could hear his mother squealing in the background.
He might have just dug his own grave.
"Hyung, it's me. I the loudspeaker okay? I'm with pa and ma."
"Oh… okay."
"Look, pa and ma wanted to know the whole story. Why you insisted on adopting them, the story behind it, everything. There must've been a reason."
Jaehyun sighed.
"Actually… it's a really painful story for them. Jeno told me he used to live in an orphanage before he was taken away. There he only used to eat once a day. And he eats only like… a few spoonsful of plain white rice. He's so thin and awfully stunted. After being taken away in the boat, he saw a woman smuggling her baby but unable to take him with her. Jeno decided to take the baby with him. He was genuinely scared of going back to the orphanage. That kid is traumatized. Every time I have to leave, he constantly asked me If I was going to sell him. He was shocked every time I give him food because he rarely eats. I…. I just can't bear letting this innocent kid go."
"Alright, son. We understood your concern. But this is a very big decision. You're unmarried and you're the heir to our company. Can you manage everything? And also find yourself a wife in this condition?"
Jaehyun groaned at his father's words, especially the last one.
"Alright appa. I'll try my best. And…. You know what, I'll let you guys set me up with the girl of your choice if that means I can keep my sons," he bargained with a heavy heart.
He could hear his mother squealing in the background.
He might have just dug his own grave.
"Samchon, why are you packing? Do I have to stay somewhere again?" Jeno asked nervously.
Jaehyun looked back to see the small boy in his way too big pajamas holding his Mr. Bunny. A smile rose on his lips.
"Not just you, baby. All of us. Jeno, Sungchan, and samchon. Weren't you sleeping, why'd you wake up?"
Jeno plopped beside Jaehyun, looking at the suitcases in front of them.
"Cannot sleep. Samchon is gone."
Jaehyun smiled. He did wake up because he forgot to pack some of his clothes.
"Wanna accompany samchon?"
Jeno nodded happily.
"So, Jeno. This place we live on now, is Lucas samchon's house."
"Not Jaehyun samchon's house?"
"No. My house is in Seoul, and that is in Korea. Right now, we are in Qingdao, Shandong. And that’s in China. Tomorrow afternoon, we will be going back to Seoul so we can live in my own house."
"Jeno and Sungchan too?"
"Of course! All three of us. And then samchon will bring you to see samchon's family."
"Family?" Jeno looked up in confusion.
"You see, Jeno has a dongsaeng, right?"
"Sungchan!"
"Yes, that's right. Samchon also has a brother. His name is Jungwoo. But we all call him Woo."
"Samchon's brother is baby like Sungchan?"
Jaehyun laughed. Jungwoo is indeed everyone's baby even though he’s almost taller than him already.
"No. Jungwoo samchon is big already. And also, Jeno now have an appa, right? Jaehyun samchon is Jeno's appa now, right?"
Jeno nodded happily.
"Jaehyun samchon also have an appa. And eomma too. You can call them halbae and halmae. In Seoul, you can see them all. They are all samchon's family, so they are your family too."
"Really?"
"Yes, baby. And now, you have to go back to sleep. Come on, I'll sing you a song and then we can go to sleep okay?"
Jaehyun looked back to see the small boy in his way too big pajamas holding his Mr. Bunny. A smile rose on his lips.
"Not just you, baby. All of us. Jeno, Sungchan, and samchon. Weren't you sleeping, why'd you wake up?"
Jeno plopped beside Jaehyun, looking at the suitcases in front of them.
"Cannot sleep. Samchon is gone."
Jaehyun smiled. He did wake up because he forgot to pack some of his clothes.
"Wanna accompany samchon?"
Jeno nodded happily.
"So, Jeno. This place we live on now, is Lucas samchon's house."
"Not Jaehyun samchon's house?"
"No. My house is in Seoul, and that is in Korea. Right now, we are in Qingdao, Shandong. And that’s in China. Tomorrow afternoon, we will be going back to Seoul so we can live in my own house."
"Jeno and Sungchan too?"
"Of course! All three of us. And then samchon will bring you to see samchon's family."
"Family?" Jeno looked up in confusion.
"You see, Jeno has a dongsaeng, right?"
"Sungchan!"
"Yes, that's right. Samchon also has a brother. His name is Jungwoo. But we all call him Woo."
"Samchon's brother is baby like Sungchan?"
Jaehyun laughed. Jungwoo is indeed everyone's baby even though he’s almost taller than him already.
"No. Jungwoo samchon is big already. And also, Jeno now have an appa, right? Jaehyun samchon is Jeno's appa now, right?"
Jeno nodded happily.
"Jaehyun samchon also have an appa. And eomma too. You can call them halbae and halmae. In Seoul, you can see them all. They are all samchon's family, so they are your family too."
"Really?"
"Yes, baby. And now, you have to go back to sleep. Come on, I'll sing you a song and then we can go to sleep okay?"
A/N
asdfghjkl jaehyun finally told his family!! and yep, his parents are pretty skeptical. but don't worry, the two cuties will do just fine wriggling into their grandparents' hearts ;)
and yes, jungwoo is going to be the best uncle possible uwu
Love, btfg <3
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