Outside SM High School

Woohyun slowed down his car driving close to Sunggyu, who refused to get into the car for a ride; Sunggyu was stubborn and Woohyun knew well he couldn’t force a teen to do what he wants; the teacher just hoped he doesn’t lose his patience and drive away.

“Sunggyu, get in the car.”

“No.”

“It’s dark and hard to find a bus or a taxi, don’t be stubborn and get in the car!”

“Leave me alone!!”

“I admit detention wasn’t necessary; I overreacted.”

“I agree.”

“I apologize.”

“Whatever.”

“I will drive away if you don’t get in; I’m tired and need rest, so get into the car now!”

“Then drive away!!! What’s stopping you!”

“Fine, whatever.”

Woohyun wasn’t kidding when he said that he’d drive away; begging a teen to get into a car for a ride isn’t something he’d do, but he had no other option. That boy lives with him and is now his responsibility.

Sunggyu, on the other hand, didn’t expect that the teacher would actually drive away and leave him in the middle of the street alone; what kind of human was he!!! Does he really call himself a teacher??

A car stopped for the teenager and lowered the car window, “Are you lost, boy?” Sunggyu simply ignored him and walked away, but the car kept on following him. “How about I give you a ride home?”

“No, thanks.”

“I can invite you to mine; it’s close; hop in.”

“. Off.”

“Come on~~; we can have fun-”

Suddenly Sunggyu felt someone grabbing his backpack from the back, “Hyung!”

Woohyun pulled Sunggyu behind him, “He doesn’t need your services, you can go home, sir”, the car drove away fast at that. “And you!! Get in the car.”

“But-”

“Shush, no word, not a single word, now get in before I lose it.”

“Fine, chill.”

The drive home was quiet; Sunggyu faked sleeping to avoid answering or talking to Woohyun; he was already embarrassed for crying in front of him like a kid and angry at him for giving him detention for no valid reason.

“I know you’re not sleeping”, no answer, eyes still closed. “let’s try to get along; we’re family now whether we liked it or not.”

“…”

Woohyun parked his car by his parents’ house, “look, I don’t like you either, but let’s pretend to get along until you graduate and move out and then let’s never meet again.”

Sunggyu opened his eyes, “Deal”, he then walked out from the car into the house.

“ing annoying!!”

Nam’s House

Once he was in, Sunggyu’s expression changed; he no longer looks mad nor upset; he smiled for Mr and Mrs Nam and greeted them with a hug like he always does; the elders were the only good thing that happened to him this summer.

“Where have you been? It’s late!”

Woohyun walked right behind him and answered on his behalf, “Sunggyu was helping me with few things at school.”

“Sunggyu needs to get home on time, eat and rest, don’t hold him back at school again, Woohyun, okay?”

“Yes, mom.”

“Now tell me, did you eat, Sunggyu?”

Woohyun wanted to slap the younger for lying and nodding; Sunggyu had nothing from the morning. “Hmm, I did.”

“Then why is your face pale?”

“I’m okay, just tired.”

“An extra meal won’t harm; I’m sure Uma cooked something for you.”

“Yes, I did; I’ll heat the food for you, go change and come down.”

“Hmm, Araso.”

“You too, son.”

“Araso, let’s go, Sunggyu.”

Woohyun rolled his eyes when Sunggyu’s face changed; looking at him, Sunggyu walked ahead of his teacher upstairs to avoid hearing lectures from him.

Upstairs

Woohyun finished showering and changing before he went to check on his three years old son, Nicky. But, the little boy wasn’t alone, Woohyun found Sunggyu watching over his son, who was sleeping.

Woohyun dropped a towel on the younger’s wet hair and dried it, not to catch a cold. “Let’s go eat; Nicky is sleeping already; he won’t wake up now.”

“Hmm.”

“Come on; I’m sure you have tones of assignments. It’s already late.”

“Whose fault is it!”

“You were late on your first day!”

“You left the house without me on purpose! You wanted me to be late.”

“So, childish, I’m not responsible for you! Nor your alarm; if you wish to stay up all night playing games, then I don’t care.”

“I wasn’t playing games-”

“And I don’t care what you were doing!”

“That’s not fair; you’re not listening to me again!”

“I’ll be downstairs.”

“Hyeongnim-” Woohyun was already gone, “.”

Woohyun had a three-year-old boy from his late wife; it broke his heart that he had a hand in separating him from his mother; that’s why hearing what Sunggyu said back in school hit him hard. The teacher didn’t need to be reminded about the accident; he was there himself; he knows precisely what happened. He is blaming himself for his wife’s death ever since.

Sunggyu was about to leave when the little boy reached for his finger, “Gyugyu?”

“Hmm~, I thought you’re sleeping” Nicky jumped on Sunggyu’s lap and hugged him, “can’t sleep?”

“Hmm, Gyugyu, sleep with me?”

“Araso, but I have to finish my home works okay?”

“Pewees?”

“Araso, Araso, let’s sleep”, Nicky cuddled Sunggyu when they got in the bed. “I don’t know bedtime stories.”

“Mama story?”

“I’ll tell you later, can we sleep? Gyugyu is tired.”

“Hmm, I love you, Gyugyu.”

“Hmm~, I love you too. Good night.”

“Nite~.”

When Nicky was born, Sunggyu was young too, so the little boy and Sunggyu kind of grew up together like siblings. Sunggyu didn’t mind being called Gyugyu as a shortcut; it was easier for the little boy and made them closer.

Nicky was aware that his mother is no longer around; he asked about her a few times, and Woohyun told him that she would watch him from the sky. And since she was gone, Sunggyu filled that gap to the point Nicky adapted to the situation where he no longer could see his mother. That put a massive burden on Sunggyu’s shoulders; Nicky now sees him as a sub for his mother.

When Woohyun returned upstairs to look for Sunggyu because he was late, he found him sleeping with his son. The teen seemed so tired that it would be harsh to wake him up at this moment even though he hadn’t eaten anything all day; instead, Woohyun covered them well and stayed by the bed watching over them all night.

Downstairs

The following day, Sunggyu woke up earlier than usual, he slept very early because of Nicky, and now he’s wide awake, which was good; it means he gets to finish his assignments before school time. Of course, Nicky tagged along and sat on his baby chair, eating whatever Sunggyu prepared for him. The easiest was dry cereal mixed with crackers and sliced strawberry with cottage cheese, practically whatever he found in the kitchen.

“Good morning, Sunggyu”, Hyojung is Boohyun’s wife, who is Woohyun’s older brother; they lived with Nam ever since they got married, unlike Woohyun, Boohyun loved to stay around his family.

“Good morning, Nuna.”

Hyojung was wearing her workout clothes, ready to go out for a jog, “Nicky is here too. Wow, you made him that?”

“Hmm, he was hungry.”

“Careful, Sunggyu, you don’t want Nicky to mistake you for his mother, do you?”

“What- I-”

“Imagine if you leave when you graduate, it will break Nicky’s little heart”, Hyojung took a piece of strawberry, “You’re too young for Woohyun; we all know you’ll eventually leave.”

“You seem sure about it.”

“Either that or Woohyun will dump you; he deserves more than a kid.”

“Sound like that you are the one who doesn’t want me around, Nuna.”

Hyojung smirked, “smart boy”, Boohyun got married recently in less than a year and Woohyun moving in with extras wasn’t in the plan; the house suddenly turned from all for themselves to a shared one. “So, hurry up and graduate; we need the extra rooms for our kids.”

Hyojung took the sandwich Sunggyu prepared for himself and took a bite from it. “That’s mine.”

“Not anymore; nothing is yours in this house, including Woohyun.”

Sunggyu couldn’t talk back; by the end of the day, he is younger. “Gyugyu, water~.”

Hyojung held Sunggyu’s arm when he rose from the chair to get Nicky water, “you’re not even blood related to them; you’re just Nicky young annoying uncle. You are a stranger, Sunggyu.”

SM High School

Woohyun gave Sunggyu a ride this time; he felt guilty for letting him do all the work for his kid. It was because Nicky was fully attached to the younger, so Sunggyu had no option. Like yesterday, Woohyun knows that Nicky asked Sunggyu to sleep with him, and because of that, the teen missed another meal and had to wake up early to finish school work.

“Thank you for looking after Nicky; I know he’s clingy to you.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I’ll talk to your coach; you can skip gym class and solve your assignments.”

“No need, I already did them this morning”, Sunggyu was still doing them in the car.

“I see, and did you bathe and fed Nicky too?” Sunggyu nodded, “thank you, but next time wake me up, I’ll help you. How about breakfast? Did you eat?”

Sunggyu lied and nodded again, “Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Can’t we move out to your house?”

“Why? What happened?”

“Nothing, I’m just asking.”

“No, because I need help; I can’t do this alone right now.”

“I see.”

“Sunggyu, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, can I have 5 minutes to finish this?”

“Hmm, I’ll wait.”

Teachers’ lounge

“Nothing”, Woohyun repeated, “All he says is nothing!”

Woohyun and Dongwoo were having their morning coffee alone this time; other teachers’ classes already started, “What make you think that something is bothering him?”

“Everything, but he doesn’t say a thing.”

“Woohyun, you have to take into consideration that Sunggyu is living with strangers. He only knew you all for like what? Three months?”

“I was his brother-in-law.”

“Come on, Woohyun, we all knew you avoided any interaction with him, and if your late wife didn’t ask you for help, you wouldn’t do this.”

True, during their marriage, Woohyun avoided any relationship with