Leeteuk and Heechul had great relationship. They were in love, but after 17 years their love is gone and only hate stayed. They decide to divorce and try to split fast and in peace because they have one child, Yesung who is soon turning 17. They both love him, but due to Leeteuk’s job, Yesung stayed with Heechul.

Their lawyers settled everything. Heechul got their flat, Leeteuk is sending money every month and he can spend weekends with their son. Yesung doesn’t need to travel so much if he wants to see his dad because Leeteuk found an apartment just 20 minutes away from their old home. It doesn’t mean that Leeteuk spends much time with his son. He is a lawyer so he spends lots of time in his office and often works at home. Heechul’s friend helped him to find a job in a bank. He was nervous because he didn’t work since they had Yesung, but his new job is from 8 to 5 so he can be with his son because Yesung’s school ends at 3, he is alone just for 2 hours.

Yesung has always been really shy, but the divorce helped him to find friends. Ryeowook and Kyuhyun both know how bad can divorce be.

“Trust me, sooner or later your father will find someone else. He will find new friends, new hobbies … and then he will have stupid excuses why he can’t come and eventually you will be forgotten.”

Yesung is silently stabbing the salad on his plate and tries not to cry. Kyuhyun was speaking about his father who didn’t show up the last weekend. Ryeowook is cynical, he is always saying such depressive things. That isn’t helping Yesung. His dad also missed the last two weekends they were supposed to spend together. Yesung doesn’t want to panic, but is his dad forgetting about him?

The week is long and Yesung’s panic is rising. Will his dad come this weekend? Friday comes and Yesung is watching the TV. His dad should come in the evening and Yesung is anxiously waiting. Heechul is also waiting. He always tries to minimize the stress for his son, but he is still bitter. Leeteuk can’t just ignore their son. Heechul angrily dials the number of his ex-husband.

“You know very well that this weekend is yours! Yesung is waiting for you so get your here, right now!”

Heechul thinks that he is quiet, but his voice is growing louder due to his anger.

“Come and get Yesung! Or tell him that you are busy.”

Yesung is trying to watch the TV, but he is listening very carefully. He hates when they argue, he always try to act well to avoid angering them. He always tries to have the best grades, he keeps his room tidy and helps with chores, but they always get angry no matter what.

Heechul angrily ends the call and enters the living room with a fake smile.

“I am hungry, are you hungry? We should order pizza.”

Yesung nods, but feels tears prick his eyes. He can’t cry in front of mom, he can’t show that he is sad. Heechul orders big pizza with lots of chicken meat and sits down next to his son.

“What about school? Is everything okay? Do you need help with some homework?”

Yesung shakes his head no and watches the TV. He can’t cry, but he knows his dad isn’t coming again and it makes him sad. They watch the TV, eat pizza and then Yesung heads in bed. He watches the city outside and tries to stop himself from crying.

It isn’t Leeteuk fault that his job is keeping him busy all the time. He loves his son, but why should Yesung be with him when he has work to do?

On Monday Ryeowook immediately knows that Yesung’s father didn’t come. They don’t speak about it. Yesung and Ryeowook are sitting together during the whole day, but Yesung doesn’t speak much and Ryeowook knows how much it hurts when your dad doesn’t love you. After school they go in a near mall and spend some time there before saying goodbye and going home.

A box is already waiting there for Yesung. Leeteuk always feels bad for not spending time with Yesung so he sends him gifts. Today he sent Balenciaga backpack. Yesung barely looks at it, he doesn’t ask for new things. He is scared of being a burden. Heechul comes home and sees that Yesung is already eating ramen from a plastic cup.

“I have some news, I am having a team building in Jeju Island. I am leaving next Friday and I will be there for the whole weekend.”

Yesung just shrugs and thinks about the next weekend. What will he do? His dad probably won’t come so he will have to find some fun alone. Heechul also doesn’t want to leave his son alone, but he can’t say no to that team building. He likes his new job and needs to spend time with his colleagues. The day of his departure came and Heechul reminds Yesung to be good. School is more boring than usually, the only good thing is that this Friday school is shorter and he can go home sooner. Unfortunately the weather is bad and a storm strikes right after Yesung steps out of the building. He has no umbrella and then he misses his bus. Yesung’s clothes are soaked and he has to wait for another bus before finally getting home. He unlocks the front door with sneezing and trembling in cold.

Yesung stumbles in the bathroom and starts a warm shower. He feels a bit better after standing in the shower for a long time and then he quickly puts on his warmest pajama. Yesung gets in the bed and hopes he will be warm soon. However, he wakes up 2 hours later and feels that his throat is sore. His head also hurts and he feels sick. Yesung rolls over and whines. Why is he alone when he is sick?!

Yesung has no idea that his mom tried to call him many times. Heechul is nervous and thinks about flying back home. A thin voice in the back of his head is whispering him what he has to do. Leeteuk. Leeteuk is the only option. Heechul dials his number and angrily waits until he picks it up.

“Yesung isn’t answering my calls. His friends also don’t know what is wrong with him. You need to check on him.”

Leeteuk looks on the high piles of papers around his office and sighs.

“Are you sure?”

Leeteuk flinches when Heechul’s cursing started and immediately gets up from his chair. Leeteuk still has the keys from their old flat so he has no problem with getting inside. The flat is silent and dark. Maybe that he is out and simply doesn’t hear his phone. Leeteuk sees that the flat is still the same, only his photos are gone. Leeteuk knocks on the door of Yesung’s room and when he gets no answer he enters.

Only Yesung’s head is peeking from underneath blankets and Leeteuk comes closer. He was thinking that Yesung is just sleeping, but then he sees how sweaty and red is the face of his only son.

“Yesung?”

The boy barely moves, he is too tired and sick to open his eyes. Leeteuk hurries in the bathroom where must be some medicine. He grabs everything he needs and hurries back in the room.

“Everything will be okay.”

Leeteuk isn’t sure if he speaks with Yesung or with himself. Then he realizes he has to call Heechul right now and tell him that Yesung is sick. Heechul panics and wants to fly back home, but Leeteuk stopped him.

“Your work is important, I will take care of him.”

Heechul is on the edge of tears, but promises to stay in Jeju Island and focus on his work. Leeteuk has never taken care of their son when he was sick. He orders soup from a near Italian restaurant and goes to soak a small towel in cold water. He places it on Yesung’s burning forehead and goes to prepare hot tea.

“Yesungie, wake up. You have to drink something.”

His son slowly opens his eyes and takes a sip of the tea. The cold towel is pleasant on his hot skin and Leeteuk fixes the blankets a bit.

“Don’t worry, dad is going to take care of you.”

Leeteuk smiles and Yesung’s sweaty hair. The soup arrived and Leeteuk slowly feeds him. He hopes the medicine will work soon, but until then he will at least give him a sponge bath. He can’t leave his son sweaty.

Leeteuk is running the sponge across Yesung’s chest when Yesung started to cough really bad. Leeteuk pats his son’s back and then dresses him in clean pajama. Leeteuk his hair and looks around the room. He sees the unused gifts he bought for the missed weekends and sighs.

“I am not the best father.”

Leeteuk rubs his forehead and brings a few pillows and blankets from the main bedroom. He will sleep on the carpet right next to Yesung’s bed.

The night is bad. Yesung coughed a lot, his fever went down just a bit and Leeteuk’s back hurts from sleeping on the floor. He cooks a porridge for breakfast and calls Heechul to inform him about Yesung’s condition. Yesung eats a bit before falling asleep again and Leeteuk decides to clean the flat a bit.

It is almost evening when Yesung wakes up and sees his dad sitting next to him. He has one important question he needs to say, but he is scared to hear the answer.

“Do you have a new family?”

Leeteuk gasps in shock and shakes his head.

“No, no. Why do you think that?”

Yesung shrugs a bit and looks away.

“My friend Ryeowook .... his parents divorced and his dad quickly found a new family. He has new kids and doesn’t want Ryeowook.”

Leeteuk kisses the top of his son’s head and smiles.

“I know I was neglecting you, but I love you. We both love you.”

Leeteuk orders pizza and then helps Yesung in the living room. They will watch some movie and just rest. It feels nice to be together like this. They have a whole weekend to be together and Leeteuk has plans to speak a lot with his son. His child, the little baby he cradled in his arms can’t think that he doesn’t love him.

THE END