The noise was ear shattering and the whiteness blinding. The screams of children up and down the corridor scared him and Yongguk sat uncomfortably in the chair. He coughed and looked around. Mothers surrounded him with their children. He felt oddly out of place.

            The other mothers gave him welcoming looks and they searched around for the little toddler that he didn’t seem to have. This roused their suspicions and one came over to talk to him. She was friendly, foreign and held a toddler in her arms. She spoke Korean well though and Yongguk felt slightly more at ease.

            “Hello, my name’s Ashley. Why are you here?”

            He ruffled his hair nervously. “Well, my wife’s in the doctor’s office right now and he’s giving our son his monthly checkup. I guess, I was parking the car and now I’m just waiting here.”

            She lit up, as all mothers do at the mention of a child. “How old is he?”

            “Three months old.”

            Ashley nodded, with all the wisdom that mothers seem to have. “Ah, first child I’m assuming? You’re very young. Three months is an important age. He needs his vaccines. My little Daniel here is nearly one year old. Would you like to play with him?”

            Yongguk laughed, unsure of how to answer but Ashley shoved her son in his arms. Daniel screamed, unused to a stranger and Yongguk automatically started to bop him up and down. The baby quieted and looked at the newcomer with curiosity.

            He leaned forward and touched Yongguk’s hair before shrieking with laughter. Yongguk was pulling funny faces, sticking his tongue out and flashing his gummy smile. Daniel hiccupped and started to clap his hands as Yongguk started to rap playfully.

            Ashley watched this man interact with her son and smiled. She looked at the other mothers and they nodded in approval. This man knew what he was doing. It was almost a conspiracy. A bunch of mothers gathered to test the abilities of this one new father.

            Yongguk placed Daniel on the table next to him and proceeded to play peek-a-boo. Whenever he lifted his hands away from his face, he had a new expression. He blew raspberries and tickled the boy.

            When Daniel attempted to crawl off the table, Yongguk lifted him in the air and sat with him on the floor, holding out blocks for him to build with and allowed the baby to crawl over his lap. The baby was happy and soon fell asleep in the comfort of Yongguk’s strong arms.

            Ashley shook her head. “He’s not even like this with his father. You have a good way with kids.”

            Yongguk blushed and looked down at the sleeping baby in his lap. “My wife’s taking a long time isn’t she?” he asked, not sure how long these checkups normally took.

            “Maybe the baby’s screaming in there and needs his daddy to comfort him?”

            “There you are!” Yongguk looked up and saw you making your way through the crowded waiting room. You were holding Yongwon as he drooled over your shoulder. He was hiccupping from crying over the shots and you were just trying to calm him down.

            Yongguk handed Daniel back to his mother and stood up to take Yongwon. “How did it go?”

            “He was a mess. Last month, he had a cold so he was quiet but now he’s colicky and annoyed and just bad-tempered all over, aren’t you, little baby?” Yongguk cooed at his son who was still jerking with tiny hiccups.

            “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what room you were in.” He apologized.

            You waved it away. “I see you made a new friend?”

            Yongguk knelt down and waved at Daniel who grabbed his pinky and shook it back and forth. His face broke into a toothless grin and Yongwon stopped, watching his father interact with the older boy in fascination.

            “Ashley, meet my wife. This is my son, Yongwon. Yongwon, say hi to Daniel-hyung.” Yongwon turned and latched his mouth on Yongguk’s collar and completely ignored the little boy who had his father’s attention just a few seconds before.

            Ashley hugged you in camaraderie and laughed. “I guess Yongwonnie’s a bit jealous of Daniel isn’t he?”

            You tried to release the fabric from his mouth but Yongguk shook his head. “It’s okay. I have another shirt in the car.”

            This brought a loud applause from the other mothers who had been watching. “He comes prepared!”

            “This is a father who is ready to be a father,” many whispered and you looked around, thoroughly amused.

            Yongguk waved once more at Daniel and bowed good bye to the mothers and Ashley. You too waved your goodbyes and the two of you walked out. Yongguk juggled Yongwon and your heavy bag and you bumped his hip playfully.

            “I see you’re getting quite popular with the mothers. They were very attentive when I was waiting with Yongwon.”

            Yongguk placed Yongwon in his car seat and buckled your now sleeping son safely. He got out of the car and pulled a face at your comment. “It seemed more like they were putting me to a test. They were watching my every move and trying to determine if I was a fail daddy or not.”

            You tiptoed to kiss his nose. “It’s okay, Gukkie. I think you’re a great daddy and so does your son. That’s all that matters.”

Daddy Bang request