There was a very noticable contrast between the Onew who was dating Joon versus the Onew who had to bury his affections deep down inside of him for the sake of keeping the peace in his home. And it was hard, but Onew would have liked to think that he was getting through it alright. 

It was a few days after the break up and singing, dancing Onew was dead. The sullen father quietly made his sons' lunches as they surrounded him, not really knowing what to do.

The three boys looked to each other with uncertainty, not knowing their dad could be this deflated nor knowing how to deal with it. Without spending the extra time on the theatrics that usually accompanied lunchmaking, it went rather quickly. Onew handed out the bag lunches, never forgetting to kiss each son on the top of the head.

"Ah... Appa?" the youngest of the boys, bravely asked out, getting the attention of his father. "Why are you sad?"

Onew furrowed his brows to the little boy. "Appa's not sad, baby. Just tired. Don't worry." His voice was raspy from a night filled with crying.

"Are you sure? Mrs. Woo says everybody feels sad sometimes. Do you wanna play with my toys so you can feel better?" Taemin asked.

Onew melted at his son's generous offer. "Hey..." he started, picking up the child to carry on his waist. "Have you ever seen your Appa sad?"

Taemin thought for a second before shaking his head definitively and Onew continued. "Want to know why?"

Taemin nodded this time as the other two boys watched quietly. "Because Appa has nothing to be sad about." He kissed Taemin's cheek and put the boy down. "Nothing." Onew repeated, this time making eye contact with Key and Minho. "Nothing at all." Onew said one last time in a quiet mumble to himself. 

He headed out of the kitchen. "Why don't you guys get settled into the car, okay?" Onew said before going upstairs to get some final things together before work. Each boy with their lunch grabbed their bookbag and headed to the car. 

Minho suddenly broke the silence. "You broke Dad."

"Shut up, Minho. You don't know anything about it." Key rolled his eyes as he led his brother out the front door. 

"Dad was happy. Now, he's not. Your fault." Minho shrugged, helping Taemin into the car before hopping in himself. Key sighed, getting into the passenger seat.

As Key went through his day, Minho's words followed him the entire time. 'Why should I be guilty? I don't do anything wrong. He chose to break up with that guy. Not my fault.' Key determined as he sat at the lunch table, opening his bag lunch. He pulled out his sandwich and unwrapped it, almost taking a bite before he got a whiff of what it was.

"Ugh. He gave me Minho's lunch." Key mumbled. PB&J. He hated peanut butter. 

"Hey, Key-baby!" Greeted Jonghyun as he plopped next to his boyfriend in the lunchroom. "You been ghosting me, man."

"Sorry, there’s just been some drama in the Lee household." Key said distractedly, staring at the incorrect sandwich in his hands.

"What happened?" Jonghyun asked, digging into his cafeteria meatloaf.

"Just my dad. On the weekend, he broke up with that guy he's been seeing." Key mentioned nonchalantly, finally placing the sandwich down.

"What?? The guy who came to the show?" Jonghyun almost choked on his meatloaf. "Really? I thought you said he was really into that guy."

Key scoffed. "Yeah, a little too into that guy if you ask me,” he mumbled.

"Well, is your dad okay?"

"Of course he is. Why wouldn't he be?"

Jong frowned. "Well..." he started, only to be cut off.

"He's dated people before this and he's been fine. Why should it be different this time?" Key questioned intensely.

"Yeah, but.."

”Like this one guy comes along and suddenly, he’s at my show, in the house, sitting on the couch?” he rambled.

”Key..”

"And okay, so he's lonely? Everyone is lonely. Why should he be lonely anyway? He has us!" This time, Jonghyun didn't attempt to respond, warranting an irritated. "Aren't you gonna say something?" from Key.

"Uhh... are you gonna eat that?" Jonghyun pointed at the sandwich on the table. Key sighed and waived his hand in dismissal, a signal for Jonghyun to claim the untouched PB&J.

"Anyway, you didn't like the guy and now he's gone. So what's the problem?" Jong asked with a mouthful of sandwich.

Key went to respond but found that he couldn't answer that question. 'I don't know.' he thought with a pout.

All Joon's life, he had been a rather attractive guy. He's bounced from relationsip to relationship, never so much as taking a breath in between. He's had exes who were great and some who weren't but Onew... he was a whole different playing field. Never had a person plagued Joon’s mind the way Onew did. He literally couldn't go 5 minutes without thinking about the other, and his chest sank in every time that he did.

Was his relationship with Onew really over? After weeks of dating? Joon knew there was no way he could compete with Onew's kids. And he didn't want to. He didn't even know why he thought he could've been in a relationship with someone who had children. It was all just too complicated. Joon rolled over in his bed, all alone and full of melancholy.  

Until he heard the rustling of keys at his door. He rolled back over onto his stomach, not even caring if it was a burglar or murderer. He just didn't care.

"CHANGGIE!" Cheondoong called as he entered his friend's house, hands occupied with coffee cups. Joon groaned in annoyance after realizing that the person breaking into his house wasn't going put him out of his misery.

"I know you're in hereee." Cheondoong sang as he traveled towards Joon's room. Upon reaching it, Cheondoong was greeted with the sight of what sloppy mess was left of Joon. He was in a stained tank top and gracing a crusty 5 o’clock shadow.

”Oh, Joonie.” Cheondoong shook his head, placing the coffees down on the nightstand. “Come on, hyung, get up.” Joon responded with a low opposi