The next day, Kyungsoo and Baekhyun along with Luhan take their routine walk to the daycare. It's hours past classes when they think of coming, because they have a thesis to even be mindful about. 

Kyungsoo's got a grasp about the whole Chanyeol and Jungsoo's mother's situation from Baekhyun and he's glad Baekhyun doesn't seem all too moody about it. He does seem a little sad, because who wouldn't after finding out someone you like still loves someone who's probably his ex? Told Baekhyun he'd fight for her to his parents, too! Baekhyun's surprisingly happy, though. Skipping through the halls, if not sliding across floors. It's the normal Baekhyun and Kyungsoo's just happy. 

 

Kyungsoo couldn't be too focused taking care of the kids, though, because then a tan figure enters the daycare with his hands in his pocket looking like or feeling like he's the coolest man to ever walk the Earth. 

 

Does he feel fly like a G6 with the way he blows on his bangs upward? 

 

Or does he think he moves like jagger?

 

Err—

 

"Well, look at that. If it isn't the top scarer of the Monster's University entering," Kyungsoo says out of the blue.  

 

"Who?" Luhan asks in curiosity. 

 

So Kyungsoo bounds over to this dark creature seated on one of the benches, crosses his arms, and stares at him daggers.

 

"Do you feel that?" Jongin looks up at him, bracing himself as if it's cold. 

 

"I feel like I'm being scrutinized by big eyes." He looks left and right for exaggerated effect and acts as if he's ty shaking and scared from it. 

 

"Well, you are," Kyungsoo huffs. "And what are you doing here," Kyungsoo pauses, "again???"

 

Jongin drops the act and looks up at Kyungsoo with equal annoyance. "Last time I checked, it's none of your business."

 

"Whatever, I can't be bothered," Kyungsoo waves him off. "It's 4 in the afternoon and I don't even know why you're here, but assuming that you're subbing for Mr. Park to fetch his son, the daycare closes at 7. Also, the kid's not fond of you and I still haven't forgotten that, so I'm giving you options. Stay here and bore your for 3 more hours or get out."

 

"Harsh," Jongin sarcastically retorts, puts a palm over his chest for effect, "but someone seems to care," he hoots, but Kyungsoo's walked off the opposite side to hear.

 

 

 

 

 

Come afternoon, Jungsoo is grumpy when Baekhyun gives him away to Jongin. Jungsoo actually half protested 30 minutes before closing time that he'd rather go to Baekhyun's and hang or somewhere along those lines, but then Baekhyun remarked that Chanyeol had texted him specifically to hand Jungsoo over to Jongin if he won't be there by 7. They even called him just to clarify. Honestly, Baekhyun's a little sad he won't be seeing Chanyeol's handsome glory today and Jungsoo's just as grumpy with hands on his cheeks and lifeless-looking eyes because Jongin's there and he doesn't seem to have any choice out. Anyway, his appa has talked this through with him the night before. He just didn't think it would be this soon.

 

Baekhyun, Luhan, and Kyungsoo has also gone off now leaving Jongin and Jungsoo outside the daycare as Joonmyun closes. They're just quietly sitting at the bench with a remarkable distance from each other, because Jungsoo insists he needs some time to think. Jongin just thinks it's being over dramatic and emotional and he thinks it's really unnecessary, but he wouldn't say it because he sort of promised Chanyeol he won't irritate the kid. Well, because if he does, he'll get kicked out their house. 

 

"Maybe I sort of know why you don't like me Jungsoo-yah, but I'm trying." Jongin is the first to speak. 

 

"You should know."

 

"It's not my fault I'm tan."

 

"Maybe it's not that."

 

"It's not my fault I dance just fine."

 

"Mhmm." Jungsoo sounds bored.

 

"But your dad specifically told me to bring you home and I'm staying over for a few weeks, right? So we need to somehow get along, because you can't really ignore my handsome face. We'll probably be best friends ever for those few weeks."

 

"Okay, just take me home hyung. I'm too tired to think of how much I dislike you." Jungsoo stands up and Jongin follows suit. Jungsoo reaches out his hand to clasp with Jongin's and no, it's not because he likes Jongin. It's just protocol.

 

They start walking in the cold night, taking steps to decrease the one kilometer walk home quite apparently.

 

"Actually, it's because you talk about girls a lot to appa." Jongin's startled when Jungsoo initiates conversation. "You snort. You do this ugly dancing thing."

 

"I dance just fine, Jungsoo-yah."

 

"But it's noisy. And you have thick lips."

 

"You're insulting me." Jongin stops walking and he tickles Jungsoo.

 

"Hyung!" Jungsoo starts laughing unconsciously, hands still tickling at his sides. "Stop that! Stop, hyung!"

 

Jongin stops, pouts, and they resume walking. "Am I really that bad?"

 

"I get scared of you a lot. You shock me a lot of times and you don't even say sorry."

 

"I don't. You just get scared. You're over reacting, Jungsoo."

 

"No, I'm not!" Jungsoo defends. "But I do know you're not that bad, because appa doesn't make friends with bad guys. Maybe you're just a little weird."

 

"Wow, thanks."

 

"Chanyeol, your son, really," Jongin mumbles under his breath. He doesn't say it but he imagines what Chanyeol's reply may be and he thinks it'd go something like, 'Very cute like me' and he honestly thinks he wants to vomit at the thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Appa, am I wrong about Luhan hyung and Baekhyun hyung?"

 

"Luhan's the new volunteer, right?"

 

Jungsoo nods.

 

"But what about them?"

 

"Because Baekhyun hyung can't have another best friend. His best friend's Kyungsoo hyung, right?"

 

"Yes...and?"

 

"Can two guys be in love? Is that still love?"

 

Chanyeol keeps mum, suddenly thinking that it's still taboo for a topic at Jungsoo's tender age. 

 

"Is Luhan hyung Baekhyun hyung's boyfriend?"

 

Chanyeol appears to have his mouth hang wide open now, refusing to answer, wondering and thinking of the possibility where Jungsoo's curiosity may have spurred or what inspired him suddenly thinking like that and where did that idea even come from? It hasn’t even been a day that he’s left Jungsoo with Jongin, but there’s still a possibility that the idea came from one of the series’ Jongin’s watching on TV. He thinks he can't suddenly find a thing to say as response to that as he looks at the remarkable peel of wallpaper on the wall.

 

"Can't they be just friends?" Chanyeol throws back in question.

 

Chanyeol doesn't, however, hear nothing more of it from Jungsoo. It makes the situation much worse, though, as Jongin slips through the living room after hearing their little conversation as he ate in the kitchen.

 

"So that's why," Jongin chimes, sitting beside Chanyeol on a couch.

 

"So that's why what?" Chanyeol asks in obvious disagreement of the tone Jongin's implying with his statement.

 

"That's why they seem close."

 

"You think so?" Chanyeol pouts.

 

Truthfully, Jongin was just meaning to keep the conversation going in hope of finding out answers to Chanyeol's reaction regarding Jungsoo's surprising questions. But now it appears as though there's something more to it what with the way Chanyeol's pouting and seems utterly distracted with the acquired information.

 

So Jongin says, "I don't think so. I'm most sure."

 

Chanyeol just scrunches both his brows together in reaction, sighing a sigh Jongin's sure not to miss. 

 

So it surprises Chanyeol when Jongin whispers something to him he's got his eyes as wide as saucers for.

 

"Park Chanyeol, between Luhan and Baekhyun, who do you like?"

 

Chanyeol doesn't answer. 

 

"You must be wondering. But if you must know, it's written all over your face."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's in the middle of the week when Chanyeol bursts in pure outrage and jealousy, because he sees right in front of his very eyes Luhan kissing Baekhyun on the cheek. It was enough with Jungsoo previously heightening jealousy, but witnessing it for himself? The next second the duo shifts position and now Luhan's keeping Baekhyun in a headlock. Jungsoo's gone home with Jongin, Chanyeol's sure, because he specifically just really passed by the daycare before closing time because he just wants to see Baekhyun. 

 

"You're being really touchy, xiao Lu." Baekhyun specifically eyes Luhan's vice-like grip on his arms, keeping him at arm’s length whenever Luhan just as much goes to another room. "You sure that confession was fake?"

 

Instead of a proper reply, Baekhyun gets a kiss on the cheek and is put in a headlock by Luhan who's vibrating off laughter and wiping his invisible tears away. "No, of course not. Awful!"

 

"There are kids looking, Luhan. What is up with you?" Baekhyun asks. "Too. Sticky," Baekhyun remarks as he attempts to break out of Luhan's hold.

 

"I can't?" Luhan asks and he's got this certain smirk he wears only on certain occasions as if teasing.

 

Chanyeol truthfully was just supposed to pass by and act as though he still doesn't know Jungsoo's gone home, so he surprises himself when he finds himself out of his car, taking big steps as he winds past Joonmyun and stands right before the couple. 

 

"Then why?" Baekhyun asks, still clueless. 

 

"Look behind you."

 

"Wh—"

 

Right on cue, Chanyeol takes a firm hold of Baekhyun's wrist and ushers him outside to take a breather. 

 

"I have a few questions I've been meaning to ask," Chanyeol utters, "so is it okay?"

 

"Y-yeah." Baekhyun's still quite unsure what this is all about and he's definitely sure Chanyeol is angry and he thinks he's more handsome wearing the expression, but then...

 

"Good, because my patience could only take so much."

 

Baekhyun flinches.

 

"So are you together?"

 

"With who?" Baekhyun sounds disbelieving himself, can't figure why Chanyeol's asking this, and why he even suspected him to have someone special.

 

"Luhan? Is that his name?" 

 

"We're not together."

 

And there goes Baekhyun's famous eye smile that truthfully breaks Chanyeol's cold demeanor right at the very moment. 

 

"Good," Chanyeol pauses. "Do you know why I trust you?"

 

"No."

 

"Do you know why I kept my distance?"

 

"No."

 

"Do you know why I'm about to tell you I'm not Jungsoo's dad?" 

 

"Wai—wha—"

 

"Well, I think it's just stupid the way my heart beats when you're—"

 

"Slow down, Chanyeol."

 

"—around. I know I'm usually cool and aloof with other people, but with you—"

 

"Chan—"

 

"—I can't. I think the whole point of what I just really said is that—"

 

"—yeol."

 

"I think I like you and you're the only one who could help me out. And I... I think it's not just panic anymore. I kept on denying, but it just kept on getting harder to defy when I do. I kept telling myself I fear you, because you're slowly becoming the person Jungsoo's always searching for. I thought I was jealous of you, because Jungsoo's becoming closer to you now, but..."

 

Chanyeol thinks he missed the way Baekhyun's face contorts in happiness just as he does, because isn't that absolute relief. Chanyeol doesn't know if it's out of impulse, but he purposely brings himself down lower and encases Baekhyun in a hug whilst whispering, "I really like you, Byun Baekhyun."