“So what about you?”

 

Dongwoo rose his eyebrows, looking at his best friend inquisitively. “What about me?”

 

Sungyeol wrapped his arm around the shorter man’s neck, playfully ruffling his hair. “Come on, you’re holding out on me! We haven’t talked in ages. I’ve given you my scoop, so now it’s your turn! I don’t know why Sunggyu called you in or why Hoya isn’t here trying to not so subtly indulge in his competitive streak and win the race, I don’t even know what you had for breakfast this morning! What’s up with this distance between us?”

 

The blonde pushed him off, shaking his head. “You’re so dramatic. I had some toast and coffee for breakfast this morning.”

 

“Someone is living large,” Sungyeol said sarcastically, to which Dongwoo responded with a nudge.

 

“Hey, I was tired and my sleep got interrupted! I’ll have you know that Hoya woke me up when he was rummaging about at some god awful hour getting ready for work-”

 

“Yes, I’m sure it was his rummaging that roused you from your sleep.” Dongwoo narrowed his eyes at him, a pink tint covering his cheeks.

 

“You know that I’m just waiting for the day you get a boyfriend, solely for the fact that I need to be able to embarrass about your life.”

 

“After dealing with you two lovebirds for years and all the opportunities you give me to tease you-” Sungyeol shrugged his shoulders, “I guess I probably deserve it… but enough about that and my nonexistent life. What was so drastically important that Sunggyu had to interrupt our lunch date? I’ll have you know that I would scold him if he were here, but I’m pretty sure that Sunggyu is the only person who hates working out more than I do, so the probability of him writing a check and bowing out of the physical activity is painfully high.”

 

Dongwoo laughed loudly, startling one of the other race’s participants who was passing by. “You’re so right. You should have seen his face when Yongguk invited him to participate! He tossed the flyer in the bin and pulled out his checkbook in seconds.”

 

“Hey, as long as we are supporting the cause! And I can’t even front, I was totally planning on giving Yongguk a check too, until a certain someone dragged me out here.” Dongwoo pinched Sungyeol’s arm.

 

“Exercise is good! And chasing Jiseonnie around the house does not count as cardio.”

 

“Aish, even if I did work out, you know that look doesn’t suit me! If I had muscles like you and Hoya, I’d probably look ridiculous!” Sungyeol defended himself, flexing his not so defined arms.

 

“No, you’re right Sungyeollie. You’re beautiful just the way you are! You’ve definitely got that pretty boy look going on.” Dongwoo winked at him, and Sungyeol linked arms with him again.

 

“Damn right, I do. Do you see this flawless unattainable complexion I have achieved naturally? Even top model Kiseop admitted that he would have to spend hours at a salon in order to look this good.”

 

“Oh Kiseop. Our oh, so intelligent Kiseop.” Dongwoo shook his head. “He isn’t exactly one of the brightest crayons in the box. God, I remember I had to talk Hoya out of smacking some sense into him when I was playing in that intramural league last summer. You know how the court we use isn’t exactly the biggest, and that you can hear everything from the stands?”

 

Sungyeol nodded, having attended the games with Jiseon more than once. “Well, one day the other team we were supposed to play against didn’t show up, but none of us wanted to go home without shooting some hoops, so we decided play a little 2 on 2. Kiseop volunteered, actually more like demanded for me to join him on the skins team.” Sungyeol blinked blankly and Dongwoo laughed.

 

“Sorry, I forget that you are hopeless when it comes to anything concerning athletics.”

 

“Hey, that’s not true! I know that soccer in America is called football everywhere else!” Sungyeol defended rather lamely.

 

“...anyway, basically if you are playing basketball but you don’t have uniforms, you can divide the teams by making one side keep their tops on and the other side takes their shirts off. Hence the term, shirts versus skins,” Dongwoo explained helpfully.

 

“Oh, I get it now! So Kiseop volunteered for you to take your shirt off without asking you and Hoya got mad?”

 

“Not necessarily; we both know that I’m not exactly the modest type. Being on the skins team didn’t bother me.”

 

“True. So what set Hoya off?”

 

“I think it was more of Kiseop’s obvious staring and inquiries about my so called ‘gorgeous’ six pack, along with mentions of us needing to spend time together to improve our bodies, and at one point he even tried to trace the lines of my abs with his finger.”

 

Sungyeol burst out laughing, not the least bit surprised. “Oh my god, I wish I could have been there. I can just imagine those eyebrows furrowing and the strength of judgement coming from Hoya in the stands. No wonder Kiseop called him possessive; he probably felt the heat from the eyes watching his every move!”

 

“Yeah, needless to say, Hoya wasn’t too fond of Kiseop interrupting our workouts at the gym after that point. He didn’t exactly appreciate Kiseop’s compliments about my body or his desire to spend more time with me. And Kiseop doesn’t exactly know how to take a hint either.”

 

Sungyeol scoffed, “No kidding! He actually had the audacity to ask me out on a second date! Someone clearly doesn’t know how to read body language. Remind me again why I don’t hate you for forcing me to experience the worst date ever?”

 

“Because I love you, and it was all a part of a master plan.” Dongwoo smiled sweetly at him and Sungyeol rolled his eyes.

 

“So you claim. What were we talking about anyway? How did we get to here?”

 

Dongwoo laughed, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t know, but we should table all Kiseop matters indefinitely. I feel like if we keep talking about him, he’ll appear.”

 

“Don’t put that out into the universe!” Sungyeol looked around nervously for any signs of the model, making his best friend laugh even harder.

 

“Oh come on, do you really think that Kiseop would be the type to join a marathon for charity?”

 

“You’re right, the coast is totally clear. But I’m over him anyway, he’s lame and he uses coupons.”

 

“A coupon?!” Dongwoo looked mortified, and Sungyeol shook his head sadly.

 

“Trust me, you don’t want to know. All I’m saying is that the next boy you choose better be the real deal. And you better not abandon me before the date at the last minute! You have to help me get ready, the other day was a total nightmare trying to make choices on my own. My closet is still destroyed and my bathroom counter is covered in various hair products.”

 

Dongwoo laughed, hooking his arm with Sungyeol’s and leaning his head on his shoulder. “That’s what best friends are for! To be there for you; except when their nagging bosses call to ruin the afternoon.”

 

“Oh wait! That’s what we were talking about! Sunggyu! Why did he call you in?”

 

The blonde rolled his eyes, pouting even though Sungyeol couldn’t see it. “Emergency my . Sunggyu assigned me a new partner, and he just wanted me to show him the ropes. He’s young and sweet though, real eager to prove himself.”

 

“Sounds awesome. Make him your minion!”

 

“You are so evil!” Dongwoo giggled, shaking his head. “I don’t know… he’s actually pretty okay. He seems smart and he’s enthusiastic about helping me with the case. Maybe I’ll instill all my wisdom into him, make him my protege.”

 

“I still vote minion.” Dongwoo elbowed Sungyeol in the ribs, who immediately did the same back as they laughed. “Well, I’m sure Hoya likes the idea of someone watching your back. You know he worries about you more than he will ever let on. Where is our handsome doctor anyway?”

 

“At the hospital.”

 

“Still?” Sungyeol was a bit surprised. “But it’s so late… I didn’t think they were working him that hard anymore.”

 

“They aren’t, thank god. It’s more of a… special circumstance.”

 

“Which means?”

 

The blonde sighed, biting his lip. “It’s complicated.”

 

“We’ve got time.” Sungyeol softly. “I mean, I actually have no idea how long it takes to walk a 5K, but you know if you need to talk that I can make time.” He tried to joke, nudging Dongwoo’s arm. “Just get it off your chest.”

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it, it’s just sad and you might be… sensitive to the issue.”

 

“I’m your best friend, I can handle it.”

 

Dongwoo chose to believe him, their steps gradually getting slower. “Well there’s this patient and… Hoya is attached. Like really attached and now I am too-”

 

“Wait, how could you be attached? Did you meet his patient?”

 

The blonde ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “I guess I should start from the beginning. Long story short, there’s this baby; this wonderful, beautiful baby boy who doesn’t have anyone. His mom literally forced herself into labor, and now she doesn’t want anything to do with him. Hoya’s been staying late to keep the baby company, and today during lunch I went to visit the both of them in the NICU…” Dongwoo trailed off when he felt Sungyeol’s body tense up next to him. He was nervous about bringing up the subject around his best friend, he didn’t want to dig up painful memories from the past. “Sungyeollie, if this hits too close to home… we don’t have to talk about this.”

 

Sungyeol rested his head on top of Dongwoo’s, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “No… I mean, it’s been five years, right? It’s okay.”

 

“But if it really isn’t-”

 

“It’s just…” Sungyeol paused, pushing down those feelings before they became too big. “I know it’s been a long time but when I think of hospitals and the NICU… I just think of Jiseon being there and I- I don’t know, I feel like I’m suffocating.”

 

“It’s okay, you’re allowed to feel that way.” Dongwoo wrapped an arm around Sungyeol’s waist. “We were all scared and concerned back then, but you are Jiseon’s father. It’s understandable that your scars go deeper. But you’re here now and you have a beautiful little girl, and the two of you are so happy together. That’s the important thing.”

 

Sungyeol returned the gesture, rubbing Dongwoo’s side. “I know. God, I . We were talking about you and I made it all about me. I’m sorry.”

 

“Apology not accepted because it was unnecessary.” Dongwoo smiled at him, and Sungyeol felt the guilt dissipate.

 

“Is the baby okay? Is he going to get better?” Thankfully Dongwoo nodded, and Sungyeol felt the weight lift off his shoulders. “Oh, that’s great Dongwoo. I’m so happy to hear that.”

 

Dongwoo nodded, a smile coming over his face. “He’s an adorable little thing. He’s got big pretty eyes and even though he’s… where he is… he seems like he’s happy. I really think that he’ll make a full recovery. I didn’t get to spend too long with him, but while I was there he was playful and interacted with me, and it felt like he enjoyed our company.”

 

Sungyeol moved his hand to Dongwoo’s head, patting his hair softly. “Everything will work out Dongwoo. It’s okay to be nervous but if I learned anything from back then, it’s that you got to have a little faith. Hoya’s an amazing doctor, and if he’s taking care of this baby, then I’m sure that everything will work out for the best for him.”

 

“Sooyong.”

 

Sungyeol turned his head, looking at Dongwoo with confusion. “Sooyong?”

 

Dongwoo smiled, his heart feeling a bit warmer at the memory. “Yeah… that’s his name. He didn’t have one so me and Hoya gave him one. It’s cute, don’t you think?”

 

Sungyeol smiled back, ruffling the shorter man’s hair. “It’s perfect. And if Sooyong is as adorable as you say he is, then I’m sure it’s the perfect name for him.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Your thanks are not accepted because it was unnecessary.” Sungyeol said mockingly, making the blonde laugh. “Seriously though. You and Hoya have such big hearts and you’re the best kind of people. Sooyong will get better if you spend time with him; you two are a great influence.”

 

“Aww, you’re getting all sentimental on me Sungyeollie. You love your hyung, don’t you?” Dongwoo teased, pinching his cheeks.

 

“Only if you promise not to drag me on more unnecessary excursions for physical activity.” Sungyeol bargained, making Dongwoo nod.

 

“Fine. But only because I would much rather engage in ‘physical activity’ with my very y husband.” Dongwoo wiggled his eyebrows, his grin wide and suggestive, and Sungyeol pretended to gag.  

 

“I’m not sure I can survive this marathon much longer if I have to deal with anymore of your lame innuendos.”

 

“Quit your nagging, the finish line is right up ahead!” The shorter man pointed at the bright pink banner, and Sungyeol might have squeaked in excitement. “See, that wasn’t so bad was it?” Dongwoo asked.

 

Sungyeol stared at the distant finish line in amazement. “That was so easy,” he said incredulously. “Are you sure we just ran a marathon?”

 

“Well, we actually kind of walked,” Dongwoo teased, poking his cheek. “Because someone doesn’t have the stamina to run a marathon.”

 

Sungyeol flicked his hand away, giving him a playful pout of annoyance. “Well, excuse me for being athletically challenged. Not everyone has time to work out with their perfect boyfriend, you know.”

 

“Actually, we’re kind of husbands now just in case you didn’t remember the wedding you were best man at.”

 

“Whatever, the point is that I don’t have the time or means to work out and build a stamina or whatever it is.” He rolled his eyes, but hopped with a slight spring in his step as they crossed the finish line and joined the crowd of the people milling about after having finished also.

 

“Congratulations!” Dongwoo laughed happily. “You have officially finished your first marathon!”

 

“Yay!” Sungyeol cheered. “I am a champion!”

 

“Completely a champion,” Dongwoo chuckled. “Especially since we’re one of the last people to finish.”

 

“I’m just amazed we were able to finish before the sun set,” Sungyeol said, laughing. He stared at the horizon, smiling at the deep golden skies. “Although it’s practically dusk right now.”

 

“It’s a perfect time to finish! And just be happy that this race was a giant circle, otherwise we’d have to walk even more.” Dongwoo stated gladly, gripping Sungyeol’s arm and bouncing around. A few people standing by gave them a weird look, but Dongwoo could have cared less. He stopped bouncing, smiling up at Sungyeol brightly. “I’m glad you decided to tag along though. It was fun, wasn’t it?”

 

Sungyeol nodded enthusiastically. “I can’t believe it, but it actually was! But that’s probably just because I got to spend time with you.”

 

Dongwoo looked around, craning his neck to see around the people walking about. “Do you see the water stand anywhere? There’s always free drinks at the end of the race.”

 

Sungyeol tiptoed, easily peering above most of the crowd. His face lit up with a smile. “Oh! It’s over by the sign in booth!”

 

Dongwoo grinned, also spotting it in the distance. “Oh, okay! I’ll go grab us some.”

 

Sungyeol nodded. “Do you want me to come with you, or can you handle it on your own?”

 

Dongwoo laughed, unlinking their arms. “I’m pretty sure I can handle getting two water bottles, Sungyeollie.”

 

Sungyeol shrugged. “You never know,” he teased.

 

Dongwoo gave a tiny wiggle of his fingers as a wave and headed over to the water station. “I’ll be right back!”

 

Sungyeol smiled as he watched him go, awkwardly shifting his weight between his legs as he was left alone. The cool air was refreshing after the long walk with Dongwoo, and the golden pink hues on the horizon lifted his mood. He took a deep breath through his nose, letting himself completely relax after the stress of the day before.

 

Dongwoo reappeared with a water bottle for him in tow, handing it over with a relaxed grin. “Oh, there’s Yongguk! I wanted to go say hi, make sure he knew I didn’t bail on the marathon since a certain someone made me start the race late. Do you mind?”

 

The brunette shook his head. “No way, you can go! Make sure you tell him I said hello too. I’m just going to stay here and catch my breath. It was a rather long walk.” Dongwoo rolled his eyes at Sungyeol’s dramatics, but flitted away nevertheless.

 

Sungyeol lifted his arms above his head, the stretch feeling good after their marathon walk. With the movement, he took a step back, attempting to stretch his legs. But at the moment he stretched his back leg out, somebody tripped right over it. The person fell over with a shout, surprising Sungyeol.

 

“Oh my goodness!” he cried, whipping around to see if there was any damage done. “Are you alright?!” he asked the person on the ground, leaning over and extending a helping hand.

 

The man’s hand went up to ruffle a head of black hair, shaking the bangs away from his eyes. “I’m fine,” he grunted, grabbing Sungyeol’s hand as leverage to stand up. “A little surprised, but fine.”

 

“I’m so sorry,” Sungyeol apologized, his face a light shade of red. “I should have paid more attention to where I was stretching!”

 

The other man was still looking down as he continued to dust off his body. “No, don’t worry about it - I’m completely fine.” He looked up at Sungyeol with a smile. His face suddenly turned into one of pleasant shock and his grin grew wider. “Hey, I know you!”

 

Sungyeol’s face broke out into a smile as well. “Kim Myungsoo!” he recalled as he stared into the eyes of the man he had tripped.

 

“Sungyeol!” Myungsoo replied enthusiastically, smiling at the familiar face. “What brings you here? I figured most of the participants would be people that work at the station.”

 

“Well, I’m always open to supporting a good cause! Plus, Yongguk probably would have never let me live it down if I didn’t help out in some way,” Sungyeol responded. “And you?”

 

“Yongguk invited me join too,” Myungsoo said in agreement. “And since I’m pretty new I thought it’d be a great chance to meet new people, to get a little more involved with the department.”

 

“Oh, that’s great! I remember you said you were still settling into your new job. Did you meet anyone?”

 

Myungsoo chuckled, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Not really, I ended up running the whole marathon instead… I felt like challenging myself, so I did,” he said, laughing.

 

“You ran this thing? I could barely walk it! But then again, I’m not exactly athletically gifted.”

 

Myungsoo grinned, stretching his back as he regained normal footing. “You don’t run much?” he asked.

 

“Nope. Too busy working to find time to actually exercise.” He smiled. “But this was quite enjoyable, though. It was a great way to relax!”

 

Myungsoo nodded. “Yeah, I definitely find it relaxing. There’s nothing to bother me. I guess I’ve kind of been going nonstop since I got the job offer, with handling the move and getting settled in here in San Jose… it was kind of nice to just have a little time to myself to unwind.”

 

“I’m sure… it must have been difficult having to pack up your life and move on such short notice,” Sungyeol said sympathetically, but Myungsoo brushed it off.

 

“Don’t feel too sorry for me, moving here was definitely a step in the right direction; professionally and personally. It’s an adjustment being in an empty apartment but… it’s still good.”

 

Sungyeol nodded, pulling somewhat nervously at the edge of his shirt. “An empty apartment? You don’t have anyone to keep you company?”

 

“Aside from the moving boxes?” Myungsoo grinned, the dimple prominent on his cheek, “not so much.”

 

“Oh.” Sungyeol tried to fight the smile on his face, unsure why the knowledge made him feel a little bit lighter inside. “Well, I’ve found that mindless television can be a great way to pass the time. You’d be surprised how much better you feel about yourself when you are watching other people make silly mistakes. I’m convinced that reality TV exists to make us feel better about our own lives.”

 

Myungsoo laughed, pulling at his damp shirt. “I wouldn’t know. I guess I’m never around when those kind of shows are on.”

 

“I’m not either, but thankfully I have a Netflix subscription so I can watch all my guilty pleasures on my own time. Well, it’s not actually mine but I can still access it. I could give hook you up with the info… make your nights a little less lonely. But only if you come back to Sarang’s! You have to invest in my business a little more in order to have access to my Netflix.” Sungyeol said jokingly.

 

“I already told you that I plan on coming back. But I understand if you hold out on me for a little while… make sure that I am worthy of such a gift.” Myungsoo stepped a bit closer to Sungyeol, his tone light but not mocking.

 

“I am a pretty generous person, so if you come to visit me I’m sure it will pay off in the end.”  

 

“Good to know,” Myungsoo stated, pushing his sweaty hair out of his face. Sungyeol noticed that he was breathing a little heavily, and an idea sprung to his mind.

 

“Thirsty?” Myungsoo quirked an eyebrow and Sungyeol felt a nervous shiver run through his body. “I meant for water… as in you look like you are a little dehydrated. I walked this thing and I felt parched by the end so I’m sure that you are thirsty if you ran the entire thing. So I was just saying since I have a water bottle and you don’t, that I’d willing to share. Since I’m a generous person, as we previously determined…” He trailed off awkwardly. “So… yeah. You can have some of my water if you’d like.” Sungyeol held out of water bottle for a second before dropping his arm back down to his side. “What am I saying… you probably wouldn’t want to drink after a stranger-”

 

“You aren’t a stranger Sungyeol,” Myungsoo interrupted him, taking the bottle from his hands. “At least, I’d like to think that we are past that point.” Sungyeol watched as Myungsoo leaned his head back, the tip of the bottle hovering above his lips as he poured the water in, his eyes drawn to the detective’s Adam’s apple as he swallowed. “Maybe we could even be friends?”

 

Sungyeol blinked at him, his concentration not on the detective’s words at the moment.

 

“Sungyeol?”

 

“I’m sorry, what?” He forced himself to focus on what Myungsoo was saying, instead of noticing little details about his appearance, like the way his eyes would light up and sparkle as he the corners of his mouth would lift into a cute smile framed by dimples.

 

“I said maybe we could be friends?” Myungsoo repeated, a hopeful look in his eyes.

 

“Yeah… of course we can,” Sungyeol said brightly, his own grin taking over his face as he considered a friendship with the nice detective.

 

“Good. I’m glad.” Myungsoo’s voice was honest, his eyes smiling as he stared at Sungyeol. The two of them stood in silence for a couple moments, before awkwardly laughing together, neither of them sure why.

 

“So… since we’re friends now, is it okay if I ask you who you came here with?” Myungsoo started shyly.

 

Sungyeol nodded happily. “Of course it’s okay! I came here with my best friend who betrayed me by setting me up on a blind date with an arrogant excuse of a man.”

 

Myungsoo made a face of sympathy. “That doesn’t sound too great.”

 

“No, it wasn’t that great,” Sungyeol admitted with a shrug, “but he had his weird messed up reasons to justify it and it actually kind of makes a lot of sense, and I know deep down that he just wants me to be happy, so I can’t stay mad at him for longer than five minutes.”

 

“Well it sounds like his heart is in the right place. And your friend works at the station too?” Myungsoo asked, genuinely curious.

 

Sungyeol nodded. “Yep! I’ve known him ever since we were young and reckless,” he chuckled.

 

“That sounds pretty great,” Myungsoo said. “It must be nice having such a close friend to rely on.”

 

Sungyeol smiled, noticing Dongwoo as he came bounding toward. “Yeah, it’s nice and all. Not so nice when they set you up with a jerk!” he said loudly, sure that Dongwoo was within earshot.

 

Dongwoo made a face as he walked up to his side. “Are you still talking about that? I already explained my reasoning for it, didn’t I?”

 

Sungyeol pushed Dongwoo lightly and gave him a playful smile. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean I won’t hold it against you for the next decade.”

 

Dongwoo rolled his eyes and smacked Sungyeol’s shoulder as he turned to look at the person Sungyeol was talking to. “Myungsoo!” he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.

 

“Dongwoo!” Myungsoo said with a smile. “Nice to see you here!”

 

“You too! With all the pressure from the case and the new move, I wasn’t sure if you were going to come or not!”

 

“Well, a marathon is a good way to take a little break,” he joked, smiling largely.

 

Sungyeol stared curiously between the both of them. “You two know each other?” he asked, sipping some water.

 

Dongwoo smiled grandly and gestured to Myungsoo. “Sungyeol, this is my new partner, Myungsoo! He’s the one Sunggyu assigned me to show around the other day!”

 

Sungyeol gasped. “No way! Myungsoo, you’re Dongwoo’s new partner?”

 

“Yeah! I just got here a few days ago to be assigned to his case!”

 

“I was going to introduce you two,” Dongwoo said, “but I see you’ve already met!”

 

Sungyeol nodded at his best friend. “Yeah - Myungsoo came into Sarang’s this morning for coffee because he had gotten to the station early.”

 

“I knew I recognized your coffee cup this morning!” Dongwoo exclaimed towards Myungsoo. “It was a Sarang’s coffee cup!”

 

Myungsoo nodded enthusiastically. “I was at Sarang’s this morning, yup! He gave me a great coffee and a free muffin.”

 

Dongwoo raised an eyebrow. “A coffee and a free muffin?”

 

“Well, that was only because I didn’t give him a the normal coffee discount I usually do with officers! So I made it up with a free muffin.” Sungyeol shot Myungsoo a playful glare. “But next time, you are getting your discount and you will have to pay for a muffin in full price!”

 

Myungsoo chuckled and nodded. “Alright, I can definitely do that. No more free muffins for me.” His phone beeped and he fished it out of his pocket, staring at the time. “Well, it looks like I have to head on out, so I’ll see you both some other time! It was nice talking to both of you!”

 

“You too!” Sungyeol and Dongwoo called, waving to him as he walked away.

 

“It looks like you two are friendly,” Dongwoo said, nudging Sungyeol’s side.

 

Sungyeol smiled at him. “Yeah, he’s really relaxed and easy to talk to. At least, that’s what I find now that I’ve met him twice. He seems like a really nice guy… I think I might just get to know him better.”

 

Dongwoo grinned. “No worries, Sungyeollie. I’m sure you two will become great friends in no time.”

There was something about Sooyong’s eyes - something special within those big, deep, brown curious eyes - that Hoya couldn’t get enough of. He was so pure and innocent, Hoya could barely believe where he had come from. His frame was small, but growing healthily and Hoya had never felt more proud for such a little being to survive. Sooyong deserved to live and grow up in a healthy and happy environment, and Hoya was determined to give him that so long as they were together. Even if it wouldn’t be for much longer, he would give it to Sooyong. The tiny fighter deserved at least that.

 

He cradled the small boy in his arms gently, one arm supporting him and his other hand positioned so that Sooyong could still grab hold of his pinky with his tiny hands. He looked beautiful in Hoya’s arms. He was free and out of the incubator for just a little while, and Hoya was lucky enough to be the one holding him. He rocked him back and forth slowly and carefully, making sure to not do anything too sudden.

 

Sooyong’s eyes were slowly closing, his tiny mouth opening in a large yawn. Hoya grinned, knowing that his smile was covered by his mask, and brought Sooyong closer to his chest. The small baby seemed more comforted the more he listened to the slow, steady rhythm of Hoya’s heartbeat. It made Hoya so happy. For a baby who didn’t have anyone else’s heartbeat to listen to, Hoya hoped that letting Sooyong listen to his own heartbeat would reassure him and make him feel safe and sound.

 

“You’re amazing, you know,” he whispered, watching as Sooyong was falling asleep. “It doesn’t matter how small you are right now - just remember that someday you’ll be big and strong.”

 

Sooyong’s eyes fell closed and his strong grip loosened on Hoya’s finger. Hoya chuckled, as he knew that Sooyong had drifted off into a harmless dreamland. He whispered warm promises of safety to him, reaching up to adjust his purple beanie over his head. He held one of Sooyong’s hands in his own, amazed by the size difference. His hand could barely wrap around his thumb.

 

It was precious, to Hoya, how small he was. Even though he was growing steadily, he was so small in such a great big world. His nose was a small button, his fingers were tiny and dainty - even his ears were small and cute. Hoya felt so protective - perhaps even a little overprotective - of such a helpless baby. He held the bundled miracle in his arms a little tighter, feeling like he never wanted to let go.

 

A timer went off in the room, signalling that it was time to put the child back inside the incubator. Hoya didn’t want to keep him out too long, they didn’t want his temperature to fluctuate too much.  Hoya moved his arm to turn it off, but the tedious beeping had already woken Sooyong from his short slumber, his brown eyes opening back up to the world again. He let out a small babble, his hands curling and uncurling. Hoya only smiled at him, whispering soft things to calm him down as he set him back into the incubator.

 

Hoya made sure that Sooyong was situated again, his little beanie tucked in place over his ears as he stared up at him. He smiled at Sooyong, his finger scratching his little belly. “Are you comfortable little guy?” Sooyong seemed to smile back at him - even though he knew it wasn’t possible at this point - a loud gurgle coming from his little body as he kicked his legs in excitement. “Oh, I’ll take that as a yes then!”

 

He chuckled as he readjusted the socks on the tiny feet; Sooyong had pushed one off in his abrupt movements. “We need you to stay warm Sooyong, so that you’ll continue to get better.” Sooyong blinked up at him, his tiny hands resting on his tummy as he watched the doctor move around him. Hoya loved that about the baby; how he seemed to be aware of his surroundings, how his big eyes would watch him as he took care of him. He knew he was being silly, he knew that Sooyong was too young to be aware of the fact that it was Hoya always by his side, but it still made him feel better.

 

His fingers carefully reattached the small wires, making sure that everything was just as it was before he removed Sooyong from his resting place. Hoya’s eyes flickered over to the monitor, watching the numbers change on the screen. He felt that weight of uncertainty lift off of him; Sooyong’s vitals were good, and each time he looked at that screen they seemed to be getting better.

 

Hoya heard a noise from behind him, looking over his shoulder to see a man standing in the doorway. “Hi… do I need to gown up?” The man sounded friendly, already holding one in his hand in the event that he would need it.

 

The doctor shook his head, “Thankfully no… Sooyong’s immune system is stronger now. The past couple days have been really good ones. As long as you’ve washed your hands and you’ve got a mask on, you should fine.”

 

“Sooyong, huh?” The man slipped the string around his ears, securing the white mask in place. “I didn’t realize that he had a name, I’ll have to update my files.”

 

“Oh, well, it’s not exactly official… but it’s better than John Doe,” Hoya said sheepishly.

 

“Perhaps you’re the physician I spoke with on the phone? I’m Lee Sungjong, from the Department of Human Services.”

 

Hoya stood up from his seat, extending out his arm to shake the man’s hand. “Of course! I’m sorry, I should have put two and two together… I’ve had more than a couple late nights, worrying over this little guy. I’m Dr. Jang, I called you the day Sooyong was born.”

 

Sungjong laughed warmly. “I understand completely Dr. Jang. It seems that most places are busy around this time of year… there never seems to be enough time in the day. I apologize that it took me a few days to make an on site visit, but I assure you that I will be handling Sooyong’s case to the best of my abilities.”

 

“Thank you. That means a lot… Sooyong is special and-” Hoya took a deep breath, steadying himself. “It’s just good to know that he’ll have a social worker that really cares about his well being.”

 

Sungjong nodded, stepping closer to the incubator to get a better look at the baby inside. “I’ve read his file, but would you mind taking me through his current condition? I’d like to get your perspective on things, especially if you’ve been watching his progress so closely.”

 

“Absolutely.” Hoya pointed towards the monitor at Sooyong’s bedside. “These are his vitals.” He laughed, crossing his arms over his chest. “They’re actually kind of amazing. There’s no sudden fluctuations, they are steadily rising at a healthy rate. Initially, we did have to intubate him after the surgery, but he regained normal function after a steady infusion of steroids to stimulate the surfactant production in his lungs, enabling him to breathe on his own. His skin is a healthy color, no blue tint which indicates that his heart is properly pumping blood throughout his body, which rules out any anemia or heart problems. His immune system is strong, his white blood cell count is high and he shows no signs of infection. All in all-”

 

“He sounds like he’s going to be a healthy baby,” Sungjong finished for him, his voice sounding pleased.

 

“Yeah. He really is. It’s really something; despite all the risk factors and his environment, he seems like he’s going to turn out perfectly normal. It’s almost surreal… when I watched Dr. Choi perform the surgery I was so nervous that something was going to go wrong. And then I felt obligated to watch him here, in the NICU. Everyday I just waited and waited for something to go wrong… for there to be some sort of mess up or complication. I mean look at him; he’s just beautiful and perfect. But I’m starting to realize that there isn’t a reason to worry anymore; Sooyong is out of the red zone, he’s healthy and now that you’re here, there’s no reason that we can’t discharge him to a lovely set of parents that will take care of him.” Hoya reached through the hole again, softly rubbing Sooyong’s hand in a gesture of comfort. “So when will the parents be here? I would be happy to talk to them, if they have any questions or concerns-”

 

“Dr. Jang, perhaps we should step outside.”

 

He let go of the soft hand, turning to Sungjong with a smile. “No, it’s alright. I think Sooyong likes the sound of my voice. Or maybe just voices in general… he always seems to light up when he hears me talking to him. I should tell the parents that, that way they know to talk to him a lot too-”

 

“Dr. Jang,” Sungjong repeated, his voice a bit harsher.

 

“Yes?”

 

“There are no parents.”

 

Hoya blinked at him, biting his lip. “I’m not sure I understand…”

 

Sungjong sighed, obviously feeling a bit uncomfortable. “I’m sorry to say this Dr. Jang, but we don’t have any parents lined up for him at the moment. The mother was not part of the adoption process throughout her pregnancy. Our department was just made aware of Sooyong’s situation, which doesn’t give us much time to line up potential candidates. On top of that, we are obligated to let potential parents know about the child’s current health as well as the mother’s clinical history. A lot of these people have been waiting and waiting for a child… they aren’t comfortable taking a risk-”

 

“A risk? They aren’t comfortable taking a risk?” Hoya felt angry, he knew it wasn’t Sungjong’s fault, but it didn’t make any of this seem fair. “So what you’re saying is that no one wants to take him? Because of Areum’s history of addiction they don’t want Sooyong?”

 

Sungjong looked away, nodding silently.

 

“Unbelievable.” Hoya ran a hand over his face, somewhat shocked. “So this little boy, who’s already been abandoned, isn’t even being given a chance? Because of mistakes his mother made? He’s healthy! He’s going to make it and-” Hoya tried to steady his breathing and keep calm, but everything about this situation just felt unjust. “This is unfair. It’s unfair and cruel and wrong. Sooyong is wonderful and sweet and all he needs is someone to give him a chance. For someone to care about him. Isn’t that what parents are supposed to do? Even if it’s hard or scary, aren’t they supposed to at least give him a chance?”

 

“Dr. Jang, I understand that you’re upset. You’ve obviously bonded with Sooyong and you’re close to this situation. If you like, once he is discharged, I can keep you up to date on his situation. He’ll go to a foster home for now-”

 

“A foster home? So what, he’ll be shuffled around to different places until someone decides that he’s worth it?”

 

His eyes cut to the floor in discomfort. “I’m sorry, but this is the way it works. We do the best we can.” Sungjong shrugged his shoulders; he was sympathetic to the situation but he had seen this happen on more than one occasion. He understood that it was a hard pill for the doctor to swallow.

 

“Well, your best isn’t good enough.” Hoya reached into the incubator again, holding out his pinky. Sooyong immediately latched on, his hand making a little fist and his eyes bright as he stared up at Hoya.

 

“It’s a shame; he really is a beautiful little boy,” Sungjong whispered, feeling downcast after giving the doctor bad news.

 

Hoya stared back into Sooyong’s eyes, looking at the innocent little boy who deserved so much more than the hand he had been dealt. It wasn’t right, and the longer that Sooyong stared at him the more horrible he felt. Sooyong seemed to sense his distress, holding onto his finger tighter and cooing at him. Hoya closed his eyes, unable to handle it much longer.

 

“What if… what if there was someone who wanted to adopt him?”

 

“Do you know someone that would be interested?” Sungjong asked seriously, and Hoya pulled his hand away to face him.

 

“I’m just asking. If there was someone, like a private adoption. Would that be possible?”

 

Sungjong nodded. “Well, actually it is more common for adoptions to be done through private agencies these days, not the government. In the case of a private adoption, if the mother is willing to sign over her legal rights to the parents of her choice, then that’s that.”

 

Hoya walked away from Sooyong, pulling off his mask with a determined look on his face.

 

“Dr. Jang?” Sungjong followed him confused into the hallway.

 

“Can I have your card?”

 

“Sure.” Sungjong reached into his pocket, pulling out a business card and handing it over. “Dr. Jang-”

 

“I’ll contact you later. Thank you for all of your help.” Hoya set off without another word, a clear destination in his mind.

 

 

 

Hoya knew exactly where to find her; even if she didn’t want to see him in person, he still felt responsible for her well being. He had been in charge of her treatment plan, and even if he disagreed with the way she was handling her situation, he was still her doctor - it was his job to ensure that she would recover as well.

 

The moment he stepped into her room he felt her anger, her face twisting into a sneer. “I thought I made myself clear the last time-”

 

“Areum, I’m not here to fight with you.” That seemed to catch her off guard, and she straightened up a bit in her bed.

 

“Then what are you doing here?”

 

“First, I’d like to examine you. Make sure that everything is healing up okay so to speak.” Hoya stepped closer to her hospital bed, his hands resting on the edge of her sheets. “May I?”

 

She looked at him skeptically, but nodded after a few moments. “I guess… but make it quick.”

 

“Of course,” Hoya responded, pulling down her blankets to inspect her abdomen. He checked her vital signs, listening to her heart beat through his stethoscope. Satisfied with what he heard, he took the buds out of his ears and looped it around his neck. His hands lightly touched her stomach, her instant recoil making him pull away. “Does it still hurt? Are you still sensitive to touch?”

 

Areum shrugged her shoulders, tucking her stringy hair behind her ear. “I don’t know. I guess you just surprised me.”

 

“That’s okay,” Hoya said gently, moving away to grab a few supplies. He slipped on a pair of latex gloves, looking over his shoulder to address her. “I’m going to change your bandage, and then I’ll be all done examining you.”

 

“I haven’t been messing with it,” Areum said defensively as he pulled up her gown.

 

“I know, I’m not saying that you have been.” He moved his supplies over to a free space on her bed, opening up the gauze and antiseptic. “It’s just that wounds heal quicker if they are kept clean and dry.”

 

He slowly pulled off her bandage, tossing it into the trash before gently examining the area. “It looks good Areum; if you take care of it well then there shouldn’t be that much of a scar.”

 

“Good. I don’t exactly want any reminders, you know.”

 

Hoya paused slightly in his movements, before regaining his composure to continue disinfecting her incision. He wasn’t here to argue with her or judge, and the last thing he wanted to do was set her off. He kept his tone level and polite as he spoke with her. “As you can see, there haven’t been any complications since your cesarean delivery.” He placed the gauze on top of the mark, securing the bandage over the area. “You’re young and healthy, so I don’t see any reasons for there to be any complications in the future, as long as you take care of yourself.”

 

Areum smiled at him, her eyes still guarded. “I know how to take care of myself, I’ve been doing that for a long time.” When Hoya moved his hands away from her stomach she immediately pulled her gown back down, bunching up her covers to signify that she was done humoring him. “Anything else?”

 

Hoya put away the materials he didn’t use, his heart fluttering in nervousness at the conversation he knew that he could no longer avoid. “There is something else Areum. Something important that we need to discuss.”

 

He watched as her eyes steeled over and he immediately softened his tone. “Areum, I’m not here to lecture you. I’m not here to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I remember what we spoke about last time.”

 

“Then why are you still here?” she said coldly, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

“I just need to ask you a few questions Areum. I just want to be sure that you are aware of what’s going to happen once you are discharged from the hospital. Not only for you, but for your baby.”

 

“Okay…” Areum responded, clearly uncomfortable. Hoya wished that he had spent a little more time thinking of what he was going to say, but he knew that time was running out, and he had to act if he wanted to take care of Sooyong’s best interests.

 

“Areum, the last time we spoke, you told me that you wanted to put your baby up for adoption. Is that still true?”

 

She nodded, folding her arms closer in on herself. “I haven’t changed my mind, if that’s what you’re asking.”

 

“Okay. I just want to make sure that everything is clear between us, no there aren’t any misunderstandings.”

 

Areum narrowed her eyes at him, looking at him suspiciously. “I want to give my baby up for adoption. How much clearer do I need to be with you?”

 

Hoya nodded, a few moments of silence passing between them. Areum wasn’t backing out on her previous decision, which was what he expected to hear. “Well, I called DHS for you, to

get the adoption process started for your little boy.”

 

“Is the paperwork ready? Is it time to sign it over?”

 

Hoya grimaced, folding his hands in his lap. “Not exactly Areum. Because of the short notice, DHS hasn’t been able to find a home for your baby yet.”

 

Areum immediately sat up in her bed alarmed. “What are you saying? Are you saying that I have to take it home with me now? I don’t want it, I told you that-”

 

“Areum, please calm down.” Hoya reached out for her hand, looking into her eyes to try to show his sincerity. “I’m not saying that at all. You have made your decision and I am respecting it. Your baby is still going to be put up for adoption. If you don’t want to be the baby’s mother, no one is going to force you to be.”

 

“So if the baby is going to be adopted, why am I still involved?”

 

Hoya cleared his throat, smiling at her again. “The reason I’m talking to you about this Areum is because I want to ask you to consider a private adoption. That means that instead of signing over your baby to the state, you sign it over to a specific set of parents.”

 

“I thought you said that there weren’t any parents for it,” Areum asked confused.

 

“Well, that’s where you come in. There could be parents for your baby… if you agree to it.” Hoya felt the pressure build in his chest, an overwhelming amount of fear and anticipation almost making it hard to speak. “Areum… I’m asking you to consider me… to consider letting my family adopt your baby.”

 

Areum couldn’t hide the shock on her face, falling open slightly. “You? You want to adopt it?”

 

Hoya nodded, holding her eye contact. “I’ve been taking care of your baby as a doctor since he has been born. But somewhere along the way I came to care about him, and I could love him. If you agreed to a private adoption, my family could really love him. I know that this is sudden, that you weren’t expecting me to ask you this. But please, please just consider it. I promise that I’ll take care of him and raise him well, if you give me a chance.”

 

He looked hopefully at her, waiting anxiously for an answer. She blinked a couple times before pulling her blanket up over her shoulders. “Okay.”

 

Hoya felt his heart stop in his chest. “Okay? You’re- you’re actually agreeing to this?”

 

Areum shrugged her shoulders, looking at him somewhat blankly. “I told you that I don’t want it. What difference does it make where it ends up? If you want it, then okay.”

 

The doctor stared at her for a moment, knowing that he shouldn’t be taken aback by this point, but he was still a little unsettled. It was true that he wanted her to say yes, but he also wanted to be upfront about his situation.

 

“Areum I need to be honest with you about my family. I don’t have any other kids, but I am married.” This was actually the part he was more nervous about; Areum telling him yes, but then retracting it when she found out about Dongwoo. This was why he was determined to ask her permission first before even discussing it with his husband; he didn’t want to get Dongwoo’s hopes up for them to only be crushed.

 

He smiled at Areum again, he wasn’t ashamed of his relationship with Dongwoo, and he would never lie about him. “I’m married to a man, Areum. My husband’s name is Dongwoo, and he would take care of your baby just as well as I would. Would you be okay with that? With us being gay parents?”

 

Areum actually laughed, the sound surprising to Hoya’s ears. “It’s not like I’m trying to be with you. Why should I care who you are sleeping with? Again, if you want to adopt it, then go ahead. I’ll sign whatever paperwork that guarantees that it’s out of my life and no longer my problem. So if there’s nothing else Dr. Jang, I’d like to get some rest now.”

 

Hoya nodded, understanding that their conversation was over. But he couldn’t fight the smile on his face, an indescribable amount of joy filling his heart at the knowledge that she had actually agreed to the private adoption. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out for her hand, giving it a light squeeze.

 

“Areum… thank you.” She stared back at him silently, nodding slightly to acknowledge his statement. Hoya didn’t wait for any further response from her, letting go of her hand and taking his leave from her room to avoid agitating her.

 

He stepped into the hallway, his hand reaching into his pocket to pull out his phone. He scrolled through his contacts until he saw the name he was looking for, nearly bouncing on his heels with the energy he felt. He connected the call, and after what felt like forever, finally he felt the voice pick up on the other end.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hey, I know that this is sudden and you must be busy, but I need to see you. I have a favor to ask and I’d feel much better doing it in person.”

 

“Sure, I can make some time for you. Just text me when you’re on your way to the station. I’ll call down to the front desk and let them know I’m expecting you so Yongguk can you up to my office once you arrive.”

 

Hoya sighed in relief, his fingers clutching at the phone. “Thanks Sunggyu… it really means a lot.”

A/N: ohohohohohohohoho what is this?! why would hoya need to call sunggyu? and sooyong will be adopted by yadong?! but you all saw that coming though sooo... anyway yay for the happy coupleeee! luckily areum has agreed to their idea! isn’t sooyong such a cutie like ugh stop messing with my feels. hope you liked it! more otp feels will be coming with the next chapters. see you next time!

♥rayquin×