Dongwoo walked somewhat cautiously into the building, the home packed lunch clutched tightly in his hands. Truthfully he always felt a little uneasy inside of hospitals; he was fortunate enough to have not experienced much sickness in his family, so he wasn’t quite used to being exposed to medical things, despite Hoya’s profession. He looked around a bit helplessly, it was always a challenge to try and find his way around with the confusing signs and winding hallways, but thankfully he didn’t have to navigate them alone.

“Dongwoo?” He turned at his husband’s voice, who looked bright and energetic as he made his way closer. “You made it!” He wrapped an arm around Dongwoo’s waist, hugging him as he placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

“Of course I did. I had to practically beg the Chief for a longer lunch, but I reminded him that Myungsoo would probably be back early anyway, so it kind of balances out.” Dongwoo explained, letting Hoya guide him towards the elevators.

“You brought lunch?” Hoya asked, gesturing to the bag in Dongwoo’s hands.

Dongwoo nodded, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s nothing too fancy… I just packed something light; I know you don’t like to eat too heavily at lunchtime. Plus, I thought you’d appreciate the break from the cafeteria food.”

“Babe, you know that the hospital food isn’t nearly as bad as people make it out to be. But you’re right; I’d rather eat something you made for me at home.” He pinched at Dongwoo’s waist, making him giggle as they rode the lift together.

“Stop it! You know I’m ticklish,” Dongwoo complained, squirming out of Hoya’s grasp.

“I know. It’s just good to have you here.” He decided to go easy on him, wrapping his arms around Dongwoo’s middle in a back hug. He pressed a kiss to the shorter man’s blonde hair, brushing his lips against his ear. “It’s been a long time since you’ve visited me like this. It’s makes me happy to see you during the work day.”

Dongwoo giggled, leaning into his embrace. “I’m happy too. I can see my baby in action and I get to make sure he eats!” He turned his head to peck Hoya’s cheek. “Plus, you said you wanted to tell me something.”

Hoya nodded, leaning his chin onto Dongwoo’s shoulder. “That’s right, I do. But let’s discuss that while we’re eating, okay?”

“That’s perfectly fine with me,” Dongwoo replied, grinning happily.

“Where do you want to eat, baby? We can go almost anywhere you like.”

“Are you wanting to go somewhere more private?” Dongwoo asked. “The sun came out and it’s less chilly now. We could eat outside?”

Hoya nodded onto his shoulder. “Of course we can.” They made a quick pit stop at the locker room so Hoya could grab a jacket - doctor’s orders from an insistent Dongwoo - as well as the vending machine to buy a water bottle for them to share. They stepped back onto the elevator, riding it up to one of the higher levels so they could enjoy the patio together. Hoya twirled the cold bottle in his hands, looking at Dongwoo’s bag curiously. He peeked over Dongwoo’s shoulder, poking his side playfully. “So, what did you bring me for lunch?”

“Sandwiches,” Dongwoo responded, wriggling away from the poke.

“What kind of sandwiches?”

“Special sandwiches - the sandwiches I make!”

Hoya made a face. “The last time you made sandwiches I ended up in the infirmary.”

Dongwoo hit his shoulder. “Will you stop bringing that up! It was a one-time thing! It won’t happen again!”

“Well yeah, because you check the labels now.”

Dongwoo scoffed at him frustratedly. “My sandwiches have changed and they’re amazing now. Plus, I made them just for you, so just eat them!”

Hoya laughed as the elevator door opened. “I will, I will. I’d rather starve than skip out on one of your amazing sandwiches, baby.”

“Good! Cause I spent way too long on them for you to not eat them,” he said, stepping out.

Hoya followed briskly, constantly keeping up at his side. “I’m sure they taste great. Your cooking is always great.”

“I can follow a recipe, but we both know that I won’t be joining Masterchef anytime soon.”

Hoya chuckled, guiding him to the door that led outside. “I think you’re a talented home cook; I would definitely vote for you.”

“You’re biased.” Dongwoo rolled his eyes, but blushed nonetheless as they made their way outside.

Hoya pulled out Dongwoo’s chair for him, helping him into his seat at the patio table. “Can you blame me?” He grinned at the blonde, dropping a quick kiss on his cheek before moving into his own seat.

Dongwoo set out the food between them, unfolding the plastic wrappers to make a makeshift plate. Hoya whispered out a thanks, placing the water bottle in the middle of the table where Dongwoo could easier reach out. “So how was work this morning? Are things still going well with the rookie?”

The blonde nodded, covering his mouth as he took a bite out of his sandwich. “The rookie - Myungsoo - is fitting in pretty well. He’s an early riser and a stickler for organization on top of being a general overachiever, so he’s definitely getting on my good side, since we both know those are qualities I lack.”

Hoya chuckled, chewing as he considered Dongwoo’s words. “Sometimes I think you became a detective just so you would have an excuse to work at night and avoid mornings. But this is good; you having a partner that is. I know you’ve always worked alone, but maybe having a fresh pair of eyes on the case can help you find some leads.”

Dongwoo’s lips twisted in a pout, a comical sigh escaping his lips. “You sound like Sunggyu. It’s not like I was at leading the investigation…”

“Baby, you know I don’t mean it like that. I’m just saying that two heads are usually better than one, you know?”

“I know… but I’m still allowed to mope about it. Technically, I’m still having to do more work, since I have to be responsible for Myungsoo now; I should ask Sunggyu for a raise at the next performance review.”

Hoya laughed at that, his brows lifting in disbelief. “Yeah… I wouldn’t get your hopes too high for that one.”

“The Chief is so stingy with things like that! But me and Myungsoo will definitely figure this case out… arrest the person responsible for this whole thing. Then Sunggyu won’t be able to say no to me.” Dongwoo finished smartly, impassioned by his own plan. He continued to eat, sneaking not so subtly peaks at the brunette. “But enough about me… I want to know what’s going on with you.”

“This morning has been better… getting rest last night and spending time with you definitely cleared my head.”

“Okay… so today was good, and that makes me happy… but what about yesterday?” He narrowed his eyes at Hoya, watching him intently. “You did not sound good on the phone… you really had me worried. Talk to me Hoya… you know that I’m here for you.”

“I know that you are Dongwoo. It’s not like I purposely avoided talking about things last night with you.” His mouth formed a half smirk, his knee bumping Dongwoo’s underneath the table. “It’s just that other things came up.”

Dongwoo laughed, hiding his grin behind his hand. “Be serious. And last night was totally your fault anyway; so quit trying to distract me. You know that that I’m not leaving this hospital until I carry out a complete interrogation.”

“There’s no need for that, I want to tell you everything.” Hoya finished his sandwich, wiping off the crumbs from his mouth with a napkin. He shrugged his shoulders, looking at Dongwoo almost helplessly. “I’m just not sure where to start.”

“How about the beginning?” Dongwoo set his food down, resting his cheek on a closed fist. “You have my full attention.”

Hoya took a deep breath, trying to articulate the events from the previous day; it was difficult, when some of it didn’t even make sense to himself. “Well, when I showed up to the hospital after getting called in, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was given the prelim on the initial ER report, and I still didn’t think it would be anything too interesting. But when I start talking to the nurses, I find out that not only is the patient volatile because she’s coming down from her last high, she is pregnant.”

“She was using even though she was pregnant?” Dongwoo asked, his eyes getting wide.

“Yeah… she was young, not prepared for any of the responsibilities that come with being a mother. I could tell that she was scared, just by talking to her. She didn’t even tell us that she was pregnant herself; we found out from a blood test.”

“But why would she hold back such important information? If order for you to do your job, to take care of her, you would need to know that. Didn’t she realize that you would find out eventually anyway?”

Hoya pursed his lips together, unable to come up with a solid response. “I don’t know… maybe she thought that ignoring it would make it go away? I didn’t agree with her choices, the fact that she was putting the baby at risk, but I still wanted to help her as much as I could.”

“Of course you did Hoya; you’re a good person and a good doctor.” Dongwoo encouraged him, doing his best to show support.

Hoya shook his head, looking up at the sky thoughtfully. “I don’t know… we had this talk, just me and her… I really thought I got through to her. I knew she didn’t want her baby, which is her decision and I’m not judging that, but I thought that we could work together to bring her baby to term in a healthy way. I walked out of her room feeling optimistic, I was going to keep her for observation for a few days, set her up with an OB so we could start prenatal care, I had a plan for her and her child.”

Dongwoo could sense the regret in Hoya’s tone, and it was something he didn’t like hearing at all. He reached out for Hoya’s hand, grasping it firmly. “What happened Hoya?”

He shook his head, looking down at the table with troubled eyes. “The details aren’t important and it would probably freak you out anyway, but she forced herself into labor so she wouldn’t have to be pregnant anymore.”

“What?!” Dongwoo looked shocked, his big eyes practically bulging. “You can do that?”

“Yes, but it’s dangerous. Very, very dangerous. There’s things a woman’s body has to do, changes it has to make in order to be prepared for labor; forcing it like that when the body isn’t ready is never a safe option. We had to rush her to operating room, do an emergency c-section to try to save them both. There was just so much blood in her room and we didn’t even know for sure how far along her baby was, but we knew it was premature…” Hoya paused at the memory, remembering the agonizing wait for positive news as he watched the surgery from the balcony. “I can’t even explain why I was so attached, but I just needed them to make it. I watched the whole surgery, prayed for a miracle, and I got one.”

“They survived?” Dongwoo smiled, clasping both of his hands around Hoya’s. “But that’s good! Oh, that’s great news Hoya!”

“Yeah… it’s too bad the mother didn’t think so.” Hoya said bitterly. Dongwoo looked confused then, his nose scrunching together.

“What? What do you mean?”

“After she wake up from the surgery, I went to tell her the news about her baby, and she just didn’t want to hear it.” He pushed his hair out of his face, frustrated at the memory. “She didn’t care, Dongwoo. She didn’t care that her baby was alive, she didn’t even want to see him. She was so cold and the things she said to me, the words she used to describe her own flesh and blood…” He shook his head angrily. “I’ve just never encountered something like that. She put her baby through so much, carried it for months, and she didn’t even want to see her child.”

“Hoya, I’m sorry…”

“Honestly, I don’t even know why I’m taking it so personally. I’ve barely known her for a day and there will always be patients that go against my advice, but this time… I just can’t stop thinking about everything, can’t stop worrying about her baby being all alone. My mind keeps going back to the situation, running over everything that happened and wondering if things could be different…”
 

“You can’t change the past Hoya. I know that this is difficult, but it’s normal for you to grow attached to patients, especially her baby. Her baby is pure and good, and you want things to stay that way. That’s okay.” Dongwoo lifted up his arms, pressing a kiss to the back of his husband’s hands. “You’re a good man Hoya, you care so much. It’s okay to care about this baby. Don’t feel guilty about that, not ever.”

Hoya looked back at him, his almond eyes hopeful. “You really think so?”

“I know so.” Dongwoo said confidently, a warm smile on his face.

“Dr. Choi, the doctor who performed the surgery, actually put me on the baby’s case, so I’ll be directly involved with the treatment plan. It’s good, because on one hand I’m always updated on the baby’s condition, but on the other, it just makes me upset that the baby is even having to go through all this in the first place. A baby shouldn’t be born, not under those kind of circumstances.”

“But it did happen, and the baby survived. That is what’s important; that is what you need to hold on to when things get hard. The baby is still here, and so are you; and I know you’ll do everything in your power to help both of them be healthy.”

Hoya smiled weakly at the blonde, tugging on his hands to make him come around the table. He placed the smaller man in his lap, wrapping his arms around him firmly. “Thank you,” he whispered, his lips pressing against the soft hair. Dongwoo rubbed his back, just letting him be silent for a few moments, knowing that right now Hoya just needed the closeness.

“You know I love you Hoya… if you need to stay late or go in early - please do so. Whatever you need to do to see this through, I’ll support you,” Dongwoo promised, turning his head to stare into Hoya’s eyes.

Hoya murmured out another thank you, lifting up his arm to hold Dongwoo’s neck, pulling him slowly to place a soft kiss on his lips. It stayed chaste, just an affirmation of their feelings, Dongwoo’s full lips pressing back just as hard as Hoya’s. When they broke apart Dongwoo pressed their foreheads together, his hands settling comfortably around Hoya’s waist.

They stayed close together for a few minutes, the slight breeze moving their hair as their bodies kept still. But eventually Hoya tapped on Dongwoo’s thigh, urging him to stand up so they could relocate. He quickly picked up the remains of their lunch, tossing it away and leading Dongwoo back inside.

The two of them moved silently through the hallways, Dongwoo feeling no need to ask questions, as he was sure that Hoya would fill him in whenever he was ready. He felt Hoya’s hand at the small of his back, reassuring him with the light touch as they got deeper into the hospital. Hoya swiped his badge in front of the heavy double doors on the second floor, and they moved quietly into the department.

Hoya shed his jacket, leaving it behind the nurses’ station before returning to Dongwoo’s side. “Do you remember that I had someone I wanted you to meet?”

Dongwoo nodded, his blonde hair bouncing with the action. He knew what they were about to do, the bold white letters spelling out Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on the glass silently confirming his suspicions. Dongwoo followed his husband’s example, washing his hands in slow, methodical motions in the sink outside of the room. Afterwards he let Hoya dress him in the protective clothing, sliding on the gown and gloves, letting Hoya wrap the mask around his face. Hoya did the same, and when the two of them were finally suited up, he grabbed Dongwoo’s hand, leading them into the NICU.

Having never been inside one before, the first thing that caught Dongwoo’s attention was the machines; the metal looking exaggerated and large against the miniature beds below them. Most of them were empty, except for one, where a nurse was copying down some numbers. He watched Hoya exchange a few words with her, still holding tightly onto his hand, before the nurse left the two of them alone.

Hoya looked over at Dongwoo, the tension clear in his body as he waited for guidance. “It’s okay,” he said softly, and even though he couldn’t see it because of the masks, he wouldn’t have been surprised if Dongwoo smiled back at him in that moment. They walked over to incubator, peering down at the small boy inside. “This is where I’ve been… sitting by his side and keeping him company.”

Dongwoo stared at the tiny life, his heart reacting stronger than he expected. The baby was small, not scarily so, but still clearly underweight, a little bonier than usual. But despite that he still had a curve to his full cheeks, his pretty long eyelashes casting shadows against them due to the harsh light above him. And then, when Dongwoo thought he had a handle on his emotions, the baby opened its eyes.

Big, deep set brown eyes looked at him curiously, watching Dongwoo with clear interest. Dongwoo felt something in his stomach twist, the pretty baby and the ugly environment around him striking somewhere deep within him. Hoya was right; this boy shouldn’t be here - he should be healthy and safe, not in the NICU like this. “God, he’s beautiful.” He looked at Hoya, starting to get choked up at the sight. “Even with the wires and everything, he’s still beautiful.”

Somehow Hoya knew that Dongwoo would get emotional; he knew that his husband wasn’t used to things like this at all, and that seeing something so tiny in such a cruel situation would make him sad. He wrapped an arm around Dongwoo, doing his best to comfort him. “I know he is, he’s looking at you. Aren’t his eyes gorgeous?”

“He can really see me?”

Hoya chuckled, resting his head against Dongwoo’s. “Of course. His vision wasn’t affected, so he definitely knows that we are here.”

“W-why are there so many wires? Is he in a lot of pain?” Dongwoo’s eyes were wet as he looked at Hoya, hoping that the answer wouldn’t be too harsh.

“He’s okay Dongwoo; most of the wires are so we can keep track of his vitals; leads for an EKG and see that little patch on his forehead? That’s so we can monitor his temperature.” He pointed at the controls on the side of the incubator. “It helps us decide the optimal temperature for the incubator, so we can keep him nice and warm. The beanie and the cute little socks help too.”

“Purple,” Dongwoo finally laughed, his hand rubbing against Hoya’s. “That has you written all over it.”

“Hey, this little guy is a fighter; he’s gotta look good while doing it,” Hoya joked, happy that Dongwoo was finally calming down a bit. “There’s only one needle in him, in his hand. That’s sending nutrients to his body, helping him get stronger and gain weight.”

“He looks thin… is that because he was early?”

“Yes and no. Like I said, we aren’t exactly sure how far along he was before the delivery, but his mother was also underweight.”

“So much for eating for two, huh?” Dongwoo remarked, his eyes running over the little boy’s body.

“But he is doing better; just this morning we were able to take him off intubation. At first after the surgery he needed a tube placed in his throat in order to properly get oxygen and breathe, but now he can do that on his own.” He pointed up at the monitor, bringing Dongwoo’s attention to a particular line. “See that? That’s his respiratory rate and it’s strong. It’s really good Dongwoo,” he said excitedly, happy that there was solid proof that the baby was getting better.

“That’s amazing,” Dongwoo said honestly, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. “He really is fighting then!”

“Yes. Would you like to touch him?” Dongwoo looked positively alarmed at that, shaking his head quickly.

“Oh no, I don’t want to hurt him,” he said, his hands hovering over the incubator at what he deemed a safe distance. Hoya laughed at him again, urging him to get closer.

“You won’t, Dongwoo.” His husband looked skeptical, so he repeated it. “You won’t. It’s actually really good for him to have human contact! I talk to him a lot and let him hold my hand, that way he knows that there is someone here that cares for him.”

“You promise?” Dongwoo said softly, clearly wanting to but terribly afraid of making a mistake. Hoya urged him to sit in front of the baby boy, intent on guiding Dongwoo through it.

“I promise. Slowly place your hand through the hole in the side of the incubator, and place it near his hand. He’ll notice you, I think he likes you.” Hoya gave him an encouraging nod, watching closely as Dongwoo hesitantly reached through. “There… your hand is too big so stick out your pinky and he just might-”

“Grab on,” Dongwoo finished, watching in wonder as the baby boy reached for his finger. The touch felt as light as a feather on his pinky, the tiny hand warm even through his glove. He was definitely grinning now, the small action brightening his spirits. “Oh! His grip is firm, I can feel him holding on!” He looked at Hoya excitedly.

“I told you he’s strong! You can wiggle your finger, he likes that.”

Dongwoo obediently did so, giggling at the little boy he waved his arms and slightly kicked his legs, those big brown eyes still staring up at him. “He’s so, so beautiful,” he repeated, looking in awe at the precious thing holding onto him.

“I know… he’s absolutely gorgeous and he doesn’t even have a name.” Hoya shook his head sadly, and Dongwoo looked at him with raised eyebrows.

“What do you mean?”

Hoya shrugged his shoulders. “Well, his mother refuses to see him or interact with him. She’s basically ignoring the fact that he exists right now, so she hasn’t exactly taken the time to name him.”

“Oh, that won’t do.” Dongwoo focused his attention back on the little guy. “A precious boy like you has to have a name, don’t you agree?” he cooed at the baby, and Hoya shifted nervously next to him.

“I don’t know Dongwoo… the last time I saw her, things got pretty ugly. She’ll probably throw something at me if I go back in her room and ask her to name her son,” Hoya said seriously.

“Well, it looks like it’s up to you then.” He turned to look at Hoya, his tone inquisitive. “Don’t you want to? Don’t you think this pretty boy deserves a name?”

Hoya bit his lips worriedly, looking at the baby. “I do Dongwoo but… naming him… I’m afraid I’ll get too attached, too invested in him.”

Dongwoo laughed, tilting his head as he smiled at the boy. “You already are Hoya… I think by this point there’s no going back.”

Hoya pulled up a chair next to Dongwoo, placing his own hand through the unoccupied opening to softly the boy’s foot. “How about we name him together?” Dongwoo nodded, happy with the suggestion. “You pick the first character and I’ll do the last.”

“I think Soo is pretty cute.”

Hoya laughed, grinning at his husband. “Really? Soo? I wonder why…” He said sarcastically.

Dongwoo nudged his knee playfully. “Yah, you are the one who wanted my input, and I like Soo. Plus it can mean long life, which I think is perfectly fitting; so no complaints.”

“Okay. We’ll start with Soo,” Hoya thought seriously, searching his brain for the perfect match. “Yong. Cause he’s brave.”

“Sooyong,” Dongwoo said softly, looking fondly at the baby boy. “It’s perfect; Sooyong.” The baby boy moved suddenly, cooing at the two of them. “Oh! He likes it! He likes his name, he made noise!”

Hoya chuckled, resting his head on Dongwoo’s shoulder. “Yeah I think he does. It’s a really good name; Sooyong.” Dongwoo leaned over quickly, to press a kiss to Hoya’s hair, before returning his attention to the baby. Hoya brushed a finger over Sooyong’s leg, before pulling his hand away.

Hoya watched the two of them interacting together, Sooyong's bright eyes fixed on Dongwoo who couldn't stop smiling at him; the image tugged on his heartstrings stronger than he was expecting. Somehow he had known that having Dongwoo here would not only help him, but Sooyong as well. He looked on quietly, listening to Dongwoo ramble on about silly things as he talked to the baby. It was so natural for Dongwoo; caring for children and making them happy. It was a beautiful sight to see his husband like this. He glanced up at the clock, his temporary escape already having to come to an end.

“But as much as I love hanging out with you and Sooyong, I’d like to go check on the results of his blood test. I’m hoping that his red blood cell count went up so we won’t have to treat him for anemia. And I think it’s probably time for you to head back to work.”

Dongwoo sighed regretfully, nodding his head in agreement. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I can see how you spent so much time here… time just flies when he’s looking at you, doesn’t it?” He smiled at Sooyong again, wiggling his pinky. “It was nice to meet you Sooyong, I know that Hoya will take really good care of you. He thinks about you a lot, even when he isn’t here; so you’re never alone, okay? Keep getting stronger for me Sooyong, the next time I visit you I don’t want to see any wires, just your beautiful face.” He moved his hand up, softly brushing Sooyong’s cheek. “You’re in really good hands; you’ve got the best doctor I know taking care of you Sooyong; you’re so special. I’ll see you soon, yeah?”

Dongwoo finally pulled his hand away, standing up slowly along with Hoya. They shed their protective wear at the door, and stepped back out into the hallway. Hoya placed his hand on Dongwoo’s back yet again, leading him out to the front entrance so he wouldn’t get lost. He ended up escorting Dongwoo to his car, even buckling Dongwoo into the front seat for good measure.

“Thank you for coming today. For everything,” Hoya told him truthfully, running his hand through Dongwoo’s long hair in a sweet gesture. Dongwoo blushed at the honestly in Hoya’s words, leaning out the car to give his husband a kiss.

“You know that I’d do anything for you. Just keep me posted okay? Don’t worry about the marathon, I’m sure Yongguk will understand.”

“Are you sure? We’ve been training to run it together for awhile…”

Dongwoo nodded. “I’m sure. I can always drag Sungyeollie along with me, we need to catch up anyways.”

“You haven’t seen him for like… a day,” Hoya reminded him gently, laughing at his husband’s co-dependency on his best friend.

“I know that, but a whole bunch can happen in a day! I’m sure he’s got tons of stories for me. The race will be over before nightfall, so just let me know when you are coming home and I’ll have dinner ready for you, or even if you want me to bring you some food here later on… all you have to do is tell me what you need and I’ll do my best to help.”

Hoya grinned at him, his smile wide and bright as he listened to Dongwoo. “You support me so much… I’m so crazy about you, you’re the only person that makes me feel this way.”

Dongwoo turned away, hiding his face on the steering wheel to try to avoid Hoya’s gaze. “Stop it, you know I get embarrassed when you say stuff like that.”

Hoya reached out for him, turning his chin so he could see that pretty face again. “I know it does, but it doesn’t make anything I say less true. I’m so in love with you and I always will be and I will never get tired of saying it.” He brought their lips together, giving Dongwoo a teasing kiss, nipping at his lips before pulling away. “So get used to it.” He reached over to turn on the ignition, stepping back with his hand on the car door. “Tell your partner I said hello. Have a good rest of the day baby.”

“I will. And you too.” Hoya closed the door, waving at Dongwoo, who mouthed I love you before blowing him a kiss through the window. Hoya returned the gesture, stepping onto the curb to watch Dongwoo drive off to the station.

He headed back into the hospital with a smile on his face, his husband successfully turning his mood around and making him feel more optimistic about Sooyong’s situation than ever; just like the doctor knew he would.

“Daddy, Daddy! Guess what I did today?”

Sungyeol smiled into the receiver. “What did you do today, princess?”

He could hear the rustle of Jiseon’s giggle on the other end. “Today I played board games with Grandpa! Isn’t that cool? He said that I was really good at it and that I was super smart! Daddy, when I come home, can we buy a board game?”

“Of course we can!” Sungyeol laughed, his heart feeling light. “We can buy and play as many as you want.”

“Yay!” Jiseon squealed over the phone. “I’m so excited! ‘Cause playing with Daddy will be even more fun!”

Sungyeol wiped one of his tables clean, his phone wedged between his ear and shoulder as he listened intently to his baby girl rambling on about her day so far. In all her excitement, she had decided to call him and so he answered and listened. She talked animatedly about small little things that she’d forget later and if he closed his eyes he could imagine her large arm movements as she spoke with enthusiasm.

Hearing Jiseon’s voice made him feel grounded and optimistic; he wished that he would have called her sooner. After a monster of a disastrous date the previous evening, he was left in a sour mood in which he ate ice cream and watched movies for the rest of the night in. The aftertaste was still a little bitter, but he was happy to be spending the night alone instead of with his arrogant prick of a date. Sungyeol had fallen asleep late, watching reruns of some crime show, but had to wake up early to open up his coffee shop. His morning had started a bit tedious and tiring, but pleasant customers and his daughter’s call brought light back into his eyes.

“What about Daddy?” Jiseon asked over the phone. “Is Daddy going to do anything fun today?”

“I’m going out with Uncle Dongwoo after I close the shop,” he replied, wiping down the counter of crumbs and sticky syrup spills. “We’re going to run a marathon to help raise money for people who need it.”

“What’s a marathon?” Her little voice was inquisitive at the foreign word.

“It’s where we do a very long run,” he explained, “to help people with cancer.”

“Daddy, what’s cancer?”

Sungyeol opened his mouth, but then closed it with a soft smile. “You’ll learn when you’re older. Right now, just think about your board games.”

“But Daddy I want to know! Is cancer dangerous? Do you have cancer?”

Sungyeol chuckled over the phone. “No, princess. Daddy doesn’t have cancer. And I’m sure if you do all your homework and continue to be such a good girl that I never will.”

“What about my uncles? Will they get cancer?”

“No, I’m positive that Uncle Hoya and Dongwoo will live happy, healthy lives.”

“Then why are you running for cancer if you don’t have it?” She asked in confusion.

“You ask so many questions!” Sungyeol cried, whining to tease his daughter. “Daddy and Uncle Dongwoo are running for other people with cancer, so that the money can go towards finding a way to help them.”

“Is it a race?”

“I guess for some people,” he replied, stacking up some empty cups.

“If it’s a race then Daddy will lose.” Jiseon stated matter of factly.

Sungyeol dropped a cup in shock, the sound of plastic echoing in the empty shop. “What makes you think Daddy will lose?” he asked, picking up the cup with a laugh.

“Because Daddy is slow,” Jiseon giggled. “You can barely even walk to the car! Daddy is lazy!” she teased.

Sungyeol pouted, even his daughter now poking fun at him for his lack of physical activity. “Daddy could win if he wanted to!”

“Are you sure?” she laughed.

“Yes, I am!” he replied decisively. “You’ll see - Daddy can be fast too.”

“Okay, Daddy,” she giggled sweetly. “Just be fast - you don’t have to win.”

“That’s right,” Sungyeol said as he stepped behind the counter. “Winning isn’t necessary - just remember to do your best.”

At that moment, Sungyeol’s part-time worker - Minho - came out from the back. He was cleaned up and ready to go after a day of work. “Hyung!” he called out. “I’m going to leave now, is that okay?”

Minho was a great employee; he was tall, handsome and still in college, so he could only come in when it fit in with his classes, but he always found the time to come help Sungyeol out. He worked hard and diligently, and Sungyeol found himself being able to trust Minho very easily. Minho had even babysat Jiseon a few times for Sungyeol and Jiseon absolutely adored him.

Sungyeol smiled at him. “Oh, yeah, of course! What time do you think you can come in tomorrow?”

Minho thought for a moment. “Well, I have practice in the morning and then Coach wants us all to meet for a team lunch around noon…”

“Already?” Sungyeol laughed shaking his head. “I thought the soccer season just ended!”

“It did, but you know us Spartans; we always have to be thinking ahead, getting ready for the battle next season! But it won’t take me long to get ready after lunch, so I think I can be here around two, actually. Is two okay?”

“Yeah, two is great! Thanks for coming today, Minho!”

“It’s not a problem!”

Suddenly, from his phone, Jiseon cried out, “Is that Squirtle oppa?! Daddy, Daddy, I want to talk with Squirtle oppa!”

Sungyeol laughed, taking the phone from the cradle between his ear and shoulder. “Okay, princess, I’ll let you talk to Squirtle oppa.” He looked over to Minho, who had graciously decided to help him wipe the last of the countertop. “Minho,” he called, “if you don’t mind, Jiseon is on the phone and wants to talk with you.”

Minho’s face lit up, his lips widening into a grin. “Jiseon?”

Sungyeol nodded, handing him the phone. “Go ahead and talk to her - I’ll finish up cleaning.”

Minho took the phone with a smile, immediately bringing it to his ear. “Jiseonnie? Hi, angel,” he laughed brightly.

Sungyeol smiled to himself as he finished wiping the counter. It was sweet how Minho cared so much for Jiseon. He was a great kid.

After having finished cleaning the counter, he moved to clear out the leftover pastries from the display case. He opened the glass door and began taking out the leftover cinnamon twists, pumpkin spice cookies and other pastries of all sorts. He piled them onto a tray, feeling a little sad having to throw them out. There weren’t too many left, but it was a shame that they had to go to waste.

He paused as he pulled out a cinnamon roll muffin and stared fondly at the vanilla icing on the top. Sungyeol smiled as his thoughts flashed back to the new detective that had come in earlier that day. He seemed like a kind man and Sungyeol was happy to receive him as a new regular. Well, at least he secretly hoped that the other would become a regular.

“Myungsoo,” he whispered, reminding himself of the name. It was a nice name. There was something about him that made Sungyeol want to know him better - to maybe even become friends with. He seemed very honest and warm. Sungyeol liked that.

He finished taking out everything from the pastry display case and Minho popped up, handing him back his phone with a smile. “Here, hyung. Thanks for letting me talk to Jiseon.”

Sungyeol grinned at him. “It’s not a problem. Did she hang up?” he asked, looking at the device.

Minho nodded. “Yeah,” he laughed. “She got a little too excited and hung up.”

“That’s fine. I can call her back later. So, what did you two talk about?”

Minho grinned happily, his eyes sparkling. “Apparently, we have an ice cream date as soon as she gets back from her grandparents,” he laughed. “It took some convincing, but I eventually agreed.”

Sungyeol chuckled, shaking his head at the thought of Jiseon asking Minho for an ice cream date. “Well, my baby girl always knows how to get what she wants.”

Minho nodded in agreement as he made his way around the front counter. “Yeah, she’s a powerful little five year old. So headstrong.”

Sungyeol let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Yeah, I’ll sure that will be tons of fun when the teenager years come around. Make sure you take care of my princess, got it, Minho?”

Minho laughed and saluted him playfully. “Yes, sir!”

“Oh, before you leave, Minho,” Sungyeol said, “Take some of the leftovers!”

Minho stared wide-eyed at the tray of pastries. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“Of course! They’re just the leftovers, and I wouldn’t want them all to go to waste. There’s only a few left - you should take some!”

Minho smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I really want to say no since I shouldn’t be eating too many sweets, but I can’t really resist your baking, either.”

Sungyeol smiled brightly at him. “Go ahead and take one! Consider is as a thank you for helping me out around here.”

Minho bit his bottom lip and stared at the pastries for a second before hesitantly reaching his hand out to take a cinnamon roll muffin. “I’ll just take one for now,” he said. “Plus, this is probably one of my favorite products of yours.”

Sungyeol’s eyes brightened as Minho walked over to the door with the muffin in hand. “Is it, really?”

Minho nodded. “It’s amazing, hyung! It’s definitely going to become one of the bestsellers for Sarang’s. I know people are going to come back just for this muffin.”

Sungyeol smiled, a fleeting thought of the detective running through his mind. “Yeah… I hope so. Go ahead and get out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow!” Minho waved politely, his wrapped up apron tucked under his other arm as he disappeared out the door. But Sungyeol’s smile disappeared pretty quickly when the saw the telltale blonde hair bouncing outside of the cafe entrance. He skipped over to the door, locking it quickly to prevent Dongwoo from coming inside Sarang’s.

“Aww, come on Sungyeollie! Don’t be like that!”

“Sorry, we’re closed to the public!” Sungyeol made a show of turning off his sign, but Dongwoo continued to softly beat on the door.

“You’re closed even for your best friend?” Dongwoo pouted outside the glass, trying to win his way into the cafe. But Sungyeol wasn’t having it, crossing his arms in a stand off.

“Yup! I am not open for business, especially for best friends who set up their best friends on bad blind dates!” Sungyeol retorted, his eyes glaring at the man on the other side of the window.

“Sungyeollie, let me in and we can talk about it! I’m sure it couldn’t have been that bad.”

“Actually, you’re right; bad is an understatement! Words like horrific, devastating, and tragic come to mind.” Sungyeol rattled off the statement, his anger growing with each adjective.

“Okay, I know that you think I right now, but I had a reason! Honest! Just let me come inside and I’ll tell you everything.” The taller man narrowed his eyes at him, and Dongwoo sighed. “Sungyeollie, do you really think I was delusional enough to think that Kiseop was the guy for you? Just let me in, you can scream at me for ruining your night, and then I can explain why I set you two up in the first place! There is a method to my madness, I swear.”

Sungyeol huffed, clearly wanting to vindictive for a little longer, but Dongwoo’s pouting was unjustly effective. He flipped the bolt, stalking over to the nearest booth and collapsing inside. The blonde entered the restaurant, following Sungyeol slowly before settling in on the opposite side of the table.

He cleared his throat, shifting back a respectable distance before starting his explanation. “Now, I know you’re a bit upset with me-”

“That isn’t exactly the verb I would choose.”

“Sungyeollie-”

“In the short amount of time we spent together, Kiseop managed to shame me for my eating habits, insinuate that I was financially unstable, and underhandedly criticize my business! At one point he upset that there were children inside the family restaurant, and he talked about my complexion for at least thirty minutes! I mean, it’s just skin! What else is there to say about it?”

The blonde lifted his hands in the air, clearly admitting defeat. “I know! I know he’s full of himself and socially inept and unbearably shallow, and he’s basically the farthest thing from a good match for you.” Dongwoo rambled, making Sungyeol raise his eyebrows in protest.

“Then why the hell did you set me up with him? That date was so bad that I might experience post traumatic stress the next time I walk into an Olive Garden! He - no, actually, both of you took Olive Garden away from me, and you know how I feel about those breadsticks!” Sungyeol groaned, his hand running through his long hair in frustration. “I don’t even know where to start! It’s all a big blur of disaster date and I’m not sure that I really want to relive it.”

“You don’t have to go down that not so fond memory lane for my benefit, and I am really sorry! But it was necessary!” Dongwoo pleaded, and Sungyeol only glared in return.

“What part of me being forced to sit across from a stuck up, pretentious model for a couple hours is necessary?”

“Because it’s the first dress syndrome!”

“What?”

“First dress syndrome!” Dongwoo repeated.

“No, I heard you. It’s just that you’re not making any sense.” Sungyeol explained, making Dongwoo shift a bit nervously in his seat.

“So I’ve seen a lot of Say Yes to the Dress in my day.” Sungyeol gave Dongwoo a judgemental look. “Only because I have like, a billion sisters!”

“Uh huh. It totally wasn’t on your recently watched list on Netflix.”

“You realize that I gave you my login info, and you’re using my Netflix for free, right?” Dongwoo reminded him gently, but Sungyeol cleanly steered the conversation back on track.

“Whatever, your sisters ‘forced’ you to watch a wedding show, carry on.”

“Okay well sometimes there are brides who find a dress that they really, really like before the come into the store. The dress has everything they want; the style, the fit, the cost. It’s basically perfect. But the consultants never put the bride in that ‘ideal’ dress first.”

“But why waste time looking at other dresses if you already know what you want?” Sungyeol asked confused.

“Because they are in a bridal store with hundreds of beautiful wedding gowns. If she tries on that ideal one first, a part of her will still be curious about the other dresses, nervous that she only picked the dress that she did because it was the first one she tried on. Hence, the first dress syndrome.” Dongwoo said this with a flourish, but Sungyeol didn’t seem to be catching on.

“And this scenario involving overpriced wedding dresses applies to me how?”

Dongwoo took a quick breath in before continuing on. “Basically… when this happens, when a bride has an idea in her head already of exactly the kind of dress she wants, the consultant will always make her try on a horrible dress on the complete opposite end of the spectrum first, that way she can be more objective about her choice in the long run.”

“...still not following you Dongwoo.”

“Sungyeollie, I don’t mean it literally! It’s a metaphor! Switch out the dress for a boy! If I would have set you up with a guy that was actually perfect for you on the first blind date, there’s no way you would trust it! And there’s so many fish in the sea, so how could you be sure that you fell in love with the right one? You’d be nervous that you only got together with the guy, because it was your first real experience dating a man! So instead a giving you what you ‘think’ you want in a guy first, I gave you what I knew you wouldn’t. But now you’ve gotten rid of those blind date jitters, you’ve got a bit of experience under your belt and the next time you go on a date, you’ll be ten times less nervous and the guy will actually be worth your time. So I’m sorry that you had to suffer through the horrible first dress, but later when you find the right one, you’ll get the pleasure of saying yes!” Dongwoo finished happily.

“You mean guy, not dress.”

“Whatever, the point is still the same! Kiseop was a great example of what you aren’t looking for in a partner. Now when you meet someone that does treat you the way you like to be treated, you’ll appreciate it that much more.”

Sungyeol glared at the blonde one last time before placing his head on the table in defeat. “Do you know how much I despise you right now for actually making sense? I was supposed to be angry and you were supposed to basically be my slave until I decided to let you back into my good graces, and now it turns out that you’ve had this master plan all along just cause you wanted me to be happy. Why do you have to be the perfect one all the time?”

Dongwoo laughed, shrugging his shoulders. “I guess it’s just my nature! Although your newfound happiness with me might not last too long.”

The brunette lifted his head slowly, his eyebrows furrowing as he stared at his best friend. “Why? What now?”

Dongwoo tapped on his phone, showing it to Sungyeol with a smile. “It’s nothing big, you’ve just got to hurry up and change! The marathon is already underway so no more stalling!”

Sungyeol groaned audibly, trying to collapse back onto the table in despair, but Dongwoo didn’t let him; he dragged him out of the booth and practically pushed him into the bathroom to change. Luckily he was able to use his key to stop by Sungyeol’s place and grab him some workout clothes before heading to Sarang’s, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have been able to get Sungyeol out of the apartment again.

But soon enough Sungyeol reappeared, not exactly looking like the most optimistic participant, but at least he wasn’t complaining. The starting point of the race was close to Sarang’s - although Sungyeol did temporarily whine about having to walk an extra amount of distance outside of the marathon - and since they were running a bit late they were able to sign in, grab their ribbons, and start the 5K trek without too much hassle.

The two of them settled into an easy pace, walking down the sidewalk with no particular hurry. Thankfully Dongwoo had memorized the map, so Sungyeol let himself be guided around downtown as the sun started to fall in the sky.

A/N: So we might have sort of maybe gotten a little sad writing the NICU scenes… (aka I cried) we just think that Dongwoo would be so quick to be worried and get attached to the baby… and the thought of the two of them naming Sooyong just makes us squeal! So now that Dongwoo has officially been introduced to Sooyong, it’s safe to assume that he’s going to care about the little boy too! Hoya definitely had a moment of enjoying watching the two of them interact… things are about to get more complicated! It’s been a minute since we checked in with Jiseonnie! How cute is her little crush on her Squirtle oppa? And we totally feel like Dongwoo would be the type to be obsessed with Say Yes to Dress. Dongyeol friendship is just so cutie! Comment and let us know what you think!

♥rayquin×