A triple update to make it up to you! Hope you enjoy~

 

**

 

Jongdae’s POV

 

 

“How is she doing in school?”

 

“She’s practically fine, maintaining grades and all. She’s a scholar, remember?” Lee Yoon Jae took a sip of his coffee while reading the morning newspaper. Who’s Lee Yoon Jae? Lee Shin Jae’s father.

 

“How about Park Chanyeol? She’s still friends with him?”

 

“Hmm? Yeah. They’re going to maintain their friendship until forever, I guess.” He raised one of his eyebrows in amusement. What?

 

“I thought my daughter likes him? I’ve noticed since she was a kid.”

 

“Well, things change, I guess.” I took one last bite of my toast and finished my hot chocolate.

 

 

And do you wonder why I’m the only one who knows he’s alive? And that I’m with him early in the morning?

 

 

You see, when I was a child, I got lost in the park. My family decided to go out, to bond, and I enjoyed too much, I guess. I was following this balloon, and I lost my way. I arrived at a hospital, and a man who looks like a patient was coming out secretly at the back. He saw me, and as a kid, I stared back at him. And then I started to cry.

 

 

“Kid, hush.” He covered my mouth in attempt to hush me. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I...I...” I started to cry out. At least, that’s what he told me. “I’m going to get kidnapped! You’ll kill me!” I cried again.

 

“What?” He asked in disbelief. “Where are your parents?”

 

“You see, you’re starting it! You’re going to ask them for some ransom for me to get back!” I accidentally let go of the balloon I was holding, but he caught it in time. He bent down to my height, and he removed my hands that were covering my wet eyes.

 

“I’m not a bad guy or something, you know.” I sniffed.

 

“You’re not?”

 

“Of course. I’m asking where your parents are because I would gladly take you home without a ransom.” He patted my head. “Now, how does that sound?” I immediately smiled at the old man and his gesture. I nodded slowly. But one thing hit me, though.

 

“I...I don’t know where I live...”

 

“Then we’ll find a way, okay?” He stood up and held my hand. “Let’s go.”

 

 

We asked help from the police, but we gained nothing at all. We started to look around, until I felt that the place was familiar.

 

 

“There! Turn right to that corner and our house is just by!” The man laughed softly at me. As we reached our home, I heard shouts from the inside.

 

“Where’s Jongdae? You !”

 

“Well, I don’t know where your child is, you ! You were supposed to look after him after I bought ice cream for a while!”

 

“It’s not my fault that he was so naughty he actually got lost! You’re the mother, you were supposed to do that job instead of me!”

 

“What?” I heard my mother shriek. “I knew it! I shouldn’t have married you in the first place!”

 

“Do you think I wanted to marry you too? We’re just arranged by our ing parents, that’s why! It’s not like I wanted you!”

 

“Then let’s just divorce! I don’t care anymore!”

 

 

And that’s the last thing I heard from my parents.

 

 

“Ahjussi...” I whispered. “Let’s go to your house.”

 

 

The man beside me knew something was wrong with our house, so he took me away. As we were walking, he spoke.

 

 

“You see, kid. We can’t go to my family’s house right now. But I’ve got a separate house, okay? Don’t worry."

 

 

In the end, the man adopted me. I found out that his name was Lee Yoon Jae. As I grew up, he told me that his family knew he was dead, so I should keep his state a secret. I also found out that he had a daughter, Lee Shin Jae, in that case. I was so thankful that I met him that day at the hospital. He treated me as if I was his own child. I did my best in school for him, but I know that he misses his real child a lot. So he asked me a favor.

 

 

“I’m going to enroll you to the same high school as my daughter, okay? I know you have friends in your old school, but I hope that...you know.”

 

“Oh, it’s okay, sir. I’m totally fine with it.”

 

“Dad. Call me dad.” It was awkward at first, but I complied.

 

“As you wish...dad.”

 

 

And that’s the story between Lee Shin Jae’s father and me.

 

 

So I started to study at this school when I was in freshman year. I met Baekhyun as well. He was someone you wouldn’t want to talk to, but one time I saw him talking to someone whom I realized was his father.

 

 

“But dad, I—“

 

“It’s for your brother’s sake. I hope you understand.” As his father left, he sat down and took a deep breath. I saw how his eyes were pleading, how he crumbled at his father’s words.

 

“Hey.” I called to him and it made him look up.

 

“Go away, this is my place.” He was trying to be tough, even though I know he was broken inside.

 

“Then, this is my place as well.”

 

“Who gave you the right—“

 

“It’s not like you own the school. I’m a student here like you, so I have the right to stay here.” He kept quiet. I sat beside him, which made him scoff in disgust.

 

“Was that your father?” His pupils dilated, and I swear I felt how much he wanted to punch me when I spoke about it.

 

“None of your business, jerk.”

 

“No one can hear us here, so you can be yourself now.” I saw how he was so cold when he interacts with other students. He had a few friends, but I bet he has this mask on whenever he’s with them.

 

“I said go away. Why won’t you leave me alone?” His voice was desperate. I know that he’s keeping his feelings to himself, and I immediately pitied him.

 

“I can be a listener, I’m quite good at it.” He looked at me. He was hesitant at first, but he started telling me everything.

 

 

Since that day, Baekhyun started to treat me differently. Someone asked if we’re actually friends, and we looked at each other and laughed.

 

 

“Well, you can say that,” was what we answered. No one actually said something about being friends, but I guess we are.

 

 

It was during sophomore year when he had a girlfriend. Kim Taeyeon, one of the popular girls in school. They had fun together, but they didn’t last long. I hated her. I hated that he left my (best) friend in this state. When they were together, I saw how happy Baekhyun was. It was as if he had all the happiness in the world whenever he sees her. And after that heartbreak, Baekhyun started to lose “friends” that he had. I stayed by him, knowing he needed me the most that time.

 

 

“She left me, Jongdae. She ing left me.”

 

 

I saw the transition from the happy Baekhyun to the jerk Baekhyun. During the whole junior year, he transformed into someone I didn’t know. He became a beast. I wanted to leave him, but everytime I see him staring at a picture of Taeyeon, I see his eyes like the first time we met: desperate, in need of love and care. I see the old Baekhyun in those eyes. I realized he’s still the same Baekhyun. He just shows everyone that he’s strong when in fact, he’s not.

 

 

And now, senior year. We weren’t classmates, but I got some sources saying that he’s particularly linked with someone whom I know really well: Lee Shin Jae. Of course. My reason to go here. I smiled at the sudden plot twist. My (best) friend, in love with my caretaker’s daughter.

 

 

I observed more of her. She’s pretty. She’s kind. She’s smart. She has a good heart. She’s persistent. She smiles a lot. She loves stuffed toys. She’s sincere. She looks so vulnerable when she cries. She tries her best for everything. She’s...perfect. Now I can see why Baekhyun is so in love with her.

 

 

Because that’s the same reason why I like her, too.

 

 

**

 

 

Decided for another plot twist ^^~