Hi there, not giving up on waiting for an update, right? ;)

When the day Jongki finally got discharged from the hospital had come, Jonghyun couldn’t be happier. He arrived at the hospital early in the morning with a goofy smile that stayed on his face throughout the day. Jonghyun diligently helped them pack their stuff and carried them all the way down to where his car parked. Jinki took a day off so he could spend the day with his son. Jongki was excited and bouncing on Jinki’s hold. Poor boy, he must have missed being outside very much, Jonghyun thought. Along the car ride, Jongki was very hyper, asking Jinki almost everything he saw on the road which Jonghyun found it amusing. On the other hand, Jinki was struggling between keeping up with Jongki and giving Jonghyun the direction. If there was one more thing about his hyung that surprised him was their current living place. By the time they arrived in front of the old building Jinki called his apartment, Jonghyun was speechless. However, he restrained himself from saying anything as he silently got out of his car to get the stuff in the trunk. He trailed behind his hyung and Jongki - who was rambling about his house to his uncle - wondering what they did here, why they lived in such place. It was on the third floor when Jinki stopped in front of a door and fished out the keys from his pocket.

“Welcome home, Jongki-ah,” Jinki said as they entered their flat.

Jonghyun’s first impression of this place was like entering a fully packed box. It was small, too small to Jonghyun’s liking. There was this main room that was split into two, living room and the kitchen. On his left, he could see three doors which later he learnt that they were two bedrooms and one bathroom. Jongki’s room was bigger than Jinki’s. The older mentioned something about providing Jongki’s more space to play when Jonghyun asked why he didn’t occupy the bigger room.

“Uncle Jonghyun,” Jongki tugged at Jonghyun’s trouser to get his attention. Jonghyun immediately looked down and responded to the child. “Do you want to see Pooh and Mr. Tiger?”

“Sure baby, where are they?” Jongki led the way to the corner where Jinki kept Jongki’s toys inside a big box. Jongki was busy introducing his toys to his uncle when Jinki slipped out of the room to do his work. He unpacked the bags and started putting back the clean clothes in the closet. He made a self note to do the laundry later at night. Once he finished, he went to the kitchen to prepare for their lunch. Jinki couldn’t deny that he felt so much at ease today. He could do the housework comfortably as he knew someone was watching after Jongki. Even though Jongki rarely caused any trouble, he constantly checked on the child, making sure that he was fine playing on his own.

“Waah, look, Jinki appa is cooking something!” Jonghyun’s voice startled Jinki. He turned around to see the two of them making their way to the kitchen. Jonghyun picked Jongki up so he could see what Jinki was cooking.

“Appa what is that?” Jongki asked as he stared at the pan.

“Tofu, you like tofu, right?”

Jongki only nodded. He continued staring at the dish until his eyes landed on the thing he hated the most. “Appa I don’t want that.” Jongki pointed to the vegetables next to the pot filled with kimchi soup he made earlier. “Appa don’t cook them.”

“I don’t.” Jinki lied.

“Why do you put them there?”

“They say they feel so lonely after appa take out tofu and kimchi from the fridge so appa take them out too.”

Jinki could see from the corner of his eye that Jonghyun was whispering something into his son’s ear and he knew it wasn’t something good.

“Appa put them back in, please.”

“Jonghyun, could you stop teaming up with him when it comes to eating?” Jinki’s tone was sharp and Jonghyun knew the older was annoyed and clearly disliking it.

“Appa is mad” Jonghyun whispered into Jongki’s ear.

“Eh, why?”

“Because we don’t want to eat veggies.”

Jongki gave Jonghyun a contemplating look before struggling to get off of his uncle’s hold. Jonghyun put him down and saw him walk to his dad. Jongki hugged onto Jinki’s leg and looked up to say “Appa, don’t be mad. Jongki will be good” melting both of the men’s heart at the sight.

“Appa is not mad. Why don’t you take a seat, baby? Appa is almost done.”

Jinki almost chuckled at how the two immediately grabbed a seat and waited for their meals. Jonghyun might be a bad influence for his son in some cases but he couldn’t deny how endearing the two were when they were together.

“Uncle, have you ever tried appa’s cook?”

“Never, is it good?”

“Appa can make everything taste yummy.”

“Ah, really?” Jonghyun cooed, failing to resist Jongki’s cuteness. “Let’s eat a lot, okay?”

Once the foods served, Jonghyun quickly filled Jongki’s plate. He later started to take care of his own plate. Never in his life was he this thrilled about having a lunch. At first, he wondered how it would taste. When he learned that it tasted good, he then wondered when he would get the chance to sit with them and have a meal together again. Later he wondered if it was okay to wonder if he would get another chance. He was too engrossed with the foods and lost in his own thought to notice that Jinki was stealing glances on him.

Jinki had admitted that he felt contented at the moment. It was like a lost piece in his life had returned and made him feel complete. He didn’t let himself to dwell in the feeling though. It was temporary, once in a lifetime maybe. To have Jonghyun sitting with him and his son, enjoying his home made food. He was thankful that, at least, he got to feel this in his life. He didn’t expect to get this much. Maybe God was being nice to him for keeping himself together and not falling apart in the past difficult four years. If it was so, then he truly loved the gift and was going to enjoy this while it lasted.

It was 9 when Jinki ordered his child to sleep from the kitchen while doing the dishes. Jonghyun heard that and persuaded Jongki to brush his teeth and change into pajamas and get ready for bed. Being a nice little boy, Jongki nodded and started to clean his mess. He slowly arranged his plushies inside the box and saved one to take for sleep. He tried to set up his car toys nicely but gave up and just threw them inside the box. He let his uncle know which pajamas he wanted to wear tonight and dragged the elder man to the bathroom with him. Jonghyun voluntarily helped him with his toothpaste and saw him brush his teeth with a proud smile on his face. He patted the child’s head tenderly when he finished, saying how he was such a smart kid.

“Are you going to go home?” Jongki asked after Jonghyun tucked him in.

“Yes, but not before you sleep.”

“Are you coming tomorrow?”

“Do you want me to come?”

“Hmm,” hearing Jongki’s honest answer was like having a bomb of happiness dropped right in his heart, making his lips curved into a smile and his eyes light up with joy.

“Then I’ll drop by tomorrow.”

“Is your mommy okay with you coming here every day?”

“She will be okay. I told her you’re a good boy so she’s okay with me spending time with you.”

Jongki smiled, satisfied with the reply. Speaking of his mother, Jonghyun remembered that she wanted to see Jongki and that he had not taken any picture with the boy yet. So he fished his phone out of his pocket and took some pictures with Jongki. He rounded the photo session with one final picture he took when Jongki was asleep. It was a very cute picture of Jongki sleeping with his plush and Jonghyun making a V sign beside him. His mother was going to love these, he was sure of it.

Jonghyun headed to the kitchen to see his hyung diligently wiped up the dining table. Jonghyun gave him a small smile when Jinki noticed him there.

“He is asleep.”

“Ah, good.”

Then there was this awkward silence hung between them.

“Aren’t you going home? It’s late.” Jinki was the first to break it.

Jonghyun chuckled. “Jongki was asking the same thing before he sleeps. Of course I am going home. But before I’m leaving, there is something I need to talk to you.”

“Whatever you want to talk, it can wait. It’s late. You better be leaving now.”

Jonghyun knew, he could sense it, Jinki knew where this was going. It had to be now, or else, Jonghyun would never have the chance to say what he had kept to himself all this time.

“I’m sorry.” He said, with his eyes locked on Jinki’s, begging for forgiveness. “I’m sorry, hyung.”

“There is no need for apology, you know.” Jinki tore his gaze away from the younger and turned around, searching for something he could do to keep him occupied. “You’ve done so much for Jongki. I think we’re even now.”

“No, I’m sorry for everything. For harming your child and for forcing you into something you –“

“I prefer to not talking about that.”

“No, we need to talk about it. I can’t pretend like it’s never happened. I’m not you. I can move forward without apologizing to you. I need to know that you forgive me, that you weren’t hurt, and that everything is okay.”

“It is okay.” Jinki emphasized the work okay in hope Jonghyun would wrap this up and call it a day.

“How on earth it is okay to have your drunken best friend you?”

Jinki froze on the word as his mind automatically replayed the moment when Jonghyun pinned him down on his bed at their shared apartment, kissing him, touching him, moving inside of him, leaving his marks on his body without his consent. He was crying, asking him to stop but Jonghyun was far too lost in his world to hear Jinki.

“I’m sorry, hyung.” Jonghyun repeated when he noticed how tense Jinki was. “I don’t mean to bring you back to that moment but really, I’m sorry.” Jonghyun moved forward and wrapped his arms around Jinki’s waist, hiding his face on the back of Jinki’s neck. He was afraid, Jinki’s back was so stiff against his chest, and he was as hard as a statue. “Hyung, please say something.”

“We never did that, Jonghyun. It never happened.”

“Does it make you feel better?” Jonghyun was close to tears at the moment. He rather had Jinki hit him, slap him, beat him, or anything in return of taking his hyung by force. He knew nothing would be equal but if there was anything he could receive as a punishment for hurting his hyung, it would be so much better than simply trying to act as if they never did that.

“Yes.” His voice was firm, no hesitation even at the slightest.

“Okay, it never happened then.” Jonghyun surrendered. “So we’re cool, right?”

“I told you it is okay, everything is fine. Now could you let go of me?”

Jonghyun shook his head, “I miss you, hyung.”

“We meet every day for weeks.”

“We did. But it feels like there is a wall separating us.”

“It’s just your feeling.”

“You have no idea how I want to jump on you, hug you tight, and lock you inside my room when I first see you at the hospital. I want to sit on the bed with you, listening to your story, catching up with what I have missed. But I can’t. I already hurt you just in time we get to see each other again.” Jonghyun finally let go of Jinki and moved around to face the older. “If everything is fine, just like what you say, then tell me. Tell me that you’re not running away because of what I’ve done to you.”

“It’s not.”

“Then why?”

“I have my own reason, Jonghyun and it’s none of your business. It’s late. You better get going now.” Jinki was about to walk away but Jonghyun held his arm, not going to let him go before getting what he wanted.

“If you don’t want to tell me about it, maybe you can tell me about him. Who is he? How is he? Why you never introduce him to me?”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Jongki’s other dad. I know it, hyung. I know that Jongki is your biological son. You were pregnant with Jongki. You gave birth to him. So I’m asking you about the one that got you pregnant and then left you just like that.”

Jonghyun couldn’t really register what happened because the next time he knew, his back hit the counter and Jinki had his grip on Jonghyun’s neck. “How do you know about it?”

“Hyung,” Jonghyun was out of words, he didn’t expect this. “I- I have my source.”

“How much do you know?”

“I… hyung –“ Jonghyun was scared, Jinki was angry, his teeth was clenching and his body shaking. “I know that you were pregnant, alone, and had a hard time even after you gave birth to Jongki.”

Jinki released Jonghyun after hearing Jonghyun’s confession. “I don’t know why you dig up my past but for whatever the reason is, stop it.”

“I only want to know you, hyung. I didn’t have the chance in the past because our friendship used to revolve around me. It’s all about me. You can tell everything about me but I have no idea about you. And now when I finally realize it, you refuse to tell me anything.”)

“How many times I have to say that there is nothing you need to know.”

Jonghyun groaned in frustration. “Fine, if you’re not going to tell me, don’t blame me if I have to go on my own way to find things. Even if you have your hand around my neck, I’m still going to find out about that damn person and beat the out of him for ever leaving you alone.” Without final goodbye, Jonghyun made his way to the door, leaving Jinki with new fear about his future.

A new chapter, yay!!

Pardon me if there is any mistake, I didn't reread this, hehehe.

See you on the next chapter <3

Oh, I read that some of you guys have guessed what actually happened between them. I won't say you're wrong because it's already obvious by now (in this chapter) but... they don't just for the first time one night and taraa~ jinki is pregnant the next morning like... no (._.") it's not that fast I mean.