Finally I updated! Hahaha! Sorry for letting you wait long (if ever anyone waited for this chapter)

Sorry for any unseen errors but I swear, I proofread it! :)

Enjoy! ^^

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“Does appa’s cooking taste good, Henry?”

“Yes, appa! It’s very yummy! Henry likes it a lot.” The boy grinned, putting down his spoon for a moment and giving the man a thumbs up.

Donghae chuckled and lightly pinched Henry’s cheek. “Thank you, baby. But we should eat a bit faster or else we’ll be late, okay?”

“Okay!”

The two continued their lunch in comfortable silence again. Every now and then grinning at each other and Donghae wiping the corners of Henry’s mouth with tissue paper since he was still adapting to using chopsticks instead of the usual spoon and fork.

“My baby is so good! You’re learning so fast.” He praised. “Henry, what did you learn in school today?”

“Our teacher told us to draw our family!” Henry cheerfully replied, in contrary to the sad smile his father was giving him. “Appa, family is like a puzzle piece. Teacher said if one piece is missing, then it won’t be complete.”

Donghae gave another sad smile as Henry continued eating his lunch. Innocent to all cruelties and the truth about his existence.

Family is like a puzzle piece. If one piece is missing, then it won’t be complete.

Donghae looked forlornly at one corner while sitting down behind the counter.

4 years. It had been 4 years since that night Hyukjae kicked him out and told him harsh words that would be forever etched in his mind. He won’t get his hopes up since he knew it would be quite impossible for Hyukjae to run after him and take responsibility like a cliché drama scene. He knew the man, and if he ever sets his goal on something then he won’t let it go easily. He loved the man, and if he ever came back to him (though he said previously that it would be quite impossible) and just apologized, he would be beyond happy and welcome him with open arms.

He was driven away from his thoughts when he heard some kind of clattering from behind the first shelf of the candy shop he was working at. He didn’t even have to get curious and stand up to see and know who it was.

“Henry?” He called out, knowing the boy must have been reaching for something beyond his reach again.

“Yes appa?” He called out and there was rapid crumpling of plastic and paper. “Wait! I’m trying to put the- ugh- candies that fell back in place and it’s- appa, please help me.”

Donghae chuckled and immediately went to help Henry. Once he turned to the aisle where the boy was putting the candies one by one back to its original place and a hand tightly clasping one chocolate bar, he smiled and kneeled down to pick up the pieces of candy too and began helping and teaching the boy how to put it back without the others falling again. He did half of the chore and told Henry to try it on his own and use the stool near the corner to get to places he can’t reach.

Life had been hard. Donghae thought again as he watched his son doing the requested task in concentration. For the first few nights after the said fight, he slept inside underpasses until he could find a cheap apartment the next day. He had to work with two part time jobs when he was carrying Henry, for food and apartment rent. There had been no one to support nor soothe him when the most painful time came. He had to work and take care of henry at the same resulting in three part time jobs because he had to send Henry to school too. With all the hardships, there had been no one that Donghae could lean on to or ask for help since all throughout his life, it was only Hyukjae and him.

In regards with this, here they are now in Donghae’s second job of the day. Henry’s classes only lasted 7 AM until 12 NN so he had the chance to take Henry to where he worked at after lunch. The boy loved it there too since it was a candy store. And his co-worker, Sungmin was also good with kids and Henry enjoyed the boy’s company.

“Henry, why aren’t you putting that back?” Donghae gently asked as the boy was still clutching on the bar of chocolate.

“Appa, I wanted to eat this. Please buy it for me?”

“Henry, you already ate 2 pieces of candy earlier. Let’s eat it another time okay?” Donghae sighed as he tried to reason with the child.

“I’ll eat it another time but please, appa. Please but it for Henry?” He pouted and leaned in to whisper to Donghae. “If-if we buy it another time then maybe someone’s going to get it then. And-and when Henry returns here and looks for it, it’ll be gone.”

Another sigh escaped from Donghae’s mouth but not without a bit of chuckling. “Appa can’t buy this for Henry right now since I didn’t bring enough money.” He the boy’s head. “It’s only enough for the ride back home and our dinner. Next time, okay? I promise to tell Sungmin hyung not to let anyone get this, okay?”

Henry suddenly got restless and he whined a bit.

Donghae knew that Henry was well-mannered (he had managed to teach him well anyway). But it wasn’t a surprise for him that Henry would throw a tantrum like this. He was still a child, and it was normal. Sighing again, he checked the clocked shaped of a gingerbread house on the store’s wall near the entrance and figured it all out because it was already past Henry’s afternoon nap.

“Appa.” The boy whined, this time with tears b his eyes. “Please, appa. Henry only wants this then no more.”

And the little boy whailed.

“We haven’t even finished half of the job and you’re already tired?” The older chuckled in disbelief seeing the boy next to him yawn and blink his eyes slowly.

“Not my fault the company is rushing that group’s debut and I have to teach them the choreography double time.” Hyukjae yawned for nth time, resting his head on head rest. “Maybe I should go get an energy bar or somethin’.”

“Uh-huh, that’s a good idea,” Heechul turned to the man as the red light stopped them from their destination for a while. “There’s a candy store right in front of KBS.”

Hyukjae just hummed in return. Turning his head to face the window and observe the scene before him. His eyes fixated on a couple walking by the streets, between them was a child almost reaching their waists. The three of them were hand in hand and laughing all along to whatever the child was talking about and pointing to directions in between.

The older of the two saw Hyukjae’s sudden observation and smiled sadly at him. “Hey, Hyuk.” He called out, earning a question hum from the younger. “Have you, uhm, ever regreted your decision?”

Ever since Hyukjae received the shocking yet surprising new from Donghae that night, he wasn’t able to process it well. He acted on impulse, letting his frustrations and tiredness from the weeks prior to that take over his actions towards Donghae. His company, at that time, was pushing him too hard on his schedules, he had a fight with their president because he didn’t want to rush his album when the opposite side kept on persisting him to hurry up so that they could make sales.

He didn’t mean the words he told the younger, it was the sudden rush of