When Dad gets sick, Sehun gets sad too.

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Chapter 3: When Dad Gets Sick... (1/2)

Dad doesn't usually get sick.

Usually, it's Papa first. And after that, Sehun when he forgets to drink the vitamins. Dad is always the one to drive them to doctor, wait in the line for their medicines, and look after the food they shall and shall not consume.

You probably think Dad is a health freak. That isn't false.

Whenever they go out for once-a-week shopping, Dad will put various kinds of home remedies ingredient on the list. If Sehun runs into kid-snack section and Papa rushes to meat section, Dad spends his time choosing vegetables, take many into the cart, even when knowing that Sehun and Papa don't like 'em.

That is why Dad has Papa in panic when they catch him laying heplessly on the mattress, one morning of August, body-heat rises two degrees and face flushes red rose.

It's supposed to be a day out, supposed to be a day they visit the new amusement Park and try the new pasta from the restaurant near Banpo-bridge, not a day Papa hides Dad at the hospital and Sehun has no choice but to be left alone at home---not literally, though, because Grandma and Grandpa sleep by his side at night and Yura-aunt makes him chocolate milk served not too hot, just the way he likes. Baekhyun-uncle drops by too, after dinner, unsurprisingly kind enough to let Sehun climbs on his back, and fishes a book from Dad's rack and reads it to him, but still, without Papa and Dad, the house feels empty. His heart feels empty as well.

****

Sehun doesn't usually cry in the morning.

Unless he's being really sad. And Sehun thinks---he thinks that is understandable.

Last night before he off to sleep, he expected Papa to stop hiding Dad and just come back home, because it's getting pointless and Sehun misses them, he misses the both of them. They never stayed more than four hours at hospital so why does Papa do that to Dad now. Hospital isn't a great place to hide, anyway.

He has been a good boy. Wakes up promptly when Grandma kisses him twice on both cheeks, takes warm bath alone, dresses himself without asking anyone's help (uniform is blue on Monday, he doesn't forget), and says "Good morning" to Grandpa and offers him his toast, slightly burnt on the side.

But Dad is not there to drive him to school.

That is like a big slap. Like the number four. Cursed. Casted out. Like something has gone completely wrong and it refuses to leave him alone.

There are hidden rules in their house; 1) Sehun has to wake up at seven, each morning from Monday to Friday. (He has to, or Papa will kiss him---and Papa's kiss usually leaves wet feeling on his skin; it's gross. Sehun doesn't understand why Dad likes it so much.) and, 2) If there is someone to drive Sehun to school, it's Dad. And if there's someone to pick him later in the afternoon, it's Papa. 

So with Dad not being there, it's as if---it's as if they're violating the rule number two.

"You know how they refer to kids who don't obey the guideline with? They call them naughties. Sehun isn't allowed to be one, okay?"

What a lie. Stupid Dad. Stupid Papa too. Stupid, stupid grown-up naughties.

****

Sehun wonders, out of all people, why it has to be Baekhyun-uncle.

At least Yura-aunt hugs him when he doesn't want to get on her car earlier before, and lets him borrow her phone to play Doodle Jump (and she actually gives him cacao honey dip donut---two pieces to be exact, if it was Dad he wouldn't have given this privilige), and when they reaches the gates of the kindergarten and it looks like Sehun is about to cry again, she whispers to him a train of comforting words---and this time too they hug for a long long moment. She's good at giving a hug. She always smells nice, even in the morning, akin to baby powder and lavender mixed together. Velvety. Just like her younger brother. Just like Papa.

Baekhyun-uncle, on the other hand, is questionable.

At school today they call him red-eyes, and they ask "Hey Sehun, what have you been crying for? You got two lady bugs on your face", so he gets mad and tosses a car toy to Jongin's doll house. Jongin cries. Everyone cries too. It's a mess and they are all so stupid.

Maybe he's not supposed to be here with them, singing to some lame Teletubbies song, and instead applies for grade school.

----That is to say, Sehun is pissed. Everything just isn't following his way. And Baekhyun-uncle picking him up from school adds to more reasons to that heaviness, oh how to make him knows.

"How about we have sweets for lunch?" Sehun snorts when, all of sudden, he's being proposed by this offer. Baekhyun-uncle has his hands on the steer, but his eyes are staring down at him. A second long Sehun is doing the same, looking up to the taller man, thinking that in another universe, Baekhyun-uncle would make a cute Norfolk Terrier. Or a brown Poodle. He shakes off that thought, as his fingers roam to reach some toys---because why could Baekhyun-uncle be a cute dog, anyway. 

"Pasta sounds delicious too, Uncle has been craving for it," the voice speaks again beside him, causing him to groan.

"Take me to Dad," Sehun says grabbing the small Gundam figures from the dashboard. "And Papa."

"Nah, we can not do that now, Hunnie. Wait about, um... Maybe two days?"

His fingers are trembling. "Why?"

"Um... Dad and Papa are currently busy, so---"

"Are they not coming back home anymore?"

Sehun chokes back his tear just thinking about the possibilty.

It isn't like he is a stupid kid. He may be a few months nearing six but he ain't a fool.

Sehun understands that Dad and Papa can't be his real Dad and Papa---other kids in his kindergarten don't have two fathers. Each has only one, but they own something that has never been in Sehun's possession. A mom. Except Jongin---Jongin has two Moms. He never asked why.

Sehun doesn't really care about it, though, he usually just stands there when Seulgi the most curious kids of 'em all asks him where he hides his Ma, and why he has two Pa when she and her two brothers only get one back at home---stands there blinking and unmoving and after a few minutes correcting her words about him having two Pa. "It's  not Pa. It is, Dad and Papa."

But yeah Sehun has been scared and yeah he's afraid that Dad and Papa might leave him, someday---their lives are already perfect this way.

Still, fright isn't something easy to riot. Without him knowing, his tears fall down (again), life has been so y and he can't help it---but then he realizes how Baekhyun-uncle is stuck with a crying kid whose fathers may not love him anymore, he probably hates this kid too now---and he cries harder.

Until a hand erases his sadness away, by drying his face with lots of tissue papers and with his eyes closed (and nose blocked) Sehun is still able to feel Baekhyun-uncle caressing his cheeks, voice as low as whispers (it tickles!) when he's sending shooting words right above Sehun's ears. Where did you get that info, of course they will be coming back. Don't cry, Hunnie.

So Sehun asks again, but when. And adds, I've been a good kid, tell them they can go home now. And for the last time before his car parks near the restaurant Sehun and Dad and Papa supposed to swing by the other day, Baekhyun-uncle answers, "I'm not sure about that, but we'll find out soon."

"You promise?"

Baekhyun-uncle nods and hugs him as the return.

****

Later at nine, someone is talking with Yura-aunt on the phone.

Vaguely from his sleep, Sehun hears the familiar laugh of Papa, thinking that he's perhaps dreaming, before closing his eyes one more time---the moon outside is a shape of a ping-pong ball.

****

tbc~