When Dad gets sick, Papa is the one to be in panic.

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Chapter 4: When Dad Gets Sick... (2/2)

Kyungsoo is always the prettiest person.

To Chanyeol, of course. Never had any different thought.

When he looked back to their precedent time, Chanyeol wondered how he could even make it. Kyungsoo is no special guy. To anyone else he might seem ordinary---except the fact that he was sometimes so grumpy, and owned a big house in Ilsang and amid their college time his parents used to hire two bodyguards to watch over him all the way to Seoul. Okay maybe he is no ordinary guy at all.

But Chanyeol yearns for him, always does---he could get use of waking up in a premature morning only to stare at his husband's face for as much as time it takes until Kyungsoo wakes up and glares at him; which he usually does, most of the time.

And still, Kyungsoo is always the prettiest person. He is, like a white rose, shyly blooming in a late evening; so pretty, so pure, so difficult to claim over---it took 3 years for that shortie to say yes, "Yes, Chanyeol, let's be lovers," or something similar, because Chanyeol was smiling from ear to ear he forgot to hold dear everything else and he kissed Kyungsoo, on spur of moment, eventhough the other whined that he hated it---still he kissed him again, eventhough Kyungsoo's brother beat him up later on and he had to ride the train home with cheeks full of magenta-colored bruises, feeling kind of like a fool.

****

Kyungsoo is always the prettiest person.

Even if Baekhyun would surely laugh looking at his current condition. "Help me with the hospital gown?" Kyungsoo throws him a look. His eyes, as ever, round as marble, back exposed and lips pouted; this is it, Chanyeol thinks, he always makes this face whenever he seeks for my help.

But it's not like Chanyeol possesses any power to say no. Kyungsoo can ask him to buy a box of fried chicken at two in the morning when everyone are supposed to sleep or dream about their nonexistent lover, and Chanyeol will still make it happen. With or without the pout. That has turned up in the past anyway.

"You know my brother is coming to visit me today, right?" Kyungsoo shifts in his spot while letting Chanyeol to fix the clothes (carefully in case he may touch the IV drip). He hates the fact that he can not get a proper bath with his present state. Nurses washing him with water and tissue papers isn't just enough. "You can go home for a while and check Sehun out. He must be missing us a lot."

"Yeah I think that's a good idea---your brother doesn't like to see me anyway."

"Chanyeol, don't be like that!"

Stupid brother, Chanyeol mumbles under his breath. He tries to wiggle out of Kyungsoo's sudden grasp, eyes back to round and the pout is there again. ing virtuous pout.

He shrugs. "Don't make that face, Soo," and sighs. A smile is born on his husband's face and he kisses it, quickly, but the dread is still reciding there.

There is a thing. Kyungsoo's family don't like him. They never really liked him to begin with. They love Sehun, though---they are just so bitter towards Chanyeol and he may or may not want to understand why, but when he mulls it over again, he slightly gets the idea. He just pretends not to acknowledge it.

It's not in the fact that Kyungsoo is gay, because they've been very supportive about it and even set him up on a blind date with the chabeol son Kim Junmyeon, whose the sound of his thick wallet remains forever clear within Chanyeol's ears (he sure was in love with Kyungsoo, is, and maybe Kyungsoo kind of liked him back---they were even almost, almost, married each other), it's not. It's in the fact that Chanyeol is a commoner compared to the Do family, Kyungsoo drove a black Audi to campus and Chanyeol rode a cute bicycle, the helmet was cute too and it came in a bright yellow color. When Kyungsoo announced their marriage, it was a giant mess. Chanyeol recalls having to hide in other city because Kyungsoo's brother was looking for him, of course not with a good intention. Still it was understandable, though. Kyungsoo was supposed to study English Literature for conventionality only, he should be working in the Do company contrary to being an English teacher and if only he chose this road instead of marrying the always smiling music student Park Chanyeol, he wouldn't have to stumble upon Baekhyun the History teacher everyday at work, who is at the same time his number one great, great enemy even long, long before Chanyeol could remember.

"Hey," a voice is calling him from his long thought. "Don't think too much about it, okay?"

Chanyeol hums a lazy kitten hum, Kyungsoo's fingers are roaming around his cheeks and it vibrates into his soul. "I think I should bring Sehun here today."

"But I'll probably be home in one or two more days? I don't want Sehun to be sad, seeing his Dad is sick," Kyungsoo says out of a detained whisper. "I don't want him to catch the flu too."

"This is one horrible flu."

"It is," Kyungsoo laughs, kissing Chanyeol on the lips. Sometimes he's just quite affectionate like this.

"But he'll be fine," they're both staring deep at each other now, until Chanyeol motions to the shorter one to sleep, for the hospital gown is already fixed. Kyungsoo does as told, after shooting a hesitant look, which sadly doesn't work. "Besides," Chanyeol continues, smiling knowingly, "it's so mean to make him wait. Sehun is Sehun for a reason, if he feels like crying then he will."

"I see. You are right, I guess."

Fast, he leans in for another kiss. "I am."

"---An idiot."

No, I'm always right, and you hate that fact---he finishes it for the other, breathing in as Kyungsoo joins him.

****

Chanyeol reaches their home at ten in the morning. Car parked just in front of the main gate, devastated, and don't ask why.

Maybe he's simply out of luck. Wait a minute, he sorts out, what was happening again? Oh, right. It was after Kyungsoo ate his breakfast. Eight in the morning, plain puree and boneless chicken and steamed broccoli--had to drink three mecidines with a glass of water after that. All went right.

Until Kyungsoo's brother showed up; him and his expensive fragrance, his branded attires---Chanyeol didn't prepare himself to find such vision that early. Kyungsoo said, around afternoon, Chanyeol, maybe nearing lunch, but there he was, like some sort of horror show, stopping two steps away and looking up at Chanyeol, eyes full of anger. Eyes the darkest curtain of charcoal. Then Chanyeol passed him a hello, "H-hello, brother in law," then he quickly regretted it. He regretted everything, every words, ever inch. But it was too late. He could think of a couple of another much more meaningful to say but his brain froze he slouched over the nearest chair and looked down, and still that didn't take away the awkwardness in the room.

He tries to remember what Kyungsoo's brother said after that;

Had you not marry this guy, you wouldn't end up catching this commoner fever, Kyungsoo.

"Stupid guy with a brother complex," Chanyeol is sure he had snorted loud enough for his Mother, only in an old house-dress and green, cheek patterned apron, to rush to the front door; and as it reveales the potrait of a wasted Chanyeol, she halts suddenly and tilss her head at him. "Chanyeol? Why are you here? What about Kyungsoo? I was just about to visit him and you."

"Nah, no need to, Mom," he walks into the livingroom, self-welcoming himself at the same time. "His brother arrived just not a long moment ago. Soo told me to go home and greet Sehunnie."

"Ah," there's a small noise of the door glently closed, "actually, about Sehun..."

Sehun refused to attend school today.

"He seemed to be having a bad dream," his Mom explains. "He woke up early this morning, crying... and, calling his Dad and his Papa---I think. Thankfully though, your Dad handled it well, but Sehun still refused to go to school. I was planning to tag him along to the hospital, since no one will be home."

After all, this is a new thing to him. In a way, it must be hard for Sehun not to seeing his parents within three consecutive days, and adds to the case that Sehun is a super spoiled kid. You have to bold the super part. It's cute, though. Normally he would whine and ask for his Dad and his Papa's attention, like those usual days Chanyeol had to be away from home because of the touring, and Sehun called him over the phone whining how Papa was bad (and naughty) and unless he brought home a new toy then Sehunnie wouldn't want to talk with him anymore---and each time this happens, which is quite often, they would end up falling for his mischievous sobs and catered to whatever he wanted; periodically, Chanyeol wondered whether this boy had learned this method from Kyungsoo.

---Well, it seems so.

"Hi, Sehunnie."

There is no answer, just a mere soft snore, an almost inaudible one.

Chanyeol finds his son peacefully sleeping in his room, blue Donald Duck t-shirt and black shorts and it looks like he has been crying a lot. He scoots over, making a room for the boy to stir, and carefully hugging him from the side. Chanyeol watches his nose crinkles, a habit Sehun has ever since he was a baby---and because Sehun is taller than kids his age, when Chanyeol side-hugs him like this, his knees reach Chanyeol's stomach, on and off kicking it lightly, "Do you miss me and Dad, baby?"

There is still no answer, just a mere soft mumble, an almost inaudible one; but Chanyeol laughs anyway.

****

Sehun won't stop hugging him once he gets up.

He screams at Chanyeol, maybe out of happiness, or is that anger---he can't really tell. It takes ten minutes for him to calm down, and half an hour of Chanyeol rocking him under a warm embrace. He sinks his head back on his Papa's chest, small sobs still won't disappear---it makes the tip of his button nose pinkish red. Chanyeol smiles on the quiet because it reminds him of a young cherry tomato, not yet ready to be eaten. "Papa is sorry, baby."

" I wanna meet Dad too," the reply comes in a whiny noise.

"Sure, but Sehunnie has to stop crying first... We don't want Dad to find out, do we?"

"Uhm-mmm."

It works like magic. Or perhaps Sehun is just too tired to disagree.

The next thing they are already heading to Uncle Lu's Flower Shop, whose owner is none other than Luhan---used to be playing in Chanyeol's band (well, when they both were still naive teenagers, which was over ten years ago), but not anymore since he finished high school. Sehun keeps on tugging Chanyeol's arms and asks his Papa to put him down---in the end Chanyeol has no choice but to comply, before Sehun could even start with his teary-eyes game. Plopping down, the little boy walks fast towards the basins of flower, looking back only when Luhan Uncle greets him from afar.

Another costumer and another costumer and it's finally their turn---Sehun points at the series of Ann Cousins and Solange inside the top rack, bouncing for a little while and says, "Those two, Papa, Dad will like them."

"Eh? Kyungsoo is sick?"

"Dengue fever," Chanyeol answers for Luhan's question. "But he'll be home in one or two days."

"Oh my God," Luhan stops fom arranging the bouquet, "I didn't know about it."

There's a small yell from Sehun, telling his Papa he'll be waiting in the car.

Chanyeol nods at the boy then pulls out his wallet. Eyes are back to Luhan and the flower in his hands one more time. "Nah, that's okay. Kyungsoo doesn't really like people seeing him sick, to be honest. Like you know how strict he is to himself."

"No, no. That doesn't count. I'll make sure to cook a nice food and come over by the end of this week."

That would be fifty thousand Wons, he continues next. Chanyeol bids him goodbye, assuring Luhan that he doesn't really need to trouble himself for the last time. When he arrives at the car, he finds Sehun busy trying to write something on the get-well-soon card they bought at the stationery shop prior to dropping by Uncle Luhan's store, both elbows on the dashboard, but it's not like Sehun is fluent at it. "What do you write, Hunnie?"

"Umm, it's a secret."

"Is that so?" Chanyeol glances at him, making sure his son sees his saddened face. "I see... Sehun is now a meanie."

"Nooo! Sehun is not a meanie, Papa."

"Then share it with this poor old man here. Pretty please?"

The last part makes Sehun bursts in laughter. Dad, he begins to read, I hope you recover real soon and after that, don't disappear again, please. Sehun doesn't like it. And from this point he refuses to continue, for Chanyeol starts to giggle at his angle. You are always the meanie one, Papa, and hastily snatchs the iPad Air 2 from Chanyeol's lap. 

The following moment is filled with Sehun humming to the theme song of Angry Birds (that Chanyeol thinks a bit annoying---the song, not Sehun) and Chanyeol the boy's hair once in a while. There are a basket of fresh fruits on the back seat, a box of packed snacks, a bag of clean clothes, some books to ease Kyungsoo's boredom, and some stuffs related to Chanyeol's work. Chanyeol has reminded his Mother to pick Sehun up before dinner, because Hospital isn't really a good place for boys his age and anyhow, he definitely won't let his son to sleep over---who knows what kind of ghost Sehun would be spotting if that happens. Baekhyun had warned him that Sehun is a sensitive kid.

---And Baekhyun had never lied, about things like this.

****

Fortunately, it is no ghost they find sitting on the chair next to Kyungsoo's bed, as they swing the door opens and Sehun runs on his heels towards his Dad's direction.

Chanyeol breathes in. And he breathes out. And he breathes in and he breathes out again for a few ensuing seconds. He tries to tell himself that the vision could be deceiving himself, so he makes an attempt to close his eyes, counting to twenty, only to find that nothing is actually changing.

Kyungsoo's brother is still there---well that's not out of the allegation. Chanyeol doesn't expect him to come home sooner before dinner, anyway.

----But unfortunately, having Kim Junmyeon visiting his husband isn't better in any kind of implication.

*****

Why is he even in this room, to fairly start with.

*****

to be continued~

this Kyungsoo-got-a-fever Saga hasn't yet finished. Next chapter will be full of both Jealous!Yeol and Jealous!Soo

xoxo