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Since Guanlin started school two years prior, Jonghyun has found that his schedule has been fairly consistent through the school week. He wakes up, drops Guanlin at before school care (where he plays with Daehwi and Jinyoung), goes to work for nine hours and then picks Guanlin up from after school care (where he plays with Jihoon and Woojin).
It’s not ideal, but Guanlin is an angel who understands that Dad works hard during the week so that he can spend as much time after school and on weekends with Guanlin as possible.
Jonghyun is so used to Guanlin being the easy-going child who accepts that his father works a lot, who helps with the chores without argument, who once cried because Minki dyed his hair blonde. So, he doesn’t quite comprehend what the secretary of Guanlin’s school is saying over the phone.
‘I’m sorry, what?’ he says for the umpteenth time.
‘Could you come into the school, Mr Kim? Guanlin was involved in a fight today.’ It’s said with a firmness that makes it clear to Jonghyun that the woman isn’t actually asking a question. ‘Again.’
‘Of, of course,’ Jonghyun is already packing up his desk, phone jammed under one ear. ‘Was he hurt?’
‘He wasn’t the one to get hurt.’
During rush hour, Jonghyun takes a thirty-five minute journey from his work to Guanlin’s school that is a combination of two buses, a train and multiple sweaty people that he would rather not be pushed up against but has little choice otherwise. Today, he hails a taxi and is there in less than an eight minute drive.
It’s just after lunch time, and there’s no soul in sight as he wanders through the school. It’s eerie, in the way that schools feel when students are in class, and he takes steady steps through to where the school office is.
The receptionist, a thin woman who looks too young to be as judgemental as she is, welcomes him in and ushers Jonghyun through to Principal Kwon’s office. He figures it’s better to just give the woman a small nod, lest he embarrass himself in front of her any further.
Guanlin is sitting on a couch along the side of the room, looking down at his feet. He looks up when Jonghyun comes in, and throws himself into Jonghyun’s waiting arms. Seonho, younger but almost as long and lanky as Guanlin, is standing next to his father and refuses to look at either of them.
‘Jonghyun, I wish I could say it was nice to see you,’ Principal Kwon, Boa as they established after the third fight, says. Jonghyun waddles forward to shake her hand as well as Hwang Minhyun’s. The man, thankfully, doesn’t look too mad, nor does he look like he’s about to start yelling at either the children or Jonghyun. He looks about as tired of this as Jonghyun feels.
It’s their fifth time in the school office together, and Jonghyun is amazed at the man’s patience.
‘I’m sorry Dad,’ Guanlin says into Jonghyun’s abdomen, having not moved from where he’s pressed into Jonghyun’s side. Jonghyun doesn’t want to deal with disciplining his son in front of strangers, so instead he just mutters a quiet we’ll talk later as he settles into the (now) familiar seat across from Boa.
‘Gentlemen,’ Boa says, leaning back into her chair a bit. ‘I’m afraid to say that this is the fifth time we’ve had to call the two of you in this year to discuss Guanlin and Seonho.’
Hwang and Jonghyun can’t help the small glance at each other, part shame and part defensive.
‘Boys, can you tell us why you were fighting this time?’ she looks at the two children, but neither are brave enough to make eye contact and look everywhere but the adults in the room. ‘Boys.’
‘Why don’t you tell us, Lin-ah,’ Jonghyun attempts. ‘Didn’t you promise me that you would tell me why if it happened again?’ Guanlin pulls his head out to look up at Jonghyun, but his eyes dart to the other boy first.
Seonho is looking at Guanlin from half behind Hwang and fixes the older boy with a heavy glare. It’s enough to make Guanlin tuck his head back in, but Hwang doesn’t notice and Jonghyun doesn’t want to be the arsehole parent that targets a kid.
‘You did promise me,’ Jonghyun repeats, shifting Guanlin so he can't see the tiny ball of rage hidden behind Hwang. ‘I remember clearly, we were eating McDonalds and you said that next time you’d tell me the truth.’
The problem was, for both Hwang and Jonghyun, that neither boy ever dared to divulge what had happened at school. They’d even asked the Lee’s, Bae’s and both Park’s but no-one knew the exact reason the boys fought as often as they did.
‘Don’t tell him,’ Seonho says, voice trembling more from fear than anger.
‘Seonho,’ Hwang says in his low voice, it’s quiet and smooth but cuts the boy’s protest before it can go further. ‘Either you can tell us, or Guanlin can tell us. We’re not leaving this room until someone explains what’s going on.’
‘We’ll be here all night if we have to,’ Jonghyun adds.
All three adults had hoped it was petty childishness, that would be grown out of or dealt with by their classroom teachers. But it hadn’t worked, the fight had remained and no attempt to resolve or separate the boys had worked either.
It seems that all of them were in agreement that enough was enough.
Boa crosses her arms in front of her, but even so her eyes lift to meet Jonghyun’s gaze as if to say don’t you dare stay that long.
The first time, the boys had said that Guanlin had stolen Seonho’s snack, but Hwang had found it at the bottom of Seonho’s later that night. The third time, each said that the other pushed them first.
Everyone knows that the boys are lying, but no-one could ever get anything close to the truth out of the boys.
‘Neither of you are going to be in trouble,’ Jonghyun tries saying, hoping the boys don’t pick up on the half-lie in his voice. ‘We just want to know the truth more than anything.’
‘Guanlin’s dad is right,’ Hwang adds, looking more at Seonho than at Guanlin. ‘The sooner you tell us the truth, the sooner we can move past this and understand what’s wrong.’
The thing is that neither Seonho or Guanlin are the sort of children who fight, not really. Boa has assured both Hwang and Jonghyun that they get along extremely well with other children, that they are are as polite as six- and seven-year-olds can be.
They sit there, in silence, as the boys shift around. Seonho’s, Jonghyun realises, blotchy and taking in heaving breaths. His nose and eyes are red, but any evidence of tears and snot have been furiously wiped into Hwang’s pristine suit jacket.
‘Seonho told me that my shirt looked stupid and pushed me,’ Guanlin says, voice trembling as he pulls his face away from Jonghyun’s side.
‘Lin-ah, we know that’s not true,’ Jonghyun keeps his voice as firm as he can as he looks at his son. He’s not a pushover, not by any means but he struggles sometime to play the role of disciplinarian between that of carer and chauffeur and chef and playmate.
‘Yes, it is,’ Seonho spits out. ‘His shirt is stupid, completely stupid. But he pushed me first.’
Seonho’s wearing the same shirt as Guanlin, the side effect of wearing a school uniform.
‘The two of you need to stop making excuses,’ Hwang says, and it’s only now that the edge of irritation starts creeping into the other man’s voice. Jonghyun can sympathise but he also knows better than to let his irritation show to his son, especially when he’s trying so hard to get the boy to open up.
They fall back into silence, Boa’s hands clasped in front of her on the table as she stares down the two boys. Jonghyun doesn’t know what to do with his hands, so he rubs Guanlin’s shoulder gently in comfort, hoping that it would ease whatever it is that is weighing over the seven-year-old. Guanlin doesn’t say anything, just leans into Jonghyun’s body as if Jonghyun can block out the rest of the world. It would be heartwarming (is a bit heartwarming) if not for the circumstances that have lead to it.
The thing is that whilst Jonghyun can’t make eye contact with his son, Hwang is making very, very pointed eye contact with his. It’s of almost no surprise that Seonho is the one to break first.
‘He calls me stupid,’ Seonho says with a sniff, and Guanlin lets out this hiccuping sob that he makes when he knows he’s done something wrong. ‘And I’m not, I’m not stupid.’ There’s a different kind of vitriol behind the boy’s voice, one that makes Boa’s gaze twitch up and fixate on Minhyun’s thin, brittle smile.
Guanlin doesn’t deny it, and Seonho genuinely sounds upset so Jonghyun lets a soft, but firm. ‘Lin-ah, you know that it’s not a nice thing to say.’
The problem is that Jonghyun is torn, because he knows that his son said the wrong thing but he also knows that he’s young and that words spill out without thought or understanding of how they hurt.
He looks at Hwang, giving a small awkward press of lips and neck that probably makes him look like he has a double chin but hopefully gets the message of apology across. Hwang has always come across as a reasonable person to Jonghyun, and thankfully he doesn’t seem too mad at what Seonho just disclosed.
‘But he said that we’re poor,’ Guanlin mutters, and Jonghyun presses his eyes closed a moment.
The problem is that Jonghyun has prepared for his moment since he enrolled Guanlin in the school, knowing the sacrifices that he would have to make to pay for the school fees. He’s not so much surprised at what Seonho has been using against Guanlin as he is resigned to it.
Hwang’s placid façade shatters.
‘Seonho.’
Seonho starts crying again, loud hiccuping sounds that cut through the silence of the room. It’s not slow, he doesn’t try to hold back his tears or anything like that, instead the boy is shaking. Jonghyun looks away, the awkwardness of another person’s child crying causing him to look at his own. But then he looks at Guanlin and sees that his own son is crying just as much, but with significantly less sound.
‘But, but it’s true though,’ Seonho says through his loud sobs.
‘I think,’ Boa says, her voice cutting through the sobs despite it being a whisper in comparison, ‘that we should give the boys a night to calm down and we can perhaps discuss a solution when emotions are a little more settled?’
Jonghyun murmurs some vague agreement, paying less attention to Boa than she probably deserves, and a stricken Hwang can only nod in agreement.
Guanlin has significantly calmed down by the time the taxi drops them off at their apartment. He’s still sniffling a little bit, wiping his snot on the sleeves of his jumper even though Jonghyun’s told him multiple times not to.
He doesn’t want to bring the fight up with the boy, not yet.
Instead, ‘What do we want for dinner?’ is asked even though they still have several hours until it’s dinner time. Jonghyun doesn’t often have time to cook though, and he and Guanlin rely on a steady rotation of takeout restaurants during the week. It might be a good idea to help the young boy settle down a bit, give him time to process what had happened that day.
‘Ice-cream,’ Guanlin says, looking up at Jonghyun through teary eyes. ‘Please, dad.’
Jonghyun presses his lips together, and Guanlin’s eyes grow impossibly wider.
‘We have to eat proper food, you’re a growing boy.’
‘Please dad,’ Guanlin’s lower lip is wobbling a little bit and Jonghyun can’t help it. He relents.
‘We’ll make a proper meal, but if you’re good and you behave while we’re at the store. We can buy some ice-cream and have it after dinner.’
Guanlin brightens up, smile growing across his face and Jonghyun can’t help the pride that washes over him.
They end up buying more ice-cream than initially intended, and have it both before dinner and after.
Jonghyun’s still working out the whole parenting thing.
Guanlin is not upset at all about this turn of events, and the sad tilt of his mouth has faded and been replaced with a massive, broad smile. Jonghyun knows that happiness isn’t necessarily the number one thing used to determine what makes a good parent, but he can’t help but feel like he’s done something right when Guanlin looks at him like that.
He’s not allowed television after six, so he’s lying on the floor and flicking through a comic book that Jonghyun borrowed from the library when Jonghyun’s phone rings.
Hwang Minhyun (School)
He inhales and picks up the phone, walking into the kitchen so that Guanlin doesn’t overhear the phone conversation. In all the fights that the boys have had, it’s never reached the point where they need to call each other. Perhaps this was the final straw to make Hwang’s carefully maintained facade collapse.
‘Hello, Hwang-ssi?’ Jonghyun says, settling down at the counter.
‘Kim-ssi,’ Hwang says. ‘I’m not interrupting anything, am I?’
‘Not at all,’ he says with a forced smile. His voice sounds tight to his own ears and winces, but Hwang barrels on
‘I’m so, so sorry for what Seonho said today.’
Wait, what?
‘Erm,’ Jonghyun can’t help glancing out to where Guanlin is reading. ‘I mean, they’re children it’s to be expected?’
‘Still, I believed that I raised Seonho to be more understanding, and it’s obvious that it hasn’t worked.’ Hwang sounds heartbroken, which Jonghyun can understand to a degree. Raising a child is tireless, and even one thing that doesn’t go the way you hope is enough to cause any parent to stutter.
‘He’s a child,’ Jonghyun tries to soothe, ‘try as much as you can to teach them, they’re still a person with their own actions and thoughts that can surprise you.’
‘I know, but he just doesn’t understand,’ Hwang grits out. ‘I never had this kind of problem with Hyunbin.’
Jonghyun remains silent, because he has no idea what he’s supposed to say about something like this. Hwang must catch on, because he lets out a small, tired apology.
‘Hwang-ssi, do you mind me asking what you have done to teach him about the privilege that you live in?’ he says, words delicate and hesitating.
‘Well, he knows that not everyone has access to what we have,’ Hwang says and Jonghyun rolls his eyes.
‘Yes, but does he understand what that means? That what you have is actually more, not necessarily that what everyone else has is less?’
Hwang remains silent, and Jonghyun huffs out a small laugh.
‘What is Seonho doing right now, Hwang-ssi?’
‘He’s playing a game on his iPad.’
Jonghyun isn’t one to judge a parent for their choices, not after the judgements that had been pressed upon him during his earlier years. But Guanlin is happy to read a comic book from the library, to draw his own version of what’s happening in the panels, and it differs from child to child but he’s fairly sure that Seonho rarely has to entertain himself like this.
‘How many children do you think have an iPad?’ Jonghyun asks, trying to keep his voice calm but he hears Hwang’s voice catch as the interpreted accusation.
‘Plenty of kids at school have tablets of their own, it’s an important learning school in the twenty-first century,’ Hwang bristles.
‘How many children outside of our school,’ Jonghyun corrects. ‘And their own tablets, not just ones from school or home that they use.’
Hwang’s silent again.
‘I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that he has one, I’m sure it’s useful. But does Seonho understand that most people don’t have an iPad to play with when they’re bored?’
‘What do you suggest then?’ Hwang’s voice quietly polite, but Jonghyun is sure that he’s irritated and offended because he wouldn’t be. There’s nothing worse than someone who challenges your parenting, even though you logically know that you’re flawed and always will be.
Jonghyun looks at his son, who spends hours at school with boys who don’t quite understand him, who comes home by train and learns to entertain himself with what Jonghyun has lying around his house.
‘Why don’t you come over this weekend?’
Jonghyun can’t help laughing when Hwang turns up to his apartment.
The man is wearing a button up shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, sunglasses and khaki pants. He looks like he’s just finished in a meeting, and all that’s missing is a coffee cup in hand. Seonho has tucked himself into Hwang’s back, but another boy is standing by his side.
He’s older than Guanlin and Seonho, probably closer to middle school than the two boys. He must be Hwang’s oldest son, who Jonghyun’s never seen but has heard mentions of in Boa’s office. Hyunbin, if Jonghyun remembers properly.
Both boys are well dressed and put together, wearing branded but not overly expensive clothes.
In comparison, Jonghyun’s jeans are ripped at the knees and the sleeves of his jumper covers his palms, and Guanlin is trying to nap against his side, wearing his pyjamas.
‘Trouble finding a car space?’ he smirks, letting the trio troop into his small apartment.
‘My assistant dropped us off this morning,’ Hwang says stiffly. ‘Although it looks like we’re not the only ones running late.’
Of course Hwang has an assistant to drive him.
Jonghyun doesn’t actually know what the man does, but he knows enough about the parents and economy of the school to know that it’s a normal thing for the parents. Hell, if he had the money to hire a driver then he’d be doing that.
It’s probably a thousand times easier to review files in the back seat of a car than in the cramped confines of a rush hour train.
‘Sorry about that,’ Jonghyun says with a small shrug. ‘We had a bit of a bad night this morning, and needed a little bit of a lie in.’
‘Ah,’ Hwang says with a small nod, the tightness of his lips dropping away. ‘Are you feeling better now, Guanlin?’
‘Yes,’ Guanlin mutters. He is waking up, and Jonghyun can see the moment when he realises that Seonho is in their apartment. It’s heartbreaking to feel your child stiffen up in your arms and you can’t do anything to protect them. ‘Dad, I’m going to go change.’
He scampers away, running into his bedroom and Jonghyun knows better than to hope that Guanlin will dress for the weather, so he calls a desperate, ‘Long pants today, please!’ after the boy. Hwang muffles a laugh, and Jonghyun turns to see him smirking down at Seonho who looks just a bit guilty.
‘Someone wanted to wear shorts as well, today,’ he explains. ‘Then we went outside and decided to change our mind immediately.’
‘I didn’t know it was cold outside,’ Seonho says with a very offended sniff, and it shouldn’t be this cute on a child. But it is. Jonghyun has to stop himself from laughing openly, and only nods.
‘I told you it was cold, three times,’ Hwang sighs, long suffering and resigned.
‘How was I supposed to know you were telling the truth?’
Jonghyun actually laughs at that one, and it earns him a mock-offended look from Hwang.
‘Do any of you want something to drink while we wait for Guanlin?’ he offers instead, leading them into the small living room cross kitchen.
Seonho and Hwang decline, but Hyunbin asks for a glass of water.
While Jonghyun’s filling the glass up, he can’t help glancing at Seonho as the boy looks around. Hwang looks comfortable, as does Hyunbin, but the youngest Hwang is obviously as curious as he out of his depth.
‘It’s a nice apartment,’ Hwang says.
He hasn’t wandered over to where his boys are. Seonho looks at the photos hanging from the wall with open interest, whilst Hyunbin is standing to the side, arms wrapped around his middle as he waits for his water.
‘It is,’ Jonghyun doesn’t bother denying it.
‘You been here long?’
‘About two years now? We used to live in Gangneung with my family, it’s smaller here but it’s enough,’ Jonghyun explains, bringing the water over to a still-quiet Hyunbin. ‘Hyunbin, Seonho would you like to watch some television whilst your dad and I talk about what we’re doing today?
He flicks on the morning cartoons that Guanlin likes to watch at the boys’ agreement. Hyunbin sits couch at Jonghyun’s urging, but right at the edge of the seat as he watches the screen flash by. A quick glance at Hwang lets him check if the other man is okay with this, before he returns to the kitchen.
‘What do you usually do on your days off?’ Jonghyun asks, leaning against the counter.
‘What the kids want to do, normally,’ Hwang says with a shrug. ‘I spend most of my week working, so weekends are for them.’
Jonghyun nods. ‘That’s going to be interesting, then.’
When Guanlin comes out, wearing long pants and a t-shirt that’s actually clean, Jonghyun and Hwang have reached the point where Jonghyun’s willing to call him Minhyun. Seonho stiffens when Guanlin walks in, and Hyunbin places a delicate hand on his shoulder, smoothing out the tension.
‘Okay,’ Jonghyun says, turning off the television. ‘Your dad and I haven’t decided what we want to do today, so we thought we might see what you guys wanted to do.’
‘I want to go to the amusement park,’ Seonho says immediately. ‘I didn’t get to go on one of the rides last week.’
Jonghyun is so surprised that he actually laughs.
‘We’re not going to the amusement park,’ Minhyun says, eyes darting to Jonghyun and Guanlin. He swallows, looking away when Jonghyun meets his gaze. ‘We’re going to spend time with Guanlin and Guanlin’s father.’
‘But you said we could!’ Seonho whines. ‘You promised we could come back this week and go again.’
‘That was before, but now we’ve changed out plans,’ Minhyun’s voice stays firm as he stares down his child. Jonghyun’s surprised, he almost thought that Minhyun let his children walk all over him but it seems to be a different case entirely. ‘We have to do something we can do with Jonghyun and Guanlin.’
‘Why can’t they go to the amusement park with us?’
‘Not everyone can decide to go to the amusement park,’ Jonghyun explains, when Minhyun’s too-wide eyes land on his. ‘I need a little bit more time to plan out the money for an amusement park trip.’
Seonho’s mouth snaps closed, and Jonghyun can see that the boy is looking at his father. He can see that Seonho’s been taught not to comment on this, even though he doesn’t quite understand why he’s not supposed to comment on it.
‘What about the bookshop?’ Hyunbin offers, voice quiet and cutting through the apartment. ‘I wanted to go get a book as well.’
‘I wanna go to the bookshop too,’ Guanlin turns to Jonghyun. ‘I want to buy something.’
‘What about you, Seonho, do you want to go to the bookshop?’ Jonghyun suggests and the youngest boy exhales long and slow through his nose before nodding. He doesn’t look happy about it, but Jonghyun doesn’t mind because agreement is better than nothing. ‘Looks like we’re going to be going to the bookshop.’
Minhyun exhales, and Jonghyun hadn’t even realised he’d been holding his breath. Jonghyun nudges him lightly with a smile.
So far, so good.
‘What do you mean we aren’t driving?’ Seonho says, lagging behind them as they make their way down the street. ‘How are we supposed to get to the bookshop?’
‘We’re taking the train,’ Minhyun says, bright and light and obviously now enjoying the confusion on his younger son’s face.
‘The train? Why would we do that?’
‘Because Guanlin and his dad like to take the train,’ and Jonghyun winces at that. He doesn’t mind the train, and neither does Guanlin but it seems so ... artificial to say it like that. To imply that the only reason that Jonghyun and Guanlin take the train is because they like it. But then again, it’s not like they can explain to Seonho the expenses of owning a car, and paying for petrol, and paying for parking. He’s only a child, after all.
Seonho’s mouth snaps close and he clings tighter to his brother. Guanlin hesitates for a long, long moment before letting go of Jonghyun’s wrist and slowing down to meet the other boy.
‘We’ve never really taken the train before,’ Minhyun explains.
‘I can tell,’ Jonghyun laughs lightly. ‘I’m assuming it’s just easier to drive when you have two.’
‘Oh yeah,’ Minhyun smiles and Jonghyun can’t believe that once upon a time he thought this man was stoic and cold. ‘It’s chaos normally, Hyunbin’s being shy today. I like to reduce any chances of them making a mess to as minimal as possible.’
‘I can barely handle one on my own, I don’t know how you manage two,’ Jonghyun looks behind him and Guanlin is talking to Hyunbin. He’s nervous, Jonghyun can see it from the way his shoulders have curled in and how he’s playing with the hem of his jumper, but he hasn’t started a fight with Seonho yet and that’s a good a sign as any.
‘Help, a lot of it. My friends did a lot of baby-sitting when Hyunbin and Seonho were smaller. I’m the only one with kids at the moment so they spoil the boys.’ The words are fond, until Minhyun catches himself and exhales. ‘Perhaps a bit too much.’
‘No,’ Jonghyun shakes his head. ‘I don’t think they’re spoilt.’
‘My kid called yours poor, you think he’s spoilt,’ Minhyun raises an eyebrow and Jonghyun laughs up at him.
‘Okay, so I think Seonho’s a little bit spoilt. But it’s nothing that you can’t fix.’
‘Really?’
‘You obviously care enough about it,’ Jonghyun says, leading them around the corner to the subway station. ‘Otherwise you wouldn’t have called me and apologised, wouldn’t have come out with me. He’s a good kid, it’ll just take a little bit of adjustment to get there.’
‘I hope so.’
Minhyun looks back at the boys, and his eyes are soft and kind. Jonghyun can’t help watching him as he watches the boys.
Hyunbin’s somehow ended up with one boy clinging to each hand. Although they’re glaring at each other, neither Seonho nor Guanlin seem to have reached the boiling point that will lead to an argument. It’s good enough for Jonghyun, as they shuffle through the barrier, and he doesn’t think that they have to interfere. Yet.
It’s surprisingly quiet for a Saturday, although Jonghyun knows that it’s going to get busier as they get closer to the city. He leads them to the platform, so that the boys can sit down a moment.
‘How do we know what train we have to take?’ Seonho says, the first thing he’s directed at Jonghyun since they left the apartment.
‘It says, duh,’ Guanlin points to the signs, and Jonghyun can’t miss the way that not only Seonho, but Hyunbin and Minhyun flinch.
‘Guanlin,’ Jonghyun doesn’t raise his voice, the inflection tightening as he looks to the boy. Guanlin looks ready to argue back, but Jonghyun just shakes his head. ‘Enough.’
‘Fine,’ he spits.
Minhyun runs a hand through Seonho’s hair, and Jonghyun watches him melt under his father’s touch. He’s noticed that the Hwang family seem to converse in touches. An arm around the shoulder, a tap to the nose, hands clasped together as they cross the streets.
It’s sweet.
Seonho doesn't let go of Minhyun once they're on the train. His small hands curl into his father's shirt, ruining the crispness of it. Jonghyun and Minhyun exchange smiles as he presses in tighter to Minhyun's side, even though the train is only filled with a scattering of people.
Guanlin kneels on the seat, looking out across the city as it flashes by. Jonghyun doesn't have to look at his son, confident in knowing that the boy will behave until they get to Myeongdong. Hyunbin is sitting next to him, looking every part the surly pre-teen that he's supposed to be, but there's a little tap to his toes and a little dart of his eyes.
'Hyunbin, do you want to sit next to me?' Jonghyun offers, and the boy throws himself across the train carriage to settle into the seat. 'What book did you want to get? Guanlin wants to buy a new manhwa that just came out.'
Hyunbin mumbles a reply, too low for Jonghyun to hear but Guanlin must be able to understand it because he flies over with wide eyes. 'That's what I want to get!'
Hyunbin's shoulders loosen a bit, and Jonghyun can't help but notice that Seonho's eyes are peeking out from Minhyun's side. He looks at Minhyun, and the man's face has split into a breathtaking smile.
The bookshop is one that Jonghyun's been going to since he was eighteen and even though the employees have changed over the years, they're as welcoming as ever. One of the managers (who Jonghyun remembers first meeting as a fifteen-year-old part timer) greets Guanlin with a high-five and directions to where his manhwa is being kept. Another waves at Jonghyun from behind the counter with a surprised smile – Jonghyun knows that, as a whole, customers are the worst part of retail but he hopes that he and Guanlin are something of an exception.
Guanlin practically runs through the store and Jonghyun has to bite back a curse as he chases after the young boy. He doesn't like disciplining his kids in front of other people, but he also knows that this is supposed to be something of a punishment for the two boys and he can't let either of them off lightly.
'Guanlin,' he says, voice level and firm as he catches up with the boy. Seonho and Hyunbin's shoulders straighten, but it's Guanlin who Jonghyun is looking at. The boy tucks his chin in, already hands clasped in front of him. 'You cannot do what you just did. How many times have I told you that?'
'I'm sorry, dad,' he mumbles.
'Sorry isn't good enough, not when I've told you that you can't run off like that. This isn't the first time, and you know that I don't like it.' Guanlin isn't going to cry, Jonghyun doesn't think, but he pulls his shoulders into himself. 'I need you to promise to be more careful.'
'Okay,' Guanlin's voice cracks as he says it.
Jonghyun rubs his shoulder once in comfort. 'Now go find that book that you want, without running. Why don't you go with Seonho and Hyunbin?'
Guanlin nods and he looks at a slightly less reluctant Seonho before muttering something that sounds like let's go. The boys wander ahead, a tentative Guanlin turning to make sure that he can see the two parents before moving ahead.
'Not going to withhold the book?' Minhyun raises an eyebrow as he and Jonghyun fall into step.
'He's saved for this one himself, so I'm not going to take it away from him. Probably no dessert though,' Jonghyun tries to joke but the words fall flat as he looks ahead. ‘I don’t want to invalidate the time he’s put into saving for this, it’s his money so it’s his choice.’
Minhyun nods, and Jonghyun appreciates that the other man isn’t judging him. The man is kind and confused and under far more stress than he should be for his age, but he doesn’t ever take it out on the people around him and Jonghyun is almost amazed by that.
‘Seonho struggles with reading,’ he says after a long moment.
‘I figured,’ Jonghyun exhales. ‘I’ll talk to Guanlin about it when we’re at home.’
‘I appreciate it,’ Minhyun says and he smiles at Jonghyun. ‘You’re a good parent, Jonghyun.’
‘I try.’ He laughs. ‘I think we both try. You’re on your own as well?’
‘My cousin passed a few years ago, Seonho’s too young to remember them. I try to do as well as they did, Hyunbin likes to say that I am.’ Minhyun looks young, in the moments he says the words. He could have easily been the young, ambitious salaryman who works his way up the ladder and gotten somewhere without a spare thought for what he’d leave behind. But he’s got these two boys, and somehow, they’ve helped anchor him down.
‘I think you are,’ Jonghyun smiles and he turns to where the boys are oohing and ahhing over the display. ‘I think, perhaps, he just needs a bit more time.’
By the time they reach the display, the boys are arguing again.
‘I can’t get both!’ Guanlin is saying, turning redder and redder under Seonho’s watch.
‘But you want both so get them!’
‘What’s going on?’ Minhyun says before the yelling gets any louder. Jonghyun hopes that he doesn’t get kicked out of his favourite bookshop of ten years, and bows awkwardly at the nearest employee in the hope it will get him off lightly.
‘They’ve got two editions of this book,’ Hyunbin says, pointing to the books that Guanlin is holding. ‘And Guanlin can’t choose which one he wants to buy.’
‘I think he should just buy both! Why can’t he?’ Seonho spins around to look at the two men. ‘It’s not that hard.’
‘Because not everyone can buy both copies,’ Minhyun explains patiently, and it looks like Seonho is about to burst. ‘Guanlin only has enough money for one.’
‘But why can’t Guanlin’s dad buy it then?’
‘Because Guanlin already agreed to buy it for himself.’ Minhyun is crouched down, eye level with his son as Seonho struggles to grasp with the problem that Minhyun is presenting with himself. ‘He put all that time into saving up his money to make buying this really special. It’s not going to be as special if his dad just buys him one as well.’
‘But he really wants both?’ Seonho looks at Guanlin now who is still distraught between the two copies of the book in front of him.
Jonghyun sighs, combing his hair through his fingers as he looks to the boy in front of him. It’s not that he doesn’t want to buy both copies for Guanlin, but he just can’t justify having two copies when that money could be funnelled into things like dinner or a surprise movie, or his college fund.
Seonho pouts and he takes both copies of the book from Guanlin’s hand. ‘Fine! Then Guanlin can buy one and hyung can buy one, and Guanlin can borrow hyung’s when he wants to look at it.’
Hyunbin looks like he’s just been bowled over by a six-year-old. (He has.) ‘I’d be okay with that,’ he says, voice quiet as he looks at Guanlin. ‘If you let me borrow yours as well?’
Seonho seems relieved and he pushes one copy into Guanlin’s hands and one into Hyunbin’s. ‘Fixed it,’ he says with a sniff. ‘Now, I want a hot chocolate because I don’t want a book.’
Jonghyun and Minhyun exchanges smiles and Jonghyun can’t help laughing.
Small victories.