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“You can’t leave, Jeonghan!” Seungkwan begged, clinging to Jeonghan’s leg as he walked to the foyer. “Stay! You can sleep on the couch! I’ll even sleep next to you!”
Seungcheol watched his son get carried off to the shoe rack and laughed at the sight. Jeonghan kept laughing as he struggled to walk a bit. He didn’t mind though, he didn’t really want to leave either. “Seungkwan-ah, I need to go back to my apartment..”
“This can be your apartment!” Seungkwan pouted as he looked up at Jeonghan who tried to get his leg back, which clearly wasn’t working as Seungkwan rubbed his teary eyes on his new denim jeans. “You can sleep with me and daddy on the bed!”
The two adults faces grew red at the suggestion and they were quickly brought back down into reality as they heard Seungkwan whimper. He slowly let go of Jeonghan’s leg and helped get the torn up converse he wore when he first arrived into the apartment.
“I’ll be back soon, okay?” Jeonghan smile, caressing Seungkwan’s cheek while wiping a tear. Seungkwan wipes his face with his pajama sleeves as he sat down next to Jeonghan who was tying his shoes.
This was a typical day in the life of Jeonghan and his neighbor Seungcheol along with his neighbor’s kid, Seungkwan. Being a child of a single mother, Jeonghan definitely knew the struggle Seungcheol was going through. After coming back from his morning runs, he saw his neighbor hold his bag in one hand and Seungkwan’s hand in the other, on his way to daycare before he headed to work.
Realizing that daycare was pricier than he could have imagined, and that it was in the opposite direction of Seungcheol’s commute route, Jeonghan just needed to offer a helping hand.
He didn’t realize how much his life would change with the addition of Seungkwan into his routine. After his runs now, he would go into Seungcheol’s apartment, watching his neighbor run around getting everything for whatever meeting he had and for whomever he was introducing himself to. He may be somewhat of a messy father, but when it came to a suit and tie, Seungcheol dressed up well.
After leaving before traffic, hearing the door shut usually woke Seungkwan up. Using the potty, eating cereal while watching cartoons, and trying to figure out if he put his left shoe on the correct foot was next in the agenda. The best part was that every day was different as Jeonghan realized that Seungkwan loved to talk.
“Daddy took me to a zoo yesterday after he came back!” the toddler beamed, collecting the marshmallows he left in his bowl swirling around in his milk and scooped it up towards his mouth.
“Really?” Jeonghan asked, sipping the cup of tea he made a few minutes prior. The toddler began to speak about his little outing with his father, saying that all the elephants were ‘this big,’ as he stretched his arms as far as he can, earning a laugh from his older neighbor.
Afterwards, they brushed their teeth together. Jeonghan always brought his over from next door so they can talk more. Even with a mouth full of toothpaste foam, Seungkwan’s mouth kept rambling.
“Let me help!” Seungkwan offered as he spit into the sink. He grabbed Jeonghan’s toothbrush, causing the older to gag a bit, before he started brushing the elder’s teeth. “Oh, you have nice teeth! Almost like daddy’s!”
Jeonghan tried not to laugh as he kept moving his head around as Seungkwan kept tiptoeing on top of his stool and struggled to stand straight.
“All done!” he smiled, taking the toothbrush out and rinsing it. Jeonghan spit and gargled, together as the two swished water in their mouths and smile at each other. They quickly exited the bathroom and grabbed their bags.
“Do you have your lunch box?” Jeonghan asked as he buckled his own bag and began to tie his hair back. He put on his glasses and adjusted his shirt when he felt a tug behind him. Turning around, he smiled, seeing Seungkwan hand him a brown paper bagge lunch. “What’s this?”
“I made you lunch last night before it was time for beddy bye!” He grinned widely as he gripped onto his backpack straps as Jeonghan took the bag. “We made your favourite!”
“We?” Jeonghan blinked as he rolled the top of the bag and put it in his bag.
“Daddy helped me!” he snickered, causing Jeonghan to blush a bit. His thoughts were interrupted as Seungkwan tugged at his hand and began making his way for the door “Hurry up, slow poke! We’re gonna be late!”
Jeonghan sat Seungkwan in the back with his car seat, one that Seungcheol bought just for his car, and was about to buckle him up before the toddler swatted his hand away.
“I can do it! I’m a big boy!”
Of course he is, Jeonghan smiled as he ruffle Seungkwan’s hair and went to the driver’s seat. They drove off as Seungkwan kept talking again, this time about school.
“Choi Hansol is my best friend!” he beamed.
“Ah, Hansol?” Jeonghan checked in the rearview to see the child kicking his feet that hovered above the ground as he was playing with a toy microphone in his hand, projecting his voice. “Does he have an Uncle Jisoo?”
Seungkwan nodded. “Yeah! He said he lives with his Uncle.” It took a bit, but he looked up and gasped. “You work with Uncle Jisoo?”
Jeonghan laughed and nodded as he pushed up his glasses. “We work in the same classroom together.”
“I didn’t know he went to kindergarten with you! You’re so popular!”
“We work there, Seungkwan. We don’t go to school there,” he chuckled. After a bit more driving and more laughing, Jeonghan parked and walked Seungkwan into the preschool building to his class. “Your dad might come home late to me, so I’m going to spend the night with you.
The younger boy cheered and hugged onto Jeonghan’s leg and rubbed his cheek against the denim. They did their special handshake before Seungkwan waved and put his backpack into his cubby and walked up to Hansol.
With a sigh, the kindergarten teacher tugged at his ponytail and headed bback to his car and to his classroom where Jisoo was organizing the toys in the corner and cleaning up the place.
“I didn’t know your nephew was friends with Seungkwan,” he said as he put his bag at his desk.
Jisoo snickered, and nodded as he stood up and wiped his hands on his pants. “I thought I told you…“ he sighed as he went up to their shared desk. “We should have a playdate together.”
“He’s not my kid, Jisoo,” Jeonghan reminded his friend as they walked up to the board and began to write out the date.
“Not yet,” Jisoo smiled to himself as the school bell rang and he walked to the door to open it and waited for the kids.
–
Jeonghan’s five-hour day came to an end as he erased the whiteboard and waved to the last student, Lee Chan, who left with his mother.
“I got it from here, Jeonghan,” Jisoo offered as he kept wiping the whiteboard. He smiled at his friend who looke at him confused. “Really, go ahead and pick up Seungkwan. It’s my week to stay after anyway.”
He thanked his friend as he grabbed his bag and made his way to his car. He arrived five minutes before dismissal but he already saw Seungkwan eagerly waiting outside, smiling widely while talking to Hansol.
Driving up the curb, Jeonghan lightly honked his horn, getting the teacher and Seungkwan’s attention. “Jeonghan!” Seungkwan exclaimed as he wave to his teacher and his best friend and ran straight for Jeonghan who came out and stretched his arms out.
He hugged Seungkwan and stood back up before pulling back and smiling. “Did you have fun?” The child nodded as he went back onto the ground and Jeonghan helped buckle him up. They made their way back to their apartment.
Once they reached Seungcheol’s apartment, Seungkwan ran towards the living room after he took off his shoes and placed them neatly before laying his bag near it.
They went through their daily weekday routine: cartoons, homework (usually just reading a book and simple addition, which was fairly easy for Seungkwan), cooking dinner together (mostly heating up dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets and making lemonade), bathing (while pretending to be sailors as Jeonghan’s shirt got damp), before a bedtime story.
It was half past midnight, Jeonghan going through some papers on the dimly lit kitchen table, when he heard the front door open up. He pushed his glasses and smiled when he saw Seungcheol walk through the door, loosening his tie as he slide his dress shoes off.
“Hey,” Jeonghan greeted. “How was work?”
“Bad,” Seungcheol bitterly chuckled. “I had a meeting presentation and it went well, but I don’t think I convinced them enough.” He shrugged as he placed his bag on the table as Jeonghan began to pack up. “Hey, thanks again.”
“You’re welcome. Again,” Jeonghan smiled.
Seungcheol pulled his tie off and over his head, resting it on his bag before looking up at Jeonghan and blinking. “I really appreciate it.”
“Really, it’s nothing. It’s my job. Literally,” he laughed.
"Let me treat you out. I’m not taking no for an answer,” he snickered as he sat own next to him. “It’s the least I could do after everything you’ve done for me.”
There was a moment of silence before Jeonghan pulled out his planner. “Tomorrow night okay for you?”
“Perfect,” the single dad smiled. “We can bring Seungkwan with us too.”
–
“Jeonghan! Let’s play!” The little boy handed over a crayon and eagerly tapped the paper kid’s menu that he was colouring.
Jeonghan looked over at Seungcheol before laughing and played tic-tac-toe with Seungkwan. “Do you want to be X’s or O’s this time?”
“X’s!” and he giggles as he draws an X in the middle of the board.
While playing, the adults were talking, waiting for their food to come as their waiter took their order, Seungkwan imitating a moment after the server left, making the two laugh.
After a bit more conversation, of kindergartners and CEOs who seem to act the same, Seungkwan tapped Seungcheol’s arm, whispering loudly. “Daddy.. I need to potty…”
Jeonghan was about to stand up as he scooted his chair back, but Seungcheol shook his head. “He wants me, it’s okay. Just sit and relax,” he smiled. Jeonghan pushed back and watched as his apartment neighbor carried his child out of the high chair and walked with him, hand in hand, to the restroom. It was a cute sight, Jeonghan looked at Seungcheol in pure admiration, feeling his heart skip a beat.
The food came around and Seungcheol cheered with his son as they sat back at the table. Jeonghan tucked his hair behind his ear and Seungcheol smiled, blushing a bit. Seungkwan chewed as he watched the flirting that was going on. There was a pause as they started eating their food and Seungkwan took a sip of his milk. He cleared his throat before looking at Jeonghan. “Daddy really loves you!”
Jeonghan and Seungcheol’s eyes widened, the longer haired one dropping his utensils onto his plate. Seungcheol felt his face grow warmer, knowing his whole face must be flushed as Jeonghan felt his heart race. He covered it witih a laugh and patted Seungkwan’s head. “Where did you hear that from?”
Seungkwan blinked and pointed at his dad. “He talks about you all day.”
Seungcheol’s mouth was left agape, unable to speak from his son’s words. He turned to Jeonghan, expecting the worst, but was greeted with a smile. Nervously, Seungcheol smiled back, chuckling in the process.
“Daddy, you have to talk!” Seungkwan said as he stuffed another forkful of food intohis mouth. “That’s how dates work!” The older two blinked at each other before looking at Seungkwan and bursting out in laughter. Seungkwan puffs his cheeks and furrows his brows as he grunts. “Daddy! Dates are supposed to be serious!”
The two started to calm down and Seungcheol laid his hand on top of Jeonghan’s and smiled widely. “So.. are you interested in another date? Seungkwan doesn’t have to come with us this time.
“Daddy, I need to come! It’s part of the rules!”
“Yah, since when were you a dating expert!”
“Jeonghan and I watch dating movies all the time and he keeps saying that it’d be nice to go on dates with you and me.”
Jeonghan blushed before looking at Seungcheol and grinning shyly. “Saturday afternoon good for you? We can go after Seungkwan’s nap.”
“Yay! Date!” the young one cheered as he went back to his food smiling at the two adults that talked as they continued to hold hands, making Seungkwan smile.