the best/worst father in the world part 2

[uchouten]

8

“I think she hates me,”

Baekhyun looks up from his composition book, staring at Chanyeol over the rim of his glasses. “What?” He questions, putting his pen down and pushing his chair back so he can stand up and walk over to his boyfriend. “What makes you say that?”

Chanyeol stares at the ground in front of him, barely flinching as Baekhyun gets closer, circling arms around his waist and then staring up at him from against his chest. “It's just,” he starts, voice unsteady. He places one of his hands on Baekhyun's back and the other he wrings out anxiously. He's having a hard time finding the right words to explain himself, and as usual, this is more frustrating to him than it should be.

“Take your time, Yeollie,” Baekhyun says calmly, standing on his tip-toes so he can peck him on the nose. Chanyeol sucks in a breath then, and releases it, shoulders relaxing ever so slightly.

“Today when we dropped her off at school, she didn't even say goodbye to me, but she hugged you and - and yesterday I tried having a conversation with her but she did that thing where she gets all smart and then I tried to understand but she got frustrated and told me I was too dumb to be her papa - and... Baekkie. What if she's right? What if I'm not good for her? She's gifted, she probably needs to surround herself with people like you and Kyungsoo and Kris and... I don't want to ruin her chances by lowering her IQ just by...being in the same room as her.”

“Chanyeol, is this what you think about when I leave you to your own devices,” Baekhyun says, giggling. “Don't be silly. You're the perfect dad for her. You always have been, you always will be.”

“But -”

“No buts. You remember what the doctor said, right? About how you shouldn't take these kind of things personally?”

“Yes...” Chanyeol grumbles, cheeks reddening ever so slightly.

“She may be more open to me right now, Chanyeol, but lets be real, you're the one that she's going to be thanking on her wedding day. She'll call you dumb, but she's gonna need a bit of dumb in her life to stop her from taking life too seriously. She needs you Chanyeol.”

“You say that like I'm going to allow her to get married,” Chanyeol says, voice firm. Baekhyun shakes his head at him, eyes sparkling in amusement. Chanyeol leans down to kiss him, slow and sweet, letting the feeling linger for a little longer than usual this time. “But thank you, Baekkie. I hope you're right.”

“I am,” Baekhyun clarifies, and then tugs Chanyeol back down for another kiss. They've got the whole day to themselves, now, and though Baekhyun knows he has a lot of work to do on his song, he thinks that can wait. He's going to make these next few hours count.

9.

Minkyung has this collection of notebooks that she likes to call her “research books”, all pocket sized and bound in multicoloured faux leather, attached together by a pipe cleaner she'd found in Jihyun's craft box last time they'd visited Kyungsoo and Junmyeon. She keeps them with her at all times, even has a little purse she carries them in, falling asleep still wearing it in the fear that someone will take them from her in her slumber.

Baekhyun finds it endearing, but Chanyeol finds it a little odd. Genius or not, what research could a six year old possibly be doing that it's so necessary to be kept from the outside world at all costs? He's itching to find out, but Baekhyun refuses to let him.

“She's probably just trying to build a time machine or something like that, Chanyeol, leave her be and don't ruin it for her,” he says dismissively. Chanyeol pouts and agrees, but in his head he's already formulating a plan.

Later that evening when Baekhyun is out at his drama filming, Chanyeol puts his plan into action. It's been a busy day for all of them - Minkyung had insisted they use the afternoon to go to the science centre, and Chanyeol had no problems with that - in fact, he was even more enthusiastic than ever, running back and forth through all the exhibits, taking care to tire his daughter out as much as physically possible. Needless to say, Minkyung is ready for bed a lot earlier than usual.

He waits at least an hour before he tiptoes down the hall, opening her door a crack and then stepping away, just in case. After a minute, he pokes his head in, and he grins when he sees her fast asleep still, small hands wrapped around her blue purse, which is sitting right on top of her blanket.

Piece of cake, he thinks happily.

He sits down carefully on the bed and then pries her fingers off the bag, just enough that he can unclasp the opening and fumble around with the contents, just enough to slip one of the little books off the pipe cleaner and then hide it up his sleeve. It's a good thing, too, because she wakes up almost immediately after he closes the purse again, sitting up so fast that it seems to leave her a little winded.

“Papa!” She gasps, horrified, stuffing her back under the blankets (thankfully, without checking the contents first) and kicking him until he hops up from the mattress. He holds onto his sleeve tightly, hoping the little book doesn't fall out and give him away. “What are you doing you THIEF!? Get out of my room, you're banned, oh my god - ”

“Hey, I just wanted to make sure my little princess is sleeping alright,” Chanyeol says, grinning as he steps out of her room. He hurries down the hall and into the kitchen, climbing up onto the counter (out of the arms reach of a certain six year old girl) and immediately pulling the book out of his sleeve.

He takes a deep breath and then flips it open, excepting to see page upon page of complicated mathematical equations, but what he sees instead has him slamming the book shut and leaping off the counter and into the living room, where he grabs hold of his phone and violently types in Baekhyun's phone number.

“This better be an emergency Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says immediately once he picks up. “We were halfway through a cut - ”

“That cradle robber. I'm going to kill him. What the hell has he done to our baby girl? I want him dead. Help me kill him.”

“What on earth, Chanyeol - ”

“Kris. He's corrupted her, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, with his good looks and irresistible charm. But he isn't getting our Min, he's not. I'm going to kill him before he has a chance to lay his hands on her...”

“Chanyeol, don't tell me you - ”

“They're not research diaries at all, Baekhyun! It's just page upon page of Kris's name, circled in hearts. He's like thirty-something years older than her, Baekkie. This is wrong. We need to kill him.”

To his surprise, all Baekhyun does is laugh. “Chanyeol. Our baby girl has her first crush.” He says. “This is a good thing.”

“He's forty-one-years-old-Baekhyun,” Chanyeol says, taking a huge, deep breath. “I'm going to kill him.”

“I'm not going to let you murder our daughters first crush. Chanyeol this is so cute. I can't wait to tell Kyungsoo. And to think, we were all worried she wouldn't be into this sort of thing - ”

“I wasn't worried,” Chanyeol says weakly. “I was quite pleased by that notion.”

“Of course it would be Kris, too,” Baekhyun says, chuckling, completely ignoring Chanyeol. “Ever since he bought her that Oxford English Dictionary or whatever for her fifth birthday - she looked like she could propose to him right there - and he always lends her his books too. She calls him the only one with an ounce of brain in this band full of idiots or something.”

“He's going to die by my hands.”

“Stop saying that, 'yeol!” Baekhyun exclaims. “This is good! This is great. Our baby girl - ”

“Isn't ever going to be let near Kris ever, ever again.” He finishes for him, and he can almost hear Baekhyun's pout through the phone.

“She's going to fall in love one day, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says. “There isn't anything you can do to stop her. So... lets support her, okay?”

“Fine,” Chanyeol mumbles. “Fine. But this Kris thing better just be a phase. If she ends up marrying him I really might kill him.”

“Deal,”

9

It's the worst they've ever fought.

Chanyeol's never actually gone through with his threats to leave, and he makes them a lot, it's his way of coping when his and Baekhyun's bickering goes a little too far. But Baekhyun can only watch in silence, Minkyung hiding behind his legs, as Chanyeol tosses his duffel bag in the back seat of their Mercedes and then climbs into the front.

He thinks he can still hear Chanyeol's yells ringing in his ears, see the look of pure, intense frustration as he bangs his fists against the dining room table, causing the bowls to clutter loudly against the wood. Baekhyun had sent Minkyung to her room, then, but he's sure she lingered in the doorway, sure she heard every single word they said. It had been about her - it only ever is, it's the only topic that they allow themselves to argue over. It's all to do with her acceleration, how Chanyeol thinks they shouldn't send her to a gifted school, it's too much for someone her age, but Baekhyun thinks the opposite. He thinks that if they don't, they'll be holding her back from her true potential. But instead of arguing his point, he'd been too defensive; even cruel.

Baekhyun's sure he's ruined everything.

It's more silence as Chanyeol drives away. He doesn't look in their direction; Baekhyun doesn't even see his eyes flick up to the rear view mirror. It makes his heart ache - how did he let it get this far?

“Is papa leaving us?” Minkyung asks, and Baekhyun has never heard her voice sound that tender, that unsure. “He packed his clothes, does this mean he won't come back?”

Baekhyun doesn't know how to respond - he really doesn't have a clue. He wants to say they're bigger than this, they've been together, in love for so long. But maybe he really pushed it this time. There's only so much that one person can handle, and Baekhyun is terrified he's crossed the line once and for all.

“He cares about you a lot, Min,” Baekhyun whispers, unable to speak any louder, the lump in his throat thick and constricting. “He loves you with all of his heart.”

“I don't know about that,” Minkyung says. “I heard him when you two were arguing. I heard him say he regrets adopting me.”

“Baby - ” Baekhyun closes his eyes and releases a shaky breath. “He wasn't being honest. He didn't mean that.”

“I don't see why he would say it if he doesn't mean it.”

“He's upset, Min,” Baekhyun sighs, blinking rapidly to dispel the wetness in his eyes. He's going to cry any minute now, he's sure of it, and he needs Minkyung to go inside so she doesn't have to see it. “He always says things he doesn't mean when he's upset or angry. He loves you so much, Minkyung. You're his favourite person in the world.”

“He really is an idiot, papa. Why do you care about him so much?” Baekhyun can't help but laugh at this, but it causes the tears to fall, and he sniffles as he wipes them away. Minkyung slides her tiny hand into his and then tugs on it lightly. “Come on, we should go inside. I don't think the neighbours would like to see you crying when you're always so happy.”

-

Baekhyun doesn't sleep very well that night. He tosses and turns, dozing off every now and then, only to wake himself up moments later as he subconsciously reaches for what he's grown so accustomed to having beside him in that large bed, shocking himself when all he feels is a big empty space. The third time this happens, he gives up on sleep entirely, flopping back against his mattress and staring at the ceiling.

He cries again, then, biting down on the back of his hand so his sobs don't wake Minkyung, who is fast asleep on the bed next to him, curled in a ball under the blankets, head resting on the corner of Baekhyun's pillow and hugging Chanyeol's to her chest. None of this is right, he thinks. They've had 18 years, 18 whole years together, 18 years where Baekhyun has never once thought that he loves Chanyeol any less, never once imagined a life without him. And now this - all because Chanyeol doesn't want his daughter to be pushed past her limits, wants her to remain a child for as long as possible. He's right - he's been right all along.

And now Baekhyun knows he has to fix this, if it's the last thing he does.

He peels himself off the bed as carefully as possible, tip-toeing out of the room, breathing a sigh of relief when Minkyung barely even stirs. He unplugs his phone from the charger and hops up onto the counter, pressing down hard on the number one button on his keypad and smiling slightly when he see's the speed dial type in Chanyeol's cell number.

“Baek?” His stomach aches when he hears Chanyeol's voice, hoarse and so clearly hopeful. He sounds tired, but not like he does when he just wakes up. He hasn't been able to fall asleep either.

“Chanyeol, come home, please, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You're right - I'm not being fair, Minkyung, she - ”

“Baek,” Chanyeol repeats, yawning into the phone. “Are you crying?”

“N - No,” Baekhyun feels his chin start to wobble as he speaks, and before he knows it, he's sniffling again, using his sleeve to wipe the tear stains off his cheeks. “I can't sleep, Chanyeol,” he says. “Please come home. I love you so much. I'm so sorry.”

“Baekkie, stop apologizing, I'm the one who should be - I'm an idiot for leaving. I regretted it as soon as I pulled out of our complex.”

This only makes Baekhyun cry harder, and it takes him a few moments to collect himself as Chanyeol shuffles around on the other end of the line, evidently packing his things back into his duffel. “Why didn't you come home right away, then? If this is about pride... never, ever do that again. I wasn't the only you hurt. What about Min?” He asks bitterly. “She heard you, you know. She heard you say you regret the adoption. I saved your stupid ass this time but never, ever do this to us again, Chanyeol. Never.”

“I won't Baekkie, I won't,” Chanyeol says desperately. “I promise. I'm coming home now, okay?”

“Okay,” Baekhyun whispers and when Chanyeol hangs up the phone, Baekhyun can only hold his against his chest, breathing deeply.

They'll figure things out, they always do. But right now, all Baekhyun wants is to fall asleep with his two favourite people in the world. He breathes out a sigh of relief and allows a faint smile to appear on his lips when he realizes that he can now, all he has to do is wait until Chanyeol comes home.

10

The next night, it's Chanyeol who puts Minkyung to bed. She hasn't spoken to him all day, and he figures he deserves it - it's the least he should get for walking out on them the day before. She's being surprisingly nice, though; she even lets him pick out the story this time, sparing him the embarrassment of having to sit through yet another night of being teased by an eight-year-old for being unable to pronounce or even understand half the words in the books she usually chooses for him.

She stares at him the entire time he reads, doesn't even correct him when he calls Nemo, Elmo by mistake. She hasn't moved an inch by the time he's done, but once he kisses her goodnight and turns to leave, she circles her tiny fingers around his wrist and tugs him back.

“Papa,” she says once he sits again. “Why do people say things they don't mean?”

“Ehh,” Chanyeol shifts in his seat, looking at Minkyung's face, surprised. She's only showing signs of simple curiosity; nothing accusatory. “I don't know, Min. Sometimes people do it just because they're angry, or scared, and as mean as it seems, it's the one thing that they know will get a rise out of the other person. It's really immature, I know - ”

“It's not, papa. Don't worry.” Minkyung takes hold of his hand and gives it a squeeze. Chanyeol's eyes widen and he's only just able to stop the gasp from spilling through his lips. This is the first time his daughter has ever, ever reciprocated his intimacy before. “Just don't do that again, okay? Don't say mean things and definitely don't leave, because when I saw Baek papa crying, it made my tummy hurt in a really weird way and I don't think I want to experience that feeling again.”

“You don't have to worry about that anymore, okay, princess?” Chanyeol says, reaching over to pat down her bangs. “I won't leave ever again. I love you and your papa too much.”

“Okay. And papa?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you choose him over everyone else in the world?”

“Ehh,” Chanyeol says again, chuckling. “I didn't think you'd be curious about this type of thing for at least another ten years.”

“Just tell me, I don't have all night, you know. It's important that I fall into REM cycle before ten because you know how grumpy I get without a full eight hours - ”

“Fine, fine,” he laughs, shifting so that he's laying down next to her. She immediately rolls over so that she's facing him, propping herself up by her elbow, resting her head in her hand. “I guess you can say I chose him because I'd never met anyone like him in this world.” He pauses, smiles to himself. “You never really know with people when you're in a company like SM, you never know who really wants to be your friend, who will stick by you or who will leave you in petty jealousy if you happen to become more popular or something at debut. I never had any of these concerns with your dad, though. We were friends right from the start.”

“Did you love him from the beginning, too?”

“Maybe, I don't know.” Chanyeol says. “I do know that I really liked his smile. And that every day we spent together I never got sick of him, I only ever wanted more. But then - then I made a huge mistake.”

“You haven't changed in that sense, papa,” Minkyung says cheekily, and Chanyeol pouts at her, reaching up to poke her in the cheek. “What did you do?”

“I guess I showed him my true colours,” he says slowly. “I wasn't a good person, Min. I did bad things to a lot of people. I was mean to my band-mates because I became the kind of person I was terrified of as a trainee. I was so petty and jealous and pathetic that your dad didn't want anything to do with me anymore.”

“But you guys are -”

He shakes his head slowly to keep her quiet. “I guess that was all I really needed, Min, for me to realize how much I loved him. Losing your dad as a friend had made me feel like I'd lost everything else as well, and I did everything I could to make myself a better person. I wanted to be the one to make him smile again. After two years of struggling with this, I told him how I felt. And you know what he said?”

“What?” Minkyung asks, perking up in curiosity. “What did he say?”

“He told me he knew that from the start. And he said he loves me too.”

“Just like that?”

“Mm,” Chanyeol grins. “He made me promise never to do mean things ever again. Your papa has done so much for me, Min. I can't picture a life without him anymore. It's been eighteen years now.”

“Wow! That's so long, it's like before I was even born.”

“Yep! More than ten years before, in fact.”

“That's really amazing, papa.” She sighs happily, snuggling into her blanket and then nudging Chanyeol's thigh with her foot through the covers. “Now leave, okay? You have lots to make up for!”

“Whatever you say, princess,” he purposely rolls over her on his way out of the bed, and she whines in protest, shoving him the rest of the way. He bolts for the door, turning back to grin and blow her a kiss once he's in the hallway.

She tosses a stuffed red blood-cell toy at his face. “And stop calling me a princess, you neanderthal!”

11

It's not entirely the most conventional of ideas, but Chanyeol doesn't particularly like to give up on things halfway, not even with a screaming preteen in one ear and the wails of his horrified life-partner and a fairground employee in the other. He refuses point blank to give up on this, not until the end.

Not until Minkyung admits Bouncy Castles are fun, goddamnit.

She's taken residence in the far back corner, after she'd come to learn that there's no way she'll get past Chanyeol and to the exit. Every time she takes a single step forward, Chanyeol jumps as high and as hard as he cant, causing her to lose her footing and fall back into her corner, glaring daggers at him and making extra sure that everyone in the entire fair can hear how much of an idiot she thinks he is.

“Come on, you spoil sport,” Chanyeol says in a sing-song voice, hopping from foot to foot. “This is so much fun!” He bounces once to prove his point. Minkyung grabs desperately at the walls of the castle, eyes so wide that she's giving Kyungsoo a run for his money.

“This is not fun.” Minkyung bites out. “Manipulating DNA so that humans grow extra arms and stuff is fun. This. This is primitive. You are officially a gorilla. How does that make you feel?”

“I think it feels pretty awesome,” Chanyeol says. “I'm a bouncing gorilla. Boing. Boing. Boing.” He bounces closer to her, and she squeaks in terror, edging along the wall and away from him. He has the upper hand here, since she refuses to bounce - and Chanyeol is sure that she knows as well as he does that if she does, she'll have all the fun she's refusing to admit she will. He catches up to her with ease, and grabs hold of both of her wrists.

“Come on, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun pleads. He's gone as far as to crawl into the castle now, but he seems hesitant to get to his feet. “Adults aren't allowed in here, and we're gonna get thrown out - now is not the time for this.”

“Baek papa is right,” Minkyung says through her teeth. “Let me go or I'll tell Baek papa all about what really happened to his favourite eyeliner.”

“I stepped on it, so what,” Chanyeol says happily, ignoring Baekhyun's hiss of anger.

“I'm sleeping on the couch for a month, Chanyeol!”

“Oh well,” he says, keeping his focus on their daughter. “So your threat means nothing now. I'm going to die alone either way.” He tightens his grip around her wrists and gives her one harsh tug, and she stumbles forward, falling against his chest. She immediately shoves him away and attempts to straighten herself, only to have her legs wobble violently, and within the next second, she's on the floor, slipping between two of the air pockets.

Chanyeol bursts out laughing, doubling over and clutching his side in mirth. “I'm going to sell your organs to scientific research if you do not help me up right now,” Minkyung threatens, but Chanyeol ignores her, straightening up again so he can take a deep breath to try and control himself. Baekhyun doesn't try to help, either - he's sitting still now, watching, as if curious to see how this will play out now. “Papa, honestly, there are five year old's waiting for their turn. What are you trying to do? I'm twelve. I am far too old for this nonsense.”

“You are never, ever too old for bouncy castles,” Chanyeol says seriously. “And you are not leaving until you admit that. And mean it.” He adds, when she opens her mouth to speak, causing her to promptly clamp it shut again.

“You're like a two year old in a 45-year-old body,” she grumbles, attempting to get up on her own. Once she manages to push herself onto her hands and knees, Chanyeol hops again, and her limbs splay out across the floor, causing her to face-plant into the plastic.

He expects an explosion, and he prepares himself for another bout of screaming. But instead, what he gets is a faint sound of laughter as she rolls over onto her back in defeat. At first he thinks he misheard it, but when he sees the way her eyes are shining, how her grin is stretching so wide that all of her braces are visible, Chanyeol lets his jaw drop open and he immediately rushes over to her, dragging her up off the ground and pulling her into a hug.

“YOU LAUGHED!” He screams in her ear. “It was really quiet but I heard it! YOU'RE NOT A SOULLESS GENIUS ROBOT AFTER ALL! BAEEEEEKHYUN!” He drags her over to Baekhyun, tripping and stumbling along the way. Baekhyun joins them in their hug, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol's waist and Minkyung's shoulders.

“I heard!” Baekhyun exclaims, voice layered with ecstasy.

“Come on, guys, you're embarrassing me,” Minkyung says, exasperated. Chanyeol just continues to laugh, rocking them all back and forth on the spot and smiling wider than he has in ages.

“I hate to break up the moment, guys,” an unfamiliar voice says, and Chanyeol pulls away from Minkyung and Baekhyun, only to see what looks to be the fair manager poking his head through the entrance flap. “But there's a lineup of kids crying for their turn and you've been in here fifteen minutes. Kindly exit the castle before I send security to drag you out.”

12

Time always seems to speed up when they want nothing more than for it to go slowly. Their life flashes by in a blur of events, and right before their eyes, Minkyung has changed from that tiny baby girl they'd met on a rainy day in March, to this stunning young woman with an angelic smile and an amazingly intimidating brain.

As all the years went by, Baekhyun and Chanyeol couldn't help but wish over and over again that they'd held onto her a little tighter, watched her a little closer. She didn't need them like she used to - she'd grown up, let go of their hands to walk to school with her friends, gotten herself part time jobs, gone on trips, and had even fallen in and out of love. She didn't need them like she used to, no, but they'd held on with the belief that she still wanted them there, wanted their support, their love and care to stay happy.

She'd gotten her first boyfriend at sixteen. Baekhyun was ecstatic, as usual, but Chanyeol was mortified. Sixteen is way too young, he'd insisted, but in reality his true qualms came with the fact that this kid, this tall, English-speaking Chinese transfer student shared far too many similarities with a certain ex bandmate (who Chanyeol can just so happen to see sitting on the left side of the aisle, four rows from the front). He didn't have to worry about that for long, though; she'd gotten her first heart break barely three weeks later, coming home after school, shaking from head to toe, and announcing that she's never, ever going to distract herself with boys, ever, ever again.

Chanyeol had never wanted to punch someone so hard in his life, and he was halfway to it, too, already in the hallway and tying the laces on his running shoes before Baekhyun had to come and drag him back into the kitchen so they could put the comfort of their daughter ahead of the murder of the boy who broke her heart. Chanyeol will never forget that moment - he'll never be able to erase the image of his daughter out of his head. She was at such a loss as for what to do, wringing her hands out in frustration as she paced the kitchen, eventually realizing that yes, what she feels is sadness, and then she'd promptly broken down into tears, and wailed in distraught about how she'd let her brain do the talking and scared away the first guy who'd ever shown an interest in her. It was heartbreaking, but it was all a part of growing up - they'd all been through it at one point in their lives.

“What's on your mind, papa?” A whisper has Chanyeol snapping out of his thoughts and back into the present. Minkyung's hand is resting in the groove of his elbow, looking elegant covered in the laced white fabric of her glove. He smiles over at her, and they slow to a stop, right in front of the altar.

“Just how beautiful you look right now, my little princess,” Chanyeol says quietly as Minkyung's fiance steps down to meet her. He's not exaggerating; she looks absolutely gorgeous in her flowing white gown and the ring of daisies perched atop her long, wavy hair, eyes sparkling in a kind of happiness that thankfully isn't all that rare anymore. He takes a step away from her, smiles a little sadly when her grip lingers for a few seconds on his arm. “Go on,” he urges her, and she bows her head at him, before finally letting go and then taking hold of her fiance's outstretched hand.

He turns to take his seat next to Baekhyun in the front row, who immediately holds onto his hand and then leans against him. His eyes are already brimming with tears, Chanyeol notes, but he doesn't exactly blame him. This is quite possibly the proudest of their lives, even though it means they're done - they're handing off their baby girl to someone new, so she can start her own life, her own family.

There has been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of stress and arguments, a lot of craziness. They were never the most conventional of families, but seeing her up there, seeing her beautiful smile as she holds her hand out for the ring, has Chanyeol thinking that they've done a pretty amazing job at it, anyway.

I've been promising this to you for over a year now, bbg :( sorry it took this long!!

guys this is the last thing I will ever be posting to this community. If you wish to follow my future works, please check paperplanes.

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