S88: Happy Together
Title: Happy Together
For: S88
Rating: pg-13
Length: 5.8k+ words
Summary: After his father’s and his new wife’s death, Minseok has to take care of
his two-year old half-brother. And as if that is not enough, his ex-boyfriend Sehun reappears
in his life in the form of the new neighbor his baby brother has taken a liking to.
Warnings: none
Author's note: I would like to thank the OP for this lovely prompt. I had fun writing
this fic, although I’m not so sure how accurate my description of toddler!Jongin is, but I do
hope you will love him as much as I do.
It has been stressful the past few weeks, but slowly, both Minseok and Jongin are adjusting. The most turbulent time is hopefully over now, what with paperwork and organization done and his father's and his stepmother's funeral over. Minseok can't quite recall what he felt when news of his father's death reached him. They have been estranged for years, more so when Minseok came back to Busan after studying in Seoul to find his father having a new woman in his life. He doesn't hate his father, no, although he did find it weird that his father was remarried to a woman so much younger than him; she was just a few years older than Minseok.
With his father's death, there have been quite a few changes. Not only has Minseok become the greatest shareholder and the CEO of his father's company, but he now has Jongin under his wings, too. Who is Jongin you ask? Jongin is the sweetest, cutest two year old half-brother one could imagine, and so Minseok has decided to take custody over him instead of letting some distant relative take care of the boy. Who knows if they will take care of him properly? Minseok doesn't trust people he doesn't know so well, not even if they are part of the family.
It is now the fourth week of Jongin and Minseok's new life together, the older brother being a CEO and a parent now, working during day and trying his best to get home on time to pick Jongin up from the kindergarten around fice in the afternoon.
Minseok is glad that he has found a place close to the company, so it is always just a few minutes of walking there. On busy days, he usually goes to pick Jongin up and brings him to the company to work. Jongin would sit in a corner of the room, playing with the few toys Minseok has stationed in his office for times like that, or he would take a nap on the couch.
Today, Minseok is lucky though. He has just finished the project his father had been working on before his death, and so, to celebrate that day, Minseok has let everyone off earlier, including himself. He picks Jongin up then, instead of going for a drink with his colleagues and partners, and takes his little brother out to have dinner at a local family restaurant. It is quite enjoyable despite the stares he gets being a bit unsettling. He should be used to them by now though. After all, a young man taking care of a child is a rare sight with clear role divisions between genders still existing in this rather conservative society. Minseok sighs.
Jongin, on the other hand, is anything but frustrated. He is happily clapping his hands when he is given a pororo plushie, and that makes Minseok smile, feeling a bit less guilty for neglecting his brother the last few weeks. Jongin doesn't seem to be upset and Minseok can only thank the heavens to have such an uncomplicated baby brother to tend to. It is probably because of his quiet, but cheerful personality that Minseok has grown so fond of Jongin after the second or third babysitting session when Jongin was even younger than now; he has yet to see Jongin throw a temper tantrum.
🚼
It is around seven when Minseok and Jongin are home. Jongin has fallen asleep right after dinner, and Minseok is grateful that his father has left behind a car, too. He has driven them both home and is now carrying Jongin in his arms. Minseok chuckles, even as Jongin drools on him, but what is more important? A baby's peaceful slumber or a business suit? Surely not the latter.
Minseok has refused to live in his father's villa. He is still living in his small apartment that is big enough for him and Jongin to live. It feels more comfortable than living in a huge house with just a toddler, especially when Jongin likes to crawl and walk everywhere his hands and feet bring him. That is not too much of a problem in a small apartment like his. They can still move back to the Kim’s mansion later, once Jongin is a bit older. And maybe by then, he might have found another person to complete their little family.
Living in an apartment complex, Minseok is bound to pass by a few neighbors, and this time, with Jongin in his arms, he would very much like it to have a neighbor help him opening the door, since holding Jongin with just one arm doesn't seem very secure, even if it’s just for a second. But when the elevator door opens, in exactly that moment, the door next to his apartment closes after a tall and lean male carries a box inside. Minseok has been half a minute too late, or else he could have asked his new neighbor for assistance.
🚼
Per tradition, Minseok's new neighbor comes to greet him with rice cakes. What he hasn't expected, is to find his new neighbor to be his ex-boyfriend, the one he has been dating during college. It is rather awkward for the both of them since neither has expected to meet the other ever again, and although Minseok wants to shut the door and close it right into the other's face, he can't. Not when Jongin screams in glee and runs towards the tall boy, hugging his legs.
Sehun squats down to ruffle through Jongin's hair then, offering the toddler a rice cake he takes out of the box. Minseok can only sigh inwardly and watch, hoping for the encounter not to last too long. His heart is beating faster and it hurts. He rather not thinks about his past relationship, one that has once made him feel like the happiest person on earth until they broke up.
Jongin has taken the rice cake in his little hand by now, refusing to let go of their neighbor when Sehun gets up and attempts to leave after he has given Minseok the box of rice cakes.
"Hey kid, I need to go home now," Sehun chuckles, but Minseok can hear the uneasy tone underneath. He just knows Sehun too well, and even after years of not seeing each other, not contacting each other at all, he can still read Sehun like a book. Sehun might have grown taller, more handsome, more mature looking, but deep inside, Sehun seems to be the same, insecure child.
"Jongin," Minseok calls his brother, but the toddler shakes his head, now clinging to Sehun's leg with his sticky hand as well.
"Jongin!" Minseok shouts and his brother looks at him with teary eyes, already sniffing.
"Shhh, it's okay, kid," Sehun says and bends down to pick Jongin up, apparently uncaring that there is a rice cake glued to his pants' leg.
"I'm so sorry," Minseok apologizes. "Usually Jongin listens well. I don't know why he's not listening today."
Sehun just gives him a smile, as cute as ever, and it gives Minseok a hard time, because he could fall in love with Sehun all over again, just because of one smile.
"It's alright, hyung. Don't scold him too much. After all Jongin is just two, three years old at most?" Sehun’s gaze is inquiring and curious, and Minseok can guess that the other wants to know more about Jongin and his current situation. After all, the other doesn’t know about Minseok’s father passing away and leaving him a little brother to take care of.
Minseok wonders if he should tell Sehun, but decides against it after all. They are just neighbors now. There is no need for him to tell Sehun all about his life.
"Two and a half, but that doesn't make it okay though. Jongin needs to learn. I'm sorry for your pants. I'll wash them if you want to," he finally manages to say.
"It's alright, hyung, really," Sehun replies, attention focusing back on the child in his arms, currently patting Sehun's cheeks with both his hands. Minseok cringes, because he remembers that one of the tiny hands must still be sticky from the rice cake, so he steps closer to take a struggling Jongin back into his own arms, refusing to let go because he doesn't want Jongin to latch on Sehun again. An awkward silence follows, save for Jongin's cries of protest, his small frame wiggling and squirming to free himself from Minseok's grip.
"Well," Sehun starts. "I just came by to say hello to all my neighbors. I didn't plan on staying this long. Sorry for the disturbance. See you again some time."
Minseok wishes he could say that, too, saying that he hopes for them to meet soon, without being insincere, but after Sehun breaking up with him, he can't bring himself to say that, opting for a curt nod instead. He closes the door when Sehun turns around, ignoring Jongin's wails, because he can already predict that his baby brother has taken a liking to their new neighbor. Unfortunately though, he needs to make both Jongin and himself forget that there is this perfect existence right next door. He hopes it won't be too difficult to erase the knowledge of Sehun living next to them.
"You think he's perfect, too, huh?" Minseok asks Jongin, but the child is sulking and ignores him.
"I guess that's a yes."
🚼
It is Sunday afternoon. After a whole week of rain, it is finally sunny and warm enough to spend some time outside again. Minseok doesn't need fresh air that much, if he was honest. Work at the company is tiring, so he wouldn't step outside if he was just living on his own. Since he has a little child living with him, things are different however.
Jongin has been squirmish, watching the rain with his big eyes every day, whining, because he wants to be outside and build sand castles at the local park. Minseok has had a hard time trying to console the boy when Jongin kept pointing to his toys and then to the window, his eyes accusing, as if it was Minseok's fault. It is not. If Minseok could control the rain, he would stop it so his precious baby brother could go outside, only letting it rain at night for all the dust and dirt to be washed away so the mornings would be and smell fresh.
Minseok is sitting on a nearby bench, watching with hawk eyes as Jongin starts to fill his toy bucket with sand. It's cute how focused Jongin is, dedicating his everything to his task when his sand castle will most likely be trampled on by some other child or washed down by the rain and disappear by the next day. Nonetheless, it is a cute sight that warms Minseok's heart because really, who could leave such a precious being alone in this cruel world? Minseok could never abandon his baby brother, not for anything in this world.
He smiles when Jongin waves at him. But then Jongin is standing up and running, and Minseok is a bit confused as to why the boy would do so. There is no dog chasing him, and if there was a dog, it was usually the other way round - Jongin would chase the poor thing, no matter how big or small it was.
Minseok is alarmed when Jongin trips and falls, most probably scraping his knees and palms. And when Jongin starts crying once he sits up, that is when Minseok runs to cradle the boy against his chest, trying to comfort him.
"Shhh, it's okay Jongin. You'll be okay," he whispers, but Jongin doesn't want to listen. Jongin is wailing loudly, squirming in his hold, and so Minseok has to let Jongin down on his own feet or else people might think that he is hurting the boy. After all, the sight of a single parent is still very new to people in this nation, especially when it is a single father. It is usually women who take care of young kids, not the men. What if they think he is trying to kidnap Jongin?
When Jongin is standing on his own two feet again, his arms flail and he starts walking again, his steps hurried while he yells some gibberish that Minseok does not quite understand. It is only when he looks further into the direction where Jongin is heading to that he realizes what is going on. His brother has spotted Sehun and recognizing their neighbor, he wants to play with Sehun now.
Sehun looks a lot like a deer caught in the headlights the way he stands there. He doesn't move until Jongin is clinging to his leg again, his eyes boring into Minseok's all the time. Only when Jongin demands to be picked up does Sehun move. He carries Jongin over to Minseok, but when he tries to hand the boy over to his older brother, the child tries to fight against it.
"Play!" Jongin says. "With Nini. Play."
"I'm sorry," Minseok apologizes, trying to somehow win his little brother over but not even the sight of candy can bribe him now. Jongin has set his eyes on Sehun, apparently, and he demands Sehun to play with him. Sehun just chuckles and reassures that he was just taking a walk for some fresh air, and thus Sehun has some time to spare. Sehun doesn't mind playing with Jongin and entertaining the child for a bit.
Minseok is still unsure about that offer, only reluctantly agreeing, but a moment later he watches with astonishment as the other male sits next to Jongin in the sand box, ignoring the fact that he is getting sand on his designer jeans. Sehun just plays with Jongin as if he was another three year old with the only difference that he doesn't look like a three year old and he doesn't speak like a three year old. Like that, the picture Minseok has in his head changes from two kids playing together to a parent playing with his son. He shakes his head. No, thoughts like that need to be banned.
🚼
The next time he meets Sehun, Minseok is on the verge of tears. It should be embarrassing, but all Minseok can think about is Jongin who went missing - he is freaking out because he can't find Jongin. Just a second ago, his baby brother was still standing next to him, waiting for Minseok to get the shopping cart, and in that half minute that Minseok goes to get one, hand letting go of Jongin’s, his baby brother has disappeared. Did someone kidnap his precious Jongin?
He abandons the cart immediately and goes to search for Jongin. It is odd, because usually Jongin would cry and scream when strangers approached him, adults that are unknown to him. If Jongin was kidnapped, he should have noticed by Jongin's cries. So maybe, did he follow another kid instead? Did he follow a puppy maybe? Either way, it scares Minseok because he has sworn to be a good brother and parent to his brother, but right now he is anything but that. He should have been more attentive. He shouldn't have let go of Jongin's tiny hand. If anything happens to his little brother, Minseok won't be able to forgive himself.
"Hyung, Minseok-hyung!"
Minseok whips around as his name is called, frustrated because someone is asking for him while his little brother needs him. He wants to quip out a sassy reply, but when he sees Sehun with Jongin in his arms, he is speechless. Why is Sehun here? And why is he with Jongin? How did he find Jongin?
But all that doesn't matter because Jongin is here. His baby brother is safe and still smiling as adorably as ever. He doesn't seem hurt anywhere and Minseok feels relieved as he reaches out to take Jongin into his arms. The toddler only grins, tiny arms wrapping around Minseok's neck as he starts babbling, random words and sounds tumbling from his lips. Minseok tries to understand, but he still hasn't mastered the language of baby gibberish and it will probably take him some more time to do so, which is why his focus shifts to Sehun. It would be only appropriate to thank him, but before that, he Minseok asks how he found Jongin and how he knew.
"I found Jongin wandering around, following a puppy, so I thought I better take him with me and find you before someone else kidnaps him. Maybe you should put him in a cart next time so he won't be able to run away," the younger male says and chuckles. Minseok nods at that.
"Thank you."
"It's alright," Sehun says and it sounds as if he wants to add more to that. He doesn't, and instead he leaves with a small wave and an even tinier smile. Minseok stares at his retreating form, only snapping back to reality when Jongin grabs and pinches his nose.
🚼
The situation they are in is nothing but awkward. It is not Minseok’s fault though. It is all Jongin and his demand to see Sehun. Minsek has learned by now hat when Jongin says Hun, he means Sehun. Why it is Sehun and not any other Hun, a Yonghun maybe or a Taehun, Minseok knows because Jongin has pointed at Sehun who passed them last week without a greeting. He was seemingly in a hurry, running down the corridor to catch the elevator, while Minseok just stared at him in irritation before he followed his little brother who tried to keep up with Sehun.
"Hun! Hunhun!" The poor boy cried out, but at that time the elevator door was closing already.
But how did he even get into a situation like this? Minseok has just scolded the boy earlier for being whiny which ended in Jongin crying, and a crying Jongin is no sight a human with a heart could bear. It is heartbreaking when the little boy cries, his whole form shaking, and Minseok's attempt to pacify the boy were all futile.
Jongin cried and when he was too exhausted to cry more, he just whimpered and hiccupped, Hun and Hunhun among the sounds he made. Needless to say, Minseok couldn't help but promise Jongin to visit his Hunhun soon, which was supposed to be the next day or the next week, the next month even, but Jongin shook his head. He was stubborn and very adamant about now, and to Minseok's horror, when they knocked at Sehun's door a moment later, Sehun was at home.
At least Sehun made no comments about Jongin's red and puffy eyes, but that doesn't mean that Minseok doesn't feel bad or judged. He is sure that Sehun must think that he is a terrible babysitter and parent - Sehun has yet to learn that Jongin is just his baby brother. But Sehun is too polite and nice to say so. Sehun has always had the tendency to keep his thoughts private, even back then when they were still dating. It is only with a lot of urging and pressuring that Sehun will share his thoughts.
Minseok is sitting on the couch in Sehun's living room now, watching as Jongin and Sehun play in the middle of the room. Sehun has pushed the table aside to make more space for them, and Minseok has to admit that it's pretty cute how Sehun handles Jongin. The child is laughing in glee as Sehun entertains him, not with any toys, but simply by his mimics and actions and by focusing solely on the child.
Jongin has been wrestling with Sehun, almost manhandling him, yet Sehun hasn't complained. They have started a tickle war after that, and Sehun has played airplane with Jongin, too, picking the boy up and holding him up high, not complaining even if it must be exhausting.
"Hey, hyung," Sehun says, plopping down next to Minseok with a sleeping Jongin in his arms and effectively startling the older boy who has been spacing out and picturing all three of them as one small family. It is a too perfect picture, too nice to be real, and Minseok is flustered. He shouldn't be thinking about the possibility of rekindling his relationship with Sehun. Sehun is just being nice and a good neighbor right now, that's all.
"You know you can always bring Jongin here, right? I can babysit him when you're too busy with work."
If Minseok is honest, he didn't think he would ever take up on Sehun's offer. He is needed to go on a business trip to meet up with possible future investors in Japan though, so even if he doesn't want to burden his ex and now neighbor, he has to. There is no one else Minseok trusts with Jongin, albeit reluctantly. Sehun is not a bad person and the way he interacts with Jongin has proven that he is a trustworthy babysitter, more so when Jongin has taken a liking towards Sehun, too. Not only a liking, it is almost as if Jongin is enchanted by Sehun's charms - whenever Sehun is around, Jongin seems to forget that his older brother is there, too.
Every time he spots Sehun walking past, Jongin will wave and scream until Sehun notices and waves back, and sometimes he throws a temper tantrum, just so Minseok will bring him over to play with Sehun for a bit. The little rascal knows that Minseok is weak when it comes to cute baby brothers with teary puppy eyes, but Minseok also has the feeling that Jongin knows how much Minseok likes Sehun still. And yet, he can't will himself to talk to Sehun and to completely get rid of the tension between them.
He almost hopes to find Jongin growing to dislike Sehun after spending a week with his babysitter, just so there won't be any reason to ask for Sehun's help. He could get a professional babysitter instead. Or Sehun messing up because he has no idea how to take care of children except for playing with them, that would give Minseok an excuse to never ever rely on Sehun again, too. After all, Sehun is still very young with his twenty-two years.
Of course things don't play out like he wants to. When Minseok comes home from his business trip, he finds Jongin sleeping peacefully on Sehun's couch. He has fallen asleep while waiting for Minseok to be back, Sehun explains, and Minseok nods, thanking the other for his help before he scoops up his baby brother in his arms to carry him back to their apartment. Jongin looks peaceful when he sleeps, but he looks very happy, too, the smile on his face brighter than usual.
When Minseok wakes up the next morning - a Sunday morning and therefore a lazy morning - he finds Jongin playing with his plush poodle right next to him. Unlike other days, Jongin is very quiet though, and when Minseok sits up, Jongin crawls into his lap to cuddle. It draws a smile on his face, seeing his baby brother so affectionate, and when he hears Jongin babbling, he is happier even. Jongin is improving bit by bit, that much Minseok has noticed, but he doesn't think he has ever heard Jongin talking this much that is actually comprehendible to him. Is it because of Sehun or is it because he hasn't been around the toddler for a week and has thus forgotten how good or bad Jongin's communication skills actually are?
"Nini with Hun play. Nini happy," the boy whispers and cuddles into Minseok's arms. "Min happy with Hun play. Yes?"
"Yes. Min-hyung will play with Hunhun, too. I guess Sehun is a good influence, huh?"
Jongin looks at him with big, understanding eyes, although Minseok is quite sure that his brother is too young to grasp everything in its entirety. Yet, it is amazing how much children actually know, just by intuition. Jongin has probably understood how important Sehun's existence still is before Minseok has even realized it for himself. Maybe he should try and make efforts to at least befriend his neighbor again.
🚼
It is not difficult to become friendly with Sehun again. After all, the other is very likeable, and the only reason why Minseok has stayed away was his own bad feelings after their break up. Sehun has said that he still liked Minseok a lot on that day; he just couldn't date him. To Sehun, it didn't feel right anymore, and when Minseok tried to inquire, to find out more, Sehun had just blocked all of his attempts.
Minseok had been fuming at first, but after the anger came the sadness and the never ending questions of what ifs and the feeling of guilt because something must have gone wrong without him noticing, and he must have seemed uncaring in Sehun's eyes, or else, the younger would have told him. He blamed himself for it, and so he was glad to get away from Seoul and go back to Busan two months later, after graduation, because his father needed him for their family business.
Sehun now is not too much different from Sehun back then. He is still a rather calm person, friendly and absolutely adorable when he can't control his smiles and laughter every time they want to break out. Minseok watches with fondness whenever he has the time to stop by and watch, and while that is not often, he still meets Sehun often enough. After all, he has to bring Jongin next door for Sehun to babysit when work gets too much, and on those occasions, as well as when he comes over to pick his brother up, he talks to Sehun for just a little bit, enough to learn about Sehun's life now at present.
It helps a lot to simply talk, even if it is just mindless smalltalk. Minseok learns that Sehun is working as editor and translator and as such he does not need to go to the company to do his work there. As long as he keeps deadlines, there is no problem with him working at home, and since he doesn't like to commute to and fro, Sehun has been working at home mainly. That is why he can babysit Jongin, although Sehun admits that it was tough trying to work while watching Jongin that one week Minseok has been on a business trip.
Sehun didn’t ask him about his relation to Jongin, but one day Minseok has told him that, confessing how unsure he was about adopting his baby brother. Minseok is only in his mid-twenties, barely long enough out of college to handle a company, but being responsible for a toddler, too, that has seemed impossible to him. Nonetheless, he has decided to give it a try, just so Jongin wouldn’t have to get used to a life with people he didn’t know. He didn’t want Jongin to be tossed around and feel unloved.
“It’s good you took him in,” Sehun has replied with a smile. “He seems happy living with you. And you seem glad to have him around, too.”
Minseok has never thought about that, but when Sehun points it out, he finds it to be very true. Minseok would never want to trade his life with Jongin now. They are each other’s family, and as family, one has to stick together.
Just with information like these, updates on their personal lives, Minseok feels himself getting closer to Sehun, and more importantly, he thinks he can still see love in Sehun's eyes, as well as regret. It could always be just his imagination though, because every time he sees that little flicker of emotion it is gone within the blink of an eye, as if it had never been there.
Maybe Minseok is just very desperate. After all, he still has feelings for the other.
🚼
It is Jongin's birthday. He is only turning three, but Minseok has long known that his brother is a bright child, not only in the sense of positive and cheerful, but also smart. He has a grasp on what birthdays are for, and so it is not surprising that he demands Sehun to be there at his birthday party. He is not asking for his kindergarten friends, but Sehun, specifically Sehun, and so Minseok has to abide by that. Not that Sehun doesn't know when Jongin's birthday is; Sehun has asked him before so he could prepare presents.
They are sitting at the kitchen table now, a small birthday cake with three candles lit up right in front of them. Jongin is grinning and clapping while Minseok and Sehun sing him his birthday song. Sehun is holding his phone's camera, recording the whole scene at the same time, and he is grinning widely, too. Like a proud parent, Minseok thinks, smiling a bit on his own as well when Jongin tries to blow out the candles but doesn't manage at his first try.
"Again," Sehun chuckles and Jongin makes another attempt, his eyes searching for Sehun's after the last candle is out, wanting his approval, and when Minseok ruffles Jongin's hair, praising him, the child laughs.
"Cute," Sehun mutters, eyes staring at his phone screen, and Minseok wonders if it is only Jongin that the other male is referring to. Maybe he is hoping for too much when he wishes for Sehun to find him and Jongin being cute together.
Of course Jongin doesn't eat much of the cake. It is mainly Minseok and Sehun eating while trying their best to keep Jongin away from the cake, scared that he might upset his stomach. Luckily, it is easy to distract Jongin who ignores the cake because there are presents given to him, boxes with colorful wrapping paper around them that Jongin rips away with uncoordinated hands. He laughs, clearly happy about Sehun's choice, a set of plush toys, plush dogs in different sizes and colors. There are three of them, two bigger ones and a smaller one, and Jongin is quick to point that out.
"Hunhun," he says and points at the biggest plush dog.
"Min." It's the second biggest one.
"Nini," Jongin says and cradles all three of them to his chest.
Minseok chances a look at Sehun, wondering if the other has been planning this all along. Did Sehun know Jongin would see this plush dog family as them? Probably. Sehun knows Jongin quite well after spending so much time together and Minseok feels a bit guilty for that. He is the older brother, so he is supposed to know Jongin better than their neighbor does. But is Sehun really just a neighbor? Hasn't he grown into someone more important to both Jongin and himself? A good family friend? A potential addition to their little family?
"Hyung," Sehun whispers after they have tucked Jongin into bed. Jongin has been demanding today, asking for Sehun to carry him and rub his back until he falls asleep while Minseok had to tell him a goodnight story.
"Yes?" Minseok replies, feeling a bit awkward as they are still standing in front of Jongin's room. The door is always left open, just in case Jongin wakes up in the middle of the night. He can't reach the door handles yet, so this is the only way that ensures that Jongin can crawl into Minseok's bed in case he has a bad dream.
"Thanks for today. It was fun," Sehun mumbles. It makes Minseok chuckle.
"Really? Are you that happy to spend time with Jongin?"
"No." Sehun shakes his head. "Well yes, but not only that. I'm glad we're growing closer again. I'm glad you're not hating me. For breaking up with you I mean. I had the feeling you despised me after that."
Maybe he did. Minseok can say for sure that he was angry at Sehun, but that was only a reaction to being hurt. Now that he sees Sehun again he is reminded of their good times only. It confuses him a lot, because he has been reminiscing lately, trying to think back and remember any little detail that might hint at reasons for Sehun's decision to part ways, but he can't find one. Their friends back then all agreed that they were a perfect couple, one that everyone was envious of.
But why are they talking about the past now? Sehun has always been skidding around that topic, avoiding it as best as he could and so Minseok has taken it as it is. Sehun is not interested in him anymore.
"Sehun, I don't think we should talk about that now. Or ever. The past is the past. I’m not mad at you," Minseok says, but deep down he knows that it will take some more time for him to completely get over his past relationship. Sehun might not have been his first love, but surely, Sehun has been the person he has loved the most among his past relationships. He has almost asked Sehun to move in with him, but before that could happen, they were already over.
Minseok turns around and moves, slowly walking back to the living room. He stills when Sehun speaks up again.
"But don't you want to know why I broke up with you?"
Of course he wants to know, but he can't bring himself to ask. Not when he tries to get over Oh Sehun and his well manners, his gentleness and his smile. Not to mention his parenting skills.
"I did that because I didn't feel like being a boyfriend to you. You were babying me too much. You thought of me as a child, not an equal. We're only four years apart, you know. That's not much."
It really is not much, so Minseok thinks he hasn't treated Sehun like a child. After all, he wouldn't date a child and he would surely not kiss or touch a child in that way. That would be sick. It is true though, that he has adored Sehun a lot, that he has always taken Sehun by the hand and assist him, even if Sehun never asked.
"You know," Sehun adds then, more quietly. "I can see you looking at me. It's still the same, loving gaze, and I still like you a lot, hyung. We could try again, don't you think so too?"
🚼
"Min! Hunhun!" Jongin screams, but that is not what wakes the two adults up. It is Jongin jumping on the bed that makes them rise from their sleep. The child sounds excited and he probably is, because this morning he finds both his favorite people in Minseok’s bedroom.
"Nini! Cuddle with Nini!" Jongin demands when Minseok opens one eye to look at him, but since neither he nor Sehun are moving, Jongin wiggles in between them, claiming his spot as a child between two loving parents.
For: S88
Rating: pg-13
Length: 5.8k+ words
Summary: After his father’s and his new wife’s death, Minseok has to take care of
his two-year old half-brother. And as if that is not enough, his ex-boyfriend Sehun reappears
in his life in the form of the new neighbor his baby brother has taken a liking to.
Warnings: none
Author's note: I would like to thank the OP for this lovely prompt. I had fun writing
this fic, although I’m not so sure how accurate my description of toddler!Jongin is, but I do
hope you will love him as much as I do.
It has been stressful the past few weeks, but slowly, both Minseok and Jongin are adjusting. The most turbulent time is hopefully over now, what with paperwork and organization done and his father's and his stepmother's funeral over. Minseok can't quite recall what he felt when news of his father's death reached him. They have been estranged for years, more so when Minseok came back to Busan after studying in Seoul to find his father having a new woman in his life. He doesn't hate his father, no, although he did find it weird that his father was remarried to a woman so much younger than him; she was just a few years older than Minseok.
With his father's death, there have been quite a few changes. Not only has Minseok become the greatest shareholder and the CEO of his father's company, but he now has Jongin under his wings, too. Who is Jongin you ask? Jongin is the sweetest, cutest two year old half-brother one could imagine, and so Minseok has decided to take custody over him instead of letting some distant relative take care of the boy. Who knows if they will take care of him properly? Minseok doesn't trust people he doesn't know so well, not even if they are part of the family.
It is now the fourth week of Jongin and Minseok's new life together, the older brother being a CEO and a parent now, working during day and trying his best to get home on time to pick Jongin up from the kindergarten around fice in the afternoon.
Minseok is glad that he has found a place close to the company, so it is always just a few minutes of walking there. On busy days, he usually goes to pick Jongin up and brings him to the company to work. Jongin would sit in a corner of the room, playing with the few toys Minseok has stationed in his office for times like that, or he would take a nap on the couch.
Today, Minseok is lucky though. He has just finished the project his father had been working on before his death, and so, to celebrate that day, Minseok has let everyone off earlier, including himself. He picks Jongin up then, instead of going for a drink with his colleagues and partners, and takes his little brother out to have dinner at a local family restaurant. It is quite enjoyable despite the stares he gets being a bit unsettling. He should be used to them by now though. After all, a young man taking care of a child is a rare sight with clear role divisions between genders still existing in this rather conservative society. Minseok sighs.
Jongin, on the other hand, is anything but frustrated. He is happily clapping his hands when he is given a pororo plushie, and that makes Minseok smile, feeling a bit less guilty for neglecting his brother the last few weeks. Jongin doesn't seem to be upset and Minseok can only thank the heavens to have such an uncomplicated baby brother to tend to. It is probably because of his quiet, but cheerful personality that Minseok has grown so fond of Jongin after the second or third babysitting session when Jongin was even younger than now; he has yet to see Jongin throw a temper tantrum.
🚼
It is around seven when Minseok and Jongin are home. Jongin has fallen asleep right after dinner, and Minseok is grateful that his father has left behind a car, too. He has driven them both home and is now carrying Jongin in his arms. Minseok chuckles, even as Jongin drools on him, but what is more important? A baby's peaceful slumber or a business suit? Surely not the latter.
Minseok has refused to live in his father's villa. He is still living in his small apartment that is big enough for him and Jongin to live. It feels more comfortable than living in a huge house with just a toddler, especially when Jongin likes to crawl and walk everywhere his hands and feet bring him. That is not too much of a problem in a small apartment like his. They can still move back to the Kim’s mansion later, once Jongin is a bit older. And maybe by then, he might have found another person to complete their little family.
Living in an apartment complex, Minseok is bound to pass by a few neighbors, and this time, with Jongin in his arms, he would very much like it to have a neighbor help him opening the door, since holding Jongin with just one arm doesn't seem very secure, even if it’s just for a second. But when the elevator door opens, in exactly that moment, the door next to his apartment closes after a tall and lean male carries a box inside. Minseok has been half a minute too late, or else he could have asked his new neighbor for assistance.
🚼
Per tradition, Minseok's new neighbor comes to greet him with rice cakes. What he hasn't expected, is to find his new neighbor to be his ex-boyfriend, the one he has been dating during college. It is rather awkward for the both of them since neither has expected to meet the other ever again, and although Minseok wants to shut the door and close it right into the other's face, he can't. Not when Jongin screams in glee and runs towards the tall boy, hugging his legs.
Sehun squats down to ruffle through Jongin's hair then, offering the toddler a rice cake he takes out of the box. Minseok can only sigh inwardly and watch, hoping for the encounter not to last too long. His heart is beating faster and it hurts. He rather not thinks about his past relationship, one that has once made him feel like the happiest person on earth until they broke up.
Jongin has taken the rice cake in his little hand by now, refusing to let go of their neighbor when Sehun gets up and attempts to leave after he has given Minseok the box of rice cakes.
"Hey kid, I need to go home now," Sehun chuckles, but Minseok can hear the uneasy tone underneath. He just knows Sehun too well, and even after years of not seeing each other, not contacting each other at all, he can still read Sehun like a book. Sehun might have grown taller, more handsome, more mature looking, but deep inside, Sehun seems to be the same, insecure child.
"Jongin," Minseok calls his brother, but the toddler shakes his head, now clinging to Sehun's leg with his sticky hand as well.
"Jongin!" Minseok shouts and his brother looks at him with teary eyes, already sniffing.
"Shhh, it's okay, kid," Sehun says and bends down to pick Jongin up, apparently uncaring that there is a rice cake glued to his pants' leg.
"I'm so sorry," Minseok apologizes. "Usually Jongin listens well. I don't know why he's not listening today."
Sehun just gives him a smile, as cute as ever, and it gives Minseok a hard time, because he could fall in love with Sehun all over again, just because of one smile.
"It's alright, hyung. Don't scold him too much. After all Jongin is just two, three years old at most?" Sehun’s gaze is inquiring and curious, and Minseok can guess that the other wants to know more about Jongin and his current situation. After all, the other doesn’t know about Minseok’s father passing away and leaving him a little brother to take care of.
Minseok wonders if he should tell Sehun, but decides against it after all. They are just neighbors now. There is no need for him to tell Sehun all about his life.
"Two and a half, but that doesn't make it okay though. Jongin needs to learn. I'm sorry for your pants. I'll wash them if you want to," he finally manages to say.
"It's alright, hyung, really," Sehun replies, attention focusing back on the child in his arms, currently patting Sehun's cheeks with both his hands. Minseok cringes, because he remembers that one of the tiny hands must still be sticky from the rice cake, so he steps closer to take a struggling Jongin back into his own arms, refusing to let go because he doesn't want Jongin to latch on Sehun again. An awkward silence follows, save for Jongin's cries of protest, his small frame wiggling and squirming to free himself from Minseok's grip.
"Well," Sehun starts. "I just came by to say hello to all my neighbors. I didn't plan on staying this long. Sorry for the disturbance. See you again some time."
Minseok wishes he could say that, too, saying that he hopes for them to meet soon, without being insincere, but after Sehun breaking up with him, he can't bring himself to say that, opting for a curt nod instead. He closes the door when Sehun turns around, ignoring Jongin's wails, because he can already predict that his baby brother has taken a liking to their new neighbor. Unfortunately though, he needs to make both Jongin and himself forget that there is this perfect existence right next door. He hopes it won't be too difficult to erase the knowledge of Sehun living next to them.
"You think he's perfect, too, huh?" Minseok asks Jongin, but the child is sulking and ignores him.
"I guess that's a yes."
🚼
It is Sunday afternoon. After a whole week of rain, it is finally sunny and warm enough to spend some time outside again. Minseok doesn't need fresh air that much, if he was honest. Work at the company is tiring, so he wouldn't step outside if he was just living on his own. Since he has a little child living with him, things are different however.
Jongin has been squirmish, watching the rain with his big eyes every day, whining, because he wants to be outside and build sand castles at the local park. Minseok has had a hard time trying to console the boy when Jongin kept pointing to his toys and then to the window, his eyes accusing, as if it was Minseok's fault. It is not. If Minseok could control the rain, he would stop it so his precious baby brother could go outside, only letting it rain at night for all the dust and dirt to be washed away so the mornings would be and smell fresh.
Minseok is sitting on a nearby bench, watching with hawk eyes as Jongin starts to fill his toy bucket with sand. It's cute how focused Jongin is, dedicating his everything to his task when his sand castle will most likely be trampled on by some other child or washed down by the rain and disappear by the next day. Nonetheless, it is a cute sight that warms Minseok's heart because really, who could leave such a precious being alone in this cruel world? Minseok could never abandon his baby brother, not for anything in this world.
He smiles when Jongin waves at him. But then Jongin is standing up and running, and Minseok is a bit confused as to why the boy would do so. There is no dog chasing him, and if there was a dog, it was usually the other way round - Jongin would chase the poor thing, no matter how big or small it was.
Minseok is alarmed when Jongin trips and falls, most probably scraping his knees and palms. And when Jongin starts crying once he sits up, that is when Minseok runs to cradle the boy against his chest, trying to comfort him.
"Shhh, it's okay Jongin. You'll be okay," he whispers, but Jongin doesn't want to listen. Jongin is wailing loudly, squirming in his hold, and so Minseok has to let Jongin down on his own feet or else people might think that he is hurting the boy. After all, the sight of a single parent is still very new to people in this nation, especially when it is a single father. It is usually women who take care of young kids, not the men. What if they think he is trying to kidnap Jongin?
When Jongin is standing on his own two feet again, his arms flail and he starts walking again, his steps hurried while he yells some gibberish that Minseok does not quite understand. It is only when he looks further into the direction where Jongin is heading to that he realizes what is going on. His brother has spotted Sehun and recognizing their neighbor, he wants to play with Sehun now.
Sehun looks a lot like a deer caught in the headlights the way he stands there. He doesn't move until Jongin is clinging to his leg again, his eyes boring into Minseok's all the time. Only when Jongin demands to be picked up does Sehun move. He carries Jongin over to Minseok, but when he tries to hand the boy over to his older brother, the child tries to fight against it.
"Play!" Jongin says. "With Nini. Play."
"I'm sorry," Minseok apologizes, trying to somehow win his little brother over but not even the sight of candy can bribe him now. Jongin has set his eyes on Sehun, apparently, and he demands Sehun to play with him. Sehun just chuckles and reassures that he was just taking a walk for some fresh air, and thus Sehun has some time to spare. Sehun doesn't mind playing with Jongin and entertaining the child for a bit.
Minseok is still unsure about that offer, only reluctantly agreeing, but a moment later he watches with astonishment as the other male sits next to Jongin in the sand box, ignoring the fact that he is getting sand on his designer jeans. Sehun just plays with Jongin as if he was another three year old with the only difference that he doesn't look like a three year old and he doesn't speak like a three year old. Like that, the picture Minseok has in his head changes from two kids playing together to a parent playing with his son. He shakes his head. No, thoughts like that need to be banned.
🚼
The next time he meets Sehun, Minseok is on the verge of tears. It should be embarrassing, but all Minseok can think about is Jongin who went missing - he is freaking out because he can't find Jongin. Just a second ago, his baby brother was still standing next to him, waiting for Minseok to get the shopping cart, and in that half minute that Minseok goes to get one, hand letting go of Jongin’s, his baby brother has disappeared. Did someone kidnap his precious Jongin?
He abandons the cart immediately and goes to search for Jongin. It is odd, because usually Jongin would cry and scream when strangers approached him, adults that are unknown to him. If Jongin was kidnapped, he should have noticed by Jongin's cries. So maybe, did he follow another kid instead? Did he follow a puppy maybe? Either way, it scares Minseok because he has sworn to be a good brother and parent to his brother, but right now he is anything but that. He should have been more attentive. He shouldn't have let go of Jongin's tiny hand. If anything happens to his little brother, Minseok won't be able to forgive himself.
"Hyung, Minseok-hyung!"
Minseok whips around as his name is called, frustrated because someone is asking for him while his little brother needs him. He wants to quip out a sassy reply, but when he sees Sehun with Jongin in his arms, he is speechless. Why is Sehun here? And why is he with Jongin? How did he find Jongin?
But all that doesn't matter because Jongin is here. His baby brother is safe and still smiling as adorably as ever. He doesn't seem hurt anywhere and Minseok feels relieved as he reaches out to take Jongin into his arms. The toddler only grins, tiny arms wrapping around Minseok's neck as he starts babbling, random words and sounds tumbling from his lips. Minseok tries to understand, but he still hasn't mastered the language of baby gibberish and it will probably take him some more time to do so, which is why his focus shifts to Sehun. It would be only appropriate to thank him, but before that, he Minseok asks how he found Jongin and how he knew.
"I found Jongin wandering around, following a puppy, so I thought I better take him with me and find you before someone else kidnaps him. Maybe you should put him in a cart next time so he won't be able to run away," the younger male says and chuckles. Minseok nods at that.
"Thank you."
"It's alright," Sehun says and it sounds as if he wants to add more to that. He doesn't, and instead he leaves with a small wave and an even tinier smile. Minseok stares at his retreating form, only snapping back to reality when Jongin grabs and pinches his nose.
🚼
The situation they are in is nothing but awkward. It is not Minseok’s fault though. It is all Jongin and his demand to see Sehun. Minsek has learned by now hat when Jongin says Hun, he means Sehun. Why it is Sehun and not any other Hun, a Yonghun maybe or a Taehun, Minseok knows because Jongin has pointed at Sehun who passed them last week without a greeting. He was seemingly in a hurry, running down the corridor to catch the elevator, while Minseok just stared at him in irritation before he followed his little brother who tried to keep up with Sehun.
"Hun! Hunhun!" The poor boy cried out, but at that time the elevator door was closing already.
But how did he even get into a situation like this? Minseok has just scolded the boy earlier for being whiny which ended in Jongin crying, and a crying Jongin is no sight a human with a heart could bear. It is heartbreaking when the little boy cries, his whole form shaking, and Minseok's attempt to pacify the boy were all futile.
Jongin cried and when he was too exhausted to cry more, he just whimpered and hiccupped, Hun and Hunhun among the sounds he made. Needless to say, Minseok couldn't help but promise Jongin to visit his Hunhun soon, which was supposed to be the next day or the next week, the next month even, but Jongin shook his head. He was stubborn and very adamant about now, and to Minseok's horror, when they knocked at Sehun's door a moment later, Sehun was at home.
At least Sehun made no comments about Jongin's red and puffy eyes, but that doesn't mean that Minseok doesn't feel bad or judged. He is sure that Sehun must think that he is a terrible babysitter and parent - Sehun has yet to learn that Jongin is just his baby brother. But Sehun is too polite and nice to say so. Sehun has always had the tendency to keep his thoughts private, even back then when they were still dating. It is only with a lot of urging and pressuring that Sehun will share his thoughts.
Minseok is sitting on the couch in Sehun's living room now, watching as Jongin and Sehun play in the middle of the room. Sehun has pushed the table aside to make more space for them, and Minseok has to admit that it's pretty cute how Sehun handles Jongin. The child is laughing in glee as Sehun entertains him, not with any toys, but simply by his mimics and actions and by focusing solely on the child.
Jongin has been wrestling with Sehun, almost manhandling him, yet Sehun hasn't complained. They have started a tickle war after that, and Sehun has played airplane with Jongin, too, picking the boy up and holding him up high, not complaining even if it must be exhausting.
"Hey, hyung," Sehun says, plopping down next to Minseok with a sleeping Jongin in his arms and effectively startling the older boy who has been spacing out and picturing all three of them as one small family. It is a too perfect picture, too nice to be real, and Minseok is flustered. He shouldn't be thinking about the possibility of rekindling his relationship with Sehun. Sehun is just being nice and a good neighbor right now, that's all.
"You know you can always bring Jongin here, right? I can babysit him when you're too busy with work."
If Minseok is honest, he didn't think he would ever take up on Sehun's offer. He is needed to go on a business trip to meet up with possible future investors in Japan though, so even if he doesn't want to burden his ex and now neighbor, he has to. There is no one else Minseok trusts with Jongin, albeit reluctantly. Sehun is not a bad person and the way he interacts with Jongin has proven that he is a trustworthy babysitter, more so when Jongin has taken a liking towards Sehun, too. Not only a liking, it is almost as if Jongin is enchanted by Sehun's charms - whenever Sehun is around, Jongin seems to forget that his older brother is there, too.
Every time he spots Sehun walking past, Jongin will wave and scream until Sehun notices and waves back, and sometimes he throws a temper tantrum, just so Minseok will bring him over to play with Sehun for a bit. The little rascal knows that Minseok is weak when it comes to cute baby brothers with teary puppy eyes, but Minseok also has the feeling that Jongin knows how much Minseok likes Sehun still. And yet, he can't will himself to talk to Sehun and to completely get rid of the tension between them.
He almost hopes to find Jongin growing to dislike Sehun after spending a week with his babysitter, just so there won't be any reason to ask for Sehun's help. He could get a professional babysitter instead. Or Sehun messing up because he has no idea how to take care of children except for playing with them, that would give Minseok an excuse to never ever rely on Sehun again, too. After all, Sehun is still very young with his twenty-two years.
Of course things don't play out like he wants to. When Minseok comes home from his business trip, he finds Jongin sleeping peacefully on Sehun's couch. He has fallen asleep while waiting for Minseok to be back, Sehun explains, and Minseok nods, thanking the other for his help before he scoops up his baby brother in his arms to carry him back to their apartment. Jongin looks peaceful when he sleeps, but he looks very happy, too, the smile on his face brighter than usual.
When Minseok wakes up the next morning - a Sunday morning and therefore a lazy morning - he finds Jongin playing with his plush poodle right next to him. Unlike other days, Jongin is very quiet though, and when Minseok sits up, Jongin crawls into his lap to cuddle. It draws a smile on his face, seeing his baby brother so affectionate, and when he hears Jongin babbling, he is happier even. Jongin is improving bit by bit, that much Minseok has noticed, but he doesn't think he has ever heard Jongin talking this much that is actually comprehendible to him. Is it because of Sehun or is it because he hasn't been around the toddler for a week and has thus forgotten how good or bad Jongin's communication skills actually are?
"Nini with Hun play. Nini happy," the boy whispers and cuddles into Minseok's arms. "Min happy with Hun play. Yes?"
"Yes. Min-hyung will play with Hunhun, too. I guess Sehun is a good influence, huh?"
Jongin looks at him with big, understanding eyes, although Minseok is quite sure that his brother is too young to grasp everything in its entirety. Yet, it is amazing how much children actually know, just by intuition. Jongin has probably understood how important Sehun's existence still is before Minseok has even realized it for himself. Maybe he should try and make efforts to at least befriend his neighbor again.
🚼
It is not difficult to become friendly with Sehun again. After all, the other is very likeable, and the only reason why Minseok has stayed away was his own bad feelings after their break up. Sehun has said that he still liked Minseok a lot on that day; he just couldn't date him. To Sehun, it didn't feel right anymore, and when Minseok tried to inquire, to find out more, Sehun had just blocked all of his attempts.
Minseok had been fuming at first, but after the anger came the sadness and the never ending questions of what ifs and the feeling of guilt because something must have gone wrong without him noticing, and he must have seemed uncaring in Sehun's eyes, or else, the younger would have told him. He blamed himself for it, and so he was glad to get away from Seoul and go back to Busan two months later, after graduation, because his father needed him for their family business.
Sehun now is not too much different from Sehun back then. He is still a rather calm person, friendly and absolutely adorable when he can't control his smiles and laughter every time they want to break out. Minseok watches with fondness whenever he has the time to stop by and watch, and while that is not often, he still meets Sehun often enough. After all, he has to bring Jongin next door for Sehun to babysit when work gets too much, and on those occasions, as well as when he comes over to pick his brother up, he talks to Sehun for just a little bit, enough to learn about Sehun's life now at present.
It helps a lot to simply talk, even if it is just mindless smalltalk. Minseok learns that Sehun is working as editor and translator and as such he does not need to go to the company to do his work there. As long as he keeps deadlines, there is no problem with him working at home, and since he doesn't like to commute to and fro, Sehun has been working at home mainly. That is why he can babysit Jongin, although Sehun admits that it was tough trying to work while watching Jongin that one week Minseok has been on a business trip.
Sehun didn’t ask him about his relation to Jongin, but one day Minseok has told him that, confessing how unsure he was about adopting his baby brother. Minseok is only in his mid-twenties, barely long enough out of college to handle a company, but being responsible for a toddler, too, that has seemed impossible to him. Nonetheless, he has decided to give it a try, just so Jongin wouldn’t have to get used to a life with people he didn’t know. He didn’t want Jongin to be tossed around and feel unloved.
“It’s good you took him in,” Sehun has replied with a smile. “He seems happy living with you. And you seem glad to have him around, too.”
Minseok has never thought about that, but when Sehun points it out, he finds it to be very true. Minseok would never want to trade his life with Jongin now. They are each other’s family, and as family, one has to stick together.
Just with information like these, updates on their personal lives, Minseok feels himself getting closer to Sehun, and more importantly, he thinks he can still see love in Sehun's eyes, as well as regret. It could always be just his imagination though, because every time he sees that little flicker of emotion it is gone within the blink of an eye, as if it had never been there.
Maybe Minseok is just very desperate. After all, he still has feelings for the other.
🚼
It is Jongin's birthday. He is only turning three, but Minseok has long known that his brother is a bright child, not only in the sense of positive and cheerful, but also smart. He has a grasp on what birthdays are for, and so it is not surprising that he demands Sehun to be there at his birthday party. He is not asking for his kindergarten friends, but Sehun, specifically Sehun, and so Minseok has to abide by that. Not that Sehun doesn't know when Jongin's birthday is; Sehun has asked him before so he could prepare presents.
They are sitting at the kitchen table now, a small birthday cake with three candles lit up right in front of them. Jongin is grinning and clapping while Minseok and Sehun sing him his birthday song. Sehun is holding his phone's camera, recording the whole scene at the same time, and he is grinning widely, too. Like a proud parent, Minseok thinks, smiling a bit on his own as well when Jongin tries to blow out the candles but doesn't manage at his first try.
"Again," Sehun chuckles and Jongin makes another attempt, his eyes searching for Sehun's after the last candle is out, wanting his approval, and when Minseok ruffles Jongin's hair, praising him, the child laughs.
"Cute," Sehun mutters, eyes staring at his phone screen, and Minseok wonders if it is only Jongin that the other male is referring to. Maybe he is hoping for too much when he wishes for Sehun to find him and Jongin being cute together.
Of course Jongin doesn't eat much of the cake. It is mainly Minseok and Sehun eating while trying their best to keep Jongin away from the cake, scared that he might upset his stomach. Luckily, it is easy to distract Jongin who ignores the cake because there are presents given to him, boxes with colorful wrapping paper around them that Jongin rips away with uncoordinated hands. He laughs, clearly happy about Sehun's choice, a set of plush toys, plush dogs in different sizes and colors. There are three of them, two bigger ones and a smaller one, and Jongin is quick to point that out.
"Hunhun," he says and points at the biggest plush dog.
"Min." It's the second biggest one.
"Nini," Jongin says and cradles all three of them to his chest.
Minseok chances a look at Sehun, wondering if the other has been planning this all along. Did Sehun know Jongin would see this plush dog family as them? Probably. Sehun knows Jongin quite well after spending so much time together and Minseok feels a bit guilty for that. He is the older brother, so he is supposed to know Jongin better than their neighbor does. But is Sehun really just a neighbor? Hasn't he grown into someone more important to both Jongin and himself? A good family friend? A potential addition to their little family?
"Hyung," Sehun whispers after they have tucked Jongin into bed. Jongin has been demanding today, asking for Sehun to carry him and rub his back until he falls asleep while Minseok had to tell him a goodnight story.
"Yes?" Minseok replies, feeling a bit awkward as they are still standing in front of Jongin's room. The door is always left open, just in case Jongin wakes up in the middle of the night. He can't reach the door handles yet, so this is the only way that ensures that Jongin can crawl into Minseok's bed in case he has a bad dream.
"Thanks for today. It was fun," Sehun mumbles. It makes Minseok chuckle.
"Really? Are you that happy to spend time with Jongin?"
"No." Sehun shakes his head. "Well yes, but not only that. I'm glad we're growing closer again. I'm glad you're not hating me. For breaking up with you I mean. I had the feeling you despised me after that."
Maybe he did. Minseok can say for sure that he was angry at Sehun, but that was only a reaction to being hurt. Now that he sees Sehun again he is reminded of their good times only. It confuses him a lot, because he has been reminiscing lately, trying to think back and remember any little detail that might hint at reasons for Sehun's decision to part ways, but he can't find one. Their friends back then all agreed that they were a perfect couple, one that everyone was envious of.
But why are they talking about the past now? Sehun has always been skidding around that topic, avoiding it as best as he could and so Minseok has taken it as it is. Sehun is not interested in him anymore.
"Sehun, I don't think we should talk about that now. Or ever. The past is the past. I’m not mad at you," Minseok says, but deep down he knows that it will take some more time for him to completely get over his past relationship. Sehun might not have been his first love, but surely, Sehun has been the person he has loved the most among his past relationships. He has almost asked Sehun to move in with him, but before that could happen, they were already over.
Minseok turns around and moves, slowly walking back to the living room. He stills when Sehun speaks up again.
"But don't you want to know why I broke up with you?"
Of course he wants to know, but he can't bring himself to ask. Not when he tries to get over Oh Sehun and his well manners, his gentleness and his smile. Not to mention his parenting skills.
"I did that because I didn't feel like being a boyfriend to you. You were babying me too much. You thought of me as a child, not an equal. We're only four years apart, you know. That's not much."
It really is not much, so Minseok thinks he hasn't treated Sehun like a child. After all, he wouldn't date a child and he would surely not kiss or touch a child in that way. That would be sick. It is true though, that he has adored Sehun a lot, that he has always taken Sehun by the hand and assist him, even if Sehun never asked.
"You know," Sehun adds then, more quietly. "I can see you looking at me. It's still the same, loving gaze, and I still like you a lot, hyung. We could try again, don't you think so too?"
🚼
"Min! Hunhun!" Jongin screams, but that is not what wakes the two adults up. It is Jongin jumping on the bed that makes them rise from their sleep. The child sounds excited and he probably is, because this morning he finds both his favorite people in Minseok’s bedroom.
"Nini! Cuddle with Nini!" Jongin demands when Minseok opens one eye to look at him, but since neither he nor Sehun are moving, Jongin wiggles in between them, claiming his spot as a child between two loving parents.