Home is where the heart is for chankaidoe [2/2]
One coffee night turns into more, and soon it ventures out to dinners and other outings to “entertain Jongin”, or so Joonmyun would say, even when he isn’t late to fetching his kid. Chanyeol has no complains though, he’s learnt more about Joonmyun over the weeks, and while he loves Joonmyun’s company (way too much in fact), it’s getting even harder for him to contain his feelings for the other.
Once, while walking along Han River, Jongin was running ahead and Chanyeol and Joonmyun just behind side by side. It was a comfortable conversation, about work, Joonmyun complaining about his boss, Chanyeol telling stories about the daycare children’s antics, when suddenly Joonmyun’s hand lightly brushed Chanyeol's.
“Sorry,” Joonmyun apologised, quickly bringing both hands behind his back.
It took all of Chanyeol’s effort to not grab that hand and hold it tight, and say that it’s completely okay, because well, he wants to hold his hand too. He settles instead for just a small laugh, and quickly shifts the conversation as he felt the awkward air starting to grow between the two of them.
Chanyeol wants to do lots of things to be honest. Having spent lots of time with Joonmyun over the past few weeks has made his heart swell with affections. And while he tries to tell himself that this is merely a one-sided crush, the shy glances that Joonmyun occasionally gives him does not help at all.
Sometimes, while Chanyeol plays with Jongin who has gotten more used to Chanyeol’s presence these days, he gets the feeling of someone looking at him, and when he looks up, he finds Joonmyun quickly averting his gaze, thinking he was quick enough to not get caught. Chanyeol would smile quietly to himself, seeing the light red tint on Joonmyun’s cheeks.
Other times, Joonmyun is more straightforward about things, giving the other a hug before they part ways, though this comes with the excuse of telling Jongin to give Teacher Chanyeol a hug too. These times, Chanyeol relishes, because it’s not often that he gets these more… intimate interactions with Joonmyun, and so he holds on to the memory of holding Joonmyun in his arms even for that few seconds. (He is right though, Joonmyun’s height makes him fit so nicely against his own chest, that it lets him imagine what it would be like to have Joonmyun all the time, to be able to hug him against himself to sleep).
And then there are those times which Chanyeol refuses to remember but seems to happen once in a while that Chanyeol can’t help his heart breaking. Joonmyun would distance himself, refusing eye contact, and quickly fetching Jongin home without so much of a hello and a goodbye. Chanyeol would attribute this to having a bad day at work, but with how much of his heart he’s already given to Joonmyun, it still hurts. And these are also the times that Chanyeol takes a step back and remembers that he shouldn’t be so in love with an already married man.
It doesn’t really occur to him that he’s never seen Joonmyun’s wife or partner (or a photograph even), having already stepped into his home for a number of times, nor has it occurred to him that Joonmyun hasn’t been wearing his ring for quite a while now.
---
Saturday means a day to sleep in and relax, to forget his responsibilities and live for himself. These are the days Chanyeol relishes before he met Joonmyun. Breakfast at 12 noon and the rest of the day just doing whatever he liked. After he met Joonmyun however, weekends has been filled with activities together with Joonmyun and Jongin, most times with Jongin eventually running ahead.
And just as expected, at 10 in the morning, Chanyeol wakes up to a few buzzes in a row on his phone. He stretches a bit before grabbing the phone from under his pillow, squinting his eyes when the display turns up too brightly for his just opened eyes. A small pop up window with Joonmyun on the top makes Chanyeol sit up on his bed all too quickly.
Good morning!!!
I know it’s too early but I forgot to tell you earlier, it’s Jongin’s birthday! I’m.. trying to bake a cake because I wanted to celebrate with just him, but I thought you might wanna come over around lunch :)
You’re just as important to Jongin after all ^^
Chanyeol smiles. Of course he knows it’s Jongin’s birthday. He already planned with the others in the daycare to celebrate on the coming Monday, just like they do for every kid there.
I’ll be there~~~
What does Jongin want for a present??
The reply comes quick, and it makes Chanyeol’s heart beat faster even though it really shouldn’t have.
Your presence would be present enough! ^^
Jongin would be so spoilt if you were his dad. Haha.
The thought of being Jongin’s dad makes him think of unnecessary thoughts, like life with Joonmyun and Jongin as a family… life with Joonmyun as lovers…..
Chanyeol shakes his head. He’s fallen much too deep.
But this is Jongin’s birthday, and the lead of the day should be cute little Jongin. He pushes all thoughts of a (im)possible life with Joonmyun and goes to the bathroom to get ready to buy Jongin’s present before heading down since he can’t possibly come empty-handed.
It’s just reaching noon when Chanyeol arrives at Joonmyun’s place. He’s a little early, but he presses the doorbell anyway. There’s no answer after a while, so he presses again. He hears Joonmyun say something from inside the house, and a while later he hears the lock of the door click open.
“Hi Teacher Chanyeol!”
Chanyeol laughs, his deep voice already filling Joonmyun’s apartment. He kneels down to see Jongin.
“Hey!! Whose birthday is it today?”
Jongin raises his hand straight up into the air. “Jongin’s!” Then he spreads all of his fingers and shows it to Chanyeol.
“That’s right, Jongin’s five now!” Chanyeol ruffles Jongin’s hair who only smiles so happily his eyes curve into small crescents making Chanyeol chuckle a little.
He takes off his shoes and lets himself into the house as Jongin holds his hand and pulls him in. Joonmyun’s done a little decorating for the small celebration - Jongin’s pointing to the little blue streamers on the ceiling and a little banner that has the words Happy Birthday spelt out against the wall. He’s jumping excitedly now that there’s another guest for his birthday - Chanyeol assumes - and it makes his heart swell. His own apartment hasn’t felt this lively in a really long time, and here… even if it’s not home, it certainly feels like it is.
Chanyeol walks to the kitchen to greet Joonmyun and finds the other with a white apron tied around his waist, and his fringe pulled back with a bobby pin. Joonmyun’s hands are almost completely white, caked with flour and the kitchen is… a mess. But Chanyeol finds it adorable how Joonmyun is struggling with the cake. He lets out a quiet laugh.
Not quiet enough as Joonmyun swiftly turns around.
“Chanyeol!!! You shouldn’t be here it’s a mess.. oh no this is embarrassing… I’m trying to follow the recipe? But I keep getting all of this all over myself I’m really not made for the kitchen,” Joonmyun flusters, hands gesturing everywhere to express his distress. Ironically however, it’s only making more of the flour fall onto his hair and shirt.
Chanyeol steps closer and brushes the flour off for him. He doesn’t notice the distance, until Joonmyun looks up, and mumbles thanks, cheeks turning pink. Chanyeol thanks all of heavens that his cheeks don’t turn to pink when he blushes because that would be embarrassing. It is however, really cute on Joonmyun. And the way the other is avoiding eye contact right now makes Chanyeol want to hold him close even more.
They’re kind of frozen in the moment and Chanyeol doesn’t want to move. Joonmyun looks beautiful this close, and he doesn’t get to be this close often. He pushes Joonmyun’s hair falling on his cheeks behind his ears, noticing how the other leans in slightly to the touch. It’s all...a little too much for Chanyeol.
The whole… feeling of belonging somewhere, like this is where he should be and this is what he wants to feel everyday - to be home and to be with someone he loves… And it is in this moment that Chanyeol wraps an arm around Joonmyun, leans forward slowly, pressing his lips against the other’s.
It’s a simple kiss, no movement, just lips pressing against lips, but Chanyeol feels his heart beating so strongly against his chest. Encouraged by the fact that Joonmyun has not pushed him away at all, he pulls the other further in. There’s no urgency and no rush and Chanyeol doesn’t know how to describe this feeling but now that he’s finally kissed Joonmyun everything feels like it’s falling in place.
Until.
“Appa?”
Two hands almost harshly push against Chanyeol’s shoulders, and Chanyeol opens his eyes to see Jongin standing at the entrance of the kitchen looking directly at them questioningly.
“Jongin,” Joonmyun rasps, sounding a little out of breath.
Oh God what have I done? Chanyeol quickly removes his hands from Joonmyun’s waist and awkwardly clenches them on his sides.
“Shit. Oh shit. Shit shit shit - I’m so sorry,” Chanyeol quickly apologises not waiting to see what reaction Joonmyun has on, not that he wants to see either because what has he done?? It’s official. He’s now ruined a family’s home, and the kid!! Jongin’s seen them kissing in the kitchen, and oh god. Chanyeol runs out and grabs his bag left in the living room earlier. He walks as fast as his legs can carry to the front door, ignoring Joonmyun’s calls for him right behind. He wants to turn around so bad; he doesn’t want to forget what his name sounds like in Joonmyun’s voice, but it’s much too late now. He’s ruined this whole… friendship they had by giving in to his feelings, by not even being able to control of himself. Chanyeol quickly unlocks the door, slips on his shoes and walks off, and the last he remembers of this is the sound of his hurried footsteps in the corridor, and his name being called out - echoing off the walls.
---
Two weeks.
That’s currently how long Chanyeol has been avoiding Joonmyun. He thought he was doing it pretty discretely, but with Baekhyun’s quick sense, he was caught after only two days.
“You haven’t been going outside to see Joonmyun when he picks Jongin up. Something you wanna tell me?” Baekhyun had cornered him once when they were closing down the day care for the day. Chanyeol only shook his head and refused to answer.
Two weeks later, Baekhyun’s still asking the same but gentler and less prodding, as if afraid Chanyeol might break. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he did though, because if he were to be honest to himself, he hasn’t had a good night’s sleep, nor good meals with his mind so preoccupied with that one kiss, and his heart so shattered at the thought of never being having Joonmyun’s presence around him again.
So that’s why he did the best thing he could: avoid Joonmyun entirely. That way it will be on his own accord - to not see Joonmyun and to not feel the consequence of his impulsive action. Even though he still has to see Jongin every weekday and answer his many questions of why Chanyeol doesn’t see his Appa anymore, it’s still much more tolerable than having to think about facing Joonmyun and facing rejection. After all that’s how it is with him always isn’t it? People come and go so easily, Joonmyun would be easy since there wasn’t supposed to be anything to begin with.
There shouldn’t be.
The cafe is quiet and gives Chanyeol lots of room to think while Baekhyun sits opposite sipping his coffee quietly.
“He asks, you know.”
Chanyeol looks up to his best friend when he breaks the silence.
“About you,” Baekhyun continues, “he asks why he doesn’t see you around anymore.”
Chanyeol fiddles with the straw in his banana smoothie.
“I don’t wanna hear what he has to tell me, it’s better I don’t see him anymore. Really. Trust me on this Baek.”
“Would you at least tell me what happened? It’s hard to see you moping around for two whole weeks and not knowing anything about why. You’re affecting the kids’ moods too. Their happy virus seonsaeng-nim is now not so happy anymore,” Baekhyun teases lightly, poking Chanyeol’s cheeks.
It makes Chanyeol smile a little, but then he lets out a sigh. If he doesn’t tell his best friend there’s really no one else he would so he starts.
And when he ends, Baekhyun’s reaction isn’t what he expected at all. The guy’s laughing. He’s laughing like Chanyeol just told him a really hilarious story.
“Stop it.”
“No, seriously. That’s it? You ran out after kissing him?”
“Jongin saw it, Baek! He saw his dad, kissing another man. That’s just wrong on all levels!! Oh my god is it adultery? It’s adultery! Great, now I’m a criminal too.” Chanyeol presses his face into the palms of his hands.
He only looks up when he gets a particularly strong smack on the top of his head. It really does hurt, but judging from Baekhyun’s serious look he’s going to be quiet about this for now. Chanyeol rubs his head hoping to soothe the bruise (which he’s pretty sure is forming because when Baekhyun hits, he hits hard).
“So did he kiss you back?”
“What?”
“Joonmyun! Did he kiss you back?”
Chanyeol’s mind goes back to the memory of the kiss, which sends his heart beating just a little faster than before. Coupled with the panic of seeing Jongin and running away, his memory of the...scene is a little hazy.
“I… I don’t know. He just, well we just kissed? For some time? Before we both heard Jongin…”
“Ugh, you’re an idiot,” Baekhyun sighs, shaking his head then sipping a little of his macchiato, “You’ve never seen his wife. Or husband. All you’ve got is the ring you’re sooo sure you’ve seen. Which, by the way I haven’t been seeing at all.”
“You’ve been looking at his fingers?”
“Only because you’re my best friend. And I don’t want you in another slump. But Joonmyun’s good for you, Yeol. You’ve been happier the past few months, and now you’re back in that don’t-touch-me zone.”
“I don’t have a don’t-touch-me zone,” Chanyeol quotes with the two finger gesture.
“Tell that to yourself,” his best friend rolls his eyes. “Anyway, from what I’ve been seeing and hearing, I don’t think Joonmyun doesn’t like you back. And I don’t think his ring is the full reason why you’re like this. You’re just scared this might end up as another bad decision if something does happen.”
Chanyeol stays silent as Baekhyun reads him. It’s the power of having been best friends for years; Baekhyun reads him like an open book.
Chanyeol is afraid, of course, that Jongin really might have a mum (or another dad). But he’s also afraid that Joonmyun might reject him. And even if he doesn’t, and they do get together, what comes after? Would he get bored of Chanyeol too, just like everybody else did? And then would he walk out after a few years leaving Chanyeol behind with the memories?
“You’re thinking too loud.” Baekhyun’s voice snaps him out of his own thoughts.
Chanyeol merely shrugs. Talking to Baekhyun definitely makes him feel lighter but it doesn’t really tell him what to do.
Doesn’t tell him how to respond to the countless KakaoTalk messages sitting unread in his phone either.
---
It’s at the end of the fourth week, a full month of awkwardly trying to avoid Joonmyun when he sees the other again. And this time, he’s right infront of Chanyeol’s door and Chanyeol has no way to avoid him.
He stands just at the corner of the corridor watching as Joonmyun knocks on the door in a similar repeated pattern. Chanyeol finds himself smiling subconsciously just to the way Joonmyun is knocking - it’s familiar, and all very Joonmyun. It really would be an understatement to say he’s missed the familiarity that comes with the other. Still, he knows Joonmyun would see him even if he stood here - there’s only one corridor towards the elevator, and he would have been seen by Joonmyun anyway when (if) the latter finally gives up.
So Chanyeol takes a deep breath, and walks quietly towards the other.
Quiet, is not quiet enough because just as Chanyeol has taken probably only 6 long strides, Joonmyun turns towards the sound.
Chanyeol silently curses his heavy footsteps.
“Chanyeol,” Joonmyun calls out - his eyes read a little taken aback, but relieved to see the person he’s been waiting to see.
“Joonmyun.”
Chanyeol finishes the steps towards his apartment door. The silence between them is suffocating, and yet at the same time full of longing and understanding. His hands are fiddling with the strap of the messenger bag, and he’s not sure if he should start talking or if he should wait for Joonmyun to say something. The other has been biting on his lower lip for quite a while now and he kind of wants to put his thumb to those lips and shake the nerves away. But Chanyeol himself is jittery and he’s about two feet away from Joonmyun.
In the end, the two of them speak up at the same time.
“You go first,” Chanyeol quickly says. It would be easier to hear what Joonmyun has to say than to come up with words that he doesn’t really have himself. He really wants to say something to Joonmyun, wants to apologise for ruining things between them but he’s not entirely sure where to begin. Especially since he’s not entirely sorry for kissing those beautiful lips either.
“I…”
He suddenly realises he’s been staring at Joonmyun’s lips, and tries to make eye contact with the other. Joonmyun, however, is twiddling his fingers and staring at the concrete floor.
“I - I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you away so harshly the other day. It’s just that.. Jongin, well he’s a kid and -”
He stops when Chanyeol takes a deep breath.
“Please don’t apologise. It’s my fault. And hearing you apologise just makes me feel worse because… I … I almost don’t regret it at all. I’m sorry for ruining things - ”
“No, no I don’t mean -”
“It’s okay, really, I’ve been through enough rejections to know when to anticipate one. You just have to say it if you want me to stay away, especially from Jongin - ah you could change his daycare too, I really wouldn’t mind -”
Chanyeol is stopped when two hands grasp his shoulders tightly. “Will you shut up and let me speak?”
Joonmyun’s not one to talk harshly, so Chanyeol promptly shuts up.
“I like you.”
“...What?”
“I really like you. In fact I might probably be in love with you but you’ve been avoiding me for the past month I couldn’t even tell you that I’ve been wanting to kiss you too. And I’ve never forgotten that day,” Joonmyun says so quickly, Chanyeol is amazed he’s caught on all of it. Joonmyun’s cheeks are turning pink, he observes, but all he can hear in his head, is Joonmyun’s voice going “I like you” like a broken record.
Well, he sure has been an idiot. How much had he lost in that one month that he stayed away from Joonmyun when this beautiful man right infront of him likes him back just as much? He’s going to beat himself up for this. Joonmyun has been reciprocating his feelings all this while and he’s the one who’s been too much of an idiot to see -
“... and I thought you might’ve noticed but you didn’t - I haven’t been wearing my ring for a while.”
Chanyeol re-focuses on Joonmyun’s waving hand - the ring isn’t there at all. For God’s sakes now he really wants to beat himself up. There’s alot of things he wants to ask Joonmyun but for now he’s so overwhelmed that Chanyeol takes a step forward and simply pulls the other in. Joonmyun’s silent now - not that Chanyeol was listening much after his confession anyway - and Chanyeol honestly feels himself fall even deeper for Joonmyun as he looks into the latter’s eyes.
Slowly, he leans in and places his lips softly against Joonmyun’s, almost as if asking for permission from the latter especially since their first kiss is still burned at the back of his mind. Soon enough though, he feels Joonmyun pressing back against him, arms slowly wrapping themselves around Chanyeol’s waist.
Chanyeol’s heart is pounding so much against his chest, and he gently places his hand at the base of Joonmyun’s head. Joonmyun lets out a really kittenish sound - if that’s what Chanyeol could call it - and when he feels Joonmyun part his lips, Chanyeol licks at Joonmyun’s teeth a little, before the other lets him in.
Chanyeol’s so into it he doesn’t even realise they’re both still right outside his apartment, until Joonmyun pulls back and breathily says, “Ch-Chanyeol.. inside..?”
Chanyeol quickly nods. He’s holding Joonmyun’s hand with his left and fumbling for his keys with his right, and oh dear God, when he needs to get into his apartment most he can’t for God’s sakes remember where his keys are. He digs in his pockets, then his bag and shakes it a little to listen out for the jingling of keys and when he hears it, his hand fumbles around for the keys in his bag. Chanyeol’s sure he can set a record now for taking the longest to get something out of a bag just this size.
“Chanyeol, I’m not going anywhere,” he feels Joonmyun’s palm on his arm, trying to soothe his frantic nerves. Chanyeol takes a deep breath and tries to focus on finding the keys.
When they finally get in, Chanyeol kicks the door close with his feet, and pulls Joonmyun over to the couch. They continued where they left off, only this time Joonmyun has his knees on each side of Chanyeol’s lap. Chanyeol looks up at Joonmyun and brushes the hair off Joonmyun’s forehead and tucks it behind his ear. Joonmyun shines so brightly right now and Chanyeol’s heart feels so full and he feels so at home and so comfortable. He thought he’s almost forgotten what that feels like and here it is again, so much more than ever before.
Joonmyun leans in and Chanyeol cranes his neck up a little to meet his now lover, halfway. They’re definitely going to be using this couch for some time.
Chanyeol’s not sure how long later it was but after an intense make-out session, he finds himself shirtless and lying on his back on the couch with an equally shirtless Joonmyun on top of him. Joonmyun has his arms across Chanyeol’s chest, with his left cheek pressed against the back of his palms. Chanyeol can feel his breathing on his chest, and he can feel the latter’s heartbeat too, now gradually slowing down. He plays with Joonmyun’s soft black hair, twirling it around his fingers.
“Aren’t you curious?”
“Hmm?”
“About Jongin. About whose son he is, if I’m not married.”
Joonmyun now has his chin on the back of his palms and Chanyeol can see a tingling of fear in his eyes. He knows because it’s the same look he has when he’s preparing for some kind of emotional rejection. But how could he ever reject Joonmyun?
“I am, I can’t help being curious, but you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. And even if you do, I’ll still be here.” Chanyeol feels the breath of relief that Joonmyun releases.
“It’s a long story…” Joonmyun smiles, a little sadly. Chanyeol doesn’t like it one bit, he wants to make sure Joonmyun keeps on a genuine smile for always.
“You don’t have to tell me if you -”
“I want to. I don’t want to start a relationship with you without telling you the whole truth, especially if Jongin’s going to be a part of our lives now.”
Chanyeol taps Joonmyun’s nose lightly, hoping that he’s giving the other an encouraging smile. “Then, I will listen.”
“Jongin.. he’s… he’s my son. I would like to call him that for as long as I can. But we’re not.. related by blood, or anything,” Joonmyun takes a deep breath, and Chanyeol squeezes his arms gently.
“I found him, 5 years ago. I was on the way home and I heard the sound of a baby crying, and I couldn’t leave him there you know? I know there’s so much that comes with caring for a baby, and at that time I was in my junior year. But I really wasn’t thinking much besides the sound of the baby crying. So I picked him up, and brought him home.
But my parents didn’t want him. Honestly, they just didn’t listen to my explanation on the baby - said I betrayed them by bringing home an illegitimate child, no matter how many times I’ve tried to say that he isn’t mine. We - we didn’t really have a good relationship anyway, my parents and I - ever since… my brother passed, so I wasn’t expecting much.”
Joonmyun takes a deep breath again, and Chanyeol uses his thumb to wipe the single tear that’s falling down the other’s cheeks. He can’t imagine how much suffering Joonmyun must have been through, raising Jongin all on his own.
“But I had money saved up - all from my part-time jobs and quite a bit from my grandparent’s inheritance, so I rented a small apartment, the same one you’ve been to and have been there ever since. But even then .. it wasn’t all great.. My relatives gossip and it gets to me, and the people in the neighbourhood too. “He’s so young, kids these days..” Things like that you know? And I love Jongin with all my heart, he is such a lovely kid, but at that time it was so so difficult to juggle school and going to those classes to learn how to care for a baby. And hearing all of that wasn’t making it easier for me. I… I even wanted to get rid of Jongin once.. God, I can’t believe myself…”
Joonmyun’s harshly wiping his tears now and Chanyeol’s heart is genuinely breaking - how much more beautiful of a person could Joonmyun be? He leans up and places a kiss on Joonmyun’s forehead. The latter lets out a little hiccup before he continues.
“So that’s why I wore the ring. So that at least it would seem like I was married, and people would stop talking. It helped, even if a little. Not for my neighbours though who’ve been talking behind my back since I moved in, but I heard even less from the people I pass by outside. Lesser stares too. Amazing, huh? The power of this little thing on my ring finger. It just became a habit then to put it on all the time.
And then.. and then I met you.”
“Then you met me,” Chanyeol smiles and brings his hand over Joonmyun’s - holding it tightly. Joonmyun licks his lip, his face cringing a little at the taste of his own salty tears.
“And the thing I remember most - at that cafe - was you mentioning the ring. And suddenly I didn’t want to wear it anymore, because I really didn’t want you to get the wrong idea,” Joonmyun presses his index finger against Chanyeol’s forehead, “but obviously I was too late, because you are such an idiot.”
“Hey now,” Chanyeol laughs thinking about how right Baekhyun had been all this while and how right Joonmyun is at him being an idiot. But hey, all that matters is now right? And right now Joonmyun is here, in his arms, and he couldn’t be happier.
“Joonmyun.”
“Hmm?”
“We’ll be great dads, you and I. Jongin would have the best pair of dads in the world, I promise.”
“Chanyeol....” Joonmyun’s eyes are brimming with tears again and Chanyeol knows this time it’s of happiness and he means every single word he says.
“You don’t have to shoulder everything alone anymore, I’ll be here with you. Always.”
Joonmyun quietly nods as his fingers trace random images on Chanyeol’s bare chest. “Me too,” he whispers. “I.. may have heard a thing or two from Baekhyun about you.”
“That brat. I’m so not calling him best friend anymore.”
Joonmyun chuckles and Chanyeol can tell he’s slightly more collected than he was earlier.
“But I’m not going to leave you so easily either. And I know promises like these are hard to make, and I can’t promise that we won’t have rough times, but I won’t just walk out on you and I definitely promise you that.”
This time Chanyeol’s the one who’s a little choked up, but he swallows it in, because he doesn’t want to show it. “I love you,” he whispers back instead, because it really suffices for everything he wants to say in response.
Joonmyun supports himself up with his elbows and leans in to kiss Chanyeol again.
“I love you too,” he softly whispers against Chanyeol’s lips.
--
“Papa!”
“Jongin, how many times do I have to tell you that you have to call me Teacher Chanyeol when we’re in the daycare?”
“But you’re my Papa!” Jongin sulks, his arms crossed. Chanyeol sighs and lifts the little one up.
“Jongin-ah, you’re the hyung and oppa in here you know? If you call me Papa, everyone else will follow too. But I’m only your Papa aren’t I? Or do you want me to be everybody else’s Papa?”
Jongin shakes his head vigorously. Then he leans in and puts his little hands against Chanyeol’s head cupping his Papa’s ear.
“Can Sehunnie call you Papa?” he whispers.
Chanyeol chuckles and when he pulls back and sees Jongin’s pleading puppy eyes, he nods. “Only Sehun?”
“Yes! Jongin will promise. Only Sehunnie.”
Jongin sticks out his little pinky and locks it with Chanyeol’s.
Chanyeol laughs, heart filled with so much love for the little boy in his arms. He can’t wait to get home and tell another story of their son to Joonmyun.
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