𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐀 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 ♡ MinSung

Ch. 49

Jisung never really liked to do one on one time with his father because they never had much to talk about, especially now that things had gotten even more awkward.

His father had started to make much more of an effort to be around his son and work less but it really just made the man paranoid and anxious out of his mind to not be getting things done.

They were currently out grocery shopping together by his fathers request because they quote, "Hadn't done that since Jisung was 9".

Yeah. Wonder why.

Either way, it was hella awkward. The man had never actually gotten comfortable with Jisung liking men since he had came out to him two months ago and it really showed.

He tried to be accepting, but in all the wrong ways. He talked about how it was completely natural, even though Jisung knew that completely fine. He was most likely trying to convince himself.

"What do you think of these ones?" The question dragged Jisung from his cluttered thoughts and back into reality, his eyes no longer staring blankly at the floor in front of him.

His father was holding a bouquet of flowers. He said he wanted something to make the dining room more friendly, Jisung just didn't understand why he would choose flowers of all things to complete the task at hand. They both knew that people would forget to water them and they would die within a week tops.

Kind of like their relationship.

"I don't know. They're cool." He said stuffing his hands into his pockets. It was mid December now and snow coated the ground of the outdoor market.

None of the flowers really looked that great anyway, it wasn't flower season.

"Give me something to work with Jiji." His father sighed, disappointed with his sons participation, or rather lack of, Jisung didn't notice this however, he was just stuck on the nickname.

That was the same one Jeong-Hoon had used.

Yes, it was also the one that Felix regularly reffered to him as, but that was overpowered by this more recent experience.

"Don't call me that." Jisung muttered. He watched as his breath floated up in a cloud of cold air.

"What? Why?" He asked, "I didn't think you minded that nickname. You loved it when you were younger."

"Thats the problem. I'm going to be a legal adult next year Appa, act like it." His father cocked an eyebrow at his suddenly bitter attitude.

"Hm." He said turning away and placing the bouquet back down were he had gotten them from a heated section of the market. He picked up some new ones, "Ah, you know who loved these?"

Jisung glanced at them through the corner of his eye, "What, Pansies?" He asked, referring to the purple flowers bunched together in his hands.

"Winter pansies." His father corrected, "Your mother loved these. Since they bloomed in winter I would always get them for her during the Christmas holiday."

Jisung sucked in a sharp breath, "Oh." He said. He did have a vague memory of those always being on the mantle in the living room when he was younger. She would sometimes use a stocking to hold the vase to make it look more festive, though no one would tell her that it was actually quite ugly.

"Do you remember?" He asked, "She once decorated your hair with them for school. They were all dead by the time you came home." He chuckled.

Jisung stared at the ground. He wanted to cry. "No.. I don't remember." He whispered.

"Ah.." Suddenly his father's mood was dampened, seeming to only now remember that his son was only 10 years old when his mother had past away from breast cancer.

It had been a long one year journey of her battling with it, but ultimately it had won. She had died in the summer of 2014. Jisung would often spend entire days at the hospital playing cards and drawing with his mother until visiting hours ended and his dad picked him up on his way home from work.

"Jisung!" The silence was broken when a familiar voice called out to the 17 year old. When the boy turned around to see who it was he met eye with Chris. "Hi, it good to see you again. On better conditions.." he smiled awkwardly.

Jisung bit his lip and nodded, glancing to his father, "Yeah. I agree." He said shortly.

"I'm sorry," his dad cut in, "How do you know my son? Not from school surly. You look much too old."

Chan laughed at that, "No I met him once because he was uhm, friends with my brother who does go to school with him."

"Ah? Do I know your brother?" He asked cocking an eyebrow.

"You might. His name is Minho."

The man's face dropped and Jisung wanted to disappear. This might be awkward.

"Yeah.." Chris said slowly, "Judging by the look I take it you know.." he was probably referring to the way that Minho had ruthlessly bullied Jisung, but the man thought he meant that Minho had taken his sons virginity.

"I do know." He said shortly.

Jisungs cheeks turned even more red then they were from the burning cold and he gave a short shake of his head as if to tell Chan not to go into any details and the older got the message, looking back to the man.

"Anyway," he changed the subject, "Thats not important. What are you guys doing here?"

"Uhm, we were just doing some shopping." Jisung father held up the flowers in his hands, "What do you think of these? Jisung won't give me much of an option."

"Oh they're lovely." Chris smiled. He was a social butterfly and you could tell, "They're on my top ten list of flowers."

"Mine too." The man forced a smile as well, even though he was acting quite stiff and awkward, "They were also my wife's favorite."

"Oh she had good taste. I love them around Christmas time, they make everything so much more bright."

"Yes. She thought so too." He smiled, "I never actually met Minho, I hope he's just as nice as you."

Chan glanced at Jisung who was looking at the elder with pleading eyes not to say anything. "Yes. My brother is a nice person.. he uh.. he has his moments though."

"As everyone does." The man laughed, "We should get going though, right Jiji?"

Jisung cringed at the name but nodded, "Yeah.. by Chan hyung."

"Bye." Chris said as they turned to walk in their separate ways, but then spoke up again, "Oh Jisung, I meant to ask."

"Yeah?" He asked, the two of them turning back to face Chan.

"Did Minho ever return that book?"

Jisung was slightly surprised that Chan knew of that, but got over it quickly shaking his head, "No." He answered shortly.

Chris' face turned slightly disappointed, "I'll talk to him. Have a nice day." And he turned to leave.

"Is Minho like that too?" His father asked, "What a sweet boy."