Promis(end)

Final

Raising a kid is not easy. Thus, it's labor for Hyunsuk. With his scrawny figure, he is always carrying his 1-year-old baby around. As tiring as it may sounds, Hyunsuk loves it when his baby clings to him. He feels proud; as if he's a most treasured trophy.

Joohyun smiles brightly at him and Hyunsuk can feel his fatigue melting away. His baby boy is a gem that he will die for. With his doe-like eyes always shining, Hyunsuk wants his baby to stay this way—to never grow old.

The adoption process was a pain in the ass. It took weeks, almost months if Hyunsuk were to exaggerate. He always sits in bed, clenching both of his hands together, praying that he will receive the approval as soon as possible. His heart stops beating when a letter with a green stamp came.

He's finally getting his baby.

Hyunsuk remembers holding his fiancé's hands tightly, nervously walking into the building. Gleeful screams echoed around the open play space where there was a slide built in the middle of it—two swings at the corner of the area and a see-saw to make it look less boring.

It was not hard to persuade Jihoon to agree on getting a kid together. That man has always adored kids. He loves Hyunsuk's nephew so much, spoiling him every time they came over. Hyunsuk believes that they will have no trouble raising a kid together.

When he first picked up Joohyun, he knew he was the one. From the way he grabbed Hyunsuk's finger with his tiny hands, to the way he stopped whining when the 24 years old man lightly pats his bottom; Choi Hyunsuk wants nothing but this baby in his arms when they leave here.

But now he wonder, where did everything went wrong?

He's always alone with his son, no signs of his fiancé ever since he got posted to Beijing to supervise the newly built company he works in.

Hyunsuk is not the type to cling or anything like that, but he misses Jihoon's soothing rubs on his hip bone, his sweet encouraging words at the end of the day. He just misses his fiancé so bad.

He promise himself, to not cry, to not be weak for Joohyun. Nevertheless, Hyunsuk can't help but weep quietly when things get hard, especially when Joohyun wants Jihoon's attention and not his.

Joohyun have always been clingier to Jihoon rather than himself. He only demands Hyunsuk when it's time to sleep, eat, or when he feels uncomfortable in his heavy flow diaper.

He'll admit; he's the boring father. Hyunsuk can't make Joohyun giggle loudly like how Jihoon did. He can't play peek-a-boo like how Jihoon did. Sometimes he feels like he's the bad cop.

Always nagging softly under his breath when Joohyun throws a tantrum. Sometimes ignoring the baby as he cried, trying to get his shit together.

It was hard.

Hyunsuk needs Jihoon but he doesn't seem to cross his fiancé's mind.

-

"Awww, come here you baby!" Mashiho extends his arms to grab the chubby baby off Hyunsuk's embrace. With his small white bucket hat and pastel yellow onesie, Joohyun looks adorable.

His droopy cheeks jiggle as Yoshi plays with it, wrapping the baby's small fingers around his own forefinger. "He's so small!" He cries as Joohyun brings his small fist into his mouth.

"Here. Hibiscus tea lemonade for you." Yedam passes the cold beverage to Hyunsuk who grins proudly at the scene. "Thank you." He said, sipping it slowly.

Yedam removes Joohyun's hat and clicks his tongue for attention. "Who's the cutest baby?" He raises his voice to an octave higher. "Yes, you are!" He replies when Joohyun shrieks happily at him. He reaches for Yedam, clinging onto the body that has a similar built to his father.