A Part Of Me Is You

XVIIII: Like Father, Like Son

XVIIII

A pair of hands, guiding another pair of hands as they slid through the icy ground, leaving marks with their blades. Going straight, and slowly doing rounds. There are several times when the little one stumble, making his mother gasp from where she was watching. Every time the young man slip, a fatherly figure would brought him back up on his feet, urging him to try once more, and once more, and once more. Not long after, he found his balance. Joyfully, he was already standing up on his own feet. He searched for his mother and found her proudly watching him from the distance. He giggled and fell once more. The elder man flinched but he had his hands off from the boy. "Get up," he asked gently.

The boy hesitated and looked up to the man, his eyes was asking for help, and the father could read him. "Try getting up," he urge with care.

"Trust me, I won't let you get hurt," he persuaded.

The boy nodded and slowly lifted his own weight. He wobbled. He tried to find his balance.

His father was watching him closely, ready to save the little one, if his calculation says that the boy is in danger of landing on the ground badly.

His mother bit her lip watching. She wanted to go and get him, put him on a safer place, but she held herself. She knows that his father knows what he was doing.

Soon enough, Jung Soo stabilized himself. The three of them proudly celebrated with huge smiles on their faces. Chae Won put two thumbs up for her son when the father and son looked at her direction.

They played a little more and Joong Ki was teaching him simple tricks. Chae Won unconsciously thought of Seung Joon. He was different from the man in front of her. Seung Joon was plain protective. Joong Ki is protective yet still adventurous. Seung Joon would choose a safe way for Jung Soo. Joong Ki will chose some adventure and guide Jung Soo along the way.

Chae Won shook her unwelcomed comparison. "I'm sorry, Seung Joon oppa," she whispered, apologetic.

She did not notice when Joong Ki started to head her way. Her eyes were fixated on her son skating alone. He looked carefree, he was enjoying the moment.

Joong Ki leaned on the railing that was separating him from her. They stayed there silently watching Jung Soo, admiring him. Joong Ki smiled as he was reminded of himself. "He reminds me of myself. He's just like me," he said loud enough for his voice to get through the small gap from the glasses that was dividing them. Their eyes did not leave Jung Soo.

She glanced at him for a second, and then back to her child. She smiled. Her response came in late and faint, "He does."

He did not hear any of it and Chae Won was glad he didn't.

After a while, Joong Ki pushed himself from the rails and joined Jung Soo for a bit more, before they decided to get themselves something to eat.

It was already eight when they decided to eat. Joong Ki initiated the idea while Chae Won debated against it. She proposed that they should go ahead but Joong Ki used his charm on Jung Soo.

The Ice House Ice Rink was a huge establishment and it had its own cafeteria. Chae Won agreed after surveying the area. It was still crowdless with about a dozen employees here and there and some foreign visitors. Joong Ki opted for a light breakfast, on the other hand, Chae Won and Jung Soo only got themselves some drinks and a pastry as they already had eaten before coming. Jung Soo had a double choco drink and Chae Won got herself a cucumber lemonade.

"How about school?" Joong Ki asked, realizing it was a weekday.

"Mom excused me today."

"Is it okay to do that?"

Chae Won baffled, "Who's fault is it that he had to take an absence?" She whispered so only she could hear.

Joong Ki's face turned amused and at the same time sorry, "Is it because of me?" He asked as he took a guess. He looked at Chae Won with honest curiosity.

She sniggered.

"Is it?" He inquired. "That's why I asked to meet on a weekend."

"And risk it with so much crowd? No thanks."

He scratched his head, "I'm sorry." He turned towards Jung Soo, "I'm sorry Jung Soo, you missed school because I asked to meet."

Jung Soo shook his head, "It's okay. I go to school five times a week, I won't miss anything just because I am absent for one day."

"Even so," Joong Ki felt apologetic.

"And mom is partly at fault too," he shifted his eyes to the woman sitting across from him. Chae Won raised her brows bemused. "She could turn you down but she decided to file for my absence."

Chae Won's mouth turned agape. Her mind was busy finding an appropriate response, but before a word came out from her mouth, he continued, "And I'm to blame too, I could have said no but I wanted this."

Chae Won's expression turned soft. Does Jung Soo want this because he wanted to miss the class or is it because he unconsciously longed for Joong Ki's fatherly presence, even without him knowing.

Joong Ki was amazed at how Jung Soo see things. He could tell he was a wise young man.

"I had so much fun," Jung Soo tried to make the two adults feel better by being honest. "Thank you uncle for teaching me how to skate," he smiled at him. "And thank you mom for allowing me to skip class," his' smile grew wider.

Joong Ki softly played with Jung Soo's hair, "Should we skip more classes in the future?" He teased, earning a scolding from Chae Won, which resulted with a laughter from the father and son.

The sound of their laughter put Chae Won's nagging to a halt. It sounded so pleasing in her ears, and the image of them looked so wonderful in her eyes. She watched the two men in front of her with their joyful faces. She took a photo of them in her memory. Who knows if this will be the last? What would Joong Ki do when he finds out? Will he still laugh with Jung Soo when she tells him about their son?

Those thoughts stabbed her in her heart. He could hate her but she couldn't take it if he ends up hating Jung Soo as well. It would hurt her if he denies his son. Jung Soo has done no wrong to experience that. As early as now, Chae Won blames herself.

Joong Ki noticed the change on Chae Won's face. "Is anything wrong?"

Chae Won shook her head no.