Toddler - [TAEBIN FF]

Chapter 3

🎶: 'Take Yourself Home' by Troye Sivan

Juhyeok grinned brightly when he saw a familiar face belonging to a tall lanky man, who simply exudes warmth and kindness.

"Uncle Gyu!"

He jumped up from the concrete steps and threw his little arms around Beomgyu, who smiled.

"Hey buddy, how are you?" he asked, hugging him back.

"I'm great! My first day of school was awesome! I even made a friend!"

"Oh really? What's their name?"

"Her name is Yerim, and she is really nice!"

"That's good to know!"

Juhyeok giggled, and then he arched his head up, looking around.

And of course, Beomgyu noticed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Uncle Gyu, where's Dad?"

"He... is busy at work; he had a lot of assignments, so he asked me to pick you up instead."

"Oh... okay."

Hoping to distract him from that, Beomgyu reached his hand out.

"Wanna go get ice cream?"

"YES!!!" Juhyeok exclaimed with a wide smile, accepting his hand.

Beomgyu strapped Juhyeok in the booster seat he had stowed in the trunk, and drove down the road, listening to ABBA.

While they were on their way, Beomgyu snuck a few glances between keeping his eyes on the road at the child sitting in the backseat, observing him.

Juhyeok was looking out of the window, watching the scenery pass.

Nothing seemed too wrong, but Beomgyu knew too well from last year that with Juhyeok, you could never be too careful, as he was good at hiding his emotions, for better, or for worse.

I have no doubt he was hoping Taehyun would be here, with the way he was looking around.

"Uncle Gyu?" Juhyeok suddenly asked.

Beomgyu immediately snapped out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"How was your first ever day of school?"

Beomgyu laughed.

"My first day of school?"

"Yep!"

"Oh okay... it's been a long time though; I might not remember everything."

"That's okay, just tell me what you remember!"

"Well..." Beomgyu began. "It was a bit scary for me. I didn't know anyone at all, and I was a little worried nobody would like me. But I found your dad as a friend soon enough, and shortly after, I had quite a blast."

Juhyeok giggled.

"Okay! I'll try to have a blast too."

Beomgyu smiled, and then he pulled over as they were right by the ice cream parlor.

"What flavor do you want?" Beomgyu asked.

"Mmmm..."

Juhyeok scanned the little metal containers filled with many different flavors, from chocolate to vanilla to fruits and even rainbow sorbet.

"I think I want raspberry," Juhyeok said.

"You can have two scoops if you want."

"Really?!"