Gulf doesn't know what to say. Third is also shocked. What troubles him is how Fourth knows about him. Fourth never met nor know his other father.
"How..." Gulf asked softly.
Fourth shakes his head, "It doesn't matter how I know, what's important is, you are enough. I don't care about him. I don't want him,"
Gulf turned to his eldest. This is what they are afraid of.
"Fourth, son, listen to me. Your-
"No, Pa. If you will just say that he has a reason for leaving us, don't. Don't protect him, Pa. Yes, I am longing for him but I realized that there's no need. I already have the best father I could ask for, so please, Pa, don't..." Fourth couldn't complete it as he starts crying again.
Gulf pulled him and hugs him, rubbing his back.
"Don't protect him, Pa," Fourth pleaded.
Gulf nodded, "I won't, but son..."
Gulf stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Fourth starts hyperventilating.
"Fourth, Fourth, baby, calm down," Gulf knows that talking calmly to Fourth will help.
"Nong, listen to Papa's voice," Third coaxed.
"Come on, breathe with me," Gulf guided him.
It took 20 minutes for Fourth to completely calm down. He fell asleep in his Papa's arms. Gulf brought him to his room. He let Fourth sleep after wiping his body to freshen him up and changed his clothes to comfortable ones.
Gulf and Third are sitting in the living room. They are puzzled about how Fourth found out about his father.
"Pa," Third called.
Gulf blinked a couple of times before facing him.
"Hm?"
"What are we going to do?" he asked his father.
Gulf sighed, "What else can we do, Third?"
Third, wetted his lips, "He needs to know the true reason so he will not blindly hate Dad,"
"I know, son. But I don't want to worsen his condition. Look what happened. Every time he bursts, he always ended up hyperventilating," Gulf frustratedly wiped his face.
"What if..." Third, trailed off.
"What if what?" Gulf asked.
"What if he talks to Dad to clear everything?" Third suggested.
"Do you think it will help? And what if your grandparents learned about it? I don't want you two to get hurt," Gulf said.
"They didn't know about you two with Dad's help," Gulf said.
An idea came to Third, "Why don't we ask Grandpa's help?"
"I don't want to bother Dad again. He's old already. I don't want to be a burden to him," Gulf rejected the idea.
Truth is, no one knows that it was Gulf who birthed his sons. They made Fourth believe that Gulf had a wife who died giving birth to him. That's why both of them were shocked at how Fourth learned about the truth.
"Third," Gulf called his son who looked at him.
"Just watch your brother carefully while in school. I'll try to contact your Dad," Gulf said.
Third nodded and Gulf told him to go to sleep because it was getting late.
*
Gulf is in his room, staring at his phone. He's contemplating if he should call his ex or not. When he was about to dial, the name of his ex flashes on his screen. Taking a deep breath, he accepted the call.
"Mew," he said upon answering.
"How is he?" Mew asked.
Gulf sighed, "Not good. He hates you, Mew,"
Mew sighed, "Wouldn't that be better?"
Gulf pursed his lips, "We are all hurting, Mew,"
Mew didn't answer. Gulf knows very well that it's hard for Mew to be separated from them but he has no choice.
"I'm sorry, love. I'm sorry for being weak and not able to protect all of you," said Mew.
Gulf shakes his head, "No, love. Don't say that. You're sacrificing for the sake of us,"
"Exactly! I am sacrificing you and our sons because of my cowardness. I..." Mew exclaimed.
"Love, calm down. We will get through this," Gulf said calming him down. He knows that Mew is already crying.
"I wanted to run to him and hug him earlier. I wanted to tell him how much I love him," Mew cried.
Gulf is crying too with him, "You will be able to, love. Soon. For now, let's be strong for our children and I will talk to Fourth. I will explain to him everything," Gulf said.
"I miss you so much, love. Every day feels like dying," Mew said.
"Same here, love, same here. But I know it's harder for you. Here at least, I have our kids with me," Gulf said.
Mew sniffed and calm himself, "I promise, love, I will fix everything. I will not be a coward anymore. I've been such a fool thinking that I made the right decision for us, but now, I know what to do. I will fight for us like how I should in the first place," Mew was determined.
It worries Gulf, "Mew, love, are you sure? I don't want you to get hurt,"
"I'm going to do this to stop all of us from getting hurt. I don't care anymore about what they will say. They can take everything from me but not my family," Mew said.
Gulf cried upon hearing it. He was always the understanding one.
"Whatever your decision, love, I will be here for you. I will fight with you," Gulf said.
They talk for a little more before they ended the call. But little did Gulf know, Fourth heard everything.
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