THE LITTLE COPY ⋮ markhyuck

Chapter 𝟮𝟰

Mark's words about Dongchan rang in Donghyuck's head the rest of Friday evening, so he called the kid into the living room, where he hugged his child and made him watch the movie. His son ignored Haewon's existence and only talked to Donghyuck. He also never looked at that side.

Donghyuck saw all that, but he thought it wasn't as serious as Mark put it. Dongchan needed time. Haewon wasn't a total stranger after all. He wasn't a random man. Dongchan would get used to him after a bit of time with this man around him.

Haewon wanted to win him over, however. On Saturday, he bought Dongchan a new toy—a bear plushie. The kid took it and even thanked the man for the gift, which sparked hope in Donghyuck's heart. But later that day, when he came into his son's room, he found the toy tossed on the floor as Dongchan played with the old ones.

"Channie! Pick it up!" Papa scolded. "It's a new toy, and you're doing this!"

"I don't like it," Dongchan mumbled.

"What? Just look how cute it is."

"No, it's ugly!"

"Dongchan," he sighed, kneeling to match the kid's eye level. "Just stop it. I know you don't like Haewon that much, but he's here to be friends with your papa. Nothing more, okay? I don't want to date him."

The boy was silent, so Donghyuck thought his words reached the deepest depths of his mind. But the next few seconds his son made a weird request.

"Can I go and see Aunt Hee tomorrow?"

"Sure, but why so suddenly?" Donghyuck asked in confusion.

"I want to stay over."

Donghyuck's heart clenched.

"Are you saying this because Haewon is staying with us this weekend? Baby..."

"I don't like him," Dongchan said bitterly. "I don't like him, and I told Teacher Lee."

Dongchan said it as if Mark was the most important person among them.

"Why did you tell Teacher Lee?" Donghyuck raised his voice. "I'm curious why you're talking to him so much. Haven't I and others told you that you shouldn't tell everything to strangers?"

Donghyuck got angry upon hearing his son mention the teacher. It could be that such a feeling was influenced by the scene earlier. Just because he got rejected. It was the first time Mark rejected his offer to have sex, and Donghyuck's pride was hurt.

"Strangers? Teacher Lee isn't a stranger, Papa! We both like him!" Dongchan protested.

"He's more of a stranger than Haewon, baby. You know Teacher Lee only for a few months."

"And I like him way better!" Dongchan declared. "He's good to me, and he's good to you."

"Both Haewon and Teacher Lee are our friends. We shouldn't compare them, alright?"

Dongchan turned silent, so Papa thought he kicked some sense into his brain once again. But then, the kid came back to what he said earlier.

"I want to see Aunt Hee, Papa," Dongchan suddenly stood up and turned to Donghyuck with determination. "Now."

"I'm sorry, baby. But you have to stay with us. In the past, I seemingly made a mistake and didn't give you enough attention. You also didn't get to know Haewon better, that's why..."

"I want to see my aunt!"

"Not now, Channie. Please..."

"Papa!" Dongchan screamed in disbelief, then jumped on his bed and started hysterically crying.