a better life // hwang hyunjin ✔️

chapter three

never judge a book by its cover

"so you were with a girl?" seungmin questions as the pair sat down to eat. hyunjin nods. "well did you fuck her or something, i mean what took so long?" he jokes. hyunjin felt heat rising to his face at just the thought of doing something like that with seulgi.

"no, we went to the park." he clarifies.

"the park? you ran into a girl at a grocery store, and you took her to the park?" seungmin questions, finding the whole ordeal strange.

"well, she was taking her—" hyunjin pauses, unsure if he should tell seungmin that the girl he's interested in has an eight-year-old kid. he wasn't sure how seungmin would react to that.

"her what?" seungmin urges.

"don't get weirded out..." hyunjin warns him.

"get weirded out? what is it?" seungmin asks, his curiosity peaking at hyunjin's tone.

"her son." he says cautiously.

"i didn't know you were into cougars." seungmin winks playfully. hyunjin rolls his eyes.

"she's the same age as me."

"how old is the kid?"

"eight."

"hyunjin-"

"but she seems really put together! she's really pretty and sweet." hyunjin instantly defends her, worried seungmin would make some rude comment about her being a teen mother.

"i don't know, hyunjin. i mean, it's a lot more serious starting something with someone who has a kid." seungmin warns.

"i know, but her son already likes me."

"but are you ready to step up and be a parent to a kid who isn't related to you in any way? i mean do you even know the father?"

"well, no, but i really like her." hyunjin says with a pout. seungmin sighs. "and i'm sure she doesn't expect me to take on a parental role so soon." he adds.

"i mean you only met her for a few hours, how can you be sure you even have feelings for her?" seungmin questions.

"she's so beautiful, and sweet. and just watching her interact with her son does something to my heart, i don't get it, but i'm not complaining."

"just... make sure you know what you're getting yourself into, you're still young." he warns.

meanwhile, daehyun insisted on packing an extra serving of pasta to take to hyunjin tomorrow.

"mom, do you think this is enough?" he asks, holding the tupperware in her direction.

"yes, baby. that's plenty." she giggles, grabbing the bowl from him and securing the lid on it.

"when can we give it to him?"

"i'll ask him if he's free tomorrow for lunch." she says, ruffling his hair. "now go wash up, it's almost bedtime." she pulls him into a hug, bending down slightly to place a kiss on the top of his head. daehyun nods, happily skipping away to his bathroom, allowing seulgi to sit for a moment, sighing in relief at the sudden silence of the room.