single father | minchan

21

minho's heart raced with anticipation as he stood outside chan's apartment door, holding a bouquet of flowers and a bag of groceries. it had been a while since he last babysat hyunjin and jeongin, and he missed them dearly. as he knocked on the door, his heart skipped a beat at the sound of excited footsteps approaching from within.

the door swung open, revealing hyunjin's beaming face. "mama's here!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with uncontainable excitement. minho's eyes twinkled as he crouched down to hyunjin's level, receiving a tight hug from the enthusiastic child.

"hey, jinnie! i missed you so much," minho said, his smile matching hyunjin's infectious enthusiasm.

from the hallway, he heard another set of footsteps, and a moment later, jeongin came running towards him, his eyes alight with happiness. "mama!" he cried out, throwing himself into minho's arms for a hug.

minho's heart swelled at the affection from the kids. being called "mama" by them was a special privilege he cherished. after greeting jeongin with a warm hug, minho straightened up just in time to see chan emerging from the living room.

"minho!"chan's face lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight as he rushed forward, enveloping minho in a tight hug. "i missed you," chan whispered, his voice filled with sincerity.

"i missed you too," minho replied, his voice soft as he held chan close. their busy work schedules had kept them apart, but moments like these made the distance feel insignificant.

as they pulled away, jeongin's curious eyes fell on the bag of groceries in minho's hand. with an eager smile, he looked up at minho. "mama, can you cook dinner tonight? we always have takeout."

minho chuckled, ruffling jeongin's hair. "of course, buddy. i'd be happy to cook for you."

as the evening progressed, minho found himself in the kitchen, effortlessly whipping up a delicious meal while the kids excitedly helped in their own unique ways. laughter echoed through the apartment as they sat down to enjoy the homemade feast.

full and content, they moved to the living room, where minho was the center of attention once again. hyunjin and jeongin playfully vied for minho's attention, both trying to be the first to hug him.

"hey, hey, no fighting," minho chuckled, opening his arms wide to envelop them both in a warm embrace. their giggles filled the air as they clung to him, making his heart swell with love and happiness.

in that moment, surrounded by the warmth of chan's apartment and the genuine affection of the people he cared about most, minho couldn't help but feel like the luckiest "mama" in the world.

——

chan's brows furrowed in concern as he walked through the quiet apartment, calling out for jeongin. it was unusual for his youngest son to be this quiet for so long. he had been searching for jeongin everywhere but hadn't found him yet. he hoped the little guy was okay.

nust as he was about to step into the living room, he froze. amidst the silence, a sound reached his ears—giggles, laughter, the kind of uninhibited joy that was unmistakably his son's. chan's heart skipped a beat as his worries turned to curiosity.

following the sound, chan quietly approached the doorway to the kids' room. as he got closer, the laughter grew louder, a symphony of mirth that washed over him like a soothing wave.

pushing the door open slightly, chan's eyes widened at the sight before him. there, on the bed, minho was playfully tickling jeongin, who was thrashing about and laughing like there was no tomorrow. the room was filled with the music of jeongin's laughter, a sound that had been absent for too long.

chan leaned against the doorway, a mixture of surprise and amusement dancing in his eyes. he watched as minho's fingers danced across jeongin's sides, his touch sending the boy into fits of uncontrollable laughter.

finally, minho noticed chan's presence and looked up, his lips curling into a sheepish smile. "hey, chan. you caught us in the middle of some tickle time."

chan couldn't help but chuckle at the scene before him. "i can see that. it's been a while since i've heard him laugh like this."

jeongin's laughter finally subsided, and he looked up at chan, his eyes sparkling with happiness. "mama was tickling me! it's so funny!"

chan stepped into the room, his heart warmed by the sight of his son's joyful expression. he ruffled jeongin's hair affectionately. "i can tell. you sound like you're having a blast."

minho sat back, a grin on his face. "innie missed hanging out, so we thought a little tickle session was in order."

chan sat down beside jeongin, feeling a wave of gratitude for minho's ability to make their son smile. "thank you, min. it's amazing to see him this happy."

jeongin's eyes shone with excitement as he looked between chan and minho. "can we do it again, mama? tickle me more?"

minho chuckled and gave jeongin a playful nudge. "of course, buddy. but let's make sure you catch your breath first."

as minho playfully slowed down the tickling, jeongin caught his breath and beamed up at chan. "mama, can we have tickle time every day?"

chan exchanged a knowing glance with minho, his heart full of appreciation for the special connection the two shared. "we'll have to see, but i think we can arrange some tickle time here and there."

as they sat together, the room filled with the echo of jeongin's laughter and the warmth of their shared bond, chan couldn't help but feel grateful for minho's presence in their lives—a presence that had the remarkable power to turn a quiet day into a symphony of joy.