a better life // hwang hyunjin ✔️

chapter four

don't make promises you can't keep

"no." seungmin deadpans.

"please! i already invited them in..." hyunjin begs, keeping his voice low in fear that seulgi would hear them.

"sounds like a you problem." he shrugs.

"i'll do your laundry for a month." hyunjin offers.

"three months." he bargained.

"two months."

"three, or no deal." seungmin crosses his arms, and hyunjin scoffs.

"fine, three months." he agrees. seungmin chuckles.

"i can't believe you're so desperate to please this girl, you're not even ready to be a father." he says while grabbing his keys off his desk.

"will you keep your voice down?" hyunjin shushes him. "i really like her, seungmin."

"yeah she's pretty, but still. it's not as simple."

"yeah, well leave that to me. i know what i'm doing." hyunjin retorts. seungmin shrugs once again.

"if you say so, text me what they want." he says before leaving the room, heading into the garage to get into his car. hyunjin hated how seungmin's words made him feel. but he was right, it's not simple getting into a relationship with someone who has a kid. and he definitely wasn't ready to be a father, especially when he didn't even know the situation of daehyun's real father.

for all he knew, daehyun's father could be in jail, some drug addict who seulgi had to work to keep away from daehyun. hyunjin definitely didn't want to be involved in that type of family drama. but he really did like seulgi, she was beautiful, and the little bit of conversation they've had, hyunjin enjoyed every minute of it. he shook away any negative thoughts as he stepped back into the dining room, subconsciously smiling at daehyun as he traces his fingers along the patterns of table.

"so seungmin just left, what did you guys want to eat?" hyunjin asks.

"tell hyunjin what you wanted, baby." seulgi speaks to daehyun, her tone making hyunjin's heart flutter.

"is mcdonald's okay?" daehyun asks shyly. hyunjin was consistently impressed with daehyun's manners, seulgi had done an amazing job raising him.

"of course!" hyunjin smiles, already texting seungmin as daehyun happily told him his order. "what about you, mama?" the words slipped from his lips so casually, but they made seulgi's heart skip a beat. she hadn't heard anyone call her like that in a long time.

"i'll uh... i'll just take a burger and fries." she smiles warmly at him, attempting to calm her reaction. hyunjin quickly finishes sending the order, placing his phone back in his pocket for the time being.

"food is on its way!" he exclaims happily, sitting down at the table next to seulgi.

"so, what do you do for a living?" seulgi asks him, wanting to take this time to get to know him.

"i'm a model, but i also write poetry, and paint!" seulgi could see the passion in his eyes as he talked about his career. and she couldn't help but feel slightly envious, she wished she had the opportunity to go to college and follow her dreams. but when daehyun came along, her life came to a halt. sure she loves daehyun with all of her heart, and she could never blame him for anything.