Every Time After

Sixteen

"I always take things seriously."

The male lowered the bat and there was a small frown between his brows as well as a pout on his lips. San wasn't certain if that meant he was angry or in deep thought since if he was honest, he didn't really know the other. He had seen him and the other gangsters around but today was the first time any of them interacted since San never really paid much attention to things that were out of his sight. He hadn't taken a good look at the other too until just now.

"Let's see how long that lasts then," the male scoffed and started to walk away.

"Does that mean I have permission to chase after you?"

That halted the male's steps as he glanced back at San with a quirked brow before he sighed and kicked a random rock on the ground.

"Do whatever you want," he scoffed before strutting off, one hand in his pocket while the other swung the bat up to his shoulder. San smiled and took that as a yes.

"No, no. No. No, no, no. Just no."

"But appa, he said I could do whatever I want," San huffed as he had told his dad, Baekho, about what happened earlier during their dinner with San already dressed in his pajamas.

"I told you not to get involved with gangsters before."

"No, you told me that you were one and that omma was one too but that was before you met and..."

"Yes, yes. I told you that but I never explicitly say, ask a gangster out??"

"This is why I kept telling you not to tell him about our story," his other dad, Minhyun, sighed as they sat down at the dining table for dinner. "Now he's gone ahead and asked a gangster out."

"Are you blaming me?" Baekho squeaked.

"Maybe he's not a gangster, you know? Like how dad and you were both misunderstood."

"We didn't go around wielding bats and picking fights with a taekwondo club!" Baekho huffed.

"At least not us," Minhyun muttered under his breath and San frowned.

"But...."

"San, you are already 16 this year. Is this really what you want?" Minhyun asked calmly while Baekho pouted. "To get involved with a gangster who might be completely different from the stories your dad told you about? He might very well be like the other party who wouldn't stop coming after us even though we weren't trying to be gangsters."

"Omma," San muttered. "But he's pretty like you."

"What?! There's no way anyone is pretty like Minhyun," Baekho scoffed, crossing his arms while Minhyun stifled his laughter. "I won't accept it."

"Omma..."

"Ah, ah," Minhyun hushed his son. "Just make sure not to get hurt, okay?"

"Really?"

"Minhyun!"

"What? It's fine, isn't it? We got together when we were 17 too," Minhyun replied and San beamed, wiping his lips and rushing over to give Minhyun a hug before clearing his dishes. "So long as neither of you get hurt or involved in huge gang fights."

"I won't, omma! I'll be sure to look out for myself."

"Is this really okay?" Baekho sighed and Minhyun shrugged as they watched their son wash his own dishes.

"Would you rather him hide things from us because we are against it?" Minhyun whispered. "I think it's better to let him speak his feelings right now and try to advise him slowly. If he gets a rebellious phase, I won't know how to handle that."