h̶u̶g̶s̶ a̶n̶d̶ kisses

thirty-sixth; better late than never

i kiss her on her head for goodbyes. „i'll be back," i pinch her cheek. shiwang just scrunches her nose, giggling softly.

i look to her side, at byeol to be exact. „i'll see you tonight," i tell her before hugging ina, whose holding the door open for me. „tonight? we planned something?" byeol's eyebrows crash as i shake my head.

„i'll just bring her to bed," i nudge my chin at shiwang. byeol just nods, as if it is the most normal thing to do. well for someone in a position like mine, not really.

i exhale deeply as my hands lie on the car wheel. i drive over to jake's. i offered last help before he officially closes the doors and sleeps at the hotel for the last three days he's going to be here.

it's sad. it still is. i don't like that. him just disappearing for i don't know how long.

i smile at him when i see him with some boxes in his hands. it's not even fully spring, but he's already wearing a black t-shirt with knee long pants. „could you help me wrap the plates?" he says, placing the box on the floor, to greet me.

„why are you packing them up? aren't you keeping this house anymore?" i look up to the giant house in front of us. the winter sun was leaving a gold color on the white walls.

as i look back to jake he's already shaking his head. „a family contacted me yesterday. they gave me a pretty good offer. i guess i'll have to buy an apartment or something," he shrugs his shoulders and walks back into the golden house.

„could you maybe," he stops talking and turns around, looking at me," keep the boxes at your house, just until i get my own apartment?" he looked so sad.

understandable.

„no doubt. you don't even need to get a new apartment. sell all your old stuff you don't need anymore and crash at my place. i really don't mind," i get down to pick up another box from the floor.

„should i?" jake looks unsure. i sigh, „what makes you doubt?" he shrugs, „i just— i don't know," he laughs awkwardly as i shake my head, hitting his shoulder, „don't care about that stuff, i would love to have more company with me."

we start packing all the last things up before we stand in the living room and see nothing but emptiness. "this is it," jake mumbles as i nod, sighing.

"lets get the boxes into my car, don't crash at the hotel. sleep at my place." he looks at me as if i took off a big burden off of his shoulders. "thank you, heeseung. for everything," jake says before he leans in to hug me.

"why do you have a stroller—never mind," he shuts his mouth, i take another box off the ground. before i want to place it into the trunk, i see him holding the picture in his hand. the picture was actually peeking out off the stroller. he might've gotten curious.

his thumb slightly strokes byeols face. on the picture she's looking at shiwang as shiwang is scrunching her nose, her hands reaching to the camera. i have looked at the picture so many times, i could recall it in my sleep.

"she can walk now," i clear my throat. he immediately comes back to reality. i place the last box into the trunk before i look at him. he is still frozen in place. the picture clutched in his hands.

"is it really," he doesn't bring himself to end the sentence as i just nod. "why did you never call? she waited for you." jake shakes his head, "that's not possible. we broke up before she was born, she looks like she isn't even one year old." he points at shiwang on the picture. i shrug my shoulders as i am not the one explaining it to him.

i open the door to my car, looking at him, "ask her, not me."

i take a turn, but before i drive off i roll down my window, seeing him still standing there, the picture in his hands, "it's too late, dude it's too late."

i shake my head, "better late than never," he stays silent. i don't say anything else and drive off.

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︀︀︀︀︀☾︎a/n☽︎

arghh ramadan mubarak 💋🫶