Little Ba Reum AU - The roads not taken

Chapter 33

The food was delicious, the pasta nice and soft and the sauce full of flavour.

"Want to try a bit of mine?" Hyuk asked, and Ba Reum nodded his head, opening his mouth to get some of the creamy mushroom, and it was nice as well, but he like the richness of his own much better.

Half-way through, he startled to struggle, his stomach already quite full. Chewing a whole lot slower, he opened his mouth while it was still half full while Hyuk held up another spoon for him.

"Oh, I think I might be going a little too fast for you," the man said, holding the spoon back.

"Sorry," Ba Reum said with a full mouth, a little bit spilling from his mouth while he talked, but luckily, he was wearing the bib.

"It's okay," Hyuk said, looking hesitantly at the spoon and the amount still in Ba Reum's plate, "uhm, is your tummy getting full?"

He saw his dad look up at that, but the man didn't comment. The portions here weren't small, but they weren't excessively big either.

"A little," Ba Reum shyly said, a little worried about not eating more. They had paid for it after all.

"Don't you worry. I think we can ask the leftovers with us, if we want," Hyuk said, already starting to understand more of Ba Reum's troubles, "so, just say when you're done. No use getting sick."

"Oh," Ba Reum said, "uhm, done now."

"Alright," Hyuk said, putting the spoon down again while he finished his, the little soon sticking a finger in his mouth to suck on while he looked at the different people in the restaurant. He yawned a little and settled differently in his chair while he blinked sleepily.

There were some noises next to him, but he was too occupied by looking out of the window now and seeing different people pass.

He was startled when a wet wipe was used to clean his face, looking up at mommy, who smiled easily at him.

"Our food is packed, so why don't we go home now," Chang Wook said, and Ba Reum just now noticed the little bag on their table while the plates had been cleared.

"Okay," Ba Reum said, getting up from his chair and doing his best not to trip over his feet. He looked down at his shoes, lifting his toes a bit and glad to not see any scuff marks.

"They are pretty, right?" Hyuk asked, thinking that Ba Reum was busy admiring the shoes. The little looked up, making sure that no one was angry at him for some reason, and then shuffled closer to Hyuk without answering.

The caregiver smiled at the shy little and took his hand. The walk home again was going slower than the walk to the park.

Ba Reum kept on tripping over his own feet, apologizing every time he did so, and when he almost fell for the third time, Hyuk had enough.

"Here, let me get you," Hyuk said, lifting Ba Reum.

"Oh, mommy got me," Ba Reum said, smiling and giving a big hug to Hyuk. The caregiver felt his heart warm at the small gesture.

"I'll always have you," Hyuk said, walking with an extra spring in his step now. Chang Wook looked at his son with a smile.

It had been a long time since he had seen him so happy. It really did him good to have found a little of his own.

Ba Reum yawned and snuggled close to Hyuk. He was feeling rather tired now, his tummy full and his mommy strong and warm and walking with a strong cadence that was making him feel even more sleepy.

Hanging on Hyuk, Ba Reum was feeling so comfy that he actually disliked arriving back to the house, where the man put him down and helped him out of his coat and shoes.