they'd never exchanged words beyond sorry, my son likes to talk and it's okay, i do too, but then hot single dad had given him a smile - all big teeth and crinkled eyes - and that was enough for him to become a regular cast member in jake's fantasie...
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Summer
"He's sending him over now," Jungwon says, opening the door to their apartment, sending Jake a glare that serves as a clear warning. "Stay. Here."
"I don't know what part of you're taking this too far isn't clicking for you," Jake grumbles, not for the first time that day, but the door shuts a moment later without another word. And he knows Jungwon may actually cause him physical harm if he attempts to open the door, if he attempts to catch a glimpse of Heeseung as he sends Riki across the hall with his bag of all his favourite toys, so he does stay where he is, but he isn't happy about it.
Jungwon is taking this too far. All they'd asked him to do was to make sure they weren't alone together, to always be around when Jake was picking Riki up or dropping him off. Somehow, it had gotten twisted into this: Jake hasn't seen Heeseung once in almost two weeks.
Just as Heeseung had predicted, Jungwon is finding the fun in the situation where Jake simply cannot. He's made it his personal mission to make sure they never get to exist in the same room, going to lengths that Jake considers not only extreme, but borderline insane.
Jungwon has too much time on his hands.
"You have too much time on your hands," Jake tells him when he returns, Riki in tow behind him, Jungwon acting as if he was his security guard, fingers pressed below his ear as he mutters something about how the falcon has landed. "How's that job search going?"
"You used to be nicer to me," Jungwon deadpans.
"I could say the same about you," Jake counters, and then brightens considerably as Riki takes off running in his direction, jumping into a hug that Jake was more than ready to meet him halfway for. "Hi, kiddo," he greets him, ruffling his hair as he pulls away. "How's it going?"
"Good," Riki says simply, and then his eyes slide up, like he was trying to remember something. "Daddy wanted me to say –"
Jungwon clears his throat loudly, and Jake has to fight the urge to roll his eyes. "Guess what we bought for you at the store earlier?" Jungwon asks, nodding towards their fridge with a wicked smile.
"Ice cream?" Riki asks, excited, and Jake knows in an instant that whatever message Heeseung had attempted to deliver through his son is now forever lost.
"Yup," Jungwon confirms proudly, and Jake is suddenly questioning if Jungwon had put the tub of chocolate ice cream in their cart knowing full well he would have to use it as a distraction at some point today.
Either way, Jake doesn't argue when Jungwon dishes it into three bowls for them – it had been especially hot outside lately, even for the middle of June, and Jake isn't immune to distraction by ice cream, either – just accepts his and holds Riki's while he climbs up onto the couch. Jungwon had brought his TV with him when he moved in, so they actually have something to entertain them now instead of what Jake was doing before, which was usually staring at a blank wall or scrolling through his phone.
