Responsibility | Jihancheol FF | Seventeen FF

43

It's 5 PM and as usually as soon as Seungkwan's shift eneded he reached towards Daycare.

"Hello there!" He greeted the new face he just witnessed.

"Ohh Hii" The guys stand up from receptionist chair, "Did Jihoon appointed you as receptionist?" Seungkwan questioned entering inside.

"Kind off.. but I ain't getting paid for it, no worries though!" Chan replied dramatically.

"Huh?" Seungkwan questioned isn't he supposed to be paid if he is working here.

"Chan!" Jihoon entered in main hall, "ohh hi Seungkwan, Haeun is sleeping let me wake her up.." and he went inside again.

Jihoon came outside while holding Haeun while Yeji followed suit with Haeun's bag.
Seungkwan get his daughter and bag, "Thank you" he smiled at Yeji who bowed back'What Jihoon Hyung even thought her at this age! ' he thought to himself.

"By the way Hyung this guy said you didn't pay him, why?" Seungkwan said gazing at Chan who laughed out loud.

"Cause he ain't worker here, He just sat there to pass his time." Jihoon said

"Huh?" Seungkwan had same expression as before.

Then Chan explained Seungkwan who is he and Seungkwan laughed out himself, but halted as Haeun stirred in his grip," get her to bed, she barely staying awake. " Jihoon suggested.

And Seungkwan left from there, after  nodding on given suggetion.

"Isn't he is cute with those cheeks!" Chan said eyes following Seungkwan who left the door.

Jihoon sighed, "Why my brothers are interested in single parent always?"

_

Mingyu sat quietly at his usual spot in the corner of the library, surrounded by thick textbooks and notes scribbled with highlighter marks. His eyes were fixed on a page, but his mind was wandering. He couldn't focus. He'd been sitting there for hours, pretending to study but doing little more than turning pages.

Wonwoo,  noticed. He always kept an eye on the regulars, and Mingyu was one of them. He could tell when something was off. Approaching slowly, Wonwoo leaned on the desk across from Mingyu and cleared his throat softly.

"You alright there, Mingyu?"

Mingyu looked up, startled, but then sighed deeply. "Hyung... I dunno. I'm feeling really stressed."

Wonwoo nodded. "Exams coming up, right?"

Mingyu rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair. "Yeah... I’m scared I’m gonna fail."

Wonwoo sighed to himself he witnessed his past in Mingyu,he should do something so Wonwoo pulled out a chair and sat down. "Hey, fear is normal. But you won’t know unless you try, right? You can’t let the fear stop you from giving it your best shot."

Mingyu looked down at his hands. "It’s not just about trying, hyung. I don’t even want to do this exam. My father’s the one pushing me. He’s... he’s obsessed with me passing it. Says it's the only way to get a stable job, to make something of myself. If I fail, he’s going to be so angry."

Wonwoo’s face softened with understanding. He had witnessed similar stories from students before—parents pushing their children to follow paths they didn’t want.

"Ahh, so it’s not just the exam you're worried about. It’s about disappointing your father."

Mingyu nodded. "Exactly. He’s already said if I don’t pass, I’ll never hear the end of it. The pressure... it’s just too much sometimes. I feel like I’m drowning."

Wonwoo leaned forward. "I get that. It’s tough when it feels like you're living someone else’s expectations. But Mingyu-ah, at the end of the day, it’s your life. You can only do what you can do. It’s not about the result; it’s about the effort. If you try your best, that’s all anyone should ask for, even your dad."

Mingyu frowned, his brows knitting together. "You don’t know my father, hyung. He doesn’t care about the effort. He only cares about the result. He thinks if I don’t pass, I’m not good enough."

Wonwoo sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Parents are complicated, man. They have their dreams, and sometimes they forget that we have our own. But think about this: if you do it for yourself, and not just for him, maybe you’ll feel less pressure. At least you’ll know you're doing it on your own terms."

Mingyu slumped further in his seat. "That’s easy to say, but he’s been drilling it into me since I was a kid. 'You have to pass the exam, Mingyu. You have to be better than everyone else.' It’s like... if I don’t pass, I’ll let him down completely."

"Have you ever talked to him about how you feel?" Wonwoo asked gently.

Mingyu shook his head. "What’s the point? He won’t listen. He’ll just tell me I’m making excuses."

Wonwoo was quiet for a moment, thinking. " But whether he listens or not, you need to take care of yourself first. Don't let fear control you. You can’t predict the future, but you can control how much effort you put into today."

Mingyu bit his lip, unsure. "But what if I fail, hyung?"

Wonwoo smiled softly. "Then you fail. And you try again, or you find another path. There’s no one way to live your life. What’s important is that you don’t give up just because you’re afraid. One failure doesn’t define you."

Mingyu looked down at his open book, his mind still heavy with doubt, but Wonwoo’s words gave him a small spark of hope.

"Thanks, hyung," Mingyu mumbled, his voice low but sincere.

Wonwoo stood up, patting Mingyu’s shoulder lightly. "Anytime, kid. Just remember—whatever happens, you’re not alone in this. And you’re more than just a test result."

'How I wish for my father to think the same!' Mingyu said to himself.