puzzle piece | jeong jaehyun

34

While the two of them spoke, Yunhui met with the psychologist, who offered a gentle but pointed insight as to why Minhyuk's behaviour had changed significantly since they had last met.

"Jaehyun's presence has been a stabilizing one for him but as he fills in that father-figure role, it's likely stirring old fears and trauma from his past and triggering him. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just something he needs time to get used to." She said and Yunhui breathed out a shaky sigh. She couldn't blame her son for seeing him like a father figure as Jaehyun inserted himself into their lives ever since he had moved in.

But it's still only been a month of knowing him. She didn't trust people that easily when it came to Minhyuk—she knew Jaehyun would be the same if it came to Jinah.

Yunhui felt a pang of guilt and worry, realizing how much weight Minhyuk was carrying. The words from the psychologist struck in her mind and replayed several times as she returned to his room. She opened the door quietly, hearing them converse about how cool one of the dinosaurs from Minhyuk's story books was.

Jaehyun turned his head to her as he heard her footsteps approach them, watching her as she sat on the other side of the bed. She settled down beside her son, his pricked hand in hers, careful to not move the drip tube, her hand smoothing over his hair.

"I'll get you guys another blanket, okay? It's a little cold in here" Jaehyun said, patting the boy's leg once more and sending a reassuring nod before leaving the room

"Are you feeling okay? You scared me tonight" she said and he frowned

"I'm sorry" he apologised quickly and she shook her head

"It's not your fault, love. You must have been so scared" she whispered and he shrugged

"Yeah but...Jae was there and...it wasn't that scary anymore" he said, trying to reassure his mother that everything was okay

"Minhyuk...do you like Jae that much?" She asked, her fingers lightly trailing over his face and he nodded without hesitation

"He's my friend... and he said he'll protect me if daddy ever came back" Minhyuk said and she smiled although her chest tightened at the thought that one day Jaehyun won't be there. She didn't want Minhyuk to get attached too fast already.

"You don't need to worry about your dad coming back, okay? That's my job—I'm here to protect you, no matter what." She said. Her eyes had almost filled with tears as she stroked his cheek.

"But... who's going to protect you, then?" he asked with a small voice.

"I'm too little..." Minhyuk looked up at her, his eyes filled with an innocent concern that broke her heart into pieces.

"Don't worry about me...I don't need—"

"I will." A voice said from behind them before she could finish, calm but resolute.

Jaehyun stepped back into the room, a soft smile on his face as he held out a bottle of water and a fluffy blanket. He approached his bed once more, feeling two pairs of emotional eyes watching him while he draped the blanket over Minhyuk with a warm smile.

"You both need to get some rest. I'll come back in the morning to bring you home—"

"Jaehyun, it's okay. We can take a cab...you've already done so much" Yunhui said, feeling guilty at the fact that he was here at 3am with them, helping them at their lowest point and putting his own duties on the sideline

"I can do more" he said, shaking his head and smiling again. He liked the fact that he was needed, he liked being there for them, even when it came at the cost of losing a few hours of sleep.

"What if I see daddy in my dreams again?" Minhyuk asked nervously and Yunhui watched as the two interacted with each other, a feeling of content swelling inside her chest.

"Can you dream of me as well then? Make me look really cool" Jaehyun said with a smile, ruffling his head

"Give me superpowers so I can run really quickly to save you and I can...breathe fire and I can freeze people with my hands. That way I can protect you and mommy in your dreams as well" Jaehyun said and Minhyuk smiled at the idea, nodding his head quickly and starting to think of the several ways he could make Jaehyun the coolest person ever in his dreams.

Jaehyun was now his superhero.

"You too, Yunhui. You better dream of me as well" Jaehyun said, sending a playful wink her way despite the flurry of emotions she was already feeling. The last thing she needed to feel right now were those stupid fucking butterflies in her stomach.

"I'm serious, you two. I better be really cool in these dreams, okay?" He said, faking his seriousness as he narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger between them making Yunhui roll her eyes

As he stepped back, he offered Yunhui one last reassuring glance with a comforting smile on his face, a silent promise that he would be there for both of them. She looked towards him with glossy eyes, a small smile on her lips as well as she mouthed a quick thank you, watching him turn and leave them both alone in each other's company.

"He's so cool" Minhyuk said with a giddy smile and Yunhui scoffed playfully

"Don't forget about me so easily, alright? You wouldn't be in this world without me" she said, tickling his stomach quickly and making him burst out into a fit of laughter. His laugh itself was healing enough for Yunhui.

"You're cool too mom...he's just cooler" he said, humming as he tried to find the best way to explain it

"How?" Yunhui asked with a huff

"He's just so...hot." Minhyuk concluded and Yunhui looked at him with a baffled expression before she burst into a laugh, remembering how that statement even came into Minhyuk's vocabulary

"What about hot? What does that mean" He asked and she smiled, rubbing his head

"You say it if...someone looks really good" she said sheepishly

"But don't ever say that to you're teacher or friends okay, save that for a special person"