The Struggles Of Two- Minchan(SKZ)

Chapter 1

"Please don't cry.. Come on, Jae-Jae, It's 3am... let your appa sleep, hm?" Chan sighs as the screaming two-year-old in his arms flails angrily. Walking around the apartment, he slowly takes out his phone, trying not to agitate his son even more. 

Shakily clicking on the contact, he calls his best friend. Yongbok. 

Felix, being the social butterfly that he is, had latched onto Chan and his little boy right away, becoming a regular at the small apartment Chan resided in. He's lost in his thoughts, until a deep and groggy "Hello?" comes through the phone speaker. 

"Lix! I- I'm so sorry to bother you, but Yoonjae is non-stop crying, and I need some help here. I know you and Changbin were asleep, and I've probably woken you in one of the worst ways possible—" A small sigh resounds through the other side of the phone. 

"Chris." "How many times have I told you that it's no problem? We'll be over in 10, alright?" Though not on facetime, he nods, acknowledging the other's words. 

And that 10 minutes? It feels like the longest 10 minutes he's ever experienced.

The knock on his apartment door almost makes him cry out of relief, and he, still bouncing his wailing son, opens the door and swiftly lets the two in. 

When Changbin takes Yoonjae from him, he almost collapses, Felix putting an arm around his waist to keep him on his feet, at least as much as he can. 

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." 

Yongbok shushes him, and rubs his back. The walk to the sofa almost seems like an eternity, and he can barely register his friend asking how he is, if he's slept. But the thing that takes him out of his state of confusion, is: "When was the last time you had a proper meal?" 

And it's like something inside of him just snaps. 

Chan breaks into tears, almost pitifully sobbing into his alarmed friend's chest. He tries to speak, but the only thing that comes out is a pained sob, and he's sure he sounds like an idiot. As Changbin, who had just put his son to sleep sits down on the other side of his, he's able to choke out a sentence through coughs and sniffles. 

"I've b- been eating what Yoonjae hasn't. Money is— is really tight." 

He can feel the men beside him physically freeze up, and can almost see the alarmed look they share. Felix mutters something to Changbin and he can briefly hear the front door open and shut a few moments later. 

Chan, now slowly calming down, is able to reduce his full-on sobs to sniffles, still holding onto his friend like a lifeline. 

"God, I'm so sorry, Chan. I should've noticed it was this bad. This will NEVER happen again, you hear me? Binnie and I will always be there for you. Whenever you need anything— anything at all– you call me, hm?" 

Chan nods and sighs.

"Now sleep, yeah? I'll be right here with you." As his eyes flutter shut, he can faintly hear his friend humming something to him, a soothing lullaby that calms him to sleep. 

Knowing his little boy is calmed and that he's safe, he falls into a deep sleep, his body finally relaxing and the stress leaving his previously tense face.