Between Blood and Desire ~ YoonMinSeok

Running into the Past.

Authors pov

The ice cream parlor was cozy and bustling with laughter and chatter. Hoseok sat at a small table by the window, his daughter, Lila, perched comfortably on his lap. A half-melted scoop of strawberry ice cream sat between them in a single cup, and Lila giggled as she clumsily dipped her tiny spoon into it, smearing her chubby cheeks in pink sweetness.

Her wide eyes sparkled as she tasted ice cream for the very first time, her delighted squeals filling Hoseok’s heart with warmth. “Yummy, Mommy!” she said, though half her words were muffled as her sticky hands reached for more.

Hoseok chuckled softly, wiping the mess from her face with a napkin. “You’re making a mess, my little troublemaker,” he said, though he didn’t mind in the slightest.

Lila grinned up at him, her teeth showing through her sticky mouth as she exclaimed, “More, Mommy! Lila eat more!”

After a while, her excited energy began to fade, and Hoseok could feel her small body growing heavy in his lap. She rubbed her eyes with her fists, her face still sticky with ice cream as her head drooped against his chest.

Hoseok smiled fondly, brushing a few stray hairs from her forehead. “Looks like someone’s getting sleepy,” he murmured, standing up carefully and balancing her in his arms. He placed a few bills on the table to pay the check, glancing out the window to see the sun dipping lower in the sky.

The ice cream parlor was only a short walk from their home, and Hoseok decided it would be nice to enjoy the crisp late afternoon air. He adjusted Lila on his shoulder as she rested her head against him, her tiny hands clutching the collar of his shirt as she drifted off.

The street was calm, the warm glow of the sun casting long shadows. Hoseok hummed softly to himself, enjoying the quiet moment. But then, his steps faltered as a figure caught his attention—a man jogging casually in the distance, clearly out for exercise.

Hoseok’s heart dropped into his stomach when the man turned, and their eyes met. His jaw fell open in disbelief as he froze in place.

It was Yoongi.

Yoongi’s steps slowed, his eyes widening as recognition dawned. His lips parted as if to speak, but Hoseok didn’t give him the chance. Without thinking, he turned around and started to run.

“Hoseok!” Yoongi’s voice rang out behind him, sharp and desperate. “Hoseok, wait!”

But Hoseok didn’t stop. His feet pounded against the pavement as he weaved through the thinning crowd, his breath coming in short gasps. “Sorry!” he shouted repeatedly as he bumped into people, his grip tightening on Lila to make sure she stayed safe.

Yoongi’s voice grew closer, and Hoseok’s panic surged. He wasn’t ready for this. He couldn’t face him—not now, not ever.

But then, his frantic escape came to a sudden halt as he collided with someone, nearly losing his hold on Lila. He gasped, clutching her tightly as she stirred, letting out a soft whimper before settling back into sleep.

“Hoseok?” The voice was familiar, hesitant, and filled with shock.

Hoseok looked up, his heart sinking as he met the wide eyes of Jimin.

Jimin stood frozen, his expression a mix of disbelief and something unreadable. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the noise of the city fading into the background as Hoseok tried to find words that wouldn’t come.

Behind him, the sound of hurried footsteps made him turn. Yoongi had caught up, his chest heaving as he stopped a few feet away. His gaze flicked between Hoseok and Jimin, his face pale and his eyes dark with emotion.

Hoseok stood in the middle, caught between the two men who had once been his everything. His breath hitched as he looked from Yoongi to Jimin, then back again. Lila stirred slightly in his arms, and he held her closer, his fingers trembling as silence wrapped around them like a shroud.

He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what to say.

And for the first time in a long time, Hoseok felt completely and utterly lost.