lean on me » showki

juu-ni

The next day, Kihyun couldn't stop smiling.

He'd thought to himself over and over that, next to each other, he and Hyunwoo really did look like a happy couple, and with Minhyuk thrown into the mix, either being held up by Kihyun or Hyunwoo, the three did look like a happy family.

the thought alone was enough to have Kihyun blushing like a schoolgirl, as he did think Hyunwoo was a really cool guy, and he wouldn't mind if the friendship they had at the moment blossomed into something more.

However, Kihyun had a feeling that the way Hyunwoo treated him was a lot different from how he would treat his other friends. He seemed almost nervous around Kihyun, like the younger male was too good for him and he was lucky to even be able to talk to him.

Hyunwoo did feel like that, sometimes.

He never really understood why so many people looked up to him, or why all the women at his workplace clung to him like koalas when it was very obvious that he was gay.

In society, single mothers were seen as nuisances, but single fathers were seen as the complete opposite. Everyone respected them because they were men, and men were supposed to be the less nurturing of the two sexes.

Hyunwoo didn't see how that was right. He was exactly the same as every other parent in the world, regardless of whether they were single, gay, straight, male or female.

Normally, he didn't like the attention he got from people thinking that he needed help, but Kihyun was different.

Whenever Kihyun offered to help him out, he never said it was because he felt sorry for him, but because Minhyuk was an angel and Hyunwoo took pride in that fact.

But if he were to decide, Kihyun was the real angel. He was beautiful, and he was definitely different to most men Hyunwoo had ever met. He was such a mother figure to Minhyuk sometimes that it actually made Hyunwoo hate himself for being stuck in this situation and leaving Minhyuk without a mother.

He could just imagine Kihyun being such a sweetheart to everyone, and the thought itself brought a scowl to Hyunwoo's face.

"Kihyun, can I have a word with you for a moment?" The principal spoke up from the back door to the classroom, and both Kihyun and Minhyuk looked up from the small table they were playing with Play-Doh at.

Kihyun moved to get up, but Minhyuk wrapped his tiny arms around one of Kihyun's preventing him from moving very far, and Kihyun smiled down at the blonde reassuringly.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Minhyuk, I promise," he ruffled Minhyuk's hair, and the latter let him get up, Jooheon soon taking Kihyun's place next to Minhyuk.

Kihyun joined the principal, the two walking in silence to his office, and the pink-haired male couldn't help but give his mind to the sinking feeling in his stomach. Throughout his four years of working at the nursery, he had never been called to the principal's office before, and he couldn't help but feel he had done something horribly wrong.

"Take a seat, Kihyun-ssi," the principal instructed, closing the door behind the two of them and Kihyun did as he was told, sitting in the chair opposite his boss' desk. "Now, as you know, Kihyun-ssi, we prioritise the safety of our children above all. Wouldn't you agree?"

Kihyun nodded, showing no hesitation. "Of course."

"I'm glad you agree," the older man smiled, and Kihyun stared blankly at him, not knowing whether he should smile or not. "But, yesterday evening, you failed to show regard for the health and safety regulations we hold here. A concerned mother came to me yesterday; she said she'd seen you leaving the building yesterday with a child that is not yours. Is that correct?"

Kihyun should've trusted that sinking feeling in his gut, and he felt the blood drain from his face as he gulped.

"I-It is, but there's a very good reason for that," he replied, and the principal raised an eyebrow at him.

"Go on, then," he granted the permission for Kihyun to explain, and the pink-haired male leaned forward in his seat.

"The father of that child rang me earlier that same day and asked if I could take Minhyuk- the son home with me since he would be working late," Kihyun explained, and the principal only looked more confused.

"Hang on, why does the father have your phone number and vice versa?" He questioned, and the look on his face told Kihyun that he probably wouldn't be walking away with his job if he didn't grovel like his life depended on it.

"B-Because..." He stuttered, trying his damn hardest to come up with a believable lie. And that was when it hit him. "The father and I are together - romantically. H-He wanted me to look after Minhyuk that day while he was at work and I agreed to since Minhyuk is like a son to me."

Silence fell over the two men, and Kihyun could hear his own heart racing from how nervous he was. His sweaty palms gripped his knees tightly as the principal sighed.

"You do understand that I will have to call Minhyuk's father in for a meeting with the two of you, just as a safety precaution, don't you?" He asked, and Kihyun nodded. "Take the rest of the day off."

~*~

i know i say this way too much but dramama ramama ramama hey

also thank you for 5K+ reads!