Baby Steps | hyunsung

1 | REUNITED RENDITION

CHAPTER ONE;

REUNITED RENDITION;

Jisung remembers the time when he and his best friend had finally reconnected after four long years. It had been during the early morning on a Sunday. He had awoken not even two hours prior, so his body still moved sluggishly. Felix had called him—his chirpy voice ringing throughout the cell phone speaker the minute the lines connected. Jisung should have expected the notice of the Australian's arrival (especially since they've talked about it a few days ago), but as he held the mobile device against his ear, he was a little surprised to hear that Felix's plane would be touching down in Seoul Korea in only an hour.

"No, I will not—sir, can't you see that I'm on the phone?" The Australian sounded aggravated on his end. He was talking to another pedestrian on the plane, that stranger protesting back with how obnoxious Felix was being. He didn't need to be screaming to whoever he was talking to. Jisung couldn't hold back a giggle. Four years later and Lee Yongbok was still as exuberant as his high school self. "I don't care that you're trying to nap! Why am I even still talking to you?" There was shuffling. "Anyway, I expect to see you at the airport Han Jisung. You and my little ray of sunshine. Oh, I can't wait to meet her!"

At the mention, Jisung turned his head to the side. A grin stretched at his lips when seeing his precious three-year-old daughter Han-Hwang Esme. She lay on the floor, stomach against the maroon rug that was gifted to him by his mother a few years ago. Her little feet had been kicked up in the air, occasionally swinging back and forth as she hummed a random song to herself. She'd been occupied with coloring in a tiger from a book—a bold choice to make it purple with yellow eyes. Esme was everything to him. He would never ask to go back and make the choice to abort or give her up for adoption. But then he'd think a little too hard. He'd remember that Hyunjin wasn't in the picture (and might never be), he'd conjure all of the possible questions she'd ask in the future, he'd wonder if he was parenting correctly. It was all too bittersweet. And if he cried about it late within the night, that was only for him and his comfort pillow to know about. Thankfully all of those negative thoughts and feelings will temporarily disappear when Esme would run up to him and ask for a hug; when she'd smile and laugh; whenever she would ask for his help. It's the reassurance that he needed. That maybe everything will be okay in the end.

"Yeah, I know she can't wait to meet you either. I don't know how, but all of those video calls have made her attached" Jisung responds. He flinched upon hearing Felix squeal. "I'm not going to lie, she asks about you all the time. When's uncle Lixie coming home? What's uncle Lixie doing? Can we call uncle Lixie now? My child likes you more than me" They laughed together. It was cut short upon hearing that same passenger on the plane curse at the Australian again.

"Oh shut up. No one cares that you can't hear your whale sounds!" More shuffling and what might be smacks vibrated through the speaker. Jisung had to remove the phone from his ear and look at the screen in order to see if he was hearing things correctly. Felix shouting out in pain had the single father startled. "Sungie, I'm gonna have to let you go now. This asshol—ow! Quit hitting me you old man! I'll call you when I land. Love you, bye!" Then there were a few beeps to announce that the phone call had ended. Jisung shook his head with a chuckle. Leave it up to the quirky foreigner to irritate his seatmate to the point of assault.