Parent Lee In The House || ✔

Chapter Twenty-One

"Ah! Jisung-ah." A smile tugged Taeyong's lips. He had one arm folded against his chest as the other supported the phone, his figure leaned onto the doorframe. 

"Mr. Taeyong!! Where are you!" At this point, it's not a normal reply. Rather, As he spoke his breath hitched repeatedly and his words were almost unintelligible. There were uncontrollable sniffles heard in the other line. Taeyong eyebrows knitted in worry. "You broke our promise, you said you won't leave me." The sentence ended with a whine.

"I'm so sorry baby. I had to stay for work. I would never leave you." Taeyong sighed and paced back and forward, his behind still faced Jaehyun who busied himself on his phone. It's best not to go into detail since Jisung wouldn't get the whole lost files and records thing.

"Just take me with you." Jisung wiped his eyes with the use of his sleeve. "Chenle-hyung is also worried for you. We all are." His voice softened at the last. "Are you okay?"

"Jisung. I'm fine. And don't worry. I'll come home as soon as possible, alright? Don't cry, it makes me sad." Taeyong pouted.

Jisung sniffed loudly.

"I'll make it up to you and buy you ice cream. Is that alright?"

"I just want you to come home."

The amount of sincerity flooding in that sentence made Taeyong's heart sink. He felt awful and blamed himself for being too busy, then again he expected these kind of things to happen. You never know what goes downhill.

"I will baby." Taeyong pursed his lips. "Is Minsoo still there?"

"Yeah. But she's.." There was a pause, it seems that Jisung was still trying to calm down from sobbing. "C-cooking lunch."

"Ah, good good. Everyone doing alright?"

Jisung sniffed and relaxed at Taeyong's calming tone. He's glad he gets to hear it again after some time and saying it merely helped him was an understatement. Jisung snuggled himself beside the window, taking a quick glance at his brothers.

"Yeah." Jisung cleared his throat. "They're fine."

"Then there's nothing to worry about."

The worst things happen when Taeyong is not home. From the neighborhood fight to Yuta and Jungwoo being lost - Minsoo told him the whole story prior to Jaehyun's arrival and him blacking out on his desk - there was never a time where he'd not have a hard time trying to stomach in this neurotic feeling everytime he would step out the house. Something saying to him that he should stay for now and if he leaves, a problem will surface.

And he was right.
His instincts were right.

Taeyong should've trust his guts more.

"Jungwoo-hyung found a really nice leaf." Jisung smiled as if Taeyong can physically see it. Taeyong raised a questioning brow at the younger's sudden change of tone. For a moment it came out as timid yet sad, now, Jisung sounded as if he never cried, rather he sounded frolicsome. This boy.

"Oh? What kind of leaf?"

"I don't know what it's called but it has four petals? .. And small. Minsoo-noona told me that these leafs are for good luck."

Taeyong thought for a moment when his eyes dilated. "A clover."

"Hyung wanted to show you but you left."

"Ah, don't worry. Once I come home, show it to me alright?"

"Okay!"

Giggles shot up in the other line along with faint padding of feet, indicating Jisung was going somewhere.