Flowers for you [SeungJin]

Chapter 29

The next day coincided with a public holiday which meant that everything was delayed or closed down. Not Hyunjin however; he still got some early practice hours that his sore body didn't appreciate. He may have trouble getting up but once he was up, he was a busy bee. He was also having trouble sleeping these days and he really tried to not think about why (because he'd gotten spoiled sleeping cuddled to a certain someone and he didn't want to be co-dependent).

Knowing that his parents would be both free at home, he decided to visit. However, there was one issue. The Kims were still working (because their corporation was essential) and Miya didn't have school.

He asked her what she wanted to do over breakfast. She thought a bit about it and then shrugged and said she could go with him. Since it was her choice, he hoped it wouldn't be awkward for her. She needed to stat realising her limits anyway (or at least that's what the parenting book that Chan lent him said). She probably thought that his parents were like hers although his little meltdown which she paid for in flowers indicated otherwise.

He let the Kims know he was taking their child to his own parents' and then they were on their way. To make up for any possible awkwardness he bought them some chocopie from the convenience and also got some Soju as a gift for them.

The greeting was lukewarm but it wasn't cold. They were probably wondering why he had a child along with the dog, because of course he'd forgotten to tell them he was bringing her. He could be so messy sometimes.

His mother hugged him briefly. "And who is this?" she asked, politely.

"This is Miya-ssi, Seungminnie's sister and since today her parents are working too I brought her with me."

"That's ok. It would have been better to let us know before so we prepared but come in come in and there is my little boy. Come here Kkami come here" Kkami did actually go to her. Could be because she was the one that fed him on the regular. Could be because she wasn't a bad person – just misguided. Hyunjin didn't like that Kkami went to her, but that was probably the hurt part of him that told him they loved the dog more than him. He also wanted Kkami to be just his but that was not possible in their profession.

His father came to greet them. He was lukewarm too but borderline cold when he realised whose sister Miya was.

Miya huddled closer to him and asked why he didn't like her in a whisper.

Hyunjin's eyes hardened and he looked at his father. He wanted to speak out loud but that would be betraying what Miya told him in hopeful confidence. "They're just not used to meeting kids, especially these days. It's not you don't worry. They will warm up" he reassured and thankfully they did. She was just a child and they seemed to keep her out of the cold war as well.

Like last time, they didn't ask much details as they discussed general news and current affairs. Safe but mostly boring, borderline depressing.

He knew they wanted what is best for him but their idea of what's best was different from his. It was true that being in the spotlight put a lot of pressure and they were worried about him, but like Chan had said, they wouldn't lose everything if they had each other. It was difficult for him to process because apart from a few hard words when they saw him with boys he liked, they weren't violent. When he had said to Seungmin once he had frowned and told him that violence wasn't always visible but he hadn't understood. Now, he was starting to see. They could be kind but still so violent. The scars their actions left of him gave him many issues and cost Chan (and Changbin) a lot of money on Dr. Lee's fees.

His parents paid more attention to Kkami anyway so he took it upon himself to find the family photo albums. Miya tagged along and was quite curious, asking to see some of them while eating her chocopies. He limited to two because he couldn't risk a sugar rush. Once, they had left her in Jeongin's care while they went to take some photos outside...he had given her so much sugar that she was almost flying inside. Her parents vase was the damage and Hyunjin had volunteered to go and look in secondhand shops for the exact same ones. Seungmin had vowed to never leave her with Jeongin ever again.