Play Dates

One

Geonhak's eyes are half closing behind his glasses as he goes through pages and pages of online documentation. He checks the dates, figures and name spellings, repeatedly saves the file to avoid losing it as he has done countless times, and never stops adding and removing words or whole sentences. His phone keeps vibrating next to him on his administrative desk but he ignores it; he has no doubt it is Dongju spamming him once again. He really needs to get this project outline done before he leaves the townhall. Dongju's neverending, eccentric requests will wait.

As his phone is receiving what must be by now the tenth call, Geonhak starts as he feels someone's friendly hand on his right shoulder. He looks up, his eyes momentarily blurry from having stared too much at his computer screen, and smiles as he recognises Youngjo. His coworker looks worried. "Everything's okay? Are you staying late tonight?"

Geonhak slightly frowns, and points at the digital file. "Yeah, I need to finish that up. Almost done. I'll be leaving in a few minutes, no worries."

The taller man watched him dubiously with his piercing eyes. "It's already 4:45PM," he indicates evasively. "Isn't it your week?"

Geonhak freezes on the spot. He swiftly gets a look at his computer clock. "Shoot," he mumbles. The blond-haired man immediately closes the file on the screen, turns the computer off and roughly tosses his belongings into his shoulder bag. "How could I forget," he snarls at himself in an undertone. He briefly glances at a sympathetic-looking Youngjo, and thanks him for the reminder.

"Hey, it's alright, Geonhak-ah," the eldest of them two softly says. "I'm sure he's fine. See you tomorrow. Please rest."

Geonhak nods and runs out of their sectors' shared floor, almost taking the stairs two by two as he goes down the townhall's mazy buildings. He finally checks his phone screen: 12 unread messages from Dongju; 2 from an unknown number, which also tried to call him several times; and Dongju calling him once more right now. He answers dryly between his teeth, his jaw clenched, "Yes, got it. I'm on my way."

Dongju starts bawling through the phone at how irresponsible a person Geonhak is and how stu— before the concerned party hangs up. Geonhak does not need Dongju to tell him those things; he knows he messed up — again. He knows he keeps failing at his duties and at this whole parenting thing. Again, he has forgotten to pick up his son from school.

Geonhak speeds up on the way to the primary school, hoping that his child is all but worried and that he is well taken care of. His car's tyres screech against the concrete of the school parking-lot, and he barely makes sure to pull the handbrake before he jumps out of the driver's seat and into the school grounds.

He immediately spots his boy's figure on a playground structure, his legs dangling before him, his hands tightly holding onto his schoolbag's strips. His grinning eyes are looking up at a pink-haired adult on a neighbouring structure which is almost his size, considering how short he is. They seem to be in a deep, fun conversation, but Geonhak calls his son without any form of introduction, "Sunyul-ah! I'm here! Appa's here."

The little boy's smile gets bigger as he glimpses at his father, and waves at him. The adult next to the child smiles in relief and gets up, gesturing for Sunyul to do the same. "Appa!" the little boy yelps happily, stretching out his arms so that Geonhak might lift him up. His blonde father holds him tight against his chest and breathes in the boy's reassuring smell, a mixture of hair lotion and... paint?

"I'm sorry, baby," he whispers in his husky voice. "It will never, ever happen again. Promise." He holds his head back a little to peck his son on his chubby cheek. He then turns around to face the other adult who is fiddling with his hands, smiling awkwardly at him. "Hi, Mr... Yeo, is it? I got your calls. I'm terribly sorry, I'm significantly late." He looks down while holding onto his son and adds weakly, "Work..."