HYUN [ JJK ]

24

"Where's Hyun?!"

Jeongguk took a sharp inhale, nothing but silence filled the living room as he pressed his palms against his face. He counted to three internally, and when he heard soft gurgles accompanied with faint shrieks, Jeongguk revealed his face, not forgetting to lean over Hyun until the tip of their nose touched.

Hyun's squeal filled the entire house when Jeongguk proceeded to nuzzle into the crook of his neck, admiring the sweet smell of the talcum powder mixed with the fresh-laundry scent that he had grown accustomed to. When he looked up, Hyun replied with a wide gummy smile as his small, chubby fingers raking through Jeongguk's dark brown locks.

"There daddy's boy is!" The word daddy wasn't anything alien to Jeongguk now, in fact he loved to be called that way because he felt like he actually had mentally grown up, mature enough to carry responsibilities on his back. Apart from that, it made his heart flip in an explicable way to see Hyun's response every time he heard the word, would always turn his head to stare at Jeongguk with those mono-lidded eyes, lips curving into a genuine smile that Jeongguk had to admit—that was his weakness now.

Jeongguk leaned over to peck on Hyun's cheeks, his arms snaking around the boy's upper body before he lifted him up, making him sit on his lap afterwards. He had no idea how incoherent sounds could be so mesmerising that Jeongguk couldn't help but to always anticipate what Hyun wanted to blurt out. Though he knew that at the end he couldn't understand a thing, Jeongguk enjoyed having a conversation with Hyun, enjoyed being alone with the boy so that no one could point their finger at him and laugh at how dumb this new Jeongguk was.

After all, Jeon Jeongguk was still Jeon Jeongguk. Was still the guy who screamed boyfriend outside but actually a storm on the inside. Was still the guy who seemed friendly but not to the extent he could sit next to a stranger and naturally start a conversation. Jeongguk was still the kind of Jeongguk who thought having affections towards someone was too sappy, too soft for his stone-hard heart to handle and comprehend. That was why Jeongguk found solace in gambling—though it sounded damn ridiculous—because the affection he felt towards cards was completely different from affections towards humans.

Affections towards humans made him feel sick to the core.

But that was back then. A new chapter of the story of his life was nothing close to the previous chapter. It wasn't the climax yet—Jeongguk believed that. But it's making progress towards the climax for him to feel ambivalence throughout the whole phase. Jeongguk was far from a bookworm but he knew at least a bit about books. He had heard many stories with many kinds of climax but those kinds came from only two options. Whether bad, or good. Jeongguk didn't know, couldn't foresee what's awaiting him at the climax of his story but he chose to push that thought to the very back of his mind until he couldn't remember its existence anymore.

To put it simply, Jeongguk enjoyed being the new Jeongguk and he wanted to enjoy the phase to the fullest until he reached the climax.

Anyone who saw him would say he had turned crazy, had lost his mind because there's no way a guy like Jeon Jeongguk could develop a soft spot for a baby, especially when the baby was the reason why he was thrown into endless problems and struggles. So in order to avoid that, Jeongguk would always act lowkey in front of Hoseok every time that friend asked about Hyun. Unlike the way he would break into the brightest smile ever when he told Jaehwa that Hyun had started to learn how to pronounce daddy. Jeongguk's face was rather bland when he talked to Hoseok, as if he was forced to even say a word.

But the reality was of course, the other way around. Jeongguk couldn't thank the God more that Hoseok couldn't see how his blood rushed through his veins, how his heart thumped against his chest when he pictured Hyun's smile and squeal and basically everything he did on his mind. He didn't mean to lie or deny his own feelings, but Jeongguk didn't want to let anyone know, and that included Hoseok, that he had fallen so hard for Hyun because he knew that orange-haired friend would remind him to stay on his track, and that meant getting rid whatever attachment he had with Hyun.

"You're okay if I leave you with Jaehwa, right?" Jeongguk forced out a smile, his thumb traced Hyun's lower lip when the boy only stared at him with his jaw dropped. "Daddy will bring lots of money home, hmm?"

A knock of the door made Jeongguk jerk his head towards the door before yelling "come in" because he knew enough that was Jaehwa. Her head then peeked through the gap of the door before she stepped in. She had came over for 6 consecutive days now that Jeongguk's apartment apparently had turned hers too. Jaehwa didn't even wait for him to open the door for her because just before Jeongguk could shuffle towards the door, he would always find herself already dashing towards Hyun lying in the living room.

"What are you doing?" Jeongguk asked, frowning hard upon Jaehwa who suddenly looked like she's hesitating to enter the apartment. "Acting like you aren't used to barge into my apartment and all."

Jaehwa shook her head and made her way towards Jeongguk, throwing her bag onto the couch afterwards. "You are all dressed up. Don't you think you are trying too hard to impress your friends?" She nudged his elbow when Jeongguk looked away.

"I'm going to the casino tonight." Jeongguk bit the inner of his cheeks when he saw Jaehwa's shocked expression, as if she wasn't expecting to hear that coming from him. "I need money."

"Jeongguk." Jaehwa turned her torso so now she's facing Jeongguk completely. Jeongguk didn't know what her wavering pupils were supposed to mean, but the moment she looked down at her lap and sighed, he knew that it probably would be another round of Jaehwa telling him to stop gambling. "I hate jumping to the worse case scenarios but let's jump to the worse case scenarios for now. What if you lose? What if something happens? You are going to lose even more money-"

"What if I win?" Jeongguk spat, not waiting for her to end her sentence. "I can eat instant noodles but Hyun can't, Jaehwa. And having you paying for Hyun's food and formula is not an option. Let's think of the bright side for now, okay?"

"Are you going alone?" Jaehwa suddenly asked when Jeongguk got onto his feet, his car keys were already in his tight grasp.

Jeongguk nodded. "Unless my friend wants to join me."

"Are you seeing Hyun's father too?" The question made the gears of Jeongguk's mind stopped for a split second.

"I- I don't know yet."

A deep frown etched on Jeongguk's forehead when Jaehwa strode to pick Hyun up. With one hand supporting the boy, she reached for her bag and walked towards Jeongguk.

"Then we are going too."

"Are you- are you crazy? Have you lost your mind?!" Jeongguk chuckled in disbelief, his hands were placed firmly on his hips. "You are going to a casino, Jaehwa. You are telling me you are bringing Hyun to a casino? You know how that place is, right? Drunk people, all about money and betting people's life, d- drugs-"

"But not everyone there is a bad person, right?" Jaehwa remarked. "For example, you. If you are a bad person, you would have left Hyun in an orphanage since the first day you had him. If you're that heartless to bet human's life, you would have sold Hyun to anyone and live happily with the money you would get in return. You have many choices, Jeongguk. So many choices yet you chose to look after him. You practically raised Hyun though you know you will have to return him to his father one day."

For that, Jeongguk was appalled.

"Hyun and I will stay outside. Maybe you can tell Hyun's father to come out for a while to see his son." Jaehwa cracked a small smile, scooting closer while batting her eyelashes. "Can we tag along?"

Jeongguk threw his head back before looking down at her small frame. After battling with himself and the thoughts racing on his mind, he ended up letting a short hum as a sign of approval.

"Bring Hyun's bag too. It's in my room."