HYUN [ JJK ]

44

Jeongguk couldn't believe that he managed to set his foot into the police station after endless episodes of debating mentally. Jeongguk tried to isolate himself for once in a while, tried to block out any noise from his surrounding except from what Jaehwa told him at the rooftop. His chest had never tightened so much upon a decision, and the pain was way more unbearable that doing a triathlon that he didn't think he had enough of oxygen supply at that rate.

Jaehwa and Hoseok were right—he finally came to realise that after what seemed like an eternity. After counting out his determination to keep Hyun and putting himself as a person who was struggling with university and a baby—Jeongguk realised that it was the best to hand the case to the officers, believed that what comes next would be the best for both him and Hyun.

Jeongguk asked himself again, only to find the answers that he could never look after Hyun alone when university got harder on him. It was his final year and that meant a lot of projects and film making, endless group discussions and meetings and after all of those, the one who would be affected and abandoned would be Hyun. Jeongguk didn't want to rely on Jaehwa forever—because having her volunteering to look after Hyun while he attended classes all these while was more than enough.

At some point, Hoseok was right. Maybe he had a whole different opinion when it comes to the problem, as his point of view was not as a person who loves Hyun but as Jeongguk's friend who knew his background and his family in general.

"How are you going to tell your family about Hyun then? Are you going to say that you got him from gambling? Sounds like human trafficking." What Hoseok said yesterday rang on his mind, forcing Jeongguk to shut his eyes and swallow hard to tune it off then and there. It used to make the flame within him grew bigger but now that Jeongguk had gained his sanity, it all finally made so much sense. Of course he wouldn't be able to explain to his parents properly without them getting wrong ideas, and of course, his father wouldn't hesitate to exclaim that Jeongguk was bringing disgrace to the family. From messing up big time throughout the previous years of university to almost spending a night in a cell due to gambling—his father sure wouldn't tolerate him coming home with a baby and the idea of him raising a child on his own.

"Hey." A light pat on his back startled Jeongguk. When looked over his shoulder, he saw Hoseok beaming at him, the latter's hand moved to massage his shoulder. It was a type of friendship between boys that they didn't sit together to apologise for what had happened, but judging from the way Hoseok's smile tugged on his pursed lips, Jeongguk could tell straightaway that his friend was indeed giving him an apologetic smile. "Are you going to let Jaehwa carry Hyun? Come on." Hoseok slapped his back hard, causing Jeongguk to wince in pain a tad bit. "Act like a gentleman, hmm? And congrats... for being able to make it until this point."

Jeongguk replied with a faint smile and pushed Hoseok's hand away, leaving the orange haired guy without a word as he made his way towards Hoseok's car.

"I'll carry him." Jeongguk interrupted just before Jaehwa could lean in to pick Hyun up from the baby car seat. "You can enter with Hoseok first. I- I'll join you guys later."

Without waiting for her response, Jeongguk turned his back, proceeded to unbuckle the seatbelt only to curse under his breath for his shaky hands. Couldn't stop hating himself for being so scared and nervous to the point he had to fumble to do the simplest thing. Jeongguk heaved out a relieved sigh when he finally succeeded to unbuckle the seatbelt, chest tightening as he picked Hyun up.

When Jeongguk turned around, he didn't expect to see Jaehwa still standing there, wearing a blank expression as she pulled her jacket closer to her upper body. He had no idea how long she had been standing there, but Jeongguk guessed she had never left the place since the beginning by looking at her dry chattering lips, the tip of her nose and cheeks were starting to change into shades of red.