𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 | jinji

"four: take care"

hyunjin went missing.

jisoo and jinyoung hurry around the town, desperately screaming hyunjin-ah by the streets. they were a mess as they scattered, asking people if they've seen a lost young boy anywhere.

perhaps it was too sudden.

"jinyoung, this isn't going to work," jisoo says as she holds jinyoung's shoulder once their paths cross, both still out of breath. jinyoung, hands on his knees and tired, heaves short but heavy breaths, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"i have someone who can help. maybe they can find him quicker. sit here." jisoo gestures jinyoung to take a seat by a nearby bench underneath a cherry blossom tree. he obliges, while jisoo becomes busy talking on her phone.

"alright, tell us if you have any news." jisoo hangs up, and she sat down beside jinyoung, keeping a friendly distance from the other.

"this is a mess." jinyoung whispers underneath his breath, eyes focused on the pavement as his thoughts wandered elsewhere. jisoo gazes at the young man, concerned. her eyes trail towards his left cheek, which was growing red.

"are you okay? i mean— your cheek, that is. it probably hurts," jisoo says. "do you need ice or something?" 

jinyoung, upon confronting nayeon earlier as they met, her arms linked with another man, was slapped immediately without him being able to say a word.

"so this is how you want to show hyunjin as my reputation? you're too selfish, jinyoung." jinyoung doesn't budge even after the pain on his cheek stings. he hears the man beside her mutter that they should leave and not cause a scene, causing jinyoung to be left alone, vulnerable as the two walked away. instead of running after them, he was focused on finding hyunjin first, leaving his pain for later, with jisoo following him from behind.

jinyoung unconsciously brushes his cheek to check, flinching as he felt the pain at his touch, but quickly shrugs it off. instead, he stands, eyes busy searching around.

"this can't do. we need to find him now," jinyoung says, not minding jisoo and hurrying of to some other streets, asking strangers. jisoo heaves a deep sigh. her heart feels broken at the sight of a father desperately searching for his son.

"after i've decided to step aside and allow him to come to you, here you are, off with another man. he chose you, out of all women, because he knows you liked him that much," jisoo whispers to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. "you're really unbelievable, nayeon."

after heaving a deep breath, jisoo rushes off to help jinyoung with his search. suddenly, her phone buzzes. as the caller speaks, her eyes sparkle. she grabs jinyoung's shoulder in a rush.

"they found hyunjin." jinyoung never ran as fast as he did that moment.

POLICE STATION

jinyoung immediately hurries and embraces his son at the sight of him once they enter, with jisoo trailing behind him. she gazes at them sweetly, as jinyoung holds his son's face, searching him for any wounds.

"daddy, i'm fine." jisoo could have sworn that her heart broke when hyunjin looks directly into jinyoung's eyes. even jinyoung went teary.

suddenly, an officer enters, a plastic filled with ice in one hand. once preparing an ice pack, he went towards hyunjin, trying to apply it onto his head, but hyunjin simply holds the ice pack, moving it away from his head and towards his father's cheek, catching jinyoung by surprise.

"i saw what happened, daddy, and—" the young boy couldn't hide the tears that welled up in his eyes. "i'm sorry if i ran away." he hugs his dad tight. even jisoo had tears threatening to fall from her eyes, but before anyone could notice, she had wiped them away.

"thank you for finding my son." jinyoung manages to squeeze a smile despite tears falling down his cheeks. the officer simply smiles, shaking his head to say that it was their pleasure to be of help.

"but how did you know i was here, daddy?" hyunjin asks once they tear apart from their hug. his head slowly turns to jisoo, giving her a soft smile that melted jisoo's heart infinitely. she returned a smile as well.

"she told me you were here; she helped me find you. you don't know how much i was worried for you," jinyoung says, pouting at his son. hyunjin pouts in return as well, making jisoo stifle a laugh. with jinyoung's longing eyes, jisoo walks towards them, patting the young boy's head softly in admiration.

"hyunjin-ah, make sure you take care of your dad, okay? i'm sure he'll be in great hands if he's with you. you're the only one he has left." in jisoo's life, never has she expected to see someone so vulnerable in front of their young ones—it touched her heart so much, and it brought anger to her, knowing that a man as nice as jinyoung was only betrayed and denied of the love he deserved.

hyunjin's eyes trail from his father's to jisoo's, back and forth, as if he had something in mind.

"why don't the two of you take care of each other?" he asks innocently. both jisoo and jinyoung's eyes widen as he avoids meeting jisoo's gaze, obviously flustered.

instead, jisoo laughs. she lowers herself, sitting beside jinyoung and meeting hyunjin's eyes as her hands lovingly caressed his adorable red cheeks.

"hyunjin-ah, i already have someone." jinyoung's eyes widen, looking at the direction where jisoo's head turns. she gestures to the officer by the other side of the room who leaned by the counter, gazing at them. he smiled softly at the young boy. jinyoung, on the other hand, tried his best to hide his reaction.  "he's the reason why i was able to find you."

instead of interfering, the young man said nothing, and still had a genuine smile on his face. jisoo stands up, gesturing him to come closer to be able to introduce himself.

"this is my fianceé, junmyeon."