Papa | ᴄʜᴇɴsᴜɴɢ

prologue

Everyone was looking at them. Some stares are filled with curiosity, some with pity, and some with judgment.

They are all looking at the toddler carried by a teenager.

The two are just playing and minding their own world and they don't care about the stares given by strangers.

"Who's the cute baby?" Jaemin said in a cheerful tone to the toddler while playing the toy in front of it. The toddler laughed because of Jaemin's playfulness.

"Teenagers nowadays. Tsk," a lady commented while looking at Jaemin with full of judgment.

"They didn't even finish school before having a child. They ended up being a burden to their parents," The lady beside her added.

But Jaemin doesn't care about them. He just continued to entertain the baby in front of him.

"Ooncle Na, am I a burden?" The 3-year-old toddler asked Jaemin. He kept on hearing the unwanted whispers the strangers that makes him wonder if he's a burden.

"Did Ooncle and Dada says your a burden?" Jaemin asked the toddler and he shakes his head.

"Dada says that I'm a gift!" The toddler said as he spread his arms in the air.

"Yes, you are~ You are the greatest gift," Jaemin said as he continue to play with the toddler.

Where the heck is Park Jisung? Jaemin thought. They've been waiting for Jisung for 20 minutes already.

Then a few minutes later, the missing Park Jisung appeared walking towards them with a cup of ice cream in his hand.

"Ice cweam! Cweam!" The baby cheered because of the ice cream that was held by his father.

"Here you go," Jisung gave the ice cream to the toddler and the toddler eats it with delight.

"What took you so long?" Jaemin asked when Jisung sat beside him.

"The line was so long," Jisung explained. He came from the bank to withdraw money.

"Dada! Carry," The toddler said as he pats Jisung's arms after he finished his cup of ice cream, and Jisung carried him instantly in his arms.

"He really doesn't wanna sit. He'd just sit if you're not around," Jaemin commented as he saw the baby hugging his father. "You like to be carried, don't you~?"

The baby giggled because of Jaemin.

"I also want to carry him. Let's go now before the grocery close," Jisung said and they walked inside the grocery store.

"How's auntie?" Jaemin asked Jisung while they're walking in the aisle of frozen goods.

"They're already fine with it," Jisung answered.

"Han, do you want this?" Jisung asked his son when he noticed that his short arms are reaching for the Yakult.

"Han want!" The baby nodded in joy. And Jisung smiled because of his son's cuteness.

It took them three years. Jaemin thought.

When Jisung's parents found out that Jisung's gonna be a young dad, they were in rage. They were mad. They stopped supporting Jisung financially as they want Jisung to learn how to earn money on his own, to be independent, and to raise his own child on his own; and Jisung couldn't do anything about it. He understood his parents and he also could not go to them as they live and work abroad while he's in Korea.

Jisung stopped for a year and work at the café near his apartment to provide his and his baby's needs. Then after a year, Jisung went back to study again, but he continues to work part-time at the café.

If Jisung's not around, it was Jaemin and his two boyfriends, Jeno and Renjun, who took care of the baby. And they're completely fine with it because who doesn't want to take care and play with an adorable toddler like Han? Han was also smart.

If his papa is just here— No, stop thinking about him. Jaemin shook the thought in his head.

When they got done from shopping groceries. Jaemin drove Jisung and Han back to their apartment.

"Jisung, will they provide for you again?" Jaemin asked Jisung while the younger was storing the groceries they bought. Han was in the living room watching barney.

"It'll be better for you if they start providing for you again. You'll focus more on your studies and Han," Jaemin continued. This was Jisung's last year in college and he doesn't want the younger to stop or fail another year.

Jisung nodded slowly. "After I graduated, Han and I will fly to the U.S. to live with my parents."

"What? I thought you wanna live here?" Jaemin was taken aback with Jisung's sudden drop of news.

"I want to but it's just me and Han here. Also, my parents want to meet him," Jisung reasoned out.

"Won't you go home already? Jeno Hyung and Renjun Hyung might be looking for you already," Jisung asked Jaemin.

"Oh, right. I told them that I'll be home by seven. I gotta go now," Jaemin said as he looked at his wristwatch.

"But Jisung, you might still want to consider living here after graduation. We're still here for you and Han," Jaemin patted Jisung's head before he leaves the apartment.

"I'll think about it, Hyung," Jisung replied. And they bid goodbye to each other.

"Dada, where's Papa?" Han suddenly asked Jisung, which made his father stunned.

"Because in barney, the parents are always two while it's just you alone," Han reasoned out.

"Uhm, your papa isn't here anymore," Jisung answered.

Jisung swore to himself to never hide anything from his son when asked questions about his Papa but he didn't expect that Han would ask this early.

"What do you mean not here?" Han asked out of pure curiosity.

"Just... He's not here," Jisung answered, avoiding to answer his son's question.

Chenle is not coming back anymore. How will I explain this to him? Jisung asked himself.

His papa isn't coming back anymore.