"Saeran."

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

He walked down the steps. Slowly walked up to MC. And just stared at her.

"Why are you here?" MC asked, her voice calm and even.

A few more seconds of staring.

"Saeran?"

"Don't you hate me?"

"...What?"

"For what I did to you. For what I did to Saeyoung."

"What? Why did you show up here? Are you going to take us away?"

"...I don't know."

Turning around, he walked into the shadows and disappeared. After peering for a few seconds, MC ran inside the house.

"Seyong?! Seyong, where are you!?"

Hearing nothing, she ran to the bathroom.

"Seyong?"

"Mama? What's wrong?"

She grabbed him and held him close. After a few seconds, she pulled away and looked Seyong in the eye.

"Seyong, did anything happen? Did you see anyone? Why didn't you answer me?! I almost had a heart attack!"

"I was brushing my teeth like you told me to, so I had a bunch of toothpaste in my mouth. That's why I couldn't yell back."

"Did you see anyone?"

He shook his head. "Nuh-uh. It's night-time, how would I be able to see anyone?"

"Oh, thank God." She hugged him again, ruffling his hair.

"Stop that Mama! It feels weird!" he complained.

"Ok, ok. I just love you sooo much!"

"Hee hee, I love you too!!!"

"Alright, it's time for bed now."

"Can I-"

She cut him off. "No. You cannot sleep outside, little one."

"Fiiiiine..."

She led him to his bedroom and sat down. "Alright, let's do your prayers."

He nodded. "Ok!" Kneeling in front of MC, he clasped his hands and rested them on her lap. Bowing their heads, they said softly.

"Father, we thank thee for the night,
And for the pleasant morning light;
For rest and food and loving care,
And all that makes the day so fair.

Help us to do the things we should,
To be to others kind and good;
In all we do, in work or play,
every day. Amen."

Smiling gently, MC said "Good job little one! You didn't get it wrong even once."

He grinned. "I practiced all day! I just kept on saying it over'n over in my head."

"Heh, no wonder you were so good today. You didn't get into trouble at all." She put him on the bed and tickled him. "Which is a very odd occurrence for you!"

"Teeheehee!!! Stoppit!!!!!"

"Fine. Bedtime."

Seyong dived under the bed-sheets. "You can't catch me under heeeeere!!! Hee hee!"

MC grinned. "Ooh, can't I though?"

Crawling onto the bed, she trapped him under the blankets by making a fence around him with her arms and legs.

"ACK! LEMME OUT LEMME OUT LEMME OUT!!!"

Smirking, she got off. "See? Told you I can get you out."

He pouted. "Hmph, fine."

She patted his his head. "Cutie. Ok, seriously though. Time for bed. Let me turn out the lights, then I'll tuck you in bed."

She went around the room, turning off the various lights.

"Mama, can you leave that one?"

She stopped at a stoplight-fashioned nightlight.

"This one?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, no problem."

After turning off all the other lights, she came back to the bed. Sitting down, she held Seyong's hand.

"Time to sleep, little one."

"Ok..."

She sat there, stroking his hand and watching his eyes slowly close. Once they were fully closed and his breathing slowed, she slipped away. Tip-toeing away, she went out the door and started slowly closing it.

"...Mama?"

MC stopped what she was doing and went back inside.

"Little one, I thought you were asleep."

"...Mama, where's Daddy?"

...there it is. The big question. I've wondered when he was going to ask, she thought. Should...should I lie to him? No. If he is old enough to ask, he's old to know the truth. But why now? Why is he asking right after Saeran showed up? Ugh, I'll think about that later.

"Mama?"

She shook herself out of her thoughts.

"Seyong...your Daddy...he was a very brave man. You know, he protected me. A long time ago, before you were born. And...and that's.."

How do I tell him this???

"How did he protect you, Mama?" Seyong cut through her thoughts.

"Well...he uhhhh...heh, first he stalked me by making sure there was a camera on me at all times. THEN he he came to my house and completely ignored me to stop me from liking him. Ho ho, but that didn't stop me!"

"Really? What did you do?" Seyong asked.

"Ha, I kept bugging him. I kept calling him on his phone, even though we were in the same room. I kept on smiling, even though it hurt so much when he wouldn't smile back."

"He doesn't sound like a very good guy, Mama."

"But he was. You see, the reason he didn't want me to like was because he didn't think he deserved me. He didn't think he deserved a family. But that's how humble and wonderful he was. He loved me so much that he wanted me to have the best life I could have. But what he didn't understand at that time was that the best life I could have was with him. And in turn, with you. You and him made my life worth living, little one."

"I love you Mama. And I'll protect you from now on, ok?"

"Heh, alright. We'll protect each other, deal?"

"Deal!"

"Ok, now can you go to sleep?"

"Can you sing me a song?"

MC sighed. "Fine, which one?"

"The one with angels in it."

"Ok, ok. Haha, just remember I don't sing that one very well."

Seyong laughed. "I know! That's why I like it so much!"

MC scowled. "Shut up, punk. Ok, here goes."

https://youtu.be/E3Mz_yTg_0Y

"Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee all through the night

Guardian angels God will send thee all through the night

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping, hill and dale in slumber sleeping

I my loving vigil keeping, all through the night

While the moon her watch is keeping all through the night

While the weary world is sleeping all through the night

O'er thy spirit gently stealing, visions of delight revealing

Breathes a pure and holy feeling all through the night"

MC watched her son fall asleep, for real this time. Leaving him to dream, she went to her own room. Towards a old, familiar black and yellow jacket, that was given to her once upon a time. By a man who used to eat chips and drink coke all day, and made up memes and puns, and make her laugh, and look at her like she was his world.

"Saeyoung, I can't do this on my own...he needs his father. Why..? Why did you have to leave me? Saeran is back...I don't know what he wants. Hasn't he taken enough?"

Putting on the jacket, she huddled onto the bed, trying not to cry.

"I miss you, Saeyoung."

Outside, someone watched with his own thoughts and struggles.

~*~

Wow.....80 reads....

Thank you so much everyone!!! I know this isn't the best fanfic ever, but please bear with me. Hopefully I'll get better as I go. Anyway, thank you again for  reading!!!

'Firball'