≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪

It was a quiet Saturday morning. The weather was nice as well, with clear skies for the majority of the weekend. Seonghwa sighed in tranquillity. He lived for the more peaceful moments in life. The times when he could just relax, drink a cup of coffee and not be burdened by the thought of work or taxes.

"Daddy!" However, reality always broke these moments. Even still, Seonghwa smiled as his pride and joy sprinted into the room, a bright grin on his little face. He rushed up to his father, bouncing up and down while he tugged at his pant leg.

"Good morning Wooyoungie," He grinned. Seonghwa pulled the child onto his lap, ruffling his light blonde hair.

"Daddy, can we go to the park? Please please please!" Seonghwa thought for a moment. The weather was very pleasant today and he didn't have anything on his schedule. So why not? The man smiled down at his son and nodded, making Wooyoung cheer with joy.

"Alright baby, how about I call Sannie as well? Then you two can have a playdate. How does that sound?" Wooyoung nodded eagerly and hopped off of his lap to get ready. "Hold on! We need to get you dressed and brush your teeth first!"

"I can do it by myself!" Seonghwa shook his head, still smiling and got up, knowing full well that wasn't true. Wooyoung was five years old now. He was a bundle of joy and energy that Seonghwa couldn't be happier to have in his life. How his mother couldn't want him would forever be a mystery to Seonghwa.

He sighed, looking down at his sweatpants and t-shirt, realising he would have to get ready as well. First, he had to make sure Wooyoung had dressed appropriately. Their apartment wasn't large, since Seonghwa didn't have much money, but it was just enough to support his son and that was all that mattered. He entered the boy's room to find clothes scattered across the floor, with the child ripping through his drawers frantically. "I have no clothes!" He whined.

"I think you have more clothes than me," Seonghwa reached down to pick up the clothes, sighing at the mess.

"Sorry, daddy..." He heard Wooyoung mumble. Seonghwa looked up at him, tilting his head to the side with a soft grin.

"It's alright baby. Here, do you want to wear your favourite skirt?" Wooyoung's eyes lit up and he began to nod. Seonghwa handed him the light pink skirt and a simple white shirt to change into. He watched the child scamper off to go change, giggling to himself with excitement.

Another thing Seonghwa would never forgive his ex for was not letting Wooyoung dress the way he wanted. For some odd reason, she was so adamant about him dressing "like a boy" whatever that was supposed to mean.

About an hour later, the two pulled into the park. Wooyoung bounced eagerly in his car seat, anxiously waiting for his father to let him out. Seonghwa was afraid he would have flown out the window had it not been for the straps keeping him down. Nevertheless, he took him out of the seat, holding his hand the moment he was out so that he didn't run away.

"Now remember Wooyoungie, always stay where I can see you and don't talk to strangers. If you can't see me, then there's a problem. Okay?"

"Okay daddy, I'll- There's Sannie!" He wiggled himself out of Seonghwa's grip and ran off to greet his friend. Seonghwa hastily raced after him, telling him to watch where he was going before he hurt himself.

"You're such a worrywart," Said San's father. He removed his expensive sunglasses and pushed back his light brown hair with a grin. "How's it going, Hwa?"

"Hi Yeosang. Things could definitely be better, I'll tell you that." The two adults sat down on a nearby bench, the older of the two sighing. "She's back in town. She said she wanted to come see me and 'talk' but I know she wants to brag about how much better things have been since she left..."

Yeosang scowled in disgust and Seonghwa knew exactly what he was going to say. "I don't know why you gave that woman the light of day! She shouldn't have stuck around. I swear to god if I knew her boss, you can bet your ass I could ruin her career with a single stare! Watch me!"

A small smile formed on Seonghwa's lips at how protective his friend was. They had known each other since college. While Yeosang had gone on to have a successful marriage, adopted a son and ran a widely profitable business, he still made time for his best friend. Something Seonghwa would forever be grateful for.

"Thank you Yeosang. I honestly wish I could switch lives with you, if not for a few minutes."

"Oh please, you think I don't have problems?" Seonghwa eyed sceptically. "Granted, I may not have to work two different jobs and was blessed with being fabulously wealthy~ But I still have problems. They're just different to yours. You don't know true pain until your husband breaks the prototype for your new launch because he confused it for workout gear!"

"Ah yes...True pain."

"Plus, if you were me, you wouldn't have Wooyoung in your life and I know you love him more than any of the riches I have." That was true and Seonghwa wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. "Regardless, you know if you ever need help with anything, you can ask me hyung."

Seonghwa knew that but never wanted to burden his friend. After all, he couldn't risk becoming reliant on his support.

"I know Sangie, it's just that...Wait...Where are the boys?" Yeosang's eyes went wide and the two parents immediately started to look around for the lost children.

Just down the road, Wooyoung and San giggled with one another, running after a colourful butterfly that had caught their attention. By the time they realised they were lost, they were well away from the park. "Aw man, where'd it go?" Murmured San, searching for the insect.

Wooyoung furrowed his brow, looking around. He remembered what his dad said: If you can't see me then there's a problem and gasped. "Sannie...I can't see my daddy..."

"So?" San replied nonchalantly, still searching for the butterfly. Wooyoung glared at him and shoved him.

"Stupid!"

"I'm not stupid! You're stupid!" San shoved Wooyoung right back again and again until the two were practically fist fighting. It took several smacks in the face for San to finally realise...

"Wait...I can't see Appa anywhere..."

"I told you you were stupid..." Muttered Wooyoung. "Daddy's gonna be so mad at me!"

San was quick to bring the other boy into a hug when he saw tears start to stream don't his little face. "Don't cry Wooyoungie!"

"W-Why? D-D-Daddy's gonna be sad th-that I'm gone and t-then he'll be alone and it will be a-a-all my f-fault!" San could do nothing but rub the wailing boy's back, telling him that everything would be okay while frantically glancing around for his own father.

"What's this?" The two children flinched when a large shadow cast over them. San pulled Wooyoung closer to him, glaring up at the woman. Though all she did was coo at his protectiveness. "How cute. Now scram brat. I'm taking the kid with me."

"No! You're not his daddy!"

"But I am his mother," Wooyoung's face dropped. Slowly, the child turned to the woman, his face swelling with even more tears than before. "Are you wearing a skirt Wooyoung?" She scoffed. "I should've know he'd let you dress like a fag."

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," The boy deadpanned before hiding back in San's arms to hide from the woman's furious gaze.

"Damn brat!" She reached down and tugged at his arm, yanking him towards him. Wooyoung screamed at how harshly she pulled him, desperately trying to fight her off.

"Let him go!"

A great wave of relief washed over Wooyoung when he heard his father's voice. He was swept up into his arms, immediately being held with care as his father stroked his soft hair, whispering to him that everything would be okay. The woman scoffed at this, crossing her arms and scowling at the pair. "Seonghwa," She hissed towards him.

"Minji, what do you think you're doing?" Yeosang came behind him not long after, scooping San into his arms and glaring at the woman.

"When I told you I was in town, the last thing I expected was to see your son roaming the streets dressed as some sort of fa-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Seonghwa seethed, though he tried his best to keep his anger under control for the sake of Wooyoung, who was still clinging to his chest. "He's our son and he can dress however he wants."

"Last time I checked, you were the one who wanted him. If it were up to me, that little mistake of yours wouldn't even be here today." By now, Seonghwa was five seconds away from exploding. His jaw clenched, just about ready to knock her out for speaking about his son in such a way. "If you had gotten rid of that thing as I suggested, maybe you'd be making a way for yourself. You'd be happy, you'd be-"

"Are you finished?" Yeosang interrupted. "As far as I'm concerned, you just harassed our children and I know you don't have the money for a lawyer. So if I were you I'd get going before a lawsuit gets thrown your way." Minji sputtered in response. Her eyes travelled to Seonghwa, silently asking for some sort of help but he only turned towards Wooyoung.

She stomped her foot before storming away, muttering curses to herself along the way. Once she was out of sight, Seonghwa slumped his shoulders as a breath of relief escaped his lips. He mouthed a thank you to Yeosang, who only grinned at him.

"Wooyoungie?" He whispered towards the shaking child in his arms. "Do you want me to put you down?" Wooyoung shook his head, pulling himself closer to his father.

"I-I'm sorry daddy! I-I didn't mean to make you mad!"

"No no no! Baby, I'm not mad!"

"S-She was s-so mean to me, daddy! I don't want to see her again!" Wooyoung began to weep yet again, soaking his father's shirt in tears. Seonghwa rubbed his back softly as he continued to whisper in his ear.

"It's alright Wooyoung, you're alright. Daddy's here..."