Melomaniac: (n.) A person with a great passion and love for music.

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After several weeks, Maddox had left again because he could no longer afford to work 'at home', but he had said he would come back because the man said he was in contact with a woman in the area, and Hongjoong couldn't understand how he could have found someone in such a village by witchcraft. But he decided not to ask any more questions of his best friend, who would tell him when he was ready, even though he found it surprising that Kyung-Moon, aka I give all the details of my dates to Kim Hongjoong, decided not to say anything this time. In the meantime, Kim Hongjoong was still envious that his best friend had found someone so quickly, and that he was completely stuck in the mud despite himself. 

"Kim Hongjoong, you really never listen to me! exasperated the old man slightly.

- I'm sorry. My mind's elsewhere at the moment.

- You know, if your future in music doesn't lead you anywhere... 

- Don't say it. I wouldn't give up on my dream, the money would see me through.

- I know that, but if it takes you down, there's no point.

- Dad, it's not... 

- His head's elsewhere because he's thinking about father-in-law. Yeosang interrupted."

Hongjoong's head jerked towards his son, who was looking at him out of the corner of his eye, a mischievous smile fixed on his face. He adored Yeosang, that was a certainty, except at those moments when his son couldn't help annoying his father... and what had he done about it? Good question. At the time he wondered if it wasn't simply because he'd stayed a little too long at the meeting with Wooyoung's teacher. 

"I hope he's not talking about the bastard who manipulated you for fifteen years of your life. 

- No, he's a new man from the village, he's rich, his sister's a doctor and he's a school teacher. Mingi added. This one's really cool. 

- And you didn't introduce me? What's his name? asked Hongjoong's father.

- Par... Yeosang began.

- He's NOT my new companion. interjected Hongjoong. He's Wooyoung's art teacher, we bumped into each other several times after a parent/teacher meeting and since then, Yeosang, Mingi and Kyung Moon are convinced he's my soul mate. 

- He IS your soul mate, Dad."

Hongjoong couldn't help but roll his eyes. Since the beginning of September, his children hadn't given up on him, they must have loved this teacher. Unfortunately for them, their father was far from ready to trust a man again, even if they managed to prove by the sum of A + B that the man's result was the word 'perfect', which was - let's face it - completely impossible. Now it was the end of October and the holidays had just begun, so his father had decided to drop by the flat to take advantage of the fact that his three grandchildren and his son were there. As for his mother, she was out of luck, having caught a bad cold and so had preferred to stay at home so as not to contaminate the others. And anyway, she was better off in bed, resting. Hongjoong's father took a sip of his coffee with a smile on his face, Wooyoung asleep on his lap.

"- Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Hongjoong. 

- And what's that supposed to mean, Dad?

- Why don't you try to get a date, a REAL date, with this man? What does it cost you?

- I might get his hopes up or give him a hard time.

- What if it works?

- It won't. 

- You're as stubborn as your mother.

- Whatever the children say, I'm not in love. sighed Hongjoong. Even if I wanted to, I'm not going to force myself to love someone."

After the man raised his voice, everyone fell silent, understanding that he wanted to change the subject. And indeed, he was far too anxious about the said subject to continue this discussion, Hongjoong was now closed to discussion, while Mingi and Yeosang glanced at each other guiltily. By the time dinner was over, Wooyoung's eyelids were falling into his mouth, and his grandfather decided it was time for him to go home to his wife, and despite the fact that the children were on holiday, Hongjoong had to work the next day. While Hongjoong was putting his children to bed, Mingi and Yeosang were, as usual, chatting in the same room. And before their father could say a word, Mingi jumped in:

"Yeosang and I wanted to apologise for earlier, it wasn't cool.

- We hurt you without thinking about your feelings. We know this is difficult for you. We're sorry."

The warmth Hongjoong felt in his chest made him smile. He was touched, and so proud to have raised such children.

"- That you realised this and apologised is perfect. I know the story amuses you, but all this is more difficult than what you see in Business Proposal or whatever romantic series... I also know that you want me to find someone who will make me happy, but I don't think Wooyoung's teacher is the right decision."

Yeosang pouted slightly, but didn't open his mouth, and Hongjoong knew he hadn't liked what he'd heard. But his son had also understood that in the battle of who would be the most stubborn, the oldest would win.

"Don't go to bed too late, and don't make too much noise, I have to work tomorrow.

- Good night, Dad! they said in unison.

After kissing the foreheads of the two teenagers, Hongjoong descended the stairs and threw himself onto his bed, beaten down with fatigue he let himself be wrapped in the arms of Morpheus.

≈×≈

The jingle of the bell tapping against the door echoed through the shop. Hongjoong was sitting behind his desk in the small village library, reading a book, glasses on the tip of his nose when the noise roused him from his torpor. A customer had just come in, striding towards the employee with a determined and even rather intimidating step, to place a book - a horny one - heavily under the man's nose. The latter sensed what was coming and put the book down, sliding it to one side while readjusting his glasses. 

"- Hell...

- I want my money back. she ordered.

- ...lo."

He cleared his throat, straightening in his chair, uncomfortable. 

"- Very well... do you have the receipt?

- No, I haven't. 

- Well... Hongjoong ticked. Unfortunately I can't do anything without a receipt, especially given the state of the book."

The man saw the customer's eyes widen, and soon he was being shot at by her piercing blue gaze, surrounded by black eyeliner and spider-leg mascara. He swallowed.

Three...Two...One... And...

"- This is DECENCY."

Here we go.

Hongjoong let her rant all the bird names her jargon possessed, while at the moment he just wanted to put his hands over his ears to muffle the harpy's screams. He avoided her gaze.

"- I can see that you can't understand what it's like to have a son, anyway.

- I've got three of them. he retorted."

The little lady looked outraged, and didn't fail to show it. Hongjoong was on the verge of rolling his eyes, but he contented himself with adding:

"If your son didn't like the book, you'll excuse me, but I can't do anything without a ticket.

- I want to see the manager. She announced."

What a nuisance.

Of course, the manager had gone on holiday and Hongjoong was looking after the library on his own, so he had to deal with shrews like that on his own.

"He's not in today, I'm afraid.

- And how am I supposed to change books now?

- You wouldn't have needed to do that in the first place normally. He grumbled, losing patience.

- What are you insinuating?! snapped the lady."

Here we go again, I should never have opened it... 

A man's voice came from a little further away.

"He's insinuating that if you knew your son a little better and had taken an interest in his tastes, you wouldn't have had to seek any reimbursement. What's more, it seems to have been used enough for it to have pleased either you or your son. It's wrong to lie, you know, especially if it's to accuse and steal from poor employees.

- Another person who doesn't know what it's like to have children. The lady tried to defend herself, seething.

- Lost, I have two."

Hongjoong looked up and met Seonghwa's eyes, or rather his smirk directed at the harpy, the blue-haired man was so busy with his client that he hadn't heard the bell ring, and so Mr Park entered. In any case, lady spider legs didn't seem to appreciate the entrance of the new customer because she stormed out of the room, she would have slammed the door if it didn't already have an automatic closing mechanism. 

"Does this happen to you a lot? Seonghwa asked.

- No, not really. But if it's going to happen I'm bound to be alone. What a bummer..." 

There was a moment's hesitation, and Hongjoong realised what he'd just said.

"At last! Not today anyway, thanks for that. I wasn't going to make her go away with my scared squirrel personality. he laughed."

Seonghwa's eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly, so imperceptibly that the man seemed to be dreaming. He then carefully placed three comic books on the counter, two of them Spiderman-themed and one Star Wars-themed. As Hongjoong scanned the barcodes, he glanced at the man in front of him, who was looking at his phone with a smile. He noticed that today he wasn't wearing glasses and that his hair was wavy. Despite the holidays he was incredibly well dressed, and the librarian felt uncomfortable being dressed in a black sweatshirt and holey jeans on the side that looked far from classy.

"- Yunho texted me, saying Mingi invited him to spend two days at your place. Is that OK? Seonghwa asked. 

- Of course it's OK. If nothing's planned and I know about the organisation, I don't care. he asserted.

- Be careful, I think that if San finds out that Yunho has gone to see Mingi, he'll want to see Wooyoung. 

- He can come if he wants too, but I'm not sure I can handle six little demons on my own."

Mr Park chuckled before pulling out his credit card to pay the amount appearing on the card machine. Hearing his laughter, Hongjoong felt a strange feeling settle in his chest, like a tickle that he couldn't decide whether it was pleasant or unpleasant.

"- Then Wooyoung can come to the house if he wants. That way Suyeon can check his wrist. 

- He'd like that."

Hongjoong was surprised at his own answer. He was very protective of Wooyoung, for obvious reasons, and it terrified him to have so much trust in someone he'd only known for two months, yet his son loved his teacher so much that he supported him in this decision. But there was still an element of anxiety somewhere, in the corner of his mind. But just as the teacher was about to leave the shop, he raised his voice.

"I'm planning to do a parent-child workshop during an art class. Are you available on Saturday morning after the holidays?"

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