Hoseok's a smart man. It's not that he doesn't know the dangers of taking a three-year-old to a supermarket. Of course, he knows. He makes sure to tell Jungkook about it as they drive to the store. Tells the little toddler to stick by his sides at all times or he would get lost.

Of course, Hoseok knows all this.

But knowing it and experiencing it?

Those are two different things.

No matter how much knowledge you might have of parenting, you'll never truly be prepared to experience it. Honestly, when Hoseok talks to his son throughout the journey to the store, he never thought he'd actually experience something as traumatic as losing his child in the store.

Yet luck doesn't seem to be on his side. It's just a minute. A minute that he leaves Jungkook unattended as he removes a biscuit from the top shelf and examines the price and the expiry date.

A fucking minute.

He drops the biscuit into the trolley and he reaches his hand out to hold his son's but—

The toddler isn't there.

Hoseok whirls around, eyes comically wide.

"Jungkook? Kookie?"

It's slow to register, but when it does there's a cold weight that settles on Hoseok's chest because holy fucking fuck, his son isn't there. He retraces his steps, walking through the aisle of items on either side, growing desperate with every step.

"Kookie? Jungkookie?"

His shopping trolley long forgotten in the previous aisle, he runs around frantically, hoping to catch a glimpse of the black hair and big doe eyes of his son.

"Kookie? Kookie, where are you?"

A couple of customers give him a weird look while some look genuinely concerned.

"Sir, are you alright?" a staff attendant asks him, placing a comforting hand on his forearm.

Hoseok doesn't realise he's crying as he blurts, "My son. I can't find my son. He's just three."

His heart drops as he hears himself say that. Horrible scenarios play through his mind as he looks all around with wide, fear-filled eyes.

What if someone took his baby?

What if Jungkook was sobbing his little heart out somewhere for his Appa and Hoseok couldn't even be there for him?

"Sir. Sir? Please calm down. I'll ask them to make an announcement straight away. Please do not panic, sir. We'll find him," she says but her assurance falls on deaf ears.

Hoseok pulls out his phone with shaky hands as he follows the lady to the counter. He watches her explain the situation to the male behind the counter as he presses the phone to his ear, listening to it ring. He watches the man make eye contact with him, a look of concern on his face before he leans forward and speaks into the mic just as the call connects.

"Hey baby," Hoseok hears the familiar voice of his husband through the phone.

He can't hold it back. He's so terrified and his partner isn't here, his son is missing. A sob escapes his throat and immediately it sends the other into a state of alert.

"Hobi. Hobi, what's wrong?"

"Jungkook. He's lost," Hoseok chokes out.

He can't explain the amount of terror he feels at the uncertainty of where his son is or in what state his baby is in.

"Lost? Baby, hey. Listen to me. Calm down. Where are you?"

"Store. He was there one minute and the next— Yoongi, our Jungkookie."

"Stay calm, baby. I'm coming. I'll be there soon," Yoongi says and as much as he tries to sound calm, he can't help the little fear that seeps into his words.

"Hurry, please," Hoseok whispers, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Sir, please calm down," says the staff attendant, laying a hand on his back.

But words can provide only so much assurance. Right now, he just needs his son.

And then he hears it.

A squeal.

"Appa."

He snaps his head up to see Jungkook toddling up to him as another attendant holds his hand.

"He was at the toy section, checking out the iron man collection," the employee informed.

Hoseok mumbled out thank yous as he scooped the boy in his arms and smothered his cheeks with kisses, tears running down his cheeks in rivulets. He held the toddler close, wanting to reprimand him so bad but not being able to. He was so relieved to see the boy.

"Appa. Why appa crying?" The toddler whined and fussed in his grip, tiny hands cupping his father's cheeks.

"Thought I lost my Jungkookie," Hoseok whispered brokenly and tried to smile but it only caused fresh tears to leak from the corners of his eyes.

He turned to the staff and bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you so much. Thank you so so much."

"That's alright, sir," the female attendant smiled before she turned her attention to the toddler in the man's arms, "You gave your appa a big scare, little man. Never run like that again, okay?"

Jungkook nodded, tears now brimming in his eyes, upset since his appa was upset.

He leaned towards his father, linking his pinky finger with Hoseok's.

"Kookie promise. Pinky promise. Won't be bad boy again."

"Oh baby," Hoseok whispers, kissing the boy's cheeks, "You weren't a bad boy. You're a good boy and you promised Appa never to do it again, right? So it's okay now."

Jungkook nods slowly and buries his face in the older male's shoulder, tears hitting his shirt. With another bow, Hoseok set out to find his shopping trolley. He made sure to give Yoongi a call and let him know Jungkook was found. He heard his husband let out a sigh of pure relief at the news, promising to meet his husband at home.

To be continued