The days that passed were a strange mix of tension and uneasy peace. Seungcheol continued to avoid Jeonghan, his anger still a simmering presence beneath his stoic exterior. Jeonghan, on the other hand, was a mixture of remorse and a strange sort of quiet determination.

He continued to stay with Seungcheol, seemingly content to take whatever cold treatment came his way. Haneul, blissfully unaware of the tension, continued to be a bright spot in the house.

The atmosphere in the house was heavy, the silence punctuated only by the occasional sound of Seungcheol moving around or Haneul's laughter. Jeonghan kept his distance, respecting Seungcheol's silent wish to be left alone, but his eyes always followed Seungcheol's movements, a mixture of guilt and hope in his gaze.

Seungcheol continued to maintain his cold demeanor, his interactions with Jeonghan limited to terse responses or ignoring him altogether. Haneul, oblivious to the tension, continued to enjoy the presence of both Jeonghan and Seungcheol, his sweet laughter and endless energy brightening the otherwise heavy atmosphere.

The other members noticed the ongoing tension between Jeonghan and Seungcheol, their observant eyes picking up on the cold glances, the terse responses, and the avoidance. They were all aware of the situation, having been told the gist of it, but they chose to stay out of it, giving the two space to sort out their issues.

However, there were times when it was clear that the other members were concerned, their gazes lingering on Jeonghan as he hovered silently in the background, their eyes flickering to Seungcheol as he tried to maintain his cold veneer. They couldn't help but feel sorry for Jeonghan, but they also knew that Seungcheol's anger was justified.

Occasionally, they would try to engage Jeonghan in conversation, to include him in their banter, trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit. But Jeonghan would often smile politely and retreat, his eyes always flickering to Seungcheol. The members, noticing this, would shoot Seungcheol a disapproving glance, but he would just huff and look away.

Haneul, being the innocent child he was, didn't fully grasp the tension among the adults around him. But he could sense that something was off, his usual carefree laughter replaced by a hint of worry and uncertainty. He gravitated between Jeonghan and Seungcheol, trying to figure out why they were acting so strange, but his young mind could only grasp so much.

It was one day Haneul, waddled over to Seungcheol, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, reading a book. His tiny hands reached up, tugging at Seungcheol's shirt, a silent demand for his attention.

Seungcheol looked up from his book, his expression softening slightly at the sight of Haneul. Despite his anger and frustration with Jeonghan, he couldn't bring himself to ignore the boy. "Yes, Haneul?" He asked, his voice not unkind.

Haneul's face lit up at the attention, his tiny hand reaching up to pat Seungcheol's cheek. Despite his young age, he seemed to recognize the storm of emotions brewing in the household and sought out Seungcheol for comfort. "Up?" he asked, his tiny hand still resting on Seungcheol's cheek.

Seungcheol couldn't resist the unspoken plea in Haneul's eyes. Setting his book aside, he scooped the little boy into his lap, his large hands easily supporting the small frame. Haneul immediately snuggled against his chest, his head resting under Seungcheol's chin.

Seungcheol instinctively wrapped his arms around Haneul, holding him close. He gently stroked Haneul's hair, the soft strands slipping between his fingers. The weight of the little boy on his lap was comforting, and for the first time in days, some of the tension left Seungcheol's body.

Haneul looked up at Seungcheol with large, innocent eyes, his tiny face filled with childish curiosity. His soft voice broke the silence, asking a question Seungcheol had been dreading.

"Why Cheol uncle mad?" Seungcheol stiffened, his gaze flickering to Haneul's little face, the innocent question catching him off guard.

He paused, his mind scrambling for a response. How could he explain the complicated situation to a five-year-old? He gently patted Haneul's hair, trying to soothe his own nerves as much as the boy's.

"It's...complicated, Haneul." He said finally, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

Haneul's tiny brows furrowed, clearly not satisfied with the vague answer. His little hand reached up, resting on Seungcheol's chest, right over his heart. "No complicated," he said, his tone firm but his eyes filled with trust. "Tell Haneul."

Haneul's straightforward demand caught Seungcheol off guard, and for a moment, he just looked at the little boy, the determination in his small face mirroring the stubbornness of his father. He sighed, his hand still idly stroking Haneul's hair.

"It's...because your daddy did something wrong, Haneul," he said finally, the truth tasting bitter on his tongue.

Haneul's eyes widened at the revelation, his small mouth forming a perfect 'o' as he processed the information.
"Daddy did something wrong?" He repeated the words, his voice quieter than usual.

Seungcheol nodded, his expression somber. "Yes, Haneul. He made a big mistake." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "And sometimes, when someone does something wrong, it makes other people angry. And I'm...I'm angry at your daddy."

Haneul's mouth tugged into a frown as he absorbed Seungcheol's words. His small hand clenched tighter on Seungcheol's shirt, a sign of his growing confusion and worry.

"Daddy makes Cheol uncle angry?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly. Seungcheol nodded slowly, his own heart heavy at the thought of Haneul being caught in the middle of their conflict.

Haneul's bottom lip trembled a bit, the reality of the situation finally sinking in. "But, why angry at daddy? Daddy is nice," he protested, his voice small.

Seungcheol sighed, his heart clenching at Haneul's words. "Your daddy is nice, Haneul. But sometimes, people can do not-so-nice things." He spoke. "Your daddy did something wrong, Haneul. And he hurt me. And that's why I'm angry with him."

Haneul's face scrunched up in confusion, his big, innocent eyes peering up at Seungcheol. "Hurt you? Daddy hurt you?" he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper. Haneul's tiny hands patted at Seungcheol's face and cheeks, his big eyes searching for any signs of injury. His small fingers traced the lines of Seungcheol's forehead, eyebrows, and cheek, his little face filled with concern.

Seungcheol couldn't help but soften as he felt the little boy's tender touches. He gently took Haneul's hands in his own, stilling the searching caresses. "No, Haneul. Not like that. He hurt my heart, not my body."

Haneul's face scrunched up further in confusion. "Heart hurt?" he repeated, his voice small. "But you can't see heart. How it hurt?" Seungcheol chuckled softly, the innocent question breaking through some of his tension.

"Sometimes, Haneul, when people do something that is not nice or fair, it hurts inside. That's what we call heart hurt. It's not like an owwie on your skin. It's a different kind of hurt, a kind that you can't always see."

Haneul's forehead furrowed in concentration, his small hands still held in Seungcheol's much larger ones. "So, daddy did something that made your heart hurt," he said slowly, trying to fit the pieces together. "And...that made you angry?"

Seungcheol nodded, a tinge of sadness in his smile. "That's right, Haneul. Your daddy did something that hurt my heart, and that made me very, very angry." He paused. "But Haneul, it's not your fault. This is something big people have to deal with. You don't have to worry about it, okay?"

Haneul's eyes welled up with tears at Seungcheol's words, his expression turning from confusion to sadness. "Daddy hurt your heart," he repeated, his voice barely audible. "Daddy made you angry. Haneul doesn't like daddy making you angry."

Seungcheol carefully shifted Haneul in his lap so that the little boy was facing him, his big tear-filled eyes staring up at him. "I know, Haneul," he said. "And I don't like being angry either. But it's okay, Haneul. Grown-ups sometimes get angry, but we'll figure it out. You're too little to worry about big people stuff."

Haneul sniffled, his small hands wiping at the tears staining his round cheeks. "But Haneul wants you and daddy not angry," he hiccuped, his voice trembling. "I don't like you two fighting."

Seungcheol's heart ached at Haneul's words, the innocent plea of the little boy hitting him square in the chest. He pulled Haneul closer, wrapping his arms around the tiny body, holding him tight. "I know, Haneul," he whispered, his own voice almost catching in his throat.

Haneul sniffled again, his small body trembling against Seungcheol's. He buried his face into the crook of Seungcheol's neck. "But I also miss Daddy." he mumbled, his voice muffled. "I miss having daddy read me bedtime stories."

Seungcheol's eyebrows furrowed at Haneul's statement, taken aback by the little boy's words. He stroked Haneul's hair. "What do you mean, Haneul?" he asked, his voice laced with surprise. "I thought your daddy read you bedtime stories?"

Haneul pulled back slightly, his tearful eyes meeting Seungcheol's. "He did," he sniffled, "But now he doesn't. Not since you are angry."

Seungcheol hadn't realized that his anger towards Jeonghan had affected the Haneul's routine so profoundly. "Haneul," he said, his voice softer now, "I didn't know that your daddy hasn't been reading to you. Why didn't you say something?"

Haneul's small shoulders shrugged, his expression a mixture of sadness and defeat. "Haneul didn't want to make you more angry," he murmured. "Daddy said you were mad at him. I thought you might be mad at me too."

Seungcheol's heart clenched at Haneul's words, another wave of guilt washing over him. "Oh, Haneul," he whispered, pulling the little boy closer again. "I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you. You're just a little boy. I'm only mad at your daddy."

Haneul clung to Seungcheol, his small body trembling in the older boy's arms. "But...I miss daddy," he repeated, his voice choking on a sob. "I miss...everything. I miss him tucking me in, I miss his stories, I even miss his weird songs he sings when he brushes my hair."

Seungcheol's heart was breaking as Haneul spoke, each word like a knife in his chest. "I know, Haneul. I know you miss your daddy. I'll...I'll talk to him, okay? I'll make sure he reads you stories again, and tucks you in, and sings those silly songs you like so much."

Haneul's small face brightened a little at Seungcheol's promise, his trust in the older boy unwavering. "Promise you won't be angry anymore?"

"I promise I won't be angry anymore, Haneul," Seungcheol whispered, holding him tighter. "I'll try really, really hard not to be." Haneul seemed to accept this, the tension in his small body easing slightly. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again, his voice soft with drowsiness. "Seungcheol uncle?"

"Yes, Haneul?" Seungcheol replied softly, patting his back soothingly. "Will you read me a story tonight? Since daddy can't?" Haneul asked, peering up at him with a hopeful yet sleepy expression.

Seungcheol smiled softly at Haneul's request. "Of course I can." As the evening approached, Seungcheol settled Haneul into bed, tucking him in gently and taking a seat beside him. He opened the beloved storybook and began to read to the little boy, his voice soft and soothing in the dimly lit room.

As Seungcheol read, Haneul's eyes slowly began to droop. The lines of the book, and Seungcheol's familiar voice created a comforting rhythm, lulling Haneul into a peaceful sleep. By the time Seungcheol closed the book, he was fast asleep, clutching his pillow tight.

Seungcheol watched Haneul sleeping, his heart filled with a strange mixture of emotions. He gently pulled the blanket up higher, making sure Haneul was warm and comfortable.
Then, he quietly got up from the bed, turning off the small bedside lamp and tiptoeing out of the room with a heavy heart.

Once outside Haneul's room, Seungcheol leaned against the doorframe, his thoughts racing. This thoughts were interrupted by a gentle voice from behind him. "You did well," the voice said, soft yet firm. Seungcheol turned to see Jeonghan standing a few meters away.

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Forgave me for the grammatical errors........