Seungcheol's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Jeonghan, his anger stirring again. He straightened, his jaw clenching, but he kept his voice low, not wanting to wake Haneul.

"I did what I had to do," he said, his tone sharp. "Haneul needed comfort, and you weren't there."

Jeonghan approached him slowly, his face a mask of exhaustion and guilt. "I know," he whispered, his voice filled with regret. "Seungcheol, I..."

He paused, his eyes flickering towards Haneul's room. "Can we talk?"

Seungcheol stared at Jeonghan for a moment, the anger still burning within him. But the tiredness in Jeonghan's eyes, the weary slump of his shoulders, made him nod stiffly. "Let's go to the living room," he said.

They walked in silence to the living room, the tension between them palpable. Jeonghan sat down on one of the sofas, his shoulders slumped. Seungcheol remained standing, leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

For several moments, neither spoke, the heavy silence stretching between them. Finally, Jeonghan broke the silence. "Seungcheol," Jeonghan began, his voice cracking slightly. "When Haneul was born...I never thought...I never thought this would happen."

His voice trailed off, and he paused, his eyes downcast. Seungcheol's said nothing, waiting for Jeonghan to continue.

Jeonghan took a shuddering breath, his hands clenching and unclenching on his lap. "I never wanted to be a dad, you know? I never wanted responsibilities. But when Haneul was born, I looked at his little face, and... something changed."

He paused again. "And then...I started making promises. I promised I wouldn't work as much, I promised I'd be there for him. But I broke them, didn't I?"

"I didn't have money I worked as a spy thief under my boss. Then him getting kidnapped, you helping me, us. You knowing my secret killing someone which turned out to be your parents." Seungcheol remained silent knowing despite everything.

He clenched his fists. "Did you ever stop to think about what that meant for Haneul?" he asked, his voice hard. "Did you ever consider the risk you were putting your son in?"

Jeonghan looked up at Seungcheol, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret. "Of course I did. I tried to quit, I swear." He ran a hand over his face, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "But it's not as easy as just stopping. I have debts, people who I can't just drop."

Jeonghan's voice was pleading, his expression desperate. "I never meant for Haneul to get involved, I swear. I always tried to keep him safe, to keep him away from what I do."

Seungcheol's anger flared. "But he did get involved, Jeonghan. He got involved because of you."

He pushed himself off from the wall and started pacing, his hands clenched into tight fists. "Do you have any idea what Haneul was telling me just now? He misses you. He misses the father that promises stories every night, who sings songs when he brushes his hair. A father who's never there when he needs him."

Jeonghan's expression was one of deep pain at Seungcheol's words. "I know," he whispered, "I know, and it kills me. But what am I supposed to do?"

"I can't just quit. I can't just abandon the life I've lived for years. I don't have another profession. I don't have another way to make money or keep a roof above our heads."

"I always wanted Haneul to have a happy, normal life...but look at us now. I'm a thief, running from something in my past. How can I give Haneul a normal life when I'm the definition of 'not normal'?"

Seungcheol's heart ached at Jeonghan's confession. He knew Jeonghan's situation all too well, the burden he carried and the impossible choices he faced.

"I get it, Jeonghan," he said, his voice softer. "I get that it's not easy. But Haneul doesn't care about normal. He just wants you. Your love, your attention, your time."

Jeonghan let out a bitter laugh, devoid of any mirth. "And how am I supposed to give him that when my whole life is about running and lying and stealing?"

His hands bunched into fists on his lap, his expression a mix of self-loathing and despair. "I'm broken, Seungcheol. I'm not the father Haneul deserves."

A wave of frustration washed over Seungcheol at Jeonghan's words. "That's a damn excuse and you know it," he snapped, his voice rising. "You think you're the only one who's broken? You think I didn't have a messed-up childhood? But I didn't let that define me. I worked hard, I kept going. And I turned out fine."

Jeonghan's expression darkened, his self-pity giving way to defensiveness. "It's easy for you to say," he retorted, his voice sharp. "You've always been the strong one. You don't know what it's like to live a life like mine."

Seungcheol stopped in front of Jeonghan, his own anger rearing its head again. "Spare me the sob story, Jeonghan," he snapped. "I know you've had it rough. I know you've done things you're not proud of. But are you just going to keep running forever?"

He leaned down, his voice dropping to a low, hard growl, "Is Haneul just going to keep paying the price for your mistakes?"

Jeonghan's jaw tightened at Seungcheol's words, the truth in them stung. "You think I don't know that?" he spat back, his voice full of bitterness. "You think I don't know I'm failing Haneul? That I'm doing a terrible job as a parent?"

He got up from the sofa, facing Seungcheol, his body taut with anger and self-loathing. "Do you think it's easy to carry all this guilt, to know I'm not good enough for my own son?"

Seungcheol's heart clenched at Jeonghan's raw honesty. "I know it's not easy, Jeonghan. I know it's hard. But you have to figure it out."

"You can't give up. For your sake, and Haneul's."

Jeonghan spoke. "But what if I'm too late?" he whispered, his voice strained with pain. "What if I've already messed Haneul up?"

"It's not too late, Jeonghan," Seungcheol reassured him. "It's never too late. Haneul still looks up to you, he still loves you. You can't give up on being a good father because you're afraid of failing."

Jeonghan's lip quivered, the weight of Seungcheol's words sinking in. "I've already failed him, Seungcheol. I was supposed to give him a normal life, a safe home. And instead, I'm dragging him into a world he shouldn't be a part of."

Seungcheol's saw the recognition that Jeonghan, beneath his guilt and despair, still wanted what was best for Haneul.
"You haven't failed, Jeonghan. Failure is when you stop trying. When you give up and turn away. As long as you're trying, as long as you're fighting for Haneul, that's not failure. That's the first step towards fixing things."

Jeonghan he nodded slowly, his gaze falling. "I will," he mumbled, his voice lacking conviction but tinged with a hint of hope. "I'll try, Seungcheol. For Haneul."

Seungcheol looked at Jeonghan for a few moments, searching his face, trying to gauge his sincerity. "You have to do more than try, Jeonghan," he warned, his voice firm. "You have to be committed. Haneul deserves more than just an attempt. He deserves your everything."

Jeonghan nodded and he hesitantly spoke the next words. "I am sorry for everything... your parents everything."

Seungcheol's jaw tightened at Jeonghan's words. The memory of his parents' deaths was still raw, still painful. He took a breath before responding, his voice harsh. "Sorry doesn't bring them back, Jeonghan," he stated, his eyes cold. "All it does is show that you care now, after the damage is done."

Jeonghan flinched at Seungcheol's words, the truth they carried stinging deep. "I know," he murmured, his shoulders slumping again. "I know sorry doesn't reverse what happened, and I know my apologies mean nothing after everything that's occurred. I never meant anythingto happen like that."

Seungcheol held Jeonghan's gaze, his expression still hard, but there was a hint of softness in his eyes. He wanted to believe Jeonghan, to accept his remorse, but the pain of losing his parents was etched too deeply into his heart.

"I want to believe you," he said slowly, his voice tight. "But it's hard. It's really hard."

Jeonghan nodded, the weight of Seungcheol's words and the pain in his eyes palpable. "I understand," he murmured, sighing heavily. "I don't expect forgiveness, Seungcheol. I just...I just want you to know how truly sorry I am."

Seungcheol stayed silent, his expression hard to read. His heart was a mix of anger, pain, and a strange sort of understanding. A part of him wanted to accept Jeonghan's apology, to let go of the anger he held, but the other part kept his guard up, too wary, too hurt.

For several moments, he just stood there, his eyes locked with Jeonghan's, words unspoken.

Jeonghan shifted under the weight of Seungcheol's gaze, the silence between them deafening. Time seemed to stretch on forever before Seungcheol finally spoke, his voice a low rumble. "I can't forgive you, Jeonghan," he confessed, his tone heavy with emotion. "Not yet, at least. But I...I want to understand."

Jeonghan's shoulders slumped further, the weight of Seungcheol's words pressing down on him. His eyes were filled with sadness mixed with a sort of hopeless acceptance.

"I understand that," he said quietly. "I don't expect your forgiveness. And honestly, I don't know if I deserve it. I just...I just wish things had been different."

"Life rarely gives us choices we want," Seungcheol said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We make the best of what we have, and sometimes...we make mistakes."

Seungcheol's words hit him hard. He knew well about life's cruel choices and his own string of mistakes. "Sometimes the mistakes are so big..." Jeonghan murmured, his voice small, "They seem impossible to fix."

Seungcheol's gaze didn't waver, his eyes locked onto Jeonghan. "Nothing's impossible," he said firmly, a flicker of hope in his voice. "But it takes time, and it takes effort. More than we think we're capable of."

"You start with today," he said steadily. "One step at a time, Jeonghan. That's how you build something. That's how you fix things."

"You start with being present," Seungcheol replied, his voice firm yet gentle. "You show him you're there, not just physically, but emotionally. You give him the time and the attention he's missed out on. You make him feel loved and important."

Jeonghan swallowed hard, the weight of Seungcheol's words settling heavy on his shoulders. He knew it wouldn't be easy, knew it would require more than he sometimes felt capable of.

"Okay," he murmured, his voice filled with a mixture of fear and determination. "I'll try, Seungcheol. For Haneul, and for..." His voice trailed off, but the unspoken words hung in the air-for you

Seungcheol's expression changed a flicker of something he wouldn't name crossing his features. "Good," he nodded firmly. "Because Haneul deserves that much, Jeonghan. More than that, even."

He paused, a myriad of unspoken emotions swirling between them. "And I... I deserve honesty from you. No more lies, no more secrets, Jeonghan."

Jeonghan winced at Seungcheol's words. "I can promise you that," he said, his voice hoarse but sincere. "No more lies. No more secrets. I just...I just hope it's not too late, Seungcheol. For any of it being fixed."

Seungcheol considered Jeonghan for a few moments, the raw honesty in his eyes disarming. "Time will tell," he said finally, a bit softer this time. "But I hope...I hope it's not too late either. You should get some rest. You look exhausted, Jeonghan."

He stared at Seungcheol, his eyes filled with a mixture of weariness and hope. "You should rest too, Seungcheol," he said quietly. "You look tired too."

Seungcheol let out a soft huff, a small smile on his lips. "I am," he conceded, a hint of exhaustion seeping into his tone. "But I have a feeling sleep won't come easy tonight." His expression almost tender. "Go to bed, Jeonghan. We'll talk more tomorrow."

Seungcheol was heading to his room when Jeonghan spoke again his voice a mere whisper. "Why are you forgiving me so easily?"

Seungcheol stopped in his tracks, Jeonghan's question stopping him cold. He turned to face Jeonghan.

"I'm not forgiving you easily, Jeonghan," he said slowly, his voice steady. "It's not easy, and trust me, it's not because I want to. I'm still angry, still hurting because of what you did. But..."

He paused, searching Jeonghan's face.

"Don't blame me Jeonghan love made me crazy which I shouldn't do."

Jeonghan's gaze lowered, his hands clenching into fists then relaxing repeatedly. He knew Seungcheol wasn't wrong; love did make him do stupid things, made him make bad decisions. But hearing it in Seungcheol's voice stung.

He took a slow breath, looking back at Seungcheol, his voice barely above a whisper. "I guess it did. I guess...it was a kind of crazy love."

"You know, Jeonghan," Seungcheol murmured, "Love is supposed to make us better, not crazier. It's supposed to bring something positive about, to make us better people."

"But when it brings out the worst in us, when it leads us to make the wrong choices...is that truly love?"

Jeonghan knew Seungcheol was right, that love wasn't supposed to make them reckless, wasn't supposed to lead them down a path of deceit and betrayal.

Jeonghan closed his eyes, the weight of his actions becoming more real. "Maybe...maybe it wasn't love," he mumbled, the words leaving a hollow feeling in his chest. "Maybe...maybe I just...I just confused love with something else."

Seungcheol's expression mirrored Jeonghan's pain, but he needed Jeonghan to understand, to see the truth.

"Love isn't confusion, Jeonghan," he stated firmly, his voice filled with a mixture of hurt and compassion. "Love is simple and direct, it doesn't leave you questioning."

"Maybe what you felt...was something else. An obsession, a misplaced infatuation."

Jeonghan watched as Seungcheol walked away, his heart aching under the weight of his words. An obsession, a misplaced infatuation, not love. The words echoed through his mind, ringing true and leaving a hollow feeling in his chest.

He stood there, rooted to the spot, a myriad of thoughts and emotions warring in his heart. And with each passing moment, he questioned more and more whether he really understood love at all.

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Some hooman beans may be waiting for so long for updates..

Hehe.. sorry it took a long time I was busy..