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⇒ Blueprint Apartments
10:25pm

A subject like that was new to him, and quite unexpected to be honest. But Changbin didn't let that dampen the loving smile that was spread on his face, no. As much as the idea of his boyfriend approaching a man who was perceived to be the father of the child that he always treated as his own stung a little more than the slightest bit, he didn't lessen the soft circles that he had started to draw along his partner's back.

"Okay, baby," he said, leaning down to plant a light kiss onto Felix's forehead. "As long as this is what you want, and it's what's best for Kai, go ahead. Don't feel pressured, though. Because remember, I'm here as a father in his life. I'm his other parent, so whether that man steps up or not, nothing has to change."

"Thank you, Bin-Bin," Felix smiled, blushing. "If he comes back to the café any time this week, then I'll tell him... Not right away, but I'll ask to talk to him..."

"Mhm?"

"Y-yeah. And I'd want you to be there with Kai- somewhere in the background. So if I call Kai over, you'll guide him." He sighed, shifting a little on Changbin's torso to look up at his lovable face more comfortably, as well as for easier prep to lean forward and meet his lips for a well-deserved kiss. "Thank you so much, Binnie. For everything..."

"Of course, Lix. You don't need to thank me- having you is enough thanks already." Changbin giggled, kissing Felix's lips again and slipping his tongue in as his body instinctively scooted lower to lean against the mattress rather than the headboard, while of course, keeping the smaller boy's frame in firm, gentle hold. "I love you," he whispered against his lips, kissing them again with eyes closed and nostrils flaring as heavy breaths forced through them. "I love you so much, baby- I love being with you..."

"I love you too, Binnie," Felix giggled, savoring each and every second of their intimate contact. Snaking one hand up to the older's cheek to cup for a short while before guiding them back down his biceps, to his bare torso whilst his own slimmer body lifted for more leverage, then down to the hem of his boxers, he broke the kiss to glance back at the locked door, a sly smirk cracking up his lips at one thought. "Are you... in the mood?"

Breathless, Changbin nodded, chest heaving with the new weightiness of his inhales and, throat going dry when Felix slid his boxers off to toss near some side of the bed before discarding his own clothes. "I- I am... are you?"

Reaching over to the draw in their nightstand for one of the condoms from its pack, Felix smiled, crawling back to straddle the lower parts of his lover's thighs so teasingly and seductively. "I don't know... Am I?"

-

⇒ Hero's Soup Café
12:45pm

Although all three of them had prepared for the discussed approach on that day, neither the couple nor the child were ready. Kai was restless in his seat, chewing on a piece of chicken that Changbin had gifted him, whilst the latter just sat there with his lower lip threatening to draw blood under the grip of his teeth, with eyes staring forward at a shaky Felix in his seat.

And Felix was nervous. He knew what to say but, he didn't quite know how to word the confession that was giving him a headache. Yeah, maybe instead of having sex for the previous few nights, he should've went over exactly what he was going to say to that stranger on the opposite side of the table.

So, for prolonged seconds, he just sat there, uselessly hoping that the wasted time of his one-hour lunch break would somehow drop the right words into his foggy head as they passed by. But they didn't, obviously, so Felix was left to fend for himself.

Glancing back to request, with his eyes, a nod of reassurance from his boyfriend, and smiling when he received just that, he faced the perplexed stranger again, gulping thickly before speaking up.

"W-well... my name is Lee Felix, and I think- I think we've met... before." He spoke skeptically, voice lower than ever and, jeans claiming slight, decipherable lines of a lighter color as his fingers clawed against his clothed knees. "B-but before I say anything else... just to confirm... what's your- What's your name?"

"Uhm... I'm Chan... And yeah... I think we met before too." Chan chuckled, embarrassed. "A few years ago? I remember your face... mhm..."

"Uh-huh..." Felix looked down, closing his eyes as if the darkness would ease the sudden doubt clogging his senses- as if the darkness would reprimand his mind for settling on the sudden decision to keep quiet about his very reason for conversation. "Y-yeah... I just- I wanted to say hi, since we've never properly met before..."

"Ah, okay. I wanted to say hello too, you know... But I thought it'd be awkward..."

"Yeah... well... anyways. Thank you for being kind and uh... I'll go for my lunch now." Felix quickly stood up, mentally scolding himself with every step towards the table where his family sat and, groaning loudly- even too loud, when he claimed the only empty seat around that circular table. Faking a sob when Changbin's hand met his shoulder, he looked up, eyes droopy and lips inverting downwards to emphasize his distress.

"You couldn't do it, could you?"

"No, Binnie. I- I'm not ready? I don't know- I just- not today. Maybe if he keeps coming but, not today." Felix rambled, rubbing a palm over his face before solely focussing on Changbin's empathic expression, as well as the confused one of an oily-mouthed Kai. "Kai-Kai, here's a tissue. Wipe your mouth."

"I understand, Lix. And if you feel like this, then leave it for now. If you're really meant to tell him, then you'll see him again, okay? Maybe he'll even be the one to reach out." Changbin spoke reassuringly, bringing both hands to one of Felix's palm to hold it for a tight, loving squeeze before leaning in to peck his lips. "Now do you want to lunch here, or elsewhere?"

"Let's go for pizza, please. I know you have to go back to work soon, and Kai daycare, so we can eat at the park before parting ways?"

"Of course, love. Anything you want."

-

⇒ The View Apartments- Penthouse
7:00pm

"He looks just like me," Chan sighed, downing his second, unhealthy glass of white whine. "His eyes, his mouth, his everything... He looks just like me, Hyunjin."

Sipping on the still-standing majority of his first glass, Hyunjin forced a sarcastic chuckle, only one side of his cheek lifting with the sound whilst his eyes gazed up at the tipsy man before him. "C'mom, Chan," he sighed, shaking his head. "Listen to yourself. This doesn't make any sense. Felix is in a relationship with his child, how can he just look like you? And I mean, even if he does, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Look, I'm just saying; we didn't use any condoms that night. And if he can really have kids like you said, then who knows... The child is three, and we slept together three years ago. I mean, what're the odds, Jin?" Chan groaned, leaning forward to press both elbows against his knees after resting the wine glass on the coffee table just in front. "Even his dimple, Jin... He looks like me a lot."

"Yeah, okay, and what do you want to do about that? How can that information possibly help you with anything?" Hyunjin scoffed, sipping on his wine again whilst lifting one hand to stretch along the top of the sofa. "If he thinks that it's your kid, then he'll talk to you, but you can't just go up and inconvenience him."

"He approached me today, you know. When I went to the café for lunch. He came up to me, and said that he just wanted to say hi, but he was so uneasy. I'm sure that there was something more that he wanted to tell me." Chan sighed, slumping back in his seat and closing his eyes as if the darkness would ease the headache that had started. "It was when he was going back that I looked- trying to make out the child that you told me he had. And damn... he really looks like me."

"If you say so. Just don't go doing anything stupid, okay? It's not like you can't have children, so whether or not he is, if Felix says nothing, it doesn't really have anything to do with you." Hyunjin shrugged, taking the final sip of his wine before leaning to rest the empty glass on the table. "Just- don't get carried away."

But sitting there, gulping thickly under the sheer ignorance of his friend's assumption, Chan couldn't help but sniffle, fighting to blink back the tears that had already started brimming in his eyes. Because if only Hyunjin knew, right? If only he knew how insensitively incorrect his assumption was, maybe he would've thought twice before saying it.

But yeah, he didn't, so Chan felt like crying. Chan felt pathetic. Really pathetic; being so worked up over a toddler who just happened to look like him? How dumb, right? People look like people all the time... right? So he shook his head, pursing his lips and swallowing in an attempt to melt the lump in his throat that'd undoubtedly quiver his voice if he spoke.

"You're right," he lied, looking down. "You're right and- I'll leave it. I'll just leave it."

"Y-yeah... Should I- should I go?" Hyunjin questioned cautiously, eyes thoroughly scanning the sudden change in the other's demeanor as he already started small shifts to get up from that couch. "I hope I didn't offend you in any way..."

"Nah, I'm alright. And sure, I guess we could part ways now. I have some work to finish up for tomorrow, and Amy might be back from the bakery soon..."

"Okay then... Have a good night."

"Yeah, tell Seungmin I said hi..."