"I'm home, mommy. Are you awake?" my baby whispers to not be loud and wake me up in a startle, and I smile. "Mommy is awake, honey," I set my eyes on him to see his angelic face, and he offers me one of the most heartwarming expressions.

"Did you sleep a lot?" he moves forward to wrap his arms around my neck, and I hug him back and press a kiss on his chubby cheek. "I did. I had a good nap," I bring him closer to me to sit up on the bed, and I put him down on my lap. "How was your day at school?"

"It was good, I drew a lot and had fun with my friends," he tells me, with joy, and I brush his bangs away from his forehead, noticing how long it is getting. "Aw. I'm happy and proud of you then," I peck his cute face again and stand up without letting go of him, and I move out of the bedroom. "Was the ride back home with Jungkook fun too? Did you see some snowmen?"

"No, but we played in the snow," he plays with my hair while staring at me, making me soft and calm. "Oh, you both played in it? And what did you do?" I carefully walk down the stairs, approaching Jungkook, who is diligently cleaning the house. "I jumped and threw snow at him," he beams, seeming happy about those memories he made with him.

I stop once I reach the last step of the stairs, and I sit down on them to not touch the wet floor. "I'm glad to know you both had a good time together," I hold him close, shift my attention to Jungkook, and our eyes meet. Jun steps back from my embrace, stands on the last step, and grips the handrail, observing Jungkook.

"Did you sleep well?" he stops mopping the floor to focus on me. "I did. I feel better."

"Good," he expresses his relief. However, Jun, who is right next to me, steps onto the wet floor, so I catch him and put him back on the stairs. "No, baby," I explain. "The floor is wet from mopping. Let's wait for Jungkook to finish cleaning it.""

Jungkook gasps at him playfully, and he comes close with the mop. "Did you touch the floor?"

"No," Jun denies it with an innocent face, smiling at him. "No? Really? You're telling me the truth?"

"Yes," he lies to him. "Alright then, show me your toes," he says as he squats down in front of him. He gently grabs one of his legs and takes his sock off, making Jun laugh. "You told me a lie. I can see the footprint you left on the floor, look," he points at one spot. "This is the same size as your foot," he tickles the plant of it, and Jun giggles and wriggles against me. "Don't do it, or I tickle you again, okay?"

"Okay," he gives him his words, and Jungkook moves back to get hold of the mop, but my baby stares at him, planning something for sure. I know this face and those eyes.

Jungkook passes the mop over the spot that was touched, but instead of not repeating his action, Jun stretches his leg out and pushes his foot against the floor again.

Jungkook's lips part, and he glances up at Jun. "What did you just do , bad boy?"

"Nothing," his adorable giggles echo through the house, having fun annoying the tall man. For the second time, Jungkook wipes it, then Jun does it again. "You come here, little boy," he releases his hold on the stick and comes to pick him up in his arms, and he tickles his foot to make his joyful, contagious laugh fill the entire house with glee, and I laugh while watching them both.

"I told you to keep your toes away from the floor," he stops to let him breathe, smiling and looking in the best mood whenever he holds or interacts with Jun.

"I'm sorry, Jungoo," he mispronounces his name as usual. "You're forgiven," Jungkook does not resist but kisses his cheek, and he keeps him in his arms. "Let's clean together," he says as he removes Jun's other sock, puts him down on the floor, and hands him the mop. My small baby does not even hesitate before pushing it and walking around the room to help Jungkook with this task and have fun at the same time.

He seems to find it amusing, I wonder if this will still be the case in ten years.

•••

11 pm.

'JUNGKOOK'S P.O.V'

I wake up to some movement against me, finding it difficult to discern in the darkness. However, I quickly recognize the person by their body size.

Jun sneaks right between y/n and I, holding his two plushies, he lies down to be stuck between us, and I do not stay quiet about this. I ask softly, "What's wrong, sweetheart? Are you okay?""

"Mommy..." he cuddles up against her and brings my attention to her, so I pay attention to her but hear how fast her breathing is. "Mommy? Why?" I raise my upper body up. His concern about her worries me, prompting me to turn on a lamp and check on her.

I remain quiet to listen to her and look at her. Her breathing is quivering, some tears can still be visible on her skin. At the sight of her distress, I move my body up and run my fingers over the side of her face in an attempt to soothe her. "Sweetheart," I brush some strands of her hair behind her ear and hold her jawline to stroke her cheek with my thumb. "Everything is okay, y/n. I'm here."

Jun gazes up at her with concern, so I try to reassure him. "It's okay, honey. Mommy has nightmares too sometimes, just like you. You can give her a kiss and a hug to help her feel better."

He immediately plants a kiss on her cheek, envelops her in his small arms, and nestles his head on her chest. I kiss her forehead as well to comfort her as much as I can, and to my greatest relief, she calms down, slowly.

With reassurance in my heart that she is fine now, I shift my attention to Jun. "Why are you not sleeping anymore?" I whisper to not wake y/n up and comb his hair back. "Daddy was screaming..." he whispers, causing a heavy exhalation to leave my chest. Both of them are still suffering from it. Even though he is not close anymore, he is still here, somehow.

"It was just a nightmare, don't be scared," I rub his back and do my best, and he closes his eyes, but I notice y/n wake up. I look into her tired eyes, and I smile at her. Unintentionally, her lack of reciprocation fills me with sorrow, so I keep my eyes fixed on her, but she drops her glistening ones to her son.

"Why aren't you in bed, baby?" she glances at his face and combs his hair back, and he raises his head up at the sound of her voice. "I wanted to protect you from the monsters in your nightmare."

She stares at him, probably wondering how he could be aware and feeling pained because of it. She runs her fingers through his hair and forces a smile to mask the emotions she struggles to hide within her heart. "Thank you, my baby. The monster left as soon as you took me in your arms. You're a brave boy."

The happiness this brings him is evident as a wide grin spreads across his face, feeling proud of himself for being his mother's protector. He rests his head back on her chest and revels in the care and affection she gives him.

Despite how precious this moment between them is, I can only feel hurt by what it truly means.

Feeling the urge to console her, I rise and tuck the blanket snugly over Jun before circling the bed, aware of her attentive gaze tracking my every step. I do not worry her but stop right behind her to lift the blanket up, and she turns her head towards me. I lie down behind her and cover our bodies, touch her side to leave some reassuring caresses, and I press a kiss on her lips.

"I'm here," I whisper as an I draw her close, and she intertwines her fingers with mine and puts my arm around her. With a gentle smile, I press a loving kiss on her shoulder before resting my head on the pillow next to hers, finding solace in our closeness.

— Next day —

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022.

7:40 am.

"Are you ready for kindergarten?" y/n holds Jun's hands after putting his beanie and gloves on, but he pouts at her as we are still waiting in the car. "I want to stay with you, mommy."

"I know, honey, but your friends miss you, and they must be waiting for you to play. Mommy will be here right when the second bell rings, and I promise I'll give you a big hug," she reassures him, gently stroking his cheek, but his reluctance to leave mirrors his previous reactions to parting with her. This is the fourth time we do this and try to get him used to it, but this is already a very complicated process for kids who have always lived in a healthy environment, so for him, who has already gone through way too much at his young age, this is even worse.

Without saying a word of complaint, he leans forward and hugs her, and I smile but feel somewhat weak. This must be very difficult for both of them.

"Come on, you're a big boy now," she presses her lips on his forehead, trying her best. She keeps him close to her, with his head resting on her chest all the time. "Will you do it for mommy?" she asks, tilting her head to catch his gaze. Jun looks at me briefly before meeting her eyes and nodding in agreement. "Good boy, I'm so proud of you, my sweet baby," she whispers, showering him with kisses to distract him from his unease.

A tranquil silence envelops us as Jun lingers in his mother's embrace, savoring the remaining moments. I choose to let them bask in this tender moment without disrupting the peace.

10 minutes later...

"Here," she puts the bag over his shoulders, his arms squeezing the Pikachu plushie against him, and the more he is getting close to the outside of the car, the more his face is expressing his sadness and fear as usual.

Although I am not his father, having spent only four months by their side, this pain grips me every time we go through this. I cannot fathom the depth of his mother's feelings.

"There you are, my baby," she kisses his forehead. "If you ever miss mommy, hold Banana really tightly for me, okay?" she reminds him to do in case he cannot bear to be away from her again, and he nods, his big glistening eyes and curled lips making me feel on the verge of crying.

Y/n looks at me, signaling that I can leave, and I proceed ahead. I step out of the car and close the door. Then, I walk around the car and open the door on her side. "Come on, my baby. You can do it. Mommy will come back with a surprise for lunch, okay?"

He nods without ever meaning what he answers her, and she fakes a smile. "I love you, have a lot of fun with your friends and enjoy your time with them," she kisses him, and once I stretch my arms out to take him, he gives her a last hug and comes towards me, so I pick him up and hold him in my arms but feel him hide his face in my neck to sob.

I look at Y/n to ensure she is okay. Afterward, I close the door and head towards the gate.

"Don't be sad, honey. Mommy will be back before you know it," I rub his back and attempt to do what a father would, but he does not reply. His tears run down his cheeks, and he cries.

I stop right in front of the gate and squat down to put him in the snow. Then, I look into his watery eyes. "Honey, I know it's hard to be away from mommy, but she's always here with you. Hm?" I brush my fingers over his cheeks to get rid of the tears, ignoring all the emotions inside of me to not let this break me apart. "Banana is here for you, he loves you a lot too, so don't be sad."

"I'm scared without mommy," he lets some words out but chokes up, so I hold his hands with one of mine. "Why are you scared, honey? What makes you feel like that?"

"Misters," he reveals the reason for him to be in this state. "And I love mommy. I want to hug her, I don't want her to be sad or have nightmares," he uses his sleeves to wipe his tears away, and I pull him in an embrace to help him calm down, feeling a knot in my throat. "Mommy will not be sad or have nightmares, I'm here for her. I promise to keep you both safe. Can you tell me why misters scare you?"

"They are scary," he does not give more details, and I decide not to ask him to do it. "Does that mean I'm scary?" I fear his answer as soon as the question leaves my mouth, and he shakes his head, his breathing seeming more slow and steady. "But you do know that I am a Mister, right?"

"Yes," he affirms, and I lay my hand over his cold and wet chubby cheek. "Why do you think I am not scary if I am a mister too then?"

"Because mommy said you are a good Mister, and you do not scream or make her sad," he exposes, without even being aware of it, what I assumed to be behind this fear. "A lot of misters are like me, honey. I promise you. You do not need to be scared of them. Even if they ever scream or make mommy sad, I'll be there to protect you both and make them leave. Just like I chase away the monsters in your nightmares, I'll make sure the bad misters stay far away from you and mommy. Okay?" I stroke his cheek, not hearing him cry anymore but only snivel. "Alright," he says, putting his trust in me, and I smile.

I plant a kiss on his forehead and make him stand before me to look at him. "Mommy is not sad. She is very happy because of you, and she loves you more than anything, so there's no need for you to be sad," I take a small pack of tissue out of my pocket and unfold it. "Can you promise me you'll be a big boy and make her very proud of you?" I wait for his answer, and he nods to me. "You're an amazing boy," I bring the tissue up to his nose and tell him to blow into it, being careful, and I wipe his nose to make sure it is clean. "Come on, Miss Kang is waiting for you," I fix the strands of his bangs that stick out of his beanie, and he turns his head to look at her.

When she smiles at him, opens her arms, and asks him if he is ready to join his friends to play, I perceive some sort of reassurance soothe him, and he nods but looks back at me.

"You can go. Have a good time, sweetie," I kiss his forehead, and he expresses much better emotions. "See you later, Jungoo. I love you," he waves at me while heading towards his teacher as I straighten up, and I wave back at him but feel very affected by those words.

He has never said them to me, and I do not know how to react to this new feeling inside of me. I have never been so emotional.

My heart is filled with pleasure and pride as I watch him leave. That moment will stay with me forever, a small gesture that holds immense meaning in my heart.

He is not my son, I know he will probably never consider me as a father, but hearing him tell me those words makes me feel like the father I have always wished but thought to never have the chance to be.

As the emotions are still impacting me, I join y/n back in the car.

"Is he okay?" she asks, and I put her mind at rest. "He is. His teacher was there to bring him inside," I put the key inside to turn the ignition on. "He cried, didn't he?"

"A little, but I managed to reassure him, so don't worry," I smile at her and avoid telling her what I heard from him. She already has enough thoughts and worries to fight, so I do not want to add more to them.

"I'm relieved," she shares the same feeling, and I put my seat belt on to drive back home. I keep my eyes on the road and pick another radio to listen to some music with her. However, the thoughts of what happened some minutes ago prompt me to talk about it with her.

"I need to tell you something. This may not seem very relevant to you, but it means a lot to me," I glance at her before she asks, "Tell me. What is it?"

"Before leaving me, Jun told me he loves me, and I don't know. Do you think he meant it like he does when he says it to you," I overthink about it, and as if she could understand the depth of my emotions, she smiles. "He told you he loves you?"

"He did," I also have a hard time believing it. "I'm...I would never have expected him to say that to you so soon. I never really heard him say that to his father before, so he must mean it like he does when he says it to me." she does not end her sentence as if she was struggling with the word, so I bring my hand to hers. "...to him. So, he must mean it like he does when he says it to me, and you have no idea how happy this makes me."

"It makes me really happy too. I know this is just an 'I love you' from a four year old, but this means the world to me," I say with a smile. "It's more than that. I know how significant it is for you, and I'm happy to see how this makes you feel," she holds my hand, and my lips curve up.

3:40 pm.

"Honey," I murmur to wake Jun from his snooze, and I gently brush my fingers through his hair. I mumble, "Hey," caressing his cheek, and he opens his eyes. He moves his head up to look at me and raises his hands to massage his eyes. "How was your sleep, love ?" He stretches his little frame as I grin at his endearing gestures. "Yes," he nods, and I extend my arms in his direction. "Would you like to come downstairs with mommy?"

He does not think twice about approaching, reaching for his cuddly Pikachu, and climbing onto my lap to put his arms around my neck. I pick him up and hug him close to me. I make my way downstairs and out of the bedroom.

As we reach the living room, I notice his eyes light up at the sight of his favorite human. I settle down on the couch with him in my arms, ready to spend more time together in each other's company. In this moment, I am exactly where my heart belongs.

"Hey, honey," y/n brings a big smile to his face. "How was your nap?"

"Good, mommy," he replies, stretching his arms out towards her for a hug. "I'm happy to hear it," she holds him close for them both to share a warm embrace. Their bond shines through as they embrace each other, savoring this moment of closeness.

I observe them silently, never breaking this tranquil moment with a word. Some delight raises the corners of my mouth, realizing what I am finally experiencing with the most loving people I could ever have asked for.

The love and warmth between us fill the room, creating a sense of calm and contentment.

In that moment, all worries and stresses melt away as we simply enjoy each other's presence.

"Has Cherry told you she'll visit us today?" I ask y/n, and her attention drifts towards me. "No. I didn't know, but I'm glad to hear it. I miss her a lot."

"She'll be here around seven to eat with us, but she misses you a lot too," I run my fingers through her hair and brush them behind her shoulder, showing more of her beautiful face. She smiles and inches closer to me, so I put my arms on the back of the sofa and pat her head. "I know you've been worried about her, but she told me she's been doing better since she left that workplace."

"I'm relieved. I always wonder whether she's telling me she's okay just to not worry me, or if it's the truth, so hearing it from you is better," she gazes at her son playing with his plushie on her lap, and a smile grows on my face. As I plant a kiss on her temple, I whisper, "No need to worry about her anymore. She's living a better life now."

She nods and raises her eyes up to mine. "Me too. You probably don't realize it, but you saved a lot of women."

Her heavy words hang in the air, leaving me speechless. "I didn't. You did. I just helped, but you're the one who spoke up. You're the one who left him on that night, you saved your child's life, yours, and all those women's ones. It's all you, not me."

"But if you weren't there, I would never have been able to do all that," she says, giving me credit for something she did herself. "I owe it all to you. You're the one who made it happen."

I tangle my fingers in her hair and press my lips against hers. "You don't owe me anything. I did it because I love you," I whisper, feeling the warmth of her breath against my skin. "I love you too," she whispers back, her voice filled with emotion, and we both smile at one another.

If only she understood the profound significance of her and Jun in my life.

•••

11 pm.

With the darkness of the room engulfing the bedroom, allowing only the moonlight as a source of illumination, I keep my eyes on y/n's beautiful ones and run my fingers over the side of her head. As the peaceful expression on her face remains serene, never faltering, I smile at her and gently brush her cheek with my thumb, but she only returns a faint and insincere one.

"Will you always love me and never need anyone better?" she whispers, causing me to stop the rubbing. I meet her gaze with sincerity, and respond, "I don't need anyone else. You and Jun are the ones I always wished for. You'll always remain the people I love the most."

"Even if I struggle with intimacy for a long time because of the way this makes me feel, and what it brings back to me?" she fears, unaware that this concern is minimal compared to others. "Even if it's difficult for you, this won't change the way I feel. I promise you. As long as I can have you and Jun by my side, happy, safe, and healthy, that's all that matters to me, and I desire nothing more than that."

She stares silently, her lips showing some reassurance. Without saying another word, the lingering look in her eyes assures me that she comprehends the depth of my feelings for her. The unspoken connection between us is stronger than any words could convey.

I lean in to kiss her forehead. Our bond is unbreakable, built on trust and understanding that transcend any doubts or fears. I know that our love will endure any challenge that comes our way. I whisper, "I will always be by your side."

She snuggles up against me and hides her face in my chest, holding me near. In that moment, I feel a sense of peace and contentment, knowing that we are truly meant to be together. Our love is a source of strength that will guide us through whatever lies ahead.

No matter what comes our way, nothing will break us apart.

The End.