Chapter Text
Dan was waiting patiently in the waiting room. He was at the clinic with Jaekyung for his monthly check-up. Being Jaekyung's personal physiotherapist, he had to be present at every check-up to know each of the athlete's follow-ups. While Jaekyung was being attended to by the doctors, he had to wait for him outside, sitting on the hard hospital chairs. He is used to them; he sees them often when he visits his grandmother. He has lost count of all the times he has sat in these chairs, waiting for news from his grandmother. At least here he could relax a little; here he wouldn't have any serious news. And when they were done with the check-up, Dan was allowed to enter the office of the doctor attending Jaekyung. Dan entered cautiously and sat right next to the athlete, who, as usual, had an annoyed expression, arms crossed, and legs crossed. Dan avoided looking at him and concentrated on the doctor.
The doctor began to speak, explaining the results of today's examination. He showed Dan X-rays, focusing quite a bit on Jaekyung's shoulders. By the time the doctor started talking about treatments and giving a speech on why the athlete should rest, Jaekyung began to protest.
“I'm not taking a break; this is a waste of time,” he snorted, looking away from both the doctor and Dan.
“I know you think you're indestructible, but you're not, and your shoulder is going to be affected if you keep behaving like a tantrum child who doesn't want to take a nap.” The doctor scolded him, and Dan was surprised that someone had the guts to talk to Jaekyung like that. The athlete could very well stand up and, with a simple punch, knock the doctor out. No one would talk to the emperor like that.
But Dan found that the athlete had respect for the man in front of them, and all he did was snort and walk out of the office with his hands balled into fists and his brow furrowed. Dan swallowed hard. Now he's going to take it out on me, he thought.
The doctor let out a sigh of resignation, like a father who cannot convince his son to take a break. He then looked at Dan and, with the last of his remaining hope, asked Dan to talk some sense into Jaekyung. Dan knew that, as a physical therapist, that was his job, but as he walked to where Jaekyung was, he couldn't help but wonder if he was the person qualified to convince Joo Jaekyung to take a break. Well, I have to try. The riskiest thing that could happen to me is to have Jaekyung's wrath on me, but I'm already used to him taking it out on me.
Dan let out a sigh, and with several trots, he reached Jaekyung's side. The black-haired one was walking towards the exit, ready to leave. “I think the doctor is right, and since I'm your physical therapist, I know that the best thing for you and your shoulder is for you to rest, even if it's just for a day.”
“No.”
Dan frowned at the athlete's quick refusal, but he wasn't going to stop. “Your training may be good for you, but it can become dangerous if you get too saturated. You're wearing yourself out.” His words were abruptly interrupted when Jaekyung's terrified gaze landed on him. Dan swallowed saliva and took a step back, tightening his hands on the strap of his bag as if that would help him erase his nerves.
“I'm not in the mood to talk about it, so shut your mouth already.”
Dan nodded slightly and stood still as Jaekyung resumed walking to his car. The athlete opened the door of the driver's seat, but before getting in, he noticed that Dan was still standing without moving. Jaekyung let out one of his annoyed glances at him. “Aren't you going to get on?”
Dan blinked a little, surprised by the question. He quickly shook his head. “No, I have to go get Kenji first; he's already left school, and I have to go get him.”
“Okay, get in; I'll take you to school.”
“You don't have to.”
Another annoyed look from Jaekyung, and Dan knew it was best to listen to the athlete. Slowly, he got into the car and, avoiding looking at Jaekyung, put on his seat belt. Then he gave him the address of the school—the only words he said before silence reigned in the car. A couple of minutes later, Jaekyung stopped in front of a small building, quaint and full of children's decorations. Jaekyung noticed that as he looked out the window.
“Wait here, I'll just be a second,” said Dan before getting out of the car.
Jaekyung didn't protest at that; he had no intention to move from his seat; he didn't want to. But he took the moment to look around. Everything was full of life; children were running around, playing in the small park inside the school. There were many parents, too, picking up their children. Jaekyung watched everything with curiosity, from the children to the interactions they had with their parents. So this is Dan's daily life, the athlete thought as he watched a father walking hand in hand with his son.
He never entertained the idea of having children or starting a family; he still considered himself too young for that. Besides, it was never in his plans; the idea of a family was bothersome to him. But now, looking at the surrounding atmosphere and listening to the laughter and voices of the children while waiting for Dan, who seemed to be taking his time to pick up his son, Jaekyung perhaps began to entertain the idea of a family—a family with Dan and Kenji.
No, what the hell are you thinking? Quickly, he shook his head. He had to push away those strange thoughts that had been attacking him lately. He grunted a little and squeezed the steering wheel hard. Why is Dan taking so long?? He thought of it with irritation. Waiting was annoying him, and he was starting to get impatient. He was about to grab his phone and call Dan to complain when he saw a mini-version of his physical therapist running towards his car.
This mini-version of Dan was wearing a red jacket, yellow boots, and a backpack hanging from his shoulders. Jaekyung couldn't help but smile. He suddenly felt joy to see the boy once again, and all his discomfort was gone. He waved to Kenji from the window and then helped him open the car door.
“Hyung!” exclaimed the little guy as he climbed into the back seats.
“Hey, buddy,” Jaekyung replied, catching Kenji's excitement. He turned a little to see him and gave him a smile.
As Kenji spoke, happy to see the athlete, Dan made sure to get him into the luxury seats. Being a sports car, this one had no child seats, so Dan had to figure out how to secure all the seat belts around his son. It was a bit difficult, as Kenji kept fidgeting from the excitement of being with Jaekyung, but once Dan gently told him to stay calm, Kenji calmed down.
“It rained so much that there were lots of puddles, and at recess, the teacher let us splash in them. It was fun,” said the child with great excitement.
“Yeah, and now you're dirtying Jaekyung's car with your boots,” Dan muttered, worried about staining the athlete's car. He tried to clean Kenji's boots as best he could, but it was impossible to get all the dirt off. Now, he was nervous that Jaekyung would get mad about it.
“Oh, sorry, Hyung!” exclaimed Kenji with utmost concern, looking at his dirty boots, then looking at Jaekyung with some sadness.
But Jaekyung wasn't upset and kept a smile on his face. “It's okay, nothing's wrong,” he said, surprising himself for being so calm. He hated dirt and getting his car dirty. Another time, he would get hysterical; he would make a drama over it. But not now, because now he knew it would be stupid to get mad about something like that. And he knew Dan was also surprised by his words and his zero reaction when he looked at him incredulously. “Everything is fine.” Jaekyung repeated his words because he wanted Dan to know that he spoke the truth.
Dan swallowed saliva at seeing such calmness in the athlete. He personally was preparing for the worst, but seeing that this was not the case, he did not know how to react. He could only nod his head and finish adjusting the seat belts around his son. Once he did, he closed the door and climbed into the front passenger seat.
Soon, Kenji picked up the conversation again, recounting everything he had done at school. He went on and on and on. At another time, Jaekyung would have been annoyed; it irritated him when people talked a lot, especially if they were children. But Kenji would always be his exception. Kenji was different; he was slowly starting to grow fond of the boy.
“Oh, and I bought these stickers at recess!” Kenji commented in his tender voice as he excitedly pulled a plastic bag full of stickers of different colors and designs out of his backpack.
Jaekyung couldn't pay much attention to him because he was driving, but he made sure to respond encouragingly to each thing he said with a smile on his face. He even commented on how cute the stickers were, even though he couldn't see them well because his eyes were fixed on the road.
“They're from the Avengers; do you like the Avengers, Hyung?”
“Mmm, I'm not a big fan of them.”
“Mmm” Kenji was silent for a second as he looked at his stickers, then ripped off one of them and unexpectedly leaned forward, between the two front seats. “I think your favorite superhero would be Iron Man because he has a lot of money, just like you.”
As Jaekyung laughed at that comment, Dan covered his face with his hand, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment. He glanced sideways at Jaekyung; he was laughing in a calm, too relaxed way. Dan dared to think he looked happy. It was quite strange, and for a second, he stared at Jaekyung's profile fondly, like he had never seen him before.
“Here you go, Hyung, a sticker for you!” Kenji's voice brought Dan out of the cloud of thoughts he had with Jaekyung. He blinked a little to come and see his son, realizing what he had done. It was nothing serious, but Dan couldn't help but worry after seeing the sticker stuck on Jaekyung's cupholder.
“Kenji,” he said quietly, but the little boy didn't pay attention to him. Dan looked at Jaekyung quickly, but the athlete was calm, his gaze fixed on the road. “I'm sorry, I'll take it off.”
“No, leave it; it doesn't bother me.”
Dan was surprised by that. He looked at Jaekyung quizzically but said nothing and settled back in his seat; however, he couldn't take his eyes off Jaekyung. The wrestler seemed fine with the fact that Kenji had ruined his expensive car with a penny sticker; he even smiled, and Dan could notice some tenderness in his eyes as he looked at the sticker out of the corner of his eye. It was very confusing, but things had been like this for a month now. Jaekyung's behavior had changed a bit, much to Dan's insecurity. The brown-haired man was not used to such a sudden change, and rather than reassuring him, it had him on his toes. Jaekyung was unpredictable, and this change of attitude could mean anything. He still didn't quite trust the athlete and was afraid to think that all this was just a facade to stab him in the back in the worst possible way.
Dan wondered why he was like that and why he was now so gentle and calm by his side. He knew Jaekyung didn't do things just for the sake of it; for him, there had to be something in return. So what was this all about? What was he looking for? More sex? More power over him? It's annoying not knowing what Jaekyung wanted, and it's also annoying having your guard up all the time.
The only thing he appreciated about Jaekyung's strange behavior was how nice he was to his son. He didn't know if he did it out of hypocrisy or to put up appearances, but either way, Dan appreciated that, at least with Kenji, Jaekyung acted like a decent person. In fact, only with Kenji did he see him smile in a genuine way, without the haughtiness that characterized him. Only at these times did he act pleasant without being obnoxious. It was as if he had become a different person.
Finally, they arrived home, and once again, Dan was surprised when Jaekyung decided to accompany them to their apartment. Dan just agreed because it was hard to say no to Jaekyung. So he just let him follow them like a lapdog. With Kenji, there was never silence, so as soon as Dan opened the door to the apartment, the little boy ran across the living room, throwing his backpack on the floor and plopping down on the couch where the remote control sat. Dan let out a sigh and bent down to pick up the backpack. A children's program was already playing in the apartment when Dan dropped the backpack on the coat rack.
“Kenji, take off your boots and coat, please. Be organized with your things,” he said softly, throwing a loving look at his son. The little boy was obedient and always listened to him, but like every child, sometimes he forgot to follow the routine. Dan smiled sweetly at him and tousled his son's hair as he passed by his side, then turned and looked up at Jaekyung, catching a soft gaze on him. Dan couldn't help but blush, and it made Jaekyung wipe away his tender expression.
The athlete stood up straight and with a disinterested look; however, he couldn't stop his emotions or his mouth, which began to speak without his consent. “Would you like me to make dinner? I mean, I don't have anything to do at home, so I could stay if you want me to.”
Dan was astonished to hear his words; he didn't expect such kindness, or whatever Jaekyung's behavior was called. “I don't want to be a bother.”
“Please.” Jaekyung got up from the stool and walked around the kitchen counter. “You have a chance to eat something prepared by me, and you're going to waste it? Don't be silly.”
Dan just rolled his eyes and did nothing but nod. After all, Jaekyung would end up doing whatever he wanted. So, the athlete went to work in the kitchen, and Dan took advantage of the fact that someone would be taking care of dinner to focus on Kenji, checking his school notebooks to verify that everything was okay. And since Jaekyung didn't let him help him with the dinner, Dan had no choice but to sit on the sofa and wait.
He was not used to someone doing something else for him, but he allowed himself to enjoy it and watch the athlete while he was cooking. Jaekyung was concentrating on preparing dinner, so he did not notice the glances Dan was giving him. Again, the physiotherapist found himself concentrating on detailing Jaekyung. He knew how handsome the man was, and that may have captivated him the first time he met him. His handsome face is a weakness, but his personality leaves much to be desired, and that's why Dan didn't want to get to know him beyond the “professional” contract they had. But now, watching him do the simplest thing, like dinner, and seeing him calm as he moved around the kitchen without his scowl and bored face, Dan began to appreciate the man a little more. Maybe he's not so bad; maybe I just need to get to know him better; maybe this is his real way of being.
No, I'm talking nonsense. Dan shook his head, pushing his thoughts away. You mustn't let your guard down. He avoided looking at Jaekyung and focused on his son. Dan thought maybe he should give him a shower before dinner. But before he could make a move, his son planted himself in the kitchen, curious about what Jaekyung was doing. In addition to the noises Jaekyung was making while cooking, Kenji's little voice could be heard all over the place, asking Jaekyung questions. The athlete answered each of them, not bothered that the little guy was hovering over him while cooking. Dan thought Jaekyung was going to be angry that Kenji was hovering around him, but once again, Dan was surprised to find that Jaekyung was not bothered by his son's presence and instead was seen following their conversation with a smile.
Dan began to smile while watching the tender scene. It seemed that the two had forgotten about him, but that didn't matter to him, and he tried not to make any noises or movements so as not to interrupt the gratifying scene he had all to himself. For the first time in a long time, Dan felt at home with his family. The aroma of the food, so tasty, made his stomach growl, and when he sat down in front of the plate full of food, his mouth filled with saliva.
“Looks delicious, Hyung!” exclaimed Kenji, looking in awe at his plate of food. His eyes looked cartoon-like, with little stars shining in them. Jaekyung simply smiled at the little boy and then looked up at Dan. Their gazes connected, and for the first time, Jaekyung waited impatiently for Dan's approval.
The brown-haired man smiled at him and finally spoke. “I agree with Kenji; this looks delicious.”
Jaekyung showed a smile. Even though he already knew how good their food was, it felt good to hear it from someone else. After that, they started to eat.
“Bon appétit!” both Dan and Kenji expressed, making the same gesture of joining hands and bowing slightly. They then looked at Jaekyung as if expecting him to bow as well.
The athlete had no intention of doing that and looked with a grimace at that pair of eyes that turned out to be too insistent for Jaekyung's liking. Joo Jaekyung ended up letting out a snort, disinterestedly giving a quick bow, and, in a low voice, letting himself be heard as he said bon appétit. Once the two browns were satisfied with that, they began to eat.
The dinner was quiet, with Kenji the only one talking at the table. The boy always had something to comment on and never missed the opportunity to say what was going through his mind. The two adults listened attentively while the little boy talked. Dan, from time to time, would glance at Jaekyung out of the corner of his eye, still unable to believe that the athlete was eating a home-cooked meal. He knows Jaekyung prepares the best dishes, goes to the best restaurants, and eats food more expensive than anything Dan has in the cupboard, but here he is, sitting on a stool and a more than worn countertop, eating on plates with floral designs. It was all so unreal to Dan that it would take him a while to get used to it.
When they finished eating, Dan picked up the dirty dishes, collecting them in a pile. Kenji jumped down from the stool, but before he could run off, Dan stopped him.
“What do we say when someone makes dinner for us?”
“Thank you, Jaekyung Hyung!” exclaimed the little boy, flashing a big smile that showed all his teeth. Jaekyung let out a giggle and then nodded. The little boy went back to the couch to watch his favorite programs, while Dan and Jaekyung remained seated, facing each other.
“Thanks for the food,” was all Dan managed to say to break the silence that was building over them.
Jaekyung just shook his hand in a disinterested way. “You know, I just did it so that you would finally taste a quality meal by someone who is an expert in making delicious dishes. You can already say that you've eaten the best dinner of your life, made by the best athlete in the world.”
Dan just rolled his eyes but let out a smile, as he knew Jaekyung was just bluffing, but in a way that was not as overbearing and annoying as he used to be. Jaekyung also smiled when he heard Dan's light laughter, and for a moment, he wanted to stay in Dan's smile. He hardly ever saw him smile, and he knew that was partly his fault.
Jaekyung quickly shook his head, pushing away any sentimentality he might feel for Dan. He slightly cleared his throat and returned to his disinterested expression. “Let me wash that for you.”
Dan's expression upon hearing that come out of Jaekyung's mouth was one of disbelief, and he looked at the athlete as if he had grown two heads on his shoulders. I must definitely be dreaming because there's no way Jaekyung offered to do the dishes. “No, careless, I got it.”
But before Dan could take the dishes and get up, Jaekyung was quicker and took the dishes from Dan's hands. They wobbled a little in his hands, but to Dan's luck, they didn't fall to the floor. Those dishes were his grandmother's, and Dan would not forgive himself if he broke them.
Silently, he watched as Jaekyung turned his back to him and turned on the dishwasher faucet to start washing the dishes. Again, that feeling that it was all a facade and that suddenly Jaekyung would ask him for the most outrageous thing in the world came. But this made no sense; if Jaekyung wanted something, he would just get it without so much acting involved. But then again, Dan could never read Jaekyung or know what his next move would be.
He let out a low sigh and tried to push his worries away. If Jaekyung wanted to do the dishes, fine, let him do it. Dan had things to do anyway, like make Kenji take a shower. Of course, he warned Jaekyung that he would be attending to his son, and when the athlete told him that he was fine, Dan didn't question it.
What the brown man didn't know is that for Jaekyung, his own behavior was also strange; he never acted this way, but these days he no longer questioned anything and let his feelings take over sometimes because he could no longer understand himself, and every time he tried to do so, he ended up with a headache or another broken punching bag. However, being here, simply washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, he couldn't help but feel comfortable in an environment free of tension, just harmony and tranquility. As much as he hated how repulsive this apartment was, the people who lived here, Kenji and Dan, were what made this place special and made him contrastingly want to come back.
Since the place was so small, Jaekyung could hear what father and son were talking about, and he couldn't help but laugh when he heard Kenji from the bathroom, asking Dan if he could sleep over and have a sleepover. That left him with a smile, the kind he had never shown in his life. The homey atmosphere was something he had forgotten he could experience, and for a moment, it scared him because he liked that feeling.
By the time Dan finished bathing and dressing Kenji, he returned with Jaekyung. The athlete was wiping the countertop and the kitchen towel as if he did it every day. Dan couldn't help but stand and silently admire Jaekyung. Seeing him act this way and do the most common thing in life made Dan feel strange; he didn't know how to explain it. Something was changing in the way he looked at Jaekyung. What he felt for him was no longer the same. No, no, he was always going to hate Jaekyung, no matter how much he tried to change.
“What?”
Dan was startled when Jaekyung's gaze was on him. With a blush growing on his cheeks, he averted his gaze. “Nothing; I just didn't think I would get to see Joo Jaekyung cleaning.”
The athlete let out a snort. “I may have maid service, but I can't have them all the time in my house every time I eat; cleaning the kitchen is not foreign to me.”
Dan just nodded, not knowing what else to say. He avoided looking at Jaekyung as Jaekyung finished cleaning the kitchen, leaving it cleaner than Dan ever could have. He walked over to the fridge and, looking inside, spoke, “A beer?”
Jaekyung knew that question was for him, so he quietly answered in the affirmative as he sat down on the sofa.
“It's cheap beer; my budget doesn't allow for more.”
The athlete let out a laugh and shook his head. The truth is, he didn't care what brand of beer it was. Well, he regretted that when he took a taste and almost spit it out, with a grimace, he looked at the bottle. How could Dan like this disgusting stuff? Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at it, only to stare at it completely. The brown guy was watching TV and laughing at the show. Jaekyung certainly didn't care what it was about; the only thing he could focus on was the relaxed way Dan was acting. It's as if all his problems vanished for a second and there was just a moment of tranquility and peace. Jaekyung soon found himself wrapped up in it, not wanting to give it up so soon. He was captivated by Dan's smile and discovered how beautiful he was. Had he always been like this? He was no fool; he knew of the appeal the physiotherapist had, but until this moment, Jaekyung had never felt emotions seeing Dan's face so smiling and calm.
Quickly, he looked away from Dan and focused on the TV. The bottle was held tightly in his left hand, and his other hand rested on his knee. It was strange that the two of them could be side by side so calmly; usually they were always arguing, calling each other names, fighting each other, or having sex. Even in treatment, they always had a problem. But they had never been like this: relaxed in each other's presence, just enjoying each other's company. Jaekyung never thought he would say this, but he liked it better to be like this than to be fighting with the physical therapist.
“Doc, can I ask you a question?”
“Wow, cheap beer must have magical powers because I can't believe you're asking me something politely.”
He knew Dan was just toying with him and was enjoying it by the way he was laughing, but Jaekyung couldn't help but give him one of his annoyed looks. Dan stopped laughing and, with a nod, indicated to Jaekyung that he could ask his question.
“I know you're still living here because you're a sentimental fool, but why not just move somewhere else more comfortable and leave this one? You don't necessarily have to sell it, but you could live in a much more stable place.”
Dan let out a sigh and leaned back a little more on the couch, stared off into nothingness in silence, and then began to speak, avoiding Jaekyung's gaze. “I never knew my parents; they both abandoned me when I was a baby, leaving me with my grandmother, an old lady too old to take care of a child but who still did her best to do so. And she did it in the best way: she bought this place with her life savings, all so that I would have a roof to grow up under. This place is special to her and to me. That's why I can't leave yet; I must take care of this place for my grandmother, and after she comes back, I will move in with Kenji. But for now, I must stay here and keep the home that is my grandmother's alive.”
Jaekyung didn't know what to say after that; he felt some sorrow and sadness running through him. Was he feeling empathy? No, impossible. Discreetly, he swallowed saliva, pushing away whatever it was that had made him so emotional. Dan's words were simple nonsense; Dan was a fool. “Well, I still think the same thing; you're a sentimental fool,” he said in his characteristic disinterested voice before taking a swig of his drink.
Kim Dan simply laughed, not at all annoyed with his comment. Then he got up, letting out a couple of tired groans. Jaekyung looked at the time on his watch and knew it was time to leave. He also got up and walked to the counter to put down the beer bottle. As he turned, he saw Dan turn off the TV and Kenji asleep on the floor with a cushion under his head.
“He always falls asleep on the floor when he's exhausted,” commented Dan as he removed several toys around his son.
Jaekyung just nodded and then, without thinking, walked toward the boy. “Let me take him to bed.”
“Don't worry, I do this all the time.”
But Jaekyung ignored all of Dan's protests carefully, and as if he had enough experience, he took the little boy in his arms and lifted him off the ground. Kenji didn't even wake up; instead, he settled into the athlete's arms with the utmost confidence. Jaekyung was surprised to feel the child's arms around his neck, but it was also gratifying. Gently, he settled him in his arms. Since when did he know how to hold a child? He had no idea, but the normal way he did it worried him a little.
He walked into the room, followed by Dan, and then laid the little boy on the bed. Jaekyung refrained from looking around the room; for once, he didn't want to judge Dan's situation. Besides, the man had already given him an answer: if he wanted to continue living like this, fine.
****************
Dan still didn’t understand Jaekyung's behavior; no matter how hard he tried, the physiotherapist couldn’t find an answer to his attitude. Certainly, not knowing what the athlete was up to or when one of his bombs would drop was suffocating for Dan. He tried to remain calm, but when he received that nameless package, he didn't know how to react.
He looked at the box with bewilderment, even though inside it were only normal things: groceries and hygiene products. But what most caught Dan's attention were the toys and clothes for Kenji. He didn't know what game Jaekyung was playing, what he was up to, or what message was behind this box. But he wasn't going to let his son be involved in this. Unfortunately, he couldn't hide the box from his son, and as soon as he took it in his hands and opened it, Kenji was beside him, excitedly looking at everything.
“Can I wear this pajama today, Daddy?” asked the boy excitedly, holding up a blue pajama set with decorations of moons and stars.
Dan looked at him and nodded with a smile. He wasn't going to ruin his son's excitement, but in the back of his mind, anger was starting to take over. And when he arrived at work the next day, he didn't think twice about grabbing Jaekyung by the arm and pulling him into his office. He was so driven by anger that he didn't care about the fact that he dared to take Jaekyung like that. He didn't even feel afraid of the annoyed look Jaekyung gave him; he had had enough of him and everything.
“I don't know what game you're playing, but you need to stop now, or at the very least, keep it away from my son. The deal has always been between you and me. And I don't need or want you to bring my son into this. I don't want your charity or your pity. I don't want you to get my son's hopes up by giving him things that you're going to take away from him. I can take it all from you, but don't involve my son in this. I don't want to be in debt to you anymore.”
As he finished his words, he was breathing shallowly; he was so exalted that he couldn't breathe. He swallowed saliva and looked at Jaekyung, waiting for an answer, hoping he would finally tell him his plan and what he was up to so he could breathe and sleep peacefully. But before the athlete could even open his mouth, Yoong-Gu entered the room, rushing towards Dan to hug him. Dan blinked as he felt potato on him; however, he tried to reciprocate his embrace.
“Hyung!” Yoong-Gu pulled away to look at him, his eyes, so young and full of life, captivated Dan a little. “I hope you liked the box I sent you. I forgot to put my name on it because I was in a bit of a hurry. Wait, did you get it? I know I put the address right, but before I could check, the delivery guy had already left and..."
Dan just looked full of confusion at everything Yoong-Gu said. The younger one was talking fast, anxiously explaining why the box that came to his door had no name on it. And Dan simply couldn't believe it. “Wait,” he said, having to stop Potato because his chatter was making him dizzy.“You were the one who sent the box?”
“Yeah, with the guys, we decided it would be great to give some things to Kenji because we were really worried when he got sick the other day. And well, I had some things at my mom's house from when I was a kid—a lot of toys in good condition that my mom refused to give away, but I know Kenji is going to put them to better use, and I wanted to give them to him because it's better for him to enjoy them than to have them sitting in a closet getting dusty.”
“And I said it was a bad idea to give that kind of gift without consulting you first.”
Dan glanced sideways at Jaekyung, the athlete was standing with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face, clearly not liking the treatment he received just a few minutes ago.
“Yes, Jaekyung Hyung, you said that, but this is for a good cause, so I didn't listen to you.”
That was quite surprising to Dan. Potato always obeyed Jaekyung; that boy was in love with the athlete. He would never say no to him, so Dan couldn't help but wonder if this was also part of a dream; this past month, he has felt like that.
“So... did you like the gesture, Dan? I didn't mean it badly; the guys and I just wanted to do something for you and Kenji.”
Dan couldn't help but smile, and then all the anger he felt melted away. “That was really nice of you and the guys. I'm not angry, I was just a little surprised.”
“Oh, great,” Potato sighed, relieved that his idea had turned out well. “Kenji liked the stuff? Did you eat the cookies?”
Dan let out a light chuckle and enthusiastically answered all of Potato’s questions. The boy always had that positive energy that could rub off on everyone. However, there was another person in the room who was not so happy with the atmosphere. Jaekyung let out a loud throat clearing, showing his anger with that simple gesture.
Potato became elated and quickly stopped talking; he was now nervous. “Oh, I…was I interrupting something? “
“Yes.”
“No.”
Yoong-Gu looked at the two adults in front of him. He was confused and did not know what to do.
“Potato, leave”
Potato quickly nodded, he could hear the annoyance in Jaekyung's voice, and it's best to listen to him before his mood gets worse. Potato said goodbye to Dan and hurriedly left the room. Which left Dan and Jaekyung alone.
The physical therapist avoided looking at Jaekyung, now embarrassed by his outburst. But he was also aware that his reason for getting angry was valid, and deep down, he was relieved to tell Jaekyung about his insecurity, even if it wouldn't change anything in their relationship.
“I think I deserve an apology.”
Dan let out a snort at the athlete's words and looked at him with an annoyed expression. “No, I won't, I didn't do anything wrong. And how I feel matters too. “
Jaekyung let out a snort, looked away in exasperation, was a little irritated, but also understood that Dan was a little right about this. He's been acting weird, he knows his behavior has been changing, and what Dan deserves most is an explanation, even if he doesn't know how he feels. But of one thing he is sure, there is nothing evil behind his intentions.
“Dan, I'm not dealing with your son at all, okay? I'm not manipulating you with him. Damn it, I know you don't trust me, but believe me when I tell you, I would never use your son to hurt you, and I would never do anything bad to Kenji. If I'm nice to him, it's because I like him. If I give him things, it's because I want to. I'm not looking for anything in return, I promise.”
And then he left. He had to get some air because it suddenly started to feel suffocating to be around Dan. For him, who had a hard time saying the things he thought or felt, that had been strange and a step he never thought he'd take. He had been willing to keep up appearances with Dan and not show him emotion, but here he was, revealing to him that he had no intention of hurting him. He didn't know how to deal with this, and could only walk over to his punching bag and let his emotions out with each punch. But, to Jaekyung's annoyance, he could not avoid Dan as much as he wanted to. He was his physical therapist, and only he knew how to take care of the pain in his shoulder. So, against his will, he went back to find Dan, hoping to get treatment.
Dan had already finished with everyone else, so Jaekyung knew he would be alone. The physical therapist was startled to see him, putting his papers aside and getting up from the couch. They were both professionals, so they knew how to put aside their character problems, especially Jaekyung. The treatment went on in silence, Dan avoided looking at him, and Jaekyung kept his gaze on the ceiling, just showing disinterest. It felt like the first day, and when Dan finished the treatment without saying a word, Jaekyung decided to end it.
“Doc?”
Dan simply let out a soft murmur. He turned his back to Jaekyung as he wiped his hands with a towel. Jaekyung sat on the gurney and put on his shirt. He waited for Dan to turn around, but when he didn't, he began to speak. “I'm going to take the weekend to rest, as you insist.”
That caught Dan's attention, and he turned around to look at Jaekyung in astonishment. “Really?”
“Yes, but I have a condition.”
Of course, Dan thought, nothing would be easy with Jaekyung. The brown-haired man nodded slowly and approached the athlete, placing himself in front of him. “And that condition would be...? “
“You have to be with me; I'm only going to take a break if you're with me at home.”
Dan let out a chuckle and shook his head. “I can't do that; I can't leave Kenji alone for the weekend.”
“Well, bring it with you.”
“You don't want that; I know you just want me in your house, so you can have me at your fingertips when you feel like having sex. And believe me, with a child around, that will be impossible.”
Jaekyung rolled his eyes, exasperated by the excuses Dan was making. “Doc, I'm serious; bring Kenji with you; I don't mind. And I won't accept any more silly excuses; I'll see you on Saturday at my place.”
And with nothing more to say, he left the place with his characteristic haughtiness, leaving Dan with words in his mouth and a feeling of resignation. No matter how hard the physical therapist tried, he would never be able to say no to Joo Jaekyung. He would always know how to get his way, and in the end, Dan would have to accept whatever he said.