Perhaps because it was afternoon and right before dismissal, there wasn’t a single person in the treatment waiting room. As if knowing Ido didn’t have a name, Wookyung naturally gave his own name at the reception desk instead of Ido’s name.
“Oh my, this… Let’s take a proper look at these wounds.”
Seeing Ido’s swollen and split face, the doctor’s eyes widened. The doctor who examined Ido’s face dressed the split areas with meticulous hands. At Wookyung’s request as he stood beside him anxiously, he also examined his body. Fortunately, the ribs that had been stomped on weren’t fractured. When showing the scratches left on his thighs from being hit with a switch and the bruised marks here and there, his head bowed unconsciously from embarrassment.
After receiving prescriptions for anti-inflammatory painkillers and ointment, Ido and Wookyung left the hospital. The two didn’t exchange any particular words until they filled the prescription at the attached pharmacy next door.
They walked side by side toward the daycare visible directly across. Whether from released tension or from being exposed to the imprinted alpha’s pheromones after a long time, despite the cold he kept getting sleepy. Lifting his heavily descending eyelids was burdensome. In his hazy consciousness, rubbing his eyes, Ido blankly recalled the day’s events.
Everything felt like a dream. He couldn’t believe all those things had happened just today. From almost running into him at Yoonkyung’s apartment this morning to fleeing to Yeodanhwa, being kidnapped there, and the events at the man’s mansion that were too painful to recall again.
Just recalling it brought a wave of fatigue. He wanted to doze off while walking. Wookyung, who had been glancing at Ido’s face from beside him, immediately noticed Ido’s condition.
“…Ido-ya. You’re too exhausted.”
Without answering, Ido lowered his head. It was true he was tired, but he couldn’t ask anything more of him here. However, to such an Ido, Wookyung made an absurdly sweet proposal.
“How about this? Let’s take Dokyung back to my house. You can lie down and rest like earlier, and I’ll watch Dokyung.”
It was nonsense. Ido slowly shook his head. Thinking it was because he couldn’t trust him to watch the child, Wookyung hastily added.
“I can do it well. I’ve watched him a few times with Yoonkyung, so I can do it. I just need to feed him, bathe him, play with him, and put him to sleep, right?”
“……”
“If my house is uncomfortable, I’ll come to your place. Or we can go to Yoonkyung’s place. It’s hard to do it alone, today… okay?”
He couldn’t endure anymore. Right in front of the daycare, Ido stopped walking. He looked up at him with a firm expression. The gaze looking up with force and the gaze looking down with pity intertwined between the two.
Wookyung rummaged inside his jacket and carefully handed over a small notebook and pen. The consideration of bringing them separately in preparation for communicating with him was evident, but regrettably he had no leisure to be moved by such consideration. Ido pressed down his writing on the pure white paper and handed the notebook to Wookyung.
[Why are you doing this?]
“Why am I doing this…”
Wookyung opened and closed his mouth, unable to continue speaking. His expression showed he couldn’t fully process the wound he’d received. The voice that was finally squeezed out was sad. But he needed to say what needed to be said before that voice could shake and collapse his entire heart again.
[What’s the reason you’re doing this to me now? Do you want to play Dokyung’s father now after all this time?]
Unlike his heart boiling painfully, prickly expressions kept coming out. The closer he came, the more he wanted to step back, and while his goodwill was welcome and pleasing, it was also frightening and reluctant at the same time. Setting aside that he was someone he couldn’t have anyway, the resentment piled up layer by layer over the past years had hardened too firmly. Breaking down that wall now seemed impossible.
Nevertheless, watching him painfully take in each letter with his eyes, Ido also bit his lip. He was the one who wrote harsh words, so why did his own chest hurt seeing him read them? Likewise, because Wookyung’s gaze reading the cruel words he’d scrawled trembled too much, Ido turned his head away.
Wookyung, who had kept his mouth shut for a while, stammered open.
“Ido-ya.”
“……”
“I… because I was too late, I understand that you’re angry. I really know that I, I made you suffer too much…”
His voice became wet.
Seeing such a Wookyung, Ido wanted to ask. Whether he really had abandoned him in the past. If not, why he hadn’t looked for him all this time. Whether the imprinting he’d given and the promise to be together going forward had really disappeared leaving only crumbled shells behind.
However, he couldn’t dare ask. In case he answered that he’d been trying to forget him and meet a new person to live well, and in the process met his former omega who had his child, and learned he’d fallen into danger in that process… that it was just kindness extended briefly from remembering old affection, that he just wanted to take minimum responsibility as a human being.
Just vaguely expecting it made his heart ache and hurt this much, so if he had to receive the finishing blow in Wookyung’s voice, he felt like he’d truly become miserable then. No, he’s a kind person, so he probably couldn’t bring himself to say it. He’d probably tell a clumsy lie. That he never forgot you.
But to be fooled by that lie, Ido already knew too much about Wookyung. He wasn’t someone skilled at lying. His gaze was honest to the point of frankness, and his voice had an honest texture. He didn’t want to hear lies in that voice of his.
“Still… since I appeared so late, I want to do everything you need.”
Above Ido’s bowed head, Wookyung’s voice soaked in sadness settled down.
“So tell me what you need. And… slowly lean on me. I won’t start by asking you to accept me. You’ll need time too…”
“……”
“But please remember. I’ll always be standing behind you.”
Even with a voice soaked in pain, he spoke clearly as if making a vow.
“If you don’t want to see me, I won’t appear before you. I won’t be visible. Until your heart is okay, just let me hover around you. I’ll be very close to you. Whenever you need me… call me anytime.”
How foolish. Really, so foolish.
Why was Wookyung going this far? Just getting him out of the establishment and sending some child support for Dokyung each month. Wouldn’t that be enough in others’ eyes? Why was he being so devoted? Why was he clinging so pitifully to him who kept looking away and pushing him away?
Could it be, perhaps. Does he still… me…
A shameless hope bloomed in his heart. But trampling down that sprout that rose as thin as a thread, Ido shook his head.
It was an absurd wish. He didn’t want to hold such hope only to be thrown into the abyss again. If he still hadn’t forgotten him, there would be no reason to try to embrace another host at Yeodanhwa on top of trying to go on blind dates.
[This may seem like a shameless request, but there’s only one thing I want from you.]
He silently watched the letters lining up on the paper.
[Please just help me get out of Yeodanhwa. Only up to that point. I don’t want to be an embarrassing father to Dokyung anymore.]
“Of course, Ido-ya… I’ll take care of all that. Don’t worry…”
Wookyung nodded painfully. A low groan leaked between his teeth.
[Only up to there. After that, I’ll handle things myself. Team Leader, you can just forget about us and live well. Like you have been until now.]
“…Forget. Ido-ya, I…”
Wookyung made an expression as if Ido had hurled insults at him. His gaze looking down at Ido with a shocked expression trembled faintly. With a face saying such a thing was impossible, Wookyung shook his head several times.
“How could I forget you? This might sound shameless, but… I haven’t forgotten you for even a single moment since then.”
“……”
“So…”
“Oh my, aren’t you Dokyung’s father?”
A clear voice was heard from behind. It was Dokyung’s daycare teacher. As if she’d been running a quick errand nearby, the teacher was wearing the apron she wore when caring for children. Come to think of it, they were both standing in front of the daycare. It was because the hospital, pharmacy, and daycare were all clustered close together. Ido belatedly gave Wookyung a look to leave now, but Wookyung pretended not to see such a look from Ido and subtly turned his gaze away.
Smiling warmly, the teacher asked, “You’re here to pick up Dokyung, right?” and Ido, who bowed to face the teacher, nodded.
“Please wait here for just a moment. I’ll bring him right out.”
Standing in front of the intercom, Ido grabbed Wookyung’s arm. He gave him both looks and chin gestures to leave to him looking down. However, Wookyung only said, “I’ll just see Dokyung’s face once before I go,” watching Ido’s reactions, showing no intention of leaving. Resigned, Ido swallowed a sigh inwardly and just waited for Dokyung to come out.
Soon Dokyung came out held in the teacher’s arms.
“Appa!”
Embracing the child who brightened up and rushed at him upon seeing him, Ido’s heart swelled. Just being alive and meeting safely like this left nothing more to wish for. The humiliation and pain he’d felt earlier melted away like snow.
However, his mind and body’s condition seemed quite different. The moment he lifted up the child who was reaching out his hands to be held while standing, his back and legs swayed greatly. It didn’t feel like his own body at all. A sound of “uh-uh” leaked from his mouth involuntarily, feeling like he might collapse.
“…Ido-ya.”
Fortunately, Wookyung, who was standing next to him, quickly supported both of them with his solid arms. And he naturally called, “Dokyung-ah. Come here.” Dokyung turned his head and tilted it to the side. His long eyelashes blinked slowly, and cute dimples formed next to his lips stretching long.
“Appa?”
Looking at Dokyung looking puzzled and calling him appa, Wookyung made an expression as if he’d gained a thousand troops and ten thousand horses. At the same time Wookyung’s face brightened like the sun, Dokyung even stretched out his arms and rushed at him to be held. Of course, Wookyung received Dokyung as if he’d been waiting for it.
