Everything Happens For a Reason, Chapter 24b
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Chapter 24b
The adults sat in front of the boy who was still crying softly on his bed. Min Young tried to come inside her brother’s room when she woke up because of the yelling but Umma Jung had prevented her from doing so and now they were both were busy in the kitchen making some snacks.
Yunho looked at his little boy in front of him… he was thinking of how much suffering did he actually feel inside of him. Junsu said years ago that he would be fine, that he got over all his childhood heartache that he and his late wife had caused him. But who could’ve guessed that something like this came sooner than expected. An 8 year old shouldn’t even be dealing with homosexuality, despite it’s inevitable in the future. And if a child could even regret his birth… the scar was deeper than what they had predicted.
Jaejoong seemed better now though. He looked solemn and peaceful even if his his eyes were still puffy. But there’s determination in his eyes. And love… he couldn’t interpret the look in his eyes as other than love. Towards his son and daughter, towards his family… but he’s not brave enough to say that it was also meant for him.
They’ve been together now for a few years. Taking care of 2 children as family… though not quietly living under the same roof. They kissed each other goodnight, they held hands in public… but why he hadn’t given him an answer kind of frustrating him at some point. And now this! Moonbin. How would Jaejoong possibly answer everything that his son was questioning without giving him an answer first? He was feeling like being thrown back to the times when he was absolutely clueless about his children. Those years of desperation. They’re all coming back like a déjà vu.
But Jaejoong held and squeezed his hand. When he looked at him, he mouthed, ‘trust me’. Honestly, he couldn’t even trust himself to handle all this.
Jaejoong cleared his throat before he turned his attention to the crying boy in front of them, still holding his hand.
“Binnie, my heart hurts if you keep crying. Will you let me tend to your bruises first before we talk? Please?”
The boy nodded quietly. And Jaejoong took the first aid kit that he had prepared beside him. Moonbin winced at every bruises that he tended, especially the split lip that began to swell. Yunho reached out and kissed him tenderly and finally the crying stopped. Medication put aside, they began to sat facing each other silently once again.
“Binnie, can you please tell us now the reason why you had a fight with Jin Ah? We can pick up a little through your emotional story, but we need to know exactly why from your own mouth. We love you, we want to trust.”
It’s crystal clear how the boy tried hard not to cry again.
“After he called you names… Jin Ah said that I’m a bad kid because I made Appa left you. And that… that I must be damned to have a mother who killed herself and have my father’s ex lover’s to care for me.”
Jaejoong was already past the shock but Yunho’s eyes were wide as saucers, “Did he ACTUALLY said that?”
“That- that’s what his mother told him.” He replied softly.
“I swear I’m going to repo-“
“Yunho! We’re talking to Moonbin now. We’ll deal with Yoo-ssi later. Hm?” Jaejoong stopped him and he shut his mouth quickly. Jaejoong turned his attention back to Moonbin. “So you decided you didn’t like that and just punched him?”
“He deserved it! He doesn’t know you! And-“ he shut his mouth abruptly.
“And?”
“… and I’m confused.”
“Confused? Of what?”
“Of everything that I asked you about… cause-“ he seemed hesitated to say more. “I heard you talking with JiHye-noona.” He looked down at his lap.
“Me talking to JiHye? What’s wr- oh!” He seemed to remember something, “Was it 2 days ago downstairs? Were you eavesdropping behind the door?”
The kid nodded timidly. Yunho’s confused now. “What talk? And why would you be upset with their conversation?”
Jaejoong glanced at him, “I was talking to her about your proposal… “
Yunho’s jaw dropped. “I- you- my-…”
“ Let me do the talking and don’t say anything.” Jaejoong now felt his neck is sore for turning back and forth from father to son. The cluelessness in their faces made them immensely alike.
“But what did it have to do with Jin Ah? I could understand that you would be mad if someone said bad things about me. But why did you doubt my love for you? Haven’t I done enough to show you and Min Young that I love you both with my life?” Jaejoong asked him softly.
“I know…” the boy wishpered. “But Noona said that Appa proposed to you,” (Yunho gulped) “I looked it up in the internet and it said that if a man propose to a woman it means that he wants to marry that woman. And Noona asked you why you didn’t accept, and I just- I just-…”
“You just what?” Jaejoong pulled the boy’s chin up so he could look into his eyes.
“I just thought that maybe you’re still mad at Appa because- because of me… Because I was born…” the spoke so softly that they could barely heard what he was saying. But what he said really broke the heart of the two adults.
Jaejoong smiled gently and wrapped his arms around the boy… stroking his head, “Binnie… my baby… I wished that I wouldn’t have this kind of conversation with you until another 10 years when you’re old enough… but you have grown up much faster than we expected. But I love you no matter what.” He pulled off and cupped the boy’s face in his hands.
“You know that we are both men and we can’t get married in this country, right?”
“But Andrew told me that he had two fathers!”
“Baby, they are from America where at some places it is legal to have same gender marriage but not in our country. But that was not the reason that I haven’t accepted your father’s proposal.” He glanced at Yunho who now had the same nervous look like his son.
Jaejoong smiled again, “I guess rather than discussing this separately I have no choice but to tell you both of my decision.”
He took a deep breath, “Binnie, as adults we have so many consideration to take before we make decisions on anything. Even if I were a woman I might not say yes right away, I have a lot to think about. And no, never once had I thought that you were the cause of our break up long time ago. If I could turn back time, I wouldn’t want to change a single thing it it means that I won’t have you and Min Young like today. You and Min Young are those that I’m thinking about all the time, especially in this moment. I’m not sure that it will be okay for you to live with me as your father’s partner for the rest of your life. I love you more than my own life, and I don’t want my decision to be selfish and only think of myself.”
“But I don’t mind! I don’t care if you’re a man! You- you never yelled or mad at me like Umma and- and- and you never complained when I made too much noise with Min Young! You stayed by my side when I was sick! I want to live with you and Appa! I want you to accept Appa’s proposal! And get married! Maybe in America like Andrew’s fathers!” He spoke so fast in desperation and that brought laughter for Jaejoong and another hopeless look from his father.
When his laughter subsided, Jaejoong spoke again. “If that’s what you want… you have to promise me…”
The boy looked at him in anticipation.
“No more being whiny in the morning, you have to wake up by yourself without me having to send Min Young to yell on your ear. And no more staying up late.” A nod.
“No more wasting food, you have to eat the salad and don’t skip the carrot and the peas.” A hesitant nod.
“No more shoes in the house, no more school bag and jackets lying around on the couch. And you have to help me with the dishes after every meals without complaining.” A more hesitant nod.
“And lastly,” Jaejoong got teary eyed. “Promise me that you will always be my precious baby boy even when you grow old. You will have to let me hold you when I want to, kiss you when I feel like to, and love you to the extent that I will meddle into your personal life in every occasion cause I know I can’t help not to.”
Moonbin wasn’t sure that he understood that but he nodded again enthusiastically.
Then Jaejoong’s face broke into a grin, “Then it’s a deal. I’m yours for life!”
5 seconds later there were yells & shouts from the bedroom with Moonbin latched onto Jaejoong and both of them were rolling on the bed together. Laughter and tears were mixed into one.
But still, there’s one clueless person who looked at them dumbly as if he couldn’t believe what’s happened in front of his eyes. When the hysteria was over, he asked Jaejoong with an awe, “Does- does this mean-“
Jaejoong nodded. “Yes Yunho. It’s a yes.”
Yunho was dumbfounded for a few seconds then he held up two hands and shouted loudly, “IT’S A YES!! BINNIE, IT’S A YES!”
He swiped Jaejoong on his feet and spun him around, both adults were laughing madly while Moonbin jumped on the bed, “YES! YES! YES!” Then he sprinted outside, running down the stairs still shouting ‘yes’, probably to announce the good news to whole household.
When Yunho stopped moving, he held him tightly without a word. And Jaejoong suddenly felt his shoulder became damp and felt that the other man was shaking in his arms.
“Hey, I thought you’re happy?” Yunho held him tighter.
“I am! I am! I am happy!”
“Then why are you crying?”
They looked into each other’s face, “Because I love you… and I wanna thank you for loving me back.”
“Yunho, you always seem to forget, that I have always loved you. Thank you for taking care of my heart… now it’s no longer lonely cause I have you and the children to spend the rest of my life with.”
Yunho looked at his eyes with that longing look… then his lips… and he kissed him… slowly, tenderly… like it’s their first kiss. Sweet… full of passion… both of them could feel the fire burn inside and each kiss became a seal of assurance for unspoken promise of tomorrow.
When they finally separated for breath… there was nothing else say between them… “I LOVE YOU.”
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(Epilogue)
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