DAH Ch 7

Jungjoon clenched his fists, his face pale, trying to forget the memory of being forcibly held and touched.

“Are you sure you’re up to eating?”

Yoonhae asked as their food arrived at the restaurant.

“…….”

Jungjoon stared at him blankly. He had been replaying the previous night’s events in his mind. Yoonhae’s forceful massage, the way he had been shushed and held down… It felt wrong, intimate in a way that felt inappropriate between them.

Don’t ever do that to me again.

He wanted to warn Yoonhae, but he suppressed the urge and looked down.

“…Yeah, of course. Let’s eat.”

He scooped up some rice and put it in his mouth, trying to regain his composure. There was no need to bring up the awkward incident now, especially as they were about to head home. A serious warning would only make it seem like he was dwelling on it.

“Daddy―! Where are we going now?”

Ian asked, rolling a candy in his mouth, after their simple meal.

“We’re going home.”

Yoonhae interrupted as if Jungjoon had said something absurd.

“We’re going to the beach.”

He said to Ian, getting down to his level. Ian cheered excitedly.

“…Weren’t we going home?”

“No. Did you forget we were going to the beach on the second day?”

Yoonhae asked casually.

“No, I knew that… but now that Sungha-ssi has left, it feels weird to go just the three of us…”

“Sungha said to have fun.”

“…….”

Jungjoon had assumed they would end the trip since Sungha had left. He was taken aback by Yoonhae’s nonchalance.

“Actually, I’m still a bit tired from the indigestion… wouldn’t it be better to just go home?”

He offered cautiously. Instead of answering, Yoonhae looked away, his expressionless face clearly displeased. After a moment of silence, he spoke, as if asking for understanding.

“I wanted to show Ian the ocean. Is that too much to ask?”

“…….”

Jungjoon felt a pang of shame. Yoonhae seemed to care more about his son than he did.

“Daddy― aren’t we going to the beach?”

Ian’s pleading voice sealed the deal.

“…Fine. Let’s go.”

He didn’t want to seem like a selfish parent who prioritized his own comfort over his son’s happiness.

At the beach, seeing Ian’s delight, he felt relieved that he hadn’t insisted on going home.

“Yay―!”

Ian jumped up and down excitedly with every wave. Jungjoon felt a twinge of guilt, realizing he had only taken Ian to the beach once before, briefly, last year.

The three of them walked along the shore. Ian, holding Yoonhae’s hand, reached for Jungjoon’s hand as well, and they ended up walking like a family.

“Should we swing Ian?”

Yoonhae asked, and Ian jumped up and down in agreement.

“When uncle says one, two, three, lift your feet off the ground. Okay?”

Yoonhae explained, glancing at Jungjoon.

“One, two, three―!”

Ian lifted his feet as instructed, and Yoonhae and Jungjoon swung him upwards. Ian shrieked with laughter.

Delighted with his first swing experience, Ian demanded more. They obliged, swinging him several times until he was satisfied and sat down to play in the sand.

“…….”

The beach was crowded, being a popular spot in the summer. Jungjoon couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being stared at.

Two men and a child. It wasn’t a common sight. He became self-conscious, wondering how they appeared to others. Everyone else seemed to be in conventional couples, groups of friends, or families.

‘…They don’t think we’re an omega-alpha couple, do they?’

Male omegas were extremely rare, and Jungjoon, at over 180cm tall, didn’t look like an omega. But a past experience of being mistaken for one made him anxious. Even if they weren’t mistaken for that, the possibility of being seen as a same-sex couple raising a child wasn’t pleasant either.

‘…They’re strangers anyway.’

They were just passersby, people he would never see again. His self-consciousness was unnecessary. He pushed the thoughts away.

“Stand there with Ian.”

“…Here?”

Yoonhae offered to take their picture in front of a sea cave. Jungjoon awkwardly held Ian’s hand and posed for the camera. He was used to taking pictures of his son, not being in them, and it felt strange.

“…Did it turn out well?”

He tried to look at the picture, but Yoonhae chuckled.

“What…? Let me see.”

Yoonhae refused to show him. He finally managed to see the picture by pulling Yoonhae’s arm. His expression was stiff, his eyes half-closed, a comical sight.

“Hey. Delete that, please.”

“It’s cute.”

“…What?”

“Ian, isn’t Daddy cute?”

Yoonhae showed the picture to Ian, who burst out laughing.

“Daddy looks funny―!”

Jungjoon sighed and moved away from the two of them.

“…Whatever.”

Yoonhae continued taking pictures of the scenery. Jungjoon, walking ahead, couldn’t help but be aware of Yoonhae behind him. He felt like the camera was sometimes pointed at him. He didn’t want to ask directly if he’d been photographed, so he approached Yoonhae.

“…Want me to take some of you?”

“Sure.”

He held out his hand for the phone.

“Use yours.”

He took the phone, intending to check if he’d been photographed and delete the unflattering picture, but he couldn’t find it.

He took out his own phone and took a few pictures of Yoonhae against the backdrop of the ocean. Looking at the results, he was struck by how photogenic Yoonhae was. In the pictures they took together at Yoonhae’s request, the contrast between their appearances was stark, making Jungjoon look older and less appealing.

“You’re really young. Your features are so defined.”

Yoonhae chuckled at his remark.

“I’m not that young. You still look like you’re in your twenties.”

He grinned. “You just want to hear that, don’t you?”

“…No. I’m just saying, mid-thirties is practically middle-aged.”

Yoonhae chuckled.

“Maybe you should absorb some youthful energy from a guy five years younger than you, then.”

“…What…?”

Before Jungjoon could react to the strange comment, Ian shouted.

“Daddy, ice cream―!”

He pointed at a soft serve ice cream shop.

“Ian, do you want some?”

Ian raised both hands, yelling “Yes―!” Knowing a tantrum was imminent if he refused, Jungjoon took him to the shop.

Despite his initial intention to buy only for Ian, they all ended up with ice cream cones, unable to resist the heat.

“Is it good?”

Yoonhae asked Ian, who was licking his ice cream enthusiastically. After wiping Ian’s sweat, he looked at Jungjoon and offered him the handkerchief. Jungjoon pulled back.

“I’m good. I’m not a kid.”

“I know. Just respecting my elders?”

Jungjoon frowned at being called old. It was one thing to acknowledge his own age, another to hear it from someone else.

“You just said I looked like I was in my twenties.”

Yoonhae laughed.

“…….”

For a moment, Yoonhae looked genuinely happy, and Jungjoon found himself staring. He quickly looked away, taking a bite of his ice cream.

Yoonhae was back in caregiver mode, meticulously wiping not only Ian’s mouth but also the ice cream that had dripped down his arm.

“…You’re a natural at this dad thing.”

He said, feeling both grateful and slightly embarrassed. Yoonhae glanced at him and smiled silently, returning his attention to Ian. His strong nose and wide smile stood out. His handsome face, lit up by a smile, had a certain impact.

‘Women must fall for him all the time.’

Jungjoon thought, looking away.

“Here.”

Yoonhae, having finished his ice cream, handed Jungjoon a tissue from the counter. Jungjoon’s hands were also sticky from the melting ice cream.

“…Thanks.”

Yoonhae, who had been focused on Sungha and Ian the day before, was now attentive to Jungjoon as well. The sudden change in treatment felt strange.

But he also felt a sense of relief. He hadn’t realized how tiring it was to care for Ian alone. Having someone take care of both him and his son was a welcome change.

Despite the fatigue he sometimes felt around Yoonhae, sharing the burden of childcare was easing both his physical and mental strain. This must be what it feels like to have a partner, he thought. The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

“…Should we get going?”

Yoonhae readily agreed, picking up Ian. Jungjoon had been worried he might suggest staying longer or going somewhere else, but Ian seemed content.

They walked along the boardwalk. The scenery was beautiful, but Jungjoon felt a wave of fatigue. The fatigue reached its peak when they encountered three men near the parking lot.

“Ugh… faggots.”

A jeering voice reached his ears as they walked past, followed by snickers.

“…….”

Jungjoon froze but ignored them. He figured he must have done something to invite the misunderstanding. He had adjusted Yoonhae’s shirt, which had ridden up while he was carrying Ian, and that must have been misinterpreted.

They were young men, probably in their early to mid-twenties. The type who felt entitled to mock and deride others, convinced of their own superiority.

‘Even in this day and age, minorities are still minorities…’

Whether homosexual or a variant, being treated as an outsider was still a reality. Jungjoon, having been so self-conscious himself, felt a pang of bitterness, knowing he was in no position to judge others.

“Want to wait in the car?”

Yoonhae stopped near the car, handing Jungjoon the keys and Ian.

“Why?”

Jungjoon asked, looking up at him.

“I’m going to get some water and make a quick call. To Sungha.”

“Ah…”

The timing felt slightly unnatural, but he reminded himself that there was no set time for contacting one’s partner.

“Okay. Go ahead.”

“Yeah. Rest up.”

After watching Yoonhae walk towards the convenience store, Jungjoon got into the car with Ian. He rolled down the windows and turned on a portable fan to cool Ian down.

About fifteen minutes later, Jungjoon’s expression darkened as he looked out the window. Lost in thought, he suddenly got out of the car with Ian, driven by a strange, unsettling premonition.

He walked in the direction Yoonhae had gone, carrying Ian as if in a trance. It was also the direction the three men had gone.

The street was lined with a mix of old and new shops. Jungjoon, catching his breath, looked around.

“…Ugh…!”

He stopped, hearing a faint moan. He located the sound, coming from behind a building.

“Daddy…”

He put a finger to his lips, shushing Ian. He whispered, “Ian, if you stay quiet, Daddy will buy you another ice cream tonight.” Bribed with the promise of a second ice cream, something Jungjoon rarely allowed, Ian covered his mouth and nodded.

Jungjoon carefully approached the back of the building, holding Ian. The closer he got, the clearer the sounds became: dull thuds, rough, pained groans. He pressed himself against the wall, concealing himself, and cautiously peeked around the corner.

Three shirtless men were kneeling in a small lot between a parked truck and a portable toilet, their faces bloodied. They were sobbing, their own shirts stuffed in their mouths. Jungjoon held Ian tightly, covering his ears.

“Pwease…!”

One of the men pleaded. Yoonhae stood over them, calmly exhaling cigarette smoke. It was definitely Yoonhae, but Jungjoon couldn’t move or speak, as if watching a scene from another dimension.

The sight of Yoonhae smoking was jarring. Stunned, Jungjoon forgot to breathe.

“Pwlease…!”

The man begged again. Yoonhae nudged him with his foot, pushing his face into the dirt, then casually ground his head with the sole of his shoe. He performed the brutal act with chilling indifference, like a skilled technician carrying out a routine task.

“I’ll let you go.”

“Ugh…”

“I’m in a good mood today.”

His low voice reached Jungjoon’s ears. A moment later, a sickening thud and screams echoed through the air. Jungjoon flinched and quickly retreated, holding Ian close.

He walked back to the car in a daze, sweat pouring down his face. The scene he had just witnessed felt unreal, like a nightmare.

“Daddy, what’s wrong…?”

His heart pounded, and his stomach churned. He stumbled out of the car and vomited.

Why did he do that? Why…?

Did he do it because they called them faggots?

Because of that?

His mind raced. He had been enjoying the trip, however uneasily, and now it felt like a nightmare.

He returned to the car, holding Ian, trying to calm down. After a while, he saw a tall, dark figure approaching. The car door clicked open, and Jungjoon froze.

“…Are you okay? You look pale.”

Yoonhae asked, getting into the driver’s seat.

“…….”

He looked so normal that Jungjoon almost wondered if he had imagined the whole thing. There was no trace of the brutality he had just witnessed. Jungjoon, meeting his gaze, asked in a raspy voice,

“…Did you… make your call?”

“Yeah. She said everything’s taken care of.”

He lied casually, fastening his seatbelt. He looked at Jungjoon again before starting the car.

“Should I get you some medicine?”

“…No, it’s fine. I just need to rest.”

Jungjoon closed his eyes, not wanting to talk.

“Uncle, we just…!”

Ian started to say something.

“Ian.”

Jungjoon interrupted, sensing he was about to mention what he had seen.

“Daddy has a bad headache. Can you be quiet for a while?”

“…Okay…”

The car started, and they finally began the long-awaited drive home. Jungjoon closed his eyes, resting a hand on Ian’s forehead as he leaned against him. His heart still raced, and he fought the urge to jump out of the car.

Behind his closed eyelids, the brutal scene replayed over and over. A familiar, sickening feeling gnawed at him, making it hard to breathe. He felt like he was an accomplice, driving away with a body in the trunk, a sense of dread and panic washing over him.

Buried memories, dark and deep, began to surface, their stench of decay filling his mind.