Play Dates

Twelve

"What are you doing?" Geonhak whispers while Sunyul is describing the pictures for Minbyeol.

"Reading with the kids."

"No, back there." He motions towards the living-room. "Don't tease him. You'll scare him."

Youngjo rolls his eyes. "Look, you obviously like him. Don't you think it's time to show it?"

"How do you—?"

"Know? Everyone can see it. In fact, it's all we can see." His friend smiles fondly. "And I'm so happy to see you like that. You hadn't smiled in months." He makes a pause. "But, you need to act."

Geonhak pets Sunyul's hair, thinking, and finally sighs. "I don't even know if I really like him, or if he can like me like that."

"All I can see is that you make him happy too. It should be enough."

The blonde nods silently and kisses the top of his son's hair before he and his friend go back with the other adults. Seonah and her new acquaintance are chatting passionately about the new plants she is growing at she and Youngjo's place, detailing how Geonhak often advises or helps her.

"How's that philodendron doing?" the blonde asks as he sits back at the table.

Seonah and he speak a little about her plants, before Seoho mentions the field trip they both took with their children's school. Youngjo is particularly interested in seeing the pictures Geonhak took of Sunyul in the forest. "Did he feel alright there?" his coworker asks worriedly. "With all the kids?"

"Yeah," Geonhak nods, "I was surprised, he was so comfortable and friendly. And he knew all the answers to my quizzes. He's learnt a great deal about nature from my job."

Youngjo smiles proudly and Geonhak can truly feel how much he loves the boy. His friend has been there since Sunyul's birth and, although he and Dongju were constantly at each other's throats, Youngjo was greatly involved in raising the child and helping the young couple out.

"I think he's also learning from Minbyeol," the blonde adds with a smile in the direction of Seoho. "She's giving him so much. Now he's learning to share, to be considerate of others, which he always had trouble doing."

Seoho chuckles. "Byeol-ah said something interesting the other day. She said she wanted to be with you and Sunnie for ever, because she feels complete with an additional dad and a brother. She said it's like home." He looks down at the main course in his plate, which Seonah had served, and smiles. "I found that cute."

"I want to be the best man when you guys marry," Youngjo states sarcastically.

His girlfriend hits him gently, asking him to be decent and not break the mood. But Geonhak and Seoho are already embarrassed and try not to look at each other.

"What I meant," Seoho resumes after loudly clearing his throat, "is that I'm glad we found you. And you have such wonderful friends, too."

Youngjo seems pleased, and suggests he bring the dessert, which he and Seonah have bought. The children rush towards the living-room to eat with their respective father, and talk enthusiastically about the game they were playing.

Seoho is petting the thin long hair of his girl who is slowly dozing off in his arms. He gives her a soft peck and whispers to Geonhak, "I'm sorry but I think we'll go soon. She's exhausted."

"Okay, hyung. Do you need a lift?" Geonhak asks as his own child is starting to yawn.

Seoho declines politely and gets slowly up, careful not to hush his daughter. Youngjo offers to get Sunyul to sleep while Seonah clears the table. Geonhak accompanies his friend to the door, insisting on helping him with his coat, though very clumsily.

The blonde leans to give a peck on the head of the sleepy girl, who is in Seoho's arms, resting on his shoulder. His face gets really close to his friend, and he blushes when he pulls back from Minbyeol. "Hum," he murmurs awkwardly, "well, thank you for coming. A pleasure."

"Thank you, Geonhak-ah. I can't remember the last time I had such a wonderful moment." He pauses, staring intently at the other man. "See you around?"

Geonhak is fixing the man's thin soft lips who are smiling silently, and he nods automatically. He eventually remembers he has to say goodbye and half goes in for a hug, while reaching out a hand to shake Seoho's. They part clumsily but Geonhak can feel the lasting touch of Seoho on his whole body, which is now almost too hot.

The single father closes the door and slowly returns to the living-room where Seonah and Youngjo are looking at him funnily. Still lost in his perplex thoughts, he does not quite pay attention to them before his coworker teases him, "Wow. You haven't dated for a while, have you. That was awkward as hell."

Geonhak rolls his eyes and reaches the kitchen, beginning to do the dishes. "No, really," Youngjo insists, "you should be more confident when you make your move."

"Look," his friend replies bluntly, growing annoyed, "I'm not making any 'move', I'm just being nice to him. He's my friend, that's all."

Seonah hands him a few more plates and smiles gently, "I think he truly cares about you. The way he looks at you."

Geonhak shakes his head and mumbles, looking at the sink, "Well, I never said that I wanted to get involved with him or that I was even ready for a relationship, so thanks for your concern but I don't know what to do just now."

"Your choice," Youngjo shrugs while wiping a bowl dry. "We're just saying that first, you'd be obviously great together and that second, you deserve all the love in the world. You deserve to be happy, to move on. And you'd make Seoho so happy too."

Geonhak sighs with irritation and growls almost provocatively, "Yeah, and what do you want to me to do, huh?"

"Ask him out. Then you'll see."

And Geonhak is struck by how simple and evident it actually sounds.