✓ IF YOU STAY | HEESEUNG

29 - Turn Back In Time

Stepping inside Heeseung's apartment and seeing Minjae play on the floor made Y/N smile through her tears. She had been dreading this moment, fearing that Minjae might also be upset with her, but the bright smile on the little boy's face put her worries to rest. "Hi, Noona!" He quickly stood up and rushed to her before she crouched down to his eye level and ruffled his hair.

"Hi, Minjae," She said with a soft smile. "I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday. Are you okay?"

"Yes! Daddy gave me a big hug and told me that Noona didn't mean to make me sick," Minjae replied with an innocence that melted Y/N's heart. He reached out and handed her one of his favorite toys, inviting her to play with him. "It's okay, Noona."

"Thank you, Minjae. You're such a sweet and understanding boy." She smiled, glancing at Heeseung who was watching the scene with a soft and proud smile on his face. Their eyes locked for a moment she could see a silent understanding that said more than words ever could. 

The three of them stayed in the living room with Danbi who loved getting to play with Minjae again. Heeseung worked on one of his designs but Y/N could feel his gaze on her and she knew he wanted to talk. Eventually, when Minjae was engrossed in making his Lego house and Danbi lay contentedly at his feet, she stood up and slowly made her way to him. 

He looked up from his work as Y/N approached. There was a gentle smile on his face as he set aside his designs, giving her his full attention. "Y/N," The way he turned in his chair and faced her and the way he leaned forward screamed hot dilf and it made Y/N swallow a lump before she gave him a small smile. "I didn't get to apologize." 

"For what?" She knew very well what he was referring to, but she wanted to hear it from him.

"For reacting the way I did. I know I shouldn't have snapped at you like that but I wasn't really angry at you. I was just scared for Minjae." Heeseung's voice was gentle, and he looked into her eyes like they were the only two people in the world. "I overreacted, and I'm sorry if I made you feel like it was your fault."

"No, I understand. You're a father and your first instinct is to protect your child. I was just worried that I had made a terrible first impression and that you'd think I was careless with Minjae. But I really care about him a lot."

Heeseung's expression softened even more. "I can see that, Y/N. Minjae doesn't stop talking about you and that says a lot, you know." The thought of the two of them talking about her made her heart flutter and she smiled, looking away like a shy schoolgirl. 

When it got late, she was back in her apartment with her dog running around while she changed from her work clothes to comfortable shorts and a loose-fitting T-shirt. She smiled at her reflection, cupping her cheeks while replaying the day's events in her mind. The thought of potentially being able to grow closer to Heeseung and Minjae filled her with warmth and excitement.

The next day, Y/N worked from home again. Her presence wasn't needed in the office because they knew she worked very well from home and did even more than the required amount of work. And she really liked those days when she could enjoy the comfort of her own space. 

But just as she settled down on her couch with a cup of coffee and her laptop open, her doorbell rang and Harin's voice came through the intercom. "Y/N, open up!" Startled, Y/N quickly got up and buzzed her friend into the building. She was excited to spend time with her and when she stepped inside the apartment, Danbi was bouncing around, thrilled to see a visitor.

Harin greeted him with a cheerful pat on the head before turning her attention back to Y/N. "Girl, I missed you." She opened her arms and Y/N rushed into a warm hug from her friend. It felt good to have Harin's comforting presence on a good morning. "You're so head over heels for your neighbor that you don't even realize it."

Y/N chuckled, pulling back from the hug but still holding onto Harin's hands. "I'm not head over heels... yet."

"Ha," That earned her a side eye from her friend before they sat on the couch and Y/N leaned against it, holding her dog in her lap. "He has a son for heaven's sake. And he's not just any neighbor; he's the man from your dreams. It makes me wonder if I should be worried about you." Y/N forgot about her dreams and the fact that he literally stepped out of them, but it appeared to be a mere coincidence. Just like Harin said, dreams can be deceptive. Perhaps she saw him somewhere before he moved in next door and the image was simply imprinted in her subconscious.

"I mean, there's no explanation for that, you know?" She shrugged, looking up at her ceiling while thinking about what could have caused such vivid dreams. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I just have a wild imagination."

Harin let out an amused snort. "Or maybe the universe is trying to tell you something. You never know." Y/N rolled her eyes only for Harin to sit up and shoot her a knowing look. "Alright, spill more tea. What did you guys talk about? Any chemistry? Any flirting?"

"No...?" Y/N replied hesitantly, knowing that her friend had a knack for reading between the lines. She wasn't sure if there was chemistry or flirting, but her heart raced a bit whenever Heeseung smiled at her or his hands brushed against hers. "Okay, fine. My heart skips a beat whenever he looks at me so I think I'm starting to like him."

"What about his wife- wait, he's a single father. Then, what about his son's mother?" The question made Y/N shrug and look down at her fidgeting fingers. "Don't tell me you're falling for a man who's still attached to his ex or has some complicated relationship drama."

Y/N sighed. "I don't know and I don't want to ask him about her. The other day when I was helping him unpack, I found a picture of Heeseung along with Minjae and what I supposed was his wife. But when he saw it, he said he had to throw it away. I don't want to pry into his personal life, especially if it's painful for him."

"You do realize that being with a single father means you'll be part of his son's life too. And people will talk," Harin pointed out. "I mean, you can't hide the fact that you're dating your neighbor, especially if things get serious. You know how our society sees single fathers and how difficult it can be for them to date."

"I know. But I don't need to worry about that. Even if I end up liking him, I don't think I'll end up dating him. I mean, I'm just getting to know him, and I'm not in any hurry to rush into a relationship-" The sound of her door creaking made her stop and sit up before she could finish her sentence. Danbi started barking when she stood up to go see if the door was open, only to see Heeseung standing there with a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Some of them were slightly burnt, some were perfectly golden brown, but they all carried the comforting aroma of freshly baked cookies.

But that wasn't what caught her attention the most. It was the somber look on his face that made her heart sink at the realization that he had heard their conversation. Shit. If only she could take back those words, she would.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, Y/N," He sighed, looking away while she watched his jaw tighten slightly. "But I don't think talking about my personal life is a great idea with the door wide open. Just because I'm a single father doesn't mean I want my past or my son's mother's situation to be a topic of discussion." The way he expressed his concern was gentle, and it was clear that he wasn't angry, but it was clear as day that he was disappointed. And Y/N couldn't help but wonder why she kept messing up and making things awkward with Heeseung.

"You're right," She nodded, looking down just to realize she was still in shorts. It made her even more self-conscious, and she quickly crossed her legs to hide her embarrassment. "I'm sorry... I know we crossed a line-"

"And just because I'm nice to you doesn't mean I'm planning on dating you. I apologize if I gave you the wrong idea, but I think now we both know that we should be more careful with what we say. I came here to give you these cookies I made with Minjae. He wanted you to have them and I hope you enjoy them with your friend. Have a good day." 

And with that, he left her standing there like a deer caught in headlights, her heart sinking with both embarrassment and disappointment. A knot formed in her stomach when she realized that she messed up big, big time.