A/N: repost
"Eomma! Please sit with us!"
Hoon was asking his mother to sit with him and the agent, who Mi-jo was still trying to put distance with. Cha Mi-jo smiled. "Don't mind me, Hoonie. I'll sit here with Auntie Joo Hee," Mi-jo said, pointing to a nearby table.
Joo Hee made a face. "I'm going to sit with them. I want to get to know Agent Dae-sik."
Cha Mi-jo made a face. "YAH."
"What? Hoon and I invited him. Why would I sit with you?" Joo Hee asked. Adding, "I love you, you know that, right? But, Hoon and I want to chat with Dae-sik-ssi."
Park Dae-sik stepped in. "Please, Dr. Cha? I can sit farthest from you, if you wish."
Hoon stared at the exchange before he started sniffing. "Eomma does not want to be near you, Agent Dae-sik? Why? Are you smelly?"
Joo Hee copied Hoon and they both covered their noses. "Oh no! A bad smelling agent!?'
Dae-sik looked at them with an exasperated expression. "I do not smell bad!" With Cha Mi-jo unable to hold in her laughing as she agreed, "Dae-sik always smells nice."
Dae-sik and Mi-jo caught each other's gaze, blushed and then turned away.
"Good then!" Joo Hee clapped her hands. "Let's sit. I'll sit beside Agent Dae-sik."
"Yah, Auntie!" Hoon protested. "I'll sit beside Agent Dae-sik."
Joo Hee rolled her eyes. "Oh boo! Fine," she pouted before pulling a seat and helping Hoon up. "I'll sit across him so that I can stare at his face."
"Joo Hee!" Cha Mi-jo reprimanded.
"Because of his burn! Didn't you tell me he had a burn? How did you get that, Agent?" Joo Hee smoothly transitioned, hands on her chin as she sat across Dae-sik and batted her eyelashes.
"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Mi-jo muttered.
"I do, but that doesn't stop me from appreciating handsome men," Joo Hee said.
"Is Agent Dae-sik handsome?" Hoon asked, staring at the agent's face as if to assess it. Then, he shrugged dismissively . "He's okay, I guess."
Dae-sik guffawed. "I'm okay? So I'm not handsome."
Looking at Mi-jo, Hoon asked, "Is he handsome, Eomma?"
"I don't know," Mi-jo quickly replied, suddenly busy with the menu.
"But aren't you the face and skin doctor? Can you fix his face to make him handsome?" Hoon pursued.
"Why do you want to make him handsome?" Mi-jo wondered.
"You like handsome boys!" Hoon replied, making Dae-sik snort.
"Who taught you that?"
Hoon pointed to the other woman with them. "Auntie Joo Hee."
Jang Joo Hee smiled sweetly. "Uh.. hmmm. I think I need to pee."
"Me too!" Hoon piped up.
Joo Hee motioned to Hoon. "Let's go quickly." As they retreated, Cha Mi-jo could hear Joo Hee telling Hoon, "I said it was a secret! Why did you tell your mom?!"
"Because she asked me! It's bad to lie, Auntie," Hoon informed her.
When the two were finally out of sight, Cha Mi-jo turned to Dae-sik. "Sorry. Those two are trouble, I swear."
"Very adorable," Dae-sik corrected.
"Yes. But loads of trouble," Mi-jo added.
"But you love them."
Mi-jo sighed. "I do," she said, smiling. "Hoon has the been the best thing in my life."
Park-sik smiled. "He's a ball of sunshine. I've known him for only a two days and he already has my heart."
"It's the same thing with me when we first met in the orph--" Cha Mi-jo stopped herself abruptly. Though she was unashamed about how she and Hoon were connected, she was careful about disclosing facts to strangers because she did not want the information to be used negatively against her son.
"Hoon told me," Dae-sik gently stated. "He's very proud that you met him at the orphanage and chose to adopt him. He tells me he prayed every night and that the angels whispered in your ear and you are now family."
Mi-jo teared up. "He told you that on the first day you met?"
Dae-sik smiled. "Hoon loves you very much and I am fortunate that he seems to trust me. The two of you are very lucky," he added. He hesitated but asked anyway, "Is... is there a father figure in his life?"
Cha Mi-jo's features suddenly hardened and she rolled her eyes. "If this is your roundabout way of asking if I have someone, no."
"But weren't you married?"
"WHAT?! I was never married. How did you... are you stalking me?!" Cha Mi-jo accused.
"No! I just so happened to be at the police station that one time you were booked and I saw you with a man and you had matching rings," Dae-sik confessed. "And no, I wasn't going around town looking for you even if I haven't stopped thinking about you."
"What?!" Mi-jo asked, stunned.
"I mean... Anyway! I was there on business and was surprised to see a familiar gorgeous face being rounded up by the cops, and from what I hear, that wasn't the first time! What are you doing hanging out in police stations, huh?"
"Are you two fighting?" Hoon's voice interrupted the tension between the adults. When Dae-sik and Mi-jo faced him, they also saw Joo Hee shaking her head in displeasure. "Eomma, it's not nice to fight, remember?"
"I know, Hoon," Cha Mi-jo said. "Agent Dae-sik and I were just sorting out some things."
"Agent Dae-sik, remember you told me to be a gentleman? You have to be nice to my Eomma," Hoon continued.
"You're right, buddy. Sorry."
Hoon nodded. Then, he said, "Okay. Now, say sorry to each other and hug."
Joo Hee stifled a giggle as Cha Mi-jo protested. "Hoonie!"
"Eomma, when we argue, we say sorry and then hug. Remember?" Hoon reminded her.
Dae-sik smiled. Deciding to help out Mi-jo because he did not plan to take liberties without consent, he said, "Yes, but you and your Eomma are family. I am not. We'll just shake hands, okay?"
Hoon frowned and thought about it for a moment before agreeing. "Okay, Mister Agent."
To Cha Mi-jo, Dae-sik extended his hand and said, "I'm sorry... for everything, Dr. Cha. Truce?"
Cha Mi-jo stared at Dae-sik's hand, then Hoon's face that was waiting for her response, then at Joo Hee's expression that was slightly mocking her. Finally, Cha Mi-jo accepted the hand offered and responded, "Truce. For Hoon. Just for Hoon."
Dae-sik nodded. "Okay."
"Okay."
Dae-sik and Mi-jo's hands remained connected and so did their eyes, slowly robbing Mi-jo of breath. Dae-sik's thumb was stroking the back of her hand and Mi-jo was moving closer and closer to him, as she continued to say, "Okay," sounding more breathless as the seconds go by.
"Agent, why are your ears red?" Hoon asked. To his mother, he observed, "Why does your voice sound strange, Eomma?"
"Because she's... hot," Joo Hee teased, earning her a glare from Mi-jo.
"Hot? Do you have a fever, Eomma?" Hoon asked, worried. Running to her, Hoon placed his hand on her forehead and neck to check Cha Mi-jo's temperature. "Hmmm you're a little hot. Should we go home, Eomma?"
"I'm fine, Sweetheart," Cha Mi-jo assured. "Let's eat. You didn't call Agent Dae-sik just to leave him here?"
"I can keep him company," Joo Hee volunteered.
Again, Mi-jo glared. "Sit. Let's eat."
Joo Hee giggled. "Okay, but it seems you hadn't ordered yet. Were you busy staring at something other than the menu, Mi-jo-ah?"
Mi-jo just glared at her.
That night, Cha Mi-jo stared out the window and looked for a twinkling star. "Is that you, Chan-young-ssi? You won't believe Joo Hee today! She was drooling over Dae-sik! Can you believe that? The man ghosted me and she's just... forgiving. What a friend!"
A giggle came from behind her.
Jang Joo Hee walked up and sat on the window sill. To the same sky, she said, "Because our friend Mi-jo here is still so obviously attracted to the man. If it's just to have a climax, it shouldn't be terrible, right? You'll support it, I know, Chan-young-ssi."
To Cha Mi-jo, Joo Hee said, "He's very handsome and he's gentle toward Hoon."
"He disappeared, Joo Hee," Mi-jo reminded her.
Joo Hee nodded sadly. "I know. We can't just forget that," she said. "In spite of what it appears like, I don't want you to jump into a relationship with him... BUT if your hooha is itchy and craving for a man, I think he's a great candidate to relieve your, uhm, concerns."
"My 'hooha'?" Mi-jo repeated.
"Yup," Joo Hee said, pointing at Mi-jo's crotch.
Cha Mi-jo laughed even if she was earlier annoyed. "So this is your new image? Sex-crazed Joo Hee?"
Joo Hee shook her head. "That is where you're wrong, Dr. Cha. I've ALWAYS been interested in sex... with my boyfriend, I now have someone to expend all my energies on." Joo Hee and Mi-jo shared a laugh before Joo Hee turned serious. "Do you think you'll ever forgive Agent Dae-sik for disappearing on you?"
Cha Mi-jo sighed. "I don't know. It's not like I don't understand his job but, you also know, I have anxiety attacks. I don't do so well when people leave."
"And we're still coping with the loss of Chan-young," Joo Hee added. Hugging Mi-jo, Joo Hee consoled, "I'll support you no matter what."
"Thank you, Joo Hee."
"Especially if you want to do naughty stuff with the agent. Just make sure you tell me," Joo Hee teased. "I want all the hot details."
Mi-jo pulled back and pinched Joo Hee. "There will be nothing naughty with Agent Dae-sik!"
Joo Hee made a face. "Okay." Heading to Hoon's room where she was assigned for the night, she said, "Don't think I didn't hear you moan when you were watching Dae-sik lick that ice cream cone earlier."
"I did not!"
Joo Hee waved her off. "Good night, Cha Mi-jo! Wet dreams!"
"JOO HEE!"
"I mean, sweet dreams!"
*
Park Dae-sik read through the case file he was wrapping up the following Monday at the NIS headquarters. Luckily, because of the long assignment they just finished, he wasn't in line to leave the country any time soon.
However, he know that staying in the country may not be a permanent arrangement for him, unless he moved roles.
But he loved his job.
On the other hand, he already wanted to start a family. When that thought entered his mind, he couldn't help but think of Cha Hoon and his adorable toothy smile.
Dae-sik had been a solitary figure, but he had always loved kids. Wherever he went, he would always be drawn to watching and caring for the boys and girls he would come across, often wondering how it would be different when it was his turn to be a father. But, when he met Cha Hoon, he didn't wonder what if he were a father... He felt like he was Hoon's father.
Was that too presumptuous? What was the proper way of handling children with Hoon's background? How did he make sure he never betrayed that trust?
And what of Cha Mi-jo? She had built this family of hers and he should respect that. He can't just walk in as if he belonged there. In spite of what he was already been given, he had to earn their trust.
"You look uglier than usual with that frown on your face."
Dae-sik looked up to see his partner, Hwang Jin Tae, staring at his face. "Did Dr. Cha tell you that you're hopeless? That you will never look handsome again?"
"You need your eyes checked as you are obviously so wrong," Dae-sik shot back. Before Agent Hwang could continue calling his looks into question, Dae-sik interrupted and told him that he needed to discuss something serious.
"What is it?"
"How do you make sure your relationship doesn't suffer in spite of having this job?" Dae-sik said. "I mean, I love our work and want to continue to do well for our country... but what if you had to choose? What if your wife said she's tired of you constantly running off on a mission that you cannot tell her about?"
Hwang Jin Tae. "I'm lucky that my wife has come to understand our situation, but it wasn't easy. There were years she even considered whether I was having an affair."
"Then, she realized no other woman would love you and your ugly face?" Dae-sik asked.
"SHUT UP," Hwang Jin Tae said. "I thought we were being serious?"
"I am."
"You jerk. Do you want me to continue or not?" Upon Dae-sik's surrender, Hwang Jin Tae continued. "Like I said, it's not easy and my wife learned but it wasn't a smooth road. However, if she told me today that she was done with this and wanted me to stay home? I would give this all up." To close it out, Hwang Jin Tae said, "Having a day without seeing your ugly face is enough reason for me."
Dae-sik narrowed his eyes at his partner but took those words to heart. It wasn't a surprise to him. In all the years that he had known Hwang Jin Tae, Dae-sik knew that family was the most important to him.
"How did your wife finally accept your work?" Dae-sik inquired.
Hwang Jin Tae frowned. "She met you."
"Huh?"
"She realized you'd be the primary target of criminals because you're more handsome than I am," Hwang Jin Tae admitted, begrudgingly. "And... because you're handsome, she knows the women won't go after me."
Dae-sik laughed. "I knew I liked your wife. She's the smarter one." Dae-sik added. "I'm thinking of moving to a desk job."
"And why is that?"
"There are two people I want in my life and I don't think constantly travelling will be good for them," Dae-sik shared. "I need to be a constant presence if I will be welcome. And I really, really want to be welcome in their lives."
Hwang Jin Tae looked at him. "And they want your ugliness in their lives? That's sad."
Dae-sik made a face.
"So... you're going to try again with Dr. Cha?" Hwang Jin Tae asked directly.
"I want to," Dae-sik answered. "At the very least, I want to make amends for just vanishing on her. Her son tells me that she's had tough times lately and I want to help out even just a little. Plus her little boy is adorable."
Hwang Jin Tae crossed his arms. "Okay, well, I will support you no matter what. But just be more careful this time since there's a child involved."
"I know this," Dae-sik said. "That's why I'm telling you first, because if I need to, I will move jobs for that kid."
A moment of silence passed between them.
Dae-sik then spoke up. "So, uhm, how do I win Dr. Cha's heart?"