Chapter 140: FATHER AND SON INTRODUCTION
"DAD, Gunwoo wants ice cream."
"It’s too early for ice cream, baby," Garam said while shaking his head. Yes, it was hard to say ’no’ to his son, but there were times when he had to toughen up. Just now. "But you can have ice cream later, after your blood transfusion."
"Are they going to prick Gunwoo with needles again, Dad?"
"Yes. I’m sorry, baby. It must have hurt, right?"
"Gunwoo is okay, Dad. Gunwoo is a big boy now, so Gunwoo won’t cry."
"It’s okay to cry if you’re in pain, baby. That won’t make you less of a big boy."
"Really, Dad?"
"Yes, baby. You can cry. There’s no shame in showing emotions."
"But I’m a boy..."
"So what? Boys can cry, too."
Gunwoo’s face beamed. "Okay, Dad. Gunwoo will cry if Gunwoo is in pain."
"Very good, baby," Garam said, kissing his son on the forehead. "Gunwoo-ya."
"Yes, Dad?"
"Do you want to meet your other daddy again?"
Gunwoo gasped, and then he nodded eagerly. "Yes, Dad! Gunwoo wants to see Daddy again!"
Aigoo.
Sihyuk Hyung is already ’Daddy’ to him, huh?
"Your other daddy will be here later," Garam said, forcing himself to smile. He wasn’t happy with the situation. But he had no choice— he’d rather not cross Song Sihyuk because he knew that bastard could take his baby away from him. "Your other daddy will donate his blood to you instead of your grandfather."
Gunwoo cheered while clapping his hands. "Gunwoo can’t wait to see Daddy again!"
Haaah.
Why is my baby already attached to Sihyuk Hyung?
***
GARAM could only sigh when Song Sihyuk finally came...
... with a bunch of gifts.
Each bodyguard behind the Alpha carried at least four big paper bags.
Most were from known luxury brands.
There were paper bags that looked fancy but didn’t have a brand logo. But that didn’t mean those things were brandless.
Sihyuk Hyung is a patron of luxury brands that only cater to the ultra-rich.
"Daddy!"
Garam clicked his tongue when Gunwoo immediately greeted Song Sihyuk as if he had missed his Alpha father.
Son, you only met that person yesterday.
No wonder Song Sihyuk looked smug— he knew his son was already attached to him.
Tsk.
"Sorry for making you wait, son," Song Sihyuk said, gently patting Gunwoo’s head. "I had to work really hard to make sure you and your dad will not go anywhere after this."
That sent a chill down Garam’s spine.
What did this bastard do this time?
"Gunwoo and Dad are going to eat ice cream later, Daddy," Gunwoo said excitedly. "Join us, Daddy."
"I’d love to," Song Sihyuk said, smiling. And then he turned to Garam, his smile turning into a smirk. "Garam-ah, let’s talk first."
"Later," Garam said, sighing. "Let’s wait for Junho and Geon Hyung first— I can’t leave Gunwoo alone."
He only asked Shin Junho and Shin Geon to come.
I don’t want Sihyuk Hyung to see Mija.
On the other hand, Mija would babysit Jina at home.
"Can’t you see the bodyguards behind me?"
"So what? I don’t know them. Why would I entrust my baby to your guards?"
"Because these people will be Gunwoo’s personal security team from now on."
Garam knitted his eyebrows, annoyed. "Hyung, my son doesn’t need a security team."
"My son is the future heir of SG Group," Song Sihyuk said sternly. "This level of protection is normal."
Haaah.
This is pissing me off.
"Dad, Daddy, are you fighting?"
Oh.
Garam took a deep breath before facing his son with a smile. "No, baby," he lied smoothly. "Your daddy and I are just talking."
"That’s right, son," Song Sihyuk said, nodding. "There’s no way your dad and I will fight."
Tsk.
"Vice Chairman Song, I apologize for interrupting. Shin Geon-ssi and Shin Junho-ssi are here," Jung Han reported. "Should we let them in?"
"Of course, you should let them in," Garam answered coldly, even though Jung Han wasn’t talking to him. He knew he was being rude, but he really didn’t care at the moment. "Geon Hyung is our bodyguard, and Junho Hyung is my assistant. And they are Gunwoo’s uncles."
"Gunwoo wants to see Uncle Geon and Uncle Junho," Gunwoo said cheerfully. "Gunwoo loves playing with them!"
Jung Han glanced at Song Sihyuk nervously.
"Let them in," Song Sihyuk said indifferently. "Garam and I need to talk anyway."
***
"THERE’s a decent café in this area."
"The hospital café is enough," Garam said, wrapping his fingers around the cup of hot chocolate that he ordered. He usually liked cold drinks. But the morning breeze made him crave something sweet and warm. "Let’s talk. You need to prepare for the blood transfusion later."
Song Sihyuk then sipped his coffee as if he were thinking deeply.
To be honest, Garam was still nervous about being alone with his ex-husband.
Well, to be fair, they weren’t totally alone because the bodyguards were watching them from afar.
I hope Sihyuk Hyung hasn’t recovered his memories yet.
"All the airports in the country will report to me if you try to leave with Gunwoo without my permission."
"What?"
"That’s the same for other forms of transportation— even the illegal boats that fugitives use to escape the country."
Garam clenched his hands tightly. "And you’re treating me like a criminal."
"I just want to make sure that you’ll never run away with my child again."
"It was you who forgot, Hyung."
"What?"
"I never hid the fact that I was pregnant. You knew I was pregnant when we decided to get a divorce," Garam reminded Song Sihyuk coldly. Yes, he was being unfair. After all, Mija made it so the Song Clan would forget that he was pregnant. But this was the only way to fight Song Sihyuk. "You didn’t look for us for the past five years, so I assumed you didn’t want your child with me, Hyung."
Song Sihyuk looked like he wanted to argue.
But, in the end, he sighed and shook his head.
Whew.
Garam was relieved that Song Sihyuk didn’t refute that.
I’ll keep Mija’s curse a secret for as long as I can.
"There seems to be a problem with my memories," Song Sihyuk said. "I admit that it was my fault for forgetting about you and our child. But now that I’m aware of your existence again, I’ll never let the two of you out of my sight again."
"I told you, Hyung— I’m not going anywhere," Garam insisted, starting to feel frustrated. "I want to co-parent with you in peace, so don’t do anything without consulting me first. That’s all I ask."
Like Garam stated earlier, he’d rather not provoke Song Sihyuk.
I don’t want him to remember his obsession with me. Co-parenting with him is more tolerable than being his husband again. He has the right to be a part of our son’s life anyway. Plus, Gunwoo is attached to him already.
"Alright, let’s do that," Song Sihyuk said. "Let’s talk about co-parenting Gunwoo later."
Garam only nodded weakly.
This is the safest option forme.
***
IT WAS already Garam’s second time watching Gunwoo receive a blood transfusion, but his heart still felt like it was about to burst out of worry.
I hope this is the last time something like this happens.
"You look like you’re about to faint, Lim Garam," Song Sihyuk said, sighing while shaking his head. "If you can’t handle watching, then leave. I’m here anyway."
Of course, you’re here— you’re the one donating blood to our son.
Gunwoo and Song Sihyuk were sitting on separate beds, the necessary apparatus attached to their arms already.
Garam was actually trying hard not to look at the IV.
The blood was making him feel nauseous.
"I’m fine— don’t worry about me," Garam said, focusing on Gunwoo because he didn’t want to entertain Song Sihyuk. It was obvious that the Alpha was trying to get on his nerves— just because he found it fun. "Baby, are you feeling alright?"
"Yes, Dad," Gunwoo said while nodding. The kid didn’t have much energy now, but he still looked fine. "Gunwoo is fine."
That was a relief.
"Why are you still talking in third person?" Song Sihyuk asked Gunwoo in a scolding tone. "You’re about to enter kindergarten, Gunwoo-ya. You should start speaking properly."
Haaah.
Garam glared at Song Sihyuk. "There’s nothing wrong with how Gunwoo speaks. He’s still a baby."
"Gunwoo is already a preschooler, not a baby," Song Sihyuk said sternly. "We should start teaching him how to speak properly, especially since he’s about to enter kindergarten. How can he study well if he can’t speak well?"
"Hyung, it’s just kindergarten. Let my son be a child."
"Kindergarten is the start of my son’s proper education."
Haaah.
Garam and Song Sihyuk ended up glaring at each other.
Co-parenting may not be as easy as I thought it would be.
***
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