So for those who read my other stories you might've noticed a certain authors note where I talked about how the silence of the readers was offputting and frustrating to me. I thought things over and decided to do something instead of stopping the wriiting. So here it is. From now on if people want to see an update from me on any story there must be at least 10 comments on the last updated chapter. So this chapter needs at least 10 comments before I update again.  :/ That way it ensures I do see readers and that the same pattern of nonresponsiveness doesn't occur.

mild homophobia. just putting that out there

Joshua made a little face, pulling his brows together and pursing his lips exaggeratedly at Michael. It garnered him a little laugh. Joshua laughed with him. Rubbing his nose against Michael’s he said, “Who’s a cute boy?”

Through his giggles, Michael replied, “Me!”

Joshua laughed along with him. “Yea. You are.”

Privately in his own mind, Jeonghan thought Joshua was cute. But the combination of Joshua and Michael was a very cute sight. Seeing Joshua with a child was giving him ideas on when and if they would get to that point of having kids it would that much more fulfilling. A child that was a perfect mixture of the two of them, hugging and making cute faces at Joshua.

“Cuter than Mary even.” He put a finger to his lips, “But shh don’t tell her I told you that,” with a twinkle in his eyes, like he was sharing a super top secret with Michael.

The boy laughed and put his hands on his mouth. Putting them down he asked, “Who’s Mary?”

Joshua’s eyes got sad. Keeping a grin on his face, even if Jeonghan could tell that it was falling at the corners, he said, “Mary is my little cousin. She’s about your age actually. She’s a cutie too. But I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“Why not?” Michael brought his face close to Joshua’s staring into Joshua’s big eyes with his own big eyes. “Daddy says it’s always good to visit family. I visit my cousins all the time.”

Hoisting Michael up a bit more, Joshua answered. “She’s back in LA. And I haven’t been back there in almost two years.”

He frowned. “Go visit then.”

Joshua laughed. Kids gave the best yet simplest of solutions. Joshua couldn’t though. He was tied here and he couldn’t leave. Not yet.

Jeonghan who was walking to Joshua’s right, reached over and fixed Michael’s hair. “He’s a bit too busy to visit. But he will soon enough.”

Michael looked up and him and nodded. “Good.” He went back to clinging to Joshua and looking around for his parents.

They were almost to the lost child area when a rather angry voice rang out.

“A pair of men? With a baby? What ,” the voice spat, both literally and figuratively as there was a sound of spit hitting the asphalt near them.

Joshua moved Michael close, bringing the toddler’s head onto his shoulder trying to cover his ears. He didn’t need to hear this kind of crap.

Jeonghan moved in front of them, nearly snarling. Why were people determined to up his date? Like was this a day to simply over Yoon Jeonghan or something?

Looking at the who said the offensive statement, Jeonghan eyebrows rose. It was a damn old man. Seriously? A traditionalist who still believed that statuses weren’t worth anything and that only men and women were to have a relationship and children? In a place with kids, families, and couples? Some guy in his freaking 50’s decided to come here and just make nasty remarks? What the ever loving ?  

“Watch what you say. There’s a child here,” Jeonghan warned. He ignored the small group of people whispering and pointing at them. They’d hardly be of any help unless something went down. But he could see some people whip out their phones to record. He moved to completely shield Joshua and Michael.

“I wouldn’t need to if people like you weren’t around to flaunt their corrupt predilections,” the man said.

Jeonghan never liked being told what to do. He was a spoiled rich kid who always got what they wanted and he grew up doing what he wanted when he wanted. So, the fact that some stranger was calling his relationship corrupt, and essentially any child of his was getting on his last nerve. The biggest annoyance was that this person thought they had the power to say like this to children like Michael who didn’t do anything besides just live.

“Back off,” Jeonghan warned. “I’ll call security over and have you removed from the park for disturbing us.” He’d get into a fight but he did have Joshua to think of. And what was the use of fighting an old man who needed to get with the times.

But the old man didn’t get the message. He puffed up his chest like he was still in his prime and he could take Jeonghan on. “Too scared to fight me? Bring it on you !”

Jeonghan felt Joshua flinch behind him and he heard Michael let out a whimper. He opened his mouth but was cut off.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” A woman shouted from out a shop door. She was a spectator that couldn’t take it any longer it seemed. “How dare you curse at these people? I called security to come get you. We don’t tolerate this kind of language here at Everland.”

Some embarrassed couple with some kids tried to get the man but the employee stopped them, along with a small crowd of on lookers. They made a half circle around them, not allowing them to leave.

“Please miss,” the man said, “he didn’t mean any harm.”

Jeonghan scoffed.

The employee did the same. “If he didn’t mean any harm he should’ve walked on instead of stop them and make a ruckus. Don’t try to lie for your father. We will not tolerate this in our park. I would guess that you have similar ideas to him if you’re trying to shield from this, but that would be assuming and assuming things makes me similar to the mindset of your father. Something I don’t want to be in.”

A rush of footsteps appeared and two men dressed in security uniforms approached them. “Ma’am?”

“ this lovely gentleman and his family out of the park. Refund them their tickets and make sure he isn’t allowed into the park again. Just him.” She tilted her head over to Jeonghan and Joshua. “I need to talk to the people he stopped to see if they want to press charges of some sort.”

They saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

With some heavy protesting, they grabbed the old man and his embarrassed family followed. The crowd dispersed and the employee walked over to them.

“I am deeply sorry for this. Is there anything Everland can do to make this up to you all?”

Jeonghan sighed. “We were going to the lost child area to find this boy’s parents. If you could help us find them that’d be great.” He patted Michael on the head before wrapping a comforting arm around Joshua.

“I can do that,” she said with a nod. “Let me take you there.”

Joshua sat on the floor in the play area playing a hand game with Michael. Jeonghan could see he was trying to keep a smile on his face. And admittedly it was a very convincing one but Jeonghan remembered the unadulterated smile Joshua had on his face when he laughed at Jeonghan’s old photos. The smile on his face now was nothing near that. ing old man.

“We’ve found them,” she informed him. “They’re on their way.”

“Thank you,” Jeonghan said with a nod.

“On behalf of Everland we sincerely apologize that what happened.”

He waved it off. “It’s not something you could’ve predicted. The fact that you helped was good enough. I need to comfort my fiancé. Excuse me.” Before Jeonghan would’ve tried to flirt with this woman but he had Joshua now. No need for useless flirting and being a playboy. He only needed to flirt with Joshua and try to make him blush.

Sitting down near them, he watched as Joshua laughed along with Michael at the cute little animal noises the boy was making. He reached out his hand, petting Joshua gently. He would’ve said something but perhaps time with the boy would be more comforting than him at this point. After Michael’s parents came he could talk to Joshua. For now, he would give Joshua some physical comfort. Something that the teenager didn’t seem to mind as he let Jeonghan keep up the petting.

“Michael!”

A pair of men ran into the area out of breath, worry etched into their faces.

“Daddy!” Michael got up and started to walk over to them.

His parents met him on the play area, running to him. They crouched down and hugged him, making sounds of relief.

The omega father picked up him and held him close and the American stood close and smiled hugging them both.

Joshua and Jeonghan stood up watching the family reunite.

Wrapping an arm around Joshua, Jeonghan held him close. After earlier he would need it. The American was looking at them weirdly. Well more like at Joshua weirdly. Jeonghan narrowed his eyes, moving his arm from Joshua’s shoulder to his waist. This caused the American to narrow his eyes as well.

The couple walked over to them.

“Thank—“

The American cut off his husband. Husband because Jeonghan saw rings shining in the light. “Joshua is that you?”