Chapter Text
Johnny will readily admit that he doesn’t love easily. When asked, he can, without hesitation, name the four things he loves the most: his son, his job, Oscar Wilde, and Jaehyun.
Jisung is only three, but he’s Johnny’s best friend. His day doesn’t start until Jisung crawls into his bed, welcoming him to a new day of adventure. The hours when Johnny’s at work and Jisung’s at school are some of the most agonizing hours of his day. If he could, he would have Jisung join him while he’s teaching; he probably would be a better student than all the kids combined. Every night, Jisung joins Johnny while he grades, relaying his day’s events in a gibberish that only he understands. Johnny doesn’t mind; he just basks in his son’s conversation and responds when prompted. His talkative nature reminds Johnny of Chungha, and he feels less alone.
When Johnny had decided to pursue literature, he was met with resistance from his entire family. His mother wanted him to be a doctor; his father was leaning towards him being an architect who could take over the firm. Chungha was the only one who encouraged him, and that encouragement pushed Johnny to go for his doctorate. That’s on hold now; Jisung needs all of his attention, and he’ll be damned if he prioritizes anything else. Besides, he loves his job, and he’s content with where he is. His students, especially his first period freshman class, keep things interesting.
Jaehyun, the greatest disaster gay he has ever met, is the brother he never had. Attached at the hip since their Little League days, Johnny and Jaehyun have been there for each other’s highs and lows. Jaehyun was there with a “Bro, I’m, like, really fucking gay, it’s cool that you’re bi” when Johnny tearfully came out to him. Johnny was there when Jaehyun broke up with his first boyfriend. Jaehyun was there when his ex-boyfriend asked Johnny out a week later. Johnny was there when Jaehyun fell in love with the new florist in town and kept buying flowers only to hand them back to him with a smile and a wink. Jaehyun was there when Johnny proposed to Chungha with a rose from Taeyong’s shop. Johnny was there when Jaehyun and Taeyong got married, serving as the “mate of honor.” Jaehyun was there when Jisung was born. Johnny was there when they got Ruby. Jaehyun was there when Johnny lost Chungha.
He’s content with where he is, but he can’t help but wonder if there’s more to this life. He knows he’s static, but profound loss can do that to a person.
~
Kun is tired. Exhausted. Drained. In the course of one summer, he’s got a broken wrist, a new job, and custody of his three brothers.
He loves his brothers, and at 27, he knows he’s ready to take care of them. How selfish, he thinks, of his parents to waive parental rights so they could “pursue their dreams of independence.” Rather than allowing his brothers to be put in the foster system, he immediately filed for custody, assuring the judge that he can provide for them. He had a good job; being a nationally renowned concert pianist paid handsomely, and he had the resources to provide a good life for the boys. He might not have been home much, and the significant age gap between himself and his brothers created a considerable distance, but he’d be damned if he let the boys be unhappy. However, a week into living with his brothers, he tripped over Sicheng’s wayward skateboard, and his wrist was shattered. Ridden with guilt, Sicheng worked tirelessly to find a temporary solution.
The solution came in the form of their cousin Ten. Ten worked part-time as a dance instructor for the local private school, and he heard that they were looking for a new music teacher. Kun didn’t know, but Ten submitted videos of him playing various instruments and singing. Without warning, a job offer came in the mail as well as acceptance letters for Yangyang and Sicheng. Chenle was offered a place in the private pre-school, and Kun would have been a fool not to accept.
Ten is a force to be reckoned with. He immediately assumed his role as the boys’ other parent and had moved in with them. Kun was grateful; there was no way that he would be able to help the boys adjust to their parents’ absence alone. Ten takes care of Kun, too. He forces him out of his self-imposed isolation and insists that he lives before the beginning of the school year.
Kun tried to hide his discontent for the sake of his brothers, but he couldn’t help it. He had trained for years, had performed in front of thousands, and now he was reduced to a music teacher. He assured Sicheng that he wasn’t at fault; he would eventually heal, anyway. Kun has bigger dreams for himself, but he forces himself to stay static for now.
~
It’s September, and it’s the first day of school. As is customary, the day begins with an assembly. Principal Kim welcomes students old and new, gives morning announcements, and introduces new teachers. Johnny watches as the new music teacher gives a shy bow and introduces himself as Mr. Qian. He ignores Jaehyun’s incessant nudges. He doesn’t have time for what he’s implying.
~
It’s September, and it’s the first day of school. As is customary, the day begins with an assembly. Principal Kim welcomes students old and new, gives morning announcements, and introduces new teachers. Kun is mortified when he’s asked to introduce himself. There’s a reason why he’s a professional pianist and not a singer. He doesn’t like speaking in front of so many people. He introduces himself as Mr. Qian, and the students politely welcome him. As he steps aside for Mr. Kim to conclude the assembly, he catches the eye of a tall, intelligent-looking man. Smiling to himself, he thinks that being static won’t be so bad after all.