Chapter Text
If Kim Dokja has to sit through another PTO meeting he will actually Lose It.
This is the third time this month Gilyoung and Yoosung’s class had called for a Parent-Teacher Organization meeting, this time to discuss whether or not the student’s desks should be placed in tables to support collaborative learning or individually to strengthen personalized instruction.
If Dokja could offer his two cents on the matter without one of the moms glaring at him as if she were personally offended by his unmarried status, he’d tell them all to grow up and get a life.
The parents here were hypercompetitive, always trying to plot success for their kids by taking down others. Dokja had been shocked when he’d first seen one mom deliberately drop a tray of another mom’s cookies and present “her daughter’s” as a backup.
Regardless of all the drama, Eunseoung was some of the best education for a reason. Gilyoung and Yoosung were smart, wonderful, and kind children– even if they fought like cats and dogs. (Or as Gilyoung liked to say: hornets and honeybees.)
“Okay,” one mom said, standing up, “If we’ve all spoken our concerns, let’s hold a vote?” Dokja groaned internally. The kids were waiting alone at home, either peacefully doing homework, snacking on Choco Pies before dinner, or fighting to the death.
He put his head down in compliance, raising his hand when she called for group tables. Personally, he would have hated sitting in groups, but Yoosung and Gilyoung were practically nothing like him. They were fun, had plenty of friends, and were full of chatter.
“Alright, group it is!” Dokja stood up as the meeting concluded, dusting off his work clothes. He’d just started to loosen his tie as his phone buzzed with a text from one of the nicer parents reminding him about the meeting. He trusted the kids on their own, but you could also never be too careful.
“As per our email, I’ll see you next week, Kim Dokja-ssi.” Their teacher said as Dokja walked past the refreshments table to head out. He blanked. What was next week? Were the kids doing fine? Was anyone being mean?
His sudden confusion and worry must have been evident because the teacher quickly waved her hands and laughed. “It’s just for the upcoming sleepaway field trip for some of our advanced students. Don’t worry!” She paused and looked away. “It must be overwhelming being a single caretaker with two kids that aren’t even yours.”
Dokja reeled. “Excuse me?” He asked, a disbelieving smile on his face. He’d known Gilyoung since he was four and adopted him at six. He’d only known Yoosung for a week until she was basically living with them. Those were his kids.
The teacher stuttered awkwardly. “Not like that…” She trailed off uncomfortably. Dokja sighed. Now wasn’t the time to argue with the teacher every other parent was kissing ass to, and he was sure by this point the kids were fighting over some childish argument.
“I’ll see you next week. Good night.” He said coldly, walking out the door. Thankfully, his car was near the front of the parking lot. October air meant a slight breeze in the night, but Dokja got cold really quickly. He wrapped his arms around himself as he walked to the car. The drive wasn’t too bad, and he dialed the house phone to make sure everything was ok at home as he drove.
The phone rang thrice before it was picked up, Gilyoung panting and muffled shouts behind him. “Hyung! Yoosung called my cockroach ugly and told me she would feed it to the ducks at Hangang!” A shout, a muffled thud, and he heard Yoosung’s voice now.
“Ahjussi! I was OBVIOUSLY joking! Gilyoung said he would take my hamster at night and let him outside! You HAVE to keep Bomi with you tonight and guard her.” She said frantically.
“Yoosung-ah. Relax. No one’s pet is being eaten or released tonight.” Both kids quieted down after Dokja started talking exasperatedly, his phone tucked in the crook of his shoulder as he took a right turn into their neighborhood complex. “I’m almost home, so please start setting the table, ok?”
“Okay Ahjussi! I will do it.” Yoosung said smugly as Gilyoung shouted.
“Hyung wants ME to do it. I do it better than you!” He argued.
Dokja hung up, chuckling. Although they weren’t quite as clingy at 10 then they were at six, they still fought over him constantly. After a lifetime of not being wanted, the constant attention from not one but two kids was a shock. He wasn’t sure why they had liked him so much, but he wasn’t complaining.
The elevator up was quiet. After the third fight concerning Bomi, Yoosung’s pet hamster, eating one of Gilyoung’s crickets, Dokja knew they needed to move somewhere with their own rooms. The apartments here weren’t cheap, but they were a lot bigger and safer too– he never worried when Gilyoung and Yoosung ran out the door to go to the playground at the center of their neighborhood with other kids. There were security officers, working cameras, and best of all, three bedrooms.
Dokja barely had time to push the door open before Yoosung barreled into his arms, Gilyoung running behind her. Dokja groaned at the impact of two sugar-fueled kids hitting him at full speed but smiled nonetheless.
“Hi Ahjussi. Sorry for fighting before.” Yoosung said guiltily, looking down in shame. Gilyoung cleared his throat. Standing in front of him, the two looked like they were apologizing for much worse feats.
“We started cutting the vegetables for Soondubu jjigae. Sorry.” Gilyoung said. Dokja peered into the kitchen, where there were copious piles of onions and zucchini on the counter. He laughed.
“With how much you guys cut we’ll be eating zucchini for a week. Don’t worry.” He kissed the tops of both of their heads. “Now go shower and get into pajamas while I cook, okay? I’m sorry for being so late.”
The kids ran off dutifully, and Dokja washed his hands to start cooking. There were some other side dishes in the fridge, so he started the soup base and started washing the rice.
“Ahjussi, can you check my homework after this?” Yoosung asked. In her brown pajamas with little bears on them Dokja was instantly transported back to when she was still a little girl, glued to his side and her constantly in Dokja’s or clutching his shirt fabric.
“Sure, Yoosung-ah. Can you get me the tofu from inside the fridge?” He asked, stirring the stew. He could barely boil water before Gilyoung had started eating dinner with him. But a five year old kid needed real nutrients, so Dokja started going to Lotte Mart more often to buy real produce and fresh meat.
It was pretty bad the first few times, but soon, Gilyoung started asking for seconds. Neither kids were picky eaters at all, and Dokja was upset seeing them nervously ask for more food. He always scooped extra onto both their plates, ignoring any protest.
“Smells yummy,” Yoosung stood near the stove and waved her hands to waft the smell over. Dokja looked at her oddly and Yoosung sighed. “Silly Ahjussi. You’re not supposed to smell it directly. Bad chemical smells can damage your olfactory nerves. You have to waft, like this.” She did it again, explaining like the little scientist she was.
“Woah, Yoosungie is so smart.” Dokja said as he followed her. “What's this about a sleepaway field trip I hear? Your teacher wants you both to go.”
Yoosung practically lit up as she set the table. “The sleepover field trip to the aquarium! Ahjussi, it’s the Sea Life Aquarium, and we went once, but this time we get to go for two days and sleep in the exhibit with the fluorescent jellyfish!”
“Wow, sounds fun. Who else is going? She said it was for advanced students.” Dokja himself had been disappointingly average in high school. Both Gilyoung and Yoosung being ‘advanced’ for their age gave him a sense of reassurance. No matter how lopsided Yoosung’s braid looked, or how misshapen the lunch gimbaps were, he was doing something right.
Gilyoung slid into his seat. “The field trip? It’s only a few people from each class. Yoo Mia is going too.” Dokja started spooning stew into their bowls, making sure to put extra tofu in Yoosung’s.
“Ahjussi, can we have a playdate with Mia tomorrow?” Yoosung asked. “Gilyoung too. She’s funny.” Dokja had heard both kids wax poetic about Yoo Mia before. He’d only seen her mom once, but she hadn’t been at the meeting today. Suddenly, he remembered where he’d remembered Yoo Mia.
“Yoo Mia! Her mom made these great lemon squares for the bake sale last month.” Dokja wasn’t big on sweets, but he’d taken two more squares after his first. “Yeah, if you guys can call her and get me her address and mom’s number then sure.”
Yoosung nodded. Mia had her own phone, and Yoosung often called her to check homework answers. “Oh, Yoosung-ah, did you still want me to check the homework?” He asked.
Yoosung nodded defeatedly. “I hate math.”
Gilyoung shrugged. “Can you call Sangah-noona to read my English homework?” He asked. “It’s not due until next week, but I still want her to check it.”
Dokja stood up and started clearing the table, the kids following suit. “Actually, I think we’re going over to their house this weekend. Can she check it then?”
Sangah and Sooyoung, two of Dokja’s closest friends, had once passionately hated each other. The hatred was mostly on Sooyoung’s part, but during Yoosung’s adoption process, Sangah had been a huge help with the paperwork. Apparently that was the point where Sooyoung started to like her, enough to the point they’d been together for three years now.
Gilyoung nodded excitedly. “We are? I like visiting Sangah-noona.”
“And Sooyoung-unnie makes really good ice-cream sundaes!” Yoosung cheered.
“No, those are just plain sugar. I don’t know how I let you have those.” Dokja muttered.
After the kids had helped him clean up, Dokja changed into a pair of pajamas and a sweatshirt, slicing peaches for dessert and checking Yoosung’s homework before they’d gone to bed. Both pets were agreed to be placed in Dokja’s room to keep them safe.
“Goodnight, Yoosung-ah. Sweet dreams!” He said softly as he closed her bedroom door. Gilyoung was sitting in his bed, waiting for Dokja.
“Hi hyung,” he said dejectedly. Dokja frowned.
“Gilyoung, is everything okay?” He asked, sitting next to him on the bed. Gilyoung shrugged.
“I don’t think our teacher likes me very much. I know I’m not the best at English but she always looks at me…funny.” He muttered. “I hate her, actually.”
Dokja inhaled. “Is she bothering you?” He had experienced his fair share of bullying, and teachers he knew tended to make things messier. Based on how she’d treated Dokja today, he wouldn’t be shocked if she said similar things to Gilyoung.
Gilyoung shook his head. “No hyung, it’s just small things. Like when she hands out field trip slips and permission forms she looks at me funny. And Yoosung too.”
Dokja clenched his jaw. He should have stayed back at the meeting to chew her out in front of the other parents. Bad teachers were the same no matter how much you paid to attend the school.
“Gilyoung-ah, don’t worry. She’s not mean because of you. It’s because she thinks I’m a bad parent.” He said, rubbing Gilyoung’s shoulder. Gilyoung looked up in a flash, surprise all over his face.
“What? No way. You’re the best!” He argued. Dokja shook his head.
“It doesn't matter. Don’t worry, ok? I’ll have a little chat with her.” He assured, helping Gilyoung into bed.
“I don’t care what she thinks. You’re the best. The other kids have the worst parents, but you’re different.” He said stubbornly. Dokja ruffled his hair.
“I love you. Goodnight, Gilyoung.” He said, smoothing the blanket and closing the door gently.