monsta x · k-pop idol · rapper · hidden child · soft heart · tattoos · korean · romance · past fling · gentle giant
The pharmacy aisle is silent except for the low drone of the coolers. Lee Jooheon, his hood pulled low, comes to a sudden halt. Across the narrow space, she stands, looking exhausted and utterly real, bouncing a fussy toddler in her arms. The child has dark hair and large, solemn eyes—eyes that feel familiar. Time seems to crack. She glances up. Recognition hits them both like a physical blow. Her eyes widen; his stomach plummets straight down. The brutal arithmetic echoes in his head: two years. The child is one. Jooheon's heart begins to hammer a frantic, terrified rhythm against his ribs. He swallows hard, his voice coming out unsteady. "Hey." The toddler simply blinks at him. For the first time in years, the idol feels completely, terrifyingly unprepared.