After lunch, the two of them went back to the room to rest. In the afternoon, they were going fishing with his dad. Just one day, yet so many things he hadn't done before were now neatly packed into it. By 8 p.m., Dunk invited him to go stargazing on the small hill behind the house. There weren't many lights out here like in the city, so the stars were incredibly clear. Dunk loved it.

"You like stars?"

"Yep. Besides stars, I really like sunflowers too."

"Figures. You really are just like the things you love."

Dunk stopped looking at the sky and turned to him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, since you like stars, your eyes sparkle like them."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and your smile too. It's as bright as a sunflower under the sun."

Even though it was nighttime, the bashful pink in Dunk's cheeks was still clear in his eyes.

"You're too smooth."

"Haha, I'm just telling the truth."

"Alright, alright... um, you're heading back tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I was thinking I'd go back with you."

"Of course you're coming back with me. I brought you here, it's only right I take you back."

"Just... didn't want to be a bother."

He reached out to pat Dunk's head without saying a word, just smiling.

Sleeping here was far more peaceful than in the city, no car noises, no sounds of vendors setting up their stalls in the early morning. Just quiet. So quiet that he slept straight through till 9 a.m. Dunk wanted to wake him, but his mom stopped him. It wasn't until past 10 that he finally dragged himself out of bed. After washing up, it was almost 11.

"I'm so sorry... it's just so peaceful here."

"Oh, you're up? Don't worry at all, dear. Dunk actually wanted to wake you up but I told him not to."

"Ah... where is he, by the way?"

She didn't answer, just looked out the kitchen window. Dunk was out in the strawberry garden again but this time, he had a hat on.

"Go spend some time with him, then come back for lunch. You'll need to head back to the city after that."

"Yes, ma'am."

This time, Dunk wasn't picking fallen strawberries, he was harvesting them into little boxes.

"Dunk."

"JoongJoong, come help me!"

"JoongJoong?"

"Hihi."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm picking some for your coworkers."

"Why?"

"Well, you took a day off to visit my place. It'd be weird if you went back empty-handed."

"That's not nec— okay okay, I'll help."

"Hihi."

He handed him a glass container lined with a sheet of moisture-absorbing paper.

"So I just stand here?"

"Yup. You don't know how to pick strawberries, do you?"

So that's what this was..he was just holding the box. Dunk picked the berries, rinsed them, dried them off, and placed them carefully into the container. Once each was full, they closed it up. By the end, they had nearly ten boxes.

After lunch, the two of them headed back to the city. Dunk looked a little down leaving home will do that. He kept staring into the rearview mirror until the little wooden house was out of sight.

"Hic."

"..."

The sniffle made Joong glance over right away. Dunk wasn't crying just yet, but his nose was starting to sting and tears were welling up in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

He turned to face him the moment he asked. His eyes were glistening, full of tears, and it tugged at Joong's heart.

"Tell me... what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Huc... I miss my mom... huc... huc..."

"... hey, it's okay... come on now, don't cry..."

The moment he asked, he hit the mark ..Dunk burst into tears, loud and messy. Joong panicked and pulled over to the side of the road. Luckily, they hadn't reached the highway yet.

"Shh... it's okay, be good... you'll go back soon."

"Huc... nooo... I wanna go back now..."

Trying to console him from the driver's seat wasn't working. Joong got out, walked around the car, opened Dunk's door, and pulled him into a hug. He kept crying... until he finally dozed off.

Seeing Dunk asleep, Joong carefully moved back to the driver's seat, leaned it back a little so he could lie more comfortably, and buckled him in.

Even though he was ready to drive again, he couldn't resist looking at Dunk one more time. The tears were still glistening on his lashes, his nose was red, and his eyes too. He really was just a child. Joong drove the rest of the way alone, but strangely, he wasn't tired at all ..wiping away those tears had woken him right up.

When they arrived at the café, Dunk was still asleep. Joong didn't want to wake him, afraid he'd cry again, so he ran inside and called Kat out.

"Dunk, wake up. We're here."

"..."

"Dunk, wake up, come on. Let Joong head home."

"Hic..."

See? He wasn't wrong.

"What's this? Why are you crying again?"

"Hic... I miss my mom... hic..."

"Geez, you're not a kid anymore, Dunk."

"Huc... why are you scolding me... huc..."

"You should go inside, Kat. I'll stay with Dunk a little longer."

Kat gave up. No way was she going to deal with a crying, pouty Dunk.

"There, there... it's okay."

"I wanna go back to mommy... huc..."

"Alright, alright. Be good and I'll take you back next weekend, okay? You'll be good, right?"

"Hic... okay... hic..."
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#sapo🇻🇳 (12:15/ 240525)