My Two Dads

After finishing the task assigned by the teacher, Yang Han finally returned to her classroom, which was already full of parents by then.

She was about to walk to the back door when she heard two girls whispering and giggling, “Really handsome…”

“I think it’s someone’s older brother. Go ask the school committee, they’re in charge of signing attendances, they should know…”

Yang Han blinked a little before walking into the classroom. She saw the person that made the girls cover their mouths and giggle. It was Yang Mo and Han Shi Yu

Yang Han: “……”

Her eyebrows knitted together in a frown as she squeezed her way through. Then, she said in a low voice, “Why are you both here…”

Yang Mo was sitting on her seat, reading through the documents and parent handbook while Han Shi Yu stood behind him like a bodyguard, mingling among the group of students despite being 3 heads taller. With his arms crossed in front of him, he was extremely eye-catchy.

Han Shi Yu pointed at Yang Mo and said, “Your dad insisted on following me.”

“Some people can’t even find the right place,” Yang Mo answered back without raising his head as he flipped through Yang Han’s test papers, “I’d have gotten lost long ago if I followed him.”

“Tsk,” Han Shi Yu retorted, “I’ve already discussed it with you last night. You’re not keeping your word.”

“Discuss?” Yang Mo looked up at him, “Did I promise you that?”

Han Shi Yu: “You went back on your words after all.”

This intensive one to one verbal fight caused Yang Han to listen without being able to interject. She felt a tense aura between the two, as if they were going to draw out swords anytime now but she didn’t know the reason why.

She awkwardly tried to slip away and said, “Then I…will go to my assigned position first?”

Yang Mo put down the test papers and looked at her. The corners of his lips curled upwards for a moment as he praised, “You did well this time. Keep it up.”

“En…” Yang Han scratched the back of her head and said happily, “Thanks, dad.”

She appeared like a kid who had been given a candy after being praised, the childish joy on her face had yet to dissipate when she was about to leave until Han Shi Yu called her back.

Han Shi Yu smiled, “The bell was well made, I really like it.”

Yang Mo: “.”

Yang Han said, “Ah, it’s fine as like you like it…” Her voice turned smaller towards the end as she stole a glance at Yang Mo before turning away to join her group.

Yang Mo did not turn around and he didn’t need to do so to know how smug Han Shi Yu looked behind him.

Back in the group of her peers, Yang Han was instantly surrounded by girls who eagerly asked, “Yang Yang, that two geges are your parents?!”

Han Lang had been the one to attend her parent-teacher conference last semester, so these students hadn’t officially met Yang Mo before. Yang Han said, “En…”

Someone asked, “Then is the seated one your dad? I think I saw him before when we were in the same class last grade….”

They became curious, “Then is the one standing your older brother?”

Yang Han rubbed her fingers together behind her back and hesitated for a moment, but in the end she chose to nod.

The girls let out a series of suppressed gasps and said, “Your family has godsent appearances!”

Yang Han squeezed out a polite smile and said, “It’s nothing really…”

After the parent-teacher conference, the two fathers carried her school bag and suitcase respectively while Yang Han carried her lightest backpack as she walked between them.

Somehow, these twos started a war of words yet again because of the weight of the things they carried. They went back and forth for several rounds as if whoever carried more would earn a bigger reward.

She looked down at her feet and took a vague guess on the reason behind their weird behaviours today. The corners of her mouth curved upwards with a hint of sweetness as she started walking in small jumps.

When they arrived at the parking lot outside, Yang Han grabbed both of their arms and hopped a little more, then she let herself ‘hang in the air’ between the two of them for a short while.

Both of them were caught off guard and had their bodies tilted towards the middle, causing them to forget about their fight momentarily.

Yang Han let out a few giggles and said, “You two have to hold on steadily, I’m going to jump now.”

Han Shi Yu: “Why are you acting just like a monkey…”

With that said, the two of them exerted strength from their arms at the same time as Yang Han jumped up and held herself in place. For a brief moment, it was like a swing had formed in the middle. The sound of the luggage wheels rolling eventually slowed down as they tried to keep it stable while they walked, just so this monkey could grasp stably onto them.

A little girl’s arm strength had its limits after all, so after a while she lost her strength to grab onto them and landed on the ground. She held both of their hands as she laughed.

Yang Han said happily, “Let’s eat out today, okay?”

Yang Mo: “Okay.”

Yang Han let go of Han Shi Yu’s hand out of excitement and jumped onto Yang Mo’s back, wrapping her arms around his neck and hung onto him.

“……” Han Shi Yu said, “Come down quickly, don’t fall off.”

As they reached their cars, Yang Mo who was too wrapped up by the monkey to move had to drop her off at the back seat first. Han Shi Yu then took all their luggage and bags to the car trunk first.

As soon as he entered, Yang Han stole a glance at Han Shi Yu who was still outside. Then, she buried her head into Yang Mo’s arms and whispered, “Dad.”

Yang Mo: “Hm?”

The little girl blinked once, her long eyelashes fluttering a little as she put one hand beside her mouth to whisper in a very low voice, “I keep on telling others that Old Han is my older brother, so I’m afraid he’d be sad about it. Plus he’s always not at home and I miss him a lot…that’s why I gave the gift to him. Don’t be upset, okay?”

Yang Mo looked at her and was speechless for a long time. A wave of heat slowly creeped up his neck.

Looking right into Yang Han’s clear eyes, the rationality that left Yang Mo for many days finally returned, giving his brain a review on how childish his behaviour had been today. It was as if he was a kindergarten kid fighting for favour.

The most embarrassing part was that his daughter had saw through him.

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Yang Mo felt flustered for a while, not knowing where to place both of his hands. In the end, he rubbed his temples for a bit and said, “No…I wasn’t upset.”

Before Han Shi Yu opened the car door, Yang Han quickly added, “I’ll gift you one next time.”

Yang Han couldn’t help but smile, “En.”

At this time, Han Shi Yu got into the driver’s seat and saw the father and daughter smiling at each other. He passed the two of them some candies and asked, “What were you talking about?”

Yang Han returned to her previous state like nothing had happened and sat down properly, “About how you got the wrong place today.”

Han Shi Yu let out a laugh and fastened his seatbelt, “I clearly remember you were in class five or six…”

“That was a few years back!” Yang Han unwrapped the lollipop wrappings and said.

Han Shi Yu was about to speak again but Yang Han stuffed the lollipop into his mouth from behind before unwrapping her own.

Han Shi Yu raised an eyebrow, swirling the lollipop within his mouth a little before smiling, “Well, I guess I forgot that you’ll grow up too.”