Prologue
THE BOY WHO LOOKED LIKE HIM
Jonghyun had spent most of his adult life believing that surprises were something he had become immune to.
After years of being a celebrity, very little could genuinely catch him off guard.
Fans recognizing him while he was wearing sunglasses.
Reporters appearing outside an event.
Staff members announcing last-minute schedule changes.
Members of SHINee teasing him when he wasn’t paying attention.
He had seen almost everything.
But nothing could have prepared him for the little boy standing across the street.
Jonghyun had been walking alone that afternoon, enjoying one of the rare moments when nobody seemed to recognize him.
He had a cap pulled low over his forehead and his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.
Then he heard laughter.
A child’s laughter.
He looked up.
A young woman was standing beside a small clothing store.
Y/N.
Jonghyun stopped walking.
His heart seemed to forget how to beat.
He hadn’t seen her in years.
The memories came back slowly.
A private gathering.
A long conversation.
The feeling that they had known each other much longer than they actually had.
One night together.
Then life had pulled them apart.
Jonghyun had never known what had happened afterward.
He had never known that Y/N had been pregnant.
He had never known that she had given birth.
He had never known that she had raised their child alone.
Until now.
A little boy ran toward her.
“Mommy!”
Y/N smiled and crouched down.
“Careful, Minjun.”
Jonghyun’s eyes locked onto the child.
Blond hair.
Bright blue eyes.
A tiny face that looked eerily familiar.
The boy’s smile was almost identical to Jonghyun’s.
Jonghyun’s stomach dropped.
Y/N noticed him.
Her smile disappeared.
Her eyes widened.
“Jonghyun?”
He couldn’t speak.
The little boy looked up at him.
“Mommy?”
Y/N slowly stood.
Jonghyun looked from her to the child.
His voice was barely audible.
“Who’s he?”
Y/N’s eyes filled with tears.
She knew immediately that the moment she had feared for years had finally arrived.
“His name is Minjun.”
Jonghyun swallowed.
“How old is he?”
“Four.”
Four.
Jonghyun looked at the boy again.
The child tilted his head.
Then smiled.
And Jonghyun knew.
Somehow, instinctively, he knew.
“He’s mine isn’t he?”
Y/N said nothing but nodded.
Jonghyun stared at the son he never knew existed.
And for the first time in his life, fame didn’t matter.
His career didn’t matter.
The cameras didn’t matter.
There was only one thought in his mind.
I missed four years of my son’s life.
