Jin's never bothered with his neighbours all that much. He's not good with strangers, doesn't have the social skills necessary to make meaningless conversation with someone he barely knows, and most of all, he doesn't particularly want to. They're just people who happen to have apartments in the same building as him; all it proves is that they have good taste in living quarters.
But now, he's getting desperate. His family are out of town, out of the country, off holidaying somewhere far more exotic than Tokyo, and his friends - his wonderful, devoted, we'll-do-anything-we-can-to-help-since-she-left-you-with-a-baby friends - are working, are sick, are busy washing their hair, are full of bullshit.
With a frustrated wail, he knocks his head back against the wall, and winces when it hurts.
"Daddy?"
Jin softens immediately, sinking to his knees and holding out his arms to the little girl he loves above everything and anything else.
"Hey, baby," he murmurs softly, and lifts her up as he stands. She giggles as the floor disappears beneath her, and already he feels better.
That doesn't change that he's late, though, and he's going to get fired if he messes up again. There's only so much slack the company will cut him, and it's not nearly enough to cover for having a five-year-old daughter.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, he supposes as he gathers up Ai-chan's favourite DVDs and the battered teddy sitting in one corner of the couch. Kuma's arm was falling off, the stuffing leaking out of the hole, but he was a little scared to take a needle to it himself in case he ended up doing more damage than good.
With Ai-chan on one hip and her entertainment under his other arm, Jin heads out into the hall.
"I'm sorry to do this to you, baby, but Daddy has to go to work, okay? I won't be long, I promise, then maybe we can go to the park, hm?"
The pout that had been threatening to turn into full-on tears is gone in the face of her excitement, and she nods with a grin, "Un! Where are we going?"
"To find somewhere for you to stay for a little while," Jin explains, facing the door to the left of their apartment. He looks between the doorbell and his arms, full of child and toys, then back again. "Push the button for me, sweetie?"
More than happy to press anything that might make a noise, Jin lifts Ai closer so that she can reach, and he hears the echo of the bell trilling behind the door. They wait, and wait, but no-one comes, and with a sigh he moves across to the other side.
This time, someone answers, but he's got more ink than skin and isn't wearing nearly enough clothes for Jin's liking. With a nod of apology, and rapidly running out of doors to knock on, his relief is almost palpable when there is someone home in apartment opposite, and he looks relatively friendly.
"Is everything okay?" The other man asks with a smile that Jin makes sure reaches his eyes.
Ai for You [PG, part 1/5]
But now, he's getting desperate. His family are out of town, out of the country, off holidaying somewhere far more exotic than Tokyo, and his friends - his wonderful, devoted, we'll-do-anything-we-can-to-help-since-she-left-you-with-a-baby friends - are working, are sick, are busy washing their hair, are full of bullshit.
With a frustrated wail, he knocks his head back against the wall, and winces when it hurts.
"Daddy?"
Jin softens immediately, sinking to his knees and holding out his arms to the little girl he loves above everything and anything else.
"Hey, baby," he murmurs softly, and lifts her up as he stands. She giggles as the floor disappears beneath her, and already he feels better.
That doesn't change that he's late, though, and he's going to get fired if he messes up again. There's only so much slack the company will cut him, and it's not nearly enough to cover for having a five-year-old daughter.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, he supposes as he gathers up Ai-chan's favourite DVDs and the battered teddy sitting in one corner of the couch. Kuma's arm was falling off, the stuffing leaking out of the hole, but he was a little scared to take a needle to it himself in case he ended up doing more damage than good.
With Ai-chan on one hip and her entertainment under his other arm, Jin heads out into the hall.
"I'm sorry to do this to you, baby, but Daddy has to go to work, okay? I won't be long, I promise, then maybe we can go to the park, hm?"
The pout that had been threatening to turn into full-on tears is gone in the face of her excitement, and she nods with a grin, "Un! Where are we going?"
"To find somewhere for you to stay for a little while," Jin explains, facing the door to the left of their apartment. He looks between the doorbell and his arms, full of child and toys, then back again. "Push the button for me, sweetie?"
More than happy to press anything that might make a noise, Jin lifts Ai closer so that she can reach, and he hears the echo of the bell trilling behind the door. They wait, and wait, but no-one comes, and with a sigh he moves across to the other side.
This time, someone answers, but he's got more ink than skin and isn't wearing nearly enough clothes for Jin's liking. With a nod of apology, and rapidly running out of doors to knock on, his relief is almost palpable when there is someone home in apartment opposite, and he looks relatively friendly.
"Is everything okay?" The other man asks with a smile that Jin makes sure reaches his eyes.