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If Byeol had to describe her family in one word, she would say that her family was affectionate. There were no shortages of hugs and kisses that passed between family members, and there was not a single moment where she didn’t think that she was loved.
When she was young, her favorite memories were standing at the kitchen’s mouth while she watched her father’s move around each other trying to make dinner, both of them had their sleeves rolled to their elbows and ponytails tied at the base of their skulls. Her Daddy’s hair was much longer, reaching the near end of his back, while her Papa was short enough that she worried it’d take one hard shake of his head for it to come undone.
“Behind you with a knife,” her Papa’s hand would brush against her Daddy’s shoulders before taking back his place next to him. Their shoulders pressed just a little close together. Her Daddy would pick his head up slightly, and there would be something soft that would flit through his gaze before he turned back to what he was doing. It was quick, fleeting, and Byeol had it memorized .
Sometimes it wasn’t even them cooking. Sometimes, if Byeol was lucky to come down early enough, she could see them lean against the kitchen counter together. They would still be waking up for the day, mugs in their hands and shoulders and biceps pressed together tight. She could see her Daddy’s arm supporting her Papa’s back, the thumb of his hand pressing gentle circles into his hip.
Sometimes it was a kiss. Not the Adult Kiss. No. It was the soft press of lips against cheeks and a forehead bump that spoke volumes. A moment that Byeol shouldn’t disturb. She sometimes did, out of the need to also want to be showered in that love too. They’d give it to her freely, even if her Papa pouted, and her Daddy laughed at the expression on his face, but sometimes Byeol just knew that this moment needed to be “Kid-Free” for a bit longer.
Sometimes though, it wasn’t an action at all.
“Can Papa tell me a story this time?” Byeol begged once, and she watched as her Papa looked hurt? There was a pinch to his brow, at least. Her Daddy looked over at her Papa with one that she would describe as soft? He gave that expression a lot when it came to Papa.
“Bam…” Her Papa’s lips tugged at the corners.
“She’s asking you.” Her Daddy said, not unkindly. “I’m okay with it, Aguero.”
There was something in the way that they said their names. Byeol heard her name often enough to know that it was always a scolding that comes after it, or arms opened for a hug. They spoke their names differently. She wasn’t sure how to begin to pick it apart.
Papa sighed, his hand raking through the blue of his hair. He looked at her Daddy, who just continued to watch him, as though he could break him down only by standing there. Byeol’s tried that trick before, it never worked. “I’m...not a very good storyteller, little wish. That’s your Daddy’s job.”
“Aguero…” Her Daddy’s shoulders slumped.
Little wish. Byeol always clung tight to that name. Her Papa gave nicknames to plenty of her aunts and uncles. Warrior Code, for example, was one of her favorites. “But, I always hear daddy’s stories.” Byeol launched herself towards her Papa and wrapped her arms around his legs. He couldn’t get away. “When do I get to hear yours?”
“What am I doing?” There was a loud sigh, and Byeol looked up to see his hand pressed against his forehead, looking pained. Oh...it was one of those nights, and she didn’t know. She was just about to dislodge herself from her Papa’s legs when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She let out a squeak when he grabbed her underneath her arms and held her against his hip. “Okay. You get a story.”
“Yes!” Byeol cheered but reminded herself to be quiet. Her Papa had a headache, and she needed to use a mouse voice. Not a crocodile one.
Much to her surprise, her Daddy also decided to stay. He pressed himself against the door frame, golden eyes watching as her Papa escorted her into her room and lightly laid her against the bed. Her Papa didn’t toss her around much. Her Daddy and her Uncle Rak weren’t afraid to throw her around. She knew that she could take on her Daddy too. She’s already won some of their wrestling matches, and he even said that she was strong so there.
“Where do I even start?” Her Papa sighed as he got on the bed with her. She immediately tucked herself to his side, and his hand automatically went to her hair. He wasn’t paying attention to her, looking far off into the distance. Her Daddy was still watching.
“Little wish.” Byeol pressed.
“Isn’t it a little egotistical of you to want to know a story about yourself?” Her Papa teased. He gently poked her side, and she squirmed at the tickling.
She didn’t know what egotistical meant, but she was sure that was a two hundred point word she would have to look up later. “I dunno.” She shrugged, “What about the stars, then?”
Something changed. Byeol couldn’t put her finger on it. Her Daddy, leaning against the door frame, suddenly stood as though there was someone at the door. He kept his arms folded, but Byeol wasn’t silly to think that he wasn’t ready for an attack or something. Her Papa’s arm tightened around her, gripping her close and tight to his side. The warmth of the room dissolved, and something cold took its place.
Stars weren’t an ideal subject here.
“Bam…”
“It’s okay,” her Daddy said, pushing off the door frame and walking over to them. Instead of getting on the bed to get next to her, her Daddy laid down on the mattress’s foot, reaching for her Papa’s knee and looking at them. Byeol supposed that if they were going to get attacked, it’d be faster for him to get up from that position. He wouldn’t have to detangle himself from her or her Papa. “Which story?” He murmured.
“I…” Byeol decided that stars were probably a bad one. She was about to change her mind and try to wiggle herself out of it when her Papa spoke.
“I suppose I could tell you.” Her Papa said quietly, “How stars started.”
“Aguero.”
“Hush Bam, you want to hear this too.” Her Papa teased lightly, but something was different in his tone. “Let’s see where to start...I suppose the beginning.”
Byeol felt her breath stop as she pressed herself a little closer.
“The Night and the Ocean have been friends for some time,” her Papa began, “so long in fact that the Ocean no longer knew what it was like not to be friends with the Night and visa versa. One day, however, the Ocean noticed that the Night wasn’t acting like himself. He was sighing as he watched the people below play in the midnight breeze. He hummed lullabies to children who were falling asleep. If the Ocean had to put a word to this, the Night was acting “lonely,” which didn’t make sense to him. The Ocean enjoyed the peaceful solitude that the Night brought with him. It pushed the people away from his beaches and gave him peace of mind. He had been confident that the Night was similar-minded, but was starting to feel as though perhaps he misjudged.”
Her Papa started to gently pet Byeol’s head, his fingers coming through her hair in gentle tugs. His voice was different from her Daddy’s, but it still held that same lull. She melted against him, tucking herself close and resting her head against him than the pillow.
“‘Dearest Night, why bemoan so? Are you not happy with me?’ The Ocean asked.” Her Papa hummed, “‘Dearest Ocean, it’s not that I don’t enjoy your company. It’s just I only see you the golden rays of the Sun drift to sleep. I feel lonely up here. I wish you could be up here with me.’”
“The Night was lonely?!” Byeol couldn’t help the question, and her Daddy snickered.
“I did just say that,” Her Papa tapped her nose, “Hush, I’m telling the story. Bam shut up.”
Her Daddy merely grinned.
“The Ocean felt itself tug towards the Night in longing, for the Night wasn’t wrong. The Night was lonely, and the Ocean couldn’t always be there. An idea formed in his mind, and he told the Night, “Tomorrow, my dearest, I will give you something to remember me by’. Without further conversation about the topic, the Night and the Ocean spent the rest of the time together. In secret, when the Night wasn’t paying attention, the Ocean asked the fish of his depths to search for a pearl. It needn’t be perfect, but it needed to be pure white. The fish swam around, looking, and asking other creatures of the Ocean if such a thing existed. They were just about to give up the search, unable to find anything remotely close to a pearl when an oyster spoke up from the bottom. ‘I have a pearl,” the Oyster said. ‘It’s not very smooth, and it’s tiny, but I’m sure that it’ll grow bigger with time. Will my gift work?’”
“It’ll work,” Byeol said swiftly.
“It’ll work.” Her Daddy echoed.
“I’m sorry, who’s telling the story?” Her Papa gave them both a look. Byeol giggled into her hands as she caught her Daddy’s eye. He winked, and she threw herself into another fit of them. “Where was-Ah. The fish hummed in thought before they took it up to the Ocean. Could such a tiny, rough-surfaced pearl work? The Ocean did only ask for it to be pure white, after all. The Ocean looked at it, humming at first before saying, “Let’s try.” So the Oyster gave the pearl away, and the Ocean waited anxiously for the Sun to make her climb across the sky.”
Her Papa waited a moment, but both Byeol and her Daddy kept their mouths shut this time. Nodding, he continued. “When the Sun’s rays first peeked over the horizon, the Ocean grabbed his chance to ask for his favor. ‘Sun, will you give just a drop of light into this pearl?’ However, the Sun was cranky, just barely woken up, and the Ocean and the Sun never had a good standing with each other. She made his waters too hot and would drag people out of their homes to come to his beaches. He didn’t want to be around people, but was forced to be entertaining.”
Byeol felt a little bad for the Ocean. She didn’t often go, if at all, but she did like to play in the waters. Maybe she wasn’t thinking about what the Ocean wanted. She wouldn’t like it either if her Daddy and her Papa forced her to sit around the Bride Table.
Then again, the Brides didn’t like her either, so...there was that.
“‘Will it get you to leave me alone?’ The Sun demanded, ‘who is the gift for?’” Her Papa mocked a feminine voice that sent her Daddy reeling into laughter; Byeol could only laugh because her Daddy was happy. She wasn’t too sure as to why it was funny. “The Ocean knew that the Sun detested the Night, and if rumor got out that the pearl was for him, she would never get over it. ‘It’s for me,’ the Ocean explained, ‘The Night scares me. It’s so vast and dark and empty. I cannot see a thing! It’s only getting worse with time, too’.”
“Night is not scary!” Byeol frowned, “Daddy, the Night’s not scary, is he?!”
“I didn’t think so,” her Daddy assured, “shh though, that’s part of the story, isn’t it?”
Her Papa preened, “No, the Night’s not scary, but the Sun doesn’t like the Night, remember?”
“I don’t like the Sun much,” Byeol grumbled.
“‘He is pretty scary,’ The Sun agreed, and with that, the Ocean succeeded in housing a drop of sunray into the pearl. The Ocean then forced himself to spend time with the Sun as irritating as she was, to make sure that she was well-liked and steal more of the rays of sunlight that Sun left behind as she made her way across the sky.” Her Papa continued without further ado. “Once the Sun made it past the horizon on the other side of the sky, the Night appeared. “Dearest Night, look what I brought you!” The Ocean flung the pearl from the depths and into the sky. The Night caught the pearl, and Ocean suddenly began to worry. Should he have asked for the pearl to be smooth? Should he have asked for it to be whiter? Should he have asked the pearl to be more round? Was the pearl too small? Perhaps for all of the golden rays that he stole and gained, it was too dull and dim?”
Byeol could only bite her lip, her breath held in anticipation.
“‘Beloved Ocean, this is beautiful. Look how tiny she is.’ The Night cried out, cradling the Star as though it would shatter in his hold. ‘She belongs here with me? Are you sure? Then you should name her! What shall you call her?’”
Her Papa cleared his throat, a soft pink starting to rise at the apples of his cheeks. “‘You should call her Star. For the Night.’” He cleared his throat again, and Byeol wondered if the headache was getting to be too much. Maybe she should pretend to fall asleep. “‘Star. She is a Star. I’ll keep this Star close to me, and we’ll see you every Night.’ And the Ocean would meet the Star and the Night, every night.”
“Until the Sun discovered that the Night got a pearl,” Her Daddy said helpfully, and Byeol’s attention swiveled to him. She completely missed the look that Papa was giving her Daddy. Her Daddy had a languid smile on his lips. “She got angry at the Ocean, remember?”
Her Papa’s eyes narrowed at her Daddy, “...’ Why did you give him the pearl? You told me that you were afraid of him’.” The same mocking voice, but this time Byeol didn’t giggle even though her Daddy’s smile widened in mirth now. “‘Why are you afraid of him now that he has a light? Are you jealous that you’re no longer the brightest Star in the sky?’ The Ocean taunted back.”
“I will take the pearl back.” Her Daddy and her Papa said together, trying to do the same voice before they fell over each other laughing. Byeol laughed with them but was very confused as to why it was so funny.
Her Papa recovered; her Daddy was still snickering. “‘The pearl will be mine, then the day will have two bright stars and the Night will have nothing.’” Byeol quickly turned somber at that. “The Ocean waited for the Sun to leave, and the moment the Night and his Little Star appeared in the sky, he told the Night what had just transpired. ‘I will find a smooth boulder, this time, and we’ll trick the Sun into going after that. Don’t you fret, Night, your Little Star will be safe.”
Her Papa sighed, looking a little tired. Her Daddy flashed him a look, but he continued, “So the Night embraced the Little Star, and prayed for the Ocean’s success. The Ocean went deep into the depths once more, but this time did not ask for the fish’s help. This was a mission he had to do alone, no favors. No help. The Ocean searched every nook and cranny, trying to find something. In desperation, he managed to find a wandering hermit crab. “I know where you can find a way to save your Little Star and the Night.” The hermit crab said and guided the Ocean towards the smoothest, roundest, most immense boulder he has found yet. The Ocean thanked the hermit crab and waited for the Sun to appear in the sky once more.”
“He waited for her at sunrise and stole the first morning drops of her golden rays into the boulder, and throughout the day, continued to add and add until the boulder was shining brightly. So bright, it was hard to keep the Sun’s suspicions off of him. The very second the Night appeared, he tossed the boulder up to him, but not until he realized that his timing had been perfect.”
“The Sun had plotted and plotted when the Night was in the sky. She didn’t like that two stars were now in the sky, one of them not being hers. She had decided to try to use the Night’s darkness as a curtain for herself and tried to swallow the Little Star. However, due to the Ocean’s good timing, she swallowed the boulder instead, eclipsing it and only adding more light into the rock.”
“The Sun isn’t defeated, though, and will forever try to find a way to swallow the Moon. The Night, however, has learned to shield the Moon little by little so that at least there is a day the Little Star and whatever friends she made can shine brightly without being worried about the Sun.”
“I think she’s asleep.” Her Daddy murmured. Byeol’s eyes were closed, starting to drift off into sleep. She could feel her Papa gently move her so that she was lying down entirely and tuck the blankets around her shoulders. The weights on her bed lifted, albeit carefully so that they wouldn’t wake her up or disturb her too much. She shifted so that she curled towards the spot her Papa had occupied before he left. She could still feel the warmth of his body, and she could still smell his scent on the fabric. They whispered something between the two as they crept out of her room, turning the lights off and basking it in darkness.
“The Night’s not scary,” Byeol said as she allowed sleep to take her down further into its hold gently.
A soft snicker was her answer, and the door shut with a soft click.