Chapter Text
"That was your third sitter of the month, little lady. Do you want to tell me why every time your sitters quit, they're almost always on the verge of crying?" Yoongi talks to Yuna like she's an adult even though the kid is barely six years old.
Yuna's sitter left hurriedly after telling Yoongi she won't be in tomorrow, or the coming days after that.
If Yoongi could, he would. He wants to look after Yuna; to take care of his own daughter. If Yoongi could be with her 24/7, he absolutely would. But that is not possible with how demanding his current work is. Yoongi is required to be on site as often as possible and it is already taking too many hours of his day.
Yuna's mom is out of the picture. When Yuna was born, it took a toll on her. It was a lot. She got overwhelmed with the pain, responsibility, and the pressure of it all. Eventually, she sat down with Yoongi so they could talk honestly. Broken-heartedly, she admitted that she was not ready to raise Yuna. Yoongi understood that. They were young at the time, and he understood her completely. However, Yoongi did not want to give up the child. Putting her up for adoption just wasn't in the cards for him. So, Yoongi took the responsibility on his own.
With the help of Yoongi’s parents, especially on Yuna's early months, he was able to manage. He survived. At first, Yoongi was clueless with everything. He didn’t know the first thing about being a single dad; from changing diapers to picking out which feeding bottle is the best for babies. But soon enough, Yoongi got the hang of it. No longer needing the help of his mother, Yoongi successfully swayed Yuna to sleep.
Until him and Yuna got a place for themselves. A decent two-bedroom apartment, nothing too fancy. It's nearer Yoongi's workplace, plus it is only two blocks away from a good day-care where he plans to sign Yuna up in the near future. The only problem is, Yuna will be left alone whenever Yoongi leaves for work. His friends are there to help, (all of them are good with kids, especially Namjoon.) but of course, Yoongi understands they won't be available all the time. So, he resorts to hiring sitters, as suggested by Hoseok. But so far, Yuna has not like any of her sitters.
"I don't know what to say. We just don't... we don't click, appa." Yuna reasons. Her full attention to his dad, but no sense of guilt on her face.
"Click?” Yoongi wonders where her daughter picked up the term. "Okay, who do you click with, then?"
"Uncle Jin is pretty cool. He lets me play with mud and he buys me lots of snacks."
Yoongi sighs. He should have known Seokjin spoils her a little too much. "Your uncle Jin is busy with work sometimes, love. He can't watch you all the time."
"It's not my fault you can't choose a good one. Why are you stressing me out?" Yuna whines cutely, her lips are in poutiest pout. Her puppy eyes work wonders to Yoongi.
"S-tress?" Yoongi feels a headache building up. "Okay, fine. You win. I'll call your uncle Jin and ask if he's free to watch you tomorrow."
Yuna smiled cheekily, happy that his dad came to a decision in favor of her request. She reaches out her arm to shake her father's hand. Yoongi plays along and shook hers.
"Pleasure doing business with you, appa." She says proudly, then proceed strutting to her room.
Yoongi can't tell if he raised a total pain in the ass, a successful businesswoman, or possibly needing to bail her out of a jail cell sometime in the future. Maybe all three.
"Why, what's wrong with her? She seemed nice." Seokjin interviews Yuna as they walk back to the bus stop, enjoying their vanilla ice cream cones. They just finished their afternoon at the park, they should head home before it gets too dark out.
"Mh, that's the problem. She's too nice."
Seokjin almost spats out his vanilla swirl. "You didn't like your sitter because she's nice? Are you nuts?"
"She's too nice to my appa because she likes him. Everyone eventually crushes on him, and I don't like it." Yuna admits to her uncle, brows furrowed as she explains. "And she's pretty, too. She is totally my appa's type, so I'm not taking any chances."
The older laughs at the small kid's thought process. Yuna is only six and she is already ruining other people's chances for potential relationships. "You made your sitter's life a living hell because... they’re your appa's type?"
"Well, I wouldn't say I made it a living...” She paused for a second, “I can't say the h-word, uncle." Yuna skips the word ‘hell’, then continues with her point. "Misbehaved is the term I'd use."
"I heard all of them cried."
"The second one was because of allergies. I asked her to take me to the cat park, but I didn't know her face would puff!"
"Jesus, maybe you really are the devil's daughter." Seokjin says as they reach the bus stop. Yuna sat down on the bench, finishing her ice cream. "So, by your logic, you are looking for a sitter that your dad wouldn't like, is that it?"
"Ting ting ting! Correct!" Yuna cheers at the conclusion. "Would you like a sticker?"
"Yes please, thank you." Seokjin holds out his arm and Yuna fishes a pad of stickers from her small sling bag. She sticks a strawberry sticker on Seokjin's arm as a reward for getting the answer right.
"Okay, indulge me. What is your appa's type?" Seokjin inquires, sitting next to Yuna. The next bus will arrive in 15 minutes, they have time.
Yuna hums, swaying her feet because they don’t touch the ground. "Appa likes someone pretty, maybe with long black hair.”
Seokjin nods, "Mh okay, what else?"
"He likes someone quiet, caring and kind." Yuna adds, "someone that looks elegant and put-together."
Seokjin lets Yuna speak, and he just listens. Judging by the way she talks, it's clear that Yuna has thought about this for quite a while.
"They should know how to cook. Appa likes someone who can cook well." She continues. "Oh, oh! With dimples!! Appa likes someone dimples!"
"Okay, now you're just describing your eomma." Seokjin catches on Yuna's descriptions. Yuna smiles because it's true, she is describing her mom. Or at least that's what she looks like in her head whenever her dad talks about her.
"Appa tells me stories about her, and I imagine her being the prettiest in the world." Yuna tells her uncle, biting down the cone of her ice cream.
"Your eomma is pretty." Seokjin agrees, "and you're right, she is all those things. But do you think that's your appa's type?"
"It has to be."
"And you didn't like any of your past sitters because they resemble your eomma?"
"They were all pretty, and kind, with long beautiful hair!" Yuna reasons in a frown. "What if appa likes them and then they fall in love, and then... what if appa starts forgetting about me?"
"I doubt that."
"Well, just to be sure, I need to find someone opposite of eomma's qualities." Yuna blurts out like she has everything planned out. "Someone less attractive than eomma. Isn't as caring or gentle as her. Someone loud and clumsy, all those things."
"And where exactly will you find someone like that?"
"I was hoping you'd find one for me." Yuna bites the last of her ice cream cone, then she simpers at Seokjin.
Seokjin scoffs. He should be used to Yuna's antics by now, but she still surprises him from time to time. "I'll think about it.” He stands up, taking out a few bills from his wallet. “I'm buying water, do you want one?"
Yuna nods. The sweet vanilla ice cream made both of them thirsty.
"Stay there, I'll be back in a minute." The convenience store is only a few steps away and Seokjin is confident Yuna won't leave her seat. "Don't get on any bus, okay?"
Yuna nods again.
Seokjin haven't gotten far, but someone is already joining Yuna in the waiting shed. A young man, too loud in his phone. He sat on the opposite end of the bench, yet Yuna can still hear his rants while he is on the phone.
"And so what if I ate their dumplings? Pfft, big deal!!" The man spouts loudly. He is slouching his body carelessly. Yuna knows it's rude, but she cannot help but stare at the sudden disturbance. "They were going to go bad anyway, I can't believe they fired me for that."
Yuna looks at the man keenly. Slouched back, white hoodie with Cheetos cheese stains smeared on it. He has a blonde mess of a hair and a ranting voice too loud for her (and her dad's) liking. Yuna didn't even realize she is smiling unconsciously.
"Tae, hold on–" The man noticed, and is now looking back at Yuna. "Hey, kid. Did no one ever tell you it's rude to stare?"
"Oh," Yuna catches herself, embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."
The man gives Yuna a small nod. He let it slide since she is just a small kid, so he goes back to his phone conversation. "Sorry, there's this kid... you know what, never mind, where was I? — Yes, I cannot believe they fired me for it! I'm going to miss my rent next month."
Yuna's ears perks up hearing this. Yes, she is full-on eavesdropping on someone else's conversation, but she can't help it! This man may be the answer to her prayers.
The little lady hops off her seat, then she walks on the other side of the bench. She stands still in front of the stranger, purposely staring, waiting to be acknowledged.
The young man’s attention diverts back to this strange girl. The kid is staring weirdly at him, he thought.
"Hey Tae, let me call you back, ok?" He says goodbye, then he hangs up the phone— all without breaking eye contact to this kid. "Do I have something on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?"
“Oh, no you- you look fine." She says, which is a complete lie. The man had dried ketchup on his cheek, but Yuna didn't feel the need to point it out.
"Then why are you looking at me?" He asks, curious of her motives. "And where are your parents?"
"My appa is at his work."
"So... you're just wandering here by yourself?" He looks around but he can't see anyone coming for the kid. "You shouldn't be out by yourself, you know? And you shouldn't be talking to strangers either. It's dangerous."
"Oh, no... my uncle is just getting drinks." Yuna points to the convenience store nearby.
"Oh, okay." The young man nods, understanding the situation, sort of. “You still didn’t answer my question— why are you staring at me like I stole your lunch money or something?”
“Oh, nothing! I just heard you got fired.” Yuna says bluntly, “and I happened to be looking for a sitter. Well, my appa is looking for a sitter for me, but he is not very good at choosing.”
“A sitter?” The man chooses to ignore the fact that the kid basically called him unemployed.
“Yes. Like a baby-sitter but I’m not a baby anymore.”
“But I’m a baby.” He says candidly.
Yuna frowns at this, looking at the other up and down. “Appa said only adults can eat junk foods, so you must be big enough.”
The man is freaked by this. “How did you know I had junks??”
Yuna’s eyes focused on the Cheetos stains on his hoodie once more, then back to the man’s face. The man caught up with the kid’s silent answer, and he gulps, a little embarrassed that he is being schooled by a child.
“Fair enough.” He says, “Let’s say I’m interested to be your sitter; what do I have to do?”
“Can you smile?” Yuna instructs.
“What?”
“Smile. I’m looking for a dimple.”
The man smiled, despite the oddly specific request. “I don’t have one.”
“That’s good.” Yuna mentally notes, with a huge grin on her face. “Can you cook?”
“I don’t set things on fire, if that’s what you mean.”
Yuna thinks, then she hums. “That doesn’t sound promising, but it’s perfect for me.”
“I promised not to set your house on fire, and that’s… good enough for you?”
“Yup! I won’t even mind if you come in without taking a shower.” She grins again. “Not at all.” Loud, messy, not at all put-together, and cannot cook— all opposite of her dad’s type. Check, check and check!
“Hey uhm… are you sure you’re allowed to be on the hiring team? Your requirement bar is kind of low, missy.”
Yuna doesn’t answer that. She is busy taking a small piece of paper and a pencil from her bag. She writes her dad’s number, which her dad made her memorize in case of emergencies. “Here, call my appa if you are interested.” She hands him the note with her little hand.
“Yuna! What are you doing?!” Seokjin runs to Yuna as soon as he got back. “I’m sorry, is she bothering you?”
“Oh, no, no- I’m so sorry.” The young man bows, afraid he would come off as a sketchy stranger. “I wasn’t… I didn’t mean to—”
“I found a sitter, Uncle Jin!” Yuna announces, “he got fired because he ate dumplings.”
The young man’s face turns red with Yuna’s blunt honesty. He can’t even defend himself because it’s all true.
Seokjin looks at the young man in front of him; a total opposite of Yoongi’s type, from what Yuna described earlier.
“I’m Jimin, by the way.” Jimin introduces himself shyly. “And yes, I got fired for eating dumplings.”
“That’s… terrible.” Seokjin comments.
“No, it’s perfect! Now he can be my sitter.” Yuna’s eyes are wide, and full joy.
“Did you actually say yes to Yuna’s offer?” Seokjin turns to Jimin, worried that this young innocent man may have been sweet-talked by the little devil.
“Ah, no. I didn’t-” Jimin replies, but Yuna starts pouting her lips. Her eyes are starting to resemble a puppy needing a hug, and Jimin starts panicking. He doesn’t want to make a kid cry! Not in front of her wide-shouldered uncle, at least. “I mean, why not, right?” Jimin laughs stiffly.
“Are you sure? You know this little lady is quite a handful.” Seokjin worries for Jimin, knowing how her other sitters came home crying.
Jimin glances at the little girl again. Yuna is close to tears, probably one of her acts though, but it is working on Jimin.
“I’ll think about it.” Jimin decides, “She gave me her appa’s contact number, maybe I’ll give him a call if I ever decide on it.”
Seokjin looks back to Yuna, a sly grin on her face like she had been successful on her mission. Seokjin takes a small breath, then he focuses back on the young man again. “Then I guess I’ll see you around, Park Jimin.”
Jimin didn’t get to say another word, except for a bow and a wave goodbye when the bus arrived. Yuna and her uncle hops on it, leaving Jimin on the stop. It’s a different bus from what Jimin takes, so the two went ahead without him. Before the bus leaves, Yuna gives Jimin a small wave through the window.
There is a whirlwind of emotions and doubts going through Jimin’s head right now. Just fifteen minutes ago, he was ranting to his best friend about him being fired (unjustly), and now he may or may not have been conned by a six-year-old for taking a sitting job.
Yoongi wakes up at 7:00 am sharp, even on a Saturday. He got used to it because he needs to prepare breakfast for him and Yuna. Then after washing the morning dishes, he checks if the water is warm enough before Yuna takes a bath; filling up the tub, then pouring mild soap that smells nauseatingly sweet just as Yuna likes it. Yoongi checks on her from time to time, making sure her daughter isn’t drowning or anything, all the while cleaning up their apartment. Once Yuna is finished with her bath and is done pretending to be a mermaid or a pirate, depending on her mood, Yoongi rinses her down then wraps her in a huge towel. He does everything for Yuna. He tries to do everything for her whenever he can. Yoongi blow-dries her hair, then ties it up (most of the time, unevenly) with her yellow hairband.
Yoongi sets up Yuna’s favorite TV show, and the sound of animated talking giraffe fills their apartment while he prepares for lunch.
While running a cold water on a handful of enoki mushrooms for the tofu stew he’s cooking, Yoongi’s phone rings against the counter. An unsaved number flashed on his screen; he wonders if it is someone from work. “Little lady, can you turn the volume down for a second, please?”
Yuna did as she’s told, while Yoongi dries his hand with a clean towel. He swipes his phone to answer the call. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Yuna’s abeonim?”
“Uh, yes, this is him.” Yoongi worries what this call is about, and how the caller knew his daughter. “What is this about?”
“Oh, did Yuna not tell you?”
“Tell me what?” Yoongi’s curiosity grows even more. “Who is this?”
“Park Jimin.” Jimin says, “Yuna told me to call you about a sitting job, and I’m wondering if that offer is still available.”
“She… wait, she what? Yuna offered you a job?” Yoongi repeats, to make sure they are on the same page. Yuna heard this, so she turns her head.
“Is that Minmin?” Yuna walks closer to the kitchen counter, but only her eyes are visible. She is not tall enough. “Appa, is that Minmin?”
Yoongi frowns for being out of the loop. He moves his phone a little away from his face to talk silently to his daughter. “What is going on? Who is Jimin?”
“He got fired because he ate dumplings!” Yuna explains, but that description did not help Yoongi at all. “I asked him if he wants to be my sitter because I think he is perfect for it.”
“Yuna, my love, what did I say about talking to strangers?” Yoongi scolds her for being careless.
“I know, I know, but he didn’t have an axe, so I thought he couldn’t possibly be an axe murderer.” Yuna justifies her actions, “plus, I don’t like dumplings that much, so it’s okay if he eats it all.”
“Yuna…” Yoongi sighs at his daughter’s excuses. He wants to ask more, but he can hear Jimin on the other end, speaking.
“Hello? Is this a bad time for a call?”
“Ah, sorry- I was asking my daughter where she knows you from.” Yoongi brings his phone back to his ear, “what’s your name again?”
“Jimin.” He repeats, “I’m Park Jimin. And don’t worry, I’m not a bad person or anything, I just really need a job right now.”
Yoongi paused, thinking about it. He needs the sitter, but he barely knows this person. How can he possibly trust Yuna alone with him? At least Yuna’s previous sitters either live in the same building as them or was recommended by a friend. He doesn’t know a thing about this Park Jimin.
“…or is the job not available anymore?”
“Uh, sorry- yes, it is still available. But would you mind if I meet you first?” Yoongi snaps back to the call, “I’d like to know more about you, so do you mind if we meet tomorrow, if it’s okay with you?”
“Uhm…” Jimin took almost a minute before answering, rambling noises on the line (in a totally non-sketchy way). “Sure, yeah… I can do that.”
“Okay, I’ll message you where to meet, then.” Yoongi concludes their call, “Thank you, Jiminssi.”
“No problem… Yuna’s abeonim…?”
Yoongi realizes he failed to introduce himself, so he did. “Ah, it’s Yoongi.”
“See you tomorrow, Yoongissi.” Jimin said in his soft voice, then he waits for Yoongi to end the call.
If Yoongi has to guess, basing by his voice and the way he talks, Jimin is around 23, maybe 24. His voice is sweet and polite, but it might be just because he is trying to land a job. He will see what happens when they meet.
When Yoongi puts his phone down, he gazes back at Yuna. Sly grin and mischievous eyes are painted on her face, Yoongi wonders what her daughter is up to this time.
“Little lady, we will talk about this.”
“I’m telling you; I think he is perfect as my sitter.” Yuna says.
Yoongi raises an eyebrow, “You like him that much?”
“Yes!” Yuna answers, walking back in front of the TV happily. “I can’t say the same for you, though.” She murmurs under her breath.
“I don’t normally do interviews for Yuna’s sitters because often times I already know them personally.” Yoongi explains. In front of him is blonde man, panting and almost out of breath. His hair can be mistaken as a bird’s nest if Yoongi is being brutally honest. And unsure if it’s a fashion statement, but the man is also wearing a wrinkled shirt and mismatched socks; to top it all off, he has a missing earring on his left ear. Yoongi can’t help but ask, “I’m sorry, but are you alright?”
Jimin is panting, still. He looks around the café, where he and Yoongi agreed to meet, but right now, he is craving for a gush of wind to help with the sweat building up on his back. “I’m really sorry. I’m not the best at directions so I got lost on the way here. I had to walk a few blocks up, and it’s really really hot outside.” Jimin blurts out, already hating the first impression he is giving.
Yoongi raised his hands, calling for a staff. When one came, he asked for a glass of cold water for Jimin.
“Thank you so much! So sorry, I look like a huge mess right now- my roommate borrowed my one and only decent shirt, today out of all days, so I had to take this old thing from the dryer.” Jimin rambles candidly, still out of breath, but much better than earlier.
“Are you sure you can take care of a kid? You look like a kid yourself.” Yoongi speaks jokingly, and Jimin looks at him.
“I’m twenty-seven.” Jimin tells him, “I just have a good skincare, I guess?” He shyly jokes, drinking the awkward small talk away when his water arrived. Yoongi looks well put-together. His hair is dyed silver, neatly styled and he is wearing a black buttoned down that seems tailored to his build by the way it’s hugging the width of his chest perfectly. Jimin suddenly feels insecure with how he looks right now, but he can’t do anything about it anymore.
“Yuna said she met you at the bus stop?”
“Yeah, she stood there and offered me a job. Very persuasive, I might add.” Jimin smiles, noticing Yoongi cannot hold an eye-contact for more than a minute.
“Yeah, that sounds like her.” Yoongi can’t deny, “And where did you work previously?”
“At GoMart. The convenience store downtown.” Jimin answers honestly.
“Is there someone I can call, just to make sure…”
“That I’m not an axe murderer?” Jimin smiles coyly.
“You heard that, huh.” Yoongi feels caught and a little embarrassed, “sorry, I have a hard time trusting people, so I tell Yuna everyone is an axe murderer until proven they’re not.”
“As you should, I would do the same if I had a kid.” Jimin pulls out his phone, browsing through his contact list. “Here, this is my manager’s phone number. You can check with her, though I doubt she’ll say I was ever an employee of the month.”
Yoongi notes the number on his phone. Jimin peeks at the way Yoongi’s sleeves is rolled up, showing just enough of his arm. His hands are pretty, and big and— nope. Jimin stops his train of thoughts. He won’t screw up this job just because he finds Yuna’s dad hot. He can’t afford it right now.
“Is Yuna your only child?” Jimin distracts himself.
“Yes. I’ve been having a hard time finding a sitter that stays.”
“If you don’t mind me asking… where is Yuna’s eomma?”
“Are you interviewing me now?” Yoongi asks, and Jimin wants to melt. Yoongi’s voice sounds too reserved, he’d be lying if he said he isn’t a little intimidated by it. He is. Just a little though.
“I mean, you’re a stranger to me, too, mister. And the fact that you can’t have a sitter stay long is a little sketchy, don’t you think?” Jimin answers cheekily. “Plus… you look like you could lift an axe, so might as well be sure.”
“You sound just like Yuna. I think the two of you will get along fine.” Yoongi gives Jimin a defeated smile. “Last I heard, she is in the States. We don’t keep in touch anymore, but we are not on bad terms either.”
Jimin nods as he listens to Yoongi.
“I only asked because I wanted to know Yuna’s position on the subject.”
“Yuna knows her. Not deeply, but I made sure she grew up without feeling any hate towards her.”
“That’s cool.” Jimin tells Yoongi. By this, Jimin could tell Yoongi is warm and kind, despite his sharp features and reserved personality. “I think that’s really cool.”
“Any more questions?”
Jimin debates if he should ask. Not because it’s rude or anything, but because he is only asking for his personal interest. “Uhm… yes, how old are you?”
“Are you also asking to know Yuna’s position on the subject?” Yoongi asks, then he smiles when he sees Jimin’s eyes widen.
“No, uh- I was just…”
“I’m kidding, I don’t mind.” Yoongi chuckles, “I’m thirty-two. I had Yuna in my mid-20s if that’s what you want to know.”
“Yeah, hah” Jimin laughs stiffly, “yeah, I asked because of… that, yup.”
“Okay.” Yoongi fixes his posture, then his focus is back to Jimin. “I’m not saying you’re hired or anything… but I want to be clear with you. You are going to stay with her Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. That means you need to cook meals for the both of you, at least lunches. And make sure she doesn’t drown in the shower, and that she won’t be glued to the TV the entire day.” Yoongi explains the basics, “…the pay is decent, and I’ll pay extra if sometimes I’m not home by six. Will that work for you?”
“That’s fine, yes.” Jimin agrees, mentally noting every word Yoongi said. “…one question though. Is 9:00 am non-negotiable or…?”
Yoongi can’t believe this guy really asking for a later schedule, but that makes sense because he was 30 minutes late to their agreed time today. Yoongi could tell Jimin is late for almost everything.
“Jimin, I can’t leave the apartment if you’re not there to stay with Yuna, and I cannot be late for work, so please try and show up on time.”
“Right, yeah.” Jimin nods, thinking that was worth the shot, at least. “9:00 am. Totally doable for me, of course. No problem. Yup.”
“I feel like you’re lying.” Yoongi calls him out.
“I am.” Jimin admits his tardiness bluntly.
“Listen, Jimin. If it was completely up to me, I don’t think you’re fit for the job.” Yoongi leans back to his chair, then he sips his coffee. Jimin can’t explain it, but the way Yoongi move is just… so hot. Very masculine if that makes any sense. Yoongi has big, pretty hands which suits the silver watch on his wrist and the multiple rings he wears on his fingers. Jimin tries not to lose focus on what Yoongi is saying, so he snaps out of it. “But for some reasons, Yuna likes you. And she has been very picky with her sitters, that’s why I’m going to give you a chance.”
“I just admitted that I’m likely to come in late, and you still hired me?” Jimin thinks the universe is playing a joke on him. “You and Yuna shouldn’t work in Human Resources, I’m just saying.”
“Please be on time, Jimin-ah.” Yoongi feels another headache building up. “At least try.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Great.” Yoongi says, standing up from his seat. “I’ll message my address, then?”
“Sure.” Jimin stands, too. “Thank you, Yoongissi.”
“Will you be okay on your way home? You want me to call you a cab?”
“Oh, no I got it.” Jimin promises he won’t be confused with the direction this time. “Thank you, though.”
“Alright. See you on Monday, Jiminssi.”
“See you on Monday, Yoongissi.”
When Monday came, Yoongi opens his door for Jimin. 9:07 am, but Yoongi lets it slide since it’s his first day. “Sorry, I slept through my alarm!”
“Minmin!” Yuna welcomes Jimin enthusiastically, unlike her attitude to her previous sitters. “I was scared you wouldn’t pass the interview, but yay! You did it!”
Jimin is still frozen outside the door. He can’t wrap his head around the fact that Yoongi looks even better in his work clothes. His attention is on Yoongi’s freshly showered hair and how Jimin can still smell the body wash from where he is standing. A white buttoned up shirt layered with a navy-blue jacket, paired with a suit pants tailored to him. It only registers to Jimin that he is already staring when Yuna grabs his arm and pulls him inside, away from her dad.
“Yuna, be polite, okay?” Yoongi crouches down to Yuna’s level, “Don’t cause any trouble, alright?” He kissed Yuna on the cheeks, then he stood up, eyes now on Jimin. “Call me if you need anything, okay? I already made breakfast, make yourself a plate if you haven’t eaten yet. Yuna already had a few bites but make sure she finishes her juice before she runs off to her playpen.”
“Okay.” Jimin notes everything in his head.
“I wrote down some things you might need to know just in case I can’t answer calls and texts. You can ask Yuna, too if you have any questions. She’s the boss around here, so-”
“Okay, I got this.” Jimin assures Yoongi. “And you’re going to be late, Yoongissi.”
“Alright. I’ll be back before six.” Yoongi trusts everything will be fine. “Bye, little lady!”
“Bye, appa!”
When the door closed and it was just Jimin and Yuna in the room, the little girl scans Jimin once again.
“You don’t happen to have an axe with you, do you?” Yuna interrogates Jimin.
“I left it at home.” Jimin answers.
The morning went fine. Yuna is very vocal with what she likes and what she doesn’t, and she happens to enjoy orange juice (with pulp), so making her finish a glass was a walk in the park. According to the note Yoongi left, Yuna’s bath time is at 10:00 am, so Jimin fills the tub up, consulting Yuna if it’s warm enough.
Jimin dried and tied Yuna’s hair up. He cleaned the kitchen a bit, before scanning the fridge for lunch.
“Yuna, what do you want for lunch?” Jimin asks, and Yuna joins him in the kitchen.
“I thought you said you can’t cook.”
“Hey, I’m a good…” Jimin gulps. He can’t lie to a child. “Okay, I’m only good at reheating things, sue me.”
Yuna smiles, “We can always eat outside.”
“Your appa didn’t say anything about leaving the apartment, though.”
“Uncle Jin and I eat outside all the time.” Yuna reasons, and her lips are starting to pout. “Minmin I want Patbingsu.”
“Patbing- wait, let me call your appa, okay?” Jimin tries to call, but Yoongi isn’t picking up. He tries again, and again, but eventually, Jimin’s phone warns him that his battery is almost out. He forgot to charge it the night before so now, his phone is running on 2%. “Fuuuhh-ntastic!” Jimin hums, scared at almost cursing in front of a kid.
“Fantastic?” Yuna’s eyes grew big, excited. “Appa said yes?”
“Uh, not exactly… but I guess it’s okay if we go out for a few hours, right?”
Yuna nods, “Mhm-hm, Uncle Joonie can’t cook either, so we go out for lunch and dinner all the time.”
“Okay, then. Put your shoes on so we can go.”
Everything is going smoothly. The two of them had braised beef and rice and the nice lady gave them free soup. Jimin is spending the last of his allowance from his last job, but that’s okay. Yuna is eating well, so he doesn’t mind. After that, they had patbingsu for dessert. Then they walked at the park, to enjoy the nice weather. Jimin lets Yuna in the playground, and he watches from afar.
But of course, Jimin should have known; nothing good ever happens when your phone is dead. That’s just how it is. There are a lot of things that could go wrong if you can’t check your phone. You could miss a call, maybe a text, a weather update, or forget what time it is— or in Jimin’s case, all of the above.
Jimin only noticed that it’s getting late when he saw the bank across the street already closing. He knows banks closes at 4, maybe 5:00 pm, so he panics. They should be back home before six; before Yoongi gets home, so he calls for Yuna.
“Yuna, it’s getting late!” He tells her, “Your appa will be home soon.”
But things only get worse from there.
Jimin is lost. They accidentally walked on the opposite street, and now nothing looks familiar to Jimin. He can’t check his phone for direction, nor can he call Jungkook, his friend, for help. It’s slowly getting dark, and he is panicking even more. Yuna’s feet are tired, but she patiently holds onto Jimin’s hand as they figure out which way to the bus stop is.
After twenty-five minutes of walking, they finally reached the bus stop. The sky is already dark, and both of them are tired from walking. Jimin had to carry Yuna on his back when they were tackling a little uphill street.
But of course, Jimin’s ‘luck’ doesn’t end there. The bus arrived at 6:10, and by now, Yoongi is probably calling the police for a possible kidnapping. Jimin wants to throw himself away for his carelessness, but he can’t even worry about that right now because just as they were about to get off their stop, it started pouring. Full-on cats and dogs’ event, and of course, as you may have guessed, Jimin did not bring any umbrella with him. All he has is a blue cardigan that probably won’t do much with the sudden downpour.
The apartment building is about a minute away from the stop if you sprint fast enough. Jimin takes his cardigan off, then wrapped it around Yuna. It was Jimin’s favorite cardigan, but he did not hesitate to stretch it, just so it can cover Yuna entirely. Jimin plans to carry Yuna, then sprint all the way to the lobby.
“You ready?” Jimin asks the little girl. Yuna nods, “let’s go!”
When they got back, it’s clear that Yoongi is already home. He is talking loudly on the phone; it could be heard from outside. Jimin knocks lightly on the door, praying to God he isn’t fired (or sued).
Yoongi opens immediately, then he hugs Yuna as soon as he laid eyes on her. “Oh god, there you are!” A breath of relief left Yoongi’s chest. Jimin can see a familiar face inside the apartment. It’s Seokjin, with a worry and a relief painted on his face as well.
“Appa, I had bingsu with lots and lots of mangoes!!” Yuna shares, “and… and I tried the tallest slide I-”
“That sounds fun, my love.” Yoongi says in a calm tone, but Jimin can see the man wasn’t thrilled by any of it. “Why don’t you go inside and change to dry clothes, mh?”
“My clothes aren’t wet at all!” Yuna shows how the cardigan was tied securely. Jimin on the other hand looks like he just got out of a swimming pool. His hair and clothes drenched in cold rainwater.
“Go inside, little lady. Say hi to unlce Jin, yeah?” Yoongi asks her again, “Appa needs to talk to Jimin, okay?”
“Okay, appa.” Yuna answers, and she runs inside, excited to see her uncle Jin. “Bye Minmin!”
Jimin can only give a small wave goodbye, nervous of what Yoongi has to say.
Once Yuna is with Jin, safe and warm- Yoongi closed the door. Only him and Jimin in the hallway, and Jimin wants to disappear. He was careless and irresponsible, he admits, so he can’t blame why Yoongi’s sharp features seemed even sharper tonight.
“What were you thinking, huh?” Yoongi starts, and his tone was predictably harsh. “I was worried sick! I get home and my kid is gone!”
“I’m sorry, I was calling you but my phone d-”
“Oh, come on! Here we are again with your excuses.” Yoongi tries to calm down, not wanting to cause disturbance to their neighbors. “You could have at least left a note! A note, a text message, anything! Fuck— and you bring her home, drenched in rain? Are you insane? She’s six, Jimin. Six! What if she catches cold, huh? What if-”
“I’m really sorry, Yoongissi.” Jimin bows, full of guilt. “It won’t happen again, I promise. We really just went out to- we just ate and went to the park. I lost track of time, and I got… we got lost. I’m really sorry! I understand how worried you must’ve been.” Jimin tells him all that, genuinely sorry for what he caused. “I promise you this won’t happen again, I swear!”
Yoongi breathes deep, calming himself. He looks at Jimin with so much disappointment, and the other saw through it. Yoongi turns the knob, opening his door and stepping inside.
“I’m not sure if you should come in tomorrow.” Yoongi says, gently closing the door on the other. “Go home, Jimin.”
Seokjin eventually left once he made sure Yuna is safe.
Yuna had already washed up and is now being tucked in her bed. “You shouldn’t leave the house without telling me first, Yuna. We’ve talked about this, didn’t we?”
Yuna gets comfortable under her blanket, listening to her dad’s lecture. “But Uncle Jin and I go out for meals all the time.”
“That’s different. Uncle Jin is family, Jimin is not.”
Yuna pouts, “Okay. I will let you know every time, appa.”
Yoongi kissed her forehead, then pats down her pillows. “Did you really have fun with Jimin?”
“Yes.” Yuna says. It’s the first time Yuna excitedly shares about her day, and Yoongi wants to hear every detail of it. He loved seeing her excited with each story she tells. “I went on the tallest slide and all the other kids were jealous because they wanted to go on it too.”
“Why didn’t they?”
“They’re scared! It’s scary because it’s so high up.”
“And you didn’t get scared?” Yoongi listens to her fondly. “That’s impressive!”
“No, because Minmin went on it with me.” Yuna answers, “He was scared too, but he still went on it with me. It was fun!”
Yuna tells her dad stories until she slowly drifts to sleep. Her body is tired from all the play and walking she did earlier. Yoongi watches Yuna fall asleep, wondering if he was too harsh with Jimin earlier.
He picks up his phone then searched for Jimin’s name on the messages.
From: Park Jimin | 10:34 PM
hi. it’s jimin. i’m so sorry again for my irresponsibility, i hope yuna is okay.
From: Park Jimin | 10:41 PM
hello! it’s jimin again…
just want to know if yuna is alright ☹
Yoongi taps on his screen, typing a message.
Type your message here
She is okay. Get some rest yourself, Jimin [deleted]
She told me she had fun, thank you. [deleted]
Sorry about earlier, Jimin. I should’ve heard you first [deleted]
Yoongi types, but he deletes it before he could hit send, unsure of how to approach the situation. He was worried sick, but now he knows Yuna had fun with Jimin the entire afternoon. He may have been a little harsh earlier. Maybe it was an honest mistake.
But he ended up leaving Jimin on read. Instead, Yoongi slumps on the living room couch, catching a break after that long and stressful day. It’s quiet. The rain must’ve gone down already. Yoongi spots Jimin’s blue cardigan hanged on the rack, dripping wet from the rain earlier. Then, he remembers Jimin earlier, drenched from head to toe. He also realized it was still raining when Jimin left, and he was only wearing a light shirt and jeans, no umbrella. He probably been soaked again on his way home. Yoongi mentally slaps himself for making Jimin go through that.
Yoongi swipes his phone open once again.
From: Min Yoongi | 11:27 PM
Yuna is okay. I hope you are, too.
Please get some rest, Jimin