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“Does your brother usually take this long?” Dokja held the little girl’s hand as they waited at the enterance of the daycare. He wondered what type of brother would be late to picking up his younger sister. Mia was a cute kid as well.
“Yes.” She nodded as a person on a motorcycle pulled into the daycare’s parking lot.
Was that her brother? Dokja was pleasantly surprised that her brother might be as cool as her. The pair watched as the man took off his helmet. Dokja’s breath stilled. That. Was her brother?
Mia let go of Dokja’s hand and ran towards her brother with a big smile. “Oppa!” Mia hugged her brother with a tight grip as she looked back at Dokja.
“That ahjussi waited with me for you.” She grinned up at him as the man glanced from his sister to Dokja. “Thank you for waiting.”
Dokja finally got a good look at Mia’s older brother. He was… attractive to say the least. Both siblings were chic, cool, and they seem cold at first impressions.
“You’re very welcome! She’s a good kid!” Dokja smiled as the man’s eyes narrowed at his face. What? Was there something wrong with his face?
“You have something on your head.” He moved closer to the daycare worker as Mia clung to her brother. He swiftly brushed Dokja’s hair before pulling something from the strands of hair.
It was a piece of cotton. Probably from Gilyoung and Yoosung ripping apart a stuffed animal because ‘it was mine first’. Dokja had no chance to think of it as he held his breath unknowingly as the other was so close to him.
“Goodbye now,” he looked down at his nametag, Dokja.” The man lifted Mia up turned on his heel. He now was helping her sit probably on the back of the motorcycle. “You have to hold on tightly, alright?”
Dokja was busy dealing with the sensation of burning on his cheeks as he regained the ability to breathe. He called him by his name. Which wasn’t uncommon since he does have a nametag, but why did his heart start racing?
“Say bye now Mia.” The man waved at Dokja and Mia copied.
“Bye ahjussi!” Her eyes turned into crescents as Dokja waved back.
“Bye Mia! I’ll see you tomorrow!” He smiled at the duo. The older brother got on his motorcycle and made sure Mia was holding on tight before starting the engine.
Mia kept waving before the two disappeared into the city. Dokja kept standing there. He was startstruck. Why am I standing here like an idiot? He grabbed the keys to the daycare and locked up the front doors. Dokja slapped both of his cheeks to bring him back to Earth.
Just because Mia attends this daycare doesn’t mean he’ll see that guy around.
Why does his heart beat slightly faster even thinking about that guy? He doesn’t even know him.
Dokja tried to take other opportunities to wait with Mia, but the other kids kept wanting Dokja to wait with them. It was a struggle being the kids’ favorite person. Gilyoung and Yoosung kept arguing over which one was Dokja’s favorite.
Dokja kept trying to make an excuse to wait with Mia, but Sangah—so graciously—waited with the girl instead. Since he needed to break up the fight between the two kids.
One day, it had started to rain. Everyone was inside the daycare, playing with the toys and entertaining the children. Dokja knew that they couldn’t let Mia wait in the rain. “You can wait inside, we wouldn’t want you to get wet and be sick.” Dokja tapped Mia’s shoulder as she hummed.
She stood near the door, waiting. Dokja played with the other children, looking back every now and then to see Mia patiently waiting.
The sound of a motorcycle outside caught Dokja’s attention. Mia’s eyes brightened as she held a stuffed animal squid that Dokja let her hold. Dokja started to spin both Gilyoung and Yoosung around (they both wanted him to). He sang a nursery rhyme as the kids stopped.
“That’s lame.”
“We’re not babies.” The two blinked as Dokja felt a burn of embarrassment on his neck.
The doorbell chimed as it opened and Dokja whipped his head to see the tall, dark and handsome man once again. He held out a raincoat for his little sister as Dokja watched.
“Wear this so you won’t be sick.” The man mentioned as Mia agreed, holding out her arms. The guy’s eyes scanned his sister’s arms before seeing something. “What’s this?” His eyes focused on the toy in Mia’s hand.
“It’s a squid! Ahjussi gave me it.” She pointed at Dokja, causing the guy to stare at him with sharp eyes. Dokja felt awkward as he approached the pair.
“Aha, yes I gave it to her since she’d feel lonely waiting for you!” Dokja acted friendly since Mia was looking up at him like a ray of sunshine.
“Well, you can take it back.” He curtly spoke, taking the toy from Mia and handing it out to Dokja. What? What’s with him? Dokja thought before quickly responding.
“Ah, she can take it! It’s fine!” Dokja shook his head as the other stared at him with tired eyes.
“She has enough toys at home.”
Dokja felt increasingly awkward as he reluctantly took the toy back. If he didn’t want to take the toy, what could he do?
“Joonghyuk oppa!” Mia huffed as the man glanced at his little sister. So Joonghyuk was his name. Dokja observed as her lips jutted out with a pout. It’s a child’s way of saying what they want. Nobody could resist a child’s desperation for a toy or nap time.
“I want the toy!” She whined as his thick brows raised in amusement.
“You do?”
“Yes! It’s cute! Dokja ahjussi made it too!” Mia reached out her arms for the squid toy once she properly wore the raincoat.
Dokja handed her the toy as Joonghyuk kept looking at him. “You… make toys?” He now looked him up and down. Dokja couldn’t decide whether he was looking down on him or not for making toys. Nothing in his face signaled friendliness.
“Yes, it’s a hobby of mine!” Dokja did his best to keep up the friendly attitude as a pause ensued.
Joonghyuk’s eyes glued to his face as he felt like he had a spotlight on him. God, why was he so intense? “Interesting.” The other spoke before reaching out for Mia’s free hand without the squid.
Dokja didn’t know what that meant. The man held his sister’s hand. Dokja started to examine the man’s outfit. He wore a black raincoat himself, actually, his outfit was black. From the raincoat to his turtleneck and down to his boots.
He felt a weight lift off of him as Joonghyuk’s gaze tore away from him and the siblings headed out of the daycare. While they were leaving, Dokja waved again. Then all of a sudden, Joonghyuk stopped in his tracks. Causing Mia to almost run into the door.
“Could you make me one too?” Joonghyuk said as the two escaped out into the pouring rain. What?
Make him one? He didn’t even wait for Dokja to respond to his question. It sounded more like an order than a question. He was in disbelief of how curt the other was.
Dokja was left dumbfounded in his spot. Standing by the door as the two kids clung to his legs immediately. “Ahjussi! Are you alive?” Gilyoung looked up at the man’s frozen expression.
“Ye—Yeah.” Dokja melted into a warm expression while looking at the two kids wrapped around his legs.
He glanced back to see Mia grinning from ear-to-ear. Joonghyuk sat her down on the seat while she started to poke him. He shook of the girl’s actions with a slight curve of his lips.