Work Text:
"Appa! Look! I drew Dwaekki today!" Happy 6 year old Seo Soo-Hee ran out of the elementary school to her father Seo Changbin.
"That's a nice drawing baby. You shouldn't run though, it's dangerous." Changbin picks her up in his arms.
"I'm a big girl! Roar!" She puffs her cheeks up.
"Sure you are. Let's get you home now. Uncle Yongbok made some brownies." Changbin straps her into the car.
"Hooray!" Soo-Hee celebrates.
When they get to Changbin's home, Soo-Hee runs straight to the kitchen. Changbin follows behind holding her school bag. Felix turns around smiling at the little girl who is jumping for joy.
"Uncle Yongbok!"
"Hey Soo-Hee! Did you have a good day at school?" Felix hugs her before sitting her in a tall stool at the kitchen counter.
"I got to draw and color today. Appa said you made brownies."
"Indeed I did. Ask your dad first if it's okay. They're still hot."
"Sweetie let them cool then you can have 2."
"Thank you Appa!" Soo-Hee uses the tongs to place the 2 chocolate squares on a paper plate.
"Now you be good to Uncle Yongbok while I'm at work. Thank you Yongbok for agreeing to babysit So-Hee." Changbin gives her a kiss on the forehead.
"No problem Hyung! She's such an angel to watch after." He wipes the crumbs off So-Hee's face with a wet paper towel.
4 HOURS LATER
CHANGBIN's POV
"Ok, we should pick back up tomorrow." Chan decided it was time to call it quits for today.
"But we're almost finished! We just got 2 tracks left hyung." Han protests.
"Your eyes keep trying to close on their own. You're gonna strain them if you keep staring." Chan shuts him down which results in Han giving a disapproving pout.
"I gotta get home to So-Hee. She's probably worn poor Yongbok out." I agree with Chan's order.
"Fine, but I'm gonna sleep here tonight. It's scary being at home by myself." Han sets up his pillow & sleeping bag on the couch.
"But you got Bbama, Soonie, Doongi, & Dori. How are you alone?"
"It's different ok. Minho isn't back from his Paris Fashion trip." Han pulls the sleeping bag over his head. "Goodnight then. I gotta start packing when I get home. My mom wants me home for Hannah's Graduation." That's right, his little sister graduated college and is a successful musician in their home country now.
"Make sure to tell her congratulations hyung!"
"Trust me I'll say it until she tells me to shut up." Chan chuckled while grabbing his bag and laptop.
A Lot has changed over the course of 6 years. After our contract renewal, we've been given more freedom than we already have with the company. We've done a few solo activities and some members have branched out into other industries. Han & Minho share an apartment since we had to move out of our old dorms so newer groups can have them. I moved into my own house with my late girlfriend & daughter to keep a low profile in case anyone lashes out at us for having a life outside of work. Hyunjin opened an art exhibit featuring all his works. Felix has been traveling the world doing charity work along with a few fashion show appearances. Seungmin & Jeongin started giving vocal & piano lessons in their spare time to other trainees at various schools around Seoul. Chan being the busy bee he is has become an in house producer and owns a sub label for other groups. We still get together and do group activities but not as much we used to in our earlier years.
"I'm home!" I greet but get no response.I look around the corner and find So-Hee asleep in Felix's arms while Felix has his head leaned back. I lay my stuff on the table and grab a spare blanket from the closet to set on them. I go to my room and start on my nightly routine.
NEXT MORNING
I drop So-Hee off at school and go to run errands. Chan said me & Han can have the rest of the week off since he is gone. I gave Felix a ride to his apartment since he stayed the night with us. I drove home to start cleaning the house. As I was cleaning, I stare into an old photo of So-Hee's mother and me from the baby shower.
FLASHBACK (6 YEARS AGO)
To see her mother in so much pain, all I could do was hold her hand as she pushed So-Hee into the world. As soon as we heard the cries of our baby girl it was only a short celebration. So-Hee was sent to the nursery next door as her mom's heart rate started to drop & her eyes shut. I panicked and held her in my arms.
"Honey? Honey, wake up! Come on! Please! We need to see our little girl grow up together!"
"Changbin... promise me ... you'll give her a good life." She looks into my eyes and caresses my face one last time before closing her eyes again with a smile.
"I'll give her the world! Anything, just please don't leave!" I lay my head on her shoulder as the heart monitor makes a long beep.
PRESENT
My phone rings as I'm stuck in my thoughts. I put the framed photo down and rummage through my pocket. Only after the 5th ring do I pick up my cell phone.
"Crap, hello? Sorry for not answering sooner."
"Mr. Seo, this is Seoul Elementary. We're calling because we need you to come pick up your daughter So-Hee. She was in a fight on the playground." The school's front desk secretary was on the phone. I panicked and dropped what I was doing to run out to my car. I sped down the route to So-Hee's school and got there in 5 minutes less than the usual drive there.
"Where is she?" I burst through the office door looking for her. In the principal's office So-Hee sat there crying with one of her pigtails cut short. I ran in angry with flames in my eyes.
"Sir you can't go in there yet!" The lady at the front tried to stop me.
"Mr.Seo, nice of you to-"
"Cut the crap. Who did it?" I cut him off mid sentence.
"Your daughter here-"
"Where is the kid who cut my daughter's hair? Why is she in here and not them!? Before you start blaming my child, how about you explain why my girl is missing hair and her eyes all puffy with tears."
"I see where her anger is from. Mr.Seo your daughter punched a kid in the face on the playground. Hair is just hair, it'll grow back. Violence is against the school code."
"Not gonna answer me? So-Hee grab your bag and wait for me outside." So-Hee quickly got out of her chair and picked her bag up from the floor. I noticed the Dwaekki plush charm that is usually on the side was missing. As soon as Soo-Hee was outside the office I was gonna tear into him.
"Seo Changbin, you are demanding that the other child be punished for harmless fun."
"You think it's harmless fun for a boy to bully a 6 year old girl? You know what harmless fun turns into when it goes unpunished? It leads to worse. If you don't punish the kid who made my daughter cry, I'm going to enroll her in a different school and sue this place for negligence. Think carefully about what you say Mr. Kim." I leave before the principal gets another word in. My main focus is on So-Hee who is running her hand through her uneven cut hair.
"How about I take you to get ice cream? You deserve it." I picked her up. She laid her head into my chest and silently sobbed.
"Want to tell me what happened So-Hee? I'm not mad at you." I buckle her in.
"One of my classmates. They were making fun of me. They called me a pig and stole Dwaekki. They threw him over the gate in a mud puddle!"
"Sweetie. I'm sorry that happened to you." I examine her chopped pigtail.
"Then they pulled my hair and cut it! I got so mad and and and" She started to cry again. I gave her a big hug to comfort her with soothing pats.
"It's ok. I'm glad you stood up for yourself. I'll get you a new dwaekki. But first, what kind of ice cream would you like?"
"Can I get the pink one? With sprinkles?" Strawberry with sprinkles is her favorite flavor.
"You sure can. Let's make it two scoops this time." She bounced in her car seat with glee.
HOUR LATER
After So-Hee finished her ice cream I let her run around the park. She was happy climbing the rope ladder to the slide. I waited at the bottom and picked her up. She giggled as I held her above my head. I laid her on my shoulder and made our way back to the car. As I'm settling her into her car seat I spot the kid and his mom parking their car beside ours. The lady rows her window down with her kid sitting in the front making funny faces at my daughter.
"Evening Mr. Seo, thanks for trying to ruin my son's reputation."
"Miss Piggy and her dad oink oink!" The kid stuck his tongue out. So-Hee looked ready to cry again.
"Stay seated baby. Daddy has to have a talk." I shut the door and walk over to the mom's side of the car.
"Ma'm, I don't know who you think you're talking to, but if anyone is to blame for ruining your son's 'reputation' it's you. Who raises a boy to put his hands on a girl? I sure as hell wouldn't."
I walk away and get in my car. I lock the door cause I'm expecting the lady to do something crazy. Next thing I know the lady throws her coffee at my window and starts yelling. I turn my phone on recording as the lady continues beating on my window. Her kid tries to break the passenger window with his plastic bat, but ends up falling on his butt. I call the police and told them our location and situation. Immediately a cop that was already on a stroll in the park came running around the park entrance. The lady was handcuffed which gave me the chance to pull my car out in reverse.
"Thank you Officer! I gotta get my daughter home for dinner." I open my window to thank the officer. The lady went to spit on the window but missed.
"Daddy, can we have Bulgogi for dinner?" So-Hee asked.
"Anything for you sweetie. I'll invite Uncle Yongbok and Han over." I
smiled at So-Hee as I caught a glimpse of the Mom making a scene in my rear view mirror.