Work Text:
Our Sunny Days
ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚
by lilsaltbread
Hello friends, let me introduce myself, I'm Sunny! I'm a 13 year old kid who just got access to my dad's laptop. I'm not going to reveal my gender, it's up to you if you want to think of me as a girl or a boy, but one thing's for sure, I look a lot like my dad. My other dad (I call him papa) always shakes his head when dad and I get into trouble. He usually says; "You two are exactly the same!"
But don't worry, papa isn't mad. He might get a little annoyed, but then he'll chase both of us around, tickling us as punishment. Oh, by the way, papa just taught me how to type on his laptop. He said I could write my diary on it anytime I want. I do have my own diary book, a gift from papa when I first started writing my diary on the last page of my school notebook, but technology keeps updating, right? So papa is slowly teaching me to write digitally. Although, he still sets limits on my screen time, even though I’d love to write endless stories about me, dad, papa, and our happy little family.
Dad often tells me stories about how he met papa, but when I try to share them with my friends, dad stops me. Sigh... But if dad doesn't hear me talking about his love story, it's okay, right? If it's okay, I'll share with you the love story of me, daddy Mingyu and papa Wonwoo! Yeaaaaay!
When I was born into this beautiful world, dad, who was 24 at the time, raised me all by himself. I know what a mom is and her role in this world, but sadly, I've never seen my mom, not even in pictures. Even though I grew up without a mom, I have a dad who I’m really proud of. He used to tell me (when I was little and crying for my mom) that she exists, but I just can't meet her, and it's not her fault. Dad asked me not to hate her, and I listened to him because back then, he was the only parent I had.
At six months old, I was always in dad's arms as we moved to our new home. Dad quit his job as an architect and moved to a village in a small town, far from the noise and traffic. With his savings, dad bought a small, simple house with a dry garden and a rusty fence, but the village head said it was still in good shape, and we live in it to this day.
In that house, dad slowly started fixing things up and working on his dream garden. Now it's full of sunflowers and green grass where our pets, Kuro and Jiji, play. Dad would sit me in a baby chair when I was six months old, then start his house chores while talking to me, even though I’d either stay quiet or laugh at the dirt smudges on his face.
Every morning, dad would wake me up (and I’d cry) for some sunshine while he watered the garden. He’d chat with the plants that were still seeds and with me.
"When you grow up, Sunny, you can run around in this garden."
"Do you prefer dogs or cats? Or should we have both?"
"I’ll plant a big tree that’ll grow with you, so you can nap under it in the afternoon."
After tending the garden, he'd make breakfast for himself and soft food for me. He’d hold me while feeding me, and even though I was just a baby, I’m pretty sure if I could talk back then, I’d tell him to sell his delicious cooking! (That sounds kinda creepy, right?) Speaking of dad’s cooking, it plays an important role in the next part of the story. He’d bathe me, dress me in cute clothes, and take me on walks around the village, introducing me to the locals, most of whom had families or were elderly.
In the afternoons, dad would gather with neighbors at one house while letting me play with other kids. I could tell dad was happy to have support from so many people while raising me on his own. He also learned a lot about taking care of kids, and he’d look at me, smile, and say: "Sunny is my life, the best thing I have in this world."
Of course, as a baby, I didn’t understand grown-up talk, so I’d just laugh whenever I saw dad smiling.
By the time I turned 6, dad was 30 and still the best dad ever. I didn't need a mom, though I never hated her for leaving me and dad. My childhood was genuinely happy because dad gave me all his love and raised me to be someone who brings joy to others. When I was nine months old, dad returned to his job as a freelance architect. People would call him or visit our house to talk about work, and some of them were his old colleagues who trusted his skills. There was uncle Jeonghan, who brought me toys and sweets like chocolate, and uncle Seokmin, who took me for bike rides on dad's bike.
See? dad gave me all his love, and in return, people around him loved me too.
On my first day of school at age 6, I was all dressed up with a new backpack and cute shoes. But dad? He was a mess! He was so nervous that his hand was sweaty as he held mine. The whole way to school, he kept asking if I’d be okay without him and reminded me to ask my teacher for help if I needed to use the bathroom.
"Sunny, if anyone is mean to you, tell your teacher. But remember, you can’t be mean either"
"I packed your favorite lunch. Don’t forget to eat it"
"Should I just homeschool you, Sunny?"
Oh, daaaaaad.
But everything went fine. No one was mean to me, and I wasn’t mean either. I ate my lunch and shared some with my friends. I even managed to go to the bathroom by myself. Dad dropped me off and picked me up from school every day. He’d leave his work 10 minutes before school ended, and we’d have dinner together at home, enjoying his delicious cooking while I told him all about my day. Our routine changed a bit once I started school, but dad’s love for me stayed the same.
The only difference? Dad started falling in love.
His new love was a guy, a young doctor who worked at the village clinic. Dad first met him when the clinic hosted a free medical check-up event. Auntie, who usually watched over me, said it was love at first sight (I didn’t get it back then). The doctor spoke gently, even though his voice was deeper than dad's. He was tall but not as tall as dad, and his nose scrunched up cutely when he smiled or laughed. His glasses made him look even more handsome! He was also great with kids, including me, Kim Sunny!
"Hello, is your name Sunny? That's a nice name"
"Hi, Doctor! Woah.. you’re handsome, but not as handsome as my dad"
"Oh really? Who’s your dad? I want to meet him"
"That one, talking to the grandma over there, his name is Kim Mingyu"
"Oh, him? Yeah, he’s pretty handsome" And just like that, my check-up was over without me even realizing because the doctor kept chatting with me.
"What's your name, Doctor?"
"Wonwoo"
After that first meeting, I started seeing doctor Wonwoo more often. He even came to my school to teach us and my classmates how to wash our hands and brush our teeth properly. Sometimes, I’d run into him at the store, holding an ice cream cone. And one day, doctor Wonwoo came with dad to pick me up from school.
When I was 7, my routine stayed the same, but dad’s routine started to change. Every night after dinner, he’d call someone while sketching house designs. He’d laugh, say sweet things like he did to me, and he also started making two lunch boxes. I started thinking maybe dad had another kid.
One day, I was sitting in the village gazebo, pouting and looking sad. The neighbor auntie and grandma saw me sitting there alone, so they came over and asked me what was wrong.
“Why the sad face, honey?”
“Auntie, does dad have another kid?”
“WHAT?” They both went quiet for a while, then they giggled, pulling me into a hug and gently rubbing my back.
“Why would you think that?”
“Well, dad’s always calling someone now, and he talks to them like he talks to me, and then he makes two lunch boxes. Auntie, does dad really have another kid?”
“No, sweetie, it’s not like that. Maybe it’s just a friend?”
I was still pouting and feeling down. Grandma then rested my head on her lap and stroked my hair gently. She comforted me in her own way, singing lullabies or whispering; "Your dad only loves Sunny"
That afternoon, auntie and grandma walked me home. Dad greeted me with his usual warm smile and kissed the top of my head. Auntie asked dad to talk for a bit. I didn’t know what they were talking about, but I watched them from inside the house, and a few times dad looked over at me with a guilty and sad expression.
Dinner that night felt different. I didn’t say anything, and neither did dad. He didn’t call that person either. Instead, he sat on the floor of my room, leaning against my bed, watching me get ready for sleep.
“Sunny, are you sad?” I shook my head.
“Auntie said you were pouting earlier. Why?” I didn’t answer and hid part of my face under my blanket.
“Is there anything Sunny wants to ask dad? Dad won’t get mad”
“Dad… do you have a new kid? 'Cause now you make two lunch boxes, like mine” Dad stayed quiet for a bit. He sighed, then answered.
“That’s for a friend. Dad’s friend really likes dad’s cooking, and they have trouble eating, kinda like you used to, so I make lunch for them”
“Ohhh, so you don’t have another kid?”
“No, sweetie. Dad only has one kid, and that’s Sunny.”
“Who’s your friend? Uncle Jeonghan? Uncle Seokmin?”
“No, it’s doctor Wonwoo, but you can call him uncle Wonwoo.”
When I was 9, I started to understand what dating was because my friends would whisper about how two of our classmates were dating. One time, I asked my dad about it, and he stopped, knelt down in front of me, and held both my arms.
“Sunny, you’re still too young to date”
“What’s dating, dad? I don’t even know”
“Hmm, dating is like being friends, but later, those two might get married”
“So my friends are going to get married, dad?!”
“No, no, they’re still kids. When they’re older, like 20 or something, then they can date”
“Ohhh”
By the time I was 9, my dad and I got even closer with uncle Wonwoo. Sometimes, when dad couldn’t pick me up from school, he’d ask uncle Wonwoo to do it. Uncle Wonwoo often stayed over at our house, chatting with dad late into the night (I once overheard them talking when I woke up to go to the bathroom). Uncle Wonwoo still got lunch boxes from dad, and he would take care of dad whenever he was sick. I remember one time when I had a fever, and uncle Wonwoo cried seeing me sick. We’d even started saying “I love you” to each other often. Dad and I would also happily take uncle Wonwoo back to his hometown, with uncle Wonwoo holding my left hand and dad holding my right.
“Sunny, do you remember when I told you about dating?”
“Yeah, it’s when friends might get married, right?”
“Yeah”
“Ohhh, okay”
“Sunny”
“Yes, dad?”
“What if dad had a lover? How would you feel?”
“That means you will get married? Would I get a mom?”
“Not a mom”
“What do you mean? Why not a mom?”
“Do you know what love is, Sunny?”
“Hmm, I love you, and you love me?”
“Haha, yes, like that”
“Okay, so?”
“Dad loves uncle Wonwoo.”
“I love uncle Wonwoo too!!”
“Dad is dating uncle Wonwoo.”
“Huh? So does that mean you’re going to marry uncle Wonwoo?”
“Can dad marry Uncle Wonwoo?”
“Auntie said people get married because they love each other, like ‘in love’ love. Do you love uncle Wonwoo like that?”
“Yeah”
“Then it’s fine! You can marry uncle Wonwoo. But wait, does uncle Wonwoo love you too?”
“Hmmm, I don’t know. Do you want to ask him?”
“Okay, I will ask him”
“Alright, ask him tomorrow”
The next day, Uncle Wonwoo came to pick me up, and I asked him if he loved Dad. He confidently said yes.
When I turned 10, that meant dad was already 34, and he ‘married’ to uncle Wonwoo, who I now call papa. Their marriage was joyfully celebrated by the people in our neighborhood. For the first few months, everything felt normal, but by the fifth month, I started to feel confused, how could two men get married? I thought only men and women could do that. That’s when dad and papa slowly explained to me about love, the kind of love that could happen between anyone. I realized it was a sensitive topic, but I accepted dad and papa because love and care were more than enough reasons for them to be together.
In fact, I started receiving even more love from both of them. Papa seemed to care about me even more than dad (sorry, dad, hehe. Hi, papa, I love you!). The garden, which used to just have trees and grass, was now filled with tall, blooming sunflowers. I remember dad and papa planting those flowers together because papa loves sunflowers. I often caught them watering the plants, laughing and splashing water at each other. I knew dad was happy before, he was happy with just me, but seeing him laugh with papa made me realize how much happier he had become.
Papa was always the first to wake up and clean the house, followed by dad, who would kiss papa on the cheek and cook breakfast and lunch for all of us. Once everything was ready, dad and papa would drop me off at school and then take papa to his clinic. I could walk home by myself now, so sometimes I’d stop by papa’s clinic on my way home, and we’d walk back together, sharing stories about our day.
On Sundays, we’d all be lazy, just sitting on the porch, with the fan on, eating sweet watermelon and drinking refreshing lemonade. Even though my family wasn’t like other families, I felt content. Having papa in our lives made everything feel more complete.
Of course, sometimes dad and papa would get mad at each other and give each other the silent treatment, but it never lasted more than a day. Either dad or papa would be the first to apologize, and they’d start laughing again after they’d talked things through. I never really worried when they fought because I knew their love was big enough that they’d always work things out.
Dad decided to adopt, two fur babies, that is a shiba inu named Kuro and a white cat named Jiji. They soon took over the garden and added even more color to our lives.
Now that I’m 15, daddy Mingyu is 39 and papa Wonwoo is 40. It’s been five years since they got married, and they’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs, but they still love and support each other just as much. Their love for me hasn’t changed either, it’s still the same as when dad loved me from the moment I was born, and just like uncle Wonwoo, the young doctor from our village. Nothing has really changed, except for a few gray hairs showing up on dad and papa. Our little home still feels cozy in every season, and it really feels like life is beautiful. Even when storms and rain come, they pass quickly, and our home shines bright again. Our sunny days always come back to us.
That’s all for now, that’s my dad’s love story, his genuine love for me and papa. Papa’s already yelling at me to go to bed. See you later!
End
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