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The day begins with suspicious silence.
Seungmin notices it first. He’s in the kitchen, pouring cereal into a bowl and humming under his breath when it hits him. He can’t hear Yongbok. No little feet running around, no singing, no toy clattering… nothing.
A level of quiet that can only mean one thing for parents:
something has gone terribly, terribly wrong.
Minhee walks in, stretching, smiling. “Morning,” she yawns.
“Shh,” Seungmin whispers immediately, eyes narrowed.
“What?” she blinks.
“Can’t hear her.”
Minhee freezes, and they look at each other with identical parental dread.
Then,
A sound.
“Ta-daaaa!”
The couple rushes.
And there, in the living room, standing in the middle of the carpet, is Yongbok, dressed in her mommy's oversized pink hoodie, holding a full set of permanent markers like she’s Picasso reincarnated.
Around her?
Chaos.
Artistic chaos.
The walls covered in scribbles, hearts, suns, stick-figures, a masterpiece labeled, in proudly crooked handwriting...
PAPA AND MOMMY AND BOKKIE FAMILY. ♥
The sofa has streaks of neon green and blue, the coffee table has a giant smiley face, even Bbokkari is rainbow now.
And Yongbok herself?
Her cheeks are red and purple.
Her hands are blue.
Her hair has streaks of orange and silver like a tiny punk rocker.
Minhee doesn’t speak. Seungmin doesn’t breathe.
“Do you like it?” Yongbok beams, arms wide. “I made the house pretty!”
Minhee’s mouth opens… closes... opens again, and Seungmin squats down slowly, the way one approaches a wild animal.
“Sweetheart… baby… little love of my life… where did you get the markers?”
Yongbok proudly points. “Mommy’s drawer.”
Minhee gasps.
Seungmin turns to her with betrayal. “You keep PERMANENT markers in a reachable drawer?”
“I didn’t think she would-!” Minhee squeaks.
“She’s just five, Lina!”
But before any light scolding can happen, Yongbok climbs onto the sofa and poses like a model.
“I’m an artis! Just like auntie honey said!”
Minhee covers her laugh, as Seungmin sighs but smiles, because honestly, how can anyone be mad at that proud little face?
“Okay,” he gives in. “We can fix the walls. And the sofa. And… uhm... and everything.”
Yongbok gasps and hugs him around the neck. “You don't like it??”
Seungmin melts on the spot. “I love you, little witch” he says truthfully. “But no more drawing on the furniture. Only paper. Only. Paper. Okay?”
Yongbok nods vigorously, subtly smearing marker on his shirt.
Minhee groans, “This is going to take hours to clean…”
And right on cue, Yongbok points to the biggest scribble on the wall, a huge lopsided heart with three tiny stick figures inside.
“That’s us,” she says softly. “Coz we a cute family.”
And just like that, Seungmin and Minhee die a little inside from pure love.
Chaos? Yes.
Annoyance? Absolutely.
Regret? None.
Because this is Yongbok. Their tiny tornado. Their sunshine. Their chaos princess.
And this is only incident one.
Seungmin is in the dining table, humming while slicing fruit for breakfast, Minhee is scrolling on her phone pretending not to judge his questionable playlist, and Yongbok, sweet, sunshine Yongbok, is quietly coloring at the dining table.
Quietly.
Suspiciously quietly.
Minhee notices first, and she slowly lowers her phone. “Min… why is it so quiet?”
Seungmin freezes mid–banana slice. “Oh no.” He turns around.
The coloring book is open.
The crayons are scattered.
But the child?
Gone.
Minhee and Seungmin exchange a look filled with the shared trauma of many 'quiet toddler equals danger' moments.
“Operation Find Bokkie,” Minhee mutters.
They split up like trained detectives, checking behind curtains, under tables, behind the sofa, until they hear a very distinct sound.
A blender.
Both parents freeze.
Seungmin whispers, “Lina… Lina she’s in the kitchen.”
“But-”
Another sound.
From the other side of the counter,the blender switches from whirrrrr to WRRRRRRRRHHHHH like it’s fighting for its life.
They dash around the counter.
And stop dead in their tracks.
There stands their child on a stool, with an apron that is definitely from Minhee’s fancy collection, with safety goggles from the family's last beach trip (they don’t even know how she found those), and a big spoon.
The blender is filled with-
strawberries
chocolate syrup
kimchi
toothpaste
and one whole unpeeled banana.
“Yongbok,” Seungmin says gently, cautiously, like he’s approaching a ticking bomb. “What… baby get down, what are you doing?”
She beams, switching the blender off with dramatic flair. “I’m making smoothie. For Papa and Mommy!”
Minhee pinches the bridge of her nose, while Seungmin claps a hand over his mouth.
Yongbok isn’t done. She holds up the jar of kimchi. “And this is for energy! Papa says kimchi makes superheroes!”
Seungmin looks like he wants to sink into the floor. Minhee pats his shoulder in comfort. And before either adult can intervene, Yongbok reaches for the blender lid.
And that’s when they notice-
It’s not fully closed.
“NO NO NO-” Seungmin launches forward.
But fate is cruel.
Yongbok hits the button first.
WHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...
The lid blasts off.
A fountain, an eruption of red-pink-brown-white horrors sprays across the kitchen.
Minhee’s gasp echoes. Seungmin screams internally. The fridge now has freckles. The cabinets look vandalized. The ceiling drips. A pomegranate hits Seungmin directly on the cheek.
And little Yongbok stands in the middle of it all, absolutely COVERED, looking like a smoothie-warfare survivor, blinking up at them.
“Ooops.”
For three seconds no one breathes.
Then Minhee bursts into laughter.
Seungmin stares at her, betrayed. “Lina this is not funny-”
Minhee wipes tears. “You look like a strawberry crime scene-”
Yongbok giggles, running to hug them both, which they try to dodge but fail. Now all three are sticky and ridiculous.
Seungmin sighs, giving in completely. He rubs her smoothie-covered hair. “My sweet baby… next time… call us BEFORE you make breakfast.”
Yongbok beams proudly. “Okay... Tomorrow I’ll make soup!”
“NO.”
And their little witch giggles like she's the happiest child on earth.
It is 2:47 a.m.
It's 2: 47a.m. and Minhee hears the soft sound of something dragging on the floor.
At first, she thinks she’s dreaming. Then she feels Seungmin’s arm tighten around her in his sleep, he’s out cold, completely unaware that their house is currently being haunted by a pint-sized escape artist.
Minhee slowly opens her eyes.
The hallway light is off. The house is quiet. But she hears it again.
scritch… scritch… scriiitch.
Minhee sits up, then follows the sound. And there, standing in the dark doorway like a tiny burglar frozen mid-crime, is Yongbok… holding her pink backpack, wearing her sparkly sneakers, and dragging her toy grocery cart behind her.
“Yongbok?” Minhee whispers.
Yongbok freezes, then dramatically whispers back, “I’m not here.”
Minhee blinks. “Sweetheart… what are you doing?”
Yongbok tip-toes closer, puts a finger on Minhee’s lips, and whispers as if revealing a top-secret mission.
“Mommy… I am running away.”
Minhee needs three full seconds just to process this.
“Running away?... To where?”
“The convenience store,” Yongbok answers with a sigh, as if this is obvious. “Papa said tomorrow we buy chocolate milk. But I want it now.”
From beside her, Seungmin suddenly wakes and sits up, hair sticking everywhere, voice rough from sleep.
“Who’s going where?”
Yongbok whips around dramatically. “Papa! I’m running away because you broke your promise. You said chocolate milk tomorrow morning. Morning is too far.”
Seungmin wipes his face. “Baby… it’s the middle of the night.”
“I knoooow,” Yongbok groans. “That’s why I’m going now so morning can come faster.”
Seungmin stares at her.
Minhee stares at Seungmin.
Yongbok stares at both her parents with the righteous fury of someone deeply betrayed by grocery schedules.
Seungmin gets out of bed, kneels in front of her, and gently inspects her backpack. “What did you pack?”
Yongbok proudly unzips it.
Inside is...
A juice box.
Two crayons.
A cap.
Her princess pajamas.
One single carrot.
A photo of Seungmin.
Seungmin lifts the photo. “Why this?”
“In case I forget what Papa look like,” she says, patting his head sympathetically. “Don’t be sad, Papa... I will come back after chocolate milk.”
Minhee is already half-laughing, half-dying inside. Seungmin sighs dramatically, scoops Yongbok up, and sits on the bed with her.
“Baby… how about instead of running away, Papa and Mommy run to the kitchen together and check if we have chocolate milk hidden somewhere?”
Yongbok’s eyes widen. “You’re helping me escape?!”
“No,” Seungmin corrects. “I’m helping you negotiate.”
Minhee leans in. “We make a deal. You go back to sleep… and Papa will make you chocolate milk first thing in the morning. Extra chocolate.”
Yongbok gasps. “Promise?”
“Promise.”
“And can I have a marshmallow in it?”
Seungmin nods. “Okay.”
“And whipped cream?”
Minhee snorts.
“Don’t push it,” Seungmin mutters.
Yongbok considers this. Then rests her forehead dramatically against her father’s.
“Fine… I will postpone my escape.”
Seungmin carries her back to her room, tucks her in, and kisses her forehead. Minhee turns off the little moon lamp.
As they step out, Yongbok grabs their hands. “Papa? Mommy?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Next time… we run away together.”
Seungmin whispers, smiling, “Deal.”
But when they’re back in their room, Minhee bursts into laughter. “She really tried to leave the house with a carrot and a grocery cart.”
Seungmin groans into his hands. “I’m putting alarms on every door.”
“I heard that, Papa.” Half-asleep, Yongbok murmurs.
It starts on a perfectly normal Saturday morning… which should’ve been the first warning sign.
Seungmin is in the kitchen packing away groceries, humming under his breath, while Minhee lounges on the sofa reading some magazine, finally enjoying five minutes of peace after a busy week. Yongbok, however, has been suspiciously quiet for at least ten whole minutes.
Ten. Whole. Minutes.
Minhee stiffens first.
“Seungmin.”
“Mm?”
“It’s too quiet.”
They both know what that means.
Before either parent can check, the sound of tiny rapid footsteps comes echoing down the hallway, followed by Yongbok bursting into the living room with the brightest, proudest smile on her face.
“MOMMY! PAPA! LOOK WHAT I GOT!”
Both parents, in reflex, brace as though she might be holding a bomb.
And maybe… in a way… she is.
Because cupped in Yongbok’s tiny hands, wriggling slowly and horrifically, is a... worm.
Not a small worm.
Not a tiny cute cartoon-like worm.
This worm is practically the queen of garden worms, fat, green, writhing, and looking deeply displeased about its sudden promotion to 'pet.'
Minhee makes a microscopic squeak and leaps onto the couch, and Seungmin’s soul visibly leaves his body.
“Yong- Yongbok,” he manages, voice cracking, “where… where did you get… that?”
“In the garden!” she beams, holding the worm closer to her face with absolute love. “I saved her! She was lonely. She is my daughter now. Her name is… Gamora.”
The couple share a look. The Look, the universal married-parent telepathy look that says...
Did you hear what I heard? Our daughter adopted a worm. Its name Gamora. Do we scream or support her?
Yongbok proudly continues, “Gamora says she likes me. And she wants to sleep in my room. On my pillow.”
Minhee turns pale.
Seungmin wheezes, “N-No no no- sweetie- worms don’t… sleep on pillows.”
“Yes they do,” Yongbok says with complete confidence. “She told me.”
Minhee whispers, “Kim Seungmin… please do something.”
Seungmin kneels down in front of Yongbok, plastering on the gentlest dad-smile known to mankind.
“Princess… Gamora is very… lovely. And big. Very big. Very healthy.” Yongbok beams with pride, as the man talked. “So,” he continues carefully, “we need to make sure Gamora stays healthy, right?”
Yongbok nods, eyes wide and trusting.
“So,” Minhee chimes in softly from the safety of the couch, “she needs to stay outside, in her… natural worm house. The ground. The… dirt. Very important.”
Yongbok looks conflicted for exactly three seconds. “But Papa,” she pleads, “I love her. And she loves me. I promised we’ll always stay together.”
Minhee melts. Seungmin internally screams.
He gently cups his daughter’s tiny shoulders. “Baby… you did a wonderful, wonderful thing. You helped Gamora when she was lonely.”
Yongbok sniffles.
“And the best way to love her… the BEST way… is to let her stay in her own home so she can be healthy and happy.”
Yongbok hesitates.
Then, slowly, she nods.
“Okay. But I’m saying goodbye.”
So the whole family goes outside, conducting a full emotional farewell ceremony for Gamora the Worm. Yongbok kneels dramatically, whispering loving words. Seungmin stands beside her, hand on her back, Minhee giggling behind her trembling hand.
Yongbok places the worm gently on the soil. “Be free, Gamora. Don’t forget me. I love you.”
And then she turns to her parents with the saddest puppy eyes.
Seungmin sweeps her into his arms instantly. “You’re so brave. Papa is so proud.”
Minhee kisses her cheek. “Gamora is grateful, princess. She’ll remember you forever.”
Yongbok sniffs, wiping her tears on Seungmin’s t-shirt. “Okay. I’m hungry now,” she announces.
Just like that, chaos over.
It begins early on a Sunday morning, the one day Yongbok swears she will sleep in. But her parents? Her parents have other plans.
She wakes up to whispering. Loud whispering. The kind that is somehow noisier than normal talking.
“Seungmin, she’s waking up- hide the tray!”
“Lina, the juice is spilling-!”
Yongbok cracks open an eye and sees the two adults scrambling near her bedroom door like teenagers caught sneaking home after curfew. Her mother is holding a plate of pancakes shaped like bunnies, her father is holding a cup of juice that is absolutely about to spill.
And she groans dramatically, rolling over and burying herself under her blanket.
“Papaaaa… why are you like this…”
Minhee gently pulls the blanket down. “Baby, it’s family day. And we made you a surprise breakfast! Bunny pancakes!”
“Nooooo…” Yongbok whines, pulling the blanket back up. “Let me sleep! You two are too much in the morning…”
But Seungmin is determined. “You always make us crazy, Bokkie. Today is our turn.”
Before she can protest, he scoops her up, blanket and all, holding her like a large burrito.
“PAPAA NOOOO! Put me down! I’m sleepy!”
“Nope. You’re our little princess burrito,” Seungmin says proudly.
“And princess burritos get morning kisses,” Minhee adds.
Then the torture begins.
Kisses on her cheeks.
On her forehead.
On her nose.
Yongbok kicks her feet helplessly and squeals, half-laughing, half-whining.
“STOPPP!! Mommy- why are you two being trouble today?!”
The parents laugh, delighted they finally get to drive her crazy for once.
Breakfast was a mess because Yongbok is too busy pretending to sulk.
She crosses her arms. “I don’t like this. I don’t like bunny pancakes. I don’t like morning kisses.”
But when Minhee cuts the pancake just the way she likes and Seungmin hands her the syrup bottle with a little dramatic bow, she melts instantly.
“Okay. Maybe I like it a little. You can be annoying again next Sunday too.” Yongbok whispers, still half-asleep.
Seungmin kisses her head. “We love you.”
She sighs, defeated. “I love you too. Even if you two are annoying.”
“Very,” Minhee agrees proudly. “It’s our job.”
Later, all three of them cuddle together on the couch under one blanket, Yongbok squished between her parents, grumbling, but holding their hands.
Their little family.
Cozy.
Warm.
Perfect.