Chapter Text
Minjeong was a twenty-six-year-old single mother working full-time. Money was always tight, and exhaustion had become a permanent part of her life.
Through it all, her greatest source of joy and her biggest motivation was her three-year-old daughter, Rora.
"Mommy! It's time! It's time!"
Rora burst into Minjeong's room clutching the magnetic calendar she'd once again stolen from the refrigerator.
Minjeong had told her countless times not to take it down, but Rora never listened.
Circled on the calendar was “Story Hour”.
Saturday mornings were sacred. Each morning at 10 AM, Minjeong took Rora to their local bookstore.
The family couldn’t afford trips to theme parks or going out frequently so Story Hour was the best thing invented in Minjeong’s eyes.
Lately, Rora couldn't stop talking about the children's coordinator, Yu Jimin. For Story Hour she wore funny hats, did different voices, and acted out the characters, resulting in the kids adoring her.
“We are gonna be late!” Rora stomped her little feet whining. Minjeong smiled, finally getting out of bed. She changed Rora into some clean clothes and brushed out her black hair.
Rora resembled Minjeong in subtle ways. She shared her mother's soft features and dark hair, which Minjeong gathered into a low ponytail with wispy bangs framing her little face.
Today, she wore a dark pink long-sleeved shirt beneath light pink overalls.
“Now are we ready to go?” Minjeong asked, pinching Rora's cheek. The little one pushed her hand away walking ahead of her.
Minjeong didn't even have time to change out of her work uniform, but if Rora missed Story Hour, she'd never hear the end of it.
---
Once they entered the bookstore Rora practically ran to the children’s corner. “Miss Jimin!” She was running full speed, Jimin caught her giving Rora a small side hug.
Minjeong offered a wave before taking a seat in the distance. She was still tired and would have to head back to work in just two hours.
As the other kids entered one by one, Jimin got them to all sit in a circle. Today she was reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
She'd read the book to them before, and it had quickly become a favorite. “If you give a mouse a cookie he’s gonna ask?”
“For a glass of milk!” The kids shouted, Rora no exception. Jimin laughed, continuing “When you give him the milk, he’ll probably ask you for..?”
“A straw!” At the same time the kids lifted paper straws up. They created them last week after Story Hour just for this book. Rora was pink and more than a little crooked.
Jimin flipped the page. “When he’s finished, he’ll ask for a napkin. Then he’ll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn’t have a milk mustache!”
She put a fake mustache on, earning more laughter from the kids. Minjeong caught herself smiling as though she were being read to as well. Her focus didn’t last long though.
As exhaustion finally caught up to her she closed her eyes.
Just a few minutes of rest, she thought.
After Minjeong fell asleep in one of the chairs, Rora went on to color after Story Hour.
Whenever Rora wanted to leave immediately after, she would wake Minjeong herself but she didn’t today.
So Jimin noticed her immediately and quietly draped a light cardigan over her shoulders instead of waking her.
Twenty minutes later with an odd feeling she overslept Minjeong began to wake. Her vision was still a bit hazy but she saw Rora running with a friend, so she was calm.
It took her a moment to realize the cardigan draped over her shoulders wasn't hers. She sat up looking around, across from her sat Jimin doing paperwork.
When they made eye contact Jimin simply smiled.
"Looks like someone needed the nap more than the story."
Minjeong let out a nervous laugh. “Guess so.. I’m sorry.” She grabbed the cardigan and handed it back to Jimin.
“It’s no problem really, I got to warn you about something though.”
“Huh what is it?”
“I might have given all the kids cookies and milk. Rora’s coming down from a sugar rush.”
Minjeong chuckled behind her hand. “She is in a rush with or without the sugar.”
Almost like she sensed she was being talked about, Rora ran over to Minjeong, pushing her drawing toward her.
“I drew me, mommy, and Miss Jimin!” Rora cheered, pointing proudly at each figure.
Jimin playfully gasped “Rora you didn’t tell me you were an artist.”
“I am!”
The two playfully went back and forth. Although she was tired, Minjeong was glad they made it.
---
“Mommy, do you have to work again today?” Rora asked in a whiny tone.
“I do but Auntie Ning will babysit. Don’t you have fun with her?”
Rora spent the rest of the ride quietly studying her drawing.
Minjeong wished she could spend more time with Rora but with bills approaching she had no choice but to take double shifts.
“Hey Rora? How come you drew Miss Jimin today too, are you trying to replace your mommy?” Minjeong teased, before tickling her.
“I’m not! I’m not!” Rora squirmed laughing, attempting to get away.
Reaching their stop, Minjeong took Rora's hand to lead them off the bus. Ningning was already sitting outside on the porch.
“Howdy roomie!” She waved at Minjeong before turning to Rora “And her little gremlin!”
“I’m not a little grem-a-lin! You are.”
“You don’t even know what a little gremlin is!” Ningning shot back, sticking out her tongue.
“Both of you, stop! I’m going to get ready for work. Rora, be good to your aunt.” Minjeong kissed her forehead before heading into the house first.
The week went by quickly.
Work had become second nature to Minjeong.
Clock in. Keep moving. Smile when she had to. Stay when they asked.
Her schedule was supposed to be noon to midnight, five days a week, but "supposed to" had long stopped meaning anything.
One overtime shift turned into another, and before she knew it, twelve hours became sixteen.
By the time Minjeong reached the apartment, exhaustion clung to every step.
Her feet burned inside worn-out shoes, and the only thing keeping her upright was the thought of the little girl waiting behind the front door.
The lock clicked
Before she could even set her bag down, tiny footsteps raced across the floor.
"Mommy!"
From the kitchen, Ningning glanced over with a warm smile. "Another double?”
Minjeong let out a tired laugh and nodded. "Yeah."
"I figured."
Dinner simmered on the stove, the laundry sat folded on the couch, and Rora was already bathed and dressed in soft pajamas.
Ningning had done it all without asking for anything in return, giving Minjeong one less thing to worry about.
"She waited up for you," Ningning said quietly.
Minjeong looked down at Rora, who was already resting her head against her shoulder, eyelids growing heavier by the second.
"I'll work less next week," she murmured more to herself than anyone else.
---
Just like that Saturday came again and so did Rora, barging in Minjeong's room.
“It’s time, it's time!”
She had the calendar off the fridge once again. Minjeong shook her head standing up. Since they were early she managed to change as well Rora.
Unintentionally they ended up matching, wearing long sleeve white tops and jeans. Except Rora had a green dinosaur on her shirt.
The two waved goodbye to Ningning before heading to the bus stop. After riding three, maybe four stops the pair reached their destination.
When they arrived at the bookstore, Minjeong noticed a big truck outside and workers in blue jumpsuits. “Ron’s Plumbing”
“Minjeong, is that you?” Jimin, who was just giving the worker instructions, made her way over to them.
“Miss Jimin!” Rora wasted no time getting her hug of the day.
“I’m sorry girls but story hour is cancelled today. There’s been a plumbing issue and the power went out. We sent a notice out yesterday.”
“No story time?” Rora repeated, her eyes starting to water. Minjeong rubbed Rora's back.
But it didn’t offer much comfort. Rora was upset and begun to cry anyway.
“Oh it’s— it’s okay! There’s a park just a block away. Rora, do you want to see some ducks?” Jimin asked, kneeling to her level.
Rora's eyes lit up. “Ducks! Can we feed them?”
“I think we can find some bread nearby… sure! Jimin agreed. As long as it’s fine with you.” She added, meeting Minjeong’s eyes.
“We don’t want to inconvenience you. She’ll be fine—”
“Mom please!” Rora tugged Minjeong's shirt.
How could this possibly make up for Story Hour?
Minjeong sighed “Okay.. if it’s really not that far.”
“Yay!” Rora Jumped, reaching for Jimin’s hand and following her to the park after they grabbed some bread.
Minjeong walked not far behind sulky. For a split second, she wondered if Rora smiled like that with everyone.
The second they made it to the park, Rora ran ahead attempting to talk to the ducks by quacking. Jimin laughed before joining in, surprising Minjeong.
“You two.. this is silly the ducks won’t understand you guys.” Minjeong said, stepping beside them.
“How can you be so sure? I think Rora was close to saying hi to the family over there!” Jimin pointed out, staring at the pair of ducks and their duckling.
“I know! They'll talk to us if we give them bread!” Rora suggested, turning to Jimin.
Jimin agreed, opening the bag of bread to hand to Rora. “Be careful not to get too close, just toss it out.”
Jimin stood beside her and guided Rora with her own hand to toss the bread to the ducks.
Minjeong smiled while reaching for her phone. Unbeknownst to those two she took a picture.
Eventually when Rora tired out, the group sat on a bench nearby. Jimin had brought Rora an ice cream that was dripping all over her hand.
"You didn't have to buy that." Minjeong said, pulling a napkin from her purse.
"I wanted to." Jimin said softly.
Minjeong smiled despite herself.
Jimin grinned, turning to Rora. “I had fun with you two, much better than sitting around in a dark bookstore.”
“Mm!” Rora agreed.
“I guess it was fun, thank you for putting up with my daughter’s.. shenanigans.” Minjeong added, rubbing Rora's back.
Rora leaned her head back, turning to Minjeong. “Mommm can’t we hang out with Miss Jimin more often?”
“Hey what are you talking about.. next Saturday you will see her again.” Minjeong stammered, her cheeks slightly tinted pink.
Jimin laughed almost immediately. “I don’t mind.”
“We actually should go now.” Minjeong sat up, grabbing Rora's hand.
“I’m sorry,” Jimin stood as well. “But I noticed you two rode the bus here. The route back in your direction home is detouring.”
Minjeong stopped, checking her phone to see she was right. Still she had gotten enough of Jimin’s “help” so she brushed it off. “Well’ll be fine, it’s just a little detour.”
“I can drop you guys off back home if—”
“We’re okay,” Minjeong cut her off, taking Rora's hand and guiding her out of the park.
“Mommy,” Rora pouted. “That was mean.”
Minjeong wasn’t in the mood to argue with her three year old today. Already she allowed more to happen then she would like.
She didn’t want to rely on anyone. Minjeong already felt bad about having to admit she even needed Ningning.
But that was where the circle had to end.
She didn’t want her or her daughter to be someone’s charity case. Especially when the one offering was Yu Jimin— daughter of the Yu Enterprise.
Rora was still too young to understand, so naturally she had no idea.
But Jimin only volunteered at Story Hour once a week for a reason.
The rest of her time was spent at Yu Enterprise, attending meetings and rubbing shoulders with executives and business partners.
The bookstore wasn't her job.
It was simply a passion project.
And,
Minjeong had no intention of becoming part of her next one.