Kim Family

단풍

Aera : 2 years old

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Taehyung POV

"DADDY!"

I jumped right out of bed, before running off towards Aera's room. I don't know how, but I'm always able to tell the difference between Aera and Arang when it comes to a scream or crying

Jennie calls it "parental intuition" which I suppose makes sense because she's able to do it too. In a way, it makes me feel better since I don't have to spend any extra time trying to figure out which one is upset. Swinging back Aera's door, I ran over to the window, where my little girl was standing and staring outside

"What is it baby?" I asked frantically, kneeling down to her level and holding onto her sides

"Daddy!" She shout again, turning her head to look at me. Her eyes were wide and she looked rather panicked "We have to go outside!" Aera grabbed onto my shirt, yanking at it with as much strength as she had "Hurry!"

"Baby, why do we have to go outside?" I raised an eyebrow "Is something happening out there?"

"Yeah!" Aera nodded quickly "All the leafies are fallin' off the trees! We have to save them" As realization hit me, a gentle warmth covered my face as I began to chuckle. Aera furrowed her brow, clearly not understanding what I found so amusing about her concerns

Composing myself, I answered "Sweetheart, it's okay that the leaves are falling off the trees. They're supposed to do that"

"But...but they're not green no more" Aera frowned "They look sick, Daddy"

"No, the leaves aren't sick baby girl" I took her face into my hands. A hopeful look gleamed in her eyes, and that put a pang in my heart

Technically, yeah, the leaves were dying. That's what happens in the fall, after all. But I knew that telling Aera that would only make her upset. She was very sensitive to living creatures, which in a sense made her a lot like Jennie. And I guess like me too

"So why are they falling?" Aera prodded

"Err...." I wracked my brain, trying to come up with a good façade for my daughter "Well, you see the princess, when it starts to get cold outside; the leaves don't like staying on the trees. They want to go someplace warm"

"The ground isn't warm" Aera responded

"Well, getting to the ground is just the first step" I continued, gaining more and more confidence in this little tale as I went along "Because once the leaves are on the ground, the wind will sweep them away to somewhere with lots of sun and warmth"

"But won't they miss the trees?" Aera worriedly said "The tree is their house, Daddy"

"Oh, don't worry Pumpkin" I grinned at her "The leaves will come back eventually. They only go on a long vacation for the winter. When spring comes around, you'll see the leaves growing back on the trees. And they'll be green again!"

"Okay" Aera seemed to accept this story. "But I still don't stand why they're brown now"

This one I wasn't entirely sure of how to explain. Why would leaves need to change their color if they were only going on vacation? I didn't know what to tell Aera

"Daddy, why they brown?" Aera inquired again

"Well, they're brown because they're bored of being green!" I finally explained "The leaves just want a little change is all. You don't like wearing the same colored clothes all the time, right cutie?"

Aera quickly shook her head as she pulled at her yellow pajama top "Like how all my pajamies have diffy colors"

"Yes, just like your jammies" I smiled as I patted her on the head

"I know now" Aera nodded eagerly "The leaves are okay"

"Yes, everything is just fine" I lifted Aera up into my arms and kissed her on the forehead, earning a wildly happy laugh from the little girl

"Love Daddy" Aera murmured, wrapping her arms around my neck

"I love you too sweetie" I chuckled, hugging her even closer "Come on now. It's time for breakfast"