My Happiness

Appa is strong

2 years later

“Binnie no. Appa said no more candies today.”

5-year-old Jiwoo tried to take the candy packet from his little brother, who was adamant about eating candy, once he saw it in the candy section of the supermarket.

“Woo….” 

Soobin began to cry when his sister forcefully took the candy from his hand.

“Don’t cry. Appa said more candies are not good for our teeth.”

She began to console the baby, but he isn’t showing any signs to stop crying.
Jiwoo started feeling sad about making her baby brother cry.

“Ok here, don’t tell Appa that I give you one more candy.”

She gave back the candy to him, who immediately stopped his sound when the sparkling packet came back to him.

“Aiigoo, when did you two come here?"

Jin asked in little shock as he came from the bill counter, searching for his two babies, who were with him just 2 minutes before. Jiwoo instantly hid her baby bother, who was busy opening the candy packet with his little teeth behind her.

*

“This is the last one. I will plant this in the backyard; you two don’t step near it. I will be back.”

Jin warned the two babies, who were happily watching the newly planted lavender crowds in their garden. Once Jin disappeared, Soobin ran with his small feet toward the lavenders. Jiwoo worriedly ran behind her brother.

"No, Appa said, no touch.”

Jiwoo said, but Soobin was beyond curiosity; he pulled a plant with his bare hands and started to giggle.

“Binnie no.”

Once her brother put the plant on the ground, Jiwoo began to replant it, using her small, chubby hands with worry about completing it before her Appa came back. Jiwoo smiles when his baby brother assists in replanting by pressing the soil on the bottom of the plant.

"Look, your hands are dirty.”

Jiwoo slowly held Soobin's small hand and cleared the mud. But Soobin placed his other hand on Jiwoo's cheek, showing his happiness and making her cheeks dirty. Jiwoo smiled back when Soobin giggled, but they heard another giggle, which jolted them from their moment. Jiwoo and Soobin looked at their appa in confusion, thinking that instead of scolding them, he was also enjoying the moment.

*

"Are you liking your school?”

Jin asked when he put Jiwoo on her feet after getting out of the taxi.

“Yes Appa. I have lots of friends now.” Jiwoo said it pleasantly.

Jin just smiled at his cute daughter’s adorable smile.

"Can't Bennie come with me?"

Jin, who was busy taking her school bag and water bottle from the taxi, sighed before answering her question.

“I know you want to with your baby brother, but woo, he is just a baby. He can't come to school at this age. When he comes of age, he will surely accompany you. no, no. You can surely accompany him. And for now, you should be a good sister to him by going to school like a good girl. ok?”

Jin successfully convinced his daughter’s constant request calmly.

“Ok Appa. I will be a good sister to Binnie.”

“That’s right. And remember to be nice with other children, don’t make anyone sad, and share your food.”

Jin gave him a kiss, and he accepted a kiss as a return from his daughter.
Jiwoo happily waved at her Appa before entering the school gate.

*

"Say, ah, its choo choo train.”

Jin said as he was trying to feed Soobin, who instantly opened his mouth once his appa successfully entertained him.

Jiwoo giggled when his appa made faces for Soobin's to open his mouth.
She scooped a full spoonful of cereal and started munching it.

“Appa?”

"Mmmm?" Jin asked, still not shifting his focus from feeding Soobin.

“Why do Soobin and I have only one parent?”

The question stopped Jin from feeding Soobin.

“I have seen my friends coming with their two parents to school, and I have also seen some kids shopping with their parents in the supermarket, in the park, and at the beach. Did we not have another parent, Appa?"

Jin knows that even if Jiwoo is soft and kind like him, she is really smart like his dada. One can say that they have been seeing Jungkook in girl form when they met Jiwoo. She got that bunny smile and deo eyes, just like her dada. But he was too speechless to answer the question now.

“Appa is strong.”

Jiwoo began to speak when Jin sank into his thoughts.Jin was amazed to hear those words from his little daughter as she continued.

“Appa is so strong that he can carry both me and my things when he drops me off at school. Appa is strong enough to carry both Binnie and me. Appa is strong enough to carry all the groceries without the help of others. My appa is really strong.”

Jiwoo said what she had observed and understood at her young age, which was really overwhelming for Jin. He quickly held back the tears and hugged both his babies, nibbling at his lips to hold back the suffering, misery, and pain he had been going through as a single parent for both of his babies.

*

Jiwoo slowly tries to sit on the bench in the public park near her school. She was waiting for her grandmother to pick her up from school since his appa couldn't come because of his work. She slowly looked at the man who was sitting at the other end of the bench who didn’t even notice her presents.

“Ahjussi?”

Jiwoo called politely, which quickly made the man turn towards the honey voice he heard just now.
The man smiled when she saw an adorable little girl looking at him and asking something.

“Yes, what can I do for you, baby?"

“What time is it now?”

The man looked at his watch and informed her of the time, which made her furrow her forehead.

“Granny doesn’t come this late any day.” She said as she was talking to herself. Then she looked into the man's eyes.

“Thank you for telling the time." Jiwoo said politely, making the man amazed with her behavior.

“May I ask why you are sitting here?" The man asked softly.

“Oh, that’s because my granny will pick me up from here after school. I think she is late because my brother is naughty again.” Jiwoo said with a smile, thinking about what Binnie had done today.

"Oh, you have a brother?”

"Yes, he is going to be two this month. Appa is going to make two cakes for him this time.” She said it excitedly.

It felt like the man liked the little girl and her little talk very much. He became interested and was about to speak more when

“Look, it's my granny. Iam going.”

Jiwoo quickly jumped from the bench, taking his school bag along with her, and ran towards the road. Once she reached the roadside, she stopped for the red light to change to green.

“Granny, Binnie.”

Jiwoo called with joy, which gained their attention. Her grandmother waved at her on the other side of the road, and Binnie began to excitedly jump into his grandmother’s hold once he saw his sister.

“Jiwoo…..”

That call—that name he heard from the other side of the road from the little girl’s grandmother—shocked that man who is watching all these from the park, and his eyes went wide. But before he could do anything or get out of the shock, the signal changed, and Jiwoo ran towards the side with a bunch of people, hiding both her and her grandmother and brother from the man's sight.