koala || minjoon

two

"mr.park?"

a soft-spoken voice flooded the ears of park jimin as he felt a small tug on the leg of his pants, a gesture all too familiar for him at his place of work. he shifted his gaze downwards towards to a small boy standing at his feet, a shy smile stretching across his chubby cheeks and his arms stretched upwards, awaiting his daily cuddle from his daycare teacher.

"good morning, my koala." jimin chimed as he drew the young child close into his chest, petting the disheveled curls dominating korain's little head with gentle strokes of his palm, attempting to tame them. he eventually rose the boy onto his hip, the smaller basking in the desired touch by snaking his limbs around jimin's physique.

"i got you a surprise." jimin held the toddler's hand and lead the boy over to the set of cubbies at the entrance, stopping once they got to a cubby with korain's name tag stuck on it, the one he decorated with jimin on his first week at the daycare center. it had a messily drawn, but precious to say the least, pictorial of jimin and korain holding hands cheering a happy "yay!".

"do you see it, baby?" korain nodded with a goofy smile on his face once he saw a yellow metallic gift bag placed inside his cubby. he climbed out of jimin's arms and tore into the gift in excitement, pulling out a fluffy grey thing with his small fingers clasped around it.

"it's a koala." jimin watched in awe as the baby bounced up and down, hugging the stuffed animal close to his chest.

"t-thank you, diminie." the baby sang softly, still awing over the present from his favorite teacher ever.

"you're welcome, but remember baby..." jimin pulled the young child into a hug. "i'm 'mr.park'".

korain had picked up on jimin's first name from staying after much later than the other kids every night, but occasionally a cute nickname would slip past his small lips, to which jimin, sadly, had to correct him for it.

"did you sleep okay? are you hungry?" jimin softened his voice and gaze towards korain, proceeding with preparation of a meal for the younger once he saw the baby nod his head softly.

"hm, let's find something nice and nummy for baby's tummy." jimin tickled his fingers along the toddler's stomach, high pitched giggles escaping the soft peachy lips of the baby as he squirmed under jimin's touch. "something to make baby grow big and strong!"

he plated a big scoop of rice and some mandu onto a tray for the younger, seating the hungry toddler on the floor with a short table in front of him, setting the tray down.

"w-want y-you." korain began to wine as jimin parted ways to retrieve a bib, moving his feet quickly. he put the bib onto the younger and seated himself down next to the needy toddler, bringing korain to sit in his lap.

the baby began to feed himself, munching on the food in delight, rice sticking to his cheeks.

"nummy?" jimin asked, placing a kiss atop korain's head as the two year old nodded his head happily, continuing to shove heaps of food past his lips.

"korain, you eat so well~" the elder praised as the younger finished every bit of cuisine on his plate, chewing on his final spoonful.

"all done!" korain cheered as he gazed up a jimin with a big toothy grin stretched across his face, remnants of breakfast sprawled across his smooth cheeks.

"such a big boy~" jimin cooed, standing up with korain in his arms, leading them to the sink. he placed the dish in the basin, grabbing a washcloth from the cabinet and dampening it under the flow of the faucet.

he seated the toddler on the counter next to the large basin, taking his small hands into his to wipe them clean with the warm cloth. next, he addressed korain's face, cleaning the rice residue from his young skin and, once that task was completed, pulling away to catch korain's youthful glow waning over his baby face.

"all clean!" jimin poked korain's tiny nose, never failing to make the toddler giggle.

unfortunately those giggles where abruptly interrupted by a shriek, shrill scream of one of the daycare children and a worried flock of coworkers scurrying over to rescue.

"jimin! we need you!" a frantic woman beckoned, jimin placing korain back onto the ground and quickly striding over to the scene. he observed the incident as another daycare worker herded the other children into another room, shielding them from the sight. "call 9-1-1."

jimin acted instantaneously the moment he caught sight of a male coworker holding the injured girl in his arms with another teacher holding a cloth to the back of the toddler's head, a small pool of blood surrounding them. he called and requested an ambulance, informing the group that help was on its way.

the pink haired male turned around, noticing korain standing closely behind him, a fire of fear searing in his once aglow mocha orbs, a tremble inhabiting his petite frame, a sickly paleness coloring over his face, and a jumble of choked breaths battling at his airways.

jimin took careful steps towards the toddler who now had tears cascading down his cheeks, deafening, panicked wails erupting from the shaky young child.

"shh, korain." jimin swept korain into his arms soothingly, fleeing the pair from the scene into a room by themselves.

"b-blood.. b-blood no! no, daddy! no!" korain wailed, flailing himself against jimin's chest, clutching desperately at his messy raven locks, pulling at the roots. "i-i... mr.park i scared.."

"korain, deep breaths." the elder lead the younger through some breathing techniques, eventually getting the boy to loosen his grasp in his hair.

the toddler's breaths began to mellow, inhaling through his nose and exhaling softly at once, but the tears still raced down his face, silently but harsh enough to tug at jimin's heart strings. he furrowed his eyebrows as the baby flung himself into jimin's chest, cuddling his face into his warm embrace.

"daddy has blood... b-blood o-on his ar-arms... bad daddy. i scared of daddy." the baby muttered detrimental nonsense. jimin's stomach was churning, uneasiness flowing in his veins. "i-i don't l-love daddy-"

"korain." jimin began to scold sadly, but was interjected by the baby's continuation of his endless thoughts and opinions.

"can mr.park be my daddy? don't wanna go home to other daddy..." korain mumbled sadly, tightening his embrace on jimin. "i- i wike mr. park. mr.park play with me, he cuddles me, he smiles... daddy never smiles... he's no no."

"baby, don't say that. you're daddy loves you." or at least jimin hoped he did.

"well, i don't love daddy because... because..." korain paused and pushed himself off of jimin's chest, locking his gaze with his concerned teacher. "because daddy killed mommy."

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hey honeys!!! this book will be slow going, intros are always so tough.

school is almost over, thank god! then i can write more ♡

i hope you enjoy ~ !!!!