Jisung stood awfully close to the glass that separated him and the creature. He stared at the red-orange furred animal, and it stared right back. When the creature starts wagging its tail, he grins in excitement and unconsciously starts bouncing on his heels while leaning closer to the glass. Later, he feels hands firmly holding him on his shoulders and looks up, the grin never leaving his face.
"Appa!" His father laughs at his adorable, squeaky voice; the man's signature eye smile showing.
"Hey there, kiddo. What're you doing?" He asks, crouching to meet his beloved son's eye level.
"He just told me his name!" Jisung squeals while pointing at the creature, and Jimin looks over at him.
"Oh really? What is it?" Jimin asks, eyes not leaving the fox.
"It's Geon!"
"Geon..."
"Appa, can we let him out? He said he's sad because he misses his family." The boy pouts cutely, and Jimin chuckles, gently stroking his hair. "Sorry, buddy. But we can't do that. What if Mr. Police comes and catches us? You don't want that, do you?"
Jisung shakes his head vigorously, and Jimin smiles. He looks back at the fox who's staring at him, and his smile turns into a sad one.
Sorry, buddy. Good luck. The fox looks away, it's ears drooping.
"Jisungie!"
"Taetae samchon!" The two's loud voice pulls Jimin out from his trance, and he looks over to see his best friend picking up his child and spinning him around.
"Aigoo~ Who's my favorite nephew~?"
"Samchon, I'm your only nephew." Jimin smiles at their interaction. However, his smile shrinks when he catches the sight of two panting figures coming their way.
"Kim Taehyung! You put that boy down THIS INSTANT!" Jin shouts, stomping his way over to take -almost snatching- Jisung away from the man, making him pout.
"Where were you guys? We're worried sick!" Taehee frowns, making Jimin feel bad instantly.
"We searched the whole zoo for you guys! Look, I'm all sweaty now!" Jin huffs letting the boy in his arms down. Feeling bad, little Jisung pouts and hugs him around the waist,
"I'm so sorry, Jin samchon. I didn't mean it." Everyone knows Jin has a soft spot for Jimin, needless to say, for the man's son too.
"Aww~ It's okay, cutie. I forgive you. Come along now, samchon's buying ice cream!" Jin chimes happily and reaches his hand out for Jisung to hold. Cheering, the boy skips alongside Jin who now has Taehyung clinging onto him, begging the older to buy him one too.
Taehee shifts her gaze away from the trio to Jimin, still frowning. He can only grin cheekily and sings, "I'm sorry, Jagiya~"
His tactic obviously didn't work. She scoffs and looks away from him. So, with a pout, he moves to pull her into a hug, rocking their bodies from side to side. "I'm really really sorry~ Forgive me, hm?"
"Okay, okay. Stop it, you're gonna hurt mini Jimin." She chuckles as he quickly moves away, later crouching down to caress the bump on her stomach.
"Aigoo~ Appa's sorry. Please grow up healthily!" He coos and shifts closer to press his ear against her.
"That's enough, Jiminie. People are watching." Taehee laughs, pulling the man back up.
"I still don't understand. Why can't we have five kids at once?" Jimin pouts. Taehee, with her face turning red, slaps him on his arm as a middle-aged mother who passed by chuckles at his question.
"Jimin! I'm not a vixen, I can't do that!" Jimin only laughs and kisses her head,
"I love you, jagi."
__
"Jiminie, can you do me a favor and put Jisung to bed please?" Taehee looks over her shoulder, her hands holding a sponge and a dirty plate. Jimin who just finished wiping the dining table walks over to her, "Only if you give me a kiss." he smiles innocently.
So, she places a quick, chaste kiss on his lips. Grinning, he kisses her temple and jogs to the living room where his son is playing with figurines.
"Jisungie, time to sleep!"
"Now? But appa, it's still early." He frowns. Jimin picks him up anyway, laughing as he does so.
"Well, eomma wants you to go to bed early so you'll have a strong body. You don't want her to be upset, do you?"
"No..." Jisung pouts cutely, and Jimin can't help but ruffle the boy's orange hair that resembles his own. "Oh, come on, buddy! Appa will read you a story, how about that?"
"Story?! Yes, please!"
"Alright, go pick one." After his father places him back down, Jisung runs to his bookshelf and pulls out a book. Upon receiving the book, Jimin laughs.
"Didn't I just read this to you the other day?"
"But I really like this one! It's a sad story, but I know what's coming will make everything okay again!" Jisung cheers as he climbs into bed. Jimin follows behind, dragging a chair to sit beside his bed. Looking at the book cover, Jimin smiles. In his hands is a children version of his wife's novel. After Jisung had found out that his beloved mother is writing the sequel, he went crazy for it.
"Appa! Read! Read!" The boy cheers, bouncing a little on the bed. Jimin grins, opens the book and reads.
Once upon a time, there was an orange-furred fox. The fox was beautiful, but also sad and lonely. Every day he wanders in the forest to look for friends, but he couldn't find any. Then one day, a human girl moved into the house just outside of the forest.
The fox was curious. He wanted to befriend the human, but he was scared of rejection. So, he only quietly watches her from afar.
It was another normal day. Grandpa Sun was sharing his warmth with the world, the trees were protecting everyone from the bright light, and the flowers and grass were dancing to the wind. But suddenly, the clouds turned angry. They turned grey, and loud thunders and lightning came. Then came the rain and wind. They blow and blow and blow.
The fox was scared. He ran and ran and ran to the girl's house. But on the way, he hurt himself. He ran into branches and stones. He slipped and fell. He got cuts all over his small body. But he didn't give up. He kept running until he reached the human girl's house.
The girl later found him on her doorstep and took him in. She nursed him and took care of him. And later, they became very good friends. They were always together. They were happy.
One day when they were playing together in the yard, a gang of big bad wolves appeared. They showed their sharp teeth, and they wanted to hurt them.
The girl was scared. The fox was scared too, but he stood tall in front of the girl.
"Don't worry, I will protect you." The fox told the girl. And then, they fought. The wolves were trying to get him. They bite and they claw, but the fox dodged them all. In the end, the wolves left because the fox was too sly and smart.
The girl was happy that her friend is safe. But suddenly, a wolf jumped out from behind and bit the fox. The girl was shocked. But then she became very, very angry. She took a stick and started hitting the wolf with all her might. She shouted and screamed for it to go away. The wolf became scared and ran away.
The fox was hurt. He was bleeding as he laid on the ground. He weakly calls out to his one and only friend. The girl quickly ran to him. She hugged him and cried and cried and cried until she couldn't anymore. And then, the fox left. He left to a safer, more peaceful place. A group of angels came to bring him to the beautiful place. But just before he entered the gates to heaven, he looked back, and he cried.
"Don't worry, I will find you again!" He shouted in tears to the girl, and then he was gone.
Once upon a time, a fox loved a girl.
Once upon a time, a fox and a girl loved each other.
- 끝 -