TERRIBLE TWOS
Dealing with tantrums, especially at the grocery shop, isn’t something Jungkook wants to deal with, ever. Yet here he is.
➪ PAIRING; jungkook x reader
➪ GENRE; fluff
➪ TAGS; established relationship, girl dad jk, fluff, dealing with toddler tantrum, jk is highkey stressed
➪ WORDCOUNT; 1.6k
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▎21 JULY 2026
Jungkook was no stranger to tantrums. Life with a toddler came with its fair share of screaming, tears and dramatic flops onto the floor. They were practically a normal part of his life, and yours too. He had seen it all, or so he thought.
It was more of an event than a tantrum. Even your cat Marshmallow would retreat upstairs in your shared bedroom and hide under the bed when she would hear the first series of your daughter’s high-pitched cries. Even she knew better than to get involved.
But today’s meltdown deserved its own category, because it was a whole new level. He was talking about full-volume wailing, fists pounding and legs kicking.
Jungkook held Areum tight against his chest as she screamed like her world was ending. Her tiny face was blotchy and soaked with tears, while she thrashed her legs and flailed her arms like she was fighting for her life. Every kick hit with surprising force for someone barely three feet tall. Her cries bounced off the aisles and echoed down the rows of cereal and canned soup.
People were definitely staring, there was no doubt about that. Some gave that ‘I’ve been there’ look of sympathy, while others pretended not to look while clearly listening. A few just sighed or whispered to each other, probably judging both your parenting skills from a safe distance. Jungkook could feel some heat rising in his face, but he didn’t let go. He survived public tantrums before, but this one could probably be heard in the parking lot.
You walked a few steps ahead with both hands on the shopping trolley, trying to look calm and composed. Your face was the picture of neutrality. There was no frustration nor embarrassment. But Jungkook knew you way too well. The tightness around your mouth and the way your shoulders tensed every time someone turned to stare gave it all away of how it was getting to you.
Letting out a slow breath, you looked back at your husband. “She’s really going for it today” you said, almost in disbelief.
“Oh, you think?” Jungkook muttered, tightening his hold as Areum twisted like a tiny hurricane which nearly smacked his baseball cap clean off. “She wanted the chocolate chip cookies and I said no. Apparently that was the worst mistake of my life.”
You gave a small, weary laugh that didn’t quite reach your eyes, then reached out to grab a box of cereal. Any cereal really, just something to make it look like you were still focused on shopping and not the human siren wailing behind you.
“People are staring Jungkook” you mumbled loud enough for your husband to hear you.
Jungkook didn’t even need to look up to know people were staring. He could feel the burn of every side-eye and judgmental looks shooting the back of his neck. The sound of Areum’s cries was basically filling every quiet gap in the store.
An older woman pushed her shopping trolley past while shaking her head with that tight-lipped expression only grandparents seemed to have mastered. The ‘in my day, kids knew how to behave’ look. While a man by the dairy section paused mid–milk grab and shot Jungkook the ‘control your kid’ kind of look.
Jungkook bit back a sigh. He wasn’t oblivious. He knew it was chaos. But what did they expect him to do? Negotiate with a two-year-old terrorist in aisle seven? He strengthened his grip on Areum as she kicked again, her sobs turning hiccupy and wild. He tried to focus on breathing instead of bolting for the exit.
Jungkook adjusted his grip again and started bouncing Areum gently, trying to soothe her even as she squirmed and kicked against his chest. “Bubba, please,” he cooed to her. His voice was soft, but fraying around the edges.
As he brushed a few damp curls off her forehead, he could see how her little face was hot and streaked with tears. “I know you’re upset baby, but we can’t get cookies right now. We’ll have a snack when we get home, okay?”
But Areum wasn’t having it. She arched her back even more and threw her head back with a shriek that could’ve shattered glass. Jungkook flinched, and his patience was starting to hang by a thread. He was usually good at staying calm, but this was draining the life out of him. He shot you a look that said ‘please save me’ before actually saying it out loud.
“Any ideas?”
You pursed your lips and thought. Then, you reached into the trolley and pulled out a bag of baby carrots. You crouched a little so you were eye level with your daughter, “Areum, look,” you said as you held the bag up like it was a treasure. “Want some carrots?”
For a moment, there was hope. Areum hiccuped and sniffled as her teary eyes flicked towards the bag. Then, with all the fury a two-year-old could muster, she slapped it away, “NO!” she screamed.
You exhaled through your nose and straightened up before dropping the bag back in the trolley. “Well,” you said dryly, “it was worth a shot.”
Jungkook let out a long, exhausted sigh. His shirt was sticking to his back, his arms ached from holding a squirming toddler, and he could practically feel every judgmental look boring holes into him from all directions. He was done — mentally, physically and emotionally.
But then an idea popped up in his mind. Desperate times, desperate parenting. Maybe it wouldn’t work, but at this point, he was ready to try anything.
He shifted Areum in his arms so she was facing him. “Hey, Bubba,” he said softly with a little playfulness in his tone. “Can you take a deep breath with Daddy?” he asked as he brushed her curls away again.
Areum hiccupped, her tiny chest jerking as she sniffled. She looked at him through her wet lashes, then shook her head with a stubborn little scowl.
Jungkook smiled anyway. He was still surprisingly patient, but clearly running on fumes. “That’s okay,” he said, still rocking her gently. “Daddy’s going to do it anyway.”
Jungkook drew in a loud, exaggerated breath, puffing out his cheeks until they looked ready to pop. “Biiiiig breath in—” he said, drawing out the words like it was part of a magic spell. Then he leaned forward and blew a gentle whoooosh of air right into Areum’s face.
She blinked, clearly startled. Her little chest still heaved from all the crying, but something about the goofy sound, or maybe the puff of air, caught her attention for just a second. Her brow furrowed in curiosity in spite of herself.
Jungkook caught that sparkle of calm and ran with it. “And another one!” he said, doing it again. This time it was even sillier, and with a cartoonish puff of his cheeks. “Whoooosh!”
Areum hiccupped, then let out a small, shaky giggle. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make your heart unclench. Jungkook grinned in victory. “One more?” he asked softly.
She hesitated, still sniffling, then took in a tiny, uneven breath. With her best attempt at copying her father, she blew it out with a quiet pfff.
And just like that, the grocery store went quiet again. The screaming had stopped and the air felt lighter than ever.
“See how easy that was?” Jungkook said softly, tapping Areum’s nose with his finger. “Screaming and kicking like that won’t get you anywhere Bubba,” he added gently, tone more loving than scolding.
You stepped closer and pulled a tissue from your bag to wipe her tear-streaked cheeks. “You’ve had plenty of sugar this week sweetheart,” you said.
“But Mummy promises she’ll make you a yummy snack when we get home, okay? Something special just for you.”
Areum had clearly run out of steam. Her little shoulders sagged and her sniffles faded into quieter hiccups. Whatever energy she had left from her earlier tantrum was gone and replaced by tiredness. With a few gentle words from you, she was convinced, nodding and resting her head against Jungkook’s chest.
“That’s my good girl,” Jungkook murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and running a soothing hand through her hair.
The rest of the shopping trip was blessedly calm. No more tears, no more ‘I want that one’. And by the time you both reached the car to put the shopping away, she was completely out, fast asleep in her father’s arms.
Jungkook let out a quiet laugh as he buckled her into her car seat. “All that over chocolate chip cookies,” he said, shaking his head.
“But she has to learn that no means no. She can’t always get what she wants.”
You shut the boot door and leaned against the car for a second. “True,” you admitted, though your heart softened as you looked at her peaceful face. “But my poor baby. I hate seeing her cry like that.”
Jungkook looked up at you with a small smile. “Me too. But if we give in once, she’ll think it works every time. Some days we just have to ride it out.”
You sighed, brushing a stray curl from Areum’s cheek. “Parenting is so hard.”
“Yeah,” he said with a quiet laugh, sliding an arm around your waist. “But I think we’re doing alright as a first time parents, you know?”
You rested your head against his arm as he closed the car door. As Jungkook sat in the driver’s seat and you next to him, you saw Areum stir slightly and mumble something about cookies in her sleep. You both couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“Guess she’s still dreaming about them,” you said.
Jungkook smiled. “She’s definitely your daughter.”
