#jinyoung soft

[sxfterhearts]

25. [7:39 am]

➳ pairing: jinyoung x reader

➳ genre/warnings: fluff, model!jinyoung, intern/photographer!reader

➳ word count: 1,253 words

➳ summary: 25. "Look both ways."

➳ author's note: i was inspired by the masterpiece that is hear, here. 📷 gosh the way that i am whipped for the incredible human being that is park jinyoung... 

//

You bounced lightly on the tips of your toes, your free hand reaching out towards the back of Jinyoung's broad shoulders, currently hunched over to get a better look of the pictures taken at the previous shooting venue.

Your fingers quickly retreated when he straightened his figure, focusing his attention instead on the head photographer, your boss. The two of them engaged in an extremely earnest conversation about ideal poses and facial expressions that could portray effortless 'boy next door' vibes as you stood behind them, trying to calm your nerves.

"Perhaps relax a little bit more when we're taking the close-up shots. We want it to be less formal and more intimate." The middle-aged man adjusted his glasses in a thoughtful manner. "You're doing great so far, Jinyoung. Let's get started, shall we?" He turned around, face lighting up upon spotting the requested prop, a Starbucks takeaway cup, in your hand.

"Sir," You started, nervous and quiet under the watchful gaze of Jinyoung, an internationally renowned model. In fact, he was the first model you worked with outside of the studio, outside of the country, during the first month of your internship at your boss' studio.

Your boss, an occasionally demanding but undoubtedly caring mentor, chuckled lightly at your demeanour. "Thank you, Y/N. Hand Jinyoung his coffee and help me with the light reflectors."

Jinyoung's eyes lit up in amusement. "Y/N, right?" He clarified once your boss left the two of you alone to find a good spot to position the camera.

You nodded. His honey-like voice wrapped around the syllables of your name with such luxurious grace. "Ah, yes, sir. I got you a vanilla latte, grande."

His fingers intentionally brushed against yours as you passed him the hot beverage, his lips quirking upwards in a playful smile, mostly due to the fact that you managed to order his favourite drink even without asking him beforehand. "Sir? I don't look that old now, do I?"

You shook your head quickly, fearing that he misunderstood the respectful form of address. "No, no, not at all. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I just didn't know-"

"Don't be sorry, intern." His entire body shook as he released a cheerful laugh. "Just Jinyoung is fine. Don't sweat it." He reached into the pockets of his grey, striped blazer and pulled out his phone, handing it to you. "Could you do me a favour? I've gotta post in a few photos for my social media accounts. Nothing too professional, you just gotta make me look good, yeah? Can you do that for me?"

Inside, you were a mess; utterly starstruck. You could only nod in response as your boss ushered everyone into their positions and Jinyoung waltzed across the cobblestone road. To be perfectly honest, you were prepared to do just about anything for the man. He was Korea's treasured it-boy; the nation's first love who graced the covers of every magazine with his soft, pleasing features and elegant, stylish clothing that complemented his figure. You had only worked with him for a little over a day, but it was becoming increasingly apparent why the entire country had fallen in love with him. Jinyoung had been nothing short of an angel to work with. Considerate, respectful and humble, with a light sprinkling of flirtatious remarks directed towards you, the only female photographer on the job, but nothing that ever overstepped the boundaries. You found yourself wishing for him to mess up or have a major wardrobe malfunction just so that you could be within his presence for a little while longer.

"Y/N, could you stand right beside Jinyoung with the reflector?" Your boss' voice snapped you out of your daydream.

You complied immediately, of course. You wanted, no, needed, to impress your boss in order to secure a job in his reputable studio after your graduation. Photography was more than just a hobby for you. It taught you how to capture your individual, unique perspective of the world around you. It was your way of life. Seemingly mundane, day to day happenings provided you with the perfect subjects to shoot and study. You used your lens to champion everyday objects and scenery; giving them a chance to visually showcase their own stories.

Before one could get to that level of their professional career, however, they had to pass through a trial by fire. Running errands like ordering copious amounts of coffee, picking up outfit after outfit from the dry cleaners', or in your case, getting the perfect angle for sunlight to reflect and shine on Jinyoung's angelic face, were amongst your daily tasks.

You crossed the narrow road without sparing a second thought. There weren't many shops open in the outskirts of Taipei during the early hours of the morning, save for a few coffee shops, hence traffic was reasonably light. You were just about to reach the opposite site of the road when a motorbike zoomed by, nearly colliding with you from behind. It was a close call, and you could feel the strong rush of air that flew past you so vividly, causing your hair to fly off your back. Jinyoung hastily grabbed both of your wrists and yanked, panic filling his chocolate-brown orbs. You let out a tiny squeal of surprise, heart hammering painfully in your chest as he held you close to his side for a few moments after saving you.

"Hey, you alright?" Jinyoung repositioned his hands on the tops of your shoulders, inspecting your face closely for any signs of discomfort. "Look both ways before you cross the road, intern."

"I…" Your mouth was dry and your palms, sweaty. Perhaps, for more reasons than one. "I'm sorry, I-"

Jinyoung swiftly hushed you. "No need to apologise, Y/N. Just make sure to be more careful next time, okay? I don't want you getting injured because of me." He gave you a couple of reassuring squeezes on your shoulders, gifting you with the kindest smile he could muster.

"Y/N!" Your boss yelled from across the street. "Be careful! Are you hurt?"

"She's fine!" Jinyoung responded on your behalf, seeing as you were still a bit shaken from the earlier incident. He then turned to you, muttering softly, "At least, I think so. You seem to be taking quite sharp breathes though," Jinyoung's fingers pressed lightly against the pulse point at your wrist, a cheeky glint in his eyes. "And you've got a pretty rapid heartbeat. I wonder why…" He trailed off, watching as you momentarily avoided his gaze, instead focussing on the uneven surface of the road below your feet.

You took several deep breaths to calm yourself down. "I'm fine, Jinyoung. There's nothing to be worried about." You replied with determination. "We can continue, I'm sorry for the trouble I caused." You gave him a light bow before straightening your posture, finally returning his gaze with a renewed fire burning in your eyes. You were intent on continuing the photoshoot with utmost professionalism, and without any further mishaps.

"Sure, let's get on with it then." Jinyoung returned to his agreed position. The brief meeting of your eyes and your professional recovery from the situation were, to him, a testament to your fiery passion. It reminded him so much of his younger self when he first started out in the modelling industry, somewhat clueless of its conventions yet hell-bent on reaching the very top.

He, too, wished that by some stroke of luck he could spend a few more hours in your presence.

[cl16void]

jinson bios (⸝⸝ᵕᴗᵕ⸝⸝)

꒰ ✉ ꒱ 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗲 … ᵖᵃʳᵏ ᵍᵃᵉᵎ ଯ( ॢᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ॢഒ

✎ 𝘸𝘫𝘴 ෆ 𝘱𝘫𝘺 ࿐ 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚

٩(๛ ˘ ³˘)۶ 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 ⋮ 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜 ᵕ̈ 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠 ༄

( note : please dont use this anymore, screenreaders cant read fonts. thank you :) )

like or credit to @/1004DAZED on twt ᵕ̈

[pattyyong]

Moodboard Jinyoung. 🐥

[sxfterhearts]

36. [3:46 pm]

➳ pairing: jinyoung x reader

➳ genre/warnings: fluff, just comfort fluff, highschool!au

➳ word count: 940 words

➳ summary: 36. “We'll figure it out.” 

➳ author's note: this is a great prompt!! 🥰 i hope you’ll enjoy reading as much as i enjoyed writing. also, consider this a small 200 follower gift!  ꒰˘̩̩̩⌣˘̩̩̩๑꒱♡ i truly appreciate every single one of you who like, comment, reblog, leave me asks and message me personally. thank you for being here! have a good day or night  ♥ it is now 3am so good night!!!

//

Lying on the bed of spongy, luscious grass in the middle of your school's field, you observed multitudes of white, fluffy clouds float across the sky above your head. You reached out an arm, your fingers itching to pick up an ice-cream shaped cloud and feel the cool dessert melt upon your tongue. An invisible gust destroyed the vivid picture, however, disrupting your imagination. Unable to hide your disappointment, you let out a sigh. After seeing that cloud, you had to convince Jinyoung to buy you an ice cream on the way home. The last ice cream on the last day home, ever.

"Why the long face?" The boy asked from his comfortable position beside you. When you turned to look at him, he had his head resting on top of folded arms and one leg crossed over the other in a leisurely manner, without a care in the world. He cracked one eye open to scan your lost, worried expression.

"Do you ever think about it?" You asked.

Jinyoung readjusted his body to lie on his side, giving you his full attention. "About what?" He raised a curious eyebrow, not liking where this conversation was going already.

"I don't know…" You trailed off, not really meeting his gaze as you try to rack your brains for the best words to articulate your feelings. "Do you ever think about the what ifs? The could haves, the would haves, the should haves. Imagine how different our lives would be if we didn't both go to the same high school, pick the same subjects, sat next to each other and became friends. I would be a whole other person without meeting you."

Jinyoung simply stared at you wordlessly. His eyes exposed how affected he was by your words, yet he tried his best not to show it. "Well, I'd have to say the same. I am who I am because of you." It was your turn to shift along the green carpet and align your face with his, quietly urging him to continue. The boy rarely spoke of things like this, ever, but you supposed people became more sentimental on days like this, even people like Jinyoung who always kept his heart under lock and key. "But to answer your question, no. No, I don't think about the what ifs. I think that in life, everything happens for a reason."

You hummed softly. "I suppose. It's just that these days I find myself thinking more about things like this. Things like what if I made the wrong choice? What if I was meant to study something else; be someone else and live someplace else? What if I wasn't supposed to enrol in this university? I don't even know what I want to do for the rest of my life yet I'm forced to choose. We just graduated high school, for heaven's sake! How can we make such an important decision when we don't even know what's out there in the outside world? I just wish someone would, I don't know," You paused, huffing as you yanked out a chunk of grass, frustrated. "I just want someone to show me the way. Just show me the path I'm meant to walk on so I can make the right choices and get to the final destination."

Jinyoung lifted his outer arm, warm and inviting. "C'mere," he said before engulfing you in a bone-crushing, suffocating squeeze that was meant to be a hug. The two of you stayed like this for a moment, silent, just listening to each other's heartbeat. You buried your face into the collar of his uniform, the one boys wore only on special occasions like today, breathing in the fruity, spicy scent of male deodorant you were overly accustomed to. The range of emotions swirling wildly in your chest overtook your ability to think rationally, and before you knew it, you felt your cheeks dampen with fresh tears. Thankfully, Jinyoung's shirt soaked up all of it.

"Hey," You felt more than heard him mumble through the vibrations in his chest. "It's not always about the destination. The mistakes we make and the rewards we reap along the way are just as important as the final goal. Besides, no one is meant to have all the answers at seventeen or eighteen." One of Jinyoung's palms soothingly stroked your back, while the other settled on the back of your head, caressing it gently. "We'll figure it out, okay? Just like we did when we had to choose between To Kill A Mockingbird and Catcher in the Rye for our English speech in Year Eleven. Or Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream for our play." He heard you whine and felt you squirm in his arms at his lame examples, prompting him to hold you firmly in place. "And yes, I know it's not the same thing, but you've just got to trust yourself and trust in your decisions. There is no right or wrong, Y/N. Just consequences we must face."

You sniffled, saying nothing as you digested his words. He released his strong hold on you, letting you go, but you pulled him back and clung to him like a koala would to a tree.

Jinyoung chuckled. You couldn't see him, but you could picture his boyish smile and his signature crinkles at the corner of his eyes so vividly. It was a sight you had memorised and committed to memory; a sight you never wanted to forget. "Move, we can't afford to break our after school tradition on the very last day of school. Let's go get you some ice cream, hmm?"

[sxfterhearts]

4. [11:45am]

The car ride from the hotel you stayed overnight with your bridesmaids to the wedding venue seemed to stretch out for ages. Your mind tuned out the girls’ excited chatter as you stared out the backseat window, watching the tall skyscrapers of the city blend into suburban houses and well-manicured lawns. Soon, in another twenty minutes, you were about to lay your eyes on your future husband, dressed in his wedding tuxedo.

Your lips unconsciously formed a fond smile as you recalled the first time you saw him in formal dress.

Twelve years ago

“Well, what do you think? How do I look?” Jinyoung directed his question to the figure standing by his doorway while smoothing down an invisible crinkle on his left sleeve. He turned away from the full-length mirror to lock eyes with you.

You couldn’t stop the giggle that slipped past your lips. His hair was gelled and combed back neatly, a stark contrast to how he usually wore it down with no product. His black suit and matching trousers were impeccable, however the red tie that hang messily around his neck destroyed the entire look.

“Hey! Is it really that bad?” He whined. Never in a million years did you think it was possible for your best friend and next-door neighbour of five years to sound like a fussy five-year-old child. “You’re so mean, I don’t know why I asked for your opinion anyway.”

“No, it’s just,” You chuckled mid-sentence upon discovering his fiery red socks. You took a deep breath to compose yourself. “I didn’t mean it like that, I promise. Come here, let me fix it for you.”

Jinyoung reluctantly complied, standing in front of you and crouching down so you could help him with his tie. You adjusted your pink corsage out of the way before reaching out and redoing his tie with practiced, fluid motions, thanks to all the practice you had with your younger brother. The two of you were standing so close that a strong whiff of cologne with undertones of hair product entered your nostrils.

“Do you think she’ll like it?”

“Like what?”

“My appearance. I mean, is it enough to impress her? I still cannot believe that I’m going to the ball with the class president as my date. She’s smart, kind, athletic…”

“All done.” You cut him off, forcing a lump of envy down your throat. “Says you, Mr. Vice President. I’m sure she’ll think you look absolutely dashing.” You gave him the most genuine smile you could muster and two thumbs up to calm his nerves.

Six years ago

Honestly, Jinyoung had no shame admitting that he was always a hoodie and sweatpants sort of guy. Or jeans, if the occasion truly called for it. At most, he would swap out his hoodie for a button-up. He never owned any blazers.

That is, until he received his job offer at a top professional firm and you dragged him out shopping last weekend for a major wardrobe revamp.

So that’s how he found himself in a grey chequered blazer with a pristine white button up underneath and a pair of black slacks. He stared at his reflection while running his fingers through his unstyled hair. Something was amiss.

“Y/N!” His voice travelled throughout your shared apartment of nearly two years. The pair of you had moved out of college dorms midway through your university degrees and moved into the modest two-bedroom apartment in the city centre together. It was a natural transition for you two, from being neighbours since primary school, to living across the hall in college dorms, and now to being roommates. You wouldn’t be surprised if you ended up buying houses on the same street in the future.

You popped two slices of bread into the toaster before making your way to the bathroom. You peeked inside, satisfied at your masterful taste in office fashion. “Looking good, Mr. Junior Consultant. Your tie needs to be done up, though.” You pointed at the piece of black fabric laying abandoned on the counter top.

“That’s where you come in handy, roomie. Help me fix it? Pretty please? I’ll buy your favourite jjajangmyeon from the corner-shop-ahjumma for dinner on the way home tonight.” Jinyoung looked at you with pleading eyes.

“Throw in a bottle of soju and I’ll help you, kind sir.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Who were you kidding, though? You would’ve tied his tie for him even without anything in return. Oh, the woes of unrequited love, you thought to yourself while looping the black fabric around his lithe neck and fastening it securely. A final clean of his black-rimmed spectacles and a sweep of his fluffy hair later, you deemed his outfit presentable with a big thumbs up.

Two years ago

Jinyoung let out a sigh in frustration, just as you stepped into the backroom of the wedding hall. He had tried for the fifth time to get his tie to knot properly but to no avail and frankly, it did nothing to sooth his jittery nerves.

“Need some help?” You offered, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu from that night ten years ago.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Y/N, I don’t know what I’d do without-” His words caught in his throat as he spun around and laid eyes on you. Your maroon chiffon dress hugged your curves in all the right places. He struggled to tear his gaze away from the side slit that exposed your long legs and the deep V-neckline. He cleared his throat in embarrassment. “My tie…”

“When will you ever learn how to tie a tie by yourself, Park Jinyoung?” You teased, nimble fingers already dancing across his broad chest.

“You know what they say, a man who doesn’t know how to tie his own tie is a lucky man.” He mentioned, entranced by the way your delicate eyelashes fluttered against your sparkly cheekbones. The smokey eyeshadow fit you very well, he decided.

“Yeah? Why is that?” You tightened the black tie gently towards his neck and brushed your hands over his shoulders to rid his black suit of any dust while simultaneously reassuring him.

“Because he has a great woman who does it for him.” Jinyoung sneaked in a quick peck on your flushed cheeks, grinning smugly to himself when you gave him a bashful shove.

“Good luck out there, Mr. Best Man. Don’t mess up the speech, okay?”

Present day

“Ready, sweetie?” Your father’s voice asked tenderly upon opening the car door, holding his elbow out for you to take as you stepped out gingerly.

“Yes, dad. Thank you.” You replied, trying your best to calm the fluttering butterflies in your stomach.

As you led your entourage of bridesmaids towards the aisle, you were filled with an overwhelming sense of contentedness. The periodic crashing of the waves was a perfect backdrop, soothing any residual nerves and bringing back happy memories of summer days spent on the beach, with the man who stood at the end of the flower path. You wriggled your toes as they sunk into the cool sand and scattered petals left by the flower girl, placing one foot in front of the other confidently, with your father by your side. The audience clapped and stood at their seats, while a group of six grown men (the groomsmen) wolf-whistled and whooped enthusiastically.

Each step brought you closer and closer towards the love of your life; the person whose presence was as calming to you as the ocean itself. Standing in front of Jinyoung, you knew that this was where you belonged – beside him.

“Y/N,” Your beauty left him breathless and for a moment, he was lost for words. “You’re the best view. The beach and the sea can’t compare.” He mouthed to you while the marriage celebrant began to speak.

“Not too bad yourself, Mr. Husband. I love the bowtie.” You whispered as the two of you exchanged a knowing look and loving smiles.

[sxfterhearts]

12. [8:50 pm]

Returning the final book to its original position on the Ancient History shelf, you ran your fingers through the rest of the book spines, happily making your way towards the counter of the library. Your footsteps bounced off the four walls of the almost-empty double-storey building that was practically your second home. You relished in the comforting silence. Work was done for today, and you could barely wait to get home.

The library in question was located right next to your faculty building where most of your classes were held, which is why it came as no surprise that a large proportion of your weekdays were spent inside here. You liked studying in quiet areas, where everyone minded their own business, surrounded by shelves upon shelves of books and the ambient, white noise of rumbling from the air conditioners. You liked it so much, in fact, that you took up a job as a part-time librarian assistant this semester.

Needless to say, you enjoyed it. There was minimal human interaction, unlike your previous job as a waitress, because you always volunteered to shelve returned books instead of standing behind the counter. Thankfully, your co-worker-cum-friend, Jinyoung, was a friendly and approachable person, who had no issues with answering questions from nervous first years or teaching mature-aged students how to print their work.

Speaking of Jinyoung, you hadn’t seen him since you signed on for your shift. He had mentioned over text earlier today that he had to drift between the counter and the reserved section, because one of the newer assistants arranged the books backwards. When you received his message, amongst the other three relatable university student memes he sent, you nearly choked on your latte. Jinyoung had been working with you for over five months now and you were well-acquainted with his deadpan look and notorious eyeroll, which only made an appearance when it was absolutely necessary. You knew that he had a huge assignment coming up, which already caused several sleepless nights, and this incident with the newbie was just adding fuel to the fire.

You made a mental note to be extra considerate towards him today, while rounding the corner towards the counter. You found him sitting there, with his back towards you, scrolling through what seemed like the library’s catalogue system on the desktop. You tried to make your footsteps as quiet as possible so that you wouldn’t disturb him. You just had to grab your bag and leave-

“Woah!” Jinyoung suddenly whipped around, startled eyes meeting yours. “Y/N, I didn’t hear you.”

"Sorry, Jinyoung." You replied sheepishly, reaching towards your bag. “I didn’t want to bother you. I was just leaving, actually. Did you need help with anything else? I can stay back if you need me to.”

While the two of you were the same age, you considered Jinyoung as your senior simply because he worked at the library for over a year now. He also seemed to have the answer to everything. You’ve had several late-night conversations with him about life, about school, about anything, really, and he always knew exactly what advice to give you, no matter the nature of your struggles. It also didn’t help that he often dressed like a middle-aged man who liked playing golf and owned several yachts – sweaters over button-ups, wrinkleless trousers, loafers and silver-rimmed glasses to complete his look.

Tonight, he was sporting a knitted checker sweater, in varying shades of blue. He tore his glasses off his face and rubbed his eyes, clearly tired from the day’s work. “I was planning to tag some of the new books that arrived this afternoon but I’m starting to see double digits on the screen. My eyes are so sore.” He stifled a yawn. “I’m just going to grab a coffee and head back to my dorm.”

“A coffee? Right now?” You paused to check the time. “It’s nearly nine, Jinyoung. I thought your body can’t handle caffeine this late.” As he packed his stuff into his bag, you took over the desktop and powered it down. The new books could wait until tomorrow, you decided.

“I’m not sleeping tonight, Y/N. Besides, it's raining outside. Perfect weather for a vanilla latte.” Jinyoung said somewhat enthusiastically, giving you a forced smile and two thumbs up in an attempt to cheer himself up for the long night ahead.

“Is it your assignment? The one worth 40% of your grade?” You asked while walking towards the exit with Jinyoung right beside you, matching your footsteps.

“Yeah, yay me. Honestly, it’s starting to make me question my life choices. I could’ve just chosen one major, but no, I was greedy and chose both Psychology and Neuroscience, the two hardest majors on the planet.” Jinyoung grumbled. You found it amusing that the roles were reversed, with you listening to his complaints instead.

You patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Dr. Park. This is just one assignment in the big scheme of things. When you’re fifty years old and a successful neurosurgeon, you’ll look back and laugh at this small bump in the road as you score multiple hole-in-ones with your golf friends.” 

“I hate golf.” Jinyoung remarked while the two of you stood in front of the glass entrance, relishing in the toasty warmth of the library’s heating. He turned to you and gave your outfit a once over. “Is that all you’re wearing?”

You suddenly felt self-conscious of your decision to wear a skirt and a thin pullover. Clearly, you forgot to check the weather app before leaving your dorm this morning. “Yeah, I thought it was going to be sunny.”

“Wait,” He swung his backpack to the front and unzipped it, pulling out a grey hoodie that he’d worn on numerous occasions. It had a small crest of the Medical Society at the front, and his full name across the back in blocked letters. “Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.” Jinyoung held the piece of clothing in front of you expectantly.

“It’s fine, Jinyoung. I don’t-”

He shot you a death glare. “You’ll get sick. Don’t underestimate the winter rain, Y/N.”

“Thank you, but my dorms are really close by and I-”

“Take it, Y/N. It’s nearly finals season, your health needs to be in good condition.” Jinyoung insisted sternly.

You sighed, knowing you stood no chance against him. He was always quite protective of you. “Okay, I will. Thank you, Jinyoung.” You said in a small voice, pulling the clothing over your head. You inhaled. His hoodie smelled so much like him.

“Good.” Jinyoung pressed the button and the doors slid open, and a whoosh of cold, humid air slapped your faces. “I was going to offer you a warm drink from Starbucks, but it’s probably better if you went home straightaway.”

You hid a smile by pulling the hood over your head. You liked the idea of sitting in the campus Starbucks with him, nibbling on a blueberry crumble muffin and sipping your piping-hot vanilla latte. He would be reading, probably something by Haruki Murakami. You would sneak occasional glances at him from above your laptop screen as he savoured his pain au chocolat. It made you feel warm inside.

“I’ll take a raincheck on that.” You told him, just as the first few droplets of rain began its descent towards the ground.

[sxfterhearts]

90. [10:02 am]

The trip to the grocery store was unusually silent. Even when his daughter’s favourite song came on the radio, she remained silent in the passenger seat, fiddling nervously with the hem of her baby blue, floral summer dress while staring out the window.

Jinyoung noticed her odd behaviour. Your nine-year-old daughter, Jinhee, loved singing as much as her dad and always busied herself on car rides by constantly changing the radio stations in search of good songs. If she weren’t singing, she would be chatting away animatedly to her dad whenever they went on a father-daughter date. Her ongoing silence started to bother Jinyoung.

Did something happen at school that you didn’t tell him about? Was there a disagreement with one of her best friends that he missed? Perhaps one of her classmates was giving her a hard time?

His brows furrowed as the car turned into the street of shops. Your daughter rarely confided in him about her worries – that was your specialty as her emotionally attuned mother. However, Jinyoung was left alone with his brooding nine-year-old for the rest of the morning as you went for a breakfast catch-up with your sister. He wasn’t exactly sure how to approach the situation.

“Jinhee, sweetie,” Jinyoung called in his gentlest fatherly voice, shifting the gear to park the car in front of a McDonald’s that was a few doors down from the grocery store. “You’re a bit quiet today, honey. Is there something troubling you?”

A sigh slipped past her lips, worrying Jinyoung even further. “It’s nothing, Dad. Let’s just go get the eggs and milk, I’m hungry.”

As she reached out for the door handle, he placed a firm grip on her shoulder, holding her back. “Wait, not so fast. I can tell something’s bothering you.” Jinyoung tenderly tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, in the hopes of reassuring her. “You can tell me anything, sweetie, Daddy promises not to get mad.”

Jinhee repositioned herself on the seat, her nervous eyes downcast and hidden from Jinyoung’s view. She played with her fingers aimlessly, before speaking in a small voice, “I watched something on YouTube yesterday…”

Youtube? Jinyoung’s mind began to race. He knew he should’ve been more adamant about not giving your daughter a smartphone until her twelfth birthday – she was too young and too vulnerable for the dark, scary world of the Internet. What did she watch? Could it be… porn?!

“Dad!” Jinhee whined as her lips formed a deep pout. “You said you wouldn’t get mad!”

Jinyoung made a conscious effort to calm himself down and iron out the wrinkles on his forehead. He took several deep breaths, in and out, in and out… “Right, I’m sorry, sweetie. No judgements.”

She watched him for a few more moments. “I watched a makeup tutorial and the lady put on this red lipstick that looked like the one Mummy keeps in her drawer. After she went out to meet Aunty, I went into her room to try it but when I pressed it on my lips, the lipstick broke off! I swear I didn’t mean to break it, I just wanted to see how it would look on me.”

Jinyoung breathed a huge sigh of relief. Makeup tutorials. For a hot minute he thought that he would have to give the birds and the bees talk to your daughter – without you, alone. He was so glad that your daughter’s innocence was intact, he threw his head back and burst out in laughter.

“Dad! Why are you laughing? Don’t you see? Mummy will be so mad at me…” Jinhee trailed off, genuinely worried about her little mishap with your lipstick.

Jinyoung patted her head affectionately, smiling at her adorable actions. “Sweetie, thank you for sharing with me. Fear not, I know just how we can make it up to your Mum. But first, why don’t we ditch cooking and get a McMuffin instead?”

A smile brighter than the morning sun spread across her entire face, signalling the return to her normal, cheerful self. “Thank you, Daddy! Can I have the hotcakes and your hash brown?”

“Anything for you, sweetie.”

//

The house keys jingled as you returned it to its original position atop the shoe rack.

“Baby, welcome home!” Your husband popped his head around the corner, his million-watt smile that you adored dearly directed towards you.

“Yeah, welcome home, Mummy!” Your daughter appeared from behind him, a pastel-coloured bouquet in her hands. There were pink tulips and lilies, blue delphiniums, and white daisies.

You gasped. “Thank you, sweetie.” You accepted the gorgeous blooms gratefully, slightly surprised at the special treatment as you took a whiff of the flowers’ sweet perfume. “What’s the occasion?”

“Aren’t we allowed to spoil you every now and then?” Jinyoung asked as he made his way towards you, placing a soft kiss on your temple in greeting. “Anyways, I believe our Jinhee has something she wants to tell you, don’t you, sweetie?”