for ya writing req post , can ya do sth w. Squid game and toddler pov? Sidechars maybe?
A/N: Hi thank you for your Request :-) So many Side Characters to choose from and Seasons sooo after a bit thinking i choose the very interesting Player 212 - Mi-nyeo Han from Season One.
TW: Mention of debts, separation anxiety and a tearful farewell
You look out curiously at the deserted parking lot of the apartment complex. You've behaved really well over the last few days and haven't cried that much when the other children have been able to see their parents, when the adults have come into the foster family's home with a smile on their faces and showered their children with love, affection and pet names. And yet you felt like crying… you didn't want to be in this place… you just wanted to be with your grandma.
"Here you are, darling. Don't you want to come into the living room? Kiwi is waiting for someone to play ball with him?"
Kiwi… that was the little family dog… barely bigger than a cat and with lots of fur… maybe he was a teddy bear disguised as a dog. You like animals and since you arrived at the foster family, you have had your first and probably best contact with Kiwi…..Kiwi reminds you of your mom's cat, the cat that also had to leave home…..because mom can no longer be with you…with you…not every day…not every week…..you don't understand why. Mommy hasn't done anything bad?
"Waiting for Mommy!" you say seriously, with all the seriousness that a 3-year-old toddler can display, and slap the window with the flat of your hand to make it clear that you have to watch the parking lot very carefully.
You couldn't understand that you ended up in the foster family because your mother - also known as Mi-Nyeo Han - is in a lot of debt… and a court decided that she is not able to care for you or the baby that is now small… you didn't know that your mom had another baby… you hadn't seen each other for so long. The visits were irregular and you don't notice the protective glances from the foster parents when your mom shows up with a big grin, a cloud of alcohol surrounds her and she rushes towards you with an energetic cheer. For you, your mom is still your mom… your Eomma.
"Oh look, Kiwi wants to keep you company, isn't that nice huh?"
The pattering of paws and the quiet barking of the dog makes you look up briefly and Kiwi actually manages to distract you for a few minutes. You stroke the dog's soft fur and don't hear the exchange of words that is taking place in the hallway. The quiet words of the foster parents, who are discussing whether a complete ban on contact would be the alternative… because in their eyes Mi-Nyeon is not a good companion and an even worse mother who only thinks about herself… why else was she denied custody of a 3-year-old daughter and a small baby and both children are now in the foster family system?
It took a long time until the doorbell finally rang and your growling stomach left you feeling conflicted… what if it was mom? But you're hungry too… you've barely moved from the window seat. Kiwi barks loudly once and then runs out of the room towards the hallway.
Mom wouldn't forget you, would she? She loves you as much as you love her. And you belong together…soon you'll be able to live at home again, right? You, mom and the cat Brownie. Yes, mom really did call the cat Brownie, but Brownie doesn't have brown fur at all, she's snow white. You miss Brownie very much…but you miss your mother even more.
"Nonsense! I made some money and my baby girl is going to eat with me, where is she?"
"Yeah yeah, whatever, I want to go to that ever-crowded hamburger restaurant near the main station with my daughter now…..burgers and fries yeees!"
"Mi-Nyeo please listen to us, you are clearly not in the mood….."
"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?! FUCKING TELL ME AGAIN….!"
Your little heart leaps when you hear your mom's loud voice, she is never angry with you and mom was always nice to Brownie the cat too, so you don't waste any time, climb down from the windowsill and run as fast as your little feet can carry you towards the hallway.
"EOMMA!" - you call out and it doesn't take three seconds before Mi-Nyeon's pissed off face lights up and she crouches down, spreads her arms and her eyes shine with maternal happiness.
"That's my baby girl! Come to me and give your Eomma a big hug!"
You throw yourself into your mom's outstretched arms with so much momentum and euphoria that she loses her balance for a moment and lands on her back on the floor, which makes you both laugh out loud.
"Listen baby girl, Eomma has a surprise. We're going to eat hamburgers and fries today!" - said your mother after she sat up and positioned yourself on her hip. Automatically you wrap your little hands around her neck and nod enthusiastically.
"Don't even think about stalking us. I'll bring her back safe and sound, you control freaks," Mi-Nyeo said to the foster parents before she left the building complex with you in her arms and ordered the hamburgers and fries in the small, crowded restaurant as promised.
When asked if you didn't want to sit alone like a big girl instead of sitting on her lap like a koala, you said no, shocked, and just emphasized again in your words that you missed your mommy very much and wanted to go home as soon as possible… to her and Brownie the cat.
You enjoy every precious moment and as you leave the restaurant, you don't even question why your mom doesn't take you straight back to your foster parents. She's going to one of the many subway stations… she's carrying you, so you don't get lost. Ha! And let's see if anyone says Mi-Nyeo has no sense of responsibility.
"YOU! I've thought about it! I want to play against YOU again!"
You look curiously at your mother's face as she heads towards a man with a briefcase and suit on one of the empty subway platforms who is just about to leave.
"Baby girl, sit down there and watch, OK?" - you wanted to protest and would much rather continue to hide your head in the crook of your neck or under your mom's jacket when the strange adult in the suit casts such an intense look at you… but your mom says the words so sternly that you just sulk and let her sit you on the floor.
The two adults talk to each other and the man in the suit opens the briefcase, takes out two game pieces… one red and one blue… you tilt your head and wonder what kind of game this is.
It doesn't take long before Mi-Nyeo plays against the salesman… and wins. Not just some money, but also a card.
With a broad grin, she takes the card and puts you in her arms again before heading towards the exit of the station.
"Circle, triangle, square," you take a look at the side of the small card that your mom is holding in her hands and you recognize symbols.
"Such a clever girl!", your mom praises you and turns the card over once….you don't know these symbols but your mother walks into a dark side alley with you in her arms when you're back on the surface and dials the number on the card.
"Would you like to take part in the games?"
"Fuck yes! Who would say no to that?!"
"Come to the address mentioned above on the following date…"
You don't understand exactly what's coming out of the phone, but it seems to make mom happy, so you just snuggle up a little closer to her and listen to her heartbeat. Sometimes that calms you down…..the thought of having to leave again and go back to the foster family scared you…..you just want to stay with your Eomma!
"Okay baby girl, listen to me, it's possible that Eomma won't come to the next meeting, she has to do something, and if that works out, I'll take you to my place… and we'll buy a nicer apartment… and finally be happy again… but you have to be strong and brave, right?"
"Okay Eomma," you just murmur and reach for a strand of hair to gently play with it.
You don't notice how tears form in your mother's eyes, you twirl the strand of hair around your right index finger… Mommy's hair is always so curly and pretty… I wonder if you'll have such pretty hair when you grow up.
"And then… I'll introduce you to your baby brother… I promise," - she murmurs lovingly and gives you a tight hug.
The farewell in the foster family's apartment is loud, tearful and full of tears, you hit and bite your foster mother who tries to pick you up when Mi-Nyeo puts you down on the sofa in the living room with a heavy heart and you make grabby hands up to your Eomma.
"Eomma, not by by! Me coming with you!", - you cry and when Mi-Nyeon bends down to say her last words of farewell, you cling to her, crying and shaking.
"Sssssh baby girl, Eomma is coming back. She just has to go away for a little while……," - Mi-Nyeo tries to calm you down and rocks you gently back and forth like a very small baby….you actually hate it when anyone tries that….but with your Eomma it's different…..and it's the only thing that can calm you down right now.
Only slowly do you stop shaking and can finally be sat down on the sofa again….your mom carefully takes your little hands in her big hands and looks at you with a look so full of love and affection.
"You are a little fighter, a brave little fighter , who won't let anything get you down - until Eomma comes back and we're a family again, right?"
"Eomma home soon?" - you ask and Mi-Nyeon nods, gives you a final goodbye kiss on your hair and then leaves the apartment.
You will cling to this promise like a life preserver in the coming days.
Because you want to be brave and courageous for your Eomma.
She promised to come back soon and then you can go home… to Brownie the cat and you'll meet your baby brother.
And Eomma has never broken a promise to you.
How could you have guessed that this promise would never come true?
It would tear the ground from under your feet… like shattering glass plates… from normal window glass and not safety glass!