TL/Editor: looloo
Status: ongoing
Illustrations: posted in discord
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May.
Looking at my wife and children seated around as usual, I pondered.
Heena and I try to spend as much ti as possible with our family. And it's not particularly difficult.
I hate to say this myself, but basically, whether it's Heena, Sarang, or Somang, they all love spending ti with .
The three of them always gravitate towards , the head of the family. As a result, we're usually together during our free ti, whether it's two, three, or all four of us.
Sotis I worry this situation might make them distant from others, but they all seem to manage just fine.
Heena and Sarang's phones are constantly buzzing with ssages, even though they have their notifications turned off. And Somang is the star of him daycare. The teachers and other girls his age are completely smitten with Somang's cool deanor.
Once, Somang brought a puppy doll to daycare. That day, he caused quite a stir by smiling brightly while hugging the doll, showing an enormous gap from him usual self.
Anyway, I'm glad they all get along well with people outside the family, and having a close-knit family is definitely a good thing, but...
"Mom! You can't hog Dad's lap all to yourself!"
"It's my turn now, isn't it?"
"You've had 30 minutes, so it's my turn now!"
"Don't wanna."
"Somang, you sat here for an hour at first! It's my turn now, sis!"
"Daddy~"
"Don't try to sweet-talk Dad, that's cheating!"
Today, like any other day, we were gathered in the living room, taking turns occupying my lap. Somang went first. Then Heena, who won rock-paper-scissors against Sarang.
Despite being in her thirties, Heena doesn't feel the least bit embarrassed clinging to like this in front of the kids. If anything, she flaunts it.
"Somang had an hour, so Mom gets an hour too~"
"Ugh!"
"Mom..."
"Those puppy-dog eyes won't work~ Somang, you're always sitting here anyway."
Even now, she was using the logic that since Somang had an hour, she should get an hour too, pushing away our daughter and son.
While she's always such a caring and wise wife and mother to and the kids, she shows no rcy in tis like these. Plus, she had a point.
I sat quietly, watching the three of them argue over who gets to sit on my lap. Heena was on my lap, and the kids had my arms in their grip, so I couldn't move.
What say did I have in this situation? Even if I did, I shouldn't take sides. For the sake of family peace, I couldn't support any of them.
It was a common occurrence anyway, and these squabbles never escalated into real fights.
"Alright, let's talk until it's Sarang's turn, then go to bed. It's getting late."
"I want to sleep together today!"
"Then bring your pillow later. Somang, do you want to sleep with us too?"
"Yes!"
"Somang can sleep between Mom and Dad. Sarang, where do you want to sleep?"
"Next to Dad!"
"Heena, we should... never mind."
The kids would definitely cling to while sleeping, making sweat. I wanted to suggest turning on the fan, but I decided against it. It's the changing of seasons, and the kids might catch a cold if they're in the fan's breeze all night.
Co to think of it, this habit of everyone clinging to seems to be getting worse by the day.
It's a feeling that makes both happy and worried.
---
[Han Yeonho: So that's why I set up this chat. What do you guys think?]
[Kim Suhwang: What the fuck are you on about?]
Starting with profanity, huh? You haven't grown up at all, Kim Suhwang. We're in our 30s now, for crying out loud.
Well, I didn't actually set up a separate chat. It just happened that all my friends were online during the dayti when Heena and the kids weren't around, so I brought it up.
Yoonsung's probably on his day off, but the rest of these guys are really slacking off at work.
[Kim Suhwang: So of us are fighting every damn day, and here you are complaining about your cushy life.]
[Lee Hyunwoo: This asshole's not looking for advice, he's just bragging again.]
[Shin Uihyun: For real.]
[Jung Yoonsung: Can I co over?]
[Han Yeonho: No.]
The reactions were more intense than I expected, and not in a good way. I guess I've been talking too much about my... well, is it bragging? I've just been sharing everyday stuff.
anwhile, Yoonsung was asking if he could co over, probably bored on his day off. I wonder why he's not hanging out with his girlfriend. Didn't he start dating that part-tir from his store last year?
[Han Yeonho: Yoonsung, what about your girlfriend?]
[Jung Yoonsung: It's a weekday, dumbass. She's working.]
[Han Yeonho: Oh.]
Now that I think about it, I rember hearing she quit her part-ti job and got hired at a company this year.
[Kim Suhwang: So what? You're saying it's a problem that Lee Heena, Sarang, and Somang love you too much?]
[Han Yeonho: That's not it... well, it is, but not like that.]
[Kim Suhwang: That's the sa fucking thing, you idiot! What the hell are you trying to say?!]
[Lee Hyunwoo: Are you seriously crazy? I'm wasting my precious work hours because of this asshole. Goddammit.]
[Han Yeonho: Hey, shouldn't you be thanking for helping you slack off?]
Shouldn't they be grateful to ?
[Lee Hyunwoo: The ntal damage cos with it, you lunatic!]
[Han Yeonho: Why don't you get married then?]
[Lee Hyunwoo: Fuck off.]
[Shin Uihyun: I'd like to be supportive, but this really makes want to curse at you.]
[Jung Yoonsung: I'll bring so tteokbokki too, so can I co over?]
[Han Yeonho: No.]
After that barrage of curses, they finally started to engage with the conversation. They were probably just looking for ways to kill ti anyway.
[Kim Suhwang: Try going out alone once a week. Like for two hours on a Saturday or Sunday. Let them learn to be independent without you.]
[Shin Uihyun: Isn't two hours too short?]
[Kim Suhwang: For them, even two hours will feel long.]
[Han Yeonho: Two hours is way too long...]
[Lee Hyunwoo: Are you insane?]
It's not easy to leave all three of them at ho and go out. When I go on a date or outing with just one of them, the others wait at ho, desperately longing for my return. They probably wouldn't even let leave in the first place.
[Lee Hyunwoo: But the kids are still young. It's natural for them to not want to be apart from their dad. Sarang's only 13... wait, she's already 13?]
[Shin Uihyun: I saw her briefly the other day, and she's grown a lot. Wow... it feels like just yesterday we were taking her for walks in her stroller.]
[Kim Suhwang: Has it really been over 10 years? That's crazy.]
[Jung Yoonsung: Han Yeon, rember what I told you back when Sarang was still in a stroller? You guys should know too. If things get tough, just tell . You can always get a job as a manager at our store.]
[Han Yeonho: Does this guy ever give up?]
[Lee Hyunwoo: For real, he's recruiting 365 days a year.]
[Jung Yoonsung: Whatever. I'll bring lots of Sarang's favorite Pikachu cutlets too, so can I co over?]
[Han Yeonho: No.]
Anyway, none of the suggestions so far were very helpful. I wasn't keen on forcing myself to go out alone just because they were too attached to . It's not like I disliked spending ti with my family.
I was just a little worried, that's all.
[Shin Uihyun: When do you think we'll hear Sarang say "Dad, you're annoying"?]
[Kim Suhwang: Honestly, I thought it'd be soon, but after seeing them last month, I'd say it'll be at least another 3 years.]
[Jung Yoonsung: I can't even imagine Sarang saying sothing like that. That sweet kid...]
[Kim Suhwang: True, but puberty can hit suddenly.]
[Han Yeonho: Nah, our Sarang would never do that~]
Don't badmouth Sarang. Our Sarang would never do that to , even during puberty!
[Kim Suhwang: How's Somang? Still a mini Heena?]
[Han Yeonho: You think his face would change after not seeing him for a couple of months? He's still a mini Heena.]
[Kim Suhwang: That kid's going to be sothing else when he grows up. You know, Heena's brother is seriously good-looking. He'll probably grow up to be just like him.]
[Shin Uihyun: I wonder what it feels like to be born with good looks...]
[Lee Hyunwoo: Nobody here would know, so shut up.]
[Jung Yoonsung: I'll bring so fish cakes for Somang too, so can I co over?]
[Han Yeonho: No.]
Somang's good looks are nothing new. My son has such a unfairly handso face. Sarang too, for that matter.
[Kim Suhwang: Just keep doing what you're doing. This kind of thing usually sorts itself out over ti, and you'll naturally develop an appropriate distance.]
[Shin Uihyun: That's true. Spring's almost over, so why don't you take the kids to an amusent park? Somang hasn't been yet, right?]
[Han Yeonho: Well, we did go when she was a baby...]
[Lee Hyunwoo: That should work then. I'm off to actually do so work. Later.]
[Kim Suhwang: Sa here. Bye.]
[Shin Uihyun: See ya.]
[Jung Yoonsung: I'll bring so chicken too... so can I co over?]
[Han Yeonho: No. Thanks everyone~]
[Jung Yoonsung: You bastard.]
[Han Yeonho: *middle finger emoji*]
---
The hour-long chat with my friends didn't yield any particularly useful answers. Maybe just the amusent park idea? Not that it matters much, since I only brought it up for so casual conversation while everyone was online.
Speaking of Sarang's puberty...
I used to worry about when Sarang would hit puberty and start giving the cold shoulder. I tried to spend as much ti with her as possible because of that concern.
But now, I don't worry about that at all. No matter how I look at it, I can't imagine Sarang ever treating that way, even during puberty.
Anyway, as Suhwang said, the issue of our family being too close will probably resolve itself over ti. So instead of worrying about that, it might be nice to take a trip to the amusent park, just the four of us.
Somang's still very young, so his mories might be a bit hazy later, but the happy mories of family outings tend to linger in the mind, even if they're a bit fuzzy.
And wouldn't it be much more fun for Sarang than playing rock-paper-scissors every day for the right to sit on my lap?
With these thoughts in mind, that evening when the whole family was gathered...
I spoke to the three people huddled around once again.
"How about we go to the amusent park next week?"
Author's Note:
Holy moly guacamole
---
enjoy! :)
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