Houseboat

4

"Run slowly!" Chae Yoon reminds Hyun Ju as soon as she hopped off their car. She had a beige sweater on and a white lace skirt with her hair pulled up to a ponytail.

They arrived extra early on Saturday morning at the orphanage. They pay regular visits every month and Hyun Ju looks forward to every single one of them.

Tae Gu chuckles and walks behind his wife as he unloads the boxes from the trunk. "Let her be. When I was her age, I've been through worse."

"She's going to injure herself. Oh, oh... dear," Chae Yoon made a face when Hyun Ju almost tripped on a rock. "Oh, look at her." A little worried, she still joined him on the trunk and carried a few boxes, checking the contents. She made sure the snacks and drinks were enough for all of the kids.

Upon observing one box and its contents, she leaned to his neck to ask. "Hey, I thought you bought two flavors?"

"Hm?" Tae Gu narrowed his eyes on the box she was holding and sees all the juices in pineapple flavors. "Oh, the other one's here," he pulls another carton with all the apple ones inside.

"Ah." Chae Yoon nods.

Ever since Tae Gu started a foundation for the kids and the orphanage, the people here became their second family. Hyun Ju had become acquainted with the children and they were closer to her than her classmates.

The kind old chairman comes out and welcomes them with open arms. Min Tae Gu flashes him a grin and they exchange a heavy pat on each other's shoulders before carrying all the boxes together.

With the adults busy chatting outside, in one of the rooms, Min Hyun Ju walks around and watches the line drawings taped on the walls. It ranged from mountains to houses to children.

"Why are you not coloring them?" She asked, walking back to Yeol, one of the orphans who were of the same age as her. He was sitting at his desk and currently finalizing one of his recent drawings to completion.

"I was planning to do it when you visit," the little boy answered. "Did you bring your crayons? You have better crayons than me."

Hyun Ju clicked her tongue. "Of course, I did. Why did you think I brought this bag?"

For the rest of the morning, they lay on the floor on their stomach as she teaches him

how to use the pens and crayons neatly. He had drawn a lot and they all colored it up prettily.

That's how Chae Yoon found them an hour later when she knocked on their door to tell them lunch is ready—the two eight-year-olds were arguing over which kind of blue to use for the sky.

Hyun Ju was about to smack his head but then quietly retrieved her hand back when she saw her mom standing at the door.

When lunch passed, they scurried off to the playground at the fields and took turns pushing each other on the swing. Hyun Ju always liked how Yeol carefully pushes her but it sometimes annoys her that he still pushes her slowly even though she demanded him to push her higher.

"Higher!"

"I can't!"

"Just do it!" She squirms on the seat and holds on to the ropes, stretching her legs forward as he tries his best to do it even higher to her liking.

From the distance, Min Tae Gu casually watches them until a cup of coffee was served in front of him. Chae Yoon receives the same cup too as the old man then started to strike up a conversation with them.

"How are things with you two?"

"It's going well," he smiles, savoring the coffee. "Hyun Ju is in second grade and my wife just got promoted. The business is great too."