"hi everyone, good to see you again. Daeun, look! you've met them before, right?" the caregiver smiled sweetly, guiding Daeun's hand to give a small wave to the boys.
"h-hello," Daeun mumbled shyly, peeking out from behind the caregiver's leg.
all seven boys' hearts melted at the sight. she was utterly adorable.
a chorus of hellos greeted her as they introduced themselves one by one, with Mark going last.
"hii Daeun. i'm Lee Mark, but you can call me whatever you like," Mark said gently, extending his hand towards her.
Daeun's face lit up with recognition. she emerged from behind the caregiver, her tiny feet pattering quickly as she ran into his open arms. she clung to him like a little koala, her small arms wrapping tightly around his neck.
"ammpa," she babbled, trying to speak, making Mark smile warmly.
Haechan, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh softly. "looks like she's already got a name for you, hyung."
"seems like it," Mark replied, his eyes shining with affection as he held Daeun close. "did you miss us?"
Daeun nodded, her small fingers gripping his shirt. "mm," she mumbled, her voice muffled against his chest.
Chenle crouched down next to Mark, a big grin on his face. "we've got a special room all set up for you. want to see it?"
"room?" she echoed, her curiosity piqued.
"yep," Jaemin chimed in. "we worked hard to make it perfect for you."
the caregiver smiled, touched by the boys' genuine care and affection. "she's very lucky to have you all."
Mark stood up, still holding Daeun securely in his arms. "we're lucky to have her. thank you for trusting us."
as they made their way inside, Daeun's eyes sparkled with wonder. the boys led her to her new room, which was decorated with soft pastel colors, whimsical decals, and shelves filled with books and toys. her cozy bed had a fluffy comforter that looked inviting and warm.
"waaa..." she breathed, wriggling free from Mark's arms to explore the room. she plopped herself on a fluffy mat in the center, awestruck.
the boys chuckled at her reaction. Jaemin knelt down beside her. "do you like it?"
Daeun nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with wonder. she crawled over to a small bookshelf filled with colorful storybooks and plush toys. she picked up a soft bunny and hugged it tightly. "bunny!"
Jaemin smiled warmly. "oh? it's your new friend."
"wow, you really went all out. most kids can only dream of a room like this. that bed... it's really something else!" the caregiver smiled, and Mark nodded.
"we wanted to make sure she feels comfortable and happy here," Mark replied, watching as Daeun continued to explore her new room with unbridled excitement.
"wahh the castle is huge, right? you can come and play anytime you want," he said.
within seconds, Daeun raced to the castle and climbed to the top. she looked down at Mark and the caregiver, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Mark had an idea and quickly texted someone. a few minutes later, Jaemin appeared with some paper and a box of colored pencils.
Jaemin nodded to the caregiver, unsure if he could interrupt. "please, just act as if I'm not here," she encouraged, and Jaemin walked in, joining Mark and Daeun at the top of the castle.
"should we draw?" Jaemin smiled, placing the supplies on the floor and sitting cross-legged. Daeun shot up and settled on Mark's lap, staring at Jaemin with wide eyes.
he smiled and started drawing a house with flowers and eight people outside, one very small with long hair in plaits. then he handed her the picture and the colored pencils.
"can you color this for me? then we can pin it to the fridge." he smiled, stood up, and left, leaving the picture behind.
"shall we color this?" Mark asked gently. she nodded silently, picking up a green pencil to color the grass. Mark chose yellow for the sun.
they spent an hour together coloring and talking occasionally. neither was a big talker, but they were comfortable in each other's company. Daeun didn't move from Mark's lap until the picture was finished.
turning around slightly, she whispered, "ping this...?"
Mark stifled a laugh, thinking she was cute trying too get her words right. "you want to pin this on the fridge?" she nodded. "shall we go together?" she pondered for a moment, then nodded slowly.
Mark picked her up and carried her downstairs to the living room where Jaemin and the others were waiting for lunch.
Daeun tensed in his arms as all eyes turned to her. Jaemin stood up, his eyes lighting up at the colorful drawing in her hands.
"oh, look who we have here! a cute drawing from a cute baby! should we put it on the fridge?" Jaemin reached out, signaling to take her from Mark.
Daeun whined and snuggled closer to Mark's neck, but then Jaemin's long fingers tickled her neck, trying to coax her into his arms.
"it's okay, it's okay. Jaemin won't bite," Mark laughed. "would you like him to hold you?"
Daeun hesitated but then nodded, letting Jaemin carry her to the fridge.
"which magnet should we use, baby? this one? say 'orange please,'" Jaemin chuckled, bouncing her gently.
"orange pleasee- aaack," Daeun giggled as Jaemin kept waddling her from side to side.
"good job!" Jaemin praised, pinning the drawing to the fridge. they admired it for a moment before rejoining the others for lunch.
one thing was certain—she was proud that her drawing made it to the fridge.
