"my Daeunn. how are you today?" Johnny asked with a warm smile, kneeling down to her level as she played with her Barbie on the floor.
"i got booboo," she replied with a pout, looking up at him with big, sad eyes.
"ah, i see... it will heal in a few days, don't worry, okay?" Johnny said soothingly, ruffling her hair gently to comfort her.
they were gearing up for a day of filming the dance practice, knowing it could take several takes to perfect the choreography. the thought of staying late worried them, especially considering how Daeun might handle the extended hours and potential late night.
sprawled on the floor of the dance practice studio, Daeun looked up and saw Jaehyun standing there. her eyes lit up, and she tilted her head with a big smile. "uncle Yunoo!" she squealed, throwing herself into his arms.
Jaehyun caught her effortlessly, his dimpled grin spreading wider as he spun her around. "hi, sweetheart! did you miss me?" he asked playfully, making her giggle. Daeun nodded eagerly as Jaehyun set her down gently.
just then, Haechan walked into the room, balancing a stack of coffee cups. "Daeun-ah, don't tire the uncles out, they need to dance later. you can play with me and appa instead," he said, setting the cups down and giving her a warm smile.
Daeun looked between Haechan and Jaehyun, then reached out for younger's hand. "okay," she said, giving Jaehyun one last beaming smile before heading over to Haechan, ready to join in on whatever game or activity they had planned.
Jaehyun watched them with a fond smile, his heart warmed by the scene. as the dance practice continued, he stayed close, occasionally peeking in on Daeun, making sure everything was going smoothly.
--
soon, Daeun was panting from all the laughing and screaming. she toddled over to Mark, holding up her hands and asking for water. Mark handed her a sippy cup and then scooped her up, settling her on the sofa next to him.
as he pushed her damp hair back, he couldn't help but chuckle at how sweaty and energetic her playtime had been. "are you sure you aren't tired, little one? you're all sweaty. might put you to sleep early today," he said with a teasing smile.
he gently dabbed her forehead with a clean towel, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Daeun looked up at him with wide eyes, still catching her breath from the fun, as Mark continued to care for her, making sure she was comfortable and hydrated.
the filming went smoothly on the third take, but the whole process took almost three hours. despite the busy atmosphere, there was no sign of Daeun's usual chatter. she had fallen asleep, curled up comfortably on a staff member's lap.
she was woken by loud music as some of the members practiced a new dance. she padded across the room and found Jungwoo lying on the floor, catching his breath. she asked him where Mark and Haechan were, but they were nowhere to be found.
after about 15 minutes, Mark came into the room to see Daeun standing in front of the mirror, with Jungwoo on his knees beside her. Mark smiled widely when he made eye contact with her.
"who is this, Daeunn? this pretty princess? say hi!" Jungwoo asked.
"...want appa," she mumbled.
"you wanna go to appa? ...no, you can't," Jungwoo playfully locked her in his arms, preventing her from going to Mark.
her cries grew louder as Jungwoo continued to playfully hold her back. she reached out for Mark, her little hands grasping at the air.
he hurried over, his face a mix of amusement and concern. "alright, alright, come here, baby" he said, finally scooping her up and hugging her close. he gently rocked her in his arms to calm her down.
Jungwoo watched with a grin, sitting up and stretching. "i guess i'm not winning 'Uncle of the Year' today," he joked.
"she's just a bit disoriented after her nap." Mark chuckled, still soothing Daeun. she buried her face in hiss shoulder, her tears slowly stopping as she felt his comforting presence.
--
it was 11 p.m. when they arrived at the dormitory, few hours behind Daeun's bedtime. Mark gently settled her back onto bed, tucking her in with the soft blankets. she looked up at him with tired eyes, still a bit tearful but calming down.
"there we go, all cozy again," he whispered.
"do you want to hear a story?"
Daeun yawned, her eyes fluttering as she tried to stay awake. "story," she mumbled.
he smiled and picked up one of the books from the small stack next to her bed. it was a brightly illustrated tale about a brave little bear and his adventures. he began to read in a soft, soothing voice, making sure to add some dramatic pauses and gentle inflections to keep her engaged.
as he read, he could see her eyes slowly closing. the warmth and comfort of the room, combined with Mark's calming presence, made it hard for her to stay awake. her little hands loosened their grip on the edge of the blanket, and soon she was nestled comfortably in bed, drifting off to sleep.
he finished the story with a soft smile, closing the book and placing it gently on the bedside table. He sat there for a few moments, watching her sleep peacefully, before quietly leave the room.
