TOMORROW | Changbin

24|| Mr Dreambot

Jiyeon's POV

A mother's heart, they say, is a bottomless well of love, capable of both unimaginable ferocity and the most selfless sacrifice. We carry within us the fiercest love, a love that would tear the world down to protect our young.

isn't it a strange and magnificent thing?

But the hardest part is when that well of love seems to overflow, and your child, like a precious flower blooming too soon, holds secrets deeper than their years. Sometimes, the greatest challenge isn't facing a monster, but navigating the uncharted waters of your child's unspoken needs.

My Aeri, a tiny girl with eyes that seem to hold entire galaxies, is a mystery wrapped in sunshine. At just four years old, she has a wisdom that amazes me. She understands unspoken words and reaches for my hand when the world feels too loud. I see my own struggles in her curious gaze, a burden I never wanted her to bear.

The park is filled with the happy sounds of children, but my heart aches with a question: what does Aeri truly want? It's not a toy or a trip or a big gesture. It's a quiet longing, a gentle music just beneath the surface. I want to understand her, to hear the melody of her heart.

But I wouldn't force it. Her childhood is a precious, fleeting sanctuary that I fiercely protect. Fate might have other plans, but I will always be her champion in this beautiful, bewildering world.

Haein's voice cut through my internal whirlwind. "Looks like someone's been having a blast lately," she chirped, gesturing towards Aeri.

I followed her gaze, and there she was, a giggling firecracker bouncing on the trampoline. Her infectious laughter echoed like wind chimes in a summer breeze, and her dimples, those adorable little craters in her cheeks, were on full display as she bounced with another child. It was a sight that never failed to make my heart swell with love.

Ever since Changbin entered our lives, a lightness had filled Aeri's days. Mealtimes became adventures when he was around, her tiny hand reaching for his in a silent invitation to play. He was her personal climbing frame, her human nightlight, and her comfort when the shadows grew too long.

Seeing them together – a father and daughter forging a bond that warmed the very core of me – brought a mix of emotions bubbling to the surface. A touch of worry tickled my heart, a fear of the unexplored path ahead. As much as I longed to tell her everything, the pure joy radiating from Aeri was undeniable. In this moment, that's all that truly mattered.

Haein's smirk widened, a playful glint in her eyes. "Like father, like daughter, right?" she said with a casual shrug. "So, spill it mama bear" she leaned in conspiratorially, "Do you secretly have a soft spot for the charming Mr. Changbin?"

My heart skipped a beat.

Five years. I have spent five years loving him, holding him close despite the fear, and the uncertainty. We'd shared so much laughter, so much joy, but when he left, it felt like a part of me had gone with him. Now, seeing him with Aeri, seeing the happiness he brought her, a tiny flicker of something... something warm... ignited within me. But was it possible? Could I, after all this time, still hold a flame for him?

Haein's eyes narrowed for a moment, a playful suspicion lingering in their depths. Sleep deprivation, evident in the dark circles under her eyes, couldn't hide the glint of her sharp mind. "You sure you don't want to lie to your best friend, Jiji?" she countered,

A laugh bubbled up from my chest. Lie to Haein? Impossible. This woman could sniff out a secret from a mile away.

"Never about something like this," I surrendered, raising my hands in mock defeat. "Especially about my feelings for..." My voice trailed off, a decision forming in my mind.