Yongbok was a bright and spirited girl, but there was one thing that puzzled the family: her fear of her dad, Seungmin. Even as a baby, she would cry whenever Seungmin tried to hold her.
When Yongbok was just a year old, Seungmin tried everything to bond with her. He’d make funny faces, sing lullabies, and even learned how to change diapers without getting flustered. But Yongbok always seemed to sense when he was near and would cry or squirm to get away.
“I don’t understand it,” Seungmin said to Minho one evening. “I love her so much, but she’s scared of me.”
Minho hugged him tightly. “She’ll come around. Kids are strange sometimes. Maybe she just needs time.”
Seungmin, determined to win his daughter’s affection, decided to approach the problem scientifically. He created a chart to track his interactions with Yongbok, complete with stickers for successful moments. Unfortunately, his chart remained woefully empty.
“Maybe I should try bribery,” Seungmin joked one day, looking at his empty chart.
“Not a bad idea,” Minho replied, laughing. “But make sure it’s the good candy.”
As Yongbok grew, her fear persisted. When she was two, Seungmin tried reading her bedtime stories. He’d sit in the rocking chair with a picture book, but Yongbok would only calm down when Minho took over. One memorable night, Seungmin attempted a dramatic reading of “Goodnight Moon,” complete with voices for each character. Instead of being entertained, Yongbok burst into tears.
“Maybe she’s more of a non-fiction kind of kid,” Han quipped.
At family gatherings, while other kids played happily with their dads, Yongbok clung to Minho or her grandparents. Seungmin watched with a heavy heart, longing for the day his daughter would feel comfortable with him.
When Yongbok turned three, she discovered a love for drawing. She would spend hours with her crayons and sketchbooks, creating colorful pictures. Seungmin saw an opportunity. One afternoon, he set up a little art station next to her, with new crayons and a fresh sketchbook.
“Hey, Yongbok,” he said softly, sitting down beside her. “Do you want to draw together?”
Yongbok looked up, surprised. She hesitated but couldn’t resist the new crayons. She nodded slowly and scooted a little closer.
They spent the afternoon drawing. Seungmin drew silly cartoons, making Yongbok giggle despite herself. He drew a cat with glasses and a bow tie, and she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Is that supposed to be Soongie?” she asked, pointing at the drawing.
Yongbok started to relax, and soon they were laughing and chatting about their drawings.
“You’re really good at this,” Seungmin said, admiring her work. “Maybe you can teach me how to draw like you.”
Yongbok beamed. “Okay, Daddy. I can teach you.”
It was a small step, but it was progress. Over the next few weeks, Seungmin made a point to spend more time with Yongbok, doing things she enjoyed. They baked cookies together, played hide and seek, and even had tea parties with her stuffed animals. During one particularly chaotic tea party, Seungmin accidentally sat on a whoopee cushion that Changbin had planted, causing a loud fart noise.
“Daddy!” Yongbok giggled. “That’s not how you sit at a tea party!”
Despite the progress, there were still moments when Yongbok’s fear resurfaced. One evening, the family decided to watch a movie together. Seungmin noticed Yongbok sitting alone on one end of the couch while everyone else was snuggled together.
He took a deep breath and sat down beside her, careful not to get too close. “Mind if I sit here?” he asked gently.
Yongbok glanced at him and then back at the TV. “Okay,” she mumbled.
As the movie played, Seungmin gradually moved closer, inch by inch. By the time the credits rolled, Yongbok was leaning against his arm, her head resting on his shoulder. Seungmin smiled, not daring to move a muscle.
The turning point came one rainy afternoon when Yongbok was four. She was playing in the living room when a loud thunderclap shook the house. She screamed and ran to hide under the coffee table. Seungmin, who had been reading nearby, quickly went to her.
“It’s okay, Yongbok,” he said soothingly, crouching down beside her. “It’s just thunder. It can’t hurt you.”
Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at him. Seungmin reached out a hand, and to his surprise, she grabbed it tightly.
“I’m scared, Daddy,” she whispered.
Seungmin gently pulled her into his arms. “I’m here. You’re safe.”
From that day on, things began to change. Yongbok started to seek out her dad more often, holding his hand when they went for walks, and even letting him tuck her in at night.
One evening, while Seungmin was reading her a bedtime story, Yongbok snuggled closer to him. “Daddy, can I tell you a secret?”
“Of course, sweetheart,” Seungmin said, his heart swelling.
“I love you,” she whispered, her small arms wrapping around his neck.
Seungmin’s eyes filled with tears as he hugged her tightly. “I love you too, Yongbok. More than anything.”
And from then on, Yongbok’s fear was replaced with love. She and Seungmin developed a bond filled with love.
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(QOTD: have you ever been scared of your own parent?)
